Parley by The Hindu

The Constitution is seemingly at the centre of political rhetoric and symbolism in India right now. Opposition leaders have held up copies of the Constitution while walking into Parliament. They have waved these in the Prime Minister’s face. They have also held these copies while taking oath. Some argue that this is the Opposition’s tip to the mandate that it believes it has received from the country’s marginalised and oppressed communities to “Save the Constitution”.So, did a constitutional conscience drive much of the Dalit and OBC (Other Backward Classes) vote this Lok Sabha elections? And to what extent? Here we discuss these questions.Guests: Harish S. Wankhede, assistant professor at the Centre for Political Studies, JNU, New Delhi; Ravikant Kisana, Assistant Dean (Academic Affairs) and Associate Professor at Woxsen University, Hyderabad.Host: Abhinay LakshmanYou can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for Parley by The Hindu.

India’s road transport sector contributes about 12% to the country’s CO2 emissions, according to the International Energy Agency, making it the third most greenhouse gas emitting sector after energy and agriculture. The Union government has been attempting to fast track decarbonising transport for almost a decade with the introduction of the Faster Adoption and Manufacture of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, or FAME in 2015. The third iteration of this policy is likely to be announced in this year’s Union Budget. FAME attempts to generate demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids by subsidising retail sales, encouraging the manufacture of components and creating and nurturing an EV ecosystem nationwide. But the policy has changed from when it was introduced, with a steady removal of subsidies for hybrids. Some have welcomed this move, while others point to the lack of charging infrastructure, import dependence on advanced battery components and technology, and a grid still dominated by coal-based power, leading to an increase in EVs overall carbon footprint from mining rare earth elements to charging.Here we discuss the the question.Guests: Avinash Kumar Agarwal, Director, IIT Jodhpur and the lead author of a study comparing greenhouse gas emissions of battery, hybrid and ICE vehicles; Sharvari Patki, Program Head, Electric Mobility at the World Resources Institute, IndiaHost: Kunal ShankarRecorded and edited by Jude Francis Weston

Discussion on how coalition governments in India impact economic reforms, history of coalition governments since the 1990s, complexities of fund distribution among states, analysis of economic vision of new coalition government, and coalition demands for special packages and inequalities in India's federal political economy.

On May 22, the Election Commission of India (ECI) asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress to desist from raising divisive issues in the campaign. In recent years, and particularly during the campaign to the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, critics of the ECI have accused the body of being late or ineffective or partial in responding to alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).Does the MCC need legal teeth for better implementation? Here we discuss the question.Guests: T.S. Krishnamurthy, former Chief Election Commissioner; P.D.T. Achary, former Secretary General of the Lok SabhaHost: Sreeparna ChakrabartyYou can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for Parley by The Hindu.Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled that advocates cannot be held liable under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, for deficiency in service. The Court also indicated that its 1995 decision that held medical professionals accountable under the Act may need to be revisited. It suggested that the definition of the term ‘services’ under the Act, which includes the medical sector, be re-examined. The issue will be placed before a larger Bench.Should doctors, like lawyers, be kept out of the Consumer Protection Act? Here we discuss the question.Guests: Rajeshwari Sekar, a medico-legal expert in Chennai with over 18 years of experience handling consumer court cases and medical cases; Saroja Sundaram, executive director of the Chennai-based Citizen Consumer and Civic Action GroupHost: Aroon DeepYou can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for Parley by The Hindu.Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in

Former chairman of the University Grants Commission, Sukhadeo Thorat, debates the slogan 'Jitni abadi, utna haq' with guest Sudheendra Kulkarni. They discuss reservations, the necessity of a caste census, and equitable opportunities based on social and economic standings. The conversation highlights the challenges of addressing discrimination and promoting inclusive growth.

Exploring the rise of independent journalists on YouTube in India and how they are slowly replacing traditional TV journalists. Discussing the impact of technology, challenges faced, spread of disinformation by right-wing creators in regional channels, regulations on digital news platforms, and the influence of independent journalists on shaping political discourse and challenging mainstream media narratives.

Ayushman Bharat, the government’s flagship programme to achieve universal health coverage (UHC), was launched in 2018. The scheme has two inter-related components: health and wellness centres and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) that aims to provide a health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to over 12 crore families that form the bottom 40% of the population. PM-JAY has issued 34.27 crore cards. About 6.5 crore have received treatment and there are over 30,000 empanelled hospitals. However, over the past year, hospitals in some States have reported they are owed hundreds of crores in dues, and some are reportedly turning away or taking in fewer PMJAY patients.Does PMJAY need a design change? Here we discuss the issue.Guests: Nachiket Mor is Visiting Scientist, Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health; Avani Kapur is Senior Visiting Fellow, Centre for Policy Research and Founder-Director, Foundation for Responsive GovernanceHost: Zubeda HamidYou can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for Parley by The Hindu.Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in

The Green Credit Programme, announced by the Environment Ministry in October 2023, is a market-based mechanism where individuals and companies can claim incentives called ‘green credits’ for contributions to environmental and ecological restoration. However, there is criticism that these initiatives may be used to circumvent existing laws, particularly those that deal with forest conservation. Jacob Koshy is joined by Vaibhav Chaturvedi, Fellow at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water and Debadityo Sinha, Senior Resident Fellow, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

Earlier this month, following a report in The Guardian stating that the Indian government had killed about 20 people in Pakistan since 2020 as part of a broader plan to eliminate terrorists on foreign soil, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh responded that India will enter Pakistan to kill terrorists. A few days later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, said that under a strong government, “atankwadiyon ko ghar mein ghus ke mare jata hai (terrorists are being killed in their homes)”.Is the Indian government justified in targeting terrorists outside the border? Here we discuss the question.Guests: Rakesh Sood, a former diplomat who served as Ambassador to Afghanistan, France, and Nepal. He was also Special Envoy of the Prime Minister on Disarmament and Nonproliferation until 2014; Tara Kartha, the director for research at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies. She spent 17 years at the National Security Council Secretariat, which sits at the apex of India’s national security architectureHost: Suhasini Haidar.