A CEASE FIRE agreement between Israel and the Palestinians was finally announced on August 26. Hamas as well as the aggressor is claiming victory. Most observers are predicting that the latest agreement would bring a halt to the terrible suffering of the Palestinians in the Gaza at least temporarily. The international community has chosen to stand aside and watch as Israel continued with its bloodletting in the Gaza Strip from July 8. The Palestinians have said that they would no longer be satisfied with a “quiet for quiet” deal.

DURING the discussion regarding the spread of Encephalitis in some parts of the country, A Sampath pointed out that our country is in the grip of many diseases. There is an old saying that prevention is better than cure. What measures have we adopted for preventing these diseases? It is because of the water-logging in vast areas that these diseases are there. So, the main cause is water. We are not able to distinguish between safe drinking water and the water that has been polluted and where mosquitoes breed. Another issue is solid waste management.

CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said that CPI (M) is committed to form a broad platform to fight against the anti-people policies and communal designs of the Narendra Modi government. A massive convention organised in Punjab and the decision of the CPI(M), CPI and the CPI(ML) to jointly contest in Bihar assembly elections are part of this joint platform. This alliance will continue in Jharkhand assembly polls as well. He reiterated that elections are not the sole aim of this joint platform.

THE Telangana Agricultural Workers Union (TAWU) raised apprehensions about the undeclared intentions of the so-called Intensive Household Survey undertaken by the Telangana state government. In this effort, the government is going to generate a data base for all the 90 lakh households, about the assets and amenities at the disposal of the said households. Various sections of people have raised objections on different grounds and some even went to court seeking a stop to the survey.The TAWU found uncomfortable several sets of questions and the format of the questionnaire.

THE All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers has in a statement issued on August 21 condemned the heinous rape and murder of the anganwadi worker Dipali Giri in West Bengal and called for protest demonstrations.

AIFAWH has strongly condemned the heinous murder of Dipali Giri, an anganwadi worker, wife of Byomkesh Giri of Sunia, Kanthi, East Medinipur. She was stripped, paraded naked, gang raped and hacked to death by the TMC goons in the village. Her body was then hanged on August 18, 2014.