BELOW we present a report released by a group of people who visited Kashmir valley after the abrogation of crucial provisions of Article 370 and 35 A of the constitution by the parliament. This group comprised, Jean Drèze-economist, Kavita Krishnan-CPI(M-L), Maimoona Mollah-AIDWA and  Vimal Bhai-NAPM.

WITH unprecedented speed – between August 5 and August 9 – the BJP government at the Centre amended the Constitution, dissolved and dismantled the State of Jammu and Kashmir and brought its entire geographical territory and 1.25 crore population under its direct control.

82,000 defence employees working in the 41 ordnance factories of our country started one month strike on August 20. More than 40,000 contract workers have also joined the strike. The strike started as scheduled at 6 o’clock in the morning on August 20, 2019, despite the threats by the government. The defence employees have only one demand – ‘Withdraw the unilateral decision taken to corporatise the ordnance factories in violation of the agreement and assurances given by the government of India’.

THE 5th state conference of the AIDWA Chattisgarh state was inaugurated by Mariam Dhawale on August 11. She said the struggle for equality is a struggle against feudalism and patriarchal values in the society. Targeting the BJP, she said that the BJP is a party that believes in and also practices feudal and patriarchal values. During BJP’s regime, the attacks on the women have increased; the BJP has unashamedly come forward to defend the culprits of Unnao and Kathua rape and murder cases.

A ROUND table conference was organised on July 28, 2019 in Sundarayya Vignana Kendram against extraction of Uranium in Amrabad region in Nallamala forest. State secretaries of CPI, CPI(M) and other Left leaders along with many other intellectuals and scientists and environmentalists participated in the discussion. They demanded that extraction of Uranium be stopped forthwith.