Lockdown: Victory Declarations Premature In the Battle against Covid-19

THE prime minister has now extended the 21-day countrywide lockdown to 40 days, that is, till May 3.. While doing this, no explanation has been given on what basis the lockdown has been extended, and why for a 21-day period. Instead, in a briefing, the ministry of foreign affairs claimed a significant fall in infections based on certain modelling studies done by the ICMR. The ministry of health and family welfare first denied knowledge of any such ICMR modelling studies, later claimed that this was done by certain other groups.

MAHARASHTRA: CPI(M) Plunges Into Relief Work For Lockdown-Affected People

IN the first part of this report last week, the Corona lockdown relief work conducted by the CPI(M) and mass fronts in Mumbai, Palghar and Thane districts was outlined. In this second and concluding part, the work in some of the other districts in Maharashtra is recounted. SOLAPURIn Solapur, the CPI(M) and all mass organisations are trying hard to help the victims of the lockdown. With the help of local NGOs, our activists are distributing food, grocery and other essentials to the needy.

CPI(M) Condemns Arrests of Teltumbe & Navlakha

CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on April 14THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the arrests of Anand Teltumbe and Gautam Navlakha on completely trumped up charges in the Bhima Koregaon issue.

Extended Lockdown: Poor & Marginalised Will Continue to Suffer

CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on April 14THE people of the country who implemented the three week long lockdown ending today were looking forward to concrete measures that the government will undertake to resolve the problems that arose during these three weeks and provide the much needed relief for a large number of our poor, marginalised and migrant labour.The prime minister listed seven tasks that the people should implement during the extended lockdown.

Observe Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation, the All India Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party have issued thefollowing statement on April 13.THE Left Parties call upon the people of India to observe Ambedkar Jayanti by taking a pledge at 5 pm on April 14, on the following issues within the confines of the lockdown restrictions.1. Safeguarding our constitution.2.

First Indian Consignment of Hydroxychloroquine Arrives in USA Rapid Testing Kits Bound for Tamilnadu Diverted to USA

CPI(M) Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on April 12, 2020AFTER domestic apologists close to the government had been justifying the meek submission to blackmail by the US President Donald Trump for easing the export of Hydroxychloroquine on the ground that it was on humanitarian grounds, the latest evidence of US hostility underlines that such noble ideals will never be reciprocated.Evidently, President Trump has invoked Korean-War-era Defence Production Act, with typical extra territorial jurisdiction, to demand that US firms provide more medical s

Working Class Upsurge – 1946

DURING the period of the Second World War, the number of industrial workers in India had increased by a little more than 50 per cent. After the end of the war (1945), workers expected that their condition would become better. On the contrary, their problems increased. The Communists, who were leading many of the unions and in the All India Trade Union Council (AITUC) stood in the forefront in taking up these issues and organising huge struggles.Two main problems confronted the working class after the end of the war – large-scale retrenchment of the war-time recruits and reduction of wages.

JHARKHAND: Corona Crisis: The Poor Most Adversely Affected

IN Jharkhand, with the confirmation of the death of two people from coronavirus and increasing number of corona positive patients, an atmosphere of panic is prevailing in the state. After Ranchi and Bokaro, new cases are surfacing in Hazaribagh and Giridih, increasing the total number of corona-infected people to 19 in the state.

Don’t Handicap the States

THE fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in India requires a big effort by the states as they have to bear the main expenditure and mobilise the human resources to combat the disease and its economic and social effects. The states have had to scale up health-care facilities, provide free foodgrains and essential supplies and give income support to working people and other sections of society as the lockdown enters its fourth week.But all the state governments are handicapped in this battle as they face severe shortage of funds.

Trade Unions Oppose Move to Amend Factories Act to Enhance Working Hours

CENTRAL trade unions have opposed any move by the government to amend the Factories Act to enhance the weekly working hours to 72 in the guise of "exceptional circumstances” posed by the coronavirus outbreak.

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