Why is there a need to tell uncomfortable truths for urgent global reforms

By Bharat Dogra

Sincere and honest efforts to uncover the truth behind some of the most significant events of recent history can make an invaluable contribution to the reforms our troubled world urgently needs. If enough people can be convinced that grave injustices and cover-ups have taken place—supported by credible evidence, even if not every detail can be known—it may inspire broad-based mobilization for peace, democracy, justice and environmental protection.

Fortunately, much groundwork has already been laid by courageous individuals who risked careers, reputations and even their lives to stand up for truth. While those who pursued smaller controversies often became celebrities, those who challenged the most powerful systems were relentlessly targeted and marginalized. Not all such efforts have been equally reliable, but many have been marked by great sincerity and deserve to be taken forward.

The purpose of such investigations should not be to endlessly assign blame, but rather to understand what truly went wrong. If wrongdoers are willing to express sincere regret, forgiveness should be possible. This, in turn, can encourage more insiders to reveal suppressed truths. The real challenge before humanity today is not recrimination, but reform—creating systems that prevent catastrophic mistakes and lead us towards peace, justice and ecological survival. Uncovering truth should therefore be seen as part of the broader mobilization for life-protecting change.

Different observers may have different lists of events that require deeper scrutiny. Here are five particularly significant cases:

The assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s permanently scarred democracy by silencing two voices of peace and justice. Important parts of the cover-up have already been exposed in books, articles and films, but a consolidated effort is needed to present the truth more convincingly.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath raise pressing questions: the origins of the virus, the global response, the rapid vaccine rollout, and the vast fortunes amassed by a few while billions suffered. Honest, non-partisan inquiry is essential to learn lessons for the future.

The sabotage and explosion of the Nord Stream pipelines is another case demanding deeper examination. Honest exploration of this event could reveal systemic flaws in global governance and geopolitics.

The Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, and the apparent collapse of advanced security systems on that day also need to be investigated if we are to understand the deeper realities behind one of the most consequential events of recent times.

Above all, the 9/11 terror attacks remain clouded in unanswered questions. Despite some valuable work, many gaps remain in our understanding of what really happened on that tragic day.

Taken together, these investigations must be seen not as distractions, but as opportunities to learn why systems fail and how to reform them before it is too late. Scholars, journalists and concerned citizens must pursue these inquiries in the true spirit of initiating reforms, not vengeance. The stakes could not be higher: the survival of peace, justice and the planet itself.

---

The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include A Day in 2071, Protecting Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, Man over Machine, and Earth without Borders

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.

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.

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.

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.

'Serious violation of international law': US pressure on Mexico to stop oil shipments to Cuba

By Vijay Prashad In January 2026, US President Donald Trump declared Cuba to be an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US security—a designation that allows the United States government to use sweeping economic restrictions traditionally reserved for national security adversaries. The US blockade against Cuba began in the 1960s, right after the Cuban Revolution of 1959 but has tightened over the years. Without any mandate from the United Nations Security Council—which permits sanctions under strict conditions—the United States has operated an illegal, unilateral blockade that tries to force countries from around the world to stop doing basic commerce with Cuba. The new restrictions focus on oil. The United States government has threatened tariffs and sanctions on any country that sells or transports oil to Cuba.

When a lake becomes real estate: The mismanagement of Hyderabad’s waterbodies

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava* Misunderstood, misinterpreted and misguided governance and management of urban lakes in India —illustrated here through Hyderabad —demands urgent attention from Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), the political establishment, the judiciary, the builder–developer lobby, and most importantly, the citizens of Hyderabad. Fundamental misconceptions about urban lakes have shaped policies and practices that systematically misuse, abuse and ultimately erase them—often in the name of urban development.

When grief becomes grace: Kerala's quiet revolution in organ donation

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Kerala is an important model for understanding India's diversity precisely because the religious and cultural plurality it has witnessed over centuries brought together traditions and good practices from across the world. Kerala had India's first communist government, was the first state where a duly elected government was dismissed, and remains the first state to achieve near-total literacy. It is also a land where Christianity and Islam took root before they spread to Europe and other parts of the world. Kerala has deep historic rationalist and secular traditions.

Search This Blog