Thinking Together

Thinking Together

What is CPI(M)’s position on the recent decision of the government to regulate prices and royalty of Bt cotton seeds and the response of MNC agribusinesses like Monsanto?G Srinivasan, KhammamCPI(M) holds  that new technologies should not lead to a monopoly of global MNCs over any agricultural inputs including seeds. CPI(M) demands a Seed Bill that will guarantee right of access to affordable, quality seeds and planting material to farmers through public sector addressing bio-safety concerns.

Thinking Together

The eighth BRICS Summit is going to be held in Goa in the month of October 2016. How does the CPI(M) view the role of BRICS in the background of the internal political developments in these countries?R Sengupta, KolkataTHE eighth BRICS Summit is going to be held in Goa on October 15-16, 2016. BRICS is a grouping of five developing countries, which together constitute 42 percent of the world's population and more than 14 percent of the world's GDP. The global economic crisis has enhanced the importance of the developing countries in the world economy.

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There has been a flare up of Cauvery waters dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu consequent to the Supreme Court order on release of waters to Tamil Nadu. There have been violent protests in Karnataka. What is the CPI (M) stand on the issue?M Durairaj, ChennaiTHE Cauvery water sharing issue is a very complex one involving at least four states – Karnataka, Kerala, Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu – and has a long history.

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There is a lot of confusion about the Aadhaar Card among large sections of people.  What does the CPI(M) feel about attempts by the Modi government to make the possession of the Aadhaar card mandatory?THE CPI(M) had taken a clear position against making the Aadhar card mandatory.  It was of the opinion that such a step would actually exclude millions from the benefits of government schemes and programmes.  The CPI(M) was clear that while the government was promoting its use in the name of transparency, ending of corruption etc, its real intention was to keep large sections of the poor from

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The Union Cabinet has passed what is being called the ‘Surrogacy Bill’ to regulate the practice of surrogacy in India.  There have been many conflicting opinions expressed on the Bill.  What is our Party’s stand on the provisions of the Bill?Vijay Sinha, MumbaiTHE union cabinet passed the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 on August 25.  The government has said that the Bill will be sent to a select committee before it is placed for a vote in parliament.  This is a very essential move.  All sections of society and various organisations should be given the opportunity to submit their suggesti

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It has been reported in the media that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be attending the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Venezuela and some other Minister will represent India.  What does this mean for India’s foreign policy and how does the CPI(M) view this?G N Ramesh, HyderabadTHE Non Aligned Movement Summit is scheduled to be held in Venezuela on September 17-18, 2016.  The Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Delcy Rodriguez, was in Delhi recently to handover the formal letter of invitation to the prime minister which was handed over to external affairs minister, Sushma Swara

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Question: Some social activists and intellectuals have written to the CPI(M) to take steps to forge the unity of all secular and democratic forces in Uttar Pradesh to fight the BJP in the forthcoming assembly elections. They have also appealed to small parties not to put up candidates which can divide the anti-BJP vote. What is the Party’s response to this appeal?--Rakesh Singh, DelhiAnswer: The outcome of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, which is the biggest state in the country, is naturally of political importance.

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It is observed that the structures of autonomous district councils are formed only in the North Eastern Region (NER) of the country, though the vast bulk of tribal people are found outside the NER, such as in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat etc where this means of development has got missed owing to absence of such autonomous bodies.

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What is the Party’s response to the promotion of Yoga by the central government?  Even Left-led governments are announcing that they will also introduce Yoga classes in schools.  Some people are criticising this as being part of the ‘Saffronisation Programme’.P Shaju, TrivandrumYOGA has become very popular all over the world not only because many of the asanas practiced as part of yoga have proved to be very beneficial to people suffering from a wide variety of ailments.

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Reports have appeared in the media that the newly-sworn in LDF government  has supported the stand of the earlier UDF government before the Supreme Court which was against the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple. If this is true, it is truly unfortunate.

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