This week on Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Jayashree Arunachalam and Anand Vardhan are joined by author and political analyst Sanjaya Baru. 

The discussion begins with Donald Trump being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States of America. The panel analyses the fears of a second Trump presidency. “He will do a lot of damage, yes, but the fear of Trump is greatly exaggerated,” Sanjaya says, adding that India, and the world, historically, has shown the ability to withstand imperialist powers.  

Jayashree adds, “Trump comes off as unhinged, but he is the essence of what America is like.”

 The panel also addresses the Indian media’s exaggeration of Foreign Minister S Jaishankar’s presence in the ‘front row’ at Trump’s swearing-in ceremony. Commenting on India-US relations, Manisha says, “The Joe Biden administration was kind to Narendra Modi’s administration…if Trump is not accommodative, it will affect BJP’s ‘vishwaguru’ politics domestically.”

The panel also discusses how the CBI and TMC government are appealing for the death penalty in the RG Kar case, and catches up on all the subscriber letters we’ve received so far.  

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Timecodes

00:00:00 - Introductions and announcements

00:03:04 - Baru on his book ‘India’s Power Elite’

00:08:12 - Headlines

00:20:28 - The return of Donald Trump 

00:40:43 - Economic impact of a second Trump presidency

00:55:27 - Baru on Manmohan Singh 

01:02:43 - Baru’s recommendations

01:04:43 - Death penalty

01:16:44 - Letters

01:59:46 - Recommendations 

Check out Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters 

Produced and recorded by Priyali Dhingra and Anil Kumar. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Jayashree Arunachalam and Shardool Katyayan are joined by journalist Nidhi Razdan and economist and writer Vivek Kaul.

The panel begins with the Delhi polls, and Abhinandan says the BJP’s USP is primarily centred around portraying Kejriwal as a horrible politician. Shardool points out that the BJP is “organisationally strong” but doesn’t have a face in Delhi. Nidhi talks about the AAP’s shortcomings and Kejriwal’s struggle to hold onto his image as an aam aadmi. She also says the Congress is entirely missing from the conversation.

The conversation shifts to the current state of the media and the lack of accountability in newsrooms. Nidhi says, “Things that we thought were just shocking or immoral or unethical or unconstitutional – everything is being normalised. And part of the reason is because the media doesn’t ask difficult questions.”

Vivek then unpacks the rupee falling against the dollar and its repercussions. He emphasises that this isn’t a crisis, saying, “The rupee will keep depreciating against the dollar for the simple fact that inflation in the US is usually lower than inflation in India.” He also explains the downfall of the Indian economy in the last few years. 

Tune in!

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Timecodes

00:00:00 - Introductions

00:00:20 - Announcements and appeals

00:01:54- Special message

00:03:28- Panel introduction

00:04:38- Headlines

00:10:58 - Delhi elections

00:37:50- Current media landscape

01:12:34 - Rupee crash

01:55:44 - Recommendations

Check out previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters 

Produced and recorded by Prashant Kumar and Priyali Dhingra.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Jayashree Arunachalam, and Manisha Pande are joined by author Amitava Kumar and academic Joyojeet Pal.

The panel discusses Amitava’s new book The Green Book: An Observer’s Notebook, and Amitava explains the role that journaling plays in his life. 

“Journaling is a means of self-discovery and a tool to document our times. Personal narratives can preserve truths and challenge erasures of history,” he says. He also says journaling helps counteract misinformation since it’s “about creating a record that endures beyond fleeting news cycles”. Manisha adds that reading her own journals from her childhood “makes me cringe at times, but they’re a reminder of how far I’ve come”.

The conversation shifts to Meta’s decision to terminate its fact-checking partnerships. Joyojeet warns, “Abandoning fact-checking opens the floodgates for radicalised communities to define their own truths.”

Jayashree says, “ A lot of this is about changing things that are associated with liberalism. And that’s exactly what that revised policy says. It says that you can now make allegations of mental illness or abnormality based on gender and sex. You’re allowed to compare people to faces and filth based on protected characteristics.”

The panel also explores Elon Musk’s controversial claim that social media is the new media, how algorithms shape narratives, and a lot more. Tune in!

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Timecodes

00:00:00 - Introductions

00:00:44 - About Fight To Breath Campaign

00:01:50- Panel introduction

00:05:08- Headlines

00:09:57 - The Green Book and journaling

00:30:47- Announcements

00:32:10- Meta’s fact-checking decision

01:02:02 - Social media as news

01:23:03- Special message

01:25:50 - Subscriber letters

01:40:51 - Recommendations

Check out previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters 

Produced and recorded by Prashant Kumar and Priyali Dhingra.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Jayashree Arunachalam, Raman Kirpal and Shardool Katyayan are joined by The News Minute’s Pooja Prasanna.

The panel begins with protests in Bihar against a ‘paper leak’ in the Bihar Public Service Commission preliminary exam. Jayashree explains, “The normalisation process for exams has been rejected outright by the BPSC, but it’s a standard procedure in other competitive exams.” Shardool emphasises systemic delays and negligence, stating, “Students are aging out of eligibility because of these recurring delays – it’s a vicious cycle.”

The conversation turned to the lynching of a Muslim man in Moradabad over allegations of cow slaughter. Shardool calls it an “economic issue as well as a social issue” since “most victims of lynchings are from the lower economic strata, unable to defend themselves legally or socially”. Jayashree criticises the media’s reportage of such incidents: “We don’t report these as murders; they are contextualised as actions driven by allegations – almost a justification.” 

Abhinandan adds, “It’s telling that the prime minister and government are quick to comment on global issues but remain silent on hate crimes within the country.” Pooja highlights the impunity enjoyed by repeat offenders: “In Karnataka, a hate offender live-streamed attacks and continues to engage in hate speech, even while out on bail.”

The panel closes with predictions for 2025. Raman predicts worsening economic conditions, saying, “Public sentiment is unlikely to favour large-scale protests despite growing discontent.” Abhinandan sums it up, “If we want systemic change, citizens need to harness collective power to push politicians to act. Protests alone won’t be enough.”

This and a lot more. Tune in!

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Check out the Newslaundry store and flaunt your love for independent media. 

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Video timecodes

00:00:00 - Introductions

00:01:39 - Announcements

00:06:36- Headlines

00:18:54 - Bihar paper leak protests

00:30:58- Moradabad Murder

00:41:51 - Hindutva’s growing influence and economic motivations

00:53:26 - Panel’s predictions for 2025

01:10:11- Special Message

01:12:46 - Subscriber letters

01:32:24 - Recommendations

Check out previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters 

Produced and recorded by Prashant Kumar and Priyali Dhingra.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande and Raman Kirpal were joined by former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan Lokur and political journalist Neerja Choudhury.

Neerja describes Dr Manmohan Singh, who died this week, as a “gentleman politician and a unifying figure” who will be remembered for his “decency in politics” and landmark contributions such as the RTI Act, MGNREGA, and the Indo-US nuclear deal. Justice Lokur says, “He was a great man and a great loss for the country.” 

Manisha reflects on the media’s role during Singh’s tenure, saying, “Back then, leaders were judged critically but fairly, without fear of retribution.”

Abhinandan adds, “Manmohan Singh’s leadership taught us that decency is not a weakness but a strength in politics.”

On the media and judicial accountability, Justice Lokur acknowledges the increased public scrutiny on courts. “There must be ways to check judges without undermining the institution,” he says, referencing the need for mechanisms beyond impeachment. Neerja criticises the sensationalism that’s come to define election coverage, saying the media’s role “is to hold power accountable, not amplify divisive rhetoric”.

The panel also reflects on key events of 2024. Neerja cautions that the “challenge to Modi’s leadership might come from the extreme right within the BJP itself”. Manisha points out the troubling rhetoric in election speeches, adding, “The prime minister’s speeches targeting minorities were demoralising and crossed a line.”

Raman highlights the year’s highs and lows, saying, “The coalition government formation was a relief for democracy, but the political language this year hit new lows.”

This and a lot more. Tune in!

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Check out the Newslaundry store and flaunt your love for independent media. 

Download the Newslaundry app.

Audio timecodes

00:00:00 - Introductions

00:02:49 - Headlines

00:09:53 - NL Sena announcements

00:11:18- Manmohan Singh’s legacy

00:34:52 - Media, judiciary, and key events of 2024

01:03:06 - Announcements

01:11:46 - Subscriber letters

01:19:14 - Recommendations

Check out previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters 

Produced & recorded by Prashant & Priyali. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pandey, and Jayashree Arunachalam were joined by parliamentary affairs expert and journalist Meghnad S.

On the debate on the One Nation, One Election bill, Jayashree says that “the proposal reflects a strong anti-federalism stance.” She pointed out that while the bill may reduce costs, “it could strip states of their power”. Manisha says, “In terms of organising this it could be a mammoth task, especially with the inclusion of panchayat elections, making it an expensive exercise.” Abhinandan asks, “Is Modi the right leader to bring about such changes?”  

The panel then discusses the row over scuffle in parliament between the opposition MPs and those in the governing parties. Meghnad says, “It's like a WWE match in Parliament.” Abhinandan questions its media coverage, “Do you feel any shame or guilt about the way you work? How do you face your children?” 

This and a lot more. Tune in!

We have a page for subscribers to send letters to our shows. If you want to write to Hafta, click here. 

Check out the Newslaundry store and flaunt your love for independent media. 

Download the Newslaundry app.

Watch the full video here: 

https://youtu.be/rayJQarf4Sk

Audio timecodes

00:00:00 - Introductions

00:00:27 - Announcements

00:08:20 - Headlines

00:15:42 - NL Sena Announcement

00:17:55- One Nation, One Election

00:46:49 - Parliament: Scuffles, allegations, and theatrics

01:10:37 - Subscriber’s letters

01:50:08 - Recommendations

Check out previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters 

Produced & recorded by Prashant & Priyali. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal, and Manisha Pandey were joined by journalist Faye D’Souza.

On the BJP’s narrative against George Soros, Abhinandan says, “Adani money is good, Soros money bad? No sensible discussion has happened around it.” Faye says, “We are living in a post-truth world where ridiculous claims take root and attention spans have shrunk too much for nuanced conversations.”

On the Congress’s response to allegations about links with Soros, Manisha says, “Their communication is stale. You can’t keep repeating the same thing without innovation.” She points out that news channels have been quoting dubious sources like “nancho.net” to accuse Sonia Gandhi of collusion with Soros.

The panel then discusses the misuse of dowry laws and the tragic case of a techie’s suicide in Bengaluru. Anand says, “Lawyers often weaponise these cases, and the Supreme Court has already intervened to mandate preliminary investigations before arrests.” Faye emphasises the need for balanced discourse. On media coverage of the issue, Abhinandan says, “The TikTokisation of news has taken over.” 

On the Kapoor family’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Manisha says, “The event was supposed to honour Raj Kapoor, but it ended up being all about praising Modi.”

This and a lot more. Tune in!

We have a page for subscribers to send letters to our shows. If you want to write to Hafta, click here. 

Check out the Newslaundry store and flaunt your love for independent media. 

Download the Newslaundry app.

Watch the full video here: 

https://youtu.be/BL8HPSF9NFs

Audio timecodes

00:00:00 - Introductions

00:0:00 - Headlines

00:18:00 - Adani vs Soros

00:34:28- Special Message 

00:35:27 - Dowry law misuse debate

00:56:12 - Bollywood’s Modi moment

01:06:43 - Subscriber letters and recommendations

Check out previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters 

Produced & recorded by Prashant & Priyali. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal and Jayashree Arunachalam are joined by author Chetan Bhagat, academic Sarthak Bagchi, and journalist Dhiren A Sadokpam to discuss the Maharashtra government formation, the increased violence in Manipur, and the ‘foreign hand’ allegations against OCCRP. 

On BJP’s campaign in Maharashtra, Chetan says, “A little bit of humility has come to the BJP. The whole talk of building a larger than life image – the party feels that the voters don’t need it right now.” Sarthak explains how the BJP may absorb Shiv Sainiks in the state, saying the party “wants to establish hegemonic dominance”. 

Moving on to the BJP’s ‘US propaganda’ allegations and primetime outrage against OCCRP, Abhinandan says, “I just find it fascinating that Indian media that is surviving on sarkari patronage is outraging about another media surviving on sarkari patronage.” 

Dhiren then explains the spike in violence in Manipur and what it’s like to live in a state of war. “We need to understand the intersection between insurgency, ethnic violence, poppy cultivation, and national security,” he says. 

This and a lot more. Tune in!

We have a page for subscribers to send letters to our shows. If you want to write to Hafta, click here. 

Check out the Newslaundry store and flaunt your love for independent media. 

Download the Newslaundry app.

Watch the full video here: 

https://youtu.be/PIiK-K8fbQ0

Audio timecodes

00:00:00 - Introductions

00:04:36 - Announcements

00:15:00 - Headlines

00:19:00 - OCCRP controversy

00:32:41 - Maharashtra government formation

01:20:00 - New wave of violence in Manipur?

00:49:38 - Maharashtra election results

01:57:30 - Letters

02:06:30 - Recommendations

Check out previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters 

Produced & recorded by Priyali Dhingra and Prashant Kumar, edited by Hassan Bilal. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Raman Kirpal, and Anand Vardhan to discuss the violence in Sambhal and the Maharashtra-Jharkhand assembly election results.

Check out the Newslaundry store and flaunt your love for independent media. 

Download the Newslaundry app.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Jayashree Arunachalam, and Raman Kirpal are joined by environment and air pollution expert Sunil Dahiya.

Check out the Newslaundry store and flaunt your love for independent media. 

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Newslaundry’s Manisha Pande, Jayashree Arunachalam, Raman Kirpal, and Anand Vardhan are joined by Newslaundry reporter Prateek Goyal.

Check out the Newslaundry store and flaunt your love for independent media. 

Download the Newslaundry app.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.