'Migrants excluded': Delhi’s women’s day gift turns into a citizenship test

By A Representative

On March 2, 2026, President Draupadi Murmu launched the Delhi Government’s Pink Saheli Card, one of four schemes dedicated to women, promising free mobility on DTC buses. The initiative was showcased again on March 8, International Women’s Day, when Chief Minister Rekha Gupta boarded a DTC bus to highlight the Saheli Pink National Common Mobility Card (NCMC). The card allows women and transgender residents of Delhi to travel free on buses, but not on the metro or RRTS services, where regular fares still apply.

The scheme has drawn criticism for its eligibility criteria. The card requires proof of residence through Aadhaar or voter ID verification, excluding large sections of migrant workers and students who form a significant part of Delhi’s population. According to the Delhi Economic Survey (2022–23), nearly 283,000 people migrated to the city in 2021 in search of jobs. By restricting access to residents alone, the government has politicized what many see as a basic civic facility.

Concerns have also been raised about surveillance. The card requires phone verification and carries the holder’s photograph, raising questions about privacy and the government’s intent in branding it as a “national” card while limiting its scope to Delhi. Critics argue that this transforms mobility into a matter of citizenship, adding layers of monitoring to everyday travel.

The initiative has been compared to the earlier pink-ticket system introduced by the AAP government in 2019, which offered free bus rides to women. The current government has repackaged it as its own achievement, timed to coincide with International Women’s Day. Observers note that a day meant to celebrate the socialist roots of women’s rights has instead been used for political symbolism.

In a statement, the People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) said: “Given the political chicanery evident in the eligibility and surveillance criteria of the Pink Saheli Card, PUDR hopes that the people of the city will demand and ensure a more inclusive system for people’s right to travel without inconvenience and surveillance.”

The debate underscores how civic facilities, when tied to identity verification and surveillance, risk becoming instruments of political control rather than genuine empowerment.

Comments

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

'Policy long overdue': Coalition of 29 experts tells JP Nadda to act on SC warning label order

By A Representative In a significant development for public health, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to seriously consider implementing mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on pre-packaged food products. The order, passed by a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan on February 10, 2026, comes as the Court expressed dissatisfaction with the regulatory body's progress on the issue.

When tourism meets tribal law: The Vanajangi dispute in Andhra Pradesh

By Palla Trinadha Rao A writ petition presently before the High Court of Andhra Pradesh has brought into focus an increasingly important question in the governance of tribal regions: can eco-tourism projects in Scheduled Areas be implemented without the consent of the Gram Sabha? The case concerns the establishment of a Community Based Eco-Tourism centre at Vanajangi village in Paderu Mandal of Alluri Sitarama Raju District, a region located within the Scheduled Areas of Andhra Pradesh.

UAPA action against Telangana activist: Criminalising legitimate democratic activity?

By A Representative The National Investigation Agency's Hyderabad branch has issued notices to more than ten individuals in Telangana in connection with FIR No. RC-04/2025. Those served include activists, former student leaders, civil rights advocates, poets, writers, retired schoolteachers, and local leaders associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian National Congress.

The ultimate all-time ODI XI: A personal selection of icons across eras

By Harsh Thakor* This is my all-time best XI chosen for ODI (One Day International) cricket: 1. Adam Gilchrist (W) – The absolute master blaster who could create the impact of exploding gunpowder with his electrifying strokeplay. No batsman was more intimidating in his era. Often his knocks decided the fate of games as though the result were premeditated. He escalated batting strike rates to surreal realms.

India’s green energy push faces talent crunch amidst record growth at 16% CAGR

By Jag Jivan* A new study by a top consulting firm has found that India’s cleantech sector is entering a decisive growth phase, with strong policy backing, record capacity additions and surging investor interest, but facing mounting pressure on talent supply and rising compensation costs .

Aligning too closely with U.S., allies, India’s silence on IRIS Dena raises troubling questions

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The reported sinking of the Iranian ship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka raises troubling questions about international norms and the credibility of the so-called rule-based order. If indeed the vessel was attacked by the American Navy while returning from a joint exercise in Visakhapatnam, it would represent a serious breach of trust and a violation of the principles that govern such cooperative engagements. Warships participating in these exercises are generally not armed for combat; they are meant to symbolize solidarity and friendship. The incident, therefore, is not only shocking but also deeply ironic.

India’s foreign policy at crossroads: Cost of silence in the face of aggression

By Venkatesh Narayanan, Sandeep Pandey The widely anticipated yet unprovoked attack on Iran on March 1 by the United States and Israel has drawn sharp criticism from several quarters around the world. Reports indicate that the strikes have resulted in significant civilian casualties, including 165 elementary school girls, 20 female volleyball players, and many other civilians.

Was Netaji forced to alter face, die in obscurity in USSR in 1975? Was he so meek?

By Rajiv Shah This should sound almost hilarious. Not only did Subhas Chandra Bose not die in a plane crash in Taipei, nor was he the mysterious Gumnami Baba who reportedly passed away on 16 September 1985 in Ayodhya, but we are now told that he actually died in 1975—date unknown—“in oblivion” somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Which city? Moscow? No one seems to know.

Search This Blog