South Asia Citizens Web

David Barsamian the widely known Amercian progressive radio journalist was deported by the Indian authorities upon his arrival in Delhi at the Indira Gandhi International airport on the early hours of 23 September 2011.

Did India snatch defeat from the jaws of victory during its Prime Minister’s first visit to Bangladesh in 12 long years? Did Manmohan Singh squander a historic chance to make a decisive break with the mutual suspicion and avoidable tension that mark India-Bangladesh relations?

It is important that universities retain their independence in matters of hiring and recruiting, tailored to suit the individual needs of each university. The authorities should abide by just and fair procedure, engage in dialogue and consultation with the University community, and give due recognition to the positions occupied by University authorities, the Vice Chancellors and others in these matters. It is of the utmost importance that university autonomy is preserved under such circumstances. We are also concerned about the increasing infringement of university autonomy in matters pertaining to academic programmes and in decision making by the state. We are especially concerned about the role the military establishment is increasingly playing in the administrative and academic spheres of the universities, which are a place of free exchange of ideas, critical thinking, and innovation.

The Prime Minister had promised to bring legislation to set-up an independent Nuclear Safety Authority. This came after the widespread apprehensions about the safety of nuclear reactors in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. However, the Bill which has been introduced in the Lok Sabha – the Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority Bill – goes contrary to the assurance and seeks to set-up a body which is captive to the government. The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the government scrap this Bill and bring fresh legislation to set up a genuinely independent nuclear safety regulatory authority.

New Delhi, 19 September. People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR), Delhi, People’s Union for Civil Rights, Haryana and Citizens’ Front in Support of Maruti Suzuki Workers’ Struggle condemn the arrest of leaders of the Maruti Suzuki Employees Union last night even while the negotiations were going on.