Counterview

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's remarks describing IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti as a "gaumutra expert" (cow urine expert) reveal not only the political culture of the Congress Party but also expose the nature of Hindutva politics under the BJP. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has every right to question, criticise and oppose public spending on programmes such as the Scientific Utilization through Research Augmentation–Prime Products from Indigenous Cows (SUTRA-PIC) initiative and its promotion of "cowpathy."

By A Representative   New Delhi, July 30, 2026: Sixty-seven lawyers and legal professionals from across India have written to the Bar Council of India (BCI), strongly opposing the proposed increase in enrolment fees for new advocates under the Draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The signatories, associated with the National Alliance for Justice, Accountability and Rights (NAJAR), have termed the proposed hike "exclusionary" and "punitive", arguing that it would create a significant financial barrier for aspiring lawyers, particularly those from economically weaker and marginalised backgrounds.

By Palla Trinadha Rao*  India often speaks with pride of its demographic dividend, casting its young as the nation's greatest strength. But for thousands of tribal youth in the Scheduled Areas of Andhra Pradesh, that promise rings hollow. Across Alluri Sitarama Raju, Parvathipuram Manyam, and Polavaram districts, a generation finds itself caught between soaring aspirations and the hard grind of structural exclusion. 

By A Representative   The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a detailed response from the Rajasthan Government after taking cognisance of a complaint filed by the Rajasthan chapter of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan India (JSAI) over maternal deaths and serious health complications allegedly linked to the use of suspected counterfeit or substandard oxytocin injections in government hospitals in Kota .

By Osman Sher*  The vast land of India contains a variety of communities, both in terms of race and religion. Its inter-communal relations through the ages have shown it to be a tolerant nation, and this feature has made its society a prominently pluralistic one. Keeping up with this tradition, the Constitution declared India a secular country to be governed through the instrument of democracy. This meant that equality would prevail amid the ocean of diversity, and that people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds would co-exist peacefully as one "Indian Nation."

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan   There was a time when friendships weren't measured by streaks on Snapchat, followers on Instagram, or blue ticks on WhatsApp. There were no selfies announcing "Best Friends Forever," no birthday reels, no viral Friendship Day challenges. Yet somehow, friendships felt stronger, deeper, and far more personal.

By Ravi Ranjan*  Shamsher Bahadur Singh’s poem "Tūṭī Huī, Bikhariī Huī" — "Broken, Scattered"  — is one of the most important works in modern Hindi literature. Written in the decades after India’s independence, it captures something essential about what it means to live in the modern world. The poem does not tell a story in the usual sense. Instead, it moves the way a mind moves when it is alone: drifting between memories, sensations, half-finished thoughts, and sudden images. At its center is the feeling that the self has come apart. The modern individual, the poem suggests, is no longer a single, solid person but a collection of fragments held together by habit, longing, and the effort to keep speaking.

​By Harsh Thakor  ​Some stories are written on paper; others are carved through icy tides, iron willpower, and the quiet refusal to give up. ​For 21-year-old Geeta Malusare, crossing the English Channel was never just about conquering one of the world's most perilous open-water swims. It was the ultimate answer to a question life had thrown at her years earlier: When your body is broken, do you yield to the water, or do you command it?

By Nava Thakuria  Unusual global concern surfaced soon after Assam Police arrested a prominent Asomiya land rights activist while he was protesting against a public-private partnership tourism venture near the world-famous Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve . The Assam government recently allotted around 30 bighas of land for a project comprising a five-star luxury hotel of the US-based Hyatt Group and a Tea Tribe Heritage Museum at Inglay (Inle) Pathar near the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The move sparked widespread debate followed by protest demonstrations.

By A Representative   On the occasion of World Nature Conservation Day and International Tiger Day, Karnataka-based power and climate policy analyst Shankar Sharma has submitted a detailed representation to the Union Government urging a comprehensive review of India's developmental paradigm, environmental governance and long-term energy policy in the context of climate change, biodiversity conservation and sustainable economic growth.

By A Representative   An analysis of the election affidavits of 31 sitting Chief Ministers across 28 states and 3 Union Territories of India, conducted jointly by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW), has found that a significant proportion of the country's top elected leaders face criminal cases, while their collective wealth runs into thousands of crores of rupees. 

By A Representative   The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) has strongly condemned the reported retrenchment of more than 120 employees from the TV Today Network, calling the layoffs "arbitrary" and urging affected media professionals to organise and fight for their rights.

By Raqif Makhdoomi*  As the People's Democratic Party (PDP) marks 27 years since its formation, its political journey offers an opportunity to reflect on its contributions, challenges, and evolving role in the politics of Jammu and Kashmir.

By Pilar Troya Fernández  President Daniel Noboa governs Ecuador with increasingly authoritarian methods . Elected in 2023 and re-elected in 2025, he has concentrated power in the executive branch, clashed with the Constitutional Court, abused states of emergency, and turned the justice system into a weapon against his adversaries. Analysts and human rights organizations describe a drift toward dictatorship: a leader who maintains the forms of democracy while eroding its substance. The lead-up to the local government elections of November 29, 2026, offers the clearest example of this strategy, aimed at winning by preventing the opposition from fielding candidates.

Counterview News       Global civil society alliance CIVICUS has placed India on its latest CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist , citing what it describes as a rapid deterioration in civic freedoms during Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's third term in office. The organisation says the move reflects an escalating crackdown on activists, journalists, civil society organisations and critics of the government through restrictive legislation, censorship measures and expanded state powers.

By A Representative   The use of pellet guns to control protests in India has come under renewed scrutiny after the weapons were reportedly deployed against student demonstrators in New Delhi last week, marking a significant expansion of a tactic previously confined to Kashmir. John Dayal, a prominent human rights defender and secretary general of the All India Catholic Union, has strongly condemned the move, calling for full government accountability and a formal inquiry. 

By A Representative   A group of 47 former top bureaucrats from the All India and Central Services has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, urging them to halt the proposed demolition of 38 buildings at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, established by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan.

By Vijay Prashad   On 22 July, the United States and Saudi Arabia signed what Washington calls a ‘peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement.’ The agreement has been presented as a commercial arrangement that will help Saudi Arabia diversify its energy system while creating a vast new market for US-based nuclear companies. But its significance goes far beyond the construction of power stations. By permitting the possibility that Saudi Arabia might eventually enrich uranium on its own soil, while apparently exempting the kingdom from the most intrusive international inspections, Washington has further weakened the already fragile international regime against nuclear proliferation.

By Sonam Tenzin   When Beijing's Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress took effect on July 1, 2026, it did not take long for the usual chorus of objection to rise from Dharamsala and its allies abroad. Having spent years researching the Tibetan exile community in India, and having sat across from its members in their homes and shops, I want to offer a different reading of this law — and a harder look at who is doing the criticizing, and why.

By A Representative   The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Association (JNUTA) has welcomed the Delhi High Court's decision to issue notice to the JNU administration in a petition challenging changes to the university's faculty housing allotment policy.

Vishwavijay, Seema Azad,  Prashant Rahi, Gopal Mishra By Harsh Thakor*  In recent weeks, the North Co-ordination Committee (NCC) of the banned CPI (Maoist) has issued statements concerning several activists associated with various mass organisations, including Prashant Rahi, Gopal Mishra, Seema Azad, and Vishwavijay. The statements describe these individuals using terms such as "liquidators," "agents of the state," "conspirators," and "post-modernists," while also alleging that some have attempted to establish parallel organisations. Prashant Rahi and Gopal Mishra have additionally been described as proponents of a "Lin Biaoist" tendency.

By Shankar Sharma*  Two recent developments, seemingly unrelated, point to a deeper flaw in India's development paradigm. The first is the extraordinary urgency with which the country appears to be pursuing a massive expansion of nuclear power. NTPC has invited Expressions of Interest from global consulting firms for developing large-capacity Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR)-based nuclear projects of 1,000 MW and above. The implication is unmistakable: India is preparing for a large fleet of nuclear reactors within a relatively short period.

By Bharat Dogra   The participants of the Global Nobel Laureates Assembly at the Vatican have adopted a very important declaration for the safety of humankind and, indeed, for all forms of life on earth. This declaration, titled " Humanity at the Threshold: A Declaration on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Weapons ", deserves very wide attention. This carefully worded declaration is of great significance for achieving a safer future for humanity and, more particularly, for providing a safer future for children and the younger generation. The importance of this declaration increases further as it has been blessed by Pope Leo XIV , known for his deep commitment to peace and to a safer present and future for humanity.

By Prof. Hemantkumar Shah*  If the rate of population growth in a country equals the rate of employment growth, then the number of people who were unemployed in the previous year will remain unemployed in the new year as well. In other words, if a country's population grows by 100 people in a year, that same number of individuals would have turned 15 during that year and entered the labour market. So even if all of them find jobs, those unemployed from the previous year stay unemployed. Therefore, to eliminate unemployment, employment must grow at a rate higher than the population growth rate. This is not happening in our country, and consequently, the unemployment problem is becoming increasingly severe.

By Atanu Roy*  Chairman Mao Zedong once declared, "If there is to be revolution, there must be a revolutionary party." This famous dictum, appearing in the opening chapter of the Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung (popularly known as the Little Red Book), reflected his conviction that revolutionary change required a disciplined political organization guided by ideology, unified leadership, and strict organizational control. In Mao's view, ordinary people could not overthrow entrenched systems of power without a structured party to mobilize and direct them.

By Mohd Ziyauallah Khan  For over a decade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cultivated an image unlike that of any other Indian leader: decisive, unyielding, and politically invincible. Critics accused him of being uncompromising, while supporters celebrated his strong leadership. Yet politics often reminds even the most powerful that public sentiment can rewrite the script. The resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 25, 2026, following weeks of nationwide student protests over leaked entrance examinations , may prove to be one of the defining political moments of Modi's tenure.

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ*  The Revolution has begun… On the afternoon of 25 July, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan finally submitted his resignation. It was a key demand of the Cockroach Janata Party and of thousands of other agitating students and youth all over the country. There were massive celebrations everywhere! The protests at Jantar Mantar were called off! In 2019, an article in The Caravan named him the “money man” for the BJP! When he was Petroleum Minister, the state-owned ONGC gave Rs 668 crore to RSS-linked organisations as part of its CSR. It is common knowledge that he amassed huge amounts of money as Education Minister. The resignation of the Education Minister, however, is just the beginning, the tip of the iceberg!

By Vikas Meshram*  As the scorching summer of 2026 tightened its grip on the villages of Bajna block in Ratlam district, Madhya Pradesh, the struggle for drinking water became an everyday battle. Across 18 villages, 34 handpumps had remained non-functional for months, leaving hundreds of families with no reliable source of water. Women walked several kilometres each day carrying heavy pots, while farmers lost valuable working hours searching for water instead of tending their fields. Livestock also suffered, compounding the hardships of rural life.

By Dr P.K. Gupta*  ॐ अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोऽपि वा। यः स्मरेत् पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरः शुचिः।। ॐ पुण्डरीकाक्षः पुनातु, ॐ पुण्डरीकाक्षः पुनातु ॐ पुण्डरीकाक्षः पुनातु। (Whether impure or pure, or having passed through any and every condition, one who remembers Pundarikaksha, another name for Vishnu, becomes pure, both outwardly and inwardly.)

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The protests at Jantar Mantar have come to an end following the announcement that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan would step down. Yet, many questions remain unanswered. At the time of writing, there has been no official communication from Rashtrapati Bhavan confirming the resignation or indicating whether it has been formally accepted. Government representatives and two spokespersons of the Citizens' Justice Platform (CJP), who participated in the negotiations, urged the protesting youth to return home, claiming that the government had accepted all their demands. Whether that is indeed the case remains to be seen.

By Mohd Ziyauallah Khan  India's Gen Z has never been content to simply watch democracy from the sidelines. From student movements to anti-corruption campaigns, young Indians have repeatedly stepped forward when they believed institutions had failed them. The recent protests over the NEET examination controversy are only the latest reminder that this generation is not merely demanding a seat at the table—it is insisting that the table itself be honest.

​ By Dr. Jayant Kumar*  ​Having witnessed the evolution of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) over several decades—from its early iterations to its latest amendments—I feel compelled to share a few reflections as Parliament re-examines the law during the ongoing Monsoon Session. These observations stem from years of deep engagement with India's voluntary sector and are offered in the spirit of constructive national debate.

By Nava Thakuria*  The flood situation in eastern Assam has shown slight improvement as incessant rainfall eased across most parts of the State, but the death toll has risen to 66 and hundreds of villages remain inundated.

By A Representative   Environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has commended the Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) for its decisive action against nine cosmetic products found to contain excessive levels of mercury and lead. The organisation is now urgently calling for this action to be replicated nationwide through a comprehensive ban on the sale of mercury-containing skin lightening products.

By Bharat Dogra   For decades, Western agribusiness and multinational seed corporations have attracted widespread criticism—not only in developing countries but also within their own societies—for promoting hazardous genetically modified (GM) crops , appropriating farmers' seed diversity, using patents to maximize control over seeds, and expanding their grip over land and agricultural resources in the Global South. Critics have argued that these corporations have prioritized profits over biodiversity, farmers' rights, public health, and environmental sustainability.

By Kumar Krishnan*  Democracy is not defined merely by the regularity of elections, but also by the lens through which a government views the dissent of its citizens. When the young take to the streets over their future, the state faces two paths before it—dialogue or repression. History tells us that dialogue strengthens democracy, while repression only postpones discontent; it does not end it.

By Prem Singh*  A friend recently asked me for my views on the ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar. When I remained silent, he remarked that he had been waiting for my comment for several days. I gave him my usual response: "I have long since given up the task of saving the country." Smiling, he replied that he had heard this many times before and asked me to explain.

By Vikas Meshram*  Youth adolescence, that first bloom of one's prime, is an extraordinarily beautiful, alluring, delicate and fluid state of being. It is an age that meets a thousand new challenges and tests them for itself, an age as tender as it is resilient.

By Gajanan Khergamker  The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has once again demonstrated an extraordinary talent for mistaking administrative housekeeping for institutional achievement. At the very moment excavations at Gharapuri are yielding evidence that could fundamentally reshape our understanding of India's maritime past, the institution has chosen to celebrate the rollout of QR-enabled audio guides and GPS-supported navigation at its monuments. The contrast could not be starker. 

By A Representative   Human rights organisation Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) has submitted a complaint to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court alleging the illegal arrest, arbitrary detention, and denial of constitutional safeguards to a woman from North 24 Parganas who the organisation says is an Indian citizen.

By Bharat Dogra  As the world grapples with multiple crises—from climate change and environmental degradation to growing inequality and social conflict—the need for thoughtful grassroots initiatives has never been greater. Community-led efforts that promote justice, peace and environmental protection not only address local challenges but also offer valuable lessons for building sustainable livelihoods, strengthening climate resilience and fostering democratic participation.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  The old nursery rhyme “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” has amused children for over three centuries. Its ancient Celtic origins may have helped shepherds count their flocks, but many believe it also mocks Richard Cromwell, the timid son of a mighty protector. Nicknamed “Tumbledown Dick” and “Hickory Dick,” Richard became a symbol of weak rule. Today, that allegory feels disturbingly current. Our leaders, across parties and institutions, often display the same cowardly cunning, hiding behind ideology while practicing authoritarianism in all but name.

Counterview News   A new study, " Exploring the interlinkages between child marriage and family laws in South Asia ," has shed light on the profound legal ambiguities and systemic challenges that perpetuate child marriage in India , despite the country's significant progress in reducing its prevalence. 

By A Representative   In an extraordinary display of institutional dissent, a group of 93 former top civil servants, police officers, diplomats, and members of the All India and Central Services has issued a searing open letter condemning the police action against student protesters in the national capital on July 20, 2026, describing it as "unacceptable," "illegal and disproportionate," and a grave violation of constitutional governance that threatens to erode public trust in democratic institutions.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  Every generation gets the India it deserves—but this one is demanding the India it was promised. For too long, students and young people have been dismissed by older generations as apolitical, self-absorbed, and glued to screens, too distracted to care about the nation’s direction. This condescending stereotype has suited the ruling classes just fine. It has allowed them to underfund education, neglect science-based learning, and undermine secular institutions—without fear of pushback from the very demographic that should matter most.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The people of this country must be far more careful the next time someone invokes Gandhi and sits on a fast for a public cause. It is important not to elevate every protester into a Gandhi or a Bhagat Singh. Time and again, people have been betrayed because Gandhism itself has often been used as a tool to manage contradictions and confuse public opinion. It is also a fact that fasting has historically been a practice associated with dominant castes, and not the political path of Ambedkar, Phule, or Periyar.

By Guillermo R. Barreto   It is 19 April 2025. A 12-year-old girl and her 3-year-old brother are playing in front of their house in the village of Bert-Furik. A group of Israeli settlers kidnaps them. At knifepoint, they drag the children to an olive grove where they are tied to a tree and gagged. Fortunately, the family manages to arrive and untie them. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. A report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, dated 8 May 2026, and identified by the acronym A/HRC/62/22 , reveals a bleak picture.

By Biljana Vankovska  The history of warfare shows that conflicts end either with a clear victory by one side or through negotiations when both face the exhaustion of resources and the will to continue sacrificing lives. There is also a third way: a silent ending of hostilities, the establishment of a 'cold peace,' and the freezing of the conflict without an explicit acknowledgment of defeat.

By Laura Violeta Devia López  There are just over three weeks left before Abelardo De La Espriella takes office as Colombia’s new president, despite the numerous allegations that cast a shadow over his election and, as usual, discredit the Colombian electoral system. The announcements already being made by Abelardo and his designated cabinet mark a significant change of course, not only for the Colombian people but also for the country’s place in the world.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  The question that haunts Indian political discourse—“If not Modi, then who?”—is not a genuine inquiry about leadership. It is a rhetorical trap, designed to shrink the imagination of a nation of 1.4 billion people into a single, chest-thumping silhouette. It presumes that without one man, the world’s largest democracy would collapse into chaos, as though the Indian republic were a startup dependent on a visionary CEO rather than a constitutional democracy built on the collective will of its citizens.