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How Khudai Khidmatgar is spreading the message of Inter-faith harmony to wider sections of people

By Bharat Dogra  Khudai Khidmatgar, an organization founded in memory of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan in India in 2011, has been organizing several meetings for inter-faith harmony in various parts of the country in collaboration with various like-minded organizations with continuity. 
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Study raises significant concerns regarding Project Cheetah's scientific, ecological, ethical foundations

By A Representative  In a bold conservation move, India’s Project Cheetah sought to reintroduce African cheetahs into Kuno National Park (KNP) after the extinction of the native Asiatic cheetah in the 1950s. However, a recent study* published in Frontiers in Conservation Science raises significant concerns regarding the project's scientific, ecological, and ethical foundations.

Study claims Indian states follow a flawed ‘spend-tax’ model to overcome fiscal challenges

By A Representative  A new study analyzing the revenue-expenditure nexus of Indian states has revealed that state government spending drives tax revenue growth, supporting the ‘spend-tax’ hypothesis. Conducted by researchers Himani Baxi and Dhyani Mehta from Pandit Deendayal Energy University, the study used a panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach -- statistical technique used to analyze the long-term relationship between variables -- to examine fiscal trends across 29 Indian states from 1990 to 2022.

Chhattisgarh's CFR management plan implementation under PM-DA JGUA: A promising start

By Dr. Manohar Chauhan*  Chhattisgarh is poised to benefit significantly from the Pradhan Mantri Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Uttkarsh Abhiyan (PM-DA JGUA) Mission, launched by the Prime Minister on October 2, 2024.  This mission aims to support 400 gram sabhas in the state in developing and implementing Community Forest Resource (CFR) Management Plans.

Mistreatment of Indian citizens by US authorities against International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Counterview Desk  National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), condemning the inhumane treatment of Indian citizens deported by the United States of America, has said, both US and Indian governments are bound to uphold human and labour rights. Text of the NAPM statement: *** National Alliance of People’s Movements strongly condemns the inhuman and cruel treatment meted out to Indian Citizens by the new Trump-led US Government. In the history of deportation, this is yet another cruel and shameful low and marks the beginning of another era of racist politics. We equally condemn the meek inaction of the PM Modi-led Indian Govt thus far and demand that the Union Govt must take all necessary measures to safeguard the fundamental human rights and labour rights of its citizens, both domestically and overseas. We demand PM Modi, who is likely to visit the US on the 12th & 13th February, to raise this issue strongly with the US authorities and also ensure that the Govt of India regis...

Time to ponder why impression has been created that judiciary is no longer independent but supports executive

By Chaitanya Pandey, Shashank Singh,  Sandeep Pandey  In 2017 the Electoral Bond Scheme was introduced. In the name of making funding of political parties transparent, the information of purchaser of electoral bond and the political party it was donated to was made opaque even to the Election Commission of India. ECI objected to the possible influencing of policy making by unchecked foreign funding. But it took Supreme Court eight years to strike down the EBS, holding it unconstitutional. Even then it did not seize the illegally accumulated funds. Bhartiya Janata Party which benefited the most from this scheme, as was expected, didn’t have to pay any price. On the contrary, it took advantage of this scheme in two Lok Sabha cycles and in various State Assembly elections.

Progressive capitalism? United States saw the largest expansion of billionaire class in 2024

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak  The Nobel laureate economist Prof. Joseph E. Stiglitz continues to advocate for capitalism in a progressive form and its potentials for human wellbeing. Prof. Joseph E. Stiglitz in his New York Times article on “Progressive Capitalism Is Not an Oxymoron” (19th April 2019) defines progressive capitalism as “a new social contract between voters and elected officials, between workers and corporations, between rich and poor, and between those with jobs and those who are un- or underemployed”.  

Paul Newman wasn't just remarkably talented, he was anti-war activist, disdained Hollywood excesses

By Harsh Thakor*  On January 26th of this year, we celebrated the birth centenary of Paul Newman, one of the finest actors of his era. His passing on September 26, 2008, after a prolonged battle with lung cancer, was met with an outpouring of tributes and remembrances from artists across the film industry, all sharing their thoughts and memories of the legendary actor.  

Cost of menstrual silence: 60% teenage girls drop out of school in India

By A Representative  Menstrual health and intimate personal hygiene are still taboo in many parts of India. Around 71% of adolescent girls do not know about menstruation before their first period and 60% of women experience vaginal and urinary tract infections each year due to poor menstrual hygiene. Pee Safe Founder Vikas Bagaria joined media entrepreneur and author Shutapa Paul on the What India Needs! podcast recently to discuss the stigma surrounding menstrual care and evolving hygiene practices in India. The episode explored the challenges, societal shifts, and innovative solutions driving change across the intimate care space.

Why doubts persist about impartiality and independence of justice system of India

By Harasankar Adhikari  The lower court verdict regarding the brutal rape and murder of a trainee postgraduate lady doctor from R.G. Kar Hospital, Kolkata, unfortunately, indicates that the overall justice system is a significant procedural hazard and failure. It reveals how the domination of a political party is often linked to tampering with evidence, including threats to the judiciary. Denying or delaying justice has become a common practice.