In 2021, West Bengal’s election coverage hyped with energy. Massive rallies for Mamata Banerjee - “Didi” drew lakhs of supporters. Her football stunt, the sea of green and blue flags in Muslim-majority and rural areas, and her cult-like popularity painted a picture of undefeated Trinamool Congress (TMC) dominance. Turnout was high, and the narrative centered on Banerjee’s resilience against New Delhi's aggressive campaign. Fast-forward to 2026: the atmosphere felt different.

In India, the joyful chaos of a wedding often masks a darker undercurrent. Every day, women face harassment, abuse, and even death over dowry demands. Survivors of dowry violence carry invisible scars while society continues to normalize the practice through euphemisms and family pressure. This article explores the phenomenon, its subtle beginnings, the patterns of abuse, the profound mental health toll on survivors, and the organizations fighting back. 1. What is Dowry Viole

Manual scavenging in India is not merely a sanitation issue; it is a stark manifestation of entrenched caste discrimination. Data consistently shows that an overwhelming majority of those engaged in this work belong to Dalit communities, specifically Scheduled Castes (SCs). Government and independent surveys indicate that around 97% of manual scavengers are Dalits. For instance, out of identified workers in various profiling exercises, a high percentage—often exceeding 90% wh

In the heart of India's capital, along the bustling Garstin Bastion Road, better known as GB Road; night falls and a different world awaken. Narrow lanes are lined with multi-storey brothels, where hundreds of women stand in dimly lit doorways or small rooms, often adorned with makeup and minimal clothing. The air is thick with the smell of cheap perfume, incense, and despair. Clients ranging from daily wage laborers to seemingly respectable men haggle prices in hushed tones

At Kashmere Gate, I stopped by a row of autos lined near metro gate. The drivers leaned against their vehicles, some staring at their phones, others just watching the road in silence. The rattling sound of an auto once defined Delhi’s streets but now drowned out by the buzz of e-rickshaws. A group of office workers, working class bus passengers, and students chose a shiny blue e rickshaw which was CHEAP. The meter of an auto wala remained still, dust collecting on its glass.