No love lost for labour

Far from looking after the interests of their vast  workforce, states like UP and Gujarat seem to be exploiting their desperation by doing away with their right to decent, regular employment  Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to suspend all labour laws, except three, for three years has come as a shocker. The stated intent is to […]

Insta defamation

Before jumping to his death from his high-rise apartment, Mohit (name changed) sent a text message to his parents and three of his friends telling them he loved them. One of his friends, whose balcony is adjacent to Mohit’s family’s, received one of the messages. He rushed to the balcony to tell his friend not […]

Dark spot in red zone

The lives and livelihood of the sex workers of Sonagachi have come to a standstill — from rents that have not been waived off to difficulting in accessing food for themselves and their families Abeda Bibi’s aged parents live in a small village in Nadia, 127 km from their daughter’s workplace in the heart of […]

Banks unable to lend

Two days on from the prime minister’s announcement, the size of the economic package is already down to Rs 14.53 lakh crore The government is telling us it has come up with a Rs 20 lakh crore economic package to rescue the economy from the negative impact of Covid-19. This so-called Rs 20 lakh crore […]

Boys like us didn’t know better

Lack of sex education, misogynistic Hindi film songs and improper socialisation of teenagers will only perpetuate locker room talk well into adulthood I was in Class 10 in Shivpuri. All the boys in my class were discussing the new girl Prakriti. The science teacher was absent that day. Amid the noisy chatter, Atul came from […]

Private hospitals are pitching in, but hurting

What’s driving the demand to nationalise private hospitals to fight Covid-19? Is it feasible or even desirable? Recently, a public interest litigation was filed in the Bombay High Court seeking a direction to Maharashtra state government, among others, to ensure that “those reliant on the public health system for non-Covid health services” are also able […]

Snapshot of suffering

In the Haryana town Murthal, famous for its highway eateries — dhaba owners, vendors and farmers are all struggling. But migrant workers are hurting the most During these troubled days, the entrance to RK Colony, Murthal, is blocked by a bamboo barricade and two elderly men armed with sticks and a large bottle of sanitiser […]

OMG! Women drink

Activists slam Kannada media’s coverage of women buying liquor On May 4, when the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus was eased after over a month, liquor shops were among the business establishments that reopened. As pictures and videos appeared of people queuing up to buy alcohol in several parts of the country, […]