Counterview

By Gajanan Khergamker  On June 3, 2026, a fire ripped through Flourish Stay, a bed-and-breakfast in Hauz Rani, Malviya Nagar, South Delhi. At least 21 people died, most of them foreign nationals from Nigeria, Mozambique, Liberia, and Bangladesh. Over 40 were rescued. Many victims were medical tourists or attendants of patients at Max Super Specialty Hospital nearby.  

By Vikas Meshram   George Matthew Fernandes occupies a distinctive place in the history of Indian politics. Over a public career spanning more than five decades, he emerged as a trade union leader, socialist activist, parliamentarian, and Union minister. His political journey traversed ideological battles, mass movements, coalition politics, and some of the most consequential moments in post-Independence India. Whether admired for his role in labour struggles and resistance to the Emergency or debated for his later political choices and controversies, Fernandes remains one of the most significant political figures of his generation.

By A Representative   For millions of women who menstruate every month, the simple act of bleeding has become a battleground for fundamental human rights. From refugee camps in war-torn regions to informal settlements hit by climate disasters, menstruators face discrimination that activists say goes far deeper than access to pads. Radha Paudel , a nurse and activist from Nepal who founded the Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation , argues that dignified menstruation is not merely about hygiene products but about the very rights that define humanity. "Dignified menstruation is rooted in right to dignity, right to freedom, right to equality and right to non-discrimination," she said.  "It means no matter whether menstruating persons are in the evacuation camp or refugee camp or camps for the war-affected population, or any climate or manmade disaster relief camps, we need to prioritise the needs and priorities of menstruators." Paudel challenges what she ...

By Ravi Ranjan*  In an age that has perfected the art of communication while steadily eroding the possibility of genuine encounter, poetry becomes something more than aesthetic exercise—it becomes a moral and existential necessity. The irony of modern times is unmistakable: despite unprecedented connectivity, human beings have grown more lonely, more spiritually fragmented, more incapable of true dialogue than ever before. Voices have multiplied; listening has declined. Presences have grown; real presence has blurred.

By  Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava  Looking from afar, from a region unaffected by the immediate crisis, it almost seemed strategic to use water cannons against protesters in the midst of the shocking water crisis in Indore, India's cleanest city. For the police, deploying water cannons may have felt like a subtle way of delivering water, since they are not directly responsible for water management. For the protesters, it may have felt like receiving water—at least temporarily—to quench thirst, bathe, drink, or wash clothes. Through the water cannons, there was, after all, some water. This may seem better than having none at all.

By Palla Trinadha Rao   The debate over whether India's tribal communities should be regarded as Hindus, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, or followers of distinct indigenous religions has re-emerged in recent years. The issue has gained prominence in discussions on census enumeration, cultural identity, constitutional recognition, and the growing demand for the delisting of Christian tribal communities from the Scheduled Tribe category.