THE Communist Party of India (Marxist) is observing the 50th anniversary of its formation. The Party that was born at the Seventh Congress held in Kolkata (from October 31 to November 7, 1964) has advanced facing many trials and tribulations. On this occasion, we remember and pay homage to the thousands of comrades who became martyrs for the cause of the Party and the movement.

THE 13th Andhra Pradesh (AP) AIDWA conference was held successfully in Vijayawada on September 26-28, 2014. Prior to the delegate session, on September 26 a massive public meeting was held in Vijayawada town. The public meeting was presided over by AIDWA AP state president Karusala Subbaravamma. Brinda Karat national leader of AIDWA addressing the public meeting questioned whether we lived in a civilised country in view of deteriorating levels of women’s security where very young girls to very old women were being sexually attacked.

THE first Telangana state conference of the All India Democratic Women’s Association was held in Hyderabad on September 27-29, 2014 with great enthusiasm. A public meeting was held on September 27 preceding the conference. The meeting was presided over by B Hymavathi, state president of AIDWA.

GORAKHPUR is known as capital of eastern Uttar Pradesh, which was rightly chosen as the venue of the convention on Encephalitis, an epidemic affecting large parts of Eastern UP. Encephalitis was first detected in the year 1978 in Gorakhpur. Since then, around 15 thousand children have died of this dreaded disease. It is estimated that 90% of the casualties have affected poorer sections of society. During the year 2012, 1256 cases of Encephalitis were detected out of which 557 cases resulted into death.

THE Odisha Khet Mazdoor Union and the CITU Odisha state committee have jointly organised a state convention of migrant workers at Balasore on September 27. This programme was organised as per the call given by the recently held 7th all India conference of the All India Agricultural Workers Union.