THE Trump administration’s current clamp-down on free speech in the United States is eerily reminiscent of the 1950s when there had been a witch-hunt led by Senator Joseph McCarthy that had not only victimised a whole generation of artistes and intellectuals on the charge of being Communists, but had also left a deep negative imprint on the creative life of that country for decades to come.

THE NDA state government of Maharashtra led by BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis has introduced legislation in the state assembly called “Special Jana Suraksha Bill” (Special Public Safety Bill) aimed at brutally suppressing dissent and organised resistance to any of the state government policies and decisions. The purported objective of the Bill, in the words of CM Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, is to curtail “Urban Naxals”. The real objective of the Bill is to suppress the voice and acts of organised democratic resistance.

THOUSANDS of contractual workers in electricity departments in Tamil Nadu and Telangana staged big demonstrations on March 25, demanding job regularisation and fair wages. The protests, organised by the Electricity Employees Federation of India (EEFI) and its constituents, witnessed significant participation from contract workers across both states.In Tamil Nadu, the COTEE led a day-long dharna at 13 Regional Chief Engineers' Offices and three thermal power stations, drawing over 6,300 workers.

HUNDREDS of people gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on March 21, to participate in a protest organised by the Palestine Solidarity Organisation against Israel’s brutal attacks on Gaza. The demonstration saw significant participation from students, who raised their voices against the atrocities committed by Israel on the Palestinian people.Addressing the protest, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Subhashini Ali sharply criticised the Indian government’s silence on the ongoing Israeli aggression.

THE 2025-26 Kerala Budget anticipates revenue generation of Rs 2 lakh crore and proposes an expenditure of an equivalent amount. This means Kerala’s budget has grown to the size of Rs 2 trillion.Even minute changes in society have been analysed, and the global situation has been accurately assessed while formulating strategies for Kerala’s future. The budget takes a serious view of key trends in the state, such as rapid urbanisation, a growing senior citizen population, increasing emigration, and a drastic decline in birth rates.