In Defence of Scientific Method in history

The 75th session of the Indian History Congress held at Jawaharlal Nehru University from December 28-30, passed the following resolution.

J&K: Tarigami Wins Kulgam Seat for Record 4th Term

AS we were going to the press last week, reports came in that Mohd Yusuf Tarigami, CPI(M) Central Committee member and secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir State Committee, had won the Kulgam Assembly seat for a fourth consecutive term by polling a total of 20,574 votes and defeating his nearest rival Nazir Ahmad Laway of PDP, who got 20,240 votes. In the 2008 elections, Tarigami had polled 17,175 votes and defeated Nazir Ahmad Laway by a margin of 237 votes. That means this time there is an increase in actual votes of CPI(M) by 3,399.

India-Vietnam: Growing Strategic Ties

THE two day official visit of the Vietnamese prime minister, Nguyen Tan Dung to India in the last week of October came within weeks after president Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Hanoi. Before the Indian president’s visit, the Indian external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj, was also in Hanoi. In fact, for the last couple of years, there have been frequent exchanges of high level exchange of visits. The Indian president’s visit to Vietnam in mid September coincided with Chinese president, Xi Jinping’s trip to India.

Oppose Authoritarian Anti-People Land Acquisition Ordinance

THE All India Kisan Sabha, in a statement issued on December 31 has condemned the BJP government’s undemocratic move to amend the Land Acquisition legislation through an ordinance by subverting the parliament. The move smacks of authoritarianism and is clearly aimed to promote profiteering and real estate speculation by the corporates and land mafia. It further dilutes the existing Act which itself was flawed and loaded heavily against interests of the peasantry, land owners and dependents on land. The ordinance ignores genuine concerns of farmers and millions of persons dependent on land.

What is Controversial about PK?

INDIAN film industry, very rarely and only occasionally produces socially relevant cinema. PK is one such film. The film has once again proved that fundamentalists have no religion. What else will explain the opposition to the film, bringing together the RSS, VHP, Hindu Mahasabha, Baba Ramdev, Swami Swaroopanand Shankracharya, Maulana Firangi Mahal and the Jamat-e-Islami Hind? Surprisingly, it took nearly a week after the film was released for the protesters to express their displeasure.

Compilation of Babari Masjid Documents

SPEAKING at a function to release the book Destruction of the Babari Masjid: A National Dishonour, eminent historian Professor Romila Thapar said that the present book, which is third in the series on the issue, has shed further light on this shameful incident and the divisive politics surrounding it. The preceding two volumes of the series have also been penned by A G Noorani.

RSS Demand for an Anti-Conversion Law and the Double Standards

THE shameful “bahulao, betibachao” slogan (get the bride, save the daughter) of RSS affiliate Bajrang Dal is claimed to be the “Hindu” counter to the so-called “love jihad” campaign led by it and other Hindutva groups that led to communal polarisation and violence against the minority community in Uttar Pradesh.

Comrade P R Menon A Tribute to My Comrade of Five Decades

IN July 1960, a couple of days after the unsuccessful nationwide strike of railwaymen, I was waiting for an audience with the Divisional Superintendent who had summoned me. I never imagined that the wait on that verandah would bring me in contact with a man who would become my closest comrade, companion and soul mate for over five decades. When my turn arrived, I went in and came out holding my suspension order – the consequence of participating actively in the strike.

JAMMU AND KASHMIR Glowing Tributes Paid to Late Abdul Gani Hafiz

IN a condolence meeting organised in Srinagar on December 21, the state committee of CPI(M) remembered one of its senior leaders and social activist, Abdul Gani Hafiz. The speakers highlighted the personal qualities, contribution and the principled behaviour of late Hafiz. His journalistic abilities, intellectual potential and strong desire for exploitation free and just society were mentioned in detail with an assertion that his life will inspire the young revolutionaries and guide them to the path of politics which is based on ideology and the collective good of humanity.

BJP Govt's Another blow to rural poor Regional Rural Banks are Privatised

THE BJP government has passed a bill in the Lok Sabha to reduce the combined share-holding of the central government and the sponsor banks in the Regional Rural Banks to 51% on December 22, 2014.

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