In this week's South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Anisha Sheth first discuss the RSS's longstanding reluctance to register itself as an organisation. They are joined by Shardool K of Newslaundry, who was part of the RSS for several years, and senior journalist Nikita Saxena. The panel unpacks how remaining unregistered has historically afforded the organisation plausible deniability, shielded its finances from scrutiny and audit, and kept its members largely unaccountable. The discussion also explores the RSS's extensive network of around 2,500 affiliated organisations and how it benefits from their goodwill while avoiding formal accountability.
In the second part of the episode, the hosts discuss how Big Tech platforms like Meta, Apple, and YouTube are enabling the monetisation of hate-filled Hindutva pop. They are joined by journalist and author Kunal Purohit, who has been tracking Hindutva pop for several years and explains how it has spread across states, languages, and festivals, often with real-world consequences including riots and murders.
Audio timecodes
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:01:20 - Headlines
00:09:58 - RSS registration
00:47:26 - Hindutva pop
1:12:47 - Recommendations
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