THE BUDGET 2012-13 presented on 14th March is an ingenious move to broaden the neo-liberal constituency by effectively exploiting middle class illusions with studied silence on the devastating inflation, unemployment and destitution suffered by the workers, peasants and broad masses of toiling people in the country

LAST YEAR when the CPI(M) led Left Democratic Front lost the election to the assembly with a very narrow margin in case of votes as well as seats, many friends of CPI(M) boasted that is the beginning of the musical chair in Kerala between UDF and LDF and that CPI(M) is about to repeat what it could in Bengal in Kerala also.

THE RECENTLY concluded CPI(M)’s West Bengal State Conference had several note worthy features. With all fan fare an atmosphere was created among the people as well as its members that the party in retrospect is going to change the policies and programmes it had adopted and implemented in the state as per the neo-liberal prescriptions of the central government

ON 19TH MARCH the AIADMK ministry in Tamilnadu gave formal approval for commissioning of Kudamkulam nuclear power plant defying the people’s opposition to it. More than 5000 police-para military forces were deployed in advance to impose the decision around the plant.

THESE ARE DAYS when the UPA government is imposing further price rises and other burdens over the common people under its neo-liberal budget, when even the existing workers’ rights are snatched away, mounting attacks are unleashed on people’s movements at Kudamkulam, Jaitapur, Kalinga Nagar, POSCO etc, and when the AFSPA-Army policing is making life intolerable for people of J&K and Northeast.

WHEN THIS NOTE is being prepared the preparations for the Dharna at Jantar Mantar and Parliament March on 27th March are progressing well. A team of women comrades leading the Sharmila Kangla Lup (SHAKAL) who are actively supporting the struggle of Irom Sharmila in Imphal led by Maa Taruni are participating in the campaign in Delhi to make the dharna and Parliament March a great success