The government of India has declared January 22 as a holiday in several states on the manufactured occasion of “Pran Prathistha Diwas” or consecration day of the Ram Temple. This is relevant because the ones in power in India – the Bhartiya Janata Party – has an ideological strain of an extremist right-wing Hinduism, otherwise known as Hindutva. This ideological strain has proven be a bane for India in its entirety, for poor people, for the working class, for farmers, for journalists, for students, for Muslims, for the so-called lower castes, for the tribals, for women and everyone in opposition to this extremist government.
On March 30, India saw yet another earth shattering general strike. The strike was called against the anti-people, anti-worker and the destructive policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government.
Dallas, TX – On January 16, progressives gathered downtown at Dallas City Hall to demand justice for Dheeraj Rajendran, an engineering student and member of the Student Federation of India, a mass student movement connected to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), murdered in the Indian state of Kerala by members of the Kerala Students Union and the youth wing of the Indian National Congress.
The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) led by Narendra Modi was forced to admit defeat at the hands of the protesting farmers, by repealing the three oppressive laws.
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Kolkata, India – The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India has had a devastating effect, claiming more than 250,000 lives in a matter of three months, between April and June of this year.
On February 28 the historic Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, India hosted the massive People’s Brigade. The alliance formed by five major parties of the Left Front – including CPI(M) (Communist Party of India, Marxist), CPI (Communist Party of India), AIFB (All India Forward Bloc), RSP (Revolutionary Socialist Party), and RCPI ( Revolutionary Communist Party of India) – formed a coalition with the Indian National Congress and the Indian Secular Front and called for a major rally before the imminent West Bengal State Assembly election.
On January 26, farmers from across India continued their protests against the anti-farmer laws. That day, Republic Day, marked the 71st anniversary of when India's constitution came into effect and is a major state occasion. Two months ago to the day, Indian farmers held the largest protest in human history. Since then, these farmers have protested continuously.
A reported 250 million people turned out on December 3 to protest three oppressive farm bills in India. The record-breaking number of farmers, trade unionists, communists and socialists mobilized from Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra to protest the anti-farmer laws. Farmers over the years have turned out in the tens of thousands to protest the unjust laws, worsening conditions of cultivation, and the introduction of businesses to take over their livelihood. The upcoming days will see more resistance from people.
Dallas, TX – On December 22, about 1000 people gathered at Dealey Plaza in Dallas to protest the Indian Citizenship Amendment Act. The protest was called by the Indian American Muslim Council of Dallas.
On December 9, Asauddin Owaisi, President of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, tore up a copy of the malicious Citizenship Amendment bill, which is exclusionary and seeks to stop Muslims from becoming citizens of India.
Columbia Heights, MN – Nearly 400 people protested along Central Ave on September 22 to demand an end to the atrocities being committed against Muslims in India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his right-wing government.
Protests are continuing in cities across India, Dec. 23, in response to the gang rape of a woman on a Delhi bus, Dec. 16. Police used water cannons to attack demonstrators in Delhi and scores of protesters have been injured.
On April 6 a battle in India’s Dantewada district claimed the lives of 76 government security personnel. A patrol of 80 soldiers was attacked by a 300-person detachment of the People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), military wing of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). Eight communists were also killed in the battle.
Calcutta, India – Thousands marched through the streets of Calcutta, March 1, to protest Bush’s visit to India. Organized by the Socialist Unity Center of India, the chant of, “Butcher Bush – go back!” rang across the city.
The All India Anti Imperialist Forum organized protests across India July 24, against the attacks of Israel and the U.S. on Palestine and Lebanon. The West Bengal Committee of the AIAIF staged a large protest demonstration at Calcutta The following are excerpts from statement of the All India Anti Imperialist Forum giving an account of the event: “Before the start of the rally, Shri Manik Mukherjee, Vice-President, All India Anti-imperialist Forum, addressed a gathering at the Subodh Mullick Square. He said that, in one voice with the militant anti-imperialist, anti-Zionist forces of the world, the All India Anti-Imperialist Forum expresses bitter condemnation of the dastardly attack that the Zionist Israel has brought down for the last few days on Lebanon.” “Mukherjee also said that triggered on the flimsy pretext of demanding release of Israeli prisoners and combating terrorism, the bestial belligerence of the Israeli Zionist rulers forms nothing but a part of their long-pursued expansionist, aggressive policies against the Arab countries, more so Palestine. Thus, violating all norms of national sovereignty and civility, they have launched an all-out offensive indiscriminately killing innocent civilians, destroying civilian properties, facilities and constructions and thus damaging the very economic infrastructure of the country of Lebanon. The world stands astounded, albeit not for the first time, at the support and patronization that the warmonger US imperialist rulers have extended shamelessly to the war-maniac Israeli rulers, pleading for the right for self-defence for the barbaric attackers themselves. The AIAIF unequivocally denounces this act of the US imperialists and their cohorts, as well as the Israeli Zionists, which smacks of machination for escalating aggression over the people of the entire Middle East, in the face of ignominious defeat the US imperialism is experiencing on the soil of Iraq.” “Thereafter, the city witnessed a rally come out of the Square, resplendent with colourful banners and vibrant with resolute slogans against the barbaric imperialist attack and reached the venue at Metro Channel, Esplanade.” “The rally ended with burning of effigy of Israeli Prime Minister.”
