By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*   It was former Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh's birthday on June 25. He would have turned 93 on this day. A man of great idealism and conviction, VP changed the politics of power in India that became more inclusive in terms of participation and representation of the marginalised in our highest decision making bodies. 

By Ram Puniyani*  The campus of Nalanda was inaugurated formally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 19th June in the presence of ambassadors of many countries like Myanmar, Srilanka, Vietnam, Japan, Korea among others. Most of these countries are the ones where Buddhism was spread by the preachers sent by Emperor Ashok. Initially the idea of reviving Nalanda as a premier global University was floated by the then President APJ Abul Kalam in 2006 and later ratified by Bihar Assembly and UPA Government. On the occasion Modi stated that this University was burned by foreign invaders in 12th Century. He was just parroting the popular perception that Bakhtiyar Khilji, the courtier of Mahmud Ghori had burned it.

By Harsh Thakor* This year the Hindi film industry commemorates the 50th anniversary of Shyam Benegal’s first feature film, ‘Ankur’, released in 1974 which also marked the debut of Anant Nag and Shabana Azmi.

By Our Representative  On 19th and 20th June, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted  raids at 19 different locations spread across Giridih and Bokaro districts of Jharkhand. "The raids had just one purpose, the targeting of trade union organizations, Majdoor Sangathan Samiti (MSS) and Asangthith Majdoor Morcha (AMM)", said civil rights network, Campaign Against State Repression (CASR). 

By Biswanath Sinha*  The women led movement in India is a diverse and multifaceted phenomenon that reflects the country's vast cultural, social, and political landscape. One of the most distinctive and influential women's organizations in this tapestry is the Meira Paibi of Manipur. Known as the "torchbearers," Meira (lights/torch) Paibi (holder/bearer) carved out a unique space in the annals of women's activism in India.

By Our Representative  In an important development, the US State Department’s 2023 International Religious Freedom (IRF) report has sought to accuse the authorities in India for what it calls "the ongoing persecution of religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians in India." In a statement , Secretary of State Antony Blinken, summarizes the report’s India section, saying, “In India, we see a concerning increase in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, [and] demolitions of homes and places of worship for members of minority faith communities.”

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Uttarakhand’s forest fire has resulted in loss of not only human lives but also a huge forest area. This year has been devastating as the number of forest fires in the state rose to an extraordinary level. The latest casualty has been the enchanting forests of Kasar and Winsor near Almora, known for its tranquility and stunning forestry. 

By Nava Thakuria*  As Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet 3.0 readied to resume regular work, the unusual controversy relating to a nationwide entrance examination for selecting 10+2 standard students for admission in government run medical colleges in India broke out. Just some days ahead of the first Parliamentary session, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government in New Delhi faced a serious allegation of mismanagements in the centrally organised medical admission test, where nearly 2.4 million aspiring students participated.

By Our Representative  Addressing media in Jammu, senior RTI activist S Balvinder Singh, accompanied by other colleagues, has said that underqualified and underage staff deployed by the security agency hired by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for conducting NEET examination held on 5th May 2024 is also responsible for the paper leak scandal rocking the country today. 

Counterview Desk  The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), in a detailed representation to Arjun Meghwal, Union Minister for Law and Justice, and Dr Rajiv Mani, Union Law Secretary, has sought postponement of implementation of the three new criminal laws beyond 01st July, 2024, seeking a national discussion on their nature, need and scope.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  In electoral democracies, periodic elections conducted according to constitutional provisions serve as essential tools for deepening of democratic consciousness and ensure people’s governance. These elections aim to humanise power and establish a state and government that prioritises the well-being of both people and the planet.

By Ram Puniyani*  The failure of BJP to get past 272 has brought back the NDA into the forefront. While Atal Behari Vajpayee came to power and led the NDA Government in 1998, still there was a strong imprint of the BJP politics in the government. Among other things which were part of Hindutva agenda that time was the appointment of the Venkatchaliah Commission to review the Constitution and saffronisation of the textbooks and introduction of courses in astrology and paurohitya (rituals) in the curriculum. 

  By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ*  Few will not remember Judas Iscariot and the role he played in the betrayal of Jesus! For those who don’t know or don’t remember, these passages from Sacred Scripture will help put things in perspective: "And while they were eating, he said, 'Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.' They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, 'Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?' Jesus replied, 'The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray from Sacred Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.' Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, 'Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?' Jesus answered, 'You have said so.'  (Mt. 26: 21-25)

Counterview Desk The Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), which comprises former civil servants who have served in the All India and Central Services in various capacities, in an open letter has insisted a review of new criminal laws. Addressed on the President of India and the Prime Minister, as also top leaders of national and state parties and Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha MPs, it urged them to defer the implementation of the criminal laws from 1st July 2024, seeking an all party meeting to develop a national consensus on them.

By Harsh Thakor*  "India's Forgotten Country: A View From the Margins" by acclaimed author Bela Bhatia is an investigative and grounded exploration of the suppressed. It captures Bela’s early years as an activist in rural Gujarat, her research on the Naxalite movement, her investigations of violations of democratic rights in different regions, and her recent years dealing with the ongoing communal violence.

By Shankar Sharma*  A news article  in "The Guardian" has raised a critical issue for the satisfactory operation of the national power grid in India. It says among other things: "Engineers in India have warned of the possibility of prolonged power outages in the north, where a heatwave has brought misery for millions of people. Demand for electricity has soared due to fans, air coolers and air conditioners being run constantly, placing a strain on the grid in Delhi and elsewhere in the north. Manufacturers of air conditioners and air coolers report sales rising by 40-50% compared with last summer. Power consumption in the northern state of Punjab has increased by 43% so far this month compared with the same period last year.

By Sudhansu R Das*  The city of Hyderabad is growing in all directions at a rapid pace. But, the physical growth of the city does not commensurate with the safety of the Hyderabadis. High speed, drunken driving, driving with high beam, wrong lane driving, lack of pedestrian paths, bad road condition in many localities, endless road construction, defective curves, unmarked humps, potholes and manholes which are six to eight inches below the road surface etc cause deaths and injuries to innocent Hyderabadis. 

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava*  The School of Architecture and Planning at the Woxsen University, Telengana, organized a conference on Architecture & Design of Built Environment (ADoBE) on 6-7th June 2024 at the Indian Institute of Technology, IIT-Hyderabad. The larger theme of the ADoBE’24 pivoted on ‘Cities Embracing Inclusivity’. 

By Shamsul Islam*  Ram Madhav is the intellectual face of RSS. He was the RSS spokesperson for more than a decade (2003-2014) and was loaned to BJP in 2014, becoming its prime general secretary. Presently, he is a member of the RSS executive. It is expected that his narratives on different issues would reflect authentic RSS views. 

By Bezwada Wilson*  The unrelenting heatwave conditions in many parts of the country have gone on record as being the most severe ever in the country. Temperatures have reached close to 50°C in many parts of North and Nort West India, including the National Capital Region. 

By Bharat Dogra*  Prominent social activist Medha Patkar has once again resorted to fast to demand justice, compensation and satisfactory rehabilitation of the adversely affected people of Narmada dams, particularly the Sardar Sarovar project, who have continued to suffer various denials and injustices despite their demands having been raised several times in the past. Several thousand such people are still waiting for justice. Many of these affected people including women have also observed protest fasts. 

Counterview Desk  Well-known advocacy group, Financial Accountability Network (FAN), referring to recent accidents, has wondered whether the Indian Railways' priorities have been “derailed”, pointing out, "The government's fixation on flashy projects like the Vande Bharat Express seem to be eating into fundamental safety concerns."

By Amitanshu Verma,  Kavita Kabeer*  In a comprehensive and detailed response to the Reserve Bank of India's recently released Draft Prudential Framework for Income Recognition, Asset Classification, and Provisioning (IRACP-PUIMP) pertaining to Advances - Projects Under Implementation Directions 2024, civil society and community organisations, academics and social workers have highlighted several critical areas of concern and proposed significant enhancements to the framework. The draft prudential framework released by the central regulator had invited public comments till June 15, 2024.

By Harsh Thakor*  On June 15th we commemorated the 15th death anniversary of Harbhajan Singh Sohi or HBS, a well known Communist leader in Punjab. He expired of a heart attack in Bathinda in 2009.

By Ram Puniyani*  In an interview to ABP on 29th May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that "in the last 75 years, wasn't it our responsibility to make Mahatma Gandhi known across the world? Forgive me, but nobody knew Mahatma Gandhi till the film on him was released in 1982." 

By Kirity Roy*  Miserable situation prevails  in a West Bengal village where the residents are facing governmental apathy and dejection. Dakhin Jhaukuthi is under Balabhut Gram Panchayet of Toofangunj I block of Cooch Behar district. This village is totally isolated from mainland India and encircled by border fencing between India and Bangladesh. 

By Bharat Dogra*  How sweeping can the reach of imperialism become, and what extreme forms can it take? Can it even take such an atrocious form as to decide what people of other countries will eat? Can it become so draconian as to insist that people have to eat food that they do not consider to be safe, or are prevented from growing and eating food they consider to be safe? These are the extremely important questions at the heart of the intense debates on GM food in Mexico today.

By Bryan Ludeña, Lays Ushirobira, Dave Walsh*  Stand.earth and the Coordinating Body of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA) have called on major international banks to end the financing of oil and gas extraction in the Amazon, in order to protect the remaining 80% of the world’s largest rainforest by 2025, as a new report underscores the abyss between the environmental and social policies claimed by the top financiers versus the destruction they are bankrolling in the region. This report comes as the Amazon is at an imminent tipping point , which threatens Indigenous Peoples, local communities, the forest and its biodiversity, and the continuity of life on the planet.

By Bobby Ramakant*  A strategic roundtable on “Charting a new path forward for global action against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)” was organised at the 77th World Health Assembly or WHA (WHA is the apex decision-making body of the World Health Organization – WHO, which is attended by all countries that are part of the WHO – a United Nations health agency). AMR is among the top-10 global health threats “Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a growing and urgent crisis which is already a leading cause of untimely deaths globally. More than 2 people die of AMR every single minute,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the WHO. “AMR threatens to unwind centuries of progress in human health, animal health, and other sectors.”

Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  The concept of identity, as a reflection of one's own self as an individual, is intricately intertwined with various factors such as birth, sex, and a myriad of social, political, cultural, and economic determinants. These determinants, ranging from class and race to region, religion, gender, and nationality, wield significant influence in the formation of one's identity. 

By Bharat Dogra*  At a time when many of the bigger farmers are complaining of indebtedness and non-viability while also causing ecological ruin, a dalit (weaker section) farmer has shown the way forward by combining highly creative, satisfying livelihood with environment protection. He is very happy working on his farm with his wife and other family members and exploring various creative possibilities. 

By Bharat Dogra*  At a time when there is increasing concern that powerful GM crop lobbyists backed by enormous resources of giant multinational companies may be able to bulldoze food safety and environmental concerns while pushing GM crops, a new hope has appeared in the form of a court decision from the Philippines. 

By Atanu Roy  A goods train rammed into Kanchenjunga Express on 17th June morning in North Bengal. This could have been averted if the time tested anti-collision system (Kavach) was in place. 

By Rosamma Thomas*  At least 13 people died when two trains collided in West Bengal on Monday, June 17, 2024. Just days before this crash, former bureaucrat Ashwini Vaishnaw was sworn in for the second time as Union Minister for Railways. On May 28, 2024, The Hindu newspaper carried an edit page article by K Balakesari, former member of the Railway Board, indicating why this minister might need special and careful monitoring by alert citizens.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  Mohan Charan Majhi took the oath as the new Chief Minister of Odisha following the electoral defeat of the BJD led by Naveen Patnaik, who served as Chief Minister for twenty-four years. The new Chief Minister is the son of a security guard and a four-time MLA who hails from the remote village of Raikala in the Keonjhar district. He belongs to the Santali tribe and comes from a working-class family. Such achievements and political mobilities are possible only in a democratic society. Majhi’s leadership even in the form of symbolic representation in a democracy deserves celebration.

By Sandeep Pandey*  Over the past one year Manipur has been witness to Meitei-Kuki conflict like nowhere seen even among Hindu-Muslim communities. Even if you may have totally segregated Hindu and Muslim residential areas like in some places in Gujarat, it is possible for a person of one community to pay a courtesy visit to the other community. But not so in Manipur. A Kuki government official cannot work in a Meitei area and vice-versa. When one moves from one area to another there are check posts, manned and womanned by both communities in their respective areas, in addition to the army, para-military and the Manipur police, sometimes total numbering upto half a dozen.

By Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD*  Is the holy Ganges getting more polluted every day? In addition to daily rituals, bathing, and religious activities performed on its banks, since ancient times, the new age industrial and population pressures are increasingly polluting the holy river. Over the decades a number of government schemes, rules and regulations to purify the Ganges have met with limited success.

Counterview Desk  In an open letter on the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) of the proposed international airport project in Great Nicobar, the Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), which has former civil servants belonging to the All India and Central Services as its members*, has suggested that the proposed project is likely to have a significant adverse impact on the Tribal Reserve in Great Nicobar and its vulnerable tribal groups.

Counterview Desk  The civil rights network, National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), has demanded withdrawal of FIR against three "Caravan" journalists who faced "assault" while reporting on the 2020 Delhi "pogrom." "As it comes back to power with a reduced majority, the BJP seeks to continue its offensive against democratic voices, including independent media", NAPM asserted.

By Om Patidar, others*  The 15th of June marked the beginning of an indefinite fast by Medha Patkar, for justice in the Narmada valley. The demands from this fast include, rehabilitation of all the remaining project affected as per the laws, policies, and Supreme Court orders. 

By Our Representative  The civil rights network, Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), has blamed the police force for alleged the abduction of  three activists associated with the Moolwasi Bachao Manch, Sodhi Bhima of Jabbagatta village in Bijapur, Madkam Joshan of Gudrajguda village in Sukma, and Madkam Joga of Gomaguda village of Bijapur from Polampalli in the Dantewada district on June 8.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  The NATO-led, imperialist-imposed ongoing Russian war on Ukraine is not only creating a daily human catastrophe but also reshaping the present and future of Western Europe through American shock therapy. This unjust war has led to deaths, destitutions, significant civilian sufferings, with countless lives disrupted, communities devastated, and families ruined. This completely avoidable war is pushing the entire European continent into a state of nuclear war and turmoil.

Counterview Network  Top human rights group, People’s Union for Civil Liberties, has demanded that the authorities should immediately withdraw the prosecution against top author Arundhati Roy and Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain, a Kashmir academic, under the " unconstitutional"  Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act  (UAPA), calling the Delhi  Lieutenant-Governor nod for the Delhi police move "politically motivated".

By Bharat Dogra*  In a country that has already heard about so many suicides by farmers, perhaps the recent suicide by one more farmer will not attract much attention, but nevertheless the extremely distressing story of the recent death of a young farmer Ramnihor -- in Baragaon village (Baberu block) of Banda district, Uttar Pradesh, must be told.

By Sapna Goel*  Female Labour Force Participation (FLFP) rate in India has been declining, by and large, since the first quinquennial Employment-Unemployment Survey (EUS) of National Sample Survey (NSS) in 1972/73 until 2017/18. There were brief increases during 1983-1987/88 and 1999/00 and 2004/05, the periods marked by agrarian distress . 

By Rathin Das*  It was an election with a difference that taught the 'party with a difference' a lesson it will never forget. The planet's largest party, the BJP, had put its stakes so high that even a normal victory looks like a defeat.

By Kirity Roy*  This is regarding an incident of firing pellets by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel attached with Panchadoji Border Outpost of ‘E’ Company of 90 BSF Battalion on a Schedule Caste youth of village Parmananda under Dinhata Police Station of Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. The victim was severely injured and one portion of his face became disfigured due to pellet firing by the BSF.

Counterview Desk  In an open letter to  Prime Minister  Narendra Modi, the top advocacy group,  South Asia Peace Action Network (Sapan), has said that  the absence of an invite to Pakistan for his oath-taking ceremony is not in the spirit of the concept of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" – the world is one family – which he claims to advocate.

By Shankar Sharma*  Just a few days ago, the world remembered the routinely forgotten global environment on the occasion of World Environment Day, briefly though, maybe just for the day. There were reports of a few high profile ceremonies in different parts of the country, including a few in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly asked the people of our country to plant one tree per each person as a mark of respect/ gratitude for our mothers.

By Nimisha Agarwal*  In Delhi, while the richer areas enjoy cool air from air conditioners, the people of Safeda Basti face the brutal heat of summer with very little to help them. This neighborhood is filled with hardworking laborers, street vendors, hard working women and others who are vital to the city’s economy but often overlooked. In India, approximately 461 million people reside in urban areas, with about 17 percent living in crowded, informal settlements. These areas, plagued by rapid urbanization and inadequate infrastructure, feature self-constructed homes using various traditional building methods.