CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on May 8, 2019

THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) expresses its deep sense of disappointment over the Election Commission of India’s order to hold the elections void in 168 booths for the Tripura West parliamentary constituency and hold re-poll in these booths. There had been widespread rigging and prevention of voters exercising their franchise by the ruling BJP during polls held on April 11.

IF Indians were to vote on the basis of just the number of schemes that were introduced by BJP government, there is no doubt BJP would win hands down in the ongoing elections.

BUDDHADEB Bhattacharjee, former chief minister of West Bengal, in an exclusive interview to Ganashakti, said that the demolition of the Modi model, a concoction of virulent communalism and crony capitalism, is the most important responsibility of the people of this country. He said that the time is favourable to assemble all the anti-communal forces on one platform to fight against this fascist dispensation currently ruling the country.

IN the 70 years since the national capital’s journalists came together to form a union, the nation’s media and the media community have grown by leaps and bounds. We have seen change, growth, attrition, expansion, retrenchments and closures of media establishments as well as the sprouting of start ups. While the media’s outreach and power has never been as extensive as it is today, the challenges before journalists have never been as stark.

STATISTICS show that the period of neoliberal economic policy in India has witnessed a much higher rate of GDP growth compared to the earlier dirigiste period, indeed almost double the previous rate. They also show that the rate of agricultural growth, especially of foodgrains, in the neoliberal period has been distinctly lower than in the previous period.