ICEA asks member companies to report incidents of unlawful protests, acts of vandalism

Industry body India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) has written to its members urging them to report any "unlawful protests" or acts of vandalism taking place at their factories, retail stores and offices amid reports of such incidents in the backdrop of anti-Chinese sentiments. ICEA, in its letter dated June 25, said it has been informed of unlawful protests being staged at or outside their factory complexes, offices and retail stores/points and incidents of targeted vandalism of sign boards and bill boards of member companies of "country of a certain origin".

"Such fringe elements while staging unlawful protests, etc, further take law into their hands and engage themselves in illegal acts viz putting locks, causing obstruction in the ingress/egress, threatening while being armed with deadly weapons (iron rods/sticks, etc), shouting abusive slogans, inciting crowd to create violence etc, besides indulging in acts of vandalism and causing damage to the sign boards/bill boards/display counters etc," it added. Workforce employed by these companies have also not been spared to instill fear and apprehension in them.

"Neither us nor our workforce need to be scared of such elements and acts... We have not succumbed or cowed to such browbeating, intimidation and unlawful acts and commission of offences by such fringe elements," it emphasised. Asserting that such incidents not be ignored or overlooked, ICEA said appropriate and timely action needs to be undertaken so as to ensure that "the persons/group involved be brought to books, dealt sternly within the confines of law".

"The affected member should immediately report the matter to the local police station and the senior officials in hierarchy about such incidents for appropriate legal action and prosecution by the police," it said..