Long live the thought and fighting spirit of Comrade Lenin!

The 22^nd of April this year marks the beginning of the 150^th year since the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, the foremost theoretician and practical leader of social revolution in the 20^th century.

As the world economy staggers from one crisis to another, with devastating consequences, Lenin’s thought is indispensable to figure out what is actually happening.  His analysis of imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism, remains the indispensable guide to deal with the present crisis of world capitalism.

After more than three months of continuous mass protests in Kashmir, and the killing of more than a hundred people in daily shootings by the armed forces there, the UPA government finally came up with its long-awaited policy measure to deal with the explosive situation there – an ‘all-party’ delegation visit to Kashmir to observe the problem first-hand! As the Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in Srinagar reacted incredulously, “Doesn’t the government of India already know the situation that is prevailing in Kashmir?!” This latest move only confirms the utter bankruptcy of the Indian state, its inability to even pretend that it has a solution to the problem.

Workers of the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) have been agitating since September 17 seeking higher wages in accordance with the Sixth Pay Commission salary structure.

The Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad has threatened to shut down the four gardens of Tata Tea in the Dooars, if eight suspended workers are not reinstated immediately.

Lakhs of Postal workers have declared their intent to go on an indefinite strike from July 14, 2010. The strike call has been given by two unions representing over 3 lakh postal workers  — NFPE and FNPO.

Sir, I am writing to thank you for the timely and educative article entitled `UPA Government and the Working Class: Attacking workers in the name of "aam aadmi"' published in theJune 16-30, 2010 issue of People's Voice.

In 1994, the Central Adminstrative Tribunal, Chandigarh, had ruled that workers working with the Railways on basis of Casual Labour Service must be absorbed as permanent workers. Sixteen years, later, the Railways has refused to implement this directive. According to the rules, the Railways had to absorb these erstwhile casual workers as permanent workers, once it stopped recruitment of casual labour.