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210 Forest Rights Act Claim Forms Approved in Gram Sabha at Naranag, Kangan

In a significant step towards empowering forest-dwelling and nomadic communities, 210 individual claim forms under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006 were passed today in the Gram Sabha held at Naranag, Kangan. This milestone event underscores the growing momentum in securing the rightful access and ownership of forest resources for indigenous and pastoral communities in Jammu & Kashmir. 

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The Right to Live Under the Grip of UAPA 

The Right to Live Under the Grip of UAPA  Eenadu 15.10-2024

Professor Saibaba, who languished in prison for ten years for a crime he did not commit, passed away last Saturday. With a 90% disability, he endured a hellish experience in a dark cell. He was not even allowed to see his mother one last time when she passed away. 

The Bombay High Court, which determined that there was no evidence to support the charges against Saibaba, overturned his life sentence last March, describing the criminal proceedings against him as a 'judicial failure.' 

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Freefall In India’s Academic Freedom Ranking Is Reflected In Cancelled Lectures At IIT Bombay & Elsewhere

Freefall In India’s Academic Freedom Ranking Is Reflected In Cancelled Lectures At IIT Bombay & Elsewhere https://article-14.com/post/freefall-in-india-s-academic-freedom-ranking-is-reflected-in-cancelled-lectures-at-iit-bombay-elsewhere-670749ce2fd0f   Since November 2023, IIT-Bombay has prohibited teachers and students from organising events that “may be viewed as political” without permission. Talk by at least four prominent intellectuals and experts, including environmentalist and historian Ramachandra Guha and cultural activist Ganesh Devy. In three cases, the events were called off at the last minute. 

The Academic Freedom Index , released by the FAU Institute of Political Science in Germany and the V-Dem Institute in Sweden, placed India in the “completely restricted” category—countries where restrictions on academic freedom are consistently applied across all academic disciplines.  From 2013 to 2023, India’s AFI ranking slipped from 0.6 to 0.2 on a scale of 0 to 1.  India was in the bottom 30% of 179 countries, lower than Pakistan, Congo, and Russia.