Editorial

Defence Production: Perils of Privatisation

THE Modi government is set upon privatising defence production in the country. Both foreign and Indian private companies are being invited to enter defence production and the manufacture of hi-tech weaponary. This has serious implications for national sovereignty and the future course of the country.The ministry of defence has finalised its new policy for defence production. It has decided to identify six Strategic Partners (SPs) from domestic Indian companies.

Saharanpur: Rampage by Communal-Casteist Forces

THE attack on dalits in Shabbirpur village in Saharanpur district is symptomatic of the communal and caste forces unleashed in Uttar Pradesh after the BJP victory in the assembly election and the formation of the Adityanath government.Immediately after the new government assumed office, attacks on Muslims and dalits began. The closing down of meat shops and abattoirs directly affected the livelihoods of lakhs of Muslims and dalits. What is ominous is that with Yogi at the helm, rabid communal and upper caste forces are asserting themselves.

Tripura Will Rebuff BJP Designs

BJP president, Amit Shah, has declared that the BJP would oust the Left Front government in Tripura in the assembly elections to be held early next year. He has also gone on to claim that the Leftists would be uprooted from the state.To fulfill his desire, the BJP and the RSS have been working overtime to create conditions of violence and confrontation in the state. Just days before Amit Shah’s visit to Tripura, BJP goons launched a series of attacks on CPI(M) workers.

Strategic Failure in Pakistan Policy

THE beheading of two soldiers, one from the army and the other from the Border Security Force, within the Line of Control in the Poonch sector, is a brutal provocation. Whether the killing and mutilation of the two soldiers was done by the Pakistani army, or by extremists who crossed over with their assistance, it is a barbaric act which goes against all military norms and the Geneva Convention.There has to be a measured response from the Indian army.

May Day: Political Tasks for the Working Class

MAY Day, the traditional day for working class solidarity, is being celebrated around the world by workers, trade unions and political parties linked to the working class.It is an appropriate occasion to assess the worldwide political currents and how they relate to and affect the working class movement and Left politics.  The past year has seen a further shift to the right in most of the advanced capitalist countries.  The election of Trump as President in the United States came in the wake of the growing popularity of  extreme right and xenophobic parties in Europe.  The increase in the s

Trump’s Aggression in Syria

BY launching a missile attack on a Syrian air force base, Donald Trump has acted as US presidents are wont to do, which is to violate the sovereignty of independent countries and to trample upon international law. In ordering the first military action against the Syrian government and its armed forces, Trump has also dispelled some of the fake news that he himself had purveyed.  During the presidential election campaign, Trump had criticised US military interventions to effect “regime change” and the folly of spending huge amounts of money in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  In fact, he h

End of a Nuclear Pipe Dream

THE outcome of the Indo-US nuclear deal is now in total disarray.  The nuclear deal was used to cement the strategic alliance between the United States and India.  At the heart of the deal was the promise of full civilian nuclear cooperation extended to India and the quid pro quo was the military alliance coveted by the US which included the purchase of US arms.

Unlimited Corporate Funding: Subversion of Democracy

THE Modi government has taken another surreptitious step to harness corporate funding for the BJP and to subject the political system to the sway of big money.While presenting the Union Budget, the finance minister had announced that the government would introduce “electoral bonds” as a means of funding for political parties.  According to this concept, anyone wanting to contribute money to a political party can, through a bank, purchase an electoral bond for a specified amount.  This bond can then be put into the account of a political party.  The noteworthy feature of this bond is that th

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