By A Representative    The Minority Coordination Committee Gujarat has submitted a detailed representation to the Governor of Gujarat, urging that assent be withheld from the recently passed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill by the state assembly. The memorandum, submitted from the Committee’s office in Mirzapur, raises constitutional, legal, federal and social concerns regarding the proposed legislation.

By Bharat Dogra   Just 15 kilometres from the gleaming high-rises of Mohali , where Punjab’s urban dream meets Chandigarh ’s manicured lawns, lies a settlement the city prefers not to see. The Valmiki hamlet of Majatri village is close enough to the capital’s comforts, yet light-years away from its basic necessities.

By A Representative   A day after the Union Cabinet approved India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for the 2031-2035 period, a prominent climate policy analyst has raised serious concerns, arguing that the commitments are insufficient to protect the country’s vulnerable populations and its environment.

​ 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.

By Raqif Makhdoomi*  The question of Palestine did not begin on October 8. Its roots stretch back to November 2, 1917, when British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour issued a letter to Lord Walter Rothschild pledging support for a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. Known as the Balfour Declaration, this document—produced during World War I—was intended to secure Jewish support for the Allied cause. Yet it sowed the seeds of a lasting conflict by promising a homeland on territory already inhabited by a predominantly Arab population.

By Guillermo R. Barreto   We are witnessing a turning point in history. We are experiencing a crisis that goes beyond an economic crisis. We are facing a true crisis of civilization. The U.S., as an imperial power, is increasingly showing its decline, and in that decline, it acts irrationally, endangering all of humanity. It is not merely the fact that they have an 'incoherent' and violent president, a racist and misogynistic sexual predator; Trump is not an anomaly. He is merely an extreme and bizarre manifestation of what the U.S. has been since its founding.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The massive antiwar rallies across the United States and other Western countries have categorically demonstrated that Donald Trump and his government’s war on Iran has become highly unpopular. They also reflect that people understand the huge propaganda that is unleashed through the crony corporate media, which is part and parcel of the entire US game plan to create a fake narrative and legitimize their intervention.

By Bharat Dogra  The Global Gandhi Board , a collective of eminent persons chaired by Sam Pitroda , has released (March 26, 2026) an AI-generated statement that it claims reflects what Mahatma Gandhi might have said in response to the present-day Middle East crisis , based on his archives. Those who have endorsed this initiative are highly respected individuals, and expressing disagreement may invite criticism from those close to me. However, in the true Gandhian spirit , it is important to state one’s views honestly.

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.

By A Representative   A formal objection has been lodged against the Centre’s draft notification proposing amendments to the Insecticides Rules, 1971 , with the public interest campaigner Dr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi terming the changes an “unconstitutional restructuring” of India’s pesticide regulatory architecture . The draft rules, published as G.S.R. 190(E) on March 18, 2026, propose a single licence covering “every insecticide” and multiple sale locations, along with an endorsement mechanism for adding products and a nomination facility for licence holders.

By Ram Puniyani*  A recent video by Dhruv Rathi , discussing the dietary habits of Lord Ram, has generated significant controversy. The video, drawing on textual references particularly from the Valmiki Ramayana , suggests that meat consumption was part of the dietary practices described in early sources. It also refers to the prevalence of meat consumption and the use of soma (often described as a ritual drink) in those contexts. The central question raised in public discourse has been whether divine figures, as understood today, could be associated with non-vegetarian food practices.

By A Representative   A rights organisation has approached the Election Commission of India alleging large-scale and arbitrary deletion of voters from the electoral roll in West Bengal’s Dinhata Assembly Constituency, raising concerns over the disenfranchisement of former enclave residents who were granted Indian citizenship following the 2015 land boundary settlement with Bangladesh.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*   ​Friendship is ideally an egalitarian relationship—a space where mutual understanding, support, trust, respect, and dignity thrive. It is meant to expand cooperation, minimize risk, and allow parties to share both success and hardship, creating a society rooted in solidarity. These values are as crucial between nations as they are between people.

By Ravi Ranjan*  In the sparse landscape of contemporary Hindi poetry, Baabusha Kohli occupies a singular space where words often fall silent before the weight they carry. Her poems—particularly "Sangi" (Companion) and "Ubarne me dūbī huī aurat" (The Woman Drowned in Recovering)—achieve what great poetry does: they transform personal anguish into philosophical inquiry without losing the rawness of lived experience. Through what might be called an aesthetic of sacred minimalism, Kohli builds a bridge between medieval Bhakti traditions and modern existential struggle, offering a vision of sorrow not as absence but as presence, not as destruction but as transformation.

By Harsh Thakor* On March 25th, the racing world celebrates the 50th anniversary of the birth of the legendary Troy—the horse who triumphed in the historic 200th running of the Epsom Derby in 1979. It was fitting that such a milestone edition of the race became a testament to the event's glory, as Troy turned the contest into a virtual procession. I hold unforgettable memories of this equine icon, whom I was fortunate enough to see racing during my schooldays in England.

By Jag Jivan   In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

By A Representative   A group of 40 retired officials from the All India and Central Services has written to the Chief Secretary of Assam demanding the withdrawal of an order that deploys the Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) for election duty. The letter, dated March 31, 2026, warns that diverting nearly 1,600 forest guards from their primary responsibility of safeguarding Assam’s wildlife would violate both Election Commission of India guidelines and a 2024 Supreme Court directive.  

By Nava Thakuria*  As Assam prepares for the legislative assembly election scheduled for 9 April 2026, the family and supporters of cultural icon Zubeen Garg have appealed to political parties not to invoke his name in electoral discourse. The singer died in Singapore on 19 September 2025 during a yacht outing. His death, and subsequent investigations, have since figured in political exchanges in the state.

By A Representative   Hundreds of fishermen from villages along the Bargi Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh have been forced to migrate to other water bodies in search of livelihood as fish production in the reservoir continues to decline sharply.

By A Representative   The book Slow Living: What You Can Do About Climate Change by Vandana Shiva and Shreya Jani was formally launched on March 26 at the India International Centre , bringing together environmental thinkers, readers and practitioners for a discussion on sustainable lifestyles and climate action .

By Alejandra Amor, Mansee Bal Bhargava  " Rivers, Cities and People " emerges from over two decades of collaborative work between the editors and their sustained engagement with Asian cities. Maartje van Eerd , a senior expert in housing, gender, and social development at IHS, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies of Erasmus University, has been conducting research in Chennai since 1998, focusing on governance and livelihood aspects of resettlement. Banashree Banerjee, a senior architect and urban planner with over four decades of experience, has long worked on inclusive approaches in urban planning and management, particularly concerning marginalised communities. Both have collaborated extensively in research and education. The impetus for the book crystallised after the 2015 Chennai floods , which triggered large-scale resettlement of slum dwellers from riverbanks to peripheral areas. This was recognised as part of a broader pattern across Asian river cities....

By A Representative   In an era defined by a global energy crisis and a desperate search for sustainable solutions, the visionary work of an Indian scientist from the mid-20th century is finding renewed, urgent relevance. Dr. Ram Bux Singh , a pioneering figure in biogas and renewable energy , is being posthumously honored by the Government of India, even as his decades-old innovations provide a blueprint for today’s challenges.

By Jag Jivan  A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

By A Representative   India’s residential real estate market witnessed a continued slowdown in the first quarter of 2026, with housing sales across the top nine cities falling below the one lakh unit mark for the first time in over four years, according to data released by P.E. Analytics Ltd (PropEquity).

By A Representative   A formal complaint has been lodged with the Election Commission of India over what rights activists describe as arbitrary and unconstitutional deletions of bona fide citizens from the electoral roll in Swarupnagar, North 24 Parganas. In a letter dated March 29, 2026, Kirity Roy, Secretary of Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) and National Convenor of the Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity (PACTI), detailed cases where genuine Indian citizens were allegedly stripped of their voting rights without due process.

By A Representative   A large-scale environmental campaign titled “ One Million Trees for Pir Panjal ” was formally launched in Jammu & Kashmir, marking the beginning of an ambitious afforestation and ecological restoration drive across the Western Himalayas .

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The United Nations General Assembly’s recent resolution, moved by Ghana, condemning the trans-Atlantic slave trade as the “gravest crime against humanity” has once again exposed the deep fault lines in global moral politics. While the resolution received wide support, the opposition by the United States, Israel, and Argentina—and the abstention of 52 countries, largely from Europe—raises uncomfortable questions about the sincerity of global commitments to justice, human rights, and historical accountability.

By Ravi Ranjan*  Alok Dhanwa's Hindi poems "Sleep" (Ninda) and "White Night" (Sapheda Rata) represent two poles of a single modern sensibility. Where "Sleep" yearns for weightless peace of the soul, "White Night" laments displacement, eroded memory, and collective mourning. Together, they form a profound meditation on modern civilization's burdens.

By Tseten Lhundup*  I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

By Jag Jivan  A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan*  Every few months, Indian media headlines loudly proclaim that “Modi is the world’s most popular leader,” citing approval ratings from an American firm called Morning Consult. The moment such surveys are released, hordes of users—often linked to organised IT cells—begin echoing the same narrative, portraying the Indian Prime Minister as an indispensable global leader or “Vishwaguru.” Ironically, this is little more than a fallacious claim dressed up as celebration. 

By Gajanan Khergamker   The Supreme Court has redrawn a firm constitutional line, ruling that affirmative action cannot be used to mask religious preference without undermining secularism. Its March 2026 verdict reiterates a foundational principle: backwardness must be proven, not presumed through faith. Reservations, the Court reminds us, are a remedy for historic injustice—not a tool of religious entitlement.

By Vijay Prashad   Last year, in July, the United States and Israel bombarded Iran’s nuclear energy and nuclear research facilities over twelve days. After a few days, the two belligerent powers—who had no United Nations authorisation for this war of aggression—opened the door for a ceasefire . At that time, believing that this might very well be the basis for a full negotiation, the Iranian government led by Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei agreed to the terms set out: an immediate end to the strikes and no escalation. The missile launchers went quiet, but the deal was very fragile. 

By A Representative   The global civil rights group based in Philippines, International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), has issued a strong condemnation of what it describes as the ongoing, illegal forced eviction of Garo Indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands in the Madhupur Sal Forest in Tangail District, Bangladesh.

By Harsh Thakor*   Larbi Ben M'Hidi was one of the six founding members of the National Liberation Front (FLN). He was arrested in February 1957 during the Battle of Algiers and executed by French paratroopers after being tortured in custody. His death was officially recorded as suicide, but later admissions confirmed it was an extrajudicial killing. In 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged France’s responsibility for his assassination.  

By Ravi Ranjan*  Satyapal Sehgal occupies a distinctive space in contemporary Hindi literature as a poet of spiritual ecology and profound existential inquiry. His significance lies in his ability to deconstruct the anthropocentric ego—the modern human's narrow arrogance—and replace it with a cosmic citizenship that reconnects us to our primordial roots. Unlike many who view nature as mere backdrop for human emotion, Sehgal treats the forest, stars, and atmosphere as living relatives, creating a green aesthetics that bridges scientific ecological data with spiritual necessity.

By Jag Jivan   In a candid and wide-ranging conversation, three generations of feminist activists from Maharashtra have taken stock of the women's movement in India, tracing its evolution from the labour struggles of the 1970s to the complex, identity-driven challenges of the present day. Hosted by Gagan Sethi and Minar Pimple , the discussion, featured on the podcast Unmute , brought together veteran activists to reflect on 50 years of mobilization, legal battles, internal debates, and the daunting political landscape that lies ahead.

By Neha Desai*  In the hills of Arunachal Pradesh, where education should be a beacon of hope for the state’s youth, Dera Natung Government College (DNGC) in Itanagar has been reduced to a gladiatorial arena. The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU)—ostensibly a body meant to champion student welfare, rights, and academic excellence—has instead turned its 2026 general elections into a protracted saga of delays, disqualifications, and violence.  What was billed as a democratic exercise has devolved into a scramble for fame, influence, and the “fortune” that comes with union leadership in a politically charged state.

By Rosamma Thomas*  When a US Tomahawk missile struck a school in the city of Minab in Iran, killing 175 students and teachers, the United States initially claimed the attack had been carried out by Iran. It later acknowledged that a Tomahawk missile—one not possessed by Iran—had been used, calling the strike a “mistake”. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a video address to the United Nations, described the attack as deliberate. 

By Atanu Roy*  Compromising the interests of ordinary people, the authorities concerned in West Bengal appear to be playing with the timeline of the Kolkata Metro’s Orange Line project , turning what should have been a transformative public transport corridor into a prolonged ordeal for commuters.

By Shamsul Islam*  There is no dearth of proofs in the documents of the RSS which conclusively establish the fact that RSS denounced movements led by revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh , Chandrashekar Azad and their associates. Not only that, but they also hated even the reformist and moderate movements conducted by leaders like Gandhiji against the British rulers.

By Sudhansu R Das  Urban centers are the harbingers of growth and prosperity. No country can prosper without healthy and vibrant cities. Business, professional innovation, sports, art, and culture all flourish within them. People are drawn to urban centers for advanced studies, quality jobs, comfortable lifestyles, better amenities, and superior healthcare. Yet, over recent decades, the quality of life in these hubs has deteriorated sharply due to overpopulation, environmental degradation, corruption, and poor governance. Hundreds of once-beautiful urban centers across the world are becoming unlivable.

By Harsh Thakor*  Ranking the greatest cricket captains is a subjective exercise, often sparking passionate debate among fans. The following list is not merely a tally of wins and losses; it is an assessment of leadership’s deeper impact. My criteria fuse a captain’s playing record with their tactical skill, placing the highest consideration on their ability to reshape a team’s fortunes and inspire those around them. A captain who inherited a dominant empire is judged differently from one who resurrected a nation’s cricket from the doldrums. With that in mind, here is my perspective on the finest leaders the game has ever seen.

By Jag Jivan   An analysis of the official data on donations received by national parties from Gujarat during the Financial Year 2024-25 reveals a staggering concentration of funding, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounting for nearly the entirety of the contributions. The data, compiled in a document titled "National Parties donations received from Gujarat during FY-2024-25," lists thousands of transactions, painting a detailed picture of the financial backing for political parties from one of India’s most industrially significant states.

By Palla Trinadha Rao   The Government of Telangana has recently projected its relocation initiatives in tiger reserves as a model of “transformative conservation,” combining ecological restoration with improved livelihoods for tribal communities. In the Amrabad Tiger Reserve, the State has announced a rehabilitation package covering hundreds of tribal families, offering compensation or resettlement with land and housing. At first glance, such initiatives appear to align conservation with development. However, a closer examination of both law and ground realities reveals a deeply troubling pattern—one where constitutional safeguards, statutory mandates, and community rights are being systematically sidelined in the name of conservation.

By Bharat Dogra  International opinion is increasingly turning against the expanding burden of sanctions imposed on a growing number of countries. These measures are contributing to humanitarian crises, intensifying domestic discord, and heightening international tensions, thereby increasing the risks of conflicts and wars. 

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan*  "Dhurandhar: The Revenge" does not wait to be remembered; it arrives almost on the heels of its predecessor, released on March 19, 2026, just months after the first film’s December 2025 debut. The speed of its arrival feels less like creative urgency and more like calculated timing—cinema responding not to storytelling rhythm but to the emotional climate of its audience. Director Aditya Dhar, along with actor Yami Gautam, appears acutely aware of this moment and how to harness it.

By A Representative   Human rights activist Lingaraj Azad was arrested by Odisha Police earlier this week, prompting concern among civil liberties groups and drawing attention once again to tensions over mining and land rights in the state’s Adivasi-dominated regions. Azad was detained on March 25 from Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district along with fellow activist Suresh Sangram. Police have not yet publicly detailed the full grounds for the arrests, but the development has triggered criticism from sections of civil society, who allege a pattern of targeting grassroots organisers involved in anti-displacement movements.

By Shamsul Islam   V.I. Lenin in his seminal work State and Revolution (1917) unequivocally stated: "What is now happening to Marx's theory has, in the course of history, happened repeatedly to the theories of revolutionary thinkers and leaders of oppressed classes fighting for emancipation. During the lifetime of great revolutionaries, the oppressing classes constantly hounded them, received their theories with the most savage malice, the most furious hatred and the most unscrupulous campaigns of lies and slander. After their death, attempts are made to convert them into harmless icons, to canonize them, so to say, and to hallow their names to a certain extent for the 'consolation' of the oppressed classes and with the object of duping the latter, while at the same time robbing the revolutionary theory of its substance, blunting its revolutionary edge and vulgarizing it."

By Harsh Thakor*  On 23 March, the legacy of Shaheed Bhagat Singh was invoked in Kolkata and parts of Punjab through a series of gatherings marking his martyrdom anniversary, amid global political tensions and concerns over escalating conflicts in West Asia.

By A Representative   In a significant development, a coalition of lawyers, feminists, and social activists has formally appealed to the President of India, Smt. Draupadi Murmu, to withhold assent from the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026. The appeal, submitted by the All-India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA) and the National Alliance for Justice, Accountability and Rights (NAJAR), urges the President to exercise her powers under Article 111 of the Constitution to return the Bill to Parliament for reconsideration.

By Hidayat Parmar*  The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is a proposed legal framework that seeks to replace religion-based personal laws with a single, uniform civil legal system applicable to all citizens.

By A Representative   Noted social activist and Magsaysay awardee Sandeep Pandey has strongly condemned the life imprisonment and lengthy prison sentences handed down by a special NIA court to senior Kashmiri leader Aasiya Andrabi and her two associates, describing the verdict as a politically motivated act that violates principles of justice and human rights.