The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India(Marxist) has issued the following statement on April 20, 2021:THE new vaccine policy announced yesterday, is once again an effort by the central government to absolve itself from the colossal health crisis that they have created. There is an effort to shift the entire responsibility on to the state governments.This policy is essentially an effort to liberalise vaccine sales and deregulate prices, without augmenting supply.

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India(Marxist) has issued the following statement on April 17, 2021THE scaling up of vaccine production in India is being hampered by the shortage of the intermediate material required for vaccine production.Much of this material such as filters, solutions and plastic bags come from the United States. But the US administration has banned the export of vaccine material under its Defence Production Act.Despite requests by the Indian authorities, no relaxation or exemption has been given for export of these items.

THE powerful second wave of Covid infections across the country has invited sharp attention to the role of different instruments of policy in addressing the crisis. Global experience shows that expanded vaccination may help reduce the spread of infections and weaken the links between infections and death. Hence, countries are racing to vaccinate as large a share of their populations as they could in the shortest time span.India is a laggard in this race to vaccinate the population.

IN yet another brutal incident of violence RSS goons in Alappuzha district have stabbed a 15-year-old SFI worker to death.  Abhimanyu, a class tenth student of Amritha School in Vallikunnam was killed by a group of RSS workers. The incident occurred during a Vishu festival at Vallikunnam Padayanivattam Temple. Abhimanyu is the seventh victim of UDF- RSS violence in the last ten months. The attack occurred at 9.45 pm on April 14th. A sharp weapon was pierced into his body, which left a big hole in the belly.Abhimanyu was to appear for the SSLC examination on April 15th.

THE Covid-19 pandemic shows no sign of slowing down in the country, with figures touching 2,75,000 on April 18th. Hospitals are running out of beds, ICU capacity and even oxygen. Consequently, the death toll is also rising, with reports of dead bodies piling up in mortuaries, crematoriums and burial grounds.India's numbers have far outstripped countries like the US and Brazil, which have been the poor performers till now. Worse, the flattening up of the curve is still some time away, as new states and cities are getting affected.