Peoples Democracy newsletter

Peoples Democracy newsletter

Regressive Proposals Defeated; Struggle Far From Over

COMING from a nondescript village in rural Chhattisgarh, poverty and destitution forced Shakeel in his early twenties to migrate to Delhi. Though not having much of an education to claim, when in December 2016 the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPD Act) was passed, Shakeel was ecstatic. A person afflicted by polio early in life, he was subjected to ridicule and abuse because of his impaired mobility.

KERALA: Organisational Work in Times of Covid-19 Pandemic

THE Covid-19 pandemic has severely disrupted normal life around the world. It has posed several challenges to the activities of working-class movements in India too. The government formulated the Covid-19 protocol, outlining the restrictions that are to be followed by the people, to check the spread of the contagion. Physical distancing between individuals, use of face mask, frequent use of sanitiser and soap are major components of the protocol.The increasing number of reported cases reinforces the importance of the Covid-19 protocol.

The Hindrance to a New Deal Today

WHAT had been only a suggestion by several prescient members of the capitalist establishment till now, has become official policy, at least in Britain where Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that his government will undertake public investment to stimulate the economy, as FD Roosevelt had done under the New Deal in the 1930s in the US. In fact, Johnson specifically referred to Roosevelt’s New Deal, and expressed his intention of increasing taxes on the rich if necessary.

PM Re-writes History on Defence Self Reliance

IN his latest Mann-ki-baat address on June 28, 2020, the prime minister expressed some extraordinary views on defence manufacturing and self-reliance before independence, since then, and he took office in 2014. His own words, as per the official transcript in English, were:  “Before independence, in the realm of the defence sector, our country was ahead of many countries in the world. There used to be a multitude of ordnance factories. Many countries that lagged behind us then, are ahead of us now.

Subject PM Cares Fund to Public Scrutiny

CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on July 6THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) is deeply disturbed at the stubborn refusal of the Prime Minister’s Office to disclose the details of the PM Cares Fund.  It has been declared that this is a fund set-up by a private trust with prime minister as the chair and ministers of defence, home affairs and finance as trustees.  It is claimed that since it is a private trust, it is not subject to RTI questioning and audit by any government auditor.  It is clear that there is no transparency or accountability of thi

Remdesivir: Break Patent Monopoly - Issue Compulsory License

CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on July 5, 2020GILEAD Sciences’ anti-viral drug Remdesivir has shown efficacy in treating Covid-19 patients. Media reports indicate that the US, which is hoarding all drugs found to be useful in combatting the Covid pandemic, has bought the entire stock of Remdesivir from Gilead for the next three months. It will therefore not be available for the rest of the world.The price of Remdesivir in the US is $3,000 or Rs 2.25 lakhs, for a five-day course.

Oppose Amendments to RPD Act

CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on July 6THE Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) condemns the attempts being made to dilute the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. The amendments proposed by the government to “decriminalise” offences and designate some as “minor” and clubbing of some offences and diluting them would radically alter the very nature of the Act.

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