-Altnews.in The word ‘unprecedented’ only mildly captures the year 2020. The coronavirus pandemic did more than confine the privileged inside their homes and leave the destitute to their fates. It has changed the way we live. However, in a year mired with communal riots, student protests, civil rights movements and vilification of minorities, COVID-19 may not be the sole defining point for India. The past year is a reminder of mainstream media’s role...

-Hindustan Times The anti-CAA protests, the defiance of migrants, and now the farmers’ stir show that the everyday practice of democracy is a powerful corrective in the face of arbitrary and unilateral State decisions Three events defined India’s political landscape in 2020. The protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the migrant labour crisis that unfolded as workers defied lockdown orders and asserted their rights, choosing to walk home in the face...

-Livemint.com * The govt will transfer more than ₹18,000 crores to over 9 crores beneficiary farmer families on 25 December * Under the PM-KISAN, a financial support of ₹6,000 per year is provided to all registered farmers across the country in three equal installments Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the next instalment of finance benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) on 25 December via video conferencing, Prime Minister's Office said...

-The Indian Express The state has posted high growth rates in the agricultural sector in recent years, but the growth has been skewed in favour of the state's irrigated parts and a small number of crops. Madhya Pradesh is primarily an agricultural state. One third of its gross state domestic product comes from this sector, half of the state’s area is used for cultivation, and 70 per cent of the total workers...

-Frontline.in Interview with Nikhil Dey, rights activist and founder of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, on 15 years of the Right to Information Act. India’s Right to Information (RTI) Act, which was promulgated in 2005, is considered one of the most advanced and powerful pieces of rights legislation in the world. Although an evolved law that forces governments to become more transparent and accountable, almost every regime has shown reluctance to uphold...