THE National Human Rights Commission is to be congratulated for taking the first step, even though much delayed, to bring justice to tribal women in the Bastar region of Chattisgarh. Its interim report confirms, through its independent investigation carried out in March 2016, the horrific gang-rapes, rapes, sexual assault and separately, physical assault, by security forces on 16 tribal women in different incidents in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. The incidents occurred between October 19 and 24, 2015, in the villages of Pegdapalli, Chinnagelur, Peddagelur, Gundam and Burgicheru.

THE ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya community in Myanmar's Rakhine state is ongoing despite pleas by the international community and neighbouring countries. Satellite images have shown conclusive evidence of destroyed villages and mass dislocation. There has also been incontrovertible proof of children being killed and women being killed by rampaging soldiers. Aid workers have been refused permission to visit the affected areas. A new wave of Rohingya refugees have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh.

 Rohith Vemula's first death anniversary was observed by Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch, along with AIDWA, DYFI, SFI, CITU, DTF​, JNM, Janasanskriti, AILU and many others​. Rohith was a student of University of Hyderabad who died last year in an institutional murder.The meeting held at Jantar Mantar on January 17, was addressed by Subhashini Ali, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member who paid tributes to the memory of Rohith. She lamented the fact that atrocities on dalits continue unabated.

THE CPI(M) has said that the Law Commission seeking opinion of political parties on the viability of a uniform civil code is ill-timed and smacks of a politically motivated agenda.     In a letter to Law Commission Chairman Justice B S Chauhan on December 17, 2016, Party general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, “At the outset, it is to be stated that the CPI(M) is constrained to observe that the exercise undertaken by the Law Commission to ‘engage’ in a ‘healthy conversation’ about the ‘viability of a uniform civil code’ smacks of a politically motivated agenda.

THE Centre of Indian Trade Unions, in a statement issued on January 19 has denounced the desperate moves of the Narendra Modi government for disinvesting 25 percent shares in all the five public sector general insurance companies and opening them to private hands including foreign companies.