Hafta letters: Kannada conversation, calling out fake news, fantasy cricket

NL subscribers get back with bouquets and brickbats!

WrittenBy:NL Team
Date:
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Love the work you are doing. Recently I supported the NL Sena. But as I want to gift a subscription, I could not find someone who is interested mostly in national politics. I know that you guys will expand eventually, but why don't you find someone to collab with meanwhile?

Siddhartha

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Hi NL team ,

Before reading the email, please mention a disclaimer that the name I use while writing this mail is a pseudonym. As you publish this on Hafta, I don't want NL to start another legal fund to defend this. I am not tired of contributing to NL projects but resources can be better used for other things. Heck, you might use the resources to give a job to someone.

I had to change the name for this letter taking inspiration from Jayashree's understanding of languages, that "yesterday" and "tomorrow" are different words in most languages ("sarcasm"). Any resemblance of the pseudonym to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Everything else is just intellectual masturbation.

Regards,

Tomorrow's Puri

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The really abhorrent way the NL panel tried to defend the clear case of alleged child abuse by the Dalai Lama is appalling. As usual, Abhinandan tried to draw a parallel – that if this was done by a Hindu religious leader, he would not have apologised. This false equivalance seems deliberate. No right-thinking man will see it as anything but an illegal act.

Similarly, the sad rape and murder of a Dalit women in Rajasthan was mentioned as news but not discussed. Instead immediately a parellel of a lynching case in a BJP-ruled state was discussed and condemned. Clear case of double standards and hesitation to discuss a wrong happening in a non-BJP state. 

Ramanathan

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My name is Rohit and I have been a subscriber for a year. I am 20 and come from a lower middle class background in Maharashtra.

I have a few questions for you. If you don't mind, please answer them.

1) I don't see any other political party as committed to their ideology as the BJP. What is the guarantee that in future any other political parties would not use the media as the BJP is using it today?

2) I think we are going to become like Pakistan – a religious extremist country that lacks scientific temperament, common sense and justice. What do you think?

3) I get very anxious when I see people my age being more bigoted and conservative in terms of religion and caste, using bigoted terms very casually. I love the diversity, mythology and geographical location of this country and plan to live here and probably marry a girl from a different case. I have a friend who is gay. I don't know why I'm telling you this.

I don't feel safe. What should I do?

Rohit

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Hi NL team,

I have a suggestion that Newslaundry and other media organisations that work towards true representation can call out misinformation with less innocuous words. When the false info is called fake, it still gives the disseminator a safe place to not take accountability. Instead of words like fake or misinformation, it can be called scripted, harmful, cooked, invented. I lack imagination. Alt News uses terms like scripted but maybe something that raises questions and expresses the potential of violence?

Eveleen

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What would be your analysis on the fact that BJP isn't that popular in the capital but supremely popular in the northern belt?

Also, do you think Delhi can get full statehood in the near future and why/why not?

Dhruv

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Hello all, been a sub for a year now. Thoroughly enjoy all your work, especially Newsance and ground reports.

I've been raised in four different countries during my formative years, and I'm currently in Bangalore and making plans to move to Canada next year. All the news about breakdowns of rule of law, death of free speech, and especially the propaganda in education are just pushing me to move more as a person hoping to marry and start a family soon. But I feel some guilt on moving as it feels escapist and exploitative of my privileged background, even if I know its best for me and my future fam. What are your opinions on such movement? 

Also I'd love to help out as a friend of NL for the Karnataka election coverage so please let us know which email/number to contact for the same as I can't find it on the app. Keep up the great work!

Siddhant

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Given the widespread craze for fantasy cricket apps (based on the marketing expenditure during IPL), why arenit there any news reports on the impact of the online gambling industry, which was non-existent only a few years ago, on our society?

What does your everyday Dream 11 user look like? Is this leading to addiction? Are people using it as a primary source of income? Are these companies taking advantage of the less educated?

What do you guys think about doing a story on this?

Mo

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Hi Manisha,

As you are visiting Karnataka for elections, here are some cultural and language nuances that might help you to interact better with people.

1) Greet people with "namaskaraa sir/amma". It's namaskaraa not namaskar.

2) "heyg idhira" (pronounced like Hague in the Netherlands) means "how are you".

3) "thindi coffee aytha" means "have you had your breakfast and coffee".

The above three are a perfect icebreaker for any conversation starters. Best places to overhear political conversations are at any tea or coffee shop across the state.

I might be running the most right-wing media in an alternate universe and end up dead on a plane. I am rooting for you and NL in this universe. Go and kick some ass. All my blessings and regards to you, my child.

Logan Roy

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