Srikanta
I may not be able to stick to the 150 word limit as I am typing extempore.
Thanks to Manisha for countering Jayashree’s ill-timed rant on “women thrown to dogs”.
I agree that it is not unpatriotic to ask questions of the government but “who asks the question and when” matters. An uppercaste person questioning (howsoever legitimate) Dalit imaginations and ways. She or he will be seen as “privileged, casteist, and insensitive”.
A Dalit person finding (howsoever legitimate) inequalities in every nook and corner, will be seen as “fighting for justice”, while some of it could be “self-fulfilling prophecy”.
A left-wing liberal questioning “capitalism” (however legitimate) will be seen as someone indoctrinated by ______, because he/she will be a valued consumer of everything that the capitalist economy brings to them (head for business and bod for sin! = quote from the movie Working Girl, 1988).
A right-winger questioning “social security spending” (however legitimate) will be seen as someone alienated from ground realities, a beneficiary of caste-politics (not anti-caste, to use a pro-Dalit phrase).
In the same vein, if the government is questioned, especially on border tensions, by The Wire (bada bhai/ badi behen), Caravan (lamba bhai, lambi behen) or the NL (chota bhai, choti behen), it will come across as songs set to music by birds of a feather. Sadly, in India, we also have media outlets that are singing tunes set by the government and they are so loud and so eager to impress their ring masters that you wonder what the song is. The ‘be sure’ bunch, worse than AI (a new gaali I have come up with). I can only say that those who are questioning have a song set to tune, even if their lyrics are indoctrinated and outdated.
When Jayashree wonders about patriotism, I was reminded of her own reflections on “privilege” when she was responding to Ramachandra Guha in a previous episode.
Anonymous
Assuming the ceasefire holds, what was the point of all this? What was our aim? What did we gain? For any Indian that's not a bloodthirsty Islamophobe or just venerates the PM, the last week or so is shameful.
1) India came across as a bully because globally we had zero voices. And why? Because BJP is too preoccupied with controlling the narrative internally, it has built an army of low-IQ sellouts. You can't send a Ranga or Iyer Mitra on a Sky or a CNN.
2) Secondly, our media hit the lowest point possible, what was worse was that it got exposed on the global stage and made Indians a laughing stock.
3) The manner in which a lot of critical voices were shut on social media was just North Korea stuff.
4) Pardon my French, who the fuck is our ally? Pakistan rattled off names US, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey etc. Who did we have?
5) And finally, our government should be ashamed that Trump announced the ceasefire.
This was a disaster. And this is before we even talk about the people who lost their lives.
Anonymous
Interestingly, I had a chance to talk to American political streamer HasanAbi today, and I guess the conversation was quite revealing of how the sensible side of the West views India.
In his view, India was the aggressor in the conflict because we attacked civilian parts of Pak and didn't show any proof globally that the Pahalgam attack had Pak's involvement.
Even if we keep this to one side, he expressed a broader point of how we are now perceived globally. The rabid racists would look at us and call us “smelly” but the even the more sensible bunch does not have a great view.
Something he pointed out that I was not aware of is that some of the biggest pro-Israel voices/White supremacist accounts on X are actually run by Indians. Indians, the loudest of them atleast are anti-Muslim. Modi is looked at in the same league as an Erdogan, an Orban, or a Trump.
Hence, in the conflict, it was almost a reflex to take anti-Modi. Had a question for you, were we always viewed in this manner?
Aurisha
Dear team,
Loved Kashmir ki Kahaani. Shamefully realised how much of Kashmir’s history I had forgotten. What do we really mean when we say Kashmir is an “integral part of India”? Is it just the valley as a resource for Modi’s corporate allies? Or are the people part of that “integral” narrative, too? If they are, why are their voices so often missing from national narratives? In recent weeks, we’ve seen haunting stories from Pahalgam, followed swiftly by celebrations of military valour. From media figures like Faye D’Souza to Bollywood stars like Alia Bhatt, the focus feels selective: celebrating soldiers while mourning Pahalgam victims and the stock market.
If Kashmiris are truly integral, why don’t we mourn their suffering with the same urgency? They seem to be the biggest victims, treated as collateral damage. Is the mainstream media solely to blame, or is a deeper systemic neglect at play?
Nithila
Very engaging discussion on Hafta 536. It was good to listen to a diversity of perspectives and view points, and all of them were perfectly sane and reasonable! Wish TV media would take note.
Kezia
I am writing to you regarding last week’s Hafta. I particularly want to appreciate Jayashree’s guts in calling a spade a spade by pointing out the government's tokenism in making Col. Sofiya Qureshi one of the faces of Operation Sindoor, and in the same vein allowing the Indian media to peddle their “Muslim bad” line again and again, even going so far as to brand an Iranian diplomat a “pig”.
Can this government not shut down these uncouth TRP-mongers if it so wishes? They banned TikTok; these media channels are just rats in comparison. But of course, the mainstream media is owned by bigshot capitalists, and in allowing them to run amok, India has inched closer to the US’s brand of crony capitalism. Optics matter when you have the ideology and policy to go with it, whereas the BJP’s ideology goes against the very fabric of unity in diversity. Even RSS has not been so anti-Muslim of lately as the BJP has.
In fact, I will even go a bit further and say that I do not even agree with the title, “Operation Sindoor”, because as a feminist, the sindoor and mangalsutra traditions are not something I agree with in general. Moreover, a Christian woman also lost her husband that day, but her loss is overlooked by naming it so, as sindoor is not a part of the Christian tradition. But this does not surprise me as Christians are the long-forgotten, invisible minority in this country, even though we are a sizable population and have experienced discrimination and violence time and again. Nevertheless, I appreciate how we can agree to disagree (kudos to Jayashree and Manisha), unlike our esteemed mainstream media personnel who start frothing at the mouth at the slightest whiff of disagreement.
So, great job, Newslaundry! We do need such level-headed reporting during these uncertain times.
Salman
We’ve often talked about the unsustainability of the TV media’s divisive, hatemongering, warmongering antics. Do you think they’ve finally crossed a line even the government will not tolerate, with the way they've peddled fake news and misinformation since Pahalgam and the subsequent fighting between India and Pakistan?
Atin
Hello NL team,
Apart from NL, the only other news app on my phone is Indian Express, and in the recent past, I have noticed multiple slips or a changing stance in Indian Express’ reporting.
For example, on the “hands-off” protest, their reporter wrote “the liberal protesters” which felt diminishing. The protesters (definitely not all) might have had a liberal outlook but to ‘brand’ them as liberal protesters seemed to be an effort to chip at their credibility and stance.
Second, on follow-up on Kiran Bedi story, NL was mentioned as “an online portal”, not even “online news portal” or better yet “Newslaundry”.
Third in the reporting on Sindoor, Col. Qureshi's first name was written as Sophia, but her name is Sofiya. These are what I can currently think of, but they have many more “slippages” that perhaps need a laundry day with NL.
Harkirat
It was infuriating to see Ranveer on Piers’s show. He showed up unprepared, holding pictures, hoping for a dramatic Bollywood-style “dhantanannn moment.” When the Pakistani panelist mocked him over the joke controversy and pro-government podcast guests, he had no comeback. I understand not wanting to deflect, but this panelist is the host of TPE – a vocal critic of the Pak establishment who had called out their army’s historic propaganda and lies. Why not use it against them? Watching Ranveer do his signature headshake (this time with a frown), while Barkha Dutt tried to articulate India’s stance, was cringeworthy. Honestly, even Barkha looked tired, cornered and did not counter the narrative effectively, but at least she had her facts right. I understand our government’s anti-minority rhetoric makes it harder to argue for our diversity, but this was just painful to watch. Don't we have anybody in the country to get our story to the world. What I wouldn’t have given to see Shardool or Manisha on that panel.
I am so sorry for the rant, and thank you so much for always being a sane voice.
Bhargav
Dear NL Hafta team,
I really enjoyed Hafta 528 and the discussion with Amit Verma on tariffs and protectionism. To expand this conversation, I’d love to suggest Ha-Joon Chang as a guest.
Chang, a leading heterodox economist, challenges free-market orthodoxy in books like Kicking Away the Ladder, Bad Samaritans, and 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism. His work argues that today’s richest nations used protectionism to grow and critiques globalised capitalism’s impact on developing economies.
He’s a warm, affable communicator who simplifies complex ideas, making him a fantastic fit for Hafta. I’ve seen him appear even on small podcasts, so he might be open to joining. A conversation with him could provide fresh perspectives on economic policy, trade, and India’s development path.
Hope you consider it! Thanks for the great work.
Peri Sai Teja
Respected panel,
Looking at the highhandedness displayed by politicians and their goonda followers over Kunal Kamra’s comedy or anyone else’s has raised a stink I am unable to escape. I was watching a video a few weeks back of Andrew Schulz and other comedians in the US reacting to what happened to Samay/BeerCiceps and the manner in which they were commenting on the state of freedom of speech in this country led me to lower my head in shame. This is the perception that every act of suppression is creating in the minds of discerning individuals. In fact, I suggest one must let this issue not die as part of the news cycle but challenge these bullies. I request to kindly host Kunal Kamra in the upcoming Hafta episode and discuss in detail this whole business of suppressing through violence, pliant media, police highhandedness and destruction of RTI. Let the revolution begin!!
Methodman
I know you get pushback, but could we have more editors roundup like last time? It’s not current affairs, and you get to talk about deeper stuff at length. And disagree. You should do this with Supriya/Hartosh. And co-opt Anand as an honorary member. If only to roll his eyes at proceedings.
It was also nice because I've tried to provoke you to discuss patriotism/nationalism in a couple of previous letters, without success. I think it deserves more attention because it’s hard to state what Indians share: is it purely transactional (constitution), happenstance (colonialism) or Hinduism (Ramayana/reincarnation). I tried to make a list, and came up with monsoons, mangoes, caste and classical music. Not a very strong basis for nationhood.
I tend to agree with Manisha/Dhanya/Anand. It can’t be about values because then it’s okay to persecute heretics. Without it, we have no reason to do things for each other. Besides which, if India would dissolve, it would be with a lot of bloodshed.
Arthi
Hi,
I’d like to request NL to consider for their next NL Sena, the omnipresent private healthcare systems (from GPs to hospitals) in India. Perhaps even pharmacies as I think this is all one big system and each cannot thrive without the other.
From over-prescriptions of medicines in general care to private hospitals advising surgeries as the one and only way to solve any problem at all. Totally avoidable and unnecessary surgeries in most cases like replacing knees, removing uteruses, bypass and angioplasties, stents and whatnot.
There is just no intent for prevention of illnesses in these systems, only cure and cure only through means of medicines or surgeries. No GP has the general knowledge of nutrition or physical fitness to advise their patients but simply writing down prescriptions of medicines ending up in medicine subscriptions in families specially among the older aged. Absolutely no regard for people’s pockets. I hope you consider. Thank you!
Simar
I’m a big fan of NL Hafta – it’s my weekly source of news from India. I was recently listening to Nikhil’s Kamath WTH Is Policing episode and learned that the traffic police in Bengaluru have bodycams. I wonder if police across India also use them and, if so, how are extrajudicial killings still happening?
I would be really curious to see how a report on technology like bodycams, CCTVs and other tools can help keep the police more accountable. I feel it would fit well with your policy impunity series.
PS: Special shoutout to Manisha. I value her perspective on Hafta and the wit and sensibility of Newsance.
Aditya
Hello team, over the last few years the job outlook in the IT sector has been pretty bleak, with companies either putting a freeze on new hirings or laying off employees at large scale, there are various factors at play I believe you people should do one LTA about it where you can bring subject experts for discussion who can explain the nuances and intricacies of the issue and also how the freshers can navigate this tricky terrain.
Aarif Siddiqui
Dear NL team, I religiously watch Hafta, which is always very engaging and a great discourse. However, I feel that there is a wont of discussion on scientific topics that directly or indirectly impact our society. India in general is greatly uneducated on this front. We grapple with a plethora of issues such as antibiotic abuse, lack of vaccination despite cervical cancer being the second most frequent cancer in Indian women and much of it is attributed to human papilloma virus, the chronic effect of perpetual exposure to noise pollution on mental and physiological health. The list is exhaustive.
It would be great if occasionally Hafta could also broach these issues. Hopefully, Hafta audiences will be a source of further public awareness. Since I have a considerably decent experience in cancer research, I will be more than happy to contribute with background information if there is ever a discussion on that.
Anonymous
A suggestion for the #FightToBreathe campaign. What if it becomes mandatory for every student to plant a tree every year of their schooling and they have to ensure that the tree exists for 10 years till they pass out of the school. They should be graded on the existence of the tree, species, longevity etc. This will educate the future generations on trees and their importance. Also if people can make money of live trees they would have higher chances of survival. And an entire ecosystem will be created around providing this facility for the school kids (land, seeds security etc).
Safwaan
Hi NL team. I’m a great fan of your Hafta. In last week’s Hafta, Abhinandan made a passing reference to Radha Soami Satsang and Ranbaxy connection. Hope to see a detailed story on this premise.
Cheers, keep up the good work. More power to you.
Ibrahim
Letter 1:
On the discussion of a way forward for Hafta letters, I would like to suggest having a separate podcast, maybe called NL Adda or so, where all letters and feedback from subscribers is read out and discussed by most, if not all, members of the NL team. In this way, other podcasts which receive less feedback can also be discussed. This will make the Hafta be well within one and half hours and create separate space for subscribers which is behind the paywall. I have another suggestion in another mail which I would love for the panel to discuss.
Letter 2:
Part 1/2: Reacting to your Outlook story, I have a suggestion. After 30 years of the internet, it is safe to say websites are not the best place to read news. The infinite scroll and webpage format does not sit right with absorbing in depth news stories. It is also not fair for great stories done by NL to be said in the same breath and format as shitshow propagandists like Opindia and crawling giants like NDTV. As reflected by NL’s own panel’s preferences of reading newspapers as a primary source of news, I suggest the news stories and the great graphic work to be curated in a digital magazine format ( eg using Issuu, Scribd, Magzter). This can include links to video and audio content as well. You can have the odd printed special versions as well or print versions for libraries. A digital magazine will give greater gravitas to your journalism like I think the format does to Caravan magazine. Of course content is king but the medium matters.
Letter 3:
Part 2/2: Of course content is king but the medium matters. This will also shut up illogical arguments from certain chief ministers who do not consider digital journalists as “real” journalists. It can either be weekly or monthly and be a great replacement for the newsletter. I would love to hear suggestions from the panel for the name of such a magazine. Examples can be NL Monthly, Weekly Load, The Monthly Rinse. As a magazine junkie and with the fall of Outlook and India Today, I look forward to the front covers of a Newslaundry magazine.
Anish Rao
Hey NL team,
This time, just one email – and it’s all me, not ChatGPT! Regarding air pollution, I will definitely reach out again once I review the literature a bit more and analyse the issue from research, policy, and scientific perspectives.
In the meantime, I noticed that several newspapers (The Hindu, TOI, etc.) covered a study from last year on air pollution led by a team including Prof. Sachchida Nand Tripathi from IIT Kanpur. I believe a well-explained popular science piece on this study might be valuable.
I had planned to complete my write-up on it by the weekend but couldn’t finish in time. Once it’s done, I will send it your way as well.
Till then, wishing you all the best of the best!
(PS: It’s 137 words this time, including the PS.)
Sajeev Khan
Hi Team NL,
This is Sajeev again from a tiny part of Kerala.
I think India is a country of misplaced priorities. To mention a few examples:
1. No focus of improving primary health and education
2. Instead of uniting the country based on common development goals, we find ways on dividing people based on useless issues
3. No focus on providing primary needs such as clean air, drinking water or improving cleanliness in public spaces
4. Bribing citizens with cash for votes instead of providing jobs that can improve quality of life of fellow citizens
I can go on and on…
Can Newslaundry come up with a list of misplaced priorities that this country is pursuing. This could help the government correct its course.
Vineet
Hey,
I've been wondering lately – has Newslaundry become a bit of an echo chamber? It feels like a small but vocal subscriber base is shaping coverage too much, and there’s been a shift toward more sensationalist takes, believe it or not, especially when calling out media outlets and the state. The content that gets the most traction seems to be the loudest in a way that is comparable to legacy media.
Have we done any internal research on what content we’re pushing, the amount of traction it is getting, and from what spectrum of our subscribers? Truly independent journalism comes from understanding these nuances I believe. Can we also consider a model like the Guardian’s Scott Trust? A board with diverse ideological voices could help ensure balance.
That said, I love your work. And forever grateful to Raman sir – you once recommended the Huberman podcast on metabolism and health, and it truly saved my life.
Keep up the great work, but please be mindful.
Anish
Hi team,
Big fan of your work – keep it up! In the last Hafta, the discussion on the 3-language rule in NEP and Tamil Nadu’s opposition was shallow.
Jayashree and Shabbir wrongly claimed Hindi threatens regional languages, ignoring states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, and the Northeast, where Hindi coexists without harm. Read their literature and observe their growth with the passage of time. The real issue in TN isn’t Hindi – it’s resistance to any language other than Tamil. Unlike other South Indian states, TN exhibits a superiority complex towards other cultures and languages. Their fear of Hindi is exaggerated; parents can choose any third language. No one discusses how TN opposes even other South Indian languages. I agree Sanskrit is a waste, and North Indian states should pick a regional language instead. Please analyse such issues deeply instead of a superficial take. The real divide isn’t just North-South but South-South. No offense meant, just disappointed in the discussion.
ATB!
Kartheek
Hi team, Regular listener of NL Hafta since 2015 here. I want to share a few thoughts on the issue of language.
I'm from Andhra Pradesh, a state where there is least political opposition to Hindi, which is ironic since Andhra was formed out of a political movement of Telugu speakers.
My Hindi is okay-ish, but living in Bangalore, I've felt there are practical reasons to learn it. Despite being in the South, my gated community (the third in six years) celebrates festivals North Indian style, with Bollywood flair. Friends in Hyderabad echo this. My parents feel out of place while visiting, but they met more South Indian friends in the US. I want my son to learn Hindi to make friends and “blend in”.
Given the demographic trends, it seems inevitable. Plus, speaking a desi language is better for cultural exchanges. And let's be honest – it's handy for workplace gossip abroad!
Would love to know your views.
Soma Sekhar
Great work.
1. Wondering if the Rs 660 crore is spent on science and tech education rather than on Sanskrit. If Hindi is for cultural reasons, then how are politicians comfortable with English?
2. Bhakt Mandali around me blames Ukraine for the war. How can they be the culprit in this war?
3. Can you have an episode to walk through why a certain number of producers, journalists and other team members are needed to cover a story. Often the supporting crew doesn't get due recognition because news consumers like me don't know what happens in the background.
4. More than the news, I love NL and TNM bringing their varied views on a news event. The world is not black & white and your views are what adds value to a news story.
Vishnu
Hi team,
Trump withholding federal funding and the union govt here is doing the same with the language laws. In the case of politics, the USA is behind India in being anti democratic. We even had casteism before they went full racist and Nazi.
The language issue is about Hindi even though it's not explicitly said. The one country, one people, one language, one leader idea is fascist. I had to use the big f-word, but here it is needed.
The worst part is Sanskrit, which was a dead language, only the powerful were allowed to use. People were killed for trying to learn it if they were from oppressed castes. Now it is imposed and promoted. Why not just promote a language that was wiped out by Hindi imposition?
All languages have value but Sanskrit has a casteist history as well. It was made to maintain casteism and we should support all other languages before it.
People from the north have learnt southern languages because they needed it, not because it was imposed.
Adnan Noor Hasan Shaikh
Hi,
Adnan Noor Hasan Shaikh – India-qualified lawyer working globally.
Firstly, you guys do a great job – whether it’s Tippani, Hafta, Newsance, or your interviews. I lived in London for four years and stayed connected to India through you.
Secondly, I’m dumbfounded that when AAP lost Delhi, no one – from Yogendra Yadav, Raju Parilekar to YouTube journalists – addressed voter ID fraud. The media framed it as AAP’s failure, ignoring that they raised the same concerns as INC. Maybe this deserves coverage.
Thirdly, South Central is fantastic. A similar project for the Northeast would be amazing.
Fourthly, Prof. Ulhas Bapat (senior constitutional lawyer) should be on your show.
I’ll write more soon! Best of luck!
Mohi
Letter 1:
Dear NL Hafta team,
I was a subscriber when the fee was Rs 300 before the joint subscription was introduced. Currently, I have a UPI mandate of 300 set up in my app, and I’d like to upgrade to the new 500 per month subscription. The simplest option I can think of is to cancel my existing subscription and resubscribe to the new one. Would I lose my subscription streak? Is there a way to add 200 to my current subscription to match it?
I’m proud to support independent, ad-free journalism, and I believe it speaks volumes when subscribers like myself are eager to pay more in support – unlike other platforms like Netflix and Prime, which simply increase their fees. It’s a testament to the quality and impact you have, and I want to commend the entire Newslaundry team for your exceptional work. Keep it up!
Letter 2:
Following up on my previous email about subscription upgrades, I wanted to ask about your stance on donations. Would it be possible to create an NGO arm for Newslaundry, where people can contribute funds?
As the 2024 financial year is coming to a close, I would prefer to donate and claim it under Section 80G rather than giving my money to the government, which often ends up in the pockets of legacy media in exchange for government ads and propaganda.
You can decide on the cause, but a few ideas could be: CSR activities aimed at educating underprivileged communities about good news (as opposed to the negative narratives they are typically exposed to) or even supporting more internships with fair stipends to ensure that this new form of journalism continues to thrive.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
Anonymous
This letter need not be read, as it is just feedback. This week we have had an overdose of Kunal Kamra on all your shows – A&A, Newsance, Hafta AND South Central. The content is repetitive, so kindly refrain from discussing/critiquing the same story across all platforms, however important it may be. Thanks!
AT
As we continue searching for the best way to handle emails, I suggest using AI to summarise them into 100 or 200 words. This way, we can share the key points while keeping things concise, and those who want the full details can access the complete version, which may be hosted on the website.
Karthik
Abhi, love and praise incoming. A long-term subscriber here and I love the work you guys are doing but what really keeps me glued is Abhi's viewpoints – his brash and unapologetic attitude in calling a spade a spade, and the utter disgust for the current government. I can understand the disdain and angst to live in a country which recently seems to be filled with morons, not really be able to change anything. Your recent podcast with kintu-parantu made me write this. Please continue being yourself and keep hosting hafta. Would love to see Gareebdas and Lakhj again!!!
Peri Sai Teja
Respected Abhinandan,
It was an interesting insight regarding the reach of radio and why perhaps the government is not permitting news to be aired on FM. In the 21st century, with cheaper internet prices, podcasts could be an ideal substitute for radio in the way people consume it, which is typically while driving or while engaged in another activity. I wonder if a dedicated daily (or even multiple times a day) news podcast by a credible news organisation without the jingoism of TV news style will be highly educational and impactful.
Regarding campus pe crackdown documentary:
• There are other ways to get your word across than graffiti. If I want to pee in front of the VC office as a form of dissent. Should this be allowed?
• Agree more with Anand Vardhan’s analysis of student politics on campus these days. Was he consulted before/while making the documentary?
Shishir
Hello Newslaundry team,
Thank you for the work you guys are doing. News has meaning because of the work your team does. I have a question related to the police impunity project. Could you briefly walk us through the process followed for the project? How does your team get the related reports? How do you validate or authenticate reports before arriving at conclusions?
Thank you. Wishing you guys the best!
Ashwin
I have been a subscriber for several years and became a TNM member a year back. Great work!
I was wondering if Mehraj is in touch with NL at all. He would have been a great panelist considering the latest Kashmir attack and caste census discussion. He was a great voice previously on these topics.
Also, for NL tech team – anytime I have to pause an interview or video on the NL iPhone app and then come back to it later, the app refreshes and I lose the timestamp. It has made me stop watching almost all videos on the app. I prefer to watch Hafta on YouTube or Spotify. Could you please look into this? I don’t recall this being a problem when I had an Android phone. I am using iOS 18.4.1.
N747
Abhinandan, South Central is performing better in discussions than you. The discussion on the Supreme Court ruling on the Governor was way more deep and interesting than what was heard on Charcha or Hafta.
RS
I know that I have, with my “killjoy” feminism, made some harsh comments about Abhinandan Sekhri in past letters. But after sitting through this week's South Central with Mohandas Pai, I take it all back. Now that I know how bad it can be, I have become more appreciative of the Hafta host.
Venkat
I can't believe both Shardool and Jayashree brushed aside the battle of Thermopylae as folklore in Hafta 533. It most definitely isn't. Top history podcasts like Empire and Rest Is History have tackled this in detail. Yes the movie exaggerated as all movies do. But folklore it isn't. Keep up the good work.
Yuyutsu
Hi Niku, what's your views on the interview of “your friend” Chetan Bhagat with Karan Thapar?
Madan
#531| HCU Bulldozer video with peacock voiceover is edited.
Ibrahim
Hi, I had written in last week but I might have written in after the mails were compiled for last week. So just adding in for this week, so there would be a combined four letters from me. Just wanted to add that the discussion on the Waqf Bill was good and I would like it if you could get interviews of multiple Muslim voices on the issue like Imran Pratapgarhi or Adeeb Ahmed.
Plus a photo of the Waqf Board board being used by you and many other media outlets reads in Urdu as ‘hyper desh waqf’ which I could not understand until I saw the full photo which reads Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board. I think the decline of Urdu literacy in north India among ALL people can be one of the reasons for decline in civility and inter-community harmony. Kyunki jinko saza deni thi unko hum saja rahe hain
Akshay Shankar
I've been subscribed to Newslaundry for sometime now. I just got done watching Hafta 530 where (in the letter section) some listeners appear to have claimed that Abhinandan is “disliked” as a host. I would like to thoroughly disagree. I find Abhinandan to be an engaging, reasonable and thoughtful host. He often goes out of his way to acknowledge his own privilege and to consider someone else's viewpoint. Please keep up the good work! Thankful that you exist.
Jesal Parekh
Just adding something I thought was missed from the India-Pakistan CT discussion. The ICC awarded Pakistan hosting rights in 2021 (so it wasn't designed to give a trophy to India because they lost the 2023 World Cup, as Jayashree said. But it was brought back in so that India and Pakistan play each other again because $$$$).
The BCCI has an effective veto power at the ICC because of the money it brings in.
The BCCI could have opposed ICC's decision to award hosting rights to Pakistan citing security concerns or could have proposed a dual hosting arrangement, but it's unclear why they chose not to do so. Especially when the son of the home minister is the head of the BCCI and the MHA provides clearances to sports teams to visit Pakistan (afaik). In my opinion, waiting till the last minute not to send the team to Pakistan was done to embarrass Pakistan, which is petty.
Mrunal
Sorry for the long message and hope it reaches the Newslaundry team and Mr Sekhri. This is in regards to the Hafta episode 528.
Abhinandan sir was right in questioning whether privatisation has led to decreased poverty or not. The way the poverty line is calculated and poverty rates are determined seems flawed if you look at the raw data.
Considering the Tendulkar Committee report on which the poverty baseline was determined in 2011-12 (since last actual Census was done then). The BPL was Rs 816 and Rs 1,000 in rural and urban areas per month resp. The same was Rs 213 and Rs 355 in 1990. While the World Bank absolute poverty line is increased from 1$ per day to 1.9$ per day. This gives a factor of 3.83 (rural) 2.82 (urban) and 1.9 (global). While if we consider the inflation it has a total inflation factor of 5.66 from 1990 to 2012 by compounding it for YOY basis. Even if we consider the total inflation factor in terms of gold prices in USD that still is 4.36 times from 1990 to 2012. The BPL should have been adjusted as per the inflation rates in India or at least by the factor in which gold prices have risen.
So, I don't understand why these things aren't considered while calculating the BPL. Or maybe because they only consider the basic necessities like food and nutrition and the inflation in FMCG prices.
It seems like shifting the goalposts to me.
Like if the inflation rises by 2x and wages are increased by 1.5x and BPL is increased by only 1.2x a lot of people won't be technically poor anymore and government can show that they have been brought out of poverty while the people may feel that they can't even purchase the products they used to earlier due to inflation.
Also nowadays the government may also include the subsidies provided by them towards people's income and manipulate the data accordingly.
Also I don't completely agree with Amit sir that globalisation had led to decreased poverty. In fact if you observe the state of the economy you'll notice that PPP has increased after globalisation of Indian economy in 1991 and there are a lot of individuals who are living on debts and have defaulted loans which is harmful in the long run for the economy.
The competition in economies is better for everyone as Amit sir suggested, but the competition has to be fair which isn't the case in real life. And while I do support the free markets, I would also like the markets to be fair and regulated. Because one of the downfalls of capitalism has been the unfair trade practices and monopolisation of industries by giant companies due to lapse in market regulations. These big companies tend to crush their competitors by tilting and manipulating the markets post monopolisation. Also some of these companies influence the state policies in their favour, to exploit workers and artificially inflate markets.
Also as he said that reducing the tariffs will be better for consumers as well because we will be paying lower prices. But this is based on the assumption that it will be invested back in the economy and more jobs will be created by that. But we tend to forget that we have a lot of wealth hoarders as well, who would hoard a lot of tangible assets like land, natural resources, FMCG products, etc and create an artificial shortage.
And I don't also understand why there is a notion that privatisation leads to more technological innovations. It's more of a balance between the two.
Privatisation more likely excels at scaling, optimizing, and commercializing innovations. The profit motive sharpens their focus as they’re incentivised to refine technologies, cut costs, and get products to market fast. SpaceX’s reusable rockets, for instance, were built on NASA’s foundational work but slashed launch costs dramatically, something which government programs often struggle to do.
On the flip side, many groundbreaking innovations, especially the big, risky, long-term ones, often start with state sponsorship. The internet came from DARPA, nuclear power from the Manhattan Project, and even early semiconductor research leaned heavily on government grants. States can afford to bankroll projects with no immediate payoff.
Historical data shows that over 70 percent of the most transformative drugs over the past few decades traced back to NIH funding, not private R&D.
Private innovation can also leap forward when competition or vision drives it like Apple, Bell Labs etc. Meanwhile, state-funded projects can stagnate if they lack market feedback or get bogged down in red tape like the Soviet Union.
The real dynamic is coexistence. States often seed the risky, foundational stuff, like basic science or infrastructure, while private players take those seeds and run, adapting them to real-world demands. A 2021 MIT study on innovation ecosystems found that countries with strong public-private collaboration (like the US or South Korea) consistently outpace those leaning too hard on just one (like heavily state-driven China in some sectors).
So, privatisation is better at amplifying and deploying than inventing out of thin air. State sponsorship has a stronger track record for the initial breakthroughs, especially when the payoff’s uncertain or decades away.
So, opening up our industries for private players, especially the core ones like healthcare, education and energy, leads to more damage in the long run as private enterprises are profit driven and have less societal benefits.
Also I feel like removing the tariffs at a stage where our manufacturing is already down will result in a further economic decline, and we will become more dependent on other economies instead of being self reliant and it could hurt us in the long term. If the government of India wants, it could come to a compromise and remove tariffs on FMCG products, natural resources and raw materials rather than finished goods or automobiles which could even benefit the local industries instead.
Asha
Hi team,
I sincerely appreciate the work you do. Your fearless journalism is essential in times when speaking sense is becoming difficult. I have contributed to the Hindu Rashtra project for the following reasons. As a PhD student at IIT ___, I’ve seen many peers adopt rigid ideologies, calling themselves Sanatani and thinking of them as alpha males. Worryingly, these aren’t the worst students but some of the best, and their thinking has become increasingly narrow.
I recall feeling uneasy back in 12th grade when the 2014 campaign was everywhere. While I acknowledge flaws in the previous government, I disliked how caste and religion became central at that time. Today, anyone questioning the dominant narrative is labelled a left-winger.
Newslaundry’s independent journalism is critical, and I deeply appreciate your commitment. Keep up the great work!
Asgar
On Hafta conversation on Charlie Hebdo!
Prophet Mohammed [PBUH] claimed to be a human. He was born, ate food and died. He is probably the most scrutinised, praised and criticised person who walked the earth. His influence extends to modern life, across the globe. Everyone has freedom to accept/reject, believe/disbelieve, praise/criticise his teachings.
Every instruction of the Prophet is law. Please nuance between instruction, recommendation and practice without verbiage. In this context a lie has serious world implications. For example, “72 virgins” is a fabrication that got amplified by the media and people lose their lives.
Does creative freedom extend to fabrication, concoction or lie in modern law? By definition, caricature or fiction is not authentic! Try European freedom to fact-check Holocaust or use accurate language for Palestine or wear a scarf!
Truth between the legs and fakes between the ears! Did Ramanji say this? Taking creativity freedom with?
Vaibhav
Dear Hafta team,
Thanks for reading my email on the extra Hafta episode. As I had expected, Abhinandan defended his position saying there were no RSS sympathisers in IAC (except Kiran Bedi). I beg to differ here, subsequent behaviour from Kejriwal and AAP during Shaheen Bagh protests and Delhi riots is evidence enough that RSS ideology had seeped in and was probably always there long before IAC was formed.
In fact, the overall formulation of the IAC movement (of focusing on financial corruption) was addressing mainly the middle and upper middle class of the society where RSS influence is widespread.
This issue is close to my heart, hence I have contributed a small sum to The Hindu Rashtra Project. Looking forward to the coverage. You guys are doing great work. Keep it up!
Heihachi Mishima
In a not so surprising development this past week, Bal Narendra went zoo-hopping for Bal Ambani's pet project. To back it all up we had the brown-nosing spineless cronies, aka the celebrities, and the cricketers cheering on the great adventure. All of this during a time when quite literally lakhs of crores wiped off the stock market and, of course, the trade war triggered by the Orange Orangutan.
In all of this, Indians whine about “freebies” or “farmers not getting taxed”, not the massive loan write-offs for corporate houses.
I’ll never understand the logic of quite a few of these influencers and other voices to list out all the problems that India has and jump to the conclusion that ‘farmers are not being taxed’, and not the VERY obvious one that the government is in bed with the big corporates (I mean, the reason is obvious, it takes balls to punch up than punch down).
Regardless, it's a race to the bottom lads and ladies...hop on!
Harnek
Since Aurangzeb is in the news, let me share the history of Dehradun. 7th Sikh Guru when summoned by Aurangzed to explain why he helped Dara Shekon in a war of succession, Guru sent his son Ram Rai to the court. Ram Rai misquoted a verse from Granth Sahib to please Aurangzeb, and so was forsaken from the Sikh panth by his father. So the younger Harkrishan became the 8th guru of Sikhs but Ram Rai always remained a close confidant of Aurangzeb and stayed in the Mughal court even after the 9th Guru was martyred. After serving the Mughals for many years, Ram Rai was given a jagir of four villages near Bilaspur Kandli village in Doon Valley to make his Dera. This Dera became a famous pilgrimage site among followers of Aurangzeb who also built a temple in Ram Rai Darbar (now gurdwara) when Ram Rai passed to show his love for a Sikh, who was the uncle to Guru Gobind with whom the Mughals waged a war and killed Sahibzadas. So Aurangzeb lived and behaved as monarchs did in those days. Crushing a rebellion in the cruelest ways and showering their favours when needed.
Srikanta
Dear NL Hafta,
Focus on the BSP's dwindling electoral fortunes made the episode riveting. The BSP has a lot in common with AAP with respect to delusions of grandeur. The BSP fielded candidates in the Lok Sabha elections all over India, knowing well that they have abysmal strike rates and zero presence outside UP (except some districts in MP bordering UP).
Mayawati is not India’s Obama. Mayawati had several things going for her. Indians have a special reverence for politicians without blood relatives and legal/illegal heirs. Indians also have a soft corner for “tough women” politicians. Mayawati ticked both those boxes. Mayawati unfortunately could not transcend her Dalit/Bahujan boundary. The collaboration with Satish Mishra was a local cosmetic change. Obama ticked the boxes of being Black (important for American left), being a hetero-normative family man (important for American right), and spoke of livelihoods, health, and soft inclusion (important for all). Mayawati lacked a third and a fourth dimension.
Shailja
Re the language debate, a lot of uninformed opinions have been thrown around by people who probably never had to learn three languages simultaneously as a child in our school system – different combinations in different regions; uninspired/ uninspiring teachers...I have! And it was not a pleasant experience!
The debate also ignores the fact that languages are best learnt when there is a need for it. And although children learn faster, it depends entirely on how the ‘lessons’ are delivered. I know a couple who raised their children to speak two languages, Telugu and Bengali, by talking to them in their respective mother tongues. The children also speak Tamil as they live in Chennai, and English of course.
So, the question is not whether children can learn three languages, but whether what is taught in school qualifies as a subject to tick off a checklist or language as a means of communication. Perhaps it’s time for an expert on how languages are learned to weigh in on the debate.
Devd
Hello Hafta team,
You were discussing cricket controversies in Hafta 528. The only cricket controversy that should be discussed is the one that affects common people. Juxtaposing of two scenes: (1) during Ind vs Pak game, Mr Anurag Thakur and Mr Shaheed Afridi mingling together after years of spreading animosity in their own respective ways, and (2) from Maharashtra, that is the consequence of all the animosity created around this gulli/danda game, that was a headline in Hafta 527.
The last I read, a 15-year-old boy was arrested, Muslim UP immigrant parents’ scrap shop demolished, Mr Rane did what he does best, passerby was a VHP worker, bail received but cannot leave the state.
So the rule is that elites, including journalists, can mingle and show affinity towards Pakistan but the common man cannot.
Anonymous
Hey,
I found the Hafta episode to be quite informative with regards to the English language and the atmosphere of free speech. I would like to make an observation.
I am a lowly corporate employee who previously worked for a PSB and was able to first hand see how the system is tilted in favor of those in power. Coming to freedom of speech, the other day I was travelling to office and our cab drivers changed, but in recent times it was the same cab person day in and day out. He was criticising the government in power in Hyderabad and was praising the government at the centre. I pointed out that several GCCs are being set up in Hyderabad that will lead to more job opportunities and growth.
Upon further speaking he revealed himself to be a member of the Bajrang Dal and is part of the RSS and attended the camps. They have been brainwashed to such an extent. That they were sharing the viral fake video of Sunita Williams where she had mentioned the Bhagwad Gita and Ganesha idols. It was from an event way back in 2013. The language used is such that a rational person would require a certain amount of research to decipher the truth in the day of social media that is luxurious time spent on watching reels/shorts. Such a loud attitude impacts the public spaces where rational voices get muted. The person themself is suffering from private debt because he could not take a loan from government schemes because of lack of awareness. The job opportunities are limited due to lack of education. But all this doesn't matter apparently, The irrational fervor has risen to this extent.
I doubt if anybody will read this or make comments. But I would be happy to explain more if there is any query.
Sarath
Hi NL team, I want to say there are people like Shambaji in today’s world like GN Saibaba who suffered tragically because of politicians and courts. Bail not granted for a 90 percent crippled person is a crippling system. I see politicians getting house arrests but not a crippled person. Protests should happen for them rather than a 350-year-old issue for which none of the current generation is responsible. If Aurangzeb’s death place needs to be removed, people should file an issue in court – then a judge will decide its fate. Everyone should think how stupid it is if a prominent person dies now because of the system and 350 years later, someone is destroying a cremation site.
Dheeraj DK
Hello everyone,
Liked your discussion on nationalism and patriotism. Manisha mentioned she loves India, as in, Indian people, including those from the BJP, which is akin to saying she loves all things Indian including sewage-filled rivers and polluted cities. Which is, of course, untrue. Because Manisha, like many, loves some idea of India which exists in her head. It might be Nehruvian India or her vision. So she doesn’t love everything Indian. She doesn't love a rapist Indian, not a casteist Indian. Does she? Hope not.
This is not an attack on Manisha. What she said is a line often repeated by almost everyone without ever concentrating on what it means and many times it is used to hide some issue or to silence someone who is speaking about some issue.
Have sent rest in mail :(
Amrita
Hi guys,
You don't need to read this one out but this is just feedback to Manisha.
So Manisha’s immediate reaction to my post on eastern Europe suffering – I think one should think a bit about what recent is? Partition is in the 1940s and the collapse of the Soviet Union was in the 1990s. With the current war in Europe, in Ukraine, those people who are suffering are people who have memories of the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Most of the WW2 and independence generations that are alive today were children at the time. The fear of Russia etc comes from a difficult place for these people.
The comparison was made not because I want to compare the pain of people. But this was a direct response to Indian commentary on this topic. To Abhinandan’s point, sure there were many reasons for this, but I think the reaction of India to Europe is a bit ruthless given the gravity of the number of lives lost. We are talking at a scale of millions. It’s somehow easier for us to get angry about Palestinians (I understand where that comes from ) but dismiss European lives lost.
Manan
In reply to Abhinandan’s “in India, privilege is complex – there’s gender, there’s caste, there’s money etc.”
Every inequality in India, apart from gender, is a manifestation of caste.
Economic privilege has direct correlation to caste, apart from limited exceptions. The caste system itself is very complex and also a function of geography. The way we were taught the hierarchy in school – Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Dalits – that was what Britishers model of a complex hierarchy. The model’s only use was to control or “administer” the population of our subcontinent. Often, most people think that this hierarchy is what’s set in stone and when things don’t seem like that, they say caste system doesn’t exist.
The model is not very useful, when you want to study Indian reality or do something about it. In fact it hinders progress in real sense because it overlooks sub divisions amongst each.
Vatsal
Kill Tony, the show on which India’s Got Latent is based, did a hilarious episode with two guys on the panel impersonating Trump and Biden (it’s an old episode from back when Biden was still in the race). Regardless of the US’s institutional failings as a state, it made me realise that we in India can never reach that level of individual freedom as theirs (especially in terms of media), where in a comic show, two guys impersonate the absolute stereotypes of the two most powerful men in country in a political satire and do not get slapped with everything ranging from PMLA to NIA and UAPA cases.
It was one hilarious episode though and would be a decent watch if you are looking for a hearty laugh.
Joey 21 ferns
Hello Mr Sekhri,
A recent new subscriber to NL, enjoy the NL Hafta, editorials and interviews and kudos to all the editorial team and presenters on the podcast, thoroughly enjoying the unfiltered banter.
Reference to the in-depth coverage of the recent story on Auroville which was gut-wrenching to read, as a climate change/sustainability policy advocacy consultant who has visited Auroville numerous times prior to 2021. To read the demolishing of the green ecosystem that has been advocating an egalitarian, social commune cohabitation, preserving artistic expression, farm to fork, agroforestry, waste management, green infrastructure, many years before the Paris Agreement. Why has Auroville not been listed under Unesco heritage which would ensure its restoration and preservation under certain guidelines? More importantly, the governance style of the Gujarat cadre is clouded by commercialising through redevelopment and concretisation rather than creating Auroville redevelopment as a centre of excellence to showcase artistic endeavour towards green infrastructure, architecture, first net-zero cohabitation centre. With senior bureaucrats helming the governing board, they have a role to play on creating governance structure for the common good by the community for the community, which is the underlying foundation and ethos of Auroville laid by the founders.
Thank you for reviving investigative journalism. Kudos once again to your team for in depth reporting.
New kid on the block.
Vatsal
A whistleblower, Rohan Mehta, from the Ministry of External affairs raised some serious concerns about high-level corruption in the ministry on his YouTube channel Rohan.learns. He has given voluminous evidence on his claims but has not got much traction beyond social media and absolutely nothing on the legacy media. I know NL has limited resources but if possible, it might be worth investigating this issue and the claims made by him.
Madan
With reference to Hafta 532, the audio clip of Trump cabinet meeting – it would be interesting to get a peep in Modi’s cabinet meeting to show that in this regard also we are vishvagurus.
Abhijeet and Mohana
Refusing services of Muslim service providers is terrible. We have colleagues who are refusing to go to Muslim barbers because they’re concerned that the barbers will slit their throats. And some of these people are academics. Don’t see them refusing the instructions of Muslim seniors though. Classist Savarna bigotry.
Supriya
Apropos the anti-Muslim sentiment in Anandamath: the activities of Phadke (violent revolutionary who was caught and deported) in the 1870s bore an eerie resemblance to events in Bankim’s book. Alarmed, the author removed even minor anti-British utterances. Thus the book acquired a more marked anti-British tone. Please see Sumit Guna’s book, History and Collective Memory in South Asia 1200-2000, 2019, pp.137-38,197. I would add my opinion of Upamanyu’s knowledge of Bengali, but an old friendship, space and discretion constrain me.
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