Communalism and Fundamentalism in South Asia

THE series of targeted killings of minorities and migrant workers by terrorist groups in the Kashmir Valley have pushed the besieged territory of Jammu & Kashmir into new depths of despair and gloom. The diabolical aim of killing school teachers, street vendors and migrant workers is clear – deepen the communal divide and create conditions for an exodus. That this is happening in Jammu & Kashmir, which has been under central rule as a union territory since August 2019, is a strong indictment of the way the centre has dealt with J&K and the people of the Valley in particular. T

Afghanistan: Caught between Poverty and Possibility

THE future of Afghanistan will be determined not only in Kabul, where the Taliban is now firmly in power but also in places such as the Wakhan Corridor. A narrow strip of land that runs along the northern fringe of Afghanistan, the Corridor was formed in 1893 as a buffer between the Tsarist empire of Russia and the British empire of India. It is sparsely populated, its roughly 15,000 Wakhi (Kyrgyz) residents reliant upon adventure tourism.

Telangana: Industrial Cluster Strike

TELANGANA state government has not taken any necessary steps since the last seven years to amend minimum wages in 73 scheduled employment sectors and the workers are in frustration. CITU state committee of Telangana had taken up this issue for the campaign in the month of September 2021, also added the demands of abolishing Labour Codes, to issue gazette of GO’s released for five sectors in June 2021.

Brazen Callousness of Central Government Exposed

NO worse example of the brazen callousness of the Modi-Shah government has been witnessed in the last seven years. A full 10 days after the inhuman and brutal massacre of farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, which stunned the nation on October 3, the notorious union minister of state for home affairs, Ajay Mishra Teni, has neither been sacked from the Modi cabinet nor has he been arrested.

Restore Inter-State Migrant Workers Act

DURING the pandemic when the plight and sufferings of migrant workers had turned into the greatest human disaster, the Modi regime has, without any remorse, repealed the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 (ISMW Act, 1979) by “amalgamating” it with the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (OSHWC Code).

Sack the Union Minister-Yechury

SITARAM Yechury, general secretary of the CPI(M), whilst placing the decisions of the Polit Bureau meeting in a press conference on October 11, demanded sacking of the union minister Ajay Mishra, and stringent action against his son, Ashish Mishra who is an accused in the killing of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri in UP.

Current Power Cuts Due to Criminal Negligence in Government’s Planning

THE Modi government has created an artificial electricity shortage during the festival season, which normally sees a high electricity demand. With the opening of the economy post-Covid-19 second wave, power demands were expected to pick up in October. This, coupled with the festival season, would obviously see a large up-tick of power consumption. Currently, there is a shortfall during the evening peak hours of about 7,000 MW, most of it in Punjab, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Bihar. Many others are staring at impending blackouts.

Petrol/Diesel & Cooking Gas: Modi’s Weapons of Mass Loot

COOKING gas (LPG) cylinder prices were jacked up again a week back. Average price across four metros of the usual 14.2 kg cylinder is now an astonishing Rs906.38. One year ago, in October 2020, the cylinder’s average price was Rs604.63. This is data for Indane gas, as recorded in the website of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), a government undertaking.So, in just one year, its price has zoomed up by Rs301.75.

TN: State Level Conference against Privatisation and NMP

TRADE unions in the state conducted a special state conference against privatisation of public sector units.

The initiative for the meeting was taken by the CITU along with BEFI, AIIEA, BSNLEU, Port & Dock Employees Union, Transport Union, Electricity Board Union and Dakshin Railway Employees Union.

Vijayan of the electricity union welcomed the gathering.

Coal Shortage Crisis: Modi Government must Discharge its Responsibility

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India(Marxist) has issued the following statement on October 12, 2021THE Modi government seeks to deny its role in the massive shortfall of electricity generation that has hit the country. Currently, severe power cuts are extending to many hours in Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Bihar and Punjab, while many others, including Maharashtra, Kerala and Delhi, are staring at impending blackouts.

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