Campaign group warns of Himalayan ecological crisis, condemns Wangchuk's arrest

By A Representative

People for Himalaya, a collective campaign for climate and disaster justice across India’s mountain states, held a press conference in the national capital on 29 September, condemning the arrest of environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA) and demanding his immediate release. The campaign called the arrest an attack on democratic rights and an attempt to silence Ladakh’s people, who have been voicing concerns over constitutional rights, livelihoods, and the environment.

The group also denounced the violent police action against peaceful protestors in Leh on 24 September, where four people were killed and over 80 injured, including 15 critically. Describing the firing on unarmed citizens as an act of brutality, People for Himalaya demanded accountability at the highest level, including a judicial inquiry, the resignation of Ladakh’s Lieutenant Governor and Director General of Police, and the release of all arrested leaders. It also reiterated support for the four-point agenda of the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, including statehood and Sixth Schedule protection for Ladakh.

The campaign linked Ladakh’s crisis to wider environmental and governance failures across the Himalayas, pointing to the devastation caused by the 2025 monsoons in Uttarkashi, Mandi, Kishtwar, Joshimath, Dharali, Siang, Ladakh, and Sikkim. It stressed that these disasters were not merely natural, but the result of climate change compounded by poor governance, unregulated infrastructure, deforestation, and reckless development such as commercial tourism and mega-projects.

People for Himalaya criticised the dilution of environmental safeguards, citing the Char Dham road project as an example where ecological concerns were ignored, worsening landslide risks. It demanded stronger disaster response systems, fair rehabilitation, and guaranteed central government support for affected communities, with special provisions under the Forest Conservation Act for mountain state rehabilitation. The campaign further sought strict enforcement of the Dam Safety Act, restructuring of key regulatory bodies, and penalties for violators of environmental norms.

Rejecting destructive projects such as mega dams, railways, and solar parks in fragile zones, the campaign called for scrapping the 2023 amendments to the Forest Conservation Act and restoring rigorous environmental impact assessments. It urged decentralised governance through proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act, mandatory Gram Sabha consent for projects, and public disclosure of hydrological, air, and hazard data to enable independent monitoring.

The campaign affirmed solidarity with the people of Ladakh and Himalayan communities resisting ecological destruction, vowing to support their fight for democratic rights and sustainable futures. Speakers at the press conference included Sajjad Kargili of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, Atul Sati of the Joshimath Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, Manshi Asher of Himdhara Collective, and Anmol Ohri of Climate Front Jammu.

People for Himalaya, launched in 2024 after major disasters in Himachal, Joshimath, and Sikkim, said the 28 September consultative meeting resolved to strengthen pan-Himalayan solidarity and take forward the movement for ecological justice in the wake of successive disasters.

Comments

NYT: RSS 'infiltrates' institutions, 'drives' religious divide under Modi's leadership

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive New York Times investigation published on December 26, 2025, chronicles the rise of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — characterized as a far-right Hindu nationalist organization — from a shadowy group founded in 1925 to the world's largest right-wing force, marking its centenary in 2025 with unprecedented influence and mainstream acceptance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi , who joined the RSS as a young boy and later became a full-time campaigner before being deputized to its political wing in the 1980s, delivered his strongest public tribute to the group in his August 2025 Independence Day address. Speaking from the Red Fort , he called the RSS a "giant river" with dozens of streams touching every aspect of Indian life, praising its "service, dedication, organization, and unmatched discipline." The report describes how the RSS has deeply infiltrated India's institutions — government, courts, police, media, and academia — ...

Domestic vote-bank politics 'behind official solidarity' with Bangladeshi Hindus

By Sandeep Pandey, Faisal Khan The Indian government has registered a protest with Bangladesh over the mob lynching of two Hindus—Deepu Chandra Das in Mymensingh and Amrit Mandal in Rajbari. In its communication, the government cited a report by the Association of Hindus, Buddhists and Christian Unity Council, which claims that more than 2,900 incidents of killings, arson, and land encroachments targeting minorities have taken place since the interim government assumed power in Bangladesh.

Dalit woman student’s death sparks allegations of institutional neglect in Himachal college

By A Representative A Dalit rights organisation has alleged severe caste- and gender-based institutional violence leading to the death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman student at Government Degree College, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, and has demanded arrests, resignations, and an independent inquiry into the case.

From colonial mercantilism to Hindutva: New book on the making of power in Gujarat

By Rajiv Shah Professor Ghanshyam Shah ’s latest book, “ Caste-Class Hegemony and State Power: A Study of Gujarat Politics ”, published by Routledge , is penned by one of Gujarat ’s most respected chroniclers, drawing on decades of fieldwork in the state. It seeks to dissect how caste and class factors overlap to perpetuate the hegemony of upper strata in an ostensibly democratic polity. The book probes the dominance of two main political parties in Gujarat—the Indian National Congress and the BJP—arguing that both have sustained capitalist growth while reinforcing Brahmanic hierarchies.

Gig workers’ strike halts platforms, union submits demands to Labour Ministry

By A Representative India’s gig economy witnessed an partial disruption on December 31, 2025, as a large number of delivery workers, app-based service providers, and freelancers across the country participated in a nationwide strike called by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU). The strike, which followed days of coordinated protests, shut down major platforms including Zomato , Swiggy , Blinkit , Zepto , Flipkart , and BigBasket in several areas.

Epic war against caste system is constitutional responsibility of elected government

Edited by well-known Gujarat Dalit rights leader Martin Macwan, the book, “Bhed-Bharat: An Account of Injustice and Atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-18)” (available in English and Gujarati*) is a selection of news articles on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-2018) published by Dalit Shakti Prakashan, Ahmedabad. Preface to the book, in which Macwan seeks to answer key questions on why the book is needed today: *** The thought of compiling a book on atrocities on Dalits and thus present an overall Indian picture had occurred to me a long time ago. Absence of such a comprehensive picture is a major reason for a weak social and political consciousness among Dalits as well as non-Dalits. But gradually the idea took a different form. I found that lay readers don’t understand numbers and don’t like to read well-researched articles. The best way to reach out to them was storytelling. As I started writing in Gujarati and sharing the idea of the book with my friends, it occurred to me that while...

2025 was not just a bad year—it was a moral failure, it normalised crisis

By Atanu Roy* The clock has struck midnight. 2025 has passed, and 2026 has arrived. Firecrackers were already bursting in celebration. If this is merely a ritual, like Deepavali, there is little to comment on. Otherwise, I find 2025 to have been a dismal year, weighed down by relentless odds—perhaps the worst year I have personally witnessed.

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

Urgent need to study cause of large number of natural deaths in Gulf countries

By Venkatesh Nayak* According to data tabled in Parliament in April 2018, there are 87.76 lakh (8.77 million) Indians in six Gulf countries, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While replying to an Unstarred Question (#6091) raised in the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs said, during the first half of this financial year alone (between April-September 2018), blue-collared Indian workers in these countries had remitted USD 33.47 Billion back home. Not much is known about the human cost of such earnings which swell up the country’s forex reserves quietly. My recent RTI intervention and research of proceedings in Parliament has revealed that between 2012 and mid-2018 more than 24,570 Indian Workers died in these Gulf countries. This works out to an average of more than 10 deaths per day. For every US$ 1 Billion they remitted to India during the same period there were at least 117 deaths of Indian Workers in Gulf ...

Search This Blog