TRADE unions and other mass organisation leaders reiterated that the agitation will go on to protect the Vizag Steel Plant in the public sector. Huge rally and public meetings were organised in Visakhapatnam on July 10, on completion of 100 days of the relay hunger strike camp run by trade unions and various mass organisations at Gandhi statue near GVMC office.A scooter rally started from the Steel Plant and thousands of workers and people joined it on the way, which culminated at the public meeting.

“MY grateful thanks in millions are due to the SFI team for their selfless work,” beamed Revathi Balan, dean of Thoothukudi Government Medical College, before the media.In 2019, when the Covid-19 pandemic was snatching the lives of people, braving the unknown consequences, the SFI unit of Thoothukudi district consciously took the decision to help the medical administration in their efforts to save lives.As an organisation with social consciousness, SFI was in the forefront to safeguard the people. It stood with the district administration in its relief activities.

IN its meeting held at the Singhu border on July 14, 2021, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) announced detailed plans of its parliament protest marches. From July 22 onwards, on every day of the monsoon session of parliament, batches of 200 farmer volunteers and leaders shall march towards Parliament House in a peaceful manner following the guidelines of discipline laid down by the SKM.

THOUSANDS of anganwadi workers and helpers from 21 states came out on streets observing “All India Demands Day’ on July 12, at the call of the All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH). The AIFAWH observes Demands Day every year on July 10, but it being the second Saturday this year, therefore was observed on July 12.The workers demanded safety gear, insurance and risk allowance for Covid- 19 duty. They also demanded the government to stop exclusion of beneficiaries and harassment of the workers in the name of digitisation and through ‘Poshan Tracker’ mobile App.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) organised an online World Political Parties Summit on July 6, 2021 on the theme ‘People’s Well-Being: Responsibilities of Political Parties’. Leaders of more than 500 political parties and organisations from over 160 countries participated in this summit. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC inaugurated the summit and delivered the keynote speech. Below we reproduce the intervention of Sitaram Yechury general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at the summit.