HP: Workers’ Struggle Continues at Shongtong Karcham Hydropower Project

WORKERS at the Shongtong Karcham Hydropower Project, under the banner of CITU, have been on strike for the past four months but the government and the local administration remain insensitive to their just and genuine demands. The workers are demanding that labour laws be implemented. But the administration and the government are on the side of the contractors who are not paying minimum wages, overtime and tunnel allowances to the workers and not depositing provident fund contribution. A worker is losing out Rs 5,000-7,000 per month on account of denial of their rights by the contractors.

Thinking Together

Reports have appeared in the media that the newly-sworn in LDF government has supported the stand of the earlier UDF government before the Supreme Court which was against the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple. If this is true, it is truly unfortunate.

Economic Integration and Free Mobility of Labour

THERE is a view that the discontent among the English workers that caused the Brexit vote was not because of European economic integration as such, but because of the policy of free internal migration that has accompanied this integration; that if Europe had not enacted free migration within the EU, then its economic integration would have been more successful.

DSMM Calls for Country-wide Protests against Atrocities on Dalits

THE Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch calls upon all its units across the country to organise widespread protests condemning the gruesome attack on seven members of a Dalit family by the cow protection vigilantes (gau rakshaks) in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district on July 11.

Ensure Justice to Akhlaq’s Family: Brinda to Akhilesh

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat has requested Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister to ensure that justice is done to the family of Mohammad Akhlaq, the victim of the lynching in Dadri last September. In a telephonic conversation and a subsequent letter, Karat also asked Yadav to look into the circumstances in which a court order was given under CrPC Section 156(3) for filing of an FIR against Akhlaq and his family members and investigating the charge of cow slaughter.

Country-wide Strike of Bank Employees to Protect Public Sector Banks on July 29

UNITED Forum of Bank Unions, an umbrella organisation of nine unions of workmen and officers in the banking industry has given a call for a day’s strike on July 29, 2016 opposing the moves of the government towards privatisation and merger of public sector banks and proposed anti-labour amendments to labour laws and demanding stringent action against willful defaulters towards recovery of non-performing assets.

On the Political Line of the CPI(M): A Rejoinder to Critics

THE Central Committee of the CPI(M), in its last meeting, reviewed the Party’s performance in the Assembly elections in five states. It concluded that the electoral tactics in West Bengal of having an understanding with the Congress party was a departure from the political-tactical line of the Party and that approach should be rectified. This decision of the Party has evoked some discussion in political circles. Some Left and liberal intellectuals have voiced their disagreement with the Party’s stand that there should be no alliance or understanding with the Congress party.

BJP Hypocrisy about Dalits Unmasked

THE Una incident in Gujarat where seven dalit men were attacked and of whom four were stripped, badly beaten and paraded in the town is the latest dalit atrocity which has come to nationwide attention. That this has occurred in Gujarat is significant. The Hindutva campaign against cow slaughter and the targeting of Muslims and dalits in this connection is being conducted all over the country but it has been virulent in this bastion of the BJP. The four men who were assaulted had gone to skin a dead cow at the behest of its owner, a farmer.

Massive Rally against Price Rise

THOUSANDS of people marched through the streets of Kolkata on July 11, protesting against price rise, at the call of 17 Left and democratic parties. The rally took up a 16-point charter of demands which included immediate steps to control unprecedented price rise, scrapping of price hike of petro products, withdrawal of allowing FDI in retail and food trade etc. It also raised state-specific demands of proper distribution of food items in PDS and lowering extraordinary hike in power tariff.The rally started from Y-Channel in Dharmatala and ended at College Square.

CPI(M) All India Campaign Against Price Rise & Unemployment

The Central Committee of the CPI(M) has called on the Party units all over the country to observe nationwide protest action from July 11 to 17, 2016 focusing on price rise and growing unemployment. Below are the glimpses of the protest actions from across the country.

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