NL Hafta

Cherry Agarwal makes her debut as Hafta's host. This week she is joined by independent journalist Neha Dixit, Newslaundry's Raman Kirpal and Anand Vardhan. The discussion kicks off with the Supreme Court order to enact a new law against mob lynching. Subsequently, Opposition's no-confidence motion against the Modi government, Nawaz Sharif’s arrest, Shashi Tharoor’s 'Hindu Pakistan' comment, among other issues, are discussed. The panel first discusses observations made by the Supreme Court, where the top court stated that “mobocracy cannot be allowed” and recommended that the government enact a new law against lynching. “We have several laws but despite that crime continues to happen so I don’t think it’s one-way traffic, it has to be intersectional at various level and that is the only way it could be fixed,” Neha says. Meghnad puts emphasis on the silence that the government has maintained.    The panel then discusses Shashi Tharoor’s comment about the creation of a 'Hindu Pakistan'. Meghnad thinks it is a very clever political move. Raman adds, “They would say that we want a Hindu Rashtra but not Pakistan.” Anand thinks otherwise; refers to it as Shashi Tharoor's tendency to exaggerate.   The discussion then moves on to the no-confidence motion moved against the government. Raman thinks the acceptance of no-confidence motion by the Speaker is "a very wise thing”. Anand adds that the motion would become a platform for political messaging. Raman calls it “a game of orators". Cherry shifts the attention of the panel to the Women's Reservation Bill. Neha recalls her early days of journalism, the discussion she had with a leading politician and some bizarre comments that he made.  The panel also talks about #TalkToAMuslim, a hashtag that was trending on Twitter. Neha says, “When it comes to the minorities of the country it’s not just social marginalisation, it’s economical marginalisation also.” The panel also discusses Nawaz Sharif's arrest. Anand says, “Corruption is not a liability in Pakistan, so the basic assumption of Pakistan political identity is that all are corrupt.” Raman calls it a fight between morality and corruption. Anand sums up Pakistan in 3As, “Pakistan runs on Allah, America and Army.”  This and more, listen up.