This week on Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal, Manisha Pande, and Jayashree Arunachalam are joined by former Executive Director, Air India, Jitendra Bhargava, and Executive Editor of The Frontier Manipur, Paojel Choaba.

The episode begins with a discussion on the devastating Air India crash, where a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers, crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad. Jitender adds, “The cockpit voice recorder and black box will decode what actually transpired between pilot and the co-pilot…and what, if anything, was said to the passengers in the last moments.” Manisha raises concerns about Boeing’s history, citing, “Boeing has actually just wrapped up a long legal case in the US where they’ve paid a billion dollars for two crashes,” though Bhargava counters, “The safety track record must prove what it is,” given the Dreamliner’s extensive operational history.

The panel critiques the media’s handling, with Jayashree expressing dismay: “I thought it was quite upsetting… families had found out minutes ago just as the reporters were arriving.”

The conversation shifts to Manipur’s ethnic conflict, with Paojel providing firsthand insights. He describes a tense peace, “The shooting has stopped, but the violence has become more internal in a way.” Over 60,000 people are displaced, and “more than 200 people have been killed.”

Commenting on the President's rule, he adds, “While there has been some recovery of arms under the Governor's rule, there has been no concrete positive actions to restore normalcy. But law and order has improved.”

The panel also discusses the murder case in Meghalaya dominating headlines throughout the week and the ethics of covering crime stories. 

This and a lot more. Tune in!

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