Lalgarh violence
In light of the violent incidents in Lalgarh,the CPI(M) in the latest issue of its weekly organ Peoples Democracy,has accepted that developmental activities had not reached the tribal population in the trouble-hit region,but has interestingly blamed local bodies held by a rival party for it. There is a specific problem in West Midnapore which is preventing much of the developmental activities from reaching the tribal population. A majority of the developmental works in West Bengal are routed through the elected panchayats. Many panchayats in the Lalgarh area are led by the Jharkhand Party. They have been the main obstacle in the implementation of many of these programmes and facilitated the entry of the Maoists, it says.
The MLA of the Binpur (ST) constituency also belongs to the Jharkhand Party. Lalgarh falls under this constituency. Clearly,there was a political motivation to utilise the hapless tribals as fodder for the Maoist activities by perpetuating their backwardness. Hopefully,with the vacation of the Maoist liberated zone,the much-needed and much-delayed benefits of developmental work will reach the tribals, the lead editorial claims.
It contests claims that the West Bengal Government is neglecting development in the tribal areas of the state,arguing that both the Lok Sabha seats reserved for tribals in the state have been retained by the Left Front notwithstanding defeats elsewhere. Needless to say that much more needs to be done for raising the livelihood standards of the tribals. The state government is initiating many new programmes, it says.
Education reform
An article titled whither higher education says although HRD Minister Kapil Sibals decision to review the status of deemed universities was a welcome step,there are genuine doubts as to whether the new hero will be able to identify,let alone fight,the real villain given the Congress professed love for neo-liberal economic policies. Noting that there has been a spurt in the number of deemed universities in the last 20 years (Between 1958 and the 1990s,only 29 institutions were granted this status. Now,in all,there are 125 of them),it says the reason for the increase was the modification of the UGC rules by the NDA government.
The UPA government,which came to power after the NDA,in spite of strong opposition from the Left parties and the student movement across India,shamelessly implemented the same policies on education. As a result,deemed universities and private institutions mushroomed in the last five years. Thus the UPA government has extended a red carpet welcome to the private players who exploit and make maximum profit from the aspiring parents and students, it says.
If Mr Kapil Sibal is honest and committed to his words on the deemed universities,the immediate task is to cancel the deemed university status for all institutions,which were given this status on the basis of the NDA governments modification of rules.
Unless and until the UPA government realises that providing education to people is the prime responsibility of the state,we cannot control privatisation and bring in major positive changes in our educational system. The immediate task is to allocate six per cent of the GDP to education. The UPA government agreed to it in principle during its last tenure,but never implemented it.
Maharashtra loss
The CPI(M) had contested in two Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and in both,the partys vote share has dipped. A report by the state leadership reviewing the election results appeared in the edition. It says that some of the developments in West Bengal and Kerala negatively impacted the party in Maharashtra.
As far as the nuclear deal is concerned,it says,we tried to take the issue of the deal and related anti-imperialist aspects to the people to some extent,but it could not reach the common people effectively. In the USA itself,the end of the George Bush regime and the ascension of Barak Obama blunted the anti-imperialist edge in the minds of large sections of the people.
Compiled by Manoj C.G.
