The Week in Parliament

THE winter session of Parliament began with discussions on ‘Commitment to India's Constitution’ as part of the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of B R Ambedkar. On the first day of the session on November 26, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day after making obituary reference on count of death of a sitting member, while the Lok Sabha witnessed uproarious scene after Union Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh, initiating the discussion, said ‘secularism’ was the most "misused" word. Leader of CPI(M) in Rajya Sabha Sitaram Yechury spoke on ‘Commitment to India's Constitution’.

Our Composite Culture Is Being Wounded: Salim

The second part of CPI(M) MP Md. Salim’s speech in Lok Sabha during discussion on “situation arising out of incidents of intolerance in the country”. Salim delivered second part of his address after repeated disruptions by the treasury benches and adjournments that erupted after he quoted from a reputed magazine reported remarks of Home Minister Rajnath Singh on “Hindu ruler”.

School Education in Delhi And the AAP government

THE AAP government recently brought three bills in the Delhi assembly, which it claims will ‘(a) Provide affordable and quality education to children in Delhi; (b) Provide good salary to all school teachers and end their exploitation and (c) Remove legal contradictions, such that school managements are able to work honestly.’ (Full page advertisement by GNCTD on November 25).

Capital and the Problem of Global Warming

WHAT holds up an agreement among all nations to deal adequately with the problem of global warming? The scientific evidence is clear that the more humanity emits greenhouse gases the more the globe will warm up with the increase in temperatures being roughly proportional to the total emissions that take place over a given period.

Education as a Tradable Service

UNDER the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), education is to become a tradable service. In August 2005, India had made a market access offer in the sphere of higher education under the GATS; this offer will become a firm commitment later this month at the Nairobi ministerial meeting, which is set to bring the Doha Round of WTO negotiations to a final conclusion, unless India withdraws from it.

Tarigami Addresses Rally in Vijayawada On Protection of Communal Harmony

ATTEMPTS are being made by the BJP, VHP, RSS and other Sangh Parivar forces to divide the people on the basis of religion, cautioned CPI(M) leader from Jammu and Kashmir, Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami. He was addressing a well-attended public meeting on ‘protection of communal harmony in our country’, organised by Aawaz in Vijayawada on December 6.Tarigami, Central Committee member of the Party and a member of Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly, exhorted the people to remain alert against such divisive forces.

Thinking Together

a) It seems some people in Kerala are disappointed with our approach to Hindus and this may be one of the reasons why the RSS, BJP and caste organisations are growing. Is this true?

b) When the Left comes to power, the minister for education is a minority community person or a party that is representing them. Why is this so?

c) Many Hindu temples were taken over as government property, but not even a single mosque or church were taken over either by the LDF or UDF governments.

S Muralidharan, Coimbatore

Left Parties Hold Jathas across Punjab against Growing Intolerance

FOUR Left parties -- CPI(M), CPI, CPM Punjab and CPI(ML) Liberation -- held a week-long jatha programme in Punjab from December 1 to 7 against growing intolerance in the country and to spread the message of peace and communal harmony. The programme was also in support of the 15-point charter of demands of Left parties, containing the burning issues facing the people of the state. The programme got a very encouraging and good response from people all over Punjab.

MAHARASHTRA: CPI(M) Leads the Siege to Wada SDO Office for Six Days

THE CPI(M) led an unprecedented 5,000-strong siege of both the SDO and tehsil offices at Wada in Palghar district from November 16, 2015 for six days and five nights continuously, till the evening of November 21. The CPI(M) Wada and Vikramgad tehsil committees jointly organised this struggle, forcing the government to concede all the demands and start immediate implementation. The AIKS, DYFI and AIDWA joined this struggle in full strength.

Tripura Local Body Polls Held

POLLING to the Agartala municipal corporation and 18 other urban local bodies elections including 13 municipal councils and five nagar panchayats and bye elections to 10 seats of the three-tier panchayats passed off peacefully on December 9. From the early hours of the day itself, people started queuing up in front of the polling stations. Everywhere there was festive mood as women, as usual, came to vote in large numbers. The final figures are yet to be confirmed, but according to primary estimates, more than 85 percent casting was recorded.

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