South Central Ep 5: Kerala Actor Assault Case, Rahul Gandhi’s Leadership, and Vijay-VCK-DMK row

In this episode, hosts Dhanya Rajendran, Pooja Prasanna, and Leena Reghunath are joined by author and activist Meena Kandasamy and TNM's senior editor Ragamalika Karthikeyan. 

Leena delves into Kerala’s actor assault case, highlighting judicial delays and systemic issues. Dhanya discusses how the visuals of the sexual assault were illegally accessed by court employees and no criminal proceedings are being done on them.

The survivor has meanwhile written to the President for help. Raga says, “I think it's process as punishment for the survivor. Everything that is happening, whether it is the courts, how the judges are reacting, how the people are reacting, all of this is patriarchy in action. It should shock us that this is a person who does have access to more resources. And yet, this is what she's facing.”

Pooja adds, “At the end of the day, they’re fighting multiple battles to ensure they aren’t further traumatized or shamed, while still living with the stigma that comes with it.”

As the conversation shifts to Rahul Gandhi’s role in the India Bloc, with Meena emphasizing the need for Congress to fully commit to its progressive stance. She says, “Hindutva-lite won’t defeat Hindutva Agmark. Rahul Gandhi’s stance against crony capitalism and support for the caste census show he’s taking bold steps, but the Congress must reinvent itself.”

The discussion then turns to Tamil Nadu politics, where a book launch featuring Vijay and VCK’s Aadhav Arjuna has become a flashpoint for speculation about political alignments. Meena comments, “If Vijay makes statements against the DMK while sitting next to an ally, it’s immediately perceived as agreement, even without public contradiction.”

Dive into South Central for an engaging and insightful discussion—you won’t want to miss it!

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Audio Timecodes 

00:00:00:00 - Introductions 

00:01:42:00 - Announcements

00:03:00:00- Headlines

00:13:32:00 - Kerala Actor Assault Case 

00:37:32:00 -INDIA Bloc: Rahul or Mamata?

01:03:02:05 - TN Political Flashpoint

01:17:38:02 - Recommendations

Check out the recommendations and references form this episode.

Produced by Bhuvan Malik, edited by Jaseem Ali.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.