The Week in Parliament

IN the second week of this session, the Rajya Sabha witnessed a serious debate on the Augusta Westland chopper deal. Speaking on this, Tapan Kumar Sen said that a blame game is going in this matter. In many cases, nobody has yet been convicted. CBI is having the regulator in its hands and regulates the case as per the situation. It is very unfortunate in our society. Instead of making political postures, it should be taken to a logical end. The whole system is economically polluted and is in a state of crony capitalism. There is failure in maintaining the pace of the probe.

MPs Meet President on JNU Row

A DELEGATION comprising Digvijay Singh (INC), Sitaram Yechury (CPI(M)), D Raja (CPI), K C Tyagi and Pawan Kumar Verma (JD-U), KTS Tulsi (nominated), Majid Memon (NCP) and Baishnab Parida (BJD) met the president on May 6, 2016 and handed over a letter, seeking his intervention to resolve the current crisis in the Jawaharlal Nehru University and to restore normalcy. JNU is considered among the best universities in India which has an unblemished global ranking and standing.

Emeritus Professors of JNU Stand in Solidarity with Students

The following is the statement issued by emeritus professors of the JNU, on May 9, 2016.

DEAR Vice-Chancellor,

As emeritus professors of the JNU we are disturbed by the turn of events at the JNU. The university has always been a space where we allowed free discussion of issues raised by students and faculty. In the course of such discussion whether in seminars or at other informal gatherings, speakers from both within the university and from outside were invited to participate.

Student Resistance against Authoritarianism in JNU

THE two years of the Modi regime has seen unbridled and systematic attacks over the higher educational institutions in particular to further the RSS’ agenda of Hindutva.In the latest of these attacks, the witch-hunt of students continues in JNU with harsh punishments to students based on the recommendations of a farcical High Level Enquiry Committee (HLEC). Students have been fined from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 and some have been rusticated for different lengths of time; one student has been declared out of bounds from the campus for five years.

Student & Youth Activists Foil Rightwing Conspiracy, Hold Massive Assembly in Mumbai

A MASSIVE ‘Student-Youth Assembly Against Discrimination’ raising the slogan “Defeat Fascism, Defend the Republic” was held in Mumbai on April 23 by a joint platform committee consisting of six student organisations, Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students Federation (AISF), Progress Students Front (PSF) of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, All India Students Association (AISA), Chhatrabharati, All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) and four youth organisations, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), All India Youth Federation (AIYF), Revolutionary Youth A

Terrorism Blow Back in Europe

THE coordinated terror attacks in Brussels, the capital of Belgium is yet another sign that committed jihadists holding European citizenship can strike almost at will on the continent. The headquarters of the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic treaty Organisation (NATO) are located in Brussels. In the attacks on the busy Zavantem international airport terminal and the Maelbeek Metro station located in the city center on March 22, more than 31 people were killed and 300 wounded.

Jadavpur University Targeted Yet Again by Saffron Brigade

JADAVPUR University, one of the most acclaimed academic institutions of the country, has once again been the target of the saffron brigade. The incident flared up with the screening of Vivek Agnihotri's film "Buddha in a Traffic Jam" at Jadavpur University campus on May 6, 2016. The permission of screening was cancelled by the Hall authority due to the ongoing election process. The rightist force with the banner of ABVP entered into the campus and started screening the said documentary without the permission of the authorities with the help of muscle flexing of the outsiders.

Massive Protest Action of Himachal Peasants' for Protection of Land Rights

HUNDREDS of peasants and agricultural workers under the red flag and banners of Himachal Kisan Sabha and Himachal Apple Growers' Association marched to the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat demanding protection of land rights. They sat on dharna braving heavy rain and hailstorm on May 3-4. It was inaugurated by Rakesh Singha, former general secretary of CPI(M) HP state committee and leader of trade union movement as well as of Apple Growers' Association.

Geospatial Bill or the Monumental Stupidity of the Home Ministry?

THE Geospatial Bill, May 2016 has been released by the ministry of home for public discussions before being placed in the parliament. The bill is not about geospatial data or applications of geospatial data for development and better governance, but only about how to “protect” India's borders on various maps, and “hide” sensitive information from its enemies. In the process, we have a throwback to the 19th century mindset, when Survey of India was the sole map making entity, maps were confidential and only paper maps existed.

The Perversity of Market Signals

IF we leave aside the problem of deficiency of aggregate demand, ie, of generalised over-production, then the only demand-supply mismatch that can arise in an economy is when too much of some commodity is produced relative to demand, and correspondingly too little of some other commodity is produced relative to demand. When such a mismatch arises, the market gives a clear signal about it through the actual level of inventories of commodities being either too much or too little relative to the “normal” level.

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