THE 16th Goa state conference of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was successfully held at Vasco-da-Gama on March 29, 2015, with a call for strengthening the Party and building up a Left and Democratic Front in Goa. 25 delegates working in six branches in the trade union, kisan, lawyers and intellectuals fronts, congregated at the Comrade Gopinath Waman Rao Manch named after the late founder member of the Party in Goa who passed away just after the last state conference.The Red Flag was hoisted by veteran leader of the Party in Goa Comrade Suresh S Naik.
STOP! What are you eating? Let me see the sastras and find out if it is allowed.
Stop! What are you wearing? Let me see the puranas and find out if it confirms to their specifications.
Stop! What are you seeing? Let me find out if you are allowed to watch it.
Stop! What are you hearing? Let me find out...
This is what is happening in our country – an independent, democratic and secular republic. Our country, the biggest democracy in the world, is facing a severe attack that is threatening our inherent values and legacy – tolerance and syncreticism.
DALIT Shoshan Mukti Manch (DSMM) is a national platform of various Dalit empowerment organisations from across the country which are working for eradication of untouchability and caste discrimination, and socio-economic development of the community. DSMM, under the guidance of CPI(M), was established on 27 November 2014 at a national conference in Delhi. The Manch will observe Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14 as ‘Dalit Rights Day’ to highlight the constitutional safeguards for Dalits in India.
THE Gujarat assembly passed the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Bill, 2015 (hereafter GUJCTOCA) on March 31, 2015. This is the state government’s third attempt at getting a Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 (hereafter POTA) like law passed in the state. It is significant that the same Bill has been rejected by the president on two previous instances when the ruling party had got the consent of the legislature in 2003 and 2009.
ATTACK ON
STUDENTS
FOUR Left students’ organisations, including the Students’ Federation of India called for a rally and demonstration in Kolkata on April 2, on the second anniversary of martyrdom of Sudipta Gupta, who was killed in police custody. The rally was called with a demand of proper investigation of that incident, against rampant privatisation of higher education in the state, against corruption in teachers’ recruitment etc.
THE election to the Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council (TTADC) is scheduled to be held on May 3. While declaring the poll schedule on March 31, State Election Commissioner S K Rakesh informed that the central government has been requested to dispatch 40 companies of security forces for smooth, free and fair conduct of election. This is for the first time, polling will be held with EVMs. The counting of votes is on May 6.
THE Mining and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2015 has been passed by both houses of parliament after a motion to resend it to the select committee moved by P Rajeeve of the CPI(M) was defeated in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill was adopted in the Rajya Sabha by 117 votes to 69. The government got the Bill through with the support of parties like the Trinamool Congress, the Samajwadi party, the BSP and the BJD.
IN a fitting rebuff to the Narendra Modi led BJP government, lakhs of peasants, agricultural workers, adivasis and toiling people burnt copies of the draconian Land Acquisition Ordinance across the country on April 6.
WITH reference to the manner in which this Narendra Modi government was bulldozing legislations in the parliament with scant regard to parliamentary procedures and rules, we had commented in this column that this is a dangerous portend adding a third dimension to the unfolding of the agenda under this government.