THE Communist Movement in Kerala, which has a glorious history of spearheading pro-people movements like land reforms, total literacy mission and people’s planning programme, kick-started another people’s movement (Shuchitwa Keralam) to save the masses from the menace of garbage in the state. CPI (M) workers are leading the people from all walks of life to wipe out the waste and garbage in cities and villages through a decentralised system. Members and leaders from other parties also joined the programme in various districts of the state.

KOZHIKODE, a city which marked many upsurge of people in the history, witnessed another massive rally of workers at the culmination of All India conference of the Construction Workers Federation of India (CWFI). Lakhs and lakhs of workers including women from the construction field pledged through their slogans in the huge rally to fight against the anti-labour policies of the incumbent government.

TEA workers in West Bengal showed exemplary unity in the two-day strike in gardens, demanding minimum wages and implementation of labour laws. On November 11-12, a complete shutdown was observed in tea gardens of five northern districts, at the call of the joint forum of struggling workers, comprising 23 trade unions. On those two days, thousands of workers marched in the streets, demonstrated in front of garden gates and chased away any attempt of mischief. On the 12th, in another unprecedented action, a general strike was observed in three districts and adjoining areas of two other.

WITHIN six months of assuming office, the Modi government has been expanded with the induction of 21 new ministers in the council of ministers. This takes the total strength of the cabinet to 66. Of these, two are not members of either house of the parliament at the moment. Our constitution provides that such persons can hold office for a maximum period of six months before which they will have to be elected to either house.

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on November 11, 2014

THE tragic deaths of eight women and hospitalisation of scores more due to sterilisation surgeries performed on them in a mass sterilisation camp in Bilaspur is a shocking indictment of the health system in Chhattisgarh and also of the government policy to continue the highly undemocratic target based population control programmes.