August 6, 1981, Forty Years Ago: No Wage Freeze

Union Labour Minister N D Tiwari has clarified that the government does not intend to take any measure under the recently promulgated Essential Services Maintenance Ordnance to freeze wages or impound dearness allowance installment payable to government employees. Tiwari said this in his closing speech at the two-day conference of the state labour ministers, seeking to correct the wrong impression created by the Kerala Labour Minister A Mohammed. The Kerala Minister in his speech had opposed the ordnance along with the West Bengal minister. Both had said that the move was a precursor to freeze wages. The labour minister appealed to the state ministers to remove the misgivings of the trade unions and workers about the ordnance. He said propaganda by vested interests had resulted in these misgivings.

Another Congress

The Congress (U) which is yet to recover from the ignominy of derecognition conferred upon it by the Election Commission suffered another setback when Jagjivan Ram and his followers quit the party to form another Congress. While the breakaway group dethroned Devraj Urs and elected Jagjivan Ram as their president, the Congress (U) suspended Ram from the primary membership of the party.

Lawlessness In Tihar

Hardened criminals who, in connivance with civilian officers, rule Delhi’s Tihar jail, have struck to get rid of some officials who tried to remove lawlessness inside the jail. The first officer to incur their wrath appears to be V P Garg, assistant superintendent, who had written to the authorities about their illegal activities in connivance with some officers. Instead of taking action on the complaint, the authorities are planning to suspend Garg according to sources in the Delhi administration.