US Trade War on China Takes a Corona Viral Turn

THE Trump administration has expanded the trade war against China to now include the Covid-19 pandemic. With more than a million already infected in the US and about sixty thousand dead, Trump’s assertions in February that this is just a small flu has now been replaced by China did it, even talking about making China pay reparations. A part of this is Trump’s dire need to scapegoat someone, or some country, for the US total incompetence in handling the Covid-19 epidemic. But that is not all.

CITU Calls Upon Frontline Workers to Observe Demands Day on May 14

AS Covid-19 cases increase in the country, there has been an alarming rise in the number of frontline workers getting infected with the deadly virus, mainly due to the lack of safety gears. At least four senior doctors have reportedly died so far due to the novel coronavirus. Nurses and other hospital employees, including sanitation workers at the bottom of the hierarchy, who are more prone to infection are getting infected in large scale. Many hospitals had to be closed.The worst sufferers are the scheme workers, who are treated as ‘volunteers’ when it comes to the question of wages.

The Reality behind Write-Off of 68,607 crore rupees

THE information of write off of Rs 68,607 crores of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) from 50 top wilful defaulters obtained from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under Right to Information Act (RTI) by Saket Gokhale has been widely shared in the media throughout the country. This news has evoked many arguments, discussions and explanations in the social media. A section of the people argues that “it is only a technical write off; it does not mean that the borrowers would be allowed to go scot free.

Redevelopment of Central Vista-Futile Exercise and Waste of Money

A FASCIST leader wants to leave an imprint of his glory; the footprint does not just limit to the polity, rather extends to a wide spectrum that includes art and architecture. If the construction of Volksshalle was the idea of Hitler, designed and planned by Albert Speer, the proposal of construction of a new parliament building along with the redevelopment of the Central Vista in Delhi by Modi and his prime architect, Bimal Patel is another parallel, to a similar idea.

A Dangerous Course

DESPITE repeated demands by the states, the centre still has not released what is their legitimate due, namely the compensation for their revenue loss owing to the introduction of GST; this has not been paid since August. Meanwhile the Covid-19 pandemic, while adding to the responsibilities of the state governments, has dried up their revenues owing to the lockdown. The main sources of revenue now left to them, leaving aside GST, are taxes on petro-products and alcohol, and stamp duty.

CPI(M) with the People in Combating this Pandemic

THE relaxation of restrictions from May 4 onwards, even as the national lockdown continues till May 17, as was widely anticipated, led to a record peaking of the Covid positive cases and consequent deaths. On May 5, India recorded 3875 new cases in a single day spike, 2.5 times higher than the daily average increase over the past week. The highest number of deaths recorded are between May 4/5 - 194.

War on Workers

THE war on the Covid-19 virus is quickly transforming into a war against the working class in India. In parliament, in March this year, the government had stated that there are estimated to be around 100 million (10 crore) inter-state migrant workers. A vast majority of them would have lost their livelihoods with the lockdown being imposed. They have lost their places of stay and were driven to desperation by lack of food and shelter for their families.

TRIPURA: CPI(M) Team Visits People Hit by Natural Calamity

WHILE Tripura is under a lockdown to combat the coronavirus, some parts of the northeastern state were devastated by gale and unprecedented hailstorm. One of the worst affected areas was Jampaijala sub-division of Sepahijala district. This sub-division is largely tribal populated and its headquarters is 50 km from the state capital, Agartala.Before the last assembly election, the normal atmosphere of peace and democracy was disturbed by anti-Left forces active there amongst the tribals.

The Truth about Palghar Lynching

LAST week, on the night of April 16, a shocking case of mob lynching took place in Gadchinchle village of Dahanu tehsil in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, around 150 kilometres from Mumbai. This incident must be strongly condemned and strict punishment meted out to those proved guilty.What were the facts of the case? Why did it occur? And what is its political fallout? WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED?Two sadhus with their driver were going by car from Mumbai to Surat to attend a funeral. Their names were Mahant Kalpavruksha Giri (70), Sushilgiri Maharaj (35) and Naresh Yelgade.

DELHI: Survey of Migrant Workers under Covid Lockdown

SOON AFTER the lockdown was declared on March 24, here in Delhi we were informed by the West Bengal state leadership of the CPI(M) that a large number of migrant workerswere making distress calls to their contacts in the Partyback home and seeking help. In consultation with comrades in West Bengal, it was decided that contacts of our trade union leaders in Delhi would be passed onto the workers in distress.

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