Political Economy of Higher Prices of Petroleum Product

MANY arguments are floated to defend what is rather indefensible. The unprecedented rise in the prices of petroleum products has the potential to make governments unpopular.The argument often put forth is that prices of petroleum products are determined by global market forces. The governments have no role to play.Prices of petrol and diesel were indeed deregulated in 2010 and 2014 respectively, though India has done away with administrative pricing mechanism (APM) during the first NDA regime in 2002.

On Compensation to Families of Covid Victims

CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on June 21THE Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) rejects the central government’s understanding with regard to compensation to corona victims, as stipulated under the Disaster Management Act, which has been invoked by the central government to deal with the Covid pandemic. Under the provisions of this Act compensation to the victims of a disaster has to be paid.The argument that the distribution of ex-gratia payments will strain the finances of the government is specious.

Forging Ahead to Build a Modern Prosperous Society

THE third session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the CPC held in December 1978 was historic. This meeting took many important decisions to correct Left deviations and it embarked upon the task of putting the Party back on the correct path, both politically and organisationally.The CPC decided that socialist construction in China would be according to 'Chinese characteristics', built on the initial advances made after the formation of the PRC.

MAHA: Protest against Fuel Price Hikes

THE Left parties had given a nationwide call for a protest fortnight from June 16 to 30 to condemn the Modi-led BJP central government for the savage and continuous price hikes of diesel, petrol, gas, cooking oil and several other essential items.The AIKS CKC had given a nationwide call to take up burning local issues of the peasantry in each state and link them up to the fundamental demands of the historic farmers’ struggle.Extended state committee online meetings of the CPI(M) and the AIKS were held separately in the first week of June.

Kerala Development Report 2021

THE Left Democratic Front (LDF) has created history in Kerala by getting re-elected for a second consecutive term with a massive margin.

Hectic Preparations on for June 26, Haryana Ministers Face Farmers’ Anger

HECTIC preparations are on all over the country to make the June 26 call to ‘Save Agriculture, Save Democracy’ against the BJP-RSS Modi government a massive success. As noted last week, the call was given to mark the completion of seven months of the farmers’ struggle, and also the 46th anniversary of the imposition of the internal emergency by the then Congress regime. The people today are fighting the undeclared poisonous emergency of the Modi-led BJP-RSS regime.

India’s Deep Ocean Mission: Perilous Potential

THE cabinet committee on economic affairs last week approved a Deep Ocean Mission proposed by the ministry of earth sciences at a cost of Rs 4,077 crore over a period of five years, with funding of Rs 2,823.4 crore for the first three years 2021-24.

Corporatisation of Ordnance Factories A Danger to Nation, says CITU

THE Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), in a statement issued on June 17, has vehemently condemned central government’s decision to corporatise the Ordnance Factories functioning under the defence ministry. It called the move “dangerous”.CITU congratulated the united platform of Defence Workers Federations for their prompt response with countrywide ‘burning of effigy’ agitation on June 19 as a prelude to further course of united action.

The Union Govt and Compensation for Families of Covid Victims

THE union government’s submission in the Supreme Court on the question of compensation to families of Covid victims is both characteristically brazen and callous, and completely unsurprising.Following PILs filed in the Supreme Court in May of this year seeking a compensation of Rs 4 lakhs per Covid victim to the bereaved families, the Court sought the response of the union government. On June 11, the centre told the SC that issues raised in the pleas, seeking directions for ex gratia of Rs 4,00,000 to the families of those who have died of Covid-19, are "genuine" and are under consideratio

AILU Slams SCBA President over Statement against HC Lawyers

THE All India Lawyers Union (AILU) objected to observations made by Supreme Court Bar Association president, Vikas Singh that lawyers practicing in the supreme court are more eligible to be judges.The SCBA president had said in a statement that the Chief Justice of India (CJI) has agreed to the request made by the SCBA to consider the elevation of Supreme Court lawyers as judges of High Courts.

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