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To Save Democracy: A Broader, Stronger, Secular Alliance Need of the Hour 
Ram Puniyani | 20 Mar 2025

“Noting that almost all components of democracy were getting worse in more countries than they were getting better, the report singled out freedom of expression, clean elections, and freedom of association/civil society as the three worst affected components in autocratising countries.”

https://countercurrents.org/2025/03/no-fascist-state-yet-a-rebuttal-to-the-dangerous-complacency-of-prabhat-patnaik/ while “neoliberal capitalism generates a “fascist presence” – manifesting in right-wing authoritarian movements, xenophobia, ultra nationalism, and eroded democratic norms – it does not necessarily recreate the conditions for full-fledged “fascist states” like in the 1930s.”

We, in India, are witnessing many traits of fascism, like the ‘golden past’, aspiration for Akhand Bharat, targeting minorities and presenting them as “enemies of the nation”, authoritarianism, promoting big business, stifling the freedom of expression and dominating the social thinking. 

“The RSS is poison & will destroy the soul of the nation”: Tushar Gandhi  https://countercurrents.org/2025/03/the-rss-is-poison-will-destroy-the-soul-of-the-nation-tushar-gandhi/ 

 https://www.civilsocietyonline.com/column/living-rivers/drowning-in-sin/  The Ganga is not just a river but considered mother to millions of Hindus, deeply embedded in both faith and daily life. Beyond religious beliefs, it serves as a vital lifeline for a large part of India’s population. The tradition of taking a holy dip during the Mahakumbh is rooted in the belief that, during specific planetary alignments, the waters of the Ganga transform into ‘Amrit’ — the nectar of immortality.

Given the river’s travel time, water released from Narora Barrage takes approximately 10 days to reach the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, while water from Tehri Dam takes around 22 days. Therefore, these releases are carefully timed in advance of the key bathing days to maintain sufficient water levels.

Flow is a master variable in river ecosystems — when a river’s natural flow improves, it tends to cleanse itself through dilution and sediment transport. However, the greatest challenge remains on-site sewage treatment. 

In an affidavit submitted to the NGT in December 2024, the Uttar Pradesh government reported that out of the 471.92 MLD of total sewage, 293 MLD is discharged into 81 drains flowing into the Ganga and Yamuna, and 178.31 MLD enters the sewage network, which is linked to 10 sewage treatment plants (STPs) with a total capacity of 390 MLD.

Of the 81 drains carrying sewage into the Ganga, 37 have been connected to STPs, treating approximately 216 MLD of wastewater. However, the remaining 44 drains, which carry 77.42 MLD of sewage, remain untapped and untreated. 

To manage the massive influx of pilgrims, approximately 1,45,000 toilets and urinals were installed. However, many became unusable due to a lack of timely cleaning and maintenance. With over 10,000 sanitation workers operating in shifts, the sheer scale of the gathering made waste management a monumental challenge. Even with 120 tippers and 40 compactor trucks, the solid waste generated during the special bathing days overwhelmed the available infrastructure, highlighting the urgent need for more efficient waste management strategies in future events.

 How Facebook Worked Closely with the Modi Government to Push Free Basics - The Wire 

Recent revelations detailed in Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams have shed light on the Facebook’s controversial Free Basics programme in India and shown that the social media giant was closely aligned with the Modi government all through, raising serious concerns about the relationship between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and the US-based corporation. The book provides a behind-the-scenes account of Facebook’s aggressive lobbying efforts and its collaboration with Indian officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office, to push Free Basics – a programme criticised for violating net neutrality. 

Wynn-Williams was head of global affairs/ public policy for Facebook between 2011 and 2018. Her account highlights how these efforts were designed to bypass public dissent and regulatory scrutiny. Wynn-Williams’ revelations paint a picture of manipulation, corporate overreach and political complicity. Meta, as Facebook is now known, has called the book “a mix of out-of-date and previously reported claims about the company and false accusations about our executives”.

16/03/2025