THE outcome of the recently held Tripura legislative assembly elections was utterly disappointing. Left and progressive people, not just in Tripura but all over India, could not believe that the Left Front would be defeated in this election. The Tripura state committee of CPI(M) in its initial reaction said that election results were totally unexpected.The reasons behind this observation by the Party are discussed below.

A 24-hour strike was observed in Kerala on April 2 against the central government's anti-worker decision to amend the Industrial Employment (Standing Order) Central Rules 1946 to allow businesses to hire fixed-term employees, which will eventually threaten job security in all sectors.The CITU, INTUC, AITUC, STU, AHMS, UTUC, HMPK, KTUC, INLC, TUCI, AICTU, NLO and ITUC led the protest against the move.Public service vehicles remained off the roads. Shop owners stood in solidarity with the protest by closing their shops. Even auto-taxi sector restrained from all activities.

CAUGHT into the vortex of competitive communalism, West Bengal witnessed bloody clashes, attacks and violence during Ram Navami celebrations. Though celebrated in parts of Bengal, this religious programme was not so widespread traditionally in the state. Last year, the entire environment changed rapidly as RSS-BJP-VHP and their related organisations organised Ram Navami processions with clear political overtones. Arms were profusely exhibited in those processions and communal slogans were raised. This year, the TMC jumped into the bandwagon.

CASTE dominance is a pest. It is the darling child of Manuvad. Manuvad suppressed not only dalits and weaker sections but also women.  Suppression of women was practised in Hinduism through Manuvad but male dominance is there in all religions. Male dominance is there within the caste system also. There is no equality for women.Women do not have an equal status in any class or social section. Dominant castes treat dalits as slaves. Capitalists exploit the labour by treating them as slaves. Surprisingly these ‘slaves’ treat their wives as their slaves.

THE responses and protests against the murders of Madhukar in Manthani and Naresh and Swathi in Yadadri-Bhongir (district) in Telangana have provided two different experiences. There was a wide response on the murder of Naresh and Swathi. People from Hyderabad and other places responded to this incident in a big way. The murder of Madhukar was also sensational but it did not evoke a wide response. These two are caste related murders. But protests were not the same.