Counterview

By Sandeep Pandey*  The Indian Wrestling Federation has barred Vinesh Phogat from competing. This raises a fundamental question: Does the Federation exist for the wrestlers, or do wrestlers exist for the Federation? The Federation was created for the welfare and support of athletes. Yet its male office-bearers—occupying posts on questionable grounds—are deciding the future of a talented woman wrestler, already an international medalist, merely through the power of their positions. 

By Vikas Meshram   Against the backdrop of the Gulf crisis and disruptions in the global supply chain, the Prime Minister appealed to citizens to use fuel sparingly and reduce gold purchases. This was the second such public appeal after the assembly election results, first from Telangana and now from Vadodara. While the falling rupee and rising crude oil prices have been putting pressure on India’s foreign exchange reserves for months, an obvious question is being raised: why did this acknowledgement of economic stress come only after the state assembly elections concluded?

By A Representative   A recent audit report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has revealed that ₹6,646 crore collected as Health Cess during the 2024-25 fiscal year was not transferred to the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN), prompting sharp criticism from the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan India, which has demanded accountability from the Union government.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  In the timeless Greek canvas of Corfu, the sun bursts from behind mountains and sets along the picturesque shorelines of the Ionian and Adriatic seas. Forest-covered mountains and hilly landscapes bring life to the Ionian isle, with snaking coastal roads. The art, architecture, arcaded streets, tree-lined avenues, narrow lanes, and city squares of Corfu's city centre carry the diverse cultural heritage and architectural legacy of the Venetians. Bougainvillea blossoms from French-style balconies, absorbing the Ionian breeze, while waves greet the coastal landscape of Strongyli village in the southeast of the island — a place to retreat.

By Carmen Navas Reyes  The administration of El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has given rise to a proposal we might call the 'Bukele Model,' in which, on the surface, has managed to politically seduce large majorities in our region to the point of making them prefer extreme authoritarianism in exchange for supposed public safety. 

By Ravi Ranjan*  Arun Kamal ’s poetry has long mirrored the shifting contours of Indian society. His work, spanning more than five decades, is celebrated not only for its aesthetic power but also for its sociological authenticity. The poem “Śrāddha Kā Anna” (“Food of the Funeral Rite”) exemplifies this duality, turning a traditional ritual into a lens on contemporary social reality.