Hafta letters: Abhinandan’s cricket views, euthanasia discussion

Jyo 

On the euthanasia discussion, I agree with Jayashree that disability doesn’t equate to a bad life but the person should get to choose. But to go a step forward with this can be a gray area. If such rights are given to a person with disability, a phase might drive them to a decision. Though there are several examples around us where support groups, loved ones and a community have made someone’s life worth living so maybe it’s not that simple.

My other questions are for Abhinandan:

• On several occasions, you have given a disclaimer that Arvind Kejriwal is your friend. How do you handle reporting on your friends, especially when allegations are being made? And how do you meet them in a personal capacity during this time?

• How is it to be in the news business? Considering that your background isn’t specifically reporting and that you participate actively in conversations (you just don’t own NL). How did you step up to this role when you were younger?

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Jesal 

The panel missed out on a point that I think was important to state during the “religiosity in sports” discussion. Jay Shah is the ICC president, not the BCCI president. So the fact that he celebrated with the team after they won the World Cup, by going to a temple, is a major issue. He is supposed to be a neutral party here. I’m surprised Anand missed out on this fact. 

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Srijan

Hi team,

Long-time follower and proud subscriber here. My feedback is specifically for Abhinandan regarding his profound views on cricket. His bold claim that “cricket is not a sport” leaves me spellbound. Is he saying these things in jest or is he trying to ragebait?

I also passionately follow football, so his comparison escapes me. In fact, I consider cricket one of the most technical sports. The NL team should force him to sit through a scintillating five-day test (Ashes/Anderson-Tendulkar/WTC, etc.) after he finishes his Lord of the Rings binge.

Keep up the stellar work.

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Jagan 

The article on PG Wodehouse was interesting. Thanks to Jayashree for the recommendation. I don’t agree with the take, however. Wodehouse’s world is his invention. Criticise his personal behaviour all you want, but to criticise his work (or any comedic story/book/movie) for not reflecting reality well enough is absurd. You might as well ban the writing of fiction altogether.

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Chirag 

Hi,

Last week, it was my brother’s birthday, and I gifted him a joint NL-TNM subscription.

Now, time for my rant. A few weeks back, the I&B ministry told BARC to temporarily suspend TRPs to curb baseless war coverage. We can criticise Godi anchors, but the real culprits are the owners of these channels.

At the World Economic Forum, billionaires talk about firefighters, but ignore basic issues like the water crisis. Today, 12 people own more wealth than the poorest 4 billion. Many of these rich people do not care about the poor. 

Manisha is right. Stay mad; that’s the only way.

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Rafa 

Hello NL,

I’m eagerly waiting to listen to discussions on the humanitarian crises being caused in Cuba by the US. What's the solution to neo-imperialism? Why is there no one to question it?

Keep up the good work.

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Armand Joseph Calaco 

Abhinandan,

Please give us a hint about what Subramanian Swami said that was bleeped out in your interview teaser… if you hadn’t censored him, NL would probably get taken to court… Nonetheless, I think subscribers deserve a sneak peak.

Thank you for your incredible work and reportage. After many (wasted) years as a news junkie, I now restrict my intake to weekends, and Hafta and Charcha are invaluable tools for me to listen to intelligent discussions in a media hellscape. It’s very disheartening to see my family members fall for AI-generated content. Media literacy is probably the most important skill needed now. You give us so much hope. 

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Chaitanya 

Hi Abhinandan,

Just for calling cricket a “loser sport”, *** ***!

Keep up the good work, rest of the team.

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