Delhi HC verdict to put financial stress on workers: Kejriwal
New Delhi, Aug 5 : A day after the Delhi High Court quashed the state government's notification on minimum wages, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the ruling will put a huge financial stress on workers.
"Large number of daily wage earners in Delhi started getting increased wages of Rs 13,500 per month instead of Rs 9,500 for more than a year. With HC judgement, suddenly, their wages will be reduced. They will be put under huge financial stress. A huge setback for them," Kejriwal said in a series of tweets.
The court on Saturday quashed two notifications issued by the Kejriwal government last year, one for revision of minimum wages for all scheduled employments and the other for setting up of an advisory panel for the purpose.
The Chief Minister claimed that some employers are, in the wake of the HC verdict, planning to recover the increased wages which they had paid for the last one year.
"If that starts happening, it will bring untold miseries to the poor," Kejriwal tweeted.
In its verdict, the court observed that the committee's recommendations and the Delhi government's notifications had completely ignored the vital and critical aspects that had a material bearing on the issue.
The HC order came on several PIL petitions including the one filed by Social Jurist, a civil rights group, which had pleaded that the hike in wages was unreasonably low and as such violated the workers' fundamental right to life.
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345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran return home via Armenia
New Delhi (PTI): A group of 345 Indian fishermen, who were stranded in Iran amid escalating regional tensions, returned to India via Armenia on Saturday, officials said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for assistance in return of the Indian nationals.
The Indian nationals arrived in Chennai this evening, the officials cited above said.
The circumstances that led to them being stranded in Iran were not immediately known.
"Thank FM @AraratMirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar said on social media.
Over 1,500 Indian nationals have left Iran through land border crossings in Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict over a month ago.
"A group of Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran, are returning home via Armenia today; their flight is expected to reach India this evening," a government statement said.
It said the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asian region, with the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community being accorded the highest priority.
It also made a mention of five Indians being injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the Indian nationals were among the 12 people injured by debris from an intercepted missile.
"In an attack in Abu Dhabi, five Indian nationals were injured; four have been discharged, one remains under treatment," the Indian government's statement said.
It said the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi is extending "full" assistance and coordinating with local authorities, adding that their flight is expected to reach India this evening.
