Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch (DSMM) organised a protest on July 25 against the increasing atrocities on dalits in Gujarat and seeking a ban on the cow protection committee vigilantes. Hundreds of activists in spite of the rains stayed put and expressed their anger through the protest.

What is the Party’s response to the promotion of Yoga by the central government?  Even Left-led governments are announcing that they will also introduce Yoga classes in schools.  Some people are criticising this as being part of the ‘Saffronisation Programme’.

P Shaju, Trivandrum

THE Monsoon Session of Parliament began on July 18. In the Lok Sabha, newly elected member took oath on the first day and the House was adjourned for the day after obituary reference and observance of one minute’s silence on account of death of a sitting member. In the Rajya Sabha, after new members took oath, there was an obituary reference to the victims of natural calamities. There was also a short-duration discussion on the situation arising out of recent incidents of violence and turmoil in Kashmir Valley resulting in huge loss of lives and property.

Below are the edited excerpts of CPI(M) general secretary and MP Sitaram Yechury’s speech in Rajya Sabha during a short-duration discussion on ‘recent incidents of atrocities on Dalits in various parts of the country’ on July 21.

THE Students’ Federation of India, Delhi state committee, along with other organisations including Jana Sanskriti, JMS, DSMM, DYFI, JLS and JNM, organised a dharna against the continuing state repression of the Kashmiri civilians on July 25. Nearly 50 persons have been killed and thousands injured in the brutal repression of the protest demonstrations across the Kashmir valley, following the murder of terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter. The shameful use of pellet guns against children and women has led to a situation of extreme human rights violation.