Contents

Decoding Nitish Kumar’s
Politics of ‘Adhikar’

On March 17 Nitish Kumar held an impressive show of strength in Delhi. While the rally was officially projected as a platform to raise the demand for special category status for Bihar, and by implication for all states that have been victims of persistent socio-economic backwardness, it has come to be seen as a signal of a potential political realignment in the context of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections....Full text

Italian Marines :

India’s Lack of Will to Ensure Justice

In February last year, two Indian fishermen from Kerala were shot dead by Italian marines when their fishing boat came close to an Italian merchant ship. Ever since, the families of the fishermen, and the entire country, have watched with dismay as justice has been eluded with arrogance by the Italian marines....Full text

Brutal Repression in Kashmir

On March 6, a protest demonstration was held in Baramulla against Afzal guru’s hanging, demanding the return of Afzal Guru’s remains to his homeland. Protestors pelted some stones at an army truck. In retaliation, the army men sprayed the protestors with bullets, killing a young Kashmiri man, Tahir....Full text

“We are All Chavez”   

“Chavez did not die, he multiplied!” “We are all Chavez!”  “The struggle continues!” – chanted the huge red tide, overflowing with love and commitment, which flooded the streets of Caracas....Full text

Mourning Chávez on the Web

It’s been fascinating seeing the response to the death of Hugo Chávez playing out on the web, for it not only confirms his status as a world historical figure, but because of the high symbolism of the event, which clearly exposes the fundamental ideological rift of our days—not simply the chasm between the rich and poor countries of the world, but the confrontation between Eros and Thanatos: the love of social justice, represented in the adored figure of the defunct leader, against the destructiveness unto death of the empire of capitalism, with its headquarters four-and-a-quarter hours flying time due north from Caracas (or less than three to Miami, where rich Venezuelans go to do their sumptuary shopping)....Full text

President Chavez : A 21st Century Renaissance Man

James Petras

President Hugo Chavez was unique in multiple areas of political, social and economic life. He made significant contributions to the advancement of humanity. The depth, scope and popularity of his accomplishments mark President Chavez as the ‘Renaissance President of the 21st Century’.
Many writers have noted one or another of his historic contributions highlighting his anti-poverty legislation, his success in winning popular elections with resounding majorities and his promotion of universal free public education and health coverage for all Venezuelans.
In this essay we will highlight the unique world-historic contributions that President Chavez made in the spheres of political economy, ethics and international law and in redefining relations between political leaders and citizens. We shall start with his enduring contribution to the development of civic culture in Venezuela and beyond....Full text

DRAFT RESOLUTION

on the National Situation and our Tasks

1.        India is passing through turbulent times. On the one hand we have a growing crisis of the neo-liberal policy regime and a desperate corporate/state offensive to transfer the burden of the crisis on the people; on the other hand we are witnessing massive outbursts of people’s anger. Whether we look at struggles against corporate land-grab, against corruption, against sexual violence or for workers’ rights, we can see an encouraging upswing in popular assertion. The historic upsurge of the youth in Delhi against the December 16 incident of gang-rape has triggered a countrywide awakening among women and in the society at large for women’s rights. We also witnessed a powerful assertion of the working class in an unprecedented two-day all-India strike on February 20-21. In spite of the economic hardship and repressive offensive of the state, the present juncture is pregnant with great possibilities for the democratic movement of the Indian people....Full text

Draft Resolution on Environmental Protection
and People-centric Development

“Man lives from nature, i.e. nature is his body, and he must maintain a continuing dialogue with it if he is not to die. To say that man’s physical and mental life is linked to nature simply means that nature is linked to itself, for man is a part of nature.”
           -- Karl Marx, Capital Vol. 1
1.        Destruction of livelihood, grab of land and resources, eviction from land, pollution that endangers health and safety, and devastation of environment, is all being justified by the ruling classes in the name of ‘development.’ At the same time, people are being deprived of basic rights of education, health, housing, and other kinds of social welfare, which ought to be the fundamental parameters of development in any country....Full text

Updates

International Women’s Day Protests

On the occasion of International Women’s Day this year, protests were held all over the country demanding implementation of the Verma Committee recommendations and especially the enactment of an effective law against rape and sexual violence. ...Full text

International

Kerbside History

NazesAfroz

(This article is reproduced here from Outlook Magazine, March 18, 2013.)

Several misconceptions are afloat around the war crimes trials in Bangladesh, as well as the Shahbag Square protests, that are putting pressure on the government to take concrete steps against the Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh....Full text

Review

Deconstructing “The Idea of India”

Every movement for national liberation has its own dynamics and salient features, which to a large extent shape the basic contours of the nation state that emerges from it. Perry Anderson in his latest book demonstrates this with perfect clarity with reference to India. He shows how the dominant nationalist discourse in this country suppresses certain of those features in the independence movement that are uncomfortable to the self-perception of the nationalist elite, celebrating instead what it projects as grand national achievements and cherished ideals: a stable political democracy, a steadfast secularity and a robust territorial integrity based on multi-cultural unity....Full text

Cover

Progressives and Reactionaries Polarised Over 

Memorial for Dr. Nirmal in Darbhanga

A remarkable mass movement is underway in Darbhanga, Bihar, in which there is a struggle between people’s memory and political amnesia, between a progressive vision of a people’s Bihar, against a Bihar shackled in the feudal-communal mould....Full text