Counterview

By Bharat Dogra  In recent decades the Bundelkhand region of Central India has often been in news due to serious problems like prolonged droughts and water stress on the one hand and several encouraging development initiatives on the other hand. Whether it is in terms of bringing relief to weaker sections during drought years or in terms of watershed schemes that have won prestigious awards, the name of a voluntary organization ABSSS (Akhil Bhartiya Samaj Seva Sansthaan) has been frequently heard.

By Harsh Thakor*  Jagmohan Singh, a communist revolutionary from Punjab, passed away on January 5 after battling cancer. Hundreds of readers and supporters of the magazine Surkh Leeh, to which he dedicated much of his life, gathered in Bathinda for his last rites. His body, draped in a red flag and garlanded with flowers, was carried to the cremation ground amid raised fists and slogans. Figures from the communist movement, mass organizations, and democratic rights groups paid their respects and shared memories of his work and life.

By N.S. Venkataraman*  It is an indisputable fact that the USA has remained a superpower for several decades and continues to hold that position. This dominance is attributed to its vast landmass, abundant natural resources—including crude oil and natural gas—a robust agricultural base, and remarkable achievements in science and technology. The USA’s success has also been facilitated by its willingness to welcome talented individuals from across the globe. Even today, people from various countries aspire to migrate to the USA, attracted by the freedom it offers, its proactive work culture, a liberal democratic setup, and societal affluence.

By Nikhil Kumar, Mansee Bal Bhargava* According to UN SDG Progress report (2022), at the present moment no targets for SDG 6 are expected to be met by 2030. In 2022, 2.2 billion people had no access to safe drinking water and 3.5 million lacked safe sanitation. Approximately 50% of the world’s population was reported to have been under resourced in enough water for part of the year and a quarter of that population was living under “extremely high” water stress. Add to it, droughts have affected over 1.4 billion people between 2002 and 2021.

By A Representative  The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), a network of several civil rights groups, has issued a strong condemnation of recent actions by Uttar Pradesh Police targeting Muslim minorities, labeling them as an alarming attack on constitutional rights and freedoms. On January 19, Uttar Pradesh Police arrested four individuals, including a village pradhan, and filed an FIR against a total of 20 identified and unidentified persons. 

By A Representative  A coalition of 180 civil society leaders and concerned citizens from 23 states has issued a joint statement highlighting significant concerns about the proposed Disaster Management Amendment Bill. The statement calls for the bill to be referred to a Select Parliamentary Committee for broader consultations and revisions, stressing that the amendments undermine the existing disaster management framework instead of strengthening it.

By Rajiv Shah  Even as Donald Trump was swearing-in as US President, a friend forwarded to me a YouTube video in which veteran world renowned economist Prof Jeffrey Sachs participated and sought an answer as to why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "afraid to fly" despite being invited to Donald Trump's swearing in ceremony. This took my memory to 2003, when I -- as representative of the Times of India -- had a short tet-a-tat along with a couple of other reporters with Sachs in the chief minister's office in Gandhinagar.

By Bharat Dogra  Patha,  the plateau  area of Chitrakut district in Uttar Pradesh, is an area that has been often in news due to water scarcity. When I visited this area over four decades back at the time of a severe drought there was extreme distress in the widely scattered hamlets of weaker sections, and it was clear that an ambitious and expensive project with generous foreign aid had failed to provide much needed relief from thirst and water scarcity. 

By Harasankar Adhikari  Political gatherings are one of the most significant phenomena in Indian democracy, a recurring aspect that we regularly witness. Whenever a particular political party calls for a meeting at a specific venue on a designated date, a large crowd often congregates. The size of the crowd varies, but the ruling party often boasts the largest gatherings. Is this due to the political awareness and literacy of the people, their paramount interest and faith in democracy, the charisma of the party's leader, or the fear tactics employed?

By Vikas Meshram*  After nearly 15 months of war and several arduous rounds of negotiations, Hamas and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire. Amid the ongoing power transition in the United States, where leaders are vying to claim credit for ending the conflict, this agreement offers some respite to the people of Gaza, who have been grappling with a dire humanitarian crisis. Despite repeated efforts by the United Nations and initiatives from Islamic nations in the Middle East, peace talks have yet to yield lasting success. This war has claimed the lives of approximately 50,000 people, and rebuilding the destruction caused across various parts of Gaza might take decades.