For the first time, a comprehensive audit of land acquisition for industrial projects is available. Though it studies only Orissa, it holds vital lessons for the nation. IT took India upwards of a century to pass a new land acquisition law. But it might take the country less than a year to dilute it. Within weeks of coming to power, the National Democratic Alliance government has proposed 19 amendments to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013.

Below we publish the text of the speech delivered by Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) leader in Rajya Sabha on July 21, 2014.I RISE here with a great degree of anguish and concern. I share the opinion of everybody who said that there are also atrocities elsewhere in the world, so, we should condemn them. I fully agree. Please come forward and condemn the US aggression that has happened in Iraq, please come forward and condemn what has happened in Libya, please come forward and condemn what has happened in Syria.

THOUSANDS of protestors marched through Kolkata on July 17, condemning Israel’s aggression on Gaza. At the call of the Left Front, people assembled in Moulali in central Kolkata and marched to Park Circus Maidan. Biman Basu and other leaders of the Left Front led the rally. People from all walks of life, including workers, students, and intellectuals joined the rally. Fiery slogans were raised against Israel and US imperialism.

THOUGH the union budget has directly hit the common man, the statements from major Dravidian parties welcoming the budget has come as a shock, said Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary G Ramakrishnan at Madurai on July 14.

“One prince of the present time, whom it is not well to name, never preaches anything else but peace and good faith, and to both he is most hostile”. Machiavelli, The Prince