Nationwide Farmers Struggle Set to Intensify on Republic Day

THE unprecedented nationwide farmers struggle led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha(SKM) is set to greatly intensify as it completes two months on Republic Day, January 26, 2021. The ‘kisan parade’ in the form of a huge tractor march on the Outer Ring Road to Delhi will undoubtedly be the most massive form of farmers’ resistance since independence. It will have tens of thousands of tractors and over a million farmers.

Occupational Safety Code Rules Ignore Workers, Serve Interests of Employers

THE Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified draft rules under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHWC) Code on November 19, 2020, inviting objections and suggestions, if any, from the public. Accordingly, the CITU submitted its objections within the stipulated time debunking the draft rules in totality.

Forced Consent and no Transparency Can Create a Backlash Against Vaccines

THE drug regulator's hurried emergency clearance to Bharat Bio-tech's Covaxin in a clinical trial mode has been followed by the government making it integral to its mass vaccination drive. It has bought 1.1 crore doses of Serum Institute-Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and another 55 lakh from Bharat Biotech. According to the government, neither states nor individuals will have a choice with regards to vaccines.

Republic Day: Resolve to Fight for Citizens Rights

WHEN the pogrom against minorities in Gujarat was raging in 2002, the then President of India, K R Narayanan had remarked to a delegation which met him seeking intervention, that: “The Constitution is not working in Gujarat”. Narendra Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat at that time.Now, nearly two decades later and nearly seven years of the prime ministership of Modi, it can be said that the Constitution is not working in large parts of the country and in various sections of the polity.As we observe the 71st Republic Day, it would be instructive to see what has happened to the fundamen

Thousands of Women Lead Protests on Mahila Kisan Divas

THERE was massive and enthusiastic participation of thousands of women all across the country on Mahila Kisan Divas on January 18. Six national women’s organisations – All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA), Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan (PMS), All India Agragami Mahila Samiti (AIAMS) and All India Mahila Sanskritik Sangathan (AIMSS) had decided to hold joint protests on January 18 to express solidarity with the farmers’ struggle.

Kerala: Preparing the State’s Economy for the ‘New Normal’ Post Pandemic

THE ways we live our lives are changing drastically because of the pandemic, environmental disasters, and the global economic crisis. Whether we like it or not, almost all spheres of life are witnessing the emergence of a new normal. A return to the old normal is ruled out. The Kerala budget for 2021-22 is a brave effort to take on the challenges of the post-pandemic order. Notably, the budget is well informed by a thorough understanding of the pattern of changes occurring in different spheres of life.

CTUs Rejects Govt Move to Frame Rules on Labour Codes

THE joint platform of central trade unions(CTU) have outrightly rejected the move of the government to frame rules on the labour codes which were passed in the Parliament without any discussion with the central trade unions or in the Parliament when all the opposition members of Parliament were absent as they were on boycott demanding the withdrawal of expulsion of some MPs.Some MPs had even given in writing to the government that the labour codes should not be placed in a hurry and that there is a need for serious discussions on such an important matter with trade unions and also inside th

Greetings to the 13th Congress of the CPV

The CPI(M) has sent the following message to the 13th Congress of the CPV on January 14, 2021.Dear Comrades,THE Communist Party of India (Marxist) greets the 13th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and wishes it all success.We note that the 13th Congress of the CPV will be discussing the experiences of 35 years of the implementation of Doi Moi and the 30 years of the implementation of the Political Platform on National Reconstruction, apart from reviewing the implementation of the decisions of the last Party Congress and planning for the next five yea

AP: Adani Management Victimises Krishnapatnam Port Workers

THE Krishnapatnam Port Company Limited (KPCL) management has been found to be violating labour laws. This is the second biggest industry in AP after the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. CITU affiliated union had raised voice against this and made a complaint to the labour department. On December 31, 2020, in a joint meeting on our union’s complaint, the principal secretary of labour department of AP, Udaya Lakshmi noted that it is shameful for the state of Andhra Pradesh that labour laws are not implemented in Krishnapatnam Port (KPCL).

Farmers Around the World Stand-in solidarity with Indian Kisans

WITH the ongoing peasant struggle in India, the global Indian diaspora, especially those with roots in Punjab and Haryana, people of the Indian descent, are protesting in favour of the kisan movement where Indian farmers are fighting against new anti-farmer legislation which was recently passed by the Indian government. These farm laws were passed without any consultation from farmers, farmers unions or agricultural or environmental experts.

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