CAB: A Nefarious Design

THE Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (CAB) has been passed by parliament despite strong opposition to it both within and outside parliament. The CAB is a dangerous legislation which runs contrary to the basic principles of the constitution. The provisions of the bill undermine the secular concept of citizenship enshrined in the constitution. Article 14 states that the State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or equal protection of the law within the territory of India.

Ghastly Fire in Delhi

CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on December 8, 2019THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses its deep shock and anguish over the ghastly fire in a luggage factory in Anaj Mandi, North Delhi that claimed 43 lives and scores of others are being treated for acute burns in various hospitals.All those who lost their lives are workers who were sleeping in the factory premises and were unable to escape the fire. The cause of the fire must be established and those responsible for fire safety lapses must be brought to book. Strict adherence of fire

Comrade Meitram Shamu

CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on December 9, 2019THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) mourns the passing away of Comrade Meitram Shamu, veteran leader of the CPI(M) and former secretary of the state committee of Manipur, at the age of 92. Comrade Shamu joined the Communist Party in 1948 and participated in the peasants movement during the late 1940s and early 1950s. He became a member of the state secretariat of the Party in 1967.

Punjab: Comrade Surjeet’s death anniversary observed

ON December 8, the death anniversary of Comrade HKS Surjeet, former general secretary of the Party was observed at his native village in Bundala Manjhki in Jalandhar district of Punjab state. A large number of Party workers and sympathisers participated in the function from all over Punjab. Leaders of various political parties and state committee members of CPI(M) were also present. Ashok Dhawale, Central Committee member of CPI(M) was the chief guest.

Scientists Demand Withdrawal of Citizenship Amendment Bill

A group of Indian scientists and scholars from within and outside the country have issued a statement against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, on December 9. Over 1500 scholars from around the world have signed the statement, including the directors of three major research institutions: Sandip Trivedi (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai), Rajesh Gopakumar (International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru) and Atish Dabholkar (International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy).

Another COP-Out: This Time Madrid

COP 25 or the 25th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has been underway in the Spanish capital, Madrid, for the past week and is currently mid-way through its final week. The COP venue was originally scheduled to be held in late November in Brazil but the newly elected right-wing and climate sceptic President Jair Bolsonaro withdrew from the hosting. Chile then volunteered to host the annual Summit but, after violent street protests erupted there, President, Sebastien Pinera withdrew. Spain then offered to take up the responsibility.

Na Kalam, Anken aur Zubaan Azaad: Perilous Developments in the Country

NEITHER the press, the eyes nor the speech are free in Kashmir (all are under surveillance), remarked Mohd Yousuf Tarigami while speaking in a press conference along with Sitaram Yechury at Delhi on December 8. Tarigami said this will not sustain and shall be perilous to the establishment.Sitaram Yechury paid condolences at the death of 43 workers in a fire in Delhi at the beginning of the press conference. Yechury demanded an inquiry into the incident and adequate compensation to the victims.

The Perversity of the Neo-Liberal Fiscal Regime-II

THE second way, apart from defrauding the states of their legitimate share of resources, in which the centre is attempting to cope with the fiscal squeeze, which it has become subject to under the neoliberal regime, is by privatising a whole range of public sector enterprises.Not a day passes without the government announcing some measure of privatisation.

The Week in Parliament

THE Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed by parliament despite strong objections raised by the CPI(M) and other opposition parties. The divisive bill was passed by Lok Sabha on December 9 and by Rajya Sabha on December 11. Speaking against the legislation in the lower house, CPI(M) member S Venkatesan said we have no doubt this bill will haunt India for the next several years. A secular country can never offer citizenship on the basis of religion. The idea goes against the very fundamentals of our constitution. This idea goes against the traditions followed by India all along.

Onwards to the General Strike on Jan 8

THE CPI(M) has given a call to observe the entire month of December against the privatisation drive of the BJP government led by Modi and to create massive public support for the country wide general strike on January 8, 2020. One of the major demands raised by the trade unions that called for the general strike is to stop privatisation of the public sector undertakings which are the wealth of the nation.

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