The Dialectics of Authoritarianism

WE are seeing in India at present a remarkable inversion of reason. The more the common people suffer from the impact of Modi’s demonetisation, the more he is lauded for the “courage” shown by him in undertaking it. An economic measure should be, and normally is, judged on the basis of how it benefits the people, and any measure that brings distress to the people is derided for that reason. What we find in the present case however is just the opposite: the more demonetisation brings distress to the people, the more it is applauded for its wisdom and courage.

A Year of Apathy towards Public Health Services

THE past year once again provides a clear picture of neglect of public health by the BJP led government and further, a disdain towards policies that promote welfare. The year has seen several outbreaks of infectious diseases such as dengue and chikungunya, often reaching epidemic proportions in many parts of the country. The epidemics have laid bare the inability of the country’s health systems to protect people’s health.

On appointment of New Chief of Army Staff

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on December 19.THE appointment of the new chief of Army Staff has been done bypassing the established convention of the senior most general assuming the post. The Modi government’s departure from this precedent has raised questions about the intent and motivation of the government. The Indian army should not be subject to any political interference.

Retract Fresh Order on Deposits

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on December 20, 2016.THE central government and RBI's action in imposing fresh curbs on depositing amounts exceeding Rs 5000 in old notes is whimsical and anti-people. In fact, the latest order is because almost all the notes taken out of circulation have come back into the banking system exposing the fraudulent claims that black money will be eliminated. Communist Party of India (Marxist) demands the immediate retraction of these and other restrictions on using and depositing the old t

CITU Expresses Concern on the Govt’s Move

THE Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) notes with concern that the government is planning to take the ordinance route to amend the Payment of Wages Act for allowing business and industrial establishments to pay salaries through cheques or by using electronic modes.

Liberation of Aleppo

THE liberation of eastern Aleppo from the clutches of jihadi forces after a struggle lasting over four and a half years, signals the complete unraveling of the plot that was hatched to bring about regime change in Syria. It is “game over” for the west and its regional proxies in Syria. With the ouster of the rebels from the last remaining pockets of eastern Aleppo, the Syrian government now has complete control of all the major cities in the country. President Bashar al Assad described the liberation of the entire city as a historic turning point.

Revoke the Cancellation of FCRA licenses

ON December 16, the leaders of various political parties in parliament, in a letter addressed to the prime minister, had condemned the government action in cancelling the FCRA registration of NGOs critical of its policies. The licenses had been earlier renewed showing that in the normal course these NGOs had fulfilled the criteria required for registration.

KERALA: Seminar on Uniform Civil Code held at Kannur

The coordination committee of minority cultural groups organized a seminar on ‘Uniform Civil Code and the Left’ in Kannur on December 20. Addressing the seminar CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat said the BJP is using the issue of Uniform Civil Code as a weapon to obliterate the identity of Muslims in the country and that the fundamentalist position insisting that instant and arbitrary triple ‘talaq’ is ordained by Islam will help communalists create a communal divide in the country.

MAHARASHTRA: CPI(M) Holds Meeting on Current Situation in Kashmir

“Everyone aspires to visit Kashmir studded with breathtaking mountains, lakes, rivers and orchards at least once in life. But present day rulers are forgetting that Kashmir, heaven of natural beauty, is also inhabited by people. Muslims, Sikhs, Bouddhas and Hindus were all living in complete harmony in Kashmir before 1947. In fact, Kashmiri people had given the notice of quit Kashmir to British rulers much before independence. Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu Kashmir intended to keep Kashmir an independent state and therefore, kept touch with rulers of both India and Pakistan as well.

LDF to Form 700-km-long Human Chain in Kerala to Protest Demonetisation

The Left Democratic Front will organise, on December 29, a 700-km-long human chain extending from the Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram to the northernmost Kasargode to protest the demonetisation drive which has crippled the state's cooperative banking sector.A statement issued by the Communist Party of India(Marxist) said that it has directed all the Left Democratic Front cadres and supporters to see that they arrive at their designated places by 4 pm and by 5 pm they all should stand with their hands held together ."The human chain will basically be staged on the national highway from here

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