Arunachal Pradesh: Misuse of Article 356

THE imposition of President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh is an assault on the federal principle and yet another misuse of Article 356. The BJP government at the centre and the state governor J P Rajkhowa have played a sordid role in the whole episode.

The political crisis in Arunachal Pradesh began in November last year when a group of MLAs belonging to the ruling Congress party revolted. They approached the governor for impeachment of the speaker of the assembly.

A Besmirched Chief Minister

THE spectacle of a chief minister steeped in a corruption scandal and brazenly refusing to resign is unfolding in Kerala. The Congress Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, has been embroiled in the solar panel scam, from the outset, since it was exposed two and a half years ago. The scamsters, Biju Radhakrishnan and his partner Saritha Nair, were found to be operating in collusion with the personal staff of the chief minister. When the scam was exposed, three of the personal staff were clearly seen to be involved.

Cast Away Caste Discrimination

THE suicide of Rohith Vemula, a research scholar, has stirred an intense debate on the conditions of dalit students in Indian universities and educational institutions. Many new instances that were earlier sought to be hushed up, saw the light of the day, like the travails of Mahesh Balmiki, an IIT- BHU (Banaras Hindu University) student, who thought of selling his kidney to pay off his loans. He states that he could not find a buyer “because they ask for the caste of the donor”. A dalit kidney might not function similar to that of an upper-caste kidney!

Huge Rally Demands Closure of Liquor Shops in AP

A huge rally was held in Vijayawada, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, on January 8 by a broad united front formed to oppose the state’s liquor policy. The rally was followed by a seminar on the issue. The rally began at Hanumanta Rao Library and marched through several major thoroughfares of the city before culminating at Lenin Centre. The rally demanded withdrawal of the state government’s liquor policy, compensation for the kin of those died at an early age for liquor consumption and restricting the sale of liquor.

Abe's visit: Solidifying Trilateral US-Japan-India Axis

THE Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has become a frequent visitor to India, was in the Indian capital yet again, in the second week of December. This is his third visit to India since taking over as prime minister. Abe had struck a good personal rapport with the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Japan and India have grown extremely close during the ten years of UPA rule. New Delhi's tilt towards the anti-China alliance led by the United States and Japan alliance had started during the UPA rule.

MAHARASHTRA: Enthusiastic SFI State Convention in Jalna

THE SFI held its Maharashtra state convention at Jalna on December 30, 2015 – the 45th foundation anniversary of the SFI. There were 174 delegates from 10 districts of Maharashtra who represented a membership till then of 50,454, which will increase further till the all India conference. The convention started with an impressive student rally that gave slogans saluting Comrade Anna Bhau Sathe - a great cultural activist and writer who was one of the pillars of the cultural movement during the Samyukta Maharashtra struggle.

Delhi State Conference of SFI Concludes Successfully

THE 19th Delhi state conference of SFI was concluded successfully on January 15-16 in Comrade Vijendra Sharma Manch and Martyr Comrade Shakeel Ahmad Baksh Hall. The hall of the conference was named after Shakeel Ahmad Baksh who was killed when he intervened in a case of eve teasing in Jamia in 1996. Comrade Vijendra’s name needs no introduction for anyone in students’ and teachers’ movement.A rally and public meeting was organised on January 15, in North Campus, Delhi University. This rally was also joined by the flag march of 15th all India conference that has started from Shimla.

Drought in Marathwada: Causes, Consequences and Remedies

MARATHWADA region has been reeling under drought condition since 2013. It is in a part of the scanty rainfall area of Central Maharashtra. The region coincides with the Aurangabad Division of Maharashtra. It includes districts of Aurangabad, Jalna, Beed, Osmanabad, Nanded, Latur, Parbhani and Hingoli. Out of these eight districts, five are the worst affected, namely Beed, Jalna, Parbhani, Nanded and Osmanabad. Marathwada region has a population of about 1.87 crore and geographical area of 64.5 thousand sq.km.

Tripura CM Expresses Solidarity with HCU students

MANIK Sarkar, chief minister of Tripura and the Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M) visited Hyderabad on January 22 and expressed solidarity with the students protesting against the institutional murder of research scholar Rohith Vemula.

Tens of Thousands Gather in Sikar on the Occasion of SFI’s All India Conference

SIKAR, in Sekhawati region of Rajasthan has been witness to many a historic struggles, ever since the pre-independence days. Peasant leaders like Trilok Singh and student leaders like Kana Ram have become part of the popular consciousness of the region. The mammoth public meeting on January 22 in the Ramleela Ground of Sikar on the occasion of the 15th all India conference of SFI saw that popular consciousness transforming into a material force full of zeal and energy.

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