It is unfortunate that the Maruti Management has not learnt any lessons from the earlier strikes of the workers. Instead of discussing and settling issues with the workers union, the management seems to be again and again victimising and provoking the workers.

In the scuffle between the management officers and workers yesterday one life has been lost and a large number of officers and workers are hospitalised. It is reported that the scuffle took place after one of the officers made casteist remarks against a worker.

A high level enquiry should be conducted so that such ugly happenings should be avoided.

The statement of the US President Obama on the urgent need for reforms in India has been warmly welcomed by the India Inc. And the government reaction has been very mild at the criticism by the US. We can understand that the corporates, India Inc etc. are interested only in how to reap maximum profit. But the Government has shown servitude to the US by taking a very mild stand. Especially after the India-US Nuclear deal, India is taking this attitude of servitude, which no nation can adopt. It has been seen once in the murder of a fisherman by the US Navy ship in the Dubai coast. Again there was only a mild reaction. But it was different to a certain extent when two fishermen were killed in the Kerala coast by an Italian ship. This servitude is dangerous to the country and is completely against the neutral stand taken by the Government immediately after Independence.

If it was a Chinese ship that shot the fishermen or if the comment against the Indian government was made by the Chinese Prime minister, what would have been the shouting and angry statements that the India Inc, the media and the government would have made?

The Nationalisation of Banks in 1969 was a very important decision by the Indira Government which changed the entire situation for a better finance and banking for the whole country. The banks were nationalised on 19th July 1969. Now it is 43 years after nationalisation.  There are lakhs of workers in these PSUs and the latter saved us from the recession of 2007-2008, when most of the capitalist countries had to face serious situation.

But nevertheless, the present  UPA II government is trying to weaken the PSU banks and they may privatise also if possible. The government is more interested in the private banks. The PSU banks are compelled to bail out the corporates and as a result their NPAs ( arrears of loans) are increasing.

But the bank employees are well organised under the United Forum of Bank Employees and have conducted  continuous struggles to save the industry and the interests of the workers.

Best Wishes to the Bank Workers and their organisations on this day!

All over the world the 94th birthday of Nelson Mandela, the icon of steadfastness, suffering and  sacrifice and leader of the South Africa’s independence struggle was celebrated. He was put in solitary confinement in jail for more than 40 years by the British imperialists in their move to crush the independence movement. But British were at last compelled to leave S.Africa. The South African Congress  and the Communist Party together fought the struggle and even after independence they are ruling the country jointly.

Nelson Mandela was the first President of the free South Africa. There were great celebrations all over S.Africa. In Delhi prayers and meeting were held at Rajghat and other places.