Peoples Democracy newsletter

Peoples Democracy newsletter

Demonetisation – Hindutva's obscurantism In the Economic Sphere

THE traditional obscurantism of Hindutva, in the glorification of mythology as science, has had serious consequences for education in this country.  Hindutva's majoritarian communalism relies in a fundamental way on obscurantism, particularly in the realm of history, and has been the source of immense suffering to the nation's minorities ever since it emerged on the political scene in its current form. But with demonetisation, a new dimension of Hindutva obscurantism has opened up before us.

Banks as Victims

IN the outcry against the disastrous demonetisation experiment of the Modi government one aspect that has not been given adequate attention is the damage it has done to the reputation and the balance sheets of the banks. Customers queueing before bank doors and ATMs seem on occasion more forgiving of the government than of the harassed bank employees, who are forced to ration out currency and offer those customers they can accommodate, less than even the maximum withdrawal permitted by the government and the RBI.

Protest against Anti-Democratic Action

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on December 11.THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the action of the Madhya Pradesh police and administration in preventing the chief minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, from attending a felicitation function in Bhopal.Pinarayi Vijayan had been invited to a reception hosted by various Malayali organisations in Bhopal on December 10.

Colombia Peace Process: On Track Again

THE rejection of the historic peace accord signed between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in a referendum by a wafer thin majority had come as a shock to most Colombians and the international community. A referendum, which was not constitutionally mandated, was held just a few days after the two sides signed the permanent cease fire agreement with much fanfare in Havana on September 26. Opinion polls had shown overwhelming support for the agreement to end the war that has been going on for more than 50 years.

Javeed Alam

EMINENT Scholar Prof. Javeed Alam who had been associated with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from 1970 onwards, passed away in the early hours of December 5, 2016 after a brief illness. Born in 1943 in Hyderabad he came from a family which was deeply involved in the Telangana armed struggle led by the Communist Party against the feudal oppression of the Nizam and for land distribution to the peasantry.After studying in Osmania University he had come to Delhi in 1966 to pursue his PhD.

The Deadlock in GST

WITH the passage of the constitutional amendment, it was taken for granted that there would be no further hurdles to the smooth introduction of Goods and Service Tax (GST) from the beginning of the next financial year.  The Central GST (CGST) and Integrated GST (IGST) bills were to be introduced as money bills and passed in Lok Sabha during the winter session of the parliament.  Thereafter the states are to pass the State GST (SGST) bills in their respective legislatures during their budget sessions.  And that would have cleared the deck for GST in the country from April 1.  However, the pa

DELHI: DSMM Commemorates Death Anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar

THE Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch (DSMM), Delhi state committee  organised a commemoration meeting at Manakpura, Karol Bagh on December 6, 2016 to mark the death anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar. The meeting began with Subhashini Ali, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member paying floral tributes to a portrait of Dr Ambedkar. In her speech Subhashini Ali highlighted the various struggles of Dr Ambedkar and called for the need to change the present social system of casteism, exploitation and injustice on the basis of Ambedkar’s ideas.

Zero Import Duty on Wheat: Direct Assault on Farmers’ Interests

THE All India Kisan Sabha, in a statement issued on December 10 has condemned the decision of the Narendra Modi led BJP government to scrap the import duty on wheat. The import duty which was 25 percent till September 2016 was reduced to 10 percent. This was, on December 8, totally done away with. The move is aimed to allow corporate companies and big traders of wheat to profiteer at the expense of farmers and is according to the diktats of the WTO and countries like the USA. AIKS demands immediate withdrawal of this move.

CITU Protests against Anti-Worker Decision Of Central Government

THE Centre of Indian Trade Unions, in a statement issued on December 10 has denounced yet another retrograde decision of the Narendra Modi government to benefit the employers’ class at the cost of workers, while making loud noise on its so-called pro-people postures.It is reported that in the name of boosting employment generation and exports, the union cabinet has given approval to certain unilateral changes in labour laws and Employees Provident Fund scheme which will only benefit the employers’ class and business houses and harm the workers.

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