IN the whole of last year, just 2.3 lakh jobs were added in eight key non-farm sectors of the economy, according to a recent government report. These eight sectors are manufacturing, construction, trade, transport, accommodation and restaurants, IT/BPO, education and health. All together, they employ over two crore workers.

THE Tripura Khet Majur Union has completed its tenth state conference with a resolute vow to frustrate the orchestrated drive of the communal, parochial and sectarian elements under the patronage of the RSS and the BJP to create unrest and disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the state and thus embarrass the Left Front government. The conference also called upon all its members to plunge into the battle for formation of a Left Front government for the eighth term in the state in the assembly election slated for early next year for the interest of impoverished sections of the people.

THE CPI(M) office in Pune, Maharashtra,  received a parcel containing an explosive device, a battery and wires on April 26, delivered by a private  courier service. It was also accompanied by a letter, obviously containing a message of dire consequences to the Party workers for working as Communists. A complaint has been registered with the Maharashtra Police, which has not been able to apprehend the culprits so far.The Parcel was addressed to Ajit Abhyankar a senior Party state secretariat member, CITU leader and a prominent intellectual.

NEO-CONSERVATIVE US talk show host, Rush Limbaugh, has accused Pope Francis of promoting ‘pure Marxism’. Wall Street Journal, a premier conservative magazine, commenting about the correctness of Marx’ analysis of capitalism’s tendency to maintain a reserve army of labour to increase its profits during the ongoing global economic crisis, wrote: “Lately, the US recovery has been displaying some Marxian traits. Corporate profits are on a tear, and rising productivity has allowed companies to grow without doing much to reduce the vast ranks of the unemployed”.

HUNDREDS of young men and women in Mumbai came out to join a youth rally organised by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on April 23 evening to protest against increasing atrocities on minorities and dalits. The rally, ‘Mumbai youth march’, started from Tilak Nagar and culminated in a massive public meeting at Ramabai Nagar in Ghatkopar.