IT is both apt and reductive that two images dominate others as Girish Karnad is remembered on social media: one, with Gauri Lankesh, protesting the killing of Karnad’s fellow Dharwadian Prof M S Kalburgi; the other, wearing the MeTooUrbanNaxal placard, at the memorial to mark the first anniversary of Gauri Lankesh’s own killing. Over the past few years, Karnad was seen as one of the most consistent, fearless and principled defenders of freedom of speech, cultural diversity and democracy.

PAKISTAN and China showered their respective bombs and benedictions on India in the midst of election season. The Pakistani establishment presented Pulwama on a platter for Modi to respond with Balakot air strikes. China filled Modi’s election kit by ensuring that Masood Azhar is placed in the international terrorist list.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on June 07-09, 2019.  It has issued the following statement:

BJP VICTORY

ON June 12, a team of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), visited the second most drought-hit district in the country after Jaisalmer in Rajasthan-Ananthapuram in Andhra Pradesh. Ananthapuram has been reeling under chronic and severe drought for over one decade. This district has seen thousands of farmer suicides in the last two decades and massive migration of lakhs of people due to lack of work, food and water. In spite of having rich mineral and natural wealth, it is now known as the district of drought, suicides and migration.

THE All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), in a statement issued on June 11, has welcomed the judgement of the Pathankot sessions court which has convicted three main accused of rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir on January 10, 2018 to life imprisonment. Sanji Ram, one of the main convicted is the priest of the temple where the crime took place. He has been supported by the Hindu Ekta Manch which has the backing of the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir.