THE Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) was carried out between June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2011 by the ministry of rural development, government of India. The three stated objectives of this Census were to enable state governments to prepare below poverty line (BPL) lists, to arrive at a caste-wise enumeration of the population, and to ascertain the socio-economic and educational status of the enumerated castes.

GODAVARI Maha Pushkaram started off in the state of Andhra Pradesh on an unimaginable sad note resulting in the loss of precious lives and grievous injuries to many. It is for the first time in the history of Godavari Pushkaralu that such a massive tragedy has taken place. This ghastly incident has severely dented the credibility of the TDP government and remained as the worst nightmare for the people of Rajahmundry.

SITARAM Yechury, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) visited London to attend a series of meetings organised there. On July 11, he attended two meetings organised by the Association of Indian Communists and Indian Workers Association, Great Britain. On the 12th he took part in the public reception organised by these two associations in collaboration with Friends of CPI and other Left democratic organisations. He took part in many other programmes and solidarity events organised by the supporters of the CPI(M) and the Left during the course of his visit to the UK.

THE Tamil Nadu Vivasayikal Sangam has gathered the signatures of nearly six lakh farmers in the state against the NDA government's anti-people land acquisition bill. The Sangam also held protest rallies across the state during June in which around 50,000 farmers took part and supported the agitation against the bill. T K Rangarajan, MP and Central Committee member of the CPI(M), who led the rally in Tuticorin, said that the BJP-led government promulgated the land ordinance for the third time and it was condemnable.

THE All India Kisan Council met at Wardha to discuss the deep agrarian crisis and the necessary struggles of the peasantry to counter it. Reports from several states, presented before the Council, have confirmed the ground reality and the impact of the crisis on the life of rural people. On the one hand, the attack on democratic rights of the farmers have intensified in West Bengal while on the other, the authoritarian trends of the Modi government have found expression in different anti-farmer policies.