THE peasantry in Rajasthan faces very difficult conditions not only due to the climate which swings from -3 degree centigrade to +50 degree centigrade but also because two thirds of the state is not irrigated. On top of this, the policies of the centre and the state have made the condition of the peasantry much worse. The government is not buying crops at the minimum support price.During these years, it is the falling prices of their produce rather than the famine, which has led to a grave crisis for the peasantry in the state.
THE coordination committee of Bhumi Adhikar Andolan which met in New Delhi has decided to intensify the ongoing farmers struggle and called up on the peasantry to participate in large numbers in the district rally, jail bharo programme across the country on August 9.This will be the largest action as part of the ongoing farmers struggle and will be organised in all the states in the country. BAA has requested active support of central trade unions to make the strike action a success. Peasantry, working class and all other sections of the toiling mass will attend the protest rally.
GIVING a sense of relief to the people of the state, the IPFT has been compelled to withdraw its indefinite blockade of national highway and rail track on July 21st morning. Thus this movement that started with deception on an absurd demand, also ended in a hoax.
THE coordination committee of farmers’ organisations had decided to organise large joint peasant conventions for mass awakening (janjaagran) in major districts all over the state from July 10-23. The report of the first few conventions was carried in these columns last week.A total of 15 massive joint conventions of farmers took place in all the five regions of Maharashtra – northern Maharashtra, Konkan, Vidarbha, Marathwada and Western Maharashtra – from July 10-23. Over 40,000 farmers took enthusiastic part in all these conventions despite the sowing season in the monsoons.
CPI(M) has organised a state wide campaign and protest on July 19 against the centre’s strategic partnership with Israel. Modi government has been trying to derail the foreign policy pursued by the country for past several decades. The protest is organised in the wake of Modi’s recent visit to Israel. CPI(M) has appealed all democratic forces to protest against the centre’s decision to make Israel a strategic partner of India.
THE entire top brass of BJP’s state leadership is under fire for massive corruption charges against them. The storm was triggered when an internal enquiry commission report which reveals that Rs 5.6 crores have been taken as bribe, was leaked by a section of leaders. The report said that the money was received by the leaders to illegally arrange the sanction from Indian Medical Council to a self financing medical college floated in Cherpulasseri in Palakkad district by some businessmen.
THE presidential elections in Iran on May 19 saw the re-election of President Hassan Rouhani for a second term of office. As was widely expected by most Iranian observers, this was the most convenient outcome for the theocratic regime in Tehran. The election, from the opening of nominations, the vetting of candidates, the televised debates, during a three-week-long campaign, followed the normal practice of a carefully state-managed show.
SLOGANS of ‘Justice for Gudiya’ reverberated the air in Shimla demanding proper investigation into the horrendous rape and murder of a 10th class school girl, in Kotkhai who got the acronym of Gudiya meaning a doll or daughter. Since July 4, when Gudiya went missing, the district of Shimla initially and then many parts of the state saw massive protests in support of the foremost demand of proper investigation and action against the real culprits who according to the people were at large.Gudiya went missing on July 4.
IT is indeed ironical that just a day after the ILO facilitated a national stakeholders meeting on a proposed National Policy for Domestic Workers for the government of India at New Delhi on July 11, the incidents of violence and repression in Noida happened after the news spread that a domestic worker had been wrongfully confined by her employer in a posh apartment complex.