Wednesday, January 26, 2011

PARK STREET, KOLKATA: CRIMINALS AND ANTISOCIALS PRETENDING TO BE INTELLECTUALS NEVER CRITICISE BUTCHERS OF MAOIST-MAMATA-CHIDAMBRAM-MEDIA NEXUS




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ALIMUDDIN STREET, KOLKATA: BIMAN BOSE ASKS TO RAISE VOICE AGAINST BRUTAL MURDERS BY BUTCHERS OF MAOIST-MAMATA-CHIDAMBRAM-SUCI-MEDIA-INTELLECTUAL NEXUS




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KOLKATA MAIDAN: LEFT FRONT LEADERS ASK WHY UPA GOVERNMENT HIDES OWNERS OF BLACK MONEY


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NACHINDA JIBANKRISHNA HIGH SCHOOL, CONTAI: PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES WIN

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DEMOCRATIC YOUTH FEDERATION OF INDIA CALLS UPON TO PROTEST AGAINST KILLINGS BY MAOIST-TMC BUTCHERS



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AGARTALA: PRAKASH KARAT SAYS: WE ARE ATTACKED BECAUSE WE RESIST


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IS MK NARAYANAN, GOVERNOR OF WEST BENGAL, REALLY IMPARTIAL?

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NOAPARA: ROOM OF NOAPARA POLICE STATION WHERE NETAJI WAS DETAINED TO BE PRESERVED

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GANGARAMPUR-ULUBERIA: PREPARATION GOING ON TO MAKE BRIGADE PARADE GROUND MASS MEETING ON 13-02-11 SUCCESSFUL

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ITAHAR, NORTH DINAJPUR: CHAKRADHAR MAIKAP LAYS FOUNDATION STONE FOR ITI COLLEGE

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GHATAL: JAHAR-SANTRA BRIDGE TO BE INAUGURATED ON 27-01-2011

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SANTIPUR-NADIA: PEOPLE OBSERVE BANDH AGAINST BRUTAL MURDER OF HEADMASTER KHAGEN MONDAL

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BAISHNBCHAK-KOLAGHAT: BRIDE BURNT TO DEATH AT THE INSTIGATION OF TRINAMOOL CONGRESS LEADER

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KRISHNANAGAR-NADIA: VIDYASAGAR MELA BEGINS

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HOWRAH JUTE MILL: WORKERS DONATE FOR JYOTI BASU RESEARCH INSTITUTE

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MANUGHAT, TRIPURA: PRAKASH KARAT SAYS THAT UPA GOVT IS GOVT OF BIG CAPITALISTS

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GANASHAKTI EDITORIAL DATED 24-01-2011: CPI (M) IS THE TARGET OF BUTCHERS OF MAOIST-MAMATA-CHIDAMBRAM-SUCI-MEDIA-PSEUDO INTELLECTUAL NEXUS

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ANANDA BAZAR PATRIKA ACTS AS THE MOUTHPIECE OF BUTCHERS OF MAOIST-MAMATA-CHIDAMBRAM-SUCI-MEDIA-PSEUDO INTELLECTUAL NEXUS IN WEST BENGAL

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GANASHAKTI PATRIKA: COMRADE BANI SEN PASSES AWAY

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MOSCOWI: PEOPLE ANGRY OVER PLAN TO REMOVE THE MUMMY OF LENIN

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MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA: DOCTORS ANGRY OVER ACTIVITIES OF MCI

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BIJOYGARH VIDYAPITH HIGH SCHOOL, KOLKATA: PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES WIN IN SCHOOL ELECTION

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BAGHA JATIN, KOLKATA: SUSANTA GHOSH, WEST BENGAL MINISTER, ADDRESSES MASS MEETING

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JALANGI-BELDANGA: PROF. SUDARSHAN ROY CHOWDHURY LAYS FOUNDATION STONES FOR TWO COLLEGES

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DOMKAL: PEOPLE ON STREETS PROTESTING AGAINST BUTCHERS OF MAOIST-MAMATA-CHIDAMBRAM-SUCI-MEDIA-PSEUDO INTELLECTUAL NEXUS IN WEST BENGAL

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BALAGARH-HOOGHLY: ALL INDIA KISHAN SABHA ORGANISES SPORTS MEET

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CHAIGHARI-MURSHIDABAD: DYFI ORGANISES BLOOD DONATION CAMP

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LALBAGH SUBDIVISION CRIMINAL BAR ASSOCIATION: DEMOCRATIC LAWYERS ASSOCIATION WINS

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Saturday, January 22, 2011

MAHATMA GANDHI NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE ACT (MGNREGA) WAGES: GOVT DISPLAYS UTTER CALLOUSNESS: AIAWU

IN a statement issued on January 9, the All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU) has strongly criticised the central government’s move to delink the wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) from the Minimum Wages Act. The union has termed it as a shocking display of utter callousness with which the prime minister has betrayed the interests of the toiling masses. The union also pointed out that this comes at a time when the Congress-led UPA government has totally failed to control the prices of essential commodities, when the rural poor as well as other common men are reeling under the spiralling prices and when many are in a situation of extreme hunger.

To the union, the prime minister’s move is a deliberate ploy to deny the MGNREGA workers of the possibility of the higher minimum wages statutorily fixed by several states. It violates the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the workers and threatens the minimum wage system which acts as a guarantee against arbitrary changes and against inflation. Notably, the minimum wages in 19 states are higher than the present MGNREGA wages of Rs 100 and reflect greater sensitivity to the high inflation. However, due to the centre’s refusal to adhere to the Minimum Wages Act, they are not payable to the MGNREGA workers.

Indexing the wage rate under the MGNREGA to the consumer price index for agricultural labour (CPIAL) will not raise the wages of the MGNREGA workers to the statutory minimum wages fixed in many states. The MGNREGA workers in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Karnataka and Mizoram will get paid less than the prevailing statutory minimum wages even after this decision. The UPA government claims that the wage rate would be indexed to inflation and it will protect the real wage of Rs 100 per day by indexing the wage rate to the CPIAL. However, this base wage of Rs 100 will be reset only in 2014. Hence, whatever increase will be there will be a pittance when compared to inflation in the prices of essential goods. Thus the state governments’ efforts to fix socially just wages will be diluted. The Kerala government as well as the AIAWU have demanded that the wages payable under the MGNREGA must be at least Rs 200 per day. The union has now reiterated this demand and asked that the government take immediate steps to revise the MGNREGA wage rate to at least Rs 200 per day.

According to the AIAWU, as in the case of the Food Security Act, the decision by the UPA government on the MGNREGA wages is an attempt to subvert the scheme and to shirk its responsibility of paying the higher minimum wages. The AIAWU has called upon the agricultural workers of the country and rural masses to rise in protest against this retrograde move and to safeguard their right to get just minimum wages.

Courtesy: www.pd.cpim.org/

HIMACHAL PRADESH: CPI (M) IMPROVES POSITION IN LOCAL POLLS - Tikender Singh Panwar

HIMACHAL PRADESH witnessed elections to the panchayats and urban local bodies. While the panchayat polls took place in three phases --- on December 28 and 30 and on January 1 --- urban local bodies went to the polls on January 3, 2011. Party symbols were allowed only in urban bodies, elections to the three-tier rural local bodies --- for the gram panchayats, block panchayats and the zila panchayats --- took place on the symbols allotted by the State Election Commission. The CPI (M) concentrated its efforts on the zila panchayats (Zila Parishads) and contested in a few urban bodies.

The results were declared on January 4 and those for the tribal district of Kinnaur on January 7, 2011, as the elections here were postponed because of heavy snowfall during the election process. The election results have been quite encouraging for the Left and democratic forces. Immediately after the elections both the major parties --- the Congress and the BJP --- started claiming that 75 per cent of the results had gone in their favour, but by the time of writing these lines no district was able to elect the presidents and vice presidents of the zila parishads. This shows the hollowness of their claims.

WHAT THE RESULTS SHOW

Since the elections were not held on party symbols, it is easy for both these parties to make exaggerated claims. Yet the estimate is that non-Congress and non-BJP candidates, including independents and Left candidates, have won in 50 per cent of the total seats. The ruling BJP has got a severe drubbing in the urban bodies; it has received a severe jolt even in the home district of the chief minister. In the urban bodies too, independent candidates have won in a number of places. The CPI (M) has substantially improved its position. CPI (M) members or those who were supported by the party have won seats in over 15 district panchayats (Zila Parishads), over 25 block panchayats (BDC members) and more than 75 positions of panchayat presidents and vice presidents. The figure for the Left parties, taken together, may go still higher. The results have proved that the CPI (M) occupies the third position in the party politics in Himachal Pradesh. CPI (M) candidates have polled more than 1.5 lakh votes in the state. The table below gives a list of the elected representatives in the state.

Another important noteworthy feature of these elections was that wherever the people were in struggle against the neo-liberal policies or fought for their land, forests rights and water, or wherever they fought against the hydro projects, forest mafia, cement plants etc, they almost completely wiped out of the pro-company or pro-government representatives. In many of these struggles, the CPI (M) was in the leadership and while some others were led by regional associations. A vibrant example is related to the Kashang hydro project in Kinnaur district where the entire panel of the CPI (M) got elected against the HCC company that is constructing the said hydro project. Similarly, in the Lafarge cement factory, the leadership was provided by a regional body that has badly defeated the pro-company lobby. Another example of a magnificent victory has been that of a CPI (M) nominee, Reena in Anandpur ward of a Zila Parishad. She who won by a margin of more than 3,000 votes. Here the issue was of the struggle of the peasantry against the menace of wild animals, monkeys, stray cattle etc. In totality, it can be stated that nominees of both the BJP and the Congress got a severe drubbing for having who stood against the interests of the people and siding with the government policies or with the companies that are executing various hydro projects and cement plants.

ISSUES DURING THE ELECTIONS

In the main, regional issue dominated the panchayat elections. As already stated in these columns earlier, a contradiction developing in the state is between the so called development and the snatching of the people’s rights. The issues included that of opposition to various hydro projects and cement plants, compensation amounts, rehabilitation and relief packages for the displaced. The situation is that the state has an immense potential of hydro power generation and the realisable capacity may well be above 23,000 megawatts (MW) but only 305 MW capacity has been harnessed so far. On the other hand, successive governments have been selling the rivers and rivulets to private entrepreneurs who have hardly any concern for the people’s traditional rights and their demands. This gives an immense opportunity for the forces representing the people’s interests, especially the CPI(M), to intervene. The latter’s intervention in favour of the people has been reflected in these elections as well.

The other issues include the persistent crisis the peasants are facing because of the neo-liberal policies. The precarious situation of the peasants has led to large scale migration from their land as farming is becoming increasingly non-remunerative. Issues like the sale of Gumma Agro Packaging India Limited, a carton plant, became prominent in the apple belt. Here the BJP got almost totally wiped out from the scene.

The issue of wild animals, monkeys, stray cattle etc also dominated a large part of the state. It is estimated that at least 10 districts are affected with this menace. A fair estimation of the loss because of the problem comes to almost Rs 2,000 crore per year. The Himachal Kisan Sabha (HKS) and the Himachal Gyan Vigyan Samiti (HGVS) have been running a persistent protest campaign on this issue, under the banner of the Kheti Bachao Sangarsh Samiti (Save Agriculture Struggle Committee). Several demonstrations with massive participation of the kisans (peasants) have been organised in the past. This was thus a conscious and persisting issue. People, who were actively participating in this movement, have not surprisingly been elected. A large number of them are from the HKS and HGVS.

Another issue that has come to light is that of large scale corruption in the panchayati raj institutions (PRIs). Related to it has been the entry into fray of a large number of people who are contractors in the countryside. They also spent huge amounts of money during the elections. In many a place, a candidate organised dhams (feasts) immediately after the day of nomination and this vote catching device continued till the polling began. Similarly, providing liquor and other allurements became a common phenomenon. It is in this background that the CPI (M) has declared that none of its elected members would engage in contractors work in the areas from where they have been elected.

The CPI (M) has also decided to organise a statewide workshop for its elected members, with help from the Kerela and West Bengal state units of the party, so that they could adopt alternative forms and styles of work in the countryside.

S No

Name of Candidate

Ward Votes

Polled/Position

Reena (W)

Anandpur

6629/Ist

Padama (W)

Jhakri

5153/Ist

Sukhdev Chauhau

Rohru NAC Vice Chairperson

1400/Ist

Balkrishan Bali

Devrighat BDC

1104/Ist

Taravati

Basantpur BDC

1357/Ist

Dropodi (W)

Kotkhai BDC

1458/Ist

7.

Om Prakash Chauhan

Chaily ZP

2345/IInd

8.

Sohan Singh Thakur

Devrighat ZP

2238/IInd

9.

Krishna (W)

Narayan ZP

2720/IInd

10.

Savitri(W)

Kungash ZP

4490/Ist

11.

Ramesh

Buchehar ZP

3660/IInd

12.

Devki(W)

Arsu ZP

4236/IInd

13.

Pamma Devi(W)

Poshna ZP

3986/IInd

14.

Gita Nand

BDC Anni

1346/Ist

15

Pratap Thakur

BDC Khunn

Unopposed elected

16.

Ram Lal

BakshadZP

4875/Ist

17.

Kesar Singh

Karsog

5894/Ist

18.

Reema Devi(W)

Dhaled

3500/IInd

19.

Nagina(W)

Ner

2439/IInd

20.

Nirmala(W)

Kummi

2970/IInd

21.

Suresh Kumar

Rewalsar

1292

22.

Sohan Thakur

Nabahi

2600/IInd

23.

Devendra Devi(W)

Sainj

3347/IInd

24.

Mahander Rana

Khalwahi

4090/IInd

25.

Jagdish Thakur

Bheem Kataru

3911/IInd

26.

Padam Dev

Pangana

2183

27.

Prakash Sharma

Dhanyara

1780

28.

Ravi Kant

Kunnu

1600

29.

Prabhash Rana

Sarkaghat BDC

1456/Ist

30.

Jaywanti(W)

BDC

1687/Ist

31.

Teja Devi (W)

Balh BDC

1400/Ist

32.

Loveena Devi

Khera ZP

2508/IInd

33.

Sanyogita Devi(W)

Kharaout ZP

2543/IInd

34.

Jogender Kumar

Sarakkar

3624/Ist

35.

Baldev Singh

Kala Amb

Courtesy: www.pd.cpim.org/