THE Joint National Convention of Central Trade Unions and Industrial Federations held in Mavalankar Hall in Delhi on  March 30, 2016 called upon the working class of the country to observe a country wide general strike on September 2, 2016 against the anti-people, anti-national and anti-worker policies of the NDA government.Hundreds of workers from all over the country employed in the organised and unorganised sectors, public and private sectors – from public sector undertakings, banks, insurance, defence, state and central government departments, railways, telecom, port and dock, road tra

The CPI(M) in parliament opposed the Aadhaar Bill being declared as a money bill. Why was this so?
R Jaganathan, Chennai

THE Modi government had introduced the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill in the Lok Sabha. On the request of the government, the speaker allowed the introduction of the legislation as a money bill. As per the constitution, a money bill cannot be amended or changed by the Rajya Sabha. It can only send its recommendations to the Lok Sabha, which alone can take a final decision.

THIS March 23, on the 85th anniversary of the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, as usual there is a beeline of leaders, both worthy and unworthy, to offer their homages. The prime minister and his cohorts are on the job to use this occasion to claim the legacy of these martyrs.  Some of the BJP leaders want us to emulate Bhagat Singh and support the prime minister, which is highly impossible, as both are as distinct as 'chalk and cheese'.

On March 20th, 2016 SAHMAT organized a Public Symposiumthemed “The Assault on Thought” at the Constitution Club, Vitthalbhai Patel House in New Delhi.TheSymposium was organized close on the heels of the systematic attacks on public universities across the country and the brazen acts of intimidation that the government (and its lackeys) is engaged in over the past few months. Specifically, the recent turn of events in Hyderabad Central University and Jawaharlal Nehru University provided the backdrop to the conversations that was being organized.

A two member delegation of the CPI(M) consisting of Sitaram Yechury, general secretary and Nilotpal Basu, central secretariat member met the Chief Election Commissioner on March 18 to draw attention of the Commission to some serious concerns with regard to the forthcoming elections to the West Bengal legislative assembly. The full text of the memorandum submitted to the Commission is reproduced below.