Countercurrents.org

When the NIA Fails, Who Holds It Accountable? by Arun Srivastava https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/when-the-nia-fails-who-holds-it-accountable/ The acquittal of 78-year-old Mohammed Naeem after a 33-year sedition case highlights the human cost of prolonged criminal proceedings. The article examines concerns over the use of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and stringent laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against minorities, activists, political opponents and civil society voices. It discusses cases including Bhima Koregaon, Sudha Bharadwaj, Umar Khalid, Shabir Shah and Engineer Rashid, while examining allegations of selective investigation, prolonged incarceration and weak evidence. The article also considers the limited accountability of investigating officers and argues for stronger judicial action to protect fundamental rights and restore public confidence in institutions.

Learnings from the Cockroach Uprising for the Indian Environmental Movement by Sagar Dhara https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/learnings-from-the-cockroach-uprising-for-the-indian-environmental-movement/ The recent Cockroach Janata Party-led student mobilisation offers important lessons for India’s environmental movement. Its ability to unite students, civil society groups and political organisations around a common demand, while allowing diverse concerns and approaches, helped sustain pressure and achieve political accountability. The article examines how environmental campaigns often remain fragmented across issues such as biodiversity, pollution, water, climate change and environmental health. It argues that broader coalitions, sustained public pressure and cooperation across organisational and ideological differences are necessary to build greater political influence. The discussion places these lessons in the wider context of climate change, resource depletion, sustainability, equity and environmental justice.

Annihilation of Caste Through Class Struggle by Dr Arun Mitra https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/annihilation-of-caste-through-class-struggle/ Dr Arun Mitra examines caste as a deeply rooted system of social and economic inequality and argues that its annihilation requires more than caste-based mobilisation. Drawing on the contributions of Buddhism, the Bhakti movement, Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule, B.R. Ambedkar, Gandhi, Nehru and progressive movements, he traces the long struggle against caste discrimination. The article places particular emphasis on the relationship between caste and economic exploitation, arguing that class solidarity can help weaken the material structures sustaining caste hierarchy. It calls for unity among exploited communities, social reform, scientific consciousness, workers’ organisation and sustained resistance to economic and social inequality.

The International Monetary Fund’s Africa Policy is Underdevelopment by Grieve Chelwa and Vijay Prashad https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/the-international-monetary-funds-africa-policy-is-underdevelopment/ The IMF’s approach to Africa places macroeconomic stability at the centre while giving insufficient attention to the productive transformation needed for sustained development. Examining recent IMF assessments of Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia, Grieve Chelwa and Vijay Prashad argue that fiscal consolidation, liberalisation and private-sector-led growth can deepen existing structural weaknesses when domestic productive capacity remains limited. The authors examine high borrowing costs, commodity dependence, weak domestic investment, foreign corporate dominance and the constraints facing small firms. They propose an alternative centred on public investment, debt restructuring, progressive taxation, development finance and industrial policy to build productive capacity, employment and economic sovereignty.

Unions and Militarism in Today’s Germany by Thomas Klikauer https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/unions-and-militarism-in-todays-germany/ Germany’s expanding military industry is reshaping its industrial landscape, with civilian factories being converted or acquired for arms production. Thomas Klikauer examines how this shift affects workers, trade unions and works councils, while public spending increasingly prioritises military expenditure over education, healthcare, pensions and infrastructure. The article also explores the legal powers available to German works councils to challenge military conversion and propose alternative civilian production. Drawing on the German Works Constitution Act, Klikauer argues that workers can develop practical alternatives to militarisation through workplace participation, information rights, collective proposals and industrial conversion towards socially useful production

Revolution or Silent Servitude? How Algorithms Are Reshaping Consciousness to Serve Capital by Rezgar Akrawi https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/revolution-or-silent-servitude-how-algorithms-are-reshaping-consciousness-to-serve-capital/ Artificial intelligence is reshaping how people work, communicate, consume information and make decisions. In this article, Rezgar Akrawi examines how algorithmic systems, driven largely by corporate and state interests, can influence consciousness, weaken critical thinking and deepen digital dependence. Drawing on recent research into cognitive offloading, digital addiction and the effects of AI-assisted tools, he connects these developments to broader questions of alienation, labour and capitalist power. The article argues that AI is not inherently destined to reinforce existing inequalities, but that its development requires democratic regulation, international oversight and collective action to ensure technology serves human needs, social justice and equality.

TISS Students Targeted for Dissent: PUCL Maharashtra Condemns Prosecution and Arrest Press Release https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/tiss-students-targeted-for-dissent-pucl-maharashtra-condemns-prosecution-and-arrest/ PUCL Maharashtra has expressed concern over the prosecution of nine TISS students following a campus gathering in October 2025 commemorating Prof G. N. Saibaba. The organisation has criticised the denial of anticipatory bail to two students, the subsequent arrest of Abhirup Paul, and the use of literature, academic fieldwork and alleged slogans as grounds for criminal investigation. PUCL argues that the case raises serious concerns about freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, academic freedom and institutional autonomy. It calls for Paul’s release, protection of the other students from arrest, withdrawal of the complaints and closure of the FIR. The statement urges universities to protect spaces for dissent, inquiry and dialogue.

From Marx to Weber and Marcuse: Alienation, Rationalisation and the Continuing Critique of Capitalism by Pon Chandran https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/from-marx-to-weber-and-marcuse-alienation-rationalisation-and-the-continuing-critique-of-capitalism/ Marx’s critique of capitalism developed from his early analysis of alienation to the systematic examination of commodities, value, labour and capital in Capital. This article by Pon Chandran traces that intellectual development and places it alongside Max Weber’s analysis of rationalisation and bureaucracy, before examining Herbert Marcuse and the New Left’s critique of advanced industrial society, consumerism and technological domination. It explores how social relations can become obscured by markets, institutions and technologies, and how human beings may lose control over structures they collectively create. The article also considers the continuing relevance of these ideas to contemporary work, technology, consumption and political agency.

India’s Independence Day is Time to Emphasise Unity and Caution in Difficult Times by Bharat Dogra https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/indias-independence-day-is-time-to-emphasise-unity-and-caution-in-difficult-times/ India’s Independence Day offers an opportunity to reflect on the difficult global environment and the need for caution, unity and responsible political choices. Bharat Dogra argues that India’s government, opposition parties and social movements should preserve democratic competition while avoiding excessive confrontation and polarization. He highlights the freedom struggle’s emphasis on equality, justice and solidarity, and outlines areas where India can contribute globally: strengthening rural livelihoods alongside climate action, advancing non-violence and peace, and building value-based education. He also calls for a balanced foreign policy, greater cooperation among developing countries, and stronger commitments to humanitarian assistance, peace and environmental protection.

Flags, Field Marshals, and Foreign Masters: Pakistan’s Independence Pageant by Junaid S Ahmad https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/flags-field-marshals-and-foreign-masters-pakistans-independence-pageant/ Pakistan’s independence is examined through the gap between formal statehood and substantive sovereignty. The article traces the country’s long dependence on external powers, the dominance of military institutions, political repression, and the use of strategic relevance to secure foreign support. It considers Pakistan’s relationships with the United States, Gulf monarchies, China and international financial institutions, while examining recent developments involving Asim Munir, Shehbaz Sharif and Washington. The piece also explores the political significance of Imran Khan’s movement and argues that genuine independence requires stronger popular sovereignty, social justice and an autonomous foreign policy, including a principled position on Palestine.

FCRA- When Regulation Becomes a Weapon: Will India Lose Its Minority Institutions? by Dr Ranjan Solomon https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/fcra-when-regulation-becomes-a-weapon-will-india-lose-its-minority-institutions/ FCRA regulation is increasingly shaping the space available to civil society institutions in India. Dr Ranjan Solomon examines the 2026 amendment bill, its implications for minority institutions, and the constitutional protections governing religious and educational autonomy. The article focuses on the distinction between financial accountability and institutional control, warning that excessive regulatory discretion can weaken organisations that provide education, healthcare and humanitarian assistance. With the bill referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, the debate now centres on safeguards, proportionality, transparency and oversight. The article argues that regulating foreign contributions should not undermine the institutional independence essential to a democratic and plural society.

The Trust We Live By by Dr Ravi Chaturvedi https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/the-trust-we-live-by/ Trust in institutions is rarely noticed when they work as intended. It becomes visible when examinations are compromised, public services fail, misinformation spreads, or citizens are left without clear answers. Dr Ravi Chaturvedi examines how institutional credibility is built through fairness, competence, transparency, accountability and the willingness to correct mistakes. He argues that authority alone cannot sustain public confidence. Institutions earn trust through consistent conduct and responsible responses when systems fail. In an age of rapid information and increasingly sophisticated misinformation, preserving that credibility has become more difficult and more important. Trust remains durable only when institutions continue to demonstrate that they deserve it.

Gaza Death Camp: West Ignoring 700,000 Gaza Deaths From Imposed Deprivation by Dr Gideon Polya https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/gaza-death-camp-west-ignoring-700000-gaza-deaths-from-imposed-deprivation/ The article examines deaths caused by deprivation in Gaza are being substantially undercounted in assessments of the human toll of the war. Dr Gideon Polya compares estimates of direct and indirect mortality, drawing on demographic data, epidemiological research and studies published in The Lancet. It argues that the destruction of healthcare infrastructure and prolonged shortages of food, water, shelter, sanitation and medical care have consequences that extend beyond deaths directly attributed to violence. The article also compares mortality estimates with historical and international measures of excess mortality, and challenges the limited attention given to deprivation-related deaths in Western media coverage.

Israel Assassinates Gaza Police Chief in Fresh Violation of the Ceasefire by Quds News Network https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/israel-assassinates-gaza-police-chief-in-fresh-violation-of-the-ceasefire/ Israel has killed Colonel Jamal Abu Kumeil, head of Gaza’s governorate police, in an airstrike targeting his vehicle southwest of Gaza City, according to Gaza authorities. The killing comes amid continued Israeli attacks despite the ceasefire that began on October 10, 2025. Gaza’s Interior Ministry condemned the strike as a violation of the truce and warned that targeting police commanders threatens civilian order. The assassination also comes as US officials express frustration over Israeli actions they say undermine the ceasefire. Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 1,250 Palestinians have been killed and over 4,100 wounded since the truce took effect.

The Fall of a Crusader: Tarun Tejpal, Tehelka, and Journalism’s Hardest Reckoning by Mohd Ziyaullah Khan https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/the-fall-of-a-crusader-tarun-tejpal-tehelka-and-journalisms-hardest-reckoning/ Tarun Tejpal’s conviction marks a difficult reckoning for Indian journalism and for those who once worked at Tehelka. The magazine transformed investigative reporting, challenged powerful institutions, and inspired a generation of journalists, many of whom entered the profession because of its example. The case also exposed the dangers of concentrated authority, institutional loyalty, and the gap between public principles and internal practice. This article reflects on Tehelka’s legacy without erasing either its journalistic achievements or the serious ethical failures associated with its former editor. It argues for stronger newsroom accountability, protection for vulnerable colleagues, and standards that apply equally to everyone.

The Vanishing Government School: Caste, Class and the Quiet Dismantling of India’s Public Education Promise by MD Tabrez Alam https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/the-vanishing-government-school-caste-class-and-the-quiet-dismantling-of-indias-public-education-promise/ India has closed or merged more than 93,000 government schools over the past decade, often in the name of administrative efficiency. This article examines how the contraction of neighbourhood schooling affects children from Dalit, Adivasi, OBC and poor Muslim communities who depend most on accessible public education. It explores the links between school closures, caste, class, geography, gender and child protection, while placing the issue within India’s constitutional commitment to equality and the right to education. The article argues that educational reform must be measured not only by efficiency and infrastructure, but also by accessibility, social justice, community participation and the State’s responsibility to protect every child.

What the Republic Must Remember by Ashish Singh https://countercurrents.org/2026/08/what-the-republic-must-remember/ Independence Day is also an occasion to reflect on the constitutional foundations of the Indian Republic. Ashish Singh examines the relationship between electoral democracy, constitutional limits and the institutions that restrain the exercise of state power. Drawing on B. R. Ambedkar, Granville Austin and key Supreme Court judgments, the article considers federalism, secularism, fundamental rights, dissent and institutional independence. It also recalls the Emergency as a warning about the gradual normalisation of concentrated power. India’s democratic resilience remains significant, but it cannot be taken for granted. The Republic depends on citizens, institutions and political actors respecting constitutional limits and protecting the space to question power.