35 workers from Odisha held captive in Laos, CM asks officers to bring them back
Bhubaneswar (PTI): A group of 35 labourers from Odisha alleged that they were held captive by a company in Laos for which they were working.
Urging the government to bring them back, the labourers in a video clip said the plywood company stopped its operations about one-and-a-half-months ago, but they were neither allowed to return nor paid wages.
The workers from Rajkanika block of Kendrapara district alleged that the company had also forcibly taken away their passports.
After it was brought to the notice of the state government, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed officers concerned to make arrangements for bringing them back home.
Following this, the state labour commissioner took up the issue with the Indian embassy in Laos, a CMO official said.
The embassy informed the Odisha government that all steps will be taken for the safe return of the workers to India, he said.
The labourers had sent the video clip to the people in their village, who contacted the local MLA. The legislator in turn brought it to the notice of the state government.
"We have no money or food to eat. We are also not allowed to return," said Saroj Palai, one of the labourers held captive in the Southeast Asian country.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
