The Imaginal Cells of the Solidarity Economy: Community Ownership https://nonprofitquarterly.org/the-imaginal-cells-of-the-solidarity-economy-community-ownership/ Mindy Barbakoff, Minnie McMahon, Amaha Sellassie and Steve Dubb 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVgPpN9i9pQlyoW43AoR5Pq9yqzkOB6C0  

 The Imaginal Cells of the Solidarity Economy: Politics & Policy https://youtu.be/vbxAi7i_4wY?list=PLVgPpN9i9pQlyoW43AoR5Pq9yqzkOB6C0  Sep 26, 2023   The Imaginal Cells of the Solidarity Economy will showcase the myriad ways that solidarity economy practices are providing models and pathways to build a more cooperative, democratic, equitable, and sustainable world--one in which many worlds fit.   joined by David Cobb, Lydia Lopez, Jyoung Carolyn Park, Kali Akuno, and

Participatory Budgeting Project by Petula Hanley https://youtu.be/vbxAi7i_4wY?list=PLVgPpN9i9pQlyoW43AoR5Pq9yqzkOB6C0&t=233

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.

Recording Conversation With Officer In Police Station Is Not An Offence Under Official Secrets Act: Bombay High Court  https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/bombay-high-court/bombay-high-court-recording-conversation-in-police-station-official-secrets-act-271880 A division bench of Justices Vibha Kankanwadi and Santosh Chapalgaonkar, sitting in Aurangabad, quashed an FIR lodged against two brothers, one of whom works as a Constable with the Mumbai Police
Narsi Benwal

https://www.the420.in/bombay-high-court-official-secrets-act-recording-police-station/ According to the court, a police station does not qualify as a “prohibited place” under Section 2(8) of the Act, which defines where breaches of official secrecy can be charged. Additionally, the court emphasized that Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act deals with “Penalties for spying,” and the activities conducted in a police station do not fall under its purview.

The court quashed the spying charges but declined to interfere with the charges under the IPC, allowing the criminal conspiracy charges to be further examined in a lower court.

https://www.scconline.com/blog/post/2024/10/08/making-audio-recording-of-conversation-in-police-station-no-offence-u-s-3-official-secrets-act-bomhc/ Counsel for respondents opposed the application and submitted that Applicant 1 was unnecessarily making video and Applicant 2, who was also in police service, was threatening the informant and other police persons present in the police station.... The Court opined that contents of FIR did speak about insult or intimidation and thus, it was left open to the Court concerned to see whether charge needs to be framed under Section 120-B or Section 34 of IPC....

Why the Vote For Democracy report was important https://indjournals.in/why-the-vote-for-democracy-report-was-important/ 
by Vinod ChandOctober 8, 2024

https://votefordemocracy.org.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/FINAL-VFD-Report-July-30-2024.pdf   BJP got away with murder of democracy via a allegedly compromised Election Commission. The opposition did not raise a hue and cry and did not even go to court with this report. It accepted the verdict and allowed Narendra Modi to form a government and that emboldened him and the EC to do what it has done in Haryana. there is a lesson for the opposition, especially Congress, in this. They should not any opportunity go by to expose the EC and the BJP. If they let go of such opportunities, then they will face the same fate as they are now doing in Haryana.

Maharashtra and Jharkhand are next. In both these states too, journalists and commentators are painting a sorry figure for BJP.

With the help of EC and with the sops that are being handed out, BJP may well pull a rabbit out of the hat and surprise the opposition.

A whats app message Another good decision of Modi Government on the suggestion of Superstar Akshay Kumar: ........
Payment of only one rupee per day and that too for Indian Army. In the cabinet meeting yesterday, Modi Government opened a bank account for the modernization of Indian Army and for the soldiers who get injured or martyred in the war zone. In which every Indian can donate any amount as per his/her wish. Which starts from 1 rupee and is unlimited.

This money will also be used to buy weapons for the army and paramilitary forces. On the suggestion of people on Mann Ki Baat and Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Modi Government has finally taken a decision on today's burning situation and opened Army Welfare Fund Battle Casualty Fund Account in New Delhi, *Canara Bank.

This is a master stroke of Film Star Akshay Kumar. From where no one can stop India from becoming a super power. If even 70% of India's 130 crore population puts only one rupee in this fund daily, then that 1 rupee will become 100 crore in a day. 3000 crores in 30 days and 36000 crores in a year. 36,000 crores is not even Pakistan's annual defense budget. We spend 100 or 1000 rupees every day on useless things, but if we give one rupee for the army, then India will definitely become a super power.

This money of yours will be deposited directly in the Army Assistance and War Casualty Fund of the Ministry of Defense. Which will be used for military equipment and army soldiers.

So join this campaign of Modiji and help the army directly.

Nothing will be achieved by shouting slogans against Pakistan, blocking roads and making statements. Implement the thinking of Modi and the people of the country and strengthen the army of your country. So that countries like Pakistan and China can be shown their place without the help of any country. Bank details are given below.

World Bank @ 80: Radical Restructuring, Not Reforms https://apmdd.org/worldbankat80/ Joe Athialy
 October 8, 2024   it conceded to a few demands of communities and civil society organizations, like operational policy revisions resulting in relatively progressive social and environmental safeguard policies, establishing independent accountability mechanisms, transparency policies, and alike. ..  however, the Bank found ways to weaken the effectiveness of these policies and mechanisms, found ways to bypass them, and forged new partnerships and collaborations to take forward their neo-liberal agenda, corporate welfarism, and undermine the sovereignty of emerging economies. 

Eight decades later, the United States continues to be the largest shareholder at the Bank, having a veto on every decision. 

 radical restructuring

Democratization of governance from one-dollar-one-vote to one-country-one-vote 

Shifting its focus from climate change to climate and economic justice. 

Strengthening transparency and accountability mechanisms

Eliminating any loan conditions that impose neoliberal policies

Prioritizing initiatives aimed at reducing inequality 

Fostering partnerships with a wider range of stakeholders, including grassroots organizations and social movements, to create a more inclusive approach to global development.

Save Aarey: Lessons from the movement with environmentalists Rishi Agarwal and Vidyadhar Pathak  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piZL4VuR7Ls  Citizen Matters
Jun 10, 2024 
Rishi Aggarwal, an environmentalist, founder of the Mumbai Sustainability Centre and the Walking Project, was active in the Aarey Movement for several years. 

After realising that the Metro car shed would not be shifted, he felt that one should stop the fight and probably try and work on other struggles. He strongly feels that the time for action at Aarey was a decade ago in 2014-15 and not later. He has now written a book about his experience with the movement, titled, "Saving Aarey: The undoing of an environmental campaign.” 

The book not only traces the journey of the movement, but also critically looks at the role played by politicians, policy makers and most importantly, the middle-class of the city. 

Citizen Matters hosted an online discussion with author Rishi Aggarwal and environmentalist Vidyadhar Pathak, just before the book launch on June 5th. 

In a straightforward and honest conversation about the movement and other environmental issues that plague the city, Rishi underscored the importance of civic participation in safeguarding the forests and green lungs. 

He and Vidyadhar highlighted that if development projects do not take environmental impact into consideration, we are headed for hotter summers, drier monsoons and severe winters. And it is for people to helm the struggle to save their cities from climate change.  https://citizenmatters.in/

https://citizenmatters.in/mumbai-aarey-movement-nine-years/ The Metro Car Shed will come in Aarey Forest but the tribal community, citizens and activists keep the good fight on for city's precious trees. 

https://youtu.be/uUCyZaC05Hg?t=224 Basant covered the Haryana elections and reported on the influence of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim on the polls. He talks about the political dynamics between different parties and workers on the ground and how Ram Rahim followers vote en bloc.

https://www.newslaundry.com/2024/10/03/ram-rahim-is-silent-ahead-of-haryana-polls-but-his-deras-message-is-set-to-ring-out-loud 

According to sources from the dera, a decision to vote for a particular party is taken at the top level after discussions at various levels – the village, block, district and state.  Sources claimed that the first discussion happens at the level of a loose gathering of the dera’s supporters within a village. The choice of the party is then communicated to the premi sewak, who is in-charge of carrying out the dera’s activities in a village. The premi sewak then informs the block premi sewak, who in turn discusses it with a 15-member district panel. The decision of the district panel is passed on to an 85-member state committee, which conveys it to the top management. The final decision is then relayed back to the followers through the sangat – the network of the dera’s supporters.

However, dera spokesperson Jitendra Khurana said, “Pitaji (Ram Rahim) has nothing to do with the decision of the sangat. The sangat takes the decision at its own level. Pitaji has never made any decision about voting for any political party.”

Leadership void, ‘mounting arrears’, defunct help desk: The crisis at Delhi Commission for Women https://www.newslaundry.com/2024/09/30/leadership-void-mounting-arrears-defunct-help-desk-the-crisis-at-delhi-commission-for-women  Drishti Choudhary 30 Sep, 2024 The commission has no nominated office-bearers since July, and many of its staff have allegedly not been paid for months. https://youtu.be/uUCyZaC05Hg?t=46 Three dysfunctional helplines. A commission without any nominated members since July. Most workers allegedly without pay since November last year. A nearly 28 percent slash in funding compared to the last financial year. And an institution struggling to process thousands of complaints.