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The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.
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India’s coal conundrum and the larger crisis of ecological governance

By Shankar Sharma*  Recent discussions at COP30 in Brazil have again exposed the widening gap between India’s climate claims and its actual performance. Even as the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change repeatedly asserts that India is a global leader in climate action, the country slipped 13 places to 23rd in the Climate Change Performance Index released during the summit in November 2025. The principal reason flagged by the Index is India’s limited progress on phasing out coal, a challenge that has become increasingly structural and politically complex.
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The day Salun village fell: Impacts of cascading hydropower projects in the Ravi basin

By Parineeta Dandekar*  Salun village , perched about 50 feet above the Ravi River , experienced its brief moment of national attention on 26 August 2025 —a moment that also marked its end. On a dark and rainy afternoon, the small settlement of homes, rajma fields, apple orchards and cattle sheds collapsed into the flooded river within half an hour. Ancestral houses filled with memories, documents and belongings were swept away. Residents who managed to escape watched helplessly as their village disappeared.
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Baba Adhav: A lifetime devoted to unorganised workers and social reform

By Bharat Dogra  Baba Adhav passed away at the age of 96 on Monday, December 8. As one of the most effective organisers of workers from the poorest and most unorganised sections of society, he became widely respected during his lifetime. The impact of the struggles he helped lead and motivate remains extensive. His high personal integrity, deep commitment to workers’ rights, and openness to practical and innovative solutions earned him respect across ideological lines.
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'Release political prisoners': Convention held in Punjab against alleged killings in adivasi areas

By Harsh Thakor*  The Democratic Front Against Operation Green Hunt (Punjab) organised a state-level convention and protest in Jalandhar on December 7, calling attention to killings in Adivasi regions and demanding the release of political prisoners, including those who have completed their sentences but remain in jail.
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Hybrid seed regulation Bill a 'corporate giveaway' that will deepen farmers’ crisis: Activist

By A Representative    In a hard-hitting five-page submission to the Joint Secretary (Seeds), Ministry of Agriculture, eminent public policy expert and seed rights campaigner Dr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi has accused the Government of India of once again succumbing to multinational seed companies while drafting the “Hybrid Seed Regulation Bill, 2025”. He has described the proposed law as the fourth pro-industry version in 21 years (after 2004, 2010, and 2019) that completely ignores the daily reality of lakhs of farmers who continue to receive fake, sub-standard, illegal, and over-priced seeds.
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From Tamil Nadu to the Oscars: 'Amma’s Pride' takes Indian trans narrative to global stage

By Jag Jivan   The award-winning documentary film from India, " Amma’s Pride ", has qualified for the 98áµ—Ê° Academy Awards® in the Documentary Short category , emerging as the only Indian trans-centeredstory to enter this year’s Oscar race. Directed by Shiva Krish , the film has been steadily gaining global attention by prioritising community engagement and emotional impact rather than conventional promotional strategy.
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Call for talks after former Maoist leader surrenders, rights group warn of repercussions

By A Representative  Mallojula Venugopal Rao, also known as Sonu, a former Central Committee member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), surrendered before Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Gadchiroli last month along with 61 others. The surrender, which included the laying down of arms, has drawn varied responses from political and civil society groups.
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Proposals for Babri Masjid, Ram Temple spark fears of polarisation before West Bengal polls

By A Representative   A political debate has emerged in West Bengal following recent announcements about plans for new religious structures in Murshidabad district, including a proposed mosque to be named Babri Masjid and a separate announcement by a BJP leader regarding the construction of a Ram temple in another location within Behrampur.
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IIM-A survey suggests mixed signals for business: Weak sales, higher profit margins

By A Representative  The latest round of the Business Inflation Expectations Survey (BIES) for October 2025 indicates a marginal rise in one-year-ahead business inflation expectations, even as cost pressures remain stable and profit margin expectations improve among firms. Carried out by the Misra Centre for Financial Markets and Economy, IIM-A , the survey results are based on the responses of around 900 companies. 
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