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Supreme Court’s dismissal of PIL on Covid vaccine safety is counter to known science and mathematics

By Bhaskaran Raman*  On 14 Oct 2024, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the side-effects of the Covid vaccine. In 2021, the world saw the rollout of various Covid vaccine candidates. In India, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Serum Institute of India’s Covishield were rolled out. Covishield was nothing but Oxford’s AstraZeneca relabelled in India. The importance of open-minded and scientific probe of Covid vaccine safety In 2020/2021, all Covid vaccines were authorized for emergency use, which meant that the necessary efficacy and safety follow-up was incomplete at that time. The originally approved trials – called randomised controlled trials (RCT) had a “vaccine” group and a “placebo” group for comparison. Such experimental comparison/control is the cornerstone of the scientific method – which even children learn in photosynthesis experiments in class-1. The vaccine trials were scheduled to conclude in late 2022/early 2023. For instance, Covaxin’s
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As poor cry out to us, do we have the prophetic courage to respond to them?

By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ*  About a month ago, on 15 October, the 2024 Global Hunger Index was released. India ranks 105 out of 127 countries; with a score of 27.3, India has a level of hunger that is serious. On that day, a World Bank report stated that “almost 129 million Indians are living in extreme poverty in 2024, on less than $2.15 (about Rs 181) a day.” These are hard facts by independent agencies, which the Government of India is unable to find fault with. These statistics should not surprise anyone: whilst India boasts of producing some of the richest persons in the world, the fact is that millions of Indians still do not have access to roti- kapda- makhan (food-clothing-shelter), clean drinking water and the other basic amenities of life. Theirs is a journey of survival, struggling to eke out a living!

Detentions and intimidation of social and environmental activists in J&K arbitrary: NAPM

Counterview Desk   Expressing solidarity with recently detained Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) environmental activists, the top NGO network National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has said that in the midst so much turmoil that J&K has seen in past many years, "we have this disturbing development that requires urgent attention."

Four J&K MLAs visit Wular lake, pledge support to fisher community, environmental conservation

By Shamim Ahmed*   In a historic meeting that highlighted both environmental and social concerns, four Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) visited Wular Lake to meet with the fisherfolk community, signaling a significant step in addressing their longstanding issues. This gathering, organized with the support of dedicated advocates, marks a strengthening of efforts to both safeguard the lake’s ecosystem and support the community’s welfare.

Human rights group condemns 'escalation of state violence' in Chhattisgarh, demands release of detained activists

By Our Representative  The advocacy group, Campaign for Peace and Justice in Chhattisgarh (CPJC), in a statement has condemned what it called "recent surge in state-led violence, arbitrary arrests, and extrajudicial killings of members of the Moolvasi Bachao Manch (MBM) and local villagers in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district." Following events on November 7 and 8, which it said included the abduction and killing of citizens, CPJC described the incidents as a continuation of severe human rights abuses in a region increasingly marked by military presence.

A Marxist intellectual who dwelt into complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape

By Harsh Thakor*  Professor Manoranjan Mohanty has been a dedicated advocate for human rights over five decades. His work as a scholar and activist has supported revolutionary democratic movements, navigating complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape. His balanced, non-partisan approach to human rights and social justice has made his books essential resources for advocates of democracy.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani*  India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative  The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

A 'growing challenge' for India: 25 incidents of water-related violence this year vs 10 in 2022

By Vikas Meshram*  The crisis of drinking water has become a serious and growing challenge worldwide. This issue is worsening due to several factors, including climate change, population explosion, urbanization, industrialization, and imbalanced water usage. Human life depends on water, but currently, many parts of the world face a shortage of clean drinking water. This crisis could be the seed of many future disasters. Although about 71% of the Earth is covered with water, only 2.5% of it is fresh and suitable for drinking. A large part of this fresh water is trapped in glaciers and ice caps. Thus, the amount of water available for human use is minimal. In many countries around the world, water sources are depleting, and water misuse is increasing. This exacerbates the drinking water crisis. According to UNESCO, the situation is so severe that there is an urgent need to establish a robust international system before this global crisis spirals out of control. According to the World Wat

Can Naxalites re-emerge as a strong force committed to achieving justice in peaceful ways?

By Bharat Dogra*  The word ‘Naxalites’ has been generally used in routine discussion among common people in India to denote various groups dedicated to the pursuit of justice for the poorest people without having any inhibition regarding use of violent means for achieving their justice based objectives. Now of course several of these groups may disagree strongly with such a simple description as they are very strong on ideological issues (and get very upset if their precise ideological position is stated even in a slightly mistaken way), and what is more, some have actually moved over to parliamentary politics and it may be factually wrong to say that they now use violent means for achieving their justice and equality related objectives. Nevertheless in public perception the word Naxalite is often used for groups firmly dedicated to justice related objectives and not hesitating to use violence for achieving justice related objectives. So here we use the word broadly in this sense to de