THE Centre of Indian Trade Unions, in a statement issued on December 10 has denounced yet another retrograde decision of the Narendra Modi government to benefit the employers’ class at the cost of workers, while making loud noise on its so-called pro-people postures.It is reported that in the name of boosting employment generation and exports, the union cabinet has given approval to certain unilateral changes in labour laws and Employees Provident Fund scheme which will only benefit the employers’ class and business houses and harm the workers.

Two Maoists were killed by the police last month in a forest in Kerala. The CPI state secretary and other civil rights activists have condemned the killings alleging it was a false encounter. The LDF government is being accused of adopting the same approach as other state governments. Can you explain the CPI(M) position?·        P K Rajen, Kochi SOME Maoist squads have been operating in the forests in the tri-junction between Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for the past few years.

THE 20th Congress of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) was held in Almada in the outskirts of Lisbon from December 1 to 4.

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on December 6THE Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expresses profound grief at the passing away of Dr J Jayalalithaa, chief minister of Tamilnadu and general secretary of the AIADMK.Beginning her career in films at a very young age, Jayalalithaa later on went to join the AIADMK and soon rose in its ranks.A popular leader of Tamilnadu, Jayalalithaa served as chief minister of the state for nearly fifteen years.

A MAHA DHARNA was organised before parliament on November 25 by the sugarcane farmers from various states. The Maha dharna was held under the banner of National Co-ordination Committee of Sugarcane Farmers.