Bihar: A farmer's Suicide Raises Many Questions

DAILY tormented by local money-lenders whom he owed a huge amount of money, Gajendra Singh, a peasant of Sherbhukha village under Maner block, just 25 km away from Bihar capital Patna, committed suicide on April 26.

Erosion of Special Category Status of NE States Unacceptable: Manik Sarkar

TRIPURA Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi opposing the central government's move to virtually abolish the special category status that has traditionally been granted to all the North Eastern states.

Modi’s Report Card from Haryana

PUNJAB and Haryana were the poster-twins of the Green Revolution. The states were in the forefront of the transformation of India from a perpetually food deficit “Ship-To-Mouth” existence to a situation of food self-sufficiency. They were showcased as the land of prosperity and the farmers were credited with feeding the hungry millions through their toil and resilience. The farmers soon came to epitomise the “Annadata” or provider of food security and their penchant for joining the armed forces also led to the much romanticised slogan of “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”.

On the North East Region

The 21st Congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expresses its deep concern over the continuing state of underdevelopment and backwardness in the North-Eastern region of the country.

Zero Rating: Not Subsidised Internet But Enclosure of the Internet

AFTER the firestorm of criticism from the Indian netizens on the violations of net neutrality by Reliance-Facebook (Internet.org) and Airtel (Airtel Zero), Facebook and Airtel have come out with their defence: they love net neutrality, and will never, never violate this principle. They are only providing cheap internet access to their subscribers, who are currently without this access.

A Simple Calculation

A VERY simple calculation is enough to illuminate what has been happening in the Indian economy over the last few decades. In July 1973, I know from personal knowledge, the starting basic salary of an Associate Professor in a central university was Rs 700 per month. Nowadays the starting basic salary of an Associate Professor in a central university is about Rs 47,000 per month (which is the sum of Rs 39,000 and Rs 8,000 shown under two separate heads).

Central Trade Unions Lash Out Against Labour Policies

THREE central ministers, including Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, had a taste of the anger among the working people of the country when Central Trade Union leaders, in one voice, criticised the government's anti-labour policies. The occasion was a meeting of Central Trade Unions (CTUs) called by the Labour Department on May 15 to discuss about the '10-point charter of demands', on which the CTUs were on struggle for the last six years.

Brutal Police Lathicharge on Workers

TRADE Union workers were lathicharged by the state police in districts even when they were protesting against central government policies. There was a call for statewide law violation movement against the central government by all central trade unions and federations. Krishnanagar, Bolpur, Rampurhat, Durgapur witnessed massive lathicharge by the police on the peaceful demonstration of trade union workers. The police brutality was condemned by CITU state president Shyamal Chakraborty and state secretary Dipak Dasgupta.

TMC Celebrates Fourth Year in Office With Series of Violence

AS Mamata Banerjee government celebrated its fourth year in office, series of violent attacks by the ruling party grabbed the headlines. From Durgapur to Coochbehar, almost no area of the state could escape the spurt of violence. In the last two weeks, at least 35 incidents of attack and violence by the ruling party were registered.In Durgapur, the first phase of attack came when CPI(M) workers were collecting money for Nepal victims on May 17. The armed gang of the ruling party suddenly attacked, injuring at least 15 people. They looted the collected money too.

DSMM Demands Judicial Enquiry into Horrific Attack on Dalits in Rajasthan

The following is the statement issued by the Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch on May 19.

THE Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch condemns the horrific crime committed against dalits in Dangawas village in Rajasthan’s Nagaur district where 3 dalit men were killed on May 15. They were mowed down under tractors by the Jats, who are a dominant caste in the region, over a land dispute. Many dalits were grievously injured. Dalit women were molested, severely beaten and there were repeated attempts to disrobe them.

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