Strike Millions of truckers went on an all-India strike early Wednesday, barring fuel and other essential commodities, parking up their vehicles to protest high taxes and rising fuel bills. The strike is called by the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), which claims the support of all state transporters’ association with a combined fleet size of 48,00,000 trucks. Talks to end the strike had collapsed after Highways and Road Transport Minister T R Baalu said it was not possible to roll back a hike in toll tax. Grievances The transporters feel that they have been at the receiving end of various Central governments over the years. They are not happy with the “Frequent hikes in diesel prices”. Except it they are opposing the Canter’s toll tax policy and the decision to bring them under the service tax net”. It is also being said that oil firms were forcing the truckers to buy costlier branded diesel but the Indian Oil Corp – country’s largest transport fuel retailer – has maintained that the cheaper fuel was freely available. The price difference between branded and normal diesel has gone up from 50 paisa per litter to Rs.2.25 a litter.They had alleged that the government was getting huge benefits on the basis of international crisis on crude oil prices and on the other hand truckers were being forced to buy premium diesel at higher and unregulated prices. Effects Truckers are the lifeline of the Indian economy. If they go on an indefinite strike then its consequences can be worst beyond one’s expectations. If their indefinite strike turns into a lengthy strike then it would threaten not only goods supplies but also industrial output. Diesel sales could drop sharply. Public is Already reeling under inflation and it could further trouble the people in form of shortage of food items and essential commodities and increased prices. Truckers’ contribution in the Indian economy can not be expressed in figures but they and their demands have always been ignored by the government of India that has ultimately left them with no other option but to go on an indefinite strike. The AIMTC had written several times about their various problems to the related ministries and departments, but no one responded. This is the newest problem, the central government is facing, and if it goes on for a long time unaddressed then government [...]
Archive for July 7th, 2008
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IWF Stunned by Bribery Allegations
July 7th, 2008 
krishna Briber In a startling revelation, the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) was jolted on Tuesday by another controversy with its secretary B R Gulati being accused of receiving a bribe to select dope-tainted lifter Shailaja Pujari for the Beijing Olympics. An IWF official had revealed that Gulati had allegedly accepted an amount of Rs. 5 Lakhs as bribe to select Pujari instead of Monica for the Olympic Games. It was Monika who was actually selected for the event. B R Gulati The IWF secretary B R Gulati has, however, dismissed the allegation as “rubbish and baseless” and said he had never done such a thing right through his career as a sports administrator. Rules Weightlifter Monika had fetched one silver and two bronze in 69 kg in the Asian Championship in Japan in April-May to make it to the Olympic Games for India, along with Shailaja was short listed for the final selection after a trial at Army Sports Institute in Pune. As per the rule, the national federations usually prefer the quota winner to contest in the Olympics unless that player is unfit or unavailable for the event. Trials The IWF, however, decided to hold the trials to select the best athletes for the Beijing Games and Monika and Shailaja were short listed. Only one will be named to represent the country in the Olympics while the other would be kept as reserve. The final selection is scheduled to be held on July 15. Gulati had defended his decision of holding another trial by stating that it was not only Monica’s effort but was also of whole of the team’s that Indian had finished fifth. It was because of the points secured by the whole team that Indian had got the fifth position in the points table in the Asian Championship. Ban on IWF It should be recalled that Shailaja was caught for doping earlier and because of her IWF had to face ban for two years. After Indian Hockey Federation, IWF is the second games’ body that is going through the crisis because of such allegations. Any one can smell fool play form the poor performance of the Indians in the field of games. There is no doubt that there are some people in every game’s selection committees who are not impartial. They have spoiled the career of many brilliant players.
