SANGH Parivar’s attempts to sow seeds of polarisation in West Bengal have elicited reactions from various quarters. RSS-VHP-BJP combine chose Ramnavami and Hanuman Jayanti to create tensions and disturb the environment. In many areas, they carried swords in religious processions. Instead of taking immediate steps, TMC leaders and activists joined them.Left and progressive secular sections of the state have taken the challenge of resisting communal forces. Numerous rallies, processions have been organised throughout the state to condemn the provocation of Sangh Parivar.

THE Rajya Sabha passed the four GST Bills -- The Central Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2017, The Integrated Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2017, The Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Bill, 2017 and The Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2017. CPI(M) MPs moved several amendments and asked for division but was defeated. Speaking on this, Sitaram Yechury said the fundamental problem with the GST is that it concerns the federal structure of the Constitution. The government refused to heed our request and brought this as a Money Bill.

THE central executive committee of SFI, in a statement issued on April 10, has condemned the attack on M Vijin, SFI Kerala state secretary, Ashitha, Kerala University Union chairperson and other students by the goons of Vellappalli Natesan Engineering College, a self-financing institute in Alappuzha.Arsh, a second year student hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, attempted to end his life on April 8, by hanging himself in the hostel room, after cutting his vein. He survived the attempt as his collegemates rushed him to a hospital.

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on April 10, 2017 THE miserably low turnout in the bye elections to the Srinagar parliamentary seat in the state of Jammu & Kashmir reduces the electoral process to a total farce. Further, it displays the deep degree of alienation of the people in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. The 7.14 percent turn-out in these elections is the lowest ever recorded in any Lok Sabha polls in the state.The issue of our country’s internal security and sovereignty is non-negotiable.

Alexandra Kollantai, was a prominent leader of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, who joined the Bolsheviks.  She became a member of the Central Committee in 1917. After the October Revolution, she became the Commissar for Social Welfare in the revolutionary government. She made her mark in bringing women to revolutionary politics. Below we publish the excerpts of an article written by her in 1918.The idea of establishing a Department for the Protection of Mother and Child arose in the heat of the October battles.