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.

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.

By Neha Desai*  In a heartbreaking incident that has reignited national conversations on racial prejudice, Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, was fatally stabbed in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, after confronting a group of men who allegedly hurled racial slurs at him and his younger brother.

By A Representative  A critical analysis of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025, has raised serious alarms about national safety, financial liability, and strategic oversight. Released by the advocacy group Center for Financial Accountability, the document , authored by K Ashok Rao, a senior power sector expert, argues that the Act, which seeks to replace the longstanding Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010, was passed by Parliament without adequate scrutiny, amidst opposition protest and walkouts.

By A Representative   Mukesh Malaud, president of the Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee (ZPSC), was arrested by the Punjab Police on December 30 at Nizamuddin railway station in Delhi while returning to Punjab after attending a programme related to the Ambedkar Mission in Maharashtra.

By Harsh Thakor*  On May 7 this year, the racing world commemorated the 25th death anniversary of Squanderer, arguably the greatest racehorse ever to set foot on the Indian turf. Even 47 years after his retirement, his memories still flash like an inextinguishable streak of light. No horse ever captured the imagination of racegoers more vividly. Squanderer’s turn of foot transcended the surreal, unmatched in the history of Indian racing. 

By Jag Jivan*    In a compelling town hall discussion hosted at L.J School of Law , prominent voices from industry and civil society underscored that corporate investment in strengthening the rule of law is not an act of charity but a critical business strategy for building a safer, stronger, and developed India by 2047. The dialogue, part of the Unmute podcast series, examined the intrinsic link between ethical business conduct , robust legal frameworks, and sustainable national development, against the sobering backdrop of India ranking 79th out of 142 countries on the global Rule of Law Index .

By A Representative   The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) and the All India Workers Forum have strongly condemned recent amendments made by several Indian states to labour and factory laws that allow adult workers to work beyond the long-established 8–9 hour daily norm. In a statement issued on December 29, 2025, NAPM said these changes, justified by governments in the name of “ease of doing business”, “attracting investment” and “boosting manufacturing”, amount to a serious erosion of labour protections and pose grave risks to workers’ health, safety and dignity, particularly for informal and migrant labourers.

By A Representative   A group of scientists, academics, civil society organisations and field practitioners from India and abroad has issued an open letter urging the Union government to reconsider the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and to withdraw the newly enacted Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025. The letter, dated December 27, 2025, comes days after the VB–G RAM G Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 16 and subsequently approved by both Houses of Parliament, formally replacing the two-decade-old employment guarantee law.

By N.S. Venkataraman*  Over the past eleven years, India has claimed significant economic growth , emerging as the world’s fourth-largest economy. With the Government of India continuing to pursue economic and industrial development initiatives, this growth momentum is expected to continue in the medium term.

By Nava Thakuria*  The military-ruled Myanmar (earlier known as Burma and Brahmadesh ) staged the first phase of its general election on 28 December 2025 amid a civil war–like situation across the Southeast Asian nation, with a visibly low voter turnout. The exercise covered 102 out of 330 townships (loosely termed constituencies), even though many localities evaded voting as they were not under the control of the military regime led by Min Aung Hlaing .

By Prof Vidyut Joshi*  The Narmada project , widely projected today as a triumphant symbol of development, did not emerge as a settled or inevitable achievement. Its origins lie in uncertainty, contestation and repeated re-imagination. The earliest vision of harnessing the Narmada dates back to 1946, when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel asked the eminent engineer Bhaikaka to explore the possibility of constructing a 300 feet dam on the river. 

By A Representative   In a significant intervention regarding India’s environmental future, a group of 79 distinguished former civil servants, organized under the Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), issued an open letter on December 28, 2025, expressing "deep anguish" over recent Supreme Court orders. The collective, which includes former Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, and former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, warned that the judiciary's recent stance risks dismantling essential ecological safeguards in favor of powerful vested interests.

By Bharat Dogra  On December 24, the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued an order directing that no trees shall be felled anywhere in Punjab until the next date of hearing in connection with two public interest litigations (PILs) challenging large-scale tree felling in Mohali city, located in Punjab close to Chandigarh.

By Ravi Ranjan*  In the landscape of contemporary Hindi poetry, Swapnil Shrivastava’s presence must be understood not merely as that of an active poet but as a creative bridge between folk sensibility and modern consciousness. At a time when much of contemporary poetry has leaned heavily toward urban experiences, introspective complexities, and ideological abstractions, Shrivastava’s work re‑establishes the folk element as a living cultural structure. His creativity is driven by the conviction that folk elements cannot be artificially imposed on poetry nor turned into tools for ideological agendas; they are only possible to the extent that the poet’s own life is shaped by folk experience. 

By Harsh Thakor*  On December 21, a few days ago, we commemorated the centenary of one of the greatest films of the twentieth century— Sergei Eisenstein ’s Battleship Potemkin . A landmark of Russian cinema , The Battleship Potemkin was first shown in Moscow on December 24, 1925. Yet its enduring appeal and relevance are evident in the countless homages paid by filmmakers over the century that followed. Few films have so powerfully stirred the souls of audiences.

By Rajiv Shah   Initially, I was not considering writing this blog about why I found Airtel —one of India’s premier communication service providers—to have an outrageously poor sales and customer-service experience, at least in Ahmedabad , Gujarat ’s business capital. However, the last SMS I received from Airtel regarding my request for a Wi-Fi connection in my flat in the Vejalpur area left me stunned.

By A Representative   Noted political theorist and public intellectual Professor Pratap Bhanu Mehta delivered a poignant reflection on the changing nature of the Indian state today, warning that the rise of a "civilizational state" poses a significant threat to the foundations of modern democracy and individual freedom. Delivering the Achyut Yagnik Memorial Lecture titled "The Idea of Civilization: Poison or Cure?" at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Mehta argued that India is currently witnessing a self-conscious political project that seeks to redefine the state not as a product of a modern constitution, but as an instrument of an ancient, authentic civilization.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Christmas celebrations in India this year witnessed deliberate attempts to disrupt events by various affiliates of the Sangh Parivar , with little visible intervention by the police or civil administration. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi , attended a Christmas Mass at the historic cathedral in New Delhi , yet neither he nor his colleagues offered a single word of condemnation of the violence and intimidation reported from several parts of the country. When such incidents draw wider attention, the response is often predictable: raise the issue of “mass conversion” or publicly distance the government from the organisations involved.

By A Representative   The Indian History Forum organized a webinar titled “Rewriting the Past: Distortions and Ideological Interventions in NCERT History Textbooks” on 22 December 2025. The session featured historian Dr Ruchika Sharma, who critically examined recent changes in NCERT history textbooks and their implications for historical understanding and social cohesion among millions of students across the country.  

By Raqif Makhdoomi*  Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed many elections in its history, but the 2024 polls marked a turning point. Unlike earlier contests, these elections were not fought merely on promises of development. Parties across the spectrum pledged to restore Article 370, regain statehood, secure the release of political prisoners, and halt the termination of government employees. Voter participation was overwhelming, making the 2024 elections historic not only for Jammu and Kashmir but for the entire country.  

By Harasankar Adhikari   In the idea of a “Vikshit Bharat,” many real problems—hunger, poverty, ill health, unemployment, and joblessness—are increasingly overshadowed by the religious contest between Hindu and Muslim fundamentalisms. This contest is often sponsored and patronised by political parties across the spectrum, whether openly Hindutva-oriented, Islamist, partisan, or self-proclaimed secular.

By Bharat Dogra   A recent heart-warming report on Sikh and Hindu families helping to build a mosque in a village of Punjab deserves wide attention. It is such examples that truly strengthen national unity. There are many instances of mutual respect and cooperation among people of different religions and faiths that need to be better known today.

By Rajiv Shah   A new Government of India study, Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: Prospects, Potential, and Policy Recommendations , prepared by NITI Aayog , regrets that India’s lag in this sector is the direct result of “several systemic challenges such as inadequate infrastructure to provide quality education and deliver world-class research, weak industry–academia collaboration, and outdated curricula.”

By Ratanja Yadav, Sandeep Pandey   The government has recently enacted the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act ( VB-G RAM G Act ), 2025. This Act has been introduced to replace MGNREGA , which was implemented in 2005 to provide a 100-day employment guarantee to unskilled rural workers. By making major changes to the provisions of MGNREGA, the new Act seeks to end the rights-based approach to employment.

By Ram Puniyani   With the Ram Janmabhoomi Rath Yatra, the BJP’s political strength began to grow. From then on, it started projecting itself as a “party with a difference.” Gradually, the party’s electoral success graph kept rising. However, many thinkers and writers did not find this particularly worrying at the time, as they saw little difference between the BJP and the ruling Congress. The BJP’s real face began to emerge when it became the principal party of the NDA led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It first came to power for two brief tenures—13 days and then 13 months—and subsequently governed for nearly six years with Vajpayee as Prime Minister. During this period, many of these writers began to understand that the BJP was indeed a “different kind” of party, as even then the process of undermining democratic values and norms had begun. During the first term of the UPA government, several schemes were implemented that were based on the concept of “rights.” These included the right...

By A Representative   Gig and platform service workers associated with Urban Company have stepped up their protest against what they describe as exploitative and unsafe working conditions, submitting a detailed Memorandum of Demands at the company’s Udyog Vihar office in Gurugram. The action is being seen as part of a wider and growing wave of dissatisfaction among gig workers across India, many of whom have resorted to demonstrations, app log-outs and strikes in recent months to press for fair pay, job security and basic labour protections.

D.V. Rao, T. Nagi Reddy, Harbhajan Sohi By Harsh Thakor*  In 2025, fifty years have passed since the formation of the Unity Centre of Communist Revolutionaries of India (UCCRI), established in April 1975. Its emergence was linked to debates within the Indian communist movement following the Naxalbari uprising and the formation of the CPI(ML) in 1969.

By Biljana Vankovska   A passage from Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale haunts me often: “That was when they suspended the Constitution… There wasn’t even any rioting in the streets. People stayed home… watching television… There wasn’t even an enemy you could put your finger on.” Today, the enemy list is long: Russia, China, Iran, Hamas—you choose!

By A Representative   The Bharuch District Fisherfolk Association has submitted a formal representation to the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Gujarat Pollution Control Board, and the District Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (DEIAA) of Bharuch, Narmada and Vadodara, seeking a review and cancellation of Environment Clearances (ECs) granted to sand mining leases located within the active flow of the Narmada river.

By  Rajendra Singh*  The functioning of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has undergone a troubling shift. Once mandated to safeguard forests and ecosystems, the Ministry now appears increasingly aligned with industrial interests. Its recent affidavit before the Supreme Court makes this drift unmistakably clear. An institution ostensibly created to protect the environment now seems to have strayed from that very purpose.

By Bharat Dogra  Public sympathy for a woman who was sexually assaulted as a minor in 2017 has been growing steadily across India. At the same time, anger against the main accused has intensified as more people become aware of the prolonged suffering endured by the survivor and her family, who continue to face threats allegedly linked to powerful interests.

By Nava Thakuria*  Amid rising anti-India rhetoric, Bangladesh has recently witnessed fresh turmoil following the death of a young radical leader, Sharif Osman Bin Hadi. As the situation gradually returns to a semblance of normalcy, the South Asian nation is preparing for its next general election, scheduled for 12 February 2026. These highly anticipated polls, coming in the aftermath of the student-led mass uprising of July–August 2024 that culminated in the overthrow of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, will notably exclude her party, the Awami League, which had ruled the Muslim-majority country of nearly 170 million people for years.

By Bharat Dogra   Many who initially welcomed the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are now reconsidering their stance. The reasons are stark. Law and order has deteriorated sharply, leaving large sections of the population—particularly political opponents—deeply vulnerable. Minorities report growing insecurity, with disturbing incidents of targeted violence. Inter-faith harmony is under unprecedented strain, while prospects for fair elections are fading as major political parties, including those with strong minority support, face exclusion and obstruction.  

By A Representative   The recent incidents of mob lynching—one in Bangladesh involving a Hindu citizen and another in Kerala where a man was killed after being mistaken for a “Bangladeshi”—have sparked outrage and calls for accountability.  

By A Representative   App-based gig and platform workers across the country observed a nationwide strike on Christmas Day following a call by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU), a women-led trade union representing workers in the platform economy. Workers associated with ride-hailing, delivery and home-service platforms, including Swiggy , Zepto and others, refrained from accepting rides and orders as part of the protest, seeking income security , regulated working hours and recognition of basic labour rights .

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  I stopped subscribing to newspapers and magazines over fifteen years ago. Before that, I regularly received several publications, but I discontinued them entirely. Since then, I read only what I feel I should. In that sense, social media platforms—especially Twitter—have become useful. People now share clips and links to videos and articles. Often, if I do not react to something, it is simply because I am unaware of it or have not come across it.

Khasra Ground site By Aseem Mishra*  Access to safe drinking water and sanitation is not a privilege—it is a fundamental human right. This principle has been unequivocally recognised by the United Nations and repeatedly affirmed by the Supreme Court of India as intrinsic to the right to life and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. Yet, for thousands of migrant workers living in Bhuj, this right remains elusive, exposing a troubling disconnect between constitutional guarantees, policy declarations, and lived reality.

By A Representative   Housing sales across India’s nine major real estate markets fell to a 17‑quarter low in the October–December period of 2025, with overall absorption dropping 16% year‑on‑year to 98,019 units, according to NSE‑listed analytics firm PropEquity. This marks the weakest quarter since Q3 2021, despite the festive season that usually drives demand. On a sequential basis, sales slipped 2%, while new launches contracted by 4%.  

By Bharat Dogra *  The Aravalli Hills are an ancient mountain range—among the oldest geological formations in northwest India—stretching nearly 670 km from Delhi to near Ahmedabad in Gujarat , running in a southwest direction. The range passes through Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan , and Gujarat, though it is most strongly identified in public imagination with Rajasthan.

By Vikas Meshram The Bill titled Viksit Bharat Employment and Livelihood Guarantee Mission (Rural), presented in the Lok Sabha as a replacement for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), warrants serious scrutiny. It is not a mere change in nomenclature; it represents a fundamental shift in the nature and design of the existing employment guarantee framework. More importantly, it reflects a broader tendency of the BJP-led Union government to centralise authority at the expense of states.

By Jag Jivan*  In a thought-provoking dialogue on the  UnMute Podcast  (Part 2), hosts  Gagan Sethi  and  Minar Pimple  engaged  Professor Navdeep Mathur  in a deep examination of the tensions reshaping  India’s democracy  and  civic space . The conversation challenged prevailing narratives on  economic growth , dissected the evolving role of  civil society , and explored tools for  active citizenship  in an increasingly complex landscape.

By Jag Jivan*     In a recent in-depth podcast discussion, a leading public policy scholar issued a stark critique of India's evolving governance landscape, arguing that the growing reliance on public-private partnerships has fundamentally weakened civil society’s ability to hold power to account and advocate for equitable public policy.

By A Representative   The advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) has raised concerns over the passage of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB–G RAM G), which was approved during the recently concluded session of Parliament amid protests by opposition members. The legislation is intended to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

By Chris Ogden   At a major summit in Russia last year, a banknote was unveiled that carried more symbolism than monetary value. It hinted at the growing ambitions of BRICS+ – a group of emerging economies anchored by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – to develop alternatives to the existing global financial system.

By Hyeran Jo, Yoon Jung Choi   When leaders of “the Quad” last met in September 2024, host and then-President Joe Biden declared the partnership between the United States, India, Australia and Japan to be “more strategically aligned than ever before.” “The Quad is here to stay,” trumpeted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi . Fast-forward a little over a year, however, and the tune has changed.

By Raïs Neza Boneza   If everything you thought you knew about the War on Terror were nothing more than a mirage—an extravagant shadow-play staged by geopolitical puppeteers—would you really be surprised? After all, the last two decades have taught us two things: nothing sells like fear, and nothing pays like chaos. Enter the familiar cast of characters: Obama, Clinton, McCain, Brennan, Soros, Abedin—names recited like an incantation in the global ritual of “saving democracy,” usually by destroying someone else’s democracy.

By Taroa Zúñiga Silva, José Roberto Duque  The disappointment felt by many left-wing supporters in Latin America has been renewed with the recent democratic victory of the far right in Chile. This sentiment is particularly poignant as it reflects the struggles of those who identify politically with progressive ideals.

By Rajendra Singh*  When will the onslaught on the Aravallis, India’s oldest mountain range and a sentinel of this region of the planet, finally end? The historic initiative to save the Aravalli mountain range began in the early 1990s with Case No. 509/9, a petition filed in the Supreme Court by Tarun Bharat Sangh against the Government of India. The victory in this case led to Notification No. SO 319(E), dated May 7, 1992, issued in compliance with the Supreme Court’s order. People across the entire Aravalli region—from Sariska to Alwar, Gurgaon, and beyond—stood united.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Ram Narayan Baghel, 31, was a migrant wage worker from Chhattisgarh who had travelled to Kerala in search of livelihood. Like millions of people from marginalised communities—particularly Dalits—he moved across states for work because opportunities at home are limited. On December 17, in Walayar village of Palakkad district, Kerala, Ram Narayan was surrounded by a group of people, subjected to interrogation, and brutally assaulted. He later died from the injuries inflicted on him.

By Raqif Makhdoomi*  Following an incident in which the Chief Minister of Bihar was seen pulling aside the niqab of a Muslim woman doctor during a public interaction, the episode drew widespread attention and debate across India. Public reactions were divided, with some defending the action and others criticising it as an infringement on personal autonomy and dignity. The incident was widely circulated on social media and reported by national and international media outlets.