Why is Maharashtra govt afraid of Gautam Navlakha: Open letter by a colleague

By A Representative
Megha Bahl, an activist with the People's Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR), in a open letter to Gautam Navlakha, one of the five activists arrested by Maharashtra police early on August 28, but are under house arrest under a Supreme Court order, has said that arrests reflects the “fear” that appears to have gripped the ruling establishment. The fear stems from Navlakha and other activists' campaign for the deprived people.
“Looks like they are really scared of your loud voice of your folklores”, Bahl says, pointing out that she is forced to write this open letter as 65-year-old Navlakha is under house arrest. She adds, “They are really scared of you because you have stood up against the suppression of the tribals, for the interests of the workers, for the Dalits who are living daily in gutters.”
“The dictatorial government is unable to understand how a person has been working with people for so many years. Perhaps it must have noticed and monitored PUDR discussions on issues related to people's rights”, Bahl says, adding, “Of course they are scared of your speed, especially ahead of the 2019 elections, which has exposed them, one reason why they are using anti-democratic laws like UAPA against you.”

Comments

The “Dr” debate masks a larger crisis in allied-health education

By Dr P K Gupta* India’s allied-health professions have long operated in a fragmented landscape of universities, hospitals, State authorities and private institutions, each with its own nomenclature, curriculum and standards. The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021 was meant to correct this by creating a unified national framework for education, professional regulation and institutional recognition. Few dispute the need for such oversight. The real question is whether standardisation is quietly becoming synonymous with longer courses, additional internships and new professional titles—changes that risk masking deeper gaps in clinical training, institutional capacity and affordability.

Pilgrimage or pollution? The waste crisis of Indian faith

By Raj Kumar Sinha* In today's times, there are certain issues that are constantly talked about and discussed, yet no visible impact seems to be made. Beyond water, soil, and pollution, one crisis that continues to be overlooked is waste. Like other life-threatening problems, waste too is gradually moving toward burying and obliterating us. After the Kanwar Yatra in Haridwar, approximately 8,000 tonnes of waste were left behind on the riverbanks, including bottles filled with urine.

Can cow dung become a source of income? Durga Maida shows the path to self‑reliance

By Vikas Meshram* In the Sailana block of Ratlam district lies the small village of Govardhanpura. This is where Durga Maida lives with her husband and four daughters. Their livelihood depended on just one bigha of land—far too little to feed a family of six. Growing enough grain for the year was impossible, and even meeting daily expenses was a constant struggle. Alongside farming, Durga kept livestock and took up wage labour whenever she could. Hard work was never lacking, but income always was. Month after month, the accounts failed to balance, forcing her to borrow. Looking back, Durga says those days felt heavy and hopeless; farming offered no promise, and there was no sign of change. Her story mirrored the reality of almost every small farmer in the area.

Counterview

Search This Blog