A LARGE public meeting and rally in Sarbhog in Assam on May 12 marked the commencement of an extended state council meeting of the Assam State Kisan Sabha. The meeting, attended by several thousand peasants as well as other sections of the people, called for intensifying struggles against anti-people and anti-peasant policies of the BJP governments at the centre and in the state.
WITH the prices of petrol and diesel skyrocketing and reaching the highest ever levels, the Kerala government has decided to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel by Rupee 1 in the state from June 1. With this, Kerala becomes the first state to announce a cut in fuel prices.
THE possibilities for a secure career had worsened drastically. Friedrich Wilhelm IV had come to the throne in Prussia in 1840. The Prussian bourgeoisie reiterated its demands, particularly the one for a decisive share of political power, especially in the administration of the State in law-making. When the King rejected these demands, the economically leading section of the industrialists—the bankers and the merchants, with the Rhinelanders in the forefront—went over to the liberal opposition and put itself at the head of the popular movement.
THE Nagarpalika Karamchari Sangh (NKS) an affiliate of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh (SKS) Haryana , organized a successful 16-day strike of the urban local bodies workers of the state. The main demands that were achieved include ending the contract system of employment and putting them on the rolls of the municipalities. A committee was also formed to frame a policy to regularise these workers. Another major demand that was settled is a minimum wage of Rs13,500 and incorporating 1,360 firemen and drivers of the fire department and drivers in their respective departments.
THE BJP-led Narendra Modi government, during the four years of its tenure, introduced several pro-corporate “labour reforms”. Designed in neoliberal framework, some of these are for immediate effect and some are to roll over beyond the 2019 Lok Sabha election as part of the BJP’s ‘New India 2022’ campaign.
THE four years of the Modi government have seen a high-octane publicity campaign over various flagship schemes that have been closely associated with the prime minister. But a closer look at many of these schemes shows that the crores of rupees spent on PR mask tales of unattained goals and unkept promises. The flagship initiatives of the government – ranging from Jan Dhan and Mudra loans to Swachh Bharat, Ujjwala and Skill India – today serve as a prime example of the government’s deceptive narrative.
THE Cobrapost sting investigation has graphically exposed the deep rot which has afflicted major sections of the media, both print and television.
The Cobrapost expose involves 25 media organisations, including major ones, such as the Times of India, Zee TV, India Today, Hindustan Times, ABP News, Jagran Group and others. This was the second installment of the revelations.
THE Delhi Union of Journalists, in a statement issued on May 29, has congratulated the Cobra Post and its intrepid journalists, particularly Pushp Sharma and Anirudh Behl, for their daring sting operation on some of the biggest media houses in the country. They have exposed on camera the enormous greed of the media barons, who are ready to promote the Hindutva agenda of the BJP in the run up to the 2019 elections, at a fat price.
ON the slogan of people’s unity and people’s rights the entire Patna city was in the movement.
The preparation for the success of this movement was done since long. After the state convention, in a majority of the districts, joint conventions were organised in which mass organisations participated. A 30 point demand charter was prepared which also contained some of the national demands.
THE CPI(M) leader and LDF candidate Saji Cherian has won the Chengannur Assembly by-election by a big majority of 20,956 votes. This is the highest margin of victory ever recorded in this constituency.
Saji Cherian polled 67,303 votes as against his nearest rival, the UDF candidate who got 46,347 votes. The BJP candidate came third with 35,270 votes with around 7,000 votes less than what he polled in the 2016 Assembly election.