Uttarakhand: Assault on Democracy

THE imposition of president’s rule in Uttarakhand and the dismissal of the Harish Rawat government is a blatant attack on democracy, constitutional norms and states rights by the Modi government. Coming after the imposition of president’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh a few weeks earlier to facilitate a government with defectors from the Congress and the BJP, the Modi government has shown that it will utilise the draconian Article 356 of the constitution to topple non-BJP state governments, utilising any opportunity available.

Thinking Together

The CPI(M) in parliament opposed the Aadhaar Bill being declared as a money bill. Why was this so?
R Jaganathan, Chennai

THE Modi government had introduced the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill in the Lok Sabha. On the request of the government, the speaker allowed the introduction of the legislation as a money bill. As per the constitution, a money bill cannot be amended or changed by the Rajya Sabha. It can only send its recommendations to the Lok Sabha, which alone can take a final decision.

Youth Organisations Hold Convention against Communalism

THIRTEEN youth organisations -- Democratic Youth Federation of India, All India Youth Federation, Revolutionary Youth Front, All India Youth League, Revolutionary Youth Association, RJD Youth Wing, JDU Youth Wing, NYC, MDMK Youth Wing, VCK Youth Wing, and HNES held a convention on March 21 and unanimously passed a resolution that strongly condemned the attack on universities, students and youth of our country spearheaded by Sangh Parivar and sponsored by Narendra Modi government.

Lessons from Bhagat Singh

THIS March 23, on the 85th anniversary of the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, as usual there is a beeline of leaders, both worthy and unworthy, to offer their homages. The prime minister and his cohorts are on the job to use this occasion to claim the legacy of these martyrs. Some of the BJP leaders want us to emulate Bhagat Singh and support the prime minister, which is highly impossible, as both are as distinct as 'chalk and cheese'.

Corruption Scandal: Malaysian PM Given “Clean Chit”

MALAYSIA'S attorney general, Mohamed Apandi, a handpicked appointee of the prime minister, Najib Razak, surprised few Malaysians when he announced in the last week of January that he is closing the corruption inquiry into the transfer of hundreds of million dollars into the personal bank accounts of his boss. Apandi solemnly announced in the last week of January that “no laws were broken” by the prime minister and that he had ordered the country's anti-corruption bureau to close the investigations into the sources of the funds that the Malaysian prime minister received.

“Assault on Thought”: Public Symposium

On March 20th, 2016 SAHMAT organized a Public Symposiumthemed “The Assault on Thought” at the Constitution Club, Vitthalbhai Patel House in New Delhi.TheSymposium was organized close on the heels of the systematic attacks on public universities across the country and the brazen acts of intimidation that the government (and its lackeys) is engaged in over the past few months. Specifically, the recent turn of events in Hyderabad Central University and Jawaharlal Nehru University provided the backdrop to the conversations that was being organized.

The Week in Parliament

THERE was uproar in Rajya Sabha a day after a sting video purportedly showed 11 Trinamool Congress leaders accepting money from a fictitious firm. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury appealed to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to assure that the sting against the TMC leaders will be probed and a House committee will be set up to enquire into it. Lok Sabha witnessed a heated exchange of words between TMC members and other opposition MPs. Raising the matter, Md. Salim said the dignity of the House should be protected as some members were found to be indulging in unethical conduct.

CPI(M) Submits Memorandum to CEC on Bengal Polls

A two member delegation of the CPI(M) consisting of Sitaram Yechury, general secretary and Nilotpal Basu, central secretariat member met the Chief Election Commissioner on March 18 to draw attention of the Commission to some serious concerns with regard to the forthcoming elections to the West Bengal legislative assembly. The full text of the memorandum submitted to the Commission is reproduced below.

ANDHRA PRADESH: Left Parties Hold Chalo Assembly

THE ‘Chalo Assembly’ call given by the Left parties of Andhra Pradesh state on March 15 demanding immediate solution to the issues of Rayalaseema districts evoked magnificent response. Fearing that this programme is going to be a huge success, the state government got arrested activists from Rayalaseema districts enroute to Hyderabad at various points.

CPI(M) Condemns Pseudo-Patriotic Action By Maharashtra State Assembly

THE CPI(M) Maharashtra state committee has strongly condemned the BJP, Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP members of the Maharashtra assembly for their acts of intimidation against Waris Pathan, MLA, in the assembly and the illegal resolution to suspend him from the assembly for the current session. Although the CPI(M) is totally opposed to the communal ideology and politics of Waris Pathan's party (AIMIM) we are of the opinion that the action of suspension against Waris Pathan in the assembly had no justification.

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