The Hijab Controversy: Some Insights From Data on Higher Education

WHILE a three-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court hears arguments for and against the legality of wearing hijabs – the Islamic headdress prescribed for women – in classrooms across Karnataka, two deeply damaging consequences of the controversy are already being felt. The first is that hundreds of hijab-wearing Muslim girls find themselves debarred from education. The wearing of the hijab was obviously not an issue of contention all these years, and there appears to have been many different levels of accommodation with this practice.

International Union of Left Publishers: Who Are the Killers of Govind Pansare?

ON February 16, 2015, Govind Pansare and Uma Pansare went for a morning walk. Men on a motorbike stopped near them, shot them, and fled. Govind Pansare died four days later, on February 20; Uma Pansare surived, but continues to suffer from the attack. Govind Pansare was a communist, whose book – Who Was Shivaji? (New Delhi: LeftWord Books) – rankled the right-wing which did not agree with his factual presentation of the life of this 17th century icon.Who killed Govind Pansare, author and communist?

Budget Direction for Urban Remains the Same No Relief to People

BUDGETARY proposals placed by the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, 2022, for the fiscal year 2022-23 provided no relief to the people, especially those living in urban centres who were severely hit by the pandemic. With meteoric spiked unemployment in the last few years, it was expected that this year budget will at least address this problem partially. However, the much-awaited cry for an urban employment guarantee remained unaddressed. It is estimated that over 200 million people are without work, most of them in the urban centres.

Tripura: CPI(M) Activist Comrade Benu Biswas Killed by BJP Goons

On February 10, CPI(M) activist Comrade Benu Biswas was openly beaten to death at Kamalpur market place by BJP goons.A team of MLAs led by Manik Sarkar, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and comprising Badal Cowdhury, deputy leader of opposition TLA, Tapan Chakraborty, Ratan Bhowmik, Bhanulal Saha, Sahid Chawdhuri, and Sudhan Das visited the house of Com Benu Biswas on February 14 and condoled the bereaved family members.Manik Sarkar wrote to chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb on February 15 and demanded that a high power inquiry committee be formed to investigate the murder of Com Benu Biswas.

TN Local Bodies Election: CPI(M) for Safeguarding Democratic Rights of People

IN the state of Tamil Nadu, during the last decade, the AIADMK was responsible for not holding elections to local bodies.

The Week in Parliament

TN: Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Day

THE Tamil Nadu Platform for People's Unity observes Mahatma Gandhi's Memorial Day on January 30 as ‘anti-religious chauvinism day’, every year.This year, garlanding of Gandhi's statue and taking oath for communal harmony were the activities conducted by the district units in the state.

Telangana: Tribals Struggle for Right to Forest Land

THE CPI(M) firmly stood by people’s struggles in different parts of Telangana. Be it the fight of tribals for right to forest land or the struggle of a remote village for basic amenities such as drinking water and road connectivity, the CPI(M) along with other parties actively supported the people and conducted successful agitations.Northern Telangana and Khammam and Bhadradri districts are covered with forests and are having a sizeable tribal population who are engaged in ‘Podu’, a form of cultivation of forest lands that tribal people follow.

Conference of Association of Indian Communists

THE 19th conference of the AIC concluded with ‘one mind, one heart and one vision’. AIC, the overseas wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) held its national conference on February 5-6, 2022.

Struggle to Save the Generation

BESIDES the loss of lives, layoffs and unemployment, the COVID 19 pandemic has also had a huge impact on the education sector. With schools and colleges shut for almost two years now, millions of students are being deprived of their right to education. Students who lost their guardians due to the pandemic are facing tremendous financial obstacles. The mental health of the students is worsening with every passing day. We are losing one student every hour. The learning and analytical abilities of the students are being affected the most.

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