THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT

THIS week too both Houses of Parliament began with an uproar on the issue of religious conversion. In Lok Sabha, during the Zero Hour the House saw uproar with the Congress and the Left parties protesting against the government’s decision to keep schools open on Christmas to observe ‘Good Governance Day’. While Rajya Sabha saw a washout with a united opposition demanding a debate on religious conversion. CPI(M) Leader in Rajya Sabha Sitaram Yechury pointed out that we are not a “talking shop” where we go on talking which is meaningless.

‘Twipra Land’ for whose interest?

THE Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), an open political organisation of the outlawed NLFT outfit, which let loose blood bath annihilating several hundred people, both Bengalis and tribals, for more than a decade in Tripura, has again started playing with fire raising demand for a separate state in the name “Twipra Land” with the territorial area of existing TTAADC (Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council). On 23 August last, they organised an aggressive and violent procession in Agartala town and spewed most provocative anti-Bengali hatred.

TAMIL NADU: Foxconn Workers on Struggle

NEARLY 1700 workers of Foxconn India Limited, a Taiwan based MNC, have started massive struggle from December 22 to save their jobs. It may become a long protest since the management has notified that it would offer severance package or VRS to THE workers.

17th Manipur State Conference Calls for Strengthening of Party

THE 17th Manipur State Conference of CPI(M) was held at Comrade Soyam Satradhari Khul & Comrade Loushambam Yaima Hall in Imphal from December 15 to December 17. The conference concluded successfully with a resolute determination to multiply the strength of the Party and mass organisations and strengthen the Left and Democratic movement simultaneously. The conference was attended by 44 delegates including five women, drawn from the state’s four districts.

15th State conference of Himachal CPI(M)

THE state conference began in the Kalibari Hall which was named as Kapoor Singh Supahya Hall after the former state committee member who died because of a prolonged illness. The conference was inaugurated by Prakash Karat. He spoke about the challenges the Party and the Left is facing in the country. While dwelling on the upcoming 21st Party congress in Vishakhapatnam he said the tactical line is being reviewed to enhance the growth of the Party on both fronts ie, the aberrations in the line and also in its implementation.

14th State Conference of CPI(M) Madhya Pradesh A Conference of Introspection

THE 14th Madhya Pradesh state conference of CPI(M) was held from December 17-19, 2013 at Motilal Shukla Nagar in Anuppur – the tribal and coal belt of Madhya Pradesh. The conference concluded with an analysis of the activities and their results in the state of Madhya Pradesh and appraised the work since the last state conference. Two Polit Bureau members of CPI(M), Brinda Karat and K Varadarajan attended the conference.

CPI(M) Delhi State Conf Calls for Building Org’n through Struggles

THE 14th Delhi state conference of the CPI(M) took place on December 20-21, 2014 in Comrade Mohan Lal Hall at Ambedkar Bhawan, Delhi. The conference began with flag hoisting by Delhi state secretariat member Rampal and laying flowers at the Martyrs Column. A condolence resolution was adopted condoling the deaths of former Polit bureau members, R Umanath, Samar Mukherjee, state secretariat members, Mohan Lal and Vijendra Sharma, along with Hugo Chavez and Nelson Mandela. The conference also condoled those who were martyred in struggles of the people.

Reconversion: Some Implications of Its Historical Antecedents in Adivasi Central India

MOHAN Bhagwat’s statement that India is a Hindu Rashtra and that the Hindus should reclaim their own through a reconversion programme has come at a time when the reconversion debate is stalling parliament. This debate has finally lifted the mask of development which was worn by the Modi government in order to sell the corporate Hindutva dream to the nation. In order to counter this demystification, the BJP has been arguing that an anti-conversion law is needed in order to stop forced change in religion.

No North Korea behind the Sony Hack

THE US, based on FBI reports, has blamed North Korea for hacking the Sony, the entertainment giant. In return, Obama threatened cyber attacks or what he called “proportionate response” against North Korea; the North Korean Internet did go down after Obama's threats. North Korea denied the US allegations and has called for an international enquiry to establish who are behind the Sony attack.

New Data Show Continuing Agrarian Distress For Small And Marginal Farmers

IT is official now. New data released by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) for 2013 show that the agrarian distress in rural India is continuing, and even intensifying for small and marginal farmers. In the last decade, there has been much talk on inclusive growth, revival of growth rates in agriculture, higher public investment in agriculture and the doubling of agricultural credit. Yet, the new data show that all these policies have largely bypassed the rural areas, and particularly the small and marginal farmers.

Search form

Peoples Democracy newsletter