BJP, Modi and the Idea of India

AS the Lok Sabha election campaign has drawn to a close, it is time to reflect on the implications of the aggressive campaigning by various parties, and especially by the corporate media and big business backed BJP, for the society and polity of the country.

Stock Market Boom Amidst Economic Crisis

NEWSPAPERS on Tuesday May 13 carried three reports. The first was that the Sensex had closed at an all time high of 23551 the previous day; it had also recorded a historic intra-day high of 23572.88. The other stock market indices had also shown similar remarkable buoyancy the previous day, carrying forward a rally that had begun a few days earlier.

West Bengal Verdict “Distorted”

CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat termed the results of the Lok Sabha elections from West Bengal as “distorted”. Addressing the press in New Delhi on May 16, he said that there was widespread rigging and violence during the last three phases of the elections in the state and the entire democratic process was vitiated. “The results do not reflect the strength and support of the people for the Left Front in West Bengal”. He said that the Left Front has won from the seats where the polls were held in a more or less free and fair manner in the first two phases.

On the 16th General Election Results

A DETAILED analysis of the 16th general elections will have to necessarily wait for the final figures that will be released by the Election Commission shortly and after all major political parties conclude their internal assessments and analysis. The CPI(M)’s Polit Bureau is meeting on May 18 for a preliminary review and its Central Committee will meet on June 7 and 8 by when the respective state committees would have conducted their preliminary reviews. However, it is clear by the time this column is filed that the BJP is marching towards scoring a single party majority in the Lok Sabha.

On the Lok Sabha Verdict

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on May 16, 2014

THE verdict of the people in the 16th Lok Sabha election has been clear and decisive. There has been an anti-Congress wave which has routed the Congress and the UPA. The BJP has gained from this anti-Congress wave resulting in a big victory for the BJP and the NDA. There was an unprecedented use of money power in these elections.

Left Parties Protest against Terror & Rigging

HUNDREDS of people turned up for a dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on May 14, in response to the call given by the Left parties to register their protest against the widespread violence, terror and rigging in the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal.

CITU Denounces SBI’s Backdoor Privatisation

IT has been reported that the State Bank of India (SBI) has signed up with the Reliance Money Infrastructure (RMIL), an Anil Arnbani group company, a 'business correspondent' deal to source a range of banking services. The deal authorises the RMIL to identify borrowers; collect, process, and submit loan applications; promote credit groups; and take up post-sanction monitoring, follow-up and recovery. As the service provider, the RMIL will also collect small-value deposits; sell micro-insurance, mutual fund and pension products; and receive and deliver small-value remittances.

Artists and Academics Condemn Modi's Fascist Remark

The following is the statement issued by Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust on May 8, 2014.

EC Must Stop Misuse of Religion

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) issued the following statement on May 6, 2014.
THE rally addressed by Narendra Modi at Faizabad on May 5 had a portrait of Lord Ram as the backdrop. Narendra Modi also made a direct appeal invoking the name of Ram in his political statements. These are a blatant misuse of religious appeal for electoral purposes. The Election Commission should immediately take action against this electoral offence.

CPI(M) Condemns Savage Killings

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) issued the following statement on May 3, 2014.
THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the savage killing of 31 people by Bodo extremist elements in Kokrajhar and adjoining districts of the Bodoland Territorial Council. This shocking attack targeting Bengali Muslims in various villages has led to the death of a large number of women and children.

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