Where Are The Weapons?

By Robin Davis
20 February, 2009

Here we go again. Israel claims its blockade of Gaza is necessary to stop arms smuggling. They use the same justification for bombing the tunnels into Egypt. Their pretext for the latest bombardment and invasion was to stop rocket and mortar attacks by the Palestinian resistance.
The western media and governments, including our own here in Australia, parrot this theme. To question it is to invite being branded anti-Semitic or a "terrorist sympathiser". And where do these smuggled weapons come from? Iran and Syria, of course. What else would you expect from "rogue states" cast firmly now as the villains after years of vilification.

Iran is the biggest villain due to its alleged program to develop nuclear weapons. That Iran has evil intentions is almost a given. This due to the relentless campaign driven by Israel and the US and parroted endlessly by politicians, pundits and mainstream media. Overlooked neatly is the awkward fact that Israel is the only Middle Eastern country to possess nuclear weapons and the US the only country to ever use them. The insane irony and brazen hypocrisy leaves one breathless. So does the contempt for common sense in the Israeli version of events in Gaza.
It was only natural, we are told, to assume that shadowy figures in residential windows were "terrorists". After all, everyone knows that these monsters think nothing of using their own people as human shields. As Israel's president, Shimon Peres, growled to George Negus on Dateline (Feb 8, 2009), as if only an idiot would think otherwise: "... they don't value human life!"

Save for some fawning to the "man of peace", Negus put some very hard questions but not this one: If there were so many "terrorists" firing from so many thousands of buildings so carefully "targeted", where are the results of their handiwork: the dead Israeli soldiers? Surely the "militants" would have killed more than a few before they and their "shields" were obliterated.

No. The only handiwork we see is that of the of the Israeli "defense" forces: more than a thousand massacred men, women and children, thousands more maimed and tens of thousands homeless. This "collateral damage", we are told, is the fault of Hamas; or even more disgracefully - the Palestinians have "brought it upon themselves" by foolishly electing Hamas. The carnage is regrettable but unavoidable in order to root out the "militants" and destroy their "infrastructure" and weapons caches.

But from beneath the pulverised "terrorist infrastructure" of hospitals, mosques, police stations, UN aid warehouses, schools, shops, offices, orchards, farms and homes, we have yet to see evidence of anything but a modestly armed militia and the mangled corpses of ordinary human beings with nowhere to run. The so-called "war" showed that Hamas and the other Palestinian fighters are all but defenseless.

Where are the weapons?

Primitive, Qassam rockets have been fired into Israel, mortars, too, and the resistance fighters have small arms and explosives. But is that the best Iran and Syria can provide? Is that the best the Palestinians can smuggle though their tunnels?

These are not makeshift "rat holes" but a network of 1000 or more well-constructed tunnels through which the Palestinians "illegally" bypass the blockade to import everything from medical supplies and food to building materials, farm machinery and even livestock! Why bother if, as the Israelis claim, the essentials of life pass freely through the legal border crossings?

And, of course, they also smuggle weapons. Why wouldn't they? The Israelis demand relentlessly their right to "self defense". Don't the Palestinians also have a right to try to defend themselves? Doesn't their duly elected government, Hamas, have an obligation to try to defend its citizens? When the Israelis attack a "suspected militant hold-out", such as a school or apartment building, they know very well that most of the dead and wounded will be civilians. When they attack the tunnels, they also know that most of the dead and wounded will be civilians because most tunnels are operated as commercial enterprises. The "militants" killed in the tunnels are more likely construction workers and traders.

That is not the picture the Israeli government and our mainstream media paint. In their scenario the tunnels' main purpose is to keep the "the radical Islamists" armed to the teeth. If that were true, they surely would be. At the very least, they would have smuggled through a few of the small ground to air missiles that one soldier can carry and launch and that can bring down a jet fighter or helicopter.

Syria and Iran are not backward in weaponry. If they were arming Hamas, wouldn't we see evidence of their very best anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons, their state of the art missiles? Where are the downed Apaches and F16s, the burnt out tanks, the dead and maimed Israeli pilots and soldiers?

Where are the weapons?

Robin Davis lives in Victoria, Australia. He is a freelance writer and graphic designer.
Courtesy: Countercurrents

Fwd: Bengal -- local employment

From B Prasant/ INN
BENGAL--LF GOVT STRESSES ON LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SOURCING

Kolkata, February 27: In a recent order, the Bengal Left Front government has linked local sourcing of employment with the amount of concession an entrepreneur would receive.
50% of the special 'promotional' government assistance on hand for entrepreneurs investing between Rs 50 to Rs 5000 crore in Bengal-based projects would now be linked to how many people of the state have been employed in that particular project. 

The enterprises are divided up into three categories for the purpose.First, those that invest up to and including Rs 50 crore; second, including and up to Rs 5000 crore, and third beyond Rs 5000 crore. The stipulation on local sourcing for employment would not apply to the first category for here the LF government would provide VAT relief of Rs 4.5 crore if the investment is made in the districts of Bankura, Midnapore west, Purulia, Maldah, and the two Dinajpores, north and south.

The amount of VAT relief would be Rs 3.5 crore in the cases of investment being made in districts as Nadia, Midnapore east, Burdwan, and Hooghly.Nor would the proviso apply to the third category for in these large-scale industries there would be plenty of scope for direct and indirect employment in big numbers.

 

As per the state government's order, the entrepreneur would get nothing from the promotional assistance head if she/he prefers to employ less than 200 local people per Rs 100 crore of investment.If the number of local people employed per Rs 100 crore is between 200 and 400, the entrepreneur would receive 60% of the assistance.The figure would be 80% if for Rs 100 crore invested the entrepreneur puts to work between 500 and 800 local populace.

 

If the employment figure goes up to between 900 and 1200, the entrepreneur shall receive 90% of the special promotional assistance, and any entrepreneur employing over 1200 local people per Rs 100 crore invested shall get 100% of the assistance from the state LF government.In each case special assistance would be given in terms of VAT relief.All entrepreneurs shall from now on be compelled to submit employment details with the office of the regional PF commissioner including the EPIC number of the employed.

Fwd: Open letter to Chief justice of Delhi

From India News Network (INN)

 

New Delhi, February 26: An open petition has been submitted to the Chief Justice of Delhi with regard to the reduction in sentence awarded to a rape convict, Ashok Rai, by a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court. An Open Letter, submitted to Justice Shah, Chief Justice, Delhi High Court, was released at a Press Meet held today in Delhi. 

 

The Press meet to release the letter was addressed by Ms. Kirti Singh, (Supreme Court Advocate), Ms. Sudha Sundararaman,(AIDWA), Dr. Indu Agnihotri (CWDS), Ms. Jyotsna Chatterjee, (JWP),) Ms. Kalpana David, and Ms.Annie Raja, (NFIW). They pointed out that more than a 100 signatures of eminent people including leading academics, social activists, and women's organizations on the letter proved the extent of concern regarding the acquittal of Ashok Rai by the Court. Signatories included Prof. Vina Mazumdar, Prof. Romila Thapar, Prof. Upendra Baxi, Dr. Mohini Giri, (former Chairperson NCW), Prof.. Bina Aggarwal, Prof. Zoya Hasan  and representatives of leading national women's organizations like AIDWA, CWDS, GOS, JWP, NFIW, and YWCA.

 

Addressing the Press, spokespersons expressed concern at the grounds on which the rape convict's sentence has been reduced and at the precedent this would set. The signatories have requested that the Chief Justice of Delhi treat the open letter as a special petition for reviewing the judgement. If no action is taken, a Special Leave Petition would be filed in the Supreme Court on this issue within the stipulated period.

 

The Open letter, along with the names of the signatories, is enclosed for favour of publication.

 

 

OPEN LETTER TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE DELHI HIGH COURT

 

To,                                                                                                       Date : 26^th Feb. 2009

 

The Honourable Chief Justice

Delhi High Court

New Delhi

 

Dear Justice Ajit Prakash Shah ji,

 

We, the undersigned express our shock and deep concern over the recent judgment of the Division Bench of the Delhi High Court in which the sentence of a convicted rapist was reduced to five and a half years – which was the term he had already served in prison – because he had appeared for and qualified in the IAS entrance examination.  The Court held that 'Rai has redeemed himself in jail (as) is evident from the fact that he took his civil service examinations and qualified for being appointed to the Indian Administrative Service. We are of the opinion that the sentence already suffered by him would meet the ends of justice.'

 

We would like to bring to your notice the facts of the case against Ashok Rai.  He was accused of raping a young woman student who later committed suicide.  The accused was convicted by the Trial Court of rape and abetment to suicide.  The High Court, however, refused to believe that the conduct of the accused had driven the young woman to commit suicide despite the fact that the young woman had left behind a suicide note squarely blaming the accused for her suicide.  The Court while upholding the conviction on the charge of rape, acquitted him of the charge of abetment to suicide.  While dismissing the charge of abetment, the Court observed that the woman victim had committed 'some participatory act'.  The Court, did however, take cognizance of the fact that the accused had induced the victim to engage in sexual intercourse with him by holding out the false promise of marrying her and that this constituted rape.

 

The reason given by the Court for reducing Rai's sentence is that he 'redeemed himself' by passing the IAS entrance examination.  We, the undersigned, wish to point out that   merely qualifying for the IAS cannot be a ground for reduction of sentence in a crime as heinous as rape.  This is clear from the fact that cases of rape have been known to be committed by 'qualified' as well as 'unqualified' persons.  The stated reason is in fact indicative of a class-bias towards educated persons.  The judgment also reveals a patriarchal bias as it undermines the seriousness of the offence of rape.  Rape is a violent assault that has its genesis in an assertion of power and is a violation of the personal integrity of women.  We, therefore, further feel that a person convicted of rape should under no circumstances be allowed to become an administrative officer in any field.  How can such a person be entrusted with ensuring the safety of women and the implementation of the laws of the land?  We re-iterate that passing of the examination cannot be construed as a 'Special Reason' for reduction of the minimum sentence for rape.

 

The judgment sets an extremely retrograde and wrong precedent.   We register our strong protest against it and urge upon you to review the judgment.

 

We are,

 

Yours sincerely,

 

1. Dr. Vina Mazumdar, National Research Professor of Social Sciences, GOI

2. Prof. Romila  Thapar, Professor Emeritus, JNU

3. Dr. (Captain) Lakshmi Sehgal

4. Prof. Zoya Hasan, Dept. of Political Science, JNU & Member, National Commission for Minorities

5. Dr. Mary E. John, Director, Centre for Women's Development Studies

6. Dr. Indu Agnihotri, Centre for Women's Development Studies

7. Ms. Subhashini Ali, President, All India Democratic Women's Association

8. Ms. Sudha Sundararaman, General Secretary, AIDWA

9. Ms. Mohini Giri, Chairperson, Guild of Service

10. Dr. Jyotsna Chatterji, Director, Joint Women's Programme

11. Prof. Upendra Baxi, University of Warwick, UK & former Vice Chancellor, Delhi University.

12. Prof. Muchkund Dubey, President, Council for Social Development, New Delhi

13. Mr. Mukul Dube, Delhi, Freelance editor, writer, photographer

14. Ms. Ela R. Bhatt, Founder, SEWA

15. Ms. C.P. Sujaya, retired Additional Chief Secretary, Himachal  Pradesh.

16. Ms. Nirmala Buch, IAS, Retired Secretary, Rural Development, Government of India.

17. Ms. Sumi Krishna, Former President, Indian Association for Women's Studies

18. Dr. Mohan Rao, Professor, Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, JNU

19. Dr. Vasudha Dhagamwar, Hon. Advisor, MARG, Delhi & Chairperson PRAKRITI

20. Ms. Kalyani Menon-Sen, Gurgaon

21. Dr. Shakti Kak, Director, Indian School of Women's Studies and Development

22. Ms. Jayashree Bora, Women's Legal Forum

23. Ms. Kamla Bhasin, Advisor, Sangat.

24. Dr. Charu Gupta, Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

25. Ms. Sunanda Rabindranathan, Consultant, Population Council

26. Dr. Bijayalaxmi Nanda, Senior lecturer, Department of Political Science, Miranda House, Delhi University

27. Dr. Saradamoni, formerly with Indian Statistical Institute

28. Dr. S. Anandalakshmy, Advisor on Child Dev. & Education, and President, Bala Mandir Research Foundation, Chennai

29. Dr. Kumkum Roy, Centre for Historical Studies, JNU

30. Prof. Jayati Ghosh, Centre for Economic Studies & Planning, JNU

31. Prof. Rajni Palriwala, Dept. of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University

32. Ms. Omita Goyal, Publishing Director, Taylor & Francis Books India Pvt. Ltd.

33. Dr. Radhika Chopra, Reader, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi

34. Ms. Mrinal Pande, Journalist, author and currently chief editor of Hindi Daily Hindustan

35. Dr. Bina Agarwal, Prof. of Economics, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi University 

36. Dr. Meera Velayudhan, Senior Analyst, Centre for Environment & Social Concern, Ahmedabad

37. Dr. Debal K. Singha Roy, Professor of Sociology, School of Social Sciences, IGNO

38. Ms. Indira Chakravarty, Member, Food Authority, Govt. of India. 

39. Dr Manjeet Bhatia, Faculty, Women's Studies & Development Centre, Uni. of Delhi

40. Dr. Maithreyi Krishnaraj, former Director, SNDT Women's University, Mumbai

41. Prof. Imrana Qadeer (Retd.) formerly with Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, JNU

42. Dr. (Ms) M.K. Jabbi, Director, Council for Social Development, New Delhi

43. Dr. Sharada Nayak, Educational Resources Centre, New Delhi

44. Ms. Kameshwari Jandhyala, Educational Resource Unit, Hyderabad

45. Prof. Nargis Panchapakesan (Retd. from Department of Education, DU)

46. Dr. Mala Khullar, Independent Consultant & Co-Editor, Asian Journal of Women's Studies

47. Prof. Geetha B. Nambissan, Zakir Hussain Centre for Educational Studies, JNU

48. Dr. Govind Kelkar, Independent Researcher, Gurgaon

49. Ms. Rasil Basu, EKATRA

50. Professor Neera Chandhoke, Deptt. Of Political Science, Delhi University, Delhi

51. Prof. Karuna Chanana , Zakir Hussain Centre for Educational Studies, JNU (Retd.)

52. Prof. Suvira Jaiswal, (Retd.) Centre for Historical Studies, JNU

53. Dr. Patricia Uberoi, Nannerl O. Keohane Distinguished Visiting Professor
    Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina and Hony. Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi

54. Dr. Surinder Jetley (retd.)  formerly Director ,Centre for Women 's Studies , BHU, Varansi

55. Ms. Pamela Philipose, Women's Feature Service, New Delhi

56. Dr. Pam Rajput, formerly Director, Centre for Women's Studies, Punjab University

57. Ms. Kalpana Dasgupta, Ex-Librarian, Central Secretariat

58. Dr. Aparna Basu, Ex-President, AIWC (Retd.) Department of History, Delhi University

59. Prof. Prem Chowdhry, Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum& Library

60. Dr. Vasanthi Raman, Senior Fellow, Centre for Women's Development Studies

61. Dr. Sreelekha R. Nair,  Centre for Women's Development Studies

62. Dr. Neetha Narayana Pillai, Senior Fellow, Centre for Women's Development Studies

63. Dr. Karen Gabriel, Senior Fellow, Centre for Women's Development Studies

64. Dr. Renu Addlakha, Senior Fellow, Centre for Women's Development Studies

65. Ms. Shruti Chaudhry,  Centre for Women's Development Studies

66. Ms. Nayana Dasgupta, Lecturer, Lady Shri Ram College.

67. Prof. Ayesh Kidwai, Professor, JNU

68. Ms.U. Vasuki,  AIDWA

69. Ms.Soniya Gill, AIDWA

70. Ms. Pramila Pandhe,  AIDWA

71. Ms. Anna George, NII

72.  Ms. Anomita Sen

73.  Ms. Chirashree Das Gupta, Patna

74.  Dr. Archana Prasad, Jamia Millia Islamia

75.  Dr. G. Arunima, JNU

76.  Dr. Gail Coelho, Delhi University 

77.  Dr. Lakshmi Subramanian, Jamia Millia Islamia

78.  Dr. Pulapre B, Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

79.  Dr. Subhanil Chowdhury, Economic Research Foundation

80.  Dr. Tejaswini Niranjana, Centre For The Study Of Culture And Society

81.  Ms. Jayeeta Bagchi, Jadavpur University (Women Studies)

82.  Mr. Kaushik Das Gupta, Centre For Science And Environment

83.  Mr. Moggallan Bharti, JNU, Phd Student

84.  Ms. Parimal Maya Sudhakar, Ex-Vice President JNUSU

85.  Prof Madhu Sahni, JNU

86.  Prof. Anuradha Chenoy, JNU

87.  Prof. Kamal M. Chenoy, JNU

88.  Prof. Rahul Roy, ISI Delhi

89.  Professor Kavita Panjabi, Jadavpur University.

90.  Ms. Rakhi Ghoshal, Centre For The Study Of Culture & Society, Bengaluru

91.  Mr. Saibal Bishnu, Kolkata

92.  Ms. Sejuti Dasgupta, JNU, Phd Student

93.  Ms. Shruti Parthasarathy

94.  Mr. Siddhartha Chakraborti, JNU, Ma Student 

95.  Mr. Subhash Bose

96.  Dr. Kalika Bali, Microsoft Research

97.  Mr. Avijit Chakraborty

98.  Prof Susan Visvanathan, JNU

99.  Prof Geetha Nambissan, JNU

100.                      Mr. Karmegam Shanmugavel

101. Dr. Smitha Francis, Principal Economist, Economic Research Foundation (ERF)

102. Madhvanath, Sriganesh, Senior Research Scientist, HP Labs India

103. Ms.  J. Devika, CDS, Trivandrum

104. Mr. Sumit Sarkar

105. Ms. Meena Gupta, IAS (Retd.) Calcutta

106. Prof. Tanika Sarkar

107. Ms. Annie Raja, National Federation of Indian Women, New Delhi.

108. Ms. Chirashree Das Gupta ,  Centre For Economic Policy and Public Finance .

109.                      Ms. Saleela Patkar, Farmer & Development Consultant ,Karnataka.

110. . (Captain) Lakshmi Sehgal

111. Prof. Zoya Hasan, Dept. of Political Science, JNU & Member, National Commission for Minorities

112. Dr. Mary E. John, Director, Centre for Women's Development Studies

113. Dr. Indu Agnihotri, Centre for Women's Development Studies

114. Ms. Subhashini Ali, President, All India Democratic Women's Association

115. Ms. Sudha Sundararaman, General Secretary, AIDWA

116. Ms. Mohini Giri, Chairperson, Guild of Service

117. Dr. Jyotsna Chatterji, Director, Joint Women's Programme

118. Prof. Upendra Baxi, University of Warwick, UK & former Vice Chancellor, Delhi University.

119. Prof. Muchkund Dubey, President, Council for Social Development, New Delhi

120. Mr. Mukul Dube, Delhi, Freelance editor, writer, photographer

121. Ms. Ela R. Bhatt, Founder, SEWA

122. Ms. C.P. Sujaya, retired Additional Chief Secretary, Himachal  Pradesh.

123. Ms. Nirmala Buch, IAS, Retired Secretary, Rural Development, Government of India.

124. Ms. Sumi Krishna, Former President, Indian Association for Women's Studies

125. Dr. Mohan Rao, Professor, Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, JNU

126. Dr. Vasudha Dhagamwar, Hon. Advisor, MARG, Delhi & Chairperson PRAKRITI

127. Ms. Kalyani Menon-Sen, Gurgaon

128. Dr. Shakti Kak, Director, Indian School of Women's Studies and Development

129. Ms. Jayashree Bora, Women's Legal Forum

130. Ms. Kamla Bhasin, Advisor, Sangat.

131. Dr. Charu Gupta, Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

132. Ms. Sunanda Rabindranathan, Consultant, Population Council

133. Dr. Bijayalaxmi Nanda, Senior lecturer, Department of Political Science, Miranda House, Delhi University

134. Dr. Saradamoni, formerly with Indian Statistical Institute

135. Dr. S. Anandalakshmy, Advisor on Child Dev. & Education, and President, Bala Mandir Research Foundation, Chennai

136. Dr. Kumkum Roy, Centre for Historical Studies, JNU

137. Prof. Jayati Ghosh, Centre for Economic Studies & Planning, JNU

138. Prof. Rajni Palriwala, Dept. of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University

139. Ms. Omita Goyal, Publishing Director, Taylor & Francis Books India Pvt. Ltd.

140. Dr. Radhika Chopra, Reader, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi

141. Ms. Mrinal Pande, Journalist, author and currently chief editor of Hindi Daily Hindustan

142. Dr. Bina Agarwal, Prof. of Economics, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi University 

143. Dr. Meera Velayudhan, Senior Analyst, Centre for Environment & Social Concern, Ahmedabad

144. Dr. Debal K. Singha Roy, Professor of Sociology, School of Social Sciences, IGNO

145. Ms. Indira Chakravarty, Member, Food Authority, Govt. of India. 

146. Dr Manjeet Bhatia, Faculty, Women's Studies & Development Centre, Uni. of Delhi

147. Dr. Maithreyi Krishnaraj, former Director, SNDT Women's University, Mumbai

148. Prof. Imrana Qadeer (Retd.) formerly with Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, JNU

149. Dr. (Ms) M.K. Jabbi, Director, Council for Social Development, New Delhi

150. Dr. Sharada Nayak, Educational Resources Centre, New Delhi

151. Ms. Kameshwari Jandhyala, Educational Resource Unit, Hyderabad

152. Prof. Nargis Panchapakesan (Retd. from Department of Education, DU)

153. Dr. Mala Khullar, Independent Consultant & Co-Editor, Asian Journal of Women's Studies

154. Prof. Geetha B. Nambissan, Zakir Hussain Centre for Educational Studies, JNU

155. Dr. Govind Kelkar, Independent Researcher, Gurgaon

156. Ms. Rasil Basu, EKATRA

157. Professor Neera Chandhoke, Deptt. Of Political Science, Delhi University, Delhi

158. Prof. Karuna Chanana , Zakir Hussain Centre for Educational Studies, JNU (Retd.)

159. Prof. Suvira Jaiswal, (Retd.) Centre for Historical Studies, JNU

160. Dr. Patricia Uberoi, Nannerl O. Keohane Distinguished Visiting Professor
     Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina and Hony. Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi

161. Dr. Surinder Jetley (retd.)  formerly Director ,Centre for Women 's Studies , BHU, Varansi

162. Ms. Pamela Philipose, Women's Feature Service, New Delhi

163. Dr. Pam Rajput, formerly Director, Centre for Women's Studies, Punjab University

164. Ms. Kalpana Dasgupta, Ex-Librarian, Central Secretariat

165. Dr. Aparna Basu, Ex-President, AIWC (Retd.) Department of History, Delhi University

166. Prof. Prem Chowdhry, Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum& Library

167. Dr. Vasanthi Raman, Senior Fellow, Centre for Women's Development Studies

168. Dr. Sreelekha R. Nair,  Centre for Women's Development Studies

169. Dr. Neetha Narayana Pillai, Senior Fellow, Centre for Women's Development Studies

170. Dr. Karen Gabriel, Senior Fellow, Centre for Women's Development Studies

171. Dr. Renu Addlakha, Senior Fellow, Centre for Women's Development Studies

172. Ms. Shruti Chaudhry,  Centre for Women's Development Studies

173. Ms. Nayana Dasgupta, Lecturer, Lady Shri Ram College.

174. Prof. Ayesh Kidwai, Professor, JNU

175. Ms.U. Vasuki,  AIDWA

176. Ms.Soniya Gill, AIDWA

177. Ms. Pramila Pandhe,  AIDWA

178. Ms. Anna George, NII

179.Ms. Anomita Sen

180.Ms. Chirashree Das Gupta, Patna

181.Dr. Archana Prasad, Jamia Millia Islamia

182.Dr. G. Arunima, JNU

183.Dr. Gail Coelho, Delhi University 

184.Dr. Lakshmi Subramanian, Jamia Millia Islamia

185.Dr. Pulapre B, Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

186.Dr. Subhanil Chowdhury, Economic Research Foundation

187.Dr. Tejaswini Niranjana, Centre For The Study Of Culture And Society

188.Ms. Jayeeta Bagchi, Jadavpur University (Women Studies)

189.Mr. Kaushik Das Gupta, Centre For Science And Environment

190.Mr. Moggallan Bharti, JNU, Phd Student

191.Ms. Parimal Maya Sudhakar, Ex-Vice President JNUSU

192.Prof Madhu Sahni, JNU

193.Prof. Anuradha Chenoy, JNU

194.Prof. Kamal M. Chenoy, JNU

195.Prof. Rahul Roy, ISI Delhi

196.Professor Kavita Panjabi, Jadavpur University.

197.Ms. Rakhi Ghoshal, Centre For The Study Of Culture & Society, Bengaluru

198.Mr. Saibal Bishnu, Kolkata

199.Ms. Sejuti Dasgupta, JNU, Phd Student

200.Ms. Shruti Parthasarathy

201.Mr. Siddhartha Chakraborti, JNU, Ma Student 

202.Mr. Subhash Bose

203.Dr. Kalika Bali, Microsoft Research

204.Mr. Avijit Chakraborty

205.Prof Susan Visvanathan, JNU

206.Prof Geetha Nambissan, JNU

207.Mr. Karmegam Shanmugavel

208.Dr. Smitha Francis, Principal Economist, Economic Research Foundation (ERF)

209.Madhvanath, Sriganesh, Senior Research Scientist, HP Labs India

210.Ms.  J. Devika, CDS, Trivandrum

211.Mr. Sumit Sarkar

212.Ms. Meena Gupta, IAS (Retd.) Calcutta

213.Prof. Tanika Sarkar

214.Ms. Annie Raja, National Federation of Indian Women, New Delhi.

215.Ms. Chirashree Das Gupta ,  Centre For Economic Policy and Public Finance .

216. Ms. Saleela Patkar, Farmer & Development Consultant ,Karnataka.

Fwd: February 27 - Protest Day - BSNL

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From India News Network (INN)

 

BSNL Employees To Observe

Protest day on 27.02.2009 demanding immediate wage revision

 

New Delhi, February 26: V A N Namboodiri, convenor, Joint Forum and general secretary, BSNLEU has issued the following statement:

 

Non-executive employees of BSNL will observe Protest Day on 27th February, 2009 throughout the country by holding massive Lunch Hour demonstrations in each and every office demanding expeditious settlement of their major demands.

 

Wage Revision is due from 01.01.2007 for the non-executive employees. Pay revision for the ITS officers, who have not yet been absorbed in BSNL, has been done as per 6th Central Pay Commission recommendations. Pay Revision for other officers including Board members is in the final stage of implementation. However, the management has not yet started serious negotiations with the majority representative union for revision of wages of the non-executive employees of BSNL numbering about 2.5 lakh. This inordinate delay has generated severe discontents among the employees. United Forum demands immediate wage revision.

 

Other demands include immediate release of 6.2% Dearness Allowance which has fallen due with effect from 1st January, 2009.

 

Dearness Allowance equivalent to 50% of pay had been merged with pay of the serving employees with effect from 1st January, 2007 almost a year back. But the benefit has not yet been extended to the persons retired from BSNL.

 

An agreement on Promotion Policy of non-executive employees was signed between the management and the representative union in October, 2008. However, this agreement has not yet been implemented.

 

United Forum demands immediate settlement of the above demands and other long pending issues to address the genuine grievances of the employees. While United Forum and BSNL employees are very much eager to provide the best services to the people, amicable settlement of genuine long pending demands can't be allowed to be ignored or further delayed.

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