In mid-December 2009, I visited fishing areas in and around the Mundra coastal region which hosts the vast Mundra Port and SEZ Limited (MPSEZL). The visit to the coastal areas adjoining the Mundra port in the Kutch revealed discontent among fisherfolk, traders and pastoralists over the creation of a special economic zone in the area. Apart from environmental concerns, the traditional livelihoods of residents in the area have also been affected by the new industrial projects, leading to organised protests, as witnessed in Bhadreswar village a few months ago.
THE corporate world was so elated over inflated investment figures reportedly inked at the Vibrant Gujarat summit that they immediately crowned chief minister Narendra Modi as a future prime minister of the country. But what the corporate honchos did not know is that all that investments, even if true, come to the state only over 71 dead bodies at the altar of the glittering diamond trade of the state.
Jayati Ghosh analyses the negative fall out of Gujarat's high economic growth on its people and the self-interest of the Tatas, Ambanis and Mittals in their lavish praise of Narendra Modi.
Clinical trials sustain Ahmedabad’s riot victims
In the dusty lanes of Juhapura, clinical trials made breadwinners of poor women.
Courtesy: Down to Earth
Soon after becoming the Chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933, Adolf Hilter called for fresh elections to the Reichstag - the German Parliament. On the evening of February 27, 1933 – six days before elections -- a massive fire broke out at the Reichstag. The next day, the Reichstag Fire Decree was signed which effectively suspended most of the civil liberties -- freedom of the person, expression, press, the right of free association and public assembly, the secrecy of the post and telephone, as well as the protection of property and the home.
Much in the same way that the Reichstag fire gave Hitler the opening to tighten his stranglehold and paved the way for the creation of Nazi Germany, the Sabarmati Express fire gave Modi (Chief Minister of Gujarat) the opening to revive the BJP's floundering electoral fortunes in Gujarat and legitimised the advent of the saffronazi.
The mainstream media is all hype about the appointment of Sonal Shah in Barack Obama's transition team. Vijay Prashad raises the questions around her link to the role of the 'Vedic Taliban' i.e. The Sangh Parivar.
Courtesy: Counterpunch
The Tatas’ retrograde decision to shift the Nano to Gujarat must not be allowed to be used to obliterate the blemish of the state-sponsored carnage of Muslims.
Courtesy: Frontline
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
If Modi can haul up something like the Times of India with a charge of "sedition", pray who is safe?, asks Badri Raina in Znet.