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Journalism of Courage
The CPM is pleased that PM Manmohan Singh is leading the Indian delegation to the NAM meet in Cuba. Given India8217;s leading role in NAM in the past, 8220;it is only befitting8221; that the PM should be leading India at the summit, says an editorial in People8217;s Democracy titled Restore NAM to its old glory. The CPM believes NAM has an important role to play, and was never about the 8220;vulgar mechanical interpretation8221; meant to bargain between the two poles during the Cold War years. It quotes Indira Gandhi: 8220;NAM8217;s essence was essentially anti-imperialist.8221; It8217;s not known whether India will again get to chair NAM but with the PM in Cuba it made it 8220;all the more contingent8221; that India declares its anti-imperialist position unequivocally, says the editorial.
Right campaign
Tribal vs Tiger
Answering the BJP8217;s criticism that the Wildlife Protection Amendment Bill was 8220;the worst Bill since independence8221;, Brinda Karat8217;s defence of the party8217;s position is: the CPM did support the Bill8217;s primary aim on setting up a statutory tiger conservation authority, but there was also the need to protect the rights of tribals as outlined amendment Bill8217;s preamble. BJP MPs in the Lok Sabha had criticised the Bill after amendments were made to it following interventions by the CPM. But Karat, writing in People8217;s Democracy, brushes aside the criticisms of the 8220;so-called tiger lobby.8221; She says a key component of the Tiger Task Force8217;s report was balance between conservation needs and the rights of tribals and local communities. The Bill introduced in the Rajya Sabha gave no guarantees for those living in and around the 8220;tiger bearing forests.8221; The tiger conservation authority had 8220;hardly any tribal representatives.8221;
Compiled by Ananda Majumdar
