IN the late nineteen sixties and the early nineteen seventies, an argument used to be put forward by theorists of Social Democracy that went as follows. In any society, wealth inequality is always greater than income inequality; but if this income inequality is curtailed, then that ipso facto has the effect of curtailing wealth inequality as well, and that too quite substantially.

IF at all there was any reconfirmation that was ever needed on the score that there is virtually no difference – virtuality lies in the semantic verbiage – on matters of economic policy between the Congress and the BJP, it has come in the RSS/BJP’s prime ministerial prospect’s address at the recently held BJP’s national council meeting.

THE entire country is aspiring for a pro-people alternative at the centre, sans the Congress and the BJP. The Congress party, at the helm of power continuously for two terms now, has utterly failed to address the basic problems that pinch the people most. Its neo-liberal policies have caused havoc to the people’s livelihood. However, the BJP, though it is trying to cash in on the people’s anger against the Congress misrule, is equally infamous insofar as misrule and corruption are concerned.

ON January 15, CPI(M) activists staged a huge protest demonstration at Kulgam in South Kashmir against the irregular power supply, dismal functioning of the public distribution system (PDS), scarcity of essential commodities and safe drinking water. 

The protesting activists marched from the Bus Stand to the Mini Secretariat, carrying placards and banners, shouting slogans. The procession culminated in a demonstration and rally at the Mini Secretariat, which was addressed by various party leaders.

THE eighth conference of Central Zone Insurance Employees Association (CZIEA) called upon insurance employees across the country to work for formation of such a government at the centre that would have a positive attitude towards the working class movement and that would be opposed to neo-liberal policies. It also called for exposing the ulterior motive of the corporate India to divide the Indian political landscape into a BJP-Congress affair.