Counterview

By Arsalan Ahad Reshi    Chilly winds blow through the offices of the National Conference after the loss of their bastion. They appear unable to understand what went wrong, but the people know. Ego and the mishandling of Aga Ruhullah Mehdi did it all. Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister, still refuses to show humility. His interview soon after the results revealed his anger toward Ruhullah, but also his refusal to accept defeat. No one in the NC is willing to say, “Yes, we lost, and we accept our mistake.”  

By A Representative   A detailed representation sent to the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has raised strong objections to the consideration of the 2,000 MW Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project (PSP) proposed inside the Sharavathi Lion-Tailed Macaque (LTM) Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka. Dated November 14, 2025, the communication from power and climate policy analyst Shankar Sharma argues that the project continues to move forward despite what he describes as “massive opposition,” serious procedural lapses, and extensive evidence of potential ecological damage.

By Dr Palla Trinadha Rao  Reserving Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) seats for non-tribals in the Scheduled Areas of Telangana violates the spirit of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution and runs contrary to the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA). PESA was enacted to guarantee self-governance and political empowerment of STs in constitutionally protected areas. Yet, the present reservation pattern notified for local body elections in Telangana undermines this constitutional mandate.  

By A Representative   The Expert Appraisal Committee has cleared the application for issuing Terms of Reference (ToR) to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment, prepare an Environmental Management Plan, and hold a public hearing for the proposed 1,000 MW Bargi Open Pumped Storage Hydropower Project. 

By A Representative   The Supreme Court on Monday heard the matter concerning the non-appointment of Information Commissioners in the Central and State Information Commissions. The case was placed before a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Bagchi.  

By A Representative   Housing in South Delhi has become even more expensive, with builders increasingly focusing on luxury independent floors , according to new data from Golden Growth Fund (GGF). Prices of floors in the city’s most premium neighbourhoods rose between 12% and 17% year-on-year in the July–September quarter of 2025, signalling a market where high-end redevelopment is driving both demand and rates upward.

By Bharat Dogra  Water conservation is emerging as the strongest pillar of climate resilience for several villages in Jhansi district, where a combination of erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells has made farming increasingly difficult. During a visit to Dakhneshwar village in Bamaur block, a long walk along farm bunds and a brief struggle through thorny undergrowth opened into the sight of a sturdy check dam—now a symbol of renewed hope for villagers recovering from this year’s adverse weather. Anguri and other women gathered there described how this structure has changed their prospects by securing water that had become increasingly scarce.

By Raj Kumar Sinha*  In the time of Dharti Aaba Birsa Munda, the British accelerated the process of transforming the tribal agricultural system into a feudal state. Since the tribal people could not generate surplus with their primitive technology, the chieftains of Chota Nagpur invited non-tribal farmers to settle and cultivate the land. This resulted in the alienation of land from the tribal people. A new class of contractors, of a greedier kind, began to create disruption in agriculture to increase their wealth. This dual challenge of agrarian disruption and cultural change was met through a series of revolts and uprisings led by Birsa Munda. At the young age of 25, that boy from Ulihatu village in present-day Jharkhand became the great hero of mass resistance against colonial exploitation. When British officials and local landlords were exploiting tribal communities, grabbing their lands, and committing atrocities, Bhagwan Birsa rose up against this social and econo...

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  India has faced a difficult strategic moment after the November 10 explosions in Delhi, which occurred barely six months after the launch of ‘Operation Sindoor’. Conceived as a long-term counterterrorism strategy, the operation was projected as a decisive response to cross-border terrorism.