By Rajiv Shah    A recent, well-attended meeting of Gujarat civil society activists in Ahmedabad , held to discuss the impact of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, has decided to file a petition in the Supreme Court against the controversial exercise initiated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) across the country. Announcing this, senior High Court advocate Anand Yagnik , who heads the Gujarat chapter of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), said that a committee has already been formed to examine the pros and cons of SIR. “While the SIR exercise began in Gujarat on November 4 and is scheduled to continue for a month, we will file a supporting petition in the case against SIR in the Gujarat High Court or the Supreme Court after observing how it proceeds in the state,” he said. Yagnik’s announcement followed senior advocate Shahrukh Alam —who is arguing the SIR case in the Supreme Court—urging Gujarat’s civil society to also file ...

By Ram Puniyani   Himanta Biswa Sarma , Assam’s Chief Minister—who has long been through the BJP’s “washing machine”—now stands as an aggressive right-wing leader. He often makes derogatory remarks about the Muslim community, which continues to face systematic neglect in Assam. Recently, during a Congress meeting in Assam , one Congress worker sang Amar Sonar Bangla . Sarma promptly directed the police to file an FIR against the person for singing what he called “the national anthem of Bangladesh .” It seems Sarma knows little about the history of this song, the circumstances in which it was composed, or its deep connection with India’s freedom movement. It is also worth noting that only the first ten lines of the original Amar Sonar Bangla were adopted as the national anthem of Bangladesh.

By Yanis Iqbal   The “ Haya is Life ” campaign by the Students’ Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) dresses its anxiety over sexuality in the language of moral concern. It borrows the vocabulary of social critique – objectification, commodification, exploitation – but empties these terms of their structural meaning. What begins as an apparent attack on capitalism’s sexual economy quickly reveals itself as an indictment of sexuality itself.

By Bharat Dogra   At a time when South Asia and West Asia are witnessing many-sided tensions and conflicts, it is deeply inspiring to recall that nearly five centuries ago, a saint without royal patronage wandered through these very regions to spread a message of true spirituality rooted in peace and justice. Guru Nanak ’s voice, rising from the soil of Punjab , carried a universal appeal that transcended boundaries of caste, creed, and geography. His was a faith that did not divide but united, a spirituality that did not withdraw from the world but sought to heal it.

By A Representative   Periyar International has announced that social activist and writer Vidya Bhushan Rawat will receive the prestigious Dr. K. Veeramani Social Justice Award 2025 . The official announcement was made in the United States today by the Award Committee members Mr. S. Illangovan and Mr. Lakshman S. Tamil .

By M.A. Baby*  On November 1, 2025, Kerala created history by becoming the only state in India—and only the second region in the world—to eradicate extreme poverty . This achievement marked the culmination of an extraordinary effort that lasted four and a half years, beginning when the re-elected Left Democratic Front (LDF) government was sworn in on May 21, 2021. On that very day, the cabinet approved the Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme (EPEP), signalling its commitment to one of the most ambitious social initiatives in India’s history.

By Biljana Vankovska   Just days before the second round of local elections in Macedonia, everyone here seems obsessed with one question: who will control the municipalities —and through them, control us? Power in this country flows like a pyramid: from Vodno (the president’s office) to Ilindenska (the government’s building), and down to every local council.

By Hementkumar Shah*  Before the Bihar Assembly elections, the Election Commission undertook a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. The Commission has declared the program a success, and from October 27, 2025, it has been extended to nine states and three union territories, including Gujarat.  Exercising its constitutional powers under Article 324 and provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (Section 21), the Election Commission has initiated this revision process in 321 districts and 1,843 assembly constituencies across the country. It began on November 4, 2025, and will continue till December 4, 2025. The final electoral roll will be published by February 7, 2026.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The passing of Bhadant Gyaneshwar , President of the Kushinagar Bhikshu Sangh and disciple of Bhante Chandramani —who had given Babasaheb Ambedkar deeksha at the historic Deekshabhumi, Nagpur , on October 14, 1956, on Dhammachakrapravartan Day —marks a profound loss for the global Buddhist fraternity.

By A Representative   The All India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA–NAPM), a national collective of feminist organizations and individuals, has extended heartfelt congratulations to the Indian Women’s Cricket Team for their historic World Cup victory, calling it a defining moment for Indian sport and women’s leadership. The alliance described the win as “a collective reminder of what can happen when young women lead with integrity, courage, and care,” asserting that the triumph belongs to “every girl and young woman who has been told that the field is not her place.”

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  As the dust of New York’s recently concluded mayoral election settles, a new political dawn rises over the city. The victory of thirty-four-year-old Zohran Kwame Mamdani marks a historic shift in the city’s politics—one that reclaims the progressive and socialist traditions long buried beneath decades of corporate liberalism and market-led governance.

 By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ*  The Catholic Church will observe the ‘ World Day of the Poor ’ on 16 November 2025 . The day holds special significance this year as it follows Pope Leo XIV ’s first major papal document—an Apostolic Exhortation addressed “to all Christians, on love for the poor,” titled Dilexi Te (I Have Loved You), dated 4 October (the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi ). About four months earlier, on 13 June 2025 , the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua , Pope Leo released his message for the 9th World Day of the Poor, on the theme “You are my hope” (cf. Ps 71:5 ). Both in his message and in his exhortation, he makes one thing clear: the Catholic Church takes sides with the poor, and every effort must be made to become and be visibly the Church of and for the poor.

By Atul Chandra   On 29 October 2025, the carefully scripted pageantry of the US-ROK alliance in Gyeongju and Seoul met an unwelcome counter-narrative from the streets. While US President Donald Trump was being feted with a Silla-era replica gold crown and Korea's highest honor, thousands of workers, trade unionists, farmers, and students and women’s collectives converged near the APEC venues. They chanted a unified dissent: “No kings”’ and “No to APEC for the 1 percent”. Organizers framed the protest as a demand for the restoration of national dignity against what they saw as an act of economic coercion. The message, captured by banners that collapsed diplomacy into a single, damning word —extortion— was visceral and immediate. The agreement, hastily announced by President Trump as “ pretty much finalized ”, was presented by officials as a breakthrough: US tariffs on Korean autos and parts would drop from 25 percent to 15 percent in exchange for a staggering US$350 billion comm...

By Bharat Dogra   The worsening civil war in Sudan reflects not only the immense tragedy of a single nation torn apart but also the broader vulnerabilities of an entire continent still struggling to overcome the legacies of colonialism, neo-colonial exploitation, and artificial divisions. A recent UN report (October 29) revealed that a reported massacre at a hospital in El Fasher left 460 dead, one of the deadliest incidents in Sudan’s 30-month civil war. Since the conflict began in April 2023 between two rival generals—who had once pledged to steer the country toward democracy—Sudan has become the site of what many call the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis.

By Deepika*    Sridhar Vembu of Zoho stirred up an internet storm by tweeting about the possible link of autism to the growing number of vaccines given to children in India . He had only asked the parents to analyse the connection but doctors, so called public health experts vehemently started opposing Vembu's claims, labeling them "dangerous misinformation" that could erode “vaccine trust”!

By Rosamma Thomas *  In a matter of grave importance for agriculture, public health awaits Supreme Court ruling, even as top Government of India bureaucrats stand accused of “willful and deliberate disobedience” of the top court. While a contempt petition filed by Aruna Rodrigues , lead petitioner in the Genetic Modification (GM) of crops matter remains pending in the Supreme Court since July 2025, the Union ministry of agriculture asserts that two home-grown gene edited rice varieties are of superior quality, and hold potential for “revolutionary changes in higher production, climate adaptability, and water conservation.” In May 2025, the Press Information Bureau released a press release stating that a “historic milestone” had been reached, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ; the new varieties, DRR Rice 100 (Kamla) and Pusa DST Rice 1 , the press release stated, offer both benefits – increased production and environmental conservation. 

By A Representative   The Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) has strongly condemned what it described as a “dehumanising and horrific” incident at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), Rohtak, Haryana, involving the harassment and humiliation of women sanitation workers on October 26, 2025. According to the group, the women, employed on a contractual basis and largely from Dalit communities, were allegedly coerced and subjected to gross indignities by university officials while cleaning the sports complex ahead of a scheduled visit by the Haryana Governor.

By Harsh Thakor*  Syed Kirmani’s autobiography Stumped – Life Behind and Beyond the Twenty-Two Yards traces an inspiring journey from his modest beginnings in Bengaluru’s Jayamahal Extension—where he once used bricks as gloves—to his rise as one of India’s finest wicketkeepers. Published last year as the legendary cricketer turned 75, the book captures not only the evolution of an extraordinary player but also the transformation of Indian cricket through the 1970s and 1980s.

By A Representative   A new report by the German environmental and human rights NGO Urgewald has revealed that banks and institutional investors have poured nearly $52 billion into the expansion of metallurgical coal, or “met coal,” despite global commitments to phase out coal financing. Between 2022 and 2024, banks provided $21.96 billion in loans and underwriting to met coal developers, while investors held $30.23 billion in securities of companies expanding coal mining operations. The report, Still Burning: How Banks and Investors Fuel Met Coal Expansion, warns that loopholes in coal exit policies have allowed continued support for coal used in steelmaking — a sector responsible for about 11% of global CO₂ emissions.

By A Representative   A new Climate Inequality Report 2025 , released by the World Inequality Lab and UNDP, warns that global warming and economic inequality are tightly linked — with the richest 1% responsible for 41% of all emissions linked to private capital ownership. The report argues that climate change is not only a scientific crisis but also a “capital challenge,” driven by unequal ownership and investment patterns.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*   Over the past several decades, U.S.-led military interventions and foreign policies, often supported by European allies, have significantly affected peace, governance, and livelihoods in numerous countries — from Vietnam and Afghanistan to Iraq, Libya, and Syria. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has emerged as another theatre of geopolitical confrontation, where NATO’s support for Ukraine has brought it into direct tension with Russia. These conflicts have not only undermined regional stability but have also contributed to wider global economic disruptions.

By Harsh Thakor*  Veteran actor Satish Shah, one of Hindi cinema’s most beloved comic performers, passed away on October 25, 2025, due to kidney failure at the age of 74. With his passing, Indian cinema and television have lost a performer who redefined humour with a rare blend of intelligence, warmth, and timing. Over more than four decades, Shah made generations laugh, think, and relate through his unforgettable characters.

By Syed Ali Mujtaba*  The upcoming movie HAQ, based on the 1985 Shah Bano case, has stirred a major controversy in India. Starring Emraan Hashmi and Yami Gautam in the lead roles, the film has been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification for theatrical release on November 7, 2025, but faces legal challenges from Shah Bano’s family members.

By A Representative   The National Alliance for Justice, Accountability and Rights (NAJAR), a collective of lawyers, law students and legal professionals associated with the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), has strongly condemned the violent assault on senior human rights advocate Dr. V. Suresh, National General Secretary of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), and members of the Arappor Iyakkam during a public hearing on illegal quarrying in Tirunelveli district on November 2.

By Sunil Kumar*  Bihar’s political climate is currently heating up. Since the British colonial era, the state has remained trapped in a haze between labour struggles and uneven development, where basic issues such as unemployment, the plight of migrant workers, education, health, agrarian crisis, and corruption are constantly pushed to the background. In their place, absurd debates around “infiltrators,” “Operation Sindoor,” “Article 370,” “pistols,” “burqas,” and nicknames like “Pappu, Tappu, Appu” dominate the discourse.

By Raj Kumar Sinha*  In Bihar’s politics, the triangle of crime, caste, and power has long played a decisive role. The term “Jungle Raj” was first used in 1997, but its meaning at that time was entirely different from its current political connotation. It originated when Lalu Prasad Yadav, embroiled in the fodder scam, resigned as Chief Minister and Rabri Devi took oath in his place. During a hearing on a petition related to waterlogging and poor drainage in Patna, the Patna High Court made an oral remark that “the condition of Patna is worse than a Jungle Raj.” 

By A Representative   On the eve of the Bihar Assembly elections, the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has released a comprehensive statement titled “Workers’ Agenda on the Eve of Bihar Elections”, urging political parties and policymakers to commit to a systemic shift in governance that prioritizes justice and dignity for the state’s working population. The statement underlines that Bihar’s workers, who contribute immensely to both the state and the national economy, have continued to face precarious livelihoods, migration distress, and policy neglect for decades.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  On October 31, 2025, erudite scholar and seasoned observer of international diplomacy and Indian politics, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, wrote an opinion piece titled “Indian Politics Are a Family Business” for Project Syndicate. Dr. Tharoor’s diagnosis is accurate: dynastic politics undermines democracy, weakens governance, and limits the state’s capacity to deliver on the welfare promises of electoral politics. It reduces the transformative potential of democracy to a mere reproduction of power, creating an illusion of participation where bloodlines determine authority, influence, and privilege. 

By A Representative   The Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), a collective of 103 former civil servants, has written to Dr. Arvind Panagariya , Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, urging that the Commission give special consideration to the ecological fragility and economic vulnerability of India’s Himalayan states . The group has called for the creation of a substantial “ Green Fund ” or “Green Bonus” to compensate these states for their contribution to the country’s environmental stability and national well-being.

By Raqif Makhdoomi   “Zoun ho Zoun ho, PDP’an Zoun ho” — the chant echoes through the streets of Budgam as election fever grips the district. Despite the dipping temperatures, people continue to gather at late-night rallies with enthusiasm. The slogan gained popularity during the 2024 assembly elections when People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti, while campaigning, inadvertently mispronounced it as “Zoon ho Zoon ho,” a moment that went viral and has since become a fixture in local political rallies.

By A Representative   The Esya Centre has released an issue brief titled Free-Ranging Dogs in India: An Empirical Analysis of Human–Animal Interactions , providing new national-level data on community dog management amid the ongoing debate following recent Supreme Court directives on the removal of stray dogs from Delhi–NCR . Based on a survey of 1,063 respondents across ten Indian cities, the report advocates for humane and evidence-based approaches aligned with public health and ethical obligations.

By Bharat Dogra  Sporting events sometimes capture the imagination of a country so deeply that they transcend the boundaries of sport itself. This has been vividly seen during the recent Women’s ODI Cricket World Cup in India. Over the past few weeks, an unprecedented wave of enthusiasm for the national women’s team swept across cities and villages alike, uniting millions in pride and admiration.

By Harsh Thakor*  Assata Shakur , former member of the Black Liberation Army and a prominent figure in the Black liberation movement , died on September 25 in Havana, Cuba , at the age of 78.

By Shamsul Islam*    Inssan abhee tak zindaa hae, zindaa hone per sharminda hae! Human beings are still alive, but ashamed to be alive! — Shahid Nadeem, Pakistani activist and playwright, punished for these lines under Zia-ul-Haq’s rule Four decades after the targeted killings of Sikhs in 1984, justice remains elusive. For nearly thirty years, the author has written annually on this date, hoping that the Indian State and judiciary would one day identify and punish those responsible for one of the darkest episodes of independent India. Yet, in 2025, the situation remains unchanged — the families of victims continue to seek justice, while official institutions remain indifferent.

By A Representative   The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has strongly condemned the physical assault on its National General Secretary, Dr. V. Suresh—also a senior advocate of the Madras High Court—during a public hearing in Tirunelveli on Sunday. The event, organised by Arappor Iyakkam (People’s Campaign for Justice), was meant to address villagers’ grievances over alleged illegal stone quarrying and the resulting environmental damage in the district.

By Harsh Thakor*  Varavara Rao, born in 1940, is an Indian poet, teacher, and activist associated with radical politics. He turns 85 on November 3. Known as VV, Rao gained prominence during the rural land rights movements of the 1960s and served as a mediator between the Andhra Pradesh government and Naxalite groups in the early 2000s. The Indian state has classified him as a dissident and a national security threat.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The United Nations General Assembly has, for the 33rd consecutive year, condemned the US economic embargo on Cuba. This overwhelming global consensus once again highlights who truly stands isolated. Out of the 184 member states that participated in the vote, 165 supported Cuba’s resolution, seven voted against, and twelve abstained. Those siding with the United States were Argentina, Hungary, Israel, Ukraine, Paraguay, and North Macedonia. Notably, even the European Union refrained from backing Washington, while most of the abstaining countries were close allies of the US.

By Biljana Vankovska   As a professor who has spent more than forty years studying questions of war and peace, international law and relations —and above all, the human consequences of armed conflict— I once believed I knew what genocide was. As someone who witnessed the bloody disintegration and murder of my beloved homeland, Yugoslavia, I thought I understood. For decades, I have mourned the innocent victims of that madness. When 9/11 happened —at the very time my own Macedonia was going through a precarious internal conflict, mercifully with fewer casualties— I sensed immediately that this was the beginning of a new imperial crusade led by the United States and its allies. I watched with deep concern as atrocities unfolded from Afghanistan and Iraq to Libya and Syria.

By Vijay Prashad   Catherine Connolly (born 1957) only became involved in active politics in 1999. Michael D. Higgins , the outgoing president of Ireland (2011-2025), encouraged Connolly to join the Labour Party and stand for election. Both Connolly and Higgins (known in Ireland as Michael D) come from Galway , a city on the west coast of Ireland.

By A Representative   The Youth Socialist Initiative (YSI) launched a ten-year roadmap for the Indian Socialist Movement during a two-day Youth Socialist Convention held at Rajendra Bhawan, Delhi, from October 31 to November 1, 2025. The convention, marking the 90th anniversary of India’s socialist movement, was attended by young socialists from across the country as well as activists, academics, trade unionists, and farmers’ leaders. The YSI functions under the mentorship of Dr. Prem Singh, former president of the Socialist Party (India) and ex-faculty of Delhi University.

By Bhaskaran Raman  Ever so often, we are reminded by the media that we are living in a “climate emergency.” This especially happens after every natural disaster, such as after the recent floods in North India. While nature’s fury and its victims are not trifling matters, is there anything new about this that warrants a declaration of “crisis” or “emergency”?

By A Representative   The Right to Education Forum (RTEF), Bihar, has released a public education charter addressed to all contesting candidates in the ongoing Bihar Assembly elections, urging them to commit to strengthening the right to education and ensuring universal, equitable, and quality schooling for all children. The Forum, a national network advocating for the protection and promotion of the right to education and quality public schooling, said it developed the charter after consultations with coordinators, core committee members, educationists, and stakeholders across various districts. The RTEF appealed to candidates to raise these issues both inside and outside the legislature if elected.

By Sanjay Parate   The uncertainty surrounding leadership within Bihar’s opposition alliance has been resolved following the Mahagathbandhan’s announcement that Tejashwi Yadav would be its chief ministerial face if the alliance wins the upcoming assembly elections. In contrast, the BJP-led NDA has stated that its chief minister will be chosen only after the elections. While Nitish Kumar continues to represent the NDA’s public face, questions remain over whether he would retain the position in the event of an NDA victory.

By A Representative   The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) has demanded that all employers provide safe transport facilities for women employees working late hours, following a late-night attack on a woman journalist driving home from her workplace in Noida to her residence in Vasant Kunj.

By Bharat Dogra   South Asia, home to roughly one-fourth of the world’s population but covering only about 4% of its land area, is among the most densely populated regions on earth. It is also a region with deep historical wounds and immense untapped potential.

By Harsh Thakor*  A meeting of several nationalist, far-right, and neo-Nazi organisations was held in St. Petersburg, Russia, on September 12 under the code name “Paladín.” The event served as the founding congress of a body calling itself the “International Union of Enemies of Globalization” or the “International Union of Sovereign Nations.” Around twenty organisations from different countries reportedly took part.

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ  On 1 November, Pope Leo XIV proclaimed St. John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Catholic Church, in a moving spiritual celebration at the Vatican witnessed by thousands.  Pope Leo said, “It is a great joy to include Saint John Henry Newman among the Doctors of the Church, and, at the same time, on the occasion of the Jubilee of the World of Education, to name him, together with Saint Thomas Aquinas, as co-Patron of the Church’s educational mission. Newman’s impressive spiritual and cultural stature will surely serve as an inspiration to new generations whose hearts thirst for the infinite, and who, through research and knowledge, are willing to undertake that journey which, as the ancients said, takes us per aspera ad astra—through difficulties to the stars.” 

By Harsh Thakor*  Ritwik Ghatak, born in 1925 in British India, was not merely a filmmaker but a visionary whose path-breaking experiments left an indelible mark on the footprints of Indian cinema. His contributions as director and scriptwriter showcased a unique fusion of realism and symbolism. On November 4th, we commemorate the birth centenary of this cinematic genius whose filmography remains a treasure trove of brilliance, transcending unexplored horizons to reinvent contemporary Indian art. 

By Prantik Deka  The serene hills of Itanagar are set to come alive with global beats this November as American rap sensation G-Eazy headlines the Music Head Festival 2025, transforming Arunachal Pradesh’s capital into a hub of international and local sounds.