Page 2 - Cpi-m

Communists may enter 21st century, but only in 22nd: Tharoor mocks LDF

In a stinging jibe at Kerala's LDF government, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said the Communist parties will one day finally enter the 21st century, but it may only be in the 22nd. His remarks came after the Kerala Assembly on Tuesday passed the Kerala State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2025, which marks a break from the CPI(M)-led government's long-standing opposition to the privatisation of education. Tharoor said, "So Kerala's LDF government has finally done the right thing, by permitting private universities to open in the state. As usual, the decision comes about 15 to 20 years late, which is usually the case with those anchored in a 19th century ideology." Never forget that when computers first came to India, Communist goons entered public sector offices to smash them, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said in his post on X. The only parties to object to the introduction of mobile telephones in India were also the communist ones, Tharoo

CPI raises bank unions' demand of 5-day working in Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha CPI member Sandosh Kumar P on Tuesday asked the finance minister to address the bank unions' genuine demands, including filling up vacant posts in public sector banks, and five-day working. Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, Kumar said the United Forum of Bank Unions, an umbrella organisation of nine unions, has called for a 48-hour bank strike on March 24-25 to press for their demands. Stressing that bank employees, especially in public sector banks, are facing a lot of problems, he said the strike is going to affect the banking sector. One of the major issues is shortage of staff in public sector banks, he said. Sandosh said there are about 2.11 lakh vacancies in banks. Lack of adequate staff is adversely affecting mental health of workers as they are overburdened. Another issue is related to five-day working for bank employees. "It was a demand from bank employees, and there is a consensus also. The bank authorities, the Indian Bank Association, als

CPI(M) aiming to recover WB base, unite Left forces against TMC, BJP: Karat

The CPI(M) is aiming to recover its base in West Bengal and will try to bring together "Left and democratic forces" against both the TMC and the BJP, party leader Prakash Karat has said. He added that no discussions had been held on whether the Left Front and the Congress would contest the assembly polls, due in 2026, in an alliance. In an interview with PTI, the CPI(M) interim coordinator stressed that the party losing ground in West Bengal was a major reason behind its declining electoral strength. The CPI(M) is focusing on working among the rural poor to regain its traditional support base, Karat said. Asked about the party's standing in West Bengal, which the CPI(M)-led Left Front governed for 34 years between 1977 and 2011 before losing to the TMC, the veteran leader highlighted the recent mobilisations of youngsters, including during the protests against the RG Kar rape and murder incident. "I am not talking only about our party but all Left and progressive forces (that) cam

Central agencies being used to subdue political opponents, says CPI(M) MP

Central investigative agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are being used to subdue political opponents of the Centre, not just in Kerala but across India, CPI(M) MP K Radhakrishnan alleged on Friday. Radhakrishnan made the allegation while responding to reporters' queries on an ED notice received by him to appear before the agency in connection with the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam case. The MP said that the notice does not mention the Karuvannur case and instead it asks him to produce details of his assets, including bank accounts and land records. "I have sent a letter stating that I cannot appear before the agency now due to the ongoing Parliament session. I will appear before it after the session is over," he said. Radhakrishnan, the MP from Alathur Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, said that he was ready to face any investigation. "They are looking for assets that I have earned. Let them investigate and find out," he said. The ED has summoned Radhakrishnan for

Kerala ASHA workers live on hope as promised wage hike remains elusive

As women health care workers' protest enters 30th day amid political blame game, ADITI PHADNIS explores the Centre-state funding ratio debate

BJP has highest income share among national parties with 74.57%: ADR report

Six national parties - BJP, INC, CPI(M), AAP, BSP and NPEP - have declared a total income of Rs 5,820.912 crore, according to ADR report

Delhi Assembly polls: Two national parties get less vote share than Nota

Voters in Delhi preferred the 'none of the above' option over two national parties, BSP and CPI(M), emerging election results data shows. As votes for the Delhi assembly polls were counted on Saturday, latest data of the Election Commission showed that NOTA option got 0.57 per cent vote share as compared to 0.55 pet cent of the Bahujan Samaj Party and 0.01 per cent of Communist Party of India (Marxist). Both BSP and CPI(M) are recognised nation parties. Congress, BJP, AAP and National People's Party are the other recognised national parties. According to the data, CPI and JD(U) managed 0.01 per cent and 0.53 per cent vote share respectively. The Delhi Assembly elections saw a voter turnout of 60.54 per cent, with 94,51,997 people casting their votes on Wednesday. Over 1.55 crore people are in the voters list. Introduced in 2013, the NOTA option on electronic voting machines (EVMs) has its own symbol -- a ballot paper with a black cross across it. The EC added the NOTA button on

DBT schemes for women not freebies, result of struggles: Brinda Karat

As political parties jockey to woo women with schemes and promises of sops every election season, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat feels that these are reflections of their assertion as independent citizens even as these schemes take away the discourse from women's rights and make them mere "beneficiaries". In an interview with PTI, she, however, welcomed cash transfer to women while stressing that it was not a "freebie" as women contribute almost seven per cent of the GDP through unpaid labour. It shows that political parties have realised that women cannot be taken for granted, said Karat, a well known activist who is among the founding members of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), one of the largest women organisations in the country. Asked about direct benefit transfer (DBT) schemes for women being brought in by political parties in the run up to eleections, she said, "That is a result of women's movements, women's organisations, the struggles and the consciousness

DBT schemes for women not freebies, result of struggles: Brinda Karat

As political parties jockey to woo women with schemes and promises of sops every election season, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat feels that these are reflections of their assertion as independent citizens even as these schemes take away the discourse from women's rights and make them mere "beneficiaries". In an interview with PTI, she, however, welcomed cash transfer to women while stressing that it was not a "freebie" as women contribute almost seven per cent of the GDP through unpaid labour. It shows that political parties have realised that women cannot be taken for granted, said Karat, a well known activist who is among the founding members of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), one of the largest women organisations in the country. Asked about direct benefit transfer (DBT) schemes for women being brought in by political parties in the run up to eleections, she said, "That is a result of women's movements, women's organisations, the struggles and the consciousness

CPI (M) aims to expand to new areas along inter-state borders: MHA report

The annual report for 2023-2024 mentions that the geographical spread of LWE has also been shrinking considerably

Kerala CM slams BJP minister for 'Mini Pakistan'; remark, says 'deplorable'

The Congress also denounced Rane's comments, linking them to past Communist Party of India CPI(M) statements about the victories of Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi in Wayanad

NIA conducts searches in Jharkhand's Giridih in CPI (Maoist)-related case

Houses and other premises of suspects and over-ground workers (OGWs) were extensively searched by NIA teams, which seized several mobile phones and SIM cards

CPI(M) offices can be demolished overnight, warns Cong's Kerala chief

A day after a Congress office was allegedly vandalised in this Kerala district, the party's state chief K Sudhakaran on Sunday warned that CPI(M) offices could be demolished overnight. Addressing party workers at the inauguration of a new Congress office in Venduttayi, which had allegedly been vandalised by unidentified people on Saturday, Sudhakaran claimed it would only take 10 Congress workers to "bring down" CPI(M) offices in a single night. "We do not promote violence but, if you say it is required, we will retaliate in the same way," he said. "Ten Congress workers will be sent at night and they are enough to demolish CPI(M) offices," Sudhakaran told the party workers. Late on Saturday, a new Congress booth committee office at Venduttayi, near Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's hometown of Pinarayi, was allegedly vandalised. The Congress has accused the CPI(M) of orchestrating the vandalism. Sudhakaran also took a dig at Vijayan and urged him to uphold the dignity expected of

CPI(M) offices can be demolished overnight, warns Cong's Kerala chief

A day after a Congress office was allegedly vandalised in this Kerala district, the party's state chief K Sudhakaran on Sunday warned that CPI(M) offices could be demolished overnight. Addressing party workers at the inauguration of a new Congress office in Venduttayi, which had allegedly been vandalised by unidentified people on Saturday, Sudhakaran claimed it would only take 10 Congress workers to "bring down" CPI(M) offices in a single night. "We do not promote violence but, if you say it is required, we will retaliate in the same way," he said. "Ten Congress workers will be sent at night and they are enough to demolish CPI(M) offices," Sudhakaran told the party workers. Late on Saturday, a new Congress booth committee office at Venduttayi, near Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's hometown of Pinarayi, was allegedly vandalised. The Congress has accused the CPI(M) of orchestrating the vandalism. Sudhakaran also took a dig at Vijayan and urged him to uphold the dignity expected of

CPI(M) remarks of blocking fake voters aimed at scaring real electors: Cong

The Congress and BJP on Tuesday contended that the ruling CPI(M)'s reported remarks about stopping fake voters from entering polling stations during the voting for the Palakkad assembly seat were aimed at deterring electors and would amount to taking the law into its own hands. The bypoll will be held on November 20. During the silent campaign in the Palakkad assembly constituency, Congress-led UDF candidate Rahul Mamkootathil, while visiting homes seeking votes, said the election officials were officers of the government and therefore, how did fake voters' names get registered on the electoral roll? Mamkootathil, the state president of the Youth Congress, said that even the UDF was opposed to fake voters, but that issue should not be used to intimidate other electors from voting. BJP's C Krishnakumar, who also visited homes in the constituency seeking votes, contended that such statements by CPI(M) shows the Left party's tendency to take law into its own hands. He said that his p

CPI (M) leader Brinda hits BJP, says turned Jharkhand into 'lootkhand'

Senior CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat on Sunday accused the BJP of raising the infiltration issue in the election campaign only for publicity and political gains. She also alleged that the BJP has converted Jharkhand into 'lootkhand' (place of loot). "The word 'ghuspathiya' (infiltrator) is itself an insult. If they are entering Jharkhand illegally, the Centre should identify them as per the law and deport them after speaking with the Bangladesh government. "But, instead, they are raising the issue only for publicity. When the Jharkhand High Court sought a reply on a petition in this regard, the central government said they don't have any data but have suspicion. It means they are spreading poison here on the basis of doubt only," she told reporters in Pakur. Karat alleged that infiltration was a failure on the part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "BJP had ruled the state for a maximum period and they converted Jharkhand into 'lootkhand' (place of .

Kerala bypolls: CPI(M) Facebook page hacked, UDF candidate's video posted

With crucial bypolls in Kerala, the ruling CPI(M) faced embarrassment on Sunday after its official Facebook page briefly featured a campaign video of opposition UDF candidate Rahul Mamkootathil, running for the Palakkad Assembly constituency. Initially, the district leadership claimed it was not the official page of the party, but later clarified that the page had been "hacked" to post the video and incite controversy. CPI(M) Pathanamthitta district secretary KP Udayabhanu issued a statement saying the party came to know about the video posted following media reports. "Upon detailed examination, it was found that someone hacked the page, deliberately posted the video to create controversy, took a screenshot, and shared it with the media," Udayabhanu stated. The social media team recovered the page and removed the video promptly. A complaint has been lodged with the cyber police and Facebook authorities. The BJP alleged the incident as evidence of a "deal" between the LDF and UDF i

Palakkad bypoll: Trolley bag row will cause set back for LDF, says CPI(M)

The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala on Saturday expressed confidence that the trolley bag controversy would cause set back to the Congress-UDF in bypoll-bound Palakkad and would turn out to be votes for the party-led LDF in the constituency in the November 20 assembly by-election. The Left party said the midnight search issue and the subsequent trolley bag controversy had come up as part of the election process and there is no need to ignore it without discussing it. Police recently conducted a raid at a hotel in Palakkad on suspicion of the arrival of black money where prominent Congress leaders were staying. Addressing reporters here, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said the state should discuss the matter in connection with the flow of hawala money (during election time). "We are not a party which goes after a trolley bag. All these issues have cropped up as part of election progress and not come up as a political issue. It's an important matter which should not be ignored. A correc

Palakkad bypoll: Trolley bag row will cause set back for LDF, says CPI(M)

The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala on Saturday expressed confidence that the trolley bag controversy would cause set back to the Congress-UDF in bypoll-bound Palakkad and would turn out to be votes for the party-led LDF in the constituency in the November 20 assembly by-election. The Left party said the midnight search issue and the subsequent trolley bag controversy had come up as part of the election process and there is no need to ignore it without discussing it. Police recently conducted a raid at a hotel in Palakkad on suspicion of the arrival of black money where prominent Congress leaders were staying. Addressing reporters here, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said the state should discuss the matter in connection with the flow of hawala money (during election time). "We are not a party which goes after a trolley bag. All these issues have cropped up as part of election progress and not come up as a political issue. It's an important matter which should not be ignored. A correc

Satheesan urges Kerala CM for party meet as Munambam land dispute grows

As residents of Munambam village in Ernakulam district intensified their protest against the Waqf Board's claim over their land, the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, on Monday urged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to convene an all-party meeting to resolve the land dispute. In a statement, Satheesan said he has written to the Chief Minister requesting an all-party meeting to discuss the issue. He noted that the legal proceedings initiated by the Waqf Board to reclaim 404 acres of land in Munambam have placed over 600 families in a difficult situation. Observing that no Muslim religious organisation has claimed that the land in Munambam is Waqf property, the Leader of the Opposition demanded that the land be given to the current residents unconditionally and called for the government's urgent intervention in the matter. "This is an issue that could be resolved in 10 minutes," he said in the letter. Satheesan said that communal forces are trying to exp