THE SFI-TSU combine registered a splendid victory defeating the RSS-affiliated ABVP in all the 22 general degree colleges in Tripura, where students council elections were held on September 12. Out of a total 393 office-bearers and 385 class representative seats, the SFI-TSU won 385 and 366 seats respectively. In all, the SFI-TSU (Students Federation of India and Tribal Students Union) combine won 751 (96.53 per cent) seats.

EXACTLY a week after assassination of Gauri Lankesh, thousands of ‘Gauri’s marched in Bangalore in defiance. The colourful march with thousands shouting “I am Gauri” from Railway Station to Central College, and the resistance convention held, reflected the raging anger against the murder of public intellectuals to suppress dissenting voices and freedom of expression. It also reflected the defiance by a rainbow coalition of forces representing journalists, writers, artists, students, social activists, thinkers, social movements, and political parties.

THE CPI(M) has been staunchly defending the people’s rights in Kashmir Valley -- combating the designs of secessionist elements and fighting the police and military excesses. Though a small political player in Jammu and Kashmir, with just one MLA, the party has suffered immensely at the hand of terrorists. Nearly 50 comrades have lost their lives, but not one from the BJP, the party that sings the rhetoric of nationalism.

THOUSANDS of people from all walks of life marched in unision against imperialism and war across the state on September 1, at the call of Anti-war Platform, Tripura.

SENIOR journalist, editor of an independent progressive weekly Gauri Lankesh was killed at her house in Bangalore, by unidentified gunmen. She was a vocal critic of the RSS-BJP and has spoken regularly against rising intolerance, through her weekly and through activism. Ironically she was also one of the main persons in the campaign to arrest the killers of Dr M M Kalburgi. Dr M M Kalburgi was murdered two years back. Now just a few days into this two year old murder, Lankesh’s assassination in the same way is even more shocking.