Counterview

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan   Few figures occupy India's moral and spiritual imagination as profoundly as Lord Ram. Revered as Maryada Purushottam, he symbolizes truth, justice, compassion, integrity, sacrifice and an unwavering commitment to dharma. For millions of Hindus, his life is not merely a religious narrative but a timeless guide to ethical conduct.

By Ram Puniyani  Reports alleging financial irregularities in the handling of donations meant for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya have generated widespread concern. If these allegations are substantiated through due legal process, they would represent a profound breach of the trust reposed by millions of devotees who contributed to the temple's construction with faith and devotion. The Ram Temple project emerged from the decades-long Ram Janmabhoomi movement, culminating in the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992. The movement, led politically by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and supported by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and affiliated organisations, transformed India's political landscape. Its central claim was that the mosque had been built by the Mughal emperor Babur after demolishing a temple marking the birthplace of Lord Ram.

By Sandeep Pandey*   If those who follow Hinduism have still not become disillusioned with the Hindutva organizations—the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) its various affiliates—even after the exposure of corruption in the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, then they need to think more deeply.  There is no doubt that Hinduism is Sanatan. The RSS was established in 1925, and its Hindutva ideology was founded on opposition to Muslims and Christians. Today, the proponents of Hindutva have begun calling themselves Sanatanis. Consider this: Christianity and Islam came to India long after Hinduism. How, then, can followers of an ideology born in 1925 call themselves Sanatanis? It is now for you to decide whether you are a Sanatani Hindu or a Hindutvavadi. Sanatan Dharma has existed since time immemorial.

By Shankar Sharma*  Recent media reports suggest that the Union government is considering simplifying the process of selecting sites for new nuclear power plants as part of its ambitious plan to expand India's nuclear generation capacity to 100,000 MW. According to the reports, discussions are underway to replace the existing site evaluation framework with a simplified checklist-based approach in order to reduce the time required for site selection and related approvals.

By Md. Abu Saim*  The continuing controversy over alleged "push-in" incidents along the India-Bangladesh border has drawn attention to the complex intersection of border security, migration management, humanitarian obligations, and international law. Reports from sections of the border suggest that groups of people have been left stranded in no-man's-land after attempts to move them across the international boundary without completing established nationality verification procedures. While the facts surrounding individual cases remain contested, the broader issue has raised important questions about how both countries should manage irregular migration while respecting legal safeguards and human rights.

By Vijay Prashad   On June 23, the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel released one of the most devastating reports ever produced by a UN investigative body on the Israeli genocide in Gaza. Its title is almost unbearable to read: The Essence of Childhood Has Been Destroyed.