THE period from 1957 was one of gradually intensifying debate inside the Communist Party over fundamental ideological issues. However, the Party put aside all its ideological differences and rallied unitedly in the fight to defeat the Congress Party in the second general elections held in 1957. Though the Congress retained power at the centre and in all states, except Kerala, a massive change took place in the political landscape of the country.

THIS August 6, 80 years after the first use of the atom bomb against a section of humanity, reminds us all of the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and the threat to all human lives. But this year, we have to address two new questions. Does the dominant section of the US strategic establishment under President Trump believe that the nuclear weapons are usable and a nuclear war can be won? Is that the reason they want to abandon all the nuclear arms treaties?

THE Communist Party of India (Marxist) Andhra Pradesh unit has lost two senior leaders to Covid-19, on August 4. Comrade Sunnam Rajaiah, 62, state secretariat member and Comrade T Shadrak, 62, member of the state control commission, have both succumbed to the viral infection, leaving a huge void for the Party. The Party state committee paid homage to the leaders and called for statewide condolence meetings for a week. It had also held an online condolence meeting at state level on August 11 to pay tributes to the departed leaders.

THE US tech war on China continues, banning Chinese equipment from its network, and asking its 5-Eyes partners and NATO allies to follow suit. It is a market and a technology denial regime that seeks to win back the market that the US and European countries have lost to China.

SLOPPY handling of the Covid-19 pandemic by the BJP-IPFT coalition government forced Tripura to the brink of community spread. The tiny state’s Covid-19 infection tally has crossed 4,000 with 17 deaths, whereas in the beginning of the nationwide lockdown (March-end) the number was one or two – people with history of travel outside.