Hafta 472: Electoral bonds verdict, farmers’ protest, Haldwani violence

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Raman Kirpal and Jayashree Arunachalam are joined by Association of Democratic Reforms chief Anil Verma, The Hindu’s deputy editor AM Jigeesh and Newslaundry reporter Sumedha Mittal. 

Anil, one of the litigants who moved the Supreme Court against the electoral bonds scheme, delves into the significance of the top court’s verdict declaring it “unconstitutional”, and the political parties’ take on it. He says the bonds were a “win-win situation” for all political parties, but the Supreme Court has “upheld the right to information.” 

“There is a connection between electoral bonds and farmers’ protests,” says Jigeesh, adding that a “deep structural crisis” is plaguing India. On the farmers’ protest, Manisha says agrarian distress is written all over it. 

The panel also discusses the violence in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani as Sumedha recounts how the media was “cut off” from the site of demolition of the mosque and madrasa. “No story you see is coming from inside the curfew area… cops are also stationed outside the houses of the deceased.” 

This and a lot more. Tune in!

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Timecodes

00:02:58 - Headlines

00:15:46 - Electoral bonds verdict 

00:35:55 - Farmers’ protests

01:10:29 - Jigeesh AM’s recommendations

01:13:31 - Haldwani violence 

01:29:11 - Letters

01:44:39 - Recommendations

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Produced and recorded by Priyali Dhingra, edited by Hassan Bilal.  

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