A delegation of the CPI(M) comprising Nilotpal Basu, Polit Bureau member, Santanu De and V P Sanu, members of West Bengal and Kerala state committees respectively visited Lebanon on September15, to participate in a seminar organised by the Lebanese Communist Party. Below we publish the text of the speech made by Nilotpal Basu on behalf of the CPI(M), at the seminar.AT the very outset allow me to thank the Lebanese Communist Party for hosting this seminar on “The Struggle of Peoples and International Solidarity”. The timing and the subject could not have been more appropriate.

IN India, bizarre developments have become so normalised that they no longer shock people as they once did. This is striking, given that after the adoption of our Republican Constitution, Article 19 was alive and vibrant, safeguarding the citizen’s right to freedom of expression. India’s Constitution was celebrated worldwide for enshrining citizens’ rights, earning the country the epithet of the world’s largest democracy. But that is no longer the case today.

IN a shocking revelation, an analysis by the Indian Express (published on  September 17, 2025) shows that in the criminal cases filed after the deadly Delhi riots of 2020, nearly one fifth of acquittals were due to fabricated evidence, fictitious witnesses, police dictated statements, imaginary ‘facts’ added by investigating officers, and synthetic narratives.

IN the heart of West Bengal, the Ganga River is not merely eroding its banks; it is tearing at the very fabric of society. This is not just a natural disaster; it is a profound betrayal of the people by their governments. In the districts of Malda and Murshidabad, entire villages are being swallowed by the river's merciless current, a relentless tide of destruction that has left thousands of families utterly destitute. Throughout the monsoon season, the people of India have witnessed nature's fury, with Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand experiencing devastating flash floods.

THE Global Ayyappa Sangamam organised by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) as part of its platinum jubilee celebrations was a grand success. 4,126 participants – including 2,125 from other states and 182 from foreign countries – from 15 countries and 14 states took part in the Sangamam at Pampa on September 20. It served as a vital platform that discussed developmental projects – such as the Sabarimala Master Plan, the proposed Sabarimala Airport, and other initiatives — which are aimed at improving infrastructure and the pilgrimage experience.