Indian Youth’s ‘Cockroach’ Party Now the Biggest on Instagram; What’s Their Message?
A satirical Indian political movement, called the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and built entirely on internet culture, has gained more than double the Instagram following of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), just days after being founded in response to remarks by the country’s chief justice allegedly comparing unemployed young people to insects. Its rapid rise signals the depth of frustration among a generation burdened by unemployment, exam fraud and what appears to be growing distrust toward institutions.
With Micro-Feminism, Women Are Resisting Everyday Patriarchy
Among the many social media trends that briefly pass through our screens and disappear, a few leave a deeper imprint on how people think and behave. One of them is micro-feminism, a term that quietly entered online conversations and gradually began influencing the way many women navigate everyday life.
Today’s India Fails Mahatma Gandhi’s Test of Governance
Gandhi, whose 156th birth anniversary we observe today, offered a moral compass for public life in one of his final written messages. If applied now, it exposes a persistent wrong at the heart of India’s politics and society. He wrote: “Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self [ego] becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him. Will he gain anything by it? Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny?”
Phule’s Fight Against Caste Still Resonates as Film Brings His Legacy to Screen
A new biopic on 19th-century social reformer Jyotirao Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule, titled “Phule,” is now running in Indian theatres, drawing attention to enduring divides over caste, education and equality nearly 150 years after his death.
Ambedkar’s Blueprint for Justice, Dignity and Equality
As India marks Ambedkar Jayanti today, citizens would do well to revisit B.R. Ambedkar’s vision for the country—as a scale by which to measure the conduct of governments and political parties.
Two Key Issues with UGC’s Draft Rules on Caste Discrimination
The University Grants Commission’s (UGC) newly proposed regulations on caste discrimination in higher education have drawn criticism on two main fronts: first, for not providing clear, specific descriptions of discriminatory actions; and second, for introducing penalties for “false” claims.
Supreme Court: Law Needed to Protect Domestic Workers’ Rights
The Supreme Court noted the absence of statutory safeguards for millions of domestic workers in India and directed the Union government to consider passing a protective law. The court observed that this workforce remains exposed to exploitation and poor conditions without proper legal rights.
RSS Takes 8,000 ‘Vulnerable’ Dalit Students to Maha Kumbh
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is reportedly hosting around 8,000 students, who are underage, from Dalit and disadvantaged communities at the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The aim is to familiarise them with Hindu traditions and Indian culture, preventing them from becoming vulnerable to religious conversions. However, this move undermines the autonomy and sovereignty of the Dalit community and contravenes the Indian Constitution.