WE deeply condone the death of Shri R. K. Laxman who not only entertained Indian people through his penetrative cartoons over the decades but was, in essence, the chronicler of the Indian political developments through most of our post-Independence decades.We have had the pleasure to use many of his cartoons, as the one above, in the CPI(M) publications over many years, particularly in the campaign against communalism during the decade of 1990s.We convey our deepest condolences to members of his family and to the media fraternity. 

The Polit Bureau of Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on  January 24.THE Obama visit is being preceded by various moves to appease US interests by the Modi government. Firstly, the Modi government is negotiating with the US authorities to find ways to circumvent the Civil Nuclear Liability Act passed by the Indian parliament.  The right to recourse for suppliers liability has been objected to by the United States.  The BJP had supported this law in parliament.

The following is the press statement issued by the AIKS on January 15.THE All India Kisan Sabha condemns the BJP-led NDA government’s proposal to drastically reduce the food grain buffer stocks to be maintained with the Food Corporation of India. The buffer stocks were to be raised by 60 per cent to meet the requirements of the Food Security Act. However, the BJP-led NDA government is reportedly proposing to raise it only by 50 per cent. We demand that the government desist from this retrograde move as it will have adverse consequences on the food security of the nation.

THE crash in global crude oil prices raises questions in relation to the petroleum pricing policies of the Government of India.

India imports around 80 per cent of its crude oil requirements so international prices of crude oil have a direct bearing on the price of petroleum products.

In January 2014 when the global price of crude oil was 106 dollars per barrel the retail price of petroleum products, petrol and diesel were Rs 72.43 and Rs 54.34 per litre (Delhi prices) respectively.

The following is the press statement issued by Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust on January 17, 2015.IN another shocking and serious blow to the freedom of expression, Perumal Murugan, an influential Tamil writer at the peak of his creative powers, has been bullied, blackmailed and harassed by anonymous vested religious elements led by the Hindutva right, in collusion with the police and the state administration of Tamil Nadu, into helpless submission – so much so that he has, in pain and frustration, announced that he is giving up writing altogether.