Eldrich  

I’ve been a listener since 2013, and a subscriber since 2015. I’m writing to offer a critique of Anand V’s general comments and hypothesise about why some subscribers take issue. In Hafta 612, Manisha asked Anand about orchestration being behind the recent global protests, and a second question about the plight of Gen Z. Anand’s response was typical of an Indian bureaucrat - meandering and lacking substance. He invoked Napoleon, civic order, India-Pakistan parallels, but did not answer any questions. 

Anand, respectfully, not every opinion needs a hedge. You refuse to generalise Gen Z folks – fine – but you can still make meaningful, broad observations. You can safely generalise that Gen Z is in a tough economic spot - that’s generally true. This is typical of most of Anand’s commentary: five minutes in, the question is lost, and we are suddenly discussing Vajpayee or Napoleon.

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Manjil 

Dear Hafta Team, It's great to see an ‘AI’ interview in NL. Mathematicians like me are going through an existential crisis; it might make a good story (I am sure several of us are among your subscribers). In any case, I hope you'll do a panel discussion on AI and how it will change society as we know it (the panel could include economists, physicists, doctors, sociologists, etc., for a more balanced view). Global South is currently underrepresented in these discussions.

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Rajesh

Hi,

My subscription got renewed today, and this was feedback I had at the time of the initial subscription. 

Chota Hafta on YouTube gives a preview, and a subscription is needed for the full episode, which I understand and support. The full episode is available only as a podcast here. Is there a way to watch the full episode?

Thanks and keep up the good work. 

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Yogesh

Hello 

Last time, you probably didn't read my letter because I was on a weekly subscription; that's why I have upgraded to monthly. I will upgrade to annual once I get permanent employment.

I just wanted to send this email to appreciate all the reporting you did around October 10th. It was to the point, concise and precise. NL was the first to point out voter fraud in Maharashtra. Now that the issue has become popular, NL deserves credit for it.

Also, please address the issues with the app; the text size in articles is too small for me to read, even with all three size options available.

Now that app development has become open source with AI, an app update is due.

Regards,

Yogesh

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Rakshita | AI Summary

My reading of the current political climate is that public frustration with the government has been building for some time. Independent media had already highlighted growing concerns, while the Congress’s “vote chori” campaign made the issue more visible. The Delhi SIR brought these concerns closer to ordinary voters. CJP was more of a trigger than the movement itself—the ground was already prepared. Its role was to call people to the streets, while student political groups helped sustain the July protests. The absence of a central command reflected the broader nature of the mobilisation.

The protests then gave opposition parties confidence to step in and sustain the movement. For many protesters, it matters less who calls the protest—CJP, Congress or AISA—and more that it provides an outlet for their frustration. This suggests the protests may continue for some time, with new forms of mobilisation emerging despite the government’s resistance. Difficult times lie ahead, but there is also a sense of hope.

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