If Mudhol hound from Central Asia is patriot, is German Shepherd a traitor?
Indian prime minister has claimed that Congress should learn patriotism from Mudhol hound which is part of Indian army. PM has not mentioned Rahul's name. But Rahul had gone to JNU then. The truth about the slogans that were supposed to have been shouted as claimed by PM are yet to be unraveled. Who shouted those slogans is still a mystery.
His party tells us at times, that one should learn patriotism from tanks, and some other time, from some other object. Indian army also has horses.PM may as well issue an order that one should learn patriotism from horses. It is not good for a democracy if someone in power ridicules the opposition in this manner.
This is not the first time that PM is resorting to such statements. Globally too there are instances. The future of democracy of a country is at stake is a certainty, if those who are in power ridicule the opposition in this manner. There is a certain pattern of targeting the opposition in this country. Even investigative agencies and IT agencies are being used to sustain this. This too is common in many countries.
Yet, A PM is a PM. He speaks and wins the elections. But the world keeps asking questions about his work. Our PM speaks and wins the elections; hence we should assume that talking is his job.
Now he has spoken about Mudhol Hounds, let’s learn something about these hounds. It is amazing to see how much research our PM undertakes not to speak about his poll promises. Hats off to his team.
So, we looked at Wikipedia. One should be cautious about this Wiki information. Mudhol hounds are also called Caravan dogs. Anyway, it has nothing to do with the magazine, “CARAVAN” that published reports on Justice Loya’s death. I hope even PM had no such intention. According to Wiki, in Deccan every household rears Mudhol hounds. These are used for hunting and guarding.
In 2005 India Post has brought out a Rs. Five postal stamp , which bears the image of this hound. However other Indian hounds like Himalayan Sheep hound, Rampur Hound, Rajapalayam breed too have appeared in the stamps. If someone from Modi’s team were to be in the lazy team of Rahul, he would have googled and declared that Congress Govt had brought this stamp on all these hounds precisely for that reason. But Rahul’s team doesn’t have such a person.
According to Wikipedia, Nobody knows how these central Asian breed reached the Deccan plateau of India. As the PM has spoken about these hounds some organizations may as well link this dog to Babar.
Mudhol hounds are found in Karnataka, AP and Maharashtra. But hounds from Karnataka are more popular. A taluk too bears the same name. The erstwhile Chieftain of Mudhol Raje Saheb Maloji rao Ghorpade was instrumental in popularizing this breed.
This breed was popular among the tribals. Ghorpade had found that tribals use this hound for hunting. These dogs don’t bark.
When he was in England in 1900, he had gifted a pair of Mudhol Hound to King George V. they became famous because of this.
Last year six Mudhol hounds were recruited to Indian army. They were the first Indian breed to be recruited for Indian army and they were trained in Meerut.
How patriotism can be learnt from these hounds is something I don't understand. However, will German Shepherd which is popular with army for a long time, be called a traitor now?
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Noida labour unrest: UP govt orders interim hike in minimum wages, says final wage fixation soon
Noida (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh government has directed an interim hike in minimum wages across worker categories following unrest in Noida, with revised rates coming into effect from April 1 retrospectively, officials here said on Tuesday.
The wage hike translates into an increase of up to Rs 3,000 across categories, with workers in Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad witnessing a rise of up to 21 per cent in their monthly earnings, they said
The process for final wage fixation would be taken up through a wage board to be constituted soon, and the government is also considering additional welfare measures related to workers' health, pension and education of their children, Industrial Development Commissioner Deepak Kumar said.
The wage increase has been done by the high-powered committee, formed to look into the labour issues after large-scale protests by factory workers in Noida on Monday, to provide immediate financial relief to the workers, the officials said.
"The decision was approved by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh late last night," Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam said.
According to a statement, the committee is working towards resolving industrial discord through dialogue and coordination, while also considering further measures to address workers' concerns.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath appealed to employers to ensure timely payment of wages, proper overtime compensation, weekly offs, bonuses and social security benefits, while maintaining safe working conditions, particularly for female workers, the statement said.
In Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad, unskilled workers will now get Rs 13,690 per month, up from Rs 11,313, while semi-skilled workers will receive Rs 15,059, and skilled workers Rs 16,868, according to an official statement.
For other municipal corporation areas, the revised monthly wages have been fixed at Rs 13,006 for unskilled workers, Rs 14,306 for semi-skilled workers, and Rs 16,025 for skilled workers.
In the remaining districts, unskilled workers will get Rs 12,356 per month, semi-skilled workers Rs 13,591, and skilled workers Rs 15,224. The decision follows consultations with employers' bodies and labour organisations.
The government said suggestions and objections were examined to ensure a "balanced and practical" outcome.
The statement said that industries are facing global economic challenges, including rising input costs and declining exports, even as workers' demands regarding wages, overtime, safety and working conditions remain "relevant and important."
"In such a situation, it is essential to adopt a balanced approach between industry and labour," the government said, adding that provisions under the new labour codes aim to ensure fair wages and protect workers' interests.
It said it is considering an interim increase in wages based on indexation and will initiate the process for final wage fixation on the recommendations of a wage board to be constituted soon.
Meanwhile, the government dismissed as "fake and misleading" reports circulating on social media claiming that a uniform minimum wage of Rs 20,000 per month had been fixed for workers.
Clarifying the position, it said the process of determining a national "floor wage" under the new labour codes is underway at the central level and no such notification had been issued.
Industrial Development Commissioner Deepak Kumar said the decision on wage hike was taken following a detailed review of the recent developments and was aimed at providing immediate financial relief to workers while maintaining a balanced approach.
"The Uttar Pradesh government, on the directions of the Chief Minister, has decided to implement an interim increase in minimum wages. The highest increase has been given to the skilled category, and in Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad, the hike goes up to 21 per cent. These revised rates will be effective from April 1, 2026," he said.
The committee, which visited Noida following the unrest, said workers' representatives had maintained that their agitation was peaceful and centred around demands such as wage hikes, weekly offs, double overtime pay, safety and dignified working conditions.
At the same time, the possibility of the involvement of "external elements" in the violence was flagged, with workers themselves expressing apprehension about outsiders fuelling the unrest, they said.
To address grievances and ensure better coordination, the administration has set up a dedicated control room at the district level. Workers can register complaints and seek assistance through helpline numbers 120-2978231, 120-2978232, 120-2978862 and 120-2978702, officials said.
The state government has also issued strict directions for action against anti-social elements involved in the violence, launching a special drive to identify such individuals through technical surveillance, intelligence inputs and local information gathering.
The officials said those found responsible would face stringent legal action, including arrests and criminal cases, asserting that attempts to disturb industrial harmony and law and order would not be tolerated.
So far, over 300 people have been arrested and seven FIRs lodged at different police stations in connection with Monday's violence, Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh said on Tuesday.
