D. Raja

Dear Prime Minister Modi Ji, Shamelessness is characteristic with demagogues. Not with compassionate statesmen. It can make you a cunning salesman, not a benevolent leader. Follow this thread on shame. (1/12)

They embraced the gallows, but refused to surrender their ideals. On this martyrdom day, we salute Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru, fearless revolutionaries who struck at the heart of colonial rule and exposed the deeper structures of exploitation. Bhagat Singh’s vision went beyond independence. He imagined a just social order free from class oppression, communal hatred and caste inequality, a socialist future shaped by the struggles of workers and peasants. Honouring this revolutionary spirit, the Communist Party of India is observing the day as Anti-Imperialism Day across the country. In a world once again gripped by the aggressive designs of imperialism, their defiance lights the path forward. Their sacrifice endures as a living inspiration to resist, to organise and to transform society. Inquilab Zindabad. Red Salute.

Premium petrol prices have been increased by over ₹2 per litre and industrial diesel prices massively by ₹22 per litre. The government claims that normal petrol and diesel remain unchanged. This is misleading. Rise of ₹22 in industrial diesel will push up input costs and manufacturing expenses, leading to a cascading rise in prices of essential commodities. Inflation will hit every household. We condemn this move which is going to burden the common people. The only reason normal fuel prices are not being raised right now is the upcoming assembly elections. After that, that burden too will be passed on to the people, just like the BJP did with LPG. This situation reflects the Modi government’s complete lack of preparedness. While global tensions and the potential of rising crude prices demanded serious planning, the Prime Minister was busy with photo-ops in Israel. Today, people are paying the price for this botched foreign policy and meaningless spectacle. People are watching and they will respond!

I visited Sadh Nagar in Palam, New Delhi, where a tragic fire caused by an electrical short circuit claimed nine lives, including three children, from a single family. Meeting the bereaved family was deeply painful. We conveyed our condolences and assured them that we stand firmly with them in this hour of loss. The family highlighted the delayed response and failure of the fire brigade. We demanded that the Delhi Government extend full support for rehabilitation and strengthen fire brigade services in line with the city’s growing needs.

VIDEO | As dates of elections were announced for 4 states, one UT, CPI General Secretary D Raja (@ComradeDRaja) says, "Elections are to be held. The schedule is announced by Election Commission. Now the point is Election Commission is a constitutional body. And it draws mandate, power from the very Constitution of our country. It means Election Commission has the mandate to ensure free and fair elections. Election Commission has the mandate to ensure all voters, eligible voters exercise the right to vote. Election Commission as the mandate to see the Model Code of Conduct is implemented without any bias. Model Code of Conduct should be applied to everyone, to every party, every candidate. These are all powers, mandates for Election Commission, given by the very constitution. Now, the question is about special intensive revision of voter rolls. There are many issues have been raised by various state governments, by people from various states. We saw what happened in Bihar, we saw what happened in Maharashtra. Now there are issues raised in West Bengal. Even the people who are alive, they are treated as dead and SIR has been worked out. And several Chief Ministers have spoken out openly raising doubts about SIR and the role of Election Commission. These questions need to be addressed properly by Election Commission. Let us see how Election Commission is going to move forward after announcing the schedule for various states." #ElectionCommissionofIndia #AssemblyElections

The five states going to Assembly elections in April 2026 are politically crucial. The removal of voters through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has already created a serious impression of unfairness in the electoral process. Over 74 lakh voters in Tamil Nadu, around 58 lakh in West Bengal, about 9 lakh in Kerala, nearly 2.43 lakh in Assam and more than 1 lakh in Puducherry have reportedly been deleted from the rolls. The Election Commission of India is constitutionally mandated to conduct free and fair elections and ensure a level playing field for all political parties. This fairness has been visibly absent for some time now. Despite this, we are confident about the verdict of the people. The BJP stands exposed for its failures on the economy, employment generation, inflation, foreign policy and unaccountability. With nothing to show the people, the BJP seeks to rely only on polarisation. But people who are forced to stand in long queues even for basic necessities like LPG cylinders because of the government’s botched up policies and neglect know where the responsibility of this misrule lies. The people will deliver a decisive verdict. Kerala will return the LDF to power for a historic third term. The people of Tamil Nadu will reaffirm their trust in the Secular Progressive Alliance. In Puducherry the corrupt and misgoverned NDA regime will come to an end. In West Bengal the Left Front is fighting resolutely for the people and the electorate will place its faith in the Left’s secular and pro-people politics. Assam too will be freed from the corrupt and communal rule of the BJP.

Modi’s Speeches Cannot Fill Empty Gas Cylinders The CPI strongly condemns the steep hike in LPG prices and the growing supply shortages that are pushing millions of ordinary households into distress. The increase of ₹60 on domestic cylinders and ₹115 on commercial cylinders, coupled with non-availability in several areas, has forced people to stand in long queues under the scorching sun simply to secure cooking gas. LPG is a basic necessity for working families, yet the Modi government’s mismanagement has turned it into a daily struggle. The impact is equally severe on small eateries, tea stalls, dhabas and restaurants that depend on commercial cylinders. Rising costs and irregular supply are forcing many establishments to shut down temporarily, threatening the livelihoods of workers and small businesses. This crisis is the direct outcome of the short-sighted policies and misplaced priorities of the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The government failed to anticipate the consequences of its foreign policy choices and their likely impact on India’s energy security and supply chains while uncritically aligning with US-Israel. Instead of ensuring stability and protecting consumers, it has allowed the burden to fall squarely on the people. Unable to face the consequences of these failures, the Prime Minister is busy attacking the opposition rather than providing relief. His speeches and rhetoric cannot become the fuel in the kitchens of India’s working people. The reality is that when global crude oil prices were low and India was receiving discounted oil from countries such as Russia and Iran, oil companies and refineries amassed enormous profits, yet the benefits were never passed on to ordinary consumers of petrol, diesel, CNG and LPG. Instead, the BJP government steadily dismantled the subsidy on domestic LPG cylinders and allowed prices to rise sharply over the past decade, increasing the burden on ordinary families since 2014. Now, when the government’s diplomatic posturing and photo-op driven engagements with imperialist leaders have contributed to fresh hardships, it is quick to shift the burden onto consumers while baselessly blaming the opposition. The Communist Party of India calls upon all party units and mass organisations to stand with the people and organise protests against these growing miseries. Through mass programmes, pamphlets and social media campaigns, the CPI will expose the failures and falsehoods of the BJP and mobilise the people to demand accountability and relief.

On the death anniversary of Karl Marx, the Communist Party of India pays its respectful homage to the greatest philosopher of modern times and the immortal guide of the working people across continents. Marx’s profound analysis of capitalism, exploitation, and class struggle provided humanity with a scientific understanding of society and a revolutionary vision for its transformation. More than a century after his passing, Marx’s ideas continue to illuminate the struggles of workers, peasants, and the oppressed everywhere. His writings were also among the earliest to critically examine the nature of British colonial rule in India, exposing its destructive impact on India’s economy and society. At a time when few in Europe understood the complexities of Indian society, Marx also reflected on the oppressive structures of the caste system, recognising how social hierarchies reinforced economic exploitation. For millions across the world, and for generations of Indian communists, Marx remains not merely a thinker but a living force. He remains a guide whose ideas inspire the continuing struggle for equality, justice, and a society free from exploitation. Red Salute to Karl Marx. His ideas live on in every struggle of the working people.

Modi fails, people pay. Energy supply disruptions, rising LPG prices, and restrictions under the Essential Commodities Act, including curbs on LPG distribution to commercial establishments, reflect the Modi government’s failure to safeguard India’s energy security, triggering panic and hoarding. Appeasing Trump and chasing photo-ops cannot substitute responsible governance. The self-proclaimed Vishwaguru, who was in Israel days before they attacked Iran, had failed in maintaining appropriate fuel stocks in the country. The people of India are paying for his failures. Hikes in prices and the increased misery imposed on the people will be resisted and fought back.

The Communist Party of India expresses deep sorrow at the passing of eminent historian and public intellectual KN Panikkar. Prof. Panikkar made outstanding contributions to the study of modern Indian history and consistently defended secular, rational and people oriented historiography. Through influential works such as Culture, Ideology, Hegemony: Intellectuals and Social Consciousness in Colonial India, Communal Threat, Secular Challenge, and Against Lord and State: Religion and Peasant Uprisings in Malabar, he exposed communal distortions of history and highlighted the social and cultural processes that shaped India’s past. At a time when attempts are being made to communalise and rewrite history, his scholarship and public interventions remain a powerful reminder of the need to defend scientific, secular and democratic values in historical writing. The CPI pays respectful tribute to his rich intellectual legacy and extends heartfelt condolences to his family, students and admirers.

The Communist Party of India extends greetings on the occasion of International Women’s Day. This historic day emerged from the struggles of working women and the socialist movement. In 1910, the revolutionary leader Clara Zetkin called for a global day of action for women workers fighting exploitation, inequality and the denial of political rights. In India today, women continue to confront rising prices, unemployment, violence, caste oppression and entrenched patriarchy, even as they stand at the forefront of struggles for democracy and social justice. No nation can claim to be truly free or democratic while women continue to face discrimination, inequality and subjugation. The CPI salutes the courage and determination of women across the country and reiterates its commitment to the fight for equality, dignity and a society free from exploitation and discrimination.

The Communist Party of India expresses its grief at the passing of Comrade Dr. Gargi Chakravarty, eminent historian, distinguished professor, and committed leader of the women’s movement. A respected scholar and author of several important works, including Coming Out of Partition, Charting a New Path: Early Years of National Federation of Indian Women and PC Joshi: A Biography, she made significant contributions to the understanding of India’s social history and the Communist movement. She served as the Working President of the National Federation of Indian Women and was a member of the National Council of the Communist Party of India. Her life was marked by intellectual clarity, unwavering commitment, and dedicated service to the people. Her demise is an irreparable loss to the Party and to the broader democratic movement. The CPI conveys its heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and comrades. Her legacy will continue to inspire our struggles.

The US–Israel nexus represents evil in its most naked form. The assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by direct military force is a grave and dangerous escalation. We on the Left have consistently criticised the Khamenei regime on women’s rights, democratic freedoms and civil liberties. But political disagreements can never justify or normalise the targeted killing of the sovereign head of a state at the hands of imperialist butchers. If such acts are accepted, international law becomes meaningless and sovereignty conditional. For seven decades, the United States has been the principal source of conflict in the world. From the devastation of Vietnam, coups in Guatemala and Chile, the Contra war in Nicaragua, and the invasion of Panama, to the destruction of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and prolonged intervention in Syria. The pattern is constant: intervention, regime change, chaos. To now assassinate a sitting head of state is to strip the so-called rules based order of its last pretence. Sovereignty clearly applies only to those aligned with Washington. The bombing of a girls’ primary school in Minab killing nearly 150, mostly schoolgirls, had already shown what US-sponsored interventions look like. The silence of the Government of India and Prime Minister Modi is disturbing. Iran has been a friendly, time tested partner, supportive on Kashmir and balanced within the OIC. India’s strategic investment in Chabahar Port, crucial for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia bypassing Pakistan, is directly jeopardised by Iran’s destabilisation. If this surrender to the US–Israel nexus continues, India risks losing hard earned goodwill across the Global South. A nation that once championed non-alignment cannot remain silent when sovereignty itself is obliterated by force.

The Communist Party of India strongly condemns the unilateral military attacks carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran. These acts constitute a grave violation of international law and the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter. Such reckless military adventurism threatens to further destabilise the entire West Asian region, pushing it towards a wider and more destructive conflict. The CPI firmly believes that these attacks are part of a dangerous strategy aimed at imposing regime change in Iran through military force, in complete disregard of the sovereignty of nations and the right of peoples to determine their own political future. The Communist Party of India demands an immediate and unconditional halt to the ongoing military aggression against Iran by the United States and Israel, and calls upon the international community, particularly the United Nations, to urgently intervene to stop further escalation and protect regional peace, as the continuation of these attacks will only intensify instability, suffering and destruction across West Asia. The CPI calls upon the Government of India to categorically condemn these attacks. This aggression is taking place immediately after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel and he should speak up against this dangerous militarism. India must not, in any form, be complicit in or supportive of actions that violate international law and endanger regional and global peace. The Government of India also bears the responsibility of ensuring the safety and protection of Indian citizens in Iran and safeguarding our time tested bilateral relationship, including vital trade and investment ties, which are integral to India’s strategic and economic interests.

A Delhi trial court has discharged Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and all 23 accused in the Liquor Policy Case, sharply criticising the CBI for lack of evidence, serious gaps and misleading allegations, and even ordered a departmental inquiry against the investigating officers. They spent months in jail. Families suffered. Reputations were tarnished. Political careers were targeted. All to serve the BJP’s singular agenda of silencing opponents and retaining power. This episode stands as yet another reminder of how central agencies like the CBI and ED have been reduced to instruments of political vendetta by the BJP. When investigative institutions are twisted into political weapons, it is not just individuals who are targeted, it is democracy itself that is put on trial. The country deserves accountability for this abuse of power.

Tributes to Comrade Nallakannu! Veera Vanakkam! Lal Salaam! ✊🏼 #Nallakannu

வாழ்நாள் போராளிக்கு வீரவணக்கம்! தகைசால் தமிழருக்குச் செவ்வணக்கம்! #நல்லகண்ணு #Nallakannu

Extremely saddened by the passing of Com. R Nallakannu, a towering figure of the Communist movement in Tamil Nadu. He led an exemplary life, embodying the virtues of simplicity and conviction. With an unwavering fighting spirit, he stood tall as the leader of the masses. Com. RNK left a glorious legacy, inspiring us to follow the path of organised struggles to realise a better future. His memories will guide us forward. Veera Vanakkam Thozhar!

The CPI National Council mourns the passing of Comrade R. Nallakannu, senior-most Communist leader, freedom fighter, social reformer, and a moral force in public life. A life of sacrifice, integrity, and struggle for the oppressed. Red salute to a great Communist. #Nallakannu

Red Salute to Comrade R. Nallakannu! A life dedicated entirely in the service of the people and the Party. ✊🏼 #Nallakannu

The Communist Party of India National Council expresses its profound grief and deep sense of loss at the passing away of R. Nallakannu, the senior-most Communist leader in the country, a freedom fighter, social reformer, and an enduring moral force in public life. His demise marks the end of an era in the history of India’s freedom struggle and the Communist movement. Comrade R. Nallakannu was born on 26 December 1925 in Tiruvaikuntam in the Thoothukudi district of present-day Tamil Nadu. His birth date coincided with the founding day of the Communist Party of India, a convergence that would later be reflected in a life wholly devoted to the Party and its ideals. Coming from a modest agricultural background, he was drawn early to questions of injustice, inequality, and colonial oppression. He joined the freedom movement and the Communist movement at a young age and plunged into mass struggles against British rule and feudal exploitation. For his uncompromising political activity, he faced severe repression, with his sentence extending to more than fourteen years, of which he served seven years before his release. Neither imprisonment nor hardship weakened his resolve; instead, they deepened his ideological conviction and commitment to the cause of the oppressed. After Independence, Comrade Nallakannu emerged as a mass leader of rare ethical stature. A tireless organiser and committed social reformer, he consistently raised his voice for the rights of workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, and all oppressed sections of society, while firmly upholding secularism, social equality, rationalism, and democratic values. He served with distinction as Secretary of the CPI Tamil Nadu State Council, providing principled leadership rooted in Marxist ideology, inner-party democracy, and sustained mass struggles. He also served the Party as member of the National Executive and as Chairman of the Central Control Commission. Admired across the political and social spectrum, Comrade Nallakannu was universally respected for his simplicity, integrity, and incorruptible public life. He lived with austerity and dignity, shunned privilege, and remained deeply connected to the people throughout his life. Even in his advanced years, his clarity of thought, moral firmness, and quiet compassion continued to inspire generations of Communists and all those committed to democratic and progressive values. In recognition of his immense contribution to public life, social reform, and the cultural and political ethos of Tamil Nadu, he received several honours, including the Thagaisal Tamizhar (Distinguished Tamil) Award, an acknowledgement of a life devoted to justice, reform, and the upliftment of society. Comrade R. Nallakannu was married to Ranjitham Ammal, a retired school headmistress, who passed away in 2016. He is survived by his two daughters. The CPI National Council conveys its heartfelt condolences to his family, comrades, and innumerable admirers across the country. We lower our red flag in solemn salute to a great freedom fighter, Communist, and humanist. Comrade R. Nallakannu’s life stands as a shining example of ethical politics and selfless service, and his legacy will continue to guide and strengthen our struggle for a secular, democratic, and socialist India.