Women plantation labourers in Munnar, on their own, discarding traditional trade unions

Women plantation labourers in Munnar, Kerala, have started standing on their own without the prop of traditional trade union leaders.

By now they have made it clear that the trade union leaders have been acting at the behest of the owners of the plantations enjoying largesse meted out to them by the owners.

In fact, the women labourers have chased out a legislator from participating in the sit-in protest.

The women labourers have been demanding daily wage of Rs 5,00 which the owners refuse to pay saying the plantations would go into losses if the wages are hiked.

It is an interesting scenario in the plantation sector where the proletariat have discarded the dictatorship of the trade union leaders.

Let us not be carried away while paying homage to APJ Abdul Kalam

The demise was so sudden and the loss irreparable. That was the situation when Dr APJ Abdul Kalam breathed his last the other day.

But all on a sudden people have started putting names to minor institutions and processes after him. That would be a disservice to the great personality.

Think-tanks should ponder over the issue seriously and pinpoint suitable memorials to him, which should help to sharpen the intellect.

Our media could have taken up Tamil Nadu campaign for prohibition

So far our media in Kerala has not taken up the campaign for clamping prohibition in Tamil Nadu.

For quite some time Vaiko has been calling for prohibition saying a lot of youth have been led astray by drinking.

Now DMK has come out with the offer to have prohibition once it comes back to power, which though may be tough in the wake of the crowning popularity of Jayalalithaa.

All the same, not only Kerala, but its neighbour also is suffering from the pangs of too much drinking by the people.