US-WTO Shadow on India’s Solar Power Plans

IN the last week of February, a panel set up by the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body ruled against India on a complaint by the US in early 2013 that India’s Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) for some solar power projects violated WTO prohibitions on measures that result in “less favourable treatment” of international trade partners.

Why Do We Have Unemployment?

UNEMPLOYMENT has become so persistent a phenomenon in contemporary times that there is a common feeling that it is a “natural” state of affairs, that nothing can ever be done about it, and that the only way to have greater employment opportunities coming your way is either to oppose the system of job “reservations” for the deprived segments of the population altogether, or to demand that your own “caste” or “community” be included in the category of those eligible for such “reservations”.But this view that unemployment is a “natural” state of affairs is based either on ignorance or on loss

ANDHRA PRADESH: Movement against Indiscriminate Land Acquisition & Land Pooling

A PROTEST march "Chalo Vijayawada" was organised against indiscriminate land acquisition and land pooling by Chandrababu Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh. Thousands of activists from AP Rythu Sangham (affiliated to All India Kisan Sabha), Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham (affiliated to AIAWU), AIKS, BKMU, AIKMS and other organisations under the banner of Bhoo Hakkula Parirakshana Porata Samiti participated in the march. The movement had started with two bus jathas from Anantapur and Srikakulam districts till AP Capital Region. This massive protest was the culmination of this stage of struggle.

TUs Call for Protest Action in Maharashtra

THE Trade Unions Joint Action Committee (TUJAC) has given a call for state wide protest actions in Maharashtra against the anti-labour policies of state and central governments. This call was given in a convention organised by trade unions on February 24 in Gopal Shetty Hall at Lower Parel in Mumbai. Representatives from major central trade union organisations and federations took part in the convention. A resolution passed in the convention has registered strong protest against the decision of the Maharashtra and central governments to make retrograde amendments in the labour laws.

AIDWA Welcomes Amendment to President’s Address

THE All India Democratic Women’s Association, in a statement issued on March 10, has welcomed the amendment passed in the Rajya Sabha to the president’s address regarding the rights of all citizens to contest panchayat elections. This reiterates AIDWA’s position that an amendment prescribing minimum educational qualifications to contest the panchayati raj institutions affected the most marginalised and poor sections of the society including dalits and women.

Sericulture Farmers Hold Dharna in Delhi

HUNDREDS of sericulture farmers from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh assembled in Delhi at Jantar Mantar on February 29 and had a day-long dharna. Sericulture farmers are in an acute crisis due to the BJP government decision to cut import duty of raw silk drastically to just 10 percent. Earlier UPA government had reduced import duty from 33 percent to 5 percent and then due to protests increased to 15 percent. This was reduced to 10 percent. This has led to dumping of cheap silk from China and also illegally through Nepal and other neighbouring countries.

Comrade Ashok Ghosh

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on March 3.THE Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expresses its profound sorrow at the death of Comrade Ashok Ghosh, veteran leader of the All India Forward Bloc.Comrade Ashok Ghosh, inspired by Subhas Chandra Bose, joined the freedom movement at a young age. He had participated in the Quit India movement. He headed the West Bengal unit of the Forward Bloc since 1952.

Left Parties Delegation Meets Chief Election Commissioner

A Left Parties delegation comprising Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) general secretary, D Raja, CPI secretary, Debabrata Biswas, AIFB general secretary and Nilotpal Basu, CPI(M) central secretariat member met the chief election commissioner on March 9 and submitted a memorandum concerning some issues in West Bengal.

Bengal Assembly Poll: Left Front Releases First List of Candidates

THE Left Front released its first list of candidates on March 7 for the ensuing assembly poll in West Bengal. The first list included 116 candidates; among them 16 are women and 25 candidates are coming from the religious minority communities. Sixty candidates are in the fray for the first time. Left Front chairman Biman Basu announced the names at a press conference. Bengal will witness six-phase polling on seven days from April 4 to May 5.Basu said that the formation of a greater front is under process to implement the call to oust TMC and save Bengal.

Towards Assembly Polls

ELECTIONS to the five state assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamilnadu and West Bengal have been announced. Polling will begin on April 4 and the process will continue till May 16. Counting for all the states will be held on May 19. These elections are important not only because it will determine who will form the state governments there, but it will also have a bearing on the future course of national politics.The BJP alliance which has a comfortable majority in the Lok Sabha has not been able to maintain the momentum.

Search form

Peoples Democracy newsletter