Counterview

By Martin Macwan*  The epicenter of the political cyclone sweeping through Gujarat, triggered by the utterances of former Chief Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela , is the word " melu " (human excreta). Setting aside, for now, the question of who should pick it up, let us discuss the matter at hand.

By A Representative   A total of 125 workers have died across India between January and October 2, 2026, in incidents involving hazardous manual-entry sanitation work, including sewer and septic-tank cleaning, sewage-treatment plants, and other confined spaces, the advocacy group Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) said in a press release issued.

By Aseem Mishra*  For years, Kutch presented a striking contradiction. It emerged as one of Gujarat's most industrialised districts, with ports, mining, salt production, chemicals, engineering, steel, ceramics, textiles and large infrastructure projects, yet the district remained outside the full territorial coverage of the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) scheme. That contradiction has now formally changed. A notification issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on 25 September 2026 appointed 1 October 2026 as the date from which contributions under Section 29 of the Code on Social Security, 2020 would become payable in the entire area of Kutch and other previously non-implemented districts of Gujarat, with benefits under Chapter IV relating to the Employees' State Insurance Corporation to be provided to covered employees. The journey to this point, however, took several years of representations, official correspondence, a Public Interest Litigation and ...

By Syed Ali Mujtaba*  At the heart of India’s democratic process lies Form 6, the traditional gateway for citizens to enter the electoral roll and claim their fundamental right to vote. However, recent changes to this form, coupled with the introduction of stringent new procedures under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, have sparked fierce criticism. Detractors argue that these changes are not merely administrative tweaks, but a calculated "fraud on Indian democracy" designed to alter the rules of the electoral game.

By A Representative   The People's Commission on Public Sector and Public Services ( PCPSPS ) has issued a sharply worded statement condemning the Union government's decision to sell 100% of the equity of Indian Medicines Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited (IMPCL)—the public sector flagship of Ayurvedic and Unani medicine —to a private allopathic drug firm, alleging gross undervaluation, procedural irregularities and a betrayal of the company's social mandate.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  The “West” remains a contested idea. It is often used to describe Western Europe, North America and Australasia as if they shared one culture built on Christianity, colonial modernity and racialised capitalist progress. In reality, this claimed unity has too often rested on othering, limited democracy and a white supremacist ruling ideology.

By A Representative   Major journalist bodies, including the Delhi Union of Journalists, the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (Delhi Unit), and the Indian Women's Press Corps, have issued sharp condemnations over the alleged sexual harassment of a woman journalist by a senior Delhi Police officer during protests at Jantar Mantar. The incident, which occurred while media professionals were covering demonstrations, has triggered widespread outrage and renewed concerns regarding the safety of media workers and the protection of press freedom in the national capital.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Delhi is witnessing numerous protests these days. While these demonstrations are vital for the health of our democracy, there have been attempts to stop or criminalize them. It has long been the strategy of the power elite to intimidate people with a massive security umbrella, yet citizens continue to defy them to register their presence. Among all these protests, the most 'innovative' seems to be the Delhi University girls' protest against 'Mardism'.

By A Representative   The Free Sanjiv Bhatt Cycle Yatra , a journey demanding the release of former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt and other political prisoners in India, reached the historic village of Ghasera in Mewat , Haryana, on September 4 morning, according to a media communique issued by the Countercurrents Collective in a well-known civil rights advocacy site.