Counterview

By Vijay Prashad   In India, over 123 million people voted in the four states of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal (home to 290 million people) for their state assemblies. These are influential states: two in the south, one in the east, and one in the northeast. The next national parliamentary election is not scheduled until 2029, so these elections are not being seen as a bellwether for the central government. However, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government facing challenges due to fuel and food inflation, these elections have become an indicator of his popularity.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  DMK leader M.K. Stalin has shown rare courage and decency in accepting the Tamil Nadu mandate with grace. Electoral verdicts are not always a rejection of governance; they often reflect lapses in management, as elections today demand not only campaigning but booth organization, voter mobilization, and outreach to diverse communities. Stalin’s government delivered effective administration and economic growth, while also prioritizing libraries and world‑class health facilities—an unusual focus among chief ministers.  

By A Representative   The world's foremost organization for Indigenous peoples' rights has issued a sweeping condemnation of the ongoing violence in India's Manipur state, calling the government's militarized response a failure that has deepened suffering and entrenched impunity across Indigenous and tribal communities.

By Sandeep Pandey*  The interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla by Israel near Greece has once again raised troubling questions about international law, humanitarian access, and the continued blockade of Gaza. The flotilla, carrying around 1,000 activists from across the world in 100 boats, aimed to express solidarity with Palestinians and deliver relief material to Gaza.

By Harsh Thakor*  Italian revolutionary thinker Antonio Gramsci carved a permanent niche among the great leaders of the twentieth century, devoting his entire life to the emancipation of the working class. He was not only a theorist but also a committed practitioner of revolutionary struggle. Gramsci worked tirelessly in Italy to organise workers, foster revolutionary consciousness, and lay the foundations of a socialist society. This year marks the centenary of his 1926 letter to the Central Committee of the USSR, in which he politically supported the majority of the Soviet Party, followed soon after by his arrest.

By Sudhansu R. Das   The manner in which war, violence, intolerance and aggression are spreading across the world suggests that humanity may soon face physical and psychological suffering beyond its limits of endurance. The monstrous greed for wealth and power threatens to destroy the rich diversity of religions, cultures, skills, biodiversity, creativity and sustainable economic systems. It endangers water, air and soil, while undermining the very foundations of inclusive economic growth, social harmony and peace.