ALL central trade unions, including CITU, have decided to hold a national convention of workers in Delhi in the first week of September, in protest against the onslaught on the working class by the Narendra Modi government through its move to amend various fundamental labour laws.The central trade unions -- CITU, AITUC, INTUC, BMS and HMS -- at a meeting on August 7 vehemently opposed both the unilateral path taken by the central government, totally ignoring the central trade unions, and dangerous anti-labour contents of the amendments.The central trade unions (CTUs) said the amendments –
ON August 6, minister of state for corporate affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman presented India’s stand at the WTO. Speaking on the clarification on the statement given by the minister, Sitaram Yechury pointed out that since 1994, CPI(M) has been consistently opposing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade saying that this is detrimental to our country’s interest and now according to the minister’s statement it has proved to be correct. The clarification pertains to Para 8.
Beginning with Rajasthan, labour legislations are being modified and it seems to have the blessings of the new dispensation at the centre. The government of India too has announced its decision to amend important legislations and has called for public comments. But ad-hoc changes as planned do little for the working class, while ensuring that employers do not attract the ire of the law.
“AUR Bhi Gam Hain Zaamane Mein Mohabbat Ke Siwa” (There are other pains in the world than those of love), wrote Faiz Ahmed Faiz after reading the Communist Manifesto.N Rama Krishnan’s book The Founders of the CPI(M) depicts the lives of nine dedicated individuals who took to their heart those pains and sufferings and braved all adversities and tumults in their fight to build a party for the working class and the toiling masses.
THE BJP led NDA government at the centre has initiated a hectic move to amend several important labour laws in favour of the employers, soon after coming to power. Several state governments have also initiated such measures.
THE 13th State Conference of the Rajasthan state DYFI was held at Gharshana, Sri Ganga Nagar from August 3-5, 2014. The conference was attended by 110 delegates representing 77,146 members in the state.
On August 3, a huge rally marking the beginning of the conference passed through various thoroughfares of the city and reached the venue of the public conference. M B Rajesh, president of DYFI and MP, inaugurated the public meeting. Amra Ram, MLA and other DYFI leaders spoke at the public meeting.
THE All India Democratic Womens Association in a statement issued on August 9, 2014 has strongly condemned the blatant lies and half-truths being spread by the BJP and Sangh Parivar about the case registered by a young woman in Meerut alleging gang-rape and conversion. They are exploiting her distress to create communal conflict and hatred. An AIDWA delegation comprising of Subhashini Ali (vice-president) Reeja Jayaprasad and Akhila Singh (CEC members) visited the young woman on August 8 and also met the family members who were with her at the hospital.
THE financial press, across the globe, continues to castigate India for the collapse of the recent WTO negotiations in Geneva. Given the huge misinformation campaign, much of which has been echoed by the capitalist press in India, it is necessary to nail the lies, canards and half-truths that are being peddled every day.
IT is one hundred years ago that the first world war had broken out, a war which had been unprecedented not just in terms of the savagery and scale of destruction of human lives, but in its scope and nature as well. There are at least three ways that it differed from all previous wars.
ON the occasion of the call given by the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Movement to observe August 9 as the ‘Day of Rage’ more than 70 political and cultural organisations including Left organisations such as Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT), Jan Natya Manch, All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), Janwadi Lekhak Sangh, Jana Sanskriti, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Association (AISA), All India Kisan Sabh