External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh reiterated the government’s stand that membership to the UN Security Council was ‘‘unacceptable’’ without ‘‘veto powers.’’ He was referring to India’s demand for a permanent seat in the Council, along with Japan, Brazil and Germany. He said during Question Hour reports suggesting exclusion of veto powers were ‘‘purely speculative.’’ He also said India would like Africa to be represented in the council. POTA Bill introducedThe Government introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha on Thursday to repeal POTA and facilitate a review of all POTA cases pending in courts or at various stages of investigation within a year. Minister of State for Home S. Ragupathy introduced the Prevention of Terrorism (repeal) Bill, 2004 amid protests by BJP members. The Bill seeks to replace an ordinance promulgated on September 21. Labour reformsUnion Labour Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao promised to unleash a slew of labour reforms to enable the new economy cope with globalisation. Rao told the Rajya Sabha that the UPA government was committed towards protecting the interests of workers against growing insecurities; practice of contract labourers, and policy of hire-and-fire. He said the PM was personally looking into the reforms. The Oayment Act seeks to bring under its ambit workers’ wages upto Rs 6,500 per month. All parties took the minister to task for bringing in yet another legislation without a mechanism to oversee its implementation.
