THE Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on July 16, 2022. It has issued the following statement:GROWING ASSAULTS ON PEOPLE’S LIVELIHOODWorld Bank data shows that the annual growth of the Indian economy over 2020-22 was a mere 0.8 per cent.Unemployment: According to the CMIE Report for January-April 2022, the number of unemployed in the age group of 20-24 years was over 2 crore – a staggering unemployment rate of 42 per cent. In the 25-29 age group, this was over sixty lac - an unemployment rate of 12.72 per cent.

“IF such administration and competent officials have to distribute the certificates of election, then the elections should be stopped. I have seen administration officials in my constituency, campaigning in favour of the BJP, and casting votes. Whoever the BJP asks, the administration should give the election certificate to him,” Narayan Tripathi, MLA from Maihar legislative assembly of Satna district of BJP has made this allegation about his own government.The BJP has neither responded to these allegations nor has there been any clarification from the government.

THE BJP government’s relentless assault on environmental regulations, and therefore on the environment itself, so as to serve the interests of corporates and their industrial, infrastructure and commercial projects, continues unabated. In a recent issue of this publication, readers would have seen a detailed critique of the atrocious amendments made by the union government to the Forest Conservation Act, giving free rein to the government to divert forest lands completely bypassing the rights of tribals, other forest-dwellers and their gram sabhas as enshrined in the Forest Rights Act.

THE 23rd Party Congress has stressed upon and called on the rank and file to take up local issues and ensure the participation of Party members to have a live connection with the masses. Moving forward in that direction, the Andhra Pradesh state committee met on April 16 and 17 and chalked out a programme called ‘Janam Kosam CPI(M)’, or CPI(M) for people. This activity has been taken up in three phases and for 40 days.The first was the preparatory phase, which focused on preparing the party committees and branches.

THE rupee breached the 80 level versus the dollar for the first time amidst a widening trade and current account deficit.  The continuous decline in the value of the rupee is bound to increase inflationary pressures. This, coupled with already existing inflation and high unemployment, shows how the economy is being mismanaged by the Modi government by its pursuit of pro-big business policies.