THE All Unions and Associations of BSNL (AUAB) issued a notice to the DoT and the BSNL management, for observing a ‘black day’ on October 1, 2020, which happens to be the 20th foundation day of BSNL. Instead of celebrating the 20th foundation day, the employees of BSNL have decided to observe it as a black day. This decision was taken, since the future of BSNL and its employees are getting darker by the passage of every single day.It is already six months, since BSNL's 4G tender has been cancelled, on the plea that its conditions had violated government's “make in India” policy.
THE Bihar assembly election will witness a direct fight between the “Mahagathbandhan”, comprising RJD, Congress, CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) on the one side and the BJP-JD(U) on the other.The smaller parties representing caste and such other interests, bereft of any social and political ideologies are fighting for their existence by allying with either of the alliances. The situation is still fluid and the last word on the nature of alliance is yet to be written.
THE ministerial level quadrilateral meeting comprising the United States, Japan, Australia and India was held in Tokyo on October 6. Known as the Quad, the four country grouping is fast shaping up as a military alliance targeted at China. The foreign minister, S Jaishankar, had stated in September that India will not become part of an “alliance system”. But the developments concerning the Quad belie this stance.
THE death of a 19-year old dalit girl due to brutal gang-rape and torture in Hathras and the way the Uttar Pradesh police and administration have handled it, is a horrifying yet instructive tutorial on the nature of the Adityanath regime in UP.The family of the girl faced indifference and hostility in filing an FIR.
IN the monsoon session of Rajya Sabha, the Left parties led by the CPI(M) opposed the ordinance raj of the NDA regime, which is devoid of all decorum India has followed in parliamentary democracy. Despite being small in numbers, the CPI(M) has led the resistance in Rajya Sabha against the undemocratic, anti-farmer and anti-worker legislations brought in by the NDA regime.The CPI(M), along with other Left and democratic parties, took strong stance against the ordinance raj in the house.
FEDERALISM is one of the basic features of the Indian constitution. In the constituent assembly, Professor K T Shah wanted the term “federal”, together with the term “secular”, included in the preamble itself, but Dr Ambedkar rejected it on the grounds that the federal and secular character of the republic was understood and did not need specification. The constitution in its seventh schedule spelt out the jurisdictions of the centre and the states in two lists, and areas of common jurisdiction in a third list.
THE world is polarised on the China issue. A few countries are towing the United States (US) line, decoupling economy with China, and participating in Mike Pompeo’s mission which states changing the CPC’s behaviour cannot be the mission of the Chinese people alone.
KARNATAKAOVERWHELMING response across the state was witnessed to the ‘Karnataka bandh’ call given by kisan organisations on September 28, against anti-workers and three anti-farmers bills (already issued as ordinances). It was also against three agriculture-related anti-farmer anti-people bills passed recently by the Parliament. Bandh was marked by dharnas, processions, burning of effigies of Modi-Shah and highway blockades. Slogans were raised against anti-farmer and anti-worker policies of state and central governments.
ON the call of the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M), national-level protest week was observed in the country from September 17-22. Below we publish reports received from the states.TripuraTHE people of Tripura have exerted their might to resist all obstacles to make the movement on the five-point charter of demands successful that was called by CPI(M) Polit Bureau on September 17-22.In Tripura, the CPI(M) state secretariat decided September 22, for holding protest demonstrations throughout the state.