By A Representative   A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

By A Representative   Farmers’ organizations from across India have staged a demonstration at Jantar Mantar, demanding the immediate withdrawal of recently announced gene-edited rice varieties and the enactment of a national law to compensate people and crops affected by wildlife.

By A Representative  In a significant ruling aimed at upholding the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Gujarat Information Commission has issued a stern directive to curb practices that obstruct citizens' access to information. The commission recently ruled against the Khergam (Navsari) Police Station for repeatedly summoning RTI applicants to pay fees or collect information in person, a practice deemed unnecessary and burdensome.

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

By Kay Young   Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar’s civil war has escalated into its most violent phase in decades, the scale of the conflict is bewildering. Between 60-200 armed groups are now active, with members in total numbering between 150,000 to 300,000 individuals engaged in the world’s most prolonged revolution. These insurgents range from small ideologically aligned bands, such as the communist People’s Liberation Army , baptist christian fundamentalists like The Free Burma Rangers, to ethno-nationalist narco-armies like the United Wa State Army. Popular maps depict a neat divide between regime-held territory and rebel zones, but reality is far messier. Power shifts by the hour: overlapping factions tax, administer, and fight over the same villages, fields and hilltops creating a fractured landscape of competing authority, a duopoly of violence.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

By A Representative   In a strongly worded public appeal, Citizens for Democracy, a prominent civil society organisation, has urged the President of India to use her constitutional powers to safeguard the independence of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and restore its integrity. The appeal expresses deep concern over what it describes as the steady erosion of the ECI’s autonomy since 2014, alleging that the constitutional body has effectively become a department of the ruling government.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Rahul Gandhi's two recent speeches have stirred political waters once again, triggering strong reactions—some celebratory, others sharply critical. It’s not new. Each time he attempts to highlight a serious political issue, he often ends up complicating it by adding unnecessary provocations or framing them poorly. While it would be unfair to call him politically naive, it's also clear that some of these remarks are far from accidental. Many of them appear deliberate, driven by a desire to mirror the aggression he has experienced from his opponents.

By Raqif Makhdoomi  Suicide—the deliberate act of ending one’s own life—is often the final attempt by someone to escape overwhelming psychological pain, emotional distress, or a profound sense of hopelessness. In recent years, this tragic phenomenon has grown increasingly visible in Kashmir, where suicide rates are rising across various demographics, particularly among the youth, women, and those grappling with mental health challenges or socio-economic stress.

By Dr. Prem Singh*   Bharat Mata, India’s revered symbol, is again embroiled in controversy, reignited by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In Kerala, the Lieutenant Governor’s display of a saffron-clad Bharat Mata at a government event led to a boycott by the state’s Education Minister, who argued that the Constitution champions inclusive, democratic nationalism, not a singular cultural icon. The Chief Minister condemned the use of Raj Bhavan to push RSS ideology, escalating tensions as the Lieutenant Governor expressed outrage.

By A Representative   The South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) has issued a scathing letter to top Delhi officials, including Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, highlighting "persistent abuse and encroachment" of the Yamuna floodplain on the eastern bank downstream of the Wazirabad Barrage. The letter, dated July 17, 2025, from Bhim Singh Rawat, Associate Coordinator of SANDRP, details extensive violations observed during a ground visit on July 15, 2025, and calls for immediate corrective action.

By A Representative  A new paper published by the Indian Council of Political Studies (ICPS) presents fresh evidence to argue that Britain deliberately shaped the partition of India and Kashmir’s fate to advance its own imperial interests. Titled “Partition by Design: ‘Kashmir-in-Pakistan’ in the British Strategic Chessboard”, the detailed account by Amit Krishankant Paul reveals a concerted British effort in 1947 to create Pakistan as a pro-Western Islamic buffer state aligned against the Soviet Union — with Kashmir envisioned as part of that strategy.

By Harsh Thakor*  Azizul Haque, former head of the CPI(ML)’s Second Central Committee and a prominent figure during the Naxalite movement in India, has passed away at the age of 83. He had been battling illness and was recently admitted to intensive care after a fall at home. Born in Howrah in 1942, Haque joined the undivided Communist Party at the age of 17. He was injured during the food movement protests in West Bengal. Over the years, he became closely associated with leaders such as Charu Mazumdar and Kanai Chatterjee, aligning with the radical ideology that defined the early Naxalite period.

By Gajanan Khergamker  When the heritage-laden Kolhapuri chappal—a symbol of India’s artisanal pride—met with the polished branding of global fashion house Prada, the clash was not just of cultures but of the very concept of intellectual ownership. Yet, in the hallowed halls of the Bombay High Court, the matter seemed less about right and wrong and more about the locus of who could cry foul. In what may appear to the layperson as a textbook David versus Goliath scenario, the Kolhapuri chappal, awarded a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2019, found itself allegedly replicated by Prada in the luxury label’s new men’s line of sandals, marketed with the panache expected of a global fashion brand but without any acknowledgement of its ethnic source. 

By Sunil Kumar  When Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised “Jahaan jhuggi, wahaan makaan” (Where there's a slum, there will be a home), it ignited a flicker of hope for millions living in urban slums. They had dreamt, often for decades, of having a roof over their heads. The pledge was to ensure housing for all by 2022. But 2025 is here, and instead of roofs, bulldozers are rolling in. Not only has the promise been unfulfilled, but many who managed to piece together shelters in city corners after migrating from rural India now find themselves rendered homeless.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak  Odisha, once synonymous with peace and tranquility, is grappling with a disturbing surge in violence against women, a crisis exacerbated by the ideological underpinnings of Hindutva politics now at the helm of the state. The tragic self-immolation of a female student in Balasore, a leading member of the ABVP, following unchecked sexual and mental harassment, is not an isolated incident but a chilling symptom of a deeper malaise. Her desperate act, met with a powerful state-wide shutdown on July 17, 2025, underscores a systemic failure to protect women and deliver justice.

By Dr. Palla Trinadha Rao In the misty heights of the Eastern Ghats, at over 3,000 feet above sea level, lies a cluster of villages situated on the Andhra–Odisha border, between Salur Mandal of the erstwhile Vizianagaram district (Andhra Pradesh) and Pottangi block of Koraput district (Odisha), caught in a political tug-of-war.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  U.S. President Donald Trump has launched yet another barrage of statements that do little more than embarrass the U.S. administration and isolate the United States further on the global stage. His recent claim that he “stopped a war” between India and Pakistan may contain a grain of truth—especially given how both nations' leaders seem keen to remain in Washington’s good books—but it exposes deeper problems. For decades, I have maintained that Pakistan’s elite have been spinelessly obedient to U.S. interests. In fact, the country’s very creation was aimed at safeguarding colonial economic interests in South Asia.

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*   Power, as defined in international politics, implies a state's ability to shape the perceptions and behavior of other states according to its own preferences—through the use of the stick (coercion), the carrot (rewards), or attraction. While coercion and economic inducements are considered the hard power tools of a country, the power of attraction is referred to as soft power. The concept was first formally articulated by Joseph Nye in 1990, though states have long used attraction as a tool to influence foreign policy well before the term was coined. A country’s ability to attract others to its viewpoint depends more on what it represents than what it possesses.

By N.S. Venkataraman*   The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

By Prantik Deka  Dr. Shankar Borua is a distinguished scholar-practitioner, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and startup mentor with over two decades of multifaceted experience across academia, creative industries, and entrepreneurial ecosystems in both North America and South Asia. Born and raised in Assam, Dr. Borua holds a Ph.D. in Mass Communications from Texas Tech University, USA. His doctoral research, titled “American Political Documentaries: Structure, Agency, and Communication of Meaning”, reflects his deep academic engagement with media, culture, and storytelling.

By A Representative   The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has issued a strong condemnation of remarks made by Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar and Additional Director General (ADG) (Headquarters) Kundan Krishnan, who suggested that an increase in criminal incidents during the agricultural lean period from April to June is linked to farmers having "more idle time." The SKM labeled these comments as "discriminatory labelling of farmers" and a reflection of a "colonial mind-set."

By Harsh Thakor*  Bakula Patel, a "Daringbaj Dadi" from Rander, Surat, has undeniably proven that age is no barrier to achieving remarkable physical milestones. Similarly, 82-year-old Dot Wagstaff has joined the ranks of inspiring seniors by becoming one of the oldest people to cross the English Channel as part of a relay team, setting a new benchmark for physical feats in old age.

By A Representative   A coalition of senior United Nations officials, U.S. human rights bodies, and civil society leaders have called upon the United States government to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its alleged violations of human rights and religious freedoms. The appeal was made at a Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill, attended by over 100 congressional staffers.

By A Representative   North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, July 16, 2025 — For 72-year-old Bishtupada Das of Gobindapur in Swarupnagar, the fight for survival has taken a surreal and painful turn: he is battling poverty, old age, and now, a government record that falsely declared him dead.

By Harsh Thakor*  A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

By A Representative   The All India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA) – a collective under the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) – has strongly condemned the brutal assault on journalist Sneha Barwe and called for the immediate arrest of the prime accused. In a statement issued on July 18, 2025, the alliance expressed solidarity with Ms. Barwe and demanded a time-bound judicial or magisterial inquiry into the incident, while holding the state accountable for the increasing attacks on grassroots journalists across India.

By A Representative   The Thirty-Fifth General Synod of the United Church of Christ (UCC), meeting in Kansas City, USA, has passed a resolution expressing concern over reports of rising violence and discrimination against religious minorities in India. The resolution , titled “A Response to Violence Against Religious Minorities in India,” reflects the denomination’s stated commitment to global human rights and religious freedom.

By Hemantkumar Shah*  The World Bank’s recent claim that poverty has drastically reduced in India should ordinarily be cause for celebration. However, a closer look at the statistics and methodology behind this claim reveals a different, more disturbing picture. According to the Bank, if a person’s daily income was less than $3.00 or $4.20 in 2021 (measured in purchasing power parity or PPP terms), they would be considered poor. But this calculation method, based on an outdated exchange model and an abstract measure of purchasing capacity, severely misrepresents lived realities on the ground.

By A Representative   “The right to health cannot be dislocated from gender equality and human rights,” said Shobha Shukla, speaking as the Lead Discussant for SDG-3 (health and well-being) at the ongoing United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF 2025) in New York. Representing the Asia Pacific Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism, she was the only Indian on the SDG-3 panel.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak  The prevailing narratives surrounding capitalism's supposed invincibility persistently undermine all alternative systems, employing diverse tools and strategies of governance that not only domesticate daily life but also suppress the critical consciousness essential for societal transformation. Capitalism's ideological, cultural, social, political, and economic apparatuses promote ideas, policies, processes, and institutions designed to stifle both individual and collective awareness. It dismantles communitarian society in the name of individual freedom and individualizes consumption in the pursuit of personal happiness, utility, and satisfaction. These processes accelerate various forms of individual alienation, an intrinsic feature of the capitalist system. The separation of consumers from producers, justified by mythical free-market efficiency, is part of this commodification, reinforcing alienating structures that domesticate both.

By A Representative   A prominent power and climate policy analyst, Shankar Sharma, has raised significant concerns regarding India's current reliance on pumped storage plants (PSPs) for energy transition, advocating strongly for the adoption of battery energy storage systems (BESS) instead. In a detailed communication addressed to top government officials and ministers, including the Chairman CUM Managing Director of Grid-India, the Chairman of the Central Electricity Authority, and the Secretaries of Power, MNRE, and MoEF&CC, Sharma highlighted the "unacceptable ecological costs" associated with PSPs and called for a strategic re-evaluation of India's energy storage policy.

By A Representative   Civil rights activist and Magsaysay awardee Sandeep Pandey has strongly urged the Uttar Pradesh government to implement the 2015 judgment of Justice Sudhir Agarwal, which mandates that children of all government-salaried employees and beneficiaries of public funds must compulsorily study in government schools. Pandey argued that if this order is enforced, the quality of government schools would improve substantially, and public confidence in the system would be restored.

By A Representative   A group of concerned Indian citizens, including medical professionals and activists, has sent an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to reject proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) before the ratification deadline of July 19, 2025. 

By A Representative   Over 150 concerned citizens, academics, former bureaucrats, lawyers, journalists, and activists have strongly opposed the move to link Aadhaar with voter IDs, calling it a grave threat to electoral integrity, democratic participation, and fundamental rights. In a statement endorsed by groups including Rethink Aadhaar, Article 21 Trust, Jan Hastakshep, and individuals like economists Jayati Ghosh, Reetika Khera, and former chief secretary Sharad Behar, the signatories denounced what they describe as the government's coercive push to make Aadhaar submission effectively mandatory for voters.

By Sandeep Pandey*  In Lucknow, we saw Akhilesh Yadav scaling the fence of the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre—ironically built by his own government—to pay respect to the iconic Socialist leader on his birthday in 2023. The Yogi Adityanath government had denied him permission, citing security concerns. What could be the security concern in visiting a memorial is inexplicable.

By Raj Kumar Sinha*  The Supreme Court of India has delivered a landmark judgment declaring that denying tribal women inheritance rights solely based on gender is unconstitutional. The court affirmed their equal right to ancestral property, stating that refusing a share in such property to a tribal woman or her legal heirs on the basis of sex is both unjust and unconstitutional.

By A Representative  A prominent human rights group has appealed to both the Indian and Bangladeshi governments for the immediate release of 34 Indian fishermen who were detained by Bangladeshi authorities on July 15. The fishermen were taken into custody by the Bangladesh Navy and Mongla Police after their trawlers allegedly strayed into Bangladeshi waters.

By Harsh Thakor*  Naseeruddin Shah has epitomised versatility, inventiveness and experimentation in a way that no other Bollywood actor of his era has. As we celebrate his 75th birthday on July 20, it is worth reflecting on the contributions of a man who transformed the very grammar of acting in Hindi cinema. Lacking the conventional good looks of a mainstream hero, Shah nevertheless radiated a magnetic energy on screen, often overshadowing the most dominant of superstars. Few actors in Bollywood's history have paid as much justice to the characters they portrayed. His ability to mould himself into the skin of any role set new standards for performance. With remarkable introspection and emotional depth, Shah brought to cinema a spirit of constant reinvention. His acting journey has been marked by a series of pathbreaking experiments, which expanded the artistic boundaries of Hindi films. Arguably the finest actor of the modern era—and among the all-time greats—Shah gave...

By Rosamma Thomas*  Transparency activist Commodore Lokesh Batra wrote to Indian embassies in Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka in June this year, seeking details of expenses incurred by Indian missions abroad during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visits to these countries in April 2025. Modi visited Thailand on April 3 and 4, on the invitation of the Prime Minister of Thailand. He travelled to Sri Lanka from April 4 to 6, again on an invitation from the Sri Lankan Prime Minister. His visit to Saudi Arabia took place from April 22 to 23, on the invitation of the Crown Prince. Information received indicates that the total expenditure on these trips exceeded Rs 10 crore; however, the Indian embassy in Thailand refused to disclose any information under the RTI Act.

By A Representative   The Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements (ICCFM), a coalition of farmers’ organizations from across India, has issued a strong appeal to the Union Government urging it not to proceed with any trade agreement with the United States that could undermine the livelihoods of Indian farmers. In a detailed letter addressed to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, the ICCFM expressed serious apprehensions about the ongoing negotiations with the US, which they fear may lead to an interim or comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that includes provisions for the liberalization of agricultural imports.

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  Kashmir, once a vibrant confluence of cultures and religions, has over the years been consumed by unrestrained radicalization and violence. What Kashmir truly deserves is the chance to become a hub of trade and tourism—open, accessible, and flourishing with a soft border that allows people from around the world to visit and engage in commerce. In recent years, the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to promote infrastructure development and tourism in Kashmir through a policy of centralized control over militancy and radicalism, especially since 2019.

By Prof. Hemantkumar Shah*  What is the true scale of unemployment in India? The standard unemployment rate is defined as the percentage of people in the labour force who want work but can’t find it. That means only those seeking jobs are counted as unemployed—those not looking for jobs, voluntarily or otherwise, don’t make it to the list. The latest official estimate pegs India's unemployment rate at 5.6%. That’s a drop from May’s 5.8%, according to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Considering India’s estimated population of 1.46 billion, the labour force makes up 46.9% or approximately 684.7 million people. Of these, a 5.6% unemployment rate implies around 38.3 million people actively seeking but unable to find work. That’s an enormous figure—and even if a million new jobs were created each year, it would take four years to absorb them all, assuming the population does not increase further. But population will rise, so even that scenario is opt...

By  Raj Kumar Sinha*  A looming ecological and social disaster is unfolding in the forests of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. Over 1.23 lakh trees are set to be felled for mining activities—an alarming development that has sparked widespread protests from Adivasi communities and civil society organizations. They are urging the state and central governments to immediately halt all mining-related approvals and operations in the region. They are also calling for a complete review of all clearances, including Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Detailed Project Reports (DPR), based on holistic ecological, hydrological, and social assessments. These groups demand that forest corridors and tiger habitats be recognized as protected areas, and that the laws under the Forest Rights Act (2006) and PESA Act (1996) be strictly enforced. Most crucially, they insist that decisions made by tribal gram sabhas be respected through transparent public hearings.

  By Bhabani Shankar Nayak  On the evening of July 15, 2025, a roundtable discussion was held at the Marx Memorial Library in London, organised by Friends of Socialist China in the UK. The event brought together UK-based participants and a delegation from the Institute of Marxism at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), a research institution established by the Communist Party of China (CPC).

By Harsh Thakor*  July 1, 2025, marked the fifteenth death anniversary of Cherukuri Rajkumar, also known as Azad, a Central Committee member, ideologue, and spokesperson of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist). He was killed on this day in 2010, in what civil liberties groups have described as a "fake encounter" with security forces in the forests of Adilabad, Telangana. Azad was involved in public communication for the CPI (Maoist), issuing press statements and interviews that aimed to present the party’s perspective, often at odds with mainstream media portrayals.

  By Rajiv Shah  The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)’s notification on July 11, 2025, relaxing the 2015 mandate for Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) systems in coal-based thermal power plants (TPPs), has drawn sharp criticism for creating a hazardous health divide and undermining India’s environmental commitments. 

By Rosamma Thomas*  Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

By Hemantkumar Shah*  In recent news, the government has announced that the inflation rate has reached a six-and-a-half-year low. According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation for June stood at just 2.1 percent, down from 2.82 percent in May. This is the lowest rate in 77 months, and the ministry even claims that food prices have fallen by 1.06 percent compared to last year.