ON August 6, 2014, a large rally of nearly 3,000 people, predominantly youth, marked the beginning of the CPI(M) Vidhan Sabha election campaign in Solapur with tremendous enthusiasm. The participants came from all over Solapur city and also from the adjoining rural areas. Most of them were working class youth and they hailed from all religions and castes.
FOR more than 10 days a serious battle is being waged against the ugly face of communal elements in the state of Karnataka. It started on social networking site Facebook and has now spilled over to the real world in the form of complaint, arrest, and street protests in more than 12 districts of the state.
THE threat from Hindutva fundamentalist forces looms larger each day, and is covering ever-wider ground. Obscurantist views on society are being expressed such as support to khap panchayats. The status and role of women are systematically sought to be undermined including by playing down incidents of rape and blaming women’s dress or “western culture” for the same.
WHAT is happening to Argentina’s debt at the present moment is instructive for all. In the 1990s when Carlos Menem was the president of Argentina, his government tried what it thought was a neo-liberal masterstroke. It kept the value of the Argentine currency pegged to the US dollar (in the ratio of 1:1) through what is called a “currency board” arrangement, in the hope that this would keep “investor confidence” high in that country.
HEADS of 83 countries, monarchs and elected presidents/prime ministers included, converged in Belgium to commemorate the centenary of the World War (the war to end all wars!), while Israel is bombarding Gaza. New York Times reporting the event writes “Some took the moment to recall more modern crises in the Middle East and Europe that are rooted in the fighting between 1914 and 1918 that toppled empires and redrew the world map. Some dwelled on a vision of reconciliation among former foes”.
IT was in 1994 that a committee headed by R N Malhotra, former governor of RBI came out with a report on the liberalisation of insurance sector in India. The report recommended that (i) private companies be allowed into insurance sector including foreign capital and (ii) the public sector insurance companies be disinvested.
CPI(M) Leaders called for unity of all Left, democratic and secular forces to thwart the danger of communal fascism in the country. Along with it, they called upon to sharpen the struggle against anti-people economic policies of the Modi government.They were addressing a well-attended public meeting on August 5 in Kolkata to mark the birth anniversary of Comrade Muzaffar Ahmad, a leading light in the communist movement of India.Speaking on the occasion, Biman Basu said, the BJP is deciding government policies in consultation with the RSS.
WOMEN leaders, along with CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat recently visited some of the worst affected villages in West Bengal and talked to families who experienced bitter tragedies. These villages are gravely terrorised. But the women showed marvellous courage and asserted that they would never surrender. Brahman Chawk: Arming itself for the War Which is due to be Waged Renubala Mondal’s grandson got hit by a bullet fired by TMC goons on the poll day during the fifth phase of the last Lok Sabha elections.
ON August 6, on the occasion of Hiroshima day, the Democratic Youth Federation of India has organised a rally in Agartala to protest against the imperialist blue print of war across the globe and Israeli attacks in Gaza Strip. The protest march started with a release of a white pigeon by Sisir Deb, general secretary of Tripura Sanskriti Samanway Kendra.
A FUNCTION was organised on August 1 at Bhakna Bhawan in Chandigarh to commemorate the 6th death anniversary of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, an exceptional Communist and former general secretary of the CPI (M). A large number of people attended the function, organised by leading Punjabi daily Desh Sewak. CPI (M) central secretariat member Joginder Sharma was the chief speaker. Welcoming party leaders and people to the event, CEO of Desh Sewak Vijay Misra said Comrade Surjeet was a farsighted leader and could foresee the impending control of the corporate sector over th