Counterview

By A Representative  Indian Americans and allies have held protests in California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts to condemn the ongoing ethnic violence in the northeast Indian state of Manipur, which has left at least 130 dead and 35,000 displaced. The brunt of the violence has predominantly impacted Manipur’s Christian Kuki-Zomi community, leading to the destruction of thousands of Kuki-owned homes and hundreds of churches, the protesters said.

By Bharat Dogra  Recent steps taken by the government of Rajasthan, one of the better governed states of India, can result in providing much needed relief to the weaker sections ( with rights based longer term commitments added) and hence deserve our high praise and appreciation.  The Chief Minister Mr. Ashok Gehlot deserves appreciation for his commitment to giving high priority to pushing ahead a number of significant welfare steps in recent times, as well as involving several reputed social activists and organizations of high integrity in these steps, while these social organizations led by the Rajasthan Soochna va Adhikar Abhiyan (a group of about 80 civil society organizations) in turn deserve praise for using all their experience to bring in more durable rights based laws for the poor, doing away with the more frequent doles or concessions oriented approach to welfare. The Minimum Guaranteed Income Act 2023 of Rajasthan consolidates and enhances existing programs like t...

Rights, not revdi: A civil note on media conference on Rajasthan model for social security and social justice: *** The Suchna Evum Rozgar Adhikar Abhiyan (SR Abhiyan) and the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) welcome the progressive legislations passed by the Rajasthan Government this year, in line with its commitment towards guaranteeing comprehensive social security for all in the state. Civil society organizations have been at the forefront of leading public campaigns for the passage of these laws, and consider it a significant development for democracy that the Rajasthan Government has responded to these assertions. These include: Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Act, 2023: The legislation doubles the minimum pension to Rs 1000 per month for all elderly, widowed and disabled, with an inbuilt guaranteed annual increment of 15% per year. The law has an enhanced entitlement of 25 days per rural family for work under MGNREGA, and an entitlement of 125 days of work under an urba...

Counterview Desk  Top civil rights network, National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), expressing “solidarity to the tribal uprising in Jammu & Kashmir”, has accused the Government of India (GoI) of attempting is to “include non-tribals in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list”, which is “condemnable” -- apparently in line with what the BJP government tried to do in Manipur.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The hollowness of the claims of 'mother of democracy' and 'Vishwaguru' are already known to India. To counter every criticism coming from abroad, you make loud noise about 'democracy' and 'institutions' in India but back home you dont have the basic decency to speak to people of a state which is burning. Manipur is burning for the last three months and yet the government is not ready to discuss the issue in all seriousness in the Parliament. What can be more shocking than this that the leaders of the ruling party are competing with each other in using the foul language. Perhaps, the foulest of them will get a place in the Union cabinet. The only quality of most of the ministers in the current regimes is how much can they denigrate and humiliate Rahul Gandhi and Congress Party.  We all have critiqued Congress party for their failure to protect the idea of India but now despite all wrongs of the past, it is the only part...

By Rishit Neogi  Giving details of a report prepared by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) ‘Crimes against Kuki-Zo women by the Meiteis, May 3-July 6, 2023’, Dr Vasvi Kiro of the Indigenous Women’s India Network, and ex-member, Jharkhand State Women’s Commission, has blamed the “preplanned” violence against Kukis in Manipur on outlawed Meitei militant groups like Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun.

By Ram Puniyani*  BJP has been in power for the last nine years. The opposition parties have gradually realized that it is not ruling on the lines of the Constitution and neither for inclusive India which should be based on Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and Justice. BJP has also been using the agencies like ED, CBI as the major tool to weaken the opposition parties apart from its policies which on one hand have given boost to the Crony capitalists, and also has been undermining the democratic freedoms. Its politics is centered on the issues related to identity, Ram Temple, Love Jihad and many other jihads, Cow-Beef and hyper nationalistic postures against one neighbor. Its policies have increased the sufferings of the average and poor sections of society, be it the demonetization. Covid 19 lockdown at short notice or be it the rising unemployment, problems of farmers, increasing atrocities against dalits, Adivasis women and religious minorities. One can go on and on. The selective ...