FROM the very beginning when the Covid-19 pandemic struck India in early 2020, many questions have arisen about decision-making by the union government on Covid control measures, especially about the extent to which measures instituted have been based on science or other evidence. The importance of these issues is underlined by the fact that serious questions have been raised by science- or health-oriented civil society organisations and also from leading scientists, including members of duly constituted decision-making committees, for instance on imposing lockdowns.
THE Modi government decided to raise the legal age of marriage of women from 18 to 21 years. The union cabinet cleared the proposal and a bill to amend the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 was introduced in Parliament.
A MEETING of the All-India Kisan Council (AIKC) of the All-India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) was held at the P Sundarayya Vignana Kendram at Hyderabad, capital of Telangana, on January 10-11, 2022. It was the first meeting of the AIKC after the epic victory of the historic nationwide farmers’ struggle in November-December 2021 and was therefore full of enthusiasm.
Communist Party of India(Marxist)23rd Party CongressApril 6-10, 2022Kannur, Kerala BRIEFING the media after the January 7-9, Central Committee meeting at Hyderabad, CPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury announced that the 23rd Party Congress would be convened from April 6-10, 2022, at Kannur, Kerala.The CC discussed and adopted unanimously the draft Political Resolution to be placed before the Party Congress.
A PRESS note issued by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) dated January 12, 2022, has strongly condemned the decision of the Haryana state government to invoke the Essential Service Maintenance Act(ESMA) on the doctors of Haryana state.The CITU stated that the highhanded authoritarian action of the Haryana state BJP government by way of invoking the notorious ESMA, banning the strikes for six months altogether in the health services in the wake of the single-day strike by the doctors under the banner of Haryana Civil Medical Service’s Association (HCMSA), is deplorable.The CITU inform
THE verdict on Elizabeth Holmes, the CEO of Theranos, who was tried for fraud, was guilty. Theranos was a company set up by Holmes and her former partner Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani and had promised to revolutionise testing. Their advanced biotech equipment—they claimed—would provide results for a whole battery of tests with just a few drops of blood.In its heyday, Theranos was worth $9 billion, and Elizabeth Holmes was looked upon as the Steve Jobs of the coming Silicon Valley's biotech revolution.
THE 26th conference of the Andhra Pradesh committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was held from January 27-29 at Tadepalli in Guntur district in an enthusiastic atmosphere. The conference venue was named after departed leaders Comrades Jakka Venkaiah, T Narasimhaiah, Sunnam Rajaiah, Reddy Sriramamurty and T Shadrek. B R Tulasirao, senior leader of the Party hoisted the red flag marking the beginning. Tributes were paid at the Martyrs’ column.INAUGURAL SESSIONP Madhu, Party state secretary presided over the inaugural session.
THE four foundational pillars of our Constitution are facing constant attack under the BJP-led government at the centre. Under prime minister Modi's dispensation, every single foundational pillar of the Constitution has come under attack, CPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury, said in Guwahati on December 26.He was addressing a huge gathering to mark the conclusion of the birth centenary celebrations of renowned freedom fighter and one of the founders of the communist movement in Assam, Nandeswar Talukdar (1921-2003).
THE ongoing united farmers’ struggle in India has changed the political discourse in India and the world over. The success of the struggle at the Delhi borders marks a remarkable setback to the reform process under the imperialist globalisation in India. Thus, the main ruling party - the BJP and its prime minister, Narendra Modi have received strong criticism from the pro-imperialist media world over since they yielded to the united farmers’ struggle.The united farmers’ struggle was not spontaneous.
AT least 50 anxious people gathered near the village pond in Chotahi village, Samastipur district of Bihar. They had gathered to save their houses which were declared illegal as the area was developed as a green belt by the state government of Bihar under the project ‘Jal Jeevan Haryali’.Soon they will be forced to leave their houses; most of which are kutcha built with earthen mud and clay. They have spent decades in these dwellings. Almost all of them are agricultural workers belonging to schedules castes and economically deprived.This is not an isolated case.