Mallikarjun Kharge expresses disagreement with L&T Chairman's 90-hour work week suggestion
New Delhi (PTI): Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday expressed disagreement with Larsen & Toubro Chairman S N Subrahmanyan's suggestion of a 90-hour work week and recalled that former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and BR Ambedkar had advocated that workers should not be made to work for more than eight hours in a day.
Addressing party leaders after the inauguration of the Congress' new headquarters located at 9A, Kotla Road here, Kharge lauded the work done by L&T Construction in constructing the new party headquarters.
"I would like to thank L&T construction...some dues are also left from our side," Kharge said to peals of laughter.
"I would like to thank L&T construction, architects, labourers involved in the construction. While I thank the company, but the company's CEO has made a remark of working 90 hours in a week. I don't agree with that," the Congress chief said.
A labourer works for eight hours and gets tired and that is why Nehru and Ambedkar had stated while making factory act that workers should not be made to do more than eight hours of work.
"After that someone said nine hours, but he (L&T chief) is now talking of 12 hours, 14 hours, he should leave that (view), but I thank the company because they have done a very good job. I would also like to thank the labourers for their hard work," Kharge said.
The Congress president also thanked Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for overseeing the work of construction and completion at the party's new headquarters.
Subrahmanyan had sparked an online outrage with his comments advocating a 90-hour work week and suggesting that employees should even give up Sundays.
"How long can you stare at your wife," he is heard saying in a purported video address to employees where he urged them to spend less time at home and more in the office.
His remarks reignited the work-life balance debate, first triggered by Infosys Co-Founder Narayana Murthy's suggestion of a 70-hour work week.
"I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy because I work on Sundays," Subrahmanyan is heard saying in an undated video circulating on social media.
"What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Come on, get to the office and start working," he further said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Minister Parameshwara says remarks on properties linked to drug peddlers 'misunderstood'
Tumakuru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said his recent remarks on the demolition of properties linked to those involved in narcotics trade were "misunderstood and misinterpreted".
His clarification follows remarks made two days ago on the government's uncompromising crackdown on the drug menace, including action against properties linked to foreign nationals allegedly involved in drug trafficking.
"It is unfortunate. It is taken in the wrong sense. I didn't mean that tomorrow itself I am going to send bulldozers and demolish the houses. That was not my intention. It was wrongly taken," he told reporters here.
Responding to Congress MLC K Abdul Jabbar's question in the legislative council on the growing drug menace in Bengaluru, Davangere and coastal districts, the minister on Thursday detailed the extensive enforcement measures initiated since the Congress government assumed office.
Pointing to the involvement of some foreign nationals, the minister had said, "Many foreign students from African countries have come to Karnataka. They are into the drug business. We catch them and register cases against them, but they want the case to be registered because once the case is registered, we cannot deport them."
"We have gone to the extent of demolishing the rented building where they stay," he had said.
