Rafa
Hi NL,
Missed Abhinandan and Manisha this week on Hafta. That doesn't mean that Jayashree didn't do a good job but yes, something was missing. Uncle jokes, maybe ;-)
I often wonder, why I can't read articles behind the paywall by just paying for the article! Especially those from Hafta recommendations. Is it possible to make some arrangements so that one can read an article behind the paywall by just paying for only that particular article? Just like one watches a movie on rent without subscribing to the platform. Is that possible? I think there would be a lot of people interested in paying 10 or 20 rupees to read a good article or watch a good reportage. Could you explain what I'm missing here? Why doesn't anyone do that? Why don't you give it a try!?
I really like the discussions in South Central as well as Hafta. Keep up the well-researched news reporting and the good work.
Swati
Thanks for reading my letter in Hafta 539. Very sorry for calling Jayashree Rajyasree (more than once!) while complimenting her. A Freudian slip evoking a former classmate who made the most incisive comments in seminars. My bad – was deservedly called out!
Enjoyed Hafta 540: Jayashree kept the discussion focused and covered a lot of ground with Aditya. Would love to see her “chair” (correct verb for podcasts?) more episodes. Loved Shardool's segue into video games. Glad the Hafta team are considering fewer panellists – five regular panellists plus guests makes it too crowded.
Not sure I understood this correctly, but did Abhinandan (episode 539) say NL would use AI to summarise letters down to 150 words? Perhaps having an auto cut-off in Google forms/reading the first 150 words (like before?) is better? Aside from environmental and ethical concerns, we risk losing the cadence and specificity of the subscriber's voice.
Kaushik
Sekhri and his Washington Post guest tiptoed around the stark horror in Gaza, using terms like “humanitarian crisis” or “collateral damage” – without once using words like genocide, ethnic cleansing, or war crimes. When Jayashree referred to the situation as genocide and called out the lies spread by the New York Times, Abhinandan deflected it with a counterfactual question on Hamas and the PLA, with himself and his guest to go on a rant about evil Hamas. There was not a single question about Western media bias or the Washington Post's controversial role in reporting the conflict. For a so-called media watchdog, your hypocrisy and moral posturing were deeply disappointing.
Ritesh
On the recent NLH 539, while discussing Kamal Haasan’s opinion on Kannada, Jayashree and Abhinandan ignored the falsehood in his claim that Tamil is the mother of Kannada. Kannada is not derived from Tamil; both evolved separately from Proto-Dravidian, now-extinct language from over 4,000 years ago. Proto-Dravidian split into branches that became Kannada, Tulu, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Gondi, Kurukh, and Brahui. While Tamil chauvinism and educational narratives may lead some to believe Tamil is older, no credible historian supports this. What is agreed upon is that Tamil’s written literary tradition predates Kannada’s, likely due to sociopolitical factors. The Keeladi excavation has revealed rich aspects of ancient Tamil life, but has not pushed Tamil’s historical timeline further back – at least not based on peer-reviewed, widely accepted evidence, which remains the gold standard in historical scholarship. Hopefully J and A don’t disregard this in favour of their opinion (no offence meant).
Chandrashekhar
In Hafta 539, Abhinandan and Jayashree's comments on Kamal Haasan’s statement regarding Kannada and Tamil language were very casual. They sounded as if his statement that Kannada is born out of Tamil is a matter of fact. Just because Tamil is an old language does not mean all other Dravidian languages are born out of it. Given the sensitivity of linguistic identity in India, it is crucial to approach such debates with historical context and cultural nuance. You could refer to proceedings in Karnataka High Court this week where the court has come down heavily on Kamal Haasan for his statement and also referred to the apology tendered by Rajagopalachari for making a similar statement in the 1950s.
Anish
In my previous mail, I mentioned that Tamil Nadu has issues with any language other than Tamil – not just Hindi. This stems from a deep-rooted superiority complex. So when Kamal Haasan speaks like an illiterate and claims Kannada was born out of Tamil, it doesn’t mean Abhinandan and Jayashree need to join in with ill-researched, half-baked opinions. It is a well-established fact, backed by centuries of research, that Tamil and Kannada share a common ancestral language. Yes, Tamil literature appeared earlier – that's undeniable. But I won’t be surprised if Abhinandan and Jayashree soon start sounding like our non-biological PM, warning that non-Tamil speakers will take your mangalsutra and cows if you dare speak of another language as equal. One thing is certain: Tamil Nadu’s historical opposition to a third language is not about identity – it’s about ego, an exaggerated and frankly lame superiority complex.
My critique is not against Tamil as a language or its heritage, but against the distortion of linguistic facts and the cultural gatekeeping that often follows.
Then again, it's your show and your freedom of speech.
Vinay
Hi NL team, I'm a longtime subscriber and love your work.
Regarding Jayashree and Abhinandan's comment on Kannada in the headlines of 539, I want to convey my disappointment. In an episode where two panelists suggested evolution and archaeology-related reads, the two of you seemed off on linguistic evolution. No language gives “birth” to any other and no language is the “mother” of another. The shared proto-Dravidian ancestry of south Indian languages at best makes them siblings. They all evolved from common roots and branched out. The whole notion of mother or originator is a deeply flawed and unscientific claim. Mr Haasan's misinformed comment was rooted in linguistic chauvinism. A stanza claiming this was in the TN state anthem which has long been removed for this very reason. I expected the panellists to respond better and not bluntly justify it.
Just because the Kannada people voice their concerns frequently, doesn't mean you belittle everything as a rant.
Chaiwala2014
Hi Team NL,
I’ve been a subscriber since 2019/20 and already subscribed through September 2026. First-time writing in – your shows/podcasts like Hafta, Charcha, Newsance, and South Central are a regular part of my Saturday mornings.
That said, I was genuinely puzzled by the decision to feature Ashutosh in a full-length interview. To put it bluntly, he is not a relevant voice. His commentary lacks depth, originality, and freshness. It’s hard to see how this meets the editorial bar NL usually holds itself to.
Maybe there’s context I’m missing. But I’d much rather see Abhinandan with ML Sharma, Manisha with Abhishek Choudhary, or Sreenivasan Jain talking to Ajai Sahni.
That aside, I value the work you do and look forward to what’s next. Keep up the good work.
Nikhil
I was taken aback by the lack of representation in the expert group for the #FightToBreathe campaign. Before I contribute, I would like to understand why the group is missing representation from worker groups, since these workers often cannot escape pollution at all and face the worst of it.
It would also be great to have some representation from southern and eastern India since (IMO) it's not possible to solve this problem without a more universal approach.
Peri Sai Teja
Respected NL team,
Kudos to the women of Newslaundry for having the courage to stand-up to shallow bullies. My optimistic self is already dreaming of a few NL Sena projects that could be funded from the money recovered from the defamation suit. In fact, I see that in addition to subscriber revenues, money recovered through defamation cases could also be an alternate source of revenue. This serves dual purposes – more power to true journalism, ground reports and investigative pieces and second, it brings some much-needed civility in the public square while shutting down mindless gyan peddlers and other male chauvinists.
I assume you did not file the case in Allahabad High Court.
I also notice that many people are now recognising Newslaundry as a credible news organisation which I realised in a casual conversation with a colleague a few weeks ago. Hope all admirers are converting to paying subscribers.
Anonymous again because ideas are more important than names
Following up on my letter last week.
150 word limit doesn't leave a lot of space for nuance, so I had to even skip some words, sorry if it sounds curt. Please understand this is not hate mail. I love your show and want to help you get even better.
Abhinandan, maybe try to understand the message rather than shoot the messenger and twist the message. I don't live in the US. If you're looking for a democracy role model, Switzerland is a better option.
Only Manisha seemed to get what I was trying to say and had the courage to say that to Abhinandan. Recommend go back and see Abhinandan's Hafta recommendations for my point about NPR.
I suggest someone gift Abhinandan a dictionary. If you are not striving for objectivity, then you probably shouldn't be doing journalism.
Some US sources which I am sure Abhinandan follows (Google brackets): Glenn Greenwald (why he quit Intercept), Seymour Hersh (Nordstream), Aaron Maté (OPCW). Look up how Bernie was defeated by Hillary.
Akanksha
I am a camera person and I have been listening to your Hafta podcast for a couple of months. I really like the video work that you have been doing. I always wanted to do non-fiction work that had a purpose and aligned with my ideals, but had to choose the masala cinema line to earn a living.
I want to be a part of your investigative projects and wanted to know how I can apply to become a videographer with Newslaundry? Do you have in-house videographers or do you work with freelancers?
Anonymous
Subscriber since 2017, haven't missed any Hafta episode. Hafta 537 was your worst episode ever. You guys struggled. The episode lacked direction. There were no credible arguments and none had anything meaningful to add, except a ghisapita rant on the state of mainstream media. I wonder why? Are your own biases creeping out?
Ashutosh
I just saw you filed the case against [xxx], I am angry beyond words, please don't let him go whatever may come.
Bharath
I recently watched the Hafta podcast on YouTube for the first time – usually, I just listen to it in my car while running errands. Seeing Anand for the first time was surprising; his appearance didn’t quite match the voice I’d gotten used to. This was a special letters episode, and I found it a bit hard to follow the context of some letters. I think reading letters only every few weeks can make things a bit confusing. However, I really enjoyed the discussion about the Sindoor topic; it was good to see a civil and thoughtful debate. While I probably won’t tune in for another special letters episode, I still appreciate the effort the team puts in.
Kumar Gaurav
You guys are doing an amazing job! I am looking for a job but used my savings to subscribe as it’s more important than ever for the media to be the pillar of democracy it is touted to be. My point is on the discussion regarding the “optics” of today as was discussed during NL Hafta 536 post the Indo-Pak tensions to have women officers lead and debrief the citizens. In 2020 the same Modi government had replied to SC that the defence forces are not ready to take orders from a woman. If this doesn’t show optics matter then I don’t know what will. This also helps the government to digress the public from seeking answers to why the attack happened in the first place and who hasn’t done his/her job properly.
Srikanta
Dear TNM and NL,
The special episode featuring Kunal Kamra was excellent. His insights into how he comes up with new material was engaging. Distinction between those who survive because they strive to stay relevant and those who stay relevant because of their work was almost normative. Dhanya asked some of the best questions and gave oomph to the episode.
Mohi
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 Rs 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!
Peri Sai Teja
Listening to the misunderstandings that were directed towards Mr Sekhri, it must be reiterated that he did not mean that wokeism is an issue or that women and members of LGBTQIA+ must not be given too much of a voice but that in their struggle for equality and shifting societal mindsets one must not take a combative approach but listen and engage with their opposition in a civil manner something similar to Gandhi. The real misogynists won’t engage in conversations.
Issue 2: Kindly update the team bio section of the website. For example, Tanishka Sodhi has left NL, I gather.
Recommendation: Since you are investigating police excesses kindly review the book Policing and Violence in India edited by Deana Heath and Jinee Lokaneeta published by Speaking Tiger.
Request: If you are not answering all mails at least reply through mails and show on website in the letters section.
Nupur
Hey NL team!!
This is my first time writing in, and I wanted to share my thoughts in agreement with Manisha’s take on sindoor. While it began as a symbol of marriage, it doesn’t conceal a woman in any way – unlike a burkha, hijab, or pallu – or cause physical pain like elongating the neck or lips. In many cases, it enhances a woman’s appearance and is worn as a personal or aesthetic choice.
Abhinandan, I truly enjoy listening to you. You usually encourage nuance in complex discussions, which is why I was surprised to hear sindoor dismissed so quickly. It felt like it was grouped with restrictive or harmful practices, which seems unfair when many women embrace it joyfully and willingly.
Thanks for reading!
– Nupur (and my husband, who refuses to be named, thanks to whom I’ve been listening and loving NL since 2014!)
Anonymous
A couple of thoughts:
- In my opinion, patriarchy is also subjective and embedded in cultural beliefs. Feminism isn't its antonym. Patriarchy is not gender exclusive, but often women bear the brunt of it. In Kerala, women of lower castes uncovered their upper bodies in the presence of higher caste men. With education, financial and social movements, this is no longer practised. A male from the family is expected to be a saviour of the family whatever their ambitions.
- In India, people tend to go to specialists they ‘feel’ appropriate for their symptoms, eg, a neurologist for a headache. Consulting a neurologist for a headache can get you diagnostics and prescriptions, but not advice on dietary/preventative measures for lower BP, which might have been the cause of the headache. There needs to be a triage system, where a person can go to a family physician who can then refer to a specialist. Only when a physician knows about your in-depth history can they give preventative advice.
Sneha
Subscribers like me draw comfort from listening to your panel discussions on issues that you'll help make sense of. You have the power to bring about a progressive cultural shift.
So when the sindoor debate was going on, it was very triggering to hear Manisha stubbornly refusing to accept it as a patriarchal practice, alluding to it as part of ‘makeup’ that married women may ‘choose’ to apply!
While claiming ignorance on the origin of the practice, she refused to understand what thankfully Jayashree, Raman and Abhinandan were patiently trying to reason.
The very reason sindoor was applied to married women was to apparently stimulate blood flow in order to trigger their sex drive – the same reason why unmarried women and widows are not allowed (!) to wear it. If this isn't control, then I don't know what is!
Also recommending an excellent article that explains how the name Operation Sindoor is problematic.
Arun
Being intellectually challenged and a subscriber for more than 3-4 years, I never had any major feedback yet to have written in mail until today when I heard sindoor is not patriarchy but a cultural symbol. It’s a no-brainer basically that mangalsutra, sindoor are few of the major symbolic patriarchy imposition on women. And the comment that nowadays it’s not mandatory or imposed is not that true. You guys are in a different bubble. Go to any part of India apart from metro cities, it is imposed and being humiliated for not being symbolically married. Not even elders, younger generations also see a woman in a different perspective if not symbolically married.
AI summary of the above paragraph in 150 characters as below.
Sindoor and mangalsutra are seen as cultural symbols, but outside metro cities, they remain imposed, affecting perceptions of unmarried women.
Just in case, the message is not very clear, it’s almost 150 characters summary as below
It’s patriarchal and anyone who disagrees is mostly brainwashed. Just like the customs of Muslims. Just because they are more aggressive, doesn’t make our customs less patriarchy. That said, abolition of many customs would also be less colourful as an Indian.
TD
Hi, I just finished watching this week's Hafta and was appalled when Shardool read out the letters mainly because people still don't understand what patriarchy is. One needs to understand that rituals like putting sindoor and mangalsutra or introducing burkha to a girl child or a woman is patriarchy because such a thing doesn't exist for men. Many women have the same perspective on karvachauth but they conveniently forget that such rituals were/are mainly targeted at women to prove their loyalty so it is very much patriarchy. Having a choice to do something or not is called liberty which most women in this country still don't have or understand. I wonder if the same women can ask their husbands to wear a green thread or a cap because they are now married. They won't because that is not sold as a custom by our society. In 2025, if people still justify such customs or rituals in the name of choice, there is no hope for the future of our Indian society which is deeply patriarchal.
Badhri
Hi Newslaundry,
I renewed my subscription to earn the right to occupy your collective mental space with my views in support of Manishaji’s take that symbols such as sindoor are not inherently patriarchal. I prefer my privacy, but the fact that her take didn't have any support either in the panel or in the letters from the viewers was the primary catalyst behind this move. So here it goes.
As per the rest of the panel, especially Abhinandan and Jayashree, the point stated below convincingly settles the matter in favour of the motion that “symbols such as sindoor are patriarchal”.
“There isn’t an overt symbol equivalent to sindoor for distinguishing married men.”
If this is the necessary and sufficient condition, then by corollary, if equivalent overt symbols to distinguish married men do exist, then decisively, all such symbols (sindoor, mangalsutra etc) should no longer be considered patriarchal. The fact is, such symbols do exist and have been rigorously used.
But context first. Hindu practices on “who wears what” didn’t arise from the modern framework of “gender” but from traditional contexts of which one is “chatur aashramaas”. A Gruhastha (which implies man along with his wife) enables other aashramas to discharge their respective dharma. So, the “being married” marker is adorned by men and women is to symbolize that.
Now, here are three examples of overt markers applicable for men. This may not be applicable across India, but then so doesn't sindoor (especially in the south).
Symbol 1: White panchakacham – a more sophisticated style that only “gruhasthas” (married men) wear it. Unmarried men wear white dhoti, but in a simplistic manner.
Symbol 2: Poonal (Janeu) – married men wear multiple janeu together as a set; unmarried men wear only one.
Symbol 3: “Thirumann” (more specific to Srivaishnava Sampradaayam): Married men wear Thirumann (commonly known as “naamam” in tamil) in twelve places on their upper body.
These markers are overt since men those days didn’t fully or partially cover their upper body.
Now, such symbols may have been weaponised over time to the disadvantage of women, but that is different from the insinuated point that these symbols are invented as instruments for controlling women. Note that even when these symbols are completely destroyed, patriarchy will stay for as long as the mindset stays.
In summary, married men as well as women have overt markers. So, it’s not patriarchal and women like Manishaji should wear it with cheer if she likes it (and she won't be an aunty for doing so no matter what uncle Abhinandan says) and women like Jayashree don’t get to offer “it is patriarchal” as reason. “My right” is a better reason.
Being married is a “license” to perform homa and other rituals to uphold dharmas of their and other ashramas. Such symbols are a display of this license. “Uncle” Abhinandan may not like these Hindu ideas, but “seat is taken” is a very shallow interpretation of this.
“Women are subjected to more scrutiny” argument, while true, is beside the point. The argument was “there is no equivalent symbol for married men”.
Footnotes:
Contrary to popular perception, panchakacham, poonal are not exclusive to Brahmins. The “twelve naamams” of Srivaishnava Sampradaayam doesn’t only apply to Brahmins, but all who have adopted the sampradaayam – and there are Srivaishnavaites from all four varnas.
I am including a picture of Ramanujacharya of Srivaishnava Sampradaayam to illustrate the 12-thiruman point. (three of which are worn on the back side). Dwadasa Urdhva Pundram – AcharyaSree.
In trying to offset my regional/caste bias, I have asked friends from different regions and belonging to different castes and they tell me that they know of similar overt symbols for married men in their villages. They also volunteered without my stimulus that these markers spring from the idea that only married couples have the right to perform “homa”.
Yogesh
Hello,
Thoroughly enjoyed your Letters Only episode, though it could have been more chaotic and debates could have been more civilised. Abhinandan though mostly right got carried away by discussion, I wish he'll be more composed in his demeanor in future. In regards to the discussion about sindoor, sindoor is patriarchal without any question. It is analogous to a handkerchief that is kept on a bus seat to claim that it is reserved. In rural and suburban India, women are still forced to wear sindoor and shamed if they choose not to do so. I don't know why people don't understand that whole concept of organised religion and customs associated with it are patriarchal.
Sugar coating and promoting such things in the name of culture and diversity is harmful.
PS: It would be more convenient if different email IDs are created for sending letters to Charcha and Hafta...both are flagship podcasts so in my opinion that would be a more reasonable step as the Google form never works on the app and because of this sending emails directly seems convenient.
Soumya
Hi! Some observations regarding applying sindoor as a symbol of patriarchy. I believe that applying sindoor amongst many other symbolic items like wearing red chudi, toe ring etc are methods devised by ancient Indian society to differentiate a married woman from an unmarried girl. Since similar symbolic items are not present for men, it creates a doubt that it could be because of patriarchy.
But the bigger issue is that such things over a period of time have been linked to the well-being of the husband's life etc which is a superstition.
Now, those who don't believe in this superstition, like Manisha, exercise their choice of using these symbols as make up. But, there is a large section of women who believe in it and hence use them compulsorily. Additionally, there is a third group of women who are forced to wear these by their in-laws and husband. FYI, there have been divorce cases filed by men for wives not wearing sindoor. So, Anand is wrong in saying it's not enforced like others.
Anonymous
First of all, kudos for the subscriber mail pod. Loved the debate on sindoor, it did remind me of something I'd once seen from Javed Akhtar where he told the women in the audience to not follow religion because all of them end up oppressing them in one way or the other. Some would say religion is patriarchal (You guys can debate :) ) Following it or not is on the individual.
Is sindoor a sign of patriarchy? Yes. It's literally a marker on a married woman. But again, it's a personal choice if you want to wear it. Same with the stuff in other religions.
Just one thing, getting back to my query of “what did we achieve with the operation?” We had lost 26 people. Lost 20+ more. No minister has taken any responsibility. We haven't caught the terrorists. Why has this not been questioned still?
If there is a terrorist attack again (which would be our intelligence failure), we go to war against Pakistan then? No, right?
Maybe covert operations are a better bet and we won't lose more lives?
N747
Letter 1:
@Manisha, the real test of patriarchal customs is what happens if it's not followed. Agar iss galati pe sasural wale daante to it is patriarchal. Don't forget, Hindu women also had to fight parda/ghoonghat pratha. Many unwed girls in the south wear bindi. Some out of choice, some out of scolding. It is patriarchal. And when a system is this entrenched, many a times even choice is because of a social compulsion brought by men. AR Rahman’s daughter wearing burqa would have been a choice, because one wears it and another does not. So Rahman sir might not be forcing it, but we can't say that one daughter was not adventurous and defying society while the other conformed to it.
Letter 2:
Enjoyed Kunal as usual. Having heard Ye Bhi Theek Hai last year, wanted to hear more from him. I also tried to follow his ‘Nope’ but being a very long podcast, I could not go beyond episode 2. Can you request him to publish the same on your platform once the hype on YouTube dies out? I just can’t play it in the background without a subscription anywhere else, and it makes for an amazing podcast while driving like your other podcast.
Kezia Gera
I see that my comments regarding the naming of Op. Sindoor has created a stir (which is a good thing). While you do not have to air this mail on your show, I do feel my point was misrepresented. Yes, sindoor is a symbol of patriarchy, but what I wanted to say was (of which most people are unaware), a Christian woman also lost her husband in the attack, and in naming the operation as Op. Sindoor, her grief (which is no less than any other woman's) was overlooked by a Hindu interest party. The discussion that ensued seemed superfluous to the point I was trying to make. I agree my point might have gotten lost in summary, but it is not a small thing to overlook a significant minority in this country. And no, viral images don't become viral in a vacuum.
Rakhi
I enjoyed listening to your interesting viewpoints on “sindoor” on the Letters Feedback episode. And my opinion is sort of fluctuating between all of yours. While many practices stem out of patriarchal roots, they can also be studied as a function of evolution with progressing times, surrounding socio-cultural environment and the relative scale of limitation and oppression (and in this regard, I do emphasise with Manisha and Anand). The origins of “sindoor” does symbolise the husband's possession and control over wife ie woman. But in today's time, it can also be considered as a form of cultural practice of a married woman in certain societies. Similarly, wearing bangles (churi) can be deemed as being weak or timid when seen through the lens of some patriarchal Hindi idioms; or it can be perceived as a simple ornamental accessory. As for the concept of “burqa” or “ghoonghat”, these are the most concealing and stringent forms of control over visibility and movement of a woman. However, when the practice transforms into just wearing “hijab” or “dupatta”, the scale of a woman’s flexibility, autonomy and accessibility increases. And then there comes a time when “dupatta” becomes merely a scarf or fashion accessory (not patriarchal anymore). And parallely, today one can also do without a “dupatta” altogether; just wear a kurti with jeans/leggings and look as fabulous as ever.
Anuja
Hello Newslaundry!
At the outset I would say I feel so proud to be able to support your team. The women team members are absolutely brilliant. More power to them. They are fearless, well informed, relevant, articulate, funny and yet very kind and dignified. Please include the women from News Minute as well.
I am writing to clarify the debate you had on Hafta about sindoor being patriarchal or not. For all the love I have for Manisha (there is an inexplicable fondness for her), I would like to bring some light to her argument. Sindoor is not decorative. Any ‘red’ adorned by women was traditionally done to indicate them being ‘productive’ – that they can bear children, lipsticks included. Red symbolises good reproductive health of women. Men do not have such bindings. The bindi on the forehead could be discounted as wearing a teeka/vibhuti/ sandalwood is done by men as well. Though the colour ‘red’ has its symbolism. As do toe-rings and mangalsutra, they all represent possessions or ‘reigning in’.
This insistence on red is more prevalent in the north. South Indian women did not have this imposition traditionally. Anyway, such debates are always useful, it helps us to reevalute our own perspectives.
Tapashree
Hi NL Hafta,
While the military strikes in India's response to Pahalgam attack are successful, I am just wondering if anyone is following up on the possible security lapses that could have given an opportunity for such an attack, despite the security review by Amit Shah a week or two before the attack. It will be great if you can share such stories, especially for the subscribers. Thank you!
Tanya
My professor once asked us why do you all use the term “guys” when you are talking to your female friends also? Why is the “common” for all something that is masculine? Something that at Newslaundry is also done very often as in most of the places I go to. Two reasons why I am pointing this out, one, not all your subscribers are “guys”, I am not. So maybe a more gender-neutral term could be used like folks or people. Second, this doesn’t seem like active oppression but still tells us how such small things are also dictated by the notions of a gender that is naturally seen to be more powerful. So it’s not just oppression against women, it is about the very system we exist in and how much internalised it is. I wanted to write much more but I hope my point is conveyed.
Vikram
I saw the episode on free speech and had one question. Why don’t we compare the status of our democracy (in particular free speech) with countries who have been democratic for the same time as India? For example Israel (1948), Japan (1952), Costa Rica (1959). While many countries consider the US as the gold standard of democracy, isn’t it unfair to compare us to them as they have been a democracy for more than 200 years?
Dheeraj
Hello Abhinandan,
Since you mentioned international media not calling terrorists, what is your definition of terrorist? Oxford defines terrorist as “a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims”. By this definition militants of Pahalgam were terrorists. So was Nathuram and Pragya, Swami Aseemanand whose tapes were published on Caravan connecting bomb blasts to RSS. Sanatan Sanstha is a terror organisation due to their involvement in bomb blasts. We call Hafeez Saeed a terrorist but he himself has never detonated a bomb or killed as far as we know, but his organisation has. Which makes an RSS sarsanghchalak a terrorist too. But we don't call any of our guys as terrorists. In this light, militant becomes a safe word. It is a cop-out but at least by using militant word, BBC can tell its audience about the violence instead of burying the story completely which otherwise happens with controversial stories.
Harkirat
The last Hafta got me thinking about India’s global narrative on Kashmir, or rather, the glaring lack of it. Abhinandhan mentioned how most international reporting he sees is from POK, creating a more sympathetic narrative for them. This really struck me after watching Yalda Hakim on CNN-News18 (which, btw, I initially mistook for CNN until I noticed karare channe’s face plastered on multiple thumbnails and realized it’s owned by Reliance).
Hakim noted that despite any missteps, Pakistan’s officials consistently engage with international media, while Indian counterparts remain elusive. How do we, as citizens, urge our government to step up, take questions, and allow journalists to report freely from Kashmir? Censoring reporters and pushing a curated narrative by godi media may paint a rosy picture for appeasing a certain section, it won’t establish the much-needed credibility. Monologues and scripted press briefings aren’t enough to get our story across.
Would love to hear the panel’s take on this.
KK
Hello! In light of press freedom week, please have a look at this report by Maneka Khanna at the Clooney Foundation and Columbia. It summarises in an interactive manner about 600 cases against Indian journalists between 2012-2022. Very interesting read and incredibly important work given the current state of mainstream journalism.
Vishnu
Hi team,
The three-language policy is flawed. I'm from Kerala and had to study three languages in school – Hindi being the most difficult for me. I performed well in other subjects, but Hindi was always a struggle. I barely passed or failed it consistently. Fortunately, being in the ICSE, I could drop 1 language in 9th.
Until then, Hindi was a major source of stress. It was the only reason my parents had to visit the school. The anxiety during classes, exams, and result days was overwhelming. I believe that trauma contributed to my current need for antidepressants. In the end, all that effort was pointless – Hindi has no relevance in my life today.
Kerala may have a high literacy rate, but it’s still progressing. There's no need to add unnecessary burdens to students.
Ankit
Dear Abhinandan, just because a language is older does not mean it gave rise to others. Tamil has the oldest surviving literature among the Dravidian languages, but that is different from being their source. Linguists such as Bh. Krishnamurti in The Dravidian Languages describe a common ancestor called Proto-Dravidian, which later split into Proto South, Proto Central, and Proto North Dravidian. Tamil and Kannada both evolved from Proto South Dravidian. They are related languages with a shared origin, not a parent-child relationship. Referring to the common ancestor as Tamil is like calling early mammals humans. Kannada developed many features independently, including words like baagilu (door), heNNu (woman), and magu (child), which do not appear in classical Tamil. Languages evolve by branching from a shared root. Despite being Tamil, I find linguistic one-upmanship unhelpful. Perhaps a future panel with a linguist could add more nuance.
Ibrahim
Yaar tum log peeche rehgai, Hafta naam aapne rakha magar vasooliya ANI ki queen ne.
But on a serious note, I just want to know the panel's thoughts on copyright violation vs fair use vs piracy and the effect on the YouTube community and you guys as well as you use some of their content in Newsance and Tippani.
In addition to my previous email about copyright and fair use, I just remembered thanks to Deshbhakt video that your Youtube channel had been deleted by Aaj Tak strikes. I was really angry about that and created a YouTube channel in response and started uploading your videos from Dailymotion to YouTube. I hope you don’t copyright strike that channel as it is a relic of a subscriber/consumer’s rebellion and frustration, plus I had more free time then .
Sachin
Hi team, great work as always. I'm a firm believer in absolute free speech. I’d like to know your thoughts on the idea of completely removing laws related to blasphemy, sedition, and defamation.
One possible approach could be introducing a warning-based system – where the first offense results in just a warning, the second incurs a monetary fine, and the third leads to a jail sentence. This tiered system might also discourage people from filing frivolous complaints, knowing the first instance won’t result in immediate punishment.
What are your thoughts on this approach?
Amrita
Hi guys,
You don't need to read this 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 was 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 collapse of the Soviet Union. Most of WWII 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.
Sandeep
Hello NL team,
It’s baffling how the country has turned away from liberalisation and democratic reforms (judiciary, accountability, transparency). The urban educated/moneyed class now embraces a maai-baap sarkar, forgetting how crucial the 90s reforms were to prosperity. Even the opposition has completely dropped the ball.
The idea that consistent growth can happen without reforms is delusional. Even non-economic issues like pollution tie back to reforms. I would highly recommend the recently aired Puliyabaazi episode with Dr Gurbachan Singh which highlights how land reforms are central to economic growth across all sectors.
If the economic slowdown deepens, the PM should push for urgent reforms to arrest wealth erosion – but we all know instead the grand tamasha that will go on.
Sandeep
Dear NL team,
I’m enjoying your new “most impactful letters” feature – it adds a friendly spark of competition. I recently traveled to MIT for a conference on system-theoretic process analysis (analysing safety in complex systems). I was mind blown by the use of such a tool and came across its use for effective journalism. I would highly recommend you and your reporters to check this tool for understanding and hopefully using it someday. I also believe it can be used in effective investigation. Because the tool is still at an early stage, you might reach out to its developers for collaboration or feedback.
Kind regards,
A node in the network
Ezaz Ilahi
Hi everyone. There are three major issues I would want you to talk about
(1) The agricultural land around Srinagar is being converted into residential land and the city isn’t being contained.
(2) Trump’s America first and then the continuous bombing of Gaza and his support to Netanyahu.
(3) When there are laws like PSA and UAPA, how is one supposed to protest/speak against any government policy? Especially in areas like Myanmar and J&K. The system supports the police and the police supports the system. I recently had a verbal spat with a CISF guy at the Srinagar airport. I just asked him to talk to me decently and said ‘abhi theek se karraha hu baat, jab nahi karu ghat toh samaj jaaye gha tu’. And then two more CRPF guys came to his support. How are you supposed to change this attitude of the public servants?
Alexander The Great
I'm sure you guys have been keeping an eye on the geopolitical situation and what has been going on in the US, do you guys think we're heading towards a world of reverse migration? I've known a few of my friends share horrible experiences of ICE raids at their homes because a few of their ‘white’ neighbours were suspicious of their ‘brown’ neighbours.
Even in Canada, there's a growing sentiment of ‘brown vs white’ that has been growing. In Europe, Meloni is already in power, France just escaped by the skin of their teeth but are still vulnerable, in Britain Nigel Farage has never been stronger, in Germany the far-right AFD party grew massively in the elections. The world is turning more and more ‘right’ and more and more ‘anti-immigrant’. What do you think the future holds?
Navraj
Hey,
In case you didn't know, Pride Parade 2025 was cancelled in Amritsar as religious groups and vigilantes threatened the organisers and participants, and openly called for violence if there is a gathering of the gay community in Amritsar.
Kunal bhaiya ne joke mara to logo ke sentiments hurt ho gye, yaha to ghar se nikal ne pe hi sentiments hurt ho rahe hai. What about our FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO FREEDOM (to assemble peacefully.)
The LGBTQ community has suddenly become a hot issue in Punjab politics and the state media is playing it safe by covering the news in a very conservative manner. Podcasters, singers, activists and politicians are benefiting by making fun of cringe influencers, calling LGBTQ people mentally sick and interviewing people who cannot even differentiate between gay, trans and a crossdresser.
What’s your take on this?
Oripta
Subject: DON’T USE AI for summarising subscriber letters!
No philosophical or ethical debates here, just concrete day-to-day challenges that still exist with ChatGPT type things:
AI still struggles with nuanced interpretation (like sarcasm, satire, etc)
Inconsistency in output: Even with latest models, quality of AI-generated summaries can vary significantly. Especially with complex text like subscriber letters
AI will strip away the unique voice and personality of each letter writer: AI tends to homogenise language (it's the average of all the voices on the internet after all, isn't it?)
Contextual understanding is lacking: AI models wouldn't know if we were referencing past podcast episodes or ongoing conversations!
Btw, Manisha, love love love your contributions (especially your “one last question!” moments just as the guest is leaving !). Uncle’s non-culinary spice is something. Yet I look forward to hearing Abhinandan and Hafta and Awful & Awesome every week! Thank you!
Anonymous
Hi Newslaundry team.
I'd suggest you publish all the letters, as you do, along with comments from the Hafta hosts/ people it is addressed to. Pick a few letters each week where you see potential for a wider discussion, and read those parts out. I think the advantage to subscribers can be that their comments are read and replied to, not necessarily read out in full. You can also just summarise a group of letters together if they all talk about the same topic.
Bonus idea for Jayashree: Put them into a chatbot and ask it to pick up the themes, and list the parts of each letter that maps to that theme. Pick the top three themes and discuss them on the podcast.
Vatsal
I know its not a norm for subscribers to give recommendations in Hafta but I have been reading Arun Shourie’s book The New Icon: Savarkar And The Facts, and I would highly recommend it here (Abhinandan also did a great interview with Mr Shourie about this book). The writing style of Shourie, where he uses Savarkar’s own writings and then dissects as well as critically engages him, provides a fresh edge on the subject of this man who has been in vogue in the past five or six years. I think a lot of the fan boys who are in love with the whole idea of this historical figure without actually knowing or reading him will go into an identity crisis if they read this book. The best part, as I mentioned earlier, is the whole book is Savarkar speaking through his own writings and not Shourie quoting from random sources.
Yujiro Hanma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03lydX8XHF4&t=3317s
Well, here's my recommendation for the week. Watch the segment with Gary Stevenson as he explains the reasons behind the disproportionate distribution of wealth in the US and UK during and post-pandemic.
One of the things that he pointed out was the government handing out cash to the people, cash that ultimately ended up being spent and going to the top one percent whose goods were being bought. With the top one percent having spare revenue, they increase their spending by buying out assets leading to inflation
While this isn't a direct correlation with what we have in India with the advent of welfare/freebies, on a basic level the correlation holds. The money given to the poor does end up in the coffers of the one percent and we are looking at the same disparity. This could also explain the real estate inflation that we've seen across the country.
Finally, apologies for introducing the pigturd named ‘Piers Morgan anything’ to Hafta viewers :P
Kesar
Hi, I’ve been a long-time listener and truly enjoy Hafta and Charcha. I’m especially glad Abhinandan continues to host Hafta – it wouldn’t feel the same without him.
I wanted to flag an issue that’s persisted since I wrote in December and mentioned again in person: the podcast player on the NL app still doesn’t function smoothly. With Hafta no longer on Spotify, I tried listening on the app this week but couldn’t finish the episode. It freezes, disconnects frequently, and takes a long time to rewind or resume, often requiring a full restart.
I understand NL isn’t primarily a podcast platform, but since audio content is a key offering, the app experience should at least be stable, if not outstanding.
Thanks for all the work you do. I say this as someone who genuinely values journalism and the people behind it. Hope the “Fight to Breathe” campaign is going strong. :)
Anonymous
Dear team,
I’m a regular listener and viewer of your podcast, and I truly appreciate the valuable insights you share, always engaging and constructive.
However, I feel the app doesn't fully reflect the high standard of your journalism. When I listen through the app or website, it doesn't remember my playback history, making it hard to pick up where I left off.
It would also be more convenient if both audio and video versions of the podcast were available in the same place, instead of requiring navigation to a separate page.
These small improvements could greatly enhance the user experience.
Thank you for your continued great work.
Soumya
Hi NL team! Great work by all. All your shows as well as news reports are awesome but my personal best are TV Newsance, Tippani and Hafta. Manisha’s take on the media is amazing and so is Atul’s. Abhinandan’s uncle jokes are good too, which he should crack more often. But special shout-out to Anand for his nuanced perspective which helps to understand an issue better. Only issue with him is he expresses it in such a way that I have to rewind and listen to it a few times to clearly understand.
I love NL interviews too. My suggestion to your team would be to make more documentaries – be it political, historical or investigative journalism based – on important issues of our country similar to the way PBS Frontline does in the US. Keep up the good work and take care.
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