Man hired by Tripura govt to prevent lynching gets lynched
AGARTALA: A 33-year-old man engaged by the Tripura government to dispel rumours about child-lifters on social media was lynched by villagers, who, ironically, took him to be a kidnapper. The lynching at Kalacherra Bazaar in South Tripura district late on Thursday night came hours after a garment seller was beaten to death by villagers in Mohanpur in West Tripura district for similar reasons.
Sukanta Chakrabarty, who had been moving from village to village with a loudspeaker asking people not to get swayed by rumours, was caught and beaten to death. Two other men who were accompanying Chakrabarty were also assaulted. The vehicle they were travelling in was also damaged.
“The incident took place when Chakrabarty and his companions reached Kalacherra in the evening. Local youth attacked them on suspicion of their being child thieves,” SP (South Tripura) Jalsingh Meena said. “The villagers attacked the three even though they kept saying they were sent by the government for the good of the people,” he added.
On Friday, police began an investigation into the attack and took four people into custody. Villages in the border state, where BJP came to power for the very first time in March, were on edge ever since rumours about the killing of an 11-year old boy by suspected organ smugglers circulated earlier this week.
Sukanta was lynched hours after three garment sellers from Uttar Pradesh — Zaheer Khan, Khurshid Khan and Guljar Khan, were attacked by villagers in Mohanpur, which is close to a Tripura State Rifles camp. Khurshid and Guljar managed to escape along with their driver, Swapan Miah, with the help of TSR personnel. One person was arrested in connection with this case.
Chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb appealed to people to maintain peace and not pay heed to rumours. He alleged that CPM is trying to tarnish the image of his government. The state government imposed a ban on internet and SMS services for 48 hours on Thursday night.
This came after DGP AK Shukla informed the home department that SMS and social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter were being misused for spreading rumours and fake images. Law minister Ratanlal Nath and BJP state general secretary Pratima Bhowmik said they have alerted party workers to thwart similar attacks.
courtesy : timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Cong slams Modi govt as 'anti-worker', calls for review of new Labour code
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Friday accused the Modi government of being "anti-worker" and demanded that the new labour code be reviewed, MGNREGA be revived as well as a national minimum wage of Rs 400 per day be established.
On International Labour Day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge took a swipe at the government and said unemployment in India today is a direct consequence of the 'Hum Do, Hamare Do' policies.
"Driven by the 'Hum Do, Hamare Do' policy, the Modi government implemented an anti-worker Labour Code. As a result, unrest has erupted everywhere - be it in Noida, at the IOCL facility in Panipat, Adani's factory in Raikheda, NTPC Patratu, or the Samsung factory in Sriperumbudur," Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.
Instead of ensuring job security, this Code promotes policies such as contract labour and 'Hire & Fire' practices, Kharge said and called for a review of the new Labour Code.
The Modi government has effectively dismantled MGNREGA by forcibly pushing legislation through Parliament, he alleged.
"Mr. Modi has shifted 40% of the wage burden onto the State governments. State governments are unable to bear this financial strain and will eventually be forced to stop providing work," he claimed.
The Modi government has compelled workers into a state of unemployment and pushed them towards 'gig work', Kharge said.
Currently, 69% of the workforce is working for wages below the statutory minimum wage, he said.
The Modi government has engineered a crisis of stagnant wages, Kharge alleged.
"When adjusted for inflation, the wages of the majority of India's workers have grown by less than 1% annually over the last decade (from 2014-15 to 2022-23)," he said.
The Modi government has created a massive unemployment crisis among the educated workforce, specifically, among graduates, Kharge claimed and added that jobs have been eliminated through the sale of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
"The government has refused to fill approximately 30 lakh vacant government positions. Furthermore, the government's policy blunders have led to the decimation of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)," the Congress chief said.
The Congress reiterates its five demands for India's workers including revival of MGNREGA and its expansion to urban areas, Kharge said.
He said a national minimum wage of Rs 400 per day should be established, with MNREGA included within its scope.
Kharged demanded that a 'Right to Health' law must be enacted, providing Universal Health Coverage of up to Rs 25 lakh for laborers and workers.
"'Life Insurance and Accident Insurance' coverage must be provided for all unorganized workers. Preventing the contractualization of employment must be made a core priority of the government, and the new Labour Codes must be reviewed," Kharge asserted.
