-The Hindu Though there are improvements in employment and labour conditions on the work floor and in workers’ hostels in textile mills and garment factories in the State, “major labour abuses continue to occur,” according to the latest report by non-government watchdogs. The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO) and the India Committee of the Netherlands (ICN) published a report, ‘Captured by cotton’, in May 2011 on the exploitation of Dalit...

-PTI The Gurgaon police have lodged an First Information Report (FIR) against about 60 workers, including union leaders at Maruti Suzuki India's Manesar plant, where one person was killed on Wednesday in a clash between workers and the managerial staff. The company has in the meantime said the plant will remain closed. “The management has given some names of union leaders. An FIR has been lodged against around 60 workers,” Senior House...

-The Telegraph One person was killed and 30 were injured when alleged casteist remarks ignited clashes between supervisors and workers at Maruti Suzuki’s Manesar plant today. Work has been suspended at the factory of India’s largest carmaker, which has been sitting on a labour-relations powder keg. “Work at the Manesar plant had to be stopped following the violence,” the company said. “One person was killed in the clash between supervisors and workers inside...

-The Hindu In what apparently points to new caste and social tensions in the Samajwadi Party-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Dalits have been prevented from performing puja in temples by persons belonging to other castes in Bareilly and Chandauli districts in the past couple of days. Though the police claim that normalcy has been restored, a case has been registered on the complaint of a Dalit in Bareilly. According to a senior police officer,...

-The Times of India The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre whether political parties should be de-recognized calling for blockade of rail and road as part of their agitation which severely disrupted lives of ordinary citizens and movement of essential items, including foodgrains. A bench of Justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhaya posed this question to solicitor general R F Nariman as soon as he presented the Centre's suggestions...