THE CPI(M) is holding a Plenum on Organisation in Kolkata from December 27 to 31. The Plenum is meant to discuss the important question of how to strengthen the Party organisation to meet the rightwing offensive unfolding in the country. The Political-Tactical Line of the 21st Congress has called for fighting back the rightwing offensive represented by the forces of neo-liberalism, communalism and authoritarianism. The Party organisation has to be geared up to effectively fight these forces.
A HISTORIC dalit convention was held in Bengaluru on December 5-6 under the banner of Dalit Hakkugala Samiti-Karnataka (DHS-K), affiliated to the Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch (DSMM). The two day convention has opened up a new chapter in the dalit movement in Karnataka, one of the major centres of the movement in the country.
THE prices of essential commodities have sky-rocketed; no work is available under MNREGA in the villages; the means of livelihood of the peasants have shrunk due to drought; and over and above this, ration grains too are not being distributed. Women face harassment in the government hospital. These factors led to tremendous unrest and anger amongst women in the Dahanu tehsil of Palghar district. Many memoranda were submitted to the officials and discussions held on the atrocious functioning of the PDS. But to no avail.
THE founding conference of Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch (Delhi-NCR) was held on November 29, 2015.
Dr Asim Bala, co-convener of the All India DSMM inaugurated the conference by garlanding the picture of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. A three-member presidium consisting of Brahmjeet Singh, Rampal and Sonia Verma was elected to conduct the proceedings. A one member-credentials committee consisting of Maimoona Mollah and a one member-minutes committee consisting of Puran Chand was elected as well.
Below we reproduce the memorandum sent by Deben Bhattacharya, Assam state secretary of the Communist Party of India(Marxist), to the President of India on December 6, on the communal remarks of the governor of Assam.THE Assam State Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) would like to draw your kind attention to the unwarranted and blatantly communal role of the governor of Assam, Padmanabh Balakrishna Acharya, and solicits your immediate intervention on the matter.It is a matter of grave concern that governor P B Acharya has been misusing his constitutional position si
SINCE early October, violence has escalated in Jerusalem and the occupied territories after the Palestinians took to the streets to protest. For more than a month there have been daily reports of civilian casualties. By the end of October, 72 Palestinians died at the hands of Israeli security forces and vigilante groups. A Palestinian child was among those killed near Bethlehem on October 29. Eleven Israeli Jews have also lost their lives at the hands of knife wielding Palestinians.
THE news coming from Latin America for the past few days is not encouraging. First, it was the defeat of the Peronist candidate Daniel Scioli in Argentina in the run-off for the presidential election. Then came the news of the moves to impeach Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff and finally, the opposition victory in the legislative elections in Venezuela.
THE death centenary of great poet Gurajada Appa Rao was observed across Andhra Pradesh. Various programmes were organised by AIDWA and Prajanatya Mandali, with the help of the CPI(M) units, in different parts of the state. Various cultural organisations also participated in these events. The commemoration started on Gurjada’s birth anniversary on September 21 and continued till the death centenary on November 30.
THE winter session of Parliament began with discussions on ‘Commitment to India's Constitution’ as part of the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of B R Ambedkar. On the first day of the session on November 26, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day after making obituary reference on count of death of a sitting member, while the Lok Sabha witnessed uproarious scene after Union Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh, initiating the discussion, said ‘secularism’ was the most "misused" word. Leader of CPI(M) in Rajya Sabha Sitaram Yechury spoke on ‘Commitment to India's Constitution’.
The second part of CPI(M) MP Md. Salim’s speech in Lok Sabha during discussion on “situation arising out of incidents of intolerance in the country”. Salim delivered second part of his address after repeated disruptions by the treasury benches and adjournments that erupted after he quoted from a reputed magazine reported remarks of Home Minister Rajnath Singh on “Hindu ruler”.