Maha: State Level Study Camp of Progressive Parties

AFTER a relative lull, for some period, in the well planned united political initiatives by the Left and democratic parties in Maharashtra, winds are gathering speed in that direction. This was evident in the two-day statewide study camp conducted at Pune on July 9 and 10, 2023, organised by the progressive parties and attended by over 1200 main activists of these parties.Concerted efforts, in a steady and sure manner in this direction, were in offing for some time.

Clash of Digital Platforms - Twitter vs Meta: Billionaires Zuckerberg and Musk Duke it Out

WE are beginning to see the new age of competition between digital platforms, which have, till now, kept a careful distance from each other. Increasingly, the digital space today is simply not big enough for the trillion-dollar platforms and their owners' equally big egos.

Manipur Continues to Burn as Those in Charge Look the Other Way

What’s happening in Manipur, coupled the deafening silence of the prime minister, indicates a lack of political will or plan to foster reconciliation among the warring communities. Instead of being a peacemaker, BJP chief minister Biren Singh is seen as an impediment to the process of rapprochement MANIPUR has been on fire for over two months now, while our prime minister remains conspicuously silent.

Karnataka: Electricity Reforms will Ruin Development

THE Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 which aims to accelerate electricity privatisation, will jeopardise the 'Gruhajyothi' scheme. This scheme guarantees 200 units of free electricity to all domestic consumers. The amendment will not only increase the cost of electricity but also pose a threat to the electricity sector and hinder industrial development. Therefore, the Congress government of Karnataka should pass a resolution in the current assembly session stating their refusal to implement the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 in the state.

BSNL’s 4G & 5G: Minister Misleads the Nation

AT a time when the private telecom companies are speedily rolling out their 5G service, BSNL has not even rolled out its 4G service. As the public sector telecom company is lagging behind in providing high speed data service, customers are leaving the company in large numbers. In 2022 alone, 77 lakh customers have left BSNL. It is at this juncture, two important announcements have been made by the government, regarding the future of the BSNL. The first one is regarding BSNL’s 4G and 5G services. The second one is about the third revival package to BSNL.

TN: Securing Temple Governance: Combating RSS & Sangh Parivar's Privatisation Push

IN Tamil Nadu, reactionary forces like RSS and Sangh Parivar are seeking private control over Hindu temple management. Currently, most temples are administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Tamil Nadu government. However, RSS elements aim to privatise these temples, raising concerns about the potential loot of temple funds and assets.Recently Annamalai, the Tamil Nadu BJP leader, stated his intention to remove the HR and CE department from the Hindu temple administration if his party comes to power.

TN: Towards a Gender Equal Society: In Defence of Women's Rights

THE CPI(M) Tamil Nadu state committee held a convention in defence of women's rights in Thukalay, Kanyakumari district on June 25, 2023. More than 4000 women and men attended.The convention noted with concern that miseries faced by women stemming out of gender oppression and class exploitation at home, public place, workplace and cyberspace are increasing at a rapid pace.

The Fires that Burn in France Are About Its Colonial Legacy

ON Saturday, July 1, 2023, a large crowd gathered inside and around the Ibn Badis Mosque in Nanterre (France), where a seventeen-year-old boy, Nahel M, was mourned and then later buried. Nahel M, of Algerian and Tunisian heritage, was shot dead by a police officer during a traffic stop. It was clear that the police officer had not acted in self-defence but had shot the young man in cold blood. A wave of outrage swept through the country, with protests and riots breaking out across France.

Telangana: The Struggle for House-sites

THE struggle of poor people in Telangana for houses, and for house-sites (homestead land) is intensifying. They have constructed huts on the vacant government lands. Despite facing police repression and intimidation from various quarters, large numbers of homeless poor are joining the struggle. They remain steadfast, fighting for their right to house pattas. The people fear that if they delay in occupying vacant government lands, they may not have any land left for themselves in the future.

Massive Subsidies to MNCs Not a Road to Self-Reliance in Semiconductors

MODI Government has made a lot of noise about making India self-sufficient in semiconductor production. The Micron deal was announced with much fanfare last week as "historic" and proof of PM Modi's vision finally bearing fruit. A closer look at the deal shows India footing 70 per cent of the 2.75 billion dollar deal while getting Micron to set up a low-end chip assembling and testing facility, while Micron gets 100 per cent ownership of the facility.Last year the government announced a 10 billion dollar scheme for encouraging manufacturing as part of the "Make in India" initiative.

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