Hafta 253: Hyderabad killings, Citizenship Bill, Donald Trump’s impeachment, and more

In this episode of NL Hafta, Abhinandan Sekhri, Manisha Pande, Raman Kirpal and Mehraj D Lone of Newslaundry are joined by Joanna Slater, the India Bureau Chief of The Washington Post. 

They begin with a discussion on the gangrape and murder of a veterinarian in Hyderabad, and the subsequent killing of the four accused by the police. Delving on the psyche of the rapists, Abhinandan says, “I could not believe they actually plotted this all evening. I mean with the intention that they just wanna have sex and they would rape a woman and kill her.”

On the police’s shooting of the four accused men, Mehraj talks about the culture of impunity that exists in this country and the lack of accountability. Raman adds that the mindset for lynching the rapists was already out there.

Pointing a finger at the media discourse surrounding this case, Manisha remarks, “One thing that’s really disturbing in cases like these is how the media frenzy just takes over any sane discourse.” By way of example, she mentions TV anchors who ran hashtags calling for the death of the alleged rapists.

On the Citizenship Amendment Bill, Mehraj explains how the BJP is selling it as a measure that would help the millions of Hindus left out of the National Register of Citizens in Assam but how it might actually only add to their misery.

Speaking about US President Donald Trump’s impeachment process, Joanna says, “From the kind of polling that I have seen from afar it seems the percentage of people who say that he should be impeached and removed has gone up over the course of this process. So it is changing some people’s mind on that.”

On senior Congress leader P Chidambaran being released on bail in the INX Media case, Raman argues, “This has come across as political vendetta. There is not really any case against him in the INOX Media case – and that comes out really clearly.”

The panel also discusses the Unnao rape case, the falling GDP in September, the Delhi University teachers’ protest against the anticipated sacking of adhoc teachers, and much more. Tune in!

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References

India Today Exclusive: Kashmir tapes unearth cash-for-violence plot

Hey, would you like to lynch a rapist? Times Now wants to know

Mass hysteria after rape horror in Hyderabad; MP’s say ‘lynch the rapists’

Amber Guyger, police officer who shot a man to death in his apartment, found guilty of murder

Final Punishment in Eric Garner Case: Sergeant Loses Vacation Time

India shaken by rape and killing of veterinarian on her way home

UP Woman Shot In Face When She Stopped Dancing, Shows Chilling Video

What happened when Republican Greg Gianforte body-slammed a reporter

Rape-accused Nithyananda buys island, sets up own nation Kailaasa near Ecuador

Michael Moore in TrumpLand OFFICIAL TRAILER

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Produced by Ivneet Kaur, recorded by Rahul Kumar, edited by Umrao Singh.

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