THOUSANDS of people demanding speedy investigation and punishment of the culprits in the chit fund scam in West Bengal, mobilised and held a sit-in, in front of the CBI eastern zonal office at Salt Lake on January 12.  They seized the office for hours and demanded interrogation of the chief minister who herself is involved in the scam.This demonstration, at the call of Left Front has been organised after a visible delay in the CBI investigation into the Saradha scam.

THAT the economy is in trouble is seen by two figures which have come out. The first is the index of industrial production which contracted by 3.2 percent in November 2015 and the second is the retail price index which registered a 5.61 increase in December.  The industrial output figure is cause for worry as the manufacturing sector within this index has declined by 4.4 percent.  Capital goods sector has declined by 24 percent, a clear indication that investment is not forthcoming.

THOUSANDS of construction workers including large number of women from all over Haryana thronged the New Subzi Mandi in Fatehabad on January 6 and expressed anguish over the anti-labour policy of the Khattar government of BJP in Haryana.

SIKAR, a city whose art, architecture and culture bear the mark of a rich history of confluence and diversity, will host the 15th All India Conference of SFI from January 22 to 25. The rich legacy of spirited peasant agitations makes the choice of the city even more appropriate, as in a historic first, the All India Conference of SFI is taking place in the Northwest India. The conference is taking place at a time when the whole nation is witnessing an assault on the very idea of India as a secular and democratic republic.

JANUARY 1, 2016 marked the 27th year of commemorating Safdar Hashmi’s life and works at the site of his attack, and subsequent death from injuries sustained, in Jhandapur by the CITU and the Jana Natya Manch (Janam). The interrupted Halla Bol show finished on January 4 that year, is marked with a new production by Janam each year, along with a roster of revolutionary songs and speeches. This year too the programme, with Badal Saroj as the chief guest, was a careful selection of acts in solidarity with the workers’ movement, with one major exception.