A Young Workers Convention was organised by the IT branch of the CPI(M) in Bangalore on March 4. The convention discussed various problems facing the young workers in India’s IT capital and raised concern over their safety and security, especially of women and those working on night shifts. Over 700 young workers from Bangalore, mainly from IT/ITES industry, attended the convention.Prof. C P Chandrashekhar of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) addressed the gathering at Jain University Auditorium.

INDIA is witnessing a spring of massive agitations on different fronts against the anti-people policies of the Modi regime. These agitations clearly indicate that the people who were suffering under the policies of economic liberalisation and privatisation are mounting significant resistance as their means of livelihood are under direct threat from government policies. Young people of the country including students, workers and farmers are participating in these agitations in large numbers.

THE central executive committee of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), in a statement issued on January 26, has denounced the attack on a school bus by the Karni Sena on January 24, while they were protesting against the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Padmaavat’. They hurled stones at the bus, creating panic among the young students. This act is against the law and order. SFI demands immediate strict action against the culprits of this attack.It was quite shocking to see terrorised children ducking in the bus in the video clip released by various media houses.

A NATIONAL level convention on employment and reservation was jointly organised by the Democratic Youth Federation of India and the Students’ Federation of India on July 28 at New Delhi.Inaugurating the convention, Sitaram Yechury , CPI(M) general secretary said that with the current Modi government relentlessly pursuing the neo liberal economic policies, the rich are getting richer and the poor more poorer. 58 per cent of the total wealth of the nation lies with just one per cent rich business houses.

THE Marathwada region of Maharashtra is passing through a severe drought for the straight fourth year now. While drought conditions exist today in 256 districts in 10 states of the country and affects nearly 33 crore people, the conditions are most acute in Marathwada. The acute drought condition has taken the form of shortage of water, food grains and cattle feed in the entire region.Maharashtra has the dubious distinction of seeing highest number of farmer suicides in the country. In 2009, the state had seen 1,600 cases of farmer suicides which rose to 1,740 in 2010.