Saving the nation from lobbyists and moles : the Winstron case.
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Many things happen that do not get the proper attention as much they should have been. Ever since India became independent hostile nations have been targeting the country with conspiracies, sabotage and destabilization. The mysteries death of Lal bahadur Shashtri, murder of Indira Gandhi, Homi Jehangir Bhabha besides the case of disappearing nuclear scientists all point to the vulnerability of India in the sceintific and technical domain.
The sabotage case in iPhone manufacturing facility in Kolar, Karnataka of the Taiwan based electronic part manufacturer Winstron, is just another example of the same. It is said that the govt of India has taken a serious note of the case and investigation has started into the same as the timing of the event is being seen as being particularly detrimental, given that it comes close on the heels of the Centre’s concerted push for the much successful production-linked incentives (PLI) scheme.
The factory run by Wistron Infocomm Manufacturing India, which employs around 10,000 workers, saw a rampage on December 12, following a dispute over unpaid wages and difficult work circumstances. The AICCTU, in a report to the state government, said non-payment and delayed payment of wages, failure to pay minimum and overtime wages, and a compulsory 12-hour shift, were the root causes of the unrest.
This has sent a negative message to investors and manufacturers across the world while China has immediately taken the opportunity and asked questions to companies fleeing from chinese manufacturing. It must also be noted that out of 56 companies that relocated their production out of China between April 2018 and August 2019, only three went to India and two to Indonesia. This was the finding of a study by Nomura, a Japanese financial group.
One of the major concerns is that Taiwan-based Wistron, one of ’s top global suppliers that had opened this new factory just in July this year, is a Taiwanese flag bearer in the contract manufacturing space. Alongside Wistron, two other Taiwanese contract manufacturers — AppleFoxconn and Pegatron Corp — are at the heart of the component manufacturing and cell phone assembly drive in India and now carry increasing collective heft in the electronics equipment space. The three Taiwanese companies have already announced plans to invest up to $850 million in India over the next five years under the PLI scheme. It is learnt that the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, an influential Taipei-based industry body, has flagged to the government that the labour unrest and violence had caused a flutter among the investor community in that country and is said to have sought administrative support on labour issues, both in the Wistron case and their other investments.
What we wish to convey is that with many companies showing the intention of moving out of China, India has not been getting the fair share despite being touted as one of the best nations for manufacturing with skilled workers and other resources. Clearly there are many more things happening in the background. Ease of doing Business is touted as one of the reasons however there are also sinister designs behind it.
Readers will also note the closure of Sterlite Copper smelting plant in Tuticorin which has not opened yet despite a clear case of involvement of foreign and other mischievous hands into it. We don’t wish to criticize the government or anyone else but when we have such gross irregularities it is very painful for us and we fail to understand why the country has become so careless in these matters.
There is a larger conspiracy going around that successive governments have failed to address. India is one of the most easy and hence vulnerable countries for sabotaging. While every country is in the race to attract international funds and FDI , Indians have shown typical apathy to take such issues with the seriousness required.
We would like to get the attention of our readers to other cases. In 2013, two chief engineers assigned to India’s first nuclear-powered submarine INS , K K Josh and Abhish Shivam, were found lying on railway tracks by workers. Although saved from being run over by a train, they were found to be already dead. Relatives said that no visible signs of injury were apparent, an assertion backed up by the police. It was suggested that they might have been killed elsewhere, perhaps poisoned, before being put on the tracks to make their deaths appear accidental or as the result of suicides.
The deaths, all of them mysterious, have been connected by one common thread: the alleged murder victims were all associated with nuclear energy. They have otherwise been quite varied and widespread, both geographically and institutionally.
Then there are other cases too.
Interestingly, within a 15-year period, the Indian Space Research Organization also lost 684 personnel, or 45 deaths per year.It must be noted that recently Iranian nuclear scientist was murdered. Conspiracy theorists point to everyone esp Pakistan’s ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) as behind the mysterious death.
Part 2 will be posted tomorrow.
With inputs taken from Asia Times (Asiatimes.com) esp that of nuclear scientists skillings.
Dr Asheesh Shah
Samanvaya
