THAT the economy is in trouble is seen by two figures which have come out. The first is the index of industrial production which contracted by 3.2 percent in November 2015 and the second is the retail price index which registered a 5.61 increase in December.  The industrial output figure is cause for worry as the manufacturing sector within this index has declined by 4.4 percent.  Capital goods sector has declined by 24 percent, a clear indication that investment is not forthcoming.

THE year 2015 saw the sharpening of various contradictions under the BJP rule. The right wing offensive under the auspices of the Modi government unfolded throughout the year, both in terms of the neo-liberal policies and aggressive communalism. The year saw growing resistance and opposition to this offensive.

IF there is any confirmation required that the Modi government is fully aligned with the United States’ strategy in Asia, it has come with the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to India. During the visit, various agreements were signed which established close military and security ties with Japan. This is what the United States has wanted India to do as Japan and India are the two pillars in its Asia-Pacific strategy. It is under the urging of the United States that the trilateral security alliance was forged during Modi’s visit to Japan in September 2014.

WEST Bengal is witnessing rising resistance and mass activities against the misrule and terror tactics of the Trinamul Congress. The Bengal Platform of Mass Organisations (BPMO) had organised jathas to cover 64,000 polling booths in the state. The rest of the 17,000 booths were to be covered later. These jathas took place between November 14 to 30. According to the reports received so far, over 60,000 booths were touched by around 18,000 jathas. Approximately, 16 lakh people participated in the jathas.