CPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury, has addressed a letter to prime minister Narendra Modi on November 23, seeking his response to the following questions: does NEP 2020 seek to end the policy of reservations for SC, ST, OBC and disabled in educational institutions? If not, the prime minister should clarify as to why NEP 2020 does not contain any mention of reservations.Yechury said, when the new National Education Policy was initially proposed by the government, the CPI(M) had opposed it in the parliament, for several important reasons.

CPI(M) Polit-Bureau member Brinda Karat reported to the police about disturbing incidents wherein groups of young men have taken to roaming around after dark shouting slogans like ‘Jai Shri Ram’, ‘Har Har Mahadev’ and so on, not related to any religious function, in Shiv Vihar of North Delhi.She expressed concern that these incidents could have harmful consequences as this was the area where minority communities were attacked, homes burnt and families were forced to take shelter in relief camps.

Below we publish the letter addressed to Sunil Arora, chief election commissioner, Election Commission of India by CPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury, on August 17, on the proposal of digital election campaign and the election funding.AT the outset, we would like to acknowledge the fact that the ECI has put aside its earlier decision to the exercise of franchise through postal ballots to all voters above the age of 64 to abeyance in course of the Bihar assembly election.

ON July 29, Nilotpal Basu, Polit Bureau member of CPI(M), had written a letter to the Election Commission of India expressing CPI(M)’s views in response to their letter dated July 17, 2020 seeking opinions on the modalities to be followed for holding elections to Bihar assembly.“Taking into account the conditions imposed by the pandemic and the safety requirements, according the highest priority to the safety of people’s lives, we want the Election Commission to ensure conditions that permit elections to be held on the basis of physical participation of the voters and the political parties.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat has written to union home minister Amit Shah against the inhuman treatment meted out to the political and human rights activists arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case.In her letter on June 21, Karat said, “Even though nine of the 11 arrested have been incarcerated for two years which is more than enough time for investigation, the NIA has been consistently opposing bail applications.