Extensive Campaign against Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill

INSURANCE employees under the banner of South Zone Insurance Employees’ Federation (SZIEF) met five lakh people in the state of Tamilnadu on one single day on 11th December. This was as part of the struggle against attempts to raise foreign direct investment cap in insurance sector from existing 26 per cent to 49 per cent, and to destabilise the public sector General Insurance companies through disinvestment. All these have been proposed in the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill that is before parliament now.

US Treatment Outrageous

Prakash Karat, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on December 18:

THE arrest and the treatment meted out to the Indian Deputy Consul General in New York, Devyani Khobragade, by the American authorities was outrageous. It indicates how the US administration views India and its diplomats.

The Ugly American

IT’S a long time since one heard the Indian government raise its voice against the US. Surprising, for a change! Of course, what is not surprising is the conduct of the US. Way back, in 1958, was published a novel, The Ugly American, which dealt with the arrogance of the US diplomats and State department officials. Though the novel deals about their arrogance in the countries in which they were posted, particularly the Third World countries of Asia and Africa, what is true is their arrogance even while dealing with the people of these countries posted in the US.

Adivasi Adhikar Manch Holds State Convention

THE Adivasi Adhikar Manch organised a state level convention at Dumka in Jharkhand on November 24, 2013 at Shahid Siddhu-Kanhu Nagar, while the stage was rechristened as the Birsa Munda Manch. The convention was filled with zeal to unify the tribals against the various fundamentalist and opportunist groups that are trying to drive a wedge between tribals on religious grounds, i.e. between the Christians and the followers of the Sarna cult.

Fifty Years of Irfan Habib’s The Agrarian System of Mughal India

PROFESSSOR Irfan Habib’s landmark work The Agrarian System of Mughal India: 1556-1707 (1963), recently completed its fifty years in publication. On this occasion the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, JNU, had organised a discussion on the book on December 6, 2013. The occasion saw Professor Satish Chandra, Farhat Hasan, Utsa Patnaik, Shireen Moosvi, Najaf Haider and the author himself coming together to speak on the book.

Why Do We Have A Price Rise?

WITH the November 2013 figure for inflation rising to a 14-month high for wholesale prices at 7.52 percent over last year, with food prices soaring to 19.93 percent and fuel and power by 11.08 percent, one need not be surprised at the disastrous defeat of the Congress in the recent elections in five states, with a fledgling party, the AAP, trouncing the Congress in Delhi and preventing the BJP from gaining a majority only reflects the anger of the people against the results of the policies favouring profiteers both by the Congress and the BJP.

AIPSO Condemns US Treatment

THE All India Peace and Solidarity Organisation (AIPSO) condemns the shameful way in which the US authorities had treated senior Indian diplomat Devayani Khobragade. This is in utter violation of the Vienna Convention principles that guide the diplomatic conduct of various countries towards each other. This incident smacks of contempt the US holds over the sovereignty and self-respect of the developing countries like India and their diplomatic officials.

On the Apex Court’s Verdict Regarding S 377 IPC

IN a statement issued on December 11, AIDWA expressed deep disappointment at the Supreme Court judgment which upholds Section 377 of the IPC. It is shocking that inspite of the Union of India (along with the petitioners) arguing in favour of a reading down of S 377, the SC has upheld this draconian and discriminatory section that illegalised same sex relations and other forms of consensual sex. The section is also in contradiction with the recently amended rape and sexual laws.

Congress will Suffer Miserable Defeat: Karat

THE non-Congress and non-BJP parties may play an active role in defeating the Congress and keeping the BJP at bay. CPI(M) shall try to unite such parties and form a secular alternative government at the centre. The performance of the Congress may be so dismaying it would be far away from the position to form a government at the centre.

DYFI, SFI Hold Statewide Rally in Mumbai

THOUSANDS of youth and students thronged the streets of Mumbai on November 29, 2013 demanding employment and education opportunities. They were singing and drumming in protest. Slogans condemning the state and central governments filled the air. Protesters had gathered from Thane, Solapur, Pune, Beed, Aurangabad, Jalna, Nanded, Raigad, Mumbai and several other districts of Maharashtra, demanding government action against rapid commercialisation of education and acute unemployment in the state.

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