Massive Strike To Cripple India Today

New Delhi/Mumbai, Feb 28 : Key sectors of the Indian economy such as banking, insurance, telecom, transport, mining, postal and manufacturing could be badly hit on Tuesday owing to the nationwide 24-hour strike called by trade unions after the government's attempts to avert it remained unsuccessful on Monday.

This is perhaps for the first time in recent memory that trade unions affiliated to most of the mainstream political parties have come together to voice their protest against price rise, violation of labour rights and the government's free market policies like disinvestment in public sector companies and privatisation of services that could lead to job loss.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had earlier appealed to all the major trade unions and 5,000 unaffiliated unions to call off the strike. But the unions rejected the appeal as it came only 48 hours before one of the largest strike calls in the history of independent India.

The trade union are demanding an universal social security net for all unorganised sector workers through creation of a national social security fund, enforcement of basic labour laws and stringent punitive action against violation of labour laws.

Other demands in the charter of the trade unions demands amendment to the Minimum Wages Act, provision for pensions, abolition of contract-based appointments and for putting an end to the disinvestment process of profit-making public sector undertakings (PSUs).

Major sectors like banking, transport, postal and port operations are likely to take a massive hit due to the strike. Key industries such as steel and power may see a low turnout at factories.

The country's largest lender, the State Bank of India, has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) that its operations would be affected due to the strike.

In the transport sector, national carrier Air India said that its operations would not be affected due to the strike, as its unions have not given any notice to the management.

The Indian Railways have said its operations will be normal. But it is widely expected that rail tracks may be blocked affecting services. Also road traffic on national, state highways could be hit as various unions are known to target these.

States like Kerala, Tripura and West Bengal, where the Communist parties have a greater hold, are likely to be affected the most.

It seems political considerations have prevailed over a section of the unions on their earlier decision to go on strike. For example, the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) said it would not be participating in the strike.

"The strike is politically motivated and illegal. We will oppose it tomorrow (Tuesday)," Ashok Choudhary, the newly elected national president of INTUC, said on Monday. The INTUC is backed by the Congress party.

Unions linked to other coalition partners of the United Progressive Alliance government, including the one affiliated to Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress -- Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress, will also not be participating.

Others, who oppose the country-wide strike call are the ones affiliated to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK).

The government has been asking the unions to desist from going for the industrial action by trying to reach out to them through open advertisements issued by the labour ministry in leading national dailies.

"Most of the issues relating to labour raised by the central trade unions have already been addressed to a substantial extent. However, I do assure all of them that I am always open to discussion on any of the issues relating to labour at any time and resolve the same amicably through consultations," union Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge said in an open appeal published in leading national dailies.

Onus on Mizoram To Take Back Tribal Refugees: Tripura

Agartala, Feb 27 : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar Saturday put the onus of taking back the 37,000 Reang tribal refugees on the Mizoram government, and called on the neighbouring state and the central government to do more to resolve the issue.

"The Tripura government would never forcefully repatriate the tribal refugees to their homes in Mizoram," Sarkar said at a meeting here.

Following ethnic tensions sparked by the killing of a Mizo forest official in Mizoram, over 41,000 Reang tribal refugees -- locally called Bru -- had taken shelter in six camps in north Tripura's Kanchanpur sub-division in October 1997.

After a series of meetings, a total of 701 tribal families -- comprising about 3,585 men, women and children -- were sent back last year.

"We wish early repatriation of the Reang tribal refugees to Mizoram as they have been sheltered in Tripura for the past 15 years. The Mizoram government and the centre have to be more proactive to expedite the repatriation process and resolve the ethnic issue," said Sarkar

He said that the matter was discussed with union Home Minister P. Chidambaram during his visit here last week. The home minister is expected to visit Mizoram next month to talk to the state government.

The home minister, accompanied by senior ministry officials had also visited the refugee camps and urged the tribals to go back to their homes in Mizoram.

Sarkar said that the central government still owes Tripura Rs.31 crore for its expenses on relief for the tribal refugees.

Nagaland: Where Life Is A Song...

By Juanita Kakoty,

Those who have been to the Naga Hills would know that the landscape is sheer poetry and the air is strung with melodies — melodies that have a very long past.

At a time when language had no written forms, generations taught the younger ones to act, live and work through songs. These songs also kept the memories of ancestors, brave warriors and legends alive in people’s minds.

Mercy Tetseo, the eldest of the lovely Tetseo Sisters, tells me, “Naga folk music is oral storytelling. It is all about sharing stories about why certain practices and faiths are carried out. For every activity in rural life, there is a song talking about the lessons and processes. Also, these songs help identify the territory of activity and the actors — that is, say, what kind of an agricultural activity is on, conducted by people of which clan, tribe and village.”

Giving an example, she talks of how when people of a clan and village are working together in the fields, they sing some songs through their work. And when the day’s work is done, they sing a different set of songs. “This is like announcing that it is time to return home. Those individuals working far away from the group take these songs as a signal.”

Folk songs have been a part of every Naga’s life. Yet, in current times, the Tetseo Sisters — Mercy, Azi, Kuvelu and Alune — are the cultural ambassadors who have brought Naga folk music, in its pure form, to a larger audience outside the state of Nagaland. They have been performing and acquainting people with this form of storytelling, with much appreciation from listeners, within and outside India and have recently released the album Li: Chapter One. The Beginning.

“We sing the old folk songs of the Chakesang clan. We have not tampered with the melody or words,” says Mercy as she speaks about taking folk music out of a clan and making it available to a wider audience. “We have retained the original story; but dropped the repetition of verses.” The Tetseo Sisters use traditional instruments to accompany their songs like the single-stringed Tati, which has been used for eons by the Chakesang and Angami Nagas. The Tati is made of either dried bottle gourd or the mithun horn. The mithun is the state animal of Nagaland; a semi-domesticated guar found only in the northeastern parts of India.

There are 16 main tribes in Nagaland, each with a number of clans. The repository of folk music in the land, therefore, is huge. But things changed in the 19th century with the coming of Christianity. “That was the time,” Mercy says, “When people forwent their traditional ways of life – their jewelry, music and dance, animistic beliefs, etc. Folk songs gave way to hymns that were made accessible in local dialects. People picked up the new in their religious fervor and forgot the past.” The young crusader tells me that the Tetseo Sisters share an inheritance. In the early 80s, Mercy’s mother and a few others revived folk singing and dancing in the face of stiff opposition from the Chakesang Church and Village Council. “Eventually, the church started accepting folk singing in its premises; and that was a huge shift.”

The modern era, fused with Christianity and westernisation, greatly alienated the urban from the rural in Nagaland. Talking of growing up in a city, Mercy recalls, “Growing up in Kohima, we missed singing out songs in groups while at task as in the villages.

Nevertheless, folk songs seeped into our lives in other ways. I remember gathering around our grandfather and grandmother who used to sing stories to us. Then during festivities, even in the city, we have witnessed people sitting together and singing about various rituals and activities.” In the last 10 years, however, the scenario has been changing. “I have seen younger generations across tribe and clan warming up to folk music. The idea of attending a folk concerts was boring 10 years ago; but now it is cool.”

The Tetseo Sisters should be commended not only for their amazing voices and singing, but also for documenting so well a rich cultural heritage. Going through their blog, one comes across traditional stories that feature in the Chakesang folk songs. The blog sure is a resource. I soak up this useful piece of information on the Chakesang ‘Li’ or folk song from its archives: “Li is made up of chants, harmonised calling usually between two groups or a leader and followers... Li can be sung in eight different voices in unison on both sides (leading side and following side). Most of the Lis are like a conversation thread, so there is the comment and response pattern. Or there is the soulful solo or lilting duet/trio... Adding to the wonderful harmony is the chants and war cry by the menfolk...” And coming from one who has heard it, mark my words, the beauty of Li is mesmerising.

Pilot Loan Scheme For HIV-Patients in Manipur

By Esha Roy

Imphal, Feb 27 : In a first of its kind initiative, the United Bank of India and the State Bank of India have decided to provide customised loans for HIV patients in the country. The scheme to “support entrepreneurship” will be launched under the aegis of the Reserve Bank of India on a pilot basis in Imphal East district. It will then be extended to the rest of Manipur and other parts of the country.

The scheme was announced at an outreach programme of the RBI in Imphal East on Saturday, attended by a high-level team from Guwahati and RBI executive director R Gandhi.

RBI deputy general manager Thotngam Jamang said the scheme had been conceptualised to help HIV-positive people gain meaningful economic activity. “Many of them have skilled knowledge and are well versed in traditional economic activities such as crafts etc. But there are few employment opportunities. These loans will support entrepreneurship. We are also looking at facilities like health check-ups etc,” he said.

“We have already received two applications today from HIV-patients for loans to set up embroidery and weaving enterprises. We will consider these applications, the loans may go up to at least Rs 5 lakh. We will also be looking at providing loans to family members of HIV patients to ease their financial burden,’’ said UBI chief regional manager R Bhattacharjee.

Manipur has one of the highest number of HIV-positive people in the country — around 38,000 according to the 2011 figures of the Manipur State Aids Control Society. “Out of these, at least 70 per cent have contracted the disease through injection of drugs, while the rest are sexually transmitted — it is usually the spouse of the drug user who becomes HIV-positive after marriage,” said L Deepak Singh, president of the Manipur Network for HIV Positive Persons.

“Most of them are school dropouts. Even when they are rehabilitated and cured of their drug problems, they cannot find employment. So starting their own business is the only way out. Since most of them come from poor families, the move to provide loans is a welcome step,” said Singh.

Made to work as slave, says Indian housekeeper

A senior government official in Britain kept an Indian housekeeper as a “slave” and fed her leftovers for four years, according to a media report here.

The counsel for 43-year-old Pratima Das, Ian Wheaton, said she was forced to work 15 hours a day while employed as a nanny and cleaner for Shibani Rahulan, 40, the principle legal officer at the Department of Health.

According to The Sun, Wheaton told the court in London that Das claimed her passport was confiscated and she was not paid. Wheaton went on to allege that she was “a victim of human trafficking...”

Walk With The Kings

By Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty


It took him 17 years to translate the royal chronicle of Manipur into English. Meet Nepram Bihari.

Eighty-one-year-old Nepram Bihari can't stop smiling. This is his first ever media interview. The long retired bureaucrat has reason to feel joyous. He has just completed translating Cheitharol Kumbaba, the royal chronicle of Manipur, into English. An effort that took 17 years. It was worth it. What nobody knows is that unlike other royalty, the Manipuri kings had a strong tradition of writing history.

So Cheitharol Kumbaba chronicled each and everything that involved their kings from 33 A.D. till its last Maharaja Bodhchandra's rule that ended in 1955.

“When I saw a packed auditorium at the launch of the book in New Delhi the other day, I really felt that the years I spent on it was worth it; I always wanted to do something worthwhile for the State,” says Bihari, who lives in Imphal.

For a conflict-ridden State where over 20,000 people have fallen to militancy, and counter insurgency operations, in the last five decades, Bihari's work holds significance.

Wrapped in it is a detailed record of the rule of 76 kings spanning 3000 years.

It's a formidable reference point to why the State continues to remain in turmoil.

Cheitharol Kumbaba gives an insight into a protracted bout of cultural imperialism foisted on the people of Manipur. Like, king Pambeiba banning their original religion, Sanamahism, in 1729 after he was converted to Vaishnavism by guru Shanti Das Gosain, from present-day Bangladesh. He ordered the burning of over 123 holy treatises belonging to Sanamahism to help Vaishnavism set root in Manipur. Like proscribing the people's script, Meitei Mayek — in practice till the 18th Century — to bring into use the Bengali script.

Bihari's work in English will help many Manipuris, who were not taught Meitei Mayek in school, to know about their recorded history for the first time.

“Since Bengali was the medium of education during my time, I had to learn Meitei Mayek, from my elders. This is how I translated the chronicle,” says Bihari. (Since some years now, bowing to people's demand to revive the language, Meitei Mayek has been introduced in State-run schools.) What's stupendous about Bihari's effort is that it took him seven years to gather the chronicle.

“Like many other royal kingdoms, the customs and culture of the people were in the hands of the maharaja. As many as 14 pandits had the sole job of recording history. After the privy purse of the maharaja got cancelled in the 1950's, the work of writing history was taken up by the Govindaji Temple Board formed then. This board is the highest authority of Vaishnavism in Manipur. But it was seen as an effort to only record the Vaishnava history of the State. In 1976, due to people's demand, a bill was passed in the State Assembly to form the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board which now keeps a record of the times, particularly from the Meitei point of view,” explains Bihari.

Easy access

He is the vice president of the Sanamahi Temple Board, which he says helped him to get access to the record books. Bihari spent Rs. 5,600 to photocopy them, consulted the notings with historians, bought many dictionaries (From Sanskrit to English and vice versa, from Bengali to English and vice versa, from Manipuri to English and vice versa, from Assamese to English and vice versa) to decipher words mentioned in the records before coming up with a voluminous book of over 500 pages divided into three parts. As Bihari says, “I have translated the original in toto.”

The book is studded with information on how the royal game of polo had its birth in the State; that the art of making Chinese silk and bricks were commonly practiced here. It brings out the historical proximity with neighbouring Burma and yet the king responded to Gandhiji's freedom struggle by sending 30 of his sepoys to Delhi to join the satyagraha.

With a laugh, he says, “I found some notings quite funny, for instance, recording a marriage, a birth and a death in the same sentence. In one such mention, it talks of Pandit Nehru's first visit to Manipur and the following line was: A royal horse died.”

US Keen To Invest in Northeast India

Guwahati, Feb 27 : United States Ambassador Peter Burleigh on Saturday said trade missions from his country will visit the north eastern region soon to explore possibility of investment in key sectors.

"Trade missions of US to India's major cities are going on and we are in the process of expanding it to other areas including the north east," he told reporters here.

"We are learning about increasing business opportunities in the N E region and American companies have shown interest for investments," the envoy, who is on a visit to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, said.

Climate change and renewal of energy were being focussed on by the USA, Burleigh said his country was, however, open to collaboration in almost all major areas of interest. "We are open to exploring virtually any area for investment."

USA was currently participating in a conservation programme at Kaziranga National Park in Assam, he said and expressed satisfaction at the 'amazing' pace of development activities taking place in the state and its congenial atmosphere for investment.

We Are Indians, Not Chinkies

By KG Suresh

Long time back, a Pakistani journalist on an India visit was asked about the similarities and differences between her country and India. She said while the sounds, sights, attire and language were familiar, one major distinction was that while here, she was referred to as a Pakistani, back home, she was called a Mohajir, a contemptuous term for the refugees who migrated from India post-partition.

In the 60s and 70s, in Delhi and other parts of northern India, any person coming from South of the Vindhyas was called a ‘Madrasi’, an apparent allusion to the Madras Presidency during the British Raj. But people from Andhra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu detested this description which they felt, and justifiably so, was derogatory as they had their own distinct culture and language. How would a Punjabi feel if he is called a Bihari, they countered.

Much water has flowed down the Ganges and Cauvery since then. Now the nicknames are state specific and more confined to college campuses etc. So, a Bengali is referred to as a ‘Bong’ and a Malayalee as a ‘Mallu’, a Gujarati as a ‘Gujju’ and a Punjabi as a “Panju’ or simply ‘Punj’. And not only that nobody takes offence to such dulcet calls but also proudly identify themselves as one.



However, people from one region of the country who have been clubbed together and singled out and that too for their racial features have been our countrymen from the North East. Often, they are mistaken to be Chinese or from South East Asia and referred to even by the educated as ‘Chinkies’ because of their Mongoloid features. Forced to migrate from their idyllic but underdeveloped states for education and job opportunities, these people, mostly women and youngsters, are not only discriminated against but also have often been victims of eve teasing and attempts at outraging modesty. This has led to a sense of alienation among these people, many of who become susceptible and vulnerable to separatist propaganda. They want to be treated like any other Indian citizen. They have hitched their wagon to our common destiny and they have an equal right over our resources.

Not that there have not been efforts to build bridges of understanding between North-East and other parts of the country, but they have been few and far between. Few Gandhians, some Hindi activists, initiatives such as ‘Ekal Vidyalaya’, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Ramakrishna Mission, cultural centres of the Union Government and even state controlled media have been contributing their bit in this direction.

Of late, there have been some citizen driven initiatives such as My Home India, run by Mumbai based social activist Sunil Deodhar, which seeks to bridge the chasm by helping students and others from North Eastern region in Metropolises such as Mumbai and Delhi, in their hour of need. “We not only strive to help the people from the North East but also sensitize locals about the beautiful region”, says Deodhar.

The organization’s activities include running a helpline for medical services, academics, accommodation, hospitality and social justice, creating awareness about the region through programmes at educational institutions, business organizations and community groups across the country as also through media and internet, cultural exchanges and sports involving students from North East and other regions and an annual award for people contributing to the national cause in the region.

The Global Foundation for Civilizational Harmony (India), an Eastern initiative for conflict avoidance, is working on a documentary film in association with My Home India and with the support of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations under its intra country migration video project series, to remove misunderstanding and strengthen the bonds between the people of North East and the rest of India.

There are many more such silent efforts taking place.

It’s all about creating ONE India, ONE standing for Our North East.

Nagas Rally in New Delhi

Kevin Frayer / AP

An ethnic Naga woman wearing traditional clothing participates in a rally, urging the Indian government to expedite the India-Naga political dialogue for a positive solution in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 25, 2012. India is offering wide autonomy to the Nagas though it has already rejected the demand of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland rebels' for an independent homeland in northeastern India bordering Myanmar, where most of the 2 million Nagas live. The Naga rebels began fighting more than 50 years ago, although a cease-fire has held since it was signed in 1997.

Kevin Frayer / AP

Ethnic Naga men wear traditional clothing and participate in a rally, urging the Indian government to expedite the India-Naga political dialogue for a positive solution in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 25.

Kevin Frayer / AP

Ethnic Naga women wear traditional clothing before the beginning of a rally urging the Indian government to expedite the India-Naga political dialogue for a positive solution, in New Delhi, India, on Feb. 25.