Vol. XLIX No. 16 April 20, 2025

A Historic Judgment

THE Supreme Court has delivered a truly historic verdict, which protects the federal principle and declares any action taken by a Governor to thwart the will of the state legislature as unconstitutional. The 414-page judgment delivered by a two-member Bench of the Supreme Court, consisting of Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan, has...

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24th Party Congress of the CPI(M) Resolutions

THE 24th Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expresses serious concern about the developments in Manipur since the eruption of the ethnic violence on May 3, 2023, the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur on February 13, 2025 and the confirmation of President’s Rule by Parliament on April 4, 2025. This pressing development necessitates immediate attention, collective action, and concrete solutions.

Report of the Credentials Committee

FOR the first time the credentials of the delegates and observers attending a Party Congress were scrutinised before the commencement of the Congress. Based on this scrutiny the credentials of the comrades attending were found to be valid. The Central Committee in its meeting held from November 3 to 5, 2024 decided on the number of delegates to attend the 24th Congress and the state-wise quota of delegates. The number of delegates was fixed at 732 delegates....

How Countries Like India Should Not Respond to Trump’s Tariffs

DONALD Trump has put off his proposed tariffs by ninety days; but countries like India have to respond to Trump’s measures whether now or after ninety days. These measures are not just an episodic act. Trump clearly threatens with tariffs any country that dares to act in a manner not approved by him; he is weaponising tariffs to assert US hegemony, quite apart from using them for economic ends like...

Trump’s Tariff War: After Me, the Deluge

THERE are many dimensions of Trump's trade war launched against all countries beginning of April, from the biggest countries, such as China, EU, Japan, and India, to the smallest, including Lesotho, one of the poorest countries in the world. Lesotho exports diamonds to the US, has a per capita income of approximately $3.3, and is in no position to buy US goods. The US imposed an import duty on Lesotho of 50 per cent, the highest tariff on any...

Reshoring of Manufacturing and Job Creation in the US

THE US president is keen to selling hope to his citizens that the disruptions in trade and investments caused by tariff shocks would ultimately bring new manufacturing jobs to the US. The key argument is, tariff shocks are meant to forcing US trading partners recalibrate their exchange rate such that they would be paying to sell their products in the US market. Manufacturers would be arm twisted to open facilities in the US instead...

Europe’s Roar Comes from A Paper Tiger

EUROPEAN states have been gradually building up an aggressive posture in the context of the war in Ukraine. As the United States, under President Donald Trump, has called for a ceasefire and peace talks, European leaders have been urging more military supplies for Ukraine. On April 11, 2025, the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, once led by the US and now led by Germany and the United Kingdom, pledged an additional €21 billion in military aid to Ukraine...

Safdar Hashmi’s Birth Anniversary Observed

ACROSS the country, theatre activist and writer Safdar Hashmi's birthday on April 12, was celebrated as National Street Theatre Day. Since his martyrdom, this day has been observed annually to honour his life and work through the medium of street theatre. This year marked the 37th edition of National Street Theatre Day. In New Delhi, SAHMAT commemorated the day through variouis plays. In front of an engaged audience of many theatre...

Railway Unions Unite against Privatisation, Demand Safety and Restoration of Workers' Rights

IN a powerful display of unity, several trade unions and railway associations came together for a National Convention at Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) in Kolkata on March 30, 2025, to raise their voice against the government’s aggressive push towards privatisation, outsourcing, and corporatisation of the Indian Railways. The convention was...

Stop Curtailing Media Freedom, Says DUJ

THE Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ), in a statement issued on April 15, has expressed deep concern at recent developments in the media space that seek to curtail their right to free expression and the right to earn their livelihoods, whether through the print media or digital platforms like YouTube. The Delhi Union of Journalists is shocked at the union government’s move to seize the assets of the National Herald, including Herald House in Delhi from...