Labour Codes: Squeezing Wages to Raise Profits

On 21 November, 2025, the central government notified the four Labour Codes with the objective of bringing ‘flexibility’ into the world of labour. In response, workers and peasants across the country came out onto the streets, burned copies of the four Labour Codes; they have already started preparing for a General Strike.

Repeal of MGNREGA not a reform but a war on the poor

The BJP-led government has repealed the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, and in its place, has pushed through Parliament a new Bill titled Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Grameen). The government claims that this new law -- VB–G RAM (G) -- is part of its vision of Viksit Bharat.

Purna Swaraj, Communists and Hindutva Brigade

The adoption of the Purna Swaraj (complete independence) resolution by the Indian National Congress (INC) was a significant move in the saga of India's independence movement. At its forty-fourth session (December 26, 1929 – January 1, 1930), held in Lahore under the president ship of Jawaharlal Nehru, INC officially approved this resolution for the first time. On December 27, Gandhiji moved the resolution for complete independence at the Subject Committee meeting.

The RSS Network Exposed

For the first time, researchers have collected evidence to put together a picture of the shadowy network of organisations that are connected to the RSS – and the result is disturbing. They unearthed a network of 2500 organisations, that draw ideological, organisational and often financial sustenance from the Sangh. Of these 2500 organisations, 2240 are based in India while the rest are spread over 39 countries. They also developed a mapping of how these outfits are linked to each other, revealing the multi-layered connections to the parent RSS.

Pushing The Financial System In A Dangerous Direction

The BJP-led government has just got parliament to pass a legislation permitting up to 100 percent foreign equity-ownership in India’s insurance sector. This, the Prime Minister has announced, marks the beginning of a major “reform” in India’s financial sector, towards presumably much greater private, including foreign, ownership of financial institutions. This would doubtless mark a significant reversal of the policy towards this sector that has been pursued in the post-independence period.

Digital Personal Data Protection Rules: Strengthening Privacy or Enabling Surveillance

After a gap of 2½ years, we now have certain sections of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, backed by the Rules, ready for immediate implementation. While the state’s powers to surveil citizens come into effect immediately, the sections that protect citizens' privacy against big data companies and the state (or correct/delete incorrect data) have to wait another 18 months. Some data protection indeed!

The US War on Venezuela Began in 2001.

The United States had no problem with Venezuela per se, not with the country nor with its former oligarchy. The problem that the US government and its corporate class have is with the process set in motion by the first government of President Hugo Chávez.

Looking Back at 2025, Preparing for the Future

As does every year, 2025 also taught us some unforgettable lessons, posed some uncomfortable questions and gave us some memories to cherish. We lived through the war and the protests to stop the war; we saw attempts to sabotage hard-won rights and also resistance against such attempts. People made their choices that made us sit, think, analyse and learn lessons. Overall, it is yet another year that marched into history, pushing us to search for a better future.

Labour codes will affect rights of workers: Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the conclave. Addressing the conclave, he said that under the guise of simplifying the country’s labour laws, the central government has consolidated 29 labour laws into four labour codes. These are the codes on wages, industrial relations, social security, and occupational safety. There is currently a widespread concern among the general public that the implementation of these codes will adversely affect the rights of workers.

Kerala organises national conclave on labour codes

The Kerala government organised the National Labour Conclave in Thiruvananthapuram on December 19 to formulate an alternative policy that protects the rights of the state and its workers from the four labour codes implemented by the Centre. The conclave decided to constitute a three-member expert committee to study the labour codes, understand their implications for workers in Kerala, and suggest remedial measures. Justice (retired) Gopala Gowda, Shyam Sundar and Varkiachan Pettah will be part of the committee, besides two research scholars.

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