Politics First, Education Can Wait

IMPERIOUS and heedless, the Trinamool Congress decided that its priority, to hold and presumably win in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections was higher, in fact much higher than the needs of 1.53 lakh applicants from West Bengal and other states waiting to take the Joint Entrance Examinations for admission in engineering and medical courses.

THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT

THE second week of the Budget Session witnessed a historical victory of the CPI(M). It was only the fourth instance in Rajya Sabha's history that an amendment moved by the Opposition to the Motion of Thanks to the President's address was passed. The amendment was passed in embarrassment to the Modi government reminding it of its minority status in the Upper House.More than 80 amendments were moved in both the houses of Parliament by CPI(M) members.

Confidence Inspiring Conference

THE first state conference of Telangana state unit of CPI(M) was marked by confidence inspiring deliberations about the future of the Party and the Left in the newly created state. Placing the Political-Organisational Report after the inaugural session before the 700 delegates, state secretary Thammineni Veerabhadram said the crucial element for the future is the unity between Left, democratic and social forces in Telangana. The CPI(M) is committed to taking this unity to higher levels. Already 10 Left parties in the state are working in tandem on various issues facing the public.

People Determined as Brigade Clads Red

ELECTORAL reverses or ruling class terror, nothing can prevent Red flag in West Bengal from marching forward. Brigade Parade Ground, scene of many historic rallies in Kolkata, stood witness to this fact again on March 8 with a massive rally of the CPI(M).This year’s Brigade rally marks the inauguration of the 24th West Bengal state conference of the Party. For the last few days, numerous streets and walls of this state carried the call of ‘Brigade Cholo’ with posters and flexes.

Funds from Masses & Work for Masses

THE experience of the Party state committees of Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana in raising funds from the masses in the run up to the 21st Congress has been very rich and inspiring. These fund collection drives were conducted in Hyderabad from January 20 to February 10 and in all 13 district headquarters of AP from March 1 to 10.About 3,000 workers and activists from all districts of Telangana participated in the drive in Hyderabad. Of them, about 1,800 were part of the drive throughout.

‘Forest Land Cultivators’ Fight Back Police Action

IN Karnataka “Forest land cultivators” or “Bagair-Hukum” cultivators is how the government describes the peasants who have been cultivating the forest land for generations. There are more than 16 lakh such cultivators in the state who have applied for getting the rights over their land. The government however, summarily rejected 12 lakh applications and also the future of the rest is hanging in doubt. These cultivators have been termed as “encroachers”, equated with land grabbers and the government has filed an affidavit to that effect in the High Court.

KERALA: Professor Ninan Koshy Passes Away

EMINENT international political analyst, Christian theologist and Left sympathizer Prof Ninan Koshy passed away on March 4, at Thiruvananthapuram. He was the LDF candidate from Mavelikkara Lok Sabha constituency in the 1999 elections.Born on February 1, 1934 at Thiruvalla, Ninan Koshy completed his education from St Beckman’s College Changanasseri and St John’s University, Agra.

Comrade Bireswar Lahiri

CPI(M) West Bengal state committee member Comrade Bireswar Lahiri passed away on March 3, late in the night. He was 68. Comrade Lahiri, former secretary of North Dinajpur district committee was suffering from various illnesses and was admitted at a Kolkata hospital.Comrade Bireswar Lahiri was a leading student leader in northern Bengal in the late sixties. Later he was the president of DYF in the undivided West Dinajpur district. In 1992, when the district was divided, he became the CPI(M) district secretary of North Dinajpur, a responsibility he served until last December.

Reconversions, Quotas & the Implications of The Supreme Court Judgment

ON February 26, 2015 the Supreme Court of India pronounced that those Christian dalits who reconvert to Hinduism can get the benefits entitled to any Scheduled Caste as long as the caste community accepts that person as a member of their caste. This pronouncement will obviously give a fillip to the aggressive ghar wapasi campaign initiated by the Sangh Parivar in the recent months. Given the current political situation, the Sangh and its affiliates will use the judgment to induce Christians and Muslims to embrace Hinduism in a bid to increase their own social and political base.

Agricultural Workers March to Karnataka Assembly

THOUSANDS of agricultural workers marched from Bangalore City Railway Station to Freedom Park and staged a dharna on February 10 demanding proper implementation of MGNREGA, budgetary allocation for a welfare fund for agricultural workers, allocation of house sites to agricultural workers, and regularisation of unauthorised cultivation of government lands by the landless poor.

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