FOUR Left parties have intensified their struggle against the callous and adamant attitude of the Akali Dal-BJP coalition government in Punjab towards the just demands of the people of the state like withdrawal of property tax levied in urban areas and the Black Act (Punjab Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property Act, 2014).
SINCE the state-level conference of CITU in Bihar, many organisational and agitation activities have taken place in the state and they have opened up new possibilities of reaching out to the so-far-untouched sections of the organised and un-organised sector workers in private and public institutions and to the vast masses of self-employed groups.
TRILOKPURI, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar…and more than the two hundred odd riots after the Modi government took office pose a serious challenge. They represent the dangerous combination of neo-liberalism and communalism that has come to represent the corporate backed ruling classes in contemporary India. Hence we can safely say that majoritarian communalism is a hegemonic ideology of the present day ruling classes and an instrument of State whose leadership is in the hands of Hindutva leaders.
MODI's post electoral agenda is one, even more pro-rich policies, masquerading as development, combined with a medieval mindset. His economic policies have been an attack on the workers, the liquidating of the public sector, and giving up planning in favour of – in his view – the all powerful and all knowing “gods of the market”. For him, business is not the business of the government, translating that the government will henceforth work to help the capitalists.
THE change in the nature of the State under neo-liberalism has been much discussed. From standing apparently above society and mediating between different classes, as under dirigisme (even though it too was a big-bourgeois-led State), the State under neo-liberalism promotes primarily the interests of the corporate-financial oligarchy (which is integrated to international finance capital), on the plea that what is good for this oligarchy is ipso facto good for the nation.
THE AIDWA has submitted a memorandum to the home minister on November 5, urging him to take note of circulation of some audio messages online with an intention of spreading communal hatred in the national capital, as well as in other state capitals, and initiate an enquiry into the matter.
THE AIDWA CEC meeting held on 30-31 October was attended by 61 members from 18 states. The meeting began with a condolence resolution moved by the president Malini Bhattacharya for Comrade Sukhumati Debbarma Tripura leader and founder member of AIDWA.
THE Communist Movement in Kerala, which has a glorious history of spearheading pro-people movements like land reforms, total literacy mission and people’s planning programme, kick-started another people’s movement (Shuchitwa Keralam) to save the masses from the menace of garbage in the state. CPI (M) workers are leading the people from all walks of life to wipe out the waste and garbage in cities and villages through a decentralised system. Members and leaders from other parties also joined the programme in various districts of the state.
FORMER minister and Communist Marxist Party (CMP) general secretary M V Raghavan passed away on November 9 at Pariyaram Medical College in Kannur. M V Raghavan, popularly known as MVR, was undergoing treatment for prolonged illness. He was 81.
A firebrand CPI(M) leader, MVR was expelled from the Party in 1986, after which he formed CMP. He served as an MLA and minister for several tenures.
He is survived by wife Janaki and two sons and two daughters.