Let Me Explain

In Kerala’s Malappuram district, an ancient gathering from the past is being revived, but in a very different form.Mamankam, a gathering in Kerala that once centred on power, trade and multiple communities is now being projected as a “Kerala’s Kumbh Mela.”Mamankam was not a Hindu pilgrimage. It was a secular, political and ritual assembly where kingship was contested and Muslims were part of its structure.So what does it mean when Mamankam is rebranded as Kumbh?In this episode of Let Me Explain, we hit the ground to bring you the real story and unpack how a plural past is being reshaped into a singular religious narrative.For suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.comLike Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lmeIf you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wRBecome a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscriptionProducer: by Megha Mukundan, Script: Pooja Prasanna, Megha Mukundan, Reporting: Haritha Manav, Megha Mukundan, Camera: Ajay R, Megha Mukundan, Edit: Nikhil Sekhar ET

Two journalists were arrested after a prime-time broadcast on NTV sparked a political storm in Telangana. The story had no documents, no named sources, and no evidence.In this episode of Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna breaks down what really happened behind the NTV controversy, why allegations of business and political rivalries entered the newsroom, and what this episode reveals about media ownership in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.This isn’t just about one channel or one broadcast. It’s about what happens when media houses are owned by powerful business interests, when editorial lines shift with political power, and when journalism turns into leverage instead of public service.For suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.comLike Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lmeIf you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wRBecome a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscriptionProduced by Megha Mukundan, script by Dhanya Rajendran, camera by Ajay R, edited by Nikhil Sekhar ET

A.R. Rahman is one of India’s most celebrated and globally recognised artists. And yet this week, he found himself having to publicly reaffirm his love for his own country.In a BBC interview, Rahman cautiously used the word “communal” while speaking about why his work in Hindi cinema has reduced in recent years. He did not make an accusation or draw a conclusion. But the reaction to that single word was swift.Very quickly, the conversation stopped being about music or the industry and became about Rahman’s identity and patriotism.In this episode of Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna breaks down what Rahman actually said, how his words were turned around, and why the reaction ended up proving his point. This episode is not just about A.R. Rahman. It is about how easily a conversation about work becomes a test of belonging in India today.Produced by Bhuvan Malik, Edit by Jaseem Ali, Script by Pooja Prasanna, Camera by Ajay R.For suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.comLike Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lmeIf you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wRBecome a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscription

For over a century, the RSS has operated not just as an ideological movement, but as a vast organisational network embedded in everyday life. From schools, hostels, labour unions, media houses, charities, and cultural forums, its reach extends into education, work, and communities.A six-year research project led by Dr. Felix Pal from the University of Western Australia mapped over 2,500 organisations linked to the Sangh across India and the world. The Caravan magazine fact-checked the data and published it as an interactive map, revealing how the RSS builds influence quietly through social infrastructure rather than just politics.In this episode of Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna breaks down how the Sangh operates through schools, hostels, unions, media, and diaspora organisations, shaping communities and narratives both at home and abroad.Watch to understand how the RSS wields power through everyday institutions and a global network of affiliated organisations.Produced by Megha Mukundan, Script by Lakshmi Priya, Camera by Ajay R, Edit by Nikhil Sekhar ETFor suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.comLike Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lmeIf you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wRBecome a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscription

The Supreme Court says prolonged detention violates liberty. Yet Umar Khalid has spent five years in prison without a trial. Another Supreme Court bench recently denied him bail. In September 2020, Umar Khalid was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for an alleged conspiracy behind the Delhi riots. Five years later, the trial has still not begun. There is no conviction, no verdict, and no finding of guilt. Yet he continues to remain in jail.In this episode of Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna unpacks how the UAPA makes bail harder than conviction, how delay turns into punishment, and how protest and political speech are treated as conspiracy.Produced by Megha Mukundan, Script by Lakshmi Priya, Camera by Ajay R, Edit by Nikhil Sekhar ETFor suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.comLike Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lmeIf you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wRBecome a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscription

After Congress leader Praveen Chakravarthy’s tweet, one economic comparison has gone viral: that Tamil Nadu’s total debt is now higher than Uttar Pradesh’s.The claim is being used to suggest a simple story: fiscal failure in one state, discipline in the other.But is that really how numbers are read?In this episode of Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna puts the debt figures in context. Because debt, by itself, tells us very little. What matters is how large an economy is, how fast it is growing, how much revenue it raises, and what that borrowing is used for.Produced by Megha Mukundan, Script by Pooja Prasanna, Camera by Ajay R, Edit by Nikhil Sekhar ET, Graphics by Dharini PrabharanFor suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.comLike Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lmeIf you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wRBecome a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscription

MGNREGA allowed rural workers to ask the government for work and be paid if work was not provided. That basic promise shaped how the programme worked on the ground. Now, the Union government plans to replace MGNREGA with a new law called VB G RAM G, 2025. The new framework changes how jobs are approved, funded, and delivered. In this special episode of Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna walks through what is changing and what it could mean for workers and states.For suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.comLike Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lmeIf you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wRBecome a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscriptionTo support our team, contribute to our reporting fund: https://pages.razorpay.com/reporting-fundProduced by Bhuvan Malik, Script by Pooja Prasanna, Edited by Dharini Prabaharan.

The 2017 actor assault verdict has split Kerala. While six men were convicted for abducting and sexually assaulting an actor, Dileep, the alleged mastermind was acquitted of conspiracy charges. Protests followed, and the survivor issued a public statement saying justice felt incomplete. In this episode of Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna breaks down what the court accepted, what it rejected, and why proving criminal conspiracy is so difficult under Indian law. ➡️ Read our coverage of the case here: https://www.thenewsminute.com/topic/tnm-special-stories-kerala-actor-assault-caseFor suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.comLike Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lmeIf you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wRBecome a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscriptionTo support our team, contribute to our reporting fund: https://pages.razorpay.com/reporting-fundProduced by Megha Mukundan, Script by Lakshmi Priya, Edited by Nikhil Sekhar ET, Camera by Ajay R