INSTEAD of fulfilling the demands of farmers for implementing loan waiver and minimum support price of cost of crop plus 50 per cent, which have been promised by the BJP in its election manifesto, the state government led by the BJP in Madhya Pradesh shoots the farmers. Then the chief minister goes on a fast. Can there be any more shameful mockery of democracy, asked CPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury. He was speaking at “Save Constitution Deshpremi Convention” organised by CPI(M) Karnataka state committee in Mysore on June 11.

IT was a historic struggle. And it culminated in an equally historic victory. It has already had its impact all over Maharashtra. And it will have its impact in the country.On June 11, 2017, the farmers of Maharashtra at last won the hard-fought battle for a loan waiver after a ten day unprecedented strike struggle that began on June 1, supported by a massive Maharashtra Bandh on June 5.

THE term “globalisation”, though much used, is extremely misleading, as is its presumed “other”, “nationalism”. This is because both terms are used as blanket terms without any reference to their class content, as if there can be only one kind of “globalisation” and only one kind of “nationalism”.

ALL India Agricultural Workers Union joins the All India Kisan Sabha, All India Democratic Women’s Association, Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch, CPI(M) and CPI in protesting against the government of India’s restrictions on selling of cattle from livestock markets all over the country to abattoirs.In a statement issued on June 9, AIAWU said that this restriction on sales will increase the number of cattle roaming all over the country, destroying a large part of the crops in fields as farmers are unable to feed those that can no longer provide milk.

INDIA’S banking system, which was robust enough to withstand the financial crisis of 2008, is facing yet another crisis today. The banks, particularly the public sector ones, are burdened with huge amounts of non-performing assets (NPAs), which are threatening the viability of the banking sector.In the last three years, under BJP rule at the centre, the NPAs of the banks have tripled - from Rs 2.3 lakh crores to Rs 6.8 lakh crores.