Shun false prestige, allow UAE to donate for Keral: Karat
Agartala, Aug 24 : The CPI-M politburo member Prakash Karat on Friday asked the Indian government to refrain from "false prestige" and allow United Arab Emirates (UAE) to donate Rs 700 crore for flood-hit Keral.
"The UAE has decided to give Rs 700 crore for the relief of flood-ravaged Kerala people, but the Indian government without consulting the state government declined to accept the donation," The Communist Party of India-Marxist leader said.
Terming the Government of India's decision as "uncalled for", he said that when a foreign government on its own is keen to provide help to the people affected by the devastated natural calamity, "central government should not stand on the false prestige."
"Kerala needs huge funds to deal with the massive devastation due to the colossal floods across the state. Central government must allow the UAE to release the amount," he added.
Karat, a former General Secretary of the country's biggest Left party CPI-M, said that thousands of Indians, 80 per cent of them from Kerala, have been working in the UAE.
"The Indian workers are engaged in many developmental works in UAE. Responding to the contributions of Indian workers, the UAE government wanted to donate the funds for the relief."
The CPI-M leader along with party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury came to The Tripura capital on Thursday to attend the party's two-day state committee meeting, which discussed various issues including "ongoing political violence in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled state".
Accusing the Modi government for its "misgovernance on the economic front", Karat said that farmers, dalits and unemployed people are the victims of the BJP-led NDA government
"Sexual attacks on the minor girls are rampant in many BJP ruled states. Mob lynching in the name of cow slaughter, beef eating and child lifting have been going on. Despite Supreme Court's strong observations against the crime, mob lynching is going on in many parts of the country," he said.
The CPI-M leader said that the BJP-RSS leaders and cadres are continuously campaigning against the minorities and dalits creating a serious fear and hatred situation across the country.
He said that over two lakh farmers and workers would assemble in Delhi on September 5 to press for their demands, which include providing better wages, more jobs, better prices for farm produce, end to privatisation and changes in labour laws, ending the contract labour system.
"The Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Rally' would mark a new stage in the struggle of working people of India for a better life and just future," Karat added.
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Austrian police detain suspect in case of rat poison found in baby food jars on supermarket shelves
Vienna (AP): Police in eastern Austria say a 39-year-old suspect has been arrested after rat poison turned up in some HiPP baby food jars on supermarket shelves in central Europe.
HiPP, which recalled some of its baby food jars in Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic after the case came to light last month, said in a statement Saturday it was “greatly relieved” by the arrest, and would provide further updates as verified details come in.
The Burgenland State Criminal Police Office, under the direction of prosecutors, said a probe was launched after poison turned up in a baby food jar purchased at a supermarket in the city of Eisenstadt on April 18.
It said the suspect was being questioned, and that no further details would be immediately provided. The Burgenland public prosecutor's office has announced an investigation into suspected “intentional endangerment of the public.”
The Austrian Press Agency reported that an expert report on the toxicity of the poison was pending. A total of five tampered baby food jars were seized before they could be consumed, APA reported.
Authorities said previously they believe the tampering occurred in 190-gram (6.7-ounce) jars of baby food made with carrots and potatoes for 5-month-olds that were sold from SPAR supermarkets in Austria.
HiPP responded by recalling all of its baby food jars sold at SPAR supermarkets — which include SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR and Maximarkt stores — in Austria as a precaution. Vendors in Slovakia and the Czech Republic also removed all of the brand's baby jars from sale.
The company said the recall was not due to any product or quality defect on its part, and said the jars left its facility in “perfect condition.”
Police said a customer at the time of the discovery had reported that a jar appeared to have been tampered with, but no one had consumed the baby food.
