South Asia Citizens Web

sacw.net, 15 August 2005

The Honda dispute is India’s first labour landmark of the 21st Century. It should trigger new thinking—for a charter to reform our existing labour relations paradigm. We must replace weak laws that employers have sabotaged with strong ones, and create job security with humane-level wages. What’s needed is a thorough reform of industrial relations and labour laws, whereby minimum wages are upgraded, and union-smashing is criminalised and punished.

The Times of India, 7 July 2005
Women, Stand Up For Your Rights: The real reason why we need a uniform civil code
Let’s face it. For all the progress that is claimed to have been made in India, the fact remains that ours is a patriarchal society in which the woman counts for very little. It could be Imrana, Indira or Irene, the manifestations could be varied, but the real malaise is that violence against women — physical, emotional and verbal — has the tacit approval of society. This is (…)

There are groups of people taking to vegetarianism, the vegans, on health grounds, which one can understand. The element of religiosity is not mixed up here. Neither are these people intolerant to the ones who consume non vegetarian food. The phenomenon being observed amongst the sections influenced by Hindu right operates at the level of religiosity. Vegetarianism here is a part of one’s religion so to say. Being mixed up with religion it becomes associated with emotions and that’s where the strong rejection of non vegetarians in the neighbourhood.

In Andhra, both the state and naxals are talking peace, while in eastern UP they have promised to fight it out. Even as the ceasefire lapses this week, Sunday Times looks at the changes in Naxal politics and the state’’s outlook towards it.