DELHI Union of Journalists (DUJ), in association with the Press Club of India, met on August 7 to discuss the topic “From Defamation to Sedition to Pegasus” organised by the National Alliance of Journalists (NAJ).Senior advocate and analyst Sanjay Hegde, said India was now becoming one of the most unsafe countries for independent journalists. “The modus operandi of the government has assumed a certain gradation -if you can't shut down people with defamation then shut them down with sedition," he said.Propaganda is the order of the day.

THERE is a huge gap to access to resources which is also reflected in the access to the technology (smartphones, laptops, uninterrupted internet, etc.), badly failing the online mode of education— the only option adopted by the centre in last one year to compensate, closure of educational institutions.The loss of students due to closure of schools cannot be easily understood as many still think that it costed only the loss of classroom teaching and textbook learning. The impact is much more severe and complex.

THE workers of India have observed ‘Save India Day’ on August 9 in over a lakh locations across the country over 14 demands including the demand to scrap the anti-worker labour codes and anti-people farm laws and Electricity Amendment Bill. Despite the lockdown restrictions, workers have participated in the protest programmes as per the call given by the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions, and Independent Federations and Associations.

UNION government is bent upon destroying the rural economy by dismantling the present structure of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). These banks have been rendering a splendid service to the rural poor.Regional Rural Banks were established on October 2, 1975, through an ordinance to ensure sufficient institutional credit for the agriculture sector and to relieve the rural poor from the clutches of the usurious money lenders.

AS India celebrates the completion of 74 years of independence and enters the period leading up to the 75th anniversary of independence in 2022, the country is truly at a critical juncture.The ideals of the freedom struggle, which suffused the making of a Republican Constitution and anchored our parliamentary democracy, have got eroded over the decades.