The Times Of India Podcast

The killing of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique has raised questions about the revival of gang violence in Mumbai. Rashmi Rajput, who writes on crime and investigating agencies for The Economic Times, explains the impact of the killing and how it changes things in a city that had gotten used to not hearing about extortion calls. 

Journalist Sukanya Shantha was recently thanked by the Supreme Court for her reporting on caste-based labour practices and caste-based segregation in many of India's prisons. She speaks with Alka Dhupkar and Arun George about how caste determines what you do in jails, why these practices still exist and the challenge with ending them.   

Political scientist Suhas Palshikar explains the issues with the Prime Minister turning up at the Chief Justice's residence for Ganeshotsav. He also explains the problem with judges and government employees talking about links with the RSS and what it means for the RSS to be making statements that seem to target the PM. 

Shakir Mir, a journalist covering Jammu and Kashmir for TOI+ and other outlets, dives into the significance of the region's upcoming assembly elections. He discusses the palpable enthusiasm among voters, despite the absence of full statehood. Key parties like the National Conference and the People's Democratic Party are examined, alongside new political entities. Mir also highlights the role of District Development Councils and the internal dynamics within the BJP, revealing how these factors influence voter sentiment and election strategies.

Patruni Chidananda Sastry, a drag queen and unconventional parent, joins Labanya Maitra, a commentator on societal impacts of unique parenting. They explore the challenges and joys of balancing life as a performer and a parent. The conversation touches on legal hurdles faced by queer families in India and the importance of community support. Patruni shares insights into the transformative essence of drag and its role in fostering acceptance and inclusivity in parenting, urging society to embrace diverse identities.

Bina Paul - one of the founding members of the Women in Cinema Collective - talks about the fallout of the Justice Hema committee report on the Malayalam film industry. She explains why the report matters, why sexual harassment is rampant in the film industry and what needs to be done now to correct things.

Supreme Court lawyer Disha Wadekar explains the apex court's latest verdict that deals with the contentious subject of sub-quotas within reservations for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. She also decodes the Supreme Court's handling of reservations over the decades and what's worrying about multiple judgements regarding reservations. 

Vijayendra Mohanty - better known as Vimoh online - talks about why influencers and content creators are seeking clarity over a proposed law that is reportedly set to limit who can say what on platforms like YouTube and social media.   

Aditya Pillai discusses escalating deaths from heatwaves in India, challenges in implementing effective heat action plans, managing heatwaves while balancing cooling needs and climate impact, analyzing the need to declare heatwaves as disasters, and exploring India's response to rising heatwaves.

Political scientist Suhas Palshikar and Yogendra Yadav campaign to remove their names from controversially edited Indian textbooks, highlighting concerns about ideological influences and the impact on education. Discussion delves into challenges in the Indian curriculum, government's use of textbooks for agendas, and the importance of preserving knowledge for future generations.