Counterview

By Venkatesh Nayak*  Last month, senior officials of the MInistry of External Affairs were quoted by the media as saying that the passport their colleagues issue every day is only a travel document. Apparently it does not constitute proof of Indian citizenship. This revelation has set the proverbial cat among the pigeons, when crores of people are being asked to prove that they are eligible to vote in the parliamentary and state assembly elections. Even though less than 10% of the citizens of India hold passports, those who have it do not own it, despite paying through their nose for it, as every passport is boldly marked: "This passport is the property of the Government of India". Section 17 of The Passports Act, 1967 states: " A passport or travel document issued under this Act shall in all times remain the property of the Central Government."

By Martin Macwan  Sonam Wangchuk's health is fragile. Everyone knows what could happen if his fast continues, and yet many are still waiting and watching. The allegation against the government is that it has neither the intention nor the time to talk to fasting protesters who are not risking their lives for personal gain. In fact, since the government is made by the people, to say that the people of India have no time or intention to talk to Sonam and those with him would not be an exaggeration—unless people conclude that they had no role at all in forming this government.

By Mohd Ziyauallah Khan  Public protests are the lifeblood of a democracy. They remind those in power that citizens are watching, questioning, and demanding accountability. In recent weeks, demonstrations against what critics have mockingly called the "Cockroach Janata Party" (CJP), along with expressions of support for environmentalist and activist Sonam Wangchuk, have attracted considerable public attention. Like many others, I feel sympathy for those taking to the streets and, at times, even a sense of guilt for not standing beside them.

By Ram Puniyani*  RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat often performs rhetorical acrobatics to defend the idea of a Hindu Rashtra. At times, he says that everyone living in India is a Hindu because we share a common ancestry. Earlier RSS ideologues, however, were more explicit in asserting that Islam and Christianity are foreign religions.

By Osman Sher*  Historian Arnold Toynbee, in his book "Mankind and Mother Earth," observes: "In most periods of the history of the Indian subcontinent the Indians have felt more concern about religion than about politics and economics." A survey of history, beginning in the mid-sixth century BC, when recorded history emerged in the Indian subcontinent with the establishment of Bimbisara's rule in southern Bihar, confirms the truth of this observation. This phenomenon continued through the eras of the Mauryas, Kushanas, Guptas, Vardhanas, Muslim rulers, the British, and into the present day.

By A Representative   The National Alliance for Climate and Ecological Justice (NACEJ) has strongly condemned what it calls the violation of constitutional and human rights of communities affected by the Ken-Betwa Link Project, demanding the project's complete cancellation, reparations for losses already suffered, and the adoption of decentralized alternatives that do not require displacement. In a statement issued on July 16, 2026, the alliance expressed solidarity with the ongoing protest movement against displacement caused by the river interlinking scheme, condemning what it described as illegal arrests, evictions and demolitions carried out against affected residents.