RSS Chief’s Double Speak

WHAT is one to make of RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s speech regarding the raking up of new temple/mosque disputes? In his speech in Pune on December 19, Bhagwat disapproved of the raking up of new temple/mosque disputes. He said that Ram temple was a matter of faith for Hindus. Construction of the Ram mandir in Ayodhya, which was a matter of faith for Hindus, should not lead to further actions. In conclusion, he said “Every day, a new matter (dispute) is being raked up. How can this be allowed? This cannot continue”. This speech has led to varying interpretations.

Punjab State Conference of CPI(M)

THE 24th CPI(M) State Conference of Punjab was held at Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall, Jalandhar, on December 9-10, 2024. The conference began with the flag hoisting by the senior-most delegate, Sital Singh Sangha and paying of tributes at the Martyrs' Column.A presidium comprising Major Singh Bhikhiwind, Gurdarshan Singh Khaspur, Abdul Sattar, Parshotam Lal Bilga, and Harpreet Kaur Chabal conducted the proceedings of the conference. A total of 239 delegates and observers participated in the conference.

Rajasthan State Conference of CPI(M)

THE 24th State Conference of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Rajasthan was successfully held in Hanumangarh from December 13 to 15, 2024, with conference venues named as Sitaram Yechury Nagar, Brij Lal Bhadu Manch, and Bijla Singh Hall.On the first day, December 13, a big rally and public meeting was organised. Thousands of people participated in the public meeting, with remarkable participation from women. The meeting was presided over by Atma Singh. It was addressed by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat and Central Committee member Vijoo Krishnan.

The Week in Parliament

THE winter session of parliament witnessed a weeklong standoff between the opposition and the treasury benches over issues such as the indictment of the Adanis in the US in an alleged bribery case, the violence in Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur, and the Centre’s denial of relief fund to those affected by landslides in Wayanad in Kerala. The standoff, which led to House proceedings being stalled, came to an end after the Opposition parties and the central government reached a consensus to take up a discussion on the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution.

Electricity Workers in Struggle

THE third term of the Modi government seems to be more aggressive than its previous two terms, particularly in its current onslaught against the electricity sector. Notably, there has been a direct and overt attempt to privatise various State-owned DISCOMs in regions like Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana. In addition, the government has launched a widespread push for privatisation through the implementation of private-sector smart metering across nearly all states.

Two CITU Railway Unions Win Recognition in Railway Secret Ballot Election

FOLLOWING a Delhi High Court order to conduct a secret ballot election for the recognition of railway trade unions (i.e., verification of membership in Indian Railways) in a case filed by the Dakshin Railway Employees Union (DREU) in Southern Railway, an affiliate of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), elections were held on December 4, 5, and 6, 2024.

Global Capitalism: Worshipping at the Altar of Profits Even If It Means Our Destruction

THE COP29 ended with not even a whimper. After the declaration of COP28 to end the fossil fuel era, and the rich countries promise to provide funds for those facing the dual threat of climate change and poverty, in COP29 they reneged on all those promises. They not only made no commitments to phasing out their own fossil fuel use – particularly natural gas and oil but committed a measly $300 billion yearly as a core target through commercial and other flows against the $1.3 trillion that the developing countries were asking; that too by 2035.

Amit Shah’s Remarks Condemned

CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on December 19THE derogatory remarks about Dr B R Ambedkar made by the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, in the debate on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha, have outraged the sentiments of people all over the country. That Amit Shah made these comments while talking about the Constitution of India, of which Dr Ambedkar was the architect, has only exposed his manuvadi outlook. The defence of Amit Shah put up by Prime Minister Modi is unconscionable. Amit Shah has no right to stay in the

CPI(M) Condemns Criminalization of Food Habits in Assam

THE Assam state committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has, in a statement issued on December 7, has strongly criticised the Assam chief minister's recent announcement prohibiting beef consumption in public places, including festivals, religious ceremonies, and community functions.The CPI(M) highlighted Assam's long history of peaceful coexistence between its Hindu majority and significant Muslim population.

Adanis: Today's Ganderiram Batparias

IN 1922, the renowned Bengali satirist Rajsekhar Basu (better known by his pen name Parshuram) penned the delightful story ‘Shri Shri Siddheshwari Limited,’ introducing the infamous fictional character of Ganderiram Batparia (where "Batparia" translates to "unscrupulous plunderer" in Bengali). Ganderiram was not just a conman; he was a bold risk-taker, a master of fraudulent business schemes. The story describes his impact as: "The moment the audacious entrepreneur Ganderiram stepped onto the scene, the entire atmosphere crackled with energy, as if lightning had struck.

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