ASHA Workers March to Parliament

OVER six thousand ASHA workers from 11 states marched from Ram Lila Maidan and collected at Jantar Mantar to submit around 50 lakh signatures on a memorandum to the central government.

AIDWA Welcomes Triple Talaq Judgment

THE All India Democratic Women’s Association has welcomed the majority judgement in “Shayara Bano v. Union of India and Ors” WP (C) No. 118/2016, in which the Supreme Court has held that triple talaq is arbitrary and un-constitutional. AIDWA, in a statement issued on August 22, has said that it always opposed the unilateral, arbitrary, irrevocable and instantaneous triple talaq, which has always adversely affected the lives of millions of Muslim women.

MAHARASHTRA: AIDWA Exhibition on Women Freedom Fighters Hailed

AIDWA pays its homage to one of its founders, Captain Laxmi Sehgal on July 23 to mark her death anniversary. This year, the period from July 23 to August 15 and beyond is being observed throughout the country with the poster exhibition about the life and work of prominent Left women freedom fighters and martyrs who sacrificed their lives for a free, democratic, secular and socialist India.

Adani Import Fraud of 2014 and its Continuing Dividend

THE Adanis are again in the news, this time for importing transmission equipment from Japan, China and South Korea, hiking its price through an Adani intermediary in Dubai, and transferring the difference to the off-shore haven, Mauritius.

Modi’s Fealty to United States

THE Modi government is getting into a deeper strategic embrace with the United States. It appears Narendra Modi will do his utmost to endear himself to the Trump establishment.On August 15, there was a telephonic conversation between Donald Trump and Narendra Modi. Trump had called Modi to congratulate him on India’s independence day but the talk outlined some of the new steps in the relations between the two countries.

Triple Talaq Verdict: A Step Forward

THE five-member Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has struck down instant triple talaq as illegal and violative of the rights of Muslim women. This majority verdict by 3 to 2 is a victory for Muslim women who have suffered under the arbitrary use of talaq-e-bidat which is instant talaq.Amongst the majority of three, two of the judges have argued that instant triple talaq is violative of the fundamental right to equality enshrined in Article 14 of the constitution, while the third judge has said it is illegal as it is not sanctioned by the Quran and Islamic religious practice.

Jammu and Kashmir: Deletion of Article 35-A will Threaten J&K’s Distinct Identity

SINCE Article 35-A of the Indian Constitution which confers some special privileges on the permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir has become a very hot topic, we need to go back in history and trace the genesis of the present conspiracy which aims at the deletion of this provision. It is essential to note that the accession of J&K to the Indian Union was made under special circumstances and was distinct in comparison to other states.

THINKING TOGETHER

What is the CPI(M)s stand on the recent guidelines issued by the Supreme Court with respect to filing of cases under Section 498A of the CrPc? Is it not a fact that this section is used to harass innocent men and their family members? Ramchandra Pathak, LucknowIN the last decade of the 1970s, a parliamentary committee travelled around the country taking submissions about needed amendments to the laws regarding dowry abuse and rape. After considerable thought and consultation, amendments to these laws were made and Section 498A was added to the Anti Dowry legislation.

THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT

IN the concluding week of the monsoon session, there was a special discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement in both the houses. In the Rajya Sabha, Sitaram Yechury said this was a very solemn occasion to recollect not only the history but also the purpose and what was it that made it a successful movement. Highlighting the role of the Communists in the freedom struggle, he said in the Cellular Jail today, eighty per cent of the names that are written there, are all Communists from Bengal or the undivided Punjab.

TELANGANA: Journalists Condemn CM’s Dictatorial Attitude

SPEAKER after speaker called for unity among the journalists fraternity to fight the onslaught of the Chandrasekhar Rao government which was threatening the freedom of press.The speakers lambasted the TRS government for adopting a dictatorial attitude towards the journalists at a round table meeting on "Government's attitude towards media and journalists" at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Hyderabad on August 11. The meeting was attended by senior journalists representing different working journalists unions, trade union leaders, women activists and NGOs.

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