“The bouncers pushed me back into my chair and held me by my shoulders till I signed the document. It was an awful experience and I can't begin to tell you how demeaning it was. It was not like I was on the bench. I was performing and they treated me in this terrible manner”, states an employee of VDSI who signed on the dotted line.VDSI (Verizon Data Services India) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the US-based Verizon Communications Inc having its operations in India for so many years, employing thousands of young engineers.

THERE is something wrong with leaders of a political party, when they seek legitimacy for their beliefs from the promo of an American TV show.  A set of senior BJP ministers – Sushma Swaraj, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Piyush Goyal – rushed to tell the people that the myth of Lord Rama building a bridge to Lanka, has now been “vindicated” by science; or the TV channel called Science.The BJP’s troll brigade and various Fake News websites went to town celebrating the “proof” of Lord Rama’s existence, and his miracle of constructing the Ram Setu.

THE city of Bhopal witnessed a unique Festival – a festival of diversity, reason and resistance – from November 26-28. Named as Bhopal Utsav, it was organised by various progressive organisations, collectives and movements. The festival brought together activists from diverse movements, cultural activists, science activists and thousands of people from all walks of life. The festival was conceived as a response to the systematic assault on people’s lives mounted by religious sectarian forces and neoliberal economic policies.

THE National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD), in a statement issued on December 15, has expressed its serious concern at the deteriorating health of Prof G N Saibaba, a person with 90 per cent disability who is in solitary confinement in the infamous anda cell at the Nagpur Central Jail. It is deplorable that despite his facing multiple medical problems, the jail authorities have refused to shift him to a hospital for treatment.Apart from polio which has affected both his legs, there have been progressive and incurable conditions of his spine and nervous system.

THE 22nd International Film Festival of Kerala, held from December 8-15, 2017 in Thiruvananthapuram, became an occasion where political statements and debates capturing the spirit of the times we live in today attracted as much attention as the films.Acclaimed actor Prakash Raj gave a powerful speech at the festival's Opening Ceremony, condemning the intolerance and hatred that are being foisted upon the country by the ruling RSS-BJP dispensation."When I come to Kerala, I don't come with a script to talk, because there is no censor here.