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The Hindu
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
M.A. Baby reveals the only time when Sitaram Yechury overruled CPI(M)‘s diktat
Sitaram Yechury, the late former general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], was known to be a stickler for party discipline. He, however, often disobeyed the party's diktat on only one thing: quitting smoking. This was revealed by Yechury's successor and the CPI(M)'s current general secretary M.A. Baby at an event in Kozhikode on Saturday (June 28, 2025), while releasing a book on his late comrade. 'We have often urged Yechury to stop smoking. Brinda Karat had even got angry with him on the issue. The party polit bureau passed a resolution to this effect as well. Yechury, who otherwise stuck to party discipline, used his power as the general secretary to veto this,' Mr. Baby said in a lighter vein. The CPI(M) leader also recalled how Yechury was planning to quit smoking during his final days at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi. 'His life partner, Seema Chishti, once asked us at the hospital why don't your party tell him to stop this habit. We told her we have raised a similar demand multiple times. Hearing our conversation, Yechury said he would definitely quit smoking once he was out of the hospital. However, we could not see him keeping his promise,' Mr. Baby said. Describing Yechury as a Marxist with a keen interest in multiple subjects, Mr. Baby said that he always tried to gain an in-depth knowledge in all of them. Yechury was never a 'jack of all trades, but master of none.' 'E.M.S. Namboodiripad was known for his vast knowledge on many subjects. But, he never took interest in things such as sports. Yechury was deeply interested in such subjects as well. I remember the morning conversations we have had after watching tennis legend Roger Federer's late night matches,' he recalled. Sitaram Yechury (1952-2024): Life and times in pictures Mr. Baby released the book titled Adhunika Communist: Sitaram Yechuryude Jeevitha Katha (Modern Communist: The life story of Sitaram Yechury) by handing over a copy to author K.R. Meera. It has been edited by veteran journalist P.P. Aboobacker. Kozhikode Deputy Mayor C.P. Musafir Ahmed and writers N.P. Hafiz Mohammed and K.P. Ramanunni, among others, were present.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Move to bring NRC through backdoor: TMC on EC's special intensive revision of electoral roll
"It is a sinister move to bring NRC ( National Register of Citizens ) through the backdoor," said Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Saturday about the special intensive revision of electoral roll announced by the Election Commission. Questioning the timing of the drive, the Trinamool Congress, at a press conference here, said the INDIA bloc parties will take up the issue both inside and outside Parliament. The Election Commission last Monday issued instructions to carry out a Special Intensive Revision in Bihar to weed out ineligible names and ensure all eligible citizens are included in the electoral roll, allowing them to exercise their franchise in the polls slated later this year. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Amid allegations of voter data being fudged to help the BJP, the exercise also introduces complete transparency in the process of addition or deletion of electors in the rolls. The last intensive revision for Bihar was conducted in 2003. "Why is this exercise being suddenly done right now?" O'Brien asked rhetorically at the press conference. Live Events "We have evidence as to why it is being done now. It is because the latest internal survey of the BJP for Bengal shows 46-49 seats for the BJP in the state's assembly polls (early next year). In their desperation to attempt to change things you do such things," he claimed. "It's a sinister move to bring NRC through the backdoor," alleged the TMC Rajya Sabha parliamentary party leader. He added that INDIA bloc parties will take up the issue both inside and outside Parliament. "We are all on the same page on this. We will not wait for Parliament to start. This cannot wait," O'Brien said. On Friday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) wrote to the poll panel on the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar and urged it to abandon the exercise. In a letter to Chief Election Commission Gyanesh Kumar, CPI(M) Politburo member Nilotpal Basu stated that while review of electoral rolls is a normal and routine process, the proposals appear to be putting a major part of the responsibility for inclusion or deletion from the electoral rolls is being imposed on the voters themselves. After Bihar, the Election Commission will carry out a similar review of electoral rolls by the end of this year in five states going to polls in 2026. The terms of the legislative assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are ending in May-June next year.
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
University of Virginia president resigns under pressure from Trump on DEI policies
Mr James Ryan concluded that resisting Trump officials' demands would put the school's students and faculty at risk. PHOTO: KIRSTEN LUCE/NYTIMES University of Virginia president resigns under pressure from Trump on DEI policies The president of the University of Virginia, Mr James Ryan, resigned on June 27 under pressure from President Donald Trump's administration over the school's diversity, equity and inclusion policies. In a letter to the UVA community, Mr Ryan said he had made the 'excruciating decision' to step down after concluding that resisting Trump officials' demands would put the school's students and faculty at risk. 'I cannot make a unilateral decision to fight the federal government in order to save my own job,' he wrote. 'To do so would not only be quixotic but appear selfish and self-centered to the hundreds of employees who would lose their jobs, the researchers who would lose their funding, and the hundreds of students who could lose financial aid or have their visas withheld.' Virginia's Democratic US senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, called the Trump administration's demand 'outrageous' in a joint statement and said Mr Ryan's departure would hurt the university and the state. It was not clear whether Mr Ryan's resignation would take effect immediately. Earlier, the New York Times had reported that the Justice Department had demanded his resignation, and he decided to capitulate. The administration has launched a campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion and targeted colleges and universities that it has claimed are pushing antisemitic, anti-American, Marxist and 'radical left' ideologies. Universities that have been investigated or have had funds frozen have said that Mr Trump's attacks are threats to freedom of speech, freedom of academics and the schools' very existence. In a warning issued to UVA last week, the Justice Department said the government had concluded that the use of race in admissions and other student benefits were 'widespread practices throughout every component and facet of the institution,' according to the Times. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
University of Virginia president resigns under pressure from Trump on DEI policies
THE president of the University of Virginia, James Ryan, resigned on Friday under pressure from President Donald Trump's administration over the school's diversity, equity and inclusion policies. In a letter to the UVA community, Ryan said he had made the "excruciating decision" to step down after concluding that resisting Trump officials' demands would put the school's students and faculty at risk. "I cannot make a unilateral decision to fight the federal government in order to save my own job," he wrote. "To do so would not only be quixotic but appear selfish and self-centered to the hundreds of employees who would lose their jobs, the researchers who would lose their funding, and the hundreds of students who could lose financial aid or have their visas withheld." Virginia's Democratic U.S. senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, called the Trump administration's demand "outrageous" in a joint statement and said Ryan's departure would hurt the university and the state. It was not clear whether Ryan's resignation would take effect immediately. Earlier, the New York Times had reported that the Justice Department had demanded his resignation, and he decided to capitulate. The administration has launched a campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion and targeted colleges and universities that it has claimed are pushing antisemitic, anti-American, Marxist and "radical left" ideologies. Universities that have been investigated or have had funds frozen have said that Trump's attacks are threats to freedom of speech, freedom of academics and the schools' very existence. In a warning issued to UVA last week, the Justice Department said the government had concluded that the use of race in admissions and other student benefits were "widespread practices throughout every component and facet of the institution," according to the Times.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
UVA president resigns amid Trump DEI policy crackdown
THE president of the University of Virginia, James Ryan, resigned on Friday under pressure from President Donald Trump's administration over the school's diversity, equity and inclusion policies. In a letter to the UVA community, Ryan said he had made the "excruciating decision" to step down after concluding that resisting Trump officials' demands would put the school's students and faculty at risk. "I cannot make a unilateral decision to fight the federal government in order to save my own job," he wrote. "To do so would not only be quixotic but appear selfish and self-centered to the hundreds of employees who would lose their jobs, the researchers who would lose their funding, and the hundreds of students who could lose financial aid or have their visas withheld." Virginia's Democratic U.S. senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, called the Trump administration's demand "outrageous" in a joint statement and said Ryan's departure would hurt the university and the state. It was not clear whether Ryan's resignation would take effect immediately. Earlier, the New York Times had reported that the Justice Department had demanded his resignation, and he decided to capitulate. The administration has launched a campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion and targeted colleges and universities that it has claimed are pushing antisemitic, anti-American, Marxist and "radical left" ideologies. Universities that have been investigated or have had funds frozen have said that Trump's attacks are threats to freedom of speech, freedom of academics and the schools' very existence. In a warning issued to UVA last week, the Justice Department said the government had concluded that the use of race in admissions and other student benefits were "widespread practices throughout every component and facet of the institution," according to the Times.
