The Lokpal Bill is in danger of skidding off the rails. As it is introduced in Parliament, eminent activist Aruna Roy tells Shoma Chaudhury why we should not rush into it. THE LOKPAL BILL is now being debated in Parliament, almost 40 years after the idea was first mooted. Unfortunately, parented on one side by decades of wilful government inertia and, on the other, by the panicked hustle of ‘Team...

Mining firms have criticised the Indian government's decision to make them pay more tax to help develop tribal areas affected by the maoist uprising. Various trade associations have denounced the bill, under which firms will pay upto 26% extra tax on profits. The new legislation is to be introduced during the new parliamentary session which started on Monday. maoist rebels say they are fighting for the rights of indigenous tribal people and the...

Jharkhand is viewing with serious concern Mamata Banerjee government’s peace initiatives with maoists in neighbouring Bengal, the apprehensions centred around a prevalent lull in anti-rebel operations that could lead to repercussions in a state that the Union home minister described as the epicentre of left wing extremism. State DGP G.S. Rath believes the developments in Bengal, where peace moves have meant that anti-rebel operations have been reduced to routine patrolling by...

Several primary school teachers in West Midnapore’s Jungle Mahal area have sought transfer in the face of maoist “threats and extortion”. Since Mamata Banerjee’s government assumed charge on May 20, anti-maoist operations in Jungle Mahal have stopped, allowing the rebels the opportunity to regroup and “start atrocities against teachers again”. In the past 15 days, at least 26 teachers have submitted applications to the district chairman of the primary education board seeking...

-PTI   maoists have indicated their willingness for talks with the West Bengal government for lasting peace in tribal 'junglemahal' area, a human rights activist engaged in parleys with the Naxals said on Friday. "There are many stakeholders in junglemahal who are willing to talk to the state government... The government has already initiated some positive steps and is willing to talk (with the maoists)," Sujato Bhadra, who was among a six-member...