'Prisoners in their own homeland': Human rights body urged to act on border village plight

By A Representative

Kirity Roy, Secretary of the Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), has made an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), shedding light on the extreme hardships faced by residents of South Jhowkuthi, a small village near the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal.

In a detailed letter addressed to the NHRC Chairperson, Roy described the plight of nearly 35 families living under virtual house arrest, surrounded by barbed wire fencing and subject to stringent controls by the Border Security Force (BSF). He alleged that these Indian citizens are denied access to basic rights such as healthcare, education, free movement, and economic opportunities.

"These people are not criminals, nor illegal immigrants—they are rightful Indian citizens, yet they are treated as outsiders on their own soil," said Kirity Roy in the letter. "Their suffering must not remain unseen, and their voices must be heard."

Roy highlighted that villagers can only leave or enter through Gate No. 17 at three limited time slots daily, and even emergencies like medical crises are subject to BSF permissions. He cited this as a violation of Article 19(1)(d) of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to move freely throughout the territory of India.

The restrictions have also crippled the local economy, particularly agriculture—once the primary source of livelihood. Farmers reportedly face hurdles at every step, from accessing fertilizers and equipment to selling their produce, often having to seek BSF approval.

Lack of basic infrastructure—no roads, healthcare, sanitation, or schools—further compounds their misery. Women and girls are especially vulnerable, forced to practice open defecation due to the absence of toilets, and children are dropping out of school due to conflicting gate schedules.

"The villagers of South Jhowkuthi have suffered in silence for far too long," Roy wrote. "Their fundamental rights have been stripped away, their voices ignored, and their dignity trampled."

Calling for an immediate independent inquiry, Roy urged the NHRC to direct civil and border authorities to remove arbitrary restrictions and ensure basic facilities under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) are implemented without delay.

He concluded with a pointed remark: "BSF should be posted at the India–Bangladesh border, not outside the village fence."

Comments

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Covishield controversy: How India ignored a warning voice during the pandemic

Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD * It is a matter of pride for us that a person of Indian origin, presently Director of National Institute of Health, USA, is poised to take over one of the most powerful roles in public health. Professor Jay Bhattacharya, an Indian origin physician and a health economist, from Stanford University, USA, will be assuming the appointment of acting head of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA. Bhattacharya would be leading two apex institutions in the field of public health which not only shape American health policies but act as bellwether globally.

The 'glass cliff' at Galgotias: How a university’s AI crisis became a gendered blame game

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* “She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information.” These were the words used in the official press release by Galgotias University following the controversy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The statement came across as defensive, petty, and deeply insensitive.

Farewell to Saleem Samad: A life devoted to fearless journalism

By Nava Thakuria* Heartbreaking news arrived from Dhaka as the vibrant city lost one of its most active and committed citizens with the passing of journalist, author and progressive Bangladeshi national Saleem Samad. A gentleman who always had issues to discuss with anyone, anywhere and at any time, he passed away on 22 February 2026 while undergoing cancer treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was 74.

Growth without justice: The politics of wealth and the economics of hunger

By Vikas Meshram* In modern history, few periods have displayed such a grotesque and contradictory picture of wealth as the present. On one side, a handful of individuals accumulate in a single year more wealth than the annual income of entire nations. On the other, nearly every fourth person in the world goes to bed hungry or half-fed.

From ancient wisdom to modern nationhood: The Indian story

By Syed Osman Sher South of the Himalayas lies a triangular stretch of land, spreading about 2,000 miles in each direction—a world of rare magic. It has fired the imagination of wanderers, settlers, raiders, traders, conquerors, and colonizers. They entered this country bringing with them new ethnicities, cultures, customs, religions, and languages.

Thali, COVID and academic credibility: All about the 2020 'pseudoscientific' Galgotias paper

By Jag Jivan* The first page image of the paper "Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis" published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs , Vol. 2, Issue 2 (2020), has gone viral on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding a Chinese robot presented by the Galgotias University as its original product at the just-concluded AI summit in Delhi . The resurfacing of the 2020 publication, authored by Dharmendra Kumar , Galgotias University, has reignited debate over academic standards and scientific credibility.

Conversion laws and national identity: A Jesuit response response to the Hindutva narrative

By Rajiv Shah A recent book, " Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India ", authored by two Jesuit scholars, Dr. Lancy Lobo and Dr. Denzil Fernandes , seeks to counter the current dominant narrative on Indian Christians , which equates evangelisation with conversion, and education, health and the social services provided by Christians as meant to lure -- even force -- vulnerable sections into Christianity.

Unpaid overtime, broken promises: Indian Oil workers strike in Panipat

By Rosamma Thomas Thousands of workers at the Indian Oil Corporation refinery in Panipat, Haryana, went on strike beginning February 23, 2026. They faced a police lathi charge, and the Central Industrial Security Force fired into the air to control the crowd.

Search This Blog