Bengaluru: An Indian court today ordered the ongoing lock-down protest called by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited workers to be called off, the company said in a statement today.

“The High Court of Karnataka has passed an interim order today restraining the Hindustan Aeronautics Employees Association (HAEA), its office bearers/workmen from continuing their ongoing strike including go-slow, work to rule or any form of agitation or disrupting day-to-day activities of HAL and its offices in Bengaluru,” the statement said.

“It is now obligatory for the HAEA to immediately call-off the strike and resume the work, failing which, it would amount to contempt of the court,” it said.

The HAEA and its members are on lock-down protest, termed illegal by the company management, since Oct. 14. The management of HAL had filed a writ petition in the High Court of Karnataka seeking an order that the workers’ union had no legal right to go on strike under Industrial Disputes Act, and for a direction to call-off the strike.

Meanwhile, in view of the High Court interim order, HAL management appealed to all its employees to return to work immediately. “Let us work together to build stronger HAL and continue to contribute to nation building,” HAL’s corporate communication team’s message to the workers read.