>Agrarian Labour Union in West Bengal > > > >Burdwan : First district conference of Agricultural Labour Union was held at >Srirampur on 12 Nov. It was attended by more than 300 agriculture labourers. A >draft report and a set of demands and programmes placed by Com. Subodh >Mazumder was discussed and adopted in the conforence. Organisers of >agriculture labour origin particularly raised the question of strenthening the >resistance movement against the attacks unleashed by rural rich with the help >of goons of ruling parties. Conference elected a 11 member district committee >with Com. Subodh Mazumder as President and Com. Srikant Rana as Secretary. > > > >Nadia : First district conference was held on 16 Nov. at Rabindra Bhaban, >Krishnanagar, and was attended by more than 1000 agriculture labourers. Prior >to the conference, a procession and an open session was held, addressed by >Com. Kartick Pal, State Party Secretary and Biman Biswas, District Party >Secretary. Draft report was placed by Com. Sajal Pal. Conference adopted a >number of resolutions for devoloping movements and elected a 15 member >district committee with Com. Krishna Pramanik as President and Com. Sajal Pal >as Sceretary. > >Thus Spake Buddha ... > > >The West Bengal Chief Minister of CPI(M), Buddhadeb Bhattacharya says in an >interview (Hindu, 19 November): > >"True, initialy I was quite uncomfortable in the company of industrialists and >businessmen. But I am grateful to Mr. Jyoti Basu because it was he who would >constantly tell me to change my ways. Gradually I came to know the chambers, >the captains of industry and the interaction between them and me became easy. >I think I have succeeded in conveying the message that they have nothing to be >afraid of. We are in favour of privatisation and aware of the private sector's >role in development. > >"Some of the IT (information technology) majors are already here and many >others are in the queue. But our response to the foreign companies will have >to be quick. > >"When a foreign company comes to you with a proposal of investment in Bengal, >you cannot, as a minister, sit on it, raising silly questions. It's not on. > >"We have told them (CITU): 'Listen, you will have to understand that we are >going through a transition. You will also have to understand that productivity >and quality are not the employer's headache alone. It's the employee's concern >as well....' We have got to convey the message that we are an industry >friendly government and that we encourage private capital. > >"We know now that gherao as a form of trade union movement cannot be supported >at all. We will promptly institute a case against those workers who would >resort to gherao (encirclement). No, no, this cannot go on. The CITU will have >to play a more responsible role in the days ahead as our prime concern is to >create jobs." > > > >Sexual Harassment of Women Lawyers > > >Sangeeta Sharma, a 33-year old advocate practicing at Andhra Pradesh High >Court, committed suicide on 15 June by consuming pesticide because she could >no longer bear the constant sexual harassment by her male colleagues and >senior advocates. Sujata Kohli, an advocate at Delhi's Tis Hazari Court, was >physically assaulted by a senior advocate publicly. Six years on, Sujata is >still awaiting justice. In Jhalawad of Rajasthan, a court employee has accused >the district judge of sexual harassment. In Hyderabad, a woman advocate >accused the magistrate of making sexual advances on her. When she complained >to the local bar association, she was asked to withdraw her case. In a survey >conducted by women's NGO Sakshi, 65% of women advocates interviewed reported >that they are subjected to either verbal or physical forms of sexual >harassment by their male colleagues. And 20% of them identified judges as a >source of their sexual harassment. _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
