THE countries of the global north are awash with weapons systems that have the capacity to blow up the world many times over. Not only do the countries in the global north have armies that are lethal and dangerous, but they are the largest exporters of weapons to the rest of the world, fuelling conflicts that could be settled by diplomacy. The larger the arsenal of weapons, the greater the confidence that they will be the arbiter of disputes – and so, even petty problems that can be resolved by negotiations escalate rapidly into war.

THESE days I often think back to my first association with the anti-colonial national movement. In the 1940s, I was a teen-ager in school. This was in Pune, where the action was, at that time. We would rush through homework and go to the prayer meetings of Gandhi. A foundational change was expected in Indian society. We, who had for centuries been subjects of diverse kingdoms, and then of a colonial state, were slowly mutating into citizens of an independent nation-state.

AN array of political leaders, intellectuals, activists and artists assembled at the HKS Surjeet Bhavan on April 6, 2024 to express solidarity with Prabir Purkayastha who has already served six months jail term over trumped up charges under UAPA. The solidarity programme was organised in three sessions. The first session had the performance of artists from Ahvaan and the release of Prabir’s book ‘Keeping up the Good Fight’.The second session was addressed by intellectuals, activists and journalists.

THE state-level convention on ‘Central government policies Fanaticism’ held on March 30, by 11 Left parties at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Hyderabad unanimously resolved to conduct a state-wide campaign and agitations from April 1 to 15.

THE upcoming general election holds significant importance. Throughout the campaign period, a wide range of issues will be discussed and debated. Among these issues, the power sector policy of the ruling government has stood out as one of the most pressing concerns. The tenure of Modi has had a disastrous impact on India's public electricity sector, resulting in an increasingly heavy burden on the people of India.Over the past decade, there has been a consistent upward trend in the average cost of power supply in India.