ON January 30, on the martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi a human chain was supposed to be held from Rajghat to Rajghat in Delhi forming a full circle. The plan was to hold the chain from Rajghat, Lal Qila, Jama Masjid, Delhi Gate, Golcha, Shanti Van, Kodiya Pul and back to Rajghat. The call was given by JEJAA, ‘Hum Bhaathke Log’ and ‘Aman Biradhari’.

THE budget figures these days mean very little. The difference between what the budget provides and what actually happens does not come to light even after a time-lag of two years, while earlier two years were the limit. And knowing this, the government provides figures in the budget which are extravagant and hence meaningless, but look pretty. What is remarkable about the 2020-21 budget however is that notwithstanding massive liberties taken with figures, this budget still has been so non-descript that hardly anyone outside of government has had a kind word to say about it.

THE finance minister presented the union budget 2020-2021 in the context of the growing attacks by the Hindu right on the peaceful protests in Jamia Millia Islamia and Shaheen Bagh against the CAA-NRC-NPR. Both these developments need to be seen in the context of the desperate attempts by the BJP and its fringe organisations to polarise the upcoming Delhi elections and hide the economic mess that has been created by the NDA government in the last six years.

THOUSANDS of people formed human chain and read out the preamble of the Indian constitution in Agartala and other parts of Tripura on the 71st Republic Day on January 26.The five Left Parties-CPI(M), CPI, RSP, AIFB and CPI(ML) Liberation had given the call to take oath to protect our Constitution by reading out the preamble of the Constitution.In Agartala at 1 pm,  thousands of people formed the human chain.  At six places along the chain, eminent doctors,  sportspersons, jurists, educationists took the charge of reading out the preamble and taking the oath.  CPI(M) PB member Manik Sarkar,

IN two months, the novel coronavirus—or 2019-nCoV—has affected more people than the SARS virus had done in 2002-2003. While it is spreading faster, it is more infectious than SARS, the infections are less severe: the numbers of people becoming seriously ill or dying are less than with SARS. The Chinese authorities have reported 7,711 confirmed cases as of  January 30th, of which 170 people have died of the disease.