BRUSHING aside repeated threats from the Right-wing Hindutva forces, the people of Kerala wholeheartedly welcomed Gazal maestro Ghulam Ali to the state. The Pakistani singer held a concert in the state capital on January 15 and in Calicut on January 15.The programmes were organised by Swaralaya, a socio-cultural organisation. DYFI activists gathered at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to extend a warm welcome to the renowned singer. Tourism Minister A P Anilkumar, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member M A Baby and city mayor V K Prasanth received Ghulam Ali at the airport.

OOMMEN Chandy has become the first chief minister in the history of Kerala to depose before a judicial commission in connection with a scam.

“A CLEAN government of Peoples’ Welfare Alliance (Makkal Nala Kootani) will be formed based on alternative policies after the assembly elections; that is the future of Tamil Nadu”. Declaring this at a massive rally in the historic city of Madurai, Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of the CPI(M), gave a clarion call for an alternative government to the “corrupt” AIADMK and DMK.

THE Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch and other dalits organisation and individuals have given a call for candle light procession and other action programmes all over the country on January 24 protesting against the death of a Ph.D. scholar Rohith Vemula of Hyderabad Central University. They have demanded the immediate removal of the suspension on the remaining four students and allowing them to continue in their hostels as usual, immediate removal of Prof P Appa Rao as vice chancellor, resignation of the two union ministers and a comprehensive compensation to the deceased family.

THE Indian History Congress met at Malda, West Bengal, for its three-day 76th annual session from December 27-29,  2015, under the aegis of the Gour-Banga University. About 1200 delegates from all over the country attended the session.Professor K Paddayya, eminent archaeologist, took over as general president for the ensuing year, and delivered his presidential address at the inaugural session on December 27. Professor Paddayya is currently Professor Emeritus at the Deccan College University (Pune), the Mecca of Indian archaeologists, of which he has also been the director.