-The Indian Express Bihar order against criticism of government online is against governance. The Chief Minister must scrap it. The Bihar government’s decision to designate “objectionable and indecent” comments made online against the state government or its ministers, MLAs, MPs and officials as cyber-crime is one more example of elected governments abusing their power to buy themselves a Teflon shield against criticism, dissent and accountability. In November last year, the Kerala government...

-Down to Earth Mushrooms in one’s daily diet will eventually promote a healthy body, behaviour and brain power The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has prompted some experts to look at the consumption of mushrooms, known for their immunity-boosting anti-viral properties, with renewed vigour. In fact, immunity has been one of the most-searched keywords on the internet since the last few months. Immunity is basically the foremost defence system against all sorts of viruses,...

-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...

-TheWire.in Eleven of the 22 states in NFHS-5 data reported a decline in the fraction of women owning houses or land, five of them in the northeast. To empower women, give them equal opportunities in every field and give them power in without any discrimination. On December 12, the Indian government released the fifth National Family Health Survey fact-sheet for 17 states and five UTs, including indicators of great importance to India,...

Preliminary findings of a survey among 3,994 respondents from 11 states reveal that most vulnerable households and communities, such as SCs, STs, OBCs, PVTGs, slum dwellers, daily wage labourers, farmers, single women headed households, etc. continue to witness depressed incomes during September-October in comparison to their income levels prior to the lockdown. The face-to-face survey conducted by the Right to Food Campaign and Center for Equity Studies (instead of telephonic...