Counterview

By  A  Representative There is an urgent need to address "past and ongoing human rights violations and abuses" and deliver justice for all people in Kashmir, who for seven decades have "suffered" a conflict that has "claimed or ruined" numerous lives, a report by the UN Human Rights Office -- the first-ever seeking an international inquiry into "multiple violations" in both parts of Kashmir, controlled by Indian and Pakistan -- has said.

By  A  Representative Raising serious issues of social and environmental costs in infrastructure projects, its economic burden on public and financial non-viability, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and social movements are set to organize a three day convention on Infrastructure Financing on June 21-23 in Mumbai parallel to the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank’s (AIIB's) third Annual Governors Meeting slated for June 25-26.

By  A  Representative Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani does not have any official email address, nor has he appointed any official-level committee to implement the announcements he has made over the years. This has been revealed in a Right to Information (RTI) reply, received in response to an RTI application filed by Mujahid Nafees, an Ahmedabad resident, who happens to be convenor of the Minorities Coordination Committee (MCC).

By A Representative Stone pelting greeted activists associated with the well-known anti-dam civil rights organization, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), on the state highway from Badwani to Nisarpur, near Rajghat, Madhya Pradesh, when they tried stopping three tractors filled with sand, allegedly being smuggled from the river. The incident happened soon after two of the activists, Rohit and Raja, tried calling the Badwani police station to visit the spot.

AIUFWP leader  Roma Mallick By A Representative In a clear example of continued harassment, following last month's controversial clampdown on 12 adivasis, including 10 women, of Lilasi Kala village of Sonebhadra district, Uttar Pradesh, according to reports, the police detained several All-India Union of Forest Working Peoples (AIUFWP) activists Sukalo Gond, Kismati Gond and Sukhdev Gond, when they were on the way back from Lucknow where they had a meeting with state forest minister Dara Singh Chauhan and forest secretary Sanjay Singh.

Archbishop Thomas Macwan By Fr Cedric Prakash sj* The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) held their 30th General Body Meeting in February 2012 at Bangalore on the theme ‘The Church’s Role for a Better India’. At the end of the meeting, in keeping with the teachings of the Catholic Church and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Bishops addressed a very meaningful message “to all people of goodwill”. The statement included the following: “We sensed in our hearts our country’s yearning for a Better India. Our country has been noted for its deep spirituality, its saints and sages, its rich diversity of cultures and religions. People yearn for the ideal enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution of India of a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic which will secure for its citizens Justice, social, economic and political; Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; Equality of status and of opportunity; Fraternity assuring the dignity o...

By A Representative India’s top civil rights organization, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), has alleged that the Gujarat government’s ambitious Jal Sanchay Abhiyan, claimed to have been launched to conserve water during the coming monsoon by deepening lakes, tanks, reservoirs and constructing new check dams, besides desilting riverbeds and canals, is a nothing but “a fabrication to hide deep-seated corruption at the highest level.”

By  A  Representative National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF), the apex body of fisherfolk across India, has rejected the draft Coastal Zone Regulation Notification 2018 (CRZ 18), released by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on April 18, even as holding National Day of Protest on June 11 against it by representing before collectors of of the country's coastal districts under the banner “Restore our coastline, secure our livelihoods”.

By Rajiv Shah Gujarat may have suffered one of the most heinous communal riots in 2002, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was at the helm of affairs in the state. However, if a new survey, sponsored, by two philanthropic organizations, Tata Trusts and Lal Family Foundation, is any guide, 16 years down the line, Muslims in Gujarat are likely to trust the police more than most other Indian states.

By Sheshu Babu* The month of Ramadan is not only a time of revelry and festivity but also occasion to show brotherhood among people of various communities and religions. One may see the people expressing 'Mah-e-Ramzan Mubarak' on streets (greetings on the occasion of the month of Ramzan) irrespective of religion hugging their Muslim brothers and sisters and holding 'Iftar' parties. This month is a fine reflection of communal harmony. Kerala temple holds Iftar Lakshmi Narayana Murthy temple in the district of Malappuram in Kerala held Iftar party for Muslim community (May 25 ,2018, thenewsminute.com ). In a show of communal harmony, the temple located at Kottakkal hosted iftar dinner. Not just local Muslims, even Hindus took part in the party held at a house adjacent to the temple. As Mohanan Nair,the temple committee secretary said, " ...we decided to hold iftar dinner not because our harmony and peace had been disturbed but because we want the peace to...