By Harsh Thakor*  The Moolwasi Bachao Manch (MBM) is a collective platform in Chhattisgarh representing Adivasi communities across multiple districts. It opposes the establishment of military camps, displacement, environmental degradation, and resource exploitation driven by mining activities supported by both foreign and domestic corporations. MBM has gained prominence over the past three years by resisting state-supported initiatives that prioritize industrial and imperialist development models at the cost of indigenous livelihoods and rights.

By Pavan Kulkarni* In the aftermath of the devastation left behind in the wake of unprecedented floods, Nigeriens are rebuilding their livelihoods and economy with the help of several relief measures instituted by the government to drastically cut prices of essential commodities and services. The Sahel-wide flooding between June and October of 2024 has exacted a particularly high toll on the people of Niger, destroying crops, cattle, houses, and infrastructure in one of the world’s poorest countries. The country’s economy had already been strangled by seven-month-long sanctions. By late September, at least 339 were killed, many more injured, and 1.1 million people displaced by the floods caused by unprecedented rain. The storms affected almost 190,000 hectares of cultivated agricultural land in a country with one of the highest child malnutrition rates. Maradi region, the agricultural hub of south-central Niger, was the worst affected, with “the equivalent of an entire month’s worth of...

Counterview Desk  A delegation of protesting NREGA workers led by economist Jean Dreze went to Krishi Bhawan to present their issues and list of demands to the Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development Shailesh Kumar. “This is not just about wages; this is about dignity, survival, and justice", said the workers .

By Ram Puniyani*  The 1980s marked a significant downturn for peace and progress in India. Communal forces weaponized historical narratives tied to ancient holy sites. One prominent example was the Rath Yatra led by Lal Krishna Advani, advocating for a grand Ram temple precisely where the Babri Mosque had stood for over five centuries. Amid the rising tensions, Parliament passed the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which prohibited altering the character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947. The Supreme Court, in its judgment on the Babri Masjid case, recognized this law as vital to the constitutional fabric, ensuring future peace. It ruled the mosque's demolition a crime, and contrary to claims, found no evidence of a temple beneath it. According to Sabrang, archaeologist Prof. Supriya Varma, who observed the Babri Masjid excavation, stated there was no temple below. Instead, going back to the Gupta period (4th–6th centuries), evidence suggeste...

By Our Representative  In a strong statement, the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) has condemned the recent harassment and intimidation faced by Nadeem Khan, National General Secretary of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), and his team. The incidents highlight growing concerns over the suppression of civil rights activists in India.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Remembering #BabasahebAmbedkar on his #MahaparinirvanDiwas (December 6). Interestingly, even those who never respected Dr. Ambedkar's ideas are now shouting #JaiBhim. The forces that lack genuine faith in the #Constitution of India are singing its praises. Yes, the same forces that demolished a 400-year-old mosque in Ayodhya. The same forces who want to excavate every site to claim there was once a temple there but resist returning Buddhist places of worship that were forcibly or violently taken over by the Brahmanical elite.

By Vikas Meshram*  Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was a unique personality in Indian history who dedicated his entire life to social, economic, and political equality. Although he passed away on December 6, 1956, his ideas continue to guide Indian society to this day. Babasaheb was not just a leader for Dalits but a global icon in the struggle for equality. Throughout his lifetime, there were efforts to confine his legacy within specific boundaries, and such attempts persist even today. However, his work's breadth and depth are so vast that it transcends these limitations. While his contributions to India's independence movement were significant, it was his role in the socio-economic reconstruction of independent India that truly set him apart as a leader.

By Nava Thakuria  Even though a thorough (read 100%) re-verification of the final draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam  in northeast India becomes necessary before its endorsement by the Registrar General of India (RGI),  a number of State-based organizations and civil society groups start demanding for implantation of the NRC Assam with no verification.  After the verdict of the Supreme Court of India  upholding the constitutional validity of Clause 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (which endorsed the cut-off date for granting Indian citizenship in Assam at 25 March 1971), their voices got amplified. But the conscious citizens continue questioning if the implementation becomes so urgent even if it’s not properly re-verified regarding the inclusion of millions of illegal migrants (read East Pakistani/Bangladeshi nationals) in the final NRC draft, which was published on the midnight of 31 August 2019.

By Harsh Thakor*  December 4 marked the 40th anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, one of the worst industrial disasters in history. On the night of December 2, 1984, approximately 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanate (MIC), a highly toxic gas, leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal. Within hours, the city was engulfed in a deadly cloud, leaving thousands dead and many more blind or incapacitated.