This week, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Jayashree Arunachalam and Raman Kirpal are joined by advocate and Internet Freedom Foundation cofounder Apar Gupta.

The conversation begins with the government’s ability to “fact-check” itself under a new amendment to the IT Rules, 2021. Apar says the amendment does not adhere to the principles of natural justice. “This is something tantamount to secret censorship.”

On the celebration around the Uttar Pradesh police encounter of gangster Atiq Ahmed’s son, Asad, Apar explains how such encounter killings can “build a greater level of unaccountability in the police department.” 

The conversation moves to the controversy surrounding the Dalai Lama’s video, in which he was seen asking a minor to “suck his tongue”, and whether “cultural differences” can explain this away. 

Tune in! 

Hafta letters: Orwell’s 1984, bigotry, audio interviews