Below we publish the speech given by D Raja, general secretary, CPI, on April 6, at the inaugural session of the 23rd Congress of the CPI(M) held in KannurDEAR Comrades and Friends,On behalf of the Communist Party of India, I extend revolutionary greetings to the 23rd Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). I express my sincere thanks for inviting me to the inaugural session.The 23rd Congress of the CPI(M) is taking place in Kerala, which made history for democratically electing a communist government six decades back in 1957.
THE Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), in a statement issued on April 27, has congratulated the movement of the anganwadi workers and helpers in general and Gujarat State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (CITU) and All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH) in particular for their consistent struggle which has brought them this historic victory.CITU also congratulates senior advocate P V Surendranath who is also the general secretary of All India Lawyers Union and advocate Subhash Chandran, leader of AILU for their immense help in consistent legal battle which has
LAST week, prime minister, Narendra Modi visited the Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since his government demolished the special status of the region and split it into two union territories —Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladhak—in a brazen unconstitutional manner. Modi chose April 24, the Panchayat Raj Day, to visit the battered region in an attempt to send out a message that people in Jammu and Kashmir have been empowered at the grassroots level.
EMMANUEL Macron has been elected president of France defeating the neo-fascist Marine Le Pen in the presidential run-off election. While Macron got 58.5 per cent of the vote, Le Pen received 41.5 per cent vote.There is relief in France and Europe that the far-right Le Pen has been stopped from capturing the key executive position in the country.
THE chief justice of India, N V Ramana, has stated in court that he would consider resuming the hearing of the petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 and the creation of two union territories by dismantling the state of Jammu & Kashmir in July, after the summer vacations. He said this in response to a request from senior lawyers for an early hearing of the case.
EVEN before we reached peak summer, power cuts have started in many states. With power demand reaching 201 GW on April 26, we had a shortfall of 8.2 GW or 4 per cent. This shortfall is even before we have reached the peak of summer when the demand is expected to rise to about 220 GW. The current shortfall is not because we do not have enough generating capacity. We currently have an installed capacity of 400 GW, against a peak demand of about half that.
CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on April 28.THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) firmly opposes the manner in which the central government has gone about in initiating the LIC IPO. This is a step towards the destruction of the public character of the LIC and handing over priceless financial assets largely owned by nearly 29 crore policyholders of the LIC.The LIC has a unique place in the world of insurance. It was created through the nationalisation of private insurance companies in order to contribute to nation-building.
DAYS before the Ukrainian war commenced, the US announced its new Indo-Pacific Strategy (February 2022). This document is not only about China, but is also about India. Viewed along with the recently concluded US-India 2+2 ministerial talks (11 April), it becomes clear that the Indo-Pacific strategy of the US and its various defence deals with India binds both the countries inseparably together.The latest US Indo-Pacific strategy recognises the present international reality, where the US, in spite of its desire, can no more boast of its earlier strength.
GENERALLY, the period of first two weeks of April is the period in which social issues and caste discrimination become an agenda of discussion in the country. But some people naively raise a question whether caste discrimination and gender discrimination still exist. They feel that there cannot be any discrimination when everybody is coming to school, college and doing any job, irrespective of caste or gender. There is no second opinion that all such discriminations and sexual attacks on women are social evils.
A SMALL cloth vendor and sympathiser of CPI(M), Sarikonda Ramakrishnam Raju of Rompicharla in Palnadu district of Andhra Pradesh donated one lakh rupees to the CPI(M) Tripura solidarity fund. His father, Chinamalekondam Raju breathed his last recently at the age of 98. Chinamalekondam Raju saved Rs 4,75,275 in a bank. Ramakrishnam Raju received Rs 95,055 as his share along with his four brothers. Raju added Rs 4,945 to it and contributed Rs 1,00,000 to the Tripura solidarity fund.