Counterview

By Bharat Dogra   Farmers in Bariyarpur village of Ajaygarh block (Panna, Madhya Pradesh) are increasingly adopting sustainable and self-reliant farming practices, responding enthusiastically to new opportunities created by recent development initiatives.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  At a time when Indian democracy faces mounting challenges under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi , Dr. Shashi Tharoor ’s interventions in defence of the government’s foreign policy raise uncomfortable questions about the limits of liberal pragmatism . Presented in the language of “national interest,” such arguments risk providing intellectual cover to policies that sit uneasily with the ethical and universalist claims of liberalism itself.

By A Representative   In an open letter addressed to all Members of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, Mujahid Nafees, the Convenor of the Minority Coordination Committee, has voiced strong opposition to the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, which he has termed an "unconstitutional Targeted Civil Code."  The letter, issued ahead of the Bill's expected introduction in the state assembly on March 25, urges legislators to reject the legislation on grounds of violating fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.

By Raj Kumar Sinha*  Tensions in the Middle East have reached a fever pitch, and the world is now facing a direct threat to global energy security. The recent Israeli attack on Iran’s South Pars gas field marks a dangerous escalation—not merely a military incident, but a strike at the heart of the world’s energy supply. The resulting disruption could cause long-term shortages for countries across the globe. According to a report in The Economic Times , the International Energy Agency has described this as the worst global energy disruption in history, surpassing even the Arab oil embargo of 1973 .

By Biljana Vankovska*  A few days ago, I had the honor of participating in an international webinar organized by SHAPE —Serving Humanity and Planet Earth. As its name suggests, this project is focused on safeguarding humanity and the planet, and its acronym carries a meaningful symbolism: shaping. The theme I addressed, alongside distinguished figures such as Richard Falk, Joseph Camilleri, Chandra Muzaffar, and Helena Cobban, was Humanity on the Brink.

By Dr. Palla Trinadha Rao  A two-day national conference on “Climate Change, Privatisation of Public Resources and Public Welfare,” held on March 17 and 18 at the Bagaicha Social Centre in Ranchi , saw activists, researchers and community leaders from several states adopt six resolutions sharply criticising government policies on forest diversion, mining expansion and the privatisation of common lands.

By N.S. Venkataraman*  ​The decades-long enmity between Iran and Israel is well-documented, but historically, their direct confrontations have been brief, constrained by the logistical and economic limitations of sustained warfare. The current conflict in the Middle East, however, marks a radical and dangerous departure from this pattern. 

By Ram Puniyani    ​Violence against the Muslim minority has become a common occurrence in our country. While its form and intensity vary, the process of intimidating Muslims never truly halts. However, the second-largest minority community, Christians , is also not spared, though reports of violence against them emerge only sporadically. The primary reason for this is that the violence often occurs at such a localized level that it remains under the radar. Yet, around Christmas, this hostility becomes unmistakably visible.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  Despite growing trade between India and China, a persistent trust deficit continues to shape their bilateral relationship. Expanding economic engagement has not fully resolved political differences, many of which stem from historical legacies as well as contemporary geopolitical concerns. Border disputes—often traced to colonial-era arrangements—remain a significant obstacle to deeper cooperation, while differing strategic alignments in global affairs add further complexity.

By Vikas Meshram*  India’s democracy, the world’s largest, has undergone many transformations since independence. The period after 2014 marked a decisive turning point, with political, social, religious, and institutional changes that challenged the fundamental concept of democracy. The BJP’s historic majority under Narendra Modi reshaped Indian politics, bringing Hindutva ideology into the mainstream, weakening opposition parties, consolidating control over institutions, and using social media for image management.