THE PepsiCo case against nine potato farmers in Gujarat for violating its Intellectual Property Rights under Protection of Plant Variety and Farmers Protection Rights (PPV&FR) has brought out the threat that the US multinationals pose to Indian farmers. PepsiCo is claiming damages of Rs 1.05 crore from each farmer. It follows an earlier case in May last year in Delhi High Court where Monsanto has claimed patent rights over its Bt Cotton seed and sued a Telangana seed company.
THE fangs of US imperialism are bared once again. In a brazen attempt to dislodge the democratically elected president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, US has extended its open support to Juan Guaido to carry out a coup. It has even called on the military to rebel against the Maduro government. This is yet another instance of the extent the US can go, to ensure regime changes in countries that stand up to its hegemonic policies.
NARENDRA Modi has been strutting around the country boasting about his muscularity. But he has feet of clay. In fact no previous prime minister in post-independence India has been as subservient to the US at the expense of the country’s interest, as Modi has been.
MARX'S use of the term science clearly encompassed the social as well as the natural sciences, obvious from his use of terms such as the “science of political economy.” Marx nowhere spells out explicitly the differences between the meanings of the term science in the two domains, but his constant criticism of the classical political economists before him and his contemporaries, provide many pointers to what these are. Foremost among these is the class standpoint that is inherent in any study of society and therefore the content of the social sciences.
THE CPI(M) candidate from Hisar parliamentary constituency in Haryana state, filed his nomination paper on April 19. Surender Singh, state secretary of the Party and Shakuntala Jhakhad a prominent advocate and Hisar district secretary of the CPI were also present.
THE Madras High Court on April 27, has ordered the transfer of Madurai District Collector, an Assistant Returning Officer, Personal Assistant (General) to the Collector and the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) and others involved for the breach of security, on a petition filed by CPI(M) candidate Su Venkatesan.
THE Left parties in Bihar are contesting the elections for the 17th Lok Sabha in a concerted manner. On the focal slogan of defeat BJP, increase the strength of Left and ensure a secular government at the centre, the Left is campaigning for its candidates in Bihar.
In a meet the press programme held in Calcutta Press Club on April 27, Surjya Kanta Misra, secretary of the CPI(M), West Bengal state committee, said, ‘Everyday TMC is now taking a roll call of its MLA’s to find out, how many are left, and how many have gone to BJP. But this roll calling will not save the party. Soon the entire TMC will be transformed to BJP, as it happened in Tripura.’
THE All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has asked the central government to intervene immediately to protect the potato farmers in Gujarat. The Kisan Sabha has called upon the people to boycott consumption of Lays chips manufactured by PepsiCo Company. The AIKS has stated that it will step up its efforts and initiative to ensure that the cases registered by the PepsiCo company against the kisans are withdrawn immediately.
WHILE the working people the world over express their solidarity with each other in their struggles to end exploitation on May Day, the BJP and Narendra Modi are preoccupied with disrupting such unity and solidarity through their venomous campaign of communal polarization.
The first three phases of the 17th general elections saw the electorate voting in 302 seats out of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. The ruling BJP has 113 sitting MPs from these constituencies.