India, April 20 -- Civil society members, including lawyers, activists and scholars discussed reasons behind the Noida workers protest and alleged lapses by the Uttar Pradesh police in maintaining law and order, demanding strict action, at a press conference at the Press Club of India on Sunday.

They said issues such as rising cost of living in the NCR, lack of compensation for overtime and deprivation of various social security benefits pushed the workers to the streets.

The protest started on April 10 and turned violent on April 13 with over 100 factories being vandalised and several vehicles being set on fire across the district.

Calling the protest as "workers' movement", advocate Colin Gonsalves said workers have remained on the s...