Counterview

By Ram Puniyani*  NGOs have been in the news for several reasons in recent weeks. From the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister and former RSS pracharak Narendra Modi described the RSS as "the world's largest NGO." The claim raises an interesting question. The RSS, which describes itself as a cultural organization, is not registered as an NGO. Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge recently called for the RSS to register itself. The organization responded that it is merely an association of individuals and therefore does not require registration. If that is so, questions naturally arise about the substantial funds it receives and the transparency of their management.

By A Representative   Bangiyo Christiyo Pariseba (BCP), a Christian community organization in West Bengal, has expressed concern over what it described as a series of attacks on churches and members of the Christian community in different parts of the state. In a press release, the organization alleged that recent incidents followed a pattern in which attacks were followed by complaints accusing Christians of forced religious conversion. It claimed this was aimed at targeting victims through legal action and influencing public perception. These allegations have not been independently verified.

By Kumar Krishnan  ​The debate on development in India has grown sharper than ever, and so has the contestation over land. Highways, industrial corridors, power plants, smart cities, satellite townships, and tourism projects have come to symbolise the country's aspirations for economic transformation. Yet, alongside this vision of progress, a fundamental question continues to demand attention: Who ultimately bears the cost of development? Is development to be measured merely by investment, infrastructure, and economic output, or must it also account for the livelihoods, culture, and constitutional rights of those whose land becomes the foundation of these projects?

By Raqif Makhdoomi*  A 13-second video of a Kashmiri schoolboy commenting on the delay in announcing summer vacations has gone viral on social media, generating widespread discussion. The clip has attracted both praise and criticism. While some viewers argue that the student was exercising his right to express dissatisfaction with a government decision, others believe that his choice of words lacked the discipline and respect expected from a child.

By Harasankar Adhikari*  The vision of India’s founding thinkers—Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar—placed education at the heart of human development. For Vivekananda, education was about man-making and character-building, essential for national progress. Tagore championed an inclusive, research-driven education that served life first and careers later. Vidyasagar saw education as a means to empower the marginalised and eradicate social superstition. These ideals, however, stand in sharp contrast to the current realities of private higher education in West Bengal.

By Bharat Dogra  When, as a young woman, Sampat Pal first resisted an act of violence against women in her home district of Banda, Uttar Pradesh, she could hardly have imagined that she was embarking on a journey that would lead to her work being highlighted not only in India's media but even in Western media. She would go on to receive prestigious awards and repeated requests to appear on prime-time TV shows. Sampat did not ask for this fame; it simply came her way as a result of her courageous interventions against various acts of injustice.