THE Indian government’s refusal to consider the World Health Organisation estimates of excess deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic years and insisting that only India’s Civil Registration System  should be used for Covid-19 deaths, makes strange reading. WHO’s estimates of excess deaths have been used across the board for all countries. Even in countries with stronger birth and death registration systems than India such as the UK, US, WHO’s report shows that excess deaths have been much larger than the registered Covid-19 deaths.

DYFI ALL India Conference called upon the youth of India to defend the secular democratic structure of the country with all vigour. The 11th conference vowed to mobilise more and more youth in the struggle against anti-people policies.MASSIVE RALLYThe conference began with a huge rally on May 12, in Kolkata. This was the biggest youth rally of recent times. Thousands of youth joined in Rani Rasmoni Road, an area which witnessed many historical rallies and movements in the past.

POLITICS over iftar was the hot topic for discussion in Bihar, leaving behind the pressing problems faced by the common people. The local print, electronic and social media are agog with reports of new political alignment in the offing. Two iftars organised by the RJD and Kumar’s JD(U) have added fodder to the rumour mill. The bonhomie shown between Nitish Kumar and the family members of Lalu Prasad provided further grist to the chattering mill. Will Nitish Kumar rock the NDA boat?Nobody can answer the puzzling question immediately.

NATIONAL women’s organisations – All India Democratic Women’s Association, National Federation of Indian Women, All India Progressive Women’s Association, Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan, and the All India Mahila Sanskritik Sangathan – sent a memorandum to Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, chairperson, Parliamentary Standing Committee, on May 17 regarding the Proposed Amendment of Age of Marriage 2021.The women’s organisations expressed deep concern about the implications of the proposed amendment of age of marriage for women from 18 to 21.

THE 12th Convention of the All India Coordination Committee of Working Women, AICCWW(CITU) which was scheduled to be held in April 2020 but had to be postponed due the pandemic, is now being held on May 21-22, 2022 at Ranjana Nirula Nagar, Nisha Roy-Shibani Sengupta Manch, Tagar Dey Hall, Binani Bhawan, Kolkata, West Bengal. Nearly 300 working women from various sectors and the CITU state presidents/general secretaries will attend the convention.CITU in its founding conference in 1970 itself, has took upon the task of organising women workers and take up their problems.