UPA Government Zindabad...!!!

"I Have Become A Communist!"

Venezuela's March Continues...


ONE by one, the bricks are being removed in the capitalist walls that were erected in Latin American nations during the pro-imperialist rule. Taking Cuba as a model, president of Venezuela Hugo Chavez is chalking his own path towards socialism. Last week, he had nationalised Venezuela's third largest bank, i e the Banco de Venezuela. This bank was earlier privatised in 1996. The government of Venezuela has paid one billion dollars to the Spanish group Grupo Santander for their shares.

This purchase has brought one fifth of all bank deposits in Venezuela into the government fold. After getting the people's nod for nationalisation of core sectors, President Hugo Chavez has nationalised telecommunications, electricity, steel, oil and other core companies in the last two years. The latest push of bringing the banking sector under control will increase the government's role in shaping the economy.

Now, the government can regulate the money supply in a better way. Even earlier, the banking sector was properly regulated and the interests rates and commissions were set by the government. Leonardo Vera, an economist and professor at Venezuela's Central University, pointed out, "The government of Venezuela will now be able to indirectly regulate prices and market strategies."

Moreover, the welfare oriented schemes also will get enough resources after this move. Chavez has once again assured the people of his country that the march towards socialism will continue.



“Sympathy Budget” For Warmongers



IT has now come to light that the Japanese rulers are throwing away the taxpayers’ money in the name of national security. Toguchi Osamu, a Japanese Communist Party representative in the Okinawa prefectural government, has raised a question on the expenditure incurred by the US forces stationed in Okinawa.

The revealed fact was outrageous. The prefectural government had paid 10 billion yen to the US forces stationed in Okinawa. This amounts to 71 per cent of the entire nation's electric bill in 2007. Toguchi commented, "The government spends nearly 10 billion yen of tax money in the name of “sympathy budget” while the elderly have to bear the increasing financial burden of medical services that used to be free. Free medical services for the elderly can be achieved by doing away with the sympathy budget."

But this is the picture of Okinawa only. All over Japan, about 33,000 US soldiers are stationed, and the expenditure for this force is enormous. The government has named the expenditure as sympathy budget. The US forces play a role in Japan's national security, the officials justify. The Japanese Communist Party has demanded that this issue should be discussed in the Diet, the Japanese parliament.



Startling Facts On Israeli Offensive



STARTLING facts have come out regarding the war crimes committed by the Israeli forces in Gaza in January this year. Amnesty International, a rights group, has come out with an indepth report on this issue. In the three-week offensive, the report says, 1,400 Palestinians were killed. Among them were 300 children and 900 unarmed civilians. The rights group has questioned: Why did high-precision weapons like tank shells, air-delivered bombs and missiles kill so many children and unarmed civilians?

On the other side, the Israelis have refused to cooperate with the veteran war crimes investigator Richard Goldstone. He is probing this massacre on behalf of the United Nations. This UN probe’s investigator is biased, Israel claims. They say they have themselves investigated the whole episode and announced that their military had done nothing wrong! Hamas, the ruling group in Gaza, is cooperating with the UN investigating team and allowed them into Gaza.

However, even the startling facts revealed by the rights group are an understatement. Israeli forces have used Palestinians as human shields, charged the Hamas. Apart from killing the civilians, Palestinians were blocked from receiving medical care and humanitarian aid from neutral sources. The Hamas has pointed that even the counter-attack killed only 10 Israeli soldiers, showing that it was purely defensive in nature.



"I Have Become A Communist!"



I HAVE become a communist, said a girl to her parents. They were surprised to hear this from their daughter. But the girl did not want to get identified, fearing that she might lose her job. She is one among those lakhs of Japanese who were browsing in Google, Bing etc to come out from the crisis. The crisis that started from the sub-prime loans doled out by the US banks, has affected the second largest economy in the world too.

The girl found out that "in capitalism now we are controlled by the capitalists, or capital. But I think in a communism society we can think about the whole of society and decide our economic activities in a democratic way." She claims that she is a member of a "lost generation." She also mentioned about the people who came to the employment market during Japan's long stagnation in the 1990s and could not find proper jobs.

She is not alone in embracing communism in Japan. The party that has four lakh members on its rolls, is getting about 1,000 new members every month. Rallies by retrenched Japanese workers have become day to day affair. Presiding over these protests are none other than the leaders Japanese Communist Party. One worker among the rallyists claimed, "I support the Communist Party because it's the one that thinks about workers first." "The Communist Party is the only party that gets really serious about problems like this," said another.

When the recent international economic crisis erupted, Marxist literature came in demand from the affected, would-be affected and may-be affected sections. It was a 'classical' case in Japan. One classical novel was written in 1929 and was almost forgotten by the Japanese. The crisis has brought that novel into limelight now. The title of the novel is Kanikosen, and its story revolves around some poor fishermen uniting against their owners. Along with history, the story also repeats itself.

Finally, the cat is out

For long, there was a constant denials from the Japan's ruling establishment. They had dubbed the charge as nothing but fiction. The charge was that the US and Japan had a secret pact regarding the handling of nuclear weapons. Japan, being the only country that was struck the nuclear bomb has a policy of not to allow the production, possession and bringing in of nuclear weapons. But the secret pact that has come into light clearly shows that nuclear weapons carrying Warships or planes do not need prior consultations when they enter the Japanese territory.

This secret pact was brought out by the Kyodo News through four former Vice Foreign Ministers who were interviewed. They had even said that few former Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers knew about the whole thing. The people of Japan were kept in dark. Japanese Communist Party has called for a thorough enquiry. Its Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi has demanded that the Parliament should summon all those people connected with the deal to bring the truth out.

lnfact, the JCP has pointed out about such secret pact on handling of nuclear weapons by the US in Japanese territory on earlier occasions too. Their claims were dismissed as mere gossips. The latest revelations have proved that what JCP was kept saying was one hundred percent right. Ichida commented, when the entire world is moving towards non-nuclear world, the Japanese government should reveal publicly the facts regarding the secret deal with US.

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Military superior to Health!

Gloabal Financial Crisis has taken its own toll. But the crisis did not deter the nations from spending more on military. The expenditure on military went up 4% more in last year, 2008. The total expenditure was $1.46 trillion. As per the report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, US's close ally Israel spends more than any other country when compared with the population. They spend more than $2,300 per citizen. This is $300 more than United States of America that stands at the second place.

As far as the total military expenditure concerned, the US stays at the top. It spends 41% of the world military expenditure. Only the combined expenditre of other top 14 countries can match the US expenditure. Though the People's Republic of China has increased its military expenditure by 10%, it is still far away from US. Meanwhile, the US Federal Bank Chairman Ben Bernanke has urged the US Congress to address the nation's budget deficit that stands at $2 trillion. He has warned that there cannot be any indefinite borrowing by the country.

Military expenditure by the US is mounting. On the other side, the US President Barrack Obama is pushing health care reform. This is the make or break period said Barrack Obama to some Senators. He is insisting that the legislation for health care reforms should be passed without any delay. Unmindful expenditure on military has put pressure on both industry and healthcare.

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The so-called Left beaten, not the ism!

European Parliament elections have shown the doors to the Centre-Left. The outcome of the elections is that the Centre-Right has won considerable victory. Centre-Left has been defeated. The Left and the Greens have increased their tally marginally. Some analysts says that the result is contradictory. One side the rightist policies have put the entire world into crisis. But the people have no hesitation to choose them. Some say that the people believe that the rightist policies can only heal the wounds inflicted by the Global economic crisis.

The reason for the defeat of moderate Left is in the policies itself. Though the Centre-Left parties have claimed themselves as the custodians of Left policies, they do not practice the same. Infact they do not even preach. The tilt of these parties is towards the same harmful imperialist driven policies. The Labour Party of Britain is the best example. Be it Tony Blair or the incumbent Prime Minister Gordon Brown, they are toeing the policies US administration. A serious joke in the restaurants of London is that the Britain does not need separate ministries in many sectors.

When the people voted for the European Parliament, Greenland voters have rejected the rightist party, Siumut, which was ruling the country for the last 30 years. The new Government, led by the Leftists has put the issue of full independence from Denmark in the priority mode. To begin with, Greenland will implement Keynesian policies through which the country will develop the domestic market. The people were disgusted with the lavishness of Siumut party.

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Isolation isolated!

The life has come full circle incase of Cuba. Last week was politically more important for the nation that stood the imperialist assault for the last 50 years. Firstly, the El Salvador has signed an agreement with Cuba for renewing the relation between both the countries. The time has gone, when the US could manouvre other countries in the American continents to isolate Cuba. With El Salvador opening its doors to Cuba, only US is left in the American continents that did not have the relations with Cuba.

El Salvador had its own celebrations since another Leftist President has taken over the reins. Mauricio Funes took Office on June 01. His first job was to restore the diplomatic relations with Cuba. With the co-operation from other Left Presidents, a new path has been laid in the area that was considered as the backyard of US not so long ago. The policies of US have gone awry in each and every place it was implemented. The countries that implemented the US-prescribed policies have done it not on conviction, but by compulson.

The second event was that the Organisation of American States(OAS) has voted unanimously to end Cuba's 47 year suspension. The United States that was cornered by the other countries also voted in favour of the resolution. The Cuba should adhere to the pro-democracy principles of OAS, the US put a string on the vote. Cuba has firmly rejected the call to join OAS. It has infact called for a new organisation that will reflect the real aspirations of American people.

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Response to Economist.com article...

The ground reality in India is different. Post-2004, the so-called reforms have been slowed down. Welfare programmes have come up due to the intervention of the Left parties, particular Communist Party of India(Marxist). For example, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme through which the rural poor gets 100 days of employment in a year. Though many shortcomings are there in the implementation of the scheme, it has given a breathing space to the rural poor.

During the election campaign, the Congress did not campaign on reforms plank. It campaigned saying that they had brought a scheme that gave the employment to the poor. Infact, the Congress should thank the Left parties for having helped them to come back.

Another example is banking sector. Even the people in the government had agreed, the banking sector did not collapse because of the ownership nature. Since the banks are in public sector, unlike the American banks, they have survived the worst world economic crisis.

Congress could capitalist the inaction of the main opposition party, that Bharathiya Janata Party(BJP). They had always side-stepped from the issues that affects the people.

If the Congress deviates from the trend that was set due to the pressure of the Left, they will start losing from the next state election itself.

Goliath wins, temporarily..!!

Mr.M.K.Azhagiri has won the election from Madurai parliamentary constituency. He was pitted against the sitting CPI(M) MP, Com.P.Mohan whose re-election was the choice for many from the temple city. This was the scene upto the day of mass distribution of money to the voters. It is alleged that they have distributed Rs.500 to near about 7 lakhs voters. Apart from this the distribution of sarees etc.. also were there.


This act was strongly resisted by the cadres of CPI(M), AIADMK and other allies. In one day, that is on 5th May night itself, brutal attacks were unleashed against the cadres and 16 of them had to be admitted in the hospital due to serious injuries. This has stopped their further distribution of money. It was widely believed that they had a plan for massive distribution of money on 8th and 11th of May. This could not be done due to vigil actions by the workers of CPI(M), AIADMK and other allies.


The future will not only speak about the victory, but also about the heroic struggle waged by the cadres of CPI(M)and the people of Madurai against the money power. Though many people have accepted the bribe for voting, the Madurai where the political conscience is more had seen the people firmly rejecting the bribe also. There were many in Madurai who felt insulted for being bribed. If the DMK people think that this particular gentleman and his family will not accept the bribe, the money was thrown inside the house. Elders were threatened with dire consequences if they do not accept the money.


Folklore stories are plenty for the Maduraites. They can pass on these to their upcoming generations. Stories like resisting a group of 300 people by a single man from distributing the money and material, few used left hand to press the button instead of right hand and many more like these that includes attempts to remove the fear created by the rowdyism will withstand the time.


A rumour was spread among the Madurai voters that the DMK men have been trained to find out for whom the vote is casted at the polling booth itself. One voter has described his strategy to overcome this. He was told by some people, since the Azhagiri's name figured at the top of the list, if the hand goes down to press the button you will be exposed. He had fear in his mind like others. But he could overcome that. He said, "while my right hand was near the top button, Left hand had quietly pressed the other button". With a long breath, "How many of us have time to devise such strategies...?" he asked.


One elder woman had a different story to tell. Her daughter's father-in-law expired one day prior to the polling date. She had to rush up next morning for two reasons. Though she did not accept the money, she believed that those who have distributed it might have kept in their pockets and informed their masters that the money has been given to all. So, if she does not vote it will be attributed that she had protested. She came back. Second reason is that she really wanted to protest. Hence, she voted for Mohan.


Many young voters have felt like being insulted. They had dissented when their parents accepted money. They hate to hear that there is no alternative. One youth said, "no need of any alternative. The one that is there is the best". He was pointing out that the sitting MP is P.Mohan and there is no need to change that. He saw the positiveness in the manner the CPI(M) and other parties have conducted themselves.


Getting around 3 lakh votes has proved these heroics are not mere stories. It has both blood and muscle. That is why the DMK and its machinery went to an extent, where they themselves have made some material and claimed that this was distributed by the CPI(M). The people, including the staunch DMK supporters, had laughed at this strategy. Such credibility the CPI(M) and its candidate have among the Madurai voters.


When Goliath wins, the general feeling is that they hate the result. When we say David, he does not represent the weak. David is the one who has the wherwithal to bring down Goliath. He is seen as a good. Goliath represents the opposite. He is bad but strong. But his strength lies in his muscle power and not in character. The result of the battle is always as expected. The David wins. This is the result people longing for. But when the Goliath wins, the entire humanity mourns.


Madurai is not in mourning mode. The hate feeling has widened. It may not have been translated as a winning formula for the moment. But, its strength cannot be just washed away. Madurai will once again erupt from the present turmoil.