Counterview

By Harsh Thakor*  The results of the parliamentary elections in France created a major setback to the aspirations of victory for the extreme right. The Left-wing New Popular Front coalition upset the polls and knocked the neo-fascist Rassemblement National party of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella out of first place in the final round of parliamentary elections.  It was the result of broad unity, organization and mass mobilization. Through following a popular front approach, they have enlarged the space for escalating democratic struggle. 

  By Rajiv Shah  Rating India's civic space as  repressed , Civicus, a global civil society alliance, in its new  report  submitted to the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) on the state of civic space in the country has said that the use of sedition law against the Modi government’s critics continues. "Under the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sedition cases have increased by 28 per cent with over 500 cases against more than 7,000 people", it says.

By Lobsang Tenzin*  On July 12, US President Joe Biden signed the Resolve Tibet Act, and Tibetans cheered for it, believing that the law promotes a resolution of the dispute between Tibet and China. Is this true? First, let's look at the issue of the ownership of Tibet. 

By Ozair Islam*  On July 10, Bangladesh's prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, concluded her three-day official visit to China from July 08-10. The leader of Bangladesh made a successful maiden trip to China after being re-elected in January. Following two trips to India in June, Sheikh Hasina's journey to China might be characterized as a balancing act. 

By Arafat Islam Joy*   Bangladesh and China have enjoyed friendly relations since establishing diplomatic ties in January 1976. Since then, associations between China and Bangladesh have risen exponentially. Bilateral ties between the two countries started solidifying, identifying each other’s interests and priorities. The relationship has undergone a tremendous transformation to the extent that China is now considered by many in Bangladesh as an ‘all-weather friend.’ 

Counterview Desk  The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Maharashtra, strongly objecting to what it calls “repressive and unconstitutional” Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill 2024, has demanded the proposed law be scrapped in its entirety. In its Statement of Objects and Reasons for the Bill, PUCL noted,  the broad and non-descript label of ‘urban naxal’ has been used, which is actually a “common slur used for any citizen who expresses their opposition to state policy or is not aligned with right-wing majoritarian views."

Counterview Desk Following the non-payment of wages for two months and the refusal of employment to 55 ward attendants from Victoria Hospital, Bengaluru on May 8th, 2024, and the subsequent protest waged by these workers, a fact-finding team was constituted to investigate potential labour rights violations at the hospital.