Assam today stands at a crucial political juncture. After nearly a decade of BJP rule, discontent is visible across the state. Prices of essential commodities are rising, unemployment among the youth remains very high and farmers, workers and small traders are facing growing economic distress. Instead of addressing these basic problems, the BJP-led government has increasingly relied on divisive politics and communal polarisation along with authoritarian rule to strengthen its political base.

RAHUL GANDHI, the national leader of the Indian National Congress, and the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, addressed a UDF rally on March 7. He spoke on many things, and even made a five-guarantees declaration, promising the Kerala people a series of doles, including free travel for women in KSRTC buses, monthly award for girl students, interest free loans for the youth, health insurance and an enhanced pension.

THE 10th conference of the Tripura Scheduled Caste Coordination Committee (Tripura Tapshil Jati Samanway Samity) concluded with the call to lay primary focus on the struggle for restoration of democracy which may give impetus to the day-to-day movements for livelihood and resist the divisive politics of the ruling BJP. The conference commenced on March 7 with flag hoisting and homage to the martyrs’ column in front of the Agartala Town Hall which was named after Sitaram Yechury. 

THE very concept of sovereignty of third world nations is now being sought to be abolished by imperialism in violation of all canons of international law, as is evident from the bombing of Iran by U.S. and Israel with the explicit objective of effecting a “regime change”.

Technologies are meant to reduce human effort in the production process. Sometimes innovation creates new products which cater to new uses. These uses may not even exist before the product being launched meaning necessity is not always the mother of invention as the saying goes. In fact, the different goods and services people use are not fixed for ever; rather new products and services are added to the consumption basket signifying the progress of civilisation and well-being.