Hafta letters: ‘I don’t understand why Chetan Bhagat continues to be invited’

Jeevan 

A quick suggestion: given NL Hafta runs close to two hours, it would help to have a quick 3-5 minute zero-base introduction at the start of each topic, so all listeners are on common ground before the discussion dives in.

I say this because in episode 597, both the Satluj discussion and the FIFA World Cup segment referenced names and events I had no context for. I don’t follow football closely, nor did I know the controversy around Satluj. So the entire discussion went over my head, and I found myself lost for most of that episode.

The introduction/short roundup of the discussion topic would really help listeners like me follow along and get the full value of the two hours we listen to you. 

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Shahzade 

Dear Abhinandan,

As a subscriber, I have always believed in Newslaundry's motto: “Mere Kharch Par Azaad Hain Khabrein.” It is precisely because I hold Newslaundry in such high regard that I write this with profound disappointment.

I covered the protests myself and witnessed the fear, anger, anguish and resolve of the young protesters firsthand. That is why I found the decision to include Chetan Bhagat deeply disappointing. A discussion on such a defining political moment deserved historians, political scientists, journalists who covered the movement, or constitutional scholars – not a commentator known more for sweeping generalisations than informed analysis. I fail to see what unique perspective he brought.

I hope Newslaundry remembers that editorial independence must coexist with accountability to its subscribers. We support you because we trust your judgment; when that trust falters, we expect our voices to be heard.

Maa Badaulat,

Shahzade Saleem

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Mohit 

Hi Abhi Bhai,

I’m sure you’ve heard this feedback before, but I genuinely don’t understand why Chetan Bhagat continues to be invited to Hafta. In my opinion, his contributions rarely add any meaningful depth to the discussion, and many of his observations feel superficial.

If you’re looking for someone with a liberal or satirical perspective, you already have a far stronger voice in your old friend Rajoura. It would be great to see Rajoura Bhai on Hafta sometime, especially on topics like protests.

A good example is Anurag Minus Verma’s podcast with ROFL Gandhi, which demonstrated the level of detail and nuanced discussion possible on the Jantar Mantar protests. This week’s Hafta, apart from the excellent in-house team, felt underwhelming. On an issue like the Jantar Mantar protests, there were so many on-ground journalists and independent YouTubers who could have offered valuable firsthand insights. Inviting Chetan Bhagat instead felt like a missed opportunity.

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