Mahajot myth

The CPIM8217;s praise for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for articulating 8220;the relevance of the foundational principles of the NAM8221; was mixed with reservations about the issues that he did not take up. While calling upon NAM not to equivocate on terrorism, for instance, the front page editorial in People8217;s Democracy says no mention was made of the causes of terrorism. Individual terrorism cannot be fought while permitting state terrorism, the editorial says. There must be 8220;strong opposition to US imperialism8217;s unilateralism in the name of its self-proclaimed doctrine of pre-emptive action8221;. If the pressures of the Indo-US nuclear deal and the strategic partnership with the US were to define its foreign policy, India would not be able to play a leading role in NAM. There was also criticism of the PM on the West Asia question. While the PM had called for the setting up of a high-level group for West Asia, 8220;bemoaning and offering sympathy to the sufferings of the Palestinian people alone cannot resolve the crisis8221;. It was necessary to focus on Israel8217;s 8220;illegal occupation8221; of Arab and Palestinian lands which, was the 8220;source of the turmoil in the region8221;.

Where there8217;s will, there8217;s Bill

Manmohan Singh8217;s public assurance that the Women8217;s Reservation Bill would be brought before Parliament in the winter session is, CPIM politburo member and MP Brinda Karat writes, the result of continuous behind the scenes efforts by various leaders and parties to push the Bill forward. She says all parties in government 8212; including the NCP, DMK, PMK, LJP, BSP and the Left 8212; supported the Bill following discussions. The RJD, she says, had recently indicated 8220;some agreement that, if firmed up, will see a breakthrough8221;. The TDP and the AIADMK had already supported the Bill. Karat, who has been an active participant in efforts to have the Bill introduced in the original form, writes in People8217;s Democracy that the problems at present essentially arose because of the BJP8217;s 8220;utterly opportunistic8221; stand. She says that BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee had offered support to the Bill, not in the original form but only if the number of seats were increased by a third. According to her, the UPA and supporting parties would need to have a united approach on the issue. Required now is the political will to introduce the Bill.

8212; Compiled by, Ananda Majumdar