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Govt working overtime for safe release of Indian hostages in Iraq

          New Delhi/Islamabad: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has reportedly directed the Home and External Affairs Ministries to take all possible steps to secure the release of the three Indian hostages abducted by extremists in Iraq and to keep their families posted about the latest developments. PMO officials said that the Prime Minister would make a statement to this effect in Parliament even as the MEA officials maintained contact with Indian Embassy officials in Iraq and Kuwait on the latest on the issue. India's Ambassador to Iraq Brij Tyagi has reportedly arrived in Baghdad to take stock of the situation.

          Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Natwar Singh has appealed for the safe release of Antaryami, Tilak Raj and Sukhdev Singh through the Al Jazeera television channel. "I have spoken to the Minister of State E. Ahmed this morning and he will make a statement in Parliament. The kidnapping of innocent people is very unfortunate and we hope that matters will be sorted out soon. We have all been shocked and distressed at the kidnapping. This is a serious development," Singh was quoted as saying in Islamabad, where he was attending the SAARC Council of Ministers meeting. Singh is due to return home on Friday after meeting Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

K Rahman Khan elected Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: K Rahman Khan was today unanimously elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was the first one to move the proposals for Khan's election followed by other 12 sets of proposals, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Shiv Sena's Eknath Thakur has already withdrew his name from the name from the elections, which facilitated an easy victory for Khan.

CPI will protest against Centre's 'anti-people' moves: Dasgupta (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: The CPI on Wednesday announced that it would soon launch protests against the "anti-people" moves of the UPA government both inside and outside parliament. The Communists are a constituent of the government at the Centre, but not part of the government. "It is not shadow-boxing. While we shall not become a party to pull down the government, at the same time will put forth our differing views in parliament and outside," CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said. He further said that Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had "only addressed the grievances of the stock market" but spared had "no time" to consult the Left Parties and trade unions. Stating that on matters like FDI, EPF interest rate or a comprehensive law for unorganised labour, the government should build a consensus, the leader added that the FM "should realise that it is the compulsion of the Indian situation". "While we are not against FDI as such, we want the government to mobilise domestic resources, unearth black-money, broaden the tax net and implement the tax laws," he added.

MTNL workers protest against 74 percent FDI in telecom (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: MTNL employees held a demonstration at Khurshid Lal Bhawan on Thursday on the call jointly given by MTNL Majdoor Sangh, MTNL Workers' Union and MTNL K.V. Sangathan. The employees were opposing 74 percent FDI in Telecom Sector. They also demanded the restoration of 12 percent GPF and payment of pension from Consolidated Fund of Government of India. Brijesh Upadhyay, general secretary, MTNL Majdoor Sangh, addressed the rally. The demonstrators shouted slogans against the Finance Minister. "The 74 percent FDI proposed by the Government is anti-workers. The company would come into the hands of foreigners. It would be a peril to the country's unity and sovereignty, if a strategic sector like Telecom gets entrapped by foreigners. It would develop a contract system of employment and not the regular one," said Upadhyay. He added, "UPA Government had assured to generate employment, but this way employment would only decrease. We are against 74 percent FDI and would oppose it in full capacity." He also said that they were demanding the restoration of 12 percent interest on GPF and negotiations were going on in this regard. The other demand was the revision of income tax rebate which the demonstrators demanded should be on the basis of different slabs. According to Upadhyay, if Government failed to move positively, the employees would be compelled to go on a strike.

DMK, allies to boycott TN budget session (Go To Top)

         Chennai: The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam- led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) in Tamil Nadu has decided to boycott the six-day budget session of the state sssembly. The DPA said that the session, which commences from Friday (July 23) is being boycotted because of the ruling AIADMK's failure to set a proper time frame for a discussion on the demand for grants. SR Balasubramanium of the Congress said the DPA would only attend the first day of the assembly to pay homage to the 91 children killed in the fire tragedy in Kumbakonam earlier this week. "Assembly is meeting almost after five months now. It is more than five months since we met. So the budget which was presented in February, there was no general discussion at that time. So, we want a full length discussion of general budget and after that discussion all the demands that we normally have." "Normally, a budget session as far as Tamil Nadu is concerned... will be of 50 to 60 days. This time they want to confine one day for general discussion and five days for demands. This is not acceptable. It is murder of democracy. So, we will participate in the assembly proceedings tomorrow to pay homage to the departed souls. And from 24th onwards, we have decided to observe a fast. All the MLa's belonging to opposition parties will stage a hunger strike on that day," Balasubramanium said.    

          As part of the protest, the Opposition leaders would address a public meeting in Chennai after July 25. The Opposition had wanted to discuss several issues, including the Kumbakonam fire, and had asked for a regular session that usually lasts 40 to 60 days. Instead, the Assembly secretariat has finalized a packed schedule to complete all business by July 31. Though the state's Finance Minister C. Ponniyan had presented a full-fledged budget in February, the government had taken a vote of account up to July 31 as the house was adjourned sine die for the Lok Sabha polls.