2011

I propose to focus on three sets of issues related to the development perspective especially with reference to countries like India. First, I would like to argue that the dominant development perspective has proved itself irrelevant and extraordinarily sick in practice. It is not necessarily due to it being market-centric, but mainly due to the absence of serious development debates. The development perspective is not static; it evolves over time with new ideas, understanding and insights. (…)

COMMUNICATION
There seems to be no end to the repression of social activists in Chhattisgarh. After the Chhattisgarh administration tried its best to keep Dr Binayak Sen behind bars, now it is the turn of social and environmental activists Ramesh Aggarwal and Harihar Patel to face the wrath of the government. The State Government appears to be extremely intolerant towards sincere activists who try to protect rural livelihoods and environment from the onslaught of those big capitalists who (…)

by Narendra Sharma
The National Programme adopted by the United Progressive Alliance in 2004, together with the Left parties, had provided that its government would persuade the private sector enterprises to provide reservation in employment to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC and ST) workers.
The UPA Government did come to power in 2004 and also enjoyed the support of the Left parties. The Manmohan Singh Government then seemed conscious of this provision about reservation (…)

One of the tallest leaders of the Communist Party in Bihar, Chaturanan Mishra, who was the Union Agriculture Minister in the governments of both H.D. Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujral in 1996-98, passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi around noon on July 2, 2011. A former President of the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), he was ailing for quite sometime but the end came rather suddenly. He was admitted to the AIIMS the previous day and put on a ventilator; (…)

In the pre-independence period, the Communist Party of India had emerged as the main Left party although quite weak but conspicuous by its dedicated cadres who, by their immense sacrifice, had built bases among industrial workers and peasants. Their fight against the feudal elements led to a powerful base among peasantry in many pockets. Communism had an appeal among intellectuals and some top intellectuals were closely associated with the movement. The success of the Soviet Union in turning (…)

by T. Venkateswara Rao
This open letter addressed to CPI General Secretary A.B. Bardhan and CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat was sent to the Ajoy Bhavan, the CPI headquarters, and the A.K. Gopalan Bhavan, the central CPI-M office, early last month and released in Vijaywawada. An old Communist veteran of Andhra Pradesh, T. Venkateswara Rao was twice elected the Mayor of Vijayawada. He has been a CPI member since 1938.
Dear Comrade,
I am an old Indian Communist of 95 years who is (…)

The following, according to the author, is a first evaluation of the people’s mandate in the West Bengal Assembly Election 2011.
It is my first observation that the Left Front lost the battle in 2011 (and) so the Trinamul won the battle. The Trinamul is not a positive alternative to the Left Front. The Trinamul is not a party, but a conglomeration of destitutes from different parties. People did not vote for the Trinamul but they voted against the CPI-M or better to say against the (…)

FROM N.C.’S WRITINGS
One of the plus points claimed by democratic governments all over the world is the transparency in their functioning. To a large measure such a claim is valid when one compares it with the style of an authoritarian regime. For instance, neither the Korean public nor the world at large was told about the last hours of President Kim II-Sung, even his death was not announced until the next day. In contrast, when Indira Gandhi’s tragic end came, the whole city of Delhi and (…)

The following article was sent to us quite sometime ago but could not be used earlier due to unavoidable reasons. —Editor
Law of a particular nation should be determined by its national characteristics and must bear relation to the climate of each country, the quality of each soil, the situation and extent, the principal occupations of the natives and, above all, to the religion of the inhabitants, to their inclinations, riches, commerce, manners and customs.
—Montesquieu
Black shades (…)

In his opening remarks during his interaction on June 29 with five editors of a news agency and newspapers (representing the PTI, Business Standard, The Tribune, Divya Marathi of the DNA group and Nai Duniya)—all handpicked by the PM’s Media Adviser—Dr Manmohan Singh made the following observation: I think that there is a growing perception that this government is in siege, that we have not been able to deliver on our agenda. An atmosphere has been created in the country—and this I say with (…)