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Newslaundry
Newslaundry
National
NL Team

Hafta letters: Orwell’s 1984, bigotry, audio interviews

There appears to be a deliberate attempt to tar only the majority community in your podcast. This is especially true of one senior panelist from whom I have yet to get one adverse comment on the minority community's provocation in riots. I wish this position is corrected and fair debate happens. Also regarding custodial deaths in TN, how conveniently one panelist turned it into an also UP problem. Bias is very evident here. 

Anonymous

In a twisted tale worthy of Orwell's 1984, the BJP's creative knows no bounds, as they resort to bovine buddies to fuel their political drama. Four men from the All India Hindu Mahasabha were recently caught red-handed slaughtering cows to frame innocent Muslim men in Uttar Pradesh. The accused, intent on stirring up tensions during the already tumultuous Ram Navami celebrations, seem to have missed the memo on the true spirit of religious festivities. 

Yet, these conspirators chose to propagate deception and incite hatred, aligning themselves more with the sinister machinations of BJP than with any righteous cause. In this dark comedy of intolerance, the holy cow is just another pawn in the game, and one can't help but draw parallels to the Nazi stages of genocide. As if Indian Muslims didn't have enough reasons to be afraid, now they can add this  conspiracy to their list of daily horrors.

Orwell warned, "The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it."

Khalid

I have been a subscriber for over two years and have been following NL Hafta and Charcha for the longest time. The NL panel and its guests offer valuable insights and in-depth analysis on a range of topics.

As someone from Karnataka, I am eagerly looking forward to the 2023 election coverage. I have also contributed to NL Sena and am excited about the upcoming subscriber meet in Bengaluru. However, I have a small suggestion. While NL is primarily focused on North India, I would love to see more stories related to South India. Perhaps NL could partner with TNM or another news agency to produce collaborative stories and ground reports. This would offer a more comprehensive and diverse perspective to its readers.

I have always wanted to contribute to NL in addition to my subscription. I was intrigued by the "Friends of NL" initiative that was discussed in previous Haftas. Can you please let me know how I can be of any help when you are in Bengaluru?

Sachin

Technical issue to report: There is a problem in your iOS app. If I want to increase the playback speed. 1.25 or 1.5 or 1.75 speed doesnt work.

Great job on your reporting, stories and interviews. Please keep doing more of these. Tippani and TV Newsance are my weekly dopamine. 

Tarun

I am writing to you today to express my concerns about the bigotry that I have observed in various Indian WhatsApp groups based in the UK. As someone who lives in England and is member in these groups, I have noticed that the NRIs are particularly bigoted.

The groups are filled with messages about how Modi is taking India to become the Vishwaguru and how amazing India is. Unfortunately, most of the Indians I interact with here are andh-bhakts

I would like to ask these individuals who are so quick to praise India why they are not living there if it is truly as amazing as they claim it to be. It is important to recognise that India, like any other country, has its share of problems and challenges that need to be addressed.

Thank you for taking the time to read my email. I appreciate all the work that you do.

Rambhakt

Hello NL team. No need to read my letter out loud on the podcast. Just wanted to request you to publish the NL Interviews in audio form as well. The interviews with Ram Guha and Siddique Kappan are available in audio form in the NL Conservations section but nothing after that. Please, add the other new interviews as well.

Nipun

Hi NL team, great work. I have been a subscriber since September 2022 and haven't missed any Hafta since then. My mother is also really impressed by NL's work and is a huge fan of Newsance. She considers Hafta to be as insightful and recalls it as Prannoy Roy's The World This Week.

My question to the panel is about the Uyghur genocide in China and what is the panel's view on it, as the Indian left categorically denies it and states it as something manufactured by the western media. Sitaram Yechury also had denied it an interview with Samdish. Thanks.

Divgunn

Hi Raman sir,

You had mentioned in Hafta 426 that no government sells liquor (31 min, 21 sec). The statement is factually incorrect. Tasmac is a Tamil Nadu government entity that sells liquor in the state. The Kerala State Beverages (M&M) Corporation Ltd is a government entity (Bevco) that sells alcohol in the state of Kerala. Though I agree with you that liquor collection in government stores sucks. The AAP police might be horrible but ti does not mean it hasn't been done before.

Raman sir, I admire you a lot. You are a great example of how a person can put across one's views and still be humble. You are the soul of Newslaundry.

Abhinandan, stop doing my accent on your shows. It's truly annoying. Nobody has done it since 2014. Every VIP who has come to my tamasha has tolerated my accent. Tum kya jano...

Au revoir...

Yours truly,

Yesterday's Puri

Manishaji, on crime reduction in UP, why are you deflecting my request to substantiate the claim with data? I agree that opinions matter. I also agree that numbers can mean different things and they can be questioned, further leading to more questions and narratives. 

In Hindi (pheeling samjho): NL ko bhi sirf opinion hi pelna hai to free main Godi Media kya bura hai!

Asgar

Perhaps not the right channel to make this request and not a topic for the Hafta but I have to make this request.

Could you please interview Sudha Murthy as she was awarded the Padma Bhushan recently? Most interviews of her just don't seem real as they come across as very star-struck by her. Would be interesting to know how she copes with fact that her daughter's net worth is more than the queen of England while, through her social work, she must come across people that are denied opportunities and struggle for basic things. Does she think it's ok or fair for one individual to have that much wealth? Not to attack her for others' sins but interesting to know how she deals with this dichotomy, if she acknowledges it exists. 

Arthi

Following up on my email from last week on the same topic. Case in point, Abhinandan's interviews with Mehdi Hassan or Salvatore Babones are not available as audio only. In fact, the last one I can find in this section of the app is from Feb 25, which is over a month ago. It would be much better if the audio feeds are uploaded at the same time as the videos. Let me know if I'm missing something...

Also, on a side note, I have missed perspectives of team members like Mehraj and Meghnad in recent conversations and discussions. I don't see both of them on the org chart (and that's understandable), but it would be great to bring in additional younger team members (no offence) onto these podcasts, as it brings in diverse perspectives across age groups and also helps us get to know the team better.

Idris

Newslaundry is a reader-supported, ad-free, independent news outlet based out of New Delhi. Support their journalism, here.

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