Minimum Wage and the Poverty Line

The criteria for determining the minimum wage have evolved in India over a long period of time. The basic guidelines set at the Indian Labour Conference have been subsequently improved upon by the Supreme Court in the early 1990s. As of now, the principles for setting the minimum wage after all these modifications stand as follows.The basic family unit for which the calculation is made is supposed to consist of four persons, a husband, wife and two children. These two children together constitute one consuming unit, so that one can say that the family has three consuming units altogether.

Cauvery Dispute: Eschew Violence, Maintain Normalcy

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement September 13, 2016.THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) is shocked and dismayed at the reports of violence and arson in Karnataka and some parts of Tamil Nadu. The Polit Bureau appeals to the people of both the states to maintain calm over the Supreme Court decision on the sharing of Cauvery river waters. The Polit Bureau calls upon the state governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to ensure the protection of people’s lives and properties. The dispute over sharing of the Cauvery river waters is a longst

Kerala: Stop These BJP-RSS Attacks

THE BJP is trying to spin a false narrative in Kerala about the increasing attacks on BJP and RSS workers. The BJP president Amit Shah has announced a five member team headed by one of its general secretaries Bhupendra Yadav to visit Kerala to enquire about the growing “incidents of attacks on BJP workers”.This move comes in the background of the national council meeting of the BJP scheduled to be held in Kozhikode in Kerala from September 23 to 25.

Massive Victory for the United Left Panel in JNUSU Elections

Students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) gave a landslide verdict in favour of the United Left Panel of SFI and AISA in the students’ union elections which were held on September 9. Alongside the victory of the United Left panel comprising of candidates belonging to the AISA and the SFI, this election also saw the complete and thorough decimation of the RSS backed ABVP.

Kashmir Developments

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on September 13. IT is very unfortunate that, probably for the first time since independence, large scale curfew has been imposed all across the Kashmir valley on Eid Ul Zuha, Bakrid. The traditional Eid celebrations and the prayers that are offered were disturbed due to the closure of all major mosques in Srinagar city. It is, indeed, unprecedented that the faithful were not allowed to proceed to their traditional Idgah where prayers are offered on every Eid all across the Kashmir valley. As per

SFI Scores Impressive Victory in Rajasthan Student Union Elections

A Young boy is pleading in the court to seek permission to file his nomination for the post of president in the student union election. The court gave him permission of only one hour and directed the police to take this boy to college. Police jeep is moving at its slow. As jeep reached the college gate there are various hurdles in front of the gate. The young boy took another route and jumped over the wall. Inside the college gate his companions are waiting for him with nomination papers. He succeeded to file his nomination in the last 10 minutes and contested the elections from the jail.

Strengthen CPI(M) to Fight Modi Govt’s Neo-liberal, Communal Policies: Yechury

The neo-liberal offensive, communal onslaught, attack on democratic institutions and the regressive foreign policy being pursued by the Modi government can be fought only by strengthening the CPI(M), Party general secretary Sitaram Yechury said.

Complete Bandh demanding Special Category Status

The state bandh call given by CPI(M),CPI, Congress and YSR Congress over the betrayal of the centre to accord special category status for Andhra Pradesh has received popular response and has paralysed the state despite the herculean efforts made by Chandrababu Naidu government to foil the same. The bandh evoked solid response in all the important cities and towns of the state. Several shops at various centres remained closed till evening as the traders too joined the bandh.

Thinking Together

There has been a flare up of Cauvery waters dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu consequent to the Supreme Court order on release of waters to Tamil Nadu. There have been violent protests in Karnataka. What is the CPI (M) stand on the issue?M Durairaj, ChennaiTHE Cauvery water sharing issue is a very complex one involving at least four states – Karnataka, Kerala, Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu – and has a long history.

Europe: Growth of Far Right and Challenges

In Germany, for the first time since the Second World War, a far right-wing party, Alternative for Germany (AfD) is emerging as a major political force. The growth of various right-wing parties in Europe, the latest being the AfD, has forced some commentators to call it as the 'spectre haunting Europe'. Some of the commentators had even started questioning the future of the Left as a political force in these changed circumstances.

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