A Bold Step: Dalit Priests in Kerala

WHEN 22 year-old Yedu Krishnan began his priestly functions at the sanctum sanctorum of the Shiva temple at Valanjavattom in Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, it was a historic first – a dalit priest at a major temple in Kerala.The Travancore Devaswom Recruitment Board (TDRB) decided to appoint six dalits as priests along with 30 other non-Brahmin priests. The Board, which manages more than 1200 temples, functions under the supervision of the state government. The reservation for backward classes and dalits was instituted for the first time.This is a major step taken to ensure that brahm

Is the BJP President’s Son above Scrutiny?

BJP president Amit Shah’s son, Jay Shah, has become the centre of a case of crony capitalism and questions are being raised about business malfeasance. According to a well-researched report in “The Wire”, an online news portal, Jay Shah owned a private limited company, Temple Enterprise Pvt Ltd, which had a revenue of only Rs 50,000 in 2014-15 but which rose to a turnover of Rs 80.5 crore in 2015-16, which is a 16,000 fold rise. The company had unsecured loans of Rs 16.78 crore from a financial services firm. However, in October 2016, the company abruptly wound up its business.An

Road Transport Workers to participate in the TU Mahapadav

THE All India Co-Ordination Committee of Road Transport Workers’ Organisations in a statement issued on October 6, has called upon the transport workers in the country to participate in the Mahapadav from November 9-11, in New Delhi in protest against the MV Act Amendment Bill. It also appealed to all the transport workers in the country to observe protest actions as and when the bill will be introduced in the Rajya Sabha. After the three-day Mahapadav, future course of action will be announced.

CPI(M) Protests Against RSS-BJP Violence

HUNDREDS of activists of CPI(M) led by general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Polit Bureau members Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat, S Ramachandran Pillai and BV Raghavalu, marched from Vithal Bhai Patel House, Delhi state party office of CPI(M) to BJP headquarters on October 9, protesting against the killing of CPI(M) cadres by RSS-BJP in Kerala.

Pesticide Poisoning: Cases Filed against Pesticide Companies After 35 Farmers Die

CASES were filed against pesticide companies and Krishi Seva Kendras in the Vidarbha region after almost 35 farmers died from inhaling chemicals that were sprayed on BT cotton crops.In the span of three months several hundred farmers were hospitalised, out of which more than 40 are in critical condition.Kishore Tiwari, chief of Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavlamban Mission (Maharashtra state-run task force to address farmer distress), said, “After 18 farmers died due to pesticide poisoning in Yavatmal district, deaths were also registered in Akola, Amravati, Buldana, Nagpur and Bhandara districts

Reservations for Dalit Priests: DSMM Congratulates Kerala Government

IN a letter written to Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala, on October 8,The Dalit Shoshan Mukthi Manch has congratulated the government of Kerala for appointing priests belonging to dalit and other backward communities to various temples of Kerala. DSMM congratulated the chief minister and the state government for taking this path-breaking initiative, which will serve as a model for the entire country. Nowhere in the country such a radical step has been taken to eradicate the caste system and reduce the discrimination that the dalits face.

Fiftieth Anniversary of Che Guevara: A Human Par Exemplar

On October 8, 1967, Che Guevara was killed by CIA backed Bolivian armed forces. Fidel Castro led a huge Memorial Rally in Havana on October 18, 1967 and paid tributes to the martyr. Below we publish the excerpts from his speech.

WEST BENGAL: BPMO Prepares for Massive Marches

MASS organisations in West Bengal are preparing for a massive campaign-agitation march, raising the demands of all sections of people. The march, like jathas, will actually consist of numerous local level marches, culminating into district and region-wise longer marches and finally merging into massive public meetings. More than 100 mass organisations, including trade unions, peasants’ organisations, student-youth-women organisations and representative organisations of different sections of people will participate in the march under the banner of Bengal Platform of Mass Organisations.

AIDWA Team Visits BHU Students

MADHU Garg, Malti Devi, Seema Rana (state president, general secretary and joint secretary of AIDWA Uttar Pradesh committee) and I visited Varanasi on October 4-5. After the tremendous agitation launched by the women students against the apathy of the Banaras Hindu University administration towards rampant sexual harassment on the campus and the brutal attack on them by the police on the night of September 23, the university had been abruptly shut. It re-opened on the 2nd and we went to meet students and faculty members.The UP government and the district administration continue to view an

CPI(M) Greets Communist Party China on its 19th National Congress

Below we publish the message of greetings sent by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held from October 18 in Beijing.DEAR Comrades,The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) conveys its warm fraternal greetings to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.This 19th Congress will review the party’s work over the past five years and summarize precious experiences that the party has gained from the historical process of uniting and leading people of all ethnic group

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