Dare – To Dream, Fight and Change the World

IN the recently concluded elections to various States in Latin America – Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and El Salvador – the parties that were credited to have ushered in a 'pink tide', retained office. These victories are indeed significant, because many ruling parties (both Social Democrat and Conservative) across the world are losing elections in these times of global economic crises.

Contextualising Cultural Praxis - II

Below are the excerpts of the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Lecture delivered by Sitaram Yechury on November 22, 2014. The memorial lecture was organised by the Jana Natya Manch.

VI

This hegemony of the `ideas' of ruling classes, as Gramsci explains, is not enforced merely by the State.The State is only the "outer ditch" behind which stands a powerful system of "fortresses and earth works", a network of cultural institutions and values which buttress the rule and domination of the ruling classes.

Sex Work & Reproduction of Capitalism: Some Reflections on the Debate

THE public debate on the legalisation of sex work (ie, prostitution) has once again gained focus after the chairperson of the National Women’s Commission expressed her support for the move. This move, which represents a policy shift, needs to be seen in the context of the development of a growing lucrative commercial sex work industry within the capitalist system.

Left Parties Campaign in Tamil Nadu

AS part of the nationwide campaign of the Left parties against the communal and anti-people policies of the NDA government, five Left parties in Tamil Nadu have started a campaign programme on December 8.
CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, RSP and SUCI(Communist) are jointly organising the campaign. The campaign will conclude on December 14.
In Chennai, G Ramakrishnan, D Pandian, S Balasundaram and Rangasamy, the leaders of the respective Left parties led the launching of the campaign that began with a demonstration.

The Week in Parliament

THE second week of winter session began with an uproar in both the Houses of Parliament. Launching the BJPs campaign in Delhi, union minister of state Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti made a highly offensive statement which aimed at sharpening communal polarisation.

Tripura Cm At Meet On Planning Commission

Below we reproduce the speech of Manik Sarkar, chief minister of Tripura at the meeting convened by the prime minister on the restructuring of the Planning Commission held on December 7, 2014.

The Path to Sustainable Development: Lessons from the Bhopal Disaster

THE premise of sustainable development is that it should be non-discriminatory and equitable as well. Discriminatory practices in the name of development have disastrous consequences as the people of Bhopal had experienced at the hands of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), a US Transnational Corporation (which is currently owned by the Dow Chemical Company, USA).

The Phenomenal Increase in Wealth Inequality

CREDIT Suisse brings out a Global Wealth Report every year. The current year’s report takes up for specific discussion the issue of wealth inequality. The term “wealth” in the report covers only household wealth and refers to the value of assets at current prices; it includes in other words capital gains and hence the effects of speculative factors.

JUSTICE FOR KORPAN: Massive Protest by Disabled Persons in Kolkata

AN unequal battle was fought on the streets of Kolkata on December 3, observed worldwide as the International Day for Persons with Disabilities. The battle was between disabled people of state and the Kolkata police.

Sun Raha Hai Na Tu… DYFI’s Campaign against Violence on Women

SUN Raha Hai Na Tu (Are you listening?) is a campaign against violence on women; violence which is perpetrated not only on the body of a woman but also on her conscience. Molestation, eve-teasing, comments, rape and even murder has become a common thing for the girls and women in Delhi-NCR. It has perhaps become a common thing for all of us. We have perhaps started forgetting the anger that was stirred and roused in us by the tragic and brutal incident of Nirbhaya case in 2012. We were all on the roads asking for “Justice” for Nirbhaya.

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