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Stage set for a stormy but productive Monsoon session

     New Delhi: The stage is all set for a stormy monsoon session of Parliament, which begins on Monday, with the BJP-led NDA Opposition gearing up to train its guns on the Treasury benches rather than boycotting the proceedings as it did during the earlier sessions. The BJP plans to attack the UPA Government for bowing down before the United States on a host of issues including the nuclear deal and the Iran-India gas pipeline. The terror attack at the makeshift Ram Janmabhoomi structure at Ayodhya also figures on the top of the Opposition list. The BJP has given about 50 notices to the Speaker on various issues, including the IMDT (Illegal Migrants Determination Tribunal) Act, the "deteriorating" internal security situation, and disinvestment of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). The outcome of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's US visit has also been criticised by the Left parties, who provide crucial support to the Government from outside. The Left do not see eye to eye with the Government on issues like Indo-US nuclear deal, Iran- India gas pipeline and disinvestment of BHEL.      The Left has demanded a debate in Parliament on these issues. Its view is that the Indo-US joint statement has resulted in India giving more concessions compared to what the US had to offer. "We want the debate to warn them (UPA government) against these steps. We don't know why this government is so much enamoured of the USA," CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said.

     Meanwhile, the Government is making all efforts to ensure a smooth session. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has expressed Government's readiness to discuss any issue including the tainted ministers issue which was the cause of disruption of the Budget session. The Government would attempt to keep the short session politically less charged by bringing in several Bills of economic importance. The session from July 25 to August 26 is scheduled to clear the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill, 2004. It will also see the introduction of 29 Bills. Most of them are economic legislation for freeing the economy from controls and simplifying procedures to remove bottlenecks for manufacturing activities. Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has also held meetings with leaders of different political parties. On Saturday night, he hosted a dinner for leaders of different political parties in an attempt to persuade them participate in the proceedings. The BJP has assured Somnath Chatterjee that it would not boycott the House during the forthcoming session of the Parliament.

Shiv Sainiks vandalise Rane's public rally (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Shiv Sena activists today vandalised the venue of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane's public rally, which was held opposite the office of Sena mouthpiece 'Saamna' at Prabhadevi in central Mumbai. Police had to resort to lathi charge as the uncontrolled mob became violent. About 100 suspected Shiv Sainiks have been detained on charges of disrupting the meeting. The activists allegedly tore posters of Rane and also partially destroyed the stage ahead of Rane's first public rally following his resignation from the Maharashtra Assembly seat on Saturday night. After the violence, police personnel cordoned off the area and heavy security arrangements were made around the venue.

     Rane, however, addressed the rally as scheduled. Rane, in his address, strongly criticised Shiv Sena working president Uddhav Thackeray blaming him for the decline in the fortunes of the 39-year-old Sena in Maharashtra politics. He said that loyalty and sacrifice once mattered a lot in the Shiv Sena but now party posts are being traded rather than being allocated on the basis of one's devotion to duty, public work and loyalty. Former Shiv Sena leader also alleged that the party was assiduously built over the years by Bal Saheb Thackeray but his son Uddhav was ruining everything in months. He lacks the charisma of Bal Saheb and has not been able to connect with grassroot workers, said Rane. Rane's differences with Uddhav have been growing ever since the party could not defeat the Congress-NCP in the 2004 Assembly elections. According to Rane, Uddhav Thackeray denied tickets to loyal party workers, risking rebellion and the loss of several seats during the Assembly elections. This cost the party dearly, particularly in the coastal Konkan region, the core of the Sena strength. Mr. Rane is from the region. According to sources, it is clear now that Rane will join the Congress soon. He has already held meetings with senior Congress leaders in this regard.

12 policemen suspended in Ayodhya attack case (Go To Top)

     Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Government today suspended 12 policemen including 11 personnel of Shahzadpur police outpost and the SHO of Akbarpur Kotwali, Rukmangal Singh, in Ambedkar Nagar district on charges of being negligent towards their duty in connection with the Ayodhya attack. According to an official statement, the "local police remained oblivious" to the attackers staying at Shahzadpur area in Ambedkar Nagar district under Akbarpur Kotwali police station for several days. "The police personnel failed to inform senior officials about the movement of 'suspicious' people in their area," it said. Apart from the suspension of SHO, Akbarpur Kotwali, the in-charge of Shahzadpur police outpost Vidya Sagar Singh have also been suspended. During the investigation, it was found that the militants had stayed in Akbarpur for four days before carrying out the attack on July 5. According to the sources, the Uttar Pradesh police had an idea abou the concentration of people from other countries in Akbarpur but it did not take appropriate action.

Tea workers strike in West Bengal continues (Go To Top)

     Darjeeling: The indefinite tea workers strike in West Bengal entered its 14th day today with workers fighting hunger and poverty. About 300,000 plantation workers in India, the world's largest tea producer, began an indefinite strike from July11 for higher wages and more benefits. Tea workers in more than 600 tea gardens across Darjeeling, the Terai and the Dooars belt had earlier gone on token day strike last month. Tea workers in Dagapur tea estate in Darjeeling district say that it is a huge loss for them as they do not have an alternative source of income. "For the past 14 days we are on strike. We have not eaten food. We have no money. The wages we were getting of the amount of 45.90 rupees is not sufficient for livelihood," said Ganesh Malaporia, a tea worker. "We are facing a lot of problem but I think this sacrifice would bear fruits. We will continue our movement for our rights," said Shila Tanti, another tea worker. Estate owners say falling international prices and stiff competition from other countries makes it impossible for them to increase wages, which average around 46 rupees ($1.06) a day. The strike has shut down hundreds of tea estates in the country's east, the largest tea-producing region, and hit output and exports.

     Months of talks between plantation companies and unions have failed to resolve workers' demands for higher wages. Unions have also rejected a proposed scheme, which would financially penalise leaf pluckers for failing to meet targets. India's tea industry has been hit in recent years by high production costs and sluggish exports due to competition from producers such as Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Kenya. As India's once-prosperous tea industry struggles, workers are increasingly angry at irregular salary payment and a lack of food rations, as the law requires. In West Bengal, 19 people were killed in a fight over the hiring of clerks at an estate in 2003. The Indian Tea Association, the largest planters' body, say the strike would result in losses of more than 10 million rupees (230,000 dollar) a day. India produced 149.76 million kg of tea in January-April, up 17.7 percent from the same period last year, while exports grew 7.6 percent to 52.80million.

Left holds seminar to protest against POSCO deal (Go To Top)

     Bhubaneshwar: The Left parties have lashed out at the central mining policy saying the recently concluded POSCO deal would deplete the country's natural resources. POSCO Co. Ltd., the world's fifth largest steel maker signed a deal with the eastern Orissa government to set up a four-tranche 12 billion dollar steel project last month, marking what will be the biggest foreign direct investment in the country. "That Government of India's mining and mineral policy will allow the exhaustion of our mineral resources. It will be sent abroad. It is not adding any value; it does not lead to any real industrialization of our country. So, we are opposed to the mining and mineral policy of the Government of India, and to carry this forward I think (struggle against ) POSCO will be an important chapter," Prakash Karat, the General Secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) told a seminar in Orissa's capital Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

     The Orissa government has granted POSCO mining lease rights for 30 years to supply a total of 600 million tonnes of iron ore to the new plant. The mining lease has been given in phases, depending on the progress of the plant. Allowing POSCO to export the iron ore has been the main obstacle to the steel plant deal in Orissa. Pravat Patnaik, a left-leaning economist, argued that the country must have control over the exploitation of its exhaustible resources. Allowing foreign direct investment with 100 percent foreign equity to exploit mineral resources in the state goes against the fundamental principle of conservation of exhaustible resources and their use. It is in their interest, the interest of richer countries so that they exploit our resources for their industrialization purposes or for whatever commodities they want. But, on the other hand as far as our country is concerned, our states are concerned it is very important that we must have control over the rate of exploitation," Patnaik said. The project, which could create 48,000 jobs through direct employment and support industries, also includes a dedicated port and power plant, iron mines, a hot-rolled coil mill and possibly helping to build railway lines between the mines and the plant. POSCO aims to start steel production in India by 2010. Steel demand in India, Asia's fourth-largest economy, is rising as investment in infrastructure increases and demand soars for housing and durables such as cars and consumer goods. Global steel making and mining firms have warmed to India's steel industry due to its affordable labour and the world's third- largest deposits of coal and iron ore. India produced about 39 million tonnes of steel in the year to March 2005, making it the eighth-largest producer in the world.

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