THE state of press freedom in India has been accurately captured by the World Press Freedom Index.  This year’s index was issued on May 3, which is observed as World Press Freedom Day.  The Reporters without Borders (RSF), which has prepared the World Press Freedom Index has placed India in the 161st rank out of 180 countries. The disturbing fact is, this is eleven ranks below India’s position of 150 in 2022.

IS there caste discrimination within the working class as well? Does gender discrimination still exist in modern society, despite women proving their talent in all fields? When the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) decided to conduct a survey on discrimination and harassment, some naturally raised these questions. It is not only prevalent in rural areas but also in urban settings. Does it occur only in the unorganised sector or is it also present in modern industries? After conducting the survey, all doubts were dispelled.

MAY 3rd is World Press Freedom Day, a reminder that the role of news organisations is to speak truth to power. Not to manufacture consent – to use Chomsky’s famous words – for the government and the ruling classes. While doing that, I want to remember two men who exemplify the need to speak the truth: Daniel Ellsberg of Pentagon Papers fame and Julian Assange of WikiLeaks. And also of Chelsea Manning, without whom we would not have the proof of what the US was doing, not only in Iraq and Afghanistan but all across the globe.

THE central and state government employees have been engaged in a prolonged struggle against the National Pension Scheme (NPS), demanding the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). The movement has gained momentum recently, with 15 lakh state government employees of Maharashtra going on strike since March 14, and 70,000 government employees in Haryana agitating, braving water cannons. The continuous efforts of the government employees' movement have brought the issue to the forefront of the socio-political discourse.

THE election battle in Karnataka has reached a decisive stage, with only a few days of campaigning left. Last week, 98 central star campaigners from the BJP arrived in the state, including PM Modi, home minister Amit Shah, and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi, who held several public meetings and roadshows. Roadshows, a campaign method mostly used by the BJP, have been criticised for being a pernicious election tactic that lacks political content. These shows display money, muscle, and political power, causing traffic jams and public inconvenience for hours.