By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  Prime Minister Narendra Modi is among the most electorally successful politicians in contemporary India, having avoided defeat in the arithmetic of democratic contests. He has mobilised and mesmerised large sections of the electorate with a confident—critics would say combative—style that projects decisiveness. Yet performance in political theatre is not the same as performance in governance. 

By A Representative   The Ministry of Power’s Draft National Electricity Policy (NEP), 2026 has drawn sharp criticism from power and climate policy analyst Shankar Sharma, who has submitted detailed feedback highlighting what he calls “serious omissions” in the government’s approach to energy transition. 

By Bharat Dogra   Several recent initiatives in the Jaitpur block of Mahoba district in Uttar Pradesh to reduce water scarcity and irrigation costs have produced very encouraging results by combining new technologies with the protection of traditional water sources. In Laadpur village, a solar pumping set now provides irrigation to 54 acres of land belonging to 11 beneficiary households. Earlier, these farmers depended on diesel pumping sets, and due to the high expenses involved, they were unable to irrigate their land optimally. Now, they are able to irrigate and cultivate more effectively. On the farm of one of the beneficiaries located closest to the solar pumping set, additional vegetables were already being grown. Based on quick on-site calculations, it is estimated that, on average, each family saves about ₹13,500 annually in diesel expenses. This means that the 11 farmers together save approximately ₹1,50,000 every year. As some additional farmers also use water...

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The #BuddhistMonks in the United States have completed their #WalkForPeace after covering nearly 3,700 kilometers in an arduous journey. They reached Washington, DC yesterday. The journey began at the Huong Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26, 2025, and concluded in Washington, DC after a 108-day walk. The monks, mainly from Vietnam and Thailand, undertook this journey for peace and mindfulness. Their number ranged between 19 and 24. Led by Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara (also known as Sư Tuệ Nhân), a Vietnamese-born monk based in the United States, this “Walk for Peace” reflected deeply on the crisis within American society and the search for inner strength among its people.

By Guillermo Barreto   On 20 May 2017, during a violent protest planned by sectors of the Venezuelan opposition, 21-year-old Orlando Figuera was attacked by a mob that accused him of being a Chavista. After being stabbed, he was doused with gasoline and set on fire in front of everyone present. Young Orlando was admitted to a hospital with multiple wounds and burns covering 80 percent of his body and died 15 days later, on 4 June.

By Harsh Thakor*  Javier Fuentes Gutiérrez played a role in the development of Maoist political currents in Mexico during the Cold War period, particularly through his involvement in the formation and leadership of the Revolutionary Party of the Mexican Proletariat (PRPM). His political trajectory unfolded within a national and international context marked by ideological divisions in the communist movement following the dispute between the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). These divisions led to significant realignments among left-wing militants in Mexico, with some distancing themselves from the Mexican Communist Party (PCM) and aligning with positions associated with Beijing, which they regarded as closer to Marxism-Leninism. During the 1960s, several leftist organizations

By A Representative   In an open statement marking the 20th anniversary of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), comprising 88 former civil servants from the All-India and Central Services, has expressed "deep anguish" over the Union government’s decision to repeal the landmark legislation. 

By Aysha*  In a press release issued on 10 February, the government described the VB-GRAM G Act, 2025 as more “women-friendly” than MGNREGA. This claim must be examined through the lens of food security. For rural women, an employment guarantee is not a routine welfare measure; it is often the foundation of household survival. The central question is whether the new law genuinely strengthens women’s ability to feed their families or merely expands entitlements on paper. Most of the provisions presented as “women-centric” are not new. The one-third mandatory participation of women already existed under MGNREGA, and in practice women’s participation consistently exceeded 50 percent. This was not symbolic. It demonstrated that MGNREGA functioned as a critical pillar of food security for rural households. When agricultural employment declined or seasonal migration was not feasible, these wages enabled women to purchase grain, pulses, oil and other essentials. The new Act does not clari...

By Neha Desai  The All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) is the apex student body of Arunachal Pradesh, representing the interests of students across the state. Established to advocate educational reform, social justice, and youth empowerment, AAPSU has historically played an influential role in public life, often acting as a bridge between society and the government.  Over the years, it has emerged as a powerful platform for student voices. However, in recent times, the organisation has drawn growing criticism for internal dysfunctions, including allegations of corruption, violence, scandals involving office-bearers, and a broader erosion of moral credibility.