Big Business: Illusions about Modi & Hindutva

THE last two weeks have seen various business organisations, editorials in the corporate media and political commentators decrying the spate of communal activities and propaganda in the country. Under the Modi government, the RSS and its outfits are increasingly asserting the Hindutva agenda. The latest has been the campaign to “reconvert” those who have left the Hindu fold. According to the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, this is not conversion but a ‘ghar wapasi’ and in his words, the return of `maal’ stolen by a thief.

Don’t Renew the US-India Defence Agreement

THE joint statement issued after the Obama-Modi talks has affirmed that the Defence Framework Agreement will be renewed for another ten years. This Framework Agreement, the first of its kind, was signed in June 2005 by the UPA government. What has now been decided is that negotiations would be held so that another framework agreement is put in place by June 2015 for the next ten years. This had already been decided when the US Secretary for Defence, Chuck Hagel, visited Delhi in August this year.

Insurance Premium Is People’s Savings, Protect It

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.

Don’t Make MGNREGA a Hostage to Fiscal Considerations

Given below is the text of the letter addressed to Nitin Gadkari, union minister for rural development by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, Brinda Karat on July 4, expressing serious concerns on the functioning of MGNREGA and reports that the Rajasthan government has sought the scrapping of the Act.

I would like to draw your attention to some serious problems concerning the functioning of MGNREGA and to request you to take appropriate measures to strengthen the Act and ensure that it does not become hostage to fiscal considerations.

Unemployment is on Rise, So is Youth’s Anger

* Among the 16,000 applicants who were interviewed for 21 posts of court peons in Chandigarh, there were 40 jobless post-graduates who had applied for those posts that required formal education of up to only the eighth class.
* 240 graduates, including B.Techs, had applied for sweepers’ jobs at a municipal corporation.
(Recent news reports from Hindustan Times)

WESTERN GHATS:On Gadgil-Kasturirangan Reports

THE consciousness that preservation of nature and environment is essential for the existence of human life is getting strengthened day by day the world over. However, the report of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), popularly known as the Madhav Gadgil report, and that of the High Level Working Group (HLWG), known as Kasturirangan report, have evoked opposition from all sections of the people.

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