THE National Statistical Office (NSO) has decided not to release the quinquennial survey data on consumer expenditure for 2017-18. This is because these data, leaked by The Business Standard (November15) show a drop of 3.7 per cent in real per capita consumer expenditure between 2011-12 and 2017-18, from Rs 1,501 per month to Rs 1,446 per month (at 2009-10 prices).
THE two sets of questions in the Parliament to two different ministries on the Israeli software Pegasus being used to hack smartphones of Indian activists have drawn different replies. It makes clear that the government is hiding more than it is willing to reveal.
CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on November 21
THE Cabinet approval for the sale of government’s stake in the highly profit-making Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited(BPCL) is completely detrimental to India’s sovereignty. Along with BPCL, four other PSUs including the Shipping Corporation of India and the Container Corporation of India, THDCIL and the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation are on the block. The government will also cease management control of these PSUs.
The CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on November 21
THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) reiterates its opposition to the extension of the National Register of Citizens to the entire country. The home minister, Amit Shah, has announced in Parliament that an NRC will be created for the whole country and along with that the NRC will be repeated in Assam.
MILITANT and sustained protests have become the new norm in many countries. Just a few days back (November 17), the Yellow Vests (gilets jaunes) protests in France observed their first anniversary, protests in Haiti breached the ten-week mark, while the Chilean protests crossed thirty days, similarly in Lebanon and Iraq. On the other hand, Bolivia and Iran have now joined the long list of countries that are witnessing major protest demonstrations.
THE Kanpur communist conference held from December 26 to 28, 1925, was the first meeting on Indian soil, where almost all the communist groups and elements had joined. The idea of holding a conference involving different groups at Kanpur during the Congress session was first announced by Satyabhakta, who was not a member of any communist group of that period, in a leaflet dated June 18, 1925. Maulana Hasrat Mohani was the chairman of the reception committee for the conference.
THE National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) strongly condemns the brutal violence perpetrated by the Delhi Police on students and teachers of Jawaharlal Nehru University who were holding a peaceful protest against the massive hike in fees and their right to an affordable and accessible education on November 18.
ON November 19, joint platform of central trade unions comprising INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, LPF, SEWA, UTUC, AICCTU, TUCC and MEC has strongly condemned condemns the police action against the JNU students during their Parliament march. In this police action many students have sustained serious injuries and women students have been assaulted by male constables. We demand that action be taken against the police officials responsible for such an action.