In this episode of South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran, Pooja Prasanna and Leena Reghunath are joined by Newslaundry’s Manisha Pande and The News Minute’s Sudipto Mondal and Jahnavi.

Manisha talks about Newslaundry’s ground report on the real death toll at the Kumbh stampede last week, and how the ‘official’ death toll is significantly lower. “We accessed hospital records that show at least 79 bodies were brought in from the Kumbh stampede,” she says. 

Dhanya questions the mainstream media’s lack of coverage. “But why have more people not demanded these numbers? That is what really puzzles me,” she says. Pooja adds that governments “want to set world records for attendance at these events, but basic crowd control measures are missing”.

The conversation moves to Chennai police summoning journalists and seizing their devices over the coverage of the Anna University sexual assault case. They discuss how “downloading an FIR in itself is not a crime” and how this was made clear in this case by retired Justice Madan Lokur, who wrote the SC guidelines on how to report on rape. 

Leena highlights the broader legal implications: “Courts have given mixed rulings on the seizure of journalists’ phones, but this raises serious concerns about press freedom and police overreach.”

Jahnavi then breaks down the findings of Telangana’s recently conducted caste survey. “The government claims they’ve enumerated 97 percent of the population, but the numbers don’t match Aadhaar or voter ID records,” she says.

Sudipto critiques the lack of transparency: “A caste survey is supposed to reveal the socio-economic status of different groups, but this government has only released broad percentages. Without real data, how can policies be made?”

This and more, tune in!

Once a month, we will invite one TNM subscriber to the show. Write to us on what you would like to speak about to southcentral@thenewsminute.com. 

Send your thoughts, suggestions and criticism as well.

Timecodes 

00:00:00 - Announcements

00:01:45 - Introduction

00:03:21- Headlines

00:07:11- Kumbh Mela stampede

00:22:56 - Delhi elections: AAP’s toughest battle?

00:33:20 - Chennai police vs. journalists

00:46:59 -  Telangana caste census: What’s missing?

01:02:37 - Letters

01:07:36 - Recommendations

References

Criminalising faith: Karnataka’s anti-conversion law is being used to harass citizens

Bengaluru officials demand parental consent for interfaith weddings: A TNM investigation

The anti-federal winds that waft in the latest UGC regulations

Ground report: Not 30, at least 79 dead in Kumbh stampede, suggest official records

Media must apologise for revealing Anna University survivor's identity: Justice Madan Lokur

Tamil Nadu government in tough spot over SIT probe | Powertrip #89

Recommendations

Manisha Pande

The Sympathizer

Sudipto Mondal 

Greenleaf

Many Ramayanas, Many Lessons

Jahnavi 

My Husband: A Novel

Leena Reghunath 

The Skeletons at the Lake

Pooja Prasanna 

Bhima Koregaon: Challenging Caste by Ajaz Ashraf

Missing You (Series) 

Dhanya Rajendran 

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

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Produced by Bhuvan Malik, edited by Jaseem Ali.

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