Pass resolution against new labour codes: VCK chief to CM
Speaking to the reporters at Anna Arivalayam, Mr. Thirumavalavan said that the new codes has made sure that unorganised workers welfare unions will not be able to function as before. 'I have urged the Chief Minister to push back against the four new Labour codes and pass a resolution in the State Assembly,' he said.
He added that several castes are being referred to in official documents with suffixes widely construed as disrespectful and urged the State Government to refer to castes with respect and dignity.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
CM diktat: Madurai zonal chiefs resign
MADURAI: Five zonal chairpersons and two chairpersons of standing committees of Madurai corporation have resigned in the wake of tax-fraud complaints. Mayor Indirani Ponvasanth accepted the resignations on Wednesday. Ministers K N Nehru, P Moorthy and Palanivel Thiaga Rajan had conducted an inquiry with the zonal chairpersons on Monday. Following the inquiry, CM MK Stalin directed all five zonal chairpersons to resign. The zonal chairpersons — Vasuki Sasikumar (Madurai East), Saravana Bhuvaneshwari (Madurai North), Pandi Selvi (Madurai Central), Mugesh Sharma (Madurai South), and V Suvitha (Madurai West) — submitted their resignation on Monday itself. Out of the six standing committees, two standing committee chairpersons — K Vijayalakshmi, of the Taxation and Finance Committee, and J Moovendran of the Town Planning Committee — also submitted their resignation. Notably, all these officials belonged to the DMK. Official sources said since all these officials have resigned, in their absence corporation officials (commissioner and assistant commissioner have power) and executives are in place to ensure all works are being carried out in all zones. Tax fraud The fraud came to light in August 2024, after an audit revealed irregularities in property taxes. The corporation issued notices and suspended five bill collectors in connection with the charges. They were caught allegedly misusing their Urban Tree Information System login credentials to alter property tax data. On a complaint from the then corporation commissioner, Dinesh Kumar, in September 2024, police booked a case in this connection. The 10-month-long probe by the police team brought the major scam to light. The arrested staff allegedly reduced property taxes for over 150 buildings in the city and caused revenue loss for the corporation.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
"Indus Water Pact Suspension Must Be Utilised": Punjab Amid Water Row With Haryana
The opportunity of the Indus Water Treaty Suspension must be duly utilised to fulfil the water needs of Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said, as he held a meeting with his Haryana counterpart Nayab Saini to resolve the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) dispute. The recent decision by the Centre to suspend the Indus Water Treaty opens up the possibility of greater utilisation of water from the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) within Indian territory, Mr Mann said, referring to the suspension of the pact with Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. Punjab, which is currently facing groundwater depletion, must be prioritised in any future strategies for the usage, diversion, or allocation of river waters, he added. The Chief Minister mooted the idea of Yamuna-Satluj Link (YSL) canal instead of Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal project. "Haryana and Punjab are brothers. Now this fight should end. There has always been politics over the matter. Both the states have been fighting for 2 MF water, but if the canal comes from Kashmir, we will get 23 MF water," he said. The controversial 1981 water-sharing agreement came into being after Haryana was carved out of Punjab in 1966. For effective allocation of water, SYL canal link was conceptualised. A stretch of 214 km SYL was set to be built, of which 122 km were to be in Punjab and 92 km in Haryana. In 2004, the then Congress government of the state came out with the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act with an intention to terminate the 1981 agreement and all other pacts relating to sharing of waters of rivers Ravi and Beas. The Supreme Court had first decreed the suit of Haryana in 2002 asking Punjab to honour its commitments with regard to water sharing in the case. Punjab challenged the verdict by filing a suit which was rejected in 2004 by the Supreme Court. During the meeting that was convened by Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, Mr Mann reiterated that Punjab has no spare water to share with any other state and there was no question of sharing even a single drop of water with anyone. Most of the state's blocks are overexploited, and the groundwater situation in the state is dire, he said. The Chief Minister said the SYL canal is an 'emotive issue' and that Punjab will face serious law and order problems, which will escalate into a national issue, with Haryana and Rajasthan also being affected. He and Mr Saini, however, express confidence that the dispute will be resolved soon. The next meeting is scheduled to be held on August 5. Mr Saini said a meaningful discussion took place in a cordial atmosphere in the meeting. He said Mr Mann acknowledged that this issue should be resolved, as it has remained pending for far too long. Mr Saini also said that Punjab and Haryana are like brothers, and even today, they share a common space with mutual respect and harmony. Discussions in the next meeting are expected to lead to a better solution and yield positive results, he said. The meeting was also attended by Union Secretary Debashree Mukherjee, Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary of Irrigation and Water Resources Department Anurag Aggarwal, along with several senior officials from the Irrigation Department. Meanwhile, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre should now move ahead from such meetings. "The (top) court had handed over the responsibility of getting Haryana's share of water to the central government. The BJP is in power both in Haryana and at the Centre. In such a situation, Haryana should have got its share of water by now. But due to BJP's anti-Haryana attitude, this could not happen. Now, if the government is talking about it, then it should directly file a contempt of court case," he said. Indian National Lok Dal MLA Rania Arjun Chautala accused Mr Mann of doing politics over the issue. "Water is a natural resource over which the entire country has rights, not just of a state. SYL is the lifeline of Haryana. Haryana's right. Haryana should get water. The central government should resolve the water sharing issue," he said.
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Jagan blames govt for mango farmers' plight
Tirupati: YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the NDA government in the state for allegedly driving the farmers into severe distress. He visited the Bangarupalem market yard in the Puthalapattu constituency of Chittoor district on Wednesday to express solidarity with mango farmers, who, he said, were in a helpless situation as their produce was not fetching even the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Despite heavy police restrictions, thousands of YSRCP supporters and farmers gathered at the market yard, creating a tense atmosphere throughout the day. Interacting with the farmers, Jagan questioned the government's inaction over the mounting crisis. 'If farmers are not in distress, why have thousands gathered here to voice their concerns?' he said during a media interaction. He alleged that the government had turned a blind eye to the ongoing agrarian crisis and pointed out that not a single crop was being procured at MSP under the current regime. 'This visit is meant to wake up a sleeping government. Agriculture has been neglected under the NDA, and farmers are bearing the brunt,' he said. Drawing comparisons with his party's previous tenure, Jagan recalled that mangoes were purchased at Rs 22 to 29 per kg under the YSRCP government. Even the Centre, he said, was procuring mangoes from Karnataka at Rs 16 per kg. In contrast, the state government was offering just Rs 2 per kg to local farmers. 'This is outrageous. Farmers are in tears. They're not even getting Rs 12 per kg now. The government and mango factories are colluding to exploit them,' he alleged. Jagan further questioned Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, asking how many factories were actually paying Rs 8 per kg, as claimed by the government, and how many farmers had received the promised Rs 4 per kg subsidy. He also criticised the breakdown of agricultural support infrastructure, saying input subsidies and investment assistance were not reaching farmers, while key institutions like Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) and agri-labs had become defunct. 'Every support system created for farmers has collapsed,' he said. Demanding immediate procurement of the mango crop, Jagan urged the state to step in and provide urgent relief. 'YSRCP will stand by every farmer and fight for their rights,' he assured. Referring to the security clampdown during his visit, Jagan alleged that the state deployed nearly 2,000 police personnel to block farmers from meeting him. 'Farmers were treated like rowdy-sheeters. Around 1,200 were detained. Some were even subjected to lathi-charge,' he said, strongly condemning what he called the breakdown of law and order and the suppression of rural voices. He warned that the present situation stood in stark contrast to the farmer-friendly governance under the previous YSRCP regime and vowed that his party would intensify its agitation if the government failed to act.
