Why Election Commission not cancelling BJP 'gem' Pragya Thakur's nomination: Mayawati
Lucknow: BSP president Mayawati Monday asked why the Election Commission was not cancelling the nomination of Pragya Singh Thakur, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Bhopal, despite the "BJP ratna" issuing controversial statements.
"Malegoan blast case accused and BJP candidate from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya is claiming that she is contesting a 'dharm yuddh'. This is the real face of BJP/RSS which is being exposed continuously. But why is the Commission only issuing notices and not cancelling the nomination of BJP ratna (gem) Pragya?" Mayawati tweeted.
"If the Election Commission is not able to work in an impartial manner to the satisfaction of people despite severe criticism in the media, it is an issue of grave concern for democracy and no one else but BJP and PM Modi, who are surrounded by serious electoral allegations."Thakur is out on bail in the Malegaon blast case of 2008.
She is under fire for saying that Hemant Karkare died during the 26/11 terror attacks because she had cursed him for "torturing" her in custody when he probed the Malegaon blast as Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief.
The BJP candidate from Bhopal retracted the statement after it drew severe criticism.
Six people were killed and over 100 injured when an explosive device strapped on a motorcycle went off near a mosque in Malegaon, a town about 200 km from here in north Maharashtra, on September 29, 2008.
Thakur has also said she was "proud" of her participation in demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. The Election Commission has issued a show-cause notice to her.
On Monday in Kolkata, BJP national president Amit Shah defended his party's decision to field Thakur as its Lok Sabha candidate, saying allegations against her are false and the real culprits in the Malegaon blast case have evaded the law.
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Oracle lays off around 12,000 employees in India, another round likely within a month
New Delhi (PTI): US-based IT firm Oracle is believed to have laid off approximately 12,000 staff in India, with another round of layoffs expected within a month, impacted employees said on Tuesday.
Globally, the company has fired around 30,000 employees.
"In India, around 12,000 employees have been laid off. The company is planning another mass layoff within a month," said two people impacted by the retrenchment, including one from the company's human resource department.
The company has approximately 30,000 employees in India, including those affected by the layoffs.
Oracle declined to comment on the development.
Oracle, in an email sent to staff, said the employees were informed about certain organisational changes and "because of these changes, a decision has been taken to streamline the operations, and as a result, unfortunately, the position you currently hold will become redundant".
The company has offered 15 days' salary to each employee who has completed a year of service in India, in addition to one month of unpaid wages till termination date, leave encashment, gratuity based on eligibility and pay for a one-month notice period.
Oracle has also offered a two-month salary as a top-up.
However, the severance package is available for those who voluntarily and amicably resign from the company.
An ex-employee of Oracle, Merugu Sridhar, said that he was laid off in September for protesting against the 16-hour work shift that the company has in India.
"I contacted my friends and those who are in human resources. They shared that most of the Indians working in the US with the company have been impacted because the local laws there are very strict when it comes to the retrenchment of their citizens," Sridhar said.
