Gujarat Bridge Collapse Reveals Culture of Neglect in Indian Governance
At least 11 people were killed and five seriously injured after the Gambhira Bridge in Gujarat’s Vadodara district collapsed into the Mahisagar River on the morning of July 8. The incident lays bare a longstanding culture of neglect and carelessness that defines public infrastructure governance across much of India.
Do Assam’s Demolitions Hold Up to Legal, Procedural and Ethical Scrutiny?
On July 8, the Assam government began a demolition drive to clear land for a proposed thermal power plant in Dhubri district, targeting over 2,000 households of Bengali-origin Muslim families. The timing, method and impact of this operation raise serious questions about legal compliance, procedural fairness and ethical reasoning.
July 9 Bharat Bandh: Is Discontent Reaching Boiling Point?
A joint forum of 10 central trade unions has called for a nationwide general strike, or “Bharat Bandh,” on July 9 in protest against what it calls the central government’s “anti-worker, anti-farmer, and anti-national pro-corporate policies.” With over 250 million (25 crore) workers expected to join from several critical sectors, the strike could be one of the most significant confrontations between the government and the country’s organised and unorganised workforce in recent years.
India’s Small and Medium Hospitals Need Their Own UPI Moment
As the government marks 10 years of the Digital India programme and celebrates progress in connectivity and service delivery, a critical gap remains in healthcare. Small and medium hospitals (SMHs) across the country still rely on paper records and disjointed processes, lacking even the most basic digital systems. If India wants its digital push to reach the millions who depend on these hospitals, it must create a public health infrastructure that is simple, affordable and practical, just as UPI was for financial services.
Europe Sets Limits on Artificial Intelligence; India Can’t Afford to Wait
The European Union has decided to go ahead with its Artificial Intelligence Act on time, rejecting requests from some tech companies to delay it. This new law is meant to keep AI under control and protect people’s rights, safety and democracy. Countries in Asia, especially India, need to take this seriously. If they wait too long, AI systems might become common in daily life without any rules, and that can cause irreparable harm.
Vivek Singh: His Passing, and His People-Centric Journalism
Vivek Singh, a fearless and thoughtful photojournalist whose camera often stood witness in places the rest of the country ignored, passed away on June 28 after a period of illness. The funeral is scheduled to take place on July 6.
Odisha Official’s Assault Shows Use of Political Power to Control Bureaucracy
A senior official in Odisha was assaulted inside his office by political supporters of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Jagannath Pradhan, who was arrested days later, after government officers across the state went on mass leave in protest. The incident reveals that political actors in the state believe the bureaucracy exists to obey them, and that violence is a legitimate way to enforce that obedience – which has consequences also for ordinary citizens who depend on a fair, functioning state.
The Quiet Power of a 90-Year-Old Monk That China Cannot Silence
China stands as a global giant, with the world’s second largest economy, an expanding military footprint and growing influence in international diplomacy. Yet for all its power, it remains deeply unsettled by a monk living in exile in the Indian Himalayas – the Dalai Lama, who will turn 90 on July 6. The reason lies in what he symbolises and what China has failed to control despite decades of effort.
Custodial Torture: ‘State Killing Its Own Citizens?’ Asks Madras High Court
Five police personnel in Tamil Nadu have been arrested for allegedly torturing a 29-year-old temple security guard to death in custody. He was detained without an FIR, subjected to prolonged assault and died without being charged or produced before a magistrate. The police, it seems, did not just act outside the law, they acted without regard for the existence of law altogether.
Delhi’s Fuel Ban on Older Vehicles Misses the Real Polluters
Starting July 1, petrol pumps in Delhi have been told to stop giving fuel to diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years. These vehicles can also be impounded. Though the move is meant to reduce air pollution, it is based on the idea that the age of a vehicle shows how much it pollutes. This treats all old vehicles the same, even though many may be well-maintained or fitted with better technology to reduce emissions.
Why Governments Need to Rethink Development and Its Costs
Nations and communities have long grappled with a difficult question: should nature be damaged to build roads, cities and industries, or does real development mean protecting the natural systems we rely on to live? In the case of the Kazhuveli wetlands, authorities in Tamil Nadu chose the former. But a wetland researcher argues that sometimes, preserving – or even reversing –development, what she calls “de-development,” may better serve both people and the environment.
Forest Cleared Without Consent, Chhattisgarh Adivasis Protest
Hundreds of police and forest officials felled thousands of trees to clear over 200 acres of dense forest land Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh district on June 26 and 27 for a coal mining project linked to Adani Power. The operation took place without consultation with local Adivasi/tribal residents, which raises serious concerns over violations of forest rights laws and the sidelining of due procedures.
Why Work and Descent Still Define Human Worth for Millions Worldwide
Caste is not new to Indians or many South Asians. For centuries, Dalits have faced deep-rooted discrimination, exclusion and poverty because of a rigid social order that links a person’s descent to their assigned work. But this kind of inherited inequality is not just an Indian story. Over 260 million people across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and even North America face similar treatment. Addressing it will require both building a coordinated, global institutional response and confronting the deeper human impulse to rank and divide.
Report Finds 947 Hate Cases in 1 Year, Why It Should Worry Everyone
A new study has found nearly 950 hate-related incidents in India during the first year of the main ruling party’s third term. Religious minorities, especially Muslims and Christians, were the main targets of violence and hate speech. This rise in unchecked and largely unpunished hostility should concern all citizens, as it points to a breakdown in the rule of law and weakens the social contract – basic agreement that holds a diverse society together.
Is Election Commission Turning Voter Verification in Bihar into a Citizenship Test?
Ahead of state elections in Bihar, the Election Commission (EC) has said it will make voters submit proof of their own and their parents’ birth details, including citizenship documents, as part of a special intensive revision of the electoral roll. The move imposes a level of bureaucratic scrutiny that is not only difficult to meet for many citizens, but also raises questions about the intention and timing of such an exercise in a politically sensitive state.
50 Years After the Emergency, the Citizen-Politician Divide Remains
Today marks 50 years since the Emergency was imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. She suspended constitutional rights, arrested political opponents, and centralised authority in a way that turned the democracy into something unrecognisable almost overnight. The anniversary reminds us that the power we give to our representatives can be used against us, and that the interests of ordinary people and those of the political elite do not always move in the same direction.
How Wars Use Simplified Narratives to Justify Violence
In international conflicts, we often treat entire countries as if they share a single belief or intention. It makes it seem like all of America and Israel want to bomb Iran and Palestine, or that every Iranian threatens Israel and the U.S. This “monolith” thinking distorts our responses and fuels misdirected anger. It divides ordinary people as observers and lets those in power claim to speak for entire nations, even when many disagree within their borders.
Outmigration from Bhutan Reaches Critical Levels
An estimated 66,000 Bhutanese now live abroad, with a significant majority in Australia. For a small Himalayan country of just over 765,000 people, this figure translates to nearly 9 percent of the population—and likely a much larger share of the country’s young, working-age citizens.
Rape Rising, Terror Risk High, Says US Travel Advisory on India
In a strongly worded advisory to its citizens, the United States government has warned against travel to several parts of India, citing the growing incidence of violent crime and the alleged threat of terrorism. The advisory places India under the “exercise increased caution” category, flagging sexual assault as one of the fastest growing crimes in the country.
ED Summons Lawyers for Giving Legal Advice to Accused
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently summoned two senior advocates over legal opinions given to a client under investigation, then withdrew the summons following widespread criticism from legal bodies across India for violating attorney-client privilege and undermining the independence of the legal profession. The move also suggests that once the ED opens an investigation, legal advice given to the accused itself becomes grounds for suspicion.