TRILOKPURI, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar…and more than the two hundred odd riots after the Modi government took office pose a serious challenge. They represent the dangerous combination of neo-liberalism and communalism that has come to represent the corporate backed ruling classes in contemporary India. Hence we can safely say that majoritarian communalism is a hegemonic ideology of the present day ruling classes and an instrument of State whose leadership is in the hands of Hindutva leaders.

THE change in the nature of the State under neo-liberalism has been much discussed. From standing apparently above society and mediating between different classes, as under dirigisme (even though it too was a big-bourgeois-led State), the State under neo-liberalism promotes primarily the interests of the corporate-financial oligarchy (which is integrated to international finance capital), on the plea that what is good for this oligarchy is ipso facto good for the nation.

THE AIDWA has submitted a memorandum to the home minister on November 5, urging him to take note of circulation of some audio messages online with an intention of spreading communal hatred in the national capital, as well as in other state capitals, and initiate an enquiry into the matter.

THE Communist Movement in Kerala, which has a glorious history of spearheading pro-people movements like land reforms, total literacy mission and people’s planning programme, kick-started another people’s movement (Shuchitwa Keralam) to save the masses from the menace of garbage in the state. CPI (M) workers are leading the people from all walks of life to wipe out the waste and garbage in cities and villages through a decentralised system. Members and leaders from other parties also joined the programme in various districts of the state.

KOZHIKODE, a city which marked many upsurge of people in the history, witnessed another massive rally of workers at the culmination of All India conference of the Construction Workers Federation of India (CWFI). Lakhs and lakhs of workers including women from the construction field pledged through their slogans in the huge rally to fight against the anti-labour policies of the incumbent government.