Reporters Without Orders

This week, host Sumedha Mittal is joined by Newslaundry’s Basant Kumar and Pratyush Deep.Both Basant and Pratyush talk about their reports on the recent arrest of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty in connection with a UAPA case lodged in August this year. They delve into all that led to the arrests, including the early morning police searches at the homes of journalists, satirists, writers and contributors connected to NewsClick. The Delhi police special cell seized electronic devices and questioned so-called ‘suspects’ for hours. The panel also talks about the precursor to the police action – a New York Times investigation that alleged the news site was among Chinese propaganda outlets funded by American tech mogul Neville Roy Singham.Away from NewsClick, Basant explains his report on a father-son duo who fled illegally to Pakistan from India, citing growing communal attacks on Muslims. They’d rather accept death in Pakistan, he said, but don’t want to go back home.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:42 - Newsclick00:02:11 - Arrests00:41:14 - Family flees to Pakistan00:44:07 - RecommendationsRecommendationsPratyushA Taste for Trouble: Memories from Another TimeBasantRag DarbariSumedha'Any story could be your last' - India's crackdown on Kashmir pressProduced by Saif Ali Ekram, edited by Umrav Singh Gurjar and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Basant Kumar is joined by independent journalists Anand Dutta and Kashif Kakvi.Kashif’s report spotlighted the wave of anti-incumbency against Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s government in Madhya Pradesh. He explains how the upcoming assembly election in the state is a challenge for the BJP, and especially Chouhan. He also talks about the rumours around the party’s chief minister face.Anand talks about his report on the salaries of Heavy Engineering Corporation’s employees being withheld for more than 20 months now. He says several of the HEC staff have been forced to sell tea and idlis to make ends meet. He delves into how the government fact-check unit PIB “wrongly fact-checked” his report, calling its headline misleading as it mentioned ISRO and Chandrayaan-3.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:14 - MP Election00:28:31 - HEC00:58:48 - RecommendationsRecommendationsKashifRajnitinama Madhya Pradesh Rajnetaon Ke Kisse (1956-2003)KaalaAnandRag DarbariBasantMitata Bharat Banta IndiaBambai Meri JaanProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Tanishka Sodhi is joined by Newslaundry’s Basant Kumarand The Morning Context’s Ayush Tiwari.Basant explains his report on how some Indian news channels call ‘political analysts’ for their primetime shows, but some of them actually have ties to the BJP.Ayush, meanwhile, reported on the rise of dating coaches in India, fuelled by the Covid pandemic and the limitations of dating apps. But, as he explains, some of them employ questionable coaching methods.The panel also discusses the INDIA alliance’s decision to boycott 14 anchors, and whether this will have an impact on upcoming elections.Tune in!Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:03 - ‘Political analysts’ on TV news00:05:39 - Dating coaches00:34:52 - RecommendationsRecommendationsAyushKoo’s search for ‘Bharat’BasantMeena KumariThe Song of ScorpionsTanishkaBhanwari Devi was raped for trying to stop 1992 child marriage. ‘I curse her daily,’ says brideProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Basant Kumar is joined by The Quint’s Himanshi Dahiya and independent journalist Anand Dutta.Himanshi talks about her report on Mizoram’s struggle to protect women from cervical cancer. She explains how stigma, poor health infrastructure, and religious beliefs have made the situation worse.Anand reported on how 233 caste groups and communities across the country are demanding tribal status. He says the issue is also being politicised, which could have a “fatal impact on our society”.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:35 - Cervical cancer 00:21:08 - Adivasis and politics00:34:33 - RecommendationsRecommendationsHimanshiHow Prime Ministers DecideAnandGunayatanBasant'Waiting To Die’: In Mizoram, a Struggle to Protect Women from Cervical Cancerक्यों लगी है होड़ आदिवासी बनने कीThaharti Sanson Ke Sirhane Se : Jab Zindagi Mauj Le Rahi Thiकैंसर और ज़िंदगी जीने की ज़िदProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Gurmehar Kaur is joined by Newslaundry’s Avdhesh Kumar and Pratyush Deep.Avdhesh reported that the poorest in the national capital have been rendered more vulnerable as a direct impact of the Modi government’s beautification drive ahead of the G-20 Summit. He delved into the many slum demolition drives and evictions that have left people with nowhere to go. Several communities living in camps set up for flood-affected people have been compelled to return to the deluge-hit areas, while many slums have been veiled behind green sheets and banners.Pratyush reported that a Delhi government school teacher was booked for allegedly passing communal slurs and insulting Muslim students in the classroom. An FIR was filed against teacher Hema Gulati after four students of class 9 accused the teacher of passing communal remarks. He spoke about the nonchalant approach of the school authorities and the police in the matter.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:00:35 - Evacuation drives00:04:27 - Communal remarks00:28:45 - RecommendationsRecommendationsPratyushGuns & GulaabsAvdhesh'Waiting To Die’: In Mizoram, a Struggle to Protect Women from Cervical Cancerबेटे को दूध पिलाने के पैसे नहीं थे...आज स्टार:पति मारता था, ट्रेनों में गाना गा बच्चा पाला; आज यूट्यूब से लाखों कमा रहीं 'फरमानी नाज'GurmeharThe economics of thinnessProduced by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Naresh Kumar, and edited by Hassan Bilal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Tanishka Sodhi is joined by Newslaundry’s Shivnarayan Rajpurohit, The News Minute journalist Prajwal Bhat and The Frontier Manipur’s executive editor Paojel Chaoba. The panel discussed the ongoing conflict in Manipur, its underlying causes, the perspective divide and the lack of accountability for the tragedy.Shivnarayan reported on the mass transfers of government officials in the region. The data showed that over 2,000 government employees were transferred to make sure they worked from areas where they would “feel safe”.Prajwal reported on the issue of drugs in Manipur and its role as a key catalyst in the conflict. He said the government’s war on drugs in the region had completely failed. Meanwhile, Paojel dug deeper into the dynamics in the northeastern state and underlined what could be the root cause of the strife. He said that both the central and the state governments have failed in fixing accountability and also spoke about the difficulties faced by journalists while reporting on the conflict.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:00 - Mass transfers 00:06:40 - Status in Manipur00:12:55 - Drug in Manipur00:50:52 - RecommendationsRecommendationsPrajwalFLAME ON A HILL : A COLLECTION OF STORIESShivnarayanBehind Manipur violence, a ‘war on drugs’ that wasn’tPaojelShadow and Light: A Kaleidoscope of ManipurTanishkaHow the demolition drive in Nuh went against court orders and due proceduresProduced by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar, and edited by Samrendra K Dash. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Basant Kumar is joined by The Reporters’ Collective journalist Shreegireesh Jalihal.Shreegireesh had reported how an NRI businessman, linked to the BJP, had sent a proposal to the Niti Aayog to corporatise the agriculture sector – paving the way to the farm laws that were repealed after wide-spread protests. He divulged his findings regarding the making of the controversial laws and shed light on how a government-appointed task force served as a “lobbying platform for corporates”. He also shared that the government’s task force consulted mostly big corporations such as the Adani group, Patanjali, BigBasket, Mahindra Group and ITC. He delved into how farm laws accommodated corporate interest at the cost of the farmers’ welfare. He also highlighted that the Adani group had advocated to remove restrictions on corporates hoarding agricultural commodities.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:18 - Farm law committee00:37:10 - RecommendationsRecommendationsShreegireeshBlood Meridian: Or, the Evening Redness in the WestJujutsu KaisenBasantIn Farmers’ NamePrem Gali Ati Sankaree (A Novel)Produced by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar, and edited by Umrav Singh Gurjar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Gurmehar Kaur is joined by Newslaundry’s Shivnarayan Rajpurohit and Sumedha Mittal.Shivnarayan reported on the ongoing conflict in Manipur from ground zero. He delved into the deepening divide between the Kukis and the Meiteis that has seeped into all aspects of life, from land to administration. He said this divide and the internet shutdown in the northeastern state is gravely impacting all walks of life in the northeastern state. He said the state was marred by the deafening sound of gunshots and its casualties.Sumedha reported on the activism of the Bajrang Dal worker who was killed in the communal clashes in Nuh and the police crackdown in the area in the aftermath of the violence. She shed light on the social undercurrents in Mewat and the “laboratory” of Bajrang Dal, and their aspirations to further their agenda. Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:00:27 - Manipur Conflict00:03:09 - Mewat Violence00:33:28 - RecommendationsRecommendationsSumedhaRocky Aur Rani Ki Prem KahaniShivnarayanLand of Jade: A Journey from India through Northern Burma to ChinaGurmeharRomantic Comedy (Reese's Book Club): A NovelProduced by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar, and edited by Umrav Singh Gurjar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Basant Kumar is joined by Newslaundry’s Anmol Pritam.Anmol reported on the recent communal violence in Haryana, which began during a religious procession at Nuh and spilled over to Gurugram, leaving six people dead. In Gurugram, several commercial properties were burnt down, a mosque was vandalised and over 200 Muslim families were forced to leave their home amid threats. He spoke about what conspired in Haryana, the pattern of communal violence, the negligent police action and the death of a 52-year-old man in Nuh after being beaten up by the police.He also shared his experience of encountering miscreants, who threatened and forced him to stop recording, while he was reporting on the ground.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:17 - Mewat Violence00:36:11 - RecommendationsRecommendationsAnmolWah Bhi Koi Des Hai MahrajBasantThe Song of ScorpionsProduced by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar, and edited by Samrendra K Dash. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Gurmehar Kaur is joined by Newslaundry’s Sumedha Mittal and Washington Post’s Karishma Mehrotra.Sumedha reported that the national public radio broadcaster Akashvani – with arguably an unrivalled reach – has turned into the Modi government’s megaphone. She gave a peak into this “transformation”, delving into the radio’s news coverage packed with bulletins on the Modi government, and the frustrations of its employees dealing with this “tectonic shift”. Karishma spoke about her reportage on India’s push for solar grids in villages. She explained how decentralised solar infrastructure is aiding those residing in remote areas, but the upkeep of these new-age systems is proving difficult for the government – resulting in abandoned panels and batteries far and wide.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:42 - Akashvani00:09:55 - Renewable energy00:30:27 - RecommendationsRecommendationsSumedhaOppenheimerSupreme Court summons DGP: ‘No law and order left in Manipur’KarishmaLast Among Equals: Power, Caste & Politics in Bihar’s VillagesJoylandGurmeharYellowfaceProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.