Reporters Without Orders Ep 163: Delhi riots follow-up and on the ground in Bengal

This episode is hosted by Nidhi Suresh, who is joined by Newslaundry’s Parikshit Sanyal and Akanksha Kumar.

Akanksha talks about her follow-up story on the Delhi riots; she had interviewed a Muslim boy who had been forced to sing the national anthem while being assaulted by the police.

“His entire story is of gross neglect, not just by the police but also the hospital staff – both of whom were supposed to save him,” she says. “The sense of marginalisation, because he belongs to a certain religion, is going to stay with him.”

Parikshit shares his first-time experience of reporting on the ground during the Bengal assembly election, particularly a ground report on the Cooch Behar killings. He explains how multiple witnesses said it was an unprovoked attack. He also describes the tense communal situation in Nandigram’s Boyal constituency, where people were referring to “the Hindu booth” and “the Muslim booth”.

“Because of Suvendu Adhikari, the levels have gone too far,” he says.

This and a lot more as they talk about what made news, what didn’t, and what shouldn’t have.

Tune in!

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Produced by Parikshit Sanyal, edited by Umrav Singh.

Text by Ritika Chauhan.

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