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.

AFTER the discussions held with the Karnataka Anganwadi Noukarara Sangha (affiliated to CITU)  on April 10, the chief minister agreed to a further increase of Rs1000 for workers, Rs 500 for helpers and Rs 500 for mini anganwadi workers.  An increase of Rs 1000 for anganwadi worker and Rs 500 for helper has already been announced in the state budget. Thus the total increase has become Rs 2000 for workers, Rs 1000 for helpers and Rs 1500 for mini workers. Now the remuneration will be Rs 8000 for anganwadi workers, Rs 5250 for mini workers and 4000 for helpers.