ON March 1, 2025, the 24th Maharashtra State Conference of the CPI(M) concluded at Selu, Parbhani district, in the Marathwada region, with the unanimous election of a 50-member state committee which has 12 women (24 per cent), as against 9 women (18 per cent) earlier. The new state committee unanimously elected a 15-member state secretariat which has two women, as against one earlier. It also unanimously elected 47-year-old Ajit Nawale as the new state secretary.
INDIA'S forest cover is on the decline. But government agencies consistently present data that support a false narrative of the country’s forests doing well with regard to both carbon sequestration and forest cover. Forest Survey of India (FSI) has the responsibility of publishing ‘India State of Forest Report (ISFR)’ every alternate year. The ISFR 2023 reported a 1,445 square kilometres (sq. kms) increase in total forest and tree cover compared to 2021, with 156 sq. kms attributed to natural forest cover and the remainder to tree cover outside forests.
ON March 1, higher education minister and TMC leader Bratya Basu visited Jadavpur University for a TMC teachers' organisation event. Student protests erupted, demanding the reinstatement of student union elections, which have been suspended for five years. The situation escalated into violence as students reported a joint attack by TMC and RSS activists. Amidst the protests, Minister Basu attempted to leave promptly in his car.
ON March 4, various newspapers reported another incident of murder of a truck worker Sandeep by cow vigilantes on February 22, 2025. This is another case that exposes the truth behind the self-proclaimed cow-protector cow vigilantes.
THE Samyukt Kisan Morcha Punjab had planned to hold a protest in Chandigarh on March 5 to address the pending demands of the farmers. However, the AAP led Punjab government, which claims to be the protector of democracy, launched a brutal attack on the democratic rights of farmers by starting to arrest leaders of various constituent organisations of SKM from their homes. Prior to this, on March 2, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had a meeting with representatives of farmer organisations, which ended fruitlessly.
THE All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), in a statement issued on March 4, has expressed deep concern about a judgement from the Chhattisgarh High Court which exonerated a man against his conviction under Sections 377 (unnatural sex), 376 (rape), and 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). The victim in the case was the man’s wife who had clearly stated that he had sexually assaulted her against her will by inserting his hand in her anus. The injury caused to the victim was so severe that she died in the hospital a few days later.
THE Trump presidency's engagement with the scientific community has been characterised by a very high level of tension, particularly during his second term as the president of the United States.
ADDRESSING a massive public meeting at Dankuni Football Ground on February 25, after the conclusion of the state conference, CPI(M) leaders called for an immediate and relentless fight to save Bengal from the Trinamool and BJP. They stated that the people feel helpless and disillusioned by the politics of Trinamool and BJP and emphasized the need to connect with the people and protect Bengal.The CPI(M)'s state conference outlined a phased programme with specific timelines for the upcoming assembly elections next year, starting from February 26.
REITERATING popular support for the state government’s policies, the people of Kerala delivered a thumping victory to the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the local body by-elections held on February 24, across 13 districts in the state. The LDF won 17 out of 30 seats, including the Sreevaraham ward in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation. The BJP failed to secure a single seat.The LDF secured victories in one block panchayat ward, two municipal wards, and 13 grama panchayat wards, wresting four seats previously held by the UDF.