UNDER the neo-liberal economic policies in early 1990s, the then P V Narsimha Rao government had destroyed the public sector fertiliser industry step-by-step. Workers under the leadership of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) carried out protracted united struggles but the government did not respond to their demands. At the sole initiative of the unions, a techno economic revival plan was prepared, with the help of in-house experts, and submitted to the government. But the government ignored it.

NEO-LIBERAL ONSLAUGHT

THE people of the United Kingdom have voted in a historic referendum in favour of the country quitting the European Union (EU). Most of the mainstream media have been telling us that the campaign for Britain to leave the EU was entirely that of a far right lunatic fringe. This is far from the truth. While there were undoubtedly reactionary far right forces in the campaign such as the UK Independence Party (UKIP) which fomented xenophobia and racism, it should be obvious that most of the 17 million people who voted in favour of ‘Leave’ were not racists.

THE death of Muhammad Ali, the legend of world boxing, is an irreplaceable loss for the world of sports. He was three times world  heavyweight champion.  He won a gold medal in the Rome Olympics in 1960. Very few are considered unsurpassed geniuses in the world of sports – Jesse Owens, Nadia Comaneci, Pele, Maradona, Bradman, Federer – Muhammad Ali gained a celebrated place amongst them.

MODI government’s single biggest failure – betrayal is a better word for it – is on the jobs front. Two years ago Modi was voted to power because he promised again and again in his campaign speeches that the days of joblessness are going to be over soon, “achche din” (good times) are coming.

A DELEGATION comprising of Sanjay Parate, Chhattisgarh state secretary of CPI(M), Vineet Tiwari from Joshi-Adhikari Institute, CPI member, New Delhi, Archana Prasad from Jawaharlal Nehru University and CEC member of AIDWA, and Nandini Sundar, Delhi University visited Bastar Division from May 12-16, 2016. We visited the following districts: Bijapur, Sukma, Bastar and Kanker.  The focus of the visit was on the situation of ordinary villagers who are living through the conflict between the State and Maoists.