Tribute meeting held in Lehragaga to commemorate Left activist Ranjit Lehra

By Harsh Thakor*

A gathering was held in recently to commemorate , who passed away in the second week of February. Activists and organisations associated with attended the event and paid tribute.

Lehra was associated with political and social movements in the state for several decades. Despite a long-standing heart condition, he remained active in organisational and political work. His involvement dates back to the 1970s, when he was linked to the .

Influenced by the and , Lehra worked as a writer, journalist, translator and publisher. He contributed to publications such as Prachanda, Jayakara and Lal Parcham, handling editorial and administrative responsibilities at different times.

He was involved in several mass movements, including protests in the late 1970s following the Prithipal Randhawa murder case, during which he was imprisoned. He also participated in the bus fare protests, a period that saw divisions among political groups.

During the 1980s, marked by militancy and state action in Punjab, Lehra opposed both Khalistani militancy and state repression. He continued to engage with political developments and maintained his ideological positions over the years, including during internal debates within left movements.

Lehra was also associated with campaigns against globalisation and participated in recent , where he remained active in mobilisation efforts.

At the Lehragaga meeting, speakers including Mukhtiar Poohla, editor of Lal Parcham; Jaspal Jassi of Surkh Leeh; and Kanwaljit Khanna of the Revolutionary Centre Punjab spoke about his role in political movements and his writings.

Family members, including his daughter Arshdeep Arshi and partner Rajpal Kaur, also addressed the gathering. Representatives of farmer organisations, student groups and other political platforms attended and called for continued engagement with issues he was associated with.

Lehra’s writings and publications were displayed at the venue, along with a special issue of Lal Parcham dedicated to him.

---

*Freelance journalist

Comments

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Concentration of wealth in India at levels 'comparable to colonial times', says new report

By Jag Jivan A new report published in March 2026 by the Centre for Financial Accountability and the Tax The Top campaign paints a stark picture of deepening economic disparity in India, documenting a concentration of wealth that it argues is “comparable to colonial times.” Titled Wealth Tracker India | Tax the Top. Close the Gap , the compilation presents data from the World Inequality Database and the Hurun Rich List to illustrate the meteoric rise of the ultra-wealthy alongside the stagnation and debt burdens of the majority.

Protesters in UK cities voice concerns over alleged developments in Bastar region

By A Representative Demonstrations were held across several cities in the United Kingdom on March 28, as groups and activists gathered to protest what they described as state actions in India under the reported “Operation Kagar.”

Beneath the stone: Revisiting the New Jersey mandir controversy

By Rajiv Shah A recent report published in the British media outlet The Guardian , titled “Workers carved the largest modern Hindu temple in the west. Now, some have incurable lung disease,” took me back to my visits to the New Jersey mandir —first in 2022, when it was still under construction, though parts of it were open to visitors, and again in 2024, after its completion.

Search This Blog