Rohan
I think that India is going through a mental health crisis, and we need to come up with a uniquely Indian way of therapy. Many therapists are too similar in their approach and do not try customised CBT methods. We need an Indian Carl Jung.
Deeptha
Really enjoyed this week's discussion, especially the distinction between the of this movement and the movement itself. The memes, reels and internet humour were unmistakably Gen Z, and your analysis of that was spot on. But I’m increasingly tired of every political moment being reduced to generational labels. (I’m a Xennial, by the way – apparently that’s a thing!) Calling this a “Gen Z protest” captures the movement spoke, but not it was. Democratic movements are cumulative. They inherit ideas, slogans, songs, strategies, warnings, and public memory from those that came before. This movement stood on the shoulders of the freedom struggle, anti-caste movements, student movements, anti-CAA and Jan Lokpal protests, farmers’ protests and countless quieter acts of democratic resistance. Gen Z gave this movement a brilliant new vocabulary. But the movement itself belongs to a much longer democratic tradition. Should we flatten history into a headline?
Anonymous
Couldn't help but laugh at the “Centrists change the world” remark by Chetan Bhagat because such stuff isn’t even historically true.
Keeping that aside, I have found it very interesting in the American independent media that they make it a point first to specify their political leanings before their segment so that their biases when talking about a certain topic are already on the table.
Mehdi Hasan, for instance, does point out that he's left-leaning/progressive before giving his take. This made me curious: for all the members in the panel, what’s your political leaning/ideology?
Kumud
Dear Team,
Thank you to you and other independent journalists who covered the student protests and the subsequent acts of police brutality.
I’m a pessimistic uncle when hopes are high. Modi may have lost some grip on the people, but his grip on power is intact. The ensuing crackdown is a signal that dictators have no care for democracy.
On the incidents of violence against the media, is the media separate from the government? The protests were largely peaceful from the students’ side, but definitely not Gandhian. Godi media has so far reaped benefits; it's time it realised what it has lost.
I would also request the NL team to assess Rahul Gandhi since 2014, not as an orator or politician but his stance against the BJP and its ecosystem.
Anam
This is regarding Abhinandan's frequent clarifications on Bill Maher. The problem with Maher, who – as Abhinandan mildly puts it – “borders on bigotry”, is that you're saying a person is worth listening to despite him believing that one group has the right to torture, abuse, steal and kill another group of people. I wonder what Abhinandan would think if Maher had said, “The British have a right to claim India as their land and live in it” or “So many people wouldn’t have died during Partition if Indians had let the British continue colonising their land”. It DOES NOT MATTER if Maher has had legitimate-sounding views in the past. The fact that he espouses Israel's massacres and genocides should be enough for anyone to realise that the guy is a pathetic example of what human beings can become with time. Hitler, Pol Pot and Churchill must have had some noteworthy views too. You can personally choose to read about their views, but why would you try to defend them as worthy of attention?
Saanae
Hi guys,
Interesting discussion on student protests and backlash against Godi media after Bhagat left. Shardool made more sense in his 2 minutes 18 seconds than Bhagat did in his entire appearance, not to mention his bizarre statements like “centrists change the world” and “I don't have an ideology”. I understand he is Abhinandan’s friend, but that is no reason why we should have to suffer his nonsense. Please reconsider before platforming him again. Even Abhinandan said some rubbish about how propaganda doesn’t work in this day and age. We are in the third term of the BJP and a second Trump presidency; wtf are you talking about?!
I want to take this opportunity to suggest a revolving host for Hafta. I LOVE Manisha as the host. She comes so well-prepared, with great questions for the guests; everyone gets to speak uninterrupted.
Keep up the good work.
Best wishes,
Saanaee
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