Hundreds of Indian workers employed to manually clean non-flush toilets have protested in Delhi against their working conditions. They say that the authorities have failed to act despite declaring such work illegal, and should issue an apology for decades of discrimination. Government figures suggest that about 300,000 low-caste Dalits are still employed in such work. They are estimated on average to earn less than $4 (£2.50) a month. The demonstrators began their protests a...

Block vehicular and railway traffic across Punjab, demand relaxation of paddy procurement norms Various factions of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) and organisations of landless labourers blocked the railway traffic at Moga and ten other locations in Punjab on Friday. They also halted the vehicular traffic on many highways, demanding relaxation in the procurement norms of paddy. The protesters claimed that adverse weather conditions had affected the quality of grains, and said...

Farmer organisations Shetkari Sanghatna and the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna are up in arms over the delay in announcing the first payment instalment for sugarcane by sugar factories in the state. Normally, the sugar factories announce the first instalment before starting of the actual crushing. This is done mainly to ensure supply of adequate and quality sugarcane. This year, there is excess production of sugarcane and many factories have not yet announced...

The obnoxious practice will continue in one form or the other, as long as the government and society treat certain so-called menial jobs as the preserve of one community. On November 1, a unique journey will come to a ceremonious end in Delhi. Earlier this month, five bus loads of men and women headed out from different corners of the country with one slogan on their lips: honour and liberation for...

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has sought direct and immediate intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to offer relaxations in the specifications of paddy for its procurement by the Food Corporation of India and state agencies. The CM said a failure to take immediate corrective and remedial action could lead to serious law and order problem in the days to come. Badal has also written to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad...