Atlas Shuts Down Factory in Ghaziabad On World Bicycle Day, Nearly 1000 Rendered Jobless

India's prominent bicycle manufacturer Atlas Cycles on Wednesday announced its decision to shut down the factory in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad rendering nearly a thousand workers jobless. The workers found the notice pasted at the main gate of the factory on June 3, which has been recognised as World Bicycle Day by the United Nations.

Reacting to the decision, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday slammed the government saying its economic package for industries was just a mere announcement and that it is the government's duty to save jobs.

In a series of tweets, Priyanka said, "Yesterday, on the occasion of World Cycle Day, Ghaziabad factory of Atlas Cycles was closed. Over 1,000 people became unemployed in a single step. Heard in the government advertisements that so much package, MoUs and employment. But in reality the jobs are ending and the factories are closing down."

"To save people's jobs, the government will have to clarify its policies and plans," said Priyanka, who is also party in-charge for eastern Uttar Pradesh.

With inputs from IANS