NL Hafta

This week on NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande and Jayashree Arunachalam are joined by journalists Alpana Kishore and Quratulain Rehbar.Quratulain explains how she was one of the people featured in the “Bulli Bai” app, and talks about how Muslim women are targeted. “I have been trolled for my journalism before but that hasn’t been offensive because there is a reason: of difference of opinion,” she says. “But here, it’s a plain attack and objectifying women.”To listen to the full episode, subscribe to Newslaundry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande and Anand Vardhan are joined by Naresh Fernandes, editor of Scroll, and Jammi N Rao, independent public health physician and epidemiologist.The discussion starts with the surge in Covid cases worldwide, and how holiday celebrations might increase community-based transmission. “The vaccine does not guarantee that you won’t be infected again,” Jammi says. “But what it does guarantee is that you won’t be hospitalised or seriously ill.” Check out our Christmas offer here​​.Gamechanger subscribers, click here to get a private RSS link to listen to NL Hafta on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Castro, Pocket Casts. Alert us at subscription@newslaundry.com if you face any problems.Click here to register for upcoming sessions of NL Recess. Join our Discord server for subscribers so you don't miss any Recess mailers or updates.We’ve a new page for subscribers to send letters to our shows. If you want to write to Hafta, click here.We have the new Newslaundry Nirvana face masks in our store. They are antiviral, UV sterilised, and reusable and washable. Flaunt your love for independent media, and stay safe. Grab yours now at www.newslaundry.com/store. To listen to the full episode, subscribe to Newslaundry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To make the most of next week before the deadline, we have a discount coupon for Hafta listeners. Use code <HAFTA360> to get a flat 20 percent discount on annual and three-year plans. Check out our Christmas offer here​​.Timecodes:3:45 - Headlines6:35 - Parliamentary proceedings40: 33 - Anti-conversion bill1:17:12 - Punjab1: 32: 40 - Duty to laugh1: 35: 35 - Subscriber letters2: 09: 46 - RecommendationsThis week on NL Hafta, Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Raman Kirpal and Jayashree Arunachalam are joined by Apar Gupta, writer and Executive Director of Internet Freedom Foundation, and Nitin Pai, columnist and co-founder of Takshashila Institution. The discussion starts with the parliamentary proceedings and how much attention goes into passing a bill in India. Nitin comments that the only way parliament should decide on passing bills is by some sort of “feat of force like wrestling or tug of war because it has come to that”. “Do people meet up in state legislatures before clearing any bill? No, they are not voicing the concerns,” he says. Apar points to facts. “Only one out of five bills is sent to the standing committee for approval. It’s inefficient and can be made better by all means.” Abhinandan compares the legislative procedure with precedents and opens the discussion with the “unhealthy process” that exists. Jayashree adds, “All institutional checks and balances are just for show, when they (BJP) got tired with the show; they got it adjourned.”The discussion then shifts to the anti-conversion bill passed by the Karnataka government and its implications, along with references to the recent attacks on churches, which Abhinandan calls “dog whistles for the cultural agenda of BJP, because this is all they have”. The panel sifts through the governance style and gains made through the same in south India. The conversation moves to the issue of sacrilege in Punjab, the lynching cases and the recent blast in Ludhiana. The panel also talks about a statement by a Madras high court judge on the “duty to laugh”. This and a lot more, only on NL Hafta.Tune in! ​​ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on NL Hafta, they discuss the upcoming election in Uttar Pradesh, Inaugural of the Kashi Vishwanath corridor, Raman says,The panel talks about the updates in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence and how Ajay Mishra’s removal from the union cabinet has spiralled into a big issue for the opposition. The conversation also spans to the conflict between the BCCI and Virat Kohli.To listen to the full episode, subscribe to Newslaundry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on NL Hafta, Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal and Anand Vardhan are joined by Karma Paljor, editor in chief of EastMojo, and Patricia Mukhim, editor of Shillong Times. The discussion begins with the killing of 14 civilians in Nagaland by security forces. Patricia says, “Until you have the army along with AFSPA, there will always be an excuse for them to kill innocents, especially when the region is declared ‘disturbed’.” The panel also compares Kashmir and Nagaland, and discusses the multiple issues with AFSPA.To listen to the full episode, subscribe to Newslaundry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on NL Hafta, Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Raman Kirpal and Meghnad S are joined by multimedia artist Anurag Verma.While discussing Munawar Faruqui’s decision to quit his stand-up comedy career, Anurag says, “The real question is of the majority’s expectations, it wasn’t about Munawar’s identity. But the real anger was because of the expectations they have from the identity.” The panel also talks about the cancellation of comedian Kunal Kamra’s shows and the backlash that Vir Das received after his ‘Two Indias’ monologue at Washington DC. To listen to the full episode, subscribe to Newslaundry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aakar talks about his new book, Price of the Modi Years, and highlights anti-Muslim laws that were introduced by the Modi government. “We have taken this country to a very dark place which I don’t think we can ever come out of,” he says. Jayashree points out different ways in which the government targets minorities, saying, “This is a way of calling out a particular community without naming them.”On the repeal of the farm laws, Raman says there were “clear indications” that it would happen. He adds, “The media amplified this rollback to glorify Modi, whereas he just stated that the farmers failed to understand his perspective in the laws.” Aakar says, “When you pass a bill that is against the public, and the public retaliates with resistance, then it’s habitual of this government to take it all back, whether publicly or not.”RecommendationsAakarGreat Singers on Great SingingRaman‘No benefit, too late’: For many farmers in North Delhi, AAP bio-decomposer drive makes ‘no difference’JayashreeThe Gone WorldThe Unlikely MurdererAnand How the government lost farm reforms to rich farmersThe farmers’ protest, truths and half-truthsManishaSuccession Farm laws: Sikhs being targeted by fake social media profilesTo listen to the full episode, subscribe to Newslaundry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on NL Hafta, Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal and Manisha Pande are joined by Sujit Nair, co-founder and managing editor of HW News, and independent journalist Sandhya Ravishankar. Sandhya talks about floods in Tamil Nadu, and how infrastructural developments led to the issue in Chennai city. The conversation shifts to pollution in the capital and other Indian cities, and the harm it causes. “It’s not just Diwali and stubble burning,” Manisha says. “It’s more than that.”To listen to the full episode, subscribe to Newslaundry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on NL Hafta, Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal and Manisha Pande are joined by Subir Bhaumik, former correspondent with BBC and Reuters, and Vivek Kaul, journalist and economics commentator. Starting with the violence in Tripura, Subir offers some background and explains the roles of social media and the state police. “Tripura’s clashes have never been communal,” he says. “It’s the regional differences that initiate such issues. But this time, it’s clearly Hindu-Muslim...Fake news and misinformation is the core reason of any such riot in Tripura.”To listen to the full episode, subscribe to Newslaundry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on NL Hafta, Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal and Jayashree Arunachalam are joined by Harjeet Singh, senior advisor for Climate Action Network International, and Lou Del Bello, climate and energy journalist.During a discussion on the ongoing COP26 summit, Abhinandan points out Barbados PM Mia Mottley’s speech and takes a dig at issues linked to climate finance. “Rich countries don’t want to give up that money, which is not aid or favour but an obligation because they are the ones who caused the crisis,” Harjeet says.To listen to the full episode, subscribe to Newslaundry.In keeping with the festive spirit, we’re offering you free, giftable Newslaundry subscriptions along with every Diwali hamper you buy from us. We have some new products in our hampers like a Diwali special candle, fridge magnets, and the Naxalbari comic. Get your festive hamper here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.