Political Killings in Kerala: An Open Letter to Arun Jaitley

Below we publish an open letter written by MB Rajesh, CPI(M) MP from Kerala to Arun Jaitley, union minister for finance and defense, on August 6. RESPECTED Arun Jaitley,I appreciate the fact that despite being a senior cabinet minister, in charge of two very important portfolios – finance and defense – you have taken the pain to travel to the southern tip of our country.

Farmers protest in more than 150 districts

THOUSANDS of peasants and farmers across the country holding the red flags of AIKS protested in over 150 districts at the call of the Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan to hold rallies/sit-in/jail bharo on August 9, on the seven main demands of farmers. Hundreds of peasants were detained in few places. In Rajasthan, this protest was held in 15 districts. In Haryana, there was protest at Rohtak commissioner’s office. In Himachal Pradesh, there was a central protest in Shimla in which thousands of peasants participated.

Reversing the Gains

AS India observes the 70th anniversary of independence, every pillar of the independent Republican State is under threat. IWhen the country celebrated the 50th anniversary of independence in 1997, one of the achievements that stood out was the existence of a democratic political system in the form of parliamentary democracy.

Powerful Struggles Alone Can Build Alternative Narrative

AS India marks its 70th anniversary of independence, it is necessary to recollect that the current political and social battles that are going on in our country emerge from a continuous ideological battle between three distinct visions of what should be the character of the political and social structure of post-independent India that arose during the course of our epic freedom struggle, particularly in the decade of the 1920s. The mainstream Congress vision had articulated that independent India should be a secular democratic Republic.

Kerala: RSS Tactics Will Not Succeed

THE RSS-BJP game-plan in Kerala has been unfolding after the assembly election in May 2016. Having failed to make a significant impact in the election, it fell back on its longstanding method of launching violent attacks targeting CPI(M) workers all across Kerala.

Women Protest outside Supreme Court against Dilution of Section 498a

WOMEN’S anger erupted on July 31 at the gates of the Supreme Court of India against its recent judgement that would lead to the dilution of Section 498A. Several representatives of women's organisations assembled outside the Supreme Court to protest against the recent order of the Supreme Court on Section 498A and demanded its review. The demonstration was held within just three days of the Supreme Court order. Women's organisations have expressed serious reservations to this order because it is made on the presumption that a large number of cases filed under Section 498A are false.

Twenty Years after the Asian Financial Crisis

EXACTLY twenty years ago, a major financial crisis had hit the countries of East and South East Asia in July 1997. This crisis was a watershed in the history of third world development, in the sense that these “tiger economies” which had seen extraordinarily high growth rates until that time, remained permanently crippled thereafter.

TAMIL NADU: Comrade R Muthu Sundaram

THE death of Com R Muthu Sundaram, veteran leader of the state government employees’ movement on August 29 was condoled by lakhs of government employees, teachers and other working class sections not only in Tamil Nadu, but also across India.Com Muthu Sundaram worked steadfastly for the welfare of the government employees and working class of Tamil Nadu and later extended it to all over India.He was one of the state secretaries of the Tamil Nadu Government Employees Association at a young age of 32.

THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT

THE week began with an uproar in the Lok Sabha over the recent incidents of lynching. Along with other opposition members, CPI(M) MPs gave adjournment motion notice, but it was disallowed by the Speaker. Speaker suspended six Congress MPs for five days after they stormed into the well of the House, tore papers and hurled them towards the chair. The House was disrupted on the second day on the same issue.

Social Justice Incomplete without Reservation in Private Sector

SOCIAL discrimination is one of the basic divisions in Indian society since historical times. In India, there are a wide range of socially excluded groups, currently recognised by the state under the categories such as SCs, STs, Other Backward Classes and minorities, who experience discrimination and abuses in everyday life.

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