Labour lawlessness; Goodbye CJI Ramana; Deathly potholes
Opinion Watch
The Covid-19 pandemic showed that India’s labour laws exists only in statues. Neither the Central Government nor the States showed the least respect to enforce whatever labour laws exist. Employers have turned contractual employments into the worst form of exploitation, intimidating workers and traumatising them.
The government turning a blind eye towards the enforcement of labour laws makes the administration a willing sponsor of criminal exploitation by employers.
The Times of India has run an editorial on the two-day national labour conference held xxx? favouring employers, true to its identity as the promoter of crony capitalism in India.
The daily stated that the conference is meant for the rollout of the four Central labour codes, which were passed by Parliament between 2019 and 2020.
The blatant abuse of press freedom to peddle employers’ greed is reflected in the editorial as it faults definition of wages as stated under the new legislation, claiming that the basic income being fixed at 50 per cent of the total wages would be against the interests of the employees.
The daily also claims that “a minimum contribution for social security is enough”. Representing the pain of its management, the editorial hides the fact that employers will have to make a larger contribution to the employee provident fund, bonus, gratuity, etc., under the new legislation.
The editorial is a corrupt commentary to serve the interests of its owners.
The ground reality has become much harsher for employees who aren’t paid salaries on time, their terms of employments forcibly thrust upon them in an exploitative manner. Union Minister for Labour Bhupender Yadav may like to call up a few journalists to get to the truth of the matter.
Goodbye CJI Ramana
The term of the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana is coming to an end and UU Lalit will succeed him for a short term.
True to tradition, Ramana also leaves the apex court reeling from excessive delays in adjudicating cases. He, indeed, hogged limelight with his observations on a host of issues.
The Indian Express noted “it would surely be a matter of regret for him, and the institution, that his tenure seemed to quicken only at the end of its very term”.
Under Ramana’s watch the SC gave sanctity to draconian provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Act, as the Enforcement Directorate becomes the most fearsome agency.
He also leaves important cases concerning demonetization, revocation of Article 370, and arbitrary use of power by the executive to his successors, suggested the daily, while noting that on a high note he sought to fill the vacancies of judges in the higher courts.
Deathly potholes
Civic bodies are dens of corruption, and potholes that put lives of people at risk are living proof of the rampant decay in the municipal corporations. From Delhi to state capitals to smaller towns, the corruption in local bodies shame democracy each day.
According to government data, potholes claimed, on average, 2,300 lives annually across the country during the five years from 2016 to 2020, noted Deccan Herald in the context of a pothole death in Bengaluru.
The daily cited the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to state that about five per cent of the deaths on roads are due to potholes or open manholes.
Since this is the state of the affairs across the country, the people’s participation in the running of the local bodies by way of checks can be tried by roping in the resident welfare associations and conducting public rating of municipal officials and also promoting or naming and shaming saviours and shirkers
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