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PUCL to set up independent citizens panel to examine 'deep fissures' in Manipur society

Counterview Desk  The well-known human rights group, People’s Union For Civil Liberties (PUCL), claiming to be deeply concerned over the state of continuing violence in Manipur ever since 3rd May, 2023, when the first incident of ethnic conflict broke out, has decided to set up an Independent Citizen’s Tribunal on Manipur in order to document the "violations" suffered by the people, and examine and analyse the performance and responsibilities of the constitutional authorities.
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100 NGOs admit 'alarming rise' of Hindu supremacy in US, express acute concern

By David Kalal*  Over 100 civil society groups have signed onto a declaration expressing "acute concern about the alarming rise of Hindu supremacy, also known as Hindutva or Hindu nationalism, in the United States.” The declaration, released by Savera – an interfaith, multiracial, anti-caste coalition of Indian American and partner civil rights groups – warned that the Hindu supremacist movement “now finds itself in a deepening alliance with various facets of the American far-right,” and pledged to take action to combat its spread in the United States.

'Irrefutable evidence': NHRC failed to uphold mandate to protect, promote human rights

By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ*  The accreditation review of the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRCI), is scheduled to take place in the last week of March 2024 and in the last week of April 2024.  This year, the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) will consider the reports about the NHRCI, received from civil society (both national and international), the NHRCI and other stakeholders, including UN Special Procedures on 26 March and will have a separate sitting in the in the week of 29 April to 3 May, when they will conduct their actual internal review.

Global body urged to downgrade NHRC: 'Failure' to address human rights violations

Counterview Desk   The International Non-Governmental Organisation, in a letter to the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), Geneva, ahead of  the review of the accreditation status of the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRCI), has insisted upon amending the current ‘A’ rating of the NHRCI, as it has allegedly failed to address "the deteriorating human rights situation in India."

'Wrong direction': Paris NGO regrets MNC ArcelorMittal still using coal-based steel

By Rajiv Shah  A new report by Paris-based non-governmental research and campaigning organization, Reclaim Finance, has blamed the MNC ArcelorMittal – formed in 2006 following the takeover and merger of the western European steel maker Arcelor (Spain, France, and Luxembourg) by Indian-owned Mittal Steel – for using use “climate destructive” metallurgical coal for its projects in India.

Why are new guidelines for Net-Zero Banking Alliance 'too little, too late, too slow'

By Quentin Aubineau*  Recently, the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) published the  second version  of its Guidelines for Climate Target Setting. Three years after the launch of the Alliance and the publication of the first version of the Guidelines, the 142 member banks of the alliance, together representing 40% of global banking assets,  voted  to “reinforce the guidelines”. This new version will enter in force on April 22, 2024. The  Net-Zero Banking Alliance  defines itself as a group of leading global banks committed to financing ambitious climate action to transition the real economy to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

India 'continues' carcinogenic asbestos use, trade, manufacture amidst US import ban

By Dr Gopal Krishna*  ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA), a member of Ban Asbestos Network of India (BANI), has welcomed total import ban on White Chrysotile Asbestos, a mineral fiber that causes laryngeal cancer, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and ovarian cancer by USA under the the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) which was amended in 2016. 

BBA rescues teenage domestic help, viciously tortured by her Ghaziabad employer

By Jitendra Parmar*  A teenage girl Pushpa (name changed) from West Bengal, who worked as a domestic help, was rescued from under the stairs of a society in Ghaziabad’s Vasundhra area where she was hiding after being beaten up mercilessly by her employer.

'Rampant' militarisation, 'fake' encounters continue in Adivasi areas, notes Delhi meet

By Our Representative A civil rights network Forum Against Corporatization and Militarization (FACAM)-sponsored Adivasi Adhikar Sabha in Delhi has taken strong exception to the use of drones for aerial bombing since 2021, especially in Adivasi areas. Held on 23rd March 2024, the Bhagat Singh-Rajguru-Sukhdev’s martyrdom day, a monthly newsletter, ‘Kaar: Chronicle of the Indian State's War on People’, was released on the occasion in order to raise awareness regarding “corporate loot of natural resources” in Adivasi areas.

As double engine takes backseat in Odisha, BJP is pitted against 'firmly rooted' BJD

By Sudhansu R Das  BJP has got 25 years to build its party base in Odisha. After 25 years, it felt helpless and insecure to fight elections on its own strength. The party was almost crazy to have an alliance with the ruling BJD in Odisha.  Looking for alliance at the time of election shows that the party has not groomed its grassroots level workers into potential leaders.  The state BJP leaders woke up and convinced the Central leaders that they are capable of going solo; the alliance was stillborn. The question is can BJP defeat BJD which is firmly rooted in Odisha after launching piles of populist programs in the state.