Timecodes 4:14 - Headlines 7:51 - Cyclone Nivar hits Chennai and Puducherry 14:43 - Kerala withdraws Police Act amendment 28:57 - Farmer protests 44:05 - Jallikattu goes to the Oscars 47:24 - UP brings ‘love jihad’ ordinance 1:12:15 - ED summons Shiv Sena MLA 1:16:57 - Subscriber mail 1:27:47 - Sushil Modi accuses Lalu Prasad Yadav of running political show from behind bars 1:32:23 - Recommendations This week on NL Hafta, it is an all-Newslaundry panel of Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Raman Kirpal, Jayashree Arunachalam, and Anand Vardhan. The discussion opens with Jayashree talking about the Tamil Nadu government’s response to Cyclone Nivar. Comparing it with the handling of the 2015 Chennai floods, she says, “The government response, clearly learning its lessons from the past, has been great. As early as November 23, they had gotten in place national disaster relief forces...relief camps were set up, and the communication from the government has been extremely clear. This was one of their huge failures during the Chennai floods.” Speaking about the Kerala government withdrawing the controversial Kerala Police Act amendment that sought to punish anyone who posted social media content “with an intention to intimidate, insult or defame any person”, Abhinandan says, “This is what separates the political left in India from the political right. I know for a fact that several spokespersons of the left parties refused to come on news panels defending this...and because of the backlash they withdrew it whereas the political right in India don’t give a fuck. You can keep jumping, but if Modi has given the nod everybody will fall in line and say it’s a great idea!” Responding to Abhinandan, Anand says, “No, in universities and academia, the political left is as intolerant as the political right. I think it has to do with their disciplinarian, cadre-based organizations. You have more to lose in a cadre-based organization if you go against the line.” Talking about the ongoing farmer protests, Raman says, “I am all for this protest. Of course, protest is an integral part of democracy and it should happen but you should see the protest that happened around Delhi, there was so much hooliganism.” Manisha concurs, “Yeah, that has to be stopped. I mean the Jat protests were famously known for complete vandalism, looting and even molestation.” The panel also discuss the “love jihad” ordinance passed by the Uttar Pradesh government and the Indian judiciary’s handling of “forcible conversions” cases.&nbsp; Tune in! Recommendations&nbsp; Manisha <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2015/10/06/yeh-shaadi-nahi-ho-sakti-how-a-paranoid-right-wing-is-playing-spoilsport-for-young-couples-in-love" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yeh Shaadi Nahi Ho Sakti</a> <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/11/right-wing-social-media-finalizes-its-divorce-reality/617177/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Right-Wing Social Media Finalizes Its Divorce From Reality</a> Jayashree <a href="https://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/remember-this-much--the-sea-will-eat-you-071215375.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABu1vGGyYzWkNaWEJz3oih2GIlwbp75HYHtweg88-LYK1Lim217R3VgpfH6Qk8fj6y8K-bUIj52P9GPZckDKJ6aUPKs3j1UlOKoW6WogpeuU3svlOt2TYaehebnIII6gDx1cwa-O2X4_EQOX7-pCOxgtpuZp9Tc5j6wZI4-xxe_7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Remember This Much. The Sea Will Eat You </a>&nbsp; <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50794558-rivers-remember" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rivers Remember</a> Raman <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/11/23/two-deaths-no-fir-how-ups-criminal-justice-system-failed-pappi-devi-and-her-baby" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Two deaths, no FIR: How UP’s criminal justice system failed Pappi Devi and her baby</a> Anand <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55823757-the-commonwealth-of-cricket" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Commonwealth of Cricket</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/11/21/its-dishonest-to-deny-the-realities-of-lalus-misrule-and-lawlessness-heres-why" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">It’s dishonest to deny the realities of Lalu’s misrule and lawlessness. Here’s why</a> Abhinandan <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/11/20/937167323/all-your-genes-are-belong-to-us#:~:text=In%202005%2C%20Chris%20Hansen%2C%20a,..%20and%20then%20patented%20it." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">All Your Genes Are Belong To Us</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdsIcbPUKUs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Diego Maradona</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

NL Hafta

Hafta 304: Cyclone Nivar, farmer protests, and ‘love jihad’ laws

Timecodes 00:00 - Introduction and headlines 11:18 - The current race for vaccines 28:22 - Freedom of speech and state of Indian media 01:04:12 - Subscriber letters 01:20:39 - India not being part of the RCEP 01:27:53 - Chitra and Smita’s recommendations 01:36:52 - Subscriber letters 01:59:21 - Recommendations In this week’s Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal, and Mehraj D Lone are joined by Smita Prakash, editor-in-chief of ANI, and Chitra Subramaniam, journalist and co-founder of the News Minute. The conversation kicks off with the recent developments around Covid vaccines. Chitra says: “I have the sense that China is going to emerge with some kind of a people’s vaccine...If they come up with a vaccine that’s universally affordable and the price point is right, I don’t see why any country will not take it.” On the state of the media today, Smita says, “The media itself has changed. You had 100-150 newspapers and one Doordarshan and All India Radio which were state-owned..." She adds: “There are many sites which are looking at news, not just as ‘we’ll take on the government or policy’. There are many more stories to do...Now, it’s no longer just reporting, it’s content creation.” The discussion moves on to the Indian government’s attempts to regulate the media. Mehraj says, “The government, the judiciary is asking for more regulation, also because self-regulation has pretty much failed in India. The Press Council of India and the News Broadcasting Standards Authority have been reduced to making statements. They are no longer regulators but just bodies who issue statements.” The panel also discusses how Covid has broken class barriers, India’s decision to not join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as an alternative to Trump, and a lot more. Tune in! Recommendations&nbsp; Smita <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/35896470-the-greatest-urdu-stories-ever-told" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Greatest Urdu Stories ever told&nbsp;</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55160091-the-ultimate-goal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Ultimate Goal: A Former R&amp;AW Chief Deconstructs How Nations Construct Narratives</a> Chitra <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37976541-bad-blood" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup&nbsp;</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28921.The_Remains_of_the_Day?from_search=true&amp;from_srp=true&amp;qid=4BH2A3Ki5S&amp;rank=2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Remains of the Day&nbsp;</a> Raman <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_X_WqC75Yc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Trial 4</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/11/07/lakhimpur-kheri-case-of-3-year-olds-rape-and-murder-gets-mired-in-family-dispute" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lakhimpur Kheri: Case of 3-year-old’s rape and murder gets mired in family dispute</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/10/29/only-god-can-help-us-lakhimpur-kheri-family-come-to-grips-with-rape-murder-of-minor-daughter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘Only God can help us’: Lakhimpur Kheri family mourns rape, murder of minor daughter</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/10/23/amid-love-jihad-claims-lakhimpur-kheri-victims-family-waits-for-justice" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amid ‘love jihad’ claims, Lakhimpur Kheri victim’s family waits for justice</a> Mehraj <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trump-vote-rising-among-blacks-hispanics-despite-conventional-wisdom-ncna1245787" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Trump vote is rising among Blacks and Hispanics, despite the conventional wisdom</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/11/13/why-we-shouldnt-get-too-excited-about-a-covid-vaccine" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Why we shouldn’t get too excited about a Covid vaccine&nbsp;</a> Abhinandan <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/supreme-court-arnab-goswami-bail-article-32-pratap-bhanu-mehta-7055067/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Their Lordships and Masters&nbsp;</a> <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/08/10/900274938/caste-argues-its-most-violent-manifestation-is-in-treatment-of-black-americans" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">'Caste' Argues Its Most Violent Manifestation Is In Treatment Of Black Americans</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 303: Covid vaccines, the state of the Indian media, and the government’s attempts to regulate it

Timecodes 00:00 - Introduction and headlines 08:50 - Biden’s win in the US presidential election 42:04 - Arnab’s Goswami’s arrest and bail, and freedom of speech 01:10:08 - Subscriber letters 01:41:42 - Recommendations This week on NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Jayashree Arunachalam, and Anand Vardhan are joined by Joanna Slater, the India bureau chief of the Washington Post. Starting off with the US presidential election and Trump’s pushback against Biden winning, Joanna says there is “no sign whatsoever of any irregularities large enough to change this result”. Anand thinks the “split in political America is quite evident, and it will have a bearing on the next four years”.&nbsp; On the Bihar election results, Abhinandan talks about the possibility of caste being a “primary voting decision-making metric”, and Anand explains that the “consolidations in this election have been between two rival social coalitions”. Jayashree says, “It was interesting that an overwhelming number of women voted for the NDA.” She also thinks the media needs to “change its approach to election coverage”.&nbsp; Abhinandan then brings up press freedom and asks Joanna if we need to relook at freedom of speech. Joanna talks about the First Amendment in the US. On Arnab Goswami getting bail, she adds that was “surprised” when she saw the visuals of him being released from jail.&nbsp; Jayashree says it was a very “political” visual, and emphasises that in this particular incident, “he wasn’t targeted for his reporting or press freedom”. She adds that the law shows a “double standard” and that bail should be the norm. Abhinandan says, “The crowd that came for Arnab cannot be done without the backing of a large political party.” Anand says Goswami has branded himself as “part journalist, part showman, and part performer”.&nbsp; The discussion also spans political and religious conditioning, defining terrorism, what “abetment to suicide” means from a legal point of view, and a lot more. Tune in! Recommendations&nbsp; Joanna <a href="https://www.netflix.com/watch/81159258?trackId=13752289&amp;tctx=0%2C0%2Cda58ea2aee67a5fa22d19db5de14fd3d4dad5fc7%3A15aa8eeda9d5784a56714302679abd8481867fcd%2Cda58ea2aee67a5fa22d19db5de14fd3d4dad5fc7%3A15aa8eeda9d5784a56714302679abd8481867fcd%2Cunknown%2C" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Crash Landing On You</a> Jayashree <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa_DIwRsa9o" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Soorarai Pottru</a> <a href="https://fiftytwo.in/story/collision/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Collision</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27245997-the-last-one" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Last One</a> Anand <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/bihar-a-referendum-on-nitish-kumar/story-QxZffMWbZPh5Vm6jGskbYL.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bihar: A referendum on Nitish Kumar</a> <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/how-nitish-kumar-returned-to-power/story-Mk2ta7QoYhLtXpqEtyw2vO.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How Nitish Kumar returned to power</a> Abhinandan <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/11/06/932048876/hacking-the-perfect-auction" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hacking the Perfect Auction</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 302: Biden vs Trump, Bihar election results, and Arnab Goswami’s bail

Timestamps 03:16 - Headlines 05:31 - Bihar election 40:48 - Arnab Goswami arrested by Mumbai police 01:03:56 - France and Vienna attacks 01:04:48 - Subscriber mails&nbsp; 01:06:16 - France And Vienna attacks 01:10:17 - Recommendations 01:11:13 - Subscriber mails&nbsp; 01:12:46 - France and Vienna attacks 01:35:43 - Subscriber mails 01:57:39 - US presidential election 02:00:48 - Recommendations This week on NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, and Mehraj Lone are joined by Arfa Khanum, senior editor at the Wire. Starting off with the Bihar Assembly election, Arfa talks about Tejashwi Yadav’s “baggage”, being the son of Lalu Prasad Yadav. Manisha says Bihar was no “paradise” under Lalu, and Mehraj agrees. The panel discusses the coverage and optics of leaders from both marginalised and dominant communities. On the arrest of Republic’s Arnab Goswami, Abhinandan says the “overpowering support” Goswami received from politicians is a first. Mehraj says the case has been made into a freedom of the press issue, instead of a criminal case. The police has been a “tool of politics”, Manisha says, but it’s not a question of press freedom. “Arnab is a politician, not a journalist,” Arfa says. On the attacks in France and Vienna after a French schoolteacher was beheaded for showing his students cartoons of Prophet Mohammad, Arfa calls it a “complex issue”. Discussing notions of xenophobia, Mehraj says France’s laws are “vague”. Abhinandan says, “The real-life consequences of lives being lost in the name of religion need to be considered.” Manisha points out the historical distaste for religion that’s part of France’s culture. Discussing the politics of terrorism, Abhinandan brings out the nuances of situational violence, and says the focus should be on “assimilation”, since religion becomes a “comfort zone”. The discussion also spans the US presidential election, Glenn Greenwald leaving the Intercept, the Sushant Singh Rajput case, and a lot more. Tune in! Recommendations&nbsp; Arfa <a href="https://www.netflix.com/in/title/81308413" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">A Suitable Boy</a> Mehraj <a href="https://www.inversejournal.com/2020/10/30/opinion-new-land-laws-put-all-of-kashmir-up-for-sale-by-muzamil-jaleel/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New Land Laws Put All of Kashmir up for Sale — by Muzamil Jaleel</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/26/sports/soccer/mesut-ozil-arsenal-china.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Erasure of Mesut Özil</a> Manisha <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISORfez27og" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scam 1992 – The Harshad Mehta Story</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/11/03/how-the-pawars-sakal-media-and-pune-police-have-been-harassing-newslaundry-reporter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How the Pawar’s Sakal Media and Pune police have been harassing Newslaundry reporter</a> <a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/market/scam-1992-was-harshad-mehta-the-mastermind-or-victim-of-securities-scam-a-bit-of-both-7296211.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Was Harshad Mehta the mastermind or fall guy of securities scam? A bit of both</a> Abhinandan <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/11/03/how-the-pawars-sakal-media-and-pune-police-have-been-harassing-newslaundry-reporter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How the Pawar’s Sakal Media and Pune police have been harassing Newslaundry reporter</a> <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/france-attack-liberty-islam-6910549/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">In defence of liberty: It is time to stand up for individual freedoms, against all challengers</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 301: Arnab Goswami’s arrest, France and Vienna attacks, and the Bihar Assembly election

Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction and headlines10:09 - The shooting at Munger and Bihar's election dynamics33:02 - Subscriber letters41:54 - The pope's statement on same-sex civil unions45:55 - College student’s murder in Faridabad, media coverage58:47 - Subscriber letters01:01:49 - The 2+2 meet, Indian-Americans’ influence on the US election01:06:57 - Controversial ABVP leader appointed to AIIMS Madurai board&nbsp;01:13:11 - Subscriber letters01:29:17 - France's culture of mockery and its relationship with the Islamic world01:46:25 - Subscriber letters01:48:16 - Recommendations This week on NL Hafta, it’s an all-Newslaundry panel of Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Raman Kirpal, Jayashree Arunachalam and Anand Vardhan. The discussion kicks off with how Covid hasn’t affected voter turnout in the Bihar Assembly election. Anand doesn’t think the turnout of 54.26 percent is “significantly higher” than the past but it’s good enough, given the apprehension that the pandemic would discourage voting. “Far from discouraging voters, it encouraged more to come out,” he says. Talking about Tejashwi Yadav’s electoral campaign, Anand says, “He recognises that the argument of Nitish’s government being corrupt...will not cut any ice after some time. So, he’s trying to infuse political freshness by showing himself as the face of development.” (Note: Abhinandan accidentally refers to Tejashwi Yadav as Tejasvi Surya.) In the context of a student being killed outside her college in Faridabad, Abhinandan brings up the kind of news that makes headlines. He says that since this crime was caught on camera, it led to it going viral on social media. Jayashree comments on the “love jihad” angle, saying: “Whenever a Muslim is involved in a crime, it turns communal...The right-wing ecosystem seizes the opportunity...It also appeals to the Islamophobia in the country, as the villain is a Muslim.” Moving on to developments in France after a schoolteacher was beheaded, Manisha says there are many nuances to what happened. While Abhinandan points out that criticising Islam is not Islamophobia, Manisha explains the power imbalance between the Muslim population and the white population in France. “In a racially divided society like France, the (Arab) population is already alienated and will feel more alienated.” On the other hand, she adds, there’s a long history of satire in France that also needs to be taken into account.&nbsp; The panel also discusses the 2+2 India-US meet, Pope Francis on same-sex civil unions, and a lot more. Listen up! Help us understand what you like, or dislike, about NL Hafta before it goes behind the paywall again. <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2LIsLBljUofwAOna8RzToIdmVLaGmA92QgX9c3dc2GhdUfQ/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Take the survey here</a>. Recommendations&nbsp; Raman<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/nl-sena/bihar-election-2020" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Basant Kumar’s Bihar reports on Newslaundry&nbsp;</a><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/bhima-koregaon-case-stan-swamy-nia-chargesheet-naxals-6907744/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Arrest in Bhima Koregaon Case</a><a href="https://www.netflix.com/in/title/81308413" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">A Suitable Boy</a> Anand<a href="https://www.csds.in/post-mandal-politics-bihar-book-release-and-discussion" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Post Mandal Politics in Bihar&nbsp;</a>Social coalitions in Bihar - <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/10/24/caste-anti-congressism-and-quotas-a-history-of-the-plotting-of-social-coalitions-in-bihar-till-2005" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Part 1</a> and <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/10/28/how-nitish-kumar-built-new-social-coalitions-during-his-15-years-in-power" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Part 2</a><a href="https://www.amazon.in/Preparing-Death-Arun-Shourie/dp/0670092398" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Preparing: For Death</a> Jayashree<a href="https://www.sunoindia.in/fat-so/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fat. So?</a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1619/id1476928106" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1619</a><a href="https://webseries.sonyliv.com/scam-1992/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta story</a> Manisha<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/charlie-hebdo-is-heir-to-the-french-tradition-of-religious-mockery-1420842456" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Charlie Hebdo Is Heir to the French Tradition of Religious Mockery</a> Abhinandan<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ms/podcast/who-gets-to-vote-in-florida/id290783428?i=1000496416546" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Who Gets To Vote In Florida?</a><a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2013/01/19/i-agree-with-mohammad-ahmed-sb-2/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">I Agree with Mohammad Ahmed SB</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 300: Bihar Assembly election, France and Islam, and the 2+2 India-US talks

Help us understand what you like, or dislike, about NL Hafta before it goes behind the paywall again. <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2LIsLBljUofwAOna8RzToIdmVLaGmA92QgX9c3dc2GhdUfQ/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Take the survey here</a>. This week on NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Raman Kirpal and Mehraj D Lone are joined by independent journalist Rohini Mohan. The panelists discuss Zee News refusing to reveal its sources to the Delhi High Court with regard to its reporting on the Delhi riots. Abhinandan asks if it’s time to revisit long-established traditions like freedom of speech. Manisha believes that “revealing sources by one TV channel in court can set a precedent, which can be used against other journalists going forward”. On the changing nature of federalism in India, which is one of the reasons for the BJP’s failure in some southern states, Rohini says: “Whether it’s a BJP-ruled state or not, there’s a growing sense of the Centre overstepping its functions — GST being the great betrayal.” Raman agrees, saying that through bodies like the CBI and the ED, the Centre’s intervention into state affairs has become more blatant.&nbsp;In the context of states rebelling against the Centre, such as Punjab passing ordinances challenging the former’s agriculture laws, Mehraj talks about the situation in Kashmir. Explaining the recent crackdown on Omar Abdullah in a money laundering case, he says, “They [the Centre] will not allow even a little voice against them.” Opposition parties have now been pushed to the fringe, he says, their power slowly being shifted towards newly installed local leaders.&nbsp;This and a lot more, so listen up! Timecodes 09:49 - Headlines16:40 - Bombay High Court pulls up Republic for media trial in SSR case18:18 - Delhi High Court asks Zee to reveal its sources37:46 - Subscriber mails54:40 - Punjab moves resolution against farm laws, Maharashtra withdraws consent to CBI01:07:52 - Subscriber mails01:11:39 - J&amp;K parties' alliance For Article 370&nbsp;01:17:09 - Subscriber mails01:30:39 - Shooting of protesters in Nigeria01:34:34 - Subscriber mails01:42:38 - Recommendations Recommendations&nbsp; Rohini <a href="https://africasacountry.com/2018/12/the-most-powerful-currency-today" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The most powerful currency today</a> Raman <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1848160.My_days_in_Prison" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">My days in prison</a> by Iftikhar Gilani <a href="https://www.hotstar.com/in/movies/bahut-hua-sammaan/1260042584" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bahut Hua Sammaan</a> Mehraj <a href="https://thebaffler.com/alienated/stalking-the-story" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stalking the Story</a> Manisha <a href="https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/when-brands-collide-against-hate/articleshow/78727386.cms" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">When brands collide against hate</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVb6EdKDBfU&amp;ab_channel=Netflix" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Trial of the Chicago 7</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/21/opinion/chimamanda-adichie-nigeria-protests.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Nigeria Is Murdering Its Citizens</a> <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/thailand-anti-govt-protests-the-issues-and-whats-different-this-time-6811946/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Thailand anti-govt protests: the issues, and what’s different this time</a> Abhinandan <a href="https://www.npr.org/transcripts/923736245" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Caste Arrives In Silicon Valley</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 299: Zee News on Delhi riots, federalism in India, and the state of Opposition parties in Kashmir

Help us understand what you like, or dislike, about NL Hafta before it goes behind the paywall again. <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2LIsLBljUofwAOna8RzToIdmVLaGmA92QgX9c3dc2GhdUfQ/viewform" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Take the survey here</a>.&nbsp; This week on NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Raman Kirpal, and Jayashree Arunachalam are joined by journalist Sudipto Mondal. The conversation kicks off with the panelists discussing the Hyderabad floods. Jayashree talks about how flooding is often an annual problem in some states but it’s never solved because this isn’t a “sexy” issue. Moving on to the TRP scam, Abhinandan says he’s “never seen media reporting about the media so much ever.” On how journalists have come together to condemn Republic, Sudipto questions the credibility of these journalists, asking: “Where did straightforward journalism go?” The discussion shifts to advertisers choosing not to support “toxic” news channels and the backlash to the Tanishq ad. Manisha talks about how, in some cases, it’s the media that “creates” this outrage, and explains her issues with the phrase “social media outrage”. Jayashree and Manisha also think that Tanishq withdrawing the ad denies the reality of mixed families. “What kind of message is this for young interfaith couples?” Manisha asks. On Bollywood producers acting against some news channels for irresponsible reporting, Abhinandan thinks the “pushback is needed”. The panel also talks about the Shiv Sena contesting the Assembly election in Bihar, the Maharashtra governor’s letter to Uddhav Thackeray, and a lot more. Listen up! Timecodes 02:59 - Headlines 08:19 - Hyderabad floods 16:56 - Subscriber mails 29:33 - TRP scam 48:13 - Bollywood producers vs news channels, Tanishq ad&nbsp; 01:05:23 - Maharashtra governor's letter to Uddhav Thackeray 01:07:38 - Subscriber mails 01:16:49 - Farooq Abdullah on restoration of Article 370 01:26:57 - Subscriber mails 01:30:40 - Shiv Sena contesting the election in Bihar 01:36:23 - Recommendations&nbsp; Recommendations&nbsp; Sudipto <a href="https://www.netflix.com/watch/80990073?trackId=13752289&amp;tctx=0%2C0%2C5ed1229d5c3d8e72b913762b8ffdc6f15c27916c%3A28947c43ce4012ea922de781007a9ca301f35619%2C5ed1229d5c3d8e72b913762b8ffdc6f15c27916c%3A28947c43ce4012ea922de781007a9ca301f35619%2Cunknown%2C" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bad Boy Billionaires</a> Raman <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/tanishq-hindu-muslim-ad-boycotted/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mixed race not only lives but thrives. Withdrawing Tanishq ad means denying our reality</a> <a href="https://www.netflix.com/watch/81086997?trackId=13752289&amp;tctx=0%2C0%2C56dbe81b4011366c269865abd9c7a4e83b665c7b%3A7c68df2e8eb325b146fefdfbb2ec7379869c832e%2C56dbe81b4011366c269865abd9c7a4e83b665c7b%3A7c68df2e8eb325b146fefdfbb2ec7379869c832e%2Cunknown%2C" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Serious Men</a> <a href="https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0OBC85XGI32II8AB4R24CN6NRU/ref=atv_sr_def_c_unkc__1_1_1?sr=1-1&amp;pageTypeIdSource=ASIN&amp;pageTypeId=B07SRL457Y&amp;qid=1602935013" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stalking Laura</a> Jayashree <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/how-an-ips-officer-is-changing-the-fortunes-of-students-from-marginalised-communities-in-telangana/articleshow/78594703.cms" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How an IPS officer is changing the fortunes of students from marginalised communities in Telangana</a> <a href="https://fountainink.in/reportage/at-home-at-school" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">At home, at school</a> Manisha <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/11/business/media/new-york-times-rukmini-callimachi-caliphate.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">An Arrest in Canada Casts a Shadow on a New York Times Star, and The Times</a><a href="https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/rukmini_callimachi_1619_project_times.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Caliphate, the 1619 Project, the Times, and the culture</a> <a href="https://www.cjr.org/podcast/podcast-rukmini-callimachi-isis.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Podcast: Rukmini Callimachi on covering ISIS</a> <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/tanishq-hindu-muslim-ad-boycotted/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mixed race not only lives but thrives. Withdrawing Tanishq ad means denying our reality</a> Abhinandan <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000nk0g" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stephen Sackur Hardtalk - Reverend Rob Schenck - Evangelical Minister</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 298: Hyderabad floods, the TRPs scam, and the Tanishq ad

This week on NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Anand Vardhan, and Jayashree Arunachalam are joined by Kiruba Munusamy, Supreme Court advocate and activist.&nbsp; The conversation kicks off with Kiruba explaining the project she’s working on now, researching caste. She points out how a series of Supreme Court judgements, including as recent as 2018, dealt with cases of violence against Dalits by deciding against the Dalit community and the victims. Abhinandan asks whether the high occurrence of caste-based violence in Tamil Nadu is a reflection of the failure of Periyar’s movement. Kiruba says: “I wouldn’t say it’s a failure of the Periyar movement or the failure of a Dalit movement. I think we should say it is a failure of humanity in India. It is a failure of upper caste humankind...and that’s why these incidents happened. And Periyar didn’t have a magic wand with which he could turn the entire society without caste..." Jayashree talks about the media’s coverage of issues of violence against Dalits. She and Kiruba also discuss the 2021 Assembly election in Tamil Nadu, and the BJP’s chances. Moving on to the upcoming Bihar Assembly election, Anand analyses Bihar’s political history in the context of caste.&nbsp; As Manisha explains developments in the Hathras case and reportage around it, the panel discusses caste blindness in the media. They also talk about the recent Supreme Court judgement on Shaheen Bagh, and a lot more. Listen up! Timecodes&nbsp;00:00 - Introduction and headlines 04:50 - Caste dynamics in India 29:55 - Caste and the media in the Hathras case 43:26 - Subscriber letters 55:25 - Hathras case, party dynamics in the Bihar state election 01:05:22 - Tamil Nadu politics 01:18:21 - Subscriber letters 01:29:37 - Supreme Court on Shaheen Bagh&nbsp; 01:50:52 - Subscriber letters 01:57:27 - Recommendations Recommendations&nbsp; Kiruba <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/txt_ambedkar_castes.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Castes in India: Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development</a> <a href="https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&amp;context=uclf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex by Kimberlé Crenshaw</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyoSErErnCE&amp;t=1s" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">When They See Us</a> Anand <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55376846-battle-for-bihar" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Battle for Bihar by Arun Sinha</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5736582-the-republic-of-bihar" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Republic Of Bihar by Arvind N Das</a> Jayashree <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20170404-station-eleven" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel&nbsp;</a> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/29/inside-the-airline-industry-meltdown-coronavirus-pandemic" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Inside the airline industry's meltdown</a> Manisha <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/10/05/hathras-girl-wasnt-raped-up-police-say-wasnt-she-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hathras girl wasn’t raped, UP police say. Wasn’t she?</a> <a href="https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2020/3/29/episode-166-nanak-was-here/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Seen And The Unseen Ep 166: Nanak Was Here</a> <a href="https://www.occupyindependents.com/how-to-protect-your-happiness-this-election-season/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How to Protect Your Happiness This Election Season</a> Abhinandan <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/national-public-radio/npr-planet-money-podcast/e/78396286" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rethinking Black Wealth</a> <a href="https://scroll.in/article/974896/special-report-a-silent-crackdown-sweeps-through-delhi-in-the-guise-of-probing-riots-conspiracy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Special report: A silent crackdown sweeps through Delhi in the guise of probing riots conspiracy</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 297: Caste violence in India, media coverage of Hathras, and the Bihar Assembly election

This week on NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Mehraj D Lone, and Raman Kirpal are joined by Nisha Susan, journalist, author and founder of The Ladies Finger. The conversation begins with the Hathras rape. Manisha details the suffering of the victim’s family at the hands of the authorities, especially the police’s forced cremation of the body. The panel agrees that this would not have happened so unceremoniously had the victim belonged to an upper caste. Abhinandan and Nisha compare this with the story of Bhagat Singh, where the authorities had been scared to return his body to his family for fear of backlash. Raman points out that the victim had been shifted in and out of three hospitals while in critical condition, which might have caused her health to deteriorate. The panel analyses alarming statistics on how four or five Dalit women are raped every day. On the Supreme Court’s acquittal of all the accused in the Babri Masjid demolition, Raman says he’s unsurprised. “Any case that has dragged on for 28 years is anyway dead,” he says. He adds that he had been present at the site in 1992, and that the demolition was a “conspiracy”. Mehraj emphasises the lack of political accountability in India since 1947, noting that evidence collected by the Liberhan Commission was not taken into consideration in the verdict.&nbsp; Moving on to the US presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and the former’s critical comments on India, Abhinandan points out that Trump is not India’s ally. He’s also shocked over Trump’s refusal to condemn white supremacists. Mehraj says the American public does not vote according to leaders’ stances on key social issues and debates, as evidenced from the last election. All this and more, only on NL Hafta. Timecodes&nbsp;1:19:03&nbsp; - Headlines and introduction 7:45:13 - Hathras rape case 32:41:16 - Babri Masjid demolition verdict 38:27:21 - Subscriber letters 48:42:02 - Nisha’s recommendations 50:22:12 - Babri Masjid demolition verdict 1:08:31:24 - Subscriber letters 1:43:01:20 - US presidential elections debate 1:46:07:10 - Recommendations Recommendations&nbsp; Nisha <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20432382-the-gypsy-goddess" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Gypsy Goddess</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8YQqdByM-M" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Morality TV and The Loving Jehad</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54746540-the-women-who-forgot-to-invent-facebook-and-other-stories" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Women Who Forgot to Invent Facebook and Other Stories</a> Raman <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/10/01/our-fault-is-that-she-was-dalit-in-hathras-a-forced-cremation-a-media-circus-and-a-life-of-humiliation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘Our fault is that she was Dalit’: In Hathras, a forced cremation, a media circus, and a life of humiliation</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/09/29/help-us-get-justice-please-dalit-girl-assaulted-in-ups-hathras-succumbs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘Help us get justice, please’: Dalit girl assaulted in UP’s Hathras succumbs</a> <a href="https://openthemagazine.com/features/india/my-crippled-testimony/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">My crippled testimony</a> Mehraj <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/sep/24/disruption-big-tech-buzzword-silicon-valley-power" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Disruption Con&nbsp;</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJBkmtpu1sQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Discreet Charms of the Savarnas</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/09/29/help-us-get-justice-please-dalit-girl-assaulted-in-ups-hathras-succumbs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘Help us get justice, please’: Dalit girl assaulted in UP’s Hathras succumbs</a> Manisha <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSGb6B87jME" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">बाबरी विध्वंस के 25 साल</a> <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/justice-liberhanbabri-masjid-demolition-6657370/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Meticulously planned, Uma Bharti took onus: Justice Liberhan on Babri Masjid demolition</a> <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/articles/a-dalit-goes-to-court---1/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">A Dalit Goes to Court&nbsp;</a> Abhinandan <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/10/01/our-fault-is-that-she-was-dalit-in-hathras-a-forced-cremation-a-media-circus-and-a-life-of-humiliation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘Our fault is that she was Dalit’: In Hathras, a forced cremation, a media circus, and a life of humiliation</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/09/29/help-us-get-justice-please-dalit-girl-assaulted-in-ups-hathras-succumbs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘Help us get justice, please’: Dalit girl assaulted in UP’s Hathras succumbs</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 296: Hathras rape case, Babri Masjid verdict, and the Trump-Biden presidential debate

This week on NL Hafta, the usual team of Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Raman Kirpal and Anand Vardhan are joined by Newslaundry’s Jayashree Arunachalam and author Chetan Bhagat. The discussion starts off with the economic slowdown in India. Chetan says, “India attempted one of the strictest lockdowns. It’s expected that we will also have the biggest contraction.” He points out that fiscal measures are needed to distribute wealth while also liberalising the economy for businesses with moves that are more than just media headlines. It needs to be globally noticeable, he adds. The panel moves on to discussing the current state of the media in India, given the ongoing “SSR frenzy”. The Indian audience’s obsession with entertainment, even while watching the news, is what Chetan believes is driving the media to focus on sensationalism. On the media in Tamil Nadu, Jayashree believes it’s an “outlier” compared to Delhi media, and Anand makes the same point with regional media outlets, print or otherwise. In both Tamil Nadu and Bihar, the media has been focusing on local issues and news. The Sushant Singh Rajput case is just a headline, not a subject of obsession. The conversation shifts to the farm bills, which are a bone of contention for the governing BJP and the Opposition. Manisha says the bills were passed without much debate, based only on a voice vote. In this context, Abhinandan describes how a contract farming policy was enacted in Mexico: “What ended up happening in Mexico was that it was not the produce for the sake of food that determined the contracts, but how the market responded. This destroyed the Mexico farming communities.” Chetan, for the most part, agrees with the intention of the bills of giving more options to farmers, but cites his “three core issues” regarding the bills’ execution, the power imbalance, and conflict of interest. This and more, only on this week’s Hafta. Tune in! Timecodes&nbsp;07:28 - How media is covering issues in India 25:30 - Covid and India's economic recovery 28:58 - Fight between TV journalists 34:20 - Subscriber letters and the panel's views on India's education system 49:55 - The passing of the farm bills and how they will affects farmers 01:10:23 - Bollywood and drugs 01:31:44 - Subscriber letters 01:53:11 - Recommendations Recommendations Chetan&nbsp; <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81254224" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Social Dilemma - Netflix</a> <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81285942" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare - Netflix</a> Jayashree&nbsp; <a href="https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Patriot/0I1CWVRUIFHRR47BBZXEGCSZL5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Patriot - Prime Video</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-hidden-costs-of-streaming-music" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Hidden Costs of Streaming Music</a> Anand&nbsp; <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50282234-gandhi-s-hinduism" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gandhi's Hinduism: The Struggle Against Jinnah's Islam</a> Raman&nbsp; <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81285942" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare - Netflix</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/40786792" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reham Khan by Reham Khan</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/70301870" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vikings - Netflix</a> Manisha&nbsp; <a href="https://www.thequint.com/voices/blogs/umar-khalid-banojyotsna-lahiri-friend-umar-khalid-uapa-caa-nrc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">My Friend Umar Khalid: Remembering Love When Bombarded With Hate</a> <a href="https://vivekkaul.com/2020/09/21/why-farmers-are-protesting-against-laws-which-will-supposedly-help-them/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Why Farmers Are Protesting Against Laws Which Will ‘Supposedly’ Help Them</a> Abhinandan&nbsp; <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/16/913735599/after-the-plague" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">After The Plague: Planet Money</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/09/24/nl-interview-anwar-maqsood-with-atul-chaurasia" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">एनएल इंटरव्यू: 'मैं अक्सर देखता हूं हिंदुस्तान के न्यूज़ चैनलों को, और फिर सोचता हूं...'</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 295: Farm bills, state of the media, and the NCB’s drug probe

This week on NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri and Raman Kirpal are joined by Abantika Ghosh, journalist with ThePrint and Revati Laul, an independent journalist and author of The Anatomy of Hate. The discussion begins with the current situation of Covid-19 in India—from the sero surveys to the possibility of a vaccine in a few months and if it will even be reliable.&nbsp;Abantika pointing towards the failure of the lockdown says,“The claim that lockdown saved lives is not accurate.” The panel talks about people’s growing negligence towards the pandemic. Revati talks about the Covid situation in her neighbourhood stressing on the low number of tests.&nbsp; The panel then moves on to Sudarshan TV’s problematic show, ‘UPSC Jihad.’ They discuss the Supreme Court’s intervention in the matter and the reasons why hate-ridden shows are not censored by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and National Broadcasters Association. The panel, highlighting how an atmosphere of hate has been created over the last few years, also explains how this is just not a media-related issue. Revati weighs in saying, “We have to agree that hate is the most contagious thing and it is much easier for the media to sell hate.” The conversation finally switches to the arrest of Umar Khalid and the 17,000-page chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police in the Delhi riots case. Raman believes the police have already “built a narrative” and it is on the basis of this very conspiracy theory that they are investigating the Delhi riots.&nbsp;&nbsp; All this and more, only on this week’s NL Hafta. Tune in! Timecodes&nbsp;00:00 - Introduction and headlines09:06 - Mishandling of Covid data and vaccine skepticism26:01 - Subscriber letters30:28 - Suresh Chavhanke's bigoted show, media regulation, and politics of hate59:49 - Subscriber Letters01:03:54 - Umar Khalid's arrest and the 17,000 page Delhi riots chargesheet01:12:54 - Subscriber letters01:22:46 - Recommendations Recommendations Abantika Ghosh <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34890015-factfulness" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think</a> Revati Laul <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44128461-india-in-the-persianate-age-1000-1765" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">India in the Persianate Age</a> Raman Kirpal <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81254224" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Social Dilemma&nbsp;</a> Abhinandan Sekhri <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/912150085/waste-land" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Waste Land</a> <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/delhi-riots-chargesheet-caa-protests-nrc-hindu-muslim-violence-6594845/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nearly seven months after Delhi violence, a continuing attempt to target dissenting voices</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 294: Covid-19, Sudarshan TV, and the Delhi riots investigation

This week on NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Anand Vardhan, Manisha Pande, and Raman Kirpal are joined by M. K. Venu, founding editor of The Wire to discuss the recession, the state of the media, and everything that happened this week. The panel discusses and debates the possible paths of India’s economic recovery, whether the government’s approach to the lockdown made things worse, and why India has experienced greater negative impacts due to the coronavirus than other global economic powerhouses. Venu gives insight into the predicaments of the Indian worker, and says, “In India, we claim to be socialist, but we are the harshest capitalist state that can ever be.” Venu also weighs in on the “sensationalist end of broadcast media,” The Wire’s approach to journalism, and how the distribution of corporate spending on advertising is changing rapidly. They also discuss the paradigm shift in which news organisations influence, and which ones are influenced. On the prevailing respectability of the print media, Anand observes, “You don’t see people saying, ‘Ye maine iss channel pe dekha tha’ with the confidence with which they cite the printed word.” The panel also discusses a possible future constitutional crisis arising from the Central and Maharashtra governments’ uses of state machinery for personal gain, lawfully or unlawfully, in the Sushant Singh Rajput-Rhea Chakraborty-Kangana Ranaut case. Also on this edition of NL Hafta: the significance of the bad-faith allegations against Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, the imprudent Republic reporters, and highlights from the run-up to the upcoming elections in Bihar. All this and more, only on this week’s NL Hafta. Tune in! References:<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2014/10/07/why-i-agree-with-bill-mahers-views-on-islam" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Why I Agree With Bill Maher’s Views On Islam</a> Song: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVWQnt5nyOc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mele Nu Chaliye</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/09/12/hafta-letters-secularism-freedom-of-expression-and-republic-tv" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hafta letters: Secularism, Freedom of Expression and Republic TV</a> Timecodes 0:05:16 -&nbsp; Introduction &amp; Headlines05:41:20 -&nbsp; Economy of India &amp; Negative GDP Growth35:39:00 -&nbsp; Print Vs TV News Media55:09:12 -&nbsp; Subscribers Mails1:05:36:01 - Subscribers Mails1:10:49:12 - Kangna Ranaut’s office demolition and destroying institutions1:28:39:21 - &nbsp;Role of Media in India1:39:57:05 - &nbsp;Subscriber Mails1:46:55:11 - Bihar Elections1:49:35:07 - &nbsp;Recommendations Recommendations M. K. Venu<a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/kesavananda-bharati-edneer-mutt-kasaragod-dead-constitution-supreme-court-6589726/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Launching vicious campaign against judges in the event of an adverse verdict threatens judiciary’s independence&nbsp;</a> Raman Kirpal<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/09/07/its-not-a-newsroom-its-a-durbar-inside-the-republic-of-arnab-goswami" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘It’s not a newsroom, it’s a durbar’: Inside the Republic of Arnab Goswami</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/inside-the-online-cult-of-justice-for-SSR" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Inside the online cult of #JusticeforSSR</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/09/01/the-modi-regime-couldnt-capture-pti-so-it-launched-pbns-how-is-the-enterprise-going" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Modi regime couldn’t capture PTI, so it launched PBNS. How is the enterprise going?</a> <a href="https://the-ken.com/story/indias-49-million-covid-tests-hide-more-than-they-reveal/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">India’s 49 million Covid tests hide more than they reveal</a> Manisha Pande<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/09/07/its-not-a-newsroom-its-a-durbar-inside-the-republic-of-arnab-goswami" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">‘It’s not a newsroom, it’s a durbar’: Inside the Republic of Arnab Goswami</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/09/09/what-the-moral-lessons-for-journalists-quitting-republic-tv-miss-out" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What the moral lessons for journalists quitting Republic TV miss out</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/inside-the-online-cult-of-justice-for-SSR" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Inside the online cult of #JusticeforSSR</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/06/business/media/trump-election-journalists.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Journalists Aren’t the Enemy of the People. But We’re Not Your Friends.</a> Anand Vardhan <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54627387-the-india-way" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World</a> Abhinandan Sekhri <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/04/909876702/the-murderer-the-boy-king-and-the-invention-of-modern-finance" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Planet Money podcast episode: The Murderer, The Boy King, And The Invention Of Modern Finance</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 293: The path to economic recovery, Kangana Ranaut’s office demolition, and print vs TV news media

On this week’s episode of NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande and Mehraj D Lone are joined by Patricia Mukhim, editor of Shillong Times. Patricia opens the conversation by providing insight into Meghalaya’s maternal and neonatal mortality crisis. She speaks about her personal experiences in working to create awareness about contraception, reproductive rights, and family planning in rural parts of the state, and the “vicious cycle” of malnutrition that is one of the principal causes of this problem. On the death of Pranab Mukherjee, the panelists reflect on their experiences of reporting on and about the former president. Abhinandan recalls being invited to Mukherjee’s garden for an interview, while Patricia describes him as “the only Delhi politician who really understood the Northeast”. The panel then discusses last week’s pellet firing by policemen on a Muharram procession in Srinagar. Mehraj says, “Pellet guns are used for hunting. In Kashmir, they’re being used on people...That’s been the idea all along — to subjugate the population, to reduce them, to dehumanise them.” The conversation also spans the recent decision to end the 131-year-old status of Urdu as the sole official language in Jammu and Kashmir by adding four others, and why this move is facing opposition. Also in this week’s edition of NL Hafta: Trump’s “shocking” speech in Kenosha, breaking down India’s GDP slump, the news media’s response to the economic fallout, and Facebook’s “interrogation” in Parliament. All this and more, only on this week’s NL Hafta. Tune in! Timecodes00:00 - Introduction and Headlines07:45 - Maternity and infant deaths in Meghalaya21:55 - Power of media in Northeast India, its stand on the Citizenship Amendment Act28:24 - Announcements and subscriber letters40:27 - Pranab Mukherjee’s death and legacy54:44:05 - Subscriber letters01:02:14 - Domicile laws in Jammu and Kashmir, the Official Languages Bill 202001:10:43 - Subscriber letters01:43:25 - India's GDP and how the media covered it1:53:49 - Recommendations Recommendations Mehraj <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/sep/03/operation-condor-the-illegal-state-network-that-terrorised-south-america" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Operation Condor: the illegal state network that terrorised South America</a> Manisha <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/1/16/20991816/impeachment-trial-trump-bannon-misinformation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The impeachment trial didn't change any minds. Here's why.</a> <a href="https://theprint.in/opinion/what-makes-modis-bjp-invincible-the-cynicism-that-india-is-dead/492037/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What makes Modi's BJP invincible? The cynicism that India is dead</a> Abhinandan <a href="https://penguin.co.in/book/caste-matters/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Caste Matters</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 292: Meghalaya’s maternal and neonatal mortality crisis, Pranab Mukherjee, and India’s GDP

This week’s episode of NL Hafta features an all-star panel of Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Anand Vardhan, Manisha Pande, Mehraj D Lone, and Raman Kirpal. They are joined by Banjot Kaur, health and public policy correspondent for Down To Earth magazine. The conversation begins with a round-up of Covid developments from the past weeks, including progress being made in India and abroad towards the production of a suitable vaccine. Banjot addresses common misconceptions about vaccine implementation, serological surveys, and herd immunity, noting that even after a vaccine becomes available, the possibility of life returning to normal is “a long shot”, and that we must be prepared for “huge changes in our daily lives” in the long run.&nbsp; The panel also talks about the accuracy of case numbers across the country, some states’ over-reliance on rapid antigen detection tests, and the government’s “foolhardy” denial of the existence of community transmission. Another topic of discussion is the government’s decision to allow the JEE and NEET exams to take place as scheduled in September, and the impact this might have on the spread of Covid across India. Anand summarises the academic implications of canceling the exam cycle and having a “zero year”, while Banjot gives insight on the “fear of a super-spreading event” occurring, transportation and access issues for students and states, and how other countries have dealt with similar dilemmas. On Bloomsbury India cancelling the publication of Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story, Raman contends that “the book was complete propaganda...legitimising and institutionalising violence against one particular community.” Anand says Bloomsbury India pulling the book resulted in the authors benefitting from the Streisand effect and a newfound sense of victimhood. The panel also debates issues arising from a lack of clarity in liberal definitions of free speech and justice that may have exacerbated this incident. All this and more, only on this week’s NL Hafta. Tune in! Timecodes:0:00 - Headlines05:51 - Covid In India, vaccines, herd immunity25:24 - JEE-NEET row56:04 - Bihar floods and the run-up to their state election01:08:24 - The public outrage around Bloomsbury India and the Delhi riots book&nbsp;01:26:28 - Subscriber letters on Bloomsbury India, secularism, period leave, and more01:41:16 - Recommendations Recommendations Banjot <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81048759" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak</a> Anand <a href="https://orientblackswan.com/details?id=9788178245461" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Making Sense Of Indian Democracy: Theory as Practice by Yogendra Yadav</a> <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-urban-migrant-and-the-ritual-tug-of-home/article32279861.ece" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The urban migrant and the ‘ritual’ tug of home</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53348043-the-greatest-ode-to-lord-ram" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Greatest Ode to Lord Ram: Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas; Selections &amp; Commentaries by Pavan K. Varma</a> Raman <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/08/26/i-have-waited-11-years-covid-delays-the-urban-indians-dream-to-own-a-home" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">'I have waited 11 years': Covid delays the urban Indian's dream to own a home</a> Mehraj <a href="https://www.theindiaforum.in/article/revolt-upper-castes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Revolt of the Upper Castes</a> <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/mandal-commission-onc-reservation-hindutva-christophe-jaffrelot-6564735/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Christophe Jaffrelot writes: If Modi sealed the fate of quota politics, the “Mandal moment” was over many years earlier</a> <a href="https://www.newsclick.in/What-Yogendra-Yadav-Pratap-Bhanu-Mehta-Don%27t-Get-About-Secularism" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">What Yogendra Yadav, Pratap Bhanu Mehta Don't Get About Secularism</a> Manisha <a href="https://youtu.be/doSxTeOp0Y4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Barkha Dutt on covering the migrant exodus and falling out with promoters | NL Interview</a> Abhinandan <a href="https://theconversation.com/nba-playoffs-to-resume-after-boycott-over-jacob-blake-police-shooting-145150" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NBA playoffs to resume after boycott over Jacob Blake police shooting</a> <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/08/24/bloomsbury-bends-this-is-what-an-ideological-victory-should-look-like" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bloomsbury Bends: This is what an ideological victory should look like</a> Republic National Convention Speeches <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 291: Covid vaccine and community transmission, Bloomsbury India, and the NEET-JEE exam row

This week on NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, and Mehraj D Lone are joined by Pratik Sinha, founder of Alt News. First up, the panel discusses the Wall Street Journal report on political partisanship within Facebook India. The panelists talk about Facebook’s “special relationship” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, how news dissemination has changed over the past decade, and whether social media should be considered a public service. Manisha reflects on Facebook’s influence on international affairs and its responsibility in ensuring impartiality in non-Western countries. “We need to judge them for at least the façade of the global company they portray themselves to be,” she says. In the context of Australia ordering social media sites to share news advertising revenue with traditional media organisations, Pratik notes that Facebook has “overarching control over internet infrastructure...and very little transparency and accountability”. He highlights the need for independent media organisations to come together to reduce their dependence on Facebook and Google. The conversation also spans new developments in the investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, lawyer Prashant Bhushan’s “ridiculous” sentencing hearing for being ruled guilty of contempt of court, and the controversy surrounding the release of Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl. All this and more, only on this week’s NL Hafta. Tune in! Timecodes:0:00: Headlines08:46: Facebook being a platform for hate in India39:01: Subscriber letters, rumours around SSR’s death, transparency at Newslaundry, liberalism in Islam, secularism01:18:22: Prashant Bhushan and the Supreme Court01:22:27: Gunjan Saxena and the IAF's reaction01:30:11: On making Bengaluru rioters pay for damage01:33:01: Subscriber letters01:44:17: Recommendations Recommendations:Pratik To read up on surveillance capitalism Mehraj <a href="https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2019/01/kamala-harris-tells-big-lie-2012-mortgage-settlement-good-deal-homeowners.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Kamala Harris Tells Big Lie: That 2012 Mortgage Settlement Was a Good Deal for Homeowners</a> Manisha <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/08/19/where-are-those-toxic-bihari-families-being-blamed-for-reactions-to-sushant-rajputs-death" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Where are those 'toxic Bihari families' being blamed for reactions to Sushant Rajput's death?</a> Abhinandan <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2020/08/18/903221371/how-the-pandemic-is-making-the-gender-pay-gap-worse" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How The Pandemic Is Making The Gender Pay Gap Worse</a> <a href="https://time.com/5880118/myanmar-rohingya-genocide-facebook-gambia/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">How Facebook Is Failing Myanmar Again | Time</a> <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Hafta 290: Facebook’s influence and control, Wall Street Journal on Ankhi Das, and Gunjan Saxena

Weekly wrap of events of the week peppered with context, commentary and opinion by a superstar panel. Click here to support Newslaundry: http://bit.ly/paytokeepnewsfree <hr> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

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NL Hafta

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