February 2011 – New Socialist Alternative

Region-wide revolution of the Arab people

22 February 2011

To fully succeed, revolutions need to go beyond framework of capitalism

“Ten days that shook the world” (Guardian). From Tunisia, to Egypt, to Bahrain, to Libya, to Yemen, to Djibouti and Morocco, the revolution that was sparked by the self-immolation of the desperate and heroic street seller in Tunisia has erupted throughout the Middle East. And it is yet to complete its work, as the bloody carnage of the desperate Gaddafi regime in the last few days indicates. With the vast majority of the population seemingly against his regime, a one-sided civil war is unlikely to succeed. This is truly a region-wide revolution of the Arab people. read more

‘We Stand with You as You Stood With Us’

21 February 2011

Statement to Workers of Wisconsin by Kamal Abbas of Egypt’s Centre for Trade Unions and Workers Services

KAMAL ABBAS: I am speaking to you from a place very close to Tahrir Square in Cairo, “Liberation Square”, which was the heart of the Revolution in Egypt. This is the place were many of our youth paid with their lives and blood in the struggle for our just rights. read more

Speech, Sedition and the State

19 February 2011

Speech, Sedition and the State

Mumbai: City of Dreams or Hopelessness?

14 February 2011

images125 — Rising sky scrapers amidst the sprawling slums of Mumbai.

The city of Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is a city of huge contrasts. A population of over 21 million, with some of the richest men in India like Mukesh Ambani living in 27 storey apartment for just a family of five and more than 11 million people living in slums such as Dharavi (Asia’s largest slum) occupying less than 13% of the city land area (!) without any basic facilities. Any govt. priority one would have imagined should have been towards directing its efforts to improve the conditions to those unfortunate lots who have been migrating to this city for several decades now, in search of livelihood and who are real wealth creators of this city. But in the minds of the state/ central govt. the slum dwellers constitute probably the last priority and are busy today fantasizing Mumbai as the next Singapore or a Shanghai in the making. read more

Political Drama in Karnataka

14 February 2011

images123 — Yeddyurappa & Governor H R Bhardwaj. Photo: topnews.in

The political drama being enacted in Karnataka seems to have no ending at all! The latest in the news was the sudden bandh call given by the BJP state unit in Karnataka on 22^nd January with full support from the BJP led state govt. The bandh was in response to the decision taken by the Karnataka Governor H R Bharadwaj to prosecute the Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on charges of corruption. The BJP immediately reacted to the Governor’s decision by giving a bandh call on 22^nd January on the charges that the Governor was acting as a Congress agent than a mere Constitutional head of the state who has no role in meddling in state politics. read more