In brief

Chief Labour Commissioner calls meeting on jute strike
With the Centre assuring steps for reopening jute mills in West Bengal,a meeting by the Central Chief Labour Commissioner has been convened on February 9 here. The trade unions which have struck work for an indefinite period,however,have rejected the proposals offered by the Indian Jute Mills Association on the contentious issue of dearness allowance. “We reject the offers and will not give up our demand. Lets see what happens at the meeting on February 9,” CPM-backed Bengal Chaktal Mazdoor Union Secretary Gobinda Guha said on Sunday.

We won’t allow Bengal to be divided,says CM
The West Bengal government said on Sunday that it is ready to give more powers to Darjeeling hills,but will not allow any division of the state.
“Dangerous things are happening in Darjeeling,” Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said at a Left Front rally.
“The state cannot be divided. No one will benefit if West Bengal is dismembered,” he said.
Bhattacharjee said the government had repeatedly made it clear that it is ready to agree for more powers to the hills if the GJM wants,but the state could not be divided.