ROAD transport workers, under the banner of various centrally affiliated federations and also those independently functioning have been called upon to observe a countrywide one day strike on April 30. This strike will involve all sections of passenger traffic – autos, bus, both private and public – and also goods transport of different sections. This is the first time such a countrywide strike has been called in the road transport sector.

CONDEMNING the spurt in cases of murder, many of them due to caste issues, in Thirunelveli and Tuticorin districts of Tamil Nadu, CPI(M) cadres observed one day's fast on March 31. Led by Party state secretary G Ramakrishnan, more than 2,000 cadres observed the fast at Jawahar Grounds, Palayamkottai in the city of Thirunelveli.Nearly 100 brutal murders have taken place in both the districts in the past 10 months. Of these, 25 per cent were due to caste related issues.

THERE is a common perception that with the government accepting the recommendation of the Fourteenth Finance Commission to raise the share of the states in the divisible pool to 42 per cent, there has been a substantial increase in the resources available to the states; and that a new “progressive” era has dawned in the Indian economy, since the states, which are the main spenders on welfare and social sector activities, will now have more resources at their command.                This perception is the very opposite of the truth. The Finance Commission’s raising the share of the

YET another battle for defending democracy has started in West Bengal. In the ensuing elections to 91 municipalities and Kolkata Corporation, the ruling party has already launched a campaign of terror. As it has become a practice in West Bengal now in every election, the TMC initially targeted to capture as many municipalities as possible without contest. They have succeeded in Arambagh, Tarekeswar and Gayeshpur municipalities.

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on March 28.