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Gig workers’ strike halts platforms, union submits demands to Labour Ministry

By A Representative   India’s gig economy witnessed an partial disruption on December 31, 2025, as a large number of delivery workers, app-based service providers, and freelancers across the country participated in a nationwide strike called by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU). The strike, which followed days of coordinated protests, shut down major platforms including Zomato , Swiggy , Blinkit , Zepto , Flipkart , and BigBasket in several areas.
Recent posts

From slurs to stabbing: The cost of racism faced by India’s northeastern communities

By Neha Desai*  In a heartbreaking incident that has reignited national conversations on racial prejudice, Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, was fatally stabbed in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, after confronting a group of men who allegedly hurled racial slurs at him and his younger brother.

Recipe for disaster? Bhopal shadows new nuclear Act: Analysis cites inadequate liability

By A Representative  A critical analysis of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025, has raised serious alarms about national safety, financial liability, and strategic oversight. Released by the advocacy group Center for Financial Accountability, the document , authored by K Ashok Rao, a senior power sector expert, argues that the Act, which seeks to replace the longstanding Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010, was passed by Parliament without adequate scrutiny, amidst opposition protest and walkouts.

NYT: RSS 'infiltrates' institutions, 'drives' religious divide under Modi's leadership

By Jag Jivan   A comprehensive New York Times investigation published on December 26, 2025, chronicles the rise of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — characterized as a far-right Hindu nationalist organization — from a shadowy group founded in 1925 to the world's largest right-wing force, marking its centenary in 2025 with unprecedented influence and mainstream acceptance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi , who joined the RSS as a young boy and later became a full-time campaigner before being deputized to its political wing in the 1980s, delivered his strongest public tribute to the group in his August 2025 Independence Day address. Speaking from the Red Fort , he called the RSS a "giant river" with dozens of streams touching every aspect of Indian life, praising its "service, dedication, organization, and unmatched discipline." The report describes how the RSS has deeply infiltrated India's institutions — government, courts, police, media, and academia — ...

Punjab Dalit land rights activist's arrest sparks responses from civil society groups

By A Representative   Mukesh Malaud, president of the Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee (ZPSC), was arrested by the Punjab Police on December 30 at Nizamuddin railway station in Delhi while returning to Punjab after attending a programme related to the Ambedkar Mission in Maharashtra.

Twenty-five years on, Squanderer still reigns as India’s racing legend

By Harsh Thakor*  On May 7 this year, the racing world commemorated the 25th death anniversary of Squanderer, arguably the greatest racehorse ever to set foot on the Indian turf. Even 47 years after his retirement, his memories still flash like an inextinguishable streak of light. No horse ever captured the imagination of racegoers more vividly. Squanderer’s turn of foot transcended the surreal, unmatched in the history of Indian racing. 

Investment in rule of law a corporate imperative, not charity: Business, civil society leaders

By A Representative   In a compelling town hall discussion hosted at L.J School of Law , prominent voices from industry and civil society underscored that corporate investment in strengthening the rule of law is not an act of charity but a critical business strategy for building a safer, stronger, and developed India by 2047. The dialogue, part of the Unmute podcast series, examined the intrinsic link between ethical business conduct , robust legal frameworks, and sustainable national development, against the sobering backdrop of India ranking 79th out of 142 countries on the global Rule of Law Index .

'Assault on workers’ rights': NAPM seeks rollback of state amendments of factory work hours

By A Representative   The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) and the All India Workers Forum have strongly condemned recent amendments made by several Indian states to labour and factory laws that allow adult workers to work beyond the long-established 8–9 hour daily norm. In a statement issued on December 29, 2025, NAPM said these changes, justified by governments in the name of “ease of doing business”, “attracting investment” and “boosting manufacturing”, amount to a serious erosion of labour protections and pose grave risks to workers’ health, safety and dignity, particularly for informal and migrant labourers.

Why experts say replacing MGNREGA could undo two decades of rural empowerment

By A Representative   A group of scientists, academics, civil society organisations and field practitioners from India and abroad has issued an open letter urging the Union government to reconsider the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and to withdraw the newly enacted Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025. The letter, dated December 27, 2025, comes days after the VB–G RAM G Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 16 and subsequently approved by both Houses of Parliament, formally replacing the two-decade-old employment guarantee law.

Can global labour demand absorb India’s growing workforce?

By N.S. Venkataraman*  Over the past eleven years, India has claimed significant economic growth , emerging as the world’s fourth-largest economy. With the Government of India continuing to pursue economic and industrial development initiatives, this growth momentum is expected to continue in the medium term.