Fast forward: 'Left indifferent to Star'

mayor subrata mukherjee has accused the left front government of being indifferent to the star theatre takeover issue. the mayor, who met urban development minister ashok bhattacharya on thursday at the state secretariat, said that the government could have taken over the historic theatre — badly damaged in a recent fire — but did not take any initiative.the mayor said that despite legal hurdles, the calcutta municipal corporation had acquired the deed for star through its own efforts. "we have sorted out the legal tangles by negotiating with the concerned bank and the owner. the state government could have done it earlier," he said. ---- hm workers reject bonus angry with the unilateral decision by the hindustan motors management to offer an 8.33 per cent bonus, against the customary 20 per cent, employees at the uttarpara works held a demonstration on thursday. joint spokesman for the intuc- and citu-affiliated unions ajit chakraborty said that a gate meeting would be held on monday morning to protest against the unilateral action of the management. the unions have decided to forgo the bonus and have warned the management that such moves would trigger a large-scale agitation. both industries minister nirupam sen and labour minister md amin had urged the hm top brass, led by c.k. birla, to settle the bonus and da issues with the unions. ---- jamiat holds anti-us rally an anti-american rally was organised by the state unit of jamiat -e-ulema-e-hind on thursday. "the sectarian forces are trying to make it an islamic issue. but nationalist and liberal muslims feel it is a fight against both imperialism and terrorism," said moulana siddikullah choudhury, secretary of the state jamiat. but there were others who frowned on the "efforts to be politically correct in the eyes of the mainstream politicians". speakers at the rally tried to condone the terrorist attacks in america and expressed solidarity with the taliban regime. the rally was attended by congress leaders kumud bhattacharya and abdur rauf as the jamiat is close to the party. ---- congress protest congress workers took to the streets in the city on thursday in protest against the reinduction of george fernandes as the defence minister. according to pcc leaders, it was the nda that had once talked about a clean and transparent administration. and now, it has reinducted fernandes, who, the leaders felt, was yet to be officially exonerated by the commission of enquiry probing the tehelka accusations.