Counterview

Posts

Uma Bharti’s response to Indore tragedy and the erosion of state responsibility

By Prof. Hemantkumar Shah* The deaths of at least fifteen people in Indore after consuming contaminated water, and the serious illness of many others, constitute a grave failure of governance. In response to this tragedy, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti issued a statement that, according to Gujarat Samachar , included the following assertions: those responsible for the deaths must atone for their sins; they must seek forgiveness from the victims; the guilty must be punished; and this grave sin requires severe penance .

Budget 2026: Call to deny fiscal incentives to nuclear power, back solar and wind instead

By A Representative A detailed representation has been sent to Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman , with a copy marked to the Prime Minister, urging the Union government not to extend fiscal incentives, tax concessions or policy preferences to nuclear power in the forthcoming Union Budget 2026 .

The war on truth: Why 2025 became a graveyard for journalists

By Nava Thakuria* As the world rings in 2026, the media fraternity is forced to look back at a year defined by blood and silence. According to the latest report from the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), 2025 has cemented its place as one of the deadliest years for journalists since the turn of the century. With 165 media professionals killed across 31 countries, the global community is facing a grim reality: the "press" emblem, once a shield of neutrality, has become a target. While the total figure is a slight dip from 2024’s 179 casualties, the geography of the violence remains concentrated. The Middle East continues to be the most perilous region, claiming 87 lives—over half of the global total. The Gaza Strip alone accounted for 60 deaths, almost all resulting from Israeli strikes. Since October 2023, the Palestinian media community has been decimated, losing 221 workers in a span of just over two years. The Changing Face of Peril The nature of the threat...

Operation Caracas: Spectacle, sovereignty, and the limits of American power

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Donald Trump has always favoured grand spectacles to project the image of an all-powerful United States under his leadership. The raid on Caracas was one such attempt. However, contrary to the impression created by sections of the American media, the operation did not take place without resistance. Initial narratives of an internal collapse and a swift takeover are now being challenged by emerging reports that suggest Venezuela continues to resist external intervention. Far from being a clean or decisive operation, this episode risks becoming another Vietnam or Afghanistan for the United States.

The architect of Congolese liberation: The life and legacy of Patrice Lumumba

By Harsh Thakor* Patrice Émery Lumumba remains a central figure in the history of African decolonization, serving as the first Prime Minister of the independent Republic of the Congo. Born on July 2, 1925, Lumumba emerged as a radical anti-colonial leader who sought to unify a nation fractured by decades of Belgian rule. His tenure, however, lasted less than seven months before his dismissal and subsequent assassination on January 17, 1961.

Hidden toll of COVID-19: Millions of animals suffocated, shot, drowned in meat industry

By Bharat Dogra One of the lesser-known aspects of the COVID-19 period was the deliberate suffocation, drowning and shooting of millions of farm animals and birds in the meat industry. While this has been largely reported in the context of the United States, it is likely that similar practices occurred in some other countries as well where comparable conditions exist in the meat industry.

Civil rights groups flag rise in anti-Christian incidents during Christmas season

By A Representative The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) and Sadbhav Manch have condemned a series of incidents of violence, intimidation and disruption targeting Christian communities during the Christmas season, describing them as part of a broader pattern of hate crimes against religious minorities in India. In a joint statement, the organisations alleged that right-wing groups were involved in multiple attacks and acts of harassment across several states in December 2025, and called on the Union government to uphold its constitutional responsibility to ensure the safety, dignity and freedom of religion of minorities.

Bangladesh’s fragile future: Neo-liberalism meets religious extremism

By Bidit L. Dey Following Sheikh Hasina's removal from the position of Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus assumed leadership of a non-partisan interim government. His strategy for political survival involved forming alliances with Islamist parties and cultivating strong connections with global neo-liberal forces. A notable early sign of the interim government’s inclination to accommodate religious fundamentalist elements was its decision to lift the ban on the controversial right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh (JIB).

Venezuela and the crisis of global order: Erosion of rules-based international order

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The American attack on Venezuela violates every principle of international law that the collective West claims to uphold. The response from the European Union—“we are monitoring the situation”—exposes the hollowness of these claims. WhatsApp gossipers may celebrate this as an act of “bravery,” but what kind of bravery is it to intimidate a neighbour that is neither large in size nor strong in military power?

Search This Blog