Mohit

Dear NL, I just read the article by Rajyasree Sen about the dog problem, where she highlights the solution to the problem: “Sterilisation, vaccination and feeding”. Unfortunately, there are two simple challenges with her solution: biology and mathematics. It is always commendable to write articles from a bleeding heart, but please do talk to some scientific experts about it. While she phrases the solution to be natural if “you are educated and slightly well-informed,” I would say it is a case of "neem hakeem khatra-e-jaan [A quack is a danger to your life].” 

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Murtaza 

Hi NL team 

I love the weekly Hafta. Newslaundry is one of the main sources of news for me. I had a suggestion for you. I wanted to ask if it would be possible for you to explain the process of filing an RTI. It would encourage people/subscribers to file RTIs, and it may even boost your Fight to Breathe campaign. 

Keep up the good work 😀

Thank you 

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Tushar

Panel, I feel anxious about how the uncles in my family approach politics. Despite being educated and retired from respectable careers, they are always on board and blindly in love with whatever the government does. Worse, whenever politics comes up, they speak in a loud, rude, and offensive way, dismissing any logical arguments I try to make. It breaks my heart to see this. Wondering whether it’s worth spending my energy on this. 

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Raman 

Your rationale for skipping "vote chori" in Hafta#549, citing coverage in Charcha#383, does not hold, especially since the Supreme Court’s stray dog ruling featured in both Hafta#550 and Charcha#384. More concerning was the superficial treatment of "vote chori" in Hafta#550. Crucial issues were overlooked: the possibility of fraudulent voting through fake EPICs was left unquestioned; denial of CCTV footage was ignored; junk data in voter records and age anomalies among first-time voters received no attention. Most importantly, the ECI’s conduct, despite strong indications of mala fide intent, escaped rigorous scrutiny. This lack of depth was disappointing, particularly given your past reporting on this issue. Considering the gravity of the allegations, I feel that a more probing conversation was warranted. Inviting Sumedha Mittal and others could have ensured a sharper, more engaging discussion. This was a missed opportunity.

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Varun

Hi NL team,

The whole “vote chori” campaign by the opposition comes across as little more than baseless accusations. Database errors, well known by both ECI and politicians, are not indicative of a nationwide fraud (especially when the ruling party barely scraped by last time). The SIR is being carried out to resolve this exact issue, although the exercise is poorly thought out. There is no nefarious plan to disenfranchise voters' rights. The truth, which I find far more damning, is that the system continues to hurt citizens not through malice, but through profound incompetence.

In India, both the presence and the absence of the state can feel like endless torture.

Side Note: I am unconvinced that ad-free journalism is necessarily better (every Hafta recommendation after all has an Indian Express op-ed). NL’s outstanding journalism stands strongly on its own and deserves subscriptions without the sanctimonious framing.

Best,

Varun

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Ashwin B

Hi AS,

In relation to the Big Boss question, this is a real conundrum. I’d love to see BB deal with your unfiltered social and political takes, but I fear we might also witness some hidden uncle opinions finally escaping. The only time I watched the show was when Cyrus Brocha was on the show, and he didn't disappoint; he didn’t blurt out all his opinions. Still, I’d rather not put my appreciation for your views to the test on BB. 

Btw, I’m 36 and sliding into unclehood myself, so I get it. Just don’t want NL to get trolled into oblivion! I wish the NL team well, having been a member for a long time now. 

Thanks,

Ashwin

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