Chill in Bar Scam, Chandy Faces Solar Heat

THE turmoil in Kerala’s ruling establishment over bar bribery and solar scams continued with the state witnessing a series of fresh revelations made by the solar case accused while deposing before a judicial commission, strictures from the vigilance court and resignation and subsequent re-induction of excise minister K Babu, fresh charges made by bar owners against home minister Ramesh Chennithala and health minister V S Shivakumar, Saritha’s new set of bribery allegations against MLAs in the chief minister’s camp, and a contempt of court case against the information and culture minister.

Thousands Take to Streets against TMC Govt

THOUSANDS of people hit the streets across West Bengal on January 28 and staged demonstrations in district administrative headquarters over various issues, including the attack on democratic forces, on the call the Left Front. Demonstrations were held in 19 districts of the state on that day. Malda district organised this program a day before on January 27.The gatherings in all the districts were huge. After public meetings, memorandums were handed over by delegations.

Glorious Tributes Paid to Com Harkishan Singh Surjeet

P SUNDARAYYA Memorial Trust and the All India Kisan Sabha organised a memorial meeting on the occasion of the birth centenary of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, revolutionary leader of the peasantry, toiling masses and Communist Movement on January 31, 2016 in the office premises of the AIKS. Floral tributes were paid to the legendary leader amidst shouting of slogans.

CTUs to Hold All India Protest Day on March 10

The central trade unions reviewed the drastically deteriorating conditions of work and life of the working people and the government’s going ahead with labour law amendments, disinvestment of PSUs and allowing FDI in strategic sectors. The government, it appears, does not want to wait for legislating these anti-worker labour law amendments; it is taking away the rights of workers by way of executive orders and directing the state governments to carry out such pro-management amendments.

Arunachal Pradesh: Misuse of Article 356

THE imposition of President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh is an assault on the federal principle and yet another misuse of Article 356. The BJP government at the centre and the state governor J P Rajkhowa have played a sordid role in the whole episode.

The political crisis in Arunachal Pradesh began in November last year when a group of MLAs belonging to the ruling Congress party revolted. They approached the governor for impeachment of the speaker of the assembly.

A Besmirched Chief Minister

THE spectacle of a chief minister steeped in a corruption scandal and brazenly refusing to resign is unfolding in Kerala. The Congress Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, has been embroiled in the solar panel scam, from the outset, since it was exposed two and a half years ago. The scamsters, Biju Radhakrishnan and his partner Saritha Nair, were found to be operating in collusion with the personal staff of the chief minister. When the scam was exposed, three of the personal staff were clearly seen to be involved.

Cast Away Caste Discrimination

THE suicide of Rohith Vemula, a research scholar, has stirred an intense debate on the conditions of dalit students in Indian universities and educational institutions. Many new instances that were earlier sought to be hushed up, saw the light of the day, like the travails of Mahesh Balmiki, an IIT- BHU (Banaras Hindu University) student, who thought of selling his kidney to pay off his loans. He states that he could not find a buyer “because they ask for the caste of the donor”. A dalit kidney might not function similar to that of an upper-caste kidney!

Huge Rally Demands Closure of Liquor Shops in AP

A huge rally was held in Vijayawada, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, on January 8 by a broad united front formed to oppose the state’s liquor policy. The rally was followed by a seminar on the issue. The rally began at Hanumanta Rao Library and marched through several major thoroughfares of the city before culminating at Lenin Centre. The rally demanded withdrawal of the state government’s liquor policy, compensation for the kin of those died at an early age for liquor consumption and restricting the sale of liquor.

Abe's visit: Solidifying Trilateral US-Japan-India Axis

THE Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has become a frequent visitor to India, was in the Indian capital yet again, in the second week of December. This is his third visit to India since taking over as prime minister. Abe had struck a good personal rapport with the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Japan and India have grown extremely close during the ten years of UPA rule. New Delhi's tilt towards the anti-China alliance led by the United States and Japan alliance had started during the UPA rule.

MAHARASHTRA: Enthusiastic SFI State Convention in Jalna

THE SFI held its Maharashtra state convention at Jalna on December 30, 2015 – the 45th foundation anniversary of the SFI. There were 174 delegates from 10 districts of Maharashtra who represented a membership till then of 50,454, which will increase further till the all India conference. The convention started with an impressive student rally that gave slogans saluting Comrade Anna Bhau Sathe - a great cultural activist and writer who was one of the pillars of the cultural movement during the Samyukta Maharashtra struggle.

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