The Big Story

What Happens Years After a Cyclone Hits? (ft. Ruhie Kumar & Surabhi Gajbhaye)

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 11:03:22 -0000

Cyclones are a characteristic feature of the Indian coastline and every year we see a few cyclones create severe damage to the east as well as the west coast. As we deal with the havoc left by Cyclone Biparjoy, on this episode of The Big Story, we want to understand what happens to the communities, people, and their livelihoods once they are rehabilitated. What does that process look like? What kind of mental health problems can come up? Are the long-term effects of cyclones properly understood and worked on?

We also delve into the patterns of cyclones in India and their relation to climate change.

We are joined by two guests on the chat - Ruhie Kumar and Surabhi Gajbhiye. Ruhie Kumar is an independent climate strategist, who has worked on breaking down the technical jargon and simplifying climate change for various audiences. Surabhi Gajbhiye currently works as Program Director - consultant at SAAD (a Nagpur-based NGO). She has been working in the humanitarian sector for the past decade on thematic areas of rural development, DRR, child safety, mental health climate change, and sustainable development.

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Can AI Revolutionise Mental Healthcare? Experts Answer (ft. Dr. Samir Parikh and Dr. Megha Gupta)

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 12:35:55 -0000

Are AI apps the future of mental health support? Can these applications truly understand and address the complexities of our emotional well-being? What can a user expect when they get on such an application? And perhaps the most provocative question of all—can AI truly replace human therapists?

Join us as we unravel the captivating potential of AI apps in mental health, guided by the expertise of Dr. Samir Parikh, a renowned psychiatrist at Fortis Hospital, and Dr. Megha Gupta, the head of AI at Wysa, a pioneering mental healthcare app.  

We discuss the technology, potential, ethical and privacy concerns, and offer a peek in the future of AI in mental health support.

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The Truth About HEATWAVES & Climate Change in India (ft. Aditya Pillai)

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 08:36:19 -0000

Heatwaves. Literally and metaphorically the “hottest” topic in climate change research. While heatwaves are becoming more and more common in India, are they still dismissed without proper knowledge? More than what we can as individuals do to save ourselves, what is being done at national and international levels? Have we understood it enough and are our plans actionable?

On this episode of The Big Story, our hosts Prateek and Anoushka are joined by Aditya Pillai, fellow with the Initiative for Climate, Energy, and Environment (ICEE) at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) to answer these questions.

Aditya Pillai reviewed 37 Heat Action Plans across the country and shares his findings through this chat. He sheds light on what we mean by heatwaves, their detrimental effects, and addresses Heat Action Plans around India while also giving a global perspective, taking into account HAPs all over the world.

Tune in for an engaging conversation!

Chapters:

0:00- Intro

4:14- Alarming Heat Effects and What We Can Do about Them

6:15- Slow Desensitisation to Rising Temperature

13:21- Aditya Talks about his Amazing Smartwatch

17:03- Heatwaves: Undeniable yet Ignored

19:28- Rural Infrastructure Trends and Urban Heat Island Effects

25:52- Contextual Approach to Understanding Heatwaves

27:46- What are Heat Action Plans?

29:10- Encouraging Climate Adaptive Lifestyle Changes

30:15- Oiling the Public Machinery: Is Academic Research Leading to Institutional Impact?

35:20- On-Ground Heat Management

37:43- Behavioural Change to Tackle Heat

39:40- Which State has India’s Best Heat Action Plan?

42:50- The Funding and the Legal Foundation of Climate Policy

46:40- Drawing Inspiration from the Global Scenario

49:12- Why does Delhi NOT have a Heat Action plan?

53:33- Can Climate Change Swing Elections?

1:03:59- The 3 Influential People who should Listen to this Podcast.

1:09:31- Learnings from COVID-19

1:13:03- Why Heat Action Plans need to be Hyper Local?

1:15:01- Suggesting Heat Action Plans for every School and Office

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Karnataka Results Analysis: Hindutva, Corruption & Local Leaders

Mon, 15 May 2023 15:53:04 -0000

What will be the consequence of Congress’ victory in the Karnataka elections? What are the prominent factors that lead to BJP’s setback in the south? What issues mattered to the voters?

We are joined by Fatima Khan, principal correspondent with The Quint who was on the ground in the run-up to the elections, and Aditya Menon, our political editor to discuss what actually happened that lead to this result.

In this podcast, we closely examine what issues mattered in this election, what strategies worked, and what this election means for future polls.

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Are We Spending More Money Because of UPI? (ft. Ateesh Tankha)

Mon, 01 May 2023 09:14:09 -0000

In this episode of The Big Story, our hosts Anjali and Prateek talk about money. Now, we don't have a lot of money, but we do have a lot of questions about money. About UPI, precisely. Are we spending more money because of UPI? How does UPI make money? And is UPI just another startup that'll eventually flop? Because it used to give us so many freebies at one point, but now there's a conversation about charging for payments.

To answer these questions, we have Ateesh Tankha, founder and CEO of ALSOWISE Content Solutions, India’s first comprehensive English proficiency and communications training app. He has extensive experience in payments and banking, and was, till 2016, the Head of Citi Merchant Services, North America.

0:00 - Intro
10:19 - What is UPI? How does it even work?
15:50 - Creation myths around UPI
17:37 - Costs attached to UPI payments
21:55 - Why are Indian banks not interested in UPI?
24:35 - The massive growth of UPI in India
26:09 - How did UPI grow so much, but PayTM couldn't
29:52 - The business model of Google Pay, PhonePe, etc.
32:00 - How does NPCI make money?
34:45 - Are we spending more money because of UPI?
41:55 - Who should be paying for UPI transactions?
48:24 - How involved is the government in regulating UPI?
52:00 - CBDC and how UPI can be used to reduce our dollar dependence
54:45 - E-Rupee and how money works
55:54 - UPI and its privacy concerns
1:04:50 - Is UPI just a failing startup?
1:15:26 - Outro

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Understanding the Problems with the Indian Education System (ft. Ratna Vishwanathan and Neeti Bhalla Saini)

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 07:07:30 -0000

Do you sometimes look back at your schooling years and wonder if its changed at all? Do you wish you were taught differently? Have you ever considered the role a child’s environment plays in their education? And how different really are government schools from a private school? We know, education has become such a dynamic phenomenon that it’s hard to keep up sometimes, but we’ve got you!

On the Big Story, catch us while we discuss education with Neeti Bhalla Saini, a consultant with the International Baccalaureate and a principal, and Ratna Vishwanathan from Reach to Teach which is a social impact organization that works with state governments to help improve the standard of education. While our guests come from two different sectors of the education industry, it’s interesting to see how their views differ and mirror. Tune in!

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Will Microplastics Enter the Human Brain? (ft. Shreya Sharma & Sadhika Tiwari)

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 09:47:51 -0000

Did you know microplastics are intentionally added in our products? Or the fact that neither non- vegetarians nor vegetarians are safe from microplastics being found in their food? And why did we discuss Plankton from SpongeBob SquarePants? We bet you’re curious!

So, on this episode of The Big Story, we attempt to uncover the truth about microplastics. We sit down in conversation with Shreya Sharma, a researcher pursuing her masters from Imperial College, London and Sadhika Tiwari, an ex-Quintee who is currently a freelance climate journalist, to know whether we are taking the micro aspect a little too seriously or is this a macro problem we are not focusing on especially since research has already found microplastics in our blood.

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Jaggery, Keto, and Other Food Myths Debunked (feat. Krish Ashok & Dr. Priyanka)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 06:15:58 -0000

Have you been wondering if you should switch from white sugar to jaggery? Is fast food actually harmful? Do diets like Keto and Paleo work? In this episode of The Big Story, we try to find the answers.

We discuss the changing food habits of young people in India with special guests Krish Ashok, a food influencer and author of 'Masala Lab', and Dr. Priyanka Rohatgi, chief nutritionist at Apollo Hospitals. They talk about the rise of fast food culture and their impact on eating habits, while stressing the importance of maintaining a balanced and healthy diet.

We also have Kriti Ghai, an intern at The Quint Podcasts, who reps the Gen-Z food patterns and behaviour.

They provide tips and advice on adopting a healthier lifestyle, debunk common myths about dieting, and highlight the benefits of traditional Indian food. The podcast is a must-listen to understand the changing food habits of young India. They don't tell you what to eat and what not to eat, but rather tell you how to come to this decision for yourself.

Tune in and listen till the end to find out if you should continue using your air fryer.

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How Media Trials Weaken Journalism & Judiciary (feat. Satish Maneshinde & Manisha Pande)

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 02:30:00 -0000

In the second episode of The Big Story, our hosts, Anjali and Prateek discuss media trials with Manisha Pande, the Executive Editor of Newslaundry, and Satish Maneshinde, a lawyer with more than forty years of experience.

Media trials involve using the press and television to create a public opinion about an accused individual, which may influence the outcome of their court case. In the last 3-4 years, the media has been said to run 'kangaroo courts' and hamper the due judicial process.

Satish sheds light on the effects of a media trial in the courtroom and how the famous saying, ‘judges live in an ivory tower’ is irrelevant today. He also talks about his high-profile cases involving celebrities like Aryan Khan and Rhea Chakraborty, and his game plan for handling the media hype around them.

Whereas, Manisha discusses the relationship between media and the judiciary, the two pillars of our democracy. She goes into the good, bad, and ugly aspects of media trials, and elaborates on what she feels is the intent behind malicious reporting. Tune in for an insightful chat.

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We Are Worried About The Wrong AI (feat. Shamim Mokles & Anupam Guha)

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 06:05:51 -0000

If you've spoken to a friend or a colleague for over an hour in the past month, it is highly likely that the words Artificial Intelligence (AI) have come up. While we have been hearing about these technologies for a while, there are some new AI tools which have blown up in the social media world. Cases in point – Chat GPT, DALL-E, Mid Journey and more.

So, we got together with Shamim Mokles, a graphic designer and YouTuber who recently did some interesting experiments with AI, and Dr. Anupam Guha, who works with AI policy and is a professor at IIT Bombay.

In this podcast, we will talk all about how threatening these AI tools are for creatives, if we need an AI policy and what it should look like, and ultimately we discover some non-popular AI uses that are the real threat. And no, it is not Frankenstein or Chitti.

Tune in to the first episode of The Big Story!

(Disclaimer: The views expressed are the speakers' own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them.)

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The Big Story 2.0 (Trailer) - New Hosts, New Formats, Bigger Stories

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 11:40:24 -0000

The Big Story is back with a second season!

The news culture of our times is noisy, crowded, and honestly so confusing. This is why we are coming every fortnight on your podcast platforms to help you make sense of the new and now.

With two new hosts, Anjali and Prateek, the second season of The Big Story will feature longer and well-rounded discussions with experts across science, culture, technology, politics, and more. Tune in on your preferred podcast platform!

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Nikhat Zareen's Journey to Gold and What it Means for Indian Boxing

Fri, 20 May 2022 13:03:33 -0000

After the marvelous Thomas cup win, India has another reason to celebrate as Telangana-born boxer Nikhat Zareen bagged the gold medal in the 52-kg category at the Women's World Boxing Championship after defeating Thailand's Jitpong Jutamas in the fly-weight final in Istanbul.

With this, the 25-year-old became only the fifth Indian woman to bag a gold at the World Boxing Championships after six-time champion MC Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, Jenny RL, and Lekha KC.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi, boxer Vijender Singh, women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal, cricketer Robin Utthapa and others congratulated her for this incredible feat, in a press conference after the win, Zareen asked “Am I trending on Twitter? It was always my dream to trend on Twitter.”

In today’s episode, we’ll trace Nikhat’s journey in the world of boxing in her own voice as she tells the story of her trials and tribulations and how she fought them back. We will also talk to sports writer Anand Datla about what this achievement means for Nikhat and Indian boxing. Tune in!
Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Scripting: Shorbori, Mendra Dorjey
Guest: Anand Datla, Sports Writer
Editor: Abhimanyu Sen

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:
Nikhat Zareen – The Girl Who Fought Back
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How Can Hardik Patel & Sunil Jakhar's Exit Impact The Congress?

Thu, 19 May 2022 15:36:02 -0000

On 18 May, Hardik Patel who gained popularity during the Patidar agitation, quit the party.

Taking swipes at senior leaders, he accused the party of lacking strong leadership both at the state and central levels. He said that Congress only plays the role of a “roadblock” when it comes to serious issues — be it about Ram Mandir, abrogation of Article 370 or GST.

While it’s not yet clear where Hardik will be headed next, resignations within the Congress party have been on the rise. There have been brazen expressions of discontentment over party leadership and the party's functioning from Congress leaders themselves.

Besides Hardik, many prominent and senior leaders – some of whom had decades-long association with the Congress – quit the party and switched over to opposition parties over the last few year.

In fact, earlier in the day a former senior leader of Congress from Punjab — Sunil Jakhar joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, merely days after quitting Congress.

But what doesn't make for good optics is that Hardik's resignation comes just days after the Congress wrapped up their 3-day 'Chintan Shivir' in Udaipur, where the party got together to chart out a plan for its revival. Jakhar, in fact, resigned while the Shivir was still underway.

So, we’ll look at two things in this episode: firstly, how does Hardik Patel and Sunil Jakhar’s exit stand to impact the Congress at a time when its fast losing its grip over its voters?

Secondly, what are the big takeaways from the Chintan Shivir? Is the Congress acknowledging the shortcomings that has been costing it so dearly?

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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India's Rationale Behind Banning Wheat Exports & Its Impact On Markets

Wed, 18 May 2022 12:01:41 -0000

After enforcing a ban on wheat exports, India announced some relaxations on 18 May.

The surprise decision had led to a lot of chaos as hundreds of thousands of tonnes of wheat were reportedly left stranded at Gujarat’s Kandla Port after the ban was announced.

But the new notification from the Ministry of Commerce has said, "It has been decided that wherever wheat consignments have been handed over to Customs for examination and have been registered into their systems on or prior to 13.5.2022, such consignments would be allowed to be exported."

Explaining its rationale behind prohibiting the export of wheat, the central government had said that it was committed to providing for the food security of India as well as other vulnerable countries that had been adversely affected by sudden disruptions in the global market for wheat.

But in the aftermath of the ban, as the wheat prices soared to a record high, the ban drew criticism from G7 nations, which said that such moves would "worsen the crisis" of rising commodity prices.

But even back at home the jury is divided. While some are of the opinion that such a ban can impact India’s credibility and is also harsh on farmers who could profit from the higher export prices, others say that it is needed to curb the rising prices in the country as severe heatwaves have damaged crops.

But to better understand the rationale behind the export ban and its likely implications on domestic and foreign markets, I spoke to Deepanshu Mohan, Associate Professor and Director at the Centre for New Economics Studies at the Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities.

Host: Sakshat Chandok
Guest: Deepanshu Mohan, Associate Professor and Director at the Centre for New Economics Studies at the Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
Editor: Shelly Walia
Producer: Shorbori

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Vishwanath Dispute: How It Started & Where It Stands Now

Tue, 17 May 2022 15:37:42 -0000

The decades-old Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Vishwanath dispute has sprung back in the news once again. While there are several chapters to this long-drawn dispute, which goes back as far as 1991, let's look at the recent developments first.

On Monday, 16 May, a Varanasi court directed for a spot within the mosque complex to be sealed after a court-appointed advocate commissioner, Ajay Kumar Mishra, made a sensational claim that a shivlinga was found in a pond during a videography survey.

This video assessment was ordered by the Varanasi civil court after a group of five women petitioners had sought a round-the-year access to pray at “a shrine behind the western wall of the mosque complex”.

But the Committee of Management of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid has been contending this order arguing that the court's directions are contrary to the provisions of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act 1991 which specifically states that except for Ram Janmabhoomi–Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, the nature of all places of worship shall be maintained as it was on August 15, 1947.

As the matter came up before Supreme Court bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud on 17 May, the apex court order passed an interim order directing the District Magistrate to protect the area where the shivling was allegedly found but to not stop namaz.

But as the Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Viswanath issue flares up once again, the crucial legal questions around this dispute now are:

Firstly, can the Varanasi court order sealing of a spot within the mosque before the video assessment report was filed?

Secondly, does such a videography survey go against the Places of Worship Act? The Quint's Legal Editor Vakasha Sachdev will be analysing these questions for us.

And in this episode we'll also look at the timeline of the Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Viswanath dispute and where the matter stands so far.

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor, The Quint
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Underdogs to Winning Thomas Cup — How Indian Men's Badminton Team Made History

Mon, 16 May 2022 14:22:56 -0000

15th May was not just any Sunday, it was a historic Sunday for Indian sports as the Indian men's Badminton team defeated 14-time winners – Indonesia, to clinch their first ever Thomas Cup title in Bangkok.

Praise is still pouring in for the players who together helped India win the prestigious tournament for the first time in its 73 year history.

Senior stalwarts Kidami Srikanth and HS Prannoy remained unbeaten in the tournament, despite playing higher ranked opponents at times.

20-year-old Lakshya Sen fought off a bout of food poisoning earlier in the week, to win the first match in Sunday’s final against 14-time winners Indonesia.

Chirag and Satwik – the magical doubles pair brought out their best at crunch situations and defeated an Indonesian team comprising only player from the world number one doubles team, and the second from the number two placed team.

From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra to top cricketers like Virat Kohli and VVS Laxman – this win drew ecstatic reactions from everybody.

But how did this team achieve this dream against several odds?

Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Abhijeet Kulkarni
Scripting: Mendra Dorjey & Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Mendra Dorjey
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Inflation at 8-Year High of 7.79 Percent – Who Will It Hurt the Most?

Fri, 13 May 2022 13:49:42 -0000

The RBI’s unscheduled hike in repo rates on 5 May confirmed that the central bank was behind the curve in controlling inflation and now new data released by the National Statistical Office on 12 May shows exactly how behind.

Retail inflation in India soared to its highest since May 2014 to 7.79 percent in April, almost double the RBI’s mandate of 4 percent and above the bank's estimates for the fourth straight month.
Here are a few numbers to indicate the current state of inflation: food price inflation is at a 17-month high of 8.38 percent, rural inflation is at a staggering 8-year high at 8.38 percent and urban inflation at 7.09 percent is at its highest in 18-months.
While the war in Ukraine and consequent rise in fuel prices is a significant factor in the spike, April's high inflation, according to media reports, is not one-off.
So what is driving this inflation? who will be pinched the most, and what corrective measures can the central bank implement to control inflation?
To understand this, I spoke to Pallavi Nahata, Associate Editor of Economy at BQ Prime.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Marital Rape Case: What Next After Delhi High Court Split Verdict?

Thu, 12 May 2022 14:23:32 -0000

On the long-standing question of criminalising marital rape, the Delhi High Court on 11 May delivered a split verdict in a batch of petitions challenging the exception provided to marital rape in the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Justice Rajiv Shakdher of the two-judge bench held that Exception 2 under Section 375, which says that any sexual acts by a husband with his wife are not rape, is unconstitutional, while Justice C Hari Shankar held that the provision is valid and that there's no ground for the court to strike the exception down.

While this section has undergone a series of amendments over the years, emphasising the importance of consent, this pre-colonial exception of marital rape continues to exist even in the 21st century.

Essentially, this exception allows marital rights to a husband who can, with legal sanction, exercise his right to consensual or non-consensual sex with his wife.

But what happens next, and what does this verdict mean for the conversation on marital rape? And where does the case go from here?

To understand the verdict and its significance, I'm joined today by The Quint's Legal Editor Vakasha Sachdev, and Radhika Roy, an advocate based in Delhi and former Associate Editor at LiveLaw.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vakasha Sachdev
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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IndiGo Incident Shows Why We Need To Raise Awareness Around Disabilities

Wed, 11 May 2022 13:51:19 -0000

Are we as a society practicing inclusivity and showing sensitivity towards people with disabilities? A video from Ranchi airport that went viral on social media platforms recently is raising this question.

This said video captured an incident where a teenage boy with disability was purportedly mistreated by IndiGo airlines. This incident took place on 7 May.

In the video, several passengers in the airport are seen asking the IndiGo staff to let the boy and his family board the flight after they were denied from doing so. The ground staff allegedly said that the child was in a state of panic and would be a threat to other passengers' safety if he was allowed to board.

As the incident caused a furore with many tagging Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to take action in response to the outrage , the airlines said in a statement that "the ground staff waited for the child to calm down till the last minute, but to no avail".

Soon after, IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta also released a statement expressing "sincere regrets over this unfortunate experience" and offered to purchase an electric wheelchair for the boy as a token of appreciation.

He also said that "Having reviewed all aspects of this incident, we as an organisation are of the view that we made the best possible decision under difficult circumstances."

But many felt that while this incident showed an example of the many difficulties that people with disabilities face in navigating a society that is largely driven by an ableist approach, it was also heartwarming to see how common citizens showed awareness and sensitivity in this particular incident and stood up for this teen and his family.

In this episode, you will hear from Dr Sumit Ray, a senior consultant in critical care medicine, who was waiting at the Ranchi airport when the incident took place, witnessing it first hand. He was also seen intervening with the staff on video footage. We will hear from him what exactly happened at the airport that day.

And we also spoke to Prachi Deo, founder of Nayi Disha, an organisation that provides families and primary caregivers of children affected by autism and other developmental disabilities with counselling and guidance. We talk to her about how public spaces and airport staff can be sensitised towards children and adults with disabilities.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Scripting: Shorbori Purkayastha
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Girls Out of School - The Faces Behind The Stark Numbers on School Dropouts

Mon, 09 May 2022 15:00:09 -0000

This time around marks a year to the deadly second wave of Covid. While officially 5.42 lakh people lost their lives to the virus in India since 2020, there have been many repercussions of the pandemic.

This episode of The Big Story is not going to be about the headline making news, it's going to be about an issue which is very close to us here at The Quint.

Two years since the onset of Covid, India's schools have almost re-opened, but millions of underprivileged students aren't going to be returning to schools anytime soon.

We at The Quint, wanted to look into this long-term impact of Covid on girls' education through our video series — Ladki Hoon Padhna Chahti Hoon – India's Girls Out of School.

If you look at the data, according to UNESCO, almost 1.8 billion students globally have been affected by school closures in the pandemic. Around 320 million of them are in India alone, and out of this at least 158 million are female students.

And it's not just this UNESCO data alone. Ever since India started relying on digital classes for school students from 2020, there have been several parallel surveys and analysis to shed light on who have been impacted the most by the school closures during Covid and how. Most of these surveys and data point to the one fact that girls especially from caste and economic minorities became the bigger casualties of the pandemic.

So we decided to go to the faces behind these numbers and meet the girls whose dreams have been shattered and who childhoods have been lost. Tune in to The Big Story!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Interviews: Sadhika Tiwari and Mythreyee Ramesh
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Unpacking the Main Takeaways From PM Modi's Europe Visit

Fri, 06 May 2022 17:00:38 -0000

In the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his first foreign visit of the year to Europe on 5 May with visits to Germany, Denmark, and France.

PM Modi’s first port of call was Berlin, where he met the new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose government has decided to make economic sacrifices by reducing its energy dependence on Russia and even changing its decades-old stance on defence spending.

PM Modi then travelled to Copenhagen, where he held the second India-Nordic summit with Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Norway to explore new areas of cooperation. This summit was special because India is the only country other than the US that the Nordic Five engages on such a level.

And on his way back to New Delhi, PM Modi made a stopover in Paris, France, where President Emmanuel Macron was re-elected just 10 days ago. India and France have been strategic partners since 1998 and the talks here focused on the importance of a "free, open and rules-based" Indo-Pacific.

A common texture across the trip was the joint statements in each country, where differences over Ukraine were apparent. In Germany, Modi’s statement said no one will be the "victorious party in this war" and the only way out was through talks.

While India has been in an uncomfortable position since the Russia-Ukraine war began and has continued to not condemn Russia for any of its actions so far, there seems to be a level of comprehension by European countries on India’s stance.

And the flurry of European leaders and delegations to India in the past few weeks, especially the visit of EU President Ursula von der Leyen suggests a changing world order.

In today’s episode, we discuss the main takeaways from PM Modi’s EU trip with our guest Manoj Joshi, a distinguished Fellow at The Observer Research Foundation.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Explains RBI's Sudden Hike in Repo Rate? Rising Inflation or Catch Up?

Thu, 05 May 2022 15:55:41 -0000

In a surprise move on Wednesday, 4 May, the Reserve Bank of India hiked the benchmark repo rate for the first time in four years by 40 basis points to 4.4 percent. Alongside this, the central bank also raised the cash reserve ratio or CRR by 50 basis points to 4.50 percent.

Unveiling the new policy on Wednesday, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the bank is aiming to keep inflation – which is already close to 7 percent – at the desired level in the wake of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and increase in food and commodity prices globally.

However, there are a few puzzling takeaways from the central bank statement. First, is the fact that the bank has retained the accommodative monetary policy, which essentially means that the bank is prepared to expend the money supply to boost economic growth. This, obviously, runs counter to the bank's latest move.

Second is the timing of it. Less than a month ago on 8 April, the bank's Monetary Policy Committee – which decides the repo rate – decided to keep the rate unchanged despite rising inflation and tightened geopolitical uncertainty. And since the same factors remain even now, why the sudden hike? What changed?

In today’s episode, we break down what prompted the RBI to hike the repo rate, the significance of the move, and how it will impact the end consumer.

In today’s episode, you will hear from Ananth Narayan, Professor of Finance at SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and Quantum Advisors India's Arvind Chari. You will also hear from Prosenjit Dutta, former editor of Businessworld and Business Today.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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LIC IPO Listing: What Are The Pros and Cons of Investing?

Wed, 04 May 2022 12:52:26 -0000

The wait is over! India’s biggest ever Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) kicked off for subscription for retail institutional investors today, that is on 4 May.

Since it's completely an offer for sale, all the proceedings will directly go to the government which is expecting to raise Rs 21,000 crores by selling a 3.5% stake of LIC, in a bid to replenish the public coffers that have been drained out by the pandemic.

But moving on to the pricing details, the price band for this IPO has been set at Rs 902-949 per share for sale of 22.13 crores equity shares. There is also a discount offer of Rs 60 per share for its policyholders and Rs 45 apiece for retail investors and LIC employees. The LIC IPO will close on 9 May and the company will be listed on the stock exchange on 17 May.

And the first two hours of the first day of bidding itself saw a pretty decent response with a subscription of around 28 percent by 12 noon. By the time of the recording of this podcast, it was at 58 percent.

Expectedly, in the months leading up to this massive IPO listing, there's been a lot of buzz around this listing, partly because LIC which is a state-run insurance company, has been a household name in the country for several decades given that it's the biggest and the oldest insurance company in India.

But after some newly listed stocks of companies Zomato, Nykaa and Paytm hit record lows after many weeks of record highs...there's also been a big question among policyholders and investors, and it is: to invest or not to invest?

While that is a tricky question to answer, what are the pros and cons of investing? We'll take that question to our guest Prosenjit Datta, former editor of Businessworld and Business Today in the podcast today. We'll also hear from senior journalist Madhavan Narayanan on his take on why the government is going ahead with this IPO listing under volatile market conditions.

Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Unpacking the State of Freedom of Press in India

Mon, 02 May 2022 18:05:13 -0000

A month after taking office in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India's "democracy will not sustain if we can't guarantee freedom of speech and expression".

However, 8 years on, the freedom of one of the fundamental pillars of democracy – the press – has taken a nosedive. In 2015, the World Press Freedom Index, which is compiled annually by Reporters Without Borders, ranked India at 136 out of 180 countries. This number in 2021 reached the all-time low of 142.

While India has not slipped further down the index, Reporters Without Borders continues to classify India as “bad” for journalism and termed it as one of the “world’s most dangerous countries for journalists trying to do their job properly.”

A February 2022 report by the Rights and Risk Analysis group points exactly to how dangerous it is. In its India Press Freedom Report 2021, the organisation states that at least six journalists were killed and 121 journalists including 13 media houses were targeted in India just in 2021.

Time and again we hear about the state of freedom of the press in India, how journalists have been selectively targeted and attacked in India for their reportage, and in some cases also for their religious identity.

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, we take a look at how press freedom in India has shrunk over the years. Joining me to unpack this, for today’s episode, are senior journalist Seema Chishti, Patricia Mukhim, the editor of the Shillong Times, and Alishan Jafri, an independent journalist who covers hate crime in India.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Aditya Menon
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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'Hoping for More': Fans Speak on MI, CSK, KKR Performance in IPL 2022

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 14:59:42 -0000

The IPL 2022 saw quite a few overhauls- two new teams being added, the mega auction where teams splurged close to Rs 550 crore for 204 players to construct some new squads. We also saw iconic names going missing and some new captains being announced.

There seems to be a lot of change this season and a quick glance at the points table tells the same story.

Three of the most successful and storied teams in the history of IPL - Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings and the Kolkata Knight Riders- are languishing at the bottom of the points table.

Here is a quick roundup of where these teams stand:

Mumbai — which is at the bottom of the table — has made history by losing their first eight matches. Chennai — who is one rung above Mumbai—has lost 6 of the eight matches it has played so far. And lastly, Kolkata which has also lost six of the nine matches it has played so far.

But the big question is what has happened to these three iconic teams? Is it just plain bad luck or does it go deeper?

In today’s episode, we take these questions to die-hard fans of these teams. Joining me today our my colleagues Mythreyee Iyer, Meghnad Bose, Debayan Dutta and Saptarshi Basak.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Mendra Dorjey Sahni
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Explainer: Why India Is Witnessing Power Outages in a Heatwave

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 17:23:33 -0000

If you, like me, have caught yourself multiple times a day complaining about how this year is hotter than the last, you are not alone.

March 2022 has been India’s third warmest March since 1901 and there have been at least 26 heat waves since the start of March, which can last for anywhere between 4-10 days.

On 11 April, Delhi broke a 72-year-old record with the temperature hitting 42.6 degrees Celsius. And the absence of summer rains, which usually keeps a check on the heat, has also made the heat worse.

While climate change is one of the main reasons why it is so hot, what has made it even more frustrating is the constant power cuts which are occurring across the country. As per the power ministry's own data, 14 out of 36 states and union territories are currently facing a power shortage.

And there are multiple reasons behind this power crunch, with the most obvious one being record-high power demands in this scorching heat.

As the country witnesses a revival of the economy due to declining COVID cases, businesses have started operating at full capacity, adding to the power requirement.

But the big reason behind the power cuts is the shortage of coal in India. Barely six months ago in October 2021, we saw a similar crisis, with several states facing electricity outages due to prolonged monsoon.

But why is India witnessing a power crunch again in the summers? What is leading to this constant power outage? And what is causing this heat?

To understand this, we spoke to Sudiep Shrivastava, Chhattisgarh-based lawyer and activist; Sanjay Vashisht, Director, Climate Action Network South Asia; and Dr Narendra Taneja, a leading energy expert.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Looking at Virat Kohli's IPL 2022 Dry Spell Through a Mental Health Lens

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 16:22:43 -0000

Things seem to be going from bad to worse for Virat Kohli as his poor performance continues to haunt him in the ongoing IPL 2022 as he got out on the first ball for the second straight match and scored less than 10 runs in the match subsequent to it.

The former Indian captain, who has scored over 23,500 international runs for India, was out on the first ball against Lucknow SuperGiants and on 23 April, when he edged the outgoing delivery he faced from South Africa-fast bowler Marco Jansen at the Brabourne Stadium.

It has also now been 100 games across all formats of cricket that Virat Kohli has not scored a century.

This dry spell has also prompted pundits like former India coach Ravi Shastri and well-wishers to suggest that Kohli is "overcooked" and needs a break away from the game and the spotlight.

So in today’s episode, we analyse the possible reasons for this kind of a lean patch for Kohli and also the possible solutions for a player of his level to come back from it.

For this, we spoke to cricket commentator and analyst Chandresh Narayanan and Amrit Mathur, the former COO of the Delhi Daredevils. We also spoke to Dr Divya Jain, a sports psychologist at Fortis Hospital, Delhi.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Mendra Dorjey Sahni
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Is Elon Musk’s Idea of 'Freedom of Speech' Right for Twitter?

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 14:24:59 -0000

Only a few days ago, Elon Musk's bid to buy Twitter was thought to be long shot but his offer has ben accepted by the social media platform. The billionaire will now pay a cool $44 billion to take the company private.

In his statement on Tuesday, 26 April Musk said he wants to "make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spam bots, and authenticating all humans."

The announcement also confirmed many of the details that had already been reported — or tweeted — about the transaction. However, it has also left many unanswered questions, most pertinently— how will a privately held Twitter operate? And is Elon Musk’s idea of “free speech” right for a platform like Twitter ?

Joining us today to discuss all this is Apar Gupta, the Executive Director of the Internet Freedom Foundation.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Does Macron's Close Win Say About France's Changing Political Landscape?

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 16:52:01 -0000

Assured of another five years in office, French President Emmanuel Macron made history on Monday, 25 April, by beating his far-right rival Marine Le Pen.

This was the second straight fight between the two politicians and Le Pen’s third shot at presidency.

But there is something deeply unsettling about these results — how close Le Pen, a long-time standard-bearer for the French far-right, got in terms of vote share with Macron.

Le Pen scored better than she ever has, winning about 41 percent of the votes. The last time she stood for elections, in 2017, she earned around 34 percent.

What is also striking about the result is the abstention rate of this elections, which at 28 percent is a slight increase from its level in 2017 but also the highest for a final round of vote since 1969.

The nature of these results raises the question: if these voting trends continue, is France walking on a dangerous path towards electing a far-right president in the next election?

To break down the election results and their significance, we speak to senior journalist and columnist Nabanita Sircar.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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India-UK Relations: Unpacking Main Takeaways from Boris Johnson's India Visit

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 15:44:32 -0000

In his first visit to India since being elected United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson on 22 April said the relationship between the two countries is stronger than ever.

It has taken three attempts for Johnson to finally arrive in India, having cancelled his earlier trips as the chief guest of the 2021 Republic Day and then calling his trip off again four months later in April on account of the deadly COVID second wave.

However, even as her arrives in India, Johnson is being trailed by reverberations of “partygate” where the UK Parliament vote is deliberating on whether to refer him for a formal investigation into his is knowledge of parties at 10 Downing Street despite the countries strict COVID restrictions.

And his first day in India on 21 April was not a smooth landing, with an outpour of outrage online against his inauguration of a JCB factory in Gujarat, just a day after bulldozers made by the company razed alleged illegal construction in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri.

But despite the stumbles made by the Johnson, his visit to India since being elected to Prime Minister is important since it signals that the two countries have to a large extent let go of their legacy colonial issues, which have plagued negotiations and ties in the past.

In today’s episode, we take a look at the India-UK relations and the main takeaways from UK PM Boris Johnson’s India visit. Joining me today is Vivek Mishra, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How Jahangirpuri Demolitions Went On Despite Supreme Court Orders

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 17:23:19 -0000

Hit by communal violence just days before, Delhi’s Jahangirpuri on 20 April saw seven bulldozers roll into the neighbourhood accompanied by heavy police deployments as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation razed parts of shops, carts, tin sheds, homes, and the gate of a mosque.

The demolition, which started around 10 am, went on for over an hour till 12:15 pm despite the Supreme Court’s directions at 11 am that the status quo be maintained.

And taking notice of the disregard of its order, an apex court bench of Justices L N Rao and B R Gavai heard a clutch of petitions on 21 April, where it extended its status quo order for two more weeks and said that it would “take a serious view of all demolitions that took place after the court's decision was communicated to the mayor.”

The demolition drive has left behind a trail of despair in Jahangirpuri, due to the lack of due process followed by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), with many vendors and shopkeepers asserting that they were not given any notice of the demolition drive and more so, were not even given a chance to move their carts and stalls.

In today’s episode, we take a look back at what happened in Jahangirpuri on 20 April and the impact of the demolitions through The Quint’s ground reports and also take a look at the arguments made in the supreme court with The Quint’s Legal Editor, Vakasha Sachdev.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Editor: Somya Lakhani

Interviews: Eshwar Gole and Samarth Grover
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Will Congress Give Prashant Kishor The Mandate Over Election Strategy?

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 15:31:25 -0000

It’s been a busy few days at 10 Janpath with political strategist Prashant Kishor meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other senior party leaders, with the former reportedly looking to join the party full time.

With three high level meetings since 16 April, Kishor reportedly gave a detailed presentation on the roadmap to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to party leaders like Priyanka Gandhi, Mukul Wasnik, KC Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala, Digvijay Singh, Ambika Soni, and Kamal Nath.

And this is also not the first-time buzz of Kishor joining the Congress have surfaced since similar discussions also happened between the two entities in 2021 but the negotiations were reportedly unsuccessful due to disagreements over his role.

So, what led to the Congress finally changing its mind? What are Kishor’s plans for the Congress, and the big question remains – Will the Congress give Kishor the mandate to make the crucial election decisions?

To help us answer these questions, joining me today in Aditya Menon, The Quint’s political editor.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Aditya Menon
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COVID-19 Cases Rise in Delhi: Should the Mask Mandate Return?

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 15:46:34 -0000

After close to a two-month decline in COVID-19 cases, as we were getting back to our pre-pandemic lives with state governments lifting restrictions, the rise in COVID-19 cases in the national capital has started to sound alarm bells once again.

Since 11 April, Delhi has witnessed a whopping 265.69 percent surge in daily new cases, according to data released by the Union health government. On 11 April, daily cases were at 137 and on 18 April, this number rose to 501.

Not just Delhi but its neighbourhood state of Haryana has also reported a rise in daily active cases with the state reporting 1,200 fresh COVID cases in over 14 days between 31 March and 14 April as per an Indian Express report.

The most worrying part however is that there is also a reported rise in COVID cases among children, with some cases requiring hospitalisation as well. Multiple media reports point towards children with pre-existing health conditions complaining of cough, allergies, and viral infection.

While the surge in cases is only incremental, with total active case nationally being at 11,860, the spike in cases does put a question mark over the recent ease in restrictions like mask mandates in public areas.

To make sense of what this spike in COVID cases means, we spoke to Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, an epidemiologist and health systems expert. We also spoke to Prof Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director and Senior Paediatric Gastroenterologist at Apollo Hospitals Group and Dr Himanshu Batra, a paediatrician practising in New Delhi.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vaishali Sood
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Led to Communal Tensions in Northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri?

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 16:54:43 -0000

On Saturday, 16 April, violence broke out in Northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri following a Shobha Yatra organised to mark Hanuman Jayanti.

The Delhi Police have so far arrested 24 people and apprehended two juveniles in connection with communal clashes that broke out in North Delhi’s Jahangirpuri after a religious Hindu procession allegedly attempted to hoist a flag on a mosque.

According to the FIR filed by the police, arguments between two groups escalated after a man named Ansar came with a few people and started an argument with those participating in the yatra. The argument escalated and stone-pelting and sloganeering started from both sides.

And as per purported videos of the yatra uploaded on social media and eyewitness accounts, several in the procession were carrying saffron flags, swords, pistols, and sticks.

The police have also recovered three firearms and five swords from the accused persons. The Quint’s reporter Fatima Khan spoke to several members of the procession and they claimed that they carried the swords for “fun”.

This incident also comes days after the violence that erupted during the Ram Navami processions in several parts of the country.

However, the twist in this incident is that there was a heavy deployment of police in the area where this scuffle took place. As per a report by The Indian Express, the Shobha Yatra also had police permission and around 50 police officials were deployed in Jahangirpuri along with PCRs, MVPs, and drones. Later, DCP Northwest Usha Rangani clarified that the procession took place without any permission.

In today’s episode, we take you through exactly what led to the violence in Jahangirpuri through eyewitness accounts and The Quint’s ground reports on the same. We also speak to Somya Lakahni, Senior Editor at The Quint to know the latest on the investigation.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Somya Lakhani
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Karnataka Politics: Unpacking KS Eshwarappa's Surprise Resignation from Office

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 16:04:29 -0000

In a big development in Karnataka politics, State Minister of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj KS Eshwarappa announced his resignation from office on Thursday, 14 April, after allegations of corruption and his alleged role in the suicide of a contractor surfaced.

The news of Eshwarappa’s resignation is huge given that it was not expected in the days after the allegations surfaced. Eshwarappa too had been defiant on the issue and even previously stated to media that there is “no question” of him resigning as a minister.

His resignation comes on the heels of the death of Santosh Patil, a contractor involved in various government projects. Patil was found dead in a hotel in Udupi on 12 April. In the final message that he purportedly sent to his friends, he named Eshwarappa as "solely responsible" for his death.

Pertinently, Patil had also alleged that Eshwarappa harassed him for a bribe to clear the bills regarding some construction work, reportedly asking for a 40 percent bribe of the total cost of the project, which reportedly amounted to a whopping Rs 4 crore.

The Udupi police had also registered an FIR against Eshwarappa and two of his aides under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with abetment to suicide. Although the minister has denied the charges, his surprise resignation throws a new twist in the entire case, with the question being: was he pushed to resign from office?

We discuss the resignations and the case with The Quint’s South Bureau Chief Nikhila Henry and Naheed Ataulla, a senior journalist based in Bengaluru.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Nikhila Henry
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Unpacking the Big Takeaways From India-United States 2+2 Dialogues

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 15:58:10 -0000

In the backdrop of big geopolitical developments in Ukraine, the United States and India held their fourth 2+2 dialogue on 12 April in Washington DC.

These focused discussions between two countries' foreign and defence counterparts have become a regular affair since the inaugural dialogue in 2018. However, Tuesday became noteworthy since it was also preceded by a surprise Biden-Modi virtual summit, signalling that the talks were being guided from the top.

As in previous dialogues, the usual elephants were in the room: China’s growing presence in trade, India’s defence ambitions and trade, and the issue of human rights violations which the US has brought forward in almost every official diplomatic meeting. However, the new entrant – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was one of the main pivot points for the meeting.

While the US in its public statements named Russia and slammed its actions in Ukraine, India – unsurprisingly – did not. Ever since the start of the invasion, India has maintained neutrality in the crisis and has not publicly named or condemned Russia for its actions.

Though the US through its statements has indicated that it understands India’s stance on the issue, the big question is – how long will the US continue to accommodate this stance? Do these talks signal where the India-US relations are headed?

To discuss the big takeaways from the India-US 2+2, joining me today is Vivek Mishra, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar
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As Shehbaz Sharif Becomes the New Pakistani PM, What Does It Mean for India?

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 12:52:54 -0000

On 11 April, Shehbaz Sharif became the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan after his predecessor Imran Khan was booted off unceremoniously through a no-confidence vote.

After 3 years and 8 months in office and a lot of attempts to stay in power, Khan ultimately shared the same fate as the 21 Pakistan PMs before him, none of whom were able to complete a five-year term.

Sharif who was leading the charge against Imran Khan in Pakistan’s parliament, was elected unopposed shortly after, but as the new Prime Minister, he is going to be inheriting an economic crisis along with ruffled foreign relations with the US and a rise of militancy in the country.

But as he takes up the new mantle, what is the perception around Shehbaz Sharif as a politician and administrator? How is his approach to foreign policy expected to be different from Imran Khan’s? And, most importantly, as Pakistan goes through this political reconfiguration, the question is, what will it mean for India and the changing geopolitics?

Our guest in this episode is Dr. Sameer Patil, a Senior Fellow at ORF Mumbai.

Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Dr. Sameer Patil, a Senior Fellow at ORF Mumbai Editor: Shelly Walia
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Understanding Why the Occasion of Ram Navami Has Turned Communal

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 17:27:57 -0000

Several instances of violence, stone pelting, and arson rocked many states of India on the occasion of Ram Navami on 10 April.

Reports of unrest and violence emerged from Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat West Bengal, Goa, Mumbai, and New Delhi, where students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University were allegedly attacked by students affiliated with right-wing groups. Meanwhile, the clashes that erupted in Gujarat caused the death of a person.

Several purported videos of these incidents uploaded on social media showed youth wearing saffron clothing, wielding swords, and chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and anti-Muslim slogans, whizzing through the streets on their bikes.

In one instance, in Bihar's Muzaffarpur, a purported video uploaded on social media shows a group of men holding saffron flags and swords outside a mosque, with one man climbing the mosque's wall and trying to fix a saffron flag atop it.

And in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone, as many as 77 people were arrested after incidents of stone pelting and arson occurred during a Ram Navami procession in the district.

This is, however, not the first time such rallies have taken place on the occasion of Ram Navami. Over the years, right-wing Hindu groups taking out processions have led to tensions in many parts of the country, according to several media reports.

In today’s episode, we take a look at the reports of violence in some of these areas and analyse how the occasion of Ram Navami has been a weapon to spread communal hatred by certain right-wing groups.

We speak to Teesta Setalvad, a journalist and civil rights activist, and Apoorvanand, a professor at Delhi University.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Somya Lakhani
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What’s Next for Imran Khan if Ousted as Pakistan's Prime Minister?

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 16:25:32 -0000

All is not well for Imran Khan as he faces an unprecedented no-confidence motion against him in the Pakistan National Assembly on 9 April

The chess pieces were set for what seemed like a sure ouster by the country’s Opposition on 29 March, who had collected 197 votes—25 more than the required 172— for winning the vote in the 342 member house.

But Khan swiped away at the pieces with some help from Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, who dismissed the no-confidence motion, calling it “unconstitutional” and then discontinued the session. Minutes later, Khan blindsided the Opposition again, this time advising President Arif Alvi to dissolve the National Assembly.

However, fortunes turned against Khan when the Opposition took to the Pakistani Supreme Court, where a five-judge bench unanimously quashed Suri’s 3 April motion and the subsequent dissolution of the national assembly. Giving its verdict, Pakistan’s apex court termed the decision to dissolve the assembly as “illegal.”

And with the political turmoil leading up to the vote, the big question is- what’s next for Imran Khan if he gets ousted as PM? And does a united Opposition in Pakistan signal a consolidation in democracy?

To unpack this, we spoke to Sarral Sharma, a PhD Scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University specializing in India-Pakistan relations and Gul Bukhari, Pakistani journalist and rights activist.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar
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How SDMC Mayor’s Attempt To Shut Meat Shops Did Nothing but Create Confusion

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 16:23:59 -0000

In an unprecedented move on 4 April, the Mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) proposed to shut meat shops under his jurisdiction during the Navratri festival, which will last till 11 April.

In a letter to the South Delhi commissioner, Mayor Mukkesh Suryaan – a Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader – argued that “in view of the sentiments and feelings of the general public, necessary directions may be issued to the officers concerned to take necessary action for the closure of meat shops during the nine-day period”.

This sudden proposal to blanket ban meat shops led to large-scale confusion and tension across meat shops in south Delhi.

And it's important to note here that an official order to shut down any form of trade can only be passed by the commissioner, not the mayor. And no such order did materialise.

So what was the purpose of such a letter? More so, will the order of shutting down meat shops during festivals hold up in court?

In today’s episode, you will hear from some of the meat-shop owners The Quint spoke to in South Delhi’s INA market. For a legal analysis of this proposed ban, you will also hear from Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s Legal Editor.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha Interviews: Eshwar Gole
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Will the Atrocities in Bucha Be a Turning Point in the Russia-Ukraine War?

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:27:57 -0000

In a scathing speech at the United Nations on 5 April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of a litany of horrors and atrocities and challenged the UN to act immediately or dissolve itself altogether.

This outrage comes in the aftermath of the alleged massacre in towns in and around Kyiv, where the bodies of 410 civilians were discovered. Russian and Ukrainian forces have been trading fire since 27 February in this region, which stopped only in early April.

The grimmest discoveries were made in the suburb of Bucha, where more than 300 bodies were found – some with their hands bound, flesh burned, and shot in the back of the head.

These indiscriminate killings and atrocities have, of course, touched the global nerve and led to US President Biden calling for a war crimes trial. It also triggered the strongest reaction yet from India, which condemned the killings and called for an independent investigation into the "deeply disturbing" matter.

The summary killings of civilians add to the growing body of evidence of numerous violations by Russian forces of the laws of war, which begs the question: what will it take to bring the Bucha victims to justice?

In today's episode, we unpack what exactly had happened in Bucha, and India's strong reaction.

We speak to Nandan Unnikrishnan, a Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, Saptarshi Basak from The Quint's International News Desk, and Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint's Legal Editor.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar
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What Does the Merger of HDFC, HDFC Bank Mean for the Financial Sector?

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 14:40:40 -0000

In a big announcement on Monday, 4 April, the board of HDFC Limited and HDFC Bank announced the biggest merger in Indian corporate history, with a combined balance sheet of a whopping Rs 17.87 trillion.

The merger, which is expected to conclude over the next 18 months, has been speculated for more than a decade and it was a question of when and not why.

And rightly so. This is the merger of two industry behemoths: HDFC Limited – India’s largest housing finance company with assets under management worth Rs 5.26 trillion – and HDFC Bank, one of India’s largest private sector banks with a market cap Rs 8.35 trillion. This merger will make the new entity the world’s fifth most valued bank.

HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh said that the merger will not only strengthen the entity against its competitors but also make its offerings more competitive.

But the big question emerging from this announcement is its timing. Why now? What made 2022 an ideal time for this merger? And how will it impact the highly competitive financial services market?

We answer these questions in today’s episode with Ira Dugal, the Executive Editor of Bloomberg Quint.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
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Unpacking the 'Hindu Mahapanchayat' Event and Attacks on Journalists

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 16:12:55 -0000

Less than three months after getting arrested for making Islamophobic remarks and instigating violence at the Haridwar 'Dharma Sansad' in December 2021, controversial Hindu leader Yati Narsinghanand is at it again.

On 3 April, an event called the 'Hindu Mahapanchayat' was organised at North Delhi's Burari Grounds. Here, Narsinghanand, who was released on bail on 15 February, delivered a speech to Hindus, asking them to pick up arms and claiming that the Hindu community faced a threat of conversion and violence if a "Muslim is made Prime Minister."

The organisers of the event, Preet Singh and Pinky Chaudhary, were previously arrested for giving hate speeches at a similar event at Delhi's Jantar Mantar in August 2021. They too, like Narsinghanand, are out on bail.

It is important to note that the organisers were denied permission to hold the event by the Delhi Police. Speaking to The Quint, the organisers had said, "Even if the police deny permission for the event, the event will take place."

In two separate incidents, five journalists were assaulted by right-wing mobs at the event. Meghnad Bose, The Quint's Principal Correspondent, was one of the reporters who was manhandled. We will be speaking to him in this episode.

We will also be speaking to Meer Faisal, who works at The Hindustan Gazette, and Arbab Ali, a freelance journalist. Both of them were assaulted and manhandled by the mob for their reportage.

In today's episode, we bring you the ground reality of the Hindu Mahapanchayat through the journalists who encountered it first-hand.

The Quint has reached out to the DCP of the Delhi police for their response to the allegations of complicity raised by the journalists who were present at the event. This story will be updated with the police’s version of the events as and when we receive a response.

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Understanding Significance of AFSPA Being Lifted & Assam-Meghalaya Peace Pact

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 15:41:44 -0000

In a significant move, the Centre on 31 March reduced the footprint of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from several parts of Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur.

This decision is significant as the calls for repealing the Act have been growing louder over the past decade. The Act, which has been termed draconian and unconstitutional by many, gives sweeping powers to the armed forces beyond the authority of the police in 'disturbed areas' to maintain public order. And the northeast has been living under the shadow of this law for 60 long years.

While the move has been hailed by the CMs of the northeastern states as "historic," activists and experts still question the existence of the colonial Act and its use.

But there is another big news emerging out of the northeast – the new pact that has been signed by the chief ministers of Assam and Meghalaya to resolve a part of their five-decade-old boundary dispute.

The dispute has resulted in several flare-ups between the two states. However, Opposition leaders are calling this a "piecemeal resolution" and that the agreement is almost like "an imposition."

In today’s episode, we discuss both these relevant news events from the northeast.

First, we speak about the significance of the removal of the AFSPA with Manipuri activist Irom Sharmila, who had ended her 16-year fast against the AFSPA in 2016, Chitra Ahanthem, a freelance journalist based out of New Delhi, and Rajeev Bhattacharya, a senior journalist in Guwahati.

And then, to understand the political significance of the Assam-Meghalaya peace pact, we speak to Patricia Mukhim, editor of the Shillong Times.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
Irom Sharmila Interview: Biswa Kalyan Purkayastha

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Unpacking the Recent Developments in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 15:52:30 -0000

It's Day 36 of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and a lot has happened in just the past week.

This includes Russia and Ukraine coming to the negotiating table in Istanbul, Russia announcing for the first time that it would reduce military presence in Kyiv and surrounding regions, and Ukraine pitching the idea of declaring itself a neutral nation to end the war.

While the peace talks have offered a glimmer of hope, there have been no breakthroughs yet. The two nations at war, however, have decided to resume peace talks on 1 April.

Over the past month, we have also seen how the severe sanctions slapped on Russia have affected not only its economy but also that of the world. The price of crude oil and natural gas has been spiking almost every day, and the impact of it is felt in India as well. In the past 10 days, the price of petrol and diesel has increased 9 times in India.

While India has supported calls for a ceasefire and a diplomatic solution, it has so far abstained from every vote for draft resolutions condemning Russia. This fence-sitting has also led to a growing unease on the diplomatic front for India, with Germany, Australia, and the US critiquing India for its stance.

What may have made matters worse is Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to New Delhi on 31 March. The agenda of his 2-day visit is not public, but it does put India in a tricky situation, especially with the fellow QUAD countries.

In today’s episode, we go over the recent developments in the ongoing war and what they signify. Joining me today to unpack this is our regular guest and friend of the show Professor Harsh Pant, the Director of Strategic Studies at the Observer Research Foundation.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar

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Decoding The New Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill & Concerns it Raises

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 16:02:22 -0000

In 1920, when the British were still in power, they introduced a law named the “Identification of Prisoners Act.” This allowed the police to take and store footprints and fingerprints of conflicts.
Now, 102 years later, this bill has not only been revived in a new avatar but its powers and scope has been expanded to questionable extent.
On 28 March, the Centre introduced the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022 which proposes to allow the police and prison authorities to collect, store and analyse physical and biological samples, including retina and iris scans. But this is not only limited to convicts but also to those that police consider suspects of a crime.
More so, the law allows for the personal and biological data once collected to be stored for the extent of 75 years.
The bill met with fierce criticism from the Opposition, including Congress and TMC, calling it “draconian” and a "direct violation of the Fundamental Right of an individual".
And in the absence of a data protection framework in India, the proposed bill also raises questions on how it will impact fundamental rights like privacy and self-incrimination.
But, what does the law exactly propose? Why are members of the Opposition against it? And how will it affect the ordinary citizen?
In today’s episode, we break down this new bill with the help of Apar Gupta, the executive director at the Internet Freedom Foundation.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vakasha Sachdev
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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With a No-Confidence Vote in Sight, Are Pakistan PM Imran Khan's Days Numbered?

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 17:06:18 -0000

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan is facing the biggest threat to his political career – a unified Opposition coalition and a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly on 31 March.

The political temperature in the country has been on the rise since 8 March, when Opposition parties submitted the no-confidence motion against Khan, alleging that he was responsible for the country's economic crisis and spiralling inflation.

While the Opposition is confident that it can garner the support of 172 members in the House of 342 to oust Khan, the other side claims that it enjoys the required support to foil any attempts of such a vote.

And in a massive show of strength ahead of the crucial motion against his government, Khan, on 27 March, had held a mammoth rally in Islamabad, which was purportedly attended by tens of thousands of people. In a marathon speech, which lasted more than 90 minutes, he claimed that "foreign powers were involved in a conspiracy" to topple his government. He further alleged that he had a "letter" to prove the same.

But under all the claims and counterclaims lies the silence of the powerful and influential powerful Pakistan army. The military, which stood behind Khan in 2018, has so far has conveyed to him that it is "neutral" in the unfolding political slugfest, suggesting that it has withdrawn its support for Khan.

So the big question: are Imran Khan's days as PM numbered? In this episode, we break down the factors that led to the no-confidence motion, explore how it may possibly play out, and how it will impact the frozen India-Pakistan relations.

Joining me today to discuss this is Sameer Patil, Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, a global policy think tank.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar

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What Does a Unified MCD Mean for Delhi Citizens & Does it Help BJP Politically?

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 16:28:16 -0000

The deference of the Delhi civic polls has left the AAP-led Delhi government at loggerheads with the BJP-led Centre.

At the heart of the delay is The Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 that seeks to merge the North, East and South Delhi municipal corporations.

The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai who said it would make the MCD “a single, integrated and well-equipped entity”, however, the Delhi government along with several opposition parties have been vehemently opposed to calling it an unconstitutional move.

What has been particularly irking the Delhi government is that the bill also appears to strip the Delhi government off authority when it comes a lot of big decision-making processes around the unified MCD. The AAP led Delhi government even accused the BJP of “murdering democracy”.

But why does the Centre want to unify Delhi municipality? What is the administrative significance behind it all? And is there any political significance in the move?
Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Guests:
Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor
Milind Mhaske, Director of Praja Foundation
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Delhi Riots Case: Same Court That Gave Bail to Ishrat Denies It to Umar – Why?

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 13:13:07 -0000

Delhi’s Karkardooma Court rejected the bail plea of activist and former JNU student Umar Khalid, on 24 March, in connection with the Delhi Riots ‘larger conspiracy’ case. This comes after the court deferred the pronouncement of the order three times consecutively.

Khalid was arrested in 2020 and slapped with the stringent UAPA charges along with 17 others on accusations of “masterminding” the Delhi 2020 riots, which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

But only six have received bail so far. Faizan Khan, Safoora Zargar, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Natasha Narwal, and Devangana Kalita – who were given bail by the Delhi High Court but Ishrat Jahan recently managed to get bail from the same sessions court that denied bail to Umar Khalid.

While Khalid’s lawyer argued that allegations against him have been made out of thin air what reasons did the court give for dismissing his bail? How did Ishrat Jahan get bail but not Umar Khalid?

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Guests: Vakasha, Legal Editor, The Quint
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Debts, Covid & Bad Policies: A Breakdown of What Led to Sri Lanka's Economic Crisis

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 17:07:37 -0000

With severe shortage of food, cooking gas, and other essential items, sky-rocketing fuel prices and record-high inflation, Sri Lanka is battling its worst economic crisis in over several decades.

A critical shortfall of foreign currency had led to a massive reduction in imports of essential items.

This nightmarish situation has crippled the lives of common citizens who have been waiting in long queues across the country for groceries and fuel. At least two elderly men reportedly died in different parts of the country waiting for petrol and kerosene oil.

As anger against the government grows, troops have been deployed outside state-run petrol pumps to thwart protests that have been breaking out sporadically.

The economic meltdown has also affected millions of students, with the country cancelling school exams after running out of printing paper. Amid dwindling fuel supplies, there have also been long spells of power outage for several weeks now, with some blackouts lasting for as long as seven hours.

Unable to eke out a living at home, some citizens are even resorting to flee to India. So far, a total of 16 Sri Lankan refugees from Jaffna and Mannar arrived at Tamil Nadu in a boat, on 22 March in hopes of restarting their lives.

But what are the various factors that led to such an unprecedented scale of economic crisis in the first place? How did the country fall into this vortex of debts? What is Sri Lanka doing to stave off this crisis? As India extends $1-billion line of credit as assistance to the cash-strapped nation, will this move help India geopolitically?

Our two guests for this episode are Satpatarshi Basak, Writer, International News Desk at The Quint and Sathiya Moorthy Head of Observer Research Foundation’s Chennai Initiative. Moorthy has also been the editorial advisor at a trilingual TV group in Sri Lanka.

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Guests:
Satpatarshi Basak, Writer, International News Desk at The Quint
N Sathiya Moorthy Head of Observer Research Foundation’s Chennai Initiative. Moorthy has also been the editorial advisor at a trilingual TV group in Sri Lanka.
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Birbhum Violence: What Happened and How It's Becoming a TMC Vs BJP Issue Now

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 16:23:35 -0000

West Bengal’s Birbhum district has been simmering with tensions since the beginning of this week.

The murder of Bhadu Sheikh, a local TMC panchayat leader in Bogtui village, sparked violence from the night of 21 March, with several houses being set ablaze. At least eight lives were lost in the arson incident, while three people including a minor have been hospitalised.

On 22 March, 11 people have been arrested as charred bodies were recovered from two houses. Fearing repercussions of this violence, many people from this village are now starting to pack up and leave.

While some reports have alleged that this incident of violence is an intra-TMC feud, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that there is a larger conspiracy to defame the state.

But this incident is fast turning into a BJP vs TMC issue, with not just leaders like Suvendu Adhikari or Dilip Ghosh criticising the law and order of the state, but Prime Minister Narendra himself also acknowledging this incident.

Addressing a virtual event at Kolkata's Victoria Memorial, PM Modi urged the people of Bengal to never forgive perpetrators of Birbhum violence. Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah has also sought a report from the West Bengal government in 72 hours.

But which events led to this spell of violence? What is the current situation on ground? In this episode, we’ll hear from family members of the victims. We also have with us freelance journalist Ajoy Mukhopadhyay giving us updates from ground zero and Monideepa Banerjie, a senior independent journalist who talks about what impact can this incident have on the TMC-led government and the state's politics.

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why The CUET Test for College Admissions is Garnering Mixed Reactions

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 15:05:17 -0000

It’s not class XII board exam results but a new Common University Entrance Exam or the CUET that will drive college admissions now.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) said this test that is likely to be held in the first week of July, will be compulsory for anybody seeking admissions to undergraduate courses in all the 45 central universities from the academic year of 2022-23.

This is going to be a computer-based multiple-choice test that will be held in two shifts and can be taken in 13 languages such as Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telegu, Kannada, Malayalam, Urdu, Assamese, Bengali, Punjabi, Odia, and English.

But who all are eligible to take the test and what will the CUET test students on? We’ll try to answer all the FAQs around this upcoming test.

However, there are also some larger questions that arise with this decision. For instance, will this be beneficial for students’ education? Or will the CUET end up diluting the importance of school education and school exams? Is it important that school marks still carry some weightage? Does it level out the opportunities for student as intended?

In this episode we ask teachers and educators to tell us what they have to say on this new method of admission and whether or not the CUET will reduce the burden on students.

Our guests are Ameeta Mulla Wattal, Chairperson & Executive Director of Education, Innovations and Training- DLF Foundation Schools and Scholarship Programmes; Abha Dev Habib, Professor of Physics at DU's Miranda House and a Member of Executive Council of Delhi University; and Neeti Bhalla, Executive Principal, GEMS Modern Academy, Gurugram.

Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia Guests: Ameeta Mulla Wattal, Chairperson & Executive Director of Education, Innovations and Training- DLF Foundation Schools and Scholarship Programmes;
Abha Dev Habib, Professor of Physics at DU's Miranda House and a Member of Executive Council of Delhi University;
Neeti Bhalla, Executive Principal, GEMS Modern Academy, Gurugram.

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

Also Read: Common Entrance Test Compulsory for UG Admissions: How Should One Prepare?
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Does 'The Kashmir Files' Represent Kashmiri Pandits or Co-opts Them?

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 14:14:21 -0000

Vivek Agnihotri’s new film - The Kashmir Files that focuses on the events surrounding the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits between the late 80’s and early the 90’s, has been triggering a lot of responses from day one.

It’s also perhaps one of the few Bollywood films releases of the Covid-era that continues to be at the box office for 10 days now with steady earnings.

For comparison, Gangubai Kathiawadi starring Alia Bhatt that was released in February 25 earned Rs 117 crores domestically in three weeks. But recently, after raking up its highest one-day collection yet on 20 March Sunday, The Kashmir Files’ total earnings now stand at Rs 167 crores roughly. This is just in 10 days!

But at the same, Vivek Agnihotri’s film has sparked a political storm with debates around what the film depicts and how polarized its reception has been on the ground.

While some feel that it’s about time that the painful story of Kashmiri pandits be shared with the country unabashedly, others point out that in the process of dramatization, the movie stray from facts and ends up vilifying and generalizing Kashmiri Muslims.

But amid this cacophony of arguments and counter-arguments, a big question is, who is the film for? Does it serve the purpose of representing the plight of Kashmiri pandits, or does it get politically co-opted?

In this episode of The Big Story, I’ll be joined by Aditya Raj Kaul, the Executive Editor of TV9 Network and Dr Suneem Khan, a Medical Doctor with CRPF at Srinagar who describes himself as a cinephile. We’ll hear from them their views of what the film does and doesn’t.

Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Can the Congress Party Survive Without a Gandhi at the Helm?

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 15:52:45 -0000

Post the 2022 Assembly election results, two things became abundantly clear from the final scoreboard: first, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) proved that it remains a formidable force and second, the Congress party seems to be in a free fall.

To rectify this crisis, on Wednesday, 16 March, a group of 18 Congress leaders – a mix of G-23 dissidents and others – met at the senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s house. Here they decided that the grand old party needs a “collective, inclusive leadership.” They also demanded that the Congress needs to be proactive to create a platform with other “like-minded parties to take on the BJP in 2024.”

Before this, the Congress Working Committee, the party's top decision-making body, also held a meeting on 13 March. The five-hour-long meeting, however, reached the déjà vu conclusion of the party leadership consisting of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra offering to step down from their respective roles and then the CWC unanimously refusing to accept their resignations and passing a resolution to let them continue.

The question of a Congress without a Gandhi at the helm has been compounding over the years, especially after the G-23 leaders stood up in 2020, demanding sweeping organisational change. But the question after every meeting has remained unanswered.

And the resounding rejection of the party in the recently concluded elections poses the next big question: where does the Congress go from here? Is a change in leadership the only answer to move ahead?

Joining me today to discuss this are political analysts and senior journalists Arati Jerath and Javed Ansari.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Hijab Row Verdict: Understanding the Impact on Muslim Women's Education

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 16:24:23 -0000

The Karnataka High Court on 15 March effectively upheld the government imposed ban on hijab in educational institutions in the state and further stated that the right to wear a hijab is not constitutionally protected.

Referring to constitutional guarantees, Hazra Shifa, one of the students who filed the petition in the court, said, “We were expecting so much from our constitution and country. If today Dr BR Ambedkar were alive, he would have literally cried."

As examinations are expected to begin in April and the students said they would seek further legal course and will approach the Supreme Court to intervene and stay the order.

But the ongoing chaos over this issue for the past few months, especially after the verdict, has brought forward the question of how it is impacting the education of Muslim women.

In our last episode, we broke down the high court verdict and why it may be problematic. In today’s episode, The Quint spoke to Aliya Assadi, one of the students who filed the petition on the effect it will have on her education. You will also hear from Mihira Sood, Executive Director of Centre for Child Rights & Juvenile Justice and a professor at the National Law University.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Hijab Row Case: Why the Karnataka High Court Verdict is Problematic

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 14:51:09 -0000

After months of political upheaval and 11 days of hearing, a three-judge bench in the Karnataka High Court upheld the restrictions on Muslim women wearing a hijab in educational institutions.

The bench held that the right to wear a hijab is not constitutionally protected. In its verdict, the bench comprising of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justices Krishna S Dixit and JM Khazi stated: “We are of the considered opinion that wearing of hijab by Muslim women does not form a part of essential religious practice in Islamic faith... The prescription of school uniform is only a reasonable restriction that is constitutionally permissible which the students cannot object to."

The court also held that the Karnataka governments 5 February order, which essentially banned the wearing of hijab in educational institutions, is sound and that there was no case made out for its invalidation.

Commenting on the high court order, Karnataka Chief Minister (CM) Basavaraj Bommai asked everyone to maintain "peace and order" and allow the students to attend classes, adding that education was more important than anything else. ⁦

In today’s episode, we breakdown the reasoning behind the Karnataka high courts judgment and why it is problematic.

Guest: Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint's Legal Editor
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vakasha Sachdev

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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India Missile Misfire: How Can an Accident Like This Happen?

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 14:04:20 -0000

In an extremely rare incident, India on 9 March "accidentally" fired a missile into Pakistan airspace, raising questions immediately about the safety mechanisms of such armament.

India, in its statement on 11 March, expressed “deep regret” over the incident and said that a “technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile”. This statement, however, came 2 days after the incident and a day after a statement from Pakistan’s Major General Babar Iftikhar. The Pakistani statement read that such “irresponsible incidents” reflected India’s “disregard for air safety and callousness towards regional peace and stability”.

Neither country has so far spelt out what kind of missile was used. The missile in question travelled a total of 200 kms, with 124 kms of that in Pakistani airspace at an altitude of 40,000 feet and at a speed of 2.5 to 3 times the speed of sound. Based on this information, experts speculate that the missile is probably BrahMos, one of India’s top cruise missiles.

Fortunately, the missile was not armed and did not cause any casualties. But a lot of us must be thinking the same question – how can an accident like this happen? What is the protocol when incidents like this take place?

To help answer these questions, we spoke to Kartik Bommakanti, a fellow at Observer Research Foundation specialising in space military issues.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Assembly Polls 2022: Unpacking BJP's Wins in UP, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:49:38 -0000

The Bharatiya Janata Party scoreboard for the latest round of assembly election shows that the saffron remains a formidable force in Indian politics.
Barring Punjab, where AAP decimated the ruling Congress, the BJP regained a second term in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.
Especially in Uttar Pradesh, the incumbent CM Yogi Adityanath made history as the first chief minister in decades to return to power in the state after a five year term and for the BJP, it is the first time a party has come back to power in Uttar Pradesh since the mind-80’s.
In our last episode, we unpacked what led to AAP’s stunning victory in Punjab. In today’s episode, we will take a close look at the BJP’s success in this election and the main takeaways from each of the victories.
Joining me for this is Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor and Himanshi Dahiya, The Quint’s correspondent who has been covering Goa, Punjab and UP.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Aditya Menon
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Assembly Polls 2022: What Led to AAP Decimating Congress in Punjab?

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 14:41:42 -0000

The Aam Aadmi Party is headed for a massive win in Punjab, with trends showing the party leading in at least 92 seats in the 117-member Assembly at the time of recording this podcast.
It has been decades since any party in the state has secured such a vast majority with the last instance being way back in 1962, when the Congress had won 90 seats and then a close recreation was in 2017, when they won 77 seats.
Bhagwant Mann, the AAP’s CM face in Punjab, who won from the Dhuri assembly constituency with a margin of over 58,000 votes and said that he will put Punjab back on the development track.
And away from AAP’s spotlight are the opposition heavyweights which include Congress’s Charanjit Singh Channi and Navjot Singh Sidhu, former CM Capt Amarinder Singh, SAD's Parkash Singh Badal, all of whom have lost from their respective constituencies.
For today’s episode, we will breakdown the key takeaways from the Punjab election. Joining me today is Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Aditya Menon
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Breaking Down Why India is Fence-Sitting on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 17:09:47 -0000

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February, countries around the world have condemned it for its aggression through sanctions and statements.

However, India, one of the key players in international relations and geopolitics, has held its nose and has been mum on the issue. As of 8 March, it has abstained five times on any vote of condemnation and has avoided criticising Russia.

While none of these abstentions have affected the outcome of the vote, India’s silence on the entire conflict through its vote has raised questions on how long it can walk on this tightrope.

Its abstentions are not of surprise since India-Russia relations have endured everything since the Cold War and has remained a close strategic ally of Russia. Pertinently, India imports the majority of its arms and ammunition from Russia, with some estimates going as high as 70 percent.

But India’s balancing act is now proving increasingly difficult as the situation worsens in Ukraine, which even prevented Indian students stranded in Eastern Ukraine from evacuating. More so, the diplomatic pressure on India is also increasing, with the US indicating multiple times the “importance of a strong collective response to Russian aggression” and even the Ukrainian Ambassador to India stating that his country is “deeply dissatisfied” with India’s position on the issue.

So the big question here is, for how long can India look back on old friendships to make foreign policy decisions in the present and future? Is it in India’s best interest to remain neutral in this crisis?

Joining me today to discuss the same is Nandan Unnikrishnan, a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, a global policy think tank.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What is the Russia-Ukraine ICJ Case And Is Prez Putin Likely to Stand Trial?

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 14:53:30 -0000

In response to Russia’s growing incursion and attacks, Ukraine has now taken the legal route and brought the issue front and center of the United Nations highest court—the International Court of Justice— on 7 March, urging the judges to issue an injunction demanding Putin to end the invasion.
At the ICJ, the Ukrainian delegation accused Moscow of putting “millions in dangers” and for defiling the Genocide Convention by falsely claiming that Ukraine was committing genocide against Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine as one of the pretexts for its invasion.
However, not surprisingly, Russia did not show up for the hearing on Monday, effectively boycotting the hearing.
Apart from this, thirty-nine countries have also referred the ongoing crisis in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court, a separate entity that has the power to investigate genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. This court has now opened an investigation. However, it is important to note that both Ukraine and Russia are not signatories of the ICC thus putting a question on how effective an ICC investigation will be.
Further, Russia’s absence at the ICJ also casts doubt over the extent to which international legal mechanisms can be effective. But the biggest question here is- how likely is President Vladimir Putin or anyone else involved in the invasion of Ukraine to stand trial?
To understand exactly how the ICJ and ICC work and the legal remedies that Ukraine possibly has, joining me today is Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s Legal Editor.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Assembly Elections 2022: What Are the Big Predictions of the Exit Polls?

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 16:24:31 -0000

The exit poll results are in! What are the big predictions - will it be Yogi or Akhilesh in UP? Can Congress retain Punjab, or will AAP come to power for the first time there? And which way do the voters of Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur seem to be leaning? Which states are too close to call? And how accurate have exit polls been in these states in the past?

Tune in to a live conversation with The Quint's Political Editor Aditya Menon as he unpacks the various exit poll results and what they signal for 10 March.

Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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'An Absolute Genius': Celebrating Virat Kohli's Journey to 100 Test Matches

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 14:59:36 -0000

When Virat Kohli took to the field against Sri Lanka on Friday, 4 March, he became only the 12th Indian cricketer to play 100 Test matches.

Announcing his arrival by leading India to the Under-19 World Cup title in 2008, Kohli quickly climbed the ropes and soon paved a path to international test cricket in 2011. And since then, is known as one of the greatest players in the world cricket across all formats.

After nearly 11 years at the biggest stages of international cricket, more than 8,000 runs, and a jaw-dropping average of 50.39, we take a look at Kohli's test cricket legacy and his impact both on and off the field in this special episode of The Big Story podcast,

Joining me today is our regular guest and friend of the show, cricket commentator and analyst Chandresh Narayanan.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Mendra Dorjey Sahni

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Unpacking IPCC's 'Bleakest Warning Yet' on Climate Change for India

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 15:17:25 -0000

The impact of climate change will be more severe and less avoidable in the years to come, according to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which was released on 28 February.

Issuing its "bleakest warning yet," the new report concludes that global warming is outpacing our ability to cope and that governments around the world are not doing enough to protect us from the hazards that climate change has already unleashed, let alone from future disasters.

For India, the report says that the country could be one of those where heat and humidity levels would pass the limit of human survivability and climate change could mean about 40 percent of people in India living with water scarcity compared to 33 percent now.

The contents of this report are grim and upsetting. But like the physical science report that the panel published last year, none of this is new knowledge and scientists have been warning about this for years. This report pertinently provides the most detailed look yet at the threats posed by global warming.

It draws a direct link between climate change and serious consequences like humanitarian crises, food insecurity, water scarcity, migration, and even premature deaths.

And to combat this, nations across the world have vowed to limit total global warming to no more than 1.5 degree Celsius compared with pre-industrial levels. But what this report makes very clear is that exceeding this threshold will result in permanent lasting damage and that even humanity’s best effort to adapt could falter.

Joining me to discuss the main takeaways from the report is Professor Anjal Prakash, the Research Director of the Bharti Institute of Public Policy at Indian School of Business and also one of the authors of the latest report.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vaishali Sood

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A Peek Into Operation To Evacuate Indians Caught in Russia-Ukraine War

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 16:26:24 -0000

The death of an Indian student – Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagoudar – in Kharkiv on 1 March has brought home the escalating crisis unfolding in Ukraine.

Naveen, a fourth-year student of forensic science at Kharkiv National Medical University, had stepped out of a bunker to buy groceries and was in the queue at the local supermarket when Russian shelling began, reportedly targeting the governor’s house in Kharkiv.

More than 5,000 people, including military personnel and civilians, have lost their lives as the Russian invasion entered its sixth day on Wednesday, 2 February.

Other than the geopolitical crisis created out of Russia’s aggression, the invasion has also resulted into a major humanitarian crisis with more than 800,000 people already having fled Ukraine. And for India, the war has unfolded into a crisis in the form of thousands of stranded citizens, mainly students, who are stuck in cities across Ukraine.

For the past week, uncertainty on leaving Ukraine has been a constant for any person trying to flee the country, with visuals on social media showing long lines of vehicles stuck in traffic on their way to nearest western border and some even braving the cold to make the journey on foot along with their belongings.

At present, there are nearly 20,000 Indians living in Ukraine and as tensions escalate in Kharkiv and Kyiv, among other cities, the Indian government accelerated evacuations under Operation Ganga. The Indian Air Force has also been tapped in to help with the evacuations.

But there are still thousands of students stranded across the country as Russia forces advance.

In today’s episode, we bring voices of some of those caught in the war. You will also hear from Nitesh Singh, a founding member of Team SOS India, an organisation helping Indians in Ukraine.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Russia-Ukraine War: How Worrying is Putin's Threat of Nuclear Weapons?

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 16:36:29 -0000

For the past week, all eyes have been on Ukraine as Russian forces continue to rain down on the country. However, the war took a turn for the worse on 27 February, when Putin leaned towards the nuclear option.

In a dramatic escalation of tensions, Putin ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces to be put in a “special regime of combat duty”. He justified this move as a response to the “illegal sanctions” and “aggressive statements” from NATO countries.

And these searing sanctions are already showing their impact, with the Russian central bank more than doubling its interest rate and the Russian ruble crashing to its lowest trade to the dollar at 119.

Five days into the invasion, it is apparent that things are not going Russia’s way, with the countries ministry of defence own report admitting no major victories. The main reason for this has been the resistance of the Ukrainian army, which has been further bolstered by civilians volunteers.

Visuals from the ground show defiant Ukrainian’s taking arms to Russia troops in cities like Kharkiv and even ordinary citizens standing on the street to block the advance of Russian tanks. Ukrainian authorities indicate that even though they are outgunned, the pace of the enemy attacks seems to have reduced.

However, the threat of a nuclear war is what hovers across the entire world. Many analysts have interpreted it as a bluff but it is terrifying nonetheless. In this episode, we will try answering the big question- how serious is Putin’s threat of a nuclear war?

Joining me today to discuss this is Professor Harsh V Pant, Director, Studies and Head of the Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation, a global policy think tank.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar

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What’s at Stake for the Indian Economy as Russia Invades Ukraine?

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 15:39:06 -0000

With Russian troops circling Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, the worsening Ukraine-Russia crisis has sent the global economy in a frenzy with oil prices soaring past the $100 mark for the first time in seven years and stock markets crashing around the world.

Crude oil prices led the way in most impact, with Brent touching $105, European gas prices surging more than 30 percent and the Russian rouble plummeting to a record low against the dollar on 24 February. The Dow Jones fell 1.38 percent and Nasdaq lost 2.6 percent. The crypto market also took a hit, with Bitcoin falling below $35,000.

This crisis comes just as countries had started recovering from the impact of COVID-19 on their economies. And the spike in oil prices is especially worrying for India, which imports more than 80 percent of its oil. These high crude oil prices could result in higher fuel prices for the Indian consumer.

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia also pushed the Indian stock benchmarks to log one of their worst days in nearly two years, with Sensex and Nifty tumbling 2.5 percent each in opening trade on 24 February.

So how exactly is the Indian economy going to be impacted by this geopolitical crisis? How well placed are we? And if you are a young investor listening in, what should you do with your investment in light of this geopolitical flux?

To understand the impact on the economy, you will be hearing from JP Morgan’s James Sullivan and Indranil Sengupta from CLSA India, a global investment group. And for the young investors listening in, we have Vaibhav Sanghavi from Avendus Capital.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
Interview Source: Bloomberg Quint
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As Russia Invades Ukraine, What Can the West Do Beyond Sanctions?

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 16:43:49 -0000

Any remaining hope for a peaceful solution to the Ukraine crisis went down the drain on 24 February as the country woke up to an invasion by Russia from both land and sea.

Addressing his nation in a televised speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that this is a “special military operation” to demilitarise Ukraine but not occupy it, but the situation on the ground speaks differently with explosions occurring across a wide swathe of the country.

The explosions, according to the several foreign media reports, could be heard in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Kharkiv in the country’s north-east, and as far as Vinnytsia in the west. Ukrainian officials have stated that explosions were also heard at the country’s largest airport, in Kyiv.

At the time of recording this episode, at least 40 Ukrainian soldiers and 10 civilians were killed by Russian shelling, as per an AFP report. The report adds that Russian forces have also captured two towns in eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk region, which Putin recognised as independent just two days ago.

Visuals from the ground in Kyiv capture air raid sirens blasting across the city as citizens try to leave the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared martial law for the next 30 days. In a late-night statement on 23 February, Zelenskyy said that if Russia invades, Ukraine will defend itself, adding "as you attack, it will be our faces you see, not our backs.”

This is an unprecedented move by Russia, with the story still developing as we record this episode. Today, I will unpack what we know so far and where this crisis may be headed.

Joining me today to discuss the crisis is Nandan Unnikrishnan, a Distinguished Fellow at Observer Research Foundation, a global policy think tank.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar VO: Saptarshi Basak
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Harsha Murder Case: How Did the Incident Become So Communally Charged?

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 16:32:29 -0000

The murder of a 26-year-old Bajrang Dal activist in Karnataka’s Shivamogga district brought the city to a boil with large scale protests erupting on 22 February, followed by demonstrations across the state.

The deceased man, known as Harsha Hindu, was reportedly stabbed by a group of five assailants on 21 February in Shivamogga, which is about 250 kms away from Bengaluru.

This incident comes at an especially charged up moment in the state with several districts witnessing hijab vs saffron shawl protests. In this little town too,58 students were suspended from the local college just recently for demanding to be allowed to attend classes.

Expectedly, the incident soon turned into a political slugfest, with BJP leaders Kapil Mishra calling this a new form of jihad and Goa CM Pramod Sawant blaming “anti-Hindu fundamentalists”.

Karnataka Rural Development Minister and BJP leader KS Eshwarappa went onto openly accusing “Muslim goons” for this act while BJP National Secretary CT Ravi called the murder a "conspiracy".

Though Harsha had been a part of the protest demanding a ban on hijabs held on 7 February outside a college in Shivamogga, the reason behind the killing has not yet been ascertained.

Despite the prompt action by the police—which made its first arrest in the case just hours after the incident— ,thousands of Bajrang Dal activists took to the streets the very next day to take out a funeral procession.

This too soon turned violent, with reports of vandalism, including several vehicles being reportedly torched by the activists resulting in police lathicharge and tear gas shells being fired. A curfew has also been placed in the city till 25 February.

But how did this incident become so communally charged in a small town in Karnataka? Where does the investigation stand now?

Guest: Nikhila Henry, The Quint’s South Bureau Chief.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Why Has Putin Deemed Donetsk and Luhansk as Independent?

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 15:33:12 -0000

In a dramatic escalation in the ongoing Ukraine crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin on 21 February recognised the independence of two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine and ordered Russian forces in those territories for “peacekeeping” purposes.

In a televised address, Putin recognised the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic – which are globally considered as part of Ukraine’s sovereign territory – and added that “Ukraine has never had its own authentic statehood.”

Putin’s address also carried a warning for Ukraine, threatening a war if the country's forces did not stand down. He said “all the responsibility for the possible continuation of bloodshed will be completely and entirely on the conscience of the regime ruling Ukraine’s territory.”

For weeks, Putin has kept the world on its toes with some 150,000 Russian troops amassed at Ukraine’s border but has denied any plans to move into Ukraine. However, the formal recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk has triggered fears in the West of an imminent Russian invasion.

The formal recognition also prompted a chorus of condemnation from the West, with the United States (US) announcing sanctions on those regions, Germany halting the approval process of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) condemning Russia’s move, calling it a “violation of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine” and “inconsistent with the principles of the UN Charter.”

Criticism of Russia also came from India, which at the UNSC meeting said that tensions along the border between Ukraine and Russia was a “matter of deep concern,” and that it had the potential to undermine peace and security in the region. However, India stopped short of condemning Putin’s statement or its actions without naming Russia at all.

In today’s episode, we will dive deep into the relevance of Donetsk and Luhansk and why Russia’s deems them independent.

To understand this, I spoke to former Indian ambassador to Russia, DB Venkatesh Varma, who recently returned from Russia.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Can Deter Russia From Possibly Invading Ukraine?

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 16:49:09 -0000

For about two months now, more than 100,000 Russian soldiers have been present at the border the country shares with Ukraine in preparations on what the US says will be an invasion any day now.

And the recent developments at the border are not reassuring with reports of shellfire ringing out in the rebel held territories in eastern Ukraine. Both Russia and Belarus have also extended their military drills that were due to end on 20 February, signaling intensifying pressure on the West.

Diplomatic talks between the US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have begun in earnest but no concrete headway has been made with the latter refusing to de-escalate on his demands. However, there are talks now of a possible summit between Biden and Putin sometime in the coming days.

In our past episodes, we dove into why Russia is fielding soldiers at the Ukraine border and the actions taken by the US so far. In today’s episode, we will try answering the big question: what steps can be taken to deter a potential Russia attack, will economic sanctions really work? What steps can be taken to prevent the worst?

To discuss this, I have two great guests-Professor Harsh V Pant, Director, Studies and Head of the Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation, a global policy think tank and PS Raghavan, former Indian Ambassador to Russia.

Guests: Professor Harsh V Pant, Director, Studies and Head of the Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

PS Raghavan, former Indian Ambassador to Russia.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Saundarya Talwar
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Understanding Punjab Politics Ahead of Assembly Elections 2022

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 17:20:45 -0000

The Punjab is set to see its most crucial Assembly election in decades on 20 February and for the first time, the state is witnessing as many as five parties or coalitions for 117 seats.

In the run-up to the election, the Punjab just in the past year has gone through many major developments, starting from the year-long farmers' agitation, which also led to the exit of the Shiromani Akali Dal from the Narendra Modi government as well as National Democratic Alliance. The ruling Congress party in the state has gone through an internal crisis, leading to the ouster of former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and the induction of the state’s first Dalit CM Charanjit Singh Channi.

Months after the historic farmers' agitation ended and the contentious farms laws were repealed, the farmer unions have also joined the political fray, contesting as individual candidates and further changing the political equations.

The old parties are also being challenged by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which entered the state’s political arena in 2017 and had to content itself with only 20 seats. But this time around, there seems to be a wave of AAP support across the state, with some voters willing to give the 'Delhi model' of governance a chance.

With a crowded contest up ahead, what are the big trends in the Punjab? Will the Congress’ game plan of fielding CM Channi to rake in the crucial Dalit vote bank work or will the anti-incumbency wave lead to AAP taking away the baton? And how heavy will the farmers' agitation weigh against the BJP?

To help us navigate through the ins and outs of this election, joining me today is Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Aditya Menon
Also check out:

In Punjab's War Against Drugs, Women Battle Addiction, Assault, and Stigma
Beyond Farmers' Protest, the Reality of 'Kisan-Mazdoor Ekta' in Punjab

Which is the Real Home? UP Migrants in Punjab Speak on Being From Two States
Punjab Elections: No Matter Who Wins, BJP Has Already Succeeded in Its Mission

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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'Disco king' Bappi Lahiri's Legacy - From Desi Beats to Raag-Based and Beyond

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 14:58:03 -0000

Gilded with sparkling disco beats, the song 'I 'am a Disco Dancer...' is not the only track that made us, Indians, the real 'Disco Deewane'. Bappi Lahiri who ruled the music industry in the 70s and 80s passed away on Tuesday, 15 February, in CritiCare Hospital in Mumbai, aged 69, but he remains an icon in India's music industry. And if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have got our 'Disco King'.

Bappi Da, as he was also popularly known, didn't just give Bollywood some of its best disco beats but also sang some hugely popular chartbusters in his unique voice. This podcast is a tribute to the legend - Bappi da.

For this podcast, we reached out to the veteran filmaker B Subhash - his movies and Bappi's music took over the Hindi film industry with disco beats that changed the way we liked our music.

Tune in as we pay tribute to India's 'Disco King'.

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What Should the Retail Investor Note About LIC's Mega IPO?

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 15:58:01 -0000

LIC is now a step closer to becoming one of the largest companies in India, with the government selling a five percent stake in the insurance giant for the first time in an upcoming IPO.

The household insurer name on 13 February filed its draft red herring prospectus or DRHP with markets regulator SEBI, which states that it will be offering 31.62 crore in equity or 5 percent of the company to the Indian market in its upcoming IPO.

This move is in line with the Centre’s disinvestment plan to fill its coffers drained by the pandemic. It was also mentioned in the recent budget speech by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Now, LIC is India’s biggest life insurer. Here are a few numbers to support that statement—286 million policies, 115,000 employees, 1.34 million individual agents and more than 2000 branches. It is one of the top 5 global insurers and controls 64.1% market share in India.

Its IPO is set to be the biggest in Indian stock market history, dwarfing the record of $2.4 billion set by Paytm last year. Though the valuation has not been inked yet, analysts have pegged it anywhere between Rs 5.4-8 lakh crore.

But as the company prepares to go public, it leaves a few questions unanswered for investors such as—how is this going to affect policy holders? What is the insurer's profitability plan? And is it worth investing?

To discuss this, we spoke to Madhavan Narayanan, a senior journalist and Prosenjit Datta, former editor of Businessworld and Business Today. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha and Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Unpacking the Hits and Misses of 2022 IPL Mega Auction

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 14:21:14 -0000

It was raining money in the jam-packed two-day IPL Mega Auction, with the 10 franchises splurging close to Rs 550 crore on 204 players to assemble their respective squads.

Ishan Kishan emerged as the most expensive player of the auction, bought by Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs 15.25 crore. New team Lucknow Super Giants made Avesh Khan the most expensive uncapped player of IPL history by buying him for Rs 10 crore.

But the highlight of the second day of the auction was England all-rounder Liam Livingstone, who triggered an intense bidding war between Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Punjab Kings. He was finally bought by the team with the biggest auction purse, Punjab Kings, for Rs 11.5 crore.

This auction also had many firsts – two new teams, 11 players being sold for Rs 10 crore or more (the most ever), and the end of an era for a few star players like Suresh Raina, Ishant Sharma, Steve Smith, Eoin Morgan, who had no takers.

To discuss the hits and misses of this auction, joining me today is Chandresh Narayanan, a sports analyst and commentator. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Mendra Dorjey Sahni

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Unpacking the Recent Developments in Karnataka Hijab Row

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 16:41:03 -0000

For the past few weeks, the controversy over the wearing of hijab by Muslim students has rippled across coastal Karnataka with multiple incidents now taking place, the issue reaching the high court, and even drawing global attention.

The hijab row has been gaining strength ever since six Muslim girls were denied entry into their classrooms at a Government Pre-University College in Karnataka’s Udupi in January this year for wearing the hijab. But this quickly turned communal after a group of boys, sporting saffron shawls, went to protest against wearing of hijab in the classes.

In another viral video, females students wearing saffron shawls could be heard chanting “jai shri ram” in an act of protest against wearing the hijab.

However, the actions taken by the BJP government in the state and the Karnataka High Court have drawn the biggest criticism.

Guest: Nikhila Henry, The Quint's South Bureau Chief
Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint's Legal Editor

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vakasha Sachdev

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Will the Anger Over Farm Laws in Western UP Turn the Tides for the BJP?

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 13:22:41 -0000

Fifty-eight constituencies, 11 districts, 143 seats, and the fate of nine sitting ministers are to be decided, as the polling was held on Thursday, 10 February, in western Uttar Pradesh.

West UP, often referred to as Jatland in the media, for being the Jat-dominated sugarcane belt of the state, witnessed a high-voltage electoral contest in the run-up to voting day, with the ruling BJP and the Opposition alliance SP-RLD trying to woo the community over the past few months.

And since 2014, the BJP has flipped the game in west UP, sweeping the entire region in two successive Parliament polls and even the last Assembly polls.
But this time, the saffron party may be nervous about its chances since the equations have changed primarily due to the anger among the Jat community over the now withdrawn farm laws. The pending dues of sugarcane farmers is another big issue in this region.

In today’s episode, we will break down these main issues, the core points of the BJP and SP-RLD campaign, and what the trends in this region point towards.

I’m joined by Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor and Himanshi Dahiya and Fatima Khan, The Quint’s correspondents who traveled across west Uttar Pradesh to bring you stories from the ground.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Aditya Menon

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What to Expect From The Big 2022 IPL Auction?

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 14:47:08 -0000

590 players in the auction list, 217 spots up for grabs, 48 players at the Rs 2 crore base price and once again, a 10 team IPL, but this time for good.

There’s just so much to look forward to at the 2022 IPL auction that’s taking place on 12 and 13 February in Bengaluru and our episode today gets you the complete lowdown on what to expect.

How will the auction process take place? The bidding starts with which players? Which uncapped players could make it big and also, why is Jofra Archer in the auction if he’s injured?

Guest: Chandresh Narayanan, sports writer and commentator
Host: Mendra Dorjey Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Also listen:

Explaining the 'Mega' in Indian Premier League 2022 Auctions
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Punjab Elections: With Channi As CM Face, Will Congress' Fortunes Change?

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 14:59:51 -0000

After much anticipation and drama in the political corridors of Punjab, incumbent Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was declared the CM face of the Congress in the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections.

Making the announcement, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that it was not he who made the choice, but the people of Punjab, who said "we want someone from a poor home as the chief minister."

The question of who would become the CM candidate had been festering in the Punjab Congress for months, with constant infighting between CM Channi and Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had even gone on to resign in protest earlier last year.

Now that Channi has been chosen, will the Congress' plan to consolidate the decisive Dalit votes in Punjab work? Also, what is next for Sidhu?

To unpack this, in today's episode, I am joined by my colleagues Aditya Menon, The Quint's Political Editor, and Himanshi Dahiya, The Quint's correspondent, who has been travelling extensively across Punjab to cover the election.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Aditya Menon
Also Read: Punjab Elections: AAP Rising in Majha But It's Up Against Congress & SAD Bigwigs
Punjab Elections: How Batala Became Symbolic of the State's Industrial Decay
Punjab Elections 2022: Charanjit Singh Channi on Captain, Kejriwal, & Congress
Punjab Polls 2022: 'Channi Stands With the Poor,' Say Bhadaur Residents
Background:

Does the Change of Guard in Punjab Signal a Congress Party Makeover?

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Remembering The Legend, Lata Mangeshkar: Why Indians Around the Globe Keep Her Close to Their Hearts?

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 15:03:50 -0000

A voice that has lent pehchaan to female actors for at least 70 years. A voice that evokes reverence. A voice that the entire nation emotes with – for pain, hurt, longing, and joy. There is a Lata Mangeshkar song for every mood.

”Nightingale of India"- Lata Mangeshkar passed away at the age of 92 at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai after contracting pneumonia and COVID-19.

Speaking to The Quint, Sharmila Tagore says that Mangeshkar gained such an iconic status because she was resonated with people across generations. She said the legendary singer sang songs for Shobhana Samartha, her daughter Tanuja, and even her daughter, Kajol. In this podcast you will also hear from lyricist, Swanand Kirkire who describes Lata ji as 'phenomenon beyond genius'.

But what is it about her that makes so close to hearts of Indians around the globe? The answer is not just one, but many.

This podcast is a tribute to the legend. Tune in.

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With a Decline in Daily Users, Is Facebook Having Its 'MySpace' Moment?

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 13:57:19 -0000

Since its inception in 2004, Facebook's vision of growing its user base has been going steady, despite all the scandals, backlash, US Senate hearings, and regulatory pressure.

But on 3 February, Meta – what the company is now known as – reported a half a million decline globally in its daily user base, a first in the social media giant's 18-year history.

You may think that a half a million drop is negligible when compared to Meta's existing user base, but it nevertheless wreaked havoc in the stock market, with investors fleeing after taking a peek at Meta's quarterly earnings report.

The dip in users, combined with the earnings report, plunged Meta's stock by nearly 26 percent, instantly shaving $250 billion dollars off its market value and $29 billion off Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth.

And if you can't compute this fall, imagine the fall of two IBMs, two General Electrics, or McDonald's! This was the single largest one-day dollar drop for a US company in history!

Meta listed out several reasons for the drop - from Apple's new privacy rules to the increase in competition from TikTok. But the fundamental questions that I will try to address in today's episode are: Is Facebook having its 'MySpace' moment? Has it reached its peak? What led to this fall?

To help me unpack this, I speak to Udbhav Tiwari, a policy advisor at Mozilla. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha, Nitish Rampal

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Explaining the 'Mega' in Indian Premier League 2022 Auctions

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 15:52:49 -0000

An auction is what kicks off the IPL season each year, and 2022 is no different with the mega IPL auction slated to take place on 12th and 13th of February.

Yes, so you may ask, if the auction happens each year, what’s so ‘mega’ about this one? Well, for starters, upto 217 players can be bought in this auction from the list of 590 that has been shortlisted by the BCCI. Each of the 10 teams need between 21 to 23 players to complete their rosters even though they have already spent a lot of their Rs 90 crore budget on retaining some old players.

Rohit, Virat and Dhoni will continue to play for their old franchises but KL Rahul made it big by switching teams and is now, after Kohli, the highest-earning IPL player with his Rs 17 crore a season pay cheque from Rising Lucknow Supergiant.

Does that sound mega enough?

But that's not all. There’s still players like David Warner, Shreyas Iyer, R Ashwin, Pat Cummins who are set to go under the hammer from the list of 590 of which 370 are Indian and 220 are international players.

Now is THAT big enough?

In today's podcast, I'll try to take you through how this IPL auction will work, with 10 teams in the fray. How competitive can it get and the big question—who the most valuable players going under the hammer are this year?

For this, I spoke to Amrit Mathur, a sports commentator and former COO of the Delhi Daredevils.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Mendra Dorjey
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Decoding the Crypto Tax — What Does it Mean for Investors?

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 14:30:31 -0000

While experts are still weighing in on the hits and misses of Budget 2022 that was presented on 1 February, for a lot of India's millennials it's the government's plans for cryptocurrencies that they have waiting for.

India's crypto market, as we know, has been swarming with a lot of young investors and the market seems to be growing. But a few months back, news of the government planning to prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in a new bill had left many worried about their investments on digital currencies for the last few months.

However, with a new crypto tax regime the recent budget does offer some clarity on what government intends to do with cryptocurrencies.

While taxing digital currencies doesn't necessarily mean that government has legalised crypto, what is it that the government is indicating? Does it mean that it's warming upto cryptocurrencies? Does it mean that the ban is off the table? And the biggest question of all — what do these new announcements mean for investors?

Explaining the fine print of it all in this episode will be CoinCrunch CEO Naimish Sanghvi. We'll also hear snippets of lawyers Badri Narayanan and Vivek Gupta's conversation with the BloombergQuint where they talk about the gray areas of these announcements.

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Budget 2022: Breaking Down the Numbers With Economist Rathin Roy

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 16:36:07 -0000

With a four-point focus – inclusive development, productivity enhancement, energy transition, and climate action – Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the Union Budget on 1 February, stating that it was a blueprint for India at 75 to India at 100.

What made the headlines was the hiking of the capital expenditure by 35.4 percent, which now stands at Rs 7.5 lakh crore, making up nearly 3 percent of the GDP.

This budget also came with a major push for digitisation, with an announcement of a new digital currency to be issued by the RBI. This new coin will be backed by blockchain technology. However, the introduction of the new digital coin also brought in new tax rates for virtual digital assets transfers.

But what does this budget mean for the common man? What are its big hits and misses?

Guest:
Rathin Roy, Economist
Host: Nishtha Gautam
Producer: Himmat Shaligram

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Pegasus Spyware: How Damning Are The Revelations of the NYT Report?

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 15:03:30 -0000

The Pegasus spyware is under the spotlight again with an investigative report by the NYT published on Friday, 28 January which claims that the Indian government purchased the controversial cyberweapon, as the NYT puts it, in 2017 as part of a larger arms deal with Israel.
The NYT report states that the two countries agreed on the sale of the spyware in part of a weapons and intelligence deal worth roughly $2 billion in July 2017 when PM Modi visited Israel. It also notes that since this visit, India’s stance on some of its policies like commitment to the Palestinian cause changed, citing India’s vote in support of Israel at the UN Economic and Social Council to deny observer status to a Palestinian human rights organization.
And this development is big because till now, neither the Indian government nor the Israeli government have openly confirmed or denied the sale of the software to India -something which the Israeli Defence Ministy would have had to give a licence for even though it was made by a private entity.
The Centre has to date also refused to take a clear stand in court or the Parliament on whether it has acquired or used the spyware.
The revelations in the NYT are of particular interest after the reports by a consortium of media organisations around the world in July 2021, the Pegasus Project reported its use. These reports were based on a list of potential targets of the spyware, some of which were confirmed by forensic analysis. In India, the list of potential targets included prominent politicians, an Election Commissioner, 40 Indian journalists and several private citizens. Independent forensic analysis has been able to confirm the presence of the spyware on the phones of several of these targets.
The Opposition has lashed out against the Centre, with senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was reportedly one of the targets of the spyware, saying that the government has committed an act of treason.
So how damaging are the revelations of this report? How will it fare in court? And how will this change the probe into the use of the spyware?

Guests: Vakasha Sachdev
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vakasha Sachdev

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Ukraine-Russia Conflict: In this Game of Chicken, Who Will Yield First?

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 16:46:48 -0000

The Russia-Ukraine crisis can be explained as a modified version of the conflict game "chicken”, where two players force each other to yield to avoid the worst possible outcome.
And the reason I call this crisis a modified version of “chicken” is because one player- Russia-has suddenly planted over 100,000 troops along the Ukraine border, escalating tensions to unprecedented levels. And the other player, the US and NATO, has been presented with a list of security demands by Russia which include banning Ukraine and other former Soviet states from joining the military alliance. And the worst possible outcome in this case may be war.
The US and other NATO allies have so far made no concessions to the demands, terming it as a non-starter since they go against NATO’s core principles of an open-door membership policy. US President Joe Biden has gone to the extent of warning that “Russia will pay a heavy price” if it chooses to invade Ukraine.
Russia has stated that it does not want war and will not invade Ukraine but the presence of troops and tanks at the border has stoked fears in the West that the Kremlin is ready to start a new war if needed. The present crisis also puts India, a close long-term ally and trade partner of both US and Russia, in a bind if the crisis does translate into a war scenario. The big questing here being- will India remain neutral or choose a side?
But the first issue to understand is why is Russian fielding soldiers at the Ukraine border? What is President Vladimir Putin’s gameplay, and what does this crisis mean for India?
Guest:
Professor Harsh V Pant, Director, Studies and Head of the Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation, a global policy think tank.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why Are Railway Job Aspirants in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh Protesting?

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 15:26:30 -0000

1.25 crore. That’s the number of applications received for little over 35,000 vacancies in the highly competitive Railway Recruitment Board’s Non-Technical Popular Category (NTPC) recruitment exam.

However, a recent notification by the RRB of conducting a second qualifying exam to confirm the selection of candidates led to thousands of aspirants taking the street across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for three consecutive days, blocking the movement of around 25 trains. The protest also turned violent on 26 January, with railways tracks set ablaze in UP’s Prayagraj and a train coach set on fire in Bihar’s Gaya.

Aspirants state that this second stage for final selection amounted to “cheating” those who appeared for the first stage of the exam, results for which were released on 14 January. They say that the 2019 notification only mentioned one exam and accused the recruitment board of “playing with the future of students”.

So are the claims of these students correct? What is the controversy exactly, and what action has the railway ministry taken so far? Tune in!

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why is the Indian Stock Market Crashing And What Should Investors Do?

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 14:07:27 -0000

In this episode, we break down the sharp fall that the Indian equity benchmarks-Sensex and Nifty-saw on 24 January, logging in their worst decline in two months.

Sensex crashed over 2,000 points to 56,984 while Nifty 50 plunged over 500 points to 16,998. This is the sixth continuous day of this downward spiral, wiping more than Rs 17.54 trillion of investors' wealth.

And some of the biggest losers in the dip are actually the new stock listings like Paytm, Nykaa and Zomato. Zomato plunged 20 percent, while Nykaa lost 13 percent. And stocks of Paytm have already plunged more than 50 percent since its IPO.

So what is causing this crash? And what should you as a retail investor do?

Joining me today is

Guest: Niraj Shah, Markets Editor at Bloomberg Quint.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why Are The Proposed Amendments to IAS Cadre Rules Drawing Criticisms?

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 16:18:36 -0000

States and the centre are headed for a clash over the Union government's proposed amendments to the IAS cadre rules that would give them a greater control in the central deputation of IAS officers without requiring any consent from the states.

The proposal to amend Rule 6 (deputation of cadre officers) of the Indian Administrative Service (Cadre) Rules 1954, was sent to the states recently on 12 January, by the Department of Personnel and Training or DoPT which is the controlling authority of IAS officers.

Expectedly, the new proposals have riled up the opposition ruled states like West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, etc who have labelled these new rules to be "draconian" and against the principle of federalism.

As per reports, at least six state governments have already written to the DoPT opposing any such move, which also includes the states governed by the BJP and NDA allies.

But what do these proposed alterations to Rule 6 entail exactly? What could these changes lead to? And why are the proposed amendments drawing flak?

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Arvind Mayaram, IAS officer from the 1978 batch of the Rajasthan cadre who's also been the former Finance Secretary in the Ministry of Finance of the Government of India
Jawhar Sircar, Retired IAS officer and former CEO of Prasar Bharti who is currently a Rajya Sabha MP from the TMC
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Podcast | Understanding the Debate Over Marital Rape

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 14:57:11 -0000

“Can India turn a blind eye towards marital rape?”

This question is being argued in the Delhi High Court, where a two-judge bench of Justices Rajiv Shakder and C Hari Shankar are hearing a clutch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the exception to Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code that deals with rape.

Now, while this section has undergone a series of amendments over the years where it emphasises on the importance of consent, this pre-colonial exception of marital rape has continued to tag along into the 21st century.

Essentially, this exception allows marital right to a husband who can, with legal sanction, exercise his right to consensual or non-consensual sex with his wife.

This provision has been struck down in others countries like the UK, Canada and Australia. But the big question—Why does India continue to have this exception?

In today’s episode, we will discuss how this exception came about, the arguments being heard in Delhi High Court, and will striking down this exception amount to creating a new offence?

Guests: Vakasha Sachdev
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vakasha Sachdev

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Is Udupi College Admin's Prohibition on Hijab Inside Classrooms Legal?

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 16:49:38 -0000

It has been three weeks since eight Muslim students of a government pre-university college for women, in Karnataka’s Udupi district, were barred by the college authorities from attending classes in their hijab.

As the prohibition continues, The Quint spoke to two of the students – AH Almas and Aliya Assadi – who describe their ordeal with the college management to be nothing short of "mental harassment."

However, the college has said that wearing the hijab would violate the college dress code that has been put in place to ensure uniformity in classes.

In this episode of The Big Story, we bring to you voices of these students to understand their side of the story as they ask why can't they be entitled to both their religious identity and their education?

A meeting held recently on 19 December 2021, between the Udupi assistant commissioner, district officials, parents, and college authorities, also turned out to be futile, with the management refusing to budge.

But is the college’s ban on hijab in classrooms, citing the institution's dress code, legal or illegal? What does the law say?

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor, The Quint
Editor: Shelly Walia
Interviews: Fatima Khan
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Bishop Franco Case: Why the Kottayam Court's Judgment Is Problematic

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:55:27 -0000

More than three years after the Catholic Church was rocked by rape allegations, in a shock judgment on 14 January, the Additional District and Sessions Court in Kottayam acquitted ex-Bishop Franco Mulakkal of rape charges filed against him by a nun.

In a 289-page verdict, Additional Sessions Judge G Gopakumar held the victim’s statement as “inconsistent” and that the “prosecution has failed to give proper explanation for the inconsistent version.”

However, the verdict saw some bizarre reasoning to arrive at this conclusion, from an inexplicable dismissal of important disclosures by the survivor to other nuns to calling the primary supporting witnesses in the case “unreliable.”

In her allegations, the survivor stated that the Bishop had raped her 13 times between 2014 and 2016. However, what followed was a harrowing experience both inside and outside the court for the survivor and the nuns who came out in support of her.

And the way the trial took place – with multiple witnesses brought forward by the prosecution who supported the survivor's testimony, Kerala Police's thorough investigation in the case – the final verdict outraged not only women activists but also the legal community, given the several loopholes in the judgment.

In today’s episode, we are going to take a look at the judgment, the reasoning the court gives for acquitting Bishop Franco Mulakkal, and why it is problematic.

Guests:
Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s Legal Editor Sister Lucy Kalappura

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vakasha Sachdev

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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'An Orchestrated Move': Journalists Speak on Closure of Kashmir Press Club

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 16:34:21 -0000

Press freedom in Jammu and Kashmir is at stake again after the government cancelled allotment of the premises to the Kashmir Press Club, the largest membership organisation for mediapersons in the Valley, on Monday, 17 January.

In a dramatic sequence of events on 15 January, a group of Kashmiri journalists, apparently disgruntled over the delay in press club elections, “took over” the club and declared themselves as the “interim body”. Armed personnel of the J&K Police were posted both inside the club premises and outside the gate during the "coup".

In a statement, the faction alleged that the management committee of the club was delaying elections for "unknown reasons”, adding that the committee had placed the media fraternity in "unwanted trouble”.

What caused further alarm was that soon after the Kashmir Press Club was taken over, it was locked by the group, citing the COVID-19 weekend lockdown as the reason.

And then on 17 January, the J&K administration said in a series of tweets that the club, which was registered as a society in the erstwhile state, has “ceased to exist” after it “failed to reregister” under the Societies of Registration Act. The administration stated that the building out of which the club was being run was being taken away, thus erasing the press club from existence.

Media organisations across the country condemned the takeover, with the Editors Guild of India calling it an armed “coup," and the Press Club of India terming it “illegal”.

But why was the club taken over so dramatically? Were elections delayed for “unknown reasons” as the faction claims? And what does the sudden closure of the Kashmir Press Club mean for press freedom in the Valley?

For today’s episode, we speak to Sringar-based journalist Auqib Javeed, who was also an elected member of the ousted body. You will also hear from senior Kashmiri journalists such as Shahana Butt, Fawad Shah, Riyaz Masroor and Gowhar Geelani.

Guests:
Auqib Javeed, Sringar-based journalist and an elected executive member of the ousted Kashmir Press Club body Shahana Butt, senior broadcast journalist based in Kashmir
Fawad Shah, Editor-in-Chief of the Kashmir Wala magazine
Riyaz Masroor, senior journalist
Gowhar Geelani, senior journalist

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Somya Lakhani
Also Read:

Kashmir Press Club ‘Coup’: Another Govt Attempt to Muzzle Journalism?

Interview Credit: Mehran Bhat

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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With No Replacement in Sight, Was Kohli's Test Captaincy Exit Premature?

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 16:05:49 -0000

In his resignation note for test captain, Virat Kohli said, “I have always believed in giving my 120 percent in everything I do, and if I can’t do that, I know it’s not the right thing to do. I have absolute clarity in my heart and I cannot be dishonest to my team."

With no successor deemed fit to replace him, Kohli’s sudden step down as captain leaves the men in blue in a lurch. While names like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant are in the headlines, no one seems to be the right fit. And with just over a month left for India to start the Sri Lanka series, the empty captaincy seat does put some serious questions on the BCCI’s plate.

So with no clear successor in sight, was Kohli’s decision premature? Should he have waited for longer and nurtured his replacement? And the big question is, who will replace him? Will it be Rohit Sharma, who has already taken reigns of T20 and ODI formats or someone young like KL Rahul?

Joining me today to discuss the same is our regular guest and friend of the show, cricket analyst and commentator, Chandresh Narayanan.

Guests:
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Mendra Dorjey Sahni

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Malayalam Actor Assault Case: Why Are New Allegations Against Dileep Important?

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 16:53:51 -0000

The 2017 assault against a popular Malayalam actor, who was allegedly abducted in a moving car in Kerala’s Kochi, continues to rock the state with new evidence surfacing, which may give it a fresh direction.

The new allegations levelled by filmmaker Balachandra Kumar come at a time when the trial case, which involves top Malayalam actor Dileep as a prime accused, is nearing completion.

The case also threw a shadow over the Malayalam film industry, which in the start supported the survivor but quickly moved to the Dileep camp. Even the powerful Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, which revoked Dileep’s membership initially, took him back.

The case has dragged on in the Kerala HC for over two years, with several key witnesses turning hostile and resignation of two public prosecutors.

These twists and turns in the case were also highlighted in the survivor's statement, who, on 10 January, revealed her identity for the first time. In a social media post, she said that “this has not been an easy journey. The journey from being a victim to becoming a survivor.”

So what are these new startling allegations? Why are they important? And what will the police be looking for in the new probe? Tune in!

Guests: Dhanya Rajendran, editor-in-chief of The News Minute
Nikhila Henry, The Quint’s South Bureau Chief

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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India COVID-19 Third Wave: When Will Total Cases Peak and End?

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 15:49:46 -0000

Amid the sharp rise in COVID cases across the country, the one question on everyone's mind is- when will this wave peak and end?
Omicron has supercharged the caseload in India, from just a little under 7,000 daily cases on Christmas last year to over 2.4 lakh cases reported on 13 January, the highest rise in this wave so far.
What is also concerning about this wave is the gradual rise in COVID related deaths in the country, with Delhi alone reporting 40 deaths on 12 January, pushing the national tally 177.
While there are some signs that the wave may be ebbing in a few regions, with hotspots like Delhi and Mumbai reporting a decline in cases between 7-11 January, such indications may be premature since they also reported a sharp rise the following two days.
Experts and modellers have pointed at timelines of a peak and end of this wave and in this episode, we will try to unpack exactly where we are in this pandemic and what the trends indicate so far.
For this, I am joined by our regular guest and friend of the show Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, who is an epidemiologist and health systems expert and Dr Bhramar Mukherjee, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan.

Guests: Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, epidemiologist and health systems expert.
Dr Bhramar Mukherjee, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vaishali Sood

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Are the Political Implications of Swami Prasad Maurya's Exit from the BJP?

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 14:12:08 -0000

In a major and unexpected jolt to the Bhartiya Janta Party, Swami Prasad Maurya resigned from his post as Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister and is likely to jump ship to the BJP’s main rival in the state- the Samajwadi Party.

And the party was further left stunned after three of its lawmakers— Tilhar MLA Roshan Lal Verma, Bilhaur MLA Bhagwati Prasad Sagar and Tindwari MLA Brajesh Kumar Prajapati —waved goodbye to the saffron party and followed Maurya out of the door.

In his resignation letter, posted on Twitter, Maurya wrote that “despite a divergent ideology, I worked with dedication in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet”.

And the reason we are talking about Maurya’s resignation in today’s episode is that while he may not be a prominent leader in the same lines as a Yogi Adityanath or Akhilesh Yadav, he is an important OBC leader.

His sudden departure from the BJP does raise questions on what is going on with the ruling party and whether this will shift the dynamics in the upcoming assembly elections.

Guests: Amitabh Tiwari, political analysts and commentator.
Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Aditya Menon

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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A Peek Into Online Right-Wing Hate Groups 'Trads' and 'Raitas'

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 13:28:13 -0000

"Trads" - that's a word that we've been hearing quite often in connection to the Sulli Deal and the Bulli Bai investigations.

And this word officially came to light when the Delhi Police arrested two accused in the bulli bai case- Aumkareshwar Thakur and Niraj Bishnoi, who claimed that they both are part of the online group ”trad”.

Now, The Hindu right-wing groups in India have so far been seen as a single entity, with a common ideology of propagating larger Hindutva values. However, the recent bull bai app controversy, where photos of over 100 Muslim women activists, journalists were put on an app in a mock “auction”, has shed light over a byproduct of this radical ecosystem which are known by the terms “trad” and “raitas”

In this episode, we will try to unpack what exactly are these groups? What ideology do they follow? How do you recognise one in the wild, and how do they fit into the entire propaganda ecosystem?

To decode these questions, we spoke with journalist Alishan Jafri, who works with The Wire’s Hate Watch team and has been following these groups closely online.

Guest:
Alishan Jafri, journalist with The Wire’s Hate Watch team.

Host and Producer:
Himmat Shaligram Editor:
Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How Will New EC Guidelines Affect Parties in the Upcoming Assembly Polls?

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 16:02:14 -0000

Amid the threat of the Omicron variant and the rising COVID-19 cases in the country, the Election Commission of India released new guidelines on the conduct of the upcoming Assembly elections in five states, which primarily ban all physical political rallies and roadshows till 15 January.

Along with a ban on political rallies, other aspects of the poll guidelines include full vaccination of all officials on election duty, no victory processions post-results, and that political parties and candidates are advised to conduct their campaigns through digital or virtual means only.

While the EC did receive some flak for not pushing the elections altogether, given the record-breaking daily COVID cases, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra defended the decision stressing that holding timely elections is the essence of maintaining democratic governance.

But the guidelines have raised eyebrows on the following two points - first, why have political rallies banned only till 15 January, and second, will this ban affect the level playing field in crucial poll-bound states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab?

Guests:
Dr SY Quraishi, the former Chief Election Commissioner of India
Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Aditya Menon

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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'Bulli Bai' Case: What Do We Know About The Alleged Mastermind Niraj Bishnoi?

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 14:53:57 -0000

Another breakthrough in the Bulli Bai case investigation! This time by the Delhi police. A 21-year-old man from Assam, identified as Niraj Bishnoi, who is alleged to be the mastermind behind the Bull Bai app was arrested by the Delhi Police's Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Operations Unit on 6 January.

With this arrest, DCP KPS Malhotra told The Quint that "the controversial Bulli Bai app case has been solved completely."

As we know, barely six months after the 'Sulli Deals' app had triggered a furore with its blatant Islamophobia and misogyny, the 'Bulli Bai' app was the second instance where publicly available photos of hundreds of Muslim women were misused and put on 'auction' – not a real auction but a despicable intention of debasing and intimidating women.
While the 'Sulli Deals' investigation by the Delhi police had died down without a single arrest, anger amongst targeted women and their allies over the Delhi police's inaction seems to have nudged the probe in the Bulli Bai case to yield some solid results. With Bishnoi being apprehended now, this is the fourth arrest made in the case including the initial three arrests made by the Mumbai police.

But what do we know about this alleged mastermind? What do his social media activities indicate about his views on women and religion? And how did Delhi police track down Bishnoi?

We'll dig into these questions with our guests today — Somya Lakhani and Abhilash Mallick. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Somya Lakhani, Senior Editor, The Quint
Abhilash Mallick Assistant Editor of Webqoof, The Quint
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:

Peek Into Bulli Bai Accused Niraj Bishnoi's Views on Hindus, Tech & Sunny Leone

'He Was on His Laptop All Day': Niraj Bishnoi's Father Claims Son is 'Innocent'

#BulliBai: Has Police Inaction in 'Sulli Deals' Encouraged A Repeated Offence?

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Security Lapses in PM Modi's Punjab Visit: What is the Political Gameplay?

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 14:43:23 -0000

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Punjab turned into quite a fiasco with his convoy being stranded on a highway and the PM being forced to cancel his plans and public addresses in the state.

What followed was a full-blown political slugfest between the BJP-led Centre and the Congress-led Punjab government.

Shortly after the episode, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a statement accusing the Charanjit Singh Channi government of a lapse in the PM's security. Seeking a detailed report on the matter, Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, "Such dereliction of security procedure in the Prime Minister’s visit is totally unacceptable and accountability will be fixed."

Other BJP leaders like Smriti Irani also went onto claim that there were "murderous intentions" behind such an oversight.

Former Punjab CM and Congress leader Amarinder Singh, who is now a BJP ally, went a step ahead and asked CM Channi to quit.
While the Punjab government has constituted a high-level committee to investigate into the lapses around the visit, CM Channi, on his part, has denied any breach. Rejecting the allegations that PM Modi's life was in danger, he said, "Narendra Modi is our PM. I would lay down my life to protect him, as a Punjabi."

But how did this visit take such a wild turn? How did PM Modi end up being stranded on a flyover? Who is to blame for the security lapses? And the most important question, given that Punjab is headed to the state elections: is there a political gameplay here?
We'll dive into all these questions and the timeline of the events that led to this fiasco.

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aditya Menon, The Quint's political editor.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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#BulliBai Case: Unpacking the New Developments in the Investigation

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 14:48:05 -0000

After just three days of investigation, the Mumbai Police has made a breakthrough in the Bulli Bai case, by apprehending three individuals behind the app and the Twitter accounts involved.

The Bulli Bai app, which you may be aware of, was created on the platform GitHub. It triggered a furore as photos of hundreds of Muslim women with significant social media following were misused with degrading texts as captions on 1 January, which implied that they were being auctioned.

And unfortunately, this is not the first time an incident like this has occurred, with the same thing taking place in July 2021 under the name of “Sulli Deals”. With zero arrests till date, the lack of action by the Delhi Police left the victims without any justice.

However, the present pace of investigation by the Mumbai police seems to have thrown up results within days of the incident.

Addressing a press conference on 5 January, Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale confirmed that three accused have been identified as 21-year-old Vishal Kumar Jha and Mayank Rawal and 18-year-old Shweta Singh, who according to police is the apparent mastermind behind the case.

What are the new developments in the investigation? Who are behind this despicable act? To unpack this, for today’s episode, we speak with The Quint’s Ritvick Bhalekar and Nikhila Henry who have been reporting on the case since the start.

Guests: Ritvick Bhalekar, Senior Correspondent, The Quint
Nikhila Henry, South Bureau Chief, The Quint

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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COVID-19: Is India Underplaying the Threat of a Omicron-Led Third Wave?

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 16:38:59 -0000

The growing narrative around Omicron, of it being a mild variant of COVID-19, is worrisome. Here’s why:

India is reckoning with one of its highest daily COVID spikes in months, with the country reporting more than 37,000 cases on 3 January – one of the highest caseload number reported since October.

But what is different about this surge is that it is outpacing all previous waves. At the start of the pandemic, in April 2020, cases only rose by 500 every day, against the daily jump in thousands we are witnessing right now. If we take just the last week, starting 27 December, cases have increased almost six-fold.

And a large factor behind this spike is the Omicron variant, whose cases have more than doubled in the past week.

While case numbers have been flying off the charts, hospitalisation numbers have largely been constant since this variant reportedly causes only mild symptoms and low hospitalisation rates.

At present, metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai have put in some lockdown measures, like a weekend curfew and a limit on restaurant occupancy. But given the explosive growth of cases in India, are we underplaying the threat of Omicron and its potential impact on our fragile healthcare system?

To discuss this, for today’s episode, we spoke to Professor Gautam Menon at Ashoka University and Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, Vice Chairman of the Research Cell at Kerala IMA.

Guests:
Professor Gautam Menon, Ashoka University Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, Vice Chairman of the Research Cell at Kerala IMA.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vaishali Sood

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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#BulliBai: Has Police Inaction in 'Sulli Deals' Encouraged A Repeated Offence?

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 16:57:17 -0000

Imagine waking up to a new year and finding yourself on sale. Your photograph has been used without your permission on an app where you're listed for an online auction.

That's exactly how more than 100 Muslim women in India were greeted on the morning of 1 January 2022.

Muslim women with significant social media following, including several activists and journalists, found themselves being auctioned off by anonymous accounts through a web page on GitHub called 'Bulli Bai'.

Screenshots shared by some of the targets show their photos and Twitter handles, and had the message 'Your Bulli Bai for the day.'

But as disturbing as this is, unfortunately, it's the second time in less than six months that such a despicable thing has happened, where women have been targeted for their religious and gender identities, without a single arrest being made in the incidents at the time of the recording of this podcast.*

As the repeated offence raked up massive outrage on social media platforms once again, the app was taken down. In terms of police actions so far, the Delhi and Mumbai cyber teams have filed separate FIRs against unknown persons with charges of sexual harassment, intentions to insult the modesty of a woman, promoting enmity on grounds of religion, and imputations prejudicial to national integration. At the time of the recording of this podcast, no arrest was made in the cases.

The Delhi Police has also sought information from Twitter about the account that first tweeted about the 'Bulli Bai' app as well as information about the app developer from GitHub platform.
But does all this inspire confidence, given the police inaction in the first incident? Is it the same inaction that has emboldened the culprits towards a repetition of such misogynistic and Islamophobic harassment at a time when attacks on minorities are at an all time high in the country?
Tune in!

*Since the publishing of the podcast, the Mumbai Police has detained a 21-year-old Bengaluru man in connection with the case.)

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Arshi Qureshi, Independent Journalist
Fatima Khan, Senior Correspondent, The Quint
Apar Gupta, Executive Editor, IFF
Karan Saini, Bengaluru-based security analyst
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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As We Close of 2021, Are We At The Brink of a New COVID Wave?

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 14:19:16 -0000

As we close of the year, there is a growing uncertainty over where this pandemic, especially in the wake of a new variant, is headed.
COVID cases in India are gradually increasing over the past 10 days, with more than 9,000 cases reported in the past 24 hours alone, one of the highest spikes we have seen since the start of December.
There is a gradual upward trend in cases in Delhi and Maharashtra over the past 10 days which has raised fears of a possible third wave in India. For example, Delhi witnessed an 86 percent rise in daily COVID cases, with 923 new cases reported on 29 December. And Mumbai, another hotspot, reported 2,510 total cases, which is reportedly more than the total cases in Kerala. 400 infections were detected in Bengaluru, 540 in Kolkata and 294 in Chennai on 29 December.
And this surge largely stems from the highly mutated Omicron variant, which is more transmissive than earlier variants. But the total cases of this variant are still below 1,000. However, given that each case of Omicron is only detected after the samples are genome sequenced, which takes about a week, there is a possibility that this number is higher.
So for our last episode of 2021, we unpack biggest story of the year with the following questions- At what stage of the pandemic are we in? Are we at the brink of a new wave?
Joining me today to discuss the state of the pandemic in India is Vaishali Sood, The Quint and Quint FIT’s Health Editor.

Guests: Vaishali Sood, Health Editor at The Quint and Quint FIT
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vaishali Sood

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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'Mentally, Physically Exhausted': Doctors Speak on NEET PG Counselling Protests

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 16:00:37 -0000

Protests and sloganeering by resident doctors from across medical colleges and hospitals in Delhi have been reverberating for the past month over the delay in the NEET PG counselling.

And the reason why this counselling process is important is because nearly 44,000 doctors, which are assigned by the counselling process every year, have been left in a lurch for almost 12 months now. And with no new staff, only two-thirds of medical staff has been available at government and state run hospitals, in a pandemic.

And on 27 December, a protest by the Federation of Resident Doctors Association or FORDA near ITO Post Office in Delhi met with a wall of police personnel, where videos shared on social media show the police dragging and detaining several doctors.

Over 100 doctors were detained and the police also filed an FIR on charges of rioting and destruction of public property. According to the FORDA, the protests will continue until their demands have been met.

For today’s episode, you will hear from resident doctors part of the protest from Safdarjung and GB Pant Hospitals in Delhi.

Guests:
Dr Suvrankar Datta, General Secretary of the Federation of All Indian Medical Association
Dr Lovely Singh, a gynecologist at Safdarjung Hospital
Dr Mahesh Mahajan, a neurosurgery resident at GB Pant Hospital
Dr Aarti Parashay, a resident doctor at GB Pant Hospital

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Eshwar Ranjana

Also check out:

‘We Are Not Machines’: Doctors Across Delhi Protest Against Delay in NEET-PG Counselling | The Quint

NEET-PG Protest: Relief for Patients, Resident Doctors Suspend Strike for a Week

Resident Doctors Protest Outside Health Ministry Over Delay in NEET Counselling

'Black Day': Delhi Police Detains Protesting Doctors, Logs Rioting Case

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What Does AAP's Performance in Chandigarh Signal About Upcoming Assembly Polls?

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 13:19:03 -0000

In its debut election in Chandigarh, the Aam Aadmi Party has single-handedly changed the political equations, by winning 14 out of 35 wards in the city municipal elections.

For a city like Chandigarh, which as a UT is administered by the Centre, the administrative power has always relayed between the BJP and the Congress. But those parties struggled to break ground this time around

While the ruling BJP party was reduced to 12 seats from 21 in 2016, Congress only managed to gain 8 seats. The Shiromani Akali Dal got only 1.

And the reason why we are speaking about Chandigarh today is that no one expected a result like this, especially because AAP had no organisational structure in place in the city up until last year. Its candidates also managed to take away seats from the incumbent and former mayors

AAP’s stunning victory does raise the following questions: would the party be able to replicate the same result across Punjab in the upcoming polls and what does this decline in seat share mean for the BJP?

Guest: Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Aditya Menon

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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COVID-19 Vaccine: Why Has the Centre Termed Additional Doses as 'Precautionary'?

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 16:27:17 -0000

As India grapples with the possibility of a new wave due to the Omicron variant, the Centre on Saturday, 25 December, announced an expansion of the national vaccination drive.

In a late-night address on Christmas, PM Modi announced that those aged between 15-18 years of age will now be eligible for vaccinations from 3 January. “Precautionary doses” of a COVID vaccine will also be administered to frontline workers and those who are 60 years and above with comorbidities will be administered doses from 10 January.

Though the decision to expand vaccination coverage has been widely welcomed, four critical questions regarding them have emerged:

First, why call it a precautionary dose and not a booster dose? Does this signal that the third shot will be Covishield or Covaxin? This leads us to the second question, how effective is a third dose of the same vaccine?

Third, given that Covaxin is the only vaccine in production to be cleared for inoculating those under 18, is it worrying that there is no publicly available data of the trials? And lastly, will the restriction on additional doses for those over the age of 60 cause problems?

Guests:
Dr Chandrakand Lahairya, an epidemiologist and health systems expert.
Dr Rakesh Mishra, former director of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Eshwar Ranjana

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why The World Cup of 1983 Changed The Face of Indian Cricket

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 14:30:53 -0000

“If they can do it, so can we.”

These were the words which Kapil Dev said to his team on 25 June 1983 before they went out to win against two-time World Cup winners West Indies in a match which triggered India’s obsession with cricket.

And the reason why this World Cup final was so historic is because before this, no one took the Indian cricket team seriously. There was no fanfare or an endorsement deal or even a very influential BCCI. It was only a team of young men who had never won a world cup match before.

Such a historic match, and that too without any audio or visual reference, but finally thanks to Kabir Khan's sports drama '83', we have this incredible moment where India rose as cricket world champions re-enacted in precise details on-screen.

From the time the trailer was released, it has garnered a lot of attention, with resounding validations coming from cricket fans, movie critics, including the team 11 of the 1983 match themselves. Legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar, who was a party of the playing 11, said he was blown away by the film and gave it full marks.

In this Christmas eve edition of The Big Story, we'll take you behind-the-scenes of the sets of '83'.
Guests: Kabir Khan, Director of 83
Chirag Patil, cast member of 83 who plays Sandeep Patil
Pankaj Tripathi, cast member of 83 who plays Man Singh
Chandresh Narayanan, cricket analyst and commentator

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

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Is the Gig Economy in India As "Flexible" As Advertised by Platforms?

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 17:43:25 -0000

Now and again, news regarding the harsh working conditions of individuals who work for platforms like Urban Company, Zomato or Swiggy comes to light.

And recently, over 50 female partners working with home services venture Urban Company, protested outside their offices in Gurgaon on 22 December, demanding better pay, safer working conditions and social security.

However, the company responded to these protests by filing a lawsuit against these women for their “illegal protests.”

But the issue of compensation, working conditions and social welfare is not isolated to one company or one protest but its about the working conditions within the gig economy itself.

This sector is booming in India with a report by ASSOCHAM, which is a non-govt trade association and advocacy group, stating that over 130 million people are working for these platforms and that this industry will grow to $455 billion by 2024.

And with the pandemic crippling the economy and companies trimming their staff, in the past two years, many more have turned to the gig economy as a source of employment where these platforms promise “flexibility” as opposed to traditional work systems.

But there is a dangerous flip side to working in this sector, with non-existent social security, complete lack of benefits as compared to a traditional workforce.

So with millions of workers employed in this sector, how are these constraints affecting them? And is this gig economy creating a scope for labor exploitation?

Guests:
Gunjan Chowdhury, one of the Urban Company protestors
Rajendra Chaddha, a former spa therapist working for Urban Company
Shaik Salauddin, the National General Secretary of the Indian Federation Of App Based Transport Workers (IFAT)
Shahana Bhattacharya and Archana Agarwal, members of the People's Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR)
Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s legal editor

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why is The Move to Link Aadhaar to Voter ID Cards Contentious?

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 14:27:28 -0000

You know how every few weeks you get a notification on your phone about linking your PAN card to your Aadhaar card? Well, you may soon start getting similar messages about linking your voter ID with your Aadhaar number now as well.

Because on 20 December, the Union Cabinet passed the Elections Law (Amendment Bill) 2021, with certain electoral reforms, one of which allows the linking of voters IDs with Aadhaar.

There are a few other reforms too, including allowing first-time voters to have the chance to register four times a year instead of once; making the electoral law gender-neutral for service officers—where words like wife were replaced by spouse.

But in today’s episode, we will talk about the reform to link voter ID to Aadhaar because it caused an uproar in Parliament given how contentious the issue is and it passed without any discussion via a voice vote in just 10 minutes.

And, of course, while linking Aadhaar with your voter ID may make life easier to an extent, on the flip-side, many experts and activists pointed serious concerns regarding privacy and voters being excluded.

This concern of exclusion is legitimate because in 2015, when this idea was first gamed out by the Election Commission, about 55 lakh names were found to be deleted from the voter database of two states—Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. And with assembly elections in important states like Uttar Pradesh just around the corner, the timing of this bill also raises eyebrows.

So in today’s episode, we will go through why this move to link Aadhaar to voter ID is contentious and its possible impacts.

Guest: Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint's Legal Editor.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

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How Will the Sacrilege Cases in Punjab Impact Upcoming Assembly Polls?

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 16:46:29 -0000

In a space of 24 hours, Punjab was shaken by two attempted and alleged cases of sacrilege, followed by lynchings, on 18 and 19 December in Amritsar and Kapurthala districts respectively.

In the case in Amritsar, there is CCTV footage showing a man jumping the railing of sanctum sanctorum at the Golden Temple and grabbing the Siri Sahib, the sacred sword and was then a split second later, tackled by the Sevadars and was seen being dragged out.

And with these cases, sacrilege has returned to the center stage in Punjab politics, with condemnations pouring from politicians across the spectrum. From the Congress and BJP, to the SAD and AAP, all described the “heinous act to attempt sacrilege” and that it can be part of a larger conspiracy. The Punjab government has also constituted a special investigation team to investigate these two cases.

However, while the acts of sacrilege are a terrible and a serious crime, none of these politicians from any party condemned the lynchings which followed these sacrilege attempts at the hands of the public.

With assembly elections around the corner, what gives the politicians uproar over sacrilege but not on what followed it?

In today’s episode, we will look at the political reactions to these cases, the track records of the SIT probes and how this will impact the upcoming polls.

Guests: Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor
Aarish Chabbra, a senior journalist and professor at the Bennet University.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

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Increasing Women's Minimum Age for Marriage: Will it Prevent Child Marriage?

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 14:08:42 -0000

India is still struggling to put an end to child marriages in the 21st century. But is raising the minimum legal age of marriage for women the solution?

Ever since the Centre indicated its intention, to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years of age, there has been a lot of conversation around this move.

And now a year later, on Thurdsay, 16 December, the Union Cabinet has officially cleared the proposal.

This has been done on the basis of recommendations from a special task force set up by the DCW. Although details of the panel's report isn't available in the public domain yet, the main rationale for this proposal has been to address the physiological and psychological issues that arise from child marriages in the form of early pregnancies, poor nutrition levels, high infant mortality rate, high maternal mortality rates, etc — all of which are ultimately deleterious for women's progress.

While a lot of people have welcomed the move, the opinion is divided with some also cautioning that this decision could backfire.

But what are the concerns here exactly? In what way can raising the minimum legal age of marriage backfire? In this episode, we'll take a full-rounded look at this proposal, the reasons behind it and also the criticisms against it.
Click here to contribute to The Quint's special project — Girls Out of School.

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Madhu Mehra, lawyer and founding member of Partners for Law in Development (PLD)
Amita Pitre, Lead Specialist, Gender Justice at Oxfam India.
Editor: Shelly Walia
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Was the Commotion over Virat Kohli's ODI Captaincy Avoidable by the BCCI?

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 15:48:01 -0000

All is not well with the Indian cricket as the men's team begin a difficult South Africa tour with a Test and ODI series on the heels of an explosive press conference by Virat Kohli just 24 hours ago.

Ahead of the tour, on 15 December, Kohli made spoke at length about the process that was followed in his dismissal as the ODI captain and openly contradicted BCCI head Sourav Ganguly’s version of the T20 captaincy change, stating that no one had asked him stay back in charge once he had made up his mind.

And adding fuel to fire, Kohli further clarified that he was informed about his dismissal as ODI captain by the selection committee only 90 minutes prior to the selection meeting for the Test squad on 8 December.

And that contrary to rumours and media reports, he was and still is available for the ODI leg of the tour and never communicated with the BCCI asking for a rest. At the end of the press conference, it was his word against the BCCI president and Kohli was clearly unhappy and ready to take a stand.

While Kohli said that he accepts the BCCI’s decision, the practice of unceremoniously dismissing Indian cricket captains is not alien, with many like Ganguly and Tendulkar being at the receiving end.

So what does the poor handling of dismissing captains speak of the BCCI? And will this off-field drama right before a crucial Test series affect the mood in the dressing room?

Guests:
Chandresh Narayanan, cricket commentator and analyst
Abhishek Mukherjee, the Chief Editor for Cricket News.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

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Why the SC Judgement on Char Dham Highway Project is Problematic

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 16:50:39 -0000

How does a tourism infrastructure project suddenly become a concern of the Ministry of Defence in India?

This is the question which every environment activist in the country is asking about the controversial Char Dham Highway Development Project, which has been riddled with ecological violations ever since its construction began in 2016.

The Rs 12,000 crore highway expansion project aims to widen nearly 900 kms of hills in Uttarakhand to provide all weather connectivity to the state’s four major shrines—Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri—all in the upper Himalayas and all in very ecological sensitive zones.

Now, the project from its start had a clear motive to provide easier access to the shrines. But over the years, with each ecological concern raised by activist in the Supremo Court, specifically targeting the petition to widen the roads beyond the Ministry of Roads and Transport 2018 mandate of 5.5 meters, the project has also moved into the ambit of national security.

The Ministry of Defense in an affidavit in 2020 claimed that the roads need to be 7 meter wide to ferry essential arms and ammunition to sensitive border areas, given the rising China threat. And while the Supreme Court noted the environment concerns regarding the project, it agreed to the requirements of “national security,” and essentially, set aside its 2020 judgement where it denied the Ministry of Road and Transport the same thing.

And activists and NGO’s petitioning the widening of the highway project have been baffled by the Supreme Court judgement given that it does provide any credence to what they have been saying for the past few years or the hundreds of landslides which have occurred in the region due to the project.

Guest: Mallika Bhanot, a member of Ganga Ahvaan, a citizen forum working towards conserving the Ganga and the Himalayas
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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To Boost or Not to Boost? Decoding the Debate on COVID-19 Booster Shots

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 15:57:47 -0000

To boost or not to boost?

The debate on COVID-19 booster shots has existed ever since inoculations have begun, with the scientific community racing to figure out how long the protection will last.

However, the debate was supercharged recently with the emergence of the highly mutated Omicron variant, which according to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is causing a tidal wave of infections across the British isle.

The concerns regarding the new variant were muted initially with early reports indicating that it causes only mild symptoms. However, with the report of the first death due to Omicron in the UK and its rapid spread across the country, representing over 44 percent of total cases in London, the need of booster doses has become increasing clear.

Omicron has announced its presence in India as well, with the national tally climbing to 49 on 14 December. However, India is yet to take a decision on booster doses. But there are very critical questions on booster doses which are not yet answered:

How effective are the current available vaccines towards Omicron? What are the reservations regarding booster doses? And if India does authorise booster doses, which vaccine is our best bet?

Guests: Dr Rakesh Mishra, former director of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology. Dr Shahid Jameel, one of India's top virologist.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vaishali Sood

Everything you need to know on Omicron and COVID vaccines here and here.

Also listen to:

Amid a Shortage, Where Do Indian Experts Stand on Mixing Vaccines

Will Zydus Cadila’s COVID Jab for Kids Pave the Way for Reopening Schools?

Omicron | Is it More Transmissible? Do We Need Boosters? Dr Shahid Jameel Decodes

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why Harnaaz Sandhu Winning the Miss Universe Crown is a Big Deal

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 15:18:49 -0000

A billion dreams came true as Chandigarh-born Harnaaz Sandhu was announced as the winner of the 70th edition of the coveted Miss Universe pageant early on Monday, 13 December.

The 21-year-old diva edged 80 other women from around the world and brought the crown home, 21 years after Lara Dutta won the title in 2000.

Sandhu is not new to pageantry, she was previously crowned Miss Diva 2021, Femina Miss India Punjab 2019, and was even placed in the Top 12 of the Femina Miss India in 2019.

In today’s episode of The Big Story, we look at her journey with the help of Bharat Gupta, her fashion director for Miss Universe, Abhishek Sharma, one of her stylist. You will also hear from Harnaaz’s elder brother Harnoor on her historic win.

Guests:
Harnoor Sandhu, Harnaaz Sandhu's elder brother
Bharat Gupta, Fashion Director for Harnaaz Sandhu Abhishek Sharma, Fashion Stylist

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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MP School Attack: Ransacking Churches & 'Conversion Allegations' a Pattern Now

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 13:13:24 -0000

Class 12 students of St Joseph School in Ganj Basoda in Vidhisha district of Madhya Pradesh were writing their Maths paper on 6 December. But little did they expect to find their school under attack in the middle of their exam.

Based on an allegation about eight students being converted into Christianity in a conversion drive, members of Hindutva groups including the VHP gheraoed the school around noon that day.

Video footage from the school show a mob of around 300-500 people chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' and ‘Missionaries Murdabad’, outside the school gate. Some miscreants who managed to get inside the school were seen to be pelting stones at the building and vandalising school property.

Although it's been a week since the actual incident happen, why we are talking about it now is because unfortunately this kind of an attack against the Christian minority is not a one-off event.

It is becoming a grotesque pattern with churches being frequently ransacked across the country and prayer meetings being disrupted by Hindutva mobs on mere suspicions of "forced religious conversions".

The dangerous rhetoric around conversions is sometimes also getting abetted by elected governments in states like BJP-ruled Karnataka who are giving credence to such sentiments with anti-conversion law proposals.

But are anti-conversion laws constitutional? Are religious conversions all illegal? Is the freedom to practice one's faith fast diminishing in India?

In this episode, you will hear voices from ground zero – of teachers, parents, VHP leaders – to piece together what really happened at St Joseph's, where these suspicions of forced conversions are stemming from and how are people responding to the allegations. We'll also be joined by our legal editor Vakasha Sachdev.

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
References:
MP School Vandalised: Priest Calls Conversion 'Fake News', Staff Recalls Horror
Despite Anti-Christian Hysteria, Not All Religious Conversions Are Illegal
How UP’s "Love Jihad" Ordinance is Detached from Facts
Another Dubious Church 'Survey': Karnataka BJP Govt Tracing 'Christian Converts'
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'Steadfast, Diligent, Respectful': A Tribute to Gen Rawat And Other Fallen Defence Personnel

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 18:12:58 -0000

Steadfast, a non-nonsense person and extremely diligent person, thats how Gen Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff was described by those who knew him.

In an extremely tragic and unexpected accident, India on 8 December mourned the loss of its highest ranking military official, his wife Mrs Madhulika Rawat, and 11 others who were killed in a helicopter crash in Tami Nadu’s Coonoor.

Along with Gen Rawat and his wife, Brigadier LS Lidder, Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh, Wing Commander PS Chauhan, Squadron Leader K Singh, Junior Warrant Officer Das, JWO Pradeep A, Havildar Satpal, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitender, Lance Naik Vivek and Lance Naik S Teja were the other defence personnel killed in the crash.

The lone survivor of the crash was Group Captain Varun Singh, who was moved to the Command Hospital in Bengaluru for further treatment today on 9 December.

In today’s special episode, we remember the lives of the fallen with:
Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, who served with Gen Bipin Rawat in Jammu and Kashmir
Lt Gen (retd) Madhuri Kanitkar, who was part of Gen Rawat’s staff and a close friend of Mrs Madhulika Rawat
Col (retd) Sandeep Shaligram, who served in the Indian army for 25 years and served alongside Brigadier LS Lidder at several occasions.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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India Loses First CDS Gen Bipin Rawat to a Helicopter Crash: What We Know So Far

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 15:03:46 -0000

In an extremely tragic incident, India lost its first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash.

An IAF Mi-17V5 chopper, with General Rawat on-board and 13 others – five crew and nine passengers – including his staff and his wife Madhulika Rawat, crashed in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor district at around 12 noon on 8 December with one lone survivor.

A tweet posted by the IAF's twitter handle at 6:03 pm on 8 December, confirmed the fatalities.

"With deep regret, it has now been ascertained that Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and 11 other persons on board have died in the unfortunate accident. Gp Capt Varun Singh SC, Directing Staff at DSSC with injuries is currently under treatment at Military Hospital, Wellington," the IAF tweet read.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for an urgent meeting and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to make an official statement in the parliament on 9 December.

The IAF has ordered an inquiry to ascertain what caused such an unfortunate incident, but until then we'll tell you what we know so far from this terrible incident. Tune in to The Big Story!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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India-Russia: Why Relations Between the Two Have Advanced After Years

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 17:00:35 -0000

New Delhi rolled out the red carpet on 6 December for Russian President Vladimir Putin and if you are asking why we are talking about a visit that lasted just a few hours, it's because of the symbolism attached to it.

The first is that the Russian president has been very cautious about going abroad during the pandemic and this is only the second time he has ventured out, the only other time was for a meeting with US President Biden.

Preceding the Modi-Putin meet were also high-level dialogues between the two countries defence and external affairs ministry. According to statements by the govt, 28 agreements were signed which include a 10-year cooperation defence agreement, a new consular office in the city of Vladivostok and the final go-ahead of the much-awaited S-400 missile system.

But there is a larger picture behind these meetings and that's the growing influence of China. Over the past year, we have seen several 2+2 dialogues with the US, Japan and Australia, all of which are QUAD members.

However, a dialogue with Russia, a long time friend and economic partner of China, may cast a worrying shadow over the ties the countries have.

In today’s episode, we will discuss the relationship between the long time allies India and Russia and what came out of the recent meeting.

Guests:

Harsh V Pant, Director, Studies and Head of the Strategic Studies Programme at Observer Research Foundation
Dr Tara Kartha, a Distinguished Fellow at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies
Aditi Bhaduri, a columnist specialising in Eurasian geopolitics
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Nagaland Civilian Deaths: How Did the Army Intelligence Operation Go Wrong?

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 17:15:45 -0000

The tenuous peace in the northeast was shattered over the weekend after a botched Indian Army security operation led to the death of six innocent civilians on Saturday, 4 December.

In an apparent case of “mistaken identity”, a counter-insurgency team of 21 Para Special Forces ambushed a vehicle carrying coal workers in Nagaland’s Oting village in Mon district. But the situation derailed further from this point after hundreds from a nearby village attacked the army team. This led to the clash between the two sides, leading to the death of seven more civilians and one jawan.

But that was not the end of the flare-up between the two sides. Fresh violence erupted the next day as well with dozens of protesters attacking the Assam Rifles camp in Mon in protest of the killings and clashed with the army again. Unfortunately, one more civilian died and several more were injured. In purported videos on social media, gunfire could be heard.

Soon after the incident, the army in a statement said that the operation was carried out based on “credible intelligence” and expressed deep regret.

But what does this completely botched operation signal about the type of intelligence received in this region? How could it go so horribly wrong?
This incident also brings the focus back on the ongoing peace talks with the insurgent groups like the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM), talks with whom have reached a stalemate since an agreement on the framework was signed in 2015. With this incident, by how many steps have the peace talks backtracked?

Guests:
Col DPK Pillay, a retired Shaurya Chakra awardee with experience in counter-insurgency operations in the northeast region.
Patricia Mukhim, the editor of Shillong Times.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Omicron in India: Is India Prepared for a Possible Spread?

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 14:07:04 -0000

Life to a large extent was coming back to some level of normalcy in India after the country witnessed a deadly second wave earlier this year.

But with a new variant of COVID-19, Omicron, being reported all around the world last week and now also in India, everyone is sitting up in their chair to enquire about what the deal is with this variant.

The first two cases of the Omicron in India were detected on 2 December. Both these cases were detected in Karnataka and both patients have recovered from the virus.

So now that Omicron is in India, how concerned should you be? And more importantly, how prepared is India?

Guest: Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, epidemiologist and health systems expert
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Bhima Koregaon Case: Why Sudha Bharadwaj Got Her Bail and Not Others

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 15:37:20 -0000

Timing — that is what it came down to for lawyer and long-time workers' rights activist Sudha Bharadwaj’s bail plea, which was accepted by Bombay High Court on Wednesday, 1 December.

Bhardwaj, who is one of the accused in the Bhima Koregaon case, was arrested on 28 August 2018 and has been in police custody for the past three years at Byculla Jail.

In her bail plea, she argued that she should be granted a default bail as the Pune sessions court judge who had passed several important pre-trial orders in the case was not a designated judge to hear cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

But this same request of appeal, however, was denied to the other accused in the case, even though it was the same court that heard their case, because of the timing of when they filed their default bail pleas.

The National Investigation Agency has stated that they will appeal the HC order in court but on what legal grounds would this be?

And why were the others not given bail under the same conditions? How exactly do default bails work?

To discuss this, for today’s episode we spoke to

Guest:Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s Legal Editor.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vakasha Sachdev

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Is Twitter's Updated Privacy Policy Practical to Enforce?

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 16:14:56 -0000

Twitter in a recent policy change has tried to make the platform safer for its users but the move has raised more doubts than assurances.

Under its updated policy, the social media giant will now take action against users who post photos or videos of private individuals without their permission. And the policy also raises the question of the role of human content assessors at Twitter, who are seemingly now the final authority on the intent behind every post on the platform.

In a statement, Twitter said that the misuse of such information can have a “disproportionate effect on women, activists, dissenters, and members of minority communities”.

While a section of the internet has welcomed the policy, the other raised several doubts on whether it would be practical to enforce.

What can be the foreseeable hurdles in implementing such a policy? And with more than 211 million daily active Twitter users, how do you get a policy like this correct at scale?

Guests:
Apar Gupta, the Executive Director of the Internet Freedom Foundation
Srinivas Kodali, an independent researcher at the Free Software Movement of India
Radhika Jhalani, a Counsel at Software Freedom Law Centre
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Munawar Faruqui's Shows Cancelled: Is the Space for Political Comedy Shrinking?

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 16:39:20 -0000

It feels like an almost everyday incidence now that we hear a standup comic in India being slammed or trolled for something they said or a particular performance they did.

But in stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui’s case - 12 of his shows were cancelled just over the last few months - the latest being in Bengaluru where he was supposed to perform a set called ‘Dongri to Nowhere'.

The comic had to spend a month in jail on charges of allegedly making jokes against Hindu gods and goddesses. He was released from jail 35 days later after the Supreme Court found that evidence against him was “vague” and the fact that he did not crack a single joke. But from then on it's been out of the pan and into the fire for him.

The comic has faced a wave of targeted hounding on social media from right wing groups. And if it's not over pressure from right-wing groups, then it's the city police who have gotten his shows cancelled.

In the recent incident from Bengaluru, the police wrote that his show could “create chaos and could disturb the public peace and harmony which may further lead to law and order problems.”

But this statement begs the question- isn’t it the job of the police to safeguard the safety and rights of citizens when there is an established threat?

And more importantly, what do these kinds of actions towards comics signal about the right to freedom of expression and law and order in India?

Guests:
Dr NC Asthana, the former DGP of Kerala
Siddharth Dash, a stand-up comic and show producer for Munawar Faruqui’s Bengaluru show
Arpit Sharma, a satirist and comedian.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
More from The Quint:

Interview | Munawar Faruqui Responds to Death Threats: ‘Hit Unsubscribe on Those Spreading Hate’
Munawar Faruqui’s Show Axed: How Legal Sense Became the Joke

'Hard-Hitting': Comedians Speak on Vir Das's 'I Come From Two Indias'

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As Countries Race to Contain Omicron, How Worried Should You Be?

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 15:26:14 -0000

A new variant of COVID-19, named Omicron, has set-off alarm bells across the world, with multiple countries imposing travel restrictions over the weekend.

The variant, B.1.1529, was first detected in Botswana and then later identified in South Africa on 24 November. It is said to be the most mutated version of the virus and is reportedly more transmissible than the deadly Delta variant, which caused havoc across the world.

Preliminary analysis and genome sequencing by experts in South Africa show that Omicron’s heightened mutations may mean that it’s more transmissible and even have immune escaping properties. Based on this evidence, the World Health Organisation has labelled Omicron as a “variant of concern.”

A growing number of countries since the virus was first identified in South Africa, have reported confirmed cases of the new variant including the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Canada, Italy, Germany and Australia.

With little knowledge about the variant, how concerning is Omicron and what do we know about it so far?

Guests:
Dr Shahid Jameel, renowned virologist.
Dr K Srinath Reddy, President of the Public Health Foundation of India.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Vaishali Sood
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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'Couldn't Believe This Was Happening in Mumbai': Revisiting The 26/11 Attacks

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 12:51:14 -0000

26 November 2008. There's perhaps still a lingering sense of disbelief as we talk about the day.

Even 13 years after the attack, we continue to piece together all the tiny details of the events of the day through the words and memories of those who survived to tell the tale.

In this special episode of The Big Story we get first-hand accounts of three journalists who covered the attack from ground zero. In this podcast you'll hear from Raksha Shetty, Mahrukh Inayat and Shai Venkatraman talk about how they went around covering the attack.

Along with that we also have with us Anjali Kulthe, Staff Nurse of Labour Room at Cama Hospital who showed extreme grit and saved the lives of several pregnant women when the hospital had come under attack.

You'll also hear from Dr Shailesh Mohite, Former Forensic Head at Nair Hospital who recounts how he had to operate on the lone surviving terrorist Ajmal Kasab.

Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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A Closer Look at NFHS-5 Data on Sex Ratio & Population Stabilisation

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 14:00:22 -0000

For a country that has a lot to worry about the repercussions of its humungous population, we seemed to have hit a positive demographic milestone.

According to the findings of the National Family Health Survey-5 data, India’s total fertility rate has declined from 2.2 to 2.

Another finding from the survey that is being pompously celebrated is that for the first time in the history of NFHS surveys, the sex ratio is skewed in favour of women. The data suggests there are 1,020 women for every 1,000 men.

So, the two questions that come up are:

Do these number indicate that India is closer to stabilizing its population?

And, given the continued prevalence of patriarchal attitudes in Indian society, gender preferences for children at birth, how we really read the sex ratio figures?
Tune in!
Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Sanghamitra Singh, Senior Manager of Knowledge Management & Partnerships at Population Foundation of India;
Dr Srinath Reddy, President of Public Health Foundation of India ;
Varna Sri Raman, Lead of Research and Knowledge Building at Oxfam India Editor: Vaishali Sood
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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With a Potential Ban on Cryptocurrency, What Should You Do With Your Investment?

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 15:28:21 -0000

The entire cryptocurrency market in India had a bloodbath on the evening of 23 November as panic set in with retail investors over the news coming out that the government is tabling a bill in the upcoming Parliament to ban "private cryptocurrencies".

Bymidnight, the entire market fell by around 15 percent, with Bitcoin down by 17 percent, Ethereum down by nearly 15 percent and Tether by almost 18 percent.

The root of this volatility is The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021, which “seeks to ban all private cryptocurrencies in the country, but will allow certain exceptions to promote underlying technology and its uses.”

Along with this, the document also states that the Reserve Bank of India will be introducing its own digital coin as well. But, there is no knowledge so far on how this RBI coin will work or its purpose.

An unregulated market so far, for the past few months, the Centre has been dropping hints regarding its intent on regulating cryptocurrency in India. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a recent speech at Sydney Dialogue said that the “democratic countries need to work together on cryptocurrency and ensure that it does not end up in the wrong hands.”

But with reportedly 10 crore retail investors in the crypto market, how can a ban impact India’s crypto market? What is the Centre’s concerns regarding cryptocurrencies? And if you are an investor, what should you do with your investment?

Guests: Subhash Garg, former finance Secretary of India and Naimish Sanghvi, the CEO of CoinCrunch, a crypto news platform.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Report on Data Protection Bill: What Are the Main Concerns Raised by Dissenters?

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 15:18:58 -0000

After nearly two years, the much-awaited and long-overdue report by the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Data Protection Bill 2019 was tabled on Monday, 22 November.

Though the report has not been made available in the public domain yet, as many as seven MP’s from the Congress Trinamool Congress and the BJD have submitted dissent notes to the committee since some clauses give the Centre sweeping powers to collect and process data.

While Congress MP Jairam Ramesh in his dissent note stated that the bill assumes that “constitutional right to privacy arises only where operations and activities of private companies are concerned”, TMC MPs Derek O'Brien and Mahua Moitra described the 2019 Bill as "Orwellian" in nature and raised questions on the functioning of the committee.

Though the report reportedly has introduced a few positive provisions as well, including mandatory disclose if users' data has been passed on to a third party, the blank cheque of relaxations given to the Centre for collecting and using personal and non-personal data is a matter of grave concern.

Guest: Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s Legal Editor
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Farm Laws Repealed: Strategic Retreat by PM Modi or A Win for Democracy?

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 15:28:15 -0000

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 19 November, announced that his government will repeal the three controversial farm laws, against which lakhs of farmers for the past year have been protesting.
The announcement, made on Guru Nanak Jayanti, came as a surprise to many since there was no indication from the saffron party or the Centre on any climb down on the farm laws. At first glance, the rollback of the laws is a major victory for the farmer's movement, and signals that old fashioned non-violent protest do have their way to find chinks in the BJP-led Centre’s strongman image armour.
However, it would be naive to not see the political equations running behind this decision, with two crucial states-Punjab and Uttar Pradesh- heading to Assembly polls earlier next year.
And with the most recent C-Voter opinion poll predicting a 100 seat fall for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, one would say it was imperative for the BJP to make good with the farmers if it wanted to stay in power.
But what political impact will this move have for the BJP in the upcoming elections? Will it change the scenario in Uttar Pradesh or give it relevance again in Punjab?

Guest: Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Aditya Menon
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Srinagar Encounter: Breaking Down Contesting Versions on Civilian Killings

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 16:24:04 -0000

The controversial deaths of two civilians in Kashmir’s Hyderpora have sparked outrage across the valley, with the next of kin asserting that their relatives were used as human shields by the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) police during an encounter with militants.

The two deceased civilians, identified as Dr Mudasir Gul and Altaf Bhat, were both local business persons and owned shops in a commercial complex in Hyderpora where the encounter took place on the evening of 15 November.

According to police statements, they cordoned off the complex after receiving inputs claiming that militants were present at an “illegal call centre”. The two civilians then accompanied the police to the building. According to the police, they were killed in the crossfire as the search operation turned into a gunfight.

The police later claimed that one of the civilians, Dr Gul, was an overground worker. The J&K police, citing law and order concerns, also performed the last rites of the two civilians and have not turned over the bodies to the next of kin.

But their families are not taking no for an answer, demanding the bodies of the relatives to be released to them. They have also sought proof that their deceased loved ones were associated with militants, or were Over Ground Workers (OGWs) as the police have claimed.

To learn more about the case and the situation on the ground, for today’s episode, we spoke with Srinagar-based freelance journalist Shakir Mir. Tune in!

Guest: Shakir Mir, Srinagar-based freelance journalist.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Editor: Shelly Walia
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What is the Intent of Terror Groups Behind Recent Civilian Killings in J&K?

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'Hard-Hitting': Comedians Speak on Vir Das's 'I Come From Two Indias'

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 17:16:30 -0000

What can a comedian in India joke about that is acceptable to the audience and the public? The debate on this has been stirred time and again and was sparked once again on Tuesday, 16 November.

Stand-up comedian Vir Das has been caught in a storm of applause and criticism on his recent stand-up video recorded at Washington DC's John F Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts titled "I Come From Two Indias"

In a six-minute video, Vir Das talks about the duality of India and speaks on topical issues the country is facing from the pandemic to the farmers' protests, and targeted attacks towards comedians as well.

While many on social media have said that India can’t take criticism and applauded Das for his candid words, the other side has condemned the comedian for generalising incidents and projecting a negative image about India abroad.

The negative comments and hate speech regarding his monologue reached such an extent that at least two police complaints have been filed against Das for “derogatory statements against India”.

In a clarification, Das on Twitter stated that his intention was to remind people that despite the issues, India is “great” and requested people to not be fooled by edited snippets.

But the bigger question here is, was Das wrong in saying what he did about India? If he was, do comedians need to start self-censoring before they bring their material out? What do comedians feel about this?

We took these questions to

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guests: Stand-up comedians Neeti Palta, Sanjay Rajoura, and Agrima Joshua.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Are Lockdowns a Viable Measure To Curb Delhi's Air Pollution?

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 15:51:20 -0000

Every year, like clockwork, the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) is blanketed in smog in the winter months and the Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in different parts of the capital spike through the roof.

This year, despite there being strict enforcement on bursting crackers, Delhi woke up to a thick smog the day after Diwali and the AQI remained at a “severe” level for days till 14 November when it reduced to “very poor”.

Even the Supreme Court (SC) had to step in and pull up the Delhi government. A three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana, sought to know what measures the Union and the Delhi government were taking to control pollution. The SC also contemplated measures like placing the entire city under a lockdown or an odd-even system of managing vehicular traffic. But how significant are these band-aid-like measures?

And fingers, of course, were also pointed towards stubble burning in the Punjab and Haryana. However, this time, the tables turned as contribution of stubble burnings to Delhi’s pollution was reportedly only 10 percent. But can we always place the blame on farmers when it comes to air pollution in the capital? Is there a win-win solution for all parties?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Santosh Harish, a fellow at the Centre for Policy Research

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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As COP26 Ends, Did the World Fail To Limit Dangers of Climate Change?

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 16:26:28 -0000

Billed as the “last, best hope” to save humanity, the COP26 summit ended on a bitter-sweet note after two weeks of gruelling negotiations and bargaining over language and provisions of the Glasgow Pact.

Nearly 200 nations participated in the conference to make progress on slowing down global warming. However, it was in the last few hours of the conference that a handful of countries changed the entire atmosphere of the summit.

A last-minute demand by India, backed by China and other countries, watered down the language in the pact which called for a “phase-out” of coal. Instead, China demanded the wording to be “phase down” and India wanted the pact to only cover “inefficient” coal.

But with no alternative solution other than countries voluntarily agreeing to reduce emissions, where does the world go from here? Was COP26 a success or a failure? Have we made any headway in limiting climate change?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Chandra Bhushan, environment, and climate expert and senior journalist Nabanita Sircar. Editor: Shelly Walia
Audio of COP26 Speeches: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What is China Trying to Signal to India by Upping the Ante in Disputed Regions?

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 16:31:53 -0000

China, a country that is so singularly determined to expand its territorial claim in the Asia-Pacific, has now built an entire village inside a disputed territory with India.

You read that right. According to several media reports and satellite images, China has built a village that can house thousands in the disputed territory in Arunachal Pradesh. And though the news about the village being constructed is not new as NDTV had broken the story earlier this year, it got reignited after the US Pentagon published a report on 3 November, highlighting China’s growing claim along the LAC.

In its annual report, the Pentagon pertinently notes that China has been taking “incremental and tactical actions to press its claims” at the LAC with India and that sometime in 2020, China built a “large 100-home civilian village inside a disputed territory”.

Taking note of this report, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday, 11 November, stated that it does not accept “such illegal occupation” and the “unjustified Chinese claims”. But in a bizarre contradiction to both the MEA and Pentagon report, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat stated that China’s construction “were well within their part of the LAC” and that "they have not transgressed anywhere".

To make matters worse and more confusing, China has also introduced a new land boundary law, which sends a clear signal that the country plans to use its civilian population to safeguard “territorial integrity”.

With Sino-India relations already on a tightrope since the most recent core-commander talks reaching a deadlock, China’s recent actions at the border may have only soured the relations between the neighbours further.

Their actions throw up the following questions: What is China trying to signal by upping the ante in the disputed regions? Does the new land boundary law state that China is no longer interested in a border resolution with India? And lastly, how worrying are these moves for India?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Harsh V Pant, Director, Studies & Head, Strategic Studies Programme at the Observer Research Foundation. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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IPO: Which Factors Led to Nykaa's Bumper Debut and Paytm's Sluggish Performance?

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 15:14:52 -0000

The much-awaited IPOs of Paytm and Nykaa, the homegrown fashion brand, finally came to an end on Thursday, 11 November, with the latter having a blockbuster start on listing day with its valuation crossing Rs 1 lakh crore.

The issue price for Nykaa was Rs 2,018 apiece, with a premium of 79 percent over its issue price. But the strong demand from all categories of investors resulted in the company making it to the top 100 mid-caps on the Bombay Stock Exchange, ahead of giants like State Bank of India and even Coal India.

The rally in the markets also resulted in the company’s founder, Falguni Nayar, net worth touching USD$ 7 billion, making her India’s wealthiest self-made female billionaire.

But while on one end Nykaa made out like a bandit, Paytm’s parent company, One97 Communications, struggled to garner a full subscription, with less than 50 percent of the stock being subscribed even on the second day of listing. And according to analysts, one of the reasons for the weak response could be the massive size of the issue itself.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Niraj Shah, Markets Editor at Bloomberg Quint
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How Will Rohit Sharma Fair as T20 Captain in New Zealand Series?

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 16:08:41 -0000

On the heels of an early exit from the 2021 T20 World Cup, the BCCI has announced the T20 squad for the New Zealand series starting 17 November, with the baton of captaincy being passed to Rohit Sharma.
Alongside as his deputy is KL Rahul and the new coach Rahul Dravid. But what has also been making headlines is the induction of fresh faces in the squad as with many senior players being put on rest, notably Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya.
The new squad includes freshers like Venkatesh Iyer, who made his mark in the 2021 IPL in Dubai, Avesh Khan, and Harshal Patel.

And one of the key reasons for these fresh faces in the squad is due to exhaustion faced by the players who have been travelling for 6 months and living in bio-bubbles without adequate breaks in between. Fatigue is also reportedly one of the key factors which contributed toward’s India’s losses at the T20 cup.
But with a new captain handling the team, a new coach managing the players and several new players in the squad, how will India fair in the upcoming T20 series? Will this reset of players work? What can we make of the new squad?
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Sports commentators and analysts Amrit Mathur and Chandresh Narayanan.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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COVID-19: How Significant Are the Anti-viral Oral Pills for Treatment?

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 15:03:57 -0000

The world for the past few months has been speaking a lot on COVID vaccines and how it is our way out of this pandemic. But it will be a long time before the entire world is vaccinated. So what do we do to prevent severe symptoms or hospitalisation till then?

A new anti-viral pill for COVID-19 treatment from pharma giants Merck and Pfizer Inc, aims to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and even death. These new drugs – Merck’s Molnupiravir and Pfizer’s Paxlovid – are currently in their clinical trials but have shown promising results, especially the latter, which claims to reduce the risk of hospitalisation by 89 percent.

And countries have already started recognising the significance of these pills, with the United Kingdom being the first country to approve Molnupiravir and purchased nearly half a million courses.

So what are these new drugs exactly? How do they work and more importantly, are they safe?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Vaishali Sood, The Quint’s Health Editor and Dr Rakesh Mishra, the former Director of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and an Advisor to CEBM.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Do BJP's NEC Resolutions Signal About the Parties Election Strategy?

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 15:16:54 -0000

On the heel of a mixed bag of wins and losses in the recently concluded bypolls, the Bharatiya Janta Party held their first national executive meeting since the start of the pandemic on 7 November.
Though the meeting was largely devoted to applauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government on a range of actions, primarily COVID-19 and his intervention at the COP-26 summit, what was also front and centre was the focus on the upcoming assembly elections in early 2022.
And this was pertinent from Modi’s reported exhortations at the party meeting, asking the BJP top brass and workers to become the “bridge of faith” for the common man. Party chief JP Nadda in his inaugural speech added to this, stating that the “BJP’s best is yet to come”. They also announced a “resolution for victory” in the upcoming polls.
But a significant takeaway from the meeting was the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the only BJP CM to attend the meeting physically. Adding more to his profile was him presenting the parties political resolution mentioned earlier, indicating a rise in importance in the party.
The saffron party also slammed the opposition on various counts like reduction in VAT on fuel and even went a step further, accusing them of “opportunism” and acting with a mindset of “extreme hate”.
While the party applauded the Centre for its measures regarding farmer welfare and COVID, there was no direct mention of the contentious farm laws, CAA, nor the unclear border disputes with China.
So what does this meeting tell us about the BJP’s elections strategies? What is this “resolution for victory’?
To discuss this, joining me today is author and senior journalist Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay and

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, author and senior journalist and Aditya Menon, The Quint's Political Editor.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Challenges Lie Ahead for Rahul Dravid as the New Men's Cricket Coach?

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 13:21:00 -0000

The T20 World Cup may not be going as we expected but there is light at the end of this tunnel with Rahul Dravid waiting for the Indian men’s cricket team to take over as the new coach.

Dravid has come on board on a two-year contract and his first assignment with be the home series against New Zealand starting 17 November. But how did a man, who made it pretty clear that he didn’t want the job, get selected for it?

Guest: Chandresh Narayanan, senior sports journalist and cricket commentator
Host: Mendra Dorjey Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Do the 2021 Bypoll Results Signal for the Bharatiya Janata Party?

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 16:14:27 -0000

It was a bittersweet day for the Bharatiya Janata Party as the results of the bypolls held in 29 Assembly seats and three Lok Sabha seats were out on Tuesday, 2 November.

The saffron party and its allies made a clean sweep in the northeast, winning all nine seats, which went to poll in Assam, Mizoram, and Meghalaya and won the Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa. But it was the surprise blow by the Congress in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Rajasthan, which became a major setback for the BJP.

In the BJP-ruled Himachal Pradesh, the GOP wrested the Mandi Lok Sabha seat and the Assembly seats of Jubbal. It also retained the Arki and Fatehpur Assembly seats. With the state going to polls next year, the loss is significant since it has now triggered the speculation whether the BJP will replace the incumbent CM Jairam Thakur.

And in Rajasthan, the Congress won both seats-Dhariawad and Vallabh Nagar with comfortable margins, while the BJP was unable to make a dent and slid further down in the vote share ladder.

To further rub salt in BJP’s wounds, the victory parade of the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal continued as it snatched away all four seats that went to poll with average margins of 75 percent. This results in the TMC’s strength in the 294-member Bengal Assembly rising to 219.

Along with these setbacks, the BJP also lost the Dadra and Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha seat to the Shiv Sena, making this the Sena’s first Lok Sabha victory outside of Maharashtra.

So what caused this major rollback of votes for the BJP? Is this a warning signal for the ruling party before the upcoming polls ? And looking ahead, how will this affect the 2024 polls?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Guest: Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor. Tune in!
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How Substantive Are the Climate Pledges Made by India at COP26?

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 16:45:31 -0000

The buzziest word over the past 24 hours has been “net-zero” and it is because India – in a significant first – has pledged that it will cut its emissions to net-zero by 2070, a target which may be far from ideal but still transformative.

The announcement, accompanied by four other climate-related targets, was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 26th UN Conference of the Parties or better known as COP26 on 1 November.

And the announcement came as a surprise to many, given that India, up until just a few days ago, rejected all global pressures to announce such a commitment.

Along with the net-zero pledge, India has promised to increase its installed renewable capacity and the share of non-fossil fuel energy sources from 40 percent to 50 percent by 2030. All of these commitments do sound great as pledges but how substantive are they in nature?

And with a significantly later net-zero deadline than many other countries, have we set ourselves an ambitious enough target or have we left enough just enough wiggle room to get by? Are these pledges another set of low hanging fruit or will they have a real impact on the climate?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Guest: Anjal Prakash, Research Director and Associate Professor at Bharti Institute of Public Policy at Indian School of Business and an IPCC author.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Is India's T20 Campaign Coming to End After Defeat Against New Zealand?

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 15:12:03 -0000

A 10 wicket thrashing at the hands of Pakistan followed by an 8 wicket loss to New Zealand and pre-tournament favourites India are staring at a dangerously early exit from the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Yes, the Men in Blue are not yet out of the tournament, but their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals went from bad to worse on Sunday and what's more - their fate no longer rests in their own hands.

Only two teams qualify from the two groups at the t20 World Cup and with Pakistan on a winning-spree, they are set to book the first spot. Meaning, it will come down to India, New Zealand and maybe even Afghanistan fighting for that second spot.

For India to win that race, they not only need to win the remaining three matches with a significant margin but also hope that Afghanistan upset New Zealand.
On Sunday night, Virat Kohli made two changes to the squad that lost to Pakistan and brought in Ishan Kishan in place of the injured Suryakumar Yadav and got Shardul Thakur to play in Bhuvneshwar Kumar;s place.

Ishan opened, Rohit batted at three but all the experiments failed as the team was put into bat first and managed to only score 110/7- their lowest ever score batting first in a T20 World Cup. The team was also unable to secure any boundaries between 6th-17th overs.
Several factors, from the batting order to the bowling performance may have worked against the India team, with top pacer Jasprit Bumrah stating that the toss becomes a very crucial factor in these matches given the nature of the pitch
To speak on India’s performance in the match and the road ahead for the team, we spoke with sports commentator and analyst

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Chandresh Narayan, sports commentator and analyst.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Facebook Goes Meta: What This Change Really Means For Users

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 15:36:26 -0000

Metaverse. Sounds straight out of a sci fi novel, right? Well, it is. From a 1992 dystopian novel "Snow Crash" by American writer Neal Stephenson that envisioned a digital universe as a 3D space that one can come in and out of.

And, that sci fi concept that has been the plot of movies like Matrix or Inception, is exactly what Mark Zuckerberg is aiming for, as he announced that Facebook is rebranding itself as Meta.

The social media platform will still be called Facebook but with the rechristening of the company name from Facebook to Meta it's not just a social media company anymore but hopes to be a "metaverse company"—something that wants to make this sci fi concept into a reality.

But where is this reinvention coming from?

Well, Zuckerberg the Chief Executive of the company explained the name “Facebook” doesn't fully encompass everything that the company does anymore, let alone the future. So, the rebranding in fact, is heralding a transition in the company towards building the next generation of the internet that'll blend the real and virtual worlds for its users.

But what is Meta's futuristic vision going to look like in practice? Is this going to be the next big thing? As the social media company faces trust deficit over data privacy issues, what are some of the concerns that arises as this social media giant takes a plunge into the AR-VR world?

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Guest: Udbhav Tiwari is a public policy advisor at Mozilla Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Drugs-on-Cruise Case: What Do Arguments in Bombay HC Tell Us About NCB Probe?

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 16:05:44 -0000

After twenty-four days in jail under charges of purchase, abetment, conspiracy, and possession of drugs – none of which were admissible in court – Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, was granted bail by the Bombay High Court on Thursday, 28 October.

The cruise ship drug case has been dominating the headlines for close to a month and buzzing with new updates since his arrest on 2 October. And despite the extensive pursuit and media hype around this high-profile case, the NCB investigation raised more questions than answers.

Appearing on behalf of Aryan Khan, former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi stated that his arrest was in direct violation of constitutional guarantees and none of the “unbelievable and shocking” WhatsApp chats recovered from Khan’s phone relate to the cruise party.

What has further muddied the waters in the NCB’s case, are allegations made by a witness in the case Prabhakar Sail, against Sameer Wankhede, who is the Mumbai NCB chief and in-charge of the investigation. In an affidavit, Sail claimed that he was made to sign blank pages by Wankhede and that he overheard conversations that point to corruption and extortion of money.

And parallel to the NCB case, something else is brewing, with Wankhede now being investigated for extortion and bribery by the Mumbai Police after four separate complaints were lodged against him. Seeing this, Wankhede has now been given interim relief from arrest by the Bombay HC.

The Aryan Khan case saga shows us how despite legal experts pointing out big holes in the probe, the NCB continued with their investigation for weeks.

So, what were the arguments made by the NCB and Khan’s defense in the court order, which led to the bail order? And looking back, did the NCB probe have any ground? And did those holes in the investigation along with allegations against NCB officials, stand to weaken the case?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s Legal Editor and Suhas Gokhale, a former senior official in Mumbai Narcotics Drugs Bureau.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How Effective Will Supreme Court Pegasus Committee Be, Given Centre's Stonewall?

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 14:36:44 -0000

Stating that the Centre can’t get a free pass every time by stating “national security”, the Supreme Court on 27 October appointed an external committee to investigate the allegations of unauthorised use of the Pegasus spyware on citizens.

After weeks of back and forth between the Centre, the petitioners, and the court on Pegasus, the apex court sharply noted in its order that the “vague denial from the government is not sufficient”, and that it had no option but to set up a panel to examine the allegations made by the petitioners.

The court's stern observations on the issue comes after hearing a clutch of petitions, which requested a probe into the allegations of the Centre’s use of the spyware on over 142 Indian citizens.

The revelations regarding the use of spyware were made after a consortium of media organisations around the world reported in July, the use of the spyware on prominent politicians like Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, 40 Indian journalists, and several private citizens. However, the Centre has to date refused to take a clear stand on whether it has purchased or used the spyware.

And given the Centre’s stonewalling on this issue, how significant are the observations made by the court? Will an expert committee be able to unearth the answers that the court has been unable to do so thus far? What powers will this committee have?

Joining me today to discuss the significance of the order and also what functions the expert committee will possess is Tune in!

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Guest: Apar Gupta, the Executive Director of the Internet Freedom Foundation, and Gunjan Chawla, Programme Manager of Technology & National Security at the Centre for Communication Governance at NLU Delhi.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Interviews: Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint's Legal Editor.

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What Makes 'Sardar Udham' Stand Out From Other Patriotic Films?

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 16:55:10 -0000

13 April 1919 — the unspeakable horrors at Jallianwala Bagh on that day still resonates with those who visit the walled city of Amritsar and the site.

On that horrific day, thousands of innocent civilians, without warning, were gunned down at the orders of Brigadier-General Dwyer, where a platoon of soldiers surrounded the bagh and fired on those who were peacefully protesting.

Over the past 100 years, many books, TV shows, and movies have tried to capture the scale of the tragedy that took place.

And the most recent attempt that has been lauded by critics and audience reviews is the new movie Sardar Udham, which captures the unrelenting journey of freedom fighter Udham Singh to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Directed by Shoojit Sircar, Sardar Udham, navigates the life of Udham Singh from his time in prison in India to his journey to London, and eventually his motives to assassinate Sir Michael O'Dwyer.

The film has received rave reviews for actor Vicky Kaushal’s performance as Udham Singh and also for, according to one movie review, separating nationalism from jingoism.

This of course goes without saying that this episode contains a few spoilers for the movie. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Shoojit Sircar, Director of Sardar Udham Interviews: Suresh Matthew and Abira Dhar
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Pak Cricket Team Overcomes Dry Spell But Can India Overcome Intolerance?

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 15:38:47 -0000

The number 13 may be a bit daunting for a lot of people, but for the Pakistani Men's cricket team, turns out 13th time's the charm!

After a 29-year-long dry spell of losing all of the 12 previous ICC World Cup matches against India Pakistan's cricket team turned the tide for themselves and how!

Until 24th October, India had seven wins in 50-over World cup matches and five wins in 20-over matches against Pakistan, but Babar Azam became the first Pakistani captain to lead his team to an emphatic victory over India by 10 wickets, in a men's ICC World Cup event.

Our men in blue are no doubt a formidable lot, with an incredible record backing them, which is why perhaps the outcome at Dubai International Stadium was rather unexpected. But in the spirit of sportsmanship most of our listeners will agree that it was quite an enthralling match to watch, nonetheless.

Humbly accepting defeat at the post-match presser, skipper Virat Kohli said that credit goes where credit's due, but the Indian cricket team is aware of where it faulted and will be moving forward in a positive way.

To understand what put team India in the back foot, we spoke to sports commentator and analyst Mr Chandresh Narayan in this episode.

We also speak to Mr Hemant Buch, a broadcast consultant who's managed LIVE sports broadcast around cricket, about the Pakistani cricket team and how they managed to break the jinx.

But losing a game more often than not, ends up taking an intolerant route in the country.

We saw team members of the women's hockey team being subjected to casteist slurs online after the lost the quarterfinals in Tokyo Olympics. And similarly, since last night's loss, there have been several reports of Kashmiri students being harassed. Indian bowler Mohammed Shami has found himself to be the target of hate messages and trolling on social media platforms.

For our third guest, we speak to Seema Chishti, a writer and journalist based in Delhi about how sports getting co-opted into jingoistic and nationalistic politics can stand to harm the game itself.

Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Guest:
Chandresh Narayan, Sports Commentator and Analyst
Hemant Buch, Broadcast consultant
Seema Chishti, Writer and Journalist Editor: Vaishali Sood
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:

WHO Approves World’s First Malaria Vaccine: All You Need To Know

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Is Bail in the Aryan Khan Drug Case Being Unreasonably Denied?

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 15:07:41 -0000

In a detailed judgment, a special NDPS court denied bail to Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, on grounds of him knowing others travelling with him carrying drugs and that this amounted to “conscious possession”.

The NDPS court in its judgment stated that WhatsApp chats indicate Aryan Khan was involved in “illicit drug activities for narcotic substances on a regular basis”.

But it's important to point out that no drugs were found in possession of Khan when he was arrested and that WhatsApp chats the NCB provided as evidence are messages like “let's have a blast”.

An outpour of support came for SRK and his family ever since Aryan Khan’s arrest and especially after the recent bail denial, with many on social media alleging “police harassment”.

But why was bail denied by the special NDPS court, given the lack of evidence against Khan provided by the NCB, even after two weeks of custody? Why is it so hard to get bail under the NDPS Act?

Is this really a case of police harassment or is bail being unreasonably denied?

To analyse the latest developments in the Aryan Khan drugs case, we spoke with The Quint’s Legal Editor Vakasha Sachdev and Dr NC Asthana, who is the former DGP of Kerala, and ADG BSF/CRPF. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint's Legal Editor and Dr NC Asthana, former DGP of Kerala, and ADG BSF/CRPF.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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One Billion COVID Doses Later, Is India on Track to Fully Vaccinate All Adults?

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 16:21:57 -0000

India administered its 1 billionth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday, 21 October, passing a major milestone for a country where, just a few months ago, the Delta variant of the virus ripped through.

The occasion was met with a lot of song and dance, with the Centre launching a new song and an audiovisual film to mark the landmark event. Along with that, the largest national flag, weighing 1,400 kg will be hoisted at the Red Fort.

Soon after the country hit the milestone, PM Modi paid a visit to Delhi’s Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital to interact with health workers and vaccine beneficiaries.

And given the hurdles that India faced in the initial days – from vaccine shortages, vaccine distribution problems to states and the deadly second wave that crippled our health care system for nearly three months – hitting one billion doses is no small achievement.

But as India celebrates this major milestone, it's also important to remember that millions of people are still waiting to receive the vaccine and according to official figures, we have only fully vaccinated 30 percent of our nearly 1.4 billion population. And this statistic does not include children under 18, who make up nearly 40 percent of the population.

Even though 74 percent of the population is vaccinated with one dose, the issue of vaccine hesitancy still exists, with at least 10 percent of the population according to a recent survey not planning on taking the vaccine at all.

The Center also announced earlier in May that India’s adult vaccine drive will be completed before December 2021. But are we on track to meet that target?

What hurdles is India currently facing in our vaccination drive, and nine months later, what lessons have we learned from them?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Anjela Taneja, who is the Inequality Campaign Lead at Oxfam India and Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, an epidemiologist and a public policy expert.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Is Boycotting the India-Pakistan T20 World Series Match the Best Option?

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 14:10:07 -0000

Ahead of the highly anticipated India-Pakistan T20 World Cup series match, a growing chorus of fans in India are urging the men-in-blue to boycott the match with their historic arch-rivals.

The call for the boycott comes at the heels of targeted killings of civilians and deaths of Indian Army personnel in Jammu and Kashmir over the past few weeks where 11 civilians were gunned down.

The uproar by fans reached to such an extent that on 19 October, the hashtag #BoycottPakistan started trending on social media. Though several politicians, including Union Minister Giriraj Singh stating that playing the match should be reconsidered given the current relations with the country, some in the sports industry like badminton legend Prakash Padukone feels that sports should not be mixed with politics.

So what should the Indian teams play be here? And is boycotting a cricket match the best option in our hands?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Ayaz Memon, renowned sports writer and journalist.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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'We Are Living in Fear': Kashmir Migrant Workers Speak on Targeted Killings

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 16:18:07 -0000

Targeted killing of migrant workers in Kashmir is triggering fear and anxiety across the valley, with hundreds now fleeing the region.
Since 1 October, a total of eleven people have been the victim of targeted killings. After a spate of attacks in the region between 5-10 October, where at least seven civilians were killed, four more civilians-all of them migrant workers-were gunned down by militants between 16-17 October.
Arbind Kumar Shah from Bihar’s Banka village and Sageer Ahmad from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh were gunned down in Srinagar and Pulwama respectively on 16 October.
And just a day later, Raja Reshi Dev and Joginder Reshi Dev lost their lives after gunmen barged inside their rented rooms and opened fire at them in the Wanpoh area of Kulgam.
Along with Raja and Joginder, the militants reportedly also shot and injured Chun Chun Reshi. All three belonged to Bihar and had moved to Kashmir for work.
A terror outfit which calls itself the United Liberation Front has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Wanpoh while another outfit, The Resistance Front claimed that attacks in Srinagar last week.
Kashmir has been a source of employment for lakhs of migrant workers for years, with close to 3-4 lakh labourers reportedly travelling to the Valley every year for work due to lack of employment in their state.
From Arbind Kumar to Joginder Reshi Dev to Sageer Ahmad, all of them were the sole breadwinners for their families. In an earlier episode, we took a deep dive into why these killings are happening and the larger agenda behind them. You can find a link to that episode in our show notes.
In today’s episode, we bring you voices of the migrant workers in Kashmir and family members of the migrant workers killed in the attacks. We also speak with Shakir Mir, a freelance Srinagar based journalist to understand the ground reality of Srinagar.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Shakir Mir, a freelance Srinagar based journalist

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

Also check out:

What is the Intent of Terror Groups Behind Recent Civilian Killings in J&K?

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Kerala Flash Floods: Localised Phenomenon or Another Climate Change Warning?

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 15:48:34 -0000

Heavy rains and flash floods have lashed southern and central parts of Kerala since 14 October, resulting in at least 25 deaths and many more feared missing.

This untimely havoc on the state has devastated districts across the state, with landslides and flash floods sweeping away houses and buildings. In one instance, rescue teams in Kerala’s Idukki district, while rummaging through debris, found the bodies of a mother and her son hugging each other. In another instance, three generations in a family of six were washed away in Kottayam district.

Though the rain has reduced and a fresh spell is expected from Wednesday, 20 October, what has puzzled many experts is why such an extreme weather event took place in October, a time where monsoons in southwestern India have historically retreated.

And no prizes for guessing why, it is all pointing to climate change.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that a low-pressure system in the Arabian Sea is the reason but the recurrent nature of this kind of extreme rain event in Kerala has led to many experts pointing towards climate change as the reason.

So, are more extreme weather events expected in Kerala’s future? What systems need to be in place to detect this kind of event, and what lessons have the Kerala government learned from previous extreme weather events?

Tune in!

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Anjal Prakash, Research Director and Associate Professor at Bharti Institute of Public Policy at Indian School of Business and an IPCC author, and KA Shaji, a senior Kerala-based environment journalist.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Does Tata Sons Need Do To Make Air India Profitable Again?

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 16:41:20 -0000

In a major step towards privatisation of State assets, the Union governement was finally able to sell Air India after trying for 20 years.

Tata Sons, the original owners, took full control of the 'maharaja of the skies', as Air India is known, with its winning bid of Rs 18,000 crore, of which Rs 15,300 will go into financing the airline's debt and the rest as an upfront cash payment.

For the Tata’s, purchasing Air India is both an emotional and a long-term bet. At one end, they have regained control of one of the company's first major projects, started by JRD Tata way back in the 1930s and on the other, it's a re-entry into the competitive Indian airline industry and rebranding Air India with the Tata business values will be a big financial challenge.

How big exactly? According to a Hindu report, Tata could be looking at forking out an additional Rs 24,000 crore for just covering the operation and terminal services costs. And this is not counting the additional expenses of wages, pensions, and rebranding. So Tata’s upcoming journey with Air India is certainly a long-haul flight.

In today’s episode, we discuss the challenges that Tata Sons may face with Air India, the current competition in the industry, and what it must do to make the airline fly high again.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Jitender Bhargava, the former Executive Director of Air India and author of “The Descent of Air India”.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How Safe in Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for Vaccinating Children?

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 14:09:47 -0000

In big news in India’s vaccination drive, the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) recommended to the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to grant emergency use authorisation for Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for children as young as two years.

On 12 October, the expert panel in a statement said that “after detailed deliberation, the committee recommended for grant of market authorisation of the vaccine for the age group of 2 to 17 years for restricted use in an emergency.”

This announcement makes Covaxin the second vaccine after Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D DNA based vaccine, to be approved for vaccinating those under the age of 18, and the first vaccine in the world to be approved for children below the age of 12.

Though DCGI has not given the formal nod yet, the lack of publicly available data regarding the clinical trials and the fact that Covaxin has still not been approved by the World Health Organisation has raised some concerns with health experts on how effective the vaccine will be on children.

What also does not help Bharat Biotech’s case is its previous lack of transparency about the conduct of Covaxin clinical trials in adults and how it reported adverse side effects.

And this brings up the pertinent questions on every parents mind-how safe is Covaxin for children? How many doses should be administered? And do children already affected with COVID-19 need the vaccine?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Gagandeep Kang, a renowned virologist with CMC Vellore and a member of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI)
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
Listen to The Big Story podcast on:
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To help us answer these questions, for today’s episode we spoke to Dr Gagandeep Kang, a renowned virologist with CMC Vellore and a member of the COVID-19 World Group the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.

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Where do India-China Relations Stand After Failed Corp Commander Talks?

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 14:55:58 -0000

Seventeen months after the Galwan Valley standoff, India-China relations have moved from a deadlock to now a breakdown as the 13th round of Corps Commanders talks failed to reach any agreement.

On 11 October, after India-China met at the Moldo border for the talks, both blamed each other for the failure to conclude the disputed Hot Springs area and exchanged sharp words in their statements.

The Indian Army squarely blamed China in their statement, which said that “the Chinese side was not agreeable and also could not provide any forward-looking proposals”. In response, China criticised India, saying that “instead of misjudging the situation, the Indian side should cherish the hard-won situation in China-India border areas.”

Ahead of the 13th round of talks, Indian and Chinese PLA forces had also been facing off at the tense border, with the latter intruding the LAC as recently as 28 September in the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh with reportedly over 150 troops.

But with the talks now reaching a stalemate over the Hot Springs area and both sides refusing to disengage troops, where do India-China border talks stand? Should we expect a more militarised LAC in the coming winter months? And what should India’s strategy be now to counter China’s growing assertiveness in the region?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Srikanth Kondapalli, Professor in Chinese studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What is the Intent of Terror Groups Behind Recent Civilian Killings in J&K?

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 16:59:17 -0000

Since 5 October, seven civilians—Satinder Kour, Deepak Chand, Majid Ahmad Gojri, Mohammad Shafi Dar, Virendar Paswan, Mohammad Shafi Lone and ML Bindroo—were all killed in separate incidents in Srinagar and Bandipore.

This year, according to The Indian Express, at least 28 civilians have been killed in Kashmir till 7 October. Some victims from the recent killings also belonged to religious minority groups.

So far, a terror outfit that calls itself “The Resistance Front” (TRF) has claimed responsibility for the attacks. However, no suspects have been apprehended yet by the J&K police.

But the question which looms in the air is what is the intent behind these killings? Is it to instil fear in the community or is there a larger agenda behind it? And what does the spike in killings speak of the functioning of the J&K security forces?

For this, for today's episode, we spoke with political commentator and author Varad Sharma and former GoC of Srinagar based 15 Core Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Varad Sharma, political commentator and author and Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain, former GoC of Srinagar based 15 Core.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Will Facebook's Whistleblower Leaks Lead to More Regulation?

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 16:15:18 -0000

You may think that it’s been an unsteady week for Facebook, with all its platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram going dark for six hours on 4 October, affecting billions around the globe. But, this wasn’t the worst thing to happen to Facebook this week.

Based on a trove of over 10,000 documents provided by a whistleblower, The Wall Street Journal over the past few weeks revealed that Facebook fully understands how its products influence and harm society.

And just a day after the outage, the crisis deepened after the whistleblower, Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee, came forward and testified before the US Congress and gave lawmakers a candid view on how the company functions and its efforts to keep people hooked on the platform despite knowing its ill effects.

For example, in an internal study by Facebook, the company knew the negative impact Instagram has on teenage girls, how certain algorithms designed to make the platform a healthier place were actually having the opposite effect and the fact that Facebook senior management, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, knew all of this.

In this episode, we break down what exactly was revealed by the whistleblower, its impact and also answering the bigger question-whats next for Facebook? Are more stringent regulations in its future? and what would they be?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Apar Gupta, Executive Director of the Internet Freedom Foundation.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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World's First Malaria Vaccine 'Mosquirix' - Why is it a Breakthrough?

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 13:54:28 -0000

Malaria has been prevalent long enough for it to be able to make it to a Bollywood song. But we finally have a breakthrough to be able to prevent this infectious parasitic disease, that has caused lakhs and lakhs of deaths worldwide, year after year.

On 6 October, the World Health Organisation recommended the world's first malaria vaccine — Mosquirix that has been developed by British pharmaceutical GlaxoSmithKline in 1987, for malaria prevention in children living in regions with moderate to high transmission of this disease.

Children under five, it has been found out, are the most susceptible to malaria. In 2019, they accounted for 67 percent (274 000) of all malaria deaths worldwide.

The WHO's recommendation for administering Mosquirix to children is based on the data of an ongoing pilot programme in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi that has been able to provide more than 2.3 million doses to over 8,00,000 children, since 2019.

The efficacy of the vaccine has been proven to be around 40 percent so basically it can prevent four out of ten cases of malaria. Sure, that's not foolproof but experts have a reason to believe that it is a remarkable development.

The pilot drive found out that the vaccine is safe, it's cost effective, it improves health and can saves lives with good and equitable coverage that can be assured through routine immunization.

And, most importantly, this vaccine was found to be able to prevent three out ten cases of severe malaria.

But how does Mosquirix work? Why did it take so long to develop this vaccine? What will be the impact of scientific development in developing countries in Africa and also India where malaria infections are prevalent?

Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Guest: Dr Ambarish Dutta, Associate Professor of epidemiology at the Indian Institute of Public Health, Bhubaneswar Editor: Vaishali Sood
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:

WHO Approves World’s First Malaria Vaccine: All You Need To Know

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How Will India's Coal Shortage Crisis Affect the End Consumer?

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 16:59:09 -0000

Coal, which is used to produce almost 70 percent of electricity in India, is alarmingly depleting in the country, with stockpiles plunging to their lowest record since 2018 and may only last three more days according to the power ministry.

As of 4 October, out of the 104 thermal power plants in India, 16 plants which bring in the significant chunk of the power generation capacity have zero days of stocks. Forty-five of these plants report stocks only for the next couple of days.

And with half the countries coal plants on high alert, India is reportedly staring at crisis which could go on for as long as six months according to the power minister. In an interview with The Indian Express, Power Minister Raj Kumar Singh was quoted saying that it is a “touch and go” situation for the next few weeks.

This shortage also comes at a time when the global prices of coal and natural gas, which is predominantly used to power industrial factories and also heat homes, is at a multi-year high. This increase in price has been attributed to several countries coming out of the depths of the pandemic and thus the demand of electricity increasing.

With India stepping into the festival month of October and winters just around the corner, what will be the impact of this shortage on the end consumer? Does this mean an increase in your electricity bills or more than usual power cuts in the coming months?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Narendra Taneja, a leading energy expert and the chairman of Independent Energy Policy Institute.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Aryan Khan Case: How Legally Sound Are the Charges Invoked by the NCB?

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 17:14:00 -0000

A high-profile drug bust case from Mumbai has been grabbing headlines since the weekend and raking up the hotly pursued pitch of "bollywood drug nexus".

Part of the reason for this enormous attention is because it involves Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s 23-year-old son Aryan Khan, who was arrested with seven others by the Narcotics Control Bureau after they allegedly uncovered cocaine, charas, MDMA, and ecstasy from the accused from a Goa-bound cruise ship.

Though no drugs were found on Aryan Khan, he has not been granted bail since the NCB claimed that it has recovered “shocking and incrementing evidence” on his phone.

The NCB sought for custody for Khan and others till 11 October but it was only granted till 7 October by a magistrate's court in Mumbai.

While many TV news channels have given it “Bollywood drug nexus” or the “international drug racket” spin, an angle that amply discussed during the Sushant Sing Rajput case in 2020, what do we know so far about the case?

How legally sound are the charges against the accused in this case, and why is this case making all headlines across the country?

To discuss the developments in the case, for this episode we spoke with former DGP of Kerala and author Dr NC Asthana and Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s Legal Editor. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr NC Asthana, former DGP of Kerala and Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s Legal Editor.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why Did the UP Govt Prevent Opposition Leaders From Visiting Lakhimpur Kheri?

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 15:53:55 -0000

The farmers' protests in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district on 3 October took a grim turn as at least eight people were killed, including four farmers, after a vehicle part of a ministerial convoy allegedly ploughed through the crowd.

The vehicle, according to several media reports and farmer statements, was part of a convoy in which the Union minister of state Ajay Misra’s son, Ashish Misra, was part of and the SUV he was allegedly driving ran over three farmers.

In the horrific violence that followed the incident, four BJP workers – who were part of the minister’s convoy – were killed. The angry farmers also reportedly vandalised and set fire to the convoy vehicles.

Meanwhile, the incident also kicked up a political storm with the UP Police stopping and detaining opposition party leaders like Congress’ Priyanka Gandhi and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav from visiting the site.

The state government also prohibited Punjab and Chhattisgarh chief ministers from landing in Lucknow after both expressed that they want to pay a visit to the kin of the deceased farmers.

So what exactly happened in Lakhimpur Kheri which has warranted such a strong reaction from the UP government?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Ambani Bomb Scare: What Explains Param Bir Singh's Sudden Disappearance?

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 16:36:55 -0000

Once the top cop in the Mumbai Police, Param Bir Singh now has a lookout notice issued against him for allegedly being on the run and reportedly even leaving the country.

The recent development in the extortion case connected with the Antilia bomb scare incident comes after Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil on 30 September said that the state government is on the lookout for Singh and that they are working with the Centre to find him.

Singh, who has multiple corruption allegations, has been summoned on several occasions by the National Investigation Agency, the Central Bureau of Investigations and several Mumbai police stations for warrants against him. However, he has not turned up for a single one.

But the big question is- how is it possible that a serving Mumbai Police senior official can just disappear without anyone's notice? And what does it speak about the governmental agencies handling the investigation?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Sujata Anandan, senior journalist and Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint's Legal Editor.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Explains the Political Crisis in Congress Party State Units?

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 17:06:03 -0000

The ongoing political crisis in Punjab Congress has drawn concern from across the Grand Old Party, pertinently on the functioning of its leadership.

Just two days after the surprise resignation of Navjot Singh Sidhu, G-23 members voiced their anger on the leadership vacuum at the helm of the party, with senior leaders like Kapil Sibal stating that they are not blind supporters of the party and definitely not Ji Huzoor-23.

To add to the list of worries, the party is also witnessing an exodus of veteran leaders from key bastions of Goa and Punjab just months away from the 2022 elections. Although at the same time, the party has been making some strides in inducting fresh young faces in Kanhaniya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani, the lack of confidence in the party’s high command can be seen across the country.

In our previous episode, we took a deep dive into what led to Sidhu’s resignation and its political impact on the Punjab Congress. In today’s episode, we take a macro view of the crisis in the Congress party, the role of new inductees, and what the party needs to do to right their ship.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Anita Katyal, Senior Journalist Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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The Twists and Turns in Congress Party as Navjot Singh Sidhu Resigns

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 16:55:40 -0000

Punjab Congress seems to have descended deeper into chaos after the surprise resignation of the state Congress committee chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, which came just two days after a new state Cabinet was announced.

In his resignation letter, which was posted on his Twitter profile on 28 September, he said that “the collapse of a man’s character stems from the compromise corner” and that he can never compromise on the state’s future and welfare.

In a video posted on 29 September, Sidhu hinted that it was the inclusion of certain politicians in the new Cabinet which led to his resignation. To add further insult to injury, none of his Cabinet recommendations were considered for the Cabinet.

His resignation also comes 10 days after the ouster of Captain Amarinder Singh from the chief minister's office, a change that Sidhu spearheaded since he took on the role of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief in July.

Amarinder Singh has also been opposing Sidhu being the CM face in upcoming polls tooth and nail and now with news of him meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah at at the latter's residence, there is a lot of curiosity around the possibility of Singh joining the Bharatiya Janata Party.

And with taunts coming in from the BJP and AAP quarters on the Congress party's failure in Punjab and the Congress’s G-23 leader Kapil Sibal also raising pointed questions on who is making the calls at the top, the party is left trying to douse fires in all corners of its house.

The million dollar question on everyone's mind is, What is really happening in the Congress party? Why is the party high command unable to helm this ship?

To discuss Sidhu’s resignations, its political impact and the Congress party, I am joined today by Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why is Centre Pushing For National Health ID, Despite the Privacy Concerns?

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 16:37:21 -0000

How much is too much when it comes to data collection?

The age old debate on data privacy has been stirred again with Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission on 28 September.

Under this, every Indian citizen will be provided with a health ID, which will record every health related activity of a person, be it a visit to your local pharmacy or to the hospital for a consultation.

At present, the health ID project has been rolled out in a pilot phase to all six Union territories and according to official figures, more than 1 lakh health IDs have been created. The Center has clarified that, at the moment, it is voluntary to get a health ID.

But the project, even when it was introduced last year in 2020, faced flak from health, technology and privacy experts since it abysmally failed to address some key data privacy norms in the realms of consent, security and privacy, the latter being the most pertinent given the fact that India does not yet have a data protection bill.

And another crucial point raised on the issue is whether India actually requires a digital health ID system at this point, given the gaps in primary and tertiary health care across India and the digital divide between urban and rural India.

So, why is Centre adamant on pushing this plan when the issue of personal privacy and the gaps in the country's public health infrastructure still persist?

To understand this better, we spoke with Srinivas Kodali, an independent researcher at the Free Software Movement of India. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Srinivas Kodali, an independent researcher at the Free Software Movement of India
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Decoding Yogi Adityanath's Cabinet Social Engineering Move Ahead of Polls

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 15:47:46 -0000

With less than six months for Uttar Pradesh to head to polls, the Bhartiya Janta Party seems to be checking all the boxes in its state Cabinet to ensure a victory.

On Sunday, 26 September, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expanded his Cabinet with seven new faces, with the most prominent being that of former Congress leader Jitin Prasada, who was given a Cabinet berth. The UP Cabinet has now been stretched to 60, the maximum allowed constitutionally.

Prasada, who jumped ship from the grand old party earlier this year in June, will reportedly help consolidate the Brahmin vote bank for the BJP.

Aside from Prasada, Sunday’s Cabinet expansion also included Chhatarpal Gangwar, Paltu Ram, Sangeeta Balwant, Sanjeev Kumar, Dinesh Khatik and Dharam Veer Prajapati, who belong to the OBC, SC and ST community, and will all join as ministers of state.

The new Cabinet also signals a clear exercise of social engineering, with the BJP trying to woo the Brahmin vote with the inclusion of Prasada and giving more representation to Dalits and OBC’s in the UP Cabinet. It also mirrors the same social engineering tactics made in the recent Union Cabinet reshuffle in July.

But the big question is whether this social engineering – just months away from elections – work in the BJP’s favour?
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Amitabh Tiwari, Political Analyst.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Does Assam Evictions Say About Lack of Social Security for the Landless?

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 17:05:59 -0000

In a very shocking and saddening incident from Assam, at least two people were reported dead in police firing and nine injured, after violent clashes broke out on 23 September, during an eviction drive in Darrang district.

Disturbing videos of the clashes between the locals and police from the eviction drive that have surfaced online, give a glimpse into unrestrained police brutality.

One particular video that has drawn a lot of anger, shows policemen firing at the residents of Sipajhar area, when a lone local charges at them with a stick. And, in this mayhem he is then seen being thrashed brutally by the police even as his body lies motionless.

While this incident of violence has drawn a lot of reprobation from ordinary citizens, activists, and politicians alike, the eviction drive itself is also raising a lot of questions.

Over the past few months, the Assam government has embarked on an anti-encroachment drive that has rendered hundreds of people from socially and economically marginalised communities homeless.

But unlike the previous eviction drives, the recent one that began from 20 September, is seen to be a far bigger exercise to clear 4,500 bighas of encroached land that according to the Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma's own tweet, has left people from 800 households homeless.

This raises several questions:

Firstly, with a large number of the displaced families being Muslims of Bengali origins, is the Assam government's anti-encroachment drive likely to heighten polarisation in the state?

Secondly, with a recent analytical report from the Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN) also pointing out that nearly 21 people were evicted every hour in the pandemic months between March 2020 and July 2021, what kind of a commentary do these evictions from Assam and other parts of India present on the lack of social security for the landless? How do these acts affect lives and livelihoods of marginalised people?

Thirdly, how should authorities go about evictions without impinging on the dignity of living? What are the safeguards required to ensure that such drives don't leave people with nowhere to go?

Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Suraj Gogoi, PhD scholar of Sociology at the National University of Singapore; Manish, Lawyer and Researcher at the Centre for Policy Research;
Mukta Joshi, Legal Associate at Land Conflict Watch Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What to Expect from QUAD as PM Narendra Modi Visits the US

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 17:45:20 -0000

From being the first speaker at the 76th United Nations (UN) General Assembly to holding meetings with CEOs of big companies, and scheduled bilateral discussions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-day US visit is jam-packed.

However, this visit also comes in the backdrop of an array of geopolitical developments – from the fallout in Afghanistan to the recent strategic alignments between the US and Australia and uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pertinent to this visit will be the first in-person leaders' meeting of the Quad – an alliance between India, US, Australia, and Japan – on 24 September.

The group, which has only met sporadically since it was formed in 2007, is officially committed to a shared vision “for an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, resilient and inclusive” by strengthening its relations on supply chain, communications, technology and climate chance projects.

However, its recent revival in 2017 and again in 2021 is seen to be largely due to the growing assertion of China in the Indo-Pacific region and all four countries have their respective motivations to dilute China’s military presence in the region.

And now, given the geopolitical flux in the region with the fallout in Afghanistan and India’s sour relations with China post Galwan Valley clashes, what is expected out of the Quad summit? And what role can India play in it?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Akshobh Giridharadas, a US based journalist and Manoj Joshi, a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why Is the UK Government Hesitant To Recognise Vaccines Jabs from India?

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 15:49:56 -0000

Following a massive backlash from India over its “racist” and "discriminatory" travel restrictions, the United Kingdom (UK) finally recognised Covishield in its list of approved COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday, 22 September.

The new travel policy in the UK, which is set to kick in from 4 October, had left many Indians confused as it required even the fully vaccinated travellers to undergo COVID-19 tests before departure and after arrival, and a mandatory 10-day quarantine when they land in the UK.

What further infuriated people was the fact that the rules were different for other travellers who have been inoculated with vaccines such as Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson.

Pertinently, what is puzzling about the refusal was that Vaxzevria, the UK version of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which is branded as Covishield in India, are the same vaccine, to the extent where India even exported 5 million doses of Covishield to UK to help with their vaccine rollout earlier this year.

But even though the UK government has now recognised Covishield, according to the new rules, there is no respite to Indian travellers since they would still have to undergo all the COVID-19 tests and even the 10-day quarantine.

So what is making the UK government refuse the authenticity of the Indian shot? What are their concerns? And what steps can the union government take to rectify this issue?

To understand this, for today’s episode we spoke with health journalist Divya Rajagopal and former Indian ambassador Anil Tringunayat. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Divya Rajagopal, senior health journalist and former Indian ambassador Anil Tringunayat.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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With Defections & Dissension, Why is Bengal BJP Seeming Directionless?

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 16:10:33 -0000

All's not looking well for the BJP in West Bengal.

Amid a spate of defections of BJP leaders to the Trinamool Congress, the party's state chief Dilip Ghosh was shifted to the post of the national vice-president, well before his term was due to end.

In his stead, Sukanta Majumdar, a relatively lesser-known first-time MP, has been appointed as the chief of BJP in Bengal, at a time when the party seems to be facing a very serious organisational crisis at the state level.

While there have been complaints about Ghosh's leadership, especially since the BJP faced a humiliating defeat in the state assembly polls unlike its expectations, the change of guard is also believed to have been spurred by a series of desertions from the party that has exposed a chink in its armour.
Ever since their electoral defeat in the state, the BJP has been struggling to keep its party together in West Bengal, with reports of infighting and defections.

Over the past few months, four party MLAs, who were former TMC leaders, have gone back to the TMC – Mukul Roy being one of the prominent faces among them.

But after Roy's 'ghar wapsi,' former Union minister and two-time Asansol MP Babul Supriyo switching to the TMC was perhaps a bigger blow to the BJP.

Now, with murmurs of more possible defections, will the reshuffling in the state leadership be able arrest the niggling problems within the party?

What will be the task ahead for Sukanta Majumdar, the new state unit chief? Why is the party seeming so directionless and imploding with dissension in West Bengal? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Ishadrita Lahiri, Kolkata Correspondent, The Quint
Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Senior Journalist Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:

BJP MLA Count Down By 6 Since Bengal Polls: Why Is It Failing To Retain Leaders?

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Does the Change of Guard in Punjab Signal a Congress Party Makeover?

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 16:28:35 -0000

The political corridors in Punjab were bustling over the last two days, with the resignation of one of its oldest guards Captain Amarinder Singh on 18 September and, just 24 hours later, the surprise pick of Dalit Sikh Charanjit Singh Channi as the new chief minister.

The Captain’s resignation comes after months of infighting, public insults and bitter jabs between him and his political arch-rival Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had been gunning for the Captain’s ouster for the better part of this year.

However, the final straw towards the Captain’s resignation fell after a faction of MLAs wrote a letter to the Congress high command, voicing a change in leadership and a lack of confidence in him, resulting in the former CM’s public statement that he “feels humiliated” and resigning from his post.

The change in guard in Punjab also comes just four months before the state heads to polls. So what are the tasks ahead the new CM? Will he be able to bring the divided party together? What lies next for Amarinder Singh and most importantly, is this signalling a change in the functioning of the Grand Old Party?

To analyse these questions, for this episode, we spoke with

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Virat Kohli Renouncing T20 Captaincy A Good Call? What's The 'Road Map' Ahead?

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 11:59:08 -0000

Putting an end to all speculation in recent days, Virat Kohli stunned the cricketing family when he announced that he will be stepping down as the captain of the Indian men's T20 team after the 2021 T20 World Cup, which will be held in UAE and Oman in October-November.

He will, however, continue to lead India in Tests and ODIs.

Under his captaincy, India has won 27 out of 45 matches including some unforgettable series wins in South Africa, England, and Australia.

But as shocking as this news is to Indian cricket lovers, many believe that the decision to relinquish the T20 captaincy came at an apt moment, with pressures increasingly mounting on the skipper.

While Kohli wrote about his immense workload as the captain of all three formats — Tests, ODI and T20 and the need for space to be able to lead the Indian cricket team, the team's less-than-adequate performance at ICC events has also been a cause of concern.

So, all in all, was it a good call on Kohli's part? What does this mean for Virat the cricketer in T20s for India and what next for India in T20s in terms of its team selection? In this episode, we speak to senior sports journalist Ayaz Memon. Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Ayaz Memon, Indian Sports Writer and Journalist Editor: Mendra Dorjey

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Telecom Reforms: How Realistic Will the Impact be on Vodafone Idea?

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 15:17:41 -0000

In a significant move on 15 September, the Centre top-uped the telcos by a providing a four year moratorium on their due payment as part of its latests reforms.

The move comes as a big relief to the financialLY starved industry, especially to Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel which are two of the hardest hit telcos. In short, these reforms provide the telcos four more year to pay their adjusted gross revenue (AGR) and spectrum dues and will kick in from 1 October.

While the telcos will also have to pay interest on the four year deferral of payments, they have the option to convert the due amount into equity at the end of four years.

But even though many experts have welcomed the reforms, the question which still looms in the air is if this is enough to help Vodafone Idea survive, which just six weeks ago was on the brink of collapse due to the burden of its exposure to the market.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Sanjay Kapoor, former Bharti Airtel CEO
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why is Kerala Catholic Bishop Passing Remarks Against Muslims?

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 15:44:27 -0000

At a time when polarisation between the Hindu and Muslim communities across India has increased, a Catholic bishop in Kerala has set off a new controversy by alleging that Muslim communities are waging a “narcotics jihad”.

On 9 September, Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt of the Pala, Kottayam district alleged that the Muslim community is endangering youth belonging to other religions, especially the Christian youth, by luring them into Islam using drugs.

These drugs, according to the Bishop, are allegedly used in ice cream parlours, juice corners, and hotels, which are run by “hardcore jihadist” and that drugs are being used as a “weapon to spoil non-Muslims”.

Not surprisingly, the comments also set off alarm bells across the Christian community in the state, with other bishops and nuns, several Islamist groups, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and the Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan condemning the Bishop’s comments.

However, the Catholic Church along with the influential Nair Service Society community and the Bhartiya Janta Party, who has been trying to make inroads in the state, has come out in full public support of the Bishop's comments.

The Kerala unit of the BJP also went a step further and wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking a law to deal with “narco-terrorist and love jihad”.

But why is a Catholic Bishop in Kerala triggering a war of words against another minority community in the state? What is it about the Muslim community that is making the Catholic Church anxious? And is this the first time this has happened?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: KA Shaji, senior journalist based in Kerala.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Also check out:

Kerala Bishop & ‘Narcotics Jihad’: Demographic Fear Pushing Christians to BJP?

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Why Does Tamil Nadu Want Permanent NEET Exemption for its Medical Aspirants?

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 15:52:29 -0000

Five months after coming to power, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin fulfilled one of DMK’s crucial election promises and passed a bill to do away with the common entrance exam for the state's medical aspirants.

The Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill which was passed on 13 September, seeks to exempt medical admissions to undergraduate courses in medicine, dentistry and homeopathy based on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test or the NEET exam.

Since this common entrance test was made mandatory in 2017, we have read several reports of student suicides across Tamil Nadu.

In fact, the day before that the state adopted the bill, a 19-year-old NEET aspirant Dhanush was found dead in Salem hours before he was supposed to sit for his third NEET attempt. As per reports, it is suspected that he took his own life fearing that he may not be able to clear the entrance test for admissions yet again.

Another student was found dead on 14 September at her home in Thuvarankurichi, two days after writing the NEET exam. According to reports, her parents said that she was unhappy with how the exam went.
While such cases of student suicides has been triggering an outcry over the entrance exam in the state, the passage of the bill means that now all medical admissions in the state will be based on Class 12 marks instead of a common entrance exam.

But there's still one last hurdle to cross.

This Bill is effectively challenging a central legislation, so it can't just come into effect without the Presidential assent. But will the DMK be successful in persuading its case? Why does the state government want a permanent exemption from NEET? How does it impact Tamil Nadu's medical aspirants?

Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Dr K R Malathi, Educationist
Prince Gajendra Babu, Educationist Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:
Explained: Why Did Tamil Nadu Assembly Pass Bill Exempting the State from NEET?
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Why Was Bhupendra Patel Picked Over Other Contenders As New Gujarat CM?

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 14:48:21 -0000

It’s been an interesting weekend in Gujarat for political observers.

In a surprising twist, BJP leader Bhupendra Patel was named as the new Gujarat Chief Minister just a day after his predecessor Vijay Rupani resigned from the post.

Patel, who’s a first-time MLA from Gujarat’s Ghatlodiya seat took his oath as the CM in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah on 13 September, while Rupani is a fresh addition to the string of BJP Chief Minister who have resigned over the past few months.

After tendering in his resignation, Rupani told the media that it is in the nature of the BJP to change the roles of karyakartas depending on the need of the party, but what are the possible needs that triggered such a decision in Gujarat?

The change of guards that comes a year ahead of the state assembly elections is also raising speculations around why the party high command overlooked Gujarat Deputy CM Nitin Patel and Union Minister for Health Mansukh Mandaviya who were believed to be the frontrunners for the post, only to pick a lesser-known leader like Bhupendra Patel as the CM? What purpose does it serve for the BJP?

Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Mahesh Langa, Senior Assistant Editor at The Hindu in Gujarat Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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'Bizarre, Unreal and Astonishing': Journalists, Politicians Recall 9/11 Attacks

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 18:03:12 -0000

September 11 2001. There was so much destruction, loss and despair that even 20 years later, it is hard to comprehend the magnitude of its impact.
What has been described as the largest military attack ever to hit the United States, everything from books, TV shows, movies, news reports have tried to capture the scale of the tragedy which took place.
On that horrific day, four commercial flights travelling to California were hijacked by 19 al-Qaeda terrorists. What transpired in the less than an hour was a devastating hit on the symbols of America’s military might, intelligence. political power and its financial centre.
The attacks resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths, over 25,000 injuries, long term health effects, a global recession, a fundamental shift in US foreign and security policy, and a 20 year forever war in Afghanistan, which set the country in an unfathomable future where now a terrorist organisation is running it.
On the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attack, we bring you first hand accounts of three people who covered and responded to the attacks.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram

Guest: Maya Mirchandani, the former senior foreign affairs editor at NDTV, Sudheendra Kulkarni, aide to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Sanjay Pugalia, Editorial Director at The Quint.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Afghanistan: Decoding the New Taliban 'Caretaker' Government and Leaders

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 15:26:26 -0000

Three weeks after the Taliban captured Afghanistan, they announced their new acting government who will be running the country, which will be now known as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

However, the announcement also rang alarm bells around the world as the Cabinet was far from “inclusive” and “representative” as the Taliban earlier asserted. With no women in the Cabinet and the presence of only three minorities, the entire Cabinet comprises Taliban leaders and loyalists – some of whom are global terrorists and are listed on the US and UN watch list – and include members of the islamic terrorist mafia the Haqqani network.

The inclusion of the Haqqani network also indicates that Pakistan played a role in handpicking the Cabinet members since the country has been home to the terror mafia for at least the past four decades and shares close ties with the Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

In today’s episode, we discuss the portfolios of the new Taliban government, the involvement of Pakistan and how should India, which has engaged with Afghanistan closely for the past two decades, and the world engage with the new regime.

For this, we spoke with former Indian ambassador to Afghanistan and Secretary [West] of the Ministry of External Affairs, Vivek Katju.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Vivek Katju, former Indian ambassador to Afghanistan and Secretary [West] of the Ministry of External Affairs Editor: Shelly Walia
Also check out:

The Fall of Panjshir Valley and the Implications it Holds for India

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What Makes India's Test Victory Against England At The Oval Such a Momentous One

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 13:13:20 -0000

'One of the three best bowling performances as captain' is how Virat Kohli described India's big win over England at the Oval on 6 September, which was also India's first Test win at the venue in 50 years.

That victory now also helps Virat and his team go into the fifth and final Test at Manchester with a 2-1 series lead.
While England had started off the fourth Test on a good note, it was Rohit Sharma's century and then Rishabh Pant and Shardul Thakur's fifties that helped India get back into the match. They set England a 368-run target and then once Jasprit Bumrah was given the ball in the second session on Day 5, India sailed to a big victory.
Goes without saying that this match has turned out to be one of the legendary ones for India for several reasons. But in this episode Indian sports writer and journalist Ayaz Memon takes us through the significance of this win for the Indian cricket team, what are the striking aspects with this team that has come up, and what is the likely way ahead? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Ayaz Memon, Indian Sports Writer and Journalist Editor: Mendra Dorjey

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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The Fall of Panjshir Valley and the Implications it Holds for India

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 15:03:32 -0000

Panjshir Valley of northeastern Afghanistan, the last stronghold of anti-Taliban resistance forces in the country has fallen, according to claims made by the Taliban.

The valley has historically been the bastion of resistance forces in Afghanistan and has never been captured by any invading force — be it the Soviet Union or the Taliban of the ’90s.

But with the US forces having completely withdrawn from the region, no international support in sight, and with little to no resistance to the Taliban, the valley fell after days of clashes between the Nationall Resistance Front and Taliban.

However, the fall of Panjshir may also translate for a setback for India as well, given that Pakistan has been a safe heaven for the Taliban for decades and has always looked at Afghanistan to further their strategic depth towards India.

In this episode, we will discuss what led to the fall of Panjshir valley to the Taliban, the significance of this takeover and what implications may it hold for India.

For this, we spoke with former Indian ambassador to Jordan, Libya and Malta, Anil Trigunayat and senior journalist and author David Devadas.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Former Indian ambassador to Jordan, Libya and Malta, Anil Trigunayat and senior journalist and author of 'The Story of Kashmir' and 'The Generation of Rage in Kashmir' (OUP, 2018), David Devadas.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How Can The Muzaffarnagar Kisan Mahapanchayat Impact UP Polls?

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 15:20:07 -0000

With only months to go for the crucial Uttar Pradesh state assembly elections, the ongoing farmers' movement gained a fresh impetus as lakhs of farmers gathered in Western UP's Muzaffarnagar district in a formidable show of strength.

Seething with anger against the government, they said they are here fighting to “save the nation”.

The kisan mahapanchayat as it has been termed, was called on 5 September, by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions that has been spearheading the farmers' protest for the last nine months over the three contentious farm laws passed by the Centre.

Despite several hundred deaths during the course of the protest, farmers have made it clear that they won't budge until all the three laws are repealed and a legal guarantee is provided for MSP.

But as the logjam with the government continues, the kisan mahapanchayat comes bearing political implications, as farmer leaders have now also vowed to take on the BJP and oust the Yogi Adityanath government from the state.

“We have kicked off ‘Mission UP and Uttarakhand’ from this stage. We will not let BJP win the elections," a statement by the SKM read.

The choice of venue for this mammoth gathering also holds vital importance, as the deadly Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 was seen to be a turning point that helped the BJP make inroads UP and eventually win the 2014 state elections.

But raising chants of "Har Har Mahadev" and "Allah Hu Akbar" from the podium, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said that farmers wouldn't be polarised over communal politics, as he pledged to unite farmers of all creeds and oppose the BJP.

Although Tikait didn't indicate any plans of joining electoral politics, what kind of an impact and what scale of an impact is the farmers' movement likely to make in the UP polls? Will the combination of Jaat and Muslim voters change things for the BJP?

In this episode you will hear voices of farmers from ground zero. We also spoke to Ranjan Pandey, an independent journalist and co-author of Battleground U.P.: Politics in the Land of Ram. Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Rajan Pandey, an independent journalist, Co-author of Battleground U.P.: Politics in the Land of Ram Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Lies Ahead for Hurriyat After Separatist Leader Geelani's Demise?

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 16:20:47 -0000

Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the 92-year-old veteran Hurriyat leader, who guided the separatist movement in Kashmir, passed away late on 1 September at his Srinagar residence.
Though he tendered his resignation from the Hurriyat Conference almost 15 months ago and has been in house dentition for more than a decade, his death brought a near-total blackout of communication services in the valley, an overnight curfew, and the presence of hundreds of security personnel on the streets of Srinagar.
A teacher-turned-separatist, Geelani’s political career spanned over six decades, rallying around a single unwavering agenda of merging Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan. Apart from his hardline views, he commanded a large support group, especially among the valley’s youth.
However, his departure has now left his party the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, without a captain and with Centre also considering a ban on the Hurriyat faction, the party is left at a crossroads on what lies in their future.
In today’s podcast, we discuss how Geelani shaped Kashmir politics over the years and what his death means for the future of the Hurriyat.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Shakir Mir, Srinagar based freelance journalist. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Capt Amarinder Vs Sidhu: Where Punjab Congress Infighting Headed To?

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 16:31:05 -0000

As Punjab nears its election season, the chasm in Congress between Capt Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu is only deepening with both factions once again publicly lambasting each other.

Barely a month after Sidhu was made Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Chief in order to broker peace in the leadership tussle within the party, far from yielding a truce, the infighting keeps bubbling over.

While the Chief Minister criticised Sidhu and his "advisors" over their unsavoury comments on Kashmir and Pakistan, on the other side in the Sidhu faction, twenty-three Punjab Congress MLAs including four state ministers once again expressed the lack of faith in Capt Amarinder Singh's leadership.

In a bid to douse the rivalry between the party chief and the Chief Minister, Congress' Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat met both the leaders on 31 August.

While Rawat is said to have spoken to Amarinder Singh about placating the rebels, the message on the state's leadership is that the party high command is not looking to replace the chief minister ahead of the upcoming elections.

But can a truce be achieved? Where is this political tug of war possibly headed to and what lead to this fresh infighting? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia

Also check out: What’s Behind Growing Dissent Against CM Amarinder in Punjab Cong?

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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As US Exits Kabul, Are Leaders Signalling Diplomatic Acceptance of Taliban?

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 08:42:24 -0000

After a frantic scramble, the last evacuation flight carrying Americans left from Kabul before the 31 August deadline set by US President Joe Biden. And so, the US’ longest war against terror officially came to an end.

Hours after a C-17 military aircraft airlifted the last US soldiers, Taliban fighters took charge of the Kabul airport. Shots were fired into the sky, to celebrate their victory and a "free and sovereign" Afghanistan.

Taliban leaders were seen inspecting the airport, flanked by the elite Badri unit, posing for photographs brandishing US rifles and flying the group's white flag.

In a press address, General Kenneth McKenzie said while the military evacuation is complete, the diplomatic mission to ensure that additional US citizens and eligible Afghans who want to leave continues.

But as this new chapter begins for the country, the mood is grim for thousands of common Afghans who fear losing their basic rights and freedom under the Taliban.

While on one hand, the Taliban has been trying to seek international recognition and presenting a moderation of their views, on the other hand, there have been reportage of the Taliban going back to their old ways.

In fact, just days after Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that music will be banned in public spaces as it was in the previous regime, a popular folk singer by the name of Fawad Andarabi was dragged out his house and shot by a Taliban fighter.

Amid this atmosphere of fear, the UN has passed a resolution which requires the Taliban to keep their commitment to allow safe passage for eligible Afghans out of the country, but can international leaders hold the Taliban responsible to their commitments?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Manoj Joshi, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation Editor: Shelly Walia

Also check out: How 20 Years of US' "War Against Terror" Started & Ended With Taliban Rule in Afghanistan

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Kabul Bombings: What Kind of Future is Afghanistan Headed Towards?

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 15:22:33 -0000

The twin suicide attacks in Kabul in the early hours of Friday, 27 August, have been as the deadliest day for US troops in Afghanistan in more than a decade.The bombings claimed the lives of at least 95 Afghan civilians, 13 US troops and injured dozens more.

The first attack was reported at Abbey Gate, which is one of the entrances to the Kabul airport and the other at Baron Hotel, which has served as a bunker for evacuees, diplomats and civilians before they head to the airport for boarding the evacuation flights.

The attack was claimed by the ISIL offshoot in Afghanistan, known as ISIS-K which reportedly singled out supporters and affiliates of the US Army. The group has been blamed for some of the worst attacks in the country since its formation in 2015.

However, ISIS-K is not only a threat to the population of Afghanistan but also to the Taliban, who they have reportedly accused of abandoning principles of Jihad and favouring a peace settlement.

These bombings in Kabul now pose a series of pressing questions on future of Afghanistan and its repercussions on the Biden administration:

What precedent do the recent attacks set for Biden? How will the Taliban vs ISIS-K rivalry play out with the US out of the picture, and more importantly , what kind of future is Afghanistan headed towards?

To answer these questions, for today’s episode, we spoke with Ajay Sahni, the Executive Director at the Institute for Conflict Management and South Asia Terrorism Portal.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Ajay Sahni, the Executive Director at the Institute for Conflict Management and South Asia Terrorism Portal. Editor: Shelly Walia
Also check out:
How 20 Years of US' "War Against Terror" Started & Ended With Taliban Rule in Afghanistan
Will the Humanitarian Disaster in Afghanistan Define Biden's Legacy?
Why Taliban's Pledges for Women's Rights Fail to Inspire Trust Among Afghan Women

How Will the Taliban Rule Bring a Shift in Geopolitics in South Asia?

Exploring the Ground Reality in Afghanistan vs the Taliban's Claims

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COVID-19: Is India Entering the Endemic Stage?

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 15:26:49 -0000

For much of 2021, we have only heard about prediction of the next wave of COVID-19, about new variants like Delta and Delta Plus, and rising number of cases. But for the first time, we have received news that India may be in the final stages of this pandemic.

In an interview with The Wire on 25 August, the World Health Organization's top scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan said that India could have reached some stage endemicity.

Essentially, an endemic is defined as a stage in the pandemic when the virus is only present in small areas of the population and the rate of infection within that population is predictable. Some examples of endemic diseases are chicken pox, malaria, and even the common cold.

In the interview, Dr Swaminathan stated that it is likely that the current stage of COVID cases may continue with a few local surges and COVID may transform as an endemic by the end of 2022.

However, she pointed out that vaccinations and COVID-appropriate behaviour will be essential components to facilitate this transformation.

So how close is India to enter the COVID endemic stage and what would that future look like? Will masks no longer be a part of society, will there be no future waves or variants?

To answer these questions, for today’s episode, we spoke to Gautam Menon, a Professor at the Departments of Physics and Biology at Ashoka University.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Gautam Menon, a Professor at the Departments of Physics and Biology at Ashoka University. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why is Shiv Sena Agitated Over Narayan Rane's Remark on Thackeray?

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 15:55:33 -0000

The decade's long feud between Narayan Rane and Uddhav Thackeray has reached a new low with the former, a Union minister, being arrested for his remarks against Thackeray.

In one of his address to the media on Monday, 23 August, Rane had alleged that Thackeray had forgotten the year of India's Independence during his 15 August address to the state and had to check the same with his aides during his speech. He added that if he was present there, he would have given Thackeray a "tight slap". And swiftly he was arrested by Nashik police, on Tuesday, 24 August.

His comments resulted not just in his arrest but also violent clashes between Shiv Sena and BJP workers, large protests and vandalism in several cities across Maharashtra. In one visual captured on social media, a Shiv Sena worker can be seen pelting stones at the BJP office in Nashik.

But the arrest also comes just a few months ahead of the Maharashtra municipal corporation elections, where the MVA and the BJP are expected to battle it out in key constituencies like Mumbai and Thane.

In a bid to regain political control of the state, the BJP has positioned Rane in Maharashtra to take on the MVA.

But why was the Shiv Sena up in arms about Rane’s comments? What caused the bitter feud between Rane and Thackeray? And where is it headed?

To discuss this, for today’s episode, we spoke with senior journalist and author Sujata Anandan.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Guest: Sujata Anandan, senior journalist and author of `Hindu Hriday Samrat: How the Shiv Sena changed Mumbai forever', 'Maharashtra Maximus: The state, its people & politics'
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Decoding the Rise in Cases of Economic Boycott of Muslim Vendors

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 17:28:38 -0000

In a video that went viral on social media on Sunday, 22 August, a Muslim man named Tasleem Ali, who sells bangles, was brutally beaten up and allegedly robbed by a group of men in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore.

In the video, he can be seen being repeatedly slapped and threatened. The mob is also using derogatory words and is asking him not to sell in a “Hindu area”.

Just two days before the incident in Indore, a similar incident occured, also captured on video, in Rajasthan’s Ajmer, where a Muslim man who apparently came to beg alms was assaulted by another man. In the video, the assailant can be heard telling the beggar to “go back to Pakistan”.

And in another similar incident in Kanpur, a Muslim e-rickshaw driver was thrashed by a mob and allegedly forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ while being paraded through a crowd.

Though incidents like the one in Indore, Ajmer, and Kanpur may seem isolated, they are actually part of a larger campaign for the economic boycott of Muslim vendors in the country.

In this episode, we will analyse how these hate crimes are part of a larger campaign scripted not just by local Hindu activists but by religious leaders and politicians as well.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Guest: Mohammed Asif Khan, an activist who documents hate crimes against Muslims
and Abhilash Mallik, a fact-checker for WebQoof — The Quint’s fact-checking initiative.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Will Zydus Cadila’s COVID Jab for Kids Pave the Way for Reopening Schools?

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 13:23:20 -0000

India cast a wider net with its vaccination programme, as it gave its emergency approval for the first covid vaccine for children in the country.
Recently on 20 August, Zydus Cadila's covid vaccine got a green signal from the DGCI, as it was found to be safe for both adults and children aged between 12-18.
This is said to be the world’s first DNA based COVID-19 vaccine and unlike the other vaccines, this one will be administered in three doses.
For close to 18 months now, schools have remained shut as children form a bulk of the unvaccinated and vulnerable population in the country. But will Zydus Cadila's approval be able to pave the way for reopening schools?
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, epidemiologist and public health expert Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Exploring the Ground Reality in Afghanistan vs the Taliban's Claims

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 15:18:49 -0000

Kabul is seeing spurts of new defiance against the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, with protests erupting across the country on Thursday, 19 August, when the country celebrated its 'Independence Day'.

Videos and images from Kabul showed men and women waving the red, green, and black of Afghanistan and chanting “our flag, our pride”, and “God is great.”

Though the Taliban have stated that it has moderated its stance but on Thursday, with open gunfire aimed at the protesters on the streets, shooting near the airport, and a confirmation that Sharia will return, the gap between their words and the ground reality was revealed.

In fact, throughout this week, the world witnessed reports of Taliban fighters brutally beating up Afghanis, assaulting foreign journalists, and preventing people from travelling to the airport.

With mounting fears of what kind of government the Taliban will establish in the days to come, there are also concerns regarding an economic downturn with the US freezing Afghanistan’s foreign reserves and the IMF cutting off access to loans and resources.
The harrowing developments over the past week beg the following questions:

Where is Afghanistan headed and what is the ground reality outside Kabul where the eyes of international media don’t reach?

To understand this, we spoke with Frud Bezhan, an Afghan journalist with Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty who has extensively covered Afghanistan and the Taliban insurgency.

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests: Frud Bezhan, an Afghan journalist with Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty who has extensively covered Afghanistan and the Taliban insurgency. Editor: Shelly Walia

Also check out:
How 20 Years of US' "War Against Terror" Started & Ended With Taliban Rule in Afghanistan
Will the Humanitarian Disaster in Afghanistan Define Biden's Legacy?
Why Taliban's Pledges for Women's Rights Fail to Inspire Trust Among Afghan Women

How Will the Taliban Rule Bring a Shift in Geopolitics in South Asia?

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How Will the Taliban Rule Bring a Shift in Geopolitics in South Asia?

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 17:56:48 -0000

The Taliban’s takeover of in Afghanistan is likely to shift the geopolitical script of the world, with its immediate implications falling on its immediate neighbours India, China and Pakistan.

Pakistan has been long been accused of arming, training and giving shelter to the Taliban and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan this week said that the Taliban have “broken the shackles of slavery”, which has both raised eyebrows and may also be interpreted as the countries support to them.

While China has publicly stated that it is willing to develop “friendly relations” with the Taliban, India, on the other hand, which has poured billions in trade in Afghanistan for, welfare and economic schemes, has remained mum on the entire issue.

The only clear response came on 19 August when External Affairs Minister Jaishankar stated that India’s approach towards Afghanistan will be “guided by its relationship with the Afghan people.”

Experts have pointed out that India has placed itself in a tight spot since it has not engaged with the group in the past and has largely condoned it. And with China and Pakistan—with whom India has unsolved border tensions—willing to engage with the Taliban, how will it impact India’s regional identity? Has India missed the bus when it comes to engaging with the Taliban?

For today’s episode, we will discuss the geopolitical implication of Taliban entrance in the region and its implication on India. For this, we spoke with Anil Trigunayat, former Indian envoy to Jordan, Libya and Malta.

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests: Anil Trigunayat, former Indian envoy to Jordan, Libya and Malta. Editor: Shelly Walia

Also check out:
How 20 Years of US' "War Against Terror" Started & Ended With Taliban Rule in Afghanistan
Will the Humanitarian Disaster in Afghanistan Define Biden's Legacy?
Why Taliban's Pledges for Women's Rights Fail to Inspire Trust Among Afghan Women

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why Taliban's Pledges for Women's Rights Fail to Inspire Trust Among Afghan Women

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 15:46:17 -0000

How will the lives of millions of Afghan women change now that the Taliban has taken control of their country? What will happen to their freedom?

As the Taliban goes onto establishing their rule in Afghanistan, the futures of Afghan women and young girls stand at a very precarious position. They are petrified that those dark ages from the older Taliban regime might return once again. They're worried that school, college, jobs, the freedom to be as they will — all of that may soon be snatched away from them.

Even though in their first press conference since the capture of Kabul, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said they would honour women's rights going forward, there's an ambiguous caveat there that evokes distrust. The Taliban have made it clear that women can exercise their right within the framework of the Islamic code.

The deep skepticism around their promises isn't unfounded given their tainted past, when they had banned education for women and girls, forbidden them to step outside without a male escort, cut off their access to employment, forced them to wear full body coverings – failing to do which extreme punishments awaited women such as lashings and even being stoned to death in some instances.

So, can the Taliban really be trusted?

With reports coming up of Afghan women being let off their banking jobs, women journalists being taken off air, is it likely that the Taliban will gradually go back to their old ways? In this episode we bring you voices of Afghan women.

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Kriti Shah, Associate Fellow in the Department of Strategic Studies at the Observer Research Foundation Editor: Shelly Walia

Also check out:
How 20 Years of US' "War Against Terror" Started & Ended With Taliban Rule in Afghanistan
Will the Humanitarian Disaster in Afghanistan Define Biden's Legacy?

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
Listen to The Big Story podcast on:
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Will the Humanitarian Disaster in Afghanistan Define Biden's Legacy?

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 18:09:45 -0000

US President Joe Biden has found himself engulfed in a political storm, as a catastrophe unfolds in Afghanistan in front of our very eyes.

As Afghan nationals are distraught anticipating the return of the dark ages that Afghanistan was shrouded in during the last Taliban rule, Biden is being confronted with the harsh reality of the human suffering that his decision to withdraw US troops from the country, has led to.

While some are calling it his 'Saigon moment', dodging accusations of a messy exit from Afghanistan, Biden reiterated once again that he stood by his decision.

In his first address from the White House since the Taliban recaptured Afghanistan, he said that the blame for the fall of the country, lay squarely on the Afghan government who couldn't eradicate corruption, and their military who couldn't stand up to the terrorist fighters without the US backing them.

Yet, Biden's words have failed to soothe his critics who believe that his actions have not only tarnished America's political integrity, but it's also making people question what America's commitment to democracy really means. With criticisms mounting over this decision, will the Afghan crisis end up defining Biden's legacy?

Throughout this week, over multiple episodes of our daily news podcast, we will try to breakdown the several aspects of the fall of Afghanistan and the many implications of this humanitarian disaster.

In the previous episode of The Big Story, we broke down how the Taliban withstood 20 years of US-led military offensive against them and came back to power once again.

In this episode, we will look at the implications of the Afghan crisis for Biden. Was there any scope to avoid this political and humanitarian wreck? And will the decision to abandon Afghanistan undermine the US’ position internationally?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Dr Georg Löfflmann, Visiting Research Fellow in International Security at the University of Warwick
Seema Sirohi, Senior Washington-based journalist and columnist for The Economic Times Editor: Shelly Walia

Also check out: How 20 Years of US' "War Against Terror" Started & Ended With Taliban Rule in Afghanistan

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How 20 Years of US' "War Against Terror" Started & Ended With Taliban Rule in Afghanistan

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 19:40:29 -0000

The world has been watching as a major humanitarian crisis erupted in the war-torn country of Afghanistan.

Prompted by US President Joe Biden's decision to pull US troops out of the Afghan soil, Taliban terrorists took over the country swiftly with little to no resistance and returned to power.

What was left behind was a hapless people unsure of where their futures lie and scared of what comes with the Taliban regime which is known for its extremities.

In what will perhaps remain to be a defining image of the tragedy that befell Afghanistan, photos and video footage showed hundreds of Afghan nationals streaming into Kabul and thronging around the Kabul airport, in a bid to escape the country. But with no way out, some of them were simply clinging onto flights without hopes of ever fleeing.

And amid this reign of chaos and fear, Taliban insurgents have been taking control of province after province in the past week, until they finally marched into the capital Kabul — the last major seat of the Afghan government — and claimed victory.

Barely hours after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, the Taliban also seized the presidential palace, and brandishing guns, they declared that the "war is over".

Indeed, the war against terror that had started 20 years back with the US sending its troops to the country to topple the Taliban regime, ended in the same way that it had started — with the Taliban rule. And, just like that in a matter of a few months, Afghanistan's political and social future went through what can only be described as a tectonic shift.

But how did Taliban insurgency withstand 20 years of military offensive led by Western allies and capture Afghanistan once again? Is the decision to withdraw US troops going to define Biden's legacy? What is the fate of the people and women especially who are trying to escape the Taliban rule?

Over the new few episodes of our daily news podcast, we will try to unravel the nuances of what led to the fall of Afghanistan and the many implications of this political catastrophe.

In this episode, we will look at what happened in the last 20 years that ultimately led to the Taliban marking the end of the US-army era in the country. Did the US lose narrative of the battle against the Taliban and Al Qaeda forces? Was it really invested in the peace process? And how did the Afghan forces fall to the Taliban forces so quickly?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Kriti Shah, Associate Fellow in the Department of Strategic Studies, Observer Research Foundation
Anil Trigunayat, former Indian Envoy to Jordan, Libya and Malta Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Caste Census: Politically Threatening or a Logistical Hurdle?

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 13:59:48 -0000

In a show of rare unity amid the ruckus in Parliament over Pegasus and farm laws, the Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill was passed unanimously on 10 August.

The bill, which comes as a corrective measure for the 102 Amendment of 2018, restores the powers of state governments to make their own lists for the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) or OBC’s.

However, amid the debate on the OBC bill, the BJP was left red-faced after one of its own MPs Sanghmitra Maurya from UP’s Badaun seat, raised the need for a caste-based census. In her speech, she stated that 'even cattle have been counted in several states but not backward classes'.

The MP’s statements put the BJP in an uncomfortable spot since it came just a few days after Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai stated outright in Lok Sabha on 20 July that the upcoming census will not enumerate caste wise population other SCs and STs.

To make matters worse for the BJP in the run up to the Uttar Pradesh elections, NDA allies JD(U in Bihar), and Apna Dal in Uttar Pradesh, have demanded a caste based census as well.

So why is the Modi government hesitating to conduct a census exercise which may benefit the large number of government-backed national schemes that are aimed to benefit the OBCs? Is it politically threatening or is it a logistical hurdle?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Sudha Pai, political scientist and former professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Monsoon Session 2021 A Breakdown of Parliamentary Democracy?

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 16:04:12 -0000

The Monsoon session came to a dramatic end with both houses of the Parliament getting adjourned two days before its scheduled conclusion, amid accusations against the Opposition of stalling the functioning of the Parliament.

Undoubtedly, the Pegasus snooping scandal took a centre stage, as the Opposition accused the Centre of diluting discussions on pertinent questions. But even as they demanded answers, the government made it clear that they were unwilling to discuss this, with Union minister Prahlad Joshi even calling Pegasus a 'non-issue'.

A few other matters such as those around Covid-19 management in the second wave, fuel price and hikes and demands to roll back farm laws also led to political deadlocks in the parliament.

But despite numerous disruptions, the Rajya Sabha passed 19 bills. While it is important to look at what bills were passed, it is also important to note how the bills were passed, as many of them such as The General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill or the Tribunals Reforms Bill, were passed without adequate discussions.

In fact, the GIC bill touted to be an “anti-people” bill by the Opposition, which aims to allow privatisation of state-run general insurance companies, was passed by a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha amid shocking scenes as Opposition MPs climbed tables and tussled with Marshals who formed a human chain around the well.

And, as the tempestuous session came to an abrupt ending, Vice President Venkaiah Nadu broke down while delivering a speech, lamenting that the 'sacrilege of the temple of democracy' by the Opposition gave him a 'sleepless night'.

But the Opposition parties are taking a united front and have decided to take out a march to protest against 'the stifling of their voices in Parliament'.

Political disagreements, debating and walkouts have always been a part of India's parliamentary democracy, but lately are we seeing a breakdown of the ethos of that democracy?
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Chakshu Roy, Head of Legislative and Civic engagement, PRS Legislative Research Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Do We Know About Jantar Mantar & Hajj Protests So Far?

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 15:32:27 -0000

Two back-to-back protests in Delhi informed by strong anti-Muslim sentiments are triggering fresh concerns about the weakened state of India's secular fabric.

The first protest took place in Dwarka Sector 22, where the construction of a Hajj House for Muslim pilgrims is set to take place. A large group of residents from the neighbourhood area and Khaps from nearby villages had gathered at the site of the prospective Hajj House, on 6 August, chanting "Jai Shri Ram" and "Hindu Ekta" to oppose its construction.

While some protesters said they feared that the Hajj House itself would become "another Tablighi Jamaat", some other claimed that constructing the Hajj House would lead to clashes, riots, and a law-and-order problem.

But the second and doubly concerning rally took place in the heart of Delhi — at Jantar Mantar, just two days after the Dwarka gathering, where in a protest against "colonial era laws", some especially violent and inflammatory slogans were raised against the Muslim community.

Purported video clips from the gathering showed protestors raising slogans that threaten to kill Muslims, which have been drawing massive outrage over the past few days.

This led the police to take action two days after the slogans were raised and arrest five people, including a Supreme Court lawyer and former Delhi BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay who had organised the event. However Upadhyay was granted bail a day later on 11 August.

Tune in to The Big Story where we talk about these incidents and what we know about them so far.

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Aishwarya Iyer, Principal Correspondent at The Quint
Abhilash Mallick who's a Fact-Checker for Webqoof - The Quint's fact-checking initiative
Anmol Pritam, Reporter with National Dastak Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Climate Change: What Future Does the UN IPCC Report Predict for India?

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 16:19:45 -0000

Heatwaves, flash floods, incessant rains, deadly forest fires. Extreme climate change events seem to be grabbing headlines daily across the world and a new UN report has made it clear that some of these climate changes are irreversible.

Referred to as 'code red for humanity', the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a landmark report on 9 August which draws on more than 14,000 scientific studies. The report also comes just three months before the important climate summit in Glasgow known as COP26.

The report has scientifically projected how the climate will be impacted if carbon and greenhouse emissions are not reduced but underlining it all is a message for the biggest polluters that they need to reassess their climate policy.

And one polluter, India, cannot afford to ignore the findings of the IPCC report.

The report has predicted an increase in the likelihood of disasters like the Chamoli glacial break in Uttarakhand or Cyclone Amphan in West Bengal. More incessant rains, dry spells, and heatwaves are also frequent tags in the reports when the subcontinent is discussed.

What future does the IPCC report predict for the world and what does it mean for India? What action do we need to take?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Anjal Prakash, Research Director and Adjunct Associate Professor at Bharti Institute of Public Policy and the Indian School of Business. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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From Panipat to Olympic Podium: Neeraj Chopra's Journey to Gold

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 15:08:44 -0000

Right after the javelin left his hand in his second attempt, Neeraj Chopra knew he had thrown a big one, as he raised his arms in triumph while the spear was still in the air.

After 121 years, independent India has finally secured an Olympic gold medal in track and field. Chopra, 23, is the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal after Abhinav Bindra won it at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Chopra was regarded as one of India’s best medal prospects at the Olympics and his very first throw indicated exactly that. Chopra was in the lead at 87.03 meters, which confidently placed him on top of the leaderboard from Round 1.

No other athlete in the event came even close to his mark. His gold winning throw of 87.58 meters was nearly a meter ahead of the runner up.

This was Chopra’s first appearance at the Olympics but his preparation for it began in 2016, when he broke the U-20 world junior record for javelin. However, the preparation has not been easy since it was marred by a few injuries and also the COVID pandemic.

In today’s episode, we celebrate the man of the hour Neeraj Chopra’s historic Olympic win, his career trajectory and its significance. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Guests: Neeraj Chopra, Olympic gold medalist, Satish Chopra, Neeraj's father, and Adille Sumariwalla, President of the Athletics Federation of India.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Scrapping Retrospective Tax a Welcome Move, But Why Did It Come So Late?

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 14:25:49 -0000

In a big move to end "tax terror", Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Taxation Laws Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha to scrap the draconian retrospective tax amendment of 2012 that had made indirect transfer of Indian assets prior to 2012 taxable.

The government said, "The Bill proposes to amend the Income Tax Act, 1961, to provide that no tax demand shall be raised in future on the basis of the said retrospective amendment." The Bill further proposes to refund the principal amount paid in these cases, without any interest, provided that the companies withdraw pending litigations against the government and drop their claims.

Nine years ago, the UPA regime had implemented this policy, allowing hefty capital gains to be slapped in cases where a change in ownership occurred overseas while business assets were in India.

Since the policy was implemented in the UPA regime nine years ago, the government demanded thousands of crores in retrospective tax on prior transactions in 17 cases, among them telecom company Vodafone and gas company Cairn Energy. Some of the tax demands have also run into long-drawn legal battles, which miffed foreign investors.

While this move is being touted to be an effort to rectify older mistakes, and may even provide some respite to Vodafone, which is on its last legs, there's also the question of why this reversal came so late from the government.

Despite former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley staunchly criticizing what he called the UPA government's "tax terrorism", what has induced the Modi government to reverse it seven years after coming to power? And, why was the retrospective tax law introduced by the UPA?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Raghav Bahl, The Quint's Editor in Chief
Dinesh Kanabar, Entrepreneur and International Tax Expert Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Delhi Minor Dalit Girl's Rape-and-Murder Case, a Reminder of Hathras?

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 14:38:04 -0000

A minor Dalit girl was allegedly raped and murdered in the national capital on 1 August.

The four suspects identified as Radhe Shyam, a priest, Laxmi Narayan and Kuldeep Kumar who worked with him, and Mohd Salim, a local resident had allegedly also forcefully cremated the 9-year-old girl, without her family's consent.

Neighbours say that even before her parents could have understood what had happened, the child's body was already 'half-cremated.' By the time the cremation fire was doused, only parts of her legs and some scalp could be retrieved, which has made it difficult to conduct a post-mortem examination.

While the police have arrested the four accused, they are yet to establish the cause of her death. But the case has already triggered furious protests near the Delhi Cantonment area where the family lives.

Hundreds of citizens have been gathering for four consecutive days next to a makeshift stage, among them activists and Nirbhaya's mother as well, with protesters chanting "We want justice," and "Hang the rapists".

There's also a writhing anger against the police, who the parents alleged of intimidating them into dropping the rape charges initially before the protests broke out.

But let's look at how the incident took place, where does the investigation stand right now, and what the allegations are. In this podcast you'll hear the voices of Gudiya's parents. We'll also bring you voices of protesters from the ground. Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Reporting: Mythreyee Ramesh Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Are the Concerns With Rising R-Value of COVID in 8 Indian States?

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 14:04:00 -0000

Amid fears of an impending third wave of coronavirus, a steady rise in R-values in some of the states is indicating that the second wave may not have ebbed all the way yet.

The R value indicates the speed at which the COVID-19 infection is spreading amongst the population and, according to the Centre, certain states and Union Territories – like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Mizoram and Karnataka – have all reported an R-value of more than 1. This means that one COVID-positive person is infecting more than one person.

The situation is especially worrying in Kerala, which tops the chart in R-value at 1.22, and has been reporting a huge spike in cases as well.

Almost 49.85 percent of the total cases in India in the past week were, in fact, reported from this state. A few other states like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are also seeing a significant weekly rise in coronavirus infections.

The concern over an uptick in R-value was flagged by the Centre's COVID Task Force which said that this shows the pandemic is not even close to being over.

Dr VK Paul, who leads the COVID task force, also cautioned that R-value should be 0.6 or below. If it has gone over 1, it shows it is a significant problem and the virus wants to spread.

So, how concerned should we be? What does the rising R-value mean for India's fight against COVID-19? Does it signal the beginning of a third wave? Tune in!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Dr Gagandeep Kang, Professor at the Christian Medical College, Vellore, and one of country’s most prominent virologists Editor: Vaishali Sood

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Explained: Why is Kerala Reporting So Many More COVID Cases Than Other States?

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 15:19:05 -0000

When it comes to COVID-19 in India, for the past week all eyes have been on Kerala, which has added more than 10,000 cases every day since 20 July. The positivity rate is more than six times that of the national average.

While the rest of the country is experiencing a sharp decline in cases after reaching a peak in April and May, Kerala since 15 June has been reporting a steady climb of 10,000 cases a day on average. Now, the recent spike in cases are making headlines.

Between 27 July and 1 August, the state reported more than 20,000 daily COVID cases, bringing the total cases in the state to 1.65 lakh.

Meanwhile, researchers at IIT Hyderabad and Kanpur say that India may witness a third wave in August, which will then peak in October.

So, how has a state, which was hailed for beating the medical oxygen crisis incurred by other states in April-May and for its management of the pandemic, still reporting so many cases? What went wrong? Are these the first signs of the beginning of the third wave in India?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Sulphi Noohu, Secretary of the Kerala chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and senior Kerala-based journalist KP Sethunath. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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With Incredible Wins at Tokyo Olympics, Are Times Changing for Women in Sports?

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 17:49:21 -0000

Women athletes from the Indian contingent have not only been making the country proud with their incredible performances at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 — but also rewriting history as they go.

Mirabai Chanu didn't let her setback in Rio deter her and went on to bagging the silver medal in weightlifting. PV Sindhu became the only Indian athlete to win two Olympic medals as she beat China's He Bing Jiao to win the bronze medal in women's singles. Lovlina Borghain has assured herself of a medal at the Tokyo Olympics after winning the welter-weight quarter-finals.

And, the Indian women's hockey team beat Australia to enter the Olympic semi-finals for the very first time, where they will be facing Argentina on 4 August.

But it's not just about winning medals. The Tokyo Olympics are also about how in the face of adversities and the lack of encouragement for women to join sports in the country, this year saw many more women athletes make it to the Olympics and inspire people.

WhileBhavani Devi, for instance became the first Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympics, Aditi Ashok became the first female Indian to represent India there. Some other athletes like Kamalpreet Kaur who although fell short of a medal in women's discus finals, is inspiring Indians by smashing the existing gender stereotypes in Indian society and coming into sports.

It's been thrilling to see Indian women athletes shine at the Olympics. With these incredible wins, are times finally changing for how India looks at women athletes? Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Anju Bobby George, India's first and only World Champion in the IAAF World Athletics Final Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Mamata in Delhi: Can the Bengal CM be the Face of a United Opposition in 2024?

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 14:42:51 -0000

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's visit to the Capital has been making headlines for the past week. Her meetings with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi and other Opposition parties have stoked speculations that Didi may finally be shedding the regional flag and stepping into the national political arena.

The overarching message in her visit to New Delhi was that a united Opposition front is required to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 general elections.

On 28 July, she launched a series of attacks at the BJP-led Centre. She said, “We have seen a lot of achhe din and now we want to see sachche din.”
Banerjee also met PM Narendra Modi. At this "courtesy meeting", she said that she discussed the Pegasus snooping controversy.

Though general elections are three years away, Banerjee has already moved the first piece on the chessboard and has given clear indications that she wants to play a role in national politics.
Her visit to New Delhi raises the following questions:

Is a united Opposition front possible to defeat the BJP in 2024? Is Mamata Banerjee a possible PM candidate to lead such a coalition? If not her, who is most likely to be a face for this coalition?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Senior journalist and author Payal Singh Mohanka and Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor . Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Post Secretary Blinken's Visit, Where Are India-US Relations Headed?

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 14:58:59 -0000

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his maiden visit to India from 27-28 July.
This is the second visit of a high-ranking US official to India since the Biden administration took over in January this year. On the agenda of this diplomatic visit were ongoing tensions in Afghanistan, India’s role in the Indo-Pacific, and the COVID pandemic.
However, his visit began not with his Indian counterparts but with representatives from various faiths in India, a constitutional lawyer, where India’s contention issues ranging from religious freedom laws, farmers protests, press freedom, minority rights, and the recent Pegasus snoop were discussed.
This is not the first time that the US has raised the issue of democracy with India, the last being in the form of a public letter written by the Chairman of US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez on the eve of US secretary of defence Lloyd J Austin's visit to India in March.
At a joint presser on 28 July, Blinken stressed the importance of the relation between the two countries stating “there are few relationships in the world that are more vital than the one between the US and India”.
In this episode, we will discuss the main takeaways from the visit and where the US-India relation is headed.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Manoj Joshi, a Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Explained: How the Assam-Mizoram Border Clash Unfolded

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 15:06:03 -0000

A border dispute between Assam and Mizoram resulted in the deaths of five Assam Police personnel and a civilian on 26 July.

Even though both the states are ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party and its NDA ally, the Mizo National Front, the dispute seems to have blown up with chief ministers of both states engaging in a Twitter spat exchanging allegations, and even seeking Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s intervention into the matter.

But the border dispute has a much longer history beyond the recent incident. Border clashes between the two states have occurred before – in the years 1968, 1979, 1985, and most recently in 2018 as well, where nearly 50 persons were injured in actions taken by Assam Police.

But what exactly is the dispute about? What events led to the clashes on 26 July and why are BJP allies in the region disputing so publicly?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Karma Paljor, Editor, EastMojo and senior journalist Rajeev Bhattacharyya.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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India Plagued With Extreme Climate Events, But Are We Taking the Right Actions?

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 18:07:55 -0000

Flash floods, two fierce cyclones, heat waves, torrential rains, monsoon floods, landslides – why is India witnessing a series of climate-related calamities this year?

Currently, as the west coast of India is still reeling from the fury of the deadly monsoons, over 150 people have already lost their lives in Maharashtra from landslides and floods triggered by the overwhelming rains.

Similarly, in Himachal Pradesh, heavy rain caused a series of landlines in the state. In one such incident that was captured on video, huge rocks and boulders cascaded down a hill towards a bridge that resulted in the death of nine tourists who were travelling by a minibus.

But as some parts of India are dealing with extreme rainfall, others have been facing heatwaves that has become a regular phenomenon in the country with temperatures soaring to new highs year after year.

While a severe heatwave gripped Delhi and the rest of northern India in the beginning of July, even cooler areas, like Ladakh in the Himalayan region, recorded high temperatures and heatwaves.

Earlier in February, a flash flood in the Rishiganga river wiped out a hydel power plant in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. That event, leading to the loss of more than 200 lives. While experts believe that the floods were caused by a glacial burst, they also blame ecologically damaging development activities for this disaster.

And it's not just India that is dealing with extreme climate events. From Germany to China to Canada to US – countries across the world are seeing unprecedented rainfall, record-breaking scorching temperatures and raging wildfires that were already forewarned by climate experts.

What does that say about the future? Can action still be taken to address global warming?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Anjal Prakash, Research Director and Adjunct Associate Professor at Bharti Institute of Public Policy and the Indian School of Business, ;ead author in the chapter on cities, settlements and key infrastructure in the IPCC's 6th Assessment Report
Navroz K Dubash, professor at Centre for Policy Research and Coordinating Lead Author for the IPCC's six assessment report Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Does Yediyurappa's Exit Signify for BJP's Presence in Karnataka?

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 15:46:42 -0000

Ending the month-long speculation of a change of guard in Karnataka, after a two-year stint as chief minister, BS Yediyurappa resigned from his post on 26 July.

In an event organised to celebrate the two years of his governance, Yediyurappa delivered an emotional speech and said that every moment in his political career has been an "agnipariksha."

This will be the fourth time that he has held office without being able to finish a term as CM. He was the CM for eight days in 2007, for three-and-a-half years from 2008-2011, and just three days in 2018.

Since his term began in 2019, the state has witnessed the disastrous floods which hit the Belagavi district, and the COVID pandemic, but there have also been complaints from BJP party leaders about his governance style.

Signs of his possible exit from office first appeared when he took a chartered flight to New Delhi on 16 July to meet PM Narendra Modi and other top party leadership where he reportedly offered to resign from his post citing health reasons.

But upon his return to Bengaluru, on 18 July, he refused to confirm any claims and stated that he will wait for a decision from the party high command.

But even as news of his resignation comes, there are several questions which remain unanswered.

What exactly triggered his exit from office? Who are the CM prospects, and what does Yediyurappa’s exit signify for the BJP’s political prospects in it’s only foothold in South India?
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Sugata Srinivasaraju, senior Bengaluru based journalist and Nikhila Henry, South Bureau Chief for The Quint. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Tokyo Olympics 2020: Who Are India's Medal Favourites to Watch Out For?

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 14:27:25 -0000

It’s taken a year longer to arrive but the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games are finally here, in July of 2021. Admittedly, with the COVID pandemic still around, the Olympics this time will be challenging, to say the least.

Moreover, just a day before the Opening Ceremony, host city faced the biggest surge in COVID-19 cases in six months. Adding to their woes, at least 91 people connected to the Olympics have also tested positive for the virus.

Which is why, this time around, the Olympics will not have the usual throng of exhilarated spectators. In fact, a state of emergency in Tokyo has been declared throughout the Games.

Organizers have reportedly allowed a limit of 50 percent capacity – up to 10,000 spectators – for each Olympics venue, be it indoors or outdoors.

From India, a total of 127 sportspersons have qualified for the Games, including 56 women – the highest representation of female athletes ever by the country.

And as we get ready for several early morning alarms to catch all the action, let's look at some of the country's greatest and brightest medal prospects over the coming weeks. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Scripting: Mendra Dorjey Sahni Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Raj Kundra's Arrest Tells Us About the Legality of Porn in India

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 10:47:44 -0000

Raj Kundra, a businessman who is married to Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty, made headlines recently after he was arrested for allegedly being a 'key conspirator' in a case pertaining to pornographic films.

He has been accused of distributing adult films that were being shot in the country through an app called 'HotShots' but with his arrest, the case has also opened the Pandora's box of the porn industry itself.

The porn industry, which is a billion-dollar industry worldwide, has always existed in the Indian society. However, even though watching porn in private spaces isn’t deemed illegal by the Supreme Court, there have been attempts by the government to ban porn websites occasionally.

While the illegality of making and distributing pornography in India has not affected its viewership, which in fact has only shot up since the onset of the pandemic, on the downside, there are also allegations of porn rackets and adult film actors being exploited in this industry which functions in secrecy.

And the arrest of Raj Kundra has resurfaced the long-drawn debate on the legality of porn in India. In today’s podcast, we will discuss Kundra’s arrest as well as the legal provision pertaining to the production and consumption of porn in India.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Gehna Vasisth, Indian actor, Karan Tripathi, Legal Consultant, The Quint, and Harish Iyer, equal rights activist and columnist at The Quint. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Can Navjot Sidhu's New Appointment Solve Punjab Congress Infighting?

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 15:47:43 -0000

With barely eight months ahead of Punjab assembly elections, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu has been elevated as the Punjab Pradesh Congress President.

The infighting in the Punjab unit of the Congress party has been making headlines for the past few weeks and the intense political drama reached a flashpoint on 17 July when Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh wrote a letter to Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi, voicing his concerns against Sidhu’s appointment as the party’s state unit Chief.

However, it looks like the Congress top brass has not paid heed to Amarinder Singh’s concerns and instead went head and appointed four new working presidents, without the consultation of the CM.

But will Sidhu's new appointment be the solution to end the growing factionalism and infighting in the state cadre? and pertinently, what does his appointment signal for the party’s leadership?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Pegasus Spyware Attack: Mindless Surveillance Without Any Accountability?

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 17:14:29 -0000

The infamous Israeli spyware Pegasus has kicked up a storm once again.

Over 300 Indians may have been spied on using this dangerous software that can allow a hacker to gain access to pretty much everything in a person's phone including encrypted messages.

This egregious breach of privacy was reported by The Wire in a collaborative investigation conducted along with several other international media houses like The Guardian and The Washington Post that found a leaked database with 50,000 phone numbers from across the world, believed to be linked to persons of interest listed by the clients of the NSO — the Israeli firm that sells the Pegasus Spyware.

From the first tranche of reports that came on 18 July, we know that 40 of the 300 verified numbers from India belong to journalists from some of India's top media houses like the Hindustan Times, India Today, Network18, The Hindu, The Indian Express and The Wire.

The spyware is also believed to have been used on numbers belonging to at least nine rights activists, lawyers and academics who have been arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case.

The second tranche of reports, that came on 19 July, state that PM Modi's political adversary Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and political strategist Prashant Kishor's numbers were also added to the list.

Ironically, even the recently sworn in IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw who is defending the Centre from allegations of spying is on the target list along with MoS Prahlad Patel.

Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa and India's leading virologist Dr Gagandeep Kang have featured on the list of potential targets as well.

While the NSO claims that it only sells the spyware to "vetted governments", the Indian government has dismissed the reports saying that they are not only 'bereft of facts but also founded in pre-conceived conclusions'.

But at a time when our smartphones have become a primary device that stores a lot of our personal data, what does the use of the Pegasus spyware on Indian journalists, opposition leader and other citizens say about the state of surveillance? Who is answerable for this grave assault on privacy? Tune in!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Shashi Tharoor, Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP,
Mishi Chaudhury, Lawyer and the Legal Director and founder of the Software Freedom Law Center,
Apar Gupta, Executive Director of the Internet Freedom Foundation. Editor: Shelly Walia
Interviews: Anthony Rozario, Mehab Qureshi

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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With A Minuscule Conviction Rate, Does The Sedition Law Hold Validity?

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 15:25:56 -0000

"Is sedition law still needed after 75 years of Independence?" CJI NV Ramana's question to the Centre has once again revived the debate on whether it's time to review this law that comes from India's colonial era.

This observation came up in a hearing on a plea challenging the constitutional validity of Section 124A of the IPC.

Just like UAPA cases, even sedition cases have risen in the past few years, despite the conviction rate till being a meagre 3.3% till 2019 as per the NCRB data.

While the Centre has been constantly accused of slapping such charges against citizens to quell dissent, many lawyers, activists, and other members of the civil society have been saying that the sedition law need to be struck down.

So, what are the arguments against the sedition law? Is it being misused by the state and is it time for it to be scrapped? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Naveed Mehmood Ahmad, Research Fellow at Vidhi Center for Legal Policy Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

Also listen to: What is Responsible for Father Stan Swamy's Death? Ill Health or State Apathy?

References:
Our New Database Reveals Rise In Sedition Cases In The Modi Era
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Zomato's IPO: Add to Cart or Wait it Out?

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 15:18:00 -0000

Zomato on 14 July made a special delivery of its first initial public offering or IPO and attracted 1.05 times the issue size on the very first day.

You heard that right, a company that began as a restaurant discovery platform before turning into a full-scale food delivery company with presence in over 500 cities, made history by becoming the first Indian 'unicorn' to launch a domestic IPO.

When the issue opened on 14 July morning, retail investors jumped at the 10 percent quota reserved for them and were hungry for more given that there were 2.7 times as many bids as shares available.

However, keeping the celebration of the IPO aside, brokerages and analysts have cautioned that given the companies sky-high valuation—which is reported to be 25 times the enterprise value—and the fact that the company has been reporting losses for the past three years, the path to profitability for Zomato is not clear.

Given the risks attached, should you dig into your wallet and invest right now when it is low or hold on to see if this is only a listing boom? What do investors have to say?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Hemang Jani, Head of Equity Research at Motilal Oswal Financial Services. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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As US Exits Afghanistan, What's in Store For the Country's Future?

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 15:10:53 -0000

Nearly 20 years after invading the country, the United States has decided to call a time out on the 'forever war' in Afghanistan and decided to pull out its troops. Although the move is not sudden, it may have left the country at the hands of the Taliban who are gaining control of new areas for the past two months.

In fact, the troop withdrawal announcement, made by President Joe Biden in April, has led to a drastic uptick of Taliban violence leading to many countries evacuating their diplomats from Afghanistan.

India too, on 11 July, evacuated 50 diplomats and security personnel from its consulate in Kandahar as the Taliban continues to expand its footprint in the country.

The withdrawal of troops stems from the ceasefire agreement signed with the Taliban under former President Donald Trump in 2020, where the Taliban assured that it will not attack US forces in the region if the US withdraws its troops completely.

A day after Biden’s announcement, NATO also issued a statement announcing that it will also pull out its troops from Afghanistan, effectively leaving the country's security at the hands of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces.

The situation being as grim as it sounds and with peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban being frozen in place since 2020, where is Afghanistan headed? Is there any scope for peace in the country, and what is the way forward for India in terms of its engaging with the region?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Vivek Katju, former Secretary (West) of the Ministry of External Affairs and ambassador to Afghanistan Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Is UP's Two-Child Policy The Right Way to Go About Population Control?

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 15:39:00 -0000

Less than a year before India's most populous state – Uttar Pradesh – is headed off to the state Assembly elections, the Yogi Adityanath government seems to be trying to focus on population control measures.

On 9 July, the state government released a draft of the proposed Population (control, sterilisation & welfare) Bill 2021 for public comments and suggestions till 19 July. Essentially what the draft proposal aims to do is make a two-child policy mandatory for those who wish to avail government benefits.

The draft policy includes both incentives and disincentives to that purpose. Government employees who have two or less children or those who go for voluntary sterilisation, will get benefits like government subsidies on electricity and water, two extra increments in the course of service, and maternity/paternity leave for 12 months with full salary and allowances.

But violators will be barred from contesting in local body polls, or from government jobs and promotions among other things.

Given India's soaring population, discussions on population control are anything but uncommon, however the UP government's move is drawing a lot of flak on two fronts.

While a lot of experts maintain that coercive measures do more harm than good and can lead to a distorted demography, the Opposition believe that the UP government's move is politically motivated given the impending state elections.
So, how should we look at UP's population draft bill? Can it achieve the goals that it intends to? And, where are the suspicions of this being a politically inspired move coming from? Tune in!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Shailaja Chandra,Former Secretary in the Ministry of Health, First Executive Director of Jansankhya Sthirata Kosh
Pavan K Varma, former IFS officer, Former Rajya Sabha MP, Former served adviser to the Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How Concerning are Kappa and Lambda Variants of COVID-19?

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 14:57:52 -0000

As the second wave of COVID-19 seems to be ebbing across India, a new variant sparked fears again on 9 July when the Uttar Pradesh government reported two cases of the Kappa variant of the virus in the state.

While we know about the Delta variant of the virus, which was believed to be responsible for the deadly second wave, the Kappa variant has not received as much public attention.

But while Kappa has been the talk in health circles for a while, a new variant named Lambda by the World Health Organization (WHO), first detected in Peru, is drawing attention from across the world.

While no cases of this variant have been reported in India, the limited knowledge and studies done on this variant and with its capabilities unknown, it has kept health authorities across the world on their toes.

In today’s episode, we will discuss how concerning are these two variants of COVID, how effective are vaccines against them and what strategies can India adopt to prevent the next surge.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, epidemiologist and a public systems expert. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Theatre Commands: Is India on the Right Path? The Questions That Remain

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 11:41:36 -0000

The Indian armed forces may get the biggest re-organisation since independence if the proposition of creating theatre commands is finalised.

Essentially, theatre command is a unified command under which resources of all three armed forces – army, air force, and navy – are integrated depending upon the threat or location. It has been the top agenda of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat since his appointment in January 2020.

However, the road has been bumpy since the announcement was made because not all services seem to be on board, especially the Indian Air Force, which has reportedly stated in the past that the implementation will be operationally unwise, given the limited air assets of the force.

Adding to the IAF’s hesitation for the formation of theatre commands was General Rawat’s recent comment on the Indian Air Force “being a supporting arm to the armed forces just like the artillery and engineers in the Army.”

Aside from the hesitations expressed by the IAF, there are several institutional questions about theatre commands that need further clarity. For instance, what would the structure of the commands be like, who will report to whom, and of course there is a fundamental debate on whether India requires this move.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Lt Gen Kamal Davar, former Deputy Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff and the first Chief of India's Defence Intelligence Agency Editor: Shelly Walia
References:
The Creation of Indian Integrated Commands: Organisational Learning and the Andaman and Nicobar Command
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To look at these questions, we spoke to former Deputy Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff and the first Chief of India's Defence Intelligence Agency Lt Gen Kamal Davar.

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PM Modi's Cabinet Reshuffle A Corrective Measure or Election Tactics?

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 15:10:21 -0000

With two-and-a-half-years remaining in PM Modi's second term, the Union Cabinet got a major reshuffle on Wednesday, 7 July.

While 12 heavyweights including Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, and I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar were left out of the new Cabinet, 43 new ministers were sworn-in.

But not all of them are fresh faces. Seven junior ministers including Kiren Rijiju, Anurag Thakur, Hardeep Singh Puri, Mansukh Mandaviya got promoted in this rejig. In fact, the crucial Health Ministry went to Mandaviya, amid a severe criticism of the government's mishandling of the second wave of COVID and vaccination shortages in the country, while the Law Ministry went to Rijiju.

Home Minister Amit Shah has taken over additional charge of the new Ministry of Co-operation, while PM Modi will himself be monitoring the Ministry of Science & Technology.

Looking at the new appointments, the Union Cabinet now has 27 ministers who belong to the OBC category, 12 ministers belonging to the Scheduled Castes, eight from the Scheduled Tribes, 11 women ministers, and the highest representation of the northeastern states under the Modi regime.

While the Opposition says that the reshuffle is an admission of the Modi government's failure, what is the Modi government really aiming at with this move? Is it to be viewed as corrective measures, or is it focused on elections? Tune in!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Senior Journalist Editor: Aditya Menon

References:

Cabinet Expansion Comes Down to 4 Points & 1 Question – Will Anything Change?

Modi's New Cabinet: Historic Reshuffle or Mere Damage Control?

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Dilip Kumar: Loss That Feels so Personal as The Nation Mourns

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 15:16:31 -0000

The monumental actor, the King of Indian cinema, Dilip Kumar passed away on the morning of 7th July at the age of 98.
Born as Yusuf Sarwar Khan on 11th December 1922, Dilip Saab was known to have shaped Hindi cinema, which is the biggest cinema in the world. He belonged to the triumvirate along with Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand, who taught the leading men how to lead.
In this special episode of The Big Story podcast, where we pay homage to a legend whose passing away truly marks an end of an era for India.

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What is Responsible for Father Stan Swamy's Death? Ill Health or State Apathy?

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 16:12:14 -0000

Leaving behind an unfinished legal battle against the NIA, the dreadful UAPA laws, and a system that has been trying to crush dissent mercilessly, Father Stan Swamy passed away at Mumbai's Holy Family Hospital awaiting his bail.

This 84-year-old Jesuit priest who had been working for tribal rights in Jharkhand was one of those who were arrested on terror charges in the Bhima Koregaon case.

Given his old age and comorbidities that included a heart condition, Parkinson's disease, hearing loss in both ears and physical injuries from falls that he had taken during his imprisonment, Swamy had applied for bail.

Even though the NIA didn't seek his custody for interrogation, they kept him lodged in a jail for close to nine months and opposed his bail twice. In fact, last year, when Swamy had applied for bail on humanitarian grounds citing his susceptibility to coronavirus, the NIA had gone on to say that Swamy was taking “undue benefit” of the pandemic to seek bail.

In May this year when the Bombay High Court directed for him to be shifted to a private hospital in Mumbai from Taloja prison, according to reports he had pleaded for interim bail so he could be “with his own” at Ranchi.

As he died of a cardiac arrest as a pretrial prisoner on 5 July right before the Bombay High Court was set to hear his bail application, the criticism around the draconian UAPA laws is back once again.

The questions to ask is who is responsible for Stan Swamy's death? Is it his medical conditions or is it the apathy of the judiciary and the criminal justice system that instead of coming through for his fundamental rights only viewed him a UAPA accused until his last breath? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
John Dayal, Human rights activists
Colin Gonsalves, Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court
Vrinda Grover, Lawyer, Researcher and Human Rights activist
Interviews: Asmita Nandy, Mekhala Saran, Karan Tripathi Editor: Shelly Walia

References:

To The Jailed Priest Who Loves People: Friends Remember Stan Swamy

Bhima Koregaon Case: For Stan Swamy, UAPA Became His 'Death Warrant'

Father Stan Swamy: Degenerated By Jail & UAPA, But Ignored By Courts

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Uttarakhand: What Does the Constant Change of CMs Signify for BJP?

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 14:28:13 -0000

Uttarakhand received its third Chief Minister this year with Tirath Singh Rawat, who assumed office just four months ago in March, submitting his resignation citing 'constitutional crisis' as the reason.

Tirath Singh Rawat’s short tenure in office has been shrouded in one controversy after another. From passing sexist comments stating that women in ripped jeans set a 'bad example' to going ahead with allowing the Kumbh Mela festival to take place amid the spiralling second wave.

Things became worse when it was reported recently that over 1 lakh COVID test reports from the festival were fake. In short, his 116 days in office were nothing short of bumpy.

Replacing him is Pushkar Singh Dhami, a 45-year-old MLA from Khatima. His age, and his being from the Kumaon region, has been considered as contributing factors for his new appointment as the state’s highest-ranking politician.

However, several media reports have reported that his appointment has also caused resentment in the BJP faction in the state as Dhami does not have any ministerial experience and was chose over many senior BJP leaders.

With the state heading to assembly polls in less than a year, the new CM is facing an uphill task to not only spur the party cadre in the state, but also to convince New Delhi that he is up to the task.

In today’s episode, we will discuss the factors which led to Tirath Singh Rawat’s resignation, the appointment of the new CM and what does the constant change of guard mean for BJP’s political success in the state.

To discuss this, we spoke with Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How the Communist Party has Dominated China for 100 Years

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 16:05:43 -0000

China’s ruling Communist Party turned 100 on 1 July and its leader Xi Jinping made it clear in a defiant speech that the country will not be lectured by others.

Speaking from the balcony of Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, his speech was laden with symbols that catalysed the ruling parties march toward 'socialist modernisation' and 'nationalist rejuvenation'.

The Communist Party of China or the CPC, was founded in 1912 and has been in power since 1949, and enjoys authority over all aspects of life and freedom in the country. In a nutshell, the political party and the government are synonymous.

It commands vast economic resources, influence over small debt-ridden countries, and a rapidly modernising military that has challenged not only India but also the West.
China's economic and foreign relations policies have left it with few friends on the global map, and its future depends on the country's continued economic success. However, its failure in doing so may have wide-ranging economic and security concerns for the entire world.

In today’s episode, we will go through how the CPC continues to dominate China for the past 100 years and what does the future of the country look like under the leadership of Xi Jinping.

For this, we spoke to Manoj Joshi, a Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, and Sudheendra Kulkarni, who served as an aide to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and is the founder of the 'Forum for a New South Asia' which is powered by India-Pakistan-China Cooperation.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest:
Manoj Joshi, a Distinguished Fellow at Observer Research Foundation and Sudheendra Kulkarni, aide to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and founder of the 'Forum for a New South Asia' which is powered by India-Pakistan-China Cooperation.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Is the Centre Legally Obligated to Pay Ex-Gratia for COVID Deaths?

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 15:22:38 -0000

The Supreme Court in its ruling on Wednesday, 30 June, made it abundantly clear that as far as COVID is concerned, it is a ‘disaster' under the Disaster Management Act (DMA) of 2005. It further pulled up the National Disaster Management Authority on doing the needful, by providing ex-gratia compensation to families of COVID victims.

The top court's response comes after a batch of petitions sought directions to the state and central governments to provide an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh, sighting Section 12 of the DMA.

However, the Centre has been reluctant to commit to any compensation for COVID deaths, given the magnitude of the death toll, which is nearly 4 lakh according to official figures.
The Supreme Court in its ruling stated that the language used in Section 12 of the law is is very plain and unambiguous.
So, is the Centre legally obligated to pay compensation for COVID deaths? What arguments has the Centre made against it, and is it financially feasible?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Subhash Chandra Garg, former Economic Affairs Secretary and Finance Secretary of India and Karan Tripathi, The Quint's Legal Consultant.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why Govt's Intent to be "Super Censor" is a Red Flag for Filmmaking

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 15:33:11 -0000

The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2021 is stirring up the film fraternity in India. Among other things, it seeks to empower the government to sidestep the Central Board of Film Certification and become a "super censor" that can re-examine film certifications if there are any complaints against them, even after they have already been passed by the CBFC.
The government released the draft Bill on 18 June into the public domain with this new contentious provision, and a few other proposals on age reclassification for viewers and film piracy. The general public has been given two weeks' time till Friday, 2 July, to submit their comments.
A group of people have already shot off a letter to the government saying that “the amendments giving powers to the central government to revoke a film certificate must be dropped". Celebrities like Kamal Hassan and Vishal Bhardwaj have also vocally criticised the move on social media platforms and urged people to raise their voices against it.
But why does the government want to be the super censor? What is the intention behind this move? And what do people from the film industry have to say about it?Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Sanjay Gupta, Filmmaker, Producer and Screenwriter
Mayank Tewari, Screenwriter
Karan Tripathi, Legal Consultant, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia

References:

More movies undergo CBFC cuts now than five years ago

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COVID Relief: Are Loan Guarantees Enough to Support the Economy?

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 15:29:46 -0000

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday, 28 June, announced new relief measures for the pandemic-hit economy as states across India eased lockdown restrictions amid a decline in COVID-19 cases.

The relief measures include expansion of the emergency credit line guarantee scheme or ECLGS, from Rs 3 lakh crore to 4.5 lakh crore and a new loan guarantee scheme for the healthcare industry, amounting to Rs 50,000 crore.

Apart from this, measures to boost the tourism sector with loan guarantees to stakeholders and free visas to the first 5 lakh tourists till 31 March 2022, were also announced

While the finance minister pegged the financial impact of these measures at nearly Rs 6.29 lakh crore, 'direct stimulus' to the economy was only a small fraction of this number.

The estimated additional spend is reportedly just 0.3 percent of the GDP since most of the relief measures are only in the form of guarantee loans and not all schemes are related to the current financial year but are spread out over several years.

This prompts the question: how impactful are these relief measures in the short term and why India, unlike advanced economies, continues to pump more funds into the supply side of the economy and not offer huge stimulus packages to households recovering from the trail of devastation left by the second wave?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Aditi Nayar, ICRA Chief Economist and Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist at CARE Ratings. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Jammu Terror Attack: Is India Prepared to Counter Drone Attacks?

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 14:45:18 -0000

For the first time ever, it seems that a drone armed with explosives was used to attack an Indian Air Force base.

As we know, in the early hours of 27 June, two low-intensity explosions were reported in the technical area of the Air Force base in Jammu Airport.

IAF’s Media Coordination Centre confirmed the attack on Twitter and said, “One caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area. There was no damage to any equipment. An investigation is in progress with civil agencies." There have also been reports, suggesting that two Air Force personnel suffered minor injuries. However, we don't have any official confirmation on that yet.
But no matter how minor the damage was, this attack is signalling a new kind of challenge and a rather serious one at that for India's security establishment. Is this what the future of terror attacks are going to look like? And if so, what kind of counter-measures are required and how prepared is India on that front?Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Capt KP Sanjeev Kumar, former navy test pilot. He has flown over 24 types of fixed and rotary wing aircraft and holds a dual ATP rating on the Bell 412 and AW139 helicopters. Editor: Shelly Walia

References:

Jammu Drone Attack: Taking Asymmetric Warfare To Next Level

Major Threat Averted, 2 More Drones Spotted in Jammu: Army

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Kerala Dowry Deaths: Where Are We Lacking in Protecting Women?

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 15:10:39 -0000

Kerala may pride itself for being the state with the highest sex ratio, but a series of back-to-back dowry-related deaths being reported from various parts of the state goes to show that India has a long long way to go to be able to make the country safe for women, both inside and outside their homes.

On 21 June, Vismaya, a 24-year-old woman from Kerala was found dead at her husband’s residence in Kottayam district. Just two days before she was found hanging in the bathroom, she had messaged her cousin saying that her husband had brutally beaten her up.

And in the span of 24 hours there were two more similar reports. On 22 June, 24-year-old Archana was found dead with burn injuries at Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram, in the rented apartment that she lived in with her husband. They reportedly had a love marriage but just a few months into their marriage, her husband’s father had asked for Rs 3 lakh as dowry.

More than outrage, these successive reports of dowry-related deaths raise a serious concern, that despite laws being put in place, as a society where are we lacking in protecting women? Are we being able to provide the kind of space that is needed for women to escape abuse in their marriages? Do our efforts in empowering women lack the systemic overhaul of the societal perception that women occupy a submissive position in a marriage?
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Sunita Menon, Director, Content & Strategic Partnership in Breakthrough
Neha Singhal, Senior Resident Fellow, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy Editor: Shelly Walia

References:
The Institution of Dowry in India: Why It Continues to Prevail
Institutionalisation and Expansion of Dowry System in Colonial North India

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Maharashtra: What is Triggering MVA Rift Speculations Once Again?

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 13:34:53 -0000

Is the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra starting to show signs of cracks? Political events that have transpired over the past few days in the state is creating the buzz that perhaps all is not well in the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance.

Indeed, there have some intriguing cues to pick up on such as the Congress deciding to contest solo in the next assembly elections that is due in 2024. Or, the fact that Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Congress unit chief Nana Patole exchanged jibes over political ambitions for their parties for the next term.

On 9 June, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also had a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although Thackeray said it was nothing unusual of course the meeting raised a few eyebrows.

What also created a stir, was a letter that got out in the media. The letter was penned by Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik advising CM Thackeray to go back to the BJP to avoid constant harassment from central agencies like the CBI or ED. Like a few other leaders, Sarnaik himself is currently entangled in a money laundering case that is being probed by the ED.

While senior Shiv Sena leader and spokesperson Sanjay Raut has said that attempts to create rift in the MVA won't work, how do we look at these events? Is there trouble in paradise or are there attempts to destabilise? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Prakash Bal, Senior Political Journalist Editor: Shelly Walia

Also read: Maharashtra: What Does the Rift Between Sena And Congress Signify?
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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With Several States Unlocking, How Worrying is Delta Plus Variant?

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 16:47:53 -0000

Several states have eased lockdown restrictions and have started opening up as the second wave of COVID-19 seems to ebbing across the country, with less than 50,000 cases being registered on 22 June.

However, the near re-opening of the economy also led to COVID norms like social distancing, wearing masks being blatantly defied by the public, especially in the national capital.
Photos of crowded markets and malls have been doing the rounds on social media. In Uttar Pradesh, thousands of devotees reported even gathered to take dip in Ganga, flouting all norms.
Meanwhile, a new mutation of the deadly Delta variant has also emerged, called the “Delta Plus”. The health ministry on 22 June tagged it as a “variant of concern.” as 40 cases have been country with this mutant variant.
Given that the second wave was born out of a lackadaisical attitude from the government and citizens and the fact that majority of Indians are still not vaccinated, are we unlocking too much too soon?
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Shahid Jameel, virologist and the Director of Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University, and Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, a public system expert.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What’s Behind Growing Dissent Against CM Amarinder in Punjab Cong?

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 14:24:35 -0000

The crisis in the ruling Congress’ Punjab unit is refusing to settle as fresh dissension against Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has deepened the factionalism in the party.

There's been a lot of clamour in the past couple of days, against Captain Amarinder Singh's controversial decision to give police jobs to sons of two sitting MLAs on "compassionate grounds".

While the Chief Minister's supporters are backing the decision saying it was the right thing to do and is “in line with appointments given to similarly situated persons in the past", another faction is fast building up against him.

Five Cabinet ministers, Congress MLA Kuljit Nagra, Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar as well as Punjab Youth Congress President Brinder Dhillon have all asked the government to roll back the “ill-advised move” in “greater public interest”.

But this fresh infighting in Punjab Congress also comes at an inopportune moment for CM Amarinder Singh when he is already engaged in a bitter tussle with dissenting Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu. Mincing no words, Sidhu has called the Chief Minister a liar in interviews, and even suggested that he is hand in glove with the Akalis.

With some Congress MLAs and ministers also siding with the Sidhu camp against Amarinder Singh, the Congress high command has been forced to step in to end the feud.

Ahead of the 2022 state assembly elections in Punjab, does the factionalism and dissent within the party effectively put Capt Amarinder and the Congress party in a vulnerable position? What is leading to this growing dissatisfaction against the Chief Minister from within the party and what is Sidhu's role in it? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What’s Likely on Agenda for PM Modi’s All-Party J&K Leaders Meet?

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 17:11:06 -0000

Amid a deep trust deficit in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a surprise move, seems to have extended the olive branch with an invite to major political leaders for a meeting on 24 June.
The meeting, which will consist of fourteen political leaders also has former chief ministers on the invitee list like National Conference's Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad.
This would be the first such exercise to be held between the Centre and Kashmir’s mainstream political leaders since J&K was stripped of its statehood.
What is curious though is that despite the meeting being called, the agenda behind the meeting still remains to be a mystery, and that has left many mainstream parties, leaders and experts with a lot of guesswork on what PM Modi has on his mind.
The dialogue between the Valley’s senior leaders and New Delhi has remained frozen in the wake of unceremonious arrests and prolonged detention of many political leaders, including those on the invitee list.
Furthermore, comments from the saffron party's top brass against Kashmiri political leaders, calling them anti-national or dubbing the PAGD alliance as the “Gupkar Gang” by Union Home Minister Amit Shah has of course, soured the relations further.
Which begs the question— why the sudden move to call for a democratic sit down? Is it just an optics play for the West, who has been criticising the Centre’s handling of Kashmir? or could restoration of statehood for the erstwhile state be on the table?
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: David Devadas, senior journalist and author of the book ‘The Story of Kashmir’ and 'The Generation of Rage in Kashmir',
Jehangir Ali, Srinagar based freelance journalist,
MY Tarigami, CPIM Leader and official spokesperson of Peoples Democratic Party, and Adnan Ashraf, official Spokesperson of People’s Conference Party.

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Do Schools & Students Have to Say About CBSE Marking Formula?

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 14:00:31 -0000

CBSE finally revealed its evaluation method that will replace exams for Class-12 students who had been caught between the pandemic and the Board exam results that will determine the future of their higher education.

The cancellation of Class-12 Board exams was announced earlier on 1 June, with PM Narendra Modi asserting that the safety of students was of utmost importance. But what had been unclear was how the CBSE was going to declare the board results with a “well-defined objective criteria in a time-bound manner".

Two weeks after the Supreme Court tasked the CBSE to come up with an evaluation plan, the Board proposed that Class-12 students will be marked on a 40:30:30 formula on the basis of Class-11 and Class-10 performance along with one or more unit test, mid-term or pre-board examinations in Class 12.
Attorney General KK Venugopal also said that the CBSE Class-12 results will be declared by 31 July 2021.

While that is the plan for CBSE students, for ISC students it's largely similar. Instead of evaluating students' performances over three years, the board will be taking into account the performance in the last six years.

These proposals were accepted by the Supreme Court on 17 June, which only had one more requirement from the boards. It told the board that the assessment scheme must include a provision for dispute resolution in case students want to correct their final results. But what do schools and students have to say about this? Tune in!
Also Read: CBSE Marking Formula: How Will Class 12 Results Be Calculated?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Mehak Jain, Class XII Student from Tagore International School, Delhi
Sameed Anwar, Class XII Student from Tagore International School, Delhi
Shreyas Pandey, Class XII Student from Gyan Bharti School, Delhi
Aarav Sane, Class XII Student from Orchid School, Pune
Lakshmi Kumar, Founder Director of Orchid School, Pune
and Nikhita Lamba, Political Science teacher in Modern Public School, Delhi

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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A Year After Galwan, Where Do India-China Relations Stand?

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 13:24:48 -0000

15 June 2020 will go down in history as the day WHEN 20 Indian troops, including their commanding officer died in clashes with PLA soldiers at Galwan Valley.
Although both countries have had several standoffs over the years, these were the first casualties at the LAC since 1975.
One year since the fatal cases, there have been economic sanctions on Chinese companies in India and FDI from China, bans have been imposed on 59 Chinese made apps in India, some of them being really popular apps like Tik Tok and PUBG.
There have also been 11 rounds of talks between the two sides which have been unsuccessful to bring about complete disengagement.
There have been some among of disengagement at the Galwan sit and some in Pangong Tso area, but one thing became clear: the old neighbours consider the boundary question in fundamentally different ways.
Even external affairs minister S Jaishankar stated earlier this month that “relations with China is at a crossroads.”
Where does the India-China relationship stand a year after the Galwan valley clashes? Is it time for India to go back to the drawing board to rethink its policy on China.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram

Guest: Vishnu Prakash, former High Commissioner to Canada, Ambassador to South Korea and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Manoj Joshi, a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation and Namrata Kumari, the wife of martyr Kundan Ojha.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why Isn’t Govt Slashing Fuel Tax to Curb Petrol-Diesel Price Hike?

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 11:42:14 -0000

Fuel prices are climbing at a record high when the economy is at a record low.

Cost of fuel has increased 23 times since 4 May, in what seems like almost every other day. While petrol rates have surged past Rs 100 in several states, diesel prices have also surpassed Rs 100 for the first time, with Sri Ganganagar a small city in Rajasthan being the first city in the country where both petrol and diesel prices crossed the century mark.

To put it into perspective, if on 3rd May petrol in Delhi was selling at Rs 90.55 a litre while diesel was selling at Rs 80.91, as of 14 June, petrol costs Rs 95.56 per litre in the capital and diesel Rs 86.47 a litre. In Mumbai, a litre of petrol now costs Rs 101.76 and diesel Rs 93.85 per litre.

While Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan did agree the price hikes are a problem, he also said that a lot of money has been spent on Covid vaccines, Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojana and PM Kisan justifying that, "...In such dire times, we're saving money to spend on welfare schemes."

He also pointed fingers at opposition ruled states and suggested that states like Maharashtra and Rajasthan could reduce the sales tax levied on fuel to cut down the price.

It's a well-known fact that India's high taxes on petrol and diesel push the cost of fuels but why isn't the government doing anything to curb it?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Amitabh Tiwari, Political Commentator Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Delhi Riots ‘Conspiracy’: Why Bail for UAPA Accused is Significant

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 16:38:12 -0000

In some big news on 15 June, the Delhi High Court granted bail to three UAPA accused-Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, and Asif Iqbal Tanha in the Delhi riots case.

The Bench led by Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani, while granting the bail, noted that the State failed to produce evidence to show that the three accused committed a terror offense, adding that “in its anxiety to suppress dissent, in the mind of the State, the line between constitutionally guaranteed right to protest and terrorist activity seems to be getting somewhat blurred.”

However, what makes this judgment significant is the impact of the observations made by the high court.

The bench highlighted the differences between “protests” and “acts of terror” in its order and that the definition of “terrorist act” in UAPA is “wide and somewhat vague.”

For today’s episode, we will go through the charges made against the three accused, how the UAPA law has been used in the past to clamp down free speech and dissent, and the significance of the Delhi high court judgment.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram

Guest: Aishwarya Iyer, The Quint’s Principal Correspondent, Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s Legal Editor, and Kalpana Kalita, mother of Devanga Kalita.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What to Expect From Israel’s New Govt Under Naftali Bennett?

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 15:26:06 -0000

After a nail-biting win of just 60 to 59 votes, Naftali Bennett was sworn in as Israel's new prime minister on Sunday, 13 June, ending former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year grip on power.

Bennett – a former tech entrepreneur who made millions before switching to right-wing politics in 2013 – will be leading an ideologically divided eight-party coalition. For the first time in the country’s political history, a small Arab party will also join to serve in the government.
Some experts have labelled Bennett an ‘ultra-nationalist’. In his speech on Sunday, Bennett said that he “will work for the sake of all people", adding that the priorities would be reforms in education, health, and cutting red tape.

Bennett’s government is Israel's broadest ever – but that also makes it unstable. The glue that was holding the coalition together was the agenda of dethroning Netanyahu, which has now been achieved.

The coalition will now be challenged to find common ground on key national issues such as the policy towards Palestinians and social issues like the advancement of gay rights.

In today’s episode, we dive into Israel's new leadership, an ideologically divided coalition, and what Bennett's appointment means for India-Israel relations.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, former Indian ambassador and former Secretary in Ministry of External Affairs. He served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in India’s embassy in Israel from 1995-1999.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in India’s embassy in Israel from 1995-1999.

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How Effective Are COVID-19 Vaccines Against the Delta Variant?

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 13:22:07 -0000

The emergence of new and more infectious variants of the coronavirus has raised a troubling question: Will the current crop of vaccines protect us from severe disease?

But why are we talking about vaccine effectiveness? Well, it's because of the new villain, which has entered the variant space – the Delta variant, which was first found in India and has been blamed for the devastating second wave.

The Delta variant is now quickly spreading across the United Kingdom, which, despite its success in vaccinating the majority of its population, has 60 percent of its cases infected by this variant.

A recent study published in the medical journal The Lancet has raised concerns, because it states that the Pfizer vaccine, known to have an efficacy of 94 percent, produced five times lower antibodies against the Delta variant compared to the original variant.

Many countries apart from India and the UK are also reporting Delta variant COVID cases. The US has 6 percent (and growing) of its cases infected with the Delta variant, Germany 2 percent, and Italy and Spain about 3-5 percent.

Knowing the devastation that the Delta variant caused in India and how quickly it is spreading across the world, how effective are the vaccines available to us against this variant and how protected are you after even both the doses?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, an epidemiologist and a public health expert. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
Check out our other coverage on the Covid-19 second wave in India:

Gender, Rural-Urban & Digital Divides in India’s COVID Vaccination

Why Did Govt Start Vaccinating 18-44 Group Without Adequate Doses?

What Is the True Scale of COVID-19 Pandemic in India?

Explained: How Has the 2nd COVID Wave Impacted the Indian Economy?

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Gender, Rural-Urban & Digital Divides in India’s Covid Vaccination

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 15:16:59 -0000

India’s COVID vaccination drive is marred with all kinds of divides and inequalities. Other than the general shortage in vaccine supply, there’s a gender divide, a rural-urban divide and also a digital divide that’s holding back the country from effective vaccination.

In the past four months since the launch of the Covid vaccination program, 1.2 crore more men got vaccinated than women in India as evident from the Co-Win portal.

A report on The Hindu also pointed out that an estimation of only 12-15 percent of India's rural population have received at least one shot of vaccination, in a big contrast to approximately 30 percent of people receiving shots in urban areas.

And since the launch of Phase 3 vaccination, the CoWin portal has also come under criticism for excluding the castes and classes which fall on the lesser privileged side of the digital divide. This problem has been raised by the Supreme Court as well which asked the government to “wake up and smell the coffee”.

While these divides may look like three individual problems, in some ways these divides are also interconnected. India aims to vaccinate the entire population by the end of 2021, but has the country's vaccination program overlooked these problems? How can these inequalities be addressed for a more successful vaccination strategy? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Anushree Jairath, Program Coordinator, Gender Justice, ‎Oxfam India
Prasanth Sugathan, Legal Director, SFLC Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:

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What is India’s Case for Extraditing Mehul Choksi from Antigua?

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 12:49:29 -0000

In a series of twists and turns, India’s recent goose chase to extradite fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi ended in the gutter as the CBI and MEA team failed to return home with the scamster.

To bring you up to speed, Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are the key accused in the Rs 13,400 crore Punjab National Bank scam of 2017. Both fled India in January 2018 before the CBI could file a case against them and have been absconding since.
While Choksi was wanted by Indian authorities and even had Interpol warrants against him, he was staying in the Caribbean country of Antigua and Barbuda, of which he gained citizenship in November 2017.
But the recent action began on 23 May, when it was reported that Choksi was detained by the police in the island country of Dominica, on charges of entering the country illegally on a boat.
A multi-agency Indian team also travelled to Dominica on 28 May, after hearing the news of his arrest there. They went there to provide documentation regarding his criminal history and warrants.
However, the twist in the story comes on the reasons given by Choksi’s lawyers and his wife for his presence in Dominica. Both have alleged that a woman named Barbara had invited Choksi to her house in Antigua, where he was ambushed by a team of abductors, who then forced him into a boat and carried him to Dominica.
Choksi’s lawyers have also filed a habeas corpus petition in the Dominican high court. A bail hearing for the same has been adjourned to 9 June.
So, did the India team jump the gun in flying to Dominica? How will these allegations of abductions and escape play up in the case against Choksi? What is India’s case for bringing him back and what are the legal hurdles for extraditing him?
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Rupin Sharma, a 1992 batch IPS officer and author of the book Extradition. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Rift Between Yogi and Modi Ahead of UP Polls Now in Check?

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 14:00:58 -0000

Uttar Pradesh will be holding state elections in less than a year from now, and ahead of it, speculations are thickening on a political discord between Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP's central leadership.

While in the recent days, some BJP leaders like have refuted reports that have hinted at the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle in UP, every detail big or small is drawing a lot of scrutiny — such as the series of meetings held in the state and even the fact that going against the usual convention, PM Modi didn't wish Adityanath on Twitter on his birthday.

Now, whether or not such speculations are merely "figment of imagination", as some BJP leaders have put it, is likely to clear up as we step closer to the election, but what is it that is triggering this buzz in the first place?

In an interview to Times of India, Yogi Adityanath has said that it's the media that's sensationalising and exaggerating everything, but where are reports of discontentment against Yogi's leadership in UP stemming from? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:
Speculation over change in UP government a media creation: CM Yogi Adityanath

‘No Cabinet reshuffle for now, no rift between Modi and Adityanath’

Why BJP & RSS Decided to Persist With Yogi Adityanath for UP Polls

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Amid a Shortage, Where Do Indian Experts Stand on Mixing Vaccines

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 15:41:32 -0000

COVID-19 is here to stay for longer than we could have imagined, while vaccine stocks in the world are nowhere near enough to keep populations across the globe safe from future surges.
Keeping in mind the shortage of vaccine supply, countries have started to consider mixing and matching of different COVID vaccines and the data so far seems promising, according to experts.

A recent study led by researchers at Oxford University found that mixing the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines is safe, although it could cause more severe, albeit temporary, side effects.

Similar studies were conducted in Spain, which also showed encouraging results. Countries like Canada, the UK, Bahrain and the UAE have also started allowing the mixing and matching of vaccines to address the shortage of supply.

However, researchers and experts in India are still on the fence about the issue, citing a lack of clinical data for the vaccines approved in India – which are Oxford Astrazeneca also known as Covishield, Covaxin, and Sputnik V.

In today’s episode, we will take a closer look at what Indian experts have to say on mixing and matching of COVID vaccines, whether it is safe, and whether given the severe shortage of vaccines that India is facing, should we consider it?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Professor Gagandeep Kang, a renowned virologist with CMC Vellore, and Dr Rakesh Mishra, the former Director of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and an Advisor to CEBM. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Do GDP Numbers Tell Us About the Future of Indian Economy?

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 15:02:48 -0000

As expected, Indian economy has fallen to a record low in the pandemic. On 31 May, the Centre announced that the GDP for the full financial year 2020-21 contracted by 7.3% as compared to the 4% growth that we had recorded in fiscal year 2019-20.
Remember that since the onset of the pandemic, India has shown an economic contraction for the perhaps first time in at least four decades and this is the very worst dip that we're seeing since independence.
But then again, since the country exited the "technical recession" that it had slipped into for the first two quarters of 2020-21, the numbers released by the National Statistical Office also show a revival ahead of the second wave of Covid.
While the economy grew by 0.4 percent in the October-December period of 2020, the expansion continued till Q4 where the GDP grew by 1.6 percent. This is the January-March period when most of the economy had opened up to near normalcy before shops and businesses were forced to shut down again due to state-imposed lockdowns in the second surge. Although it's a sign of revival, it's meagre growth.
But as we battle a second wave, which may just derail this minor growth, while also expecting a third wave, what do these numbers tell us about future of the Indian economy? what are the main takeaways from this? And will the delay in vaccination impact the overall health of the economy?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Aditi Nayar, ICRA's Chief Economist and Pallavi Nahata, Associate Editor for Economy at Bloomberg Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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‘Arbitrary and Irrational’: SC Pulls Up Centre on Vaccine Policy

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 15:15:37 -0000

The Centre's policy on different vaccine prices for different phases, and different age categories is “prima facie detrimental to the right to health of the country.” That's what the Supreme Court said about the current COVID vaccine policy in India.
The court also observed that while the Centre is arranging free vaccines for COVID warriors and the 45+ age group, asking the 18-44 age group to pay for it was “prima facie arbitrary and irrational.”

In a series of hard hitting questions on vaccine dual pricing, registration and distribution, the apex court took Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to task, whose responses of “addressing it in the next affidavit” did not convince the court.

Just a month earlier, on 3 May, SC had asked the same questions and also called out the discriminatory nature of the vaccine policy on three fronts – differential vaccine pricing, vaccine procurement of different age groups and the digital divide caused due to vaccine registration process via the CoWIN app.

But despite the harsh commentary from the apex bench, no serious action has been taken against the central government and the court has, instead, given Centre a couple of more weeks to file yet another affidavit.

In the episode, we will go through the observations made by the Supreme Court COVID-19 Bench on Centre’s vaccine policy, the Centre’s responses to the same and how the vaccine policy is prima facie unconstitutional, according to the apex court.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Karan Tripathi, Legal Consultant, The Quint. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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CBSE Class 12 Students on Cancelled Board Exams, Uncertain Future

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 15:11:17 -0000

Over 14 lakh CBSE students breathed a sigh of relief on 1 June, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Class 12 Board exams have been canceled in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While on one hand, the announcement has been received well by parents and schools, given the safety concerns around the pandemic, a few fears have also set in.

First, regarding how students will be graded and second, how colleges will process admissions. Which prompts the question: Does this announcement help them or are they still feeling uncertain about their future?

In today’s episode, we speak to students to know what they think about the decision to scrap the Board exams. Apart from students, you will also hear from parents and several school principals on the issue, the marking scheme, and the way forward for college admissions.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Rituparna Shekhar and Aarya Ghintala, class 12 students of Heritage Girls School Udaipur, Ameeta Mulla Wattal, Principal of Springdales School Delhi, Alka Kapur, Principal of Modern Public School Delhi, and Naina Nagpal, class 12 student parent.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Modi Vs Mamata: Why the Ego Battle Is Causing More Harm Than Good

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 15:49:45 -0000

Barely a month after the announcement of the West Bengal Assembly election results, where Trinamool Congress won with a landslide victory, political theatrics between the Bhartiya Janta Party-led Centre and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is still finding their way in the administration of the state. This time, the drama surrounds the now-former state chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay.
In a dramatic escalation of events, just four days after the Centre extended his term as Chief Secretary at the request of Mamata Banerjee, the Centre recalled him back to the North Block.

This was just a few hours after both Mamata Banerjee and Bandyopadhyay skipped a review meeting held by the PM on Cyclone Yaas at Kalikunde Airport on 28 May. According to Banerjee, they submitted two reports of the damage by the cyclone and funds required for relief and reconstruction.
Mamata Banerjee, in a letter to the Centre, made it clear that she will not allow Bandyopadhyay’s transfer to Delhi as he was handling the state's COVID crisis and accused the PM of treating bureaucrats like "bonded laborers". AND Bandyopadhyay, instead of reported to the Centre, announced that he is retiring. But in an interesting twist, soon after his announcement, he was appointed in a special position as the Chief Advisor to Mamata Banerjee.
But his new appointment may not protect him from the Centre’s displeasure which on 31 May issued a show-cause notice to Bandyopadhyay for his absence from the review meeting and asked him to submit a response within 3 days.
But how did the BJP-TMC feud begin and how has it taken shape over the past month since the West Bengal elections and what political message is the Centre sending in this tug of war over a veteran civil servant?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Senior journalist Payal Singh Mohanka and Aditya Menon, The Quint’s Political Editor.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Phase 3 Vaccination Rollout: Why Did Govt Open Vaccines for 18-44 Group Without Adequate Doses?

Mon, 31 May 2021 16:04:50 -0000

It's been a month since India rolled out Phase 3 of the COVID vaccination strategy.
The announcement to start vaccinating citizens between 18-44 years of age from 1 May, along with senior citizens and health workers and those with co-morbidities had come at a very crucial time in April, when India's COVID-19 cases were spiking by close to 4 lakh cases on some days. That made it imperative to vaccinate as many people as possible.

Yet, our vaccination process has been marred with contentious decisions that have slowed down the process significantly in Phase 3. From announcing a vaccination drive without procuring enough vaccine doses, to practicing "vaccine diplomacy" even in the middle of the second wave, to shifting the burden of Phase 3 vaccination on the already-burdened states — now we're looking at an acute shortage of vaccine doses in the country that are forcing states to halt vaccine drives.

But why did we arrive at this point? Why did the government open up vaccinations for all citizens above 18, if we didn't have enough doses? And how is that decision impacting the Phase 3 vaccine drive? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Dr Anant Bhan, Public Health Expert and Adjunct Professor & Researcher in Bioethics at Mangaluru’s Yenepoya University
Kapil Sibal, Former Union Minister and Senior Congress Leader Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:
India exported millions of vaccine doses during its own Covid emergency National Co-Win Statistics
Cumulative Covid Vaccination Coverage Report 31st May 2021

Covid-19: Cost of vaccinating the 18-44 population

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What Is the True Scale of COVID-19 Pandemic in India?

Fri, 28 May 2021 16:19:15 -0000

How many people have died due to COVID-19 in India? The official figures as of Friday, 28 May, stand at 3,18,895 but a New York Times report has ruffled feathers by suggesting that this number grossly under-represents the true state of the pandemic in India.

The report from Tuesday, 25 May, studied three national serosurveys conducted in India over the course of the pandemic. The first survey was conducted from 11 May to 3 June. The second from 18 August to 20 September and the last from 18 December to 6 January.

From those numbers which NYT deduced, almost half of India’s population, which is 68.32 crore people, may have contracted COVID in the past year, a number which is a far cry from the 27.5 crore that the Centre is reporting.

The question of the total death count due to COVID has emerged again, as rural India is starting to show a spike in cases. Even as there is an enormous scarcity of medical resources, from hospital beds to oxygen to testing kits.

If accurate data is scarce and difficult to access from metro cities, it is almost non-existent in rural India, where the situation is dire. So, do we have the true picture of India’s pandemic situation?

Support The Quint's independent journalism. Become a member now: https://bit.ly/2KzaT9R

References:
New York Times: Just How Big Could India’s True Covid Toll Be?
Also Read:

Killed by COVID or Govt Apathy? Lack of PHCs & Oxygen in Rural UP

Pandemic, Poverty, Rituals, Rumours: Why Ganga Flooded With Bodies

As India Crosses 2 Lakh Deaths, Are Deaths Being Underreported?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Murad Banaji, a mathematician at the University of Middlesex and The Quint’s correspondents Himanshi Dahiya and Asmita Nandy. Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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WhatsApp Vs Centre: How Can “Traceability” Endanger User Privacy?

Thu, 27 May 2021 11:38:30 -0000

On a day the Centre's new IT rules for digital media platforms was supposed to come to effect, WhatsApp took the Centre to the Delhi High Court saying that its new rules would compel the messaging platform to violate the end-to-end encryption protection that it has set for its users.

The new IT rules or the intermediary rules have been effective from 26 May onwards for social media platforms, which have more than 50 lakh users such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Twitter.

Two of the rules that the government has mandated for social media platforms is firstly the appointment of grievance officers as a part of a grievance redressal mechanism and secondly, to enable ‘traceability’.

Traceability is basically the government asking social media platforms to trace the origin of a particular piece of information and it's this mandate that WhatsApp is opposing.
The petition that was filed by the company on 25 May – which was the deadline to comply with the new rules, invoked the historic 2017 Supreme Court verdict on the right to privacy to argue that the Centre's traceability requirement is unconstitutional and against the fundamental right to privacy as upheld in the Puttaswamy judgment.

Furthering that argument, WhatsApp even asked the high court to declare the said provision as a violation of privacy rights and block any potential cases of criminal liability against its employees over non-compliance.

But how exactly can ‘traceability’ impact WhatsApp users? What would be at stake if WhatsApp loses this lawsuit?
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Apar Gupta, Lawyer and Executive Director of the Internet Freedom Foundation
Mishi Choudhary, Lawyer and the Legal Director and founder of the Software Freedom Law Center Editor: Shelly Walia

References:

What is traceability and why does WhatsApp oppose it?

Why India wants to track WhatsApp messages

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From Coronil to O2 Shortages: Analysing Baba Ramdev’s COVID Claims

Wed, 26 May 2021 14:57:52 -0000

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has once again angered the healthcare community with his comments on COVID. While previously, he peddled Patanjali's herbal concoction Coronil to be a "100 percent cure" without any scientific basis. Now, he has offended allopathic doctors across India with unscientific claims, mockery, and insensitivity while downplaying the severity of the pandemic.

While families of patients and doctors condemned him for his insensitivity, a couple of weeks later another video emerged where he's seen blaming allopathic doctors for not being able to come up with a cure for COVID, and blaming them for the deaths in the country.

While he was forced to withdraw his comments, as both the Indian Medical Association and the health ministry pulled him up for it, the damage has already been done.

On 26 May, the Uttarakhand IMA sent a Rs 1,000 crore defamation notice to him, stating that if he doesn’t post a video countering the statements given by him and tender a written apology within the next 15 days, then a sum of Rs 1,000 crore will be demanded from him.

For today’s episode, we will analyse the claims that Baba Ramdev has made in the past and how the Centre has been dealing with this problem of rumour-mongering during this pandemic? You will also hear from allopathic doctors about what they think about Ramdev’s claims.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Abhishek Tandon, a Senior Resident Academic at AIIMS Jodhpur, Dr Harjit Singh Batti, the former president of AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association, Dr Suvrankar Dutta, a radiology resident at AIIMS Delhi and Dr Faiz Abbas Abidi, a junior doctor in Lucknow. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Praful Patel’s Lakshadweep Policies: Developmental or Arbitrary?

Tue, 25 May 2021 16:27:02 -0000

The idyllic islands of Lakshadweep are brimming with a deep resentment against their administrator Praful Patel.

Other than the fact that Patel's decision to ease Covid norms has been blamed for a massive Covid spike in the islands, there's also a sense of disquiet amongst Lakshadweep's inhabitants over a slew of new policies that have been introduced by Patel since his appointment five months back.

Some of the new contentious policies that are being criticised to be "undemocratic and anti-people" include a ban on beef in the Muslim majority archipelago, a preventive detention law that makes provisions for detention without a warrant for upto a year and the draft panchayat notification, which proposes that anybody with more than two children can be disqualified from contesting the panchayat polls.

While in the political front, several Rajya Sabha MPs and opposition leaders have written to President Kovid criticising Patel's "autocratic style" and urging the President of India to recall Patel along with his proposals, on social media platforms, #SaveLakshadweep has been trending as thousands of citizens have been trying to draw attention to what's happening in the islands.

Although Patel says that it's all in the name of development, can his policies adversely impact the economic and the socio-cultural fabric of these islands as people are complaining? Are the objections raised against his proposals justified?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Wajahat Habibullah, Retired IAS officer, former Administrator of Lakshadweep, First Chief Information Commissioner of India and the former chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities
Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Senior Journalist and Author
Sabith Jesri, Native of Lakshadweep

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Is India Testing Enough in the Second Covid Wave?

Mon, 24 May 2021 14:10:54 -0000

“Testing, vigorous testing is the key to defeating the pandemic” – that was the World Health Organisation's motto as half the globe was wading in the dark when the COVID pandemic broke out in 2020. Yet, a year later, it seems that India's testing hasn't been able to keep up with the second wave of COVID.

In the first wave, India managed to dramatically amplify its daily tests from some 38,000 tests at the beginning of June 2020 to at least 10 lakh daily tests by August. Comparatively, during the second wave, when the country has been adding one or two lakh cases daily, we've conducted less than 20 lakh tests a day for the majority of April and May.
But insufficient testing could have some serious ramifications.

Firstly, given that the majority of India's population remains unvaccinated, there's but one way to keep the infection in check – testing, tracing and isolating.

Secondly, as case rates appeared to be stabilising in some parts of the country, recently the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed that the positivity rate in 382 out of the 741 districts in the country, is still over 10 per cent. What this high positivity rate could indicate, according to experts, is that either the number of tests that are coming back positive is too high, or that the number of total tests being conducted is too low.
Obviously, there’s no knowing how many people are COVID-positive at a given time, but a higher positivity rate indicates a higher transmission of the virus. And if we're not testing enough, we may not be able to detect new cases of community transmission.

So, can we even get the full picture of what is happening in the country, or be able to bring down the second surge successfully if we don't test sufficiently? Considering that epidemiologists are saying that newer waves are inevitable, in what ways could India strengthen its testing strategy, so that the infrastructure doesn't get overwhelmed in the coming waves?
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Sarang Deo, Professor of Operations Management at the Indian School of Business and Executive Director-Max Institute of Healthcare Management,
Prof NK Ganguly, the former Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research,
Manisha Bhinge, the Managing Director of Health Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Testing

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How Do We Prepare for the Next Wave of COVID-19?

Fri, 21 May 2021 13:44:36 -0000

India is yet to recover from the severe second wave of COVID-19. We're still facing shortages of oxygen and vaccine, amid growing concern over black fungus cases. But there's already an alarm for an impending third wave of the virus.
COVID has been with us for over a year now and almost every state in India has witnessed its own wave — while Maharashtra is experiencing its third wave this year and Delhi is in its fourth.
But as the virus continues to mutate, many experts have opined that a third wave will arrive soon. However, its timeline and strength are still speculative.

Even the Centre’s Principal Scientific Advisor Dr K Vijay Raghavan stated on 5 May that a third wave is inevitable but later modified his remarks, saying that it can be avoided if India takes strong measures.

Which prompts the question — how can we prepare to tackle the next wave of the virus? What lessons have we learnt from the second wave and what steps can the Centre take to weaken the impact of the next surge?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Rakesh Mishra, the Former Director of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and an Advisor to CEBM, and Dr Giridhar R Babu a Professor of Life-course Epidemiology at the Public Health Foundation of India. Editor: Shelly Walia

References: Lack of Tests & Ventilators: How Rural India Is Facing COVID Surge

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How Sheikh Jarrah Evictions Exploded into Recent Israel-Palestine Unrest

Thu, 20 May 2021 15:51:23 -0000

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The tension in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian militant group, Hamas, is in its second week now. More than 200 people have lost their lives, including children and women, and over a thousand have been injured. Although international pressure is mounting on Israel (even from the US government) for a ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made no indication of backing off. Instead, he's made suggestions about conquering the Gaza strip.

In a briefing with a minister he said, "You can either conquer them, and that’s always an open possibility, or you can deter them, and we are engaged right now in forceful deterrence, but I have to say we don’t rule out anything. There are only two ways that you can deal with them (Hamas)."

The recent firing, as we know, had begun after brewing tension between Israelis and Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, which built up to violent attacks by Israeli forces at the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Holy month of Ramzan, on 7 May.
Horrifying video footage of that day from inside the Mosque showed Israeli troops firing stun grenades, rubber bullets, and tear gas at people who were praying inside. From that day onwards, matters only worsened.

By 10 May, exchanges of fire had begun, as Hamas fired rockets into Israel from Gaza and Israel countered that with airstrikes. One of those airstrikes even flattened a whole building that held the offices of a few media houses like AP and Al Jazeera. Although this won't be the first instance of violence in that region, many say this is the worst unrest since 2014.
But is Israel's recent military action really just about self-defence as it claims? How does US' support for Israel augments this ongoing issue and most importantly what can be the way forward? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Mike Cushman, Membership Secretary for Jewish Voice for Labour & Chairperson of the group Free Speech on Israel Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Is Govt Failure Behind Goa’s Spike in Cases and Oxygen Shortage?

Wed, 19 May 2021 15:05:26 -0000

A coastal state famous for its beaches, floating casinos, crowds of tourists and a mix bag of international cuisine and culture, Goa is currently facing a deadly spike in COVID cases which is ripping apart the entire state.

While it's been racking up more than 3,000 cases every day since the uptick began in April, on 14 May, the state hit a record high positivity rate of 51.4%, the highest in the country.

For a small state, with a population of 1.5 million, the sudden spike in cases mean that healthcare facilities are beyond overwhelmed. While the total cases as of 19 May is at 23,956, Goa has less than 2,300 hospitals beds and only 26 hospitals.

According to govt data, Goa along with Delhi have reported the highest deaths per one lakh population. In fact in Goa, several of the deaths have come from its biggest covid centre which is the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). This 1,200 bed hospital has reported more than 75 deaths between 10-13 May.

With less than 1 lakh people being completely vaccinated in the state since inoculations began in January 2021, a ten-fold rise in COVID cases just within a month and reports of oxygen shortages in hospitals, how did Goa arrive at this terrible crisis? Who is to blame for Goa’s condition? In this episode, we will try to bring out the ground reality of healthcare facilities and analyse the actions taken by the state government on the crisis.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest:
Dr Lenny Da Costa, a resident geriatrics physician and functional medicine expert in Goa, Sujay Gupta, a senior journalist and a consulting editor for the Herald in Goa and Shruti Chaturvedi, an entrepreneur and the founding member of the COVID Goa Care volunteer group. Editor: Shelly Walia

Also Read:

How Goa’s COVID Positivity Rate Shot to the Highest in India

75+ Dead at Goa Govt Hospital: ‘Oxygen Issue Flagged for Days’

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Why Controversy Around the Central Vista Project Refuses to Die

Tue, 18 May 2021 15:13:08 -0000

Defying all criticisms, construction work for the controversial Central Vista Re-development project has been going on in Delhi through the thick of the pandemic. This 2.8-billion-rupee worth project which has been touted by critics as the Modi government's "vanity project”, is going on under what the government has defined as "essential services".

The project involves construction of a new parliament and revamping the North and South blocks of Lutyens Delhi which requires tearing down some iconic government buildings that form a part of Delhi's historical narrative.

While initial legal battles to stop this project was unsuccessful as the Supreme Court gave its green signal, now there is another petition that is being heard at the Delhi High Court that seeks to temporarily halt the construction activities owing to the pandemic.

The Centre it seems had been continuing the construction work through Delhi's lockdown period, on the condition that all labourers are staying on-site. However, a ground report by The Quint that was brought on record at the High Court as well, found out that there are several construction workers in fact, who stay off site and travel to work every day.

Although the petitioners have raised concerns over the impact of this move on the construction workers and Delhi's Covid situation, the Centre has called the PIL a "facade" and an attempt to stall the project.

Even as the Delhi High Court order is pending, let's deep dive into what makes the government's ambitious project a contentious one, and what concerns and objections do historians and conservationists have around it.

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: AGK Menon, Architect, Urban planner and Conservation consultant
Reporter: Asmita Nandy Editor: Shelly Walia

Also check out:

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Lack of Tests & Ventilators: How Rural India is Facing Covid Surge

Mon, 17 May 2021 16:06:31 -0000

Covid infections are now spreading fast into India's rural areas where 65 percent of the country's population live. And India's rivers are witness to the kind of devastation the infection is bringing to India's hinterland.

A mass pile of shallow graves were found along river banks in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district. Dead bodies have been floating up in rivers flowing through Bihar’s Buxar district and Ballia and Ghazipur districts in Uttar Pradesh over a reported shortage of firewood as the number of Covid-related deaths are on the rise.

In fact, Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar has reported that over 2,000 bodies were found floating or buried along Ganga in UP in a 1,140 km stretch. Even though officials in some districts have claimed the dead bodies don’t belong to locals, this is certainly an indication of Covid is ravaging the countryside.

Although the number of covid cases maybe showing a decline in some of the worst-affected cities, numbers from rural areas are indicating a spike in cases.

In India's top hot spot, Maharashtra, for instance, where the situation appears to be stabilising in cities like Mumbai, reports say that at least 32% of the state’s daily cases are now coming from the rural or the peri-urban pockets — from districts like Akola which has over 6,000 positive patients, or Washim which has over 4,000 patients or Gondia which reported a death toll of 631 patients as of 16 May.

If you look elsewhere at other high-risk states like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan — the rural districts of all these states are also grappling with high infection and mortality rates currently.

There there are several factors contributing to the worsening situation. Reluctance over testing, lack of awareness of Covid norms, migration from urban areas to rural villages, insufficient and inaccessible healthcare facilities — a dangerous combination of all these factors is leading upto an emerging covid crisis in the rural areas now.

And to understand the magnitude of this crisis, for this episode, we got in touch with three Covid volunteers who explain how the situation is on ground and the delicate state of healthcare in some of India's rural areas. Tune in!

If you wish to help rural India combat the Covid surge, please consider supporting Covid relief work. Click here to donate to the Manjhi Foundation.

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Guest:
Harshit from UP's Sitapur district,
Somu Anand from Bihar's Saharsa District
Seema Buckshee who's coordinating relief work to rural areas from Mumbai Editor: Shelly Walia

References:

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Covishield Dosage Gap: Based on Science or Vaccine Shortage?

Fri, 14 May 2021 14:43:53 -0000

Just seven weeks after it directed state governments to increase the gap between two doses of Covishield vaccines to 6-8 weeks, on 13 May the Union Health Ministry once again announced a further extension of the gap to 12-16 weeks, citing “real-world evidence” in the United Kingdom on vaccine efficacy.

This recommendation was made by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covishield only.

However, the decision comes at a time when the country is facing a severe shortage of vaccines, specifically Covishield which has been used to inoculate the majority of the population so far, the change in vaccine dosage policy has raised a lot of curiosity, with many many wondering if the decision is based on scientific data or is it to cover up the vaccine shortage in the country.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Swapneil Parikh, a clinical researcher at Kastruba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, and Dr Chandrakant Lahariya, a vaccines, public policy and health systems expert. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Pune Private Hospitals Left in Blindspot on COVID Vaccine Procurement, Supply

Thu, 13 May 2021 15:38:54 -0000

Amid an acute COVID vaccine shortage, the Centre on 1 May opened up vaccinations for all citizens above 18 years of age. However, it also passed the impetus of administering and procuring vaccines directly from the manufacturers on state governments and private hospitals.
With depleting stocks, the 18-44 age group in India is struggling to book appointments for vaccination since several states have shutdown their vaccine centres temporarily for the want of enough doses.
Private hospitals too which are supposed to lend their hands in this process have faced the brunt of this new policy, as they were left without any guidance on how to procure vaccines. So how is the vaccination process going? How are hospitals managing to get vaccines?
In this podcast, we look at Pune, the home to Serum Institute of India and one of the worst-hit districts in India is dealing with vaccine supply and shortages post 1 May.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram

Guest: Dr Vaishali Jadhav, Assistant Medical Chief for Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Dr Amita Phadnis, paediatrician and the owner of Oyster and Pearl Hospital Group and Dr Sunil Agarwal, cardiologist and owner of Om Hospital, Pune.

Paradub: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Does Dip in Delhi’s Positivity Rate Mean We’ve Passed the Peak?

Wed, 12 May 2021 13:48:37 -0000

At last there seems to be a hint of a decline in India’s Covid cases. Although the country logged over 3,20,000 cases on 11 May, this is the third consecutive dip in active cases in the overall tally.

The overall dip is also coinciding with a drop in cases and positivity rate in two of the worst affected places in the country — Delhi and Maharashtra.

While Delhi reported 12,481 fresh infections on 12 May, the positivity rate has come down further below to 17.76 percent on the same day (which is the lowest that we’ve seen since mid-April). In Maharashtra as well, the daily positivity rate has dropped below 20 percent for the third consecutive day even as the state reported a little less than 50,000 cases on 12 May. The state's active cases have also fallen below six lakhs.

Does this suggest that the worst is over? Have we passed the peak or is there more to it? In this podcast we keep the focus of our analysis on the capital — Delhi, while looking at some of the upcoming trends in smaller states. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Guests:
Dr Mathew Varghese, Public health expert and Orthopaedic surgeon at St Stephens Hospital in Delhi,
Dr Murad Banaji, Mathematician at Middlesex University with an interest in disease modelling
Vaishali Sood, the Editor of Quint Fit Editor: Shelly Walia

References:
In Charts: Delhi Positivity Rate Below 20, Still a Long Way to Go
Hitting the heartland: Covid cases surge in small towns and villages
Dr Bhramar Mukherjee Tweet
As deaths go up 10 fold, worrying signs from smaller states
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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COVID-19: When Will Delhi’s Oxygen Shortage Crisis End?

Tue, 11 May 2021 16:33:35 -0000

Since 18 April, when the oxygen supply crisis began in Delhi, hospitals have been sending out SOS calls on a daily basis, with many reporting less than 24 hours of oxygen left.

Three weeks later, on 11 May, the crisis still exists. The Corona Dashboard, a centralised platform created by the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government just a week ago, lists out 201 central government, Delhi government and private hospitals.

As of 5 pm, on 11 May, less than 1/3 of these hospitals had more than one day of oxygen supply in stock. The rest are staring at just hours of oxygen supply, which is dwindling by the minute.

Even though the highest legal body in the land, the Supreme Court, on 7 May, directed the Centre to supply the required 700 metric tons of medical oxygen to Delhi every day till further orders, the capital continues to struggle as supply from the Centre is inconsistent. And the requirement has now risen to 976 tones per day, according to the Delhi government.

Despite orders from the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court on supplying the required medical oxygen, why is our capital still gasping for breath? When will the oxygen shortage end? What are the bottlenecks in the oxygen procurements process?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: AAP MLA Raghav Chadha Editor: Shelly Walia
Reporter: Asmita Nandy
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What is Causing Black Fungal Infection in Certain Covid Survivors?

Mon, 10 May 2021 14:30:46 -0000

Over the past few days, we’ve been reading a lot of reports of a rare but fatal fungal infection that is being detected amongst Covid survivors and recovering Covid patients.

Mucormycosis or the Black Fungal infection is said to spread rapidly through the sinuses and lungs leading to a loss of eye sight and in certain instances even affecting brain functions.

Sri Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi reported at least six cases of the Black Fungal infection on 6 May. Two days later on 8 May, Maharashtra reported that 200 such patients were being treated in the state, amongst whom at least 8 people have lost their lives.

In Gujarat which has at least 100 reported cases of mucormycosis as of now, the state government has announced separate wards in Covid hospitals to treat such patients.

While this sudden upsurge in cases of the infection is raising alarms, doctors say that it's not a new infection at all. Although it’s not a very commonly occurring one, black fungal infections have been detected amongst immunodeficient patients mostly but what seems to be triggering this infection amongst certain Covid survivors now, is an injudicious or perhaps untimely use of steroids that are being used to treat coronavirus.

How exactly are steroids causing this infection? Which Covid patients are vulnerable and what symptoms do we need to watch out for in recovering Covid patients?

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Guest: Dr Aparna Mahajan, ENT Consultant at Fortis Hospital, Faridabad Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Are the Implications of SC’s Ruling on Maratha Reservation?

Fri, 07 May 2021 17:41:30 -0000

"Data and facts which have been collected by the Gaikwad Commission ...indicate that Marathas are neither socially nor educationally backward"
That was just one of the views expressed by a five-judge constitution
bench of the Supreme Court on 5 May when it struck down the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act of 2018, also known as SEBC, which extended reservations to the Maratha community in public education and employment in excess of the ceiling limit of 50% fixed by the apex court.

The Devendra Fadnavis government in 2018 had approved a 16% reservation for Marathas in jobs and education after statewide protests...that ended up increasing the 50% cap on reservation that was set by the Supreme Court, that's how the matter landed up there.

The Maratha community which constitutes 32 percent of the Maharashtra’s population has historically been a socially and politically dominant class with 12 of the 18 Chief Ministers of the state coming from the community, and over 60% of all the members of Legislative Assemblies of Maharashtra have been Marathas since 1962.

Which prompts the question, why is this community seeking reservation in the first place?

The Supreme Court’s quashing of the Maratha reservation quota, also casts a shadow on the Uddhav Thackeray administration, since the Maratha community vote swung the votes for the NCP party in the 2019 Assembly Elections.

Not just that, the Supreme Court also may have led itself to muddled waters as it not only challenged past rulings on the excess reservation but whether it has the power to set any limit on reservations in India?
To unpack all of these issues, for today’s episode, I spoke with Member of Parliament Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje, who is one of the leaders for the demand of Maratha reservation, and with Smruti Koppikar, a Mumbai-based senior journalist and columnist.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje, Member of Parliament from Kolhapur and Smruti Koppikar, Mumbai-based senior journalist and columnist. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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US Backs COVID Vaccines Patent Waiver, What Next for Jab Equality?

Thu, 06 May 2021 16:16:34 -0000

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, and the US government backing a waiver on COVID-19 vaccine patents is just one of those crucial decisions that was much needed in this pandemic.

As it is, low- and middle-income (LMIC) countries, like India, are facing a vaccine shortage without having vaccinated even 10 percent of the population, which makes it so utterly important to ramp up vaccine production across the world.

The proposal was first floated by a group of LMICs, led by India and South Africa, at the World Trade Organisation in October 2020. They argued that such a move could speed up vaccine production, which in turn could accelerate inoculation drives. In this, they had the support of several advocacy groups, and even the WHO as well that believe that a pandemic is not the time for vaccine monopolies and profits.
Although the US and other wealthy countries had strongly opposed the move for long to protect intellectual property rights, looking at gravity of the pandemic, the Biden administration has now decided to support a temporary waiver.

But hold on! While that's certainly a good start, there's still a long way to go before we can actually see results of this decision. The US giving the green signal is a big move, but now it will have to negotiate at the WTO and secure a consensus from all 164 members, including the UK, the EU countries, Canada, Japan, Brazil, and all others that had blocked the waiver.
So what kind of roadblocks are expected on the way? If the US does manage to clear the path, what happens next? What would a patent waiver entail for COVID vaccine manufacturers and why are pharma companies opposed to the move? And most importantly, what can a complete waiver mean for India? Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Guest:
Leena Menghaney, a lawyer who has worked extensively on public health and works with Access Campaign at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
Achal Prabhala, Coordinator of the Access IBSA project
Amitabh Behar, Chief Executive Officer of Oxfam India Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Explained: How Has the 2nd COVID Wave Impacted the Indian Economy?

Wed, 05 May 2021 15:20:28 -0000

The scale of devastation brought on by the second wave of COVID-19 is indeterminable, as the current infectious strain of the virus continues to snuff out lives, upend healthcare systems, and weaken the economy.

Though the Indian government has denied the possibility of a complete nationwide lockdown, multiple states are extending curfews and existing restrictions to curb the spread of the virus.

Majority of the states are allowing only essential services to operate, and requesting companies to opt for remote working, as result of which some industries like retail are already incurring massive losses. The economy is witnessing a contraction on the back of weak economic indicators in response to local restrictions.
Data from the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) testifies to this. CAIT’s research estimates that retail traders across the country have suffered business losses to the tune of Rs 3.5 lakh crore, while wholesale traders have faced losses worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore.

The unemployment rate in India has also taken a hit, with Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy reporting on 4 May that the second wave has left as many as 72.5 lakh people jobless in India in the month of April.

In today’s episode, we will unpack how the Indian economy is faring amid the raging second wave, how severe has the impact been compared to last year, and whether it could have been avoided.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Pallavi Nahata, Associate Editor-Economy, Bloomberg Quint, Sonal Varma, Chief Economist, Nomura and Dr K Srinath Reddy, President of the Public Health Foundation of India. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Do The Appearance of New Variants of Covid Mean for Us?

Tue, 04 May 2021 13:16:46 -0000

Now that the adrenaline rush around the state election results has waned, a quick reminder that the country is still struggling with the second surge of covid without any respite.

India’s cases reported a dip for the third consecutive day, however the country still logged in 3.57 lakh new cases of coronavirus on 4 May, taking the cumulative tally in the country to over 2 crore cases.

But the dip cannot a reason to be hopeful yet, as it has not been ascertained if it has to do with low infections or low testing. While governments say that the infection is coming down in certain states such as Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, most experts argue that it is the lack of testing and underreporting of deaths and infections that has projected the dip.

Despite this alarming situation in the country that necessitates urgent vaccination for the masses, the wait for vaccine shots is stretching out longer yet, as the vaccine stock in the country is all spent up.

While states are unable to kickstart mass immunisation right away, Serum Institute's CEO Adar Poonawalla himself said that the vaccine shortage is expected go on till July.

But as India struggles to control the second wave, what do the appearance of new variants in the country mean? Are the new variants behind this surge? Are more and more variants likely to pop up so long the infections aren't under control? And at a time when our vaccine stocks are running dry, what kind of a vaccination strategy could we adapt to? Tune in to The Big Story!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Guest: Dr Gagandeep Kang, Professor of Microbiology at Christian Medical College, Vellore Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Bengal Results a Decisive Defeat for Modi-Shah Brand of Politics

Mon, 03 May 2021 15:14:49 -0000

One of the most aggressively fought election battles finally came to a close on 2 May, with a sweeping victory for the Trinamool Congress in the West Bengal Assembly polls.

The party is back to power for the third time in a row with an absolute majority, although party supremo Mamata Banerjee herself lost the prestige battle over the Nandigram seat to her former aide, Suvendhu Adhikari who had switched over to the BJP.

Counting of votes took place in there other states and a UT as well.

Assam, where the BJP became the only non-Congress party to secure a consecutive second term in the state,
Tamil Nadu where the DMK wrested power from the AIADMK after 10 years, and Stalin is all set to become first time Chief Minister after waiting for decades,
Kerala – where the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF's level-headed handling of the Covid crisis brought them back to power for a second consecutive term — a feat that no party has been able to manage in Kerala in the last 40 years
And of course the Union territory of Puducherry – where the NDA managed to usurp the last hold of the Congress in the south.

Yet, amidst all these states, it was the West Bengal results that grabbed the most attention, where the BJP's defeat has come as quite a shock to the party leadership.

A far cry from Modi-Shah's prediction of 200 seats, the party managed only 77 seats in the Assembly, although that is much more than the three seats they had bagged in the 2016 elections.

But more than an electoral defeat for the BJP, the West Bengal results are being seen as a striking blow to the BJP's brand of politics.

Despite the numerous defections of TMC heavyweights into the BJP, despite the blatant polarisation of Hindus and Muslims in the election rallies, despite a strong line-up of BJP campaigners to take on Mamata Banerjee with taunts and jibes, didi seems to have reserved Bengal for "bangla'r meye" and thwart the BJP's ambitions in the state.

But what is it that worked in the favour of TMC? How did Mamata Banerjee lead her party to such a phenomenal victory despite her incumbency? What does the election results mean for Bengal and what is the message for the BJP here? Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Guest: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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‘Set Your House in Order’: How Courts Responded to COVID 2nd Wave

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 15:25:18 -0000

'SET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER’

‘WHAT ABSOLUTE NONSENSE IS GOING ON HERE’
‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’

These are just some of the observations in a long list of scathing criticism on the governments’ handling of the second wave of the COVID pandemic by some of the highest authorities in the country – the Indian high courts.

High courts from all four corners of the country and more have
transformed into effective watchdogs in these uncertain times and have come down heavily on their respective state governments, the Election Commission and even the Centre over the “shoddy management” of the COVID crisis the country is currently going through.

In this episode, we will go through the major observations and comments made by the Indian high courts during the second wave of the pandemic and their significance.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Karan Tripathi, Legal Consultant Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Assembly Elections 2021: Decoding Exit Polls of All Five States

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 17:25:09 -0000

With West Bengal ending its last phase of polling on 29 April, the much-awaited exit polls of poll-bound states, namely Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry now released.

This election, all eyes are on the 294-seat West Bengal Assembly, where a fierce battle between Mamata Banerjee’s ruling Trinamool Congress and its main challenger BJP has been taking place for the past few months.

In today’s episode, we will be going through various exit polls mainly the Times Now/ABP CVoter and Republic-CNX polls to understand where each party stands in the poll-bound states.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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As India Crosses 2 Lakh Deaths, Are Deaths Being Underreported?

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 15:38:01 -0000

On 28 April India officially crossed a grim landmark of 2 lakh deaths from COVID-19. However, we may have reached this number a lot earlier than it was announced. The alarming spike in daily cases and fatalities has not only highlighted the weak health infrastructure in the country but also led to long waiting periods at crematoriums in Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and several other states. According to the World Health Organization, a death should be recorded as a COVID death if the disease is assumed to have caused or contributed to it, even if the person had a pre-existing medical condition or comorbidities. However, there have been reasons to speculate that multiple states have been grossly undercounting COVID deaths. In today’s episode, we will go through several news reports and The Quint’s on-ground coverage on the ground reality at crematoriums that suggest a discrepancy in COVID death toll figures in India.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Poonam Agarwal, The Quint’s Investigations Editor, and Ritvick Bhalekar, The Quint’s Senior Correspondent in Mumbai. Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Did the Centre Use Accurate Data for Post Vaccine Infection Numbers?

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 15:01:24 -0000

We've heard of people getting reinfected with COVID after their first vaccine jab, and in some cases, especially among doctors, after two jabs. These, if cause can be clearly established, are called breakthrough infections.
In a press conference on 21 April, the Health Ministry and Indian Council of Medical Research stated that only two-four people in every 10,000 vaccinated against COVID-19 are reinfected with the virus.
A slide, with two rows and five columns, showed that out of the 93,56,436 people who have been vaccinated with Covaxin, 4,208 have been reinfected after the first dose, and 695 after the second dose. In the case of Covishield, with over 10 crore people having been vaccinated, 17,145 had reinfections after the first dose and the number came down to 5,014 after the second dose. The numbers seemed promising.
But how realistic were they? what was the methodology of collecting this data? What time period did the data cover?
As India witnesses a rampant second wave of COVID infections and with phase 4 of inoculations starting on 1 May for everyone above the age of 18, it's important to note how effective these vaccines actually are in curbing the severity of Covid-19, especially the new variants.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Priyanka Pulla, Freelance science journalists, Ameya Paleja, freelance science writer, and Dr Gangandeep Kang, a renowned virologist with CMC Vellore. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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One Nation, Different Pricing: Problems With Phase 3 Vaccination

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 16:00:45 -0000

One nation, but different prices for the same COVID-19 vaccine shot and a whole lot of confusion.

Ahead of the rolling out of Phase 3 of India's immunisation strategy, a big debate has erupted over the different price categories set for the centre, the state and private hospitals, for the same Covishield and Covaxin shots. Even as the country is facing a vaccine shortage, the government has now allowed both the vaccine manufacturers to release 50 percent of their production into the open market and sell it to states and private hospitals, at a pre-decided cost.

And so, Serum Institute that manufactures Covishield, has decided to sell vaccine shots at ₹400 per dose to states and ₹600 per dose to private hospitals. While Covaxin's manufacturer, Bharat Biotech will be selling one dose for ₹600 to the states and ₹1,200 per dose to private hospitals. And all the while the Centre will be buying the exact same shots for Rs 150.

But the one question that many people are asking is why the different pricing for the same dose?

Given that the need of the hour is to vaccinate, with limited doses, differential pricing and a great deal of power for private players, there are lot of concerns about how successful this vaccine strategy will be.

So, what are the criticisms around this vaccine strategy? And what would make for a better plan?

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Praveen Chakravarty, Political economist and Senior Congress Member
Anjela Taneja, Inequality Campaign Lead at Oxfam India
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Kind of a Legacy is CJI Bobde Leaving Behind?

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 13:01:28 -0000

The 47th Chief Justice of India, Sharad Arvind Bobde demitted office on April 23rd. Under his tenure India witnessed some critical moments, such as the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, followed by the migrant crisis, the ongoing farmers' protest, and now an even more infectious second wave where there seems to be a severe shortage of crucial medical supplies.

But how did the Supreme Court fare in this moment of extreme crisis under his leadership? What kind of a legacy is CJI Bobde leaving behind? One marked with controversies and criticisms for sure, if not for consequential judgments.

He was recently quoted saying, “Let justice be done though heavens may fall”, but could he dispense justice in the way it was expected of the CJI and the Supreme Court? As he sets off to retire, let's take a look at the highlights of CJI Bobde's tenure. Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Delhi Oxygen Crisis: What’s Triggering it and What Can Help Now

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 16:24:13 -0000

Delhi's COVID hospitals have been gasping for oxygen! Some have enough to last 3 hours, some have two hours, some even less than that for critical patients who are depending on this life saving oxygen.

As Delhi reports 24,638 new cases and 249 deaths on 22 April, unequal demand and supply of oxygen has made this a coveted medical essential. Although there hasn't been any largescale disaster so far, due to last minute interventions, the city is standing on the very edge of this crisis with more and more Delhi hospitals running severely low of oxygen everyday.

On 21 April, for instance state Health Minister Satyendra Jain had to appeal to the Centre on Twitter, to help with oxygen provisions, claiming that GTB hospital had only a few hours' worth of supply left. The arrival of an oxygen tanker just at the nick of time averted a crisis.

The same day another hospital, Ganga Ram Hospital where 120 patients on ICU beds was also almost out of oxygen, gain it was a last minute oxygen supply that prevented a crisis from spiralling out.

What has been also choking the supply in the city is the politics around oxygen between states amid in crisis. While the Delhi government has claimed that oxygen tankers coming into the city were blocked Haryana and UP, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on 21 April counter-accused Delhi of "looting" the state's oxygen supply.

But it's only after the Delhi High court took up an urgent hearing on 21 April, and directed the Centre to ensure oxygen supply, did the MHA put out an order on 22 April, saying that no restrictions can be imposed on movement of oxygen between states.

Why is the capital facing such a terrible oxygen crisis? What strategies have implemented for oxygen supply to meet the current high demand?Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Subhas Chander, Manufacturer of medical gases including oxygen and Anant Bhan, Public Health Expert
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Despite a Year’s Prep, Why Are We Facing a 2nd Covid Crisis?

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 13:06:38 -0000

As India recorded yet another biggest daily spike of 2.95 lakh new cases and 2,093 deaths in a single day over 20th April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual address taking stock of the crisis that has come with the second wave of coronavirus.

In his speech, PM Modi spoke of measures to assure availability of oxygen to meet the increasing demands in hospitals. He also talked about Phase 3 of India’s vaccination strategy which will not only open up vaccines to all citizens above 18 years of age from 1 May, but also have vaccines available in the open market as well.

While he advised people to exercise caution and adhere to pandemic protocols to avoid lockdowns, he urged states to consider lockdowns as only the last resort.

But at a time when the second wave appears to be tearing apart our health infrastructure there's a lot to address such as...what led to such a crippling crisis even after a year of the public healthcare system fighting the virus?

With less than 10 percent of the population being vaccinated with one dose, are we on the right track with our vaccination process? And finally, with most of the states imposing some amount of restrictions on movement, will migrant workers be impacted yet again?

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Anjela Taneja, Inequality Campaign Lead at Oxfam India
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Does Brazil’s Report on Covaxin’s Safety Mean for India?

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 09:06:10 -0000

Recently on March 30, Brazil’s drug regulator ANVISA had rejected Bharat Biotech’s application for supplying Covaxin in the country.

They claimed Bharat Biotech, the Hyderabad-based pharma company that is manufacturing this indigenous vaccine in India, has not taken adequate measures to completely kill or inactivate the virus.

They also alleged a few other problems with the vaccine such as the possibility of variations in the potency and antigen quantity in the vaccine doses. All of which lack of a guarantee in how safe Covaxin is.

And so Brazil decided to not go ahead and buy the 20 million Covaxin doses that it was planning to get until Bharat Biotech fixes these problems.

But these irregularities that ANVISA is pointing out...why did the CDSCO not raise them before and also after these matters came to light why has it not taken any action?

Also read: Brazil’s Report on Bharat Biotech Plant: Why is the CDSCO Silent?

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Priyanka Pulla, Bangalore-based science journalist
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Covid Cases More Infectious Now? Understanding India’s Second Wave

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 14:12:08 -0000

A second wave of Covid-19 across India and a lot of unanswered questions...

How is this wave different from the first? Is it more infectious? Is it more serious? Are there newer symptoms? And when can we expect this wave to peak or stabilise?

With states struggling to manage a visible shortage of oxygen supply, Remdesevir, and hospital beds – the situation is grim to say the least all around the country yet again.

Certainly, in a country as large as India, the pandemic wasn't expected to simply vanish away even as the positivity rate, the caseload, the fatality rate, all of that had dipped for a short period by the end of 2020. But with COVID cases shooting up the way it is now, the second wave is appearing more concerning than the first.

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Dr Aviral Roy, Critical Care Specialist of COVID ward at Kolkata's Medica Super-specialty Hospital
Dr Murad Banaji, a mathematician at Middlesex University
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Should You Be Concerned About the Blood Clots from Covishield ?

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 14:23:34 -0000

The Astra Zeneca vaccine, which is known as Covishield, has been deployed against Covid-19 in at least 115 countries for several months now.
However, the vaccine has now come under the scanner after several European countries and Australia reported rare blood-clotting disorders associated with its administration, which has now resulted in several countries like Denmark, temporarily suspending its use.
And the Astra Zeneca vaccine is not alone in reporting such types of rare blood clots. The single-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine, which works similar to Astra Zeneca as a viral vector vaccine, has also been paused by the Centre for Disease Control and FDA in the US after six cases of rare blood clot-related disorders were reported.
The stakes are enormous, especially for a country like India where 90% of the inoculations are done with Covishield, and with the country reporting more than a lakh case every day for the past week, public trust in the vaccine is more important than ever.
So for today’s episode, we will go through the complications with the Astra Zeneca vaccine, what caused the suspension of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and how significant are these concerns.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr K Srinath Reddy, President of the Public Health Foundation of India. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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CBSE Class 10 Board Cancelled, 12 Postponed: What do Student Feel?

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 15:31:37 -0000

Anika and Ria are among the lakhs of students affected by the CBSE's decision on 14 April to cancel CBSE class 10 exams and postpone CBSE class 12 exams, respectively.

Amid a constant sea of #CancelBoardExams on social media and amid a surge of COVID-19 cases in India, these decisions were taken at the highest level between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top Education Ministry officials.

Not only students, the announcement has also been well received by schools. In this episode, you will hear from students and several school principals on what impact the change in exam schedule will have on students and what students should do during this time. If you are a student or parent tuning in, stay put. There is a lot of useful advice for you in this episode, from both teachers and students.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Does Sputnik V Approval Signify for India's Vaccination Drive?

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 14:07:06 -0000

As India battles another record spike in infections, with over 1.8 lakh new COVID cases on 13 April, we finally also received some good news.
After a long wait, on 12 April, Russia's Sputnik V becomes the third vaccine to be green lit for emergency use in India.
The Sputnik V approval comes after the Centre finally eased the path for vaccines from pharmaceutical companies, that are approved in US, UK and European countries, to seek approvals in India.
Sputnik V is also one of only three clinically tested vaccines in the world (including Pfizer and Moderna) with an efficacy of 91.6 per cent as per The Lancet’s findings.
But, on the side of the world, another popular vaccine is now being temporarily paused. The vaccine in question is the single shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine after multiple cases of severe blood clots were reported on 13 April.
In today’s episode, we will go through the efficacy data on Sputnik V, its dosage and its possible roll out time in India and also when we can see other vaccines like Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson in India.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Vaishali Sood, Editor, Health Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Should the Retail Investor be Worried About the Second COVID Wave?

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 13:15:40 -0000

The second wave of COVID-19 cases in India has brought back fears of a pause in economic recovery, with Dalal Street taking a hit as investor sentiment dipped.
On 12 April, Sensex lost over 4,400 points from a record high of 52,516 on 16 February. Nifty, on the other hand, fell below the 14,600 against a record high of 15,431.
Investors are spooked over the fact that the states impacted by the second wave contribute significantly to India’s GDP. Maharashtra, the worst hit state contributes 13.7 percent, Karnataka (8 percent), Gujarat (7.8 percent), Rajasthan (4.9 percent), Madhya Pradesh (4.2 percent) and Punjab (2.7 percent).
What is more worrisome is that it took just 47 days for India to cross the 1,00,000 daily Covid cases mark, compared to the first wave that took us 102 days to reach the peak.
The Indian market has been witnessing strong bouts of volatility since the beginning of March when the cases started spiking again. So should the individual investor be worried about the money they have parked with rising cases or is this just another opportunity to buy low and sell high?
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Niraj Shah, Markets Editor, Bloomberg Quiint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Has India’s COVID Strategy Resulted in a Global Vaccine Shortage?

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 15:11:27 -0000

If you didn’t know already, India is breaking world records every day. And no, these are not records that should be celebrated.

After reporting 1.52 lakh fresh COVID cases on 10 April, India recorded 1.7 lakh the very next day. And with looming lockdowns in states likes Maharashtra and even in the capital, we are going to continue to see a spike in cases for the next few weeks.

The only weapon we have been equipped with so far against this raging virus for the past few months is vaccines. India started its vaccinations drive in January this year and our journey was steadily picking up pace and going smoothly. However, just 3 months into inoculations, that journey has ran into trouble.

Multiple states have reported shortages of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield vaccine. And that's because we have a third of humanity depending on only a single manufacturer for a vaccine - the Serum Institute of India in Pune.

However, the Centre has dismissed the SOSes from states and has stated that there is no vaccine shortage. But it has also gone a step ahead and halted exports of Covishield to other countries. A behavior that is now being termed "vaccine nationalism".

So what is the issue that we are facing? Because if there is no shortage, the Centre is knocking vaccination drives of dozens of countries off course.

The central narrative underpinning the problems that we are witnessing right now is regarding the notoriously complex problem of vaccine manufacturing and distribution and the relationship between pharmaceutical companies, a country, and its citizens.

My guests for today’s podcast are Achal Prabhala, the coordinator of the AccessIBSA project, which campaigns for access to medicines in India, Brazil, and South Africa, and Leena Menghaney, an Indian lawyer who has worked for two decades on pharmaceutical law and policy.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Achal Prabhala, the coordinator of the AccessIBSA project and Leena Menghaney, an Indian lawyer who has worked for two decades on pharmaceutical law and policy. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Lessons Are There to be Learned From Param Bir-Vaze Case?

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 15:55:35 -0000

In what may be called as a major setback for the Maharashtra government and its former home minster Anil Deshmukh, the Supreme Court on 8 April dismissed the state government's pleas challenging the Bombay high court order directing a CBI probe against him.

The probe was ordered by the High Court into allegations of corruption, extortion and political overreach levelled against Deshmukh by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.
However, in another twist in the Ambani Bomb scare case, just days after Deshmukh’s resignation, a letter written by arrested assistant police inspector Sachin Waze also made similar allegations against him.
In the letter, Waze not only accused Deshmukh of pressuring him to extort money from variuos sources, he also accused Transport Minister Anil Parab and an alleged close aide of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar of malpractices.
The CBI is now conducting a preliminary investigation into the allegations against Deshmukh. However, there still are a lot of questions, the answers to which are still in the grey.
Today’s guest is former Mumbai police commissioner Julio Riberio and in his interview with The Quint, he raised some very important questions for Param Bir singh, the CBI and the Maharashtra government, which will also be the focus of today’s episode.

Host: Eshwar Ranjana Guest:Julio Riberio, former Mumbai Police Commissioner. Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Are Indian States Facing a Shortage of COVID-19 Vaccines?

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 15:27:43 -0000

Just three months after it rolled out its first phase of COVID-19 vaccinations, India hit another grim milestone on 7 April as it registered over 1lakh 15 thousand fresh cases of COVID-19. However, several states are reportedly staring at another point of concern- a COVID vaccine shortage.
At least six states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Odhisha, Telangana, and Maharashtra have reported shortages of the Covidshield vaccine, which is one of two COVID vaccines approved by the Ministry of Health.
The hardest-hit state-Maharashtra-has vaccine stocks only for 3 days according to state health minister Rajesh Tope. The reported shortage of vaccines has also resulted in COVID hotspots, such as Pune to shut over 100 vaccination centers. Mr Tope further stated that he has requested the Centre for additional vaccines.
However, the Centre has hit back on Maharashtra’s SOS on vaccines. In an interview with NDTV on 7 April, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan slammed what he called "deplorable attempts by some state governments to distract attention from their failures and spread panic among the people” and that they are no vaccine shortages in India.
Now, there are obvious contradictory statements. So, what is the ground reality in the affected states? Tune in!

‘We Called 12 Hospitals in Ghaziabad, They’ve Run Out of Vaccines’

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Varsha Dange, Medical Officer, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and Dr Subhash Salunkhe, Technical Advisor on COVID-19 to Maharashtra government. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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A Timeline of the Controversial Ishrat Jahan Encounter Case

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 16:48:37 -0000

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court last month discharged GL Singhal, Tarun Barot, and ASI Anaju Chaudhary – the last of the three police officers who faced charges in the alleged fake encounter case of 19-year-old Ishrat Jahan and three men.

Ishrat Jahan, Pranesh Pillai, and two alleged Pakistani men, Jishan Johar and Amjad Ali Rana, were gunned down at dawn on 15 June 2004 by the crime branch of the Ahmedabad Police, led by the then Deputy Commissioner of Police DG Vanzara, who is now retired.

It has been 17 years since 19-year-old Ishrat Jahan was killed, and her controversial death has made headlines ever since. Several doubts regarding her death and the encounter have been raised multiple times, from different investigating agencies.

But with charges dropped against the seven policemen, one of them now dead, who were accused of murder, kidnapping, criminal conspiracy, and several other offences in the case, this may be the end of the road for the alleged fake encounter case.

Who was Jahan and why was her encounter controversial? As I try and answer these questions in today’s episode, I will narrate the facts and figures of the case, what the probe by the CBI revealed, and where does it stand at the moment.

For today’s episode, my guest is Kingshuk Nag, a senior journalist who was the resident editor of the Ahmedabad edition of the Times of India when the incident took place.
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Kingshuk Nag, Senior Journalist. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Chhattisgarh Maoist Attack: What Led to Death of 22 Jawans?

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 15:40:36 -0000

What has been labeled as the worst Naxal attack in four years, as many as 22 security forces personnel were killed and 31 others were injured on 3 April in an encounter with armed Maoists in a forest along the border between Bijapur and Sukma districts in Chhattisgarh.
Bodies of 17 security personnel have so far been recovered from Bijapur. Out of the total 22 deaths, eight were from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), eight from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and six from the Special Task Force (STF). Out of the 31 injured personnel, 16 belong to the CRPF.

The CRPF has also announced than one constable, Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, of the elite CoBRA unit of the CRPF, was missing. However, according to media reports, the jawan is being held captive by the Maoists.
This was no tiny operation. A contingent of 1,500 troops had launched a search and destroy operation along the border of Bijapur and Sukma, after getting inputs about Naxal presence in the area. The contingent was ambushed by a group of around 400 Maoists, possibly led by wanted leader Madvi Hidma of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army.
However, questions are now been raised if there was an intelligence or an operational failure after a report from the Indian Express quoted several police personnel who were involved in the gun-battle said there were blindsided by the naxals.
So in today’s episode we will try to ascertain what kind of intelligence in required to mount a security force like the one in Bijapur, the misconceptions about the Naxals and the fundamentals of battling the group.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr NC Asthana, a retired IPS officer, who has been DGP Kerala and a long-time ADG CRPF and BSF. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Part 2: Ground Reality in Myanmar From Voices Against the Coup

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 14:35:33 -0000

The Myanmar military seized power of the government in a coup on 1 February 20201. The country has since been immersed in a civil disobedience movement. Since February, over 520 civilians have lost their lives in their fight against the military.
The military stated that the November 2020 elections, which were won by the country’s de-facto leader Aung Suu Kyi and her party the National League of Democracy were fraudulent. However, this assertion has been dismissed by the election commission of the country.
This episode is part 2 of The Big Story’s coverage on the military coup in Myanmar. In part 1, we discussed the political history and narratives of the country, with veteran diplomat and former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar, Mr Vivek Katju. You can find the link to that episode in our show notes.
In today’s episode, you will be hearing voices from two young men, namely Alex and Jeremaih from Myanmar, describing the on-ground reality of their respective cities, the actions taken by the military and what they want the world to know.

Part 1: What Led to the End of Democracy in Myanmar?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Part 1: What Led to the End of Democracy in Myanmar?

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 15:17:51 -0000

It’s been 2 months since history repeated itself in Myanmar, where on 1 February, its de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi was detained along with other leaders following a military coup in the country.

At least 521 civilians have been killed in two months of protests against the junta and 141 of them took place on 27 March, which was the bloodiest day of the unrest according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

The military seized power saying that the November 2020 elections won by Suu Kyi’s party were fraudulent, an assertion which has been dismissed by the election commission. The National League of Democracy or NLD, which Suu Kyi’s leads, won in the November elections with a tally of 396 seats out 498.

It’s important to note that Myanmar is not new to military takeovers. The country was immersed in a military dictatorship from 1962 to 2010 and the military had a tight grip over its citizens through torture and mass killings.

An entire generation of Myanmar has suffered in silence at the hands of the country’s military.

And given that an entire new generation has now tasted democracy, the world is now watching how the military is taking back control of the country and tossing aside a government that won a massive popular mandate only a few months ago.

In this two-part special episode, we are going to first hear from veteran diplomat and the former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Vivak Katju to understand the complexities of Myanmar, its history, and what led to the coup.

In the second part, you will hear from voices in Myanmar about what the ground reality is, what measures have been taken by the military and what do the people of Myanmar want.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Viviek Katju, veteran diplomat and former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What We Know So Far About the Origin of COVID-19 and New Mutations

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 14:52:55 -0000

The Indian government warned in a statement on 30 March that the COVID-19 situation in India is going from 'bad to worse,' and is a risk to the entire country.

India on 31 March, reported 53,480 new cases, taking the tally in the country to 1,21,49,335. The death toll increased by 354 to 1,62,468.

While new variants are emerging across the world, the most recently in Israel, there is also news on the origin of the virus. The World Health Organisation on 30 March released a joint WHO-China study on the origins of COVID-19 and stated that the virus most like spread from bats to humans.

However, the agencies own chief, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and 14 other countries have raised concerns over the report and have demanded further investigation into a theory the outbreak was the result of a laboratory leak.

As COVID-19 gathers steam once more in India, making its presence felt in Maharashtra, Punjab and now even Delhi, the health ministry on 24 March announced that genome sequencing by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG) has shown variants of concern (VOCs) and a novel double mutant variant in India.

In today’s episode, we will analyse the findings of the WHO report and also the variants of concern as this “second wave” gains speed in India.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Shahid Jameel, Virologist and Director of the Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Understanding Kerala Politics Ahead of the Assembly Elections 2021

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 15:08:40 -0000

With just five days left for Kerala to head to its first and only phase of Assembly polls, the complexity and significance of this state election are not understood by many. Today's episode intends to eradicate this confusion.
For the past four decades, Kerala has witnessed only anti-incumbency when it comes to its government. The baton was passed since 1982 between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M)- which leads the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress led United Democratic Front (UDF)
And Kerala is not completely unique in this. Its neighbour, Tamil Nadu, had the same trend for 32 years until former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa broke the trend in 2016 by winning consecutive elections. Rajasthan too has been alternatively electing Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party governments since 1993.
But, what makes Kerala different, is that even though the CPI (M) and the Congress are the major parties in the two fronts, both hold a combined vote share of just over 50 percent. And this is due to multiple alliances these parties have.
Alliances matter a lot in Kerala and unlike in Tamil Nadu, where the two major parties DMK and AIADMK perform better than their alliance partners, both the CPI(M) and the Congress in Kerala are equally vulnerable to losing against smaller allies as well.
And Kerala is seeing another trend right now. Surveys have projected that the current Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of the LDF, may just come back to power in the forthcoming election on 6 April.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: KP Sethunath, senior journalist and former bureau chief of Deccan Chronicle. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Assembly Elections 2021: What’s at Stake in West Bengal and Assam?

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 16:56:04 -0000

Two of the key electoral battles in India will be fought in West Bengal and Assam, which are set to go for its first phase of voting from 27 March. The Bharatiya Janta Party is facing tough battles from its opposition in the TMC in Bengal and the Congress in Assam.

With phase 1 polling starting in both states tomorrow, in today’s episode, we will go through the latest political developments in each state, how each side is faring on the main issues and what the voters have said so far.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Arati R Jerath, senior journalist and political commentator and Aditya Menon, Political Editor at The Quint. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Here’s How the NCT Bill 2021 Infringes on Rights of Delhi Citizens

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 15:02:07 -0000

At a time in India, when a human rights watchdog has downgraded our country as only “partly free”, the recent amendments to the National Capital Territory of Delhi Act or NCT, may just rub more salt in our wounds being a called “electoral autocracy”.

The NCT Bill, 2021, introduced in the Lok Sabha last week and passed by the Rajya Sabha today, unilaterally gives discretionary powers to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi on everyday actions and dilutes the powers of the elected Delhi government.

The amendment will now force the Delhi government to take the advice of the L-G before implementing any Cabinet decision on matters that are within its jurisdiction.

However, the NCT Bill does more than just give powers to the L-G. It also completely upends a 2018 Supreme Court judgment, which addressed this very power tussle between the Union of India and the Delhi government.

Soon after the passage of the amendment bill in the Rajya Sabha, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted saying that it was a "sad day" for democracy and stressed that his struggle to restore power back to the people would continue.

In today’s episode, we will go through what exactly led to the tussle between the two sides, what the Supreme Court 2018 judgment was and what do the new amendments state?
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Indira Jaising, noted human rights lawyers and senior advocate at the Supreme Court of India. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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‘Indo-Pak Peace’: Fantasy or a Long-Drawn Out Argument?

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 16:43:57 -0000

In a rare conciliatory note to India on 19 March, Pakistan’s Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa called for the arch-rivals to “bury the past” and move towards cooperation. The note comes after a surprise joint statement issued by the two neighbours on 25 February, where each side recommitted to a ceasefire along the Line of Control and other disputed sections of the border.

In response to Gen Bajwa’s speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on 22 March, extending greetings on Pakistan Day, stating that India desires “cordial relations” with its neighbour in an environment “devoid of terror and hostility”.
However, there are signs of the India-Pakistan relationship thawing, with the two governments even agreeing to cooperate on healthcare under the aegis of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the Centre recently allowing Prime Minister Imran Khan's special aircraft to use India’s airspace while flying to Sri Lanka for a visit, and the Indus Commissioners of India and Pakistan meeting for the first time in over two years on 23 March.

It is important to note that these are small steps, and brokering long-lasting peace between any two countries is long term process and there are several factors other than just talks which incapsulate the doctrine of peace.
The recent engagements between the old neighbours do raise the following questions- could the recent dialogues be a prelude to peace talks between the two countries, and what role do external powers, if any, have played in prompting these talks.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Vivek Katju, former Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, and Smita Sharma, independent senior journalist and contributing editor at India Ahead. Editor: Shelly Walia Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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A Year Since Janata Curfew, How Close is the Pandemic’s End?

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 16:27:59 -0000

Its been a year since India went into a complete lockdown to combat COVID-19. Lakhs of Indian’s since have lost their lives, their loved ones, health, social circles and we all lost our daily routine.
It's been a year of exercising at home, dining tables becoming the new classroom and workstations, and adopting new terms like “social distancing” and “herd immunity” in our vocabulary.
Though the lockdown was taken as a public health measure, it also showed us the reality of our public healthcare system and the growing inequalities in India, with the exodus of thousands of migrant workers walking hundreds of kilometers back home, local businesses and industries shutting down, and billionaires still managing to increase their wealth during all the turmoil.
As we still assess whether the lockdown was a success or failure a year after its announcement, the COVID-19 threat is far from over as India is witnessing a steady uptick of cases across the country in just the last 2 weeks, indicating, that we are in fact in a “second wave”.
A total of 40,715 fresh cases were reported in the last 24 hours across the country to add to the tally of 1,16,86,796.
It has been a year of calculated risk for many thus it is critical to look at not just what the lockdown did to prevent the spread of COVID-19 but also evaluate where we went wrong.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr K Srinath Reddy, President of the Public Health Foundation of India. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Does Param Bir Singh’s Letter Signify for Ambani-SUV Case?

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 15:17:39 -0000

In a new twist in the Ambani-SUV case, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, in an unsigned letter released on 20 March. accused Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of extortion, political overreach, and interference.

In this eight-page letter, written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Singh claimed that Deshmukh had directed suspended API Sachin Vaze to “collect Rs 100 crore every month from bars, restaurants, and other establishments.” Deshmukh, on his part, refuted Singh’s allegation and has stated that Singh made the false allegations in a bid to protect himself from further legal action, in connection with the case.

And speaking of legal action, Singh on 22 March filed a petition before the Supreme Court about his transfer to the home guard department, saying it was done in a “arbitrary and illegal” manner and “without the completion of the minimum fixed tenure of two years”.

Singhs letter has become a crucial development in the Ambani-SUV case as it raises several doubts on Sachin Waze’s credibility as a cop and also his connection to the suspicious death of Manush Hiren, whose car was allegedly used to plant the explosive substance. The political fallout from the letter has also become, according to the Shiva Sena, a “matter of prestige” for the party-led government.

So in today’s episode, we will go through the developments in the case, specifically to what Singh’s letter states, the political reactions from the Shiv Sena and the BJP on the same, and what does it all equate to for the Ambani-SUV case.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Ritvick Bhalekar, Senior Correspondent, Quint Hindi. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Does India Need to Reconsider it Approach to Foreign Critics?

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 14:55:28 -0000

On the eve of US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin visit to India, the Chairman of US Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SRFC) Bob Menendez urged Secretary Austin to raise concerns about India’s “deteriorating situation of democracy”
Secretary Austin’s visit, which started on 19 March, is the maiden visit by a high-ranking member of President Joe Biden administration and is expected to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and other senior national officials.
In this letter to Austin, Menendez noted “getting the US-India partnership right is critical to addressing 21st-century challenges, and that includes urging the Indian government to uphold democratic values and human rights.”
The criticism is certainly not the latest comment on India’s democracy, the most recent coming from a US-based human rights watchdog Freedom House which slated India from “Free” to “Partly Free” in its annual report on global political rights and liberties.
The Centre termed the Freedom House report as “misleading, incorrect, and misplaced.” Minister Jaishankar further slammed the report and called out the outlets for their “hypocrisy”
The letter from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is a very influential government body on US foreign policy, does raise questions on how the Centre should handle criticism from external bodies and governments and where its response is warranted.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Vivek Katju, former Secretary (West, Ministry of External Affairs Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What is the Reason Behind Resurgence of COVID-19 Cases in Pune?

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:18:01 -0000

Amid a surge of new COVID-19 infections across the country, Maharashtra is in the headlines again, a state that faced the brunt of COVID cases in 2020 and on 18 March, reported 25,833 new cases – the biggest ever one-day spike in the state.

And one city is holding the torch for being the national COVID hotspot again – Pune, where every third case in the state has been recorded. It is also the home of Serum Institute of India, the manufacturer of Covishield, one of the two vaccines approved for emergency use in India.

Pune district reported 2,612 new COVID cases on 17 March and has reported a 10 times rise in daily cases, compared to case figures of 31 January.

While case fatalities are not high when compared to past figures and surges, the larger question is, what is triggering this sudden surge of cases in the city? Is it the reluctance of Puneites to follow COVID-19 appropriate behavior or are we seeing the rise of new COVID variants?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Varsha Dange, Nodal Medical Officer for Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Bitcoin is Booming But Will The Govt Ban Cryptocurrency?

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 15:09:12 -0000

India today has over 75 lakh cryptocurrency investors who’ve collectively poured in over Rs 10,000 crore into Bitcoins, Ethereum and the likes.

Amid the boom in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, a long shadow of uncertainty looms large over India’s crypto future. Bitcoin has soared a staggering 900% over the past year as retail investors piled into online crypto trading during the pandemic. A single Bitcoin that stood at Rs 3.9 lakh on 17 March 2020 is now at Rs 41 lakh exactly a year later. However, the cheer around a Bitcoin boom has been tempered by speculation of an impending prohibition on Bitcoin and other private currencies.

While a Reuters report citing government sources has stated that the pending cryptocurrency Bill may put a complete ban on and criminalise trading as well as possession, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has indicated that the government may take a “calibrated approach” and leave a window open for experiments in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. There has been considerable fear, uncertainty and doubts within the cryptocurrency ecosystem in India and the recent reports and comments from the government still leaves several questions unanswered.

The Quint spoke with Ajeet Khurana, former CEO, Zebpay, and angel investor, about the prevailing mood among investors, the future of cryptocurrency in India, the government’s concerns with cryptocurrency and what happens if the Centre brings a bill to ban it in India?

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Should India be Concerned About European Nations Halting AstraZeneca Vaccine?

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 16:52:46 -0000

The AstraZeneca- Oxford university COVID-19 vaccine has been paused by a number of countries in Europe after reports of blood clotting and Deep Vein Thrombosis in some participants arose. Countries including France Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Norway have put a halt on the rollout of the innoculation programme for now and are examining the cases that have occurred.

While they carry out assessments, the World Health Organisation as well as the European Union’s vaccine regulator have played down the issue for now. They have highlighted two important points. One, there is no indication that the vaccine is linked to an increased risk of blood clots. Two, the number of cases in vaccinated people was no higher than in the general population.

In India, the Serum Institute of India is manufacturing the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as Covishield and 1.5 crore doses have already been administered.

At a time when COVID-19 cases have seen a spike across India and Europe and the vaccination process is underway, a number of key questions have emerged. Why has this become an issue in the EU? Should India, which manufactures the same vaccine, be worried?

The Quint spoke with Dr Rahul Bhargava, Director and Head, Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram

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Will Mumbai Cop Sachin Vaze's Arrest & Suspension Intensify Maharashtra's Political Storm?

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 16:30:59 -0000

High profile Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze was suspended from service on Monday, 15 March as the investigation into the death of businessman Mansukh Hiren is carried out.

Vaze, who is no stranger to media attention, has come under the spotlight once again as he finds himself at the centre of growing storm involving a bomb scare outside the residence of India’s richest man, a murder mystery and an intensifying political crossfire.

The explosive-laden car that was found outside Antilla – the Ambani residence – belonged to Hiren, whose family has accused Vaze of murder.

As Vaze was arrested and now suspended, his proximity to the ruling-Shiv Sena has contributed to the increasingly bitter political fight between the ruling Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government and the BJP-led Opposition.

With new developments almost daily and a barrage of allegations and counter-allegations, several larger questions have come up. Could Vaze be involved in a conspiracy to kill Mansukh Hiren? Is the NCP-Shiv Sena-Congress coalition on the backfoot? How is the Opposition approaching this issue? And What happens next?

Host and Producer: Sushovan Sircar Guest: Ritvick Bhalekar
Paradub: Shankaransh Shrivastava

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Does Mamta Banerjee’s Injury Change the Narrative of WB Election?

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 15:10:58 -0000

Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on 10 March, was allegedly attacked in Nandigram, a few hours after filling her nomination in the seat which propelled her to power in 2011.

The CM, who is currently being treated for injuries sustained to her head, shoulder leg, and ankle at state-run SSKM hospital, stated the alleged attack is a conspiracy against her and that she was pushed by four to five people.
While police investigations are underway to uncover what exactly led to the CM’s injuries, with the state heading into elections soon, social media was flooded with opinions about the incident, ranging from condemning the attack to dubbing it as a well-scripted drama.
The incident has also left the Opposition on how to react. While many political figures such as Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot have come forward to condemn the purported attack and expressed solidarity with Mamta Banerjee, the BJP has come out swinging in attack formation by calling it a drama. And the Congress seems to be in two minds, with some leaders condemning the attack and others like Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accusing Banerjee of seeking “public sympathy”. So in today’s episode, we will try to breakdown how the incident took place with a ground report from Nandigram, what the people of Nandigram think about the attack, what does the CM’s injury mean for the TMC campaign, and if the narrative of the contentious West Bengal election have changed?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Ishradita Lahiri, Senior Correspondent, The Quint and
Aditya Menon, Political Editor for The Quint
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How Do the New IT Rules 2021 Regulate Digital News Publishers?

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 14:15:48 -0000

The Centre on 25 February announced drastic changes and new rules for social media companies and also a new code of ethics for OTT streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar. And this code of ethics was also extended to digital news media organisations, like The Quint, The Wire, Livelaw and also applies to individual creators like Faye D'souza, Dhruv Rathee who create content on current affairs.
In a 30-page document, titled ‘Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021’, the Centre has placed strict guidelines and regulations on online platforms and has also proposed a new grievance redressal mechanism for regulation of all online media.
Describing the rules as a “soft touch mechanism”, and are aimed to “empower users”, Union Electronics & IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on 25 Febraury said that these new rules will be implemented in three months.
However, a closer look at the rules uncovers that they don’t really empower users and are creating tighter control and placing wide-ranging obligations on online platforms.
In this episode, we are going to breakdown how these new rules are extended to digital news publications and regulate their functioning, and the two petitions filed by two news media organizations-namely, the Foundation of Independent Journalists and LiveLaw India, a legal media portal.

The ‘Tandav’ of 13 FIRs: Discussing Aparna Purohit’s SC Hearing

Creative Liberty Vs Regulation: Tandav Web Show Revives Old Debate

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Karan Tripathi, Legal Consultant for The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why Has Uttarakhand Witnessed So Many Chief Ministers?

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 14:38:05 -0000

Just days shorts of realising four years in power, Trivendra Singh Rawat submitted his resignation as chief minister of Uttarakhand to Governor Baby Rani Maurya on 9 March.

Speaking to the media after submitting his resignation, he said his party had given him the golden opportunity to serve as chief minister of Uttarakhand.

He said, “I come from humble beginnings, from a small village and the family of a soldier. No one could have imagined I would get the opportunity to serve as chief minister of the state for four years.” And in a surprise move on 10 March, BJP’s state legislative party chose Garhwal MP Tirath Singh Rawat as the new CM, a name that was not among those being discussed for the post.

Trivendra Rawat, who was handpicked by the BJP party leadership in 2017 following the election win, had the cloud of resignation looming over him for the past few days as many state leaders had been objecting to his style of chief ministership. Concealed divisions were formed within the party and ultimately, MLAs voiced their dismay in Delhi, some even threatening to resign.

While the resignation may not come as a surprise given the resentment against him within the party, plucking a chief minister just a year before Assembly elections does signal that the BJP is reassessing its campaign strategy.

In today’s episode, we will analyse the state’s political history, what reasons may have led to the resignation of Trivendra Singh Rawat and what’s in store for the new CM as the countdown for 2022 elections begin.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Aditya Menon, Political Editor at The Quint. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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TN Elections: DMK-Cong, AMMK-AIMIM In Awkward Huddle Over Alliance Talks

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 15:15:28 -0000

VK Sasikala’s sudden decision to step away from politics on 3 March, which rattled both the ruling AIADMK and other political parties in Tamil Nadu, seems to have no visible impact as such on her nephew, TTV Dhinakaran, the leader for the AMMK, who on 8 March announced a new ally in its folds-Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mr Dhinakaran stated that “nothing could stop him” and is hoping to cause a dent in the AIADMK vote bank with the new AIMIM alliance.
While the ruling AIADMK has allied with the BJP and PMK and there seem to be no visible signs of a tussle in the partnership, the same cannot be said for the DMK and its strongest ally, the Indian National Congress.

Tough negotiations between the DMK and the Congress have been consistent since the seat-sharing talks began in late February 2021, with DMK not budging away from their goal to contest in 180 out 234 seats in the assembly polls and providing their allies with the minority vote count.

According to media reports, the talks even escalated to the extent of the Tamil Nadu Congress chief KS Alagiri breaking down during a meeting of the party’s state executive committee because the DMK is not respecting the Congress party and its position in the state enough.

So in today’s episode, we will focus on the two alliances-which is the AMMK and AIMIM and DMK-Congress and their internal dynamics, what is their campaign strategy, and what does the road ahead look like in the state assembly polls.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Sumanth Raman, senior journalist and political analyst and
Nikhila Henry, South Bureau Chief for The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Women’s Day 2021: Reflecting on the Past Year Through Stories

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 16:31:10 -0000

A focal point in the women’s right movement is International Women’s Day, a day which has served both as a day of protest in some of parts of the world and a celebration in others.

This past year we have seen the crucial leadership roles that women have played in the ongoing farmers agitation at the borders of the capital, which recently crossed its 100-day mark. We also witnessed the landmark Priya Ramani verdict, which scored a victory for the #MeToo movement in India and the workplace rights for women.

As part of The Quint’s Women’s Day 2021 coverage, in a special series called “Her Pandemic Diary”, we asked women to take a pause and reflect on their journey this past year, which both anecdotal accounts and research shows women are among those 'worst affected' by the 'new normal.'

So for today’s special episode, instead of trying to understand what this day means for women, we are going to try and take a look at where women stand in India by giving a platform to them to speak about their daily lives, their struggles and also highlight the landmark judgments passed in the last year.

Under One Roof But Isolated From Kids – A Doctor’s Pandemic Diary

‘My Mother was Upset, Father Embarrassed’, Ghazala Wahab Recalls

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The 'Tandav' of 13 FIRs: Discussing Aparna Purohit's SC Hearing

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 14:09:20 -0000

Amazon Prime's Tandav, a nine-episode political thriller, began streaming online in mid January and ever since its release, it has received backlash from different parts of the country, especially in the form of 13 FIR’s filed against Aparna Purohit, Amazon Prime Video's India creative head, the creators of the show and the cast.
The Supreme Court on 5 March granted interim protection from arrest to Aparna Purohit, stating that she will not be arrested provided she cooperates with the investigation.
But earlier on 25 February, an Allahabad High Court single-judge bench rejected the anticipatory bail plea filed by Purohit for allegedly “promoting religious enmity” through the show and further stating in its 20-page order that and I quote “the conduct of the applicant shows that she has scant respect for the law of the land and her conduct further disentitles her to any relief from this court."
So for today’ episode, we will go through what the entire Tandav case is about, what the Allahabad High Court judgement said, what the SC ruling was today and whats next for the case.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Karan Tripathi, Legal Consultant for The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Decoding VK Sasikala’s Political Saga, and Her Exit from Politics

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 15:10:14 -0000

In what can be called as a major plot twist in Tamil Nadu politics, ousted former chief of ruling AIADMK VK Sasikala, who was released from Bengaluru jail on 27 January and was widely expected to take control of her party, the AMMK and contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, announced that she would be stepping aside from politics and public light on 3 March.
In a press release issued last evening Sasikala, the closest aide of the late former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, asked supporters of AIADMK to stand united and fight against the DMK in the Assembly elections, slated to take place on 6 April.
In her statement she said and I quote “all true followers of Jayalalithaa need to act with wisdom to ensure the DMK, that ‘Amma' identified as our common enemy, is kept out of power.”
While her exit may help the AIAMDK in the polls, it has certainly given a jolt to her nephew TTV Dhinakaran, whose party AMMK is also contesting in the elections.
The surprise move comes as the central leadership of the BJP - which is allied with the AIADMK in the poll bound state- has been mounting pressure on the AIADMK to work with Sasikala and the AMMK.
So in today’s episode we will discuss in detail who Sasikala is , her exit from politics, what it means for the AIAMDK, the AMMK and how will this move affect the upcoming elections?
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Sumanth Raman, Senior Journalist and Political Analyst and Nikhila Henry, South Bureau Chief for The Quint. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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How Significant is AAP’s Victory in Delhi Municipality Bypolls?

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 14:25:25 -0000

The Aam Aadmi Party’s victory parade has slid into another week of celebrations as the party won four of the five wards on Wednesday, 3 March, in the Delhi Municipal bypolls. The Congress secured the remaining one ward, while the Bharatiya Janata Party drew a blank.

The ruling party won from Kalyan Puri and Trilokpuri in the East Delhi Municipal Corporation and Rohini-C and Shalimar Bagh in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

BJP’s loss at the Shalimar Bagh seat came as a surprise to many, since it is considered a stronghold of the party.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal congratulated his party for the win in a tweet stating that "the people of Delhi have once again voted in the name of work. The public has been upset with the 15 years of misrule of the BJP in the MCD. The people want to establish Aam Aadmi Party's rule in the MCD as well."
For a party which has had an arguably lukewarm stance against political issues in the past, it has now achieved success beyond its home turf, in Goa and most recently in Gujarat and also publicly stated aspirations to contest in the Northeast, which does bring up the question on where AAP stands in terms of its ambition to become a national party.

So, in today’s episode, we will breakdown AAP’s win the Delhi MCD elections. How worrying is AAP’s win for the BJP? And, can the AAP model of governance resonate across the country in the coming state elections?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Aditya Menon, Political Editor for The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Was China Behind Mumbai’s Power Failure in October 2020?

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 14:37:23 -0000

Amidst arguably tense border situations between India and China, a recent study by a US company, named Recorded Future, published on 1 March claimed that last year's massive power outage in Mumbai, which grounded the entire city for nearly 24 hours in October amid the pandemic, was a result of an alleged cyber attack by a Chinese state backed hacking group. This story was first reported by The New York Times on 1 March.

According to the study, Recorded Future observed an increase in targeted cyber intrusion from mid-2020, by Chinese state sponsored groups on critical Indian civil infrastructures organisations.

While the report has given evidence of the Chinese malware intrusions in India, it has stated the link between the power outage and the intrusions remains “unsubstantiated”.

While the Centre has stated that there has been no evidence of a possible Chinese involvement, the Maharashtra government has launched an inquiry into the issue. China, on the other hand, has denied the comments of it trying to bully India and have stated that such claims were “irresponsible”.

How vulnerable is India's critical infrastructure to cyber attacks from foreign threat actors? And what would be the perceived benefit of attacking India’s civil infrastructure?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest:
Jayadeva Ranade, President of the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy and Mr Vineet Kumar, President of the Cyber Peace Foundation. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Decoding India’s COVID Variants and Surge with Dr RR Gangakhedkar

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 13:07:03 -0000

The two big headlines on 1 March 2021 were first, that the Indian government began its second phase of vaccinations against COVID-19 with people above the age of 60 years and those above 45 with comorbidities who are now eligible to get the vaccine
The second headline, and the more worrying one, is the slow and steady resurgence of COVID-19 cases across six states in India over just the last two weeks, raising concerns of a possible new wave.
India on 1 March reported 15,150 new COVID-19 cases and 106 deaths in the last 24 hours, raising the active cases number to 1,68,627.
Maharashtra, the state which has reported the highest new cases so far, is slowly inching back to its worst phases of cases last year. The state reported 8,293 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, more than half of the total cases reported nationally.
In previous episodes, we have discussed in detail with experts on the spike in cases in Maharashtra and also how to register for vaccinations in the second phase.
For today’s episode, we had the opportunity to speak to Dr RR Gangakhedkar, who is former head of Epidemiology and Communicable diseases and was the face of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in the initial months of the pandemic on what is causing the rise in cases in India, about the new indigenous variants discovered and how concerned should we be.

Answering Your Questions About India’s Phase 2 COVID Vaccine Plan

What Has Led to Spike in COVID-19 Cases in Maharashtra?

Host: Vaishali Sood Guest:
Dr RR Gangakhedkar, former Head of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases at Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Producer: Himmat Shaligram Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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‘Against Indian Ethos’: Centre Opposes Same-Sex Marriages in HC

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 15:19:57 -0000

Only a biological man and a biological woman, in other words, a husband and a wife, make a family.

That was the crux of the Centre's response to petitions seeking recognition and registration of same-sex marriages under the Hindu Marriage Act, the Special Marriage Act, and the Foreign Marriage Act. On 25 February, as the Centre opposed the pleas, it said:

“Living together as partners and having sexual relationship with same sex individual is not comparable with Indian family unit concept of a husband, wife and children, which necessarily presuppose a biological man as 'husband', a biological woman as 'wife' and children born out of union.”
And finally, any judicial interference would cause and I quote, “a complete havoc with the delicate balance of personal laws in the country”.

With the matter now listed for 20 April, let's take a step back to understand who are the petitioners in the case, what are they demanding, what are the arguments made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, and why some of the arguments do not hold for the LGBTQI+ community.

And to discuss all this, in today’s episode you will hear from Akshat Agrawal, a research fellow at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Anjali Gopalan, Human Rights Activist, and Director of The Naz Foundation, and Karan Tripathi, Legal Consultant for The Quint.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Akshat Agrawal, Research Fellow at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Anjali Gopalan, Human Rights Activist and Director of The Naz Foundation, and Karan Tripathi, Legal Consultant for The Quint.
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Answering Your Questions About India’s Phase 2 COVID Vaccine Plan

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 15:25:36 -0000

India is all set to begin the second phase of COVID-19 vaccinations from 1 March and people above 60 years of age and those above 45 with co-morbidities are now eligible to get the vaccine. India will also become perhaps the largest country to allow vaccines to be purchased at private hospitals.

According to an announcement made by Union Minister Prakash Javdekar on 24 February, the second phase will also include the involvement of the private sector. There are certain co-morbidities classifications under which the over-45 age group are eligible, and the final list is yet to released by the Health Ministry.

It is important to note that the second phase will have a self-registration step where vaccine beneficiaries will be required to download the Co-WIN 2.0 app and register for the vaccination. However, there are several media reports which have stated that on-site registration at the centers will also be available.

Undoubtedly, there are several questions regarding how the vaccine registration will work, and what documents are required. Can one just walk in and register for a vaccine or how much will it cost?

So to dispel the rumors regarding the second phase of vaccination, in today’s episode we spoke with Dr RS Sharma, who is the Chairman of the Empowered Panel for COVID-19 Vaccination in India, and also the man behind setting up the entire digital infrastructure for vaccine drive.

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest:
Dr RS Sharma, Chairman of the Empowered Panel for COVID-19 Vaccination in India. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Led to Aam Aadmi Party’s Surat Win in Gujarat Civic Polls?

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 14:03:14 -0000

The Bhartiya Janta Party on 23 February put up its best performance in the two decades by sweeping all six municipal corporations in the Gujarat Urban local body elections. The ruling party won comfortable majorities in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar corporations.
And the numbers speak for themselves. BJP improved on its 2015 tally of 389 seats out of total of 572 to as many as 483 out of 576 this time. However, on the other end, the Congress party took a nosedive in this election, from 174 seats in 2015 to just 55 in 2021.
While the BJP did cement its domination in urban Gujarat, what gave a jolt to both the BJP and Congress was the performance by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) who won 27 seats in Surat, a number so staggering for the debutant party that it even led to BJP Gujarat President CR Patil terming AAP’s victory as a “nail in the golden plate”.
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal congratulated the people of Gujarat on Twitter for “the beginning of a new politics”, and is also expected to arrive in Surat to participate in a victory rally on 26 February.
In today’s episode, we will go through what was exactly at stake in this election, what led to AAP making in-roads in Gujarat and how important is their win? and does the Congress loss mean an end of a support in the state?
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Aditya Menon, Political Editor for The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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‘Not One Iota of Evidence’: Disha Ravi Gets Bail in ‘Toolkit’ Case

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 16:43:03 -0000

Delhi’s Patiala Court on Tuesday, 23 February, granted bail to Bangalore-based climate activist Disha Ravi, who was arrested on 14 February in connection with a toolkit on the farmers' protest that was tweeted by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

In his order granting bail, Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana said, “Considering the scanty and sketchy investigation, I do not find any palpable reason to breach the rule of bail for a 22-year-old girl who has absolutely no criminal antecedents.”

Ravi has been directed to furnish two sureties of Rs 1 lakh each for her release, responding to which her lawyer Siddharth Agarwal argued that her family was in no position to pay as much.

However, the court denied this request. Ravi has also been directed to cooperate with the ongoing Delhi Police investigation and not leave the country.

Ravi was also produced before a magistrate in the same court for remand hearings. Upon being told that Judge Rana had granted her bail, the magistrate said that he will dispose of the matter. As per the Delhi Police, Ravi edited the ‘toolkit’ containing ‘anti-India content at the behest of pro-Khalistani organisations,’ which sought to trigger violence amid the farmers' protests.

However, Judge Rana in his bail order noted the Bombay High Court ruling which previously held that, “conspiracy cannot be proved merely on the basis of inferences. The inferences have to be backed by evidence.”

And that the lack of evidence by the prosecution is what was highlighted by Judge Rana in his bail order as well.

In today’s episode, we will tackle the big questions: What were the claims in Delhi Police’s FIR? How did Judge Rana respond to the key contentions of the parties and where does the case stand right now?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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What Has Led to Spike in COVID-19 Cases in Maharashtra?

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 14:19:55 -0000

Stopping just short of a lockdown, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday, 21 February announced a slew of new rules given the consistent rise of COVID-19 cases in the state. The state has been consistently reporting cases over 6,000 for the past three days and recorded 6,971 new cases on Sunday -- the highest one-day spike in last 121 days since 23 October when the state clocked 7,347 cases.

Issuing an ultimatum to people in his 30-minute address on Twitter on 21 February, CM Thackeray warned them of a lockdown if COVID-19 protocols were not followed.

“It all depends on you, whether you want a lockdown or you are ready to follow the norms to avoid it,” he said in his address.

As of now, districts such as Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Pune, Nashik, Parbhani have restricted movement of the people. Amravati city has been placed under lockdown for a week starting 22 February with only essential services allowed to function during the lockdown.

The state government has also banned all political, religious and social gatherings in the state and Pune district administration has also imposed a curfew and announced closure of schools, colleges and private coaching classes till 28 February.

What has caused this sudden spike in cases in Maharashtra? Is this spike an indication of a second wave? Does this indicate a new COVID-19 variant? And are the current vaccines available in India, Covishield and Covaxin, effective on the new variants?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Dr Subhash Salunke, Technical Advisor on COVID-19 to Maharashtra government. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Why Did Facebook Ban News Content in Australia Amid a Pandemic?

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 15:15:35 -0000

If you are a Facebook user in Australia, you may have woken up to a very different news feed on 18 February. And don’t worry, your account was not hacked.

The social media giant took the nuclear option in response to the Australian government’s proposed law that would require big tech platforms like Facebook and Google to reach commercial agreements and strike revenue deals with news outlets whose content drives traffic on these platforms.

And in the early hours of 18 February, Facebook actually followed through on its earlier threat that it will ban all news websites and also the option for users to share news links.

But the move inadvertently also resulted banning Facebook pages of government health departments, fire and rescue, Suicide Prevention Australia, charities and somehow, Facebook’s own official page as well.

And this is a cause of concern because Australia is actually a few days away from a national COVID-19 vaccine rollout. However, executives at Facebook were quick to realise of this fumble and apologised for the error. But, according to Facebook, the pages of government departments will take at least a week to come back.

In today’s episode, we will go through why Facebook has banned news in the middle of a pandemic. Will misinformation and conspiracy theories fill the void that news outlets left and what does this step mean for other countries like India?

Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Udhbhav Tiwari, Policy Advisor at Mozilla Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Do Punjab Civil Poll Results Project What the State Thinks of BJP?

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 14:16:40 -0000

In the backdrop of the farmer's agitation at the borders of the capital, the Congress party made a clean sweep in Punjab’s seven of the eight municipal corporation elections on 17 February which are Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Abohar, Pathankot, Batala, Bathinda, and now Mohali as well, which went into a re-poll and the Congress emerged victorious there on 18 February when the results were declared.

In the final count, the Congress won 1,399 of the 2,165 wards in municipal councils and 271 of the 350 municipal corporation seats. The most stunning victory came from Bathinda, where the Congress party is set to elect a mayor for the first time in 53 years, a city which has been the bastion of the Shiromani Akali Dal.
On the other side, the BJP had a disappointing day since it is considered as an urban party in Punjab but came in with only 38 seats in the municipal wards and 20 of the municipal corporation seats. BJP's defeat in the elections does send a clear message to the Centre from the people of Punjab in the context of farms laws and the handling of ongoing farmers protest.

The rest of the seats were won by the SAD which trailed at 289 and 33, and the Aam Aadmi Party at 57 and 9, respectively.

How important is this victory is for the Congress, how big was the defeat for the BJP, and does this shed any light on the 2022 Assembly polls?
Host and Producer: Himmat Shaligram Guest: Aditya Menon, Political Editor at The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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#MeToo: MJ Akbar Loses Defamation Case Against Priya Ramani

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:24:19 -0000

Following a trial which lasted almost two years and became one of India’s most high-profile cases arising out of the #MeToo movement, a Delhi trial court on Wednesday, 17 February acquitted journalist Priya Ramani in the criminal defamation case filed against her by former Union Minister MJ Akbar.

In the criminal defamation suit, Akbar had claimed that an article by Ramani, written for Vogue in 2017 amid the #MeToo movement, and a subsequent tweet about him in 2018 when the movement was sweeping India, caused damage to his “stellar reputation”.

Ramani had contested these claims pleading truth, good faith, public interest and public good as her defences in the defamation trial – and as the court pronounced its verdict on 17 February, it observed that these defences raised by her were justified in light of systemic abuse of women at the workplace.

The acquittal order was scheduled to be pronounced by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey at 2 pm. However, the parties were asked to reconvene in 30 minutess by the judge to make some minor corrections to the verdict. When the court reconvened, Judge Pandey noted the following in the order: “Right of reputation can't be protected at the cost of right to dignity”

The judge also noted that a man of "stellar reputation" can also be a sexual harasser and that “the Indian Constitution allows a woman to put forward her grievance before any forum, and at any time, even after decades.”

What does this victory mean? What next for MJ Akbar?

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram Guest:
Priya Ramani, the defendant in the case and a senior journalist, Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor for The Quint
and Karan Tripathi, Legal Consultant for The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Toolkit Controversy: Who Are Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk?

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 15:10:13 -0000

A day after Delhi Police arrested Bengaluru-based climate activist Disha Ravi on charges of sedition for having allegedly edited a toolkit which Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg shared on Twitter, two more activists came under the spotlight –– Nikita Jacob and Shantanu Muluk. Who are they and what is the police alleging?

Nikita Jacob is a practicing lawyer in the Bombay High Court and Shantanu Muluk is an environmentalist who had quit his aerospace engineering job around six months back, to focus on the parched regions of Vidarbha and Marathwada.
From the press conference held on 15 February, we know that the Delhi Police had named the three accused –– Disha Ravi, Nikita Jacob and Shantanu –– as the editors and creators of the toolkit who laid out an “action plan” for 26 January. Their aim? To create misinformation and disaffection against the lawfully enacted government. The police further revealed that a Zoom meeting took place on 11 January, attended by Jacob and Shantanu, and organised by the Poetic Justice foundation, which the police deems as a pro-Khalistani organisation, in which ‘the modalities of the Global Day of Action were worked out’.
In her defence, Nikita Jacob has stated that the toolkit was simply an information pack, that her intent was never to incite violence and there was nothing illegal in what she did.
Shantanu Muluk, who was granted transit anticipatory bail on 16 February after a Delhi court issued a non-bailable warrant against him, had said in his bail plea before the Bombay High Court:
"...Vendetta has trickled down from politics to the house of a common man making a mockery of the rights and principles enshrined in the Constitution of India. That such vendetta, which is the dark face of authoritarianism, is the real ‘toolkit’ for devastation of not only of democracy but also basic human rights.”
Naturally, the statements of the police and the accused contrast... so in this episode we are going to try and see where the law stands on toolkits and sedition, and how the law should treat Shantanu and Nikita Jacob's case.

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guest:
Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor for The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Does Disha Ravi's Arrest Mean for the Future of Activism?

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 14:54:41 -0000

In a move that has triggered anger and disbelief in equal parts across social media by legal experts, the opposition parties, climate activists and even the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, Delhi Police on 13 February arrested 21-year-old climate activist Disha Ravi from her Bengaluru residence on charges of creating and sharing a toolkit on the farmers’ protest that was posted by international climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Disha Ravi’s arrest marks the first arrest in an FIR filed by the cybercrime unit of the Delhi Police, which was registered against the creators of the ‘toolkit’ on 4 February.
Delhi Police’s statement claimed that Ravi was a ‘co-conspirator’ in the toolkit's formulation –– and ‘in this process’ collaborated with ‘pro-Khalistani Poetic Justice Foundation to spread disaffection against the Indian State’.
Ravi has denied being part of any conspiracy and said that she didn't create the toolkit and just made two edits to it. She was produced before a magistrate in Delhi on Sunday, 14 February, who remanded her to five days police custody.
Disha Ravi’s case raises questions on the legality of her arrest – and the process which the Delhi police followed – over and above questions about whether the offences that she and others are accused of are even made out.
Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guest:
Dr NC Asthana, a retired IPS officer and the former DGP Kerala, and Rebecca John, a senior law advocate Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Does Disengagement Mean an End to Hostile India-China Relations?

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 13:53:13 -0000

In a major breakthrough in talks to resolve the standoff between Indian and Chinese armed forces at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, China’s Defence Ministry and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 10 and 11 February respectively announced that Indian and Chinese troops on the southern and northern shores of Pangong Tso lake have begun a phased, coordinated and verified disengagement.

The consensus was reached during the ninth round of previously held military commander-level talks. According to the agreement, both forces will move back to their traditional bases on the north bank of Pangong Tso. Significantly, both sides will stop patrolling to the extent of their respective claims in the area.

The development comes after months of stand-offs between India and China at the LAC, during which a violent face-off last year between the two sides at the Galwan Valley led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers and an undisclosed number of Chinese troops.

The last standoff between the two Asian giants was in late August 2020 when India occupied certain peaks on the south bank, which were previously unoccupied by either side.

Does this disengagement mean an end to the hostile environment in relations between the two countries? or is it just another addition to a long list of landmark standoffs that are yet to be negotiated?

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guest:
Former Army Commander Lieutenant General AK Singh, also served as the Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry and Manoj Joshi, senior journalist and a Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Did Bharat Biotech Follow Covaxin Clinical Protocols in Bhopal?

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 12:27:33 -0000

On 3 January 2021, Covaxin became India's first indigenously produced vaccine against the novel coronavirus to get 'emergency approval in public health interest in clinical trial mode.’
The vaccine is jointly made by Bharat Biotech, Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology.
However, its approval raised many questions, especially since phase 3 clinical trials were still ongoing and no efficacy data had been published.
Several media outlets in January 2021 reported on the vaccine’s clinical trial at People’s Hospital Bhopal, one of the several sites where phase 3 trials are taking place. The reports pointed to how poor people were lured without any understanding that they were taking part in a vaccine trail and not a vaccination drive.
There has been one death and several participants have reported illnesses at this site.
Why are there fears of ethical breaches in the clinical trail and what does it mean for Covaxin?
Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guest:
Priyanka Pulla, freelance science journalist Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Ghulam Nabi Azad Exit From Rajya Sabha: What Next for Congress?

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 16:55:29 -0000

After almost half a century of service in Indian politics, outgoing Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and veteran Congress parliamentarian Ghulam Nabi Azad signed off from the upper house on 9 February.

While Mr Azad's touching speech left Rajya Sabha members emotional, a teary-eyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Mr Azad’s replacement will have a tough time filling his shoes.

A Congress loyalist from the start since he was a block committee chairman at 24, Mr Azad has been a close confidante of the Gandhi’s, and in the recent days even a critic of the Congress' lack of leadership.

In the shadows of lingering leadership crisis, his exit from the Rajya Sabha signifies a big change for the Congress party.

What does this mean for the Congress? Is there any possibility of a comeback? If not, who are the frontrunners who can take up the mantle?
Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guest:
Senior journalist and political commentators Arati Jerath and Javed Ansari. Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How Prepared is the Department of Telecommunication to Rollout 5G?

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 15:44:10 -0000

Laidback, insufficient, and unprepared are just some of the words used in a report by the Parliamentary Committee of IT to describe the efforts of the Union Communications Ministry's in rolling out 5G technology.

5G trials in India are set to launch in March. But the 125-page report, titled “India’s Preparedness for 5G”, released on 8 February and prepared by a 31-member committee comprising members across party lines, from both Houses of Parliament, concluded that India has not gone beyond the initial stages of preparation as compared to other countries, so much so that, India may actually “miss the 5G bus.”

The Committee also states that its concerns for 5G deployment are enhanced by the fact that previous network technologies like 2G, 3G, and 4G were all deployed later in India when compared to the rest of the world.
The Committee has raised several issues with the DoT’s current preparedness on 5G, one of the biggest being the unit price of spectrum, which is in the range of 3-70 times more when compared to other countries.

While some countries like the US, UK, Australia have already introduced 5G services, India is running behind all other players.

Where does India stand in 5G deployment, what are the obstacles, and by when should we expect it in India?

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guest:
Sanjay Kapoor, former CEO of Bharti Airtel India. Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Uttarakhand Glacier Break: Climate Change or Human Development?

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 15:05:52 -0000

Is it a landslide or a glacial burst or a man-made disaster that triggered the sudden flash floods in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district? It is yet to be ascertained as to what exactly caused the disaster that led to the death of at least 19 people, while around 200 others are reported missing as of Monday, 8 February.

All hands are on the deck to rescue those who are feared to be trapped in the Tapovan tunnel - the ITBP, the Indian Army, the IAF, the NDRF and the NCMC have been deployed for the search and rescue operations. The death toll is expected to rise as bodies of the labourers working in the flood path are still being recovered.

At least two under-construction hydro power projects in Chamoli district were severely impacted by the flood, with fatalities reported among personnel deployed at these sites.

Several other projects on the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river basins in northwestern Uttarakhand have also been impacted by the flood.

While the central government has stated that the a landslide at a high altitude caused the flash flood, several experts have pointed their fingers towards developmental projects like hydro plants, which may be causing harm to the ecology of the Uttarakhand region.

What led to this disaster? Could it have been caused by climate change or human interventions?

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests:
Dr Anjal Prakash, Research Director and Adjunct Associate Professor, ISB Hyderabad Dr Farooq Azam, Assistant Professor, Glaciology & Hydrology, IIT Indore and Bahar Dutt, award winning environment journalist Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Is the Press Free in India to Report on Farmers Protest?

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 15:41:54 -0000

While barricades are being put up in a bid to crackdown on farmers' protest, simultaneously there have been FIRs and cases of sedition against several journalists over their reportage of the protest.

Since the incident of the Red Fort violence, over the past couple of weeks, Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath, Anant Nath, Vinod K Hose had cases against them for allegedly misreporting the events and promoting disharmony.

In a separate instance, freelance journalist Mandeep Punia who's a contributor to the caravan, was arrested while reporting at the Singhu border for allegedly misbehaving with the police. While visuals of the police manhandling him at the protest site went viral, prompting the media fraternity to demand for his release, Mr Punia was kept in judicial custody for 14 days without being allowed to see his lawyer until he received his bail on 3 February.

After his release, Mr Punia alleged that he was falsely accused of assaulting the police, and was given a brutal treatment in custody.

As these kind of incidents have been spiking over the last few years, India has also been sliding down the ladder of the world press freedom index. In 2020, india ranked 142nd out of 180 countries.

Is India turning hostile towards free press? What challenges are journalists facing on the ground from the state?

Big Story Episode on blockades at farmers protest sites in Delhi:

Are Blockades at Farmer Protest Sites Needed and Legal?

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests:
Mandeep Punia, a freelance journalist and contributor to The Caravan and
Patricia Mukhim, a veteran journalist and Editor of The Shillong Times Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Are Blockades at Farmer Protest Sites Needed and Legal?

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 15:58:36 -0000

Unlike the regular mobile barricades set up by the police to restrict foot traffic, vehicle movement, the police blockades at Ghazipur, Singhu and Tikri, where scores of farmers are currently protesting, are more permanent in nature.

Apart from the internet shutdown that was imposed after the Red Ford violence, video footage and photographs from these areas now show cement walls being constructed, spike wire on top of steel obstacles, iron nails bolted to the road to prevent advancement.

But the barricading has also led to larger consequences. It has been reported that these barricades have cut off farmers access to water and sanitation facilities, which they had access to previously.

But is this level of blockade legal? Do they violate any human rights law? Are barricades of this scale necessary and what do the farmers feel about them?

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests:
Dr N C Asthana, who is a retired Indian Police Service officer, Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint’s Legal Editor,
Shadab Moizee, Senior Correspondent for Quint Hindi And voice of protesters from Ghazipur. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Will Rihanna’s Tweet Become a Turning Point for Farmers’ Protest?

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:16:02 -0000

Just as farmers have been accusing the Centre of harassing them in a bid to shutdown their protest, the whole movement against the centre's controversial farm laws got a fresh impetus as it gained an overwhelming international attention.

On 2 February, when Singer and actor Rihanna shared a report by CNN on the internet blockade imposed around Delhi, on her Twitter asking her 100 million strong followers “Why aren’t we talking about this?! #FarmersProtest” — barely hours within posting the tweet, a huge amount of global support came pouring in from international icons, journalists, activists, advocacy groups and legislators too.

Rihanna's tweet is perhaps not all that suprising since she has frequently spoke up about human rights issues such as Black Lives Matter and even the recent coup in Myanmar.

But immediately after Rihanna's tweet, teen environmental activist Greta Thunberg also tweeted saying, "We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India."

British MP Claudia Webbe retweeted Rihanna's post and wrote: "Solidarity to the Indian Farmers. Thank you Rihanna. In an era where political leadership is lacking we are grateful for others stepping forward."

US Vice President Kamala Harris's niece Meena Harris wrote, “It's no coincidence that the world's oldest democracy was attacked not even a month ago, and as we speak, the most populous democracy is under assault. This is related. We all should be outraged by India's internet shutdowns and paramilitary violence against farmer protesters."

Is this renewed international support going to be a significant turning point in the farmers' protest? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Vishnu Prakash, former High Commissioner to Canada, Ambassador to South Korea and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs
Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Senior Journalist
Sayani Gupta, Bollywood Actor
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Union Budget 2021: Breaking Down the Numbers For Key Sectors

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 14:39:14 -0000

On 1 February, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Union Budget for the next financial year on the back of several challenges thrown up by the pandemic. In response, Indian stock markets zoomed over 2300 points on the day and even extended their rally today. But how did everyday people and experts view the Budget?

According to a Budget opinion poll by CVoter conducted on 2 February, 36.4 percent respondents said the Centre delivered "worse than expected" in the Budget. The survey also states that 25.1 percent people felt that the Budget was "better than expected" and 27.6 percent people said it was "just as expected".

Experts noted the budget as bold, transparent, and a big gamble on growth revival.

Among key highlights were a sharp rise in fiscal deficit, emphasis on capital expenditure, privatisation of public sector banks and primary focus on the health and wellness sector. However, digging deeper into the numbers, we noticed there's more than meets the eye.

References:
The Big Story episode on the health budget:

Health Budget Increased by 137 Percent But Enough for Recovery?

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests:
Dr Rathin Roy, leading economist and Director of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, Sanjay Pugalia, Editorial Director for The Quint, and Saurabh Mukherjee, Founder of Marcellus Investment Managers. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Health Budget Increased by 137 Percent But Enough for Recovery?

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 17:08:11 -0000

In the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave a fresh impetus to the Indian healthcare sector as she tabled the Union Budget 2021 on 1 February.

The very first item on her checklist, the health budget –– with a total outlay of Rs 2.24 lakh crore –– witnessed a nearly 137 percent jump from last year. The finance minister said that the fight against coronavirus will continue well into 2021, as she identified "health and well-being" as one of the six pillars of the Budget.

Apart from healthcare, the Budget gave major emphasis to infrastructure and agriculture sectors. Amid chants to 'repeal the farm laws' that has caused countrywide protests for more than two months now, Sitharaman said her government was "committed to the welfare of farmers.”

Talking of infrastructure, the government announced investments in highways, roads, and metros in four states where Assembly elections are due soon –– Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and West Bengal.

Besides, a host of announcements were made on the divestment front, including the government's decision to privatise two public sector banks and one general insurance company.

Though the Budget has been received favourably by the stock market, with some saying "no bad news is good news", let's dissect some of the highlights – health, agriculture and infrastructure. Does the health budget have enough financing needed for vaccine distribution? How will the new budget allocations for poll-bound states play out for the BJP? What about India's farmers?

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests:
Dr Amir Ullah Khan, who is Development and Trade Economist, and also an Advisor to the Bill and Melina Gates Foundation, Aditya Menon, The Quint's political editor and Kiran Vissa of the Rythu Swarajya Vedika. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Indian Billionaires Recovered All Their Lost Wealth During Lockdown But How?

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 15:51:29 -0000

With the entire country in a lockdown since March, with malls, offices, schools shut, salaries being slashes, people being fired from their jobs, migrants walking back home for want of employment and food, it felt like we are all in this pandemic together.

However, a recent report by Oxfam states that India’s wealthiest escaped the worst of the pandemic and actually got richer in the lockdown!

Sample this: India’s top 100 billionaires have seen their fortunes increase by Rs 12,97,822 crores since March, enough to give every one in India's 138 million-strong population a cheque of Rs 94,045. The pandemic has pinched more than just the pockets of many Indians. It has also revealed glaring cracks in our health care system, the access to education, the digital divide and most importantly, how the pandemic has NOT impacted us equally.

So how did billionaires continue to get richer during a pandemic? And how has income inequality aggravated the general state of inequality in India and is a reform of our tax code the answer?

References:
Oxfam India Virus Inequality Report 2021

Big Story Episodes on Covid-19 Impact on Education in India: Part 1: Should India Reopen Schools or Provide Equitable Education First? Part 2: Prolonged Shutdown of Schools Affecting Students' Health as Well?

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests:
Amitabh Behar, Chief Executive Officer, Oxfam India Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Why Are Karnataka and Maharashtra Still Fighting Over Belgaum?

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 14:30:59 -0000

A decades-old border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka has caught fire again, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray staking claims to some long-disputed territories between the states.

Maharashtra, for the last 60 years or so, has been laying its claim on areas such as Belagavi, Karwar, Nippani, Vijayapura, Dharwad and Uttara-Kannada – that are currently a part of Karnataka, arguing that Marathi-speaking regions should come under Maharashtra.

And recently, in a public book launch event on 27 January, as CM Thackeray revived the state governments agenda asking for the disputed areas to be made into a union territory until the problems are resolved, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Lakshman Savadi spat back at him saying that Mumbai should be made into a Union Territory.

While Thackeray accused the Karnataka government of deliberately changing Belgaum's name to Belagavi... even threatening to take the matter to court, Savadi condemned the statements made by Shiv Sena top brass and said that Marathi people in Belgaum are like all Kannadigas in the state.

So, what is the Belgaum land dispute all about and what is fuelling it all these decades?
Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests:
Deepak Pawar, Editor for the book "Maharashtra-Karnataka Border Dispute: Struggle and Pledge" Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What’s Next for the Farmers Protest After Violence in Delhi?

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 18:31:45 -0000

Just a day after mayhem broke out in Delhi as protesters and the Delhi Police clashed with each other during the Farmers' Tractor Rally on Republic Day, on 27 January Two farmers unions — the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) and Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan withdrew their participation from the farmers protests.

Amidst a tense atmosphere at the Delhi border areas where farmers have been camping for two months, Bhanu Pratap Singh, president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu) said he was deeply pained by the violent sights.

As the Delhi Police registered 25 FIRs, some other interesting details have come up over the role of actor Deep Sidhu and gangster-turned-activist Lakha Sidhana who have been accused of provoking the Red Fort violence. But what is the situation at the Delhi borders and what do farmers have to say about the clashes?

Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests:
Asmita Nandy, Correspondent for The Quint Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Farmers Protest Turns Violent in Delhi, What Went Wrong?

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 18:57:45 -0000

Tear gas shells, lathi charges, stone pelting and one death, what was supposed to be peaceful show of protest by the farmers on Republic Day, turned into a day of violence, rioting and damage to public property. Which begs the questions, if everything was planned, what went wrong?
In a severe deviation from pre-designated routes, which were agreed upon in advance by the Delhi Police and farmer leaders, protesting farmers reached Delhi’s Indraprastha, ITO and other parts of Central Delhi after breaking barricades at the Ghazipur and Tikri borders early morning.
The farmers were then subjected to tear gas-shellings and lathi-charges by the Delhi police, even as farmer leader Rakesh Tikait told the media that the rallies are being undertaken “peacefully.”
Farmer protestors also reached and entered the Red Fort and waived flags from the ramparts of the fort.
So what exactly happened? How did this tractor rally, which was always meant to be peaceful and travel on designated routes reach the Red Fort?

Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests:
Anthony Rozario, Senior Correspondent, The Quint
Shadab Moizee, Senior Correspondent, Quint Hindi
Nishtha Gautam, Opinions Editor, The Quint Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Why The Bombay High Court’s Reading of POCSO Act is Problematic

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 16:36:48 -0000

Does groping a minor's breasts over her clothes make it any lesser an offence than groping her without clothes?
In a controversial ruling on 24th January, the Bombay High Court said that groping a minor's breast without skin-to-skin touch doesn't fall under the definition of ‘sexual assault’ under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act also known as the POCSO act. While acknowledging that such an act INDEED IS AN OFFENCE, a sitting judge of the Nagpur bench said it only amounts to molestation under the Indian Penal Code.
These observations came in a hearing of an appeal filed by a man against his conviction under POCSO charges by a sessions court after he was accused of groping a minor's breasts.
Now sexual assault under POSCO is a graver offence than outraging a woman’s modesty under Section 354 of the IPC, but while observing that there was no “specific detail” as to whether the minor’s top was removed and whether there was any skin-to-skin contact or not, Justice Puspha Ganediwala of the Bombay High Court acquitted the appellant off POCSO saying that stringent punishments require stronger allegations and proof.
Although the court upheld the conviction of the appellant under Section 354, the ruling almost immediately drew a lot of outrage on social media from celebrities and other citizens alike. While some pointed to the irony in the fact that the judgment came on the same day that is observed as the National Girl Child's Day, others are questioning if it's a fair deduction of the law.
Doesn't drawing distinction between the gravity of groping a minor's breast with clothes and without clothes defeat the whole intention of the POCSO act?

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Seema Misra, a lawyer practising in the district and high court who's appeared in PoCso-related cases for both victim and accused
Producer: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Will The Absence of CM Face Hurt BJP's Prospects in WB Polls?

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 16:44:22 -0000

Massive road shows, sloganeering, and defections — West Bengal's politics is getting more and more competitive by the day, ahead of the upcoming state elections.
In yet another concern for the TMC, another heavyweight — former West Bengal Forest Minister Rajib Banerjee exited from the party on 22 January. He's the third minister to resign from the state in just the last one month.
Although he did not cite any specific reason behind his actions, he told reporters that he was hurt when he learnt that he had lost his portfolio as Minister for Irrigation and was instead appointed as Minister for Forests.
While TMC is witnessing a massive exodus from the party just months before the elections, the BJP is hoping to turn it into an opportunity for them to make gains in the state.
Although the BJP says it'll wipe out TMC in 2021, there are several internal issues that the BJP still needs to iron out first, mainly the big question: who will be their CM face?
While the top brass has shied away from naming their CM candidate insisting that their decision will only be announced after they bag the majority, who are the current prospects for CM? And why is the party unwilling to take chances with announcing a CM candidate yet?
Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests:
Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint
Ishradita Lahiri, Senior Correspondent, The Quint Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Policy Changes Are Expected Under President Biden?

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 14:13:00 -0000

After one of the most hostile transfers of power ever witnessed in USA, Joseph Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the country.

The pandemic meant that the usual crowd of citizens at the inauguration was rather restricted this year. The swearing in ceremony of Biden and Kamala Harris took place before a thinly-populated masked gathering of Senators, Congressmen and former Presidents.

But the stunning visuals of the field of flags at the National Mall to represent American citizens, the heartfelt performances by JLo, Lady Gaga, Amanda Gorman and Katy Perry more than made up for this modest ceremony that took place just two weeks after US Capitol's disconcerting siege by pro-Trump insurrectionists.

And all eyes were on Biden as he took oath, with the message of Democracy's victory. Evoking Abraham Lincolns's words – “My whole soul is in this”– he vowed to bring all America together.

But as difficult as it was for Biden to take office with Trump trying every trick to forestall his inauguration, the path ahead of him is going to be equally daunting if not more, as he inherits a nation ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, deep political hostility and racial inequality.

While the Biden admin wasted no time after the inauguration and went onto signing a flurry of executive orders to reverse some of Trump's decisions, including one to re-enter the Paris Climate Accord, what will the first 100 days of the Biden government look like?

What kind of reconfiguration of policies are we likely to see in the US? Is Biden likely to take the United States to the Obama era? Or will he carve out his own niche? Tune in we to The Big Story where we speak to Akshobh Girdhardas, a journalist based in Washington DC who writes on geopolitics, business, tech and sports.

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Akshobh Girdhardas, Washington DC-based who writes on geopolitics, business, tech and sports Editor: Riniki Sanyal

References:

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Creative Liberty Vs Regulation: Tandav Web Show Revives Old Debate

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:41:05 -0000

Just 24 hours after premiering on 15 January, Amazon Prime’s original web series —Tandav landed straight into a controversy.

After a fuming Twitterati demanded a ban on the show over the depiction of Hindu gods claiming that it hurts Hindu sentiments, the makers of the show are now looking at 4 police cases.

The cases include FIRs filed against 96 people associated with the show alleging that the web series is “provoking communal disharmony and hurts the sentiments of Hindus.”

Outrage over the series - expressed forcefully by BJP leaders- has also led to Mumbai Police increasing security outside two of Amazon India's office in the city and the residence of Saif Ali Khan, the lead actor in the show.

But even after an apology issued by creators of the show, there is now a team of four police personnel in Mumbai from Lucknow for investigation following the registration of a case against the makers at the Hazratganj police station.

What kind of questions does the whole backlash against the show raise about self-regulation and censorship in the digital content space? Tune in to The Big Story!

Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests:
Udhbhav Tiwari, Public Policy Advisor at Mozilla Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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India’s Border-Gavaskar Win Can Rekindle Interest in Test Series’

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 17:07:22 -0000

Ricky Ponting said that the Indian cricket team wouldn’t be able pick up at the Border-Gavaskar test series after the Adelaide loss against Australia. Michael Vaughan said India was going to get hammered. Michael Clarke said India was going to be in deep trouble without Virat Kohli. But in the face of all the odds, India won the highly coveted Border-Gavaskar trophy and how! Despite broken bones and some top players missing in the test series, India scripted history with a three-wicket win in the fourth and final Test against Australia thereby clinching the Border-Gavaskar series 2-1. And also broke a number of records on the way. Why is this win historic for India? What makes it so special? How can this game change India’s team? Tune in to The Big Story!
Pre

Host: Himmat Shaligram
Guests:
Ayaz Memon, sports Journalist and co-host of The Quint's Aussie Challenge Podcast. Chandresh Narayanan, sports journalist. Producer: Himmat Shaligram
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Does Faruqui’s Arrest Say About State of India’s Policing?

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:16:19 -0000

Stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqi has been in jail for more than two weeks. Why? Did he crack a wrong joke? Well, as the top cop of Madhya Pradesh says "it doesn't matter".

Munawar was arrested along with four others by Indore police midway during a show held at a cafe in Indore, on the basis of a complaint filed by a fringe right wing group's leader for allegedly making objectionable remarks against Hindu gods and Home Minister Amit Shah.

But is there any evidence of him insulting Hindu sentiments or Amit Shah? As Indore East Superintendent of Police Vijay Khatri justified, they wanted to catch Mr Faruqui in action based on "oral evidence" from his rehearsal that was overheard by the complainant. Khatri indicated that Faruqi was arrested for the jokes he intended to make, rather than what he actually said in his comedy set.

But strangely even as many people criticised the arbitrary nature of his arrest, Mr Faruqui's legal ordeals are far from over. Although Faruqui is looking to getting an bail hearing in Indore, it's the UP Police is all prepared to re-arrest him in connection to a case against him from May 2020.

While some say India can't take a joke anymore, others have criticised the police for Munawar's arrest saying that he's behind bars for being a Muslim. But what does this indicate about the state of policing in the country?

References:
Wit as a Political Weapon: Satirists and Censors

Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Shreyas Manohar, Comedian Agrima Joshua, Stand-up Comedian
Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor, the Quint Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Should I Take The Vaccine if I Had COVID? All Your Queries Answered

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 12:40:58 -0000

Oh 16 January, India is rolling out one of the biggest vaccination programmes in the world. 2 crores health workers and frontline workers will be vaccinated over the next several weeks. And by 30 July, the government aims to vaccinate 30 crore people.

This is a milestone in India’s fight against the COVID pandemic and our readers and listeners have sent us their questions about the vaccines and the whole process involved. And to answer some of these questions we’ve invited Dr Shahid Jameel who’s a virologist and the Director of the Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University, to join us in this podcast. Tune in!

Host: Vaishali Sood
Guests: Dr Shahid Jameel, Virologist and Director of Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How The Special Marriage Act Judgment Sends A Message to The State

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 14:50:12 -0000

Amid reports of rampant harassment and arrests of interfaith couples over anti-love jihad legislations, came an important judgment from the Allahabad High Court, which allows interfaith couples to have a safer registration of their marriages under the Special Marriage Act.

On 14 January, a single-judge bench of Justice Vivek Chaudhary held that there is no need to mandatorily publish notices for marriages under the Special Marriage Act as is currently required.

The court observed that such mandatory notices invade the fundamental rights of liberty and privacy and also affect a couple's freedom to marry a person of their choice, due to interference from state and non-state actors.

What this judgment does, is uphold right to privacy and individual autonomy by leaving it up to the couple if they want to request a marriage officer to publish the notice of their union or to not publish it.

This, coming at a time when fringe right-wing mobs and even the police have started interfering in unions of interfaith couples in states like Uttar Pradesh, makes it a significant judgment.

While this is legal pushback against interference in interfaith marriages under Special Marriage Act, will this be able make a change on the ground as well? And can this judgment in anyway be able to challenge love jihad ordinances?
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Vrinda Grover, Lawyer & Human Rights Activist Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Challenges is India’s Covid Immunisation Drive Likely to Face?

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 15:14:37 -0000

Vaccination drives, that are taking place across the world, are giving some hope that perhaps we'll overcome the COVID pandemic soon.

As India prepares for what is being touted as a historic immunisation drive, it is the efficacy of the inoculation programme that will rebuild confidence among people, but what kind of challenges are likely to come up along the way?

The country's first vaccination drive, that is set to commence on 16 January, aims to immunise three crore healthcare workers. But given the uncertain circumstances, and the absence of a detailed data before the emergency approval of Covishield and Covaxin, can the government implement a successful vaccination programme? Tune in!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
JVR Prasad Rao, Former Union Health Secretary
and Prof. NK Ganguly, Former Director-General of the ICMR Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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SC Stays Farm Laws But What Does it Mean for Ongoing Protests?

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 16:23:32 -0000

Months after the three contentious farm laws were passed by the Centre, the Supreme Court decided to step in and stayed the implementation of all the three laws until further notice on 12 January.

But what does this mean for the ongoing farmers' protest?

As the Centre failed to find a breakthrough so far in this problem, the top Court also announced its decision on constituting an expert committee which will talk to relevant stakeholders regarding the farmers’ concerns.

This development comes just a day after CJI SA Bobde expressed extreme disappointment with the centre's approach on the ongoing farmers' protest saying that the court doesn't understand "why there should be insistence on implementation of the laws at all costs".

While some BJP leaders like Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar have welcomed this decision, what do farmers have to say about this order? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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WhatsApp Privacy Update: Unpacking the Core Concerns & Alternatives at Hand

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 16:10:03 -0000

What's up with WhatsApp? WhatsApp’s update to its privacy policy has been causing a great deal of concern, confusion and cacophony among users since its release on 4 January.

The in-app notification alerts users that they have time till 8 February to accept the terms or risk having their accounts rendered inactive. WhatsApp’s coercive ultimatum has only added to user dilemma about staying on in a potentially less secure app but one that has all their friends, family and work contacts.

So, how much of a threat to our privacy is the new update? What kind of data would be shared with Facebook? Does one continue to stay on WhatsApp? Or should one migrate to a different platform? The Quint spoke with Anivar Aravind, a senior software engineer and public interest technologist who has been a vocal proponent of open software digital rights. He explains the core issues at hand and what’s exactly at stake.

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‘Cow Science’ Exam Study Material Not So Scientific After all?

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 15:17:19 -0000

The government wants to hold a countrywide free online test to pique people's interests in the desi cow. But it's the study material that's piquing all the interest instead.

“Indian cows are hygienic, hardy and clever enough not to sit at dirty places."
“Jersey cows are lazy and not as emotive."
“Indian cows have traces of gold in their milk."
“Panchgavya is a panacea for health and wellness."

These are some lines from the syllabus for the Kamdhenu Gau-Vigyan Prachar-Prasar Examination. 'Gau Vigyan' literally translated means cow science, but in its scientific pursuit of the value of Indian cows, the Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog — which is the government body behind this exam, seems to have provided many dubious observations with little evidence. While the exam will be held free of cost on 25 February, for anybody who is interested, in this episode we fact-check a few excerpts from the study material.

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Aniket Sule, Associate Professor at The Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Are The Possible Consequences of US Capitol Siege for Trump?

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 12:58:40 -0000

The glory of American democracy turned into a horror show on 6 January, as thousands of Trump supporters breached barricades and stormed into the US Capitol while the US Congress had met to certify the Electoral College votes for President-elect Joe Biden.

This was one of the last formalities remaining for Biden to be confirmed as the President of US, when Members of the Congress found themselves taking cover from this violent scene instead. But hours after the event, US Congress went ahead and affirmed Biden and Kamala Harris's victories. Even though the brief siege wasn't really about changing the results, it did what it was set to do: interrupt a democratic process.

Shocking videos and photos poured in from Washington DC showing MAGA hat wearing protestors flying the Confederate flag as they attempted to break into the House Chamber, smashing windows and occupying legislator's offices.

And as the unprepared Capitol police struggled to hold back the mob of insurrectionists, four people were reported dead including a woman who was shot by the police.

As many as 52 people were arrested in the aftermath, while a string of resignations also came in from the outgoing Trump administration.

But even as both GOP and Democratic lawmakers were urging Trump to call off his supporters, he made only but a weak effort to end the siege. In fact, in a video message he continued to claim that the US elections were stolen, prompting social media platforms to get proactive and do something never done before: suspend his social media accounts temporarily.

But as DC remains in a state of public emergency for the next 15 days, the question is, what are the consequences of this attack on democracy for America and most importantly for Trump? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Bird Flu Infections Rare in Humans Yet a Public Health Concern

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 14:40:53 -0000

While we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, some Indian states are also reporting an outbreak of the Bird Flu now with nearly 25,000 birds being reported dead in a fortnight.

In Himachal Pradesh, close to 3,000 migratory birds — most of them being the endangered bar-headed goose were found dead. Over 600 crows have died in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, in Kerala at least 20,000 ducks died. And Haryana reported around 4 lakh poultry deaths in 10 days, but the state is yet to confirm the outbreak.

How serious is the recent outbreak? How does the infection spread? Are humans at risk? What measures should we take to stay safe? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Dr Mala V Kaneria, Consultant, Infectious Diseases at Jaslok Hospital Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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From Moderate to “Dangerous Mood”: MP CM Chauhan’s Political Shift

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 15:24:31 -0000

Over the past two weeks Madhya Pradesh has been witnessing a spate of such communal clashes, during fund collection drives organised by right-wing groups for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. There been reports about chanting of provocative slogans that lead to violent clashes in Ujjain, Indore and Mandsaur.

In fact, a viral video showed a mob attacking a Mosque in Mandsaur district, where people were seen mounting a saffron flag atop the dome. But despite such incidents, there’s been reports of fresh violence in Rajgarh district, as people gathered outside a mosque bearing saffron flags and wielding hockey sticks while chanting slogans.

In several of these episodes, eyewitnesses claim that the police remained "mute spectators"; in one case, authorities even razed down the house of a Muslim daily wage earner.

But curiously the MP state government's focus amidst all this seems to be on punishing stone pelters. On 3 January, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan announced that his government is looking to implement stringent laws against stone pelters that will include a provision to auction their assets to repay for any damages.

For the most part of his political career, Shivraj Singh Chauhan has enjoyed the goodwill of his people, maintained a peaceful status quo in the state, and garnered praises for his graceful political demeanour (which is said to be lacking in the BJP's new guard), but is his response to the violence in the state suggesting a shift towards a communal rhetoric?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest:
Kashif Kakvi, MP-based Journalist
Javed Alam, MP-based Journalist Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Are The Concerns About Covaxin’s Approval for Emergency Use?

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 15:05:57 -0000

The new year has begun with a significant event in India's long fight against COVID-19. On 3 January, Covishield and Covaxin became the first Coronavirus vaccines in the country to get emergency approval by the DCGI.

Covishield, as we know, is Oxford-AstraZeneca’s vaccine candidate being manufactured by the Serum Institute in India. But it is the conditional approval of Covaxin — India's swadeshi vaccine candidate that is raising some questions and controversies.

Well firstly, Covaxin is still in its Phase III trials which triggered concerns of safety. And unlike the other vaccines that have received emergency authorisation worldwide, we don't exactly know its level of efficacy right now, which can only be determined after it has gone through large scale phase III trials.

While experts are pointing out some of the gaps in this decision for emergency authorization, an infuriated Dr Krishna Ella, the MD of Bharat Biotech responded to the criticism saying that their method has been transparent and that this vaccine is in no way inferior to the international ones.

So what is it that do we know about Covaxin so far? How does this vaccine work? What are the concerns being raised by experts? And how is the vaccination drive going to be implemented if it's yet to conclude its trials? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest:
Dr Randeep Guleria, Director of AIIMS, Dr Anant Bhan, Adjunct Professor & Researcher in Bioethics at Mangaluru’s Yenepoya University
Interviews: Vaishali Sood, Devina Buckshee Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Meet The Quint’s Reporters Behind the Challenging Stories of 2020

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 16:28:34 -0000

The 2020 news cycle without any doubt will be an unforgettable year full of unexpected cataclysmic events.

Started with the North East Delhi riots in February, plunged right into a pandemic in March, took a sharp turn into an appalling migrant exodus crisis seen in the highways around cities in April triggered by unemployment. As the infections rose across India once the lockdown got lifted, so did an acute shortage of hospital beds in most cities, along with fake news, misinformation, and a growing stigma around the virus.

While super cyclone Amphan rocked Kolkata in May, the horrific custodial deaths of father-son duo Bennicks and Jeyaraj in Tuticorin in the month of June and the gangrape of a Dalit woman in Hathras that got reported in late September shook the very core of humanity.

And as this long year finally ends with the ongoing farmers' protest against the Centre's agricultural legislations, one can safely say that nothing but this year itself could have prepared journalists on how to go about reporting in these challenging times.

Pursuing facts and the truth becomes crucial in a crisis and The Quint's reporters dived right into the middle of all these incidents that summed up 2020 to bring you people's voices and the ground reality behind every story. In this episode of The Big Story meet the quint's reporters who brought you the stories that matter.

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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2020: The Year of Indian High Courts

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 11:49:44 -0000

Eminent lawyer Prashant Bhushan posted two tweets criticising the Supreme Court for which he was held guilty of contempt of court. One said that the court had failed to ensure access to justice during the time of the pandemic, the other said that the court had played a role in the destruction of democracy.

While of course the case ended up being one of the top highlights from the Supreme Court this year – but do the questions at the heart of it truly represent the state of the Indian judiciary in 2020?

Tune in to The Big Story where we bring you a legal roundup of 2020 and what essentially defined the judiciary this year.

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Is the BJP-JDU Alliance in Bihar Showing Signs of Discord?

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 14:28:25 -0000

Although the parties are still in an alliance in the state, recent reports from the JDU's national executive committee are triggering speculations about a growing rift between the allies.

As Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar picked Ramachandra Prasad Singh to lead the party in the meeting , he reportedly made a pretty strong statement and said that he had no desire to become the CM but had to continue with the responsibilities due to pressures.

What is interesting to point out, is that this statement comes barely a week after six JDU MLAs defected to the BJP where the party is in opposition, leaving the JDU with all but one remaining MLA in the state.

Even as Renu Devi, one of the Deputy CMs from BJP in Bihar asserted that her party had not poached the JDU MLAs, after the JDU meet party spokesperson KC Tyagi said that such activities are not good signs in any alliance.

What is the JDU hinting at? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Senior Journalist
Amitabh Tiwari, Political Commentator Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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From AAP to BJP — Political Developments to Watch Out for in 2021

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 13:55:33 -0000

2020 has been anything but a usual year with an unforeseen pandemic throwing the whole world into uncertain and challenging circumstances. But Indian politics has been adapting and improvising to work its way through the this 'new normal'.

Even as more than a few dozen countries like France, South Korea, Australia, Botswana and others postponed elections that were scheduled this year, Bihar pulled off one of the biggest state elections replete with full-fledged campaigns and rallies (more often than not flouting social distancing norms as well).

While the BJP made a successful foray in Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav's territory, the party is slowly inching into a new territory in Southern India as well. After a high-octane campaign in Hyderabad, the party managed 48 seats, up from the 4 seats it had in the city's previous civic polls.

But BJP is not the only one on an expansionist mission, a smaller party like Aam Aadmi Party, after its huge success against the BJP in Delhi, is eyeing to contest in Uttar Pradesh next. Although its previous attempts in Haryana, Goa or Rajasthan was anything but a success, the AAP is hoping to pitch the Delhi model against UP's “corruption and underdevelopment”.

The Congress on the other hand, is looking at some serious introspection and reforms, to be able to address its leadership crisis. After below par performances in elections, this year saw several meetings between the G23 and the party's post holders to smoothen the widening schism within the party.

While there's surely a vaccine to look forward to in 2021, in this episode let's take a look at the major political developments that is anticipated in the coming year. Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Do DDC Polls Results Mean for Gupkar Alliance & BJP?

Wed, 23 Dec 2020 14:29:39 -0000

The Farooq Abdullah-led Gupkar Alliance has swept the most number of seats, while the BJP has emerged out to be the single largest majority, in the first major local elections to be held in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, since the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state in 2019.

This was the first time that District Development Council elections for 280 seats were held across 20 districts in Jammu and Kashmir. Most importantly, this is the first exercise of democratic rights for the people of Kashmir, after more than a year of a serious clampdown in the valley.

Out of 278 seats where results have been declared, the 7-party Gupkar Alliance secured 110 seats, interestingly as many 49 seats were bagged by Independent candidates, the Congress party won 26 seats, and as expected, the BJP won most of the Jammu province with 74 seats.

While NC leader and former CM of the erstwhile state Omar Abdullah said the results indicate how the people rejected the centre's decision to revoke Kashmir's special status, the BJP which bagged 3 seats in Kashmir for the first is seeing it as a sign of the lotus blooming in the valley.

But what does this result mean for the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration and the BJP? Does this open up new political avenues in Kashmir? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Modi’s AMU Speech: Positive Words for Muslims But Lacks in Action?

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 16:40:56 -0000

Almost a year after the incident of police violence over anti-CAA protests that left at least 60 students in AMU injured, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a speech on 22nd December, on the event of Aligarh Muslim University's centenary celebrations.

Apart from India's first and second Prime Ministers – Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri – Modi is only the third PM to deliver a speech here since 1964. But contrary to the anti-Muslim rhetoric pitched by the BJP which is indicative in some of the laws passed by the BJP government since 2019 such as NRC-CAA or the Love Jihad legislation, PM Modi interestingly stressed on unity in diversity.

While he steered clear of making any reference to the AMU attack, he showered praises on the university and its history of education.

He also highlighted the rich heritage and legacy of the university, calling AMU a "mini India" that has allowed a diversity of languages and cultures to thrive together in its small cosmos.

But at a time when there’s a general sense of insecurity among Muslim students and the Muslim population at large, what do we make of this symbolic gesture from the prime minister? Is he trying to reach out to the Muslim population? Do his words indicative of a shift in the political tone in BJP? Tune in to The Big Story!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Professor Irfan Habib, Historian of ancient and medieval India
Sudheendra Kulkarni, Columnist and BJP politician
Dr. Hilal Ahmed, Author and Associate professor of CSDS Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Should We be Worried About UK’s New Contagious COVID Mutation?

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 13:21:22 -0000

Just as vaccines are being rolled out for emergency use, the news of a new and more contagious strain of coronavirus is spreading in the UK, raising alarms across the world.

While India and several other countries have imposed a travel ban to and from UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson reversed his decision to ease rules for the festive season and imposed an even harsher lockdown on London and most of southeast England, banning large Christmas gatherings starting 20 December.

With Christmas festivities dampened, people are now concerned about what this new and doubly infectious strain means for the COVID-19 pandemic. Are these kind of mutations normal? What does it mean for the ongoing vaccine drives? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Vaishali Sood, Editor, Quint Fit Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Are COVID Vaccines Safe and Efficient? All You Need to Know

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 14:22:06 -0000

While vaccine companies rush to seek authorisation for emergency use in India, there are quite a few people who are skeptical about taking a vaccine against COVID-19.

‘Vaccine hesitancy’ is the buzz word and this hesitancy is different from anti vaccine sentiments. People genuinely have questions about safety, efficacy, adverse events, and the speed with which developments have taken place.

So far, three vaccine groups — Serum Institute's Covishield which is the Indian name of the vaccine being developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca, Covaxin — India's swadeshi vaccine being developed by Bharat Biotech, and the vaccine candidate developed by Pfizer and BioNTech have sought emergency approval in India.

Russia which is also readying to seek the DCGI's approval, has tied up with Dr Reddy's Lab to conduct trials in India. But before some of these vaccines hit the market, we take all the questions around ‘vaccine hesitancy’ to virologist Dr Shahid Jameel. Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Dr Shahid Jameel, Virologist
Interview: Devina Bakshee, Quint Fit Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Resignations Pour in from TMC; Will Party Rift Impacts 2021 Polls?

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 15:58:26 -0000

Cracks within the Trinamool Congress Party is getting wider and visible ahead of the 2021 Bengal Legislative Assembly elections.

On 17 December, former Minister of Transport in the state — Suvendu Adhikari who's been the face of Nandigram protests which practically catapulted the TMC into power for the first time in West Bengal in 2011, resigned from the party amid speculations of him switching over to the BJP.

A day later, five other district-level TMC leaders also handed over their resignations. And the list of disgruntled TMC MLAs and senior leaders who are speaking out against the party is only growing longer.

What is triggering the in-party turmoil? What does the loss of TMC heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari mean for the party and what does the BJP have to gain from it all ahead of the upcoming elections? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aditya Memon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Players, Stats, Injuries & Records: India-Aus Tests' Preview

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 12:42:41 -0000

Virat Kohli called it a bigger achievement than winning the World Cup! Yes, the 2018-19 Border Gavaskar test series win over Australia ranks that high for the Indian cricket captain and now he and his team are in Australia, having shared the spoils in the T20 and ODI series, and it’s the the eve of the start of the four-match border Gavaskar series.

Steve Smith is back this time. David Warner will return later. Tim Paine is still Australian captain and after starting his team India career as an opener on the last trip Down Under, Mayank Agarwal was the only shoe-in for the opening spot come 17 December.

So, now that you know just how important this series really is, tune in to The Big Story where we’ll take you through everything else you may want to watch out for on before you tune in on 9am Thursday morning for that big toss.

Producer and Host: Mendra Dorjey
Guests: Ayaz Memon, Sports writer and Journalist Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Nirbhaya to Shakti Laws: Why Preventing Rape Not on Agenda?

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 16:37:15 -0000

16 December brings back memories of the heinous Nirbhaya Gangrape Case of 2012 that shook the very core of the nation and the seven long years that it took to bring justice.

It was only nine months back earlier in 20 March 2020 that this case got finally got closure with all four convicts being hanged to death. It was said to be a victorious day not just for Nirbhaya but women generally, yet as we think about Nirbhaya's justice a lot of other factors also come to mind.

Why is it that crimes against women have risen further by 7.3 percent in the just the last one year? Despite death penalties being awarded in some cases, why is it that India is not being able to prevent violence against women?

With the Maharashtra state cabinet recently approving a draft for the Shakti Bill on 9 December to protect children against sexual violence — it's raising a lot of questions on whether the governments are being short sighted with rape laws.

Among other things, while the bill proposes death penalty for rape, gang rape and penetrative sexual assault against children and women, it also seeks to add an ‘explanation’ on 'implied consent' suggesting that in circumstances that point to ‘consent or implied consent,’ consent will be presumed.

While lawyers, women's rights activists and children's rights activists are outraged and are viewing this bill as regressive, an old but persistent argument against death penalty for rape is also back in focus.

Are such draconian laws more reactionary in nature rather than creating a process to help survivors and victims? Is India's focus on punishment rather than prevention of rape and sexual crimes doing more harm than good? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Veena Gowda, Advocate
Maharukh Adenwalla, Lawyer and Child Rights Activist
Interviews: Ankita Sinha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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A Year Since CAA, Revisiting Assam & UP To Meet Families of the Dead & Detained

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 16:57:10 -0000

The Citizenship Amendment Act, passed by Parliament on 12 December 2019 triggered waves of protests all across India. Be it Kerala, Delhi or Assam angry agitations and a dogged opposition to new law that seeks to provide citizenship to non-Muslims from neighbouring countries gripped the country. A year on, The Quint went back to the ground in Assam as well as in Uttar Pradesh to find out what happened to those who found themselves directly affected by the CAA-NRC laws as well as the violent crackdown on the protests. The Quint revisited 104-year-old Chandradhar Das in Assam who moved to India in 1950 but was declared an illegal immigrant in 2018 and is still struggling to has his citizenship amended. We also went back on the ground in UP’s Bijnor and Kanpur, two cities where the protests turned particularly violent. In Kanpur, families of Raees, Aftab and Saif are still struggling to have an FIR registered. Meanwhile in Bijnor, the family of 21-year-old UPSC aspirant Suleiman who was killed in a police firing is yet to come to terms with his demise and the police denying any responsibility.

Producer and Host: Sushovan Sircar Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How PM-Kisan Scam Highlights Loopholes in Govt Scheme for The Poor

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 13:53:07 -0000

How did Lord Hanuman, the ejected ISI spy Mehboob Rajput and actor Riteish Deshmukh end up being farmers eligible to receive funds from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship welfare scheme — the PM-Kisan scheme which is meant to aid poor farmers?

In a two-part exclusive investigative report by The Quint, it was found out that scamsters successfully registered for the scheme on the PM-KISAN portal using publicly available Aadhaar numbers of Lord Hanuman, Mr Deshmukh and Mehboob Rajput, a bank account number, land record details and a phone number to receive Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) instalments worth Rs 12,000.

This despite the government repeatedly assuring that Aadhaar cannot be used to commit fraud. What does it say about the loopholes in our govt schemes meant for the poor? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Sushovan Sircar, Cyber Policy Reporter, The Quint
Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How Karnataka's Blanket Beef Ban Law Violates Privacy & Abets Cow Vigilantism

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 14:51:26 -0000

Widening the ambit of an already existing anti-cattle slaughter bill, the BS Yediyurappa-led Karnataka government on 10 December passed a controversial legislation to enforce a blanket ban on cattle slaughter in the state.

Among other things, the contentious Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill, 2020 widens the definition of cattle to include “cow, calf of a cow and bull, bullock and he or she buffalo”. Secondly, it provides for a rigorous punishment for those held guilty of slaughtering, smuggling or illegally transporting cattle with 3-7 years of imprisonment along with steep fines of ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh or both.

Before tabling the bill, Karnataka Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chavan travelled to Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat to study and gather information on how to formulate the "most stringent" anti-cow slaughter legislation.

But the law that has been approved raises several questions. Is this level of punishment justified? At a time when there has been a marked rise in cases of cow vigilantism over mere suspicion of beef consumption and illegal cattle transportation, does this law abet cow vigilantism? Does it ignore food habits and livelihoods? And most importantly, what does it say about the Karnataka government's intentions?
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
A Narayana, Political Analyst
Maitreyi Krishnan, Advocate with Manthan Law
Vidya Dinker, Social activist
Dr Sylvia Karpagam Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Why is Govt’s Ambitious Central Vista Project Facing Objections?

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 15:28:51 -0000

Despite a lot of controversies around the Central Vista re-development project, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be laying the foundation stone for the new Parliament building on 10 December.

The project which involves creating a bigger parliament, revamping the North and South Blocks and demolishing the existing structures on the Rajpath boulevard, has been given to Tata Projects Limited. This is estimated to cost around Rs 971 crore but experts say that it comes at an even bigger cost to the environment and the history of Delhi and India.

Although the Centre has been fast tracking approvals, the Supreme Court earlier this week, expressed a strong displeasure over how the Centre is "aggressively" rushing through everything, even as a batch of petitions regarding the matter is pending hearing.

While it allowed the government to lay the foundation stone, it warned that no construction, demolition, or felling of trees can be carried out in the site, until the pleas are heard by the court.

What are the ramifications of the Centra Vista Re-development project? Why is the government's ambitious project raising questions? And what do historians and conservationists have to say about it? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Sohail Hashmi, Historian Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How Did India Respond to Agitating Farmers’ ‘Bharat Bandh’ Call?

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 14:31:44 -0000

India's farmers who have vowed to carry on with their agitation for as long as it takes the Centre to scrap all the three farm laws gave a nationwide shutdown call on 8 December, Tuesday, a day before the sixth round of talks between the farmer leaders and the ruling party.

While the whole protest has been spearheaded by farm unions and farmer organisations, several Opposition parties from across India also joined in to lend their support. Early in the day the Aam Aadmi Party even alleged that the Delhi Police had placed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal under house arrest since his visit to the Singhu border a day before, although the Delhi police denied doing so.

And by no means was this protest limited to Delhi, several BJP and non-BJP ruled states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu also saw similar demonstrations of blocking roads and rails by farmer organisations.

What kind of response did the call for Bharat Bandh evoke in different parts of India?After weeks of continuous protests, what do farmers have to say? What is delaying the resolution between the Centre and farmers? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Farmers Protest: How ‘Alternate Media’ is Dispelling Propaganda

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 15:45:44 -0000

While farmers from Punjab, Haryana, UP and other states have dug their heels into the ground in Delhi until their demands are met by the Centre, social media is rife with conspiracies — largely unproven conspiracies about the ongoing protests being orchestrated at the behest of 'Khalistani supporters' or the Opposition parties or being the handiwork of lobbyists or the ‘award wapsi returns gang’.

Despite the lack of evidence to back these claims, several mainstream news channels accused by many of being pro-government have actually gone onto amplify such claims in their coverage. And where the mainstream media has been failing, an alternate media comprising of independent activists, photographers, YouTubers and Instagrammers have stepped in and taken up the responsibility of holding up the truth.

Lakhs of the protesting farmers have a clear strategy — mobilise on social media on a never-before-seen scale with protesters, especially the youth and create an awareness about the challenges faced by farmers to counter what they claim to be a biased representation of their protest on mainstream media.

Who is this alternate media? And how is it working with farmers to debunk propaganda? We spoke to some emerging young activists and instagram influencers doubling up as reporters and photojournalists.

Producer and Host: Meghna Prakash Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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GHMC Results: TRS Gets Single Largest Majority, But BJP is The Star of the Show

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 16:47:15 -0000

After a high-octane campaign in Hyderabad, even though the TRS is the single-largest party in the city's civic polls, it's the BJP that seems to have emerged out as the star of the show.

At the time of the recording of this podcast, out of the 146 seats whose results had been declared, the TRS has won 56 seats — that's down by almost half of what it had in the last elections, the AIMIM pretty much held on its seats with 42 wins. But the BJP seems to have gained some foothold where it had none before. From 4 seats in the last elections, it has won 46 seats in the GHMC election.

What message is Hyderabad sending with this mandate? With the BJP now making inroads into Telangana's state politics, what does it mean for the TRS government? What lessons does it have to learn from this election? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Sriram Karri, Resident Editor of Deccan Chronicle Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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CCTVs in Police Stations: A Much Needed SC Ruling to Check Custodial Deaths & Torture?

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 15:34:56 -0000

States have to install cameras with audio recording equipment at interrogation rooms, lock-ups, entries and exits of every police station — that’s what the Supreme Court said in a landmark judgment on 2 December.

And not just police stations, but also in offices of central agencies, including the CBI, the National Investigation Agency, the Narcotics Control Bureau and the Enforcement Directorate.

The footage recorded using these cameras, the SC bench said, could be requested by courts and the Human Rights Commissions while dealing with complaints against the police relating to custodial torture and custodial deaths. This, the court said was in keeping with Article 21 of the constitution on the fundamental right to protection of life and personal liberty.

But will this judgment actually help checking human rights abuses in custody? What does the current data on custodial torture show, and what does this mean for any attempts like this move with the CCTVs? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Vikram Singh, Former DGP of UP Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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From Resistance to Negotiation: How Farmers Shook Up the Govt

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 16:22:52 -0000

For more than a week now, the farmers' protests against the Centre's new farm laws have continued unabated.

In what seems to be the second massive protest against the Centre in the capital, after the anti-CAA and NRC protests from 2019, thousands of farmers have been staging protests at Tigri, Singhu and Ghazipur borders amid heavy police deployment leading to the shutdown of the Delhi-Noida link road.

As the protest fast turns into a movement with support from all quarters, it also gained prominent international attention. From Canadian PM Justin Trudeau to British and Australian MPs – a lot of foreign leaders have vocally extended their support and said that the situation in India is concerning.

Other than politicians, English international Sikh cricketer Monty Panesar, film director Gurinder Chadha have raised concerns about farmers' treatment at the protest site where they were tear gassed and water cannoned.

Around 30 ex-sportsmen from Punjab have decided to return their medals in solidarity with the farmers.

But, even as they resist the calls to repeal the farm laws, the government is now down to negotiations.

Even as the first round of talks remained inconclusive, the Centre is now ready to hold a fresh round of talks with the protesters on 3 November.

What changed the government’s outlook and what have been the recent developments to add to the government’s woes? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Covishield Controversy: India Vaccine Trials Lack Transparency?

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 14:04:35 -0000

At a time when the Serum Institute of India is seeking emergency authorisation of Covishield (which is what the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Oxford and AstraZeneca is called in India), the company has found itself embroiled in a big controversy over allegations of side effects from trials.

While on one hand, the company CEO Adar Poonawala has dubbed the vaccine to be "highly effective" against coronavirus and already announced plans of manufacturing a million doses by December 2020, a 40-year-old man from Chennai has filed a Rs 5-crore worth lawsuit against the company on 21 November alleging severe neurological impairment in aftermath of the trial shot.

In a legal notice, the volunteer has also asked for the trials and further manufacturing plans to be suspended, failing to do which he warned of more legal action.

The company in turn sued the volunteer back, on 30 November, with a 100 crore rupees worth lawsuit claiming his allegations to be “malicious and misconceived.”

But how did this controversy start and in this mesh of lawsuits and counter lawsuits, what does this development mean for us? In this podcast you'll hear from Bioethics experts Dr Anant Bhan and Dr Amar Jesani talk about their concerns around the Serum Institute controversy. Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Hyderabad Civic Polls: What at Stake for The BJP and TRS?

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 14:50:12 -0000

Greater Hyderabad is going for civic polls on 1 December and the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to gain some ground.

From deploying political heavyweights like Union Ministers Amit Shah, Smriti Irani, UP CM Yogi Adityanath to raising the communal rhetoric — the party seems to be fighting this election tooth and nail.

While the BJP has promised to free Hyderabad from the "Nawab Nizam culture" and rechristen the state to "Bhagyanagar", Chief Minister KCR is feeling the heat of this high-octane campaign in his own turf and has been compelled to give it as much importance as the BJP is giving. In his rallies, KCR urged people to not get influenced by what he describes as "outsider politicians" and “to save Hyderabad from divisive forces”.

But why is the BJP stressing so much on the municipal elections — what is the game plan here? And what it at stake for the TRS? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint
Sriram Karri, Resident Editor of Deccan Chronicle Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Farmers Enter Delhi With Their Protest, Will The Centre Yield?

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 13:47:26 -0000

It seems that the Centre is ready for talks as thousands of farmers from Punjab marched into Delhi against the three Central farm laws, on 27 November. Although the Centre hasn't formally commented, or reached out to farmer organisations, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal tweeted, “The central government is always ready for talks.” After a few tense days at the Delhi-NCR border, the Delhi police spokesperson Aish Singhal announced in the late afternoon of 27 November that the protesting farmers will be allowed to hold their protest at the Nirankari Samagam Ground in North-West Delhi.

In the past couple of days, over 30 farmer bodies including several thousands of women have been attempting to stream into Delhi through different routes with their trucks and trolleys carrying rations and other essentials determined to hold the protest for as long as it takes to get the government's attention. They have demanded for the three new farm laws to be scrapped and MSP be legalised.

But before the farmers were let in, barricades, barbed wires, water cannon and tear gas shells were used to deter them from entering the capital. From Tikri to Singhu to Faridabad to Kalindi Kunj — all borders were sealed off. Hundreds of police personnel from the RAF, CRPF and the Delhi Police were deployed and what was supposed to be a peaceful march to the capital got violent in the outskirts of Delhi as water cannons and tear gas shells were countered with stone pelting. As the farmers carry on with their protest, in this podcast we'll bring you farmer voices from ground zero. Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Shadab Moizee, Correspondent Reporter, Quint Hindi
Sanjay Pugalia, Editorial Director, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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‘Chaos, Disbelief and Rumours’: Journalists Recount 26/11 Attacks

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 14:53:32 -0000

There's perhaps still a lingering sense of disbelief as we talk about 26 November 2008.

In the past years, a lot has been said about how the 26/11 attacks upended the bustling city of Mumbai. Those who survived to tell the tale, journalists who were out in the streets reporting, books, movies that tried to document people's stories, have all tried to capture the horror show that was unleashed in city down to the minutest details.

And so even more than a decade later, the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai remains an unforgotten event.

As 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists lay siege to the city over three days, more than 160 lives were lost including policemen, Indian citizens and foreign visitors. More than 300 were left injured. Those wounds may have healed and the damaged buildings may have been rebuilt, but the bloodbath and the sheer terror of 26 November 2008 still remains raw.

On the 12th anniversary of the 26/11 attack, we bring you first-hand accounts of three journalists who covered the attack from ground zero. In this podcast you'll hear from Raksha Shetty, Mahrukh Inayat and Shai Venkatraman talk about how they went around covering the attack. Tune in!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Raksha Shetty, Principal Correspondent in the Mumbai bureau of CNN-IBN
Mahrukh Inayat, News Editor of Times Now
Shai Venkatraman, Former Mumbai Bureau Chief for NDTV 24/7. Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How UP’s "Love Jihad" Ordinance is Detached from Facts

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 13:14:28 -0000

Despite mounting criticism, Yogi Adityanath's government in Uttar Pradesh approved a very controversial ordinance on 24 November – which is seemingly against unlawful religious conversions, but has been repackaged as a way to combat ‘Love Jihad’. This law declares marriages after a conversion without permission to be null and void.

As much as love jihad continues to be an unproven conspiracy not just in UP but in India generally, this law provides for up to five years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 15,000, as penalty. But the punishment is stricter for 'conversions' of minors and women of the SC/ST communities. It comes with up to 10 years of imprisonment and Rs 25,000 as penalty.

But this move shockingly comes around the same time when the Allahabad High Court struck down two previous orders by single judges of the same court that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had previously quoted as a basis for the anti-love jihad laws.

Those verdicts had held that religious conversion purely for the sake of marriage was illegal, but on 11 November, a division bench of Justices Vivek Agarwal and Pankaj Naqvi held that neither of the two rulings were "good law" as they don't consider the "liberty of two matured individuals in choosing a partner or their right to freedom of choice as to with whom they would like to live with."

What kind of a precedent is the Yogi government setting with this law that even in the court's view goes against the fundamental rights of citizens, that too without enough evidence to support the government's claims on love jihad? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Mihira Sood, a Supreme Court lawyer
Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint's Legal Editor Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Why is Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine Looking Like India’s Best Shot for COVID?

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 12:25:33 -0000

Even as India battles a big spike in COVID cases, forcing some states to reimpose certain restrictions on people's movements, the good news is that vaccine developers are inching towards success in a rapid pace.

Recently, the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford and Swedish-British pharma AstraZeneca was announced to be 70 percent effective after a large-scale trial. This of course comes on the heels of a string of announcements from other research groups:

Pfizer's announcement from 9 November, of the interim results of its candidate vaccine proving to be more than 90 percent effective (which they later revised to 95 percent),
Russia's announcement that came on 11 November, on Sputnik V showing 92 percent efficacy in late-stage trials,
And Moderna's announcement from 16 November about its candidate's 94.5 percent efficacy.

And not to mention India's very own candidate — COVAXIN being developed by Bharat Biotech, who on 23 November said that the vaccine is expected to be 60 percent efficacious.

What do these different levels of efficacy mean for us in this vaccine race? Why is the Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine looking like India's best shot? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Dr Shahid Jameel, Virologist and Director, Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University
Interview: Vaishali Sood, Editor, Quint Fit Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Why is Allowing Ayurveda Doctors Surgery a Contentious Move?

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 15:11:13 -0000

In what is being seen as a contentious move by some members of the medical fraternity, the government has issued a notification that allows Ayurvedic doctors to be trained and legally authorised to perform 58 surgeries — this includes 39 general surgical procedures and 19 procedures involving the eye, ear, nose and throat.

This came as the Central Council of Indian Medicine which is a statutory body that comes under the AYUSH Ministry, amended the Indian Medicine Central Council (Post Graduate Ayurveda Education) Regulations, 2016, to include the regulation to allow PG students of Ayurveda to practice general surgery.

Although the AYUSH ministry has denied allegations of any policy shift, many are looking at this move by the Centre as a sign of an impending paradigm shift in healthcare from modern medicine to the traditional form, or an attempt to mix both strains of medicines.

The Indian Medical Association or the IMA was one of the first to come down heavily against this decision saying that this "retrograde step" of mixing modern medicine with tradition systems will be resisted at all costs. Why is the move garnering controversy? What are the concerns with this move? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Vaishali Sood, Editor of Quint FIT
Dr Ashwini Setya a Gastroenterologist and Programme Director in Delhi’s Max Super Speciality Hospital Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Why Varavara Rao’s Treatment Raises Questions on Civil Liberties

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 16:42:20 -0000

The Bombay High Court finally allowed 80-year-old Varavara Rao to be shifted from Taloja Jail to Nanavati Hospital for 15 days for medical treatment on 18 November.

Senior advocate, Indira Jaisingh who is representing Rao in this matter appealed to the court seeking medical bail for Rao on the basis of Section 437 of the CrPC, which allows for releasing sick people and noted the detention of Varavara Rao was "cruel, inhuman and degrading" and violated provisions of Article 21 of the Constitution.

Jaising said that his death may be inevitable, but his exit must be “dignified”... to which the HC court bench noted, “Ultimately, the man is on almost death bed. He needs some treatment. Can the state say no we will treat him in Taloja? We are only saying transfer him to Nanavati for two weeks. We will further see after two weeks.”

But why did it take so much active intervention in order for Rao to be treated and transferred to Nanavati Hospital? At a time of a pandemic are states acting responsibly with prisoners? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Meghna Prakash
Guests:
Venugopal Rao, Nephew of Varavara Rao
Mihir Desai, Senior Advocate at the SC & Co-founder of Human Rights Law Network

Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Can a Localised Lockdown Help Delhi Rein in COVID Spread?

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 14:40:29 -0000

Is Delhi going to have another lockdown? At a time when the capital is logging the maximum COVID spike in the country and the highest number of fatalities in a day that's the question on everybody's mind.

After a record daily spike of more than 8,000 cases on consecutive days ahead of the festive season, the COVID situation in Delhi is quite grim, even as new cases are falling in other states. As of 19 November, Delhi recorded 7,486, while also seeing 131 new fatalities — which is the highest number reported within 24 hours so far.

As the capital struggles to get its infection numbers under control, the Delhi state government is trying to prevent overcrowding. They've limited the number of guests for weddings again and have written to the Centre as well seeking permission to shutdown markets for a few days, prompting fears that Delhi could be preparing for another lockdown in the coming days.

While Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has himself clarified that they're not looking to re-impose another lockdown, we talk to experts about whether or not a lockdown can help the city get a rein on its infections and what kind of measures should be taken beforehand. Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Dr Shahid Jameel, Virologist and Director, Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University
Aunindyo Chakrabarty, Former senior managing editor NDTV Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Haryana & MP Plan to Enact “Love Jihad” Laws But On What Basis?

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 15:09:25 -0000

Less than a year after the Centre said there was no data on ‘love jihad’, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra announced that the state government is considering tabling a legislation against ‘love jihad’ in the next Assembly session which will provide for a 5-year rigorous imprisonment.

And barely one day after Mishra's announcement, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij also followed suit and said that a committee will be set up in the state to draft a strict law against 'love jihad'.

With these announcements coming one after the other – love jihad – which so far has only been a conspiracy theory may soon be formalised with legal provisions in these states.

But Haryana and Madhya Pradesh aren't the only states that are mulling over enacting this controversial law. Other states like Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh – have also recently proposed introducing laws against 'love jihad’.

But what does enacting a law on 'love jihad' entail for inter-faith couples? If the Constitution grants the freedom to profess, practice and propagate religion and to marry a person of one’s choice, can states enact a law against 'love jihad'? Does such a law undermine women's choices and religious liberties of minorities? Tune in to The Big Story!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Madhu Mehra, Lawyer, Founding Member of Law in Development (PLD)
Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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LSR Student’s Suicide A Glimpse Into Deep Digital & Social Divide in Education

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 16:41:25 -0000

On 2nd November, Aishwarya Reddy — a second year BSc Mathematics student from Lady Shri Ram College for Women hanged herself at her residence in Telangana’s Ranga Reddy district. What forced the 19-year-old meritorious student from a prestigious college in Delhi to take her own life?

She left an apologetic note behind in Telugu saying “Because of me, my family is facing many financial problems. I am a burden for my family. My education is a burden. If I can’t study, I can’t live."

As this prompted a demand for justice outside the college gate, and fundraising initiatives from students to help their lesser privileged peers, this also perhaps is a moment of reckoning for the educational system to acknowledge how the pandemic has widened an already existing deep divide in the education sector.

There have been many more cases of student suicides in the pandemic months that directly resulted from the same circumstances that Aishwarya had to face — a lack of access to digital devices even as digital education gets an ardent push, or from the lack of a state-funded support for students who come from lesser privileged backgrounds.

Yet, as thousands and thousands of students in India face extreme difficulties in keeping up with their education currently, have the state and educational institutions treated the right to education as a matter of urgency in the pandemic? While the concerned administrations now try to evade responsibility for the circumstances that led to Aishwarya's suicide, where does the buck stop? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Ambarish Rai, National Convener, Right to Education Forum Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Nitish Back as Bihar CM But With Two Deputies, Is BJP Set to Expand Base?

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 16:03:27 -0000

Despite the massive anti-incumbency that he faced in the state, Nitish Kumar took oath as the chief minister of Bihar for a historic fourth consecutive term but with two deputies from the BJP.

The saffron party that emerged out to be the big brother in the alliance with 74 seats interestingly replaced Sushil Modi who had been Kumar's deputy for more than a decade with Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi — who won from the Katihar and Bettiah seats respectively.

According to reports, the post of Speaker in the Bihar Assembly will also be given to the BJP. And while so far 4 JDU leaders, 2 BJP leaders, and 1 leader from the HAM and the VIP each have been sworn-in to the cabinet, some reports even suggested that eventually when all appointments are made the JD(U) may get a lesser number of ministerial berths than the BJP this time owing to its "junior" position in the alliance.

But what does the appointment of the two deputies say? Even though it is Nitish Kumar who continues to be at helm of the governance, is the BJP all set to solidify its grip over the state governance? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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As Streaming Platforms Come Under I&B Ministry, What's Their Journey Been Like?

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:13:21 -0000

Online streaming platforms and news portals will now be under the jurisdiction of the Union Information & Broadcasting ministry. Essentially, streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, Zee5, Sony LIV and others will now be under the administration and governance of the Union I&B Ministry.

But before we look ahead to what could happen and whether content will be regulated by the government let’s look at how streaming ecosystem has evolved in India? What led to the previously unregulated space of OTT platforms to come under the Ministry?

Producer and Host: Sushovan Sircar Editor: Shelly Walia
Guest: Udhbhav Tiwari, Public Policy Advisor, Mozilla
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Why The Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Development Is Reason for Optimistic

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 12:54:00 -0000

As the total cases of coronavirus in the world touch 52 million, with India's overall tally alone standing at 8.6 million, in this dire time, the progress in the COVID vaccine candidate being developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech is certainly a very welcoming news.

The pharma giants have revealed that their COVID-19 vaccine candidate — BNT162b2 was more than 90 percent efficient against infections in participants without prior infections.

Although the results are yet to be approved by US drug regulator FDA, the pharma company said it was hopeful about being able to produce up to 50 million vaccine doses globally by the end of 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.

But what does this announcement exactly mean? Are we close to developing a COVID vaccination? How long before it becomes available in India? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How Did The BJP Manage A Comeback in State Elections?

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 14:24:59 -0000

After facing a series of losses in the last few state elections, the BJP finally landed a stellar victory for themselves.

Despite the glaring unemployment problem and the weakened economy due to the pandemic, if the Bihar elections and the bypolls results tell us anything, it's this that BJP knows how to manage elections.

Although the party couldn't become the single largest party in Bihar, they made a noteworthy expansion into the state on their own, by winning 31 more seats than the JD(U). In the bypolls held across 11 states, it was a BJP sweep in 40 out of the 59 seats that went to polls.

And all this comes as a major boost for the party at a time when it was looking like they had lost their winning streak after their resounding 2019 Lok Sabha victory.

While they were practically decimated in Delhi, and Jharkhand, their overreaching expansionist tactics cost them dearly in Maharashtra, and in Haryana they retained power but with a weakened vote share. So, how did the BJP make a comeback in the states this election season despite the unfavourable conditions? What worked for them? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Bihar Election Results: NDA Ahead But Game Still Open

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 16:39:15 -0000

Can Nitish Kumar retain power? Will the BJP make history for itself in Bihar to become the single largest majority in the state for the first time? Will the Grand Alliance be able to topple the NDA alliance?

The counting of votes for Bihar election has been keeping us all on our toes. More than 12 hours into the counting, it's still not crystal clear who is it that Bihar wants at the helm of the government.

But even as trends flipped and the RJD and BJP came to be engaged in a neck and neck fight with wafer-thin margins between its candidates in some constituencies, the Election Commission informed that the counting would go on till late evening of 10th November.

In a usual year, it wouldn't have taken so long to guess who will be taking the final lead, but owing to the pandemic the wait will be longer.

But what does the current trend tell us about the performance of the parties? As JD(U) seems to be left behind the RJD and BJP, what are the possible choices before Nitish Kumar? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Yogendra Yadav, Psephologist and Swaraj Party leader
Sanjay Kumar, Former CSDS Director
Pawan Verma, Ex-JD(U) Leader Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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From H1B Visas to China, What Does Biden-Harris Admin Mean for India?

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 14:44:01 -0000

As Joe Biden and Kamala Harris got confirmed as the President-elect and the Vice-President elect of the United States of America on 7 November, thousands and thousands of kilometers away, India has also been closely watching the election results.

Beyond India-US ties, the Indian diaspora both in the US and in the homeland has been quite heavily invested in this election owing to Kamala Harris' candidacy especially. They have been rooting for Harris — the daughter of an Indian immigrant mother, but now that Biden-Harris will be replacing the Trump-Pence admin in the White House, the question is what will this new US presidency bring for India?

Now the geniality between Trump and Modi — both right wing leaders — had extended to the point where Modi not only featured in Trump's campaign, but also became one of the only foreign leaders to be holding big rallies like the Howdy Modi event in Houston.

While it's too early to tell how much the Modi government has to gain or lose from the Biden-Harris presidency, what can be expected from the Biden admin's foreign policy vision for India? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Sanjay Pugalia, Editorial Director, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Controversies and Legal Hurdles: What Delayed WhatsApp Pay Launch

Fri, 06 Nov 2020 14:22:08 -0000

After two years of being stuck in regulatory hurdles, WhatsApp finally rolled out its payment option. As the NPCI or the National Payments Corporation of India gave the green signal, India became the first country to have this feature live on WhatsApp.

But the WhatsApp Payment service is only available to 20 million users as of now and will be scaled up bit by bit. That’s because the NPCI has put a 30 percent cap on the total UPI payments made via every third-party payment app from January 1, 2021.

What will be the impact of such a measure? What took so long for WhatsApp to launch this feature? How can the payment feature be used by WhatsApp users? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Cyrus John, Special Correspondent Tech & Auto, The Quint
Sushovan Sircar, Senior Corresponding Reporting on Tech & Cyber Policy Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Arnab’s Arrest: Govt Questions "Press Freedom" But What About Other Cases?

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 16:12:59 -0000

Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami is making headlines again — from being accused of manipulating TRP channels just last month, the allegation now is of abetment of suicide for which he has been taken under arrest and sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

But not without some high drama. In an unexpected development, the Raigad police along with the Mumbai police arrived at Goswami's Worli residence to arrest him on Wednesday morning.

But the police teams faced what they called 'extreme resistance' from arrest by Goswami along with a volley of questions — all of which was captured on a now viral video. Once arrested, the TV anchor was taken to Alibaug, about 100 kms from Mumbai, where the abetment of suicide case against him was registered.

The case relates to the suicide by 53-year-old interior designer Anvay Naik in 2018. The architect and his mother committed suicide over alleged non-payment of dues by Republic TV.

As some journalists spoke out to condemn this act, irrespective of their differences with Goswami's brand of journalism, this arrest turned into a political row between the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government in Maharashtra and the BJP-led Centre.

But what is this old case about? Why has it re-surfaced now? As we talk about all that, let's also look at how the state of the fourth pillar of democracy has been under attack since the past few years.

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Tight Race Between Biden & Trump But 5 States May Decide Winner

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 14:25:49 -0000

Although Donald Trump claimed victory already, the elections results in the US haven't even been declared yet. With more than a million of outstanding votes, Americans are in all likelihood up for a longer wait.

While the race inches towards the finishing line, anxiety and anticipation is rising with every minute passing by. Who will be the next President? All eyes are glued to the news to find out. But delayed results are not at all surprising considering the changes in voting methods this year. The counting process in a number of key states may spill well beyond the election night by a number of days if not more.

Only a handful of states have being called so far. Trump has managed to secure Texas, Ohio, Iowa and most importantly the swing state of Florida, while the smaller states of Minnesota, Colorado and New Hampshire have been projected to be in favour of Joe Biden.

And at the time of the recording of this podcast, in a tightly fought race, Biden had a lead in the tally over Trump by a mere 25 votes.

Now, the numbers might flip or the gap might widen but one thing is certain: whatever happens, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina are the key states that might decide the electoral fate of the country.

As we wait for the results, let’s take a look at where does the race stand right now. Tune in to The Big Story!

Also Listen To: US Elections: What if Trump Loses But Refuses to Concede?
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Why Bihar Phase 2 & MP Bypolls Maybe Make-or-Break for Opposition

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 14:55:35 -0000

Some high stakes elections are being conducted in the country under the looming presence of the pandemic. 94 seats in 17 districts have gone to polls in the second phase of Bihar elections as 10 other states are voting in the bypolls for 54 seats.

In Bihar, there are as many as 1,500 candidates contesting in the second phase, including RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav from Raghopur and Hasanpur constituencies along with several ministers of the state cabinet like Road Construction minister Nand Kishore Yadav who is seeking his seventh consecutive term from Patna Sahib.

As Tejashwi seems to have gained more popularity in the past six weeks, what will really be tested in this phase is the strength of the RJD-led Magathbandhan in the face of Nitish Kumar's 15-year-old anti-incumbency.

While the RJD squares off with the BJP and JD(U) alliance in Bihar, elsewhere, in Madhya Pradesh, the bypolls tantamount to a prestige battle between the Congress and BJP.

Will Kamal Nath be able to make comeback or will the newly formed Shivraj-Scindia alliance hold ground? Who has an advantage in Bihar's second phase? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aditya Menon, Political Editor Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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US Elections: What if Trump Loses But Refuses to Concede?

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 15:33:46 -0000

Who will US pick as its President? With less than a few hours to go for the US Elections of 2020, all eyes are on America to see whether it will be another term for President Donald Trump, or if Joe Biden will become the next President.

But in a state with a deeply polarised population and an incumbent president who is highly suspicious of the whole electoral process, things could turn messy.

Firstly, President Trump has been constantly challenging the legitimacy of this election calling it a "big scam", starting with the postal ballots. And this is raising concerns that Trump might try to call the election prematurely.

But the second and more worrying issue, is that with Trump so far refusing to commit to a peaceful transition of power, what happens if he loses and actually refuses to accept the election results?

With so much distrust bubbling amongst both Trump and Biden supporters there's also a big worry about a potential blowout, with some protesters already planning to hit the streets, and US unions reportedly discussing the possibility of a general strike, if Trump decides to interfere with the election.

Now Joe Biden has been predicted to have a lead over Trump nationally, but so did Hillary Clinton in 2016 which she lost to Trump. As the key to the election depends on the electoral college and not the popular vote, what are Biden's chances looking like this year? Is a repeat scenario expected? Tune in!

References:

In the US, You Can Win the Popular Vote But Lose the Election

How Mail-in Votes Could Delay US Presidential Election Results

We Have Never Had Final Results on Election Day

How many Americans have voted in the presidential election – and how?

Unions discussing general strike if Trump refuses to accept Biden victory

Americans plan widespread protests if Trump interferes with election

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Andrew Claster, Deputy Chief Analytics Officer for President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Can Munger Violence Spell More Trouble for JDU in Remaining Polls?

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 12:53:28 -0000

The last phase of Durga puja festivities plunged into chaos in Munger — a city in Bihar after it witnessed mob violence and arson attacks against the administration.

This was in protest of what happened four days earlier on 26 October, when 21-year-old Anurag Poddar died and a dozen injured amid a clash over a delay in Durga Puja idol immersion. While locals allege police opened fire at devotees, the police denied firing and alleged the shots were fired by anti-social elements from within the crowd.

But three days after his demise and just a day after the first phase of Bihar elections wrapped up, violence erupted in the city, as residents vandalised at least three police stations, Purabsarai, Mufassil, and Vasudeopur. This prompted the Election Commission to immediately remove SP Lipi Singh and DM Rajesh Meena and appoint a new SP and DM.

Given the timing of the incident anger and uproar over the incident has also taken political undertones, so is it likely to impact the remaining phases and the outcome of Bihar election?

References:

Munger Unrest: EC Seeks SP’s Removal; Shops Reopen Today

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Senior Journalist Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Delhi COVID Cases Spike Again, Will Winter Months Be Challenging?

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 14:06:52 -0000

Delhi reported more than 5,000 new cases on 28th October — the biggest spike ever in the city since the pandemic began.

After a dip in cases in the months of June-July, Delhi flared up again since September and had been recording over 4,000 cases regularly for the past consecutive days, taking the total caseload to over 3.7 lakhs.

The daily positivity rate also shot up to over 8 percent consistently over the last few days.

While Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain partly attributed this rise in case positivity rate to contact tracing saying that the state government has changed its strategy and are aggressively testing family members and contacts of positive patients, the Union Health Ministry expressed concerns over the spike in cases in Delhi and a few other states due to the festival season.

Why have the cases shot up again? With the air quality rapidly deteriorating in the winter, will the coming months be challenging? Tune in!

References:

Highest Spike in COVID Cases; What Explains Delhi ‘3rd Wave’?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Dr Shahid Jameel, Virologist
Dr Sumit Ray, Critical Care Specialist Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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VCK-BJP Row in Tamil Nadu: How is Manusmriti Still Surviving Today?

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:51:45 -0000

Manusmriti, a Sanskrit text dating back to 200 CE, and deemed by feminist anti-caste crusaders to be a regressive piece of writing, is back in a political row.

Despite the father of the Indian Constitution Dr BR Ambedkar himself burning this text in 1927 as a symbolic rejection, Manusmriti keeps coming back to contemporary political discourse. And this time as Tamil Nadu is gearing up for the state Assembly elections of 2021, Manusmriti is in the eye of a political storm between the BJP and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi or the VCK.

The row has to do with VCK's Dalit founder and Chidambaram MP Thol Thirumavalavan's comments on the book. A small clip of Mr Thirumavalavan's speech from a web conference organised last month by the European Union Periyar Ambedkar Comrades’ Federation went viral on social media.
Calling for a ban on this book, the clip shows him quoting from the book to say it demeans women. He says “As per Hindu Dharma, all women are created by God as prostitutes. They are prostitutes as per Hindu Dharma...Manu Dharma. The status of all women is less than that of a man.”

And Kushboo Sundar who switched to the BJP from Congress only two weeks back jumped right in demanding an apology from him claiming he has insulted women and also that there's “not a single word (in the text) that demeans women”.

While the BJP's Tamil Nadu wing has shot down the row saying Manusmriti is a "non-issue" as India follows a Constitution, why is the text still dominating the political discourse? How is Manusmriti surviving today — is it just the text, or has it been imbued in everyday actions?
References:

BJP's Khushbu Sundar Detained During Protest Amid Manusmriti Remarks Row

VCK calls for State-wide protest demanding ban on Manusmriti

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Kavita Krishnan, All India Progressive Women’s Association Memeber, Politburo Member, of the CPI(ML) and author of "Fearless Freedom"
Kutti Revathi, Tamil Nadu-based Dalit Poet Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Will The US-India BECA Deal be Able to Counterbalance China?

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 13:15:03 -0000

The fourth and the final foundational military pact — the 'Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation' or BECA has been signed between India and the US.

This expands information sharing between the countries' Armed forces. It allows India to gain access to geospatial data from the United States’ military satellites. This could include nautical and aeronautical charts, satellite images, commercial and other unclassified imagery, geophysical, geomagnetic and gravity data, etc. But the US military has as much to gain from it, as India does.

In the backdrop of the upcoming US Elections and the Indo-China standoff at the LAC, this crucial deal was signed in the third annual ‘2+2’ ministerial-level talks attended by Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

But what does it mean for India’s defence, especially in context of the ongoing tensions with China? Tune in!
References:

2+2 today, decks cleared for key India-US defence agreement

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Manoj Joshi, Distinguished Fellow, ORF Editor: Rinki Sanyal
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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US Polls: Indian Demography in Spotlight, But Who Will They Pick?

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 13:27:13 -0000

Although only a little more than 1 percent of the electorate, the Indian Americans voter has become a demography to reckon with in the US elections 2020.

For one, they form the second largest immigrant population naturalised as US citizens in the country, and two they're also the highest-earning group, (according to Pew Research Centre), with a median income of $100,000 in 2015 — nearly double the national average that year.

They're fighting elections, they're politically vocal, and they're also making significant donations towards both the Republican and Democratic parties.

But as both parties are trying to tap into this demography in the battleground states, who will the Indian-Americans likely vote for? Tune in to The Big Story!

References:

How Will Indian Americans Vote? Results From the 2020 Indian American Attitudes Survey
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Interviews: Mekhala Saran Editor: Rinki Sanyal
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Trump’s “Filthy Air” Comment Upsets Indians, But It’s True

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 12:49:35 -0000

“Look at China, how filthy it is. Look at Russia. Look at India. It’s filthy, the air is filthy,” US President Donald said in the final Presidential debate. Although US President Donald Trump's words drew sharp comments from Indian citizens and politicians alike, for once what Trump said is not far from the truth.

The Health Effects Institute in The State of Global Air 2020 study found out that air pollution in India contributed to the deaths of more than 1,16,000 infants who did not survive their first month in 2019.

Perhaps it's not at all surprising considering that India once again also topped in the annual list of cities with the worst air quality in the world. According to a World Air Quality Report report compiled in IQAir, 21 of the world's 30 cities with the worst air pollution are in India.

Air pollution has finally made it to the political discourse, but are governments taking serious action? In the meantime, how is it affecting and deteriorating India's health?

References:

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How Much Can Maharashtra Revoking ‘Consent’ Hinder CBI Probes?

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 14:32:25 -0000

Maharashtra became the fifth state to withdraw its general consent to the CBI – or the Central Bureau of Investigation – to operate within its territory. Why would it do this?

Well, the government order doesn't specify any reason. But it does come close on the heels of the CBI starting its own probe into the TRP manipulation scam following a reference from the Uttar Pradesh government.

Two months back, the handing over of the Sushant Singh Rajput case to the CBI from Mumbai police had sparked a big row between Maharashtra government and the BJP. And the way things played out back then had led to speculation that the TRP scam case might be going the same way: taken away from the Mumbai police and given to the CBI, at the BJP's behest.

But does the withdrawal of consent by the Maharashtra government actually prevent that from happening? What does this mean for the TRP scam investigation going forward? Will the Mumbai police have to end its investigation in the case? And how much can the denial restrict its operations? Tune in to The Big Story!

References:

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Bihar Polls: Will Tejashwi Be Able to Put Up a Decent Fight?

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 14:36:32 -0000

A new opinion poll survey held by Lokniti-CSDS shows that Nitish Kumar is still the preferred choice for CM over RJD candidate Tejashwi Yadav despite his massive anti-incumbency. This is similar to the findings of the CVoter opinion poll result that was released a few weeks ago, but if we are to look at the recent opinion polls, Tejashwi seems to be closing in on the gap.

The Lokniti-CSDS opinion poll results show that Nitish Kumar, who was the Chief Ministerial choice for 31 percent voters surveyed, only has a four percent lead over Tejashwi Yadav, who 27 percent of the respondents preferred over the incumbent CM. And with that the plot thickens.

But just a week before the Bihar elections begin, it's the unclear BJP-LJP equation that is making the whole affair rather interesting. Recently, while the BJP snapped at its NDA ally LJP, calling the party a "vote katua", Chirag Paswan found an unlikely ally in Tejashwi who said he wasn't averse to the idea of forming an alliance with the party. With the political equations shifting, what new possibilities are emerging? Tune in!

References:

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Can Punjab Farm Bills Legally Counter Centre’s Farm Laws?

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 15:17:35 -0000

Amid ongoing farmer protests, Punjab became the first state to move a resolution challenging the three contentious farm laws enacted by the centre.

To negate the central laws, the state assembly passed three Bills which among other things, provide for imprisonment of not less than three years and fines the sale/purchase of wheat or paddy under a farming agreement below MSP.

Farm laws fall under the state ambit and that's why some states are of the opinion that the centre bypassed the federal structure and "illegally" enacted these farm laws. But the Centre in turn argues that their laws deal with trade and commerce of farmers’ produce which falls within the Concurrent list.

While the Punjab government can’t repeal or amend the Farm Laws themselves, or pass their own laws to nullify its effect, now we have two sets of farm legislations at loggerheads with each other. Where does this fit in within the constitutional framework of the country? Tune in!

References:

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Prasanna S, Supreme Court Advocate & Founding trustee, Article 21 Trust Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Stubble Burning Worsens Delhi Air Pollution, But Is There A Plan?

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 17:10:19 -0000

Delhi-NCR's air pollution is spiking again from poor to hazardous levels, as Punjab and Haryana recorded a higher number of stubble burning incidents this season so far, compared to the same period last year.

As of 19th October, different parts of the capital recorded pollution levels between 150-300, with the winds from the northwest bringing pollutants from farm fires and exacerbating the already poor air quality in the city. It's the same story year after year, but is there any plan to address it?

Recently, even the SC had to step in and appoint a one-man panel consisting of Justice Lokur to monitor state initiatives to curb stubble burning, while the Delhi government and the Centre are looking at 'Pusa Decomposer' — a fungi capsule developed by the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) to prevent stubble burning. But how does it work and will it help? Tune in to The Big Story!

References:

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Vivian Fernandes, Senior journalist who runs an agro-focussed website — Smart Indian Agriculture
Vimlendu Jha, Environmentalist Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Mainstream Parties Join Hands for Gupkar, What Next for Kashmir?

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:26:38 -0000

Just two days after PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti got released after more than a year of detention, all the mainstream parties of Kashmir joined hands to form an alliance to work towards restoring the special status of J&K.

On 15 October, Mufti met NC leaders Farooq and Omar Abdullah at their residence along with CPI(M), People's Conference, JKPM, and ANC leaders and announced People's Alliance for ‘Gupkar Declaration’. At the meeting, the signatories demanded special status of the erstwhile state to be restored and also decided to extend their dialogue to people and all the stakeholders.

Now that mainstream parties have decided to put aside their differences to get back what they say was “unconstitutionally snatched” from the people on 5 August 2019 when the Centre struck down Article 370, how is the next chapter of J&K's politics looking like? Tune in to The Big Story!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Jehangir Ali, Kashmir-based Journalist
Arun Gupta, BJP spokesperson Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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IMF Projects Further GDP Plunge, How Much Longer to Gain Normalcy?

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 12:56:57 -0000

India’s economic growth is likely to contract by 10.3 percent in financial year 2020-21, falling below Bangladesh in terms of the per capita GDP — that's what the IMF has projected in its latest World Economic Outlook report. This is a big downward revision from its previous forecast in June when the IMF had predicted a 4.5% contraction in the current fiscal.

Though India is expected to see the biggest contraction projected among major emerging markets amid the pandemic, the economy is likely to bounce back with an impressive 8.8 percent growth rate next year and even regain its position as the fastest growing emerging economy. The IMF also projected that India will surpass Bangladesh again in 2021.

But how long will it take for the economy to recover to the pre-COVID times? What has India done so far and what more measures can the government take to speed up the process of the recovery? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Gita Gopinathan, IMF Chief Economist
Uday Kotak, MD of Kotak Mahindra Bank Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Tanishq Trolling: No Scope for Secular Messages in Today’s India?

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 16:03:04 -0000

A baby shower became love jihad, and a message on Ekatvam meaning "unity" turned into a target of hate. The Tanishq ad controversy has become much more than simply an advertisement facing backlash online, instead, it's become a running commentary on intolerance.

On 12 October, Twitter was flooded with #BoycottTanishq tweets because its new jewellery promotion showed a traditional Hindu baby shower in an interfaith marriage between a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy. The ad content resulted in massive trolling on social media, with some asking calling it "anti-Hindu" and others alleging that it promotes "love jihad".

Despite Tanishq taking down the ad, the criticism did not die down. After it was retracted, it was the supporters of the ad who criticised company's actions saying that Tanishq did not stand up for the secular message that it put out in the ad. What message does Tanishq’s action send? More than advertising guidelines, do brands now need to be mindful of trolls’ sentiments? Going forward what does this incident mean for those in the industry? Tune in to The Big Story!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Harish Bijoor, Brand Specialist
Santosh Desai, Columnist who writes on media, popular culture, and consumer markets
Iraj Fraz Batla, Executive Creative Director, DDB Mudra Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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100% Cut-Off at Delhi University: How Exactly is a Cut-Off Determined?

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 15:43:25 -0000

This week, the bridge between metaphor and reality was crossed – YET AGAIN. Students have always been asked for their 100 percent, and Delhi University, one of India's most sought-after universities for undergraduate courses, has literally asked for 100 percent marks in a variety of subjects... even in the year of a pandemic when admissions have been delayed by over three months.
In what has become a norm, with the 100% cutoffs being touched the very first time in 2011, the trend continued in 2020 after a gap of a few years. As the first-cut offs at DU were released, the Lady Shri Ram College set 100% cut off for three of its undergraduate courses – namely Political Science, Economics and Psychology.
The question, though is, how is a 100 percent cut-off decided? And what are the factors at play that determine what an ideal and fair cut-off should be for a subject? Just like the price of a commodity is determined by the pull & push of supply, demand and a host market factors, what exactly are the invisible forces at play that go behind determining a cut-off.

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Why the Roots of The TRP 'Scam' Go Much Deeper Than We Know

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 15:44:57 -0000

In the context of television in India, three letters – TRP – has gained a rather dubious reputation over the years. Television Rating Points or TRP was often synonymous with a compromise in the quality of television content. However, since Mumbai Police’s press conference which named Republic TV as having tampered with TRP measurement system, the news has touched a raw nerve among the news channels.

As the nation wanted to know what exactly the whole controversy was, primetime debates across channels had a variety of answers - a “scam”, “scandal”, “dhokha”, “cheating”, “saazish”, “fraud”, “racket”, “chori” and “vishwaasghaat”.

However, while Republic TV’s CFO S Sundaram skipped a summon by the police on Saturday citing a pending petition before the Supreme Court, news channels have framed this as an issue of one bad apple ruining the basket, media veterans explain why it is a much deeper issue pertaining to the entire news industry with political, social and economic implications.

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Does SC Verdict on Shaheen Bagh Protest Impede Right to Assemble?

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 13:14:38 -0000

The right to dissent is fair and well but public spaces cannot be occupied indefinitely for demonstrations and in such cases the administration ought to take action — that's was the Supreme Court's verdict on Shaheen Bagh style protests.

But what does that mean for our right to protest?

The Shaheen Bagh sit-in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill that was led by women began in December and carried on for over 100 days well upto the start of the lockdown mandated by the coronavirus pandemic.

While it gained momentum in the capital, petitions were filed in the Supreme Court seeking to remove the protesters alleging that their protest was hindering movement of traffic and affecting the right to free movement. And it is during the hearing of one such petition that the SC observed that there needs to be a balance between the right to protest and right to movement.

Although the SC verdict doesn't go against the protesters, it says that going forward such demonstrations of dissent have to be held in designated spaces. Legal experts are of the opinion that it not only violates international laws, but also stands scrutiny under Indian law. Does this verdict impede the right to assemble? Does it hold the right to movement over the right to protest? Tune in to The Big Story!

References:

SC’s Protest Verdict Goes Against Judgment It Relied on: Experts

What Does SC’s Shaheen Bagh Verdict Mean for Our Right to Protest?

Why Shaheen Bagh Verdict Threatens Rights & Favours Restrictions

Protests Can’t Occupy Public Spaces, Roads Like Shaheen Bagh: SC

Delhi Police Blocked Roads, Not us: Shaheen Bagh Protesters to SC

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Interviews: Vakasha Sachdev Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Harris-Pence Debate: Little Impact on US Polls, But Consequential Candidates

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 15:15:34 -0000

The vice-presidential debate ahead of the US elections was a landmark moment for more than one reason.

Other than the fact that both the candidates were seated behind plexiglass barriers as a precaution against coronavirus, Senator Kamala Harris was also the first Black woman and the first person of Indian descent to take the big stage for a debate in the general elections.

Minutes after the debate ended, Harris' “I'm speaking, Mr Vice President” rap at Mike Pence's constant interruption became a hit amongst her supporters on social media platforms.

Although not as chaotic or as belligerent as the Presidential debate, Harris and Pence sparred on key issues such as the Trump admin's response to coronavirus, trade and Affordable Act Care.

In the course of 90 minutes, Harris tried to attack the Trump-Pence government as the "greatest failure of any administration in the history" of US. While defending Trump's last four years, Pence also directed a few attacks at Harris himself.

But how did Kamala Harris do in the debate? Was she able to make a solid case for Joe Biden? And at a time when President Trump contracted coronavirus, was US Vice President Pence able to face the pressure on justifying his actions on COVID? Tune in!
References:

Kamala Harris walked a tightrope, but still wiped the floor with Mike Pence

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Maya Mirchandani, Prof of Media Studies and Independent Journalist reporting on foreign policy Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Bihar Polls: Is There A BJP-LJP Deal to Outsmart Nitish Kumar?

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 14:28:23 -0000

With Bihar Assembly elections only weeks away, the political developments in the state are headed towards an unexpected spin.

While Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and the Bharatiya Janata Party have finally reached a seat-sharing agreement, with the JD(U) contesting 122 seats and the BJP 121, it is the LJP-BJP-JD(U)'s political dynamic that's been rather puzzling.
A former NDA ally, the LJP or the Lok Janshakti Party, led by Chirag Paswan, will fight the elections solo. It has withdrawn its support from the NDA alliance, however, it will not field candidates on those seats being contested by the BJP in the BJP-JD(U) seat-sharing arrangement.

Not only this, Paswan has gone to the extent of appealing to voters in Bihar to not cast a single vote for the JD(U) – adding that the state should have a BJP-led government.
Interestingly, the BJP not only scrambled to reiterate their support for Nitish Kumar more than once, in a seemingly tacit response to the LJP, they also publicly declared, "Only those who accept Nitish Kumar's leadership in Bihar will stay in the NDA."

What do we make of this complex relation between the trio? What kind of impact is the LJP's move likely to have on the NDA and Kumar's chances as he seeks re-election for the fourth term?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Senior Journalist Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Impact Will Trump’s COVID-19 Infection Have on US Elections?

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 14:29:40 -0000

Seventy two hours after being diagnosed with COVID-19, US President Donald Trump returned to the White House from his three-day stay at the Walter Reed military hospital in Washington. In a dramatic video, he got off a Marine one helicopter and walked up to the White House waving, and then he pulled off his mask and put it in his pocket to strike a thumbs-up pose for the photographers.

Why do these little details matter? Even as Trump has been consistently criticised for his cavalier attitude towards the COVID crisis, taking off the mask was nothing short of a symbolic act of defiance keeping with how he's has been downplaying the pandemic in his campaigns so far.

Since the very beginning of the outbreak he had been trivialising the use of a mask, going as far as avoiding it altogether for press briefings or rallies and even telling his supporters that they're free to wear it but it's his choice to not.

After his discharge, Trump wrote on Twitter, “Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.” Even so, questions remain on his health and his recovery.

Although there are only scraps of information available from the White House medical team about his oxygen levels and his steroid drug treatment — is Trump's COVID-19 infection more serious than is being represented?

At a time when US recorded more than 7.4 million cases of COVID-19 and 210, 000 deaths, what message is Trump sending to his supporters at this crucial time before election? And most importantly, how can this new development impact the US elections? Tune in to The Big Story!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Dr Aviral Roy, Critical Care Specialist of COVID ward at Kolkata's Medica Super-specialty Hospital
Andrew Claster,Deputy Chief Analytics Officer for Ex President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Hathras Gangrape Case: As Calls for Justice Gets Louder, Probe Gets Muddier

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 15:07:01 -0000

Protests over the Hathras gangrape case are transcending beyond India's streets to becoming a global outrage. From New York to Berlin — students, Dalit activists and members of the Indian diaspora are joining in with "Jai Bhim" and "Dalit Lives Matter" slogans for the 19-year-old Dalit victim who succumbed to her injuries on 29 September.

But as the call for justice gets louder, the investigation gets muddier. Right from the beginning, as the UP police have been drawing public ire for mishandling the case, they had been claiming that no rape had taken place. However, contrary to the police's claims, the medicolegal certificate from AMU's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (where the victim was first admitted), notes that there were ‘signs of use of force.’

But this wouldn't be the first discrepancy in this case. While the state police are pushing the no rape narrative, the UP government is pushing for a “narco test”, not just on the accused but the family of the victim as well to see if they are lying. What recourse is available for the victim's family now?

References:

Exclusive: Aligarh Hospital MLC Report on Hathras Victim Shatters UP Police's 'No Rape' Claim

Hasty Cremation, Varying Accounts: Red Flags in Hathras Rape Case

Hathras Rape: Why Does The Justice System Act Differently For Dalits?

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Hasty Cremation, Varying Accounts: Red Flags in Hathras Rape Case

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 13:17:00 -0000

Were there lapses by the Uttar Pradesh administration in handling of the alleged gangrape case of a Dalit teen in Hathras district? Was it a mere coincidence that the victim's body was cremated in haste with full police force, allegedly without her family's consent?

As protests mount against the state police and the state government's delinquent attitude over the alleged rape, and subsequent death, of a 19-year-old, the investigation so far has raised several red flags.

Even as the hurried late-night cremation of the Dalit victim triggered a big controversy, the Additional director general (ADG) of UP police, Prashant Kumar, has said that forensic examination show the woman was not raped. In an official statement he said, "The samples did not have sperm and thus makes it clear that no rape or gang rape took place with the girl," and that it suggest that "some people twisted the matter to stir a caste-based tension".

But that doesn't answer all the questions. Does no sperm rule out rape? The ADG's statement based on the forensic report also seems to be in direct contrast to the victim's declaration that was recorded before the magistrate on September 22, where she named all the four men and alleged rape.

Should this not be treated as an important piece of evidence? Tune in to The Big Story!

References:

Hathras Rape: Why Does The Justice System Act Differently For Dalits?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Dr NC Asthana, Retired IPS Officer, Ex-DGP Kerala, Ex- ADG of CRPF and BSF
Asmita Nandy, Reporter, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Hathras Rape: Why Does The Justice System Act Differently For Dalits?

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 16:36:32 -0000

The incident where a 19-year-old Dalit woman from Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district succumbed to her injuries after being allegedly gang-raped and brutalised by 4 upper-caste men has sparked a reckoning around the everyday caste-based violence.

While citizens are shaken up by the heinous nature of the crime, Dalit rights activists are pointing out that it's not just the crime but the systemic casteist bias that enables this kind of violence to go on unchecked that also needs to be talked about.

At the same time, the case is drawing our attention to the biased media reportage, and the police force who reportedly did not want to register a case against the four accused initially (all of whom allegedly belong to the ‘dominant’ Thakur caste), only to cremate the girl's body later hurriedly.

This incident is making us ask what happens when a person from the Dalit community seeks justice in India. Should the case be seen as an isolated incident of sexual violence or is it part of a broad pattern of caste-based misogyny and violence prevalent in our society? Are the police and the media complicit as much as a casteist society? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Christina Dhanaraj, Advisor of Smashboard
Riya Singh,PhD Scholar from AUD, Member of Core Leadership Group Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Babri Demolition Verdict: 351 Witnesses Yet “Inconclusive Evidence”

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 14:35:40 -0000

28 years after the Babri Masjid was demolished, all 32 accused of plotting a conspiracy and incitement that led to the destruction the 15 Century mosque were acquitted for lack of evidence. This includes some big names from the BJP and the Sangh Parivar such as LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and Uma Bharti among others.

Although the CBI special court examined as many as 351 prosecution witnesses — including journalists, locals and police/government officials — Special CBI judge SK Yadav observed there was no conclusive proof that the 1992 demolition was a pre-planned criminal conspiracy, and held that it was just a “spontaneous outpouring of emotions”.

In fact, he notes that some of the accused tried to stop the "anti-social elements" that were engaged in the destruction of the mosque.

Welcoming the verdict, while Advani said that it is a vindication of his personal belief and the BJP’s belief and their commitment toward the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, leaders of opposition from the Congress, AIMIM and CPI(M) are all calling this a “travesty of justice” and asking who is it then that brought down the Babri Masjid?

The judgment is a whopping 2,300 pages and the finer details are yet to be reviewed fully, but how should we be looking at the judgment? Did the fact that it has been going on for close to 3 decades, affect the handling of the case? Tune in to The Big Story!

References:

How a Key Witness in the Babri Demolition Documented Its Rehearsal

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor of The Quint Sanjay Hegde, Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, Senior Journalist Sudhanshu Mittal, BJP Politician Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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WhatsApp Leaks in SSR Case: Need to Talk About Data Protection Laws?

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 15:14:56 -0000

With the Narcotics Control Bureau going on a spree to acquiring phones and extracting WhatsApp data over its probe into the alleged drug angle in the Sushant Singh Rajput Case, WhatsApp users are concerned about the security and privacy of their chats.

In recent developments, as the investigation switched gear from a drug angle in the SSR case to cracking down on an alleged Bollywood "drug nexus", the NCB seized phones of actors Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Padukone's manager Karishma Prakash, after hours questioning.

And reports say that the investigative agency is also planning to extract data from their phones including WhatsApp chats to verify their statements just like they did for Rhea Chakraborty.

But with all these developments revolving around WhatsApp and chats being leaked to the media as well, the questions is how safe are our WhatsApp chats? How is the NCB accessing chats if there are end-to-end encryptions in place? Are there reasons to worry about our privacy? Tune in to The Big Story!

References:

Explained: Do WhatsApp Leaks Mean Encrypted Chats Are Vulnerable?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Udhbhav Tiwary, Public Policy Advisor, Mozilla Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Can Nitish Kumar Return as Bihar CM Riding on Modi's Popularity?

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 15:28:31 -0000

Bihar is angry with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, but the ruling NDA is all set to come back to power — that's what the first survey ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state indicate.

According to predictions from the CVoter opinion poll, which surveyed 2,100 respondents across the state, Nitish Kumar who has been in power for 15 years, is looking at a massive anti-incumbency. His unpopularity is at an all-time high with almost 57 percent of those surveyed wanting him out, 45 percent rating his performance as poor, and 30 percent saying that they're unhappy with him but don’t want to change the government.

Despite this, the survey shows that the NDA could win somewhere in the range of 141 to 161 seats in the 243-member Assembly, with the RJD-Congress alliance lagging at 64-84 seats.

With a month to go, let's analyse the key predictions and takeaways from the CVoter opinion poll, what they mean, and what's at stake for the NDA and the UPA coalitions in Bihar? Tune in to The Big Story!

References:

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Why Are Farmers Protesting Despite Govt’s Reassurances on MSP?

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 14:19:17 -0000

Farmers across India are out in the streets protesting in the middle of this pandemic. With the new farm bills being passed, will there be a MSP for crops, or will farmers be left at the mercy of big corporates — that's their apprehension.

A few days ago when the three contentious agricultural bills were passed in the Parliament in the backdrop of farmer agitations, PM Modi had touted these bills as a watershed moment for India's agricultural sector while also warning farmers against what he called "misinformation" from those who are raising "false alarms" about how farmers won't get the right prices for their produce.

But then why have the farmer protests only intensified since the bills were passed? Why are farmer organisations holding Bharat Bandh, Rail Roko and Chakka jam protests in thousands and thousands? Why are they worried about losing their leverage in the agricultural market and what are their demands from the government? Tune in to The Big Story where we bring you voices from ground zero!

References:

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Yogendra Yadav, Leader of Swaraj Abhiyan Party Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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25 Bills Passed in 10 Days Yet Why Was Monsoon Session So Controversial?

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 15:13:33 -0000

With more than 25 legislators testing positive for coronavirus including Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, after some deliberations the Monsoon Session of the Parliament came to a premature end on 23 September.

Even though the Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has touted the passage of 25 laws in 10 days as a sign of 100% productivity, this session has faced criticisms over not just what bills were passed but also how they were passed.

While in the Lok Sabha, the government deftly pushed some contentious bills without adequate discussions with the force of a majority as the opposition is accusing, in Rajya Sabha the government is said to have violated parliamentary conventions in a bid to pass laws.

What made this session so controversial and why has the opposition accused the BJP-led government of attacking parliamentary democracy? Tune in to The Big Story for an overview of the Moonsoon Session 2020.

References:

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Dr Shashi Tharoor, Congress Leader,
Arati Jerath, Senior Journalist Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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The Alleged Role of 3 WhatsApp Groups in The Police's Delhi Riots “Conspiracy”

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 13:56:20 -0000

Almost six months after filing an FIR to probe the "large-scale conspiracy" behind the northeast Delhi violence, the Delhi Police has filed a charge sheet against 15 anti-CAA protestors, that runs into 11 volumes, spread across 17,000 pages. Over the past few months, the conspiracy alleged by the police has formed the core of its investigation into the riots. And, according to the charge sheet, the conspiracy has been centered around three WhatsApp groups.

First, JNU student Sharjeel Imam’s Muslim Students of JNU or MSJ group.
Second, the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC), which is alleged to be in the middle of this multi-layered ‘conspiracy’
And the third, the Delhi Protest Support group led by several well-known anti-CAA activists including United Against Hate and Pinjra Tod members

So, what do we know about these WhatsApp groups? What are the allegations being made by the police? And are there still discernible gaps in the police's claims?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aishwarya Iyer, Senior Correspondent, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Sudharshan News Case: Need Self-Regulations Over Blanket Bans?

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 16:27:59 -0000

Where does freedom of speech end and hate speech begin? Does self-regulation of media need to be scrutinised and strengthened?

The ongoing Sudarshan News case that is centred around its controversial "UPSC Jihad" show has been attracting a lot of media attention. This is no longer just about Suresh Chavhanke's show, with the Supreme Court hearings on the matter also seeking more clarity on how to define hate speech especially in mainstream media and how to regulate it without ending up with a dangerous censorship regime.

Even as the court acknowledged that prima facie, the contents of the show vilifies the entire Muslim community and "spreads venomous hatred", in its recent hearing on 21st September, it has also expressed its concerns about how its injunction order on the show is not the ideal regulatory method, as it could lead to chilling of speech, and may go beyond the court's remit.

At a time when what any reasonable person would call hate speech is spreading like wildfire on mainstream media without any accountability, this case has also revived important questions about the self-regulatory mechanisms for electronic broadcast channels. Are they as effective as the government repeatedly claims? If not, how do we strengthen its mechanisms?

What steps need to be taken to ensure that freedom of speech doesn't turn into an unrestricted licence for hate speech on media? And how do we regulate hate speech without interfering with free speech?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Vakasha Sachev, Legal Editor, The Quint
Salman Khurshid, Senior Advocate, Congress Party Leader and Former Minister of External Affairs Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Did the Farm Bills Passage in RS Bypass Parliamentary Rules?

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 17:46:40 -0000

Eight opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha, including the Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien, and AAP's Sanjay Singh and others were suspended for a week for “unruly behaviour” one day after the passage of two controversial agricultural reform bills.

The Bills in question, that aim to liberalise the agricultural market, have been triggering massive farmer protests in the states of Punjab and Haryana ever since the Monsoon Session began.

But, the discussion on the Bills has now turned towards one on parliamentary democracy and has raised questions on whether parliamentary rules were bypassed in the passing of the Bills.

What had started as a peaceful debate took an unprecedented turn with broken microphones, papers flying in the air as the Bills got passed by a voice vote and not a division of votes, despite Opposition parties making a demand for it to the deputy chairperson.

While the government moved a motion for the suspension of Opposition lawmakers for “bringing disrepute” to the House, the Opposition has been accusing the Centre of passing "anti-farmer" bills without the required numbers in rampant violation of parliamentary rules.

Can a division vote be denied in Parliament? Have there been contraventions of parliamentary conventions in the Rajya Sabha, during the passing of these Bills?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Chakshu Roy, PRS legislative
Arati Jerath, Senior Journalist
Javed Ansari, Senior Journalist Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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The Three Agri Bills That Triggered Akali Dal & Farmer Protests

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:02:32 -0000

Why are Punjab and Haryana farmers protesting against the central government in defiance of the pandemic restrictions ever since the Parliament’s Monsoon Session began on 14 September? And why did Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the Union Minister for Food Processing and a leader of the BJP's long-time ally Shiromani Akali Dal, resign recently?

In the centre of both these acts are three new bills on agricultural reforms that were recently passed in the Lok Sabha. They will now be tabled in the Rajya Sabha – and will become laws if they are passed by the Upper House too.

Now, the Bills are believed to be aimed at easing the marketing of agricultural produce. But as agricultural marketing comes under the ambit of the state, this move by the Centre is being seen as an affront to the federal structure.

The Modi government believes that these bills are a big step towards liberalising the agricultural sector, by de-regulating the agricultural market, by allowing free trade, and increasing buyers.

But while some farmers welcome the de-regulations, other farmers fear that if these bills get passed, it will not only invite big corporates to dominate the agricultural market but will also do away with the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

What exactly do each of these agricultural reforms aim to do for the agricultural market? And what are farmers of Punjab and Haryana protesting against?

References:

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Vivian Fernandes, Senior journalist who runs Smart Indian Agriculture,
Devinder Sharma, Agricultural Expert Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Part 2: Prolonged Shutdown of Schools Affecting Students' Health as Well?

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 14:21:00 -0000

If the shutting down of schools affected the accessibility of education, it also affected physical and mental health of students from across various communities.

Although there's not been any survey on the mental health crisis among children in the pandemic, from a report published in the journal New Scientist, we at least know that a stunning 115 million children in India are at risk of malnutrition, as the mid-day meal programme was disrupted by the pandemic.

And it's not just a concern about mid-day meal beneficiaries only. In these pandemic months, the general food insecurities that propped up in the marginalised communities have raised concerns of malnutrition amongst school-going children generally.

Given that students with poor or no access to internet or mobiles and laptops, or even enough personal space, might find the old fashioned in-person teaching methods useful, should India reopen schools?

As students of classes 9 -12 are set to re-join schools on a voluntary basis from 21 September, is it going to be a risky choice especially for malnourished children since the coronavirus infections are increasing? What work needs to be done before India re-opens schools for all? Tune in to The Big Story!
Also Listen to: Part 1: Should India Reopen Schools or Provide Equitable Education First?
References:

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Anjela Taneja, Campaign Lead Inequality Education and Health at Oxfam India
Ashok Rao the General Secretary of the Swami Sivananda Memorial Institute
Shahid Jameel, Virologist Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Part 1: Should India Reopen Schools or Provide Equitable Education First?

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 14:51:45 -0000

Should schools reopen in India or should they not? If they don't reopen now, when will be the right time to get students back to school?

As the Ministry of Home Affairs announced a partial re-opening of schools from 21 September saying that students between classes 9-12 will be permitted to go back to school on a voluntary basis its raising these questions on whether India is ready to reopen its schools or not.

For some perspective how school students have been impacted in this pandemic, according to a report on Oxfam, since schools shut down during the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in India, 80 percent of school children enrolled in government schools in five states in the northern belt of India did not receive any form of education.

In a sector that has been trying to transition to the digital mode desperately, only 20 percent of teachers working in government schools were trained for delivering classes online.

So, what does this data say about what is the way forward? As schools are set to reopen, how can we ensure that students across diverse groups, including the ones from marginalised communities, are not left behind? And how can India ensure a safe return to school for students? Tune in to The Big Story!

References:

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Anjela Taneja, Campaign Lead Inequality Education and Health at Oxfam India
Sant Ram, Member of Government School Teachers' Association Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Can UP Special Security Force Legislated by Yogi Govt be Misused?

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 14:16:58 -0000

In what is being described as UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath "dream project" the government has issued a notification to set up a Special Security Force in Uttar Pradesh that can search and arrest without a warrant or without requiring any orders from the magistrate "as long as they are sure of the crime".

At a time when there have been allegations of misuse of existing laws, such as the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the National Security Act (NSA), or sedition laws against dissenting citizens, critics are wary that this gives more unconstitutional powers to an already unaccountable security force.

The eight battalions of the Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force or UPSSF that will be set up at a cost of close Rs 1,800 crores will be responsible for the security of courts, government administrative buildings, offices, metro, etc and even private companies can hire its services.

What led to the constitution of such a security force in the middle of this pandemic? And what are the ramifications of the powers that it allows and can it be misused? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Ghanshyam Tiwari, National Spokesperson of Samajwadi Party Riya Ghosh, Lucknow-based Advocate Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How Umar Khalid Has Been Projected as Riot 'Mastermind' in Charges

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:44:45 -0000

After interrogating former JNU student and United Against Hate member Umar Khalid for eleven hours on 13 September, the Delhi Police arrested him under UAPA charges post-midnight, for his alleged role in the North East Delhi riots of February 2020.

This comes merely two weeks after Khalid had written a letter to the Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava, alleging that his acquaintances were being threatened with the same UAPA charges into writing statements implicating him as a provocateur of violence.

In several FIRs and charge sheets, Khalid has been projected as a key ‘conspirator’ and 'mastermind' of the riots, with the police claiming that the communal violence was a “premeditated conspiracy” allegedly hatched by Khalid and two others.

Even as Delhi police have been severely criticised by civil society members, lawyers, activists, former IPS officers for conducting a biased probe and for leading a "witch hunt" against anti-CAA protesters, Khalid's arrest is one more name in the list of anti-CAA protesters who have been booked under the dreaded terror charges this year over allegations of playing a role in the Delhi riots.

So what are the charges that have been levelled by the Delhi police against Khalid so far? What is the police's narrative about Khalid's role? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aishwarya Iyer, Senior Correspondent, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Any Sign of A Headway in Indo-China’s 5-Point Consensus on LAC?

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 13:40:36 -0000

As fresh India-China tensions flare up at the border, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi agreed that the current situation in Ladakh is not in the interest of either side.

Jaishankar and his counterpart met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, in Moscow, at a luncheon meeting, hosted by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with hopes of making a breakthrough in the frosty ties. This came on the heels of an unspoken no-firing status quo reportedly being violated at the LAC for the first time in 45 years.

After the meeting, in a five-point joint media statement, the two ministers agreed that both countries should "quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions" and abide by all the existing agreements and protocols on India-China boundary affairs. But does this joint statement indicate any major headway in the talks or are the Indo-China dialogues stuck at a stalemate?

Although Russia which currently holds the presidency of RIC-SCO-BRICS has responded to the Indo-China tensions in very measured words so far, will it be able to play a role in diffusing tensions between the two? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Vishnu Prakash, Former High Commissioner to Canada, Ambassador to South Korea & Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Editor: Shelly Walia

References:

India-China Clash: Why Russia Won’t Mediate But Will Ease Tension

Dragon on the Dialogue Table: What Jaishankar-Wang Yi Meet Implies

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Why Oxford-AstraZeneca Pausing COVID Vaccine Trial is a Good Sign

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 13:09:07 -0000

The COVID vaccine race has faced a hurdle, after a participant in the Oxford-AstraZeneca trials developed neurological symptoms, prompting the company to pause the trials voluntarily.

Health care news publication Stat reported that the participant was a woman from the and she did receive the vaccine as opposed to a placebo and that her symptoms were similar to a rare but serious spinal inflammatory disorder called transverse myelitis.

Now the AstraZeneca-Oxford research has been the frontrunner in the global race for a COVID-19 vaccine as we know, and this hurdle has triggered a global shutdown of the phase 2 and phase 3 trials.

As questions are rife on social media over this development, are these snags normal or does this call for a re-assessment of this vaccine race? And secondly, what’s the road ahead on the trial timeline? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Professor Giridhar R. Babu, Head of Lifecourse Epidemiology at the Public Health Foundation of India Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Has SSR Probe Stooped Down to Sexism & Conflating Cannabis Use?

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 15:14:01 -0000

A day after she was arrested by the NCB on drug charges related to the Sushant Singh Rajput case, actor Rhea Chakraborty was shifted from the NBC office to Mumbai's Byculla Jail, where she will be kept on remand for 14 days.

Far from the initial investigations on abetment to suicide or siphoning off funds from Rajput's accounts that had kickstarted the whole probe in the first place, the focus has lately shifted to a drug angle. After being hounded by no less than three investigative agencies, the newest allegations against Rhea are now not about possessing or consuming cannabis but on aiding and financing cannabis procurements for her late boyfriend.

Along with vicious attacks over alleged drug consumptions, as Rhea simultaneously also faces a misogynistic smear campaign online and on news channels, her colleagues from Bollywood — actors and filmmakers are pledging support for her by putting up a message on "smashing the patriarchy” on social media.

But as the case steers away from facts to sexist vilification of her character and questions on cannabis consumption, let's talks about these two things in more detail.

What does the law say about marijuana regulations in India and what are the arguments supporting its legalisation? Secondly, do Rhea and others like her who are targets of sexist hate campaigns on public platforms have any legal recourse? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Vakasha Sachdev, The Quint's Legal Editor Nidhi Khanna, Delhi-based lawyer Neha Singhal, Legal Researcher at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Kangana-Shiv Sena Spat and The Politics Behind It

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 15:03:58 -0000

Following a fiery spat with Shiv Sena members where Kangana Ranaut compared Mumbai to PoK and claimed threat to life, the Bollywood actor is all set to join the elite club of Y+ security protectees that includes bigshots like Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, and some union ministers.

While the Kangana vs Sena slugfest has been going on for the past few days, the Ministry of Home Affairs' decision to provide Y+ security to the actor came soon after she announced her plans to return to Mumbai from her hometown Manali, on September 9.

But while Ranaut's recent comments created a stir amongst Sena members, who asked her to stay away from the city if she claims to feel so unsafe, her spat with Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut seemed to have ignited a brawl between the party and its former ally BJP.

Is the spat between the Sena and Ranaut really a case of BJP vs Sena? Are the former allies taking digs at each through this episode?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Ketan Vaidya, Senior journalist and Author of 'Hope Express' Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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India Becoming Top Global COVID Hotspot, What Explains The Surge?

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 15:08:55 -0000

India has not only overtaken Brazil to become the country with the second-highest number of coronavirus infections, but in the past few days, it's also been recording the highest number of daily cases reported by any country since the pandemic began. In fact, as India crossed Brazil's numbers over the weekend, it also surpassed a new high in detecting 90,000 new cases over 24 hours.

With that, as of 7th September India's infection tally stands at 4,204,613 approximately, but it might not be too long before India takes up the top spot globally. Currently, the US which still ranks as the country with the maximum number of cases, has reported around 6,460,250 infections, yet it's only reporting between 40,000 - 50,000 new cases per day.

But how do we decode India's exponential increase in coronavirus cases? How is it slowly becoming the global epicentre? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Shahid Jameel, Virologist Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Will Vodafone Idea Sink or Swim After The SC’s AGR Verdict?

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 13:57:20 -0000

The Supreme Court's verdict on the much-awaited AGR case that came on 1 September, has gotten experts worrying about Vodafone Idea's survival. With a massive due of Rs 58,000 crores in adjusted gross revenues that is owed to the government, will Vodafone Idea sink or swim?

The verdict on AGR for the debt-laden telecom companies including Bharti Airtel and Tata Teleservices may have struck a bargain, by allowing a 10-year timeline for the telecos to make staggered payments of these AGR dues in concern. But if for Bharti Airtel, the ruling gives a decent shot at survival, for Vodafone it's looking like a choice between merely surviving or shutting shop.

Why is the ruling not looking favourable for Vodafone Idea? Why has it come to a point to mere survival for the company? And if it fails to survive what could be the implications of that in the market? Tune in The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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India’s PUBG Ban a “Security Concern” or a Political Move?

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 14:22:09 -0000

Millions of Indian gamers are trying to win their last “chicken dinner”, as the hugely popular PUBG now shares the same fate as TikTok. This online multiplayer game that had many Indians hooked, is now banned along with 117 other China-based apps.

This is the second time that the Ministry of Information and Technology has banned more China-based apps in the country. In the first round of banning that happened earlier on 29 June, TikTok was one of the wildly popular apps that went down with 59 other apps like Cam Scanner, UC Browser and ShareIT.

The IT Ministry's press release says that the now banned apps “are engaged in activities which are prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order”. If that sounds familiar, it's because these concerns bear a close resemblance with the reasonings of "security concerns" that came with the TikTok ban.

And speaking of similarities, the timing of the ban has not gone unnoticed either. As was with TikTok and the 59 other apps, the PUBG ban also comes at a time when Indo-China tensions have been flaring up at Ladakh all over again. Should we see this ban as India's response to Chinese aggression? What is the impact of this move? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Maj Maik M Jolly, Army Veteran and ardent gamer
Nikhil Pahwa, a digital rights activist and founder of MediaNama Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Indo-China Tensions at LAC Stuck in A Stalemate, What Lies Ahead?

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 14:13:04 -0000

The Indo-China border tensions show no signs of ebbing, even months after the military standoff at the Galwan valley that began in June this year.

The diplomatic dialogues and consensus between the countries to de-escalate Indian and Chinese troops' engagement at the LAC seem to be stuck in a stalemate, as the action moves from the northern bank of Pangong Tso – which is a lake between Tibet and India – to the southern bank, near the Reqin La Pass.

The recent commander-level talks also appear to have been inconclusive as New Delhi and Beijing continue to be involved in a sharp exchange of accusation, about who violated what, after Indian forces claimed to have occupied certain areas near the south bank.

This happened on the intervening night of 29 and 30 August, in what the Indian army described as a "pre-emptive action", when they saw PLA troops try to do the same.

The Pangong sector has a particularly contentious area since the PLA trespassed across the LAC in May and reports say that currently Indian troops remain on alert at Chushul sector in Ladakh to thwart any instance of Chinese aggression.

What are the diplomatic repercussions of this flare up? Without a breakthrough in de-escalation talks what lies ahead for the troops especially since the harsh Himalayan winter is approaching?

References:

New India-China Clash: What Use Of Special Frontier Force Reveals

Why southern bank of Pangong Tso is the new flashpoint in India-China stand-off

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Manoj Joshi, Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation Editor: Jaskirat Singh Bawa

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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India’s GDP Slump: A Long and Painful Road to Recovery Ahead

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 14:37:12 -0000

Act of god or not, even though India was expected to see a considerable economic slowdown, the contraction of the GDP by 24 percent in the first quarter of the current financial year is coming off as quite a shocker. All thanks to this, India once the world's fastest-growing major economy, now seems to be headed for its first full-year contraction since 1980.

With economic activities almost brought to a standstill due to the nationwide lockdown to curb COVID-19, most sectors like manufacturing and construction, which create the most number of jobs in the country received a heavy dent. But experts warn that the figures may not be able to reflect the true extent of damage, especially since the informal sector was affected much more than the organised sector.

With outputs at a severe low, unemployment on the rise and incomes falling, experts also believe that it might take several years to recover from a slump-down of this magnitude.

Are we sliding into a recession? What is the root cause behind this crash and what is the road to recovery? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Re 1 Fine for Prashant Bhushan a Victory or Vindication of Guilt?

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 15:08:57 -0000

The Supreme Court ordered lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan to pay a Re 1 fine as punishment for contempt of court by 15 September, failing to do which, he could be facing three months in jail along with a three-year ban from practicing.

At a press conference after the verdict, Bhushan announced that he proposed to submit to the order as he would to any another lawful punishment, and respectfully pay the fine. He also said that he never intended to offend the judiciary, but wanted to express his grief on a "deviation from its record".

While some hail it as a watershed moment for the freedom of speech, others believe that accepting the fine is an admission of guilt. How should we view the quantum of punishment? What message does this finally send? Is it a victory for Bhushan or it is a vindication of his guilt?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Interviews: Vakasha Sachdev Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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The Unrelenting Media Trial of Rhea Chakraborty is a New Low for Journalism

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 16:05:22 -0000

It has been 75 days since actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s unfortunate demise on 14 June. In those 75 days, in a swift administration of media justice, his partner and actor Rhea Chakraborty has been accused of murdering the actor and also found guilty of it. In between the accusation and conviction by a special bench of the media’s court comprising all the usual suspects, television channels have found her guilty of controlling his life, putting him on drugs, spiking his tea, swindling his money, giving him certain medicines, not giving him certain medicines, distancing him from his family, using him to get film offers, having other affairs, performing black magic, appreciating marijuana from Bhubaneswar and calling him ‘babu’. This unrelenting coverage by television media, described as a ‘circus’ by many has a familiar pattern to it. Why don’t news channels not care about the overt misogyny? Why haven’t we learnt any lessons from previous media trials and why does Rhea Chakraborty tick all the boxes of a made for television villain? We have journalist, author and media commentator Naomi Datta with us today to explore these questions.
Producer and Host: Sushovan Sircar
Guest: Naomi Datta, author and media commentator Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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RNC 2020: Optics, Cancel Culture & Fighting Racism Allegations

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 14:20:30 -0000

In the backdrop of another incident of police shooting of an African-American citizen, a deadly protest against police brutality that left two dead in Wisconsin and an extremely dangerous hurricane Laura striking Louisiana, the Republican party has been holding its National Convention ahead of the 2020 US Elections.

Unlike the Democrats who went ahead with a virtual event due to the pandemic, the RNC chose a more hybrid format with a mixture of taped and live events that involved a naturalisation ceremony at the White House where five immigrants, including an Indian software engineer, were naturalised as US citizens.

If the Democratic National Convention went for a display of cultural diversity, while outlining the kind crises that America is facing such as the pandemic, the resulting economic crisis, systematic racism, the ongoing Republican National Convention was all about defending itself against allegations of racist policies, racist structures, mishandling of the pandemic and interestingly talking about "cancel culture".

What are the biggest takeaways from the Republican National Convention? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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If Not Cancel Exams, What Can Govt Do for NEET-JEE Aspirants?

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 14:30:33 -0000

Life should move on, said the Supreme Court almost 10 days back as it dismissed petitions to postpone the JEE Main and NEET UG entrance exams.

But there's no end to demands from students and parents to not conduct the exams on the scheduled dates in September. Joining them now are politicians from across parties – from Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi to Mamata Banerjee and Uddhav Thackerey who want to approach India's top court again –– to postpone the exams.

On 26 August, in fact, Congress' interim president Sonia Gandhi hosted an online meeting with state Chief Ministers, including West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, to help the engineering and medical aspirants of the country who are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. While some suggested that they approach the court, some said a delegation should be sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Even as the debate rages on, #PostponeJEEandNEETexams and #AntiStudentModiGovt are trending online. They are also planning a protest on 27 August, from their homes, with "black Flags, tie black bands on arms or foreheads, wear black masks, and turn their profile pictures black".

On its part, the National Testing Agency has assured all precautionary measures to be exercised to protect students during the conduct of the exams. Meanwhile, there are those who're asking if not now, then when? How long do we postpone these exams for? Can the government afford to declare this academic year as a 'zero' year as the protesting students suggest? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: PJ Narayanan, The Director of IIT Hyderabad Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How Will SC’s Order on Bhushan Define Freedom of Speech?

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 16:21:30 -0000

After a three-hour long hearing, the Supreme Court reserved its order on sentencing in the contempt case related to lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan's two tweets criticising the judiciary.

The same bench led by Justice Arun Mishra had convicted Bhushan earlier on 14 August but not specified the penalty for this charge. On 20 August, they had given him a few days to re-think his statements, even though Bhushan clearly maintained both at hearing and in a supplementary affidavit filed on August 24 that he doesn't seek mercy and stands by his bona fide opinions.

And that's where the latest hearing took off from.

On the 25 August sentence hearing, in a lot of back and forth, as the outgoing judge Arun Mishra reiterated demands for an unconditional apology, the Attorney General, KK Venugopal urged the apex court to show “statesmanship” and let Bhushan off with a warning.

But irrespective of what penalty the court ultimately decides for Bhushan, what does this case mean for the freedom of speech in India? And what potential legacy can it leave behind for the judiciary? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Can Congress Leadership Vacuum Lead to A Non-Gandhi President?

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 15:40:19 -0000

The lingering Congress leadership crisis has taken the centre stage once again as the Interim Chief Sonia Gandhi offered to resign from her post, urging her party members to look for a replacement. This political drama unfolded in the Congress Working Committee meeting, on 24th August, a day after over 23 senior leaders demand for a ‘revival’ in the party became public.

The signatories who include a number of significant party members like Ghulam Nabi Azad and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kapil Sibal, Milind Deora, Jitin Prasada and loyalists like Mukul Wasnik, wrote to Sonia Gandhi asking for “a full-time, visible leadership” in the party as a matter of “national imperative”.

Even as these developments triggered a resounding support for the Gandhis’ leadership, it was reportedly decided that Sonia Gandhi would remain Congress party’s interim president for now, until a new chief is elected within the next 6 months.

But was this dissent within the party unprecedented or long overdue? If Rahul Gandhi continues to be reluctant about being president, can it possibly lead to a non-Gandhi taking over the reins? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Javed Ansari, Senior Journalist
Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Raising Age of Marriage for Women a Noble Cause But Not a Cure-All

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 15:14:33 -0000

The minimum age of marriage has always been a contentious topic of debate in India. Currently, as we know, the legal minimum age stands at 18 for women and 21 for men but since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on his Independence Day speech that the Centre had set up a committee to review and reconsider the minimum age of marriage for women, it's brought back the same old questions as before: should we or should we not reconsider raising the legal age of marriage for women?

The Union Ministry for Women and Child Development's 10-member task force headed by former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitly is examining what kind of concerns there are with the current legal age — such as the correlation between early marriages and early motherhood, health risks for young mothers, issues of Maternal Mortality Ratio or MMR, improving maternal and child nutrition levels, etc.

But is raising the minimum age a cure-all for those issues? Should India re-think the age of marriage, in a bid to lower our alarming maternal mortality rate (MMR)? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director of Population Foundation of India
Dhirendra Pratap Singh, CEO of Milaan Foundation Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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SC Gives Time to Rethink But Bhushan Sticks to His Guns in Contempt Hearing

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 14:25:36 -0000

After being held guilty of contempt, lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan was told that if he rethinks the statements that he's made against the judiciary in his tweets, then the Supreme Court would consider whether to be lenient with penalties or not.

The bench led by Justice Arun Mishra which had held Prashant Bhushan guilty earlier on 14 August, had reserved the penalty to be delivered on 20th August. While Bushan's plea seeking to defer the contempt sentencing was rejected by the court, the 3-judge bench gave him two-three days to reconsider his statements assuring that "no punishment will be acted upon" until a decision on his review petition.

But this sentence hearing was an interesting one, with a lot of back and forth between the Supreme Court's observations on whether or not he had crossed the line with his freedom of speech and sharp statements from Bhushan’s lawyers on truth as a defence for contempt.

What are the biggest highlights from the contempt hearing against Prashant Bhushan? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Interview: Vakasha Sachdev Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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DNC Nominates Biden & Showcases Diversity in Unity Against Trump

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 15:06:17 -0000

After playing supporting characters, Joe Biden is finally the protagonist as he officially secured the Democratic nomination as their 2020 presidential candidate on 18 August, tallying votes by party delegates from 50 states and 7 national territories in what was the first virtual national party roll-call vote.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Democratic Party had to hold a virtual convention and abandon its initial plans to hold this week’s nominating convention in the city of Milwauke in Wisconsin.

But most would agree that the hi-tech production, the top-notch performances by artists and musicians and the diverse sampling of speakers, a display of diverse local cultures, customs and languages delivered a powerful attack against Republicans.

So far in the initial two days of DNC 2020 we've also heard testimonies and speeches from former First Lady Michelle Obama, Sen Bernie Sander, Jill Biden, former US President Bill Clinton, Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and many others who used the platform to criticise US President Donald Trump's policies and also highlight issues of national security, accountability, inequality and health care.

What are the biggest takeaway from the the Democratic National Convention 2020? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Facebook’s Selective Hate Speech Rules Threatens India’s Democracy?

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 14:24:58 -0000

Is Facebook simply a bystander in global politics or is it actively meddling in politics? Thanks to a report by the Wall Street Journal that was published on 14 August, there are some serious questions about Facebook’s “impartiality” when it comes to hate speeches by BJP members.

The report alleges that Ankhi Das, Facebook’s top public policy executive in India, opposed to applying hate speech community standards to BJP leaders T Raja Singh, Anantkumar Hegde, and Kapil Mishra — all notorious for promoting violence and delivering hate speeches. This, allegedly out of fear of ruining the company’s relationship with the ruling party and hampering its business prospects in the country.

The allegations of "selective enforcement" of rules have come from even current and former Facebook employees who in the report said that "Ms. Das’s intervention on behalf of T Raja Singh is part of a broader pattern of favoritism by Facebook toward Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and Hindu hard-liners."

Do the internal assessments and content reviews done by the company hold any credibility? Does Facebook stand to threaten India’s democracy?

References:

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Journalist and co-author of "The Real Face of Facebook in India"
Srinivas Kodaili, Independent researcher working on data and governance Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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MS Dhoni: The Ever Elusive Man Behind The Legendary Cricketer

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 14:00:13 -0000

MS Dhoni ended one of the most illustrious and successful cricket careers of our generation.

“Pal do pal meri hasti hai, pal do pal meri jawani hai,” recites Amitabh Bachchan in the song Dhoni has chosen to bid us farewell with, nearly 400 days since we saw him walk back to the pavilion, wearing the Indian jersey, at the ICC World Cup semi-final.

But the 16 years he served Indian cricket was anything but ‘pal do pal’… specially in the history books as he finishes off as India’s most successful captain.

His accolades are there for all to see, how much do we know about the man himself? He’s had the spotlight on him through his career, yet he’s always managed to remain in the shadows and not many people have been successful in breaking through that barrier of Mahi's privacy.

From avoiding even carrying a phone to being unreachable during important announcements (including the birth of his daughter Ziva) — there are many stories of how captain cool has always been hard to track down and how he kept people on their toes about his next move. And in this episode we dig into some of these anecdotal stories around this legend.

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest:
Rajdeep Sardesai, author of Democracy's XI: The Great Indian Cricket Story Amrit Mathur, senior cricket writer, former GM of the BCCI and Manager of the Indian Cricket Team Chandresh Narayanan, Senior cricket writer and ex-Media Officer for ICC Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Why Jamia, JNU, AMU Topping Govt Rankings is a Big Moment of Vindication For Them

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 16:10:01 -0000

Over the last year Jamia Millia Islamia University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Aligarh Muslim University have been in the news more than they would’ve perhaps liked to. The three universities, battered by police action, media attacks and a perception battle, today stand officially among three of the best Central universities in all of India. The Union Ministry of Education in its latest ranking of Central universities has placed Jamia in first place with a score of 90, while JNU has come third with 83 and AMU fourth at 82. The ranking is based on a tri-party evaluation signed between the university and the Ministry of Educationand the University Grants Commission. What made these three universities stand out in the evaluation? Do students feel vindicated? The Quint spoke with several students across campuses to find out what they make of the rankings and what they have to say about a trying year for their Alma Mater

Producer and Host: Sushovan Sircar Editor: Shelly Walia Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Bengaluru Violence: What Happened Exactly?

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 15:27:12 -0000

Bengaluru is still recovering from the bloody violence that rocked the city on the night of 11 August. Three people were killed after the police opened fire at a violent mob in East Bengaluru on Tuesday night. Police said it resorted to firing after the mob went on a rampage, attacking a police station and an MLA’s residence. The next day, the charred wall of the police station and the metallic stench of torched vehicles filled the morning air, drawing curtains on the violence that erupted in Bengaluru the night before. An uneasy calm hung heavy in the neighbourhoods. Apart from the occasional peep through the curtains, residents of East Bengaluru’s DJ Halli locked themselves at home on Wednesday. More than 100 men from these houses were now in police custody. So, what happened exactly? The violence began on Tuesday night in DJ Halli and Kaval Byrasandra areas and spilled over to KJ Halli, after a Facebook post by a relative of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, reportedly insulting Prophet Mohammed, created outrage.

To get the complete sequence of events and get a clear picture of how exactly the mob build up happened, how the anger simmered to a point of violence and what the police did, my colleague Arun Dev joins me today from Bengaluru.

Producer and Host: Sushovan Sircar Editor: Shelly Walia
Guest: Arun Dev, The Quint Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Kamala Harris as Joe Biden's VP Running Mate Would Mean for Indo-US Ties

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 15:43:24 -0000

Biden-Harris 2020 is now official. In the early hours of Wednesday, 12 August, Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden announced California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate for the upcoming US Presidential elections on 3 November. Kamala who? Why does this name ring a bell? 55-year-old Kamala Harris was born in California to an Indian mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a breast cancer scientist and a Jamaican father who taught at Stanford University. Among the rising stars in the Democratic party, she had announced in January 2019 that she was running for President. After a year-long spirited fight against heavyweights Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden, she dropped out in December. However, since stepping down, Harris has been a vocal supporter of Biden’s bid for nomination as the Democratic candidate and a prominent advocate of racial-justice legislation after the death of George Floyd in late May. There is no denying that Harris selection is symbolically loaded for a county torn by racial injustice and the pandemic. But, what message exactly does her nomination send out? What are the political and electoral implications of picking a woman of colour? Can she take on Trump? And Will she be able to swing the Indian American vote?
To help us better navigate the nuances of Kamala Harris as a potential Vice President of the United States and answer our questions, I’m joined today by international affairs expert Harsh V Pant who heads the strategic studies program at Observer Research Foundation.

Producer and Host: Sushovan Sircar Editor: Shelly Walia
Guest: Harsh V Pant, Director, Strategic Affairs, Observer Research Foundation Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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As Sachin Pilot Returns to Congress, Who is the Biggest Winner of the Political Drama?

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 15:22:58 -0000

Sachin Pilot is back in the Congress party fold. Pilot’s short lived rebellion, which took shape on 11 July, concluded with a tweet at 1am on 11 August. In his tweet he thanked Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, as well as Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for “noting & addressing our grievances.” Earlier on Monday, Pilot had met former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at Rahul's Tughlak Road residence. Soon after the meeting, the Congress party put out a statement saying: “They have had a frank, open and conclusive discussion. Shri Sachin Pilot has committed to working in the interest of the Congress party and the Congress government in Rajasthan.” While Pilot’s short lived rebellion may appear to be a closed chapter in Rajasthan politics, several key questions around Pilot’s return require a deeper probe. Why and how did he return to the Congress? How does one assess Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot’s handling of the political crisis? What role did Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra play? And can one say the BJP’s Rajasthan edition of ‘Operation Kamal’ to topple the Congress government has ended in failure?
The thirty days between Sachin Pilot landing in Delhi from Jaipur with 19 MLAs and his patch up with Congress, witnessed high drama that unfolded with dozens of twists and turns. The Rajasthan assembly speaker, the governor, the high court, the supreme court all became the unwitting cast of a political crisis that kept the state on the brink and nearly toppled its elected government. The only predictable part of the unpredictable twists was MLAs being lodged in 5-star resorts, far away from their elected constituencies. We are joined today by The Quint’s political editor Aditya Menon who will guide us through the political rollercoaster.

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Kerala Plane Crash: A Pilot's Perspective on Risks, Tabletop Airports & Landing in Rain

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 15:40:10 -0000

At around 7:40 PM on 7 August, Air-India Express flight IX-1344 with 190 passengers on board from Dubai to Kozhikode skidded off the runway of Karipur International Airport, Kerala.

Soon after, visuals of the wreckage filled television and social media. The mangled remains of an aircraft split in two as it continued to rain . A chaotic scene ensued with people rushing to help, hours taken to evacuate everyone.

An unforeseen tragedy in which 18 people lost their lives, including the pilots – captain Deepak Sathe and co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar, was compounded by the fact that the passengers on board were returning home in a special flight arranged to bring back Indians stranded in other countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the Boeing-737 aircraft touched down upon Indian soil amid heavy rainfall, it overshot the tabletop runway and fell 35 feet down the slope.

As the investigation is underway into the how and why of the accident, the quint spoke with a former Indian Air Force fighter pilot, Group Captain Somala Srinivas, to get a pilot’s perspective on a number of important questions: Are tabletop runways dangerous? How does rain complicate landing? The decisions a pilot must make in adverse conditions and how an investigation into an incident like this is carried out.

Producer and Host: Sushovan Sircar Editor: Shelly Walia
Guest: Group Captain (retd) Somala Srinivas

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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After Beirut, Must Chennai Worry About Ammonium Nitrate Stockpile?

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 15:03:41 -0000

A consignment of 740 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that has been lying in a Chennai customs warehouse for around five years is raising some red flags just days after Beirut's catastrophic blast.

On 4 August, an estimated 2,750-tonnes of ammonium nitrate, that had been stored reportedly for over six years in a port warehouse in Beirut, without the proper safety protocols, rocked Lebanon's capital, leading to the tragic loss of over a 100 lives and injured over 5,000 people, not including those who are feared to be still buried under the rubble.

Video footage from the scene of the explosion show a thick cloud of smoke as the blast obliterated the warehouse where the chemical was stored, destroyed entire districts in the capital, and flattened buildings leaving a crater approximately 140 metres wide.
And that's what's raising the alarms about the ammonium nitrate stockpile near Chennai, a city home to around 70 lakh people. In a tweet on 6 August, PMK leader S Ramadoss said, "There is a risk of a similar explosion due to ammonium nitrate in the Chennai warehouse. To prevent this, the ammonium nitrate should be safely disposed of and used for other purposes such as composting!"
What can cause ammonium nitrate explosions? Are there any reasons for Chennai to be alarmed? Tune in to The Big Story!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Reporting: Smitha TK

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Kashmir Better or Worse After 1 Yr of Abrogation of Article 370?

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 14:56:23 -0000

While most of India fixated on the Ram Mandir foundation-laying ceremony in Uttar Pradesh, on 5 August, in Kashmir it was a quiet day with a curfew and deserted streets.

Last year on this day Article 370 was revoked, stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its autonomy, and bifurcating the erstwhile state into union territories — Ladakh and Jammu Kashmir. The decision was met by protests despite the security clampdown. Thousands of activists were picked up from their residences and detained in the next few days, opposition leaders were also put under detention.

And this year there were heavy barricades around Srinagar, shops and other establishments remained shut amid a heavy deployment of security forces in anticipation of a "Black Day" protest.

Due to this decision, for the first time after 70 years, all the 890 Central laws and the Indian Constitution became applicable in Kashmir.

But were Kashmiris able to enjoy the same rights and privileges enjoyed by the rest of India since the abrogation of Article 370? Tune in to The Big Story!

Also listen to: 1 Yr Post Abrogation of Article 370: ‘India Left Kashmir Behind’
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:

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What Message Does Ram Temple Construction Send to Secular India?

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 13:59:56 -0000

The foundation has been officially laid for the construction of a Ram temple, 28 years after the Babri Masjid was demolished.

And all eyes were on Ayodhya, on 5th August, as the Ram Mandir trust conducted the bhoomi poojan or the foundation-laying ceremony, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and around 170 other spiritual and political leaders.

With this, the BJP's promise towards its Hindu voter base of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya – the mythical birth place of Ram – is a step closer to fulfillment. At the ceremony, PM Modi likened the Ram Janmabhoomi movement to India's independence struggle, saying that the temple construction is the symbol of centuries of sacrifices.

But historically, the pitch for a Ram temple has precariously balanced itself on Hindu nationalism — a pitch that we've seen grown louder in the recent years. How much is the Ram temple construction going to change the political paradigm of India in the coming years? What symbolic message does this grand socio-political project send to the secular India?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest:
Pragya Tiwari, Journalist
Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Prashant Bhushan Case: Time to Revisit ‘Contempt of Court’ Clause?

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 13:27:59 -0000

Can a bona fide critical opinion about the country's highest court amount to contempt of court? How should the Supreme Court react to criticisms against itself? Is it time to revisit the contempt of courts clause? Does it go against the freedom of speech under Article 19 of the Constitution?
The Supreme Court's suo moto contempt petition against advocate Prashant Bhushan over some of his tweets has raised a lot of such debates and questions. Even the legal fraternity is divided on it. At least 10 retired judges including Jasti Chelameshwar, AP Shah, Madan B Lokur are in solidarity with Bhushan on this.
Is it an archaic law? What kind of arguments are being made? What kind of criticism is it drawing? Tune in to The Big Story!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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1 Yr Post Abrogation of Article 370: ‘India Left Kashmir Behind’

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:04:07 -0000

One year of continuous curbs and restrictions, one year of deprivation of 4G internet services, one year of being left behind the rest of India.

On 5 August, 2020, it'll be one year since the unilateral decision to abrogate Article 370 in Kashmir stripped it of its statehood.

While the centre had assured that the decision would bring an economic boom and development, the story on ground is far from it. Information has been scarce, school attendance has been scant, businesses are failing thanks to the doubled restrictions from the pandemic, and a mental health crisis and hopelessness is taking a toll on Kashmir's citizens.

In this episode of The Big Story, the people of Kashmir talk about how the year round restrictions have affected their minds, lives and livelihoods. Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Interviews: Syed Shahriyar Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Part 2: Hits and Misses of NEP Reforms for Higher Education

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 15:05:22 -0000

Indian education is going to see some sweeping changes being made to its current structure thanks to the New Education Policy or the NEP 2020.

For schools, the NEP aims to move away from the idea of rote learning and high stakes board exams and focus more on an experiential and skill based learning.

For higher education it’s almost a comprehensive revamp of the current structure that includes dismantling regulators of higher education such as the UGC, AICTE and NCTE and bringing back the four-year multidisciplinary undergraduate programme.

But the NEP is only a broad vision, it's a long term plan that will easily take the next couple of decades if not more to implement. The Ministry of Education has set itself a deadline to bring all these suggested changes by 2040 but, in the meantime, it's going through some scrutiny.

While the general perception has been positive, it's worth breaking down the NEP to see its hits and misses.

What does the NEP do for public education? What can the re-introduction of FYUP mean for students? And are the policies advancing towards privatisation of higher education? Tune in to The Big Story!

Also Listen to: Part 1: Do NEP Reforms Fix The Gaps in Current School Education?
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Professor Rajib Ray, President of DUTA
Ashish Dhawan the Founder and Chairman, Central Square Foundation and Founding Member, Ashoka University Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Part 1: Do NEP Reforms Fix The Gaps in Current School Education?

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 16:00:27 -0000

Along with renaming the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) as the Ministry of Education, the Union government unveiled the new education policy 2020. The announcements are plenty –– Mphil is scrapped, four year undergraduate programme is back, vocational training is mandated in schools, teaching in mother tongue or regional languages is advised at school levels, board exams played down, and more.

34 years after the National Education Policy was formulated in 1986, these are the first major reforms that it's going through. From an overall perspective, the new policy, announced by the Modi government on 29 July, aims to overhaul the Indian education system with an emphasis on access to education, attempt to move away from rote learning, reforms at all levels from school to higher education, and reducing the number of regulators of higher education.

But as we drown under all the information of the myriad changes that are being suggested – the devil is in the detail. How is the New Education Policy being received? Does it address the gaps in the current education system?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Anjela Taneja, Campaign Lead Inequality Education and Health at Oxfam India
Ashish Dhawan the Founder and Chairman, Central Square Foundation and Founding Member, Ashoka University. Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Does the Arrival of Rafale Jets Mean for the IAF?

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 14:51:51 -0000

Almost twenty years after the discussion on procuring Rafale jets had first begun, the much awaited first batch of Rafale fighter jets is finally here in India.
The jets flew out from the Merignac air base in the French port city of Bordeaux, took a one pit stop at the Al Dhafra air base in the United Arab Emirates after covering a distance of nearly 7,000 km, and landed at the Ambala air base on 29 July, to be inducted into the Indian Air Force.
As experts believes, the induction of these jets in IAF is a game changer for India. But why exactly is it important for the IAF? With simmering tensions at the border, are these jets likely to be deployed in Ladakh?
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Delhi COVID Turnaround: Cases Dip in July But is The Worst Over?

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 15:42:28 -0000

With a relatively low number of case growth in July, Delhi's COVID data is finally starting to reflect a declining trend. After recording at least 2,000 new cases almost everyday in June, the number of fresh cases in the capital dipped below the 1,000th mark in July, the lowest being 613 new cases on 26th June which was a 62 day low!

Compared to the the last month, when Delhi was spiralling out of control, even overtaking Mumbai's total caseload at a point in time, all numbers from this month in the capital is showing a remarkable improvement.

Along with the dip in number of cases, the case growth rate has slumped to 1.7 percent as per reports, the recovery rate is at 88 percent from what government data shows and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has also said that the positivity rate has slipped.

Although the Delhi government credits the ramped up testing strategy for its road to recovery, experts are looking at these impressive developments with a slight amount of skepticism. While the number of cases have visibly dropped in the city, this also interestingly coincides with the Delhi government using more rapid antigen tests which have a high rate of false negative results. So, are we looking at a genuine turnaround or is it Delhi’s testing strategy? What is the situation in hospitals looking like?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Dr Sumit Ray, Critical Care Specialist
Dr Shahid Jameel, Virologist Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Amitabh Bachchan Talks on Mental Health: How COVID Isolation Affects Patients?

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:48:46 -0000

How can social and physical isolation impact our mental healths?

As mental health experts have warned from the start of the pandemic, a lack of communication with friends and family, losing social ties, physical distancing, isolation — all the new norms of surviving today – is coming at a huge psychological cost.

In India where conversations on mental health still remain quite tight-lipped, Amitabh Bachchan, who's been admitted in Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital since 11 July after he was tested positive for the novel coronavirus, opened up about his struggle with his mental health during quarantine.

In his personal blog, he opened up about how it feels to "not see another human for weeks" because of the isolation. He wrote, “There is one note of matter that seems trivial but it is a factor... the mental conditions and the effects of the disease... clinically, medically all that is known to be effective, yet very little is known that remains hidden unseen and not visible... matters of the mind often are not... The mental state sparks from the stark reality that the COVID-19 patient, put in hospitalised isolation, never gets to see another human... for weeks.”

While different people react differently to testing positive and the isolation period that follows, loneliness, fear and anxiety are something that a lot of people are struggling to cope with as they remain cooped up in either hospitals or in their residences.
It's imperative to understand then – how can someone help themselves mentally during isolation and what can isolation mean for them?
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Why Did FridaysForFuture Group Led by School Students Send A Barrage of Emails to Javadekar?

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 15:10:09 -0000

While Greta Thunberg, a Swedish teen activist, has been celebrated worldwide for her bold movement on climate change, in India an anti-terrorism law was "erroneously" used against students to shut down an online movement on the environment.

The website for the India arm of Fridays For Future or FFF which is the international environmental movement led by Thunberg was blocked. Two notices were sent, first under UAPA on 8 July, and then under the IT Act on 12 July, to the domain hosts alleging depiction of "objectionable contents and unlawful activities or terrorist act".

And why? Because the portal was allegedly used to send a barrage of emails to environment minister Prakash Javadekar’s email address against a proposed change in the environment laws, known as the Draft Environment Impact Assessment or EIA, 2020.
Behind those emails are a bunch of school students who received the notice from the Delhi Police’s cyber crime unit, accusing them of challenging the ‘sovereignty and integrity of India’.

After word got out on social media, on 24 July, the Delhi Police claimed the UAPA charges were a "clerical error" and that the charges under the IT Act were also withdrawn. A little while after, the website also appeared to have been restored. Clerical error or not, what message does it send on censorship and muzzling dissent?
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Bahar Dutt, Environment Journalist
Bhavreen Kandhari, Environmentalist
Advocate Abhinav Sekhri
Manju Menon, Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research
M Yuvan, Writer & Environmental educator Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Varavara Rao Bail Plea: COVID No Exception for Political Inmates?

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 15:21:34 -0000

Should we be looking at heath conditions or the gravity of offense for prisoners seeking interim bail on health grounds in view of the pandemic?

Questions on whether it's right or wrong to keep vulnerable undertrial prisoners in jail have come up with the case of 79-year-old Telugu poet Varavara Rao who's been imprisoned since the last two years over his alleged involvement in the Bhima Koregaon case.

Rao had filed for an interim bail citing his frail health and susceptibility to Covid-19 in March, but a special NIA court rejected the plea. The court rejected it again for the second time in June. And then on 16 July, Rao tested positive for COVID-19.

But the NIA which is probing his case not only opposed the bail plea in the Bombay High Court, they also called it a "ruse" and accused him of taking "undue benefit" of COVID-19. This despite the SC order on decongesting jails.

Is it ethical for an for undertrial to be refused bail on health grounds in this situation? What did Supreme Court say about releasing undertrial prisoners to decongest jails and and why are people like Rao made to be an exception?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Vakasha Sachdev, Legal Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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UGC Vs Students: Why Mandatory Final-Sem Exams Have Sparked a Row?

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 14:07:19 -0000

Exams have become a source of anxiety, stress and confusion for final year college students in India.
Weeks after #StudentsLivesMatter trended on Twitter, over 30 students from across the country including a COVID+ student moved the Supreme Court against the guidelines by the University Grants Commission (UGC) that mandated the conducting of the final semester or final year examinations by 30 September.
How do we conduct exams without risking exposure? How do we wrap the academic year without exams when educational institutions have been for 5 months? The pandemic has presented these challenges before academic institutions, students, their parents and teachers. Initially several states had decided to cancel the final-year exams in light of the pandemic, but the UGC guidelines from 7 July that directed an offline-online hybrid mode of exams for final years may force colleges to revisit that decision.
But is it a sound decision to make at such a time where students' careers are hanging by a thread? Could there have been an alternative solution to this?
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Advocate Anubha Sahai, India Wide Parents Association, Debaditya Bhattacharya, Assistant Professor of English, Kazi Nazrul University Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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A Few Good Results But How Long Before a COVID-19 Vaccine?

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 14:09:44 -0000

As the coronavirus infections shoot up to 14.6 million worldwide, we finally have some hopeful news on vaccines! COVID-19 vaccine trials by Oxford University in the UK, by CanSino in China, BioNTech from Germany, and several others have shown positive results in their clinical trials.
More than 150 countries India included are in a hunt to find a vaccination at the earliest to be able curb the soaring infection rates, and as of now these candidates are ahead of that race.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca study which is effectively in the first spot right now has been showing promising results from the start. The preliminary data from their early trials show that the vaccine not only appears to be safe but it’s also giving a double protection with anti-bodies and killer T cells.

While the others — the Chinese vaccine being developed by CanSino and studies from Germany's BioNtech which are also moving in an equal pace, have induced safe and significant immune responses.
So, with a handful of vaccine yielding positive results, how much longer before a vaccine comes to our rescue? Tune in to The Big Story!

References:

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Vaishali Sood, Editor, Quint Fit
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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As Rains Wreak Havoc in Delhi, Is Urban Flooding Being Normalised?

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 14:45:28 -0000

Intense water-logging, a sinkhole, one dead and several rendered homeless — that sums up this Sunday in the national capital Delhi after several parts of the city received mild to heavy rainfall over the weekend.

While the monsoons brought about a much needed respite from the high summer temperatures and air pollution, within a few hours of the rain, on 19 July, hell broke lose in the slum area of Anna Nagar located near the ITO area, in Central Delhi, where a road caved in and led to the collapse of at least 10 adjacent houses.

Though the devastation was seemingly worst in the Anna Nagar area, there are videos and images from others parts of the city showing roads and vehicles submerged in water, and rainwater gushing into some people's homes – a reminder that water-clogging during monsoons in Delhi is an annual deja vu.

So, what goes wrong every year? Why has urban flooding become normalised in highly urbanised cities like Delhi and even Mumbai? What is the drainage plan in Delhi and where is the city failing to check its water-logging problem?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Prof Rabidyuti Biswas, School of Planning & Architecture
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Does 1 Million Infections Mean for Densely Populated India?

Fri, 17 Jul 2020 14:40:43 -0000

Almost five and a half months after India reported its first case of coronavirus from Kerala on 30th January, the country has now crossed a dreaded milestone.

India reported more than a million COVID-19 infections on 16 July, that have cost 25,000 lives so far, including that of doctors and health workers. This also came with the biggest single-day spike in the number of cases yet.

From a few thousand cases before the lockdown, the infection rate has been soaring to almost a 30,000 spike on some days, since the unlocking of commercial activities and relaxation of restrictions, making India the third worst hit country in no time, behind the United States and Brazil.

While the Centre on different occasions has claimed that India has flattened the Covid-19 curve to a great extent, that is still largely being disputed by experts. But what does touching a million infection mean for a tightly populated country like India? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Guna Incident: Why Do We Need Land Rights for Dalit Empowerment?

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 14:39:25 -0000

Assaulted by the police for allegedly farming on government land, then illegally charged with attempt to suicide after consuming pesticide in anguish and a debt of Rs 3 lakhs — this incident around a Dalit couple from Madhya Pradesh is like the story of many others.

In some disturbing visuals, Ramkumar Ahirwar and Savitri Devi a Dalit couple from Guna district in Madhya Pradesh were seen getting gheraoed by the district police. They are seen getting kicked, getting lathi-charged from all sides, getting dragged on the ground. And all this in a bid to evict them from a piece of “government-owned land”.

But what happened in Guna with this Dalit couple, has been the case with many others evictions from cities and towns where Dalits or landless labourers and farmers were caught between the insensitivity displayed by government authorities and their own lack of privilege.

What kind of a commentary does it present on the lack of social security for the landless underprivileged classes and castes? And why do we need to talk about land and property inclusivity along with rights empowerment? Tune in to The Big Story!
Also Watch: Day 3 - Charcha 2020 on The Quint | Empowering Dalits through Land
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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As CBSE Marks Soar, Delhi University Says Cut-Offs To Be Higher

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 15:39:05 -0000

Schools teach us about the decimal system but it is during college admissions that many of us learn about the importance of each decimal place. One decimal point could very well be the difference between securing admission to a college of one’s choice and being left out. Cut off lists in colleges across India illustrate that the gap between a 97.0 percent and a 96.5 is often a chasm too wide to leap across. The CBSE results that were declared on 13 July have witnessed a meteoric rise in the number of students who have scored about 90 percent. The first list of cut offs, however, may soon diminish the jubilation of many of the 1, 57, 934 CBSE board students who have secured above 90 percent as colleges have indicated that the cut-offs are going to be higher. Today, we explore Delhi University’s approach to the upcoming admission season and speak with college principals, administrators and students seeking admission to find out what the cut offs are going to be like and whether there is a need for a re-evaluation of the scoring and admission process.

Producer and Host: Sushovan Sircar
Guests: Dr Bijaylaxmi Nanda, principal, Miranda College; Prof Shobha Bagai, dean of admissions, DU; and Tanvi Madan, student
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Rajasthan Crisis: With Pilot Out, Is Reconciliation Off the Table?

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 14:42:36 -0000

Sachin Pilot skipped the second Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting, even as the Congress decided to remove him from the posts of the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan and the Rajasthan Congress chief.

At least 102 Congress MLAs from the state demanded action against Pilot. The CLP also passed a resolution supporting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and recommended "strong disciplinary action against any Congress MLA or office-bearer who weakens the party."

As the internal conflict within Congress shows no signs of ebbing, MLAs are being shifted to resorts. While Gehlot's supporters were shifted to Fairmont Hotel in Jaipur, the Pilot camp released a video showing around 15 MLAs sitting together at an undisclosed location.

It is said that top Congress leaders including Priyanka Gandhi, P Chidambaram and Rahul Gandhi all have been trying to get in touch with Pilot, but the crisis is stuck at stalemate. Was Congress' amends too little too late for Pilot? Is reconciliation off the table now?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Will Rajasthan Govt Withstand Gehlot vs Pilot Crisis or Collapse?

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 14:53:35 -0000

It's a power tussle between the old and the new in Rajasthan, and the bone of contention is the seat of the Chief Minister.

After almost two years of a simmering internal rift in the Congress's Rajasthan unit between the current Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy CM Sachin Pilot over the post, the feud has come out in the open over the weekend.

Pilot who has been camping in Delhi after an open revolt against Gehlot, skipped a legislative meeting on Monday that had mandated the presence of all members. He also claimed to have the support of 30 MLAs which if true could reduce the Gehlot-led government into the minority. On the other hand, as many as 100 MLAs arrived at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s residence on Monday to prove the government’s majority.

The two leaders had been at loggerheads since 2018, after Gehlot got a third shot at being the Chief Minister of the state even as Pilot hoped it would be his turn, but what aggravated the political differences between the two now? Will Rajasthan see a repetition of what happened in Madhya Pradesh with the Kamal Nath-led Congress government? Will the Gehlot government be able to withstand this crisis or will Sachin Pilot bring down it down?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Covid Restricts Birth Control Access: Family Planning Crisis in The Making?

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 14:39:46 -0000

The COVID-19 pandemic is prompting a much deeper crisis on the world's population than we can tell. While the focus largely stays on rebuilding the economy and controlling the surging cases of coronavirus, a lot of other issues faced by vulnerable groups are being neglected. Gender-based violence is on the rise, and sexual and reproductive health services have taken a back seat.

What does it mean for reproductive health issues to be sidelined in this pandemic?

On the occasion of World Population Day which is observed on 11 July every year, the United Nations Population Fund or the UNFPA estimated that 47 million women in low and middle income countries may not have had access to safe contraceptives, and there could be 7 million unintended pregnancies at the least. Among them are millions of Indians who lost their access to contraceptive options the minute the lockdown began.

Supply chains around the world have been disrupted and a lot of work done by sterilisation service providers in India have been reversed in just the last few months. If we can't visibly see the adverse impacts of this crisis on India's population right now, we're likely to see them soon in the form of millions of unwanted pregnancies in the country, millions of unsafe abortions, not to mention maternity deaths.

So why is it so important to talk about reproductive rights in relation to family planning and population growth? What are the policy asks to mitigate the negative impacts of the lockdown on India's population?

Also Listen to: Locked Down, Locked in: Women Caught Between COVID-19 & Domestic Abuse

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Dr Nupur Gupta, Gynaecologist, Fortis Hospital
VS Chandrashekhar, Chief Executive Officer, FRHS India and CAG
member of Pratigya Campaign for Gender Equality and Safe Abortion
Dr.] Sanghamitra Singh, Sr Manager of Knowledge Management & Partnerships, Population Foundation of India
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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US F-1 Visa Rules a Message That Foreign Students Are Dispensable?

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 13:33:23 -0000

Between the pandemic and the Trump administration's new policy for F-1 student visas, foreign students in the US are in a pickle.

The policy doesn’t not allow foreign students to remain in the country if all of their classes are moved online in the fall season. They are now left with these three choices: transfer to alternative programs with in-person classes, or return home or, be deported and also potentially banned from entering the US in the future.

Among those million international students who are going to be impacted by this move are at least 2,00,000 Indian students who are currently pursuing higher education in the US.

Two days after the announcement was made, Harvard and MIT universities jumped to students' rescue and sued the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) terming it a “bad and illegal policy”.

But if the lawsuit fails and the policy stays in place, what kind of adverse impact can it have on students and their education in the current situation? Tune in!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Deep Pal, a Non-Resident Fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research
Jaskirat Panjrath, Student, Parsons School of Design
Rayn Samson, Student, Reed College
Asvatha Babu, Student, American University
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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CBSE Syllabus Cut An Academic or Political Decision?

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 14:25:52 -0000

Chapters on federalism, nationalism and secularism have come under the axe as the Ministry of Human Resource Development decided to unburden CBSE students between classes 9-12.

The pandemic-mandated restrictions on educational institutions have eaten up into the academic year, raising a lot of problems for students and teachers alike over e-classes, exams and syllabus. And on July 8, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, the HRD minister, announced a 30 percent reduction of the CBSE course load in view of the prevailing "extraordinary situation".

Although 24 hours later CBSE clarified that the reduction of syllabus was only for Board exams, the choice of the omitted portions especially from the social and political science syllabi are raising eyebrows.

These include some key chapters on Democratic Rights, Democracy and Diversity, Gender, Religion and Caste, Popular Struggles and Movements, to name a few but was it a good decision to remove such crucial chapters that educates students on the constitutional structure of India? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Ambarish Rai, Right to Education Forum
Professor Suhas Palshikar, Indian Academic and Political Scientist
Sukhdeo Thorat, Former Chairman of UGC
Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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India-China Begin Pullback: Finally The End to Months-Long Border Tensions?

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 14:34:35 -0000

The initial disengagement talks between India and China ended in bloody clashes and the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers, the second attempt led to new PLA encroachments and now a third try is showing the first signs of reduction of the biggest standoff between the countries since 1962 along the LAC .
On 6 July, troops of both armies stepped back one to two kilometres from where they had clashed on 15 June at the Galwan Valley. All tents have been also packed up, and troops and materials have been taken back in vehicles.
But the MEA and the Chinese Foreign Ministry's statements seem to have conflicting tones. In an official statement, the MEA said, “both sides have agreed to ensure complete disengagement and de-escalation from the India-China border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquillity”.

While the Chinese Foreign ministry also put out a similar statement, it did so without any mention of the word ‘de-escalation'. Rather, it asserted its sovereignty over the Galwan valley.
What do we make of New Delhi and Beijing's contrasting statements? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Manoj Kewalramani, Fellow of China Studies, Takshashila Institution
Manoj Joshi a Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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‘Khadi, Khaki & Underworld’ Nexus Behind Vikas Dubey’s Brazen Attack in Kanpur?

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 14:08:41 -0000

Vikas Dubey, a history-sheeter with up to 60 criminal cases against him, escapes from his hideout as his goons kill eight Uttar Pradesh police personnel in Bikru village in rural Kanpur.

After the incident, the police suspends Station Officer Vinay Tiwari, for his alleged role in tipping-off Dubey. His aide Daya Shankar Agnihotri, who is arrested in the encounter, tells the police that Dubey had purportedly received a phone call, and so before the cops could reach Bikru village to raid his hideout and arrest him, he allegedly called around his men.

The police are then ambushed by the goons who are expecting them and the whole encounter turns into a blood bath.

This incident from 2 July sounds like a movie plot, but in fact it's the other way round. Movies are inspired from this kind of reality in the state of Uttar Pradesh where the nexus between crime and politics runs thicker than blood.

What is responsible for such daring acts of crimes in the state? Why hasn’t Uttar Pradesh been able to root out notorious criminals like Dubey? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Vikram Singh, Retired IPS Officer, Ex-DGP UP
Research: Shadab Moizee
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Saroj Khan's Journey From Marrying at 13 to "Masterji" of Bollywood

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 15:59:18 -0000

IMDB will tell you Saroj Khan has been a part of 308 films and over 2,000 songs. What it, perhaps, doesn’t reveal is her role as an unbroken link in Hindi cinema’s evolution for 50 long years. From Kalpana in 1960 to Kalank in 2019, the story of Saroj Khan’s journey in cinema is, perhaps, the story of the Hindi film industry itself.
Ek, Do, Teen, Dil Dhak Dhak Karne Laga, Choli ke Peeche kya hai, Hawa Hawaai, Tanha Tanha, Nimbooda Nimbooda, Ye Ishq Haaye, are just a handful of examples when songs have been remembered as much for their choreography as for their lyrics or music. Saroj Khan made a name for herself in more ways than one in an often ruthless industry. Film maker Kunal Kohli, who worked with her in film like Hum Tum and Fanaa , recalls how she may have been Saroj Khan to the world but the industry addressed her by a different name – Masterji.
“Humaare pyaare masterji” carried the weight of respect which took Saroj Khan decades to garner because when she started off, the ‘Masterjis’ in the industry were all men.

Producer and Host: Sushovan Sircar
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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TikTok Ban: A Loss of Expression for Millions of Indian Users

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 13:57:02 -0000

In the crossfire between India and China, the TikTok verse is the hapless victim. Many call it cringe, but for millions of internet users in India, TikTok was a freedom of expression.

So, when the ban on the 59 Chinese apps was announced, TikTok being one of those hugely popular apps on the ban list , it was a melancholic moment for the app's users who have been making and consuming content since its launch in India in 2017.

With 119 million active users in India, Tik Tok has a lot to lose monetarily if the ban stays permanently. Chinese company ByteDance – the parent company of the TikTok and Helo apps – has already estimated a loss of up to $6 billion from this ban, and perhaps that's why some are lauding it as India's "digital strike" against Chinese aggression at the LAC.

But for TikTokers, this verse had this unusual quality of being both a creative outlet, and a safe space where India's marginalised sections from rural and urban spaces could express themselves.

In this podcast we'll look at the evolution of TikTok in India and what roles it played for India's youth and we'll also hear from TikTokers about what the ban on this platform means for them. Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How Did Nepal PM Oli’s Anti-India Stance Backfire Against Him?

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 13:33:08 -0000

Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's anti-India pitch has turned the tables against him. From having the political support to redraw Nepal's map to include territories within India, Oli is now facing hostilities from senior members of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) who are pressing for his resignation over his unfounded charges against India.

The anti-India remarks in concern were made while addressing a meeting in Kathmandu on 28 June where PM Oli had accused Nepalese leaders and India of colluding in a conspiracy to topple him for publishing the country’s new map that depicts Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as part of Nepalese territory.

He had alleged that there have been various kinds of activities in "embassies and hotels" to remove him from power.

But this didn't go down well with senior communist leaders like Former Nepal PM Prachanda who hit back saying that PM Oli should resign on moral grounds for making such "undiplomatic and nonpolitical remarks". So, how did PM Oli's anti-India stance backfire against him?

Reference:

Oli might have avoided the Standing Committee so far but he can’t keep putting it off forever, say party leaders

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Bharat Bhushan, Senior Journalist
Akanshka Shah, Delhi-based Nepali journalist
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Chinese Apps Banned: Has India Been Able to Teach China a Lesson?

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 14:13:30 -0000

From a standoff at the LAC, the geopolitical conflict between India and China has found a new turf: technology.

While Chinese troops continue to camp in the Galwan valley, the Indian government announced a ban on 59 Chinese-owned apps, including the hugely popular TikTok, UC Browser, WeChat and Cam Scanner.

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in his tweet said that ban was enforced for the “safety, security, defence, sovereignty and integrity of India and to protect data and privacy” of Indians. But at a time when the boycott China pitch has been getting heightened, even though the statement itself doesn't name China, this move is widely being interpreted as a response to the stand-off along the LAC.

Some reports are calling it India's “digital air strike,” but what is the impact of this move? Is it a security move or a political one? Are there violations of legal procedures in this order? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Editor: Shelly Walia
Reporting: Sushovan Sircar
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Jeyaraj-Beniks Case: How Lockdown Violations Turned to Custodial Deaths

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 16:05:41 -0000

At a time when George Floyd's death in the US has triggered a global outcry against police brutalities, India reported what is possibly one of the worst incidents of police brutality in the lockdown from the state of Tamil Nadu.
In a twisted case, two ordinary people Jeyaraj and his son Beniks from Thoothukudi district who owned a mobile store were allegedly tortured and killed in police custody over a minor violation: keeping their mobile store open 15 minutes beyond the lockdown curfew timings in the state.
After spending three days in lockup, Beniks died at the Kovilpatti Government Hospital from severe chest pain, and within hours of his death Jeyaraj breathed his last too at the same hospital. But between the allegations and the police's FIR, there are a lot of conflicting details and unanswered questions.
What do we know about the events that led to the twin deaths in police custody? Why is it raising human rights concerns and protests against police's high handedness in the country? Tune in to The Big Story!
Reference:
UNITED NGO CAMPAIGN AGAINST TORTURE

TNM investigation: Sathankulam cops have a history of custodial violence

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Sanjoy Hazarika, International Director of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative Reporting: Smitha TK, Senior Correspondent, Chennai Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Is Dropping The Word “Fair” Enough to Fight Fair & Lovely Biases?

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 15:28:04 -0000

After 4 decades of promoting the idea of beauty and fairness, "Fair & Lovely" has finally decided to drop the word "Fair" from its product.

The Anglo-Dutch conglomerate, Hindustan Unilever said that it will rename its skin-lightening products to make it more "inclusive and diverse" and that they are "committed to a skin care portfolio that's inclusive of all skin tones, celebrating the diversity of beauty."

With recent protests against racial injustice in USA triggering fresh debates on social media against colourism, brands like Unilever that have been promoting fairness in South Asian, Middle Eastern and African markets have found themselves under scrutiny yet again.

In response to the George Floyd protests, last week US multinational company Johnson and Johnson had announced it would no longer be producing or selling two of its products, Neutrogena Fine Fairness and Clean & Clear Fairness lines, both very popular in India and other Asian countries, following which "Fair & Lovely" also decided to take a progressive step.

But is changing the name of a product enough to counter ingrained standards of beauty, racism and colourism?

Reference:
The No. 1 thing Indians want in a cream: For it to lighten their skin
Why HUL might not withdraw Fair & Lovely — nearly Rs 4,100 crore annual revenue from India alone
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Kavitha Emmanuel, Founder of the NGO, Women of Worth
Singer Shilpa Rao
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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CBSE and ICSE Scrap Board Exams: What’s Next for Students?

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 15:06:51 -0000

Ending the suspense for school-going students, the MHRD and the Central Board of Secondary Education informed the Supreme Court that the Xth and XIIth board exams scheduled between 1-15 July stand cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

While for class 10 student, exams have completely been cancelled, class 12 students will be given an option between appearing in exams when the “conditions are conducive” or assessment based on the last three exams.

An order from Supreme Court is expected on 26 June, at 10.30 am after the government files a detailed affidavit on the assessment scheme for the exams but what are the reactions to this decision? And what's next for students? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Col (Retd) Amit Bathla, Petitioner,
Ameeta Mulla Wattal, Principal of Springdales School, Pusa Road
Jayeeta, College Dekho
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Patanjali’s 100% COVID Cure – Tall Claim But Where’s the Evidence?

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 16:44:46 -0000

At a time when the world is anxiously waiting for a coronavirus vaccine, Patanjali has claimed to have already found an ayurvedic wonder drug. It's not an immunity booster Baba Ramdev said, but a "100 percent cure."

From testing the drug on less than 100 patients at clinical trials, Patanjali skipped publishing the details of the study and straight away jumped to launch ‘Coronil and Swasari’ on 23 June, as the first ayurvedic treatment for the virus.

Barely hours after the launch, the ayurvedic company and its founders found themselves in a hot mess when the AYUSH ministry asked them to “stop advertising/publicising” the drug until their claims are checked by the government.

While the sale of its product is currently on hold, there seems to be lot of scientific and procedural gaps with Patanjali’s drugs and the trials. So, what do we know about ‘Coronil’ and its trials? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Dr SP Kalantri, Director Professor of Medicine at MGIMS and Medical Superintendent of Kasturba Hospital
Anant Bhan, Adjunct Professor and Researcher in Bioethics at Yenepoya University
Editor: Shelly Walia

Also Listen to: Can We be Optimistic About the Potential COVID-19 Cures Yet?
Reference:

Many links missing in Patanjali’s claims of COVID-19 drugs

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Can We be Optimistic About the Potential COVID-19 Cures Yet?

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 15:52:33 -0000

The COVID-19 pandemic has gotten the global scientific community to swing into action to find an urgent cure.

With the infection numbers reaching 8 million worldwide, several researches, studies and trials are being carried out simultaneously to urgently look into the effects of anti-viral drugs, steroids and repurposed drugs on COVID-19 patients.

In just over the last month, there have been a few developments.

An old, cheap, anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone has recently been touted as a treatment for COVID-19 to reduce mortality. Even the WHO, on 23 June, has asked to ramp up the production of this widely used steroid, after clinical trials found it to have life-saving potential for critically-ill coronavirus patients in the UK.

Another drug, Remdesivir, initially developed by Gilead Sciences to work against Ebola, has demonstrated faster recovery among COVID-19 patients. It has now been launched into production by the drugmaker Cipla under its brand name Cipremi.

And Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has also launched anti-viral drug Favipiravir for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 cases after receiving ‘restricted emergency’ approval from the Drug Controller General of India to manufacture and market the medicine.

But how optimistic are doctors and experts about these developments? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Dr Sumit Ray, Critical Care Specialist in Delhi-NRC
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Now Second Worst-Hit State, What is Delhi’s New Action Plan to Tackle Covid?

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 15:52:55 -0000

After three consecutive days of reporting the highest peaks in fresh cases, Delhi overtook Tamil Nadu on 21 June, Sunday to become the second-worst coronavirus affected state in the country. In just the past one week between 15 - 21 June, the capital reported more than 18,000 new cases of infections.

Apart from the number of infections, what have also made the situation in Delhi quite concerning is firstly a high growth rate of infection, and secondly the spike in the number of deaths.
A number of meetings have taken place between the centre and state to revamp Delhi’s COVID-19 planning after the Supreme Court criticized Delhi and some other states earlier this month over their handling of the pandemic. But why is Delhi faring so badly in tackling the crisis? What are the new strategies ahead? Tune in to The Big Story!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Dr Sumit Ray, Critical Care Specialist in Delhi-NRC
Editor: Shelly Walia

Also Listen to: Part 1: What’s the Reason Behind Dearth of Hospital Beds in Delhi?

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Can India Really Afford to Boycott Chinese Goods?

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 16:04:58 -0000

Ban Chinese food, ban Chinese products, delete Chinese apps — in the wake of the death of 20 soldiers at the LAC in Galwan Valley, the anti-China sentiment is viral once again.
Protests by traders bodies and common citizens have been raging with a call to boycott Chinese products to show solidarity with the army. Some citizens have gone over the top to teach China a lesson by breaking their Made in China appliances like TV sets, some are burning Chinese President Xi Jinping's effigies, while some others are asking for a ban on import and trading of Chinese products.
Although India and China have been engaged in a face-off since May that took a deadly turn, unseen in close to close to five decades, how practical is it to boycott Chinese goods in India? Tune in to The Big Story!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Jayati Ghosh, Chairperson of the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning at the Jawaharlal Nehru University
Editor: Shelly Walia

References:

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Indo-China Clashes: Who Are The Bravehearts Who Lost Thier Lives?

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 14:27:24 -0000

The 20 Indian soldiers who lost their lives in clashes with Chinese soldiers at the LAC hailed from various parts of the country.

As per the details shared by the Army, five soldiers were from Bihar, four from Punjab, two each from Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal and one each from Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

A lot has been talked about diplomatic and military strategies since the India-China border tensions took a lethal turn, but who are the 20 soldiers who lost their lives in the violent face-off with the People's Liberation Army while defending the LAC at the Himalayan border? In this podcast we'll bring to you stories of some of India’s bravehearts.

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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As China Raises Stakes, Will Pakistan Take Advantage Of the Situation?

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 15:10:45 -0000

As the de-escalation process was reportedly underway, border tensions between India and China spiked after the worst clash in almost five decades in Ladakh's Galwan valley, which is in the edge of the disputed Aksai Chin area, controlled by China but claimed by both countries.

More details have been emerging from the incident a day after it first got reported. Initially, India’s military said only three Indian troops had been killed in the clash. But late on 16 June, a military spokesman said that 17 other Indian soldiers had succumbed to the injuries sustained in the clash, raising the death toll to 20.

Indian news agency ANI reported that Indian intercepts revealed 43 Chinese soldiers had been killed or seriously injured although Chinese media did not reveal the number of casualties on its side.

But as the Indian troops were involved in the violent face off, in a significant development in Pakistan, all services chiefs made a "rare" visit to the ISI headquarters together for a briefing on national security.

What could Pakistan possibly be up to at a point where India is engaged with China at the LAC? Is India prepared to deal with both fronts opening up?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
(Retired) Lt Gen AK Singh
Manoj Kewalramani, Fellow of China Studies at The Takshashila Institution
Manoj Joshi, Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation
Editor: Shelly Walia

References:

Services chiefs attend rare briefing at ISI headquarters

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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What Flared Up Indo-China Tensions Again After Peace Talks?

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 15:19:52 -0000

In the first loss of lives in perhaps 45 years at the disputed Indo-China border, the Indian Army lost a commanding officer and two soldiers in "a violent face-off" with Chinese soldiers in the Galwan Valley on the night of 15 June.

The Army's statement on 16 June said that there were casualties on both sides although the Chinese government hasn't declared official numbers yet.

But all this comes barely days after Indian Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said that both sides had begun disengaging in a phased manner along the LAC.

Are things ratcheting up at the border in Eastern Ladakh? What should the Indian side keep in mind at this fragile juncture ? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Sushant Singh Rajput's Death & Media's Irresponsible Attitude Towards Mental Health

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 15:55:50 -0000

(If you are suicidal or know anyone in distress, reach out to the numbers of local emergency services, helplines, and mental health NGOs here.)

2019 had been a milestone year for actor Sushant Singh Rajput. He managed to attain the notoriously elusive sweet spot of critical acclaim and commercial success. While Sonchiriya received enormous praise from critics, Chichhore emerged as one of the biggest hits at the box office. In Chhichhore, Sushant played a middle-aged father to a teenage son battling a failed suicide attempt. The film’s success ensured a brief engagement in the press and social media on issues such as mental health, anxiety and depression. Nine months after the film, on 14 June, news of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death has once again catapulted mental health into living room conversations, social media posts and news debates. The incident, however, has turned the lens also at those covering the actor’s death. Not just suicides, the media’s approach, understanding and handling of issues related to mental health have long been problematic. Where exactly do the problems lie? How can one identify these problems and how can we move towards empathetic, sensitive and responsible media coverage?

Dr Soumitra Pathare, Consultant psychiatrist and Director of Centre for Mental Health, Law and Policy at ILS Pune spoke with The Quint and explained how media's insenstivie reporting can be culpable in complicating mental health issues in society.

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Delhi Riots Investigation: Gaps Between Police Claims & Facts?

Fri, 12 Jun 2020 14:14:51 -0000

Over the past few weeks, the Delhi Police have been filing charge sheets in a number of cases related to Delhi riots that had taken place late in February. According to police records, 751 cases were filed related to the violence that happened in waves over three days in certain areas of North East Delhi that ended up killing 53 people.
At the core of these charge sheets is a common theory of the riots being a planned conspiracy in the follow up of the NRC-CAA protests.
While one charge sheet alleges a plot to carry out a "big blast" during US President Donald Trump's visit in February, another attempt to draw links between the Tablighi Jamaat. Some others claim women's activist group Pinjra Tod was involved, while some accuse suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain of playing a role the riots.
But interestingly, certain details in some of the charge sheets don't add up.
Tune in to The Big Story where we breakdown the details of the charge sheets filed over Delhi Riots.

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Reporting: Aishwarya Iyer & Aditya Menon
Editor: Shelly Walia

References:

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How a 14-Day Gas Leak Wreaked Ecological Havoc in Assam’s Baghjan

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 15:45:42 -0000

Less than a month after an industrial disaster cost 12 lives in Vishakhapatnam, yet another toxic gas leak this time in Assam triggered a massive fire and extensive ecological damage.

After 14 days of continuous gas leak in an oil well, the Baghjan oil field in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district burst into flames on 9th June with the fire going so high that the thick cloud of smoke could be spotted from a distance of 30 kms from the site.

A day later on 11th June, bodies of two firefighters who died fighting the massive blaze were recovered from a pond that they had jumped into as the fire engulfed the oil field. Thousands of locals had to be evacuated to relief centres, at least 30 houses that were close to the oil field were gutted in the fire and this incident also cost an enormous loss to the biodiversity of the area.

But what events led to such a disaster in the Oil India Limited-operated Baghjan gas field? Why did the gas leak go on for two weeks? What is being done to control the disaster? And what kind of ecological damage are we looking at? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Rituraj Phukan, Rituraj Phukan
Editor: Shelly Walia

Reference:

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Part 2: With 99% ICU Beds Taken, Mumbai is Facing a Serious Crisis

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 13:59:35 -0000

Mumbai a coronavirus hotspot with over 51,000 confirmed cases is struggling to provide beds for its patients. If the good news is that the city’s case growth rate dipped and now stands at 2.93 percent, the bad news is the BMC data that indicates that almost 99 percent of the ICU beds in Mumbai are occupied.

While the opposition parties have raised an alarm about the severe shortage of beds in Mumbai, the state government has alleged that the opposition is politicizing the pandemic. But there's no denying that there are in fact a lot of complaints coming from citizens about not finding a hospital bed for patients.

With an surge of cases, a shortage of medical staff, packed wards — why is Mumbai's health infrastructure failing so badly at this moment of need? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest:
Dr Ravidra Maske from Sangharsh Nagar, Mumbai
Vaishali Sood, Editor, Quint Fit
Editor: Shelly Walia

Also listen to: Part 1: What’s the Reason Behind Hospital Bed Crunch in Delhi?

Reference:

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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Part 1: What’s the Reason Behind Dearth of Hospital Beds in Delhi?

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 15:25:58 -0000

Social media platforms like Twitter are abuzz with multiple incidents of coronavirus positive patients, or people with other ailments, or even expecting women having to run between pillar to post, shuttling from one hospital to another only to be told that there is no availability of beds, or even ambulances.
On 4th June, a Delhi-based twitter user by the name of Amandeep had tweeted, “My dad is having high fever. We need to shift him to a hospital. I am standing outside LNJP Delhi & they are not taking him in. He is having coronavirus, high fever and breathing problems. He won’t survive without help. Pls help. (sic)”

This is not a lone incident of a patient not finding a hospital bed in Delhi. There are many such accounts from Mumbai, too.

While the total tally in Mumbai have crossed over 50,000 cases, in Delhi it’s close to touching the 30 thousandth mark.

So, how has the pandemic has affected India’s two biggest and crowded cities – Delhi and Mumbai – the national capital and the financial capital? How prepared are the health sectors in these states in terms of hospital beds, ventilators and other facilities? Have the infrastructures come under pressure with the rising number of cases?

In this two-part podcast, we deep dive into a city-wise case study. Tune into the first part of The Big Story where we look at the situation in Delhi!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Vaishali Sood, Editor, Quint Fit
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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How Was The First Day of Unlock 1.0 in Malls & Places of Worship?

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 15:12:36 -0000

After almost two and a half months of being shut down, places of worship, malls and also restaurants are re-opening in most states with strict protocols, in the first phase of unlocking or what is being called "Unlock 1.0".

But the timing couldn’t be worse. As public places are reopening in a calibrated manner, India is also fast climbing its way to the list of the most affected countries by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although India is reporting an exponential rise in cases, the Health Ministry has said that around 48.20 per cent patients have recovered so far. There’s also an acknowledgment that the focus cannot just be "containing" the transmission now, it would need to be "learning how to live alongside coronavirus" with precautions.

So, it is under these critical circumstance that Unlock 1.0 comes.

How is the first day of re-opening of malls and places of worship looking like? Are people feeling confident about stepping out? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:

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Will Indo-China Tensions Escalate or Will Diplomacy Triumph?

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 13:52:18 -0000

India and China are holding Lieutenant General level talks on 6 June in a bid to de-escalate the tensions between the countries along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.

There have been a couple of fistfights, injured soldiers and an ongoing standoff between the Indian Army and People's Liberation Army at 14,000 feet at Galwan Valley in East Ladakh over boundary differences.

The build up at the border has been triggered by what defence experts say Chinese 'transgression' over the disputed border between the countries, with the PLA pitching tents, bringing troops over in thousands, while on the Indian side, anti-Chinese sentiments have flared up again on social media with a call to go swadeshi and boycott Chinese goods.

Relations between the two nations have seen its ups and downs since the Sino-Indian war of 1962 but not a single bullet has been fired across the border since 1975.

Will the current tensions escalate or will diplomacy champion once again? Tune in to The Big Story for more!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Jaskirat Singh Bawa
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References: Pandemic or Revenge: What’s Behind China’s LAC Intrusion?
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Kerala’s Elephant Killing: Why We Need to Protect Animal Habitats

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 15:23:35 -0000

The killing of a pregnant wild elephant in Kerala with an explosive laden pineapple has triggered nationwide outrage.

Cricketers, celebrities, common citizens, wildlife experts are all up in arms against this horrendous act of cruelty and are demanding accountability.

While the Kerala forest department is investigating into the matter, are we missing the big picture here? Is outrage and handing out punishments for an act of animal cruelty a sustainable solution or just a quick fix? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Dr Nitin Sekar, Lead, Elephant Conservation Programme, WWF India
Dr P S Eas, Wildlife Expert Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:

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Cyclone Nisarga: Unusual, Untimely Cyclones The New Norm Now?

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 14:39:01 -0000

Barely two weeks after super cyclone Amphan wrecked the east coast, the West coast of India is witnessing a cyclone formation in June for the first time in a century!

Cyclone Nisarga made landfall near Alibaug in Maharashtra with a strong wind speed of around 120-140 kmph and is currently causing heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai and also other neighbouring states. And there's good news and bad news.

The good news is that Nisarga is much weaker than Amphan was, but the bad news is that it's climate change that has triggered a pre-monsoon tropical cyclone to develop over the Arabian Sea for the first time in a 100 years!

How exactly have climate change been bringing about an overwhelming number of cyclones in the last decade? What kind of impact is Nisarga making and how prepared is Maharashtra for it?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:

Hurricane and Tropical Cyclones

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Why Doesn’t India Stand Up to Police Brutality Like US Does?

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 14:08:37 -0000

It's been seven continuous days of large scale civil unrest all across USA, over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of a White police officer in Minneapolis, in the city of Minnesota.

"I can't breathe" – the final words that Floyd uttered before his death, as Derek Chauvin the police officer in concern knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds straight – has become a rallying cry for the protestors.

New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, Ohio, Colorado — all the major states and cities that were deserted until only a week back because of the coronavirus outbreak have been witnessing large scale violence, arson, face offs between police officers and protestors who are angry about the racially-driven police killings of black Americans.

As the protest turned to destruction of public property and looting in some place, President Trump put out a controversial tweet warning, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts."

So far, at least 4,000 people have been arrested nation-wide, curfews have been imposed in at least 40 cities and National Guard members have been activated in 23 states including Washington, DC as the protests reached an unprecedented level not seen before in decades.

But why did this incident trigger such massive outrage even at such a critical time as this dangerous pandemic? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

References:

Police excesses for lockdown violation led to 12 deaths: Study

These 4 charts describe police violence in America

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Unlocking India: Different Plans for Different States

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 14:32:21 -0000

After more than two months of lockdown, India has now begun to unlock the restrictions and curbs. As announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the unlocking will be in three phases.

Even as India is set to reopen, the number of coronavirus positive cases are ever on a rise. Recently India has risen up to the 7th spot from the 9th on the list of the 10 most affected countries with over 1.90 lakh cases.

Delhi has over 10,000 active cases, Maharashtra over 36,000, Tamil Nadu over 9,000, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh around 3000 — but given that different states are facing different realities, all states have been empowered to take their own decisions based on their own assessments.

So what do the MHA guidelines say and how are different states planning to go back to normalcy? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Reporting:
Ankita Sinha, Mumbai Correspondent, The Quint
Smitha TK, Chennai Correspondent, The Quint
Ishadrita Lahiri, Kolkata Correspondent, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Article 370, CAA to Pandemic: Hits & Misses in One Yr of Modi 2.0

Fri, 29 May 2020 12:48:55 -0000

From Article 370 to Ram Mandir to the Citizenship Amendment Act, and now a pandemic — the first year of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second term has been jam packed with big events.
On 30 May last year, Modi took oath for the second time as India's Prime Minister after the NDA alliance won with a greater majority than 2014, virtually decimating the opposition's mahagathbandhan.
It's been a long one year since but what does the annual report card look like? What did the government tick off its bucket list, what did it achieve and where did it fail? Tune in to The Big Story!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Aditya Menon, Political Editor, The Quint Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Indo-Nepal’s Kalapani Dispute Triggered by New Link Road Or 'Someone Else'?

Thu, 28 May 2020 14:17:03 -0000

A new political map by Nepal has riled up animosity with India. This new map claims regions of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, which are at the trijunction of India, Nepal and Tibet, to be a part of Nepal's territory. By doing so, Nepal has rejected India’s claim over these territories.
The issue made a resurgence recently as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a crucial 80-km-long Link Road to Kailash-Mansarovar in Tibet, connecting the Lipulekh pass along the border with China.
The Nepal government found that move to be "violating Nepal's sovereignty" and retorted with this new political map.
What perhaps added more fuel to this fire was Indian Army Chief General M M Naravane commenting that all this was probably at the behest of "someone else" – hinting at China.
So why has this been a festering issue for so long, and does China really have a role to play in this friction between India and Nepal? Tune in to The Big Story!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Manoj Kewalramani a Fellow-China Studies at The Takshashila Institution
Akanksha Shah, Delhi-based Nepali Journalist Editor: Jaskirat Singh Bawa
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

Also Listen to: Pandemic or Revenge: What’s Behind China’s LAC Intrusion?

References:

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Prolonged Monsoons, Heavy Cyclones: What Triggered India’s Locust Outbreak

Wed, 27 May 2020 14:37:41 -0000

Pandemic, a super cyclone and now locust attacks. India is in an environmental and agrarian quandary.
Armies of locusts are swarming across Western India in alarming numbers, through farmlands and urban settlements, destroying any patch of green they can find on their way.
The first swarms of these desert locusts, the most devastating variety to come from the grasshopper family entered India along the India-Pakistan border around April 11, months before their usual time of arrival. And in the last few days they have been spotted in huge numbers in Rajasthan
They are also active in Gujarat and other states they’ve not been sighted in before like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
So, what kind of damage can these pests bring, what measures are we taking to control the outbreak? And what kind of environmental changes have triggered this untimely, unusually big swarm of locusts to attack India? Tune in to The Big Story!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Manoj Ahirwar, Agricultural scientist at the Krishi Vigyaan Kendra in Madhya Pradesh
Dr Roxy Matthew Koll, Climate scientist Editor: Shelly Walia

References:
Locust Watch

Locust swarm: UN warns of food crisis in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Somalia
A new concern: early locusts
India’s Worst Locust Attack in 26 Yrs: What Does This Threat Mean?
India’s Second Plague: Locusts

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Pandemic or Revenge: What’s Behind China’s LAC Intrusion?

Tue, 26 May 2020 14:35:22 -0000

Chinese incursion into the LAC in Ladakh has flared up tensions in multiple locations in the disputed Indo-China border.
Chinese soldiers, numbered by some at 5,000, reportedly intruded into Indian territory with heavy equipments and bunker material, they have also pitched tents around the Galwan Valley in East Ladakh which was previously a point of standoff during the 1962 war with China.
The Indian army in its turn is reportedly matching up to the Chinese buildup with its own deployment and aggressive patrolling and is currently engaged in a standoff at four locations along the LAC.
But what could have triggered these sudden tensions? How is India responding? And how is the government managing the diplomatic channels? Tune in to The Big Story!
Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests:
Manoj Kewalramani a Fellow-China Studies at The Takshashila Institution
Ajai Shukla, Journalist and Former Officer in the Indian Army Editor: Jaskirat Singh Bawa
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
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Domestic Flights Resume Amidst Cancellations, Strict Protocols & Hope of Normalcy

Mon, 25 May 2020 17:03:14 -0000

After 61 days of being grounded by the nationwide lockdown, domestic flights across India finally took off today. Well, not all all flights as nearly a hundred were cancelled across airports in India. On 17 May all domestic air travel lay suspended when guidelines for the fourth phase of the lockdown were announced. However, just four days later, Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri announced that one-third of domestic flights would be started in a calibrated manner. While airports limped back to life on Monday, passengers, cab operators and airport staff also had to ensure that the long list of 15 safety protocols including masks, gloves, sanitisers, thermal checking and social distancing had to be adhered to.

Producer and Host: Sushovan Sircar
Reporting: Asmita Nandy Editor: Shelly Walia
Music: Big Bang Fuzz
Listen to The Big Story podcast on:
Apple: https://apple.co/2AYdLIl Saavn: http://bit.ly/2oix78C Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/2ntMV7S Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2IyLAUQ Deezer: http://bit.ly/2Vrf5Ng Castbox: http://bit.ly/2VqZ9ur

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