The podcast where we discuss the news of the week. 

This week on Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Jayashree Arunachalam, Raman Kirpal and Shardool Katyayan are joined by The News Minute’s Pooja Prasanna. The panel begins with protests in Bihar against a ‘paper leak’ in the Bihar Public Service Commission preliminary exam. Jayashree explains, “The normalisation process for exams has been rejected outright by the BPSC, but it’s a standard procedure in other competitive exams.” Shardool emphasises systemic delays and negligence, stating, “Students are aging out of eligibility because of these recurring delays – it’s a vicious cycle.” The conversation turned to the lynching of a Muslim man in Moradabad over allegations of cow slaughter. Shardool calls it an “economic issue as well as a social issue” since “most victims of lynchings are from the lower economic strata, unable to defend themselves legally or socially”. Jayashree criticises the media’s reportage of such incidents: “We don’t report these as murders; they are contextualised as actions driven by allegations – almost a justification.”&nbsp; Abhinandan adds, “It’s telling that the prime minister and government are quick to comment on global issues but remain silent on hate crimes within the country.” Pooja highlights the impunity enjoyed by repeat offenders: “In Karnataka, a hate offender live-streamed attacks and continues to engage in hate speech, even while out on bail.” The panel closes with predictions for 2025. Raman predicts worsening economic conditions, saying, “Public sentiment is unlikely to favour large-scale protests despite growing discontent.” Abhinandan sums it up, “If we want systemic change, citizens need to harness collective power to push politicians to act. Protests alone won’t be enough.” This and a lot more. Tune in! We have a page for subscribers to send letters to our shows. If you want to write to Hafta, <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/podcast-letters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">click here</a>.&nbsp;Check out the<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/store?routeName=NlStore" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry store</a> and flaunt your love for independent media.&nbsp; Download the<a href="http://www.newslaundry.com/download-app" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry app</a>. Video timecodes 00:00:00 - Introductions 00:01:39 - Announcements 00:06:36- Headlines 00:18:54 - Bihar paper leak protests 00:30:58- Moradabad Murder 00:41:51 - Hindutva’s growing influence and economic motivations 00:53:26 - Panel’s predictions for 2025 01:10:11- Special Message 01:12:46 - Subscriber letters 01:32:24 - Recommendations Check out <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VCmV6yr5t1LHE77Xp5-cYhWrQSkhW3A8nix310MvRQU/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters</a>&nbsp; Produced and recorded by Prashant Kumar and Priyali Dhingra.

Hafta 518: Bihar protests, Moradabad murder, Hindutva campaigns 

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande and Raman Kirpal were joined by former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan Lokur and political journalist Neerja Choudhury. Neerja describes Dr Manmohan Singh, who died this week, as a “gentleman politician and a unifying figure” who will be remembered for his “decency in politics” and landmark contributions such as the RTI Act, MGNREGA, and the Indo-US nuclear deal. Justice Lokur says, “He was a great man and a great loss for the country.”&nbsp; Manisha reflects on the media’s role during Singh’s tenure, saying, “Back then, leaders were judged critically but fairly, without fear of retribution.”Abhinandan adds, “Manmohan Singh’s leadership taught us that decency is not a weakness but a strength in politics.” On the media and judicial accountability, Justice Lokur acknowledges the increased public scrutiny on courts. “There must be ways to check judges without undermining the institution,” he says, referencing the need for mechanisms beyond impeachment. Neerja criticises the sensationalism that’s come to define election coverage, saying the media’s role “is to hold power accountable, not amplify divisive rhetoric”. The panel also reflects on key events of 2024. Neerja cautions that the “challenge to Modi’s leadership might come from the extreme right within the BJP itself”. Manisha points out the troubling rhetoric in election speeches, adding, “The prime minister’s speeches targeting minorities were demoralising and crossed a line.”Raman highlights the year’s highs and lows, saying, “The coalition government formation was a relief for democracy, but the political language this year hit new lows.” This and a lot more. Tune in! We have a page for subscribers to send letters to our shows. If you want to write to Hafta, <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/podcast-letters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">click here</a>.&nbsp;Check out the<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/store?routeName=NlStore" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry store</a> and flaunt your love for independent media.&nbsp; Download the<a href="http://www.newslaundry.com/download-app" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry app</a>. Audio timecodes 00:00:00 - Introductions 00:02:49 - Headlines 00:09:53 - NL Sena announcements 00:11:18- Manmohan Singh’s legacy 00:34:52 - Media, judiciary, and key events of 2024 01:03:06 - Announcements 01:11:46 - Subscriber letters 01:19:14 - Recommendations Check out <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VCmV6yr5t1LHE77Xp5-cYhWrQSkhW3A8nix310MvRQU/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters</a>&nbsp; Produced &amp; recorded by Prashant &amp; Priyali.&nbsp;

Hafta 517: Media and judicial accountability, highs and lows of 2024, remembering Manmohan Singh

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pandey, and Jayashree Arunachalam were joined by parliamentary affairs expert and journalist Meghnad S.&nbsp;On the debate on the One Nation, One Election bill, Jayashree says that “the proposal reflects a strong anti-federalism stance.” She pointed out that while the bill may reduce costs, “it could strip states of their power”. Manisha says, “In terms of organising this it could be a mammoth task, especially with the inclusion of panchayat elections, making it an expensive exercise.” Abhinandan asks, “Is Modi the right leader to bring about such changes?”&nbsp;&nbsp; The panel then discusses the row over scuffle in parliament between the opposition MPs and those in the governing parties. Meghnad says, “It's like a WWE match in Parliament.” Abhinandan questions its media coverage, “Do you feel any shame or guilt about the way you work? How do you face your children?”&nbsp; This and a lot more. Tune in! We have a page for subscribers to send letters to our shows. If you want to write to Hafta, <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/podcast-letters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">click here</a>.&nbsp;Check out the<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/store?routeName=NlStore" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry store</a> and flaunt your love for independent media.&nbsp; Download the<a href="http://www.newslaundry.com/download-app" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry app</a>. Watch the full video here:&nbsp; <a href="https://youtu.be/rayJQarf4Sk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/rayJQarf4Sk</a> Audio timecodes00:00:00 - Introductions00:00:27 - Announcements00:08:20 - Headlines00:15:42 - NL Sena Announcement00:17:55- One Nation, One Election00:46:49 - Parliament: Scuffles, allegations, and theatrics01:10:37 - Subscriber’s letters01:50:08 - Recommendations Check out <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VCmV6yr5t1LHE77Xp5-cYhWrQSkhW3A8nix310MvRQU/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters</a>&nbsp; Produced &amp; recorded by Prashant &amp; Priyali.&nbsp;

Hafta 516: ‘Scuffle’ in parliament, One Nation One Election bill, Ambedkar

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal, and Manisha Pandey were joined by journalist Faye D’Souza. On the BJP’s narrative against George Soros, Abhinandan says, “Adani money is good, Soros money bad? No sensible discussion has happened around it.” Faye says, “We are living in a post-truth world where ridiculous claims take root and attention spans have shrunk too much for nuanced conversations.” On the Congress’s response to allegations about links with Soros, Manisha says, “Their communication is stale. You can’t keep repeating the same thing without innovation.” She points out that news channels have been quoting dubious sources like “nancho.net” to accuse Sonia Gandhi of collusion with Soros. The panel then discusses the misuse of dowry laws and the tragic case of a techie’s suicide in Bengaluru. Anand says, “Lawyers often weaponise these cases, and the Supreme Court has already intervened to mandate preliminary investigations before arrests.” Faye emphasises the need for balanced discourse. On media coverage of the issue, Abhinandan says, “The TikTokisation of news has taken over.”&nbsp; On the Kapoor family’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Manisha says, “The event was supposed to honour Raj Kapoor, but it ended up being all about praising Modi.” This and a lot more. Tune in! We have a page for subscribers to send letters to our shows. If you want to write to Hafta, <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/podcast-letters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">click here</a>.&nbsp;Check out the<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/store?routeName=NlStore" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry store</a> and flaunt your love for independent media.&nbsp; Download the<a href="http://www.newslaundry.com/download-app" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry app</a>. Watch the full video here:&nbsp; <a href="https://youtu.be/BL8HPSF9NFs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/BL8HPSF9NFs</a> Audio timecodes00:00:00 - Introductions00:0:00 - Headlines00:18:00 - Adani vs Soros00:34:28- Special Message&nbsp;00:35:27 - Dowry law misuse debate00:56:12 - Bollywood’s Modi moment01:06:43 - Subscriber letters and recommendations Check out <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VCmV6yr5t1LHE77Xp5-cYhWrQSkhW3A8nix310MvRQU/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters</a>&nbsp; Produced &amp; recorded by Prashant &amp; Priyali.&nbsp;

Hafta 515: Soros vs Adani, dowry law misuse, Bollywood-Modi moment

The podcast where we discuss the news of the week.

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal and Jayashree Arunachalam are joined by author Chetan Bhagat, academic Sarthak Bagchi, and journalist Dhiren A Sadokpam to discuss the Maharashtra government formation, the increased violence in Manipur, and the ‘foreign hand’ allegations against OCCRP.&nbsp; On BJP’s campaign in Maharashtra, Chetan says, “A little bit of humility has come to the BJP. The whole talk of building a larger than life image – the party feels that the voters don’t need it right now.” Sarthak explains how the BJP may absorb Shiv Sainiks in the state, saying the party “wants to establish hegemonic dominance”.&nbsp; Moving on to the BJP’s ‘US propaganda’ allegations and primetime outrage against OCCRP, Abhinandan says, “I just find it fascinating that Indian media that is surviving on sarkari patronage is outraging about another media surviving on sarkari patronage.”&nbsp; Dhiren then explains the spike in violence in Manipur and what it’s like to live in a state of war. “We need to understand the intersection between insurgency, ethnic violence, poppy cultivation, and national security,” he says.&nbsp; This and a lot more. Tune in! We have a page for subscribers to send letters to our shows. If you want to write to Hafta, <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/podcast-letters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">click here</a>.&nbsp;Check out the<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/store?routeName=NlStore" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry store</a> and flaunt your love for independent media.&nbsp; Download the<a href="http://www.newslaundry.com/download-app" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry app</a>. Watch the full video here:&nbsp; <a href="https://youtu.be/PIiK-K8fbQ0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/PIiK-K8fbQ0</a> Audio timecodes00:00:00 - Introductions00:04:36 - Announcements00:15:00 - Headlines00:19:00 - OCCRP controversy00:32:41 - Maharashtra government formation01:20:00 - New wave of violence in Manipur?00:49:38 - Maharashtra election results01:57:30 - Letters02:06:30 - Recommendations Check out <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VCmV6yr5t1LHE77Xp5-cYhWrQSkhW3A8nix310MvRQU/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters</a>&nbsp; Produced &amp; recorded by Priyali Dhingra and Prashant Kumar, edited by Hassan Bilal.&nbsp;

Hafta 514: Return of George Soros, BJP’s Maharashtra play, Manipur crisis

A snippet of NL Hafta for Non-Subscribers

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Raman Kirpal, and Anand Vardhan to discuss the violence in Sambhal and the Maharashtra-Jharkhand assembly election results. Check out the<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/store?routeName=NlStore" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry store</a> and flaunt your love for independent media.&nbsp; Download the<a href="http://www.newslaundry.com/download-app" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry app</a>.

Chota Hafta 513

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Jayashree Arunachalam, and Raman Kirpal are joined by environment and air pollution expert Sunil Dahiya. Check out the<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/store?routeName=NlStore" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry store</a> and flaunt your love for independent media.&nbsp; Download the<a href="http://www.newslaundry.com/download-app" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry app</a>.

Chota Hafta 512

This week, Newslaundry’s Manisha Pande, Jayashree Arunachalam, Raman Kirpal, and Anand Vardhan are joined by Newslaundry reporter Prateek Goyal. Check out the<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/store?routeName=NlStore" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry store</a> and flaunt your love for independent media.&nbsp; Download the<a href="http://www.newslaundry.com/download-app" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry app</a>.

Chota Hafta 511

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri and Raman Kirpal are joined by Supreme Court advocate Shahrukh Alam and senior journalist Sreenivasan Jain.&nbsp; Check out the<a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/store?routeName=NlStore" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry store</a> and flaunt your love for independent media.&nbsp; Download the<a href="http://www.newslaundry.com/download-app" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Newslaundry app</a>.

Chota Hafta 510

Weekly wrap of events of the week peppered with c…

Weekly wrap of events of the week peppered with context, commentary and opinion by a superstar panel. Click here to support Newslaundry: <a href="http://bit.ly/paytokeepnewsfree" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/paytokeepnewsfree</a>

NL Hafta

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