After an exhaustive speech that my hon. Colleague, the finance minister, has made, I have very little to say. The reasons for the modification of the award have also been given in the statement annexed to the order of the ministry of labour dated 24 August, 1998, and placed on the table of the house. Ever since the publication of the appellate tribunal's award, when rumblings of growing discontent on both sides began to be heard, I have been greatly concerned on two accounts. Firstly, I have been most anxious that the state of tension which has existed in the relationship between employers and employees in the banking field during the last five or six years should relax and give place to an enduring relationship, based on goodwill and contentment. Secondly, I have been equally anxious that while the terms of final settlement of the dispute should not be such as to injure the cause of banking in the country, they should be fair to the vast number of what are known as the lowest categories of bank employees and who have put up with much trouble and expense during all these years of costly litigation. It is true that government has been given the power, under the industrial disputes (appellate tribunal) to accept, reject or modify the award of an industrial tribunal, if and when government is satisfied that is expedient, in the public interest, to do so. It cannot be disputed that the said powers should be exercised by government by government with due care and caution in exceptional circumstances, and for very strong reasons of public interest and that the modification of an award of an industrial tribunal by executive action is prima face not desirable. I also subscribe to the views expressed by many honourable. I am not very happy at the large number of persons who have been detained in jail, and in view of the general relaxation of conditions on the border. There are three sectors of the industry the unorganized handloom sector, the unorganized powerloom sector and the organised mill sector. Madam, you would have observed from the speeches made here that there are some inherent contradictions in the interests of the various sectors. Some members have, in the same breath, tried to support all the sectors.
