Peoples Democracy newsletter

Peoples Democracy newsletter

A Dangerous Red Herring

IN its systematic attempt to vilify the farmers’ movement against the three infamous agriculture bills that open peasant agriculture to corporate take-over, the government keeps using the argument that the opposition to these bills is confined to farmers only from a couple of states, that farmers from other states are happy with the bills.

Punjab: Farmers’ Movement Against Agricultural Laws

THE government of India passed Farm Ordinances on June 5, 2020, regarding agricultural reforms and then passed the Acts in September in the Parliament on September 22, 2020. Questions are also being raised about the legality of these laws as agricultural production comes under the preview the state governments according to State List of the Indian Constitution. The movement against these laws had started in Punjab since June 2020.As a result of the Green Revolution, there have been drastic changes in the cropping pattern of Punjab.

Nationwide Farmers Struggle Set to Intensify on Republic Day

THE unprecedented nationwide farmers struggle led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha(SKM) is set to greatly intensify as it completes two months on Republic Day, January 26, 2021. The ‘kisan parade’ in the form of a huge tractor march on the Outer Ring Road to Delhi will undoubtedly be the most massive form of farmers’ resistance since independence. It will have tens of thousands of tractors and over a million farmers.

Occupational Safety Code Rules Ignore Workers, Serve Interests of Employers

THE Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified draft rules under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHWC) Code on November 19, 2020, inviting objections and suggestions, if any, from the public. Accordingly, the CITU submitted its objections within the stipulated time debunking the draft rules in totality.

Forced Consent and no Transparency Can Create a Backlash Against Vaccines

THE drug regulator's hurried emergency clearance to Bharat Bio-tech's Covaxin in a clinical trial mode has been followed by the government making it integral to its mass vaccination drive. It has bought 1.1 crore doses of Serum Institute-Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and another 55 lakh from Bharat Biotech. According to the government, neither states nor individuals will have a choice with regards to vaccines.

Republic Day: Resolve to Fight for Citizens Rights

WHEN the pogrom against minorities in Gujarat was raging in 2002, the then President of India, K R Narayanan had remarked to a delegation which met him seeking intervention, that: “The Constitution is not working in Gujarat”.  Narendra Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat at that time.Now, nearly two decades later and nearly seven years of the prime ministership of Modi, it can be said that the Constitution is not working in large parts of the country and in various sections of the polity.As we observe the 71st Republic Day, it would be instructive to see what has happened to the fundamen

Thousands of Women Lead Protests on Mahila Kisan Divas

THERE was massive and enthusiastic participation of thousands of women all across the country on Mahila Kisan Divas on January 18. Six national women’s organisations – All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA), Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan (PMS), All India Agragami Mahila Samiti (AIAMS) and All India Mahila Sanskritik Sangathan (AIMSS) had decided to hold joint protests on January 18 to express solidarity with the farmers’ struggle.

Kerala: Preparing the State’s Economy for the ‘New Normal’ Post Pandemic

THE ways we live our lives are changing drastically because of the pandemic, environmental disasters, and the global economic crisis. Whether we like it or not, almost all spheres of life are witnessing the emergence of a new normal. A return to the old normal is ruled out. The Kerala budget for 2021-22 is a brave effort to take on the challenges of the post-pandemic order. Notably, the budget is well informed by a thorough understanding of the pattern of changes occurring in different spheres of life.

CTUs Rejects Govt Move to Frame Rules on Labour Codes

THE joint platform of central trade unions(CTU) have outrightly rejected the move of the government to frame rules on the labour codes which were passed in the Parliament without any discussion with the central trade unions or in the Parliament when all the opposition members of Parliament were absent as they were on boycott demanding the withdrawal of expulsion of some MPs.Some MPs had even given in writing to the government that the labour codes should not be placed in a hurry and that there is a need for serious discussions on such an important matter with trade unions and also inside th

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Big protest action against bribery, drugs and crime against women

THE CPI(M) in Tripura has organised a statewide protest movement on three key demands – dismissal of state minister Sudhangshu Das who admitted to accepting bribe from contractors and government suppliers, immediate identification and arrest of the drug-traffickers who transported two huge consignments of banned Eskuf cough syrup, and prompt action against the perpetrators of several recent dastardly...