Following factory explosion, Indian bishops call for protection of workers (Fides)

Following an Indian chemical factory explosion that left 42 dead, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India called for a transparent investigation and respect for workers’ dignity.

“The explosion at a chemical factory in the state of Telangana once again raises the serious problem of exploitation and disregard for the dignity of workers,” said Father Stephen Alathara, the conference’s deputy secretary general.

Father Alathara noted that “the victims are mostly poor people, members of tribal communities, migrant workers, and daily laborers, who are the most vulnerable.”