Contents

Resist Sexual Violence,

Assert Women’s Right to a Life Unfettered by Fear

A young woman in India’s capital New Delhi is battling for life, after being brutally gang-raped and tortured in a moving bus. Her male companion was beaten up, and both were flung on the streets....Full text

Assembly Elections in Gujarat and Himachal:

Another Modi Vicotry in Gujarat

Even as the BJP Loses Himachal

The year 2012 had begun with Assembly elections in the five states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttaranchal, Goa and Manipur....Full text

Punish The Perpetrators of Fake Encounters and Fabricated Cases

The NHRC has informed the Supreme Court that in the past 5 years, no less than 191 fake encounters have taken place in the country. This disclosure came in the course of a hearing in the SC over a petition to appoint a Special Investigation team (SIT) to probe the 1500 alleged fake encounters in Manipur in the past three decades....Full text

FDI in Retail:

Entering India Through a Concocted Majority in Parliament and US Pressure

The debate and vote in Parliament on FDI in retail concluded with a dubious victory for the Government, reminiscent of the Nuke Deal vote. While the debate made it clear that the majority opinion in the house was against the policy of introducing FDI in multi-brand retail, opportunism at the time of voting carried the day....Full text

Bihar Rises against
Nitish Kumar’s Liquor-Promotion Drive

Deaths caused by spurious liquor have emerged as the latest form of massacre in Bihar. The victims almost invariably belong to the toiling rural and urban poor, who are otherwise sought to be wooed by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as ‘Mahadalits’. Understandably enough, the continuing spate of liquor deaths has triggered a tremendous uproar in Bihar and on 15 December the state observed a day’s bandh at the call of the CPI(ML) demanding a ban on liquor....Full text

Defend Women’s Right to Freedom Without Fear! 
Ensure Swift and Sure Punishment for Rape!

In the midst of the unspeakable horror of a rape and attempted murder in Delhi, is a spark of hope that we nurture, cradling it with our hands lest it be snuffed out, helping the spark to grow into a steadier flame – and then spread into a forest fire....Full text

The Resolve of December 18, 2012

Make the Forthcoming 9th Congress of the Party a Historic Success

We are nearing the end of a turbulent year, the year when the Congress and the BJP, the two biggest parties of the Indian ruling classes have been exposed to be drowned neck-deep in corruption. Land and minerals, oil and gas, air and water – every natural resource is being snatched away from the people and handed over on a platter to corporate houses....Full text

Towards 9th Party Congress

Draft General Programme

PREAMBLE

The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) is the highest political organisation of the Indian proletariat fighting for realising its supreme class mission. It comprises the advanced detachments of the people and serves as the core of leadership of the people of India in their quest for liberation from feudal fetters and the plunder and domination of big capital and imperialism and for securing equal rights and rapid progress as free citizens irrespective of gender, caste, creed, language or nationality....Full text

Article

Crisis of Neoliberalism and Challenges before Popular Movements

Third instalment of write-up by Arindam Sen, which has also been published by a booklet with the same title. Continued from Liberation December.

Grand Feast for Cannibals

The crisis is no doubt global, but the fundamental law of uneven development of capitalism remains in operation. Thus on an international scale you cannot equate the performance or position of Germany, US and China for example with Spain, Greece or even France, not to speak of poorer nations....Full text

Updates

West Bengal Diary
In Solidarity with Singur

The struggling farmers of Singur achieved what 552 MPs could not - they turned the colonial-era (1894) Land Acquisition Act into a piece of scrap paper”, said Tapan Batabyal, CPI(ML) State Committee member and veteran activist of the Singur movement, addressing a peasant gathering at Singur....Full text

Tribute

Nehru of Indian Sitar Passes Away
S Gopalakrihnan

There was a spot of darkness in the music conscience of the sub-continent when the news about Pt Ravishankar’s passing away came in. Whether one loved his music or not, whether one loved his life or not, there was a moment of sadness in everyone with a little exposure to any branch of music of this region.  He could be termed as Pt Nehru of Indian music considering his image among the middle class in the country....Full text

Cover

Comrade Sankar Mitra 

Even as the whole Party was observing the 14th death anniversary of Comrade VM on December 18 came the shocking news from Kolkata of Comrade Sankar Mitra’s passing.  Veteran Party leader Sankarda breathed his last at 2 PM in his Kolkata home....Full text