THE Modi government, ever solicitous of corporate interests, has launched a plan whereby real estate developers and other corporates will be allowed to destroy large swathes of India’s forest cover for starting projects that rake in profits. It is amending the Forest Conservation Act to remove those forest patches that are not deemed as such by the government from protection under the Act.
FIFTY years back, Pinochet's coup destroyed Allende's government and the structure of liberal democracy in Chile. Allende died with a machine gun in his hands, defending his attempt to build socialism in Chile against the combined power of the US and the forces of reaction in Chile, including the military. For people of my generation, this story is well-known, as along with liberation struggles in Vietnam and Africa, Chile was very much...
AS part of its continuous efforts to strengthen and expand its grassroots and organisational activities across various segments of the working population, the CITU secretariat organised a national convention of handloom workers. Representatives from handloom unions from all major handloom cloth producing states were invited to participate in the convention, to discuss their problems and plan for future course of actions among the handloom workers. The...
THE Narendra Modi led union government and the US government decided at a joint meeting in June to resolve the pending trade disputes between the two countries at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Among the multiple disputes, the last to be clinched was regarding the import restriction on poultry products such as frozen duck and turkey from the US because of concerns regarding Avian Flu, filed by India in...
UNDER the banner of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), thousands of women from 25 states will hold a massive public meeting at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on October 5, 2023. Preparations for ‘Chalo Delhi’ are going on in full swing all over the country. Thousands of women are participating in the hundreds of jathas and padayatras going on throughout the...
THE killing of a mentally challenged Muslim youth in North-East Delhi's Sundar Nagari over alleged consuming of prasad from a Ganesh Chaturthi pandal has shocked everyone and drawn widespread condemnation. The CPI(M) Delhi state committee, in a letter sent to the commissioner of police on September 28, demanded immediate strong action against all those involved in this hate crime against a...
IN order to take the message of the Left and democratic forces of Tamil Nadu to the people of the southern-most districts in the state, the fifth edition of Theekkathir was launched from Tirunelveli (Nellai) on September 22. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat inaugurated the edition. This edition is aimed to serve the people of Tirunelveli, Thenkasi, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari districts.
FARMERS in West Bengal are facing a severe crisis, with both the Modi government at the centre and the Trinamool Congress government in the state failing to fulfill their promises and prioritising corporate interests. In response to this dire situation, thousands of farmers and activists from across West Bengal rallied against the anti-farmer policies of both governments at the call of Paschimbanga Pradeshik Krishak Sabha (AIKS...
A SPECIAL session of parliament commenced on September 18 and concluded on September 21. During the session, one bill was introduced and passed – the Constitution (128th Amendment) Bill, or the women’s reservation bill, to reserve a third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women. Both houses of parliament also held discussions on the “parliamentary journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha – achievements, experiences, memories and learnings” and the “success of...
THE Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expresses its deep grief at the passing away of the renowned scientist who is considered as a pioneer of the Green Revolution in India, at the age of 98, today. He was the first recipient of the World Food Prize instituted in 1987 in recognition of his instrumental role in developing and promoting high yielding wheat and rice varieties in 1960s. With the prize proceedings, he founded the MS...
