THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Muthoot Finance will approach the Supreme Court seeking protection by central paramilitary forces for its employees and offices if the state police continue their apathy. Addressing mediapersons here on Thursday, Muthoot Finance chairman M G George Muthoot said the state police stood as mute spectators to incidents in which his employees were brutally attacked and offices ransacked by CITU men. The company does not have immediate plans to end operations in Kerala.
“We will operate the branches which do not face threat from CITU workers,” he said. Over 200 employees were injured in the attack by CITU workers, he said. The company will ensure that the employees, including women, who were attacked for defying the strike call, get justice. The accused will land in jail, George said.
He said there were eight strikes in his company in the past two-and-a-half years. Every time, the employees were attacked by CITU workers. He said the company made all possible efforts to arrive at a consensus with the agitating employees’ union though it was not necessary.
“The striking union is not a recognised one since it lacks the mandatory requirement of 20 per cent of the total employees as members. I rejected the state labour minister’s suggestion to conduct a referendum though a secret ballot. Only a court declaration is legal and valid,” he said.