The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on January 17. THE central government has for the fourth time since November hiked the excise duties on petrol and diesel which will bring the government revenue of Rs 20,000 crores rupees. Thus instead of the people of India benefiting from the 55 per cent decrease in the global price of crude oil since June 2014, the government is exploiting the situation to fill its own coffers. These steps of the government also expose its totally hypocritical approach regarding deregulation.

THE 102nd Science Congress did not distinguish itself by inviting speakers, who offered mumbo jumbo as science. It was not helped by the union minister for science and technology, Harsh Vardhan talking about how India had discovered the Pythagoras “formula”, and algebra well before Greeks and Arabs but generously gave them the “credit”. The past is no longer about scientifically discovering what really happened, but a race of who did what first.

THE two-day coal workers’ strike on January 6-7 was total and joined by seven lakh permanent and contract workers of public sector Coal India Ltd (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) in 40 coal-bearing districts of the country. The strike brought mining, loading and unloading, transportation and other related works to a grinding halt from the very first shift on January 6 and had an effect on lakhs of other workers engaged in outsourced activities.

NARENDRA Modi has launched his new year with Pravasi Bhartiya Sammelan and seventh vibrant Gujarat festival of three days where he extended an open invitation to investors from capitalist countries, whether NRI’s or private capital investors of multinational corporations to accelerate their engagement in the ongoing process of capitalist development of India led by Indian monopoly capitalist fractions of the ruling class.

THE tragic disappearance of 43 students in late September while they were proceeding to a protest meeting has triggered a national outcry in Mexico threatening the stability of government of President Enrique Pena Nieto. After riding high in the opinion polls and being toasted in the financial capitals of the world, his popularity has now taken a beating. He now is being dubbed as the most unpopular Mexican president in recent history. Pena Nieto had won the elections two years ago with a comfortable margin.