Hafta letters: Gaza, Chandrachud interview, subscription tips, Mamdani and caste

Vatsal  

Hi Newslaundry team, 

Kudos to your work. I recently watched a very old NL interview – Abhinandan with Jai Bhagwan Goel, which was quite witty. This guy was denied the MLA ticket in the recent Delhi elections from a constituency near mine and this is what I saw a few days ago. Looks like he is still trying to remain as relevant as possible. Thought you might/might not find it interesting. 

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Dheeraj 

Hello everyone, 

In the past two Haftas, Abhinandan discussed anarchy and recently about power. I was recently reading Noam Chomsky on the same subject and just wanted to quote him here: "The core of the anarchist tradition, as I understand it, is that power is always illegitimate, unless it proves itself to be legitimate. So the burden of proof is always on those who claim that some authoritarian hierarchic relation is legitimate. If they can't prove it, then it should be dismantled... It's the responsibility of those who exercise power to show that somehow it's legitimate. It's not the responsibility of anyone else to show that it's illegitimate. It's illegitimate by assumption, if it's a relation of authority among human beings which places some above others. Unless you can give a strong argument to show that it's right, you've lost."

Thank you.

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Rohit

​I just watched a recent episode where the topic of discussion was the Delhi bombing, and everyone was kind of shocked that these people were educated doctors and still did this kind of thing. But why are we still shocked that educated people believe in this type of stuff? Education doesn't mean you'll become a rational human being. If that were the case, the caste system and patriarchy would have been long gone. Also, Dr. Hedgewar founded the RSS, and Savarkar and Jinnah both studied law in Britain. Why do we value degrees and professions so much? In this country, IAS officers take dowry, and women get surgeries to get a lighter skin tone or become 'virgin' again in order to get married. So let's not do this mainstream argument that if someone is educated or earns well he/she must be a good person. 

Ps. My rant is over 

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Vivek

How are collapsing bridges and frequent flooding not an issue in Bihar. How is Nitish not directly held responsible for all of them? Am I focusing on something that doesn't matter to the people?

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Trithankar

Really enjoyed Hafta 562 as always – just wanted to share two quick thoughts. First, spending almost the entire deep-dive on Zohran Mamdani felt a bit disproportionate. It’s an interesting story, but with headlines like Delhi’s air crisis, the railway and bus accidents, the Bihar elections, and voter-fraud allegations in Haryana, those felt more urgent and India-relevant. Mamdani could’ve been a brief segment, but as one of only two main discussions, it felt a bit over-weighted.

Second, around 1:15:18, Ms. Sabrina said, “It’s like free speech. Free speech also means you can say things that are hateful and terrible.” I wish the panel had drawn a clearer line between free speech and hate speech. Free speech includes the right to offend — and that’s important. But hate speech is different: it’s when the powerful use speech to marginalize or incite violence against the powerless. That distinction really matters, especially today.

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Raymond Andrews 

Hi team,

I am a paying subscriber and have a query. On NL Hafta, Sreenivasan Jain said the Congress is dead in Bihar. 

Please let me know how he arrived at this conclusion. Was a survey done or was any analysis done on the campaign of congress and other parties? Was this a statement derived from a study or was it a mere impression?

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Geetika 

Hi NL Team,

First, thank you for your work and for keeping our faith in journalism. I waited two weeks hoping someone would raise concerns about the Gaza–Israel discussion in Hafta 559. Please forgive the length – I’ll try to stay concise. Dr. Jandig’s opening remark – “If liberals and the woke cared about women’s rights.” This was deeply disappointing. Liberals have stood for women’s rights, unlike conservatives. It was unfortunate that no one, except the guest, challenged her. Also, having someone affiliated with a university in Haifa made neutrality questionable from the outset.

Abhinandan’s reaction – His horror at what students at Columbia University said about Israel seemed misplaced. The real concern should have been how the protests were suppressed and how students were immediately branded anti-Semitic. Criticizing Israel or the IDF is not anti-Semitism.

There are numerous videos of IDF soldiers mocking victims, rummaging through Palestinian women’s belongings, common Israeli people blocking aid, attacking homes in the West Bank, pouring cement into wells, and assaulting the elderly. Yet, much of this brutality is ignored, while anyone speaking out is vilified.

Even more disturbing are the protests in Israel supporting the soldiers accused of rape and the platforms given to those defending such acts. The woman who leaked the assault video was arrested, while others have proposed laws permitting violence — even rape and killing — against Palestinians.

It was painful to hear the conversation equate both sides and lean toward Israeli talking points and also how it wouldn't be fair to expect jews to live under Palestinian regime . It felt as though Abhinandan had, perhaps unknowingly, internalized that propaganda. How long will Israel continue to use the Holocaust as cover while committing atrocities without remorse or accountability?

Thank you for reading and for continuing to do important work.

Best,

Geetika

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Sajeev Khan 

Hi NL Team, 

I recently travelled to Bengaluru for a couple of months. One of the most terrifying experiences is that people are driving on the wrong side without any fear or shame. But with utter disdain for fellow citizens. I can understand if delivery boys take shortcuts. But this is done by techies, senior and middle aged people, even families with young children. This makes day to day driving a very dangerous activity. Please can we talk about this in NL Hafta to raise citizen awareness so that we all acknowledge that this is dangerous behavior.

Driving on the wrong side is equivalent to a person waving a sword in a busy street.

Hope this wrong behavior is not replicated in other cities 

Sajeev-From a tiny part of Kerala

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Vijay 

Hello Folks, 

Just wanted to know whether the TMR sessions for 2025 would be available in podcast format as I prefer the same over the YouTube video format. Also with the Bihar state election results do you think the opposition would use vote chhori and SIR as a crutch now onwards or could they do a deep dive into voter turnout, gather CCTV footage and find out if there was any this election? where would they put limited resources on the future SIR and state elections or this one? 

Need more of Jayshree's rants!!

Thanks, Vijay

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Abubakr Siddiqui 

Again I want tell Abhinandan as Indian Muslim that I didn't come from any other country to India, we are from here

But Zionist didn't belong to Palestine, they came from other countries, some of them bought land from Palestinian but most of them came and occupied land of Arabs line they are doing in West Bank right now

Apart from this I have a question: In the film industry a producer is someone who gives money for film making. What does a producer mean in a news office setting? 

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Kezia 

The funny thing about Jemima Rodrigues and the other women of the Indian team winning the semi-finals is that now the same sexists are now posting memes about how these girls shut sexist mouths. But what I also wish to point out is that these women are now being held up as role models for feminism - this is the "sports, military feminism" that sees women like Col. Sophia Qureshi or Jemima Rodrigues as the only true feminists because they make the country proud while not proactively disturbing the social order of the day-to-day life here. The turnaround we see in the social media narrative is because it is comfortable to accept their achievements while also using it as fodder to deflect from deep-rooted sexist and misogynistic beliefs. Of course, I am only talking about it in the context of social media, where such gender wars happen - in the real world, such a divide is much less pronounced. 

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Anonymous

On the recent PK interview: While I generally appreciate your journalistic rigour, this conversation focussed more on challenging his ideas than engaging with them constructively. Much of the questioning appeared to revolve around why his solutions can’t fix the entirety of the problem. His approach of piloting small, measurable initiatives for the poorest majority is both pragmatic and necessary — and the crux of the counterarguments seemed to be why not do these for everyone. Given how little progress throwing money at the problem has produced, his focus on smaller, outcome-driven experiments deserves fairer engagement.

Because he is willing to discuss concrete solutions, he seemed to face a higher threshold of skepticism than most politicians. He may have had a better interview if he’d simply hand-waved away the issues, and that shouldn’t be the outcome.

That said, I deeply value Newslaundry’s commitment to independent journalism and critical inquiry.

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Bhavesh Bhatt 

Hi NL Team,

As a decade-long subscriber, I wanted to share my thoughts on Vasu’s interview with Retd. Justice Chandrachud. While Vasu is an experienced journalist, I felt his approach was too combative, which can make interviewees defensive and less forthcoming (reminds me of K.Thapar). I don’t understand the widespread celebration of the interview – Vasu didn’t “expose” the Chief Justice; the rationale behind the judgment was not spoken aloud but obvious. Expecting a different judgment, like equal land distribution or museum, seems unrealistic, that would have prolonged the dispute. The judgment to hand over land to trust was pragmatic, aiming to resolve a long-standing issue. As Josey said that it was merely an unarticulated explanation by Justice. I’d love to see more in-depth interviews by NL’s own team rather than celebrities. This can strengthen the NL brand. Please try not to take your journalistic and business decision to cater to the echo chamber and neoliberal subscribers.

Bhavesh

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Harry Singh 

Hello,

I might have missed a nuanced discussion on gender diversity issues that was being talked about some time back in this show. But that's ok. I'm writing to recommend the book "Adaptable" by Herman Pontzez, specifically chapter 7, to any of you still interested in learning more on this topic. 

This is a great book that talks about our fascinating body in a layman friendly language. While chapter 7 focuses on gender diversity, the rest of the book is a good read as well. There are very interesting insights into the debate of nature vs nurture. It also addresses the controversial topic of eugenics with ease and neatly bursts a great number of myths around the race based differences in humans. The book also does a very decent job of explaining race as a social construct and not biological. 

Regards, 

Harry 

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Rahul Sethia

This episode was quite disappointing on two counts:

1. If you quote biased Western mainstream media, then you should expect them to do the same for Indian news. There are others like Breaking Points, Glenn Greenwalt, Dropsite which are subscriber based similar to Newslaundry. 

2. Dr. Jehangir should have disclosed all his conflicts of interest, while painting a false / incomplete picture of the situation.

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K. Jayaram  

Whenever the discussion turns to Israel and Gaza, Abhinandan somehow manages to throw sand in the wheels. Contrary to his view, the real counterpoint to Western mainstream media isn’t random social media chatter or TikTok clips, but independent digital outlets like The Greyzone, The Intercept, Mondoweiss, Breaking Points, Drop Site News, The Katie Halper Show, The Electronic Intifada, and Le Monde Diplomatique. These platforms effectively challenge the propaganda pushed by the NYT, CNN, and BBC. As for the professor from Jindal, his affiliations make it clear where his views lie. Even so, his remarks on Zionism are truly worthy of the ADL. On a positive note, it’s always a pleasure to hear Shardool, Jayashree, and Manisha for their thoughtful insights. My observations aren’t casual; they stem from detailed analysis, linked below.  

https://www.theindiaforum.in/politics/making-sense-western-media-bias-reporting-gaza

https://www.theindiaforum.in/politics/genocide-gaza-revenge-retribution-or-means-end

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Vivek Ahokan 

Hi NL team,

I have a suggestion to make. Can you please add an option so that when complementary subscriptions are gained through NL Sena, it is added as a voucher that can be applied when needed instead of it getting queued to the pending subscriptions list. My pending vouchers are valid till MAR 2027. and TNM/NL subscription is queued after it. There have been times when I've forgotten to subscribe and my pending subscriptions have been activated. I would have preferred to buy a subscription when I can, and keep the vouchers for a rainy day.

This is frustrating because every time I contribute to NL sena, I know new ones will be queued and applied instead of the ones that I bought. I do not like the solution provided where I was to open a new account. and link my joint membership to the new one.

Attached screenshot of the current queue for your reference.

Sorry I'm forwarding it to podcasts, since I didn't get a response from the subscription address.

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Anonymous 

I deeply appreciate the work you do. I’ve been meaning to raise this for some time, though with Muslims being targeted in India and the ongoing conflict in Gaza, it has never felt like the right moment.

The issue I want to raise is the repressive treatment of women within Islam. Are we ever going to have an honest conversation about it? While all religions have gender-related issues, the way Islam is interpreted in many communities results in restrictions and oppression that are particularly severe.

I’m not asking just for the panel’s perspective, I’d like to hear from readers, scholars, and community members as well. It’s time to confront these uncomfortable truths openly rather than avoiding them for fear of controversy.

This is not about attacking a faith, but about critically examining how their interpretations impact half the population.

Thank you for all your work.

Proud Subscriber,

Anonymous

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Asgar Shaikh

Let’s address some biases from week 559:

- Suhasini pointed out that the Taliban Minister accepted that women’s education is not haram, but the panellists linked Islam to Taliban actions. Islam promotes education for all genders and heights. Would you link the GOI’s education budget reduction to Hinduism?

-Dr. Khinvraj should call out loud names of everyone killed by Israel last week.

-Forget forefathers and history, we are accountable for our own actions. All able Israeli citizens mandatorily serve in the IDF, unless they reject.

-While armed resistance to foreign occupation is acceptable in international law, lasting peace needs rejection of hate and violence.

-All countries have dress codes. Iran enforces Islamic law requiring women to cover their hair in public, but everyone has freedom (religion, education & career).. Iran is a friendly BRICS member, and India has invested in the Chabahar port. The USA’s actions are hostile to both nations.

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Aditya Naryanan  (AI Summary)

Dear Newslaundry Team,

As a long-time subscriber, I admire your work but must offer constructive feedback on the latest Hafta episode's Gaza discussion. It overly focused on Hamas's violence, sidelining Israel's disproportionate war crimes, settler violence in Gaza/West Bank since the 1948 Nakba, and decades of apartheid.

Abhinandan Sekhri's analogy to the US civil rights movement was poorly informed – structural racism persisted post-slavery via resistance, not oppressor conscience. Non-violence requires humanity, impossible amid Gaza's starvation policy (Ashour et al., The Lancet, 2025). Dr. Khinvraj Jangid sounded like an Israeli apologist, echoing Oslo myths ignoring Palestinian voices (Arafah in Diwan; UC Press, Springer, JSTOR refs).

Your take on antisemitism lacked nuance (Hundred Years' War on Palestine, Khalidi; Shehada interview). Jayashree showed moral clarity. Please research topics and guests better.

Best,

Aditya

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Akshay Marathe (AI Summary)

Dear Newslaundry Team,

Quick thoughts on the latest Hafta Gaza episode: The "expertise" felt like pro-Israel propaganda, lacking balance except for Jayashree, whose critique was dismissed. Abhinandan's rebuttals missed the mark:

1. Nazi rallies in the West don't justify uprooting Palestinians for Europe's guilt—Israel exists, but why at their expense?

2. His India-Muslim invaders analogy inverted Jayashree's point: a secular one-state Palestine mirrors equal-rights India (even if aspirational).

Dr. Jangid's "Hamas dug its own grave" claim got no pushback, ignoring Israel's role in fostering Hamas (Netanyahu's admissions) to block one-state solutions. West Bank settlements persist without Hamas— what's the justification? After 70,000 Gazan deaths, labeling Israel genocidal is overdue. Indian Islamophobia hunts Muslim villains, but Israel's actions fuel antisemitism by conflating Jews with the state, endangering global Jews.

Best,

Akshay

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Abubakr Siddiqui

Last week, Mr Abhinandan said that if Israel doesn’t have the right to exist, then it’s like in India Muslim don't have to exist. Correct me if I am wrong, we Indian Muslims didn't came from Arab or Persian land, our great grandpa I don't know which generation convert to islam but they were Indian On other side of your opinion Zionist were not in Palestine they came from other countries, take homes of Palestinian expelled them, take their land and kill them, then Palestine started to move Gaza, Gaza is a refugee camp. I want your opinion on Kashmiri Pandits. What you think Mr. Abhinandan? Should they return to their home in Kashmir or should they live like Palestinian in refugee camps? 

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Harnek Kang

Hi NL team, 

I haven’t missed a single NL Podcast since year’s and I always support your endeavour. I just have one SHIKAYAT I:E whenever you discuss about CASTE related matters like CJI Gawai, suicide in Haryana (this week), I request you get a SC/ST or Ambedkerite scholar on the panel because we Savarnas have a mental barrier which deprive us of feeling caste issues. I want to recommend a book called MEET THE SAVARNAS BY Ravikant Kisana to understand this. Thanks.

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Joseph Bear (AI Summary)

Dear Hafta Team,

Just finished the latest episode and wanted to share quick feedback – no need to feature it.

Abhinandan noted US healthcare as a big election issue, comparing it favourably to India and praising American voters. (As an American, I'd say the "stupidity" rep is earned.) He equated it with public health concern, but that's inaccurate: it's mainly about affordability of care and insurance.

The US – despite its wealth – is the only developed nation without guaranteed healthcare. Without insurance, it's prohibitively expensive for all but the richest. Even insured, costs and access remain high.

In short, "healthcare" is a cost-of-living issue, not a lofty public health worry. Thought I'd correct the misconception.

Thanks for your great work!

Joe Bear

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Dhiraj

This is in response to Hafta x South Central. I find it hard to agree with anyone who says we are doomed. I also find it hard that if I were to consider Newslaundry and The News Minute as the most innovative news platforms, they are not able to burst the Godi Media cycle. 

People forget that it was really social media that got Obama’s second term and the right caught on almost a decade later. 

Your collective needs to sit down and think how you can take advantage of the present AI hype to scale a product that bursts the bubble of right wing superiority ! I don’t know how but I believe you can ! The PhD subscribers may have ideas! 

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Soumya 

Hi NL team! The intersection podcast with TNM was great. In this age of social media, only sensational content can have large viewership, for eg. Big Boss etc. Our country is so diverse that real life issues of one section of society don't bother another. In such a case, subscription-based journalism will have its limitations. During Bapu's time, independence was one issue which united the whole country against an oppressive regime. That is why, he was able to touch the emotions of millions of Indians using his journalism. In today's India, it's tough to find such an uniting issue. But, I suggest you guys carry on the good work. Continue bringing out voices of each and every marginalized community. Your job must be to uphold the values of Bapu and slowly the subscriber base will increase. All good things take time to be appreciated by millions!

What are your thoughts on Prashant Kishore? Can Sreenivasan Jain interview him?

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Sengupta 

Hi NL Hafta, 

You are the reason I am an NL subscriber. Bold and excellent work! Keep it up! In Hafta 556, Pooja Prasanna comments on Indians working abroad as (in quotes) "going and taking the easy route". While she must be widely connected and hears many experiences, this statement has bias, sweeping generalisation, and a misrepresentation of the many struggles abroad that an immigrant has to face, irrespective of skill level or profession. Whether in India or abroad, one must work hard and navigate all odds to achieve excellence and success in one's work. It is not 'easy'; in fact, it can be a real hard deal to build a life and career abroad from scratch! I just wanted to voice my concern; that's all. 

Warm regards, 

Sengupta 

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Shafi Kamal

Dear NL team, 

Your Chandrachud interview was amazing, it even made me renew my subscription (had lapsed earlier due to technicalities). I’d love for you to get Prashant Kishor on. He’s speaking to everyone except my favourite news org! Please question him not on caste or political opponents, but his Bihar plans – distress migration, CD ratio, schools, what simulations has he run, and do they hold up? An educated challenge from you could really help people. If you’ve already done it, apologies. Thanks for all the work.  Love you!

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Nikhil Bararia

Hi, 

I wholly agree with Abhinandan on the point that we (urban class) do not want to pay for news that questions us straight away. The public space takeover including footpaths is very rampant across all major cities. There are people who say, 'Acha hai private ho gaya, public footpaths toh aise bhi we can't use.' This sounds scary to me as a concerned citizen.

Lastly, I would  like to thank you both for the awesome work and effort you put in each day. Gives me hope that the 4th pillar of democracy, although crooked, still exists.

Thanks and Cheers, 

Nikhil B

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Manan Shah

Hi Hafta and South Central team, 

On the topic of the revival of democracy, I think one point was missed. As more and more people get educated, which is happening, as slow as it might be. But more percentage of the next generation is educated with every successive generation.  Once we hit a tipping point, the revival of democracy will be unhindered. I do believe education will play that role, even if the education is not superb, even a decent primary education will eventually pave the way. 

Best,

Manan 

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Aditya Ramesh

Dear NL and TNM team,

I loved Saturday's discussion and loved the spirit each person brought to it. Jozy – a quiet sense of optimism from conversations within, Dhanya – politician in the making, Sudipto – the everyday matters and voicing a 'New India', Abhinandan – Dilli ka munda vibes, and Manisha – embracing technology and understanding that fatigue will catch up to the Indian population. This is the hope and spirit we need.

Long time subscriber,

Aditya

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Anonymous  (AI Summary)

Dear NL Team,

I’d like to stay anonymous. In the H1B debate, discussion usually centres on innovation gaps and business opportunities in India, but a crucial factor is overlooked: social freedom. I’m an IIT Kanpur graduate with a PhD from a top US university, now a postdoctoral researcher. I wanted to return to India as a professor, but as a gay man I cannot legally marry or have children there, whereas many Western countries allow both. India’s Supreme Court recently declined to recognise same-sex marriage or civil unions, and queer couples also lack equal access to adoption and surrogacy.​

The H1B situation is painful, and alternative visas are difficult or lack clear citizenship paths, making other countries more attractive. Until India offers equal rights, it cannot realistically expect much talent to return. It is not always about salaries or infrastructure; I would move back in a heartbeat if I could marry there.

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Korak Saha 

Hafta 556: Your H1B visa was all around techie world, in the process you forgot there is an uncapped H1B that actually helps universities and national labs to hire the crema de la crema from all over. We come here to contribute to science and tech development and when we shine you cheer for us. However it doesn't make sense to mock us (saying face the daily issue back home) at this difficult point and was in bad taste. Agree with Abhinandan that it is not about patriotism, it is about you being free to do the work you want to do to the best of your abilities. There is a rationale behind this yes, but there are real lives at stake here too. Thanks and keep  up the good work of subscription journalism. Good discussions btw.

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Erbil 

Hi guys,

This has been on my mind since your episode on the Emergency. Growing up, I often heard from my family that the Emergency was “good” – the only time the country was lawful and orderly. That changed after I listened to your episode, and later your Let’s Talk About- Punjab series. Thank you for that.

Since then, I’ve been wondering: how do we know what information to trust about any event? With the Emergency, I wanted to learn more, but couldn’t find sources that felt impartial, rather than pushing one narrative or another.

The same happens with current events – like the Nepal protests, where news, Instagram, and Reddit all had different accounts. Even with Ladakh, I’ve seen conflicting versions.

So my question is: what are reliable sources to fact-check and verify information – even your podcast – without falling into partisan narratives?

Thanks.

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Kumud Shankar 

Hi Team, 

A sincere request. Can the NL team give some space to reporting by young independent journalists. The gruesome murder of Mukesh Chandrakhar and now Rajiv Pratap shows how unsafe India is for journalists. While people like Paranjoy Guha and Ajit Anjum have a support base, the young & independent ones have no one to stand for them. Eg in Charcha, Atul covers a report of the week. Why not start including these journalists? Or just create a tracker on the website for young journalists to update their investigation & threat perception. 

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Mohd Salman 

Hi NL team, 

It is incredible that the Honourable Justice DY Chandrachud went on a promo tour to so many people but the interview that exposed him the most was the paywalled one. Content is king, and it was a masterclass in patiently doing an interview and letting the subject out himself like that. No doubt you will all have a range of opinions on the subject so I won't say more, except that this interview made a superb case for paying to keep news free. I also liked the call for subscription Ravish made on your behalf in his follow up video to the interview.

Congrats again, much respect,

Salman 

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Abira Barman 

I am from the North East and stayed in many parts of India for my job. I would like to state a few things. In the 90s when insurgency was at its peak he (Zubeen Garg) would sing Bengali and Hindi songs in BIHU functions even though the use of Hindi and Bengali were banned by ULFA.

He had an opinion on political issues unlike most of the celebrities. He openly opposed the ruling government on the CAA issue.

I am a Bengali, but the pain I feel over his death is the same as any other Assamese. It's because he was above caste, language or religion.

I hope his life and work would make us all good humans.

ABIRA BARMAN-subscriber

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Sourjya Dutta (AI Summary)

Dear NL,

On Hafta 556, during the discussion on the 70-year-old woman deported from the US, Abhinandan’s remark that “everything is now peaceful so she should have come back earlier” felt quite callous in the context of asylum seekers. Asylum is not only about escaping political turmoil but also about deep trauma and real threats to life; even if things calm down years later, many may never want to return to the source of that trauma.

Also, being without immigration papers in the US is a civil violation, not in itself a criminal offense, and detaining and constricting people for that is deeply problematic.​

Harsh Mander, in conversation with Kunal Kamra, has powerfully described the Indian state’s cruel treatment of Rohingya refugees post-Pulwama, which would be important context for a discussion on how India treats immigrants and asylum seekers.​

Sincerely,

Sourjya Dutta

Jersey City, NJ

***

Srinath Sampath 

Hi Team,

Loved the former CJI’s interview and would like to hear Mr. Anand Vardhan’s opinion of the interviewee’s responses from a legal perspective. Mr Jain did well overall but personally, I would’ve preferred a more Mehdi Hasan style “I’m not letting you move forward without a clear response to my last question” approach. Especially when it came to his obfuscation around the lack of evidence to support his “original act of desecration” theory. 

I’m assuming the former CJI is trying to sell some books at this point in time but I’m always curious why people subject themselves to potential humiliation when there’s friendly media galore to have lollipop interviews with. 

Srinath Sampath

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Deepankar Khasnabish

Some thoughts: 

1. If Nepal is an inclusive society, and no minority religion to demonise, what are the diversions the elite used, and why so much pent-up frustration? The discussion missed the youth unrest in many neighboring countries. Is there a South Asia thread?

2. How India uses this opportunity to correct past attempts to muddy (Madhesis blockade, Hindu Rashtra push), and how it will play in India.

3. The size of India should not make us complacent. Studies have shown that around 3.5% of the streets can change regimes. What do we need to do differently?

4. Manisha, I think, is closest to Gen Z and has been to Nepal 10 days back, so calling her thoughts “romantic” sounded dismissive to me. Gen Z is also thinking, not just about age.

5. Anarchy, my understanding is not no rule of law, but rather where everyone has evolved to self-govern.

Warm Regards

***

Manan Shah

This is actually about the Newsance live hosted by Manisha on 13 Sept. 

The angle Nepo Kids of politician class and big business and the unavailability of jobs and decent living standards for the population at large – this is essentially exactly what the caste system is. No one is saying it but it’s not just a coincidence that the only Hindu country in the world – Nepal has this inequality. It is systematically designed, and we call it the caste system. I feel It is important to call this out – it is important to call out the caste system every single time anywhere, if we want to get rid of it. 

That’s how America got rid of slavery, every single instance has to be called out, the system has to be highlighted every single time. I am sad that the media or even protestors are not calling it what it is.

Best, Manan 

***

Vivek Velu 

Hi,  

Vivek Velu here. I enjoyed the discussion on China with Akshay Bhambri. I would very much love to hear more from him about Chinese culture and day to day life of a common Chinese citizen as he proposed. I would even vote for it to be a Let's Talk About show.

Thank you for the weekly podcast news, this has become a weekly habit for me and a wonderful source for recommendations.

On the tech side, I find The News Minute to have a smoother app experience than Newslaundry. Maybe you could collaborate with the tech teams and improve the Newslaundry app. Just some constructive criticism!

Keep doing what you are doing, I am privileged to be a subscriber.

Kind regards,

Vivek Velu

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Mala 

Hi Team, love your work as always. A request to Abhinandan, please stop interrupting Anand when he is speaking. For the last few appearances he has barely been able to get a word in. As a regular listener, I always wait for him to be on the panel as he usually provides good history and context for the topic at hand. Been disappointed at his sidelining these past few weeks despite being on the panels. 

Keep up the great work though! Warm Regards :)

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Madan Sharma 

Regarding Anand Vardhan’s article about US tariffs he mentioned India's ability to absorb pain. Is it not true that this pain is mainly borne by the poor? Or maybe the poor of India are used to enduring pain all the time?

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Shivansh Goyal

Dear NL team, 

Great work. Abhinandan, stop interrupting everyone, especially Anand. 

Best, 

Shivansh-long time subscriber

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Fauji Bhai 

Greetings!

Hafta 554 – Thank you Raman sir, for your comments. You don’t speak much on most episodes; but this time, your remarks on the ‘Gen Z Protests’ in Nepal were very insightful. The point that the media ‘romantisizes’ such events is so true. And I agree that there is more to this than meets the eye. Your humility in saying that you don’t have the necessary ‘sociological context’, in spite of being such an experienced Media Leader – was refreshing and humbling. 

Please participate more during Hafta discussions!

Thank you NL+TNM team for work you all do – and “all the best” for the Media Rumble; which, I truly regret I will not be able to attend – and that’s because you finalized the dates too late (after I had booked tickets for the Dusshera / Dassian Holidays)!

Jai Hind to everyone in NL and TNM. Keep up the good work. 

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Kumud Shankar 

Hi Team,

Apologies, this is the 2nd letter for the same podcast so it is fine if this is pushed out. Wrt the tariff discussions, I’ve 2 points. 1st pertains to the very Cong style narrative of Nehru getting betrayed by Zhou Enlai. Are we finally seeing Modi match up to Nehru with Trump being his Enlai? Can export subsidies like China mitigate especially when India (Ambani) has benefitted immensely from the lower fuel costs without any impact on consumer price?

On Abhinandan’s quipping on power, I believe the apex power trip unique to India is “how you are treated when in jail”? Examples: Manu Sharma, MSG & all the notorious dons. This is what differentiates power from money. An Ambani will do everything to stay out of jail, but a jail will break him. The truly powerful take makes it their Swiss vacation. 

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Akanksha 

Hey

I’ve been slowly easing my family into listening to Hafta - I do it by playing it in the car. A couple of weeks ago, my mom and I were listening when Abhinandan mentioned his age. She instantly went, “No way! He doesn’t sound like he’s in his 50s. I thought he was in his 30s!”

Thanks guys for making hafta more interesting every episode. 

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Simar 

I love Newsance and the idea of media reporting on media, a similar concept that I follow for news in the west is Ground News. I wonder if you have comments on how they classify blindspots for "left and right leaning" news outlets, and if something similar is even possible in the Indian context. It also might be interesting to have their team on a Hafta episode.

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Madan Sharma

In reference to Hafta 553 ,why not consider a let me explain series on China? 

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Ujjwal

Hi Abhinandan, 

Hope you and the team are well.

I was 22 years old when India Against Corruption started and supported the same, been to jantar mantar etc. 

Abhinandan I have this question for you: In hindsight don't you feel disappointed/cheated by Anna Hazare? Don't you think he was the stooge of RSS and made us believe that he is doing for the country?

I do feel now because in the last 11 years we haven’t heard anything from Anna? Hasn’t he found anything wrong worth speaking/standing for in the last 11 years?

Thank you.

***

Manas Mishra 

Since my last week hafta was left out, I am writing again. Is vote chori a top down issue or a bottom up issue? Every party has a BLO in SIR in Bihar and the number of rejoinder pleas by them does not match the hype created by Rahul Gandhi.

***

Amrinder Singh Hundal 

Hello all,

Abhinandan was talking about the uncertainty and ambiguity around Trump’s foreign policy. It could be judged from the fact that Russian diesel is sold to Ukraine via India. Ukraine imports 15 % of Russian diesel through India. So, by the logic of Trump and Navarro , Ukraine is helping the Russian war effort against Ukraine. What madness is this? A question for the panel? Let’s see if it can help us determine which is the best newspaper to read. Whichever newspaper I pick I see Modi glossed all over and then I start feeling nauseated. Which newspaper has the best opinion writers according to you guys?

Lastly, after seeing the Gaza genocide live streamed, has the erstwhile defenders of morality and democracy ie, the West , lost all moral ground to lecture global south ? Thanks.

***

Letter 2

Why would Trump get cozy with India when he gets following things from Pakistan?

1. Pakistan endorsed Trump getting Nobel Peace prize along with Israel

2. Pakistan invested in Trump’s cryptocurrency

3. The USA pampered India, so that one day it will be their answer to China. But Rafael planes getting shot down shocked the West and saw that India is no match for the west. So better step back!

4. Pakistan has rare earth minerals and it has asked the USA to mine them and keep a major share. This India doesn’t have.

5. The USA needs Pakistan to get its arms and military equipment that got stuck in Afghanistan, out of Afghanistan.

6. Modi bruised Trump’s ego by not visiting him during the American President’s election campaign.

These are things I see that have gotten India away from Trump’s America.

***

Saanaee Naik

Hi guys, 

Fantastic discussion by Akshay Bhambri, please bring him back soon. Also, Abhinandan please stop interrupting speakers while they are giving very interesting responses to very basic yet insightful questions (Manisha's questions in this case). Please consider doing a separate interview with him? Maybe an episode of LTA on China issues? Thank you, 

Saanaee

***

Prashant Chadda (AI Summary)

Dear Abhinandan and team,

Keep up the good work and passion for quality, fact-based journalism. A few observations on the 22 August and 5 September Haftas:

Shardul was right that Yuan use in trade has risen, but it’s still only about 4.5% (Q4 2024), far behind the dollar (~50%), euro and yen. BRICS de-dollarisation faces a big hurdle: a common currency would effectively mean the yuan, which India is unlikely to accept.

China invests in education and research, but its authoritarian system, closed economy and media, expansionism, and ethnic cleansing in Tibet make it an unreliable partner, especially given its claims over Indian territory. Putin’s aggression in Ukraine stems more from his “Akhand Russia” project than NATO “threats”; Eastern Europeans chose the West, and the war only expanded NATO.

The US, despite flaws, isn’t a security threat and remains vital for India in education, tech and trade. Please also consider a show on Japan—and Shardul, do check out Phantom Blade 0.

***

Mithilesh Nayak (AI Summary)

Dear NL Team,

Avid Hafta listeners here. We agree on understanding China beyond Indian media caricatures, but ep-553 fell short:

-Development concentration/ghost towns discussion relied on anecdotes, not data/reasoning. Real estate investment persists despite crisis—e.g., parents demanding grooms own houses.

-Expected deeper takes on Chinese views of Indians: Buddhism, colonial India's role in their "century of humiliation," Indo-Tibetan borders, QUAD—not just four panelist points.

-No caste, but Confucianism hierarchy endures: Han-Chinese dominance over sub-ethnic groups, plus gender divides.

-China's "tech edge" omits IP theft via laws and state-funded overseas education.

-Skip SCO leaders' body language (leave to mainstream media); focus on diplomatic/economic strategies.

Best,

Abhilasha Kamboj and Mithilesh Nayak

***

Ravinder Singh 

The youth protests that are happening in Nepal, and last year in Bangladesh. Both are 2 south Asian societies fighting against essentially inequality but in the name of “corruption & nepotism”.  In India also inequality, a new term for “the caste system” remains high, probably worse. When will Indian GenZ rise? Do we have any hopes?

In reality this is the only model (of violent protests) that can rescue a deeply unequal society. We have seen it in the French Revolution, in the Arab springs, and now we see it closer home. The non violent way allows the rich to escape, taking away the loot with them. What does the NL team think? I am kinda convinced that it’s either violence or sustained inequality which never goes out. 

***

Kay

Somewhat tangential but still relevant to Hafta 552, is the complete monopoly that one community has in India's startup space. I have been attempting to build within this space for a couple of years now and it is shocking how little anyone talks about the dominance of Baniya networks in India's so called startup revolution, whether in the founder space, or the venture capitalists themselves. A quick Google search will reveal this startling fact – that the reason why we tend to breed mediocrity, plagiarism, exploitation, and inefficiency within industry, is this complete lack of diversity, and the caste incestuous nature thereof. I wonder if this is something you would like to explore at Newslaundry because it's all well and good to criticise malpractice within Indian tech but if we don't interrogate the root cause reality of the space, the critique remains unidimensional. 

***

Raghav 

The discussion on dogs was quite interesting. Abhinandan please note it is not only the slum dwellers that walk on the road. I like to walk home from my workplace or gym. I have been attacked twice in the last one year and in Gurgaon I have learnt to walk with a stick or a brick in hand. I recently  bought a hiking stick from Decathlon for the dogs. I like dogs generally but the dog menace in public  spaces is real. I  was very happy when the SC brought this up. The acknowledgment of the problem is the starting of a solution. Hopefully we will reach a point where the loveable dogs cease to be a nuisance  and one has to not think twice about stepping out on the road because of them.

***

Kishan Rathore 

This is my first ever feedback, and it comes from prolonged frustration with the Newslaundry app. The podcasts take a long time to load, and if I close and reopen the app, they often never load at all. Since I usually listen while driving, this makes the experience very frustrating. I love your content and opinions, but the app issues make it hard to fully support you. I’m not sure if this is related to my location (US) or something else, but I hope your tech team can look into it.

Another issue is with the audio versions of articles. Many of them end abruptly before covering the full story. As I often rely on audio while driving or working, this makes it difficult to follow along.

I share this feedback out of genuine appreciation of your work and hope it helps improve the app experience.

***

Dr AK

My question to the panel is why the government cannot concede on dairy and agriculture? Dairy and agri products transported all the way from the US, produced by expensive US labor, are bound to cost more than Indian alternatives, so why is the government so scared?

On Twitter I noticed that some sections are afraid that “meat eating” cow milk will be sold in India. Idk the truth about that, but if that’s the case, the Indian consumer knows which product to buy. I don’t think American dairy and agri products can be competitive in India cos Indians produce that for lower cost.

This whole thing seems like the classic imposition of brahminical need for purity by a small minority on a vast meat eating majority.

Not an expert on this, but if I’m mistaken, I’d like to be corrected.

***

Amrinder Singh Hundal 

Hello NL,

I think the primary thing that Modi has done in the last 1 year is ‘irk Trump’. I think Trump wanted Modi to visit him when he was campaigning last year and Modi didn’t meet him. Modi didn’t want to irritate Kamala Harris, who Indian intel thought had a chance to win( I don’t know how). Modi played neutral and Trump being Trump has kept it in his heart this behaviour of Modi, which for Trump must have been like a betrayal. Secondly, Ambani is skimming rich dividends outta Russian oil and who dares to come in the way of his profits. The poor working class? No chance these poor citizens of India have got. They must bear the wrath of the Orange King! So let us all come together and Hail Modi and Hail Ambani too! Our dear Lords!

Amrinder Singh Hundal (हुंदल)

***

Letter 2

Dear NL,

After the SCO frenzy on legacy media,I’ve seen people of Punjab , especially from rural areas disenfranchised from India on a whole. Punjab’s funds haven't been released since infinity. Punjab gets just a phone call from Modi. 29 people are dead,4 lac acres of crops have been submerged in water. Even NL Charcha mentioned Himachal, UK, Rajasthan etc., but they skipped Punjab. Secondary embankments on Satluj 3 kms from my hometown Ferozpur almost breached, but people of our villages have been working non stop since 31 August to strengthen it. The state of Dam control (under the Union) can be judged from the fact that knowing future rains in Mountains would flood the dams, still they didn’t release water beforehand and waited to reach the upper limit in both Pong and Bhakra Dam (Beas and Satluj). Gates of Madhopur barrage on Ravi in Pathankot broke.

***

Gautam

Hello NL Team,

I've been a long-time subscriber and wanted to share some thoughts. After observing the recent introduction of the three bills by the BJP, it's increasingly evident that the government is running low on fresh ideas. Since 2019, most major legislations have focused more on control than on meaningful, long-term reform. This trend has felt even more hollow post-2024. While certain proposals like tax reduction and changes to waqf laws sparked intellectual debate, many lesser-known bills quietly passed with minimal scrutiny or discussion. It's concerning that Parliament – meant to be a space for robust legislative debate – often sidelines this core responsibility. Instead, legislation seems to be rushed through without adequate transparency or engagement. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this and appreciate the work you continue to do.

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