Counterview

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat    A video of a group of Indian tourists, reportedly from Gujarat, performing Garba on the airport tarmac in Vietnam has gone viral on social media. The group, consisting of men and women, was seen dancing in front of their aircraft, making considerable noise, ignoring instructions from airport staff, and disrupting the boarding process for other passengers. The incident triggered widespread criticism online. Many viewers expressed outrage and began recalling similar episodes in which Indian tourists have displayed a disregard for local norms, civic behaviour, and public etiquette while travelling abroad.

By Jag Jivan    A massive gathering in the national capital last month has thrust a long-simmering political demand into the mainstream — the removal of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status from tribal individuals who convert to Christianity or Islam. The development has set off alarm bells across Northeast India , where tribal identity, religion, land, and political autonomy are inseparably intertwined.

By A Representative   A People's Tribunal on Violence Against Christians in India, organized by Karwan-e-Mohabbat and a collective of concerned citizens, heard testimonies from survivors, community representatives, researchers, lawyers, and human rights defenders regarding alleged violence and discrimination against Christians in several states. The tribunal was held at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on June 1.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak   Universities and institutions of higher learning are meant to be spaces where secular, scientific, and critical ideas flourish. Their purpose extends beyond the mere dissemination of information; they are sites for the creation of knowledge, where dominant ideas, entrenched power structures, and inherited intellectual traditions are continuously questioned and re-examined. Through the democratization and decolonization of knowledge , universities deepen democratic values and strengthen resistance to authoritarian tendencies. By combating ignorance and fostering critical inquiry, they contribute to social progress and the struggle against exploitation and discrimination.

By Bharat Dogra  While many war films have been made, there are not many that can be called truly anti-war —films that focus on the essentially tragic nature of most wars and the importance for all humanity of trying to avoid them. Such films can play an important role in promoting peace and disarmament.

By Harsh Thakor*  On June 1, 2026, the world marked the centenary of the birth of Marilyn Monroe , one of the most iconic figures in the history of cinema. The occasion has been commemorated by institutions such as the British Film Institute and the National Portrait Gallery , prompting renewed reflection on the life and legacy of a woman who was far more complex than the glamorous image that Hollywood projected. For much of the mainstream media and the general public, Monroe has long been remembered as the archetypal "dumb blonde" and a glamorous sex symbol. Yet this image concealed a very different reality. Marilyn Monroe was neither a natural blonde nor intellectually shallow. Behind the carefully crafted Hollywood persona stood a politically conscious woman of considerable intelligence, sharp wit and strong convictions. She challenged many of the social and cultural structures that sought to confine her and helped redefine what female stardom could mean in mo...