MH17 Tragedy: Missing Evidence

THE shooting down on July 17 of the Malaysian airliner MH17, killing all the 283 passengers and 15 crew members, undoubtedly is one of the most unfortunate consequences of the civil war in Ukraine. The world should have responded with an independent investigation, possibly under International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) or any international agency. Instead, the tragic incident is being used by the US and its allies in tandem with Ukraine's Poroshenko regime to launch a vicious attack on Russia and the federalists in Ukraine. What is missing in all this is a shred of evidence.

The Resurrection of Orthodoxy

THE social importance of the capitalist class arises from the fact that the level of activity and employment in a capitalist economy depends upon the “state of confidence” of the capitalists (or what Keynes had called their “animal spirits”). Marx had theorised that the capitalists, competing against one another (a competition or “rivalry” that does not disappear even when they collude), are caught in a Darwinian struggle where they are compelled to accumulate.

2 gone, 58 more! Better Start the Fight

NOW that elections are passe, the cloak and dagger activity of the BJP too seems to have outlived its utility. With comfortable majority in the parliament, they do not want to hide anything, everything is open. They are defining how India needs to be, what Indianness is and who stays in India.India, according to a Goan minister, Deepak Dhavlikar belonging to the regional outfit Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), an alliance partner of Bharatiya Janata Party, should be a Hindu state.

Catch them Young It is the Textbooks Once Again

AS the first full session of the newly elected parliament comes to a close, it has been clearly established that the economic path of the BJP government will not be any different from that of the Congress. On the contrary, the policy pronouncements of the BJP government betray its aggressive intent in furthering the neo-liberal policy trajectory.

Hold Time-bound Inquiry into True Causes of Malin Disaster

The tragedy is further compounded by the shocking reports that it could have been not a natural, but a man-made disaster which got accentuated by the particularly heavy rainfall.

FDI in Insurance: Appeasing US & Finance Capital

THE Modi government has extended a welcome gift to John Kerry, the US Secretary of State who is visiting India. The union cabinet has approved the raising of the FDI cap in the insurance sector from 26 percent to 49 percent. An amendment to the Insurance Laws will be placed in this session of parliament itself. This will fulfill a longstanding demand of the United States, as voiced repeatedly by the India-US business forum which was set-up during the UPA-1 government.

CPI(M) Organises Jyoti Basu Centenary Lecture

THE Communist Party of India (Marxist) organised a lecture by noted economist Prof. Prabhat Patnaik on "Capitalism, Inequality and Globalisation" in New Delhi's Constitution Club on July 30, as part of the Jyoti Basu birth centenary celebrations.

In his short welcome address, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said Jyoti Basu symbolised the working class movement in India and its achievements. He said Basu, who was first elected to the Bengal Provincial Assembly in 1946 from the Railway Workers constituency, was an outstanding leader of the Communist movement in India.

8th All India Conference of AIAWU Begins with a Huge Rally

THE nearly two month long rule of Narendra Modi has starkly exposed its anti-people character and its pro-corporateness, said Tripura chief minister and CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Manik Sarkar. The NDA government was taking forward UPA's anti-people policies much more forcefully. With both corporates and RSS actually running the government from behind, there is imminent danger of communalism spreading across the country. He called upon the working class, peasantry, poor and other downtrodden sections of the society to unite and resist this harmful agenda of Modi government.

LAND STRUGGLES: CAG Report Provides Hard Evidence Why the Land Acquisition Law Should Not Be Diluted

For the first time, a comprehensive audit of land acquisition for industrial projects is available. Though it studies only Orissa, it holds vital lessons for the nation. IT took India upwards of a century to pass a new land acquisition law. But it might take the country less than a year to dilute it. Within weeks of coming to power, the National Democratic Alliance government has proposed 19 amendments to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013.

The Week in Parliament

DURING the second week of Budget Session both the houses witnessed disruptions over the issue of Indian journalist meeting the terror mastermind Hafiz-Saeed. On this, the external affairs minister made a statement condemning the meeting and said the government had sought a report on the engagements of the journalist in Pakistan during his three week stay there.

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