Counterview

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Greetings to all for Ashoka Vijayadashami and Dhammachakra Pravartan Din. These festivals are not just dates on a calendar; they are moments of deep cultural and political symbolism. People in Nagpur and across India celebrate them for days, and the atmosphere around Deekshabhoomi reflects a democratic cultural revolution that continues to inspire millions. Ironically, while Nagpur is projected as the birthplace of the RSS, it is the Buddhist traditions on this day that shine brighter than anything else. I have been to Nagpur many times during this period and have always felt immense pride in the celebrations.

By A Representative   The Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch (AARM) has issued a strong condemnation following the alleged custodial killing of 22-year-old Dilip Ahari, an Adivasi youth from Kalariya village in Dungarpur district, Rajasthan. Ahari was arrested on September 26th on theft charges and reportedly subjected to brutal torture at the Dowda Police Station. He was subsequently hospitalized in critical condition at the Dungarpur district hospital, later transferred to RNT Medical College, Udaipur, and was declared dead on September 30th.

By A Representative   A social organisation, HOWL (How Ought We Live), has raised concerns over the continued detention of journalist and activist Sourav Banerjee in Madhya Pradesh, alleging that his imprisonment and the demolition of community initiatives are part of an attempt to suppress tribal and marginalised voices.

By Ram Puniyani   Communal violence is a curse in Indian politics. It has been around for over a century. Most scholars of this phenomenon believe that it is usually orchestrated deliberately. After such violence, conditions for communal polarization arise. Scholars also argue that “the religious polarization resulting from riots benefits political parties that engage in identity-based politics, while harming the Congress.” 

By A Representative   The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has strongly condemned the Bihar government’s decision to lease 1,050 acres of land in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur district, to Adani Power for a 2,400 MW coal-based thermal power project. 

By Palla Trinadha Rao  Secularism, enshrined as a basic feature of the Constitution of India (as affirmed in S.R. Bommai v. Union of India, (1994) 3 SCC 1), guarantees equal respect for all religions while ensuring that the State maintains a principled distance from religion. In the tribal regions of Andhra Pradesh, however, the interplay between constitutional values, religious practices, and indigenous traditions has given rise to unique challenges. While tribals are often referred to as Adivasi, Vanavasi, or Mulavasi, their constitutional identity is formally recognized as Scheduled Tribes under Article 342. Clause (25) of Article 366 defines Scheduled Tribes as “such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes of this Constitution.” This recognition is not merely symbolic—it affirms the constitutional obligation to safeguard their traditions, culture, and gove...

By Harsh Thakor*  The cricket world is mourning the loss of one of its most legendary figures, Dickie Bird, who has passed away at the age of 92. Bird was more than just an umpire; he was one of his generation's most beloved, accomplished, charismatic, and eccentric sporting characters. It's a rare feat for a cricket umpire to become one of the most popular figures in the country, but Bird’s widespread appeal extended far beyond the boundary ropes of the sport he devoted his life to. He will forever hold a permanent place among the greatest characters in Yorkshire’s history, as few others infused the game with as much life and elevated its spirit the way he did.

By Raj Kumar Sinha*  Limited consumption of nature was a central tenet of Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy. He believed that humans should take only what they need from nature, avoiding greed or over-consumption. Therefore, resources must be used sparingly, justly, and with the welfare of others in mind. Gandhi connected lifestyle to simplicity and self-restraint. He warned against unbridled industrialization and dependence on machines. He argued that the Western style of consumption-centric development was fatal for a country like India, as it harms both nature and society. Gandhi was a proponent of 'Swadeshi' (self-sufficiency/local goods) and 'Gram Swaraj' (village self-rule). This approach ensures that the sustainable use of local resources is safe for both the environment and society.

By A Representative   A group of concerned citizens led by public policy expert and climate change campaigner Dr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi has submitted extensive comments on the Draft Civil Drone (Promotion and Regulation) Bill, 2025, urging the Ministry of Civil Aviation to incorporate stronger provisions for safety, security, environmental protection, and accountability.

By A Representative   Marking one month since the United States imposed a steep 50% tariff on nearly half of India’s exports, trade unions, public intellectuals and industry representatives came together at a public discussion organised by the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) and the National Alliance for Justice, Accountability and Rights (NAJAR). The event, held on September 14 under the theme “Trump’s Tariffs and Indian Workers: Impact, Challenges and Way Ahead,” strongly criticised both the US government’s “hostile” action and what participants described as the Indian government’s “shameful inaction” in the face of the crisis.

By Prof. Ravi Ranjan*  While reading Narendra Pundarik’s poem “Īśvara Kucch Kare Na Kare” from the collection In Hāthoṁ Ke Binā (Without These Hands), the first aspect that draws attention is the historical-sociological observation highlighted by the poet: in most religions across the world, the concept of an almighty God has traditionally been imagined in male form: > Women always assume That what lies beyond their control Is within God’s domain, And so, in their imagination, God is a man. (p. 111)

Bhabani Shankar Nayak   Universal adult suffrage and the broadening of democratic rights were achieved through long struggles against feudalism, colonialism, capitalism, imperialism, racism, apartheid, and other forms of authoritarianism. These efforts advanced the universality of citizenship and deepened democratic practices worldwide. The trajectory of democracy was disrupted by two World Wars and the Great Depression but regained momentum through anti-colonial and anti-apartheid movements in Asia and Africa, which expanded both political and economic democracy.

By Manolo De Los Santos  The news of Assata Shakur’s death in Havana, Cuba, on September 26, was met with a deep sense of shared loss among revolutionaries and activists worldwide. Shortly after, at a gathering in New York, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, spoke simply, “We fulfilled our duty.” 

By Harsh Thakor*  Trofim Lysenko stands as a paradoxical figure in the history of science, a man whose innovative, practical contributions to developmental biology and agriculture are often overshadowed by his destructive role in Soviet genetic research. A fair appraisal reveals Lysenko, born into a peasant family on September 29, 1898, as one of the Soviet Union's most creative and logical founders of developmental biology.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  It is surprising that the government allowed the Asia Cup to take place at a time when hatred and hostility dominate the atmosphere. Once, leaders guided people toward dignity and restraint, but today leaders themselves appear to encourage divisiveness, reducing politics to street-level antagonism. 

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak  Death defines the extraordinary life and story of social, political, and creative commitment embodied by the indomitable people’s singer, Zubeen Garg, from the northeastern Indian state of Assam. Zubeen Garg was born on November 18, 1972, into an Assamese family in Tura, Meghalaya, and grew up deeply connected to his ancestral roots in the village of Tamulichiga in Jhanji, Jorhat, Assam. His music and singing took him to different parts of the country and the world, but his heart always remained in the wilderness of Northeast India and within the beauty and diversity of Assam.

By Bharat Dogra Imagine a person going to the market to buy staple food for his family. He has been warned by well-informed friends to avoid the wealthiest merchant, who is selling unhealthy and hazardous grain. So he quietly bypasses that shop and turns to smaller sellers offering healthier food. Suddenly, the wealthy merchant confronts him, grabs him by the neck, and shouts that he must buy only from him—or face harm. Frightened, the man tells his family that they will continue buying their food elsewhere but will also buy some from the rich merchant, keeping it aside to feed only to animals.

By A Representative   The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has written to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi urging them to intervene in what it described as the “historical injustice” faced by 59 nomadic and semi-nomadic communities and small Scheduled Castes in Karnataka. In its appeal, NAPM highlighted that thousands from these marginalized groups would march to Jantar Mantar in Delhi on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, and meet the Congress leadership to press for their demand of a 1% internal reservation within the Scheduled Caste (SC) category, in line with the recommendations of the Justice HN Nagamohan Das Commission.

By Jaime Bravo, Jorge Coulon   In August 1971, Richard Nixon announced the suspension of the dollar's convertibility into gold. This closed a cycle that had begun with the Bretton Woods agreements, which gave the United States — the only industrial and financial power to emerge with its capabilities intact and as a creditor to the rest of the world— the possibility of making its currency the global reserve of value.

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  Scholars have increasingly pointed to the decline of American hegemony and the parallel rise of non-Western powers such as China, India, Brazil, and South Africa. This shift is often interpreted as signaling the emergence of a multipolar order, replacing the unipolar moment that briefly followed the Cold War. 

By Sudhanva Deshpande, Vijay Prashad  The Israeli genocide of the Palestinians has persisted for two years —a “live-streamed genocide”, as Amnesty International called it in its April 2025 annual report. Thus far, Israel has murdered over 66,000 Palestinians —the overwhelming majority of whom are civilians; 20,000 of the dead are children, meaning a Palestinian child has been killed every hour since October 2023. Two million Palestinians in Gaza have been forced to remain on the move as Israel continues to pummel the small area with missile and bomb attacks. Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank have faced eviction as part of a broader ethnic cleansing policy Israel is pushing for the entire region between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

By Biljana Vankovska   The Palestinian question predates the United Nations, which is now celebrating its 80th anniversary. The roots of the Palestinian conflict lie in the deep wounds and scars inflicted across the Middle East by Western powers, and the greatest victim, of course, has been the Palestinian people. Looking back at the long history of UN resolutions—passed but never respected—feels almost pointless. From the first Nakba to the present day, Palestinians have been stuck in limbo, forced into vast concentration camps, and now subjected to open extermination under brutal conditions. And it continues, on and on.

By Raqif Makhdoomi*  The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has resulted in immense human suffering, including widespread displacement, loss of life, and long-term trauma. In recent months, several countries have moved to formally recognize Palestine as a sovereign state, framing this gesture as a step toward justice and peace. However, this development raises complex questions about historical accountability, the nature of justice, and the viability of the proposed two-state solution.

By Bharat Dogra   In recent weeks, the Himalayan region has witnessed a series of disasters—landslides, floods, and land subsidence—that have brought untold suffering to people, particularly in Uttarakhand. At the same time, reports from Ladakh highlight deep discontent among local communities despite claims of “unprecedented” development spending on roads, power, and infrastructure. These two situations may appear distinct, yet they are linked by a common thread: the way development is being pursued in an ecologically fragile region and the extent to which it respects—or disregards—the lives and livelihoods of local people.

By A Representative   The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has strongly condemned the alleged throttling of the rights to speech, association, and assembly in Ladakh, following the detention of activist Sonam Wangchuk and others after violent protests in Leh on September 24, 2025.

By A Representative   The National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) has issued a strong condemnation of the "heinous assault" on adivasi youth leader Rama Kankonkar on September 18 and the subsequent intimidation faced by another activist, Swapnesh Sherlekar, citing these incidents as alarming examples of lawlessness in Goa. NAPM is demanding a principled investigation to establish "command responsibility" for the attack and a fundamental review of what it terms Goa’s "unsustainable and unjust 'development' model" driven by land mafias and casino interests.

By Syed Ali Mujtaba*   A disturbing new pattern of communal violence has emerged in several north Indian cities: attacks on Muslims during the “I Love Muhammad” processions held to mark Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad. This adds to the grim catalogue of Modi-era violence against Muslims, alongside cow vigilantism, so-called “love jihad” campaigns, attacks for not chanting “Jai Shri Ram,” and assaults during religious festivals.

By Harsh Thakor*  The All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMKS) held its national conference in Sasaram, Bihar, recently drawing participation from around 500 delegates representing several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra. The three-day gathering included rallies, cultural performances, debates and the passing of resolutions, and concluded with the election of a 15-member national committee.

By Rosamma Thomas*  Sarva Seva Sangh, publisher of books on the freedom struggle and related subjects, with its offices at Rajghat, Varanasi, was displaced by the Varanasi district administration and Indian Railways in July 2023. In August 2023, although the matter was still in court, the authorities demolished most of the buildings on the 13-acre plot on the banks of the Ganga. 

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The demand for special protection of the Himalayan states has a long history—stretching from Ladakh to Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the seven sisters of the Northeast. Across these regions, native communities face an existential threat as outsiders buy up land and gain control over natural resources. While the Constitution created the Sixth Schedule to safeguard tribal interests through autonomous councils, this protection was limited to the Northeast, leaving the Himalayan belt vulnerable.

By A Representative   The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has demanded the immediate release of Ladakhi environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk, withdrawal of all charges against protesters, restoration of statehood to Ladakh, and inclusion of the region under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. In a strongly worded statement, SKM condemned the imposition of curfew, the police firing that killed four youth and injured over a hundred, and the use of the National Security Act (NSA) against Wangchuk, terming it an “unjust and dangerous conspiracy” to silence democratic voices.

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.

By Harsh Thakor*  Defying formidable odds, 17-year-old Jiya Rai from India has created history by becoming the first female para-swimmer with autism to successfully complete a solo swim across the Catalina Channel in the United States. She covered the 34-kilometre stretch in 15 hours, 1 minute and 43 seconds, setting a landmark in the 100-year history of Catalina Channel swimming.

By Rosamma Thomas*  The Indian Ocean, the world’s third largest, is heating at a faster pace than other oceans. The large mass of water, and its high specific heat (heat required to raise temperature by one degree Celsius) means that small differences in temperature in the ocean make for large variations in heat energy. Heating of the ocean is thus causing unprecedented climate change. Monsoons have altered, and coastal communities are fast becoming climate refugees. 

By Ram Puniyani*  Indian society has long been riddled with inequalities. Some forces today seek to undermine or even do away with the Indian Constitution, which remains a vital instrument in the struggle for equality and social justice. On one hand, patriarchal values have been glorified in scriptures; on the other, the Varna–caste hierarchy has been sanctified by religious texts. These inequalities, rooted in antiquity, continue to persist.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The Yamuna River is one of the largest tributaries of the Ganga. It rises from the Bandarpoonch peak in the Garhwal Himalayas, near the Yamunotri glacier, at an altitude of about 6,300 meters. The river descends to Yamunotri Dham, a sacred temple dedicated to Goddess Yamuna, who is mythologically considered the daughter of Lord Surya (the Sun God) and sister of Shani and Yama. For both practical and mythological purposes, Yamunotri Dham, located at roughly 3,300 meters, is deemed the river's source.

By Bharat Dogra  One of the biggest concerns regarding the global food and farming system is the alarming decline in crop diversity in recent decades. Not only has the number of crops grown on farms diminished, but the diversity of crop varieties has also eroded, leaving behind a narrower genetic base.

By Bharat Dogra  Jayesh Joshi, founder and coordinator of the voluntary organization Vaagdhara, has recently been in the news as co-organizer of a national dialogue on the self-reliance of rural communities and a series of village fairs to strengthen tribal communities’ efforts for beej swaraj—self-reliance in seeds. These initiatives have gained special significance at a time of growing global concern over the concentration of the seed industry in the hands of a few multinational corporations.

By Sunil Kumar*  On September 28 we marked the 118th birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh. Bhagat Singh and his comrades are figures whom the people of India revere for their sacrifices and vision of struggle. Whether on his martyrdom day or his birth anniversary, both the exploited and the oppressors in India remember him. The oppressor class remembers him because they cannot dismiss the sacrifices of these martyrs, yet they are unnerved by his ideas.

By A Representative   India’s food sovereignty movement has strongly condemned the arrest of environmental and local governance activist Sonam Wangchuck, demanding his immediate and unconditional release along with others detained in Ladakh.

By A Representative    The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has expressed concern over the situation in Ladakh following recent violence that claimed four lives and the arrest of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA). In a statement issued on September 27, the alliance said the Centre’s failure to address Ladakh’s long-standing demands has created unrest in the region and urged the government to begin a substantive dialogue with local groups on statehood and Sixth Schedule status.

By A Representative   The People for Himalaya, a campaign of progressive groups, civil society organisations and activists from the Himalayan region, has condemned what it termed as the ongoing repression of the popular movement for Sixth Schedule status and statehood in Ladakh. 

By Bharat Dogra  The trail of destruction—including floods, landslides, and land subsidence—in the Himalayan region, which has at times triggered even bigger floods in the plains below (as in Punjab), has finally led to a broader realization of the immense costs of indiscriminate construction and so-called ‘development’ in this ecologically fragile zone. The Supreme Court has taken notice, and one hopes that the authorities will at least heed the voice of the highest court.

By A Representative   Child marriage in India has recorded a steep decline, according to a report released by Just Rights for Children (JRC), a network of over 250 NGOs working in the field of child protection. The report, Tipping Point to Zero: Evidence Towards a Child Marriage Free India, presented during a side event at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, claims that child marriages among girls have declined by 69 percent and among boys by 72 percent over the past three years.

By A Representative   A recent research paper, "Warning labels for sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juice: evaluation of 27 different labels on health effects, sugar content, energy and exercise equivalency", published in Public Health has evaluated the effectiveness of different warning labels for sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and fruit juice, comparing 27 variations across six message types. 

By Harsh Thakor*  Kamalsai Majhi, general secretary of the Malkangiri Zilla Adivasi Sangh, is no more. He succumbed to aplastic anemia at the age of 52. His death is a grievous loss to the agrarian and revolutionary movements. His life was marked by steadfast loyalty and commitment to the struggle for justice, first as a member of the Communist Party Reorganisation Centre of India (Marxist-Leninist) and later as part of the Centre of Communist Revolutionaries of India. His lifelong work enabled agrarian resistance to endure in some of the most difficult circumstances.

By Bharat Dogra  Many countries that are economically poor due to a complex set of factors have been well endowed by nature in various ways. However, the exploitative use of natural resources over several decades or even centuries, generally under colonial or neo-colonial conditions, has contributed greatly to the poverty that exists today. One natural resource whose value is being increasingly realized is the diversity of plant wealth. This diversity has been exceptionally rich in many economically poor countries.

  By Rajiv Shah   I have been forwarded a  report  titled “Profit and Genocide: Indian Investments in Israel”. It has been prepared by the advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) and authored by Hajira Puthige. The report was released following the Government of India’s signing of a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) with Israel.

By Bharat Dogra   As the calendar turns to September 27/28, we mark the birth anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, a name that continues to resonate with powerful clarity across India. With each passing year, the legend of this young revolutionary doesn't just endure; it grows.

By Bharat Dogra   Decades after his cruel and tragic assassination by those who had been clearly hired by very powerful persons, the legacy of Shankar Guha Niyogi lives on, inspiring more and more people, particularly youth. Wherever I go to remote areas in the course of my writing work, I come across highly committed and very creative people inspired by Niyogi and the various efforts and institutions initiated by him like the Shaheed Hospital of Dalli Rajhara. 

By Raj Kumar Sinha*  In Indian culture, rivers are not only life-giving but also sacred, worshipped as mothers who nourish and sustain humanity. Without rivers, the very idea of human civilization would have been impossible. Our sages understood that water and forests are the foundation of life. They reminded us that “trees bring rain, rain produces grain, and grain sustains life.” The Atharva Veda emphasized the need for pure water bodies near human settlements, noting that clean water ensures health, longevity, and well-being. This reverence for rivers shaped traditions that treated them as divine. Yet, today, driven by greed and profit, we have pushed our rivers into crisis.

By Sunil Kumar*  On September 22, 2025, the country implemented GST reform, being promoted as the “New Generation GST Reform.” Prime Minister Modi presented this reform to the people through his address to the nation from the Red Fort ramparts on September 21, 2025. The BJP and BJP-ruled state governments are celebrating this as the “GST Savings Festival” fortnight (September 22–29). All BJP MPs and ministers have been instructed to reach out to shopkeepers and people in markets and on the streets. But if this GST reform is truly a “savings festival,” then does that mean that since July 1, 2017, the country has been experiencing a “loot festival”? The figures confirm that under GST, a significant portion of the people’s hard-earned money has been taken away by the government and corporate elites.