SOCIAL media, as the name suggests, is meant to be a social interaction among people, in which we create, share or exchange information in virtual groups or communities. True to its name, it had succeeded in generating a lot of buzz amongst various sections of the society. India is the second country in the world, only after the United States, to have crossed 100 million active users according to Facebook’s official announcement made on March 31, 2014. And, it already has a new figure in mind for India – 1 billion – almost the entire population of India!

The following is the press statement issued by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions on July 26.

THE Centre of Indian Trade Unions condemns the move to bring about anti-labour amendments in Industrial Disputes Act, Factories Act and Contract Labour Regulation & Abolition) Act by the BJP government in Rajasthan on which Amendment Bills have already been introduced in Rajasthan assembly. The CITU calls upon to organise countrywide protest at the earliest against such corporate driven onslaught on working people by the Rajasthan government at the behest of the capitalist class.

THE social importance of the capitalist class arises from the fact that the level of activity and employment in a capitalist economy depends upon the “state of confidence” of the capitalists (or what Keynes had called their “animal spirits”). Marx had theorised that the capitalists, competing against one another (a competition or “rivalry” that does not disappear even when they collude), are caught in a Darwinian struggle where they are compelled to accumulate.

AS the first full session of the newly elected parliament comes to a close, it has been clearly established that the economic path of the BJP government will not be any different from that of the Congress. On the contrary, the policy pronouncements of the BJP government betray its aggressive intent in furthering the neo-liberal policy trajectory.

THE Modi government has extended a welcome gift to John Kerry, the US Secretary of State who is visiting India. The union cabinet has approved the raising of the FDI cap in the insurance sector from 26 percent to 49 percent. An amendment to the Insurance Laws will be placed in this session of parliament itself. This will fulfill a longstanding demand of the United States, as voiced repeatedly by the India-US business forum which was set-up during the UPA-1 government.