News and Views

877: Sadia and Aadil's Performance Gives 'Shikara' its Soul

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 11:56:56 GMT

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s latest directorial venture opens with the caveat that it’s a work of fiction based on true events. Also, we are told that the people we see on the screen at the refugee camps aren't just actors but actual refugees who were displaced and rendered homeless during one of the most tragic chapters in our country’s history - the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits.

It is Chopra’s most personal work so far and also his most restrained. The screenplay by him, along with Rahul Pandita and Abhijat Joshi weaves a tale of love and longing. An ode to Kashmir, to all the goodness, that it once stood for.

Tune in to the podcast!

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
VO: RJ Stutee

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877: 'Malang' Just Another One of Those Thrillers You Forget About

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 11:53:50 GMT

Two purposeless vagabonds with loads of money meet in Goa and decide to have fun in Malang. Soon, the viewers are in for a treat. There is a method to this madness. The free- spirited girl Sara we thought had no higher calling tells us she has many fears in life that she wants to conquer . For example she quips, “I want to be with a stranger and have fun.” Ahem.

Not just that, she wants to bungee jump and do a host of other things. But there was one particular ambition of her’s that really spoke to me. That was - “I want to have everything I can eat in a day.” Really ? Eat everything ? Was she simply hungry ? Was that the reason she was prancing around so much? Well, we had to give up that strain of thought soon because no one pursued it . The saga of a hungry heroine would have been so much fun, but instead we have an angry hero.

Tune in to the podcast for the full review.

Music: Big Bang Fuzz
VO: RJ Stutee

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876: A Kashmiri Journalist Explains the History of Militancy in the Valley

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 10:20:42 GMT

On the night of 19 January 1990, all hell broke loose in Kashmir — a place many think of as ‘Heaven on Earth’. Several mosques in Srinagar played the Azaadi slogans, asking the Indian security forces to quit: ‘aey jabiro, aey zalimo, Kashmir hamara chhor dou’ . They didn’t. Those who were in barracks and bunkers and at the borders were brought down to kitchens and bedrooms by the deafening chants. It triggered the exodus of the minority Kashmiri Pandits — who had started to move out in smaller numbers months prior. They call it ‘Holocaust Day’.

The following day, CRPF machine guns left over 50 Kashmiri Muslim demonstrators dead and scores injured in a peaceful procession at Gawkadal. Kashmiri Muslims remember 21 January as ‘the beginning of the genocide’ — ‘the first massacre’.These were turning points in Kashmir’s post-1947 political and cultural history that changed its socio-political landscape.

But the metamorphosis didn’t happen overnight. Tune in to the podcast for the full story!

Voiceover and Narration: Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha

Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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875: Does Budget 2020 Find Solutions For India’s Economic Slowdown?

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 08:30:48 GMT

At a time when the country is going through an economic crisis and requires big, bold reforms, Budget 2020 serves to be one that is ordinary. Many experts have even called it ‘disappointing’ and ‘disastrous.’

The share market fell sharply in the last five days, incurring losses of four lakh crores. There were expectations that the budget would provide the much needed respite, but that didn’t happen.

The Quint's Editorial Director Sanjay Pugalia analyses Budget 2020 to decode whether the steps taken by the government will help alleviate the economic crisis faced by the country.

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874: Review: ‘Jawaani Jaaneman’ Has Spunk, but Could Have Been Braver

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 03:06:53 GMT

Let’s start with a short rant about how trailers of films these days leave nothing to our imagination. That the girl our hero “picked up” from the pub could be his daughter. That there is at least 33.333% chance that it is true . In fact, the trailer also confirms it for us .

We even know that Jazz (Saif Ali Khan) is running away from committing to relationships as resolutely as he is trying to defy his growing age. So when we finally watch Jawaani Jaaneman, there aren’t too many surprises for us . However, director Nitin Kakkar and writer Hussain Dalal have taken a smart approach - they don’t depend on plot twists to hold our attention. The plot borders on the expected, even faltering frequently.

Listen to the podcast for the rest of the review!

Host: Stutee Ghosh
Producer: Zijah Sherwani

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873: All Dance & No Story Makes ‘Street Dancer 3D’ a Big Bore

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 08:08:47 GMT

Have you seen ABCD and ABCD 2? Faithfully consumed different types of dance reality shows? Then why even bother with Street Dancer? That too 3-D... Sigh. Remo D’Souza‘s latest offering as a director has Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor dancing it out in London.

Both can’t stand each other and belong to warring teams. Sahej is an Indian and Inayat a Pakistani, and their meeting ground is Anna AKA Prabhu Deva’s restaurant. From showing off their films based on their dance forms to indulging in donut fights, the eatery has seen it all.

For a film about dance, that too helmed by a well-known choreographer, Prabhu Deva’s inclusion seems only natural. Both Varun and Shraddha are known to wring their bodies into various enviable positions with grace. And this film also has some familiar faces who have wowed us in dance reality shows over the years like Dharmesh Yelande, Punit Pathak and Salman Yusuf Khan. Nora Fatehi, known to set fire to the stage, is a formidable presence. It’s another thing that she is completely sidelined and her track totally lost in the most absurd fashion.

The dance quotient is great even though there isn’t much that we haven’t seen or heard for that matter, considering it’s teeming with remixes. But some might argue that no one ever tires of watching Prabhudeva in ‘Muqqabla 2.0.’

Listen to the podcast for the FULL review!

Host: Stutee Ghosh

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872: Of Prison Fetishes and Death Rows: Inside the Four Walls of Tihar

Sat, 25 Jan 2020 13:30:55 GMT

Sunetra has been a journalist for many years and is currently the Political Editor for the Hindustan Times and the “confessions” that she writes about are Sunil Gupta’s own from his time in Tihar, where he was a jailer for 35 years.

In this podcast Gupta recalls the first day of his job when he bumped into none other than one of India’s most feared serial killer Charles Sobraj.

During his time in Tihar, Gupta also witnessed eight executions including those of terror convicts Afzal Guru and Yakub Memon and rapists Billa and Ranga. Much has been reported on these criminals and their cases and a lot is still being reported. For instance, recently, J&K DSP Davinder Singh who Afzal Guru had accused of torturing him in police custody was arrested in the company of militants.

Does Sharma think executions are necessary or should India do away with it?

Tune in to this podcast, for the full interview with Sunetra Choudhury and Sunil Sharma who share anecdotes about prison superstitions, fetishes and the anatomy of an execution!

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Sunil Sharma and Sunetra Choudhury, co-authors of “Black Warrants: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer”
Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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871: Kangana's Solid Performance Saves 'Panga' From Being Just Another Sports Drama

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 10:53:52 GMT

Panga is a film about a woman trying to live her dream. A dream she put in abeyance because life took an unexpected turn. It would be reductive to call Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s latest film just a sports drama. A kabaddi player trying to be back in the team is one thread that holds it together. However, unlike other such movies where everything is a lead up to that big athletic moment of adrenaline rush, Panga ‘s beauty lies in its soft, almost non-confrontational resistance against all odds to fulfill one’s desire.

Tune in to the podcast for the full movie review!

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870: Explained: How the Azad Hind Fauj Changed India’s Freedom Struggle

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 11:12:34 GMT

Subhash Chandra Bose’s Azad Hind Fauj – or Indian National Army (INA) – is a crucial chapter in India’s freedom struggle. How did an army comprising prisoners of war and formed on foreign soil fight for India’s freedom?

On Bose’s 124th birth anniversary on 23 January, we charted how the Azad Hind Fauj came into being, the war campaigns it fought, and the role it played in India’s Independence.

Host: Maanvi
Editor: Vishnu Gopinath

Watch the video explainer here.

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869: Forced Out of Home, Kashmiri Pandits Recall Horror of 19 January 1990

Sat, 18 Jan 2020 14:00:54 GMT

On the night of 19 January 1990, lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits were driven out of the Valley in the wake of the rising insurgency. Most of them were forced to leave without any belongings.

The Quint spoke with some Kashmiri migrants who have been living outside the Valley for the last 30 years. They talk about how their lives changed after they were exiled from their homeland.

Host: Garvita Khybri
Reporters: Garvita Khybri & Yogesh Sagotra
Editor: Shelly Walia

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868: 'Hum Dekhenge' Targeted Not Only in India But Also in Pak: Faiz’s Grandson Recounts

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 12:58:36 GMT

Dr Ali Madeeh Hashmi is a psychiatrist by profession even as poetry runs in his genes. Being Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s grandson, it’s only laazim that Dr Hashmi is also an author of two books and numerous articles, including an authoritative biography of the poet. Amidst the storm around Faiz’s poem ‘Hum Dekhenge’ in India, complete with the constitution of an IIT committee to judge the verse, The Quint's Nishtha Gautam spoke to Dr Hashmi about Faiz’s life, poetry, and wit.

Host: Nishtha Gautam
Sound Design: Fabeha Syed
Editor: Shelly Walia

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867: P Chidambaram Talks About BJP's 'Hindutva Politics', Budget 2020, and the Indian Economy

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 17:02:29 GMT

Former Union Minister P Chidambaram spoke to The Quint's Editorial Director Sanjay Pugalia in an exclusive interview on Wednesday, 15 January.

Mr Chidambaram talks about the economy, the BJP's policies, and how it's "too late" for the Centre to remedy the economy before the end of another financial year.

Host: Sanjay Pugalia
Guest: P Chidambaram, Former Union Minister

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866: Who is an Indian Citizen? How India Has Defined Citizenship Over the Years

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 07:00:55 GMT

“How are we making Indian citizenship so ridiculously cheap?”

I know what you’re thinking. Another story on what a politician thinks about citizenship in India. Except, this is not an argument made in 2020. Or even 2019. This is from 1949, when PS Deshmukh, India’s first Agriculture Minister, was debating citizenship in the Constituent Assembly.

Who is an Indian citizen, who isn’t and who can be — this is a question which has been debated in India since Independence.

Now, as we discuss Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019; the National Register of Citizens, and the aftermath of India’s partition again, let’s see how this debate has changed.

Host: Maanvi
Editor: Mohammad Ibrahim & Vishal Kumar

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865: What Triggered Conspiracies Around Lal Bahadur Shastri’s Death?

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 15:45:20 GMT

In 1965, Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of India, immortalised the India of his times with the slogan, “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”. There was a scarcity of wheat in the country and Shastri raised this slogan as a call for soldiers and farmers to defend India and also increase the production of food grains.

Not long after that his stint was cut short with his sudden untimely death on 11 January 1966, in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, which was then a part of the Soviet Union.

Even many decades after, the circumstances of his death are debated. And on his death anniversary we revisit the missing links that triggered these debates through the accounts of the late veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar who was in to Tashkent with the former Prime Minister.

We also spoke to his son Anil Shastri, who was then only 16-years-old, to know of what Shastri's family's demands are and also what he remembers of his father. Tune in!

Music: Big Bang Buzz

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864: Historical Inaccuracies Aside, ‘Tanhaji’ Is Visually Stunning

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 11:08:45 GMT

Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior - yet another film to tell us that the Marathas were great! Obviously we can’t hold it against them, can we? Ajay Devgn’s 100th film sees him essaying the role of the brave Maratha warrior Tanhaji Malusare, one of the closest aides of Shivaji Maharaj. The Kondhana fort was of strategic importance for the then Mughal ruler to fortify his hold on the southern base of India. Shivaji Maharaj sent Tanhaji to capture it and Aurangzeb sent Udaybhan Rathore aka Saif Ali Khan to defend the fortress. On the big screen we see Ajay Devgn and Saif Ali Khan battle it out in 3-D!

Tune in to this podcast for the full review!

Host: RJ Stutee

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863: Despite Flaws, ‘Chhapaak’ Tackles a Powerful Topic With Sincerity

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 11:06:12 GMT

Chhapaak opens with protests against the barbaric Nirbhaya rape case in 2012. As tear gas and police lathis meet the spirited protestors , there’s an eerie similarity to what is happening in the country today. Among the protestors is a father carrying a passport- size photo of his daughter’s disfigured face, and that is trying to catch the attention of a TV journalist. Women and the crimes against them are still vying for attention from mainstream media!

Tune in to this podcast for the full review!

Host: RJ Stutee

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862: As NRC Not Off the Table, What About Flawed Foreigners Tribunals?

Thu, 09 Jan 2020 09:25:12 GMT

For now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put the brakes on his government’s plans for a pan-India National Register of Citizens or NRC. But, it is not a complete rollback.

In May 2019, PM Modi took a key step towards a nationwide NRC by amending the Foreigners (Tribunals) Order of 1964 – making it applicable throughout India, effectively allowing the government to set up foreigners tribunals in every Indian state.

But why does the government want to set up foreigners tribunals in all the states? And more importantly, what does a foreigners tribunal do?

We bring you this investigation from The Quint.

Host: Poonam Agarwal, Head of Investigations, The Quint

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861: The Real Fallout of Fake News in 2019

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 09:10:01 GMT

From the Pulwama terror attack to nationwide protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 saw a barrage of misinformation/disinformation along with the regular news cycle.

The Quint spoke to some of the people who became the target of fake news and how these events impacted their lives.

Read the story here.

Host: Divya Chandra
Editor: Vishnu Gopinath

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860: Bollywood’s Role in Times of Political Crisis: A Quint Roundtable

Fri, 03 Jan 2020 07:56:00 GMT

Swara Bhasker, Varun Grover, Anubhav Sinha, Renuka Shahane, and Neeraj Ghaywan join us for a discussion on Bollywood's role in contemporary Indian politics, at a time when massive protests against CAA and NRC continue across the country, as does violent police repression in places such as Uttar Pradesh.

Do film industry professionals have a responsibility to speak up at such times of political turmoil, or is that an unfair expectation to burden them with?

Tune in to this podcast!

Host: Meghnad Bose
Guests:
Swara Bhaskar, Actor
Varun Grover, Comedian & Lyricist
Anubhav Sinha, Director
Renuka Shahane, Actor
Neeraj Ghaywan, Director

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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859: The Most Unforgettable Films of the Last 20 Years

Tue, 31 Dec 2019 07:10:34 GMT

It’s that time of the year when listicles descend on us from everywhere .

‘Top 5’ this to ‘10 Best’ that and so, we decided to go ahead and make our own list of films and cinematic moments from the last two decades that have become so much a part of our popular culture that we can’t imagine our lives without them anymore .

These might not be the best films of the year, cinematically talking, but they sure are ‘sticky’ enough to resonate with us and to be a part of our collective consciousness forever.

Here are the best of the last two decades, in no particular order!

Host: Stutee Ghosh
Editor & Producer: Zijah Sherwani

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858: Akshay and Kareena Light Up the Sperm Mix-up Saga in ‘Good Newwz’

Fri, 27 Dec 2019 05:28:07 GMT

Directed by Raj Mehta , Good Newwz is a smartly made film that knows its strengths and plays to them. For one, it’s an extremely good looking film with people with blessed genes inhabiting almost every frame. A special mention for Kareena Kapoor who looks absolutely stunning. From the sets to the clothes, the beauty is everywhere. Also, the pace compliments the proceedings, so even if there are a couple of average scenes or a few flat jokes here and there, we don’t linger on to complain.

Of the two couples in the film Good Newwz - one of them calls it a “sperm- mix-up” and the other a “spam-mixer” and that should give us an idea about how different their worlds are. Deepti and Varun (Kareena Kapoor Khan and Akshay Kumar), a Mumbai based posh couple versus Honey and Monika (Diljit Dosanjh, Kiara Advani), the loud, jovial Punjabi husband and wife. The only thing common between them is their surname - Batra, which is also the main reason for all the confusion and chaos that ensues.

Listen to the podcast for the rest of the review!

Host: Stutee Ghosh
Producer: Zijah Sherwani

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Is Modi’s Untruth About NRC an Attempt to Stop Growing Protests?

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 12:43:41 GMT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on the NRC at a BJP rally contradicts his own Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement in Parliament. So, if Modi and Shah are saying two completely contradictory things, whom do you believe?

On this doublespeak of the government on plans for a nationwide NRC exercise, I Have A Question.

Tune into the podcast for more.

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857: Fact Check: PM Modi’s Claim That India Has No Detention Centres is Misleading

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 11:41:46 GMT

PM Narendra Modi's speech at Ramlila Maidan kick-started BJP's campaign in Delhi. People were watching the speech for some comment on the violence that took place during the anti-CAA protest just 500 m from Ramlila Maidan. But most of the statements made by PM Modi were misleading. Here are some fact-checks on the statements made by the prime minister in his speech.

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856: WebQoof Roundup: Here's All The Fake News Around CAA Protests

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 06:49:19 GMT

Fake videos, old pictures and manipulated content has once again flooded the internet in light of the nationwide protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

These unverified posts are targeting protesting students and Delhi Police alike. The Quint's WebQoof team has identified and debunked at least nine fake news stories in the past five days.

Let's go over them today.

One of the most viral video clips, shared by many BJP functionaries including the party's IT cell head Amit Malviya, hit out at students of Aligarh Muslim University for raising 'anti-Hindu' slogans.

In his tweet, Malviya said that “AMU students are chanting Hinduon ki kabr khudegi, AMU ki dharti par..”' and this particular tweet has garnered over 11,000 reactions.

Listen to the podcast for the rest.

Host: Kritika Goel
Editor: Sandeep Suman

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855: ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh’ Fails to Explore Modern-Day Relationships

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 07:16:06 GMT

Pati - Abhinav Tyagi. Patni - Vedika Tripathi, and Woh - Tapasya Singh ! That’s our world for 128 minutes . Abhinav Tyagi (Kartik Aaryan) and Vaidehi Tripathi ( Bhumi Pednekar) have an arranged alliance, where on their first meeting, Vaidehi tells Abhinav aka Chintu that she likes “sex” and because rebellion doesn’t seem to suit her she would rather give restriction a chance . He is instantly floored by her declaration, and the saat pheres commence quickly. After three years of marital bliss, Tapasya Singh aka Ananya Panday knocks at Tyagi ji’s door and all hell breaks loose.

Tune in to this podcast for the full review!

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854: ‘Mardaani 2’ Suffers From Patchy Writing Despite Good Performances

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 06:59:36 GMT

Rani Mukerji reprises her role of Inspector Shivani Roy. In her previous outing, she uncovered a child-trafficking racket. Years later, Inspector Shivani is now posted as SP in Kota. Still as fierce and a no-nonsense cop, this time around she is being challenged by a psychotic serial killer who rapes and then tortures his female victims . The misogyny mouthed by him is nauseous and the attack carefully planned.

We dive into this barbaric world where director Gopi Puthran doesn’t waste much time in telling us about a killer on the loose. It’s a relentless battle of wits, the crime committed is barbaric and the attacker always a step ahead of the police.

Tune into this podcast for the full review!

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853: ‘Panipat: The Great Betrayal’ Is a Boring History Lecture

Fri, 06 Dec 2019 11:39:49 GMT

Let’s just call it Ashutosh Gowariker’s version of history, but even then Panipat: The Great Betrayal is a hard pill to swallow. The action starts from Shaniwarwada in Pune, the capital of the Maratha empire and moves on to Panipat - where the epic battle was fought. At 173 minutes, with an army of writers responsible for the dreary screenplay, Gowariker’s Panipat seemed to have lasted as long as the war.

Tune in to this podcast to listen to the full review!

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852: ‘Hotel Mumbai’ Is a Solid, Gritty Reminder of the Horrors of 26/11

Thu, 28 Nov 2019 07:04:45 GMT

The problem with films based on real life events is that one is already aware of how things will pan out. And so, the challenge lies in keeping us invested in the story.

In this respect, Hotel Mumbai excels. We plunge headlong into the events that led to the dastardly terrorist attacks on Mumbai in 2008, and director Anthony Maras – who has also written the screenplay along with John Collee – keeps his hold on the narrative steady and focused.

The cold efficiency with which violence is depicted and how it disrupts the rhythm of everyday life in the busy lanes of Mumbai has an accompanying foreboding tone that is hard to ignore.

Even as the background music is kept to the minimum, the unmissable sound of ricocheting bullets keeps us at the edge of our seats. A casual conversation between two people is suddenly disrupted as one of them drops dead.

For most of us, the memories of 26/11 are still fresh in our minds even 11 years on. We were glued to our TV sets as we followed the tense moments of the crisis; and so the use of real-time footage is both clever and hugely impactful.

In fact, the film even manages to astutely show the many lapses in security that happened due to the live coverage of the attack by media. The gaze is democratic.

Listen to the podcast for the full review.

Host: Stutee Ghosh

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851: Malcha Mahal: A Royal Mess of Myths and Lies

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 13:18:46 GMT

Delhi of the early seventies. A woman appears, almost out of nowhere, and declares herself to be a queen – Begum of Awadh to be more specific.

She comes with an entourage of servants, around 15 hounds and her two children - Princess Sakina and Prince Cyrus. What she is looking for is a palace befitting of a royal family.

It takes her around eight years to get the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, to accept her claim. That she had been wronged. That she deserved the dignity of a royal.
And a palace she is given finally not exactly what she had in mind but this would have to be it — Malcha Mahal.

If the name suggest any sense of grandeur, the place is devoid of it. Because well, Malcha Mahal is not exactly a palace but a 14th Century hunting lodge made of stone tucked away in the middle of a jungle in central Delhi. Over the next handful of decades, the mystery that the Begum brought with her would pique everybody's interests.

They were a lonesome lot, living in the middle of civilization yet so far away from it. They shooed away visitors, rarely appeared in public like the other erstwhile royals. They'd continue to live in Malcha Mahal uncared for, unkempt, in abject poverty like ghosts, unable to come to terms with the present till the last of them Prince Cyrus would pass away in 2017. And then comes an interesting twist. These royal descendants of Awadh were not royals after all.

There was an inkling that something was amiss about the whole charade of royalty- but what exactly was it? That was story that journalists here were trying to crack for decades unsuccessfully until very recently when the mystery was disentangled by Ellen Barry a journalist for New York Times.

Tune in to this podcast where journalists recount their visits to Malcha Mahal and their encounters with the recluse prince.

In Photos: The ‘Danse Macabre’ in Malcha Mahal

Editor and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guests: Jaskirat Singh Bawa, Senior Editor, The Quint
Rupinder Kaur, Former Journalist
Producer: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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850: Remembering 26/11: Survivors of 2008 Mumbai Attack Recount Their Tale of Horror

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 12:54:25 GMT

10 LeT terrorists launched coordinated attacks on several prime locations in Mumbai on November 26, 2008. Many innocent lives were lost and some survived to tell the tale. The physical wounds may have healed for these survivors, but the memories of the fateful night are still etched in their minds.

On the anniversary of the 26/11 attacks, some survivors rewind to the gruesome night. Tune in to the podcast!

Reporter: Divya Talwar
Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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849: My Father Was My Superhero: 26/11 Braveheart Hemant Karkare’s Daughter Pens Memoir

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 11:41:13 GMT

Hemant Karkare was eating dinner with his family on the night of 26 November 2008 when Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists orchestrated 12 attacks in Mumbai that would last for four days.

Being the Joint Commissioner of Police and the chief of the Mumbai’s Anti-Terrorist Squad Karkare left the dinner only to be killed in action outside Cama hospital.

Eleven years since Jui Karkare lost her father Hemant Karkare to the 26/11 attacks, she is releasing a book 'Hemant Karkare — A Daughter’s Memoir'. Jui who is the eldest amongst her three siblings spoke to The Quint about her book and her father.

Editor and VO: Shorbori Purkayastha
Reporter: Ankita Sinha
Producer: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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848: There is No Method in the Messy 'Pagalpanti'

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 13:35:54 GMT

How much can one really say about a film that doesn’t have anything to say itself?

A character called Neeraj Modi (Inaamulhaq) - even with the last letter of the first name changed, it does bring to mind a certain fugitive diamond merchant named Mr Modi. He is the bad man here and as our leading men make a mincemeat of him, patriotism becomes the last refuge of Pagalpanti.

“Desh ke liye ise aur desh ka churaya hua paisa” is actually uttered in this make belief world of do-gooders who might be the brand ambassadors of bad luck but have “desh bhakti ka jazba” still throbbing in their hearts .

Listen to the podcast for the rest of the review!

Host: Stutee Ghosh

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847: Hero or Villain — Where Do We Place Tipu Sultan in Indian History?

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 11:00:38 GMT

Hazrat Tipu Sultan — the 18th century ruler of Mysore who's long gone but he still can’t shake off controversies in modern Indian politics. He's perhaps one of those historical figures of India with an identity crisis. Different aspects of his rule have been highlighted by different people for political reasons... and there's really no consensus yet on how we should see his life and work in modern India.

You’re listening to a special News and Views podcast on The Quint and I’m Shorbori – and yes, you guessed it right, I am gonna be talking about Tipu Sultan in this podcast and try –– with the help of scholars and historians – and understand the controversy surrounding the historical figure. Is he the Tiger of Mysore? Or Is he a tyrant? Is he a freedom fighter? Or is he a murderous bigot? Or is he perhaps the genius who used the first rockets against the British? — It all depends on who you're asking.

Tune in to this podcast!

Host and Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
Reporter: Arpita Raj
Producer: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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846: India's Day-Night Test Debut Comes With Pink Ball Problems

Thu, 21 Nov 2019 13:30:14 GMT

Indian cricket will finally embrace the pink revolution after initial reluctance when Virat Kohli's seemingly infallible side lock horns with a deflated Bangladesh in their maiden Day/Night Test starting in Kolkata on Friday.

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845: ‘Is It Ambedkar, Periyar Followers Who Lynch?’ Students Ask Ramdev

Thu, 21 Nov 2019 11:19:54 GMT

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev recently courted controversy when he called followers of BR Ambedkar and Periyar “ideological terrorists” in an interview with TV anchor Arnab Goswami. Followers of the Indian reformers and social icons from across the country reacted sharply to Ramdev’s remarks.

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844: What Swami Chinmayanand Rape Case Did to Shahjahanpur And its People

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 08:58:51 GMT

The sexual assault case involving former union minister and BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand, grabbed headlines in August 2019 after the 23-year-old law student who accused him went missing after she posted a video on Facebook alleging a ‘sant samaj’ leader was threatening to kill her and has ruined many girls’ lives.

Ironically, as the case caught nation's attention and was talked about all across, Shahjahanpur, Chinmayanand's stronghold, fell silent. This case left the town unable to decide who is at fault, whom do they support, the girl or Chinmayanand?

I traveled to the heart of the Chinmayanand Rape Case controversy to find out. Tune in to The Big Story!

Host and Reporter: Zijah Sherwani
Editor: Shorbori Purkayastha
Producer: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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843: Yuvraj Singh Talks About Life After Retirement, Says Prefers Playing 2-3 Formats Yearly

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 05:30:19 GMT

Former India batsman Yuvraj Singh, who bid adieu to international cricket earlier this year, has said that he is currently enjoying his life post-retirement. After announcing his retirement in June this year, Yuvraj, who represented India in 40 Tests, 304 ODIs and 58 T20Is, participated in the Global T20 tournament in Canada and is currently plying his trade in the Abu Dhabi T10 league.

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842: Motichoor Chaknachoor Falls Victim to Cliches Despite Unusual Take - Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 12:54:01 GMT

She is a tall, fair and pretty woman in her 20s who dreams of getting married and settling down abroad . He, on the other hand, is a 36-year-old shy and average-looking man burdened with family responsibilities and desperate to get married. Motichoor Chaknachoor tells the story of Annie (Athiya Shetty) and Pushpinder Tyagi (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) who come together despite having completely opposite personalities. Not surprisingly, this results in a host of problems for them and those around them.

Directed by Debamitra Biswal, Motichoor is a mixed bag of some fine performances and a beautifully-created small town milieu while being frustratingly repetitive. Athiya Shetty is a revelation, though.

Her pairing with Nawaz seemed odd initially but ends up being oddly satisfying. The two hail from very different worlds and in the film Pushpinder is everything that Athiya doesn’t want to be. Except that she badly wants the “Dubai-returned” tag that he flaunts.

At one point Nawaz’s Pushpinder even pointedly asks her “kya aap patthar per khadi hain?”

What next? Listen to the podcast for the full review.

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841: ‘Marjaavaan’ Is a Test of Our Patience: Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 10:34:44 GMT

Marjaavaan translates to “I will die” and one can easily come to this fatal conclusion after having been numbed by 135 minutes of the film. I was wondering what the problem with the film really is and then it struck me - director Milap Zaveri takes himself too seriously and so does the film. And that’s the problem, because Marjaavaan is actually a closet comedy. It does not mean to be hilarious, but ends us being so.

Everyone in the movie is delegating their work to poor Raghu aka Sidharth Malhotra. There is the water mafia head who Raghu is indebted to because he picked him up from the gutter and brought him up.

So, Raghu ensures that Anna’s (Nassar) dhanda (business) functions smoothly without any hurdles. Arzoo (Rakul Preet Singh) has outsourced the protection of her izzat abroo to Raghu. Zoya (Tara Sutaria) wants him to play the harmonica.

His friends, who have been tortured by the midget Vishnu (Riteish Deshmukh), wait for Raghu to come out of jail and take revenge.

Then there is Ravi Kishan playing a cop who also wants Raghu to testify against his boss . Even the cop will not go investigate someone else!

Listen to the podcast for the full review!

Host: Stutee Ghosh
Editor: Zijah Sherwani

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840: Do Current Economic Conditions Hint At Impending Crisis?

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 06:18:04 GMT

There’s bad news on the economic front – GDP rate has slipped drastically to 5 percent and inflation rate has soared. Despite the bold steps taken by the government to revive the economy of late, the desired results haven’t been achieved owing to a rather complex situation.

A few economists discern clear signs of a slowdown while other think it’s the beginning of an economic contraction – begging the question – Is India on the brink of an economic crisis?

Let's take a look at some numbers:

The projected GDP growth rate for the second quarter is 4.25 percent to 4.74 percent.

GDP projections by experts:

SBI’s Chief Economist Soumyakanti Ghosh – 4.2 percent
Nomura's Sonal Verma - 4.2 percent
ICRA’s Aditi Nair - 4.7 percent
Kotak Securities’ Shubhdeep Rakshit - 4.7 percent

The actual numbers will be released by the end of November. However, it’s safe to assume India’s GDP growth will languish at around 5 percent. SBI’s already revised its earlier projection of 6.8 percent to 5 percent.

Listen to the podcast for the full story!

Host: Sanjay Pugalia

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839: Nathuram Godse, the Man Who Killed Mahatma Gandhi

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 05:03:51 GMT

The date is 30 January, 1948. A little over five months have passed since India's independence from the British Raj. As the sun sets, the air is electric in Delhi's Birla House.

The reason - Mahatma Gandhi is about to address a prayer meeting. Gandhi walks to the stage from his room, supported by Manuben and Abha, his two grand-nieces.

As he nears the stage, a man wearing khaki breaks loose from the crowd and kneels before them. Manuben says, “Bapu is already late. Why do you embarrass him?”

But the words have barely left her mouth, when three deafening gunshots ring out. Gandhi falls to the floor. Three bullets finding their mark in his torso. The crowd goes numb, for a moment. And then erupts.

The assassin surrenders and asks for the police. He's arrested and taken away.

Moments later a doctor confirms that Mahatma Gandhi is dead.

The assassin's name would be remembered forever in history - Nathuram Godse, the man who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi.

This is a special podcast about the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, and the man who pulled the trigger - Nathuram Godse. Godse was hanged to death on 15 November 1949. The reasons that drove him to assassinate Gandhi have often been misunderstood or plainly misrepresented.

I sat down with Anup Sardesai, the author of Nathuram Godse: The Untold Truth to understand the other side of the story. What happened to him and his family after the assassination? Why did he kill the father of the nation?

Host & Producer: Vishnu Gopinath
Guest: Anup Sardesai, Author(Nathuram Godse: The Untold Truth)

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838: Explainer: Key Arguments That Will Decide Ayodhya Dispute in SC

Fri, 08 Nov 2019 16:03:18 GMT

A dispute that began in 1949 and stretched right upto 2019 will hopefully get closure soon. The Supreme Court is set to deliver a verdict on the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid title dispute case before 17 November, and calling the case complex would be an understatement.

Will Ayodhya finally see the end of the tunnel?

This is part two of The Quint's special explainer podcast on the Ayodhya dispute.

Irrespective of what the SC judgment turns out to be it’s sure to have an impact on the Indian people, their society and politics. In this podcast we deep dive into the history of this long-drawn litigation, and also take a look at the arguments that have been made in the court from each of the parties, that will form the basis of the verdict. Tune in!

Listen to Part 1: Explained: How Babri Demolition in 1992 Changed India

Editor and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Guest: Vakasha Sachdeva, Legal Editor, The Quint
Producer: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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837: 'A Pakistani Showed Me Extent of Guru Nanak's Influence'

Fri, 08 Nov 2019 14:21:30 GMT

Here's what Oxford University professor and Punjab expert Dr Pritam Singh had to say about the political, cultural and diplomatic significance of Kartarpur Corridor's opening for both India and Pakistan, against the backdrop of Guru Nanak Dev's 550th birth anniversary.

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836: Explained: How Babri Demolition in 1992 Changed India

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 15:44:19 GMT

A 16th Century mosque, the mythological birthplace of Ram and modern politics –these are the three elements that brought about a new chapter in Indian society and politics.

The more we talk about the Ayodhya dispute, the longer the discussion stretches, after all, the legal dispute has been going on for 70 whole years. And whatever has transpired in these years changed its people, their society and politics.

A Supreme Court verdict is expected to give it some closure and while we wait for that verdict, tune into the first part of special explainer podcast by about the Ayodhya dispute where we break down this highly complicated history of the whole conflict.

Listen to Part 2: Explainer: Key Arguments That Will Decide Ayodhya Dispute in SC

Host: Shorbori Purkayastha
Producer: Shelly Walia

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835: Air Pollution Crisis: Docs Explain What’s Happening to Your Body

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 08:10:11 GMT

Are you suddenly feeling tired? Getting headaches? Feeling that something’s wrong with your digestion? It’s probably not work, or food. At this time of the year if you're in the Delhi-NCR region, it’s probably pollution.How do we stay safe and positive in the time of toxic conditions?

You’re listening to The Quint.

Pollution easily becomes the most used word in Delhi every winter - and it’s here again. It didn’t take too long after Diwali for the Air Quality Index to drop to hazardous but it’s business as usual.

For the last handful of years, Delhi as a city has been trying to get more conscious about checking pollution but there’s a long way to go. But in the meantime, some of us have to step out of our houses for work and wade through the smog, through the concentration of the fine particulate matter. And it’s not just our respiratory systems that it’s affecting but also our minds, hearts, lungs, guts - everything.

But how do we remain healthy when all the odds are against us? For this special podcast we spoke to doctors about how to detect the early signs of the negative impacts of pollution and what can we do to live through these dire times.

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834: Early Beginnings: Watch an 18-Yr-Old Virat Kohli’s First Interview

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 18:43:51 GMT

The Virat Kohli that we see today leads the Indian cricket team in all formats, breaks year-old records with the bat, and inspires generations of young cricketers in the country.

But what was he like before he became an under-19 World Cup-winning captain, before he carried Sachin Tendulkar on his shoulders after India’s 2011 World Cup triumph, and before he made his senior international debut?

Virat Kohli needs no introduction, you’ve seen him everywhere, on billboards, on TV, giving interviews, press conferences but on the occasion of his birthday, in this podcast we bring to you the very first interview that Kohli gave as an 18 year old.

Along with his Ranji Trophy teammate Puneet Bisht, teen Kohli talks ahead of India’s 2007 World Cup campaign in West Indies, about Sehwag's selection, his opinions on chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar's public announcements as well as endorsements and many other things.

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833: Novel Idea Fails to Save Poor Writing in ‘Ujda Chaman’

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 05:33:53 GMT

Chaman Kohli is in need of a bride! A Hindi lecturer by profession who stays with his parents and younger brother in Delhi’s Rajouri Garden, he religiously devotes his weekends to the pursuit of acquiring a wife. The only problem - his receding hairline that exposes him to unimaginable, often quite exaggerated ridicule at the hands of all prospective brides and their families! His students make fun of him, his friends pull his leg and even the pandit ji his parents take him to gives him just a year to get married or he would be doomed to a life of celibacy.

Chaman Kohli (Sunny Singh) understandably is desperate and as a man pushed to a frightening brink, tries every trick in the book to get hitched . Based on the Kannada film Ondu Motteya Kathe, director Abhishek Pathak delves into the subject of premature balding armed with humour - sometimes banal and at other times over the top. Tune in to this podcast for the full review!

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832: The Lost Generation of 1984 - Survivors of the Anti-Sikh Riots

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 13:32:25 GMT

On 31 October, 1984, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh. In the three days that followed, anti-Sikh riots gripped Delhi and other parts of the nation. Sikhs in Delhi and other parts were targeted and attacked by mobs.

Official estimates put the death toll at more than 3,000.

Unofficial estimates place the number much higher. For the ones who survived the riots, life was left in tatters.

This is the story of those who were children when the riots broke out, the ones who survived the attacks, but carry the emotional and mental wounds to this day.

These are their voices. This is the lost generation of 1984.

Reporter & Producer: Tridip Mandal

Video Journalist: Abhay Sharma & Shiv Kumar Maurya

Editor: Kunal Mehra

Host: Vishnu Gopinath

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831: From a Courtesan to Mallika-e-Ghazal, Here is The Story of Begum Akhtar

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 03:03:18 GMT

In this special podcast on Begum Akhtar, The Quint’s Fabeha Syed caught up with writer Yatinder Mishra who has compiled his research on classical singer Begum Akhtar in a book called ‘Akhtari’. He also explains that how tawaifs or courtesans played a huge part in teaching mannerisms to children of their elite neighborhood, how the stigma of being a tawaif was washed away when she married an Oxford educated lawyer, and how a compromise in her marriage made her very sick.

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830: ‘Housefull 4’ Is A Regressive Comedy That Takes Us Back 600 Years - Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 07:39:10 GMT

The Housefull franchise that birthed in the year 2010 has been consistent with its brand of humour. Frankly if you already subscribe to its brand of childish word play, WhatsApp-forward jokes, casual sexism, objectification of women and random bizarre plot lines, there is little in Housefull 4 that can change your perception. In fact there is precious little that can be achieved by going through this review if you already have “crossed the rubicon” and found refuge in the “brainless masala comedy genre” or whatever it is that we have coined to somehow justify films such as this.

How does one go in for a film with zero expectations and still come out disappointed? Yours truly is having a tough time figuring out! Housefull 4 with the usual suspects , Akshay, Reitesh, Ranjeet, Chunky Panday and some new additions like Kriti Sanon , Kriti Kharbanda, Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol and Rana Daggubati is here. A reincarnation comedy where in 1419, 3 couples couldn’t live happily ever after due to an evil conspiracy come back 600 years later to right the wrongs of their previous birth.

Host: Stutee Ghosh

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829: Rajkummar’s ‘Made in China’ Is a Lukewarm Comedy Turned PSA - Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 07:37:06 GMT

Made in China is a film that till it’s last scene doesn’t know what it wants to be . It starts off as a thriller when a Chinese diplomat on a trip to Gujarat dies mysteriously overdosing on what appears to be a killer aphrodisiac. Then one character speaks about how Indians might want better roads but what they really need is better sex!

Raghu aka Rajkumar Rao is a harmless young man who spends time watching motivational videos by a certain “Chopra” (Gajraj Rao) on TV and trying to navigate the losses from his various entrepreneurial misadventures. When he decides to venture into an Indo-Chinese business of a sex potion that claims to be the cure for all kinds of disappointments in bed one is bound to believe that a sex comedy is what the makers are after!

Listen to the podcast for the rest of the review!

Host: Stutee Ghosh

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828: This Diwali, Pick Family Over Fireworks & Sweets Over Smoke

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 11:43:36 GMT

Happy Diwali! The year’s almost over and Diwali is here again.

I don’t burst crackers but what I do is talk a lot, so on Diwali I went around asking people some IMPORTANT questions.

What does Diwali mean to you? What do you LIKE about Diwali? What do you dislike about Diwali?

Spoiler alert: Most people don’t like the pollution.

Anyway that’s the basic premise here, so listen to the podcast for the whole, FUN story!

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827: Saand Ki Aankh - Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 04:47:33 GMT

Saand ki Aankh literally translates to “bull’s eye”, and this comes naturally to Chandro and Prakashi Tomar. Having discovered their flair for shooting and hitting the bull’s eye well past their prime, these dupatta-clad grandmothers earned themselves the sobriquet of “shooter daadis”!

Debutant director Tushar Hiranandani’s film Saand ki Aankh draws inspiration from their lives.

The film begins in the year 1999. It’s in the Johri village of Bagpat that we first meet the spirited women.

In hushed tones and shared moments of joy they somehow manage to create a safe zone in the minefield of archaic rules that the resident patriarch shoves down their throats.

The women must cover their heads with ghunghat (veil). So much so that the women are identified actually by the colour of their dupattas. They can’t leave the house without a male companion. The only thing that awaits them is marriage and pati ki seva (taking care of the husband).

For the FULL review, listen to the podcast!

Host: Stutee Ghosh

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826: NRC: What Happens To The Ones Left Behind?

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 08:53:52 GMT

More than 19 lakh people have been excluded from Assam's National Register of Citizens.

So what happens to them? Can they prove they are Indians or they will end up as "illegal foreigners" and be sent to a detention camp?

We travelled to Assam to understand the fate of the ones left behind.

Listen to the podcast or you can click here to watch the full documentary.

Host and Reporter: Tridip K Mandal

Podcast Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha

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825: The United Nations Is Long Overdue For Some Reform, So Why Won't They?

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 06:15:09 GMT

24 October marks United Nations Day, the day the UN was founded, in 1945. The UN Charter came into effect in 1945, with United Nations Day being celebrated from 1948 onwards.

And nearly 75 years since the United Nations was founded, the world body is desperately in need of some reform. The structure of the UN of 2019, still reflects the situation in the 1940s.

Clearly, it’s time for the UN Security Council to change - and add new members to its fold.

This podcast is based on an opinion piece by Shashi Tharoor and explains why the UN needs to catch up with the times, or risk becoming irrelevant.

Hosts: Vishnu Gopinath and Viraj Gaur

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824: Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee to The Quint: India’s Economy in Bad Shape

Mon, 21 Oct 2019 05:57:31 GMT

Days after winning the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, Abhijit Banerjee spoke to The Quint about the state of Indian economy, what can be done to fix it and his latest book Good Economics for Hard Times.

Banerjee’s economic views have drawn criticism from some BJP leaders. Responding to the criticism, Banerjee said he is “neither able nor willing to be involved in slanging matches.”

Listen to the podcast with The Quint's Aditya Menon.

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823: Film Review: Saif Ali Khan’s ‘Laal Kaptaan’ Is a Slow and Tiring Revenge Saga

Sat, 19 Oct 2019 14:10:58 GMT

Laal Kaptaan has an ambitious setup and an intriguing premise. It’s the kind of film that would sound great on paper. It has all the ingredients, after all. It features Saif Ali Khan in a kind of role we haven’t seen him essay and it’s a period drama set in the 18th century about a Naga sadhu seeking revenge.

Tune in to the podcast for the full review.

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822: When Was India First Partitioned? No, Not in 1947

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 14:16:56 GMT

India was not partitioned for the first time in 1947, but almost 40 years before that, in 1905. Kolkata, then known as Calcutta, was the jewel in the crown of the British Raj and Bengal was the biggest province. But who knew that this glory was about to fade.

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821: Decoding Dr BR Ambedkar’s Conversion to Buddhism

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 05:11:09 GMT

On 14 October 1956, Dr BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, took a life-altering decision. The Dalit strongman decided to quit Hinduism and take up Buddhism, along with close to 3,65,000 of his followers, in Nagpur.

Six decades later, we look at the reasons behind Ambedkar’s decision to alter not just his own path but also the lives of a largely marginalised Dalit community.

Why Convert?

Ambedkar had long decided to change his religion to escape what he considered a “threat to freedom” – the varna or caste system, propagated by Hinduism. Frustrated by what he believed was an inherent part of the Hindu religion, Ambedkar opined that conversion was the only method for Dalits to denounce the caste system.

Almost 20 years before he actually converted, Ambedkar addressed the Mahars – a section of the community considered untouchable – in Mumbai, apprising them of his decision to convert. In a lengthy yet heavily influential speech, Ambedkar urged:

“… religion is for man and not man for religion. For getting human treatment, convert yourselves. Convert for getting organised. Convert for becoming strong. Convert for securing equality. Convert for getting liberty.”

Read the full story here

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820: Dear Indian Parents, Toss The Taboo and Talk About Mental Health

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 14:27:00 GMT

As per WHO, as of today, India is the most depressed country in the world.

At any given point of time, nearly 50 million Indian children suffer from mental disorders,

and this number will increase if the adolescent population is considered as well.

The impact of mental illness is far beyond the imagination of society, in which the awareness about the severity of these diseases is the least.

India has one of the highest suicide rates among those aged 15 to 29 and accounts for over a third of global suicides among women each year.

Despite such scary figures, Indian parents either worry about 'Log kya kahenge?' and suppress the need for psychological care.

Others believe that depression and anxiety are an influence of 'western culture' and don't accept mental illness as a health concern and

confirm to social stigma around it.

Kushank Negi and Akshara Bharat shared their stories of battling with their disorders in an environment where parents didn't understand mental illness.
Listen to the podcast now!

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819: ‘The Sky Is Pink’ Is Heartwarming, but Succumbs to Star Power

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 13:32:15 GMT

After its premiere about a month back at the Toronto International Film Festival, The Sky is Pink is set for a worldwide release on 11 October, 2019.

The film is based on the real-life story of Aditi (Priyanka Chopra) and Niren Chaudhary (Farhan Akhtar) and their daughter Aisha (Zaira Wasim), who was diagnosed with a serious immune deficiency that eventually dictated the course of her life and her entire family.

Director Shonali Bose, who made the brilliant film about a girl with cerebral palsy, Margarita with a Straw, here focuses on the love story of Aisha’s parents and how their marriage and lives get affected while tending to their daughter.

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818: A Day in a Chain-Free Elephant Home in Tamil Nadu Which Is No More

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 03:10:41 GMT

Three elephants were handed over by the Kanchi Mutt to the founders of Tree Foundation in 2016, to give them a happy home closer to their habitat, in a chain-free facility at Marakkanam, Tamil Nadu. Their happy stint was cut short in three-and-a-half years after a court order ruled that a ‘chain-free’ facility was in clear violation of the Captive Elephants’ Guidelines. Forest officials used brute force to relocate these elephants to a facility in Trichy. Do you believe elephants don't deserve to live chain-free? Watch the full story here.

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817: Behind ‘Bhagwa’ Music: How Hate Is Sold As Entertainment

Sun, 06 Oct 2019 09:36:01 GMT

A closer look at ‘Bhagwa’ and ‘Hinduvaadi’ music – with its upbeat Bhojpuri tunes and views running from thousands to lakhs – exposes how it has begun to make use of lyrics and imagery that promote enmity among religions.

Take, for instance, Lucknow-based singer Prem Krishnanshi’s song, with the lyrics, “Hindu Ka hai Hindustan, Da#@! jao Pakistan. Hindu ka hai Hindustan, mu@#! jaao Pakistan. (Hindustan belongs to Hindus, pimps and Muslims [referred to with a communal slur] go to Pakistan.” This video has over 70 lakh views on YouTube.

While this is just one example, there are many more such ‘hate’ videos. Alongside the hate speech, there is also hate imagery in these songs – of swords, sticks, threatening stills of people being lynched, being brutally beaten, the demolition of Babri Masjid. Many such similar themes have been deployed. Despite that, the three singers The Quint profiled have never had a case of hate speech slapped against them.

We interviewed these Uttar Pradesh-based singers to understand their way of thinking. Why they had chosen such lyrics? Why this loud hatred of Muslims? And since when did spreading hate become a form of entertainment?

Host: Aishwarya Iyer

Watch the video version of this story here.

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816: War: Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Thu, 03 Oct 2019 06:08:47 GMT

Did the makers really need to throw in the whole “desh khatre mein hai, terrorist pakdo (Our country is in danger, catch the terrorists)” angle just to make us drool over Hrithik and Tiger’s bulging muscles? From the Arctic Circle to Morocco we hop, skip and jump everywhere to keep an eye on our eye candy! That’s director Siddharth Anand’s plan for us.

What stayed with me after War got over is the slow-motion entry of Hrithik Roshan. Throughout the film Roshan ensured that he holds our attention with his Greek God features.

Sometimes from a ball of fire, sometimes from collapsing buildings, sometimes from rubble and sometimes even from the wreckage of an aircraft - Hrithik shows up all hale and hearty! Isn’t that what a hero is supposed to do?

Of course! The other thing one can’t miss is when Tiger Shroff, bang in the middle of a fist-fight, pauses to tear up his t-shirt, reveals his six pack abs, looks satisfied and then returns a volley of punches. Bhai body toh dikhani padegi na?

Listen to the podcast for the full review!

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815: The Diary of Manu Gandhi: How Bapu Dealt With The Grief of Kasturba's Death

Wed, 02 Oct 2019 10:02:14 GMT

'But if one is fated to be motherless, how is one to get a mother?' When Manu Gandhi lost Kasturba — her dear Ba — she was shattered. When she'd entered the Sevagram ashram in Wardha in 1942, she'd just lost her mother. Now again, she was alone. But there was a difference. She was no longer a girl, she was a woman — with opinions and rebellions of her own.

This is a special three-part series by The Quint on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birthday on 2nd October. This podcast is based on Manu Gandhi's diaries, written from 1943 to 1944. These diaries have now been released by Oxford University Press in the form of a book called "The Diary of Manu Gandhi" by Oxford University Press.

You can listen to episode 2 of the series here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7382938-the-diary-of-manu-gandhi-how-bapu-s-grand-niece-fought-for-india-s-freedom-and-went-to-jail

You can listen to episode 1 of the series here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7381345-the-diary-of-manu-gandhi-meet-bapu-through-the-eyes-of-his-grand-niece

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814: Joker: Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 12:56:29 GMT

Featuring a fully-immersed performance by Joaquin Phoenix as the lead, Todd Phillips’ Joker is a gripping portrayal of one of the most popular comic-book villains that will ultimately become Batman’s nemesis. Arthur Fleck is a man tormented by his inner unsettling feelings. As he struggles to make a living as a clown, he finds his hero in talk show host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro) whom he begins to idealise.

After Heath Ledger immortalized the Joker in his Oscar-winning performance in Dark Knight, Phoenix obviously had a tough act to follow. But with his career-defining performance in the Todd Phillips’ directorial, Phoenix certainly proves his remarkable skill and genius.

Written by Todd Phillips and Silver Scott, the Scorsese universe (King of Comedy and Taxi Driver) Joker exists in is dark and brutal. The Joker uses his laugh to register his protest and, in a twisted way, cope with his unbearable life that is devoid of a safe sanctuary. He tends to his sick mother (Frances Conroy) and faces up virtually everyday to his unfulfilled dream of being a successful stand up comedian.

Listen to the podcast for the full review!

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813: The Diary of Manu Gandhi: How Bapu's Grand-Niece Fought for India's Freedom And Went to Jail

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 10:01:59 GMT

Imagine you’re 14 years old, away from family, and news comes that you’re going to jail. How would you feel? Nervous? Worried?

Or excited, like Manu Gandhi? In 1942, when Manu, the grand-niece of Gandhi, heard that she could join India’s freedom struggle, she jumped with joy. This podcast, based on Manu Gandhi's diaries, is the second episode in a special three-part podcast series by The Quint on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birthday on 2nd October.

Listen to the first episode in this series here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7381345-diary-of-a-manu-gandhi-ep-1-meet-bapu-through-a-young-girl-s-eyes

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812: The Diary of Manu Gandhi: Meet Bapu Through The Eyes of His Grand-Niece

Fri, 27 Sep 2019 13:51:18 GMT

Manu Gandhi is a face you’ve seen, but probably can’t quite recall. You know that photograph of Gandhi you saw in school, one where he is accompanied by two women as he walks to a prayer-meeting, just a few minutes away from his assassination by Nathuram Godse? A young, teenage girl, who’d just lost her mother, she soon came to witness history unfolding — from fasts for India’s independence to Gandhi’s yajna as he strove for the ultimate truth

Luckily for us, she wrote it all in a diary.

This is a special three-part podcast to mark the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birthday on 2 October 2019. The podcast is based on the diaries of Manu Gandhi written from 1943 to 1944. Listen for a young girl’s ringside view of history and for a portrait of Gandhi you haven't seen in history books!

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811: Chhutki's Mom Speaks

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 12:30:09 GMT

Why does the 8-month-old rape survivor's mother want to move her two toddler kids out of the house today? It's been nearly two years since she walked in on her baby crying, in a pool of blood and stool. Will the move help them forget?

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810: Chhutki's Dad Speaks

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 12:27:24 GMT

Why does Chhutki's father think the family should move out of their home, nearly two years after his eight-month-old baby was raped? Here's what he says.

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809: Review: Manoj Bajpayee’s ‘The Family Man’ Is Addictive, Engaging

Sun, 22 Sep 2019 11:34:15 GMT

“Desh khatre mein hain” - it’s a sentiment that’s echoed in most web series these days. Terror plans being hatched and security forces trying everything in their capacity to abort them. Amazon Prime Video‘s latest offering The Family Man has a similar plot line. This drill can get a tad drab if not for some genuinely smart writing. Luckily for us, The Family Man doesn’t disappoint us.

Directed by Raj and DK, who have also written it along with Suman Kumar and Sumit Arora, gives us a fresh perspective through which to process officer Srikant Tiwari’s tactics. He’s a family man first - someone seen fixing a sandwich for his daughter, is scared of upsetting the wife, negotiating his “family time” with a demanding career. Thats’s Srikant Tiwari for us.

Listen to the podcast for the whole review!

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808: Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas: Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Fri, 20 Sep 2019 13:34:41 GMT

Yet another star kid being launched! Yet another PPT presentation for a film! This time Sunny Deol is helming the project to launch the Deol khandaan’s gen next – son Karan Deol.

He is cute and easy on the eyes. The actor opposite him is also being launched – Sahher Bambba. Rest it’s business as usual!

The name of the film brings to mind dada ji Dharmendra’s timeless song from the 1973 movie Blackmail. ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’ is a beautiful number and that one scene in the film when the female lead sings the first stanza of the original song – it does feel good.

And then the realisation dawns that one was better off listening to the song on loop than sitting through this “launch the son” project!

Listen to the podcast for the full review!

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807: The Zoya Factor: Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Fri, 20 Sep 2019 09:06:56 GMT

Based on Anuja Chauhan’s 2008 novel by the same name, The Zoya Factor tells the story of its eponymous character in a quirky endearing fashion. Zoya Solanki and Sonam Kapoor’s Cheshire cat’s grin do complement each other.

The movie opens with Shah Rukh Khan’s voice-over telling us about the baby who was born on the day when India won the 1983 World Cup. Her father (Sanjay Kapoor) declares her to be a gift of the Cricket Gods to the family. Zoya however grows up cursing her luck until she finally declares that “my personal life sucks and my professional life sucks.”

A fortunate stroke of serendipity takes Zoya to the Indian cricket team’s breakfast table. Soon everyone seems to be taken in by her “lucky charm story” except for the very good-looking team captain Nikhil Khoda (Dulquer Salmaan). But how does one explain the fact that having breakfast with Zoya would almost always lead to heroic wins on the field and her absence means a crushing defeat!! However another question pops up- how long will the Zoya factor last?

Listen to the podcast to find out!

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806: ‘Dream Girl’ Lets Ayushmann Shine, But Could’ve Been Much Better

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 11:52:23 GMT

You know what the beauty is of an Ayushmann Khurrana film? You look at its trailer and you're convinced director ne actor dekhke role likhi hai. Imagine a wizened, battle-hardened director saheb/saheba sitting at their desk and jabbing at a computer keypad, going, "What can I write that'll make Ayushmann Khurrana truly shine?" That's the kind of space Ayushmann has managed to create for himself - and it's a well-deserved one.

It is with that promise that the premise of Dream Girl is set up - a role you'll begin to realise, 5 minutes in, that no one other than Ayushmann would be able to pull off this well.

Listen to the podcast for the review!

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805: Section 375 Full Movie Review: Review of Akshaye Khanna and Richa Chadha’s Courtroom Drama ‘Section 375’

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 08:36:26 GMT

The story of Section 375 is pretty simple - filmmaker Rohan Khurana (Rahul Bhat) is accused of raping a junior costume assistant, Anjali Dangle (Meera Chopra), at his residence.

With all the circumstantial evidence piled up against him, Rohan is found guilty and sentenced to 10-years of rigorous imprisonment by a local court.

Rohan’s wife approaches the hot shot Tarun Saluja (Akshaye Khanna) to fight his case in the Mumbai High Court, and a fiery Hiral Gandhi (Richa Chadha) appears to represent the survivor.

How what appears to be a simple open-and-shut case then unravels into a tangled mess of truth and lies forms the rest of the story.

Listen to the podcast for the review. Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

Watch the video review here.

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804: ‘I Stand 100% By the 1.76 Lakh Cr Number in 2G Report’: Vinod Rai

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 11:41:13 GMT

Speaking to The Quint in an interview, former CAG Vinod Rai said, "I stand 100 percent by the 1.76 lakh crore figure." Rai asserted that, if given the chance to conduct the CAG audit on 2G spectrum allocation again, he would do it the same way. Talking about his latest book, Rethinking Governance: Holding to Account India’s Public Institutions, Rai spoke about the mandate of the CAG, the changing roles of public institutions, why acquittals in the 2G report aren’t a reflection of the CAG audit, and the credibility crisis in the CBI. Listen to the full interview here!

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803: Breaking Views: Markets Bleed Amid Economic Slowdown, PSU Bank Stocks Worst-Hit

Wed, 04 Sep 2019 10:56:36 GMT

Until a few days ago, the debate on the Indian economy was pivoted on determining whether or not it is experiencing a slowdown. However, that’s a thing of the past now. On 3 September, Indian markets witnessed what can only be termed a ‘meltdown’. The slowdown resulted in the market’s steepest plunge in the last eleven months. Shares of PSU banks have been worst-hit. Meanwhile, the rupee depreciated to 72.09 per US dollar.

In the previous couple of weeks, the government has announced a spate of measures and policy decisions to counter the economic slowdown. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that ten public sector banks will be merged to form four entities.

She further announced the rollback of excess surcharge on FPIs (Foreign Portfolio Investments). At the same time, the government announced several policy changes to increase the influx of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment).

During a Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, the government announced that to revive the IDBI bank from crisis, an investment worth Rs 9,000 crore has been approved. The Centre and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) will collaborate to make the investment. The government’s share will be Rs 4,557 crore while LIC will invest Rs 4,700 crore.

However, the measures have proven insufficient to create confidence in the market. The sentiment of the market is weak. Times like this require a complete and comprehensive solution to be provided for the economy, as opposed to quick fixes in bits and pieces. Taking bold steps is important to reverse the Indian economy’s slowdown.

For starters, investors should switch from equity SIPs to debt SIPs or start investing in fixed deposits. The reaction of the market cannot be gauged as yet. Selling FPIs, changing FDI norms and merger of banks have not sufficed to bring the economy back on track.

The government should accept that the economic condition is dire. The whole country, the whole world, has its eyes set on the government, awaiting its next move.

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802: ‘Saaho’ Tries to Compensate For Script With Testosterone

Sat, 31 Aug 2019 10:14:09 GMT

It has to be said - Saaho is unbearable ! Almost three hours long and with a budget of Rs 350 crores, what we have is Prabhas with a clear Baahubali hangover doing some lazy action sequences tied together with misogynistic and juvenile writing . What is the story, you ask ? Exactly this - to put Prabhas and Rs 350 crores together to see if anyone will call out writer - director Sujeeth’s bluff !

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801: ‘Ram Ke Naam’ Docu Screening Stopped at Hyderabad University, Organisers Detained

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 15:50:31 GMT

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800: "Completely Illegal": Anand Patwardhan on Documentary Screening Being Stopped

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 15:45:42 GMT

"Completely Illegal": Anand Patwardhan on Documentary Screening Being Stopped

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799: ‘Kashmir Is The New Ayodhya’: Filmmaker Sanjay Kak on Article 370

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 11:55:44 GMT

“Article 370 is a strange thing. In some senses it governs the special relationship between Kashmir and India. Most of those special provisions have been hollowed out. Is abrogation going to mean that people are now going to settle down into some kind of comfortable and defeated relationship with India, I doubt it?”

Sanjay Kak, filmmaker, does not mince any words while talking about the latest developments in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. In this conversation with The Quint, Kak talks about the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two separate Union Territories, and what all of this means for the region in the coming days.

Tune in for the full audio!

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798: A Guide to Kashmir Conflict ft Air Vice-Marshal (Retd) Kapil Kak

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 11:51:54 GMT

"The Kashmiris have not let down India, India has let down Kashmir. And this is the result of virtually stripping away at the autonomy, which has been constitutionally guaranteed to the Kashmiris under the grand principle of India's federalism."

That's what former Air Vice-Marshal Kapil Kak had to say about the Modi government abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution. Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Kak served in the Indian Air Force for 35 years, and took active part in the 1965 Indo-Pak War. Apart from his personal experience of being born and spending his childhood in Kashmir, Kak is also a senior expert on Kashmir, defence, national security and international security for the last twenty years. Drawing from the complex history of the Kashmir conflict, he gives us insight into how the Kashmiri identity is intrinsic to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and why the effective revocation of Article 370 goes against the spirit of India's Constitution.

Tune in for the full audio.

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797: A Stellar Cast Makes ‘Sacred Games 2’ Worth the Hype

Sun, 18 Aug 2019 07:45:21 GMT

Netflix’s first Indian Original series, the first season of Sacred Games became a humongous success and this generally puts an unhealthy amount of pressure on the successor that has to match not just the weight of expectations but deliver a dynamic fresh new punch. Putting all doubts to rest it must be made clear that Sacred Games 2 is totally worth the hype. Helmed by Anurag Kashyap and Neeraj Ghaywan (who steps in for Vikramaditya Motwane) the pace and atmospherics promise another engaging season! Tune in!

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796: More Than A Statistic: Pehlu Khan's Family Remembers

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 03:54:55 GMT

Pehlu Khan was lynched by a mob on 1 April 2017. Two years later the trial court acquitted all 6 accused giving his family a rude shock. Here, a day after the verdict, they give us a glimpse into who Pehlu was before being just another lynch mob victim.

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795: Stories of Five Freedom Fighters From South India

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 14:34:26 GMT

Regardless of your idea of freedom, there is no denying that thousands of people have given up their lives fighting for it. Listen, to the stories of five freedom fighters from the South - heroes in their own right - who fought and died for India.

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Stop With the Fake News, Article 370 Was NOT a Temporary Provision

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 13:56:20 GMT

Not sure how to respond to the deluge of fake news about Article 370 and the Kashmir crisis? Listen in for how the propaganda about Article 370 being temporary was busted all the way back in 1968, by the Supreme Court no less.

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794: Will BJP Form Next Govt In Odisha As Suggested By Shivraj Chouhan?

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 14:53:59 GMT

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik should not be expecting the BJP to go easy on him, going forward.

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‘Something Has Changed Since Yesterday'

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 14:31:53 GMT

WhatsApp messages and friendly forwards from non-Kashmiris congratulating Huma* over the scrapping of Article 370 is the least of her worries.

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“I Have a lot to say, but What’s the Point?”

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 14:30:53 GMT

“The last thing my mother told me was to stay safe and not worry about them. But how can I not worry when I don’t know how they are, in what state?” shares Kashmiri Muslim woman from Delhi.

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792: टैंजीयर्स: संतरे के नाम पर बसा एक सफेद शहर

Sun, 04 Aug 2019 09:56:35 GMT

टैंजीयर्स को अपना नाम टैंजरीन यानि संतरे से मिला. रोमन मिथकों में उनके देवता हरक्यूलिस ने संतरे की चोरी कर यहां छुपने की जगह ढूंढी थी. हरक्यूलिस की 4500 साल पुरानी गुफा, मिथक से इतर भी रोमन साम्राज्य की निशानियां समेटे, अपना आकर्षण अब तक सहेजे हुए है.

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791: Kashmir Crisis: 5 Signs of a Modi Misadventure in the Making

Sat, 03 Aug 2019 11:40:43 GMT

This is the first time that Amarnath Yatra has been stopped in the past 23 years. The Yatra was banned between 1991-1995 during the peak of militancy and it was resumed in 1996. Since then, the Yatra has not been banned despite attacks and tragedies.

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790: Khandaani Shafakhana - Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 14:12:22 GMT

The most striking thing about Khandaani Shafakhana is how good Sonakshi Sinha is.

A fine testimony to her skills, Sonakshi as Baby Bedi seamlessly stitches together the actor-character divide and melts into her role. Baby Bedi is instantly likable. She has dreams but with a firm hold on reality .

While trying to hustle up a living, working for a pharmaceutical company and keeping her greedy chachaji from trying to grab her house, Sonakshi displays absolute finesse in her performance. Her brother played by the inimitable Varun Sharma is a delight with his impeccable comic timing.

Popular singer and rapper Badshah makes his Bollywood acting debut as Gabru Ghatak and it helps that he literally plays himself on screen. The casting, in fact, has been perfect .

Listen to the podcast for the rest of the review.

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789: 'We Left Survivor & Kin to Fight Alone': How Fear Gripped Unnao

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 13:57:42 GMT

The Quint travelled to Unnao, to the village where the Unnao rape survivor lives. What we found is a village that ostracised the survivor and her entire family, out of fear. The tension that gripped them at the mention of BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar's name was palpable.

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787: Learned to Be Patient With India: Bahl At ‘Super Century’ Launch

Sat, 27 Jul 2019 08:02:45 GMT

19 July 2019 saw the launch of ‘Super Century – What India Must Do To Rise by 2050’ – the latest book of The Quint's Editor-in-Chief Raghav Bahl.

In the presence of distinguished guests including author Gurcharan Das, former RBI governor and MP Dr Bimal Jalan, MP and former IIM-Bangalore professor Rajeev Gowda, and journalist and national security expert Praveen Swami journalist, Bahl shared the success of his new book at Indian International Centre in New Delhi.

An unwavering optimist on India, Bahl kickstarted the event by recounting the story behind his ‘Super Trilogy’.

This podcast covers what he had to say.

Read the story here.

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786: Arjun Patiala: Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Fri, 26 Jul 2019 14:30:25 GMT

The makers of "Arjun Patiala" have obviously thrown caution to the wind and indulged in a care-a-damn attitude. They have given absolute hoots to the critics -- a fact that is blatantly spelt out by the end of the film.

This screwball comedy, designed as a buddy-cop film, is a huge letdown. You would enjoy the humour if it was intelligently mounted. Unfortunately with a perfunctorily-designed plot, flippant graphics and absurd gags, the end result is a yawn.

The film begins with a struggling director coaxing a prospective Producer (Pankaj Tripathi) to back his film. After ensuring the requisite elements for a hit film -- one of which is the presence of Sunny Leone -- the producer greenlights the project without even listening to the script. This, despite the fact that the director desperately wants the producer to hear his story.

Want more? Listen to the podcast for the full review!

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785: Judgementall Hai Kya? - RJ Stutee's Movie Reviews

Fri, 26 Jul 2019 10:16:04 GMT

Would you choose paying a fine worth Rs 20,000 or spending one month in a mental asylum?

Bobby (Kangana Ranaut) our deliriously eccentric lead of Judgementall Hai Kya doesn’t even bat an eyelid before choosing the latter. “Main comfortable hoon,” she says as she goes grocery shopping with her boyfriend Varun (Hussain Dalal), who ruing the lack of physical intimacy between the two asks “kahin hum bhai behen toh nahi!”

Bobby is a dubbing artist who has as many voices in her head as she can dub for in her real life. In fact, she almost lives these characters, gets herself photoshopped in the posters of the films she is voicing for and has a strange bond with each one of them.

Listen to the podcast for the rest of the review!

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Podcast #2 - Confessions Of A Single Mom

Fri, 26 Jul 2019 00:00:00 GMT

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784: IRMA claims that Professor Ram was under probation and his overall performance was found to be not satisfactory.

Wed, 17 Jul 2019 18:24:46 GMT

One of India’s premier business schools, Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), in Gujarat, is currently embroiled in a controversy over its director’s appointment. The B-school’s 64-year-old director, Professor Hitesh Bhatt, allegedly doesn’t meet the qualification criteria set by the institute. Listen to the podcast for the full story

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783: Super Century: India Should Treat China Like The ‘Frenemy’ It Is

Fri, 12 Jul 2019 05:20:59 GMT

Can China ever truly be trusted? As the world’s largest trading partner, it may be a key pillar of the global economy, but it is also inscrutable and aggressive in its quest for hegemony, playing by its own set of rules in everything from trade practices to territorial disputes. But I argue that we should treat China like the 'frenemy' it is: embrace when possible, ignore when prudent and fight back only when absolutely necessary.

It’s all here in my latest book, Super Century: What India Must Do To Rise By 2050.

You can order your copy right on Amazon and Flipkart.

Know the Author

Raghav Bahl is a writer, editor, broadcast journalist and an entrepreneur. In his first innings as the founder of Network18, he created two media companies, valued at over a billion dollars apiece, from scratch. He has the unique distinction of successfully partnering with competing media giants, including Bloomberg, CNN, Viacom, CNBC, A&E Networks and Forbes.

In his second innings, he has pioneered digital/mobile-first journalism in India with The Quint. His columns and video blogs are assiduously followed by Internet millennials.

His two earlier books, SuperPower? The Amazing Race between China’s Hare and India’s Tortoise and SuperEconomies: America, India, China and the Future of the World, have been bestsellers.

He has an honours degree in Economics from St Stephen’s College and a master’s in business administration from the University of Delhi.

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782: Quick Review: Super 30 Starring Hrithik Roshan and Pankaj Tripathi

Thu, 11 Jul 2019 11:53:17 GMT

A triumph of the human spirit, the vociferous fight of an underdog – these are the noble themes that Vikas Bahl’s Super 30 deals with.

Somehow, Hrithik seems alien in the very surroundings he should ideally look an indispensable part of.

Sadly, this proves to be the Super 30’s biggest weakness. His on-screen brother is the popular television actor Nimish Sandhu, who is fairly good even though he looks burdened with all that skin darkening make up. Still, Super 30 deserves to be seen for everything that it gets right.

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781: Ananya Panday on her campaign against cyber bullying 'So Positive', staying real on social media

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 07:20:54 GMT

Ahead of the launch of her anti-cyber bullying campaign ‘So Positive’, Ananya Panday spoke to The Quint about trying to be real on social media, dealing with trolls and taking acting classes.

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780: Super Century: Why Any Friction Between India & US is Temporary

Fri, 05 Jul 2019 06:00:15 GMT

Perhaps for the first time since the 2008 nuclear deal, India seems a bit insecure about where it stands with its long-time friend and strategic partner, the United States of America. The reason: The rather mercurial President Trump and his belligerent trade wars.

But I argue that we should treat any friction in the India-US relationship as temporary and stay focused on the long-term prize: An unequivocal alliance.

It’s all here in my latest book, Super Century: What India Must Do To Rise By 2050.

You can order your copy on Amazon and Flipkart.

Know the Author

In his second innings, he has pioneered digital/mobile-first journalism in India with The Quint. His columns and video blogs are assiduously followed by Internet millennials.

His two earlier books, SuperPower? The Amazing Race between China’s Hare and India’s Tortoise and SuperEconomies: America, India, China and the Future of the World, have been bestsellers.

He has an honours degrees in Economics from St Stephen’s College and a master’s in business administration from the University of Delhi.

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A 36-Hour Day in the Life of an Overworked Doctor

Thu, 04 Jul 2019 23:01:00 GMT

The standing Central government directive to hospitals states that “continuous active duty for resident doctors will not normally exceed 12 hours per day." But one shift regularly goes on for up to three times the prescribed limit of 12 hours, which is 36 hours.

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Horror Stories of Overworked Doctors: Harming Themselves and Patients

Thu, 04 Jul 2019 21:46:03 GMT

India’s junior doctors are inhumanly overworked. It’s severely harming their own health, and the quality of healthcare provided to their patients. Despite being in a profession where their mistakes can cost lives, there is hardly any attention being paid to this deadly medical crisis.

In a special podcast on The Quint, overworked and sleep-deprived junior doctors speak up on condition of anonymity, against the exploitative conditions in which they work, and how dangerous it is for the patients under their care.

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779: Spiderman Not a Worthy Successor to Endgame But Hugely Enjoyable

Thu, 04 Jul 2019 14:44:11 GMT

E.D.I.T.H - Even Dead , I am The Hero - and it stand true when Tony Stark says it. Peter Parker and all of us must get used to living in a world without our favourite Avengers. We need closure , some more time to mourn and Spiderman:Far From Home gives us just that.

It might not be a worthy successor to Avengers Endgame in its scale and positioning but it is nevertheless a hugely enjoyable interim stop where we can wallow in our loss and reminisce about Tony Stark a little more . Tune in to the podcast for the full movie review!

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778: State of Doctor-Patient Relationship in TN

Wed, 03 Jul 2019 12:17:03 GMT

According to a study in The Indian J Psychiatry. org, The Indian Medical Association suggests that up to 75% of doctors have faced some kind of violence at work. Over the next few minutes, I'd like to present a collection of stories and some facts, from government hospitals and small private hospitals across Tamil Nadu. I'm the bureau chief for Chennai at the Quint. I tell multimedia stories, podcasts being one form of storytelling. You'll hear my voice, and that of another senior doctor, who'll tell you about the sudden lack of doctor-patient trust, the possible reasons for the violence, and the way forward.

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777: Mending the Doctor-Patient Relationship in TN

Wed, 03 Jul 2019 10:11:47 GMT

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776: Amaal Mallik on His Journey From 'Jai Ho' to 'Kabir Singh'

Wed, 03 Jul 2019 09:52:51 GMT

The Quint caught up with music composer Amaal Mallik to talk about his journey so far in Bollywood. Mallik debuted as a music composer with Jai Ho where Salman Khan pursued him to work. Mallik says his career went nosedive from there until Bhushan Kumar trusted in him and gave him ‘Sooraj Dooba Hai’ in Roy.

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775: Journey of Divine: From Gully to Gully Gang Entertainment

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 07:53:03 GMT

Divine talks on his documentary 'Gully Life,' his upcoming album 'Kohinoor' and also talks about Diss tracks and his equation with Naezy the Baa.

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774: Actor Zaira Wasim Quits Bollywood - Whose Business Is It?

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 14:04:03 GMT

Four years after she burst into Bollywood, Zaira Wasim announced that she would no longer be a part of the establishment. While she explained in clear terms that her decision was her own choice, there was tremendous hue and cry, both for and against her decision.

“She’s ungrateful to Bollywood. She’s been brainwashed. She’s choosing religion over art,” the arguments go on ad infinitum.

So, we at The Quint, wanted to explore some of the arguments that have been put forward in this situation and answer the question, “Who gets to ask if this was her own decision?”

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773: Article 15: Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Fri, 28 Jun 2019 06:45:44 GMT

The most striking scene in Article 15 has not a word of dialogue.

We see a man climb out from a filthy, clogged drain. His expression is unfathomable as he is covered with an almost black slimy liquid. As he ducks again to remove more garbage, the man becomes invisible, but this image is stark – as unforgettable as it is unforgivable.

The garbage and overflowing gutters outside the police chowki are a physical manifestation of the rut that runs deep in the system. Even in 21st century India, manual scavenging is a grim reality – one that Bollywood has finally become brave enough to depict.

For the uninitiated, Article 15 of our Constitution states that “the State shall not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.”

And that’s what this movie is about. Listen to the podcast for the full review.

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772: Super Century: India Must Spurn Statism & Pursue Reforms Instead

Fri, 28 Jun 2019 05:46:35 GMT

No matter who governs India, the essential challenge remains the same: To resist the crippling old tropes of statism and neutrality and pursue economic liberalisation and global engagement at all costs, so that India might finally convert our potential into power. We have survived – thrived, even – decades of flawed governance and backward policies; imagine what we could do with visionary leadership and enlightened practices! Indians deserve as much. The global stakes are higher than ever, and the clock is ticking.

It’s all here in my latest book, Super Century: What India Must Do To Rise By 2050.

You can order your copy on Amazon and Flipkart.

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771: CAPERNAUM: A SCREAM THAT NEEDS TO RING LOUD IN OUR EARS

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 12:51:50 GMT

Capernaum is a Lebanese film by Nadine Labaki. It officially released in India on 21 June.

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770: Kabir Singh: Depiction Is Not Endorsement, But to What Extent?

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 09:11:57 GMT

Blame the cyclical nature of online debates, there is a distinct sense of déjà vu permeating the discourse surrounding last Friday’s release Kabir Singh.

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769: Let's Talk About Insecurities

Sat, 22 Jun 2019 13:48:49 GMT

In this one, we talk about insecurities and how they follow us everywhere like a shadow. They impact various aspect of our lives — work, relationships, mental health. They hold us back, instil fear in us and also get in the way of self-love.

You can follow Vatsala Singh at @singhvatsala

Host: Vatsala Singh

Producer: Vatsala Singh

www.thequint.com/podcast

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768: Important Terminology related to the LGBTQ+ community explained

Sat, 22 Jun 2019 10:12:48 GMT

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767: Movie Review: ‘Kabir Singh’ Reinforces Toxic, Dangerous Ideas About Love

Fri, 21 Jun 2019 11:47:26 GMT

Sandeep Vanga’s Arjun Reddy, which released in 2017 was a hugely popular but equally polarising.

A story about an ill-tempered alcoholic surgeon’s downward spiral when the love of his life gets married to someone else, Arjun’s sense of entitlement, the complete lack of agency granted to Preeti and the implicit support that our hero gets in the film obviously prove to be very problematic.

Now releasing in Hindi with Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani in the lead and directed by Sandeep Vanga himself, Kabir Singh is a frame-by-frame and scene-by-scene copy of the original.

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766: Nana Patekar has Enough Money to Squash Any Case: Tanushree Dutta

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 05:48:00 GMT

Recently, the Mumbai police has submitted a B Summary report in the Tanushree Dutta sexual harassment case against Nana Pateker, citing lack of evidence as the reason for the closure of their inquiry. The report also stated that Tanushree’s complaint seemed “malicious and fake”, and could have been filed to seek revenge.

In an interview to The Quint, Tanushree opens up on why she thinks the investigation in her case has been compromised and alleges that Nana Patekar earns “crores of rupees” through Naam Foundation, which is supposed to work for welfare of farmers, enough to squash any case against him.

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765: India’s 7-0 Streak Over Pakistan and All Other Talking Points

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 18:18:33 GMT

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The Many Missteps of Mamata Banerjee in the Ongoing Doctors Crisis

Sat, 15 Jun 2019 16:27:33 GMT

Mamata Banerjee’s handling of the ongoing doctors’ protest across West Bengal has been inefficient to say the least, no matter which way you look at it. With less than two years to go before the Assembly polls in 2021, and closely on the heels of BJP’s massive gains in the Lok Sabha polls in Bengal, the chief minister’s actions regarding the medical crisis since Monday have not only been self-defeating but a recipe for disaster as well.

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Why Violence Against Docs Won’t Stop: Root Causes Stay Unaddressed

Sat, 15 Jun 2019 16:12:12 GMT

The ghastly attack on doctors at NRS Hospital on 10 June has become a full-blown crisis for the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal. With the root causes not being addressed though, attacks on doctors are unlikely to stop.

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Will SC’s Kanojia Order Prevent Arrests for Social Media Posts?

Sat, 15 Jun 2019 15:19:56 GMT

The Supreme Court order could become a powerful shield against excessively harsh actions by police and lower courts.

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764: Free Metro Rides and Other Freebies – Do They Help Those in Need?

Sat, 15 Jun 2019 14:26:19 GMT

The Economic Survey 2014-15 found that “a rich household benefits more from the subsidy than a poor household.”

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Patriotic Businessman: Ex-Colleague Subroto Bagchi on Azim Premji

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 15:33:54 GMT

After 50 years at the helm of Wipro Limited, Azim Premji will be stepping down as the chairperson next month, and will be replaced by son Rishad. Premji will continue to serve on its board as non-executive director for the next five years.

Over time, Premji’s reputation as a philanthropist has eclipsed his work as a business leader. By reportedly earmarking all economic benefits in 34 percent of Wipro shares for philanthropic ends in March this year, Premji has now contributed approximately $21 billion for philanthropic works.

A reclusive man who is not seen much in public events and functions, there is a certain sense of mystery attributed to Premji, who is seen as doing good work quietly. The Quint caught up with Premji’s one-time colleague Subroto Bagchi, who worked at Wipro for a long time — some of it directly under Premji — before leaving it to co-found Mindtree, an IT solutions company based out of Bengaluru.

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763: If We All Get Scared, How Will the World Work, Asks Kathua Lawyer

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 13:52:11 GMT

Mubeen Farooqui, the 34-year-old private counsel for the the Kathua rape-murder victim’s adoptive father Yunus*, appears self-assured and calm a day after the Pathankot trial court convicted six of the seven men accused in the case.

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762: Why Private Schools Can’t Keep Bailing Out Failed Government Ones

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 07:46:37 GMT

The new Karnataka HC ruling has shaken the roots of the RTE Act, which was meant to provide quality education to all students, but eventually boiled down to the controversy over the 25% allocation of seats in private schools.

The Karnataka HC has clearly stated that this quota, taken over from private schools, is a supplement to government school capacity, not a substitute. This is a game changer, because it puts the pressure for performance back on government schools instead of outsourcing quality to the private sector.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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761: England Cricket Team’s Gyan For Congress: No Ditching The Captain

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 07:37:53 GMT

With both the cricket World Cup and the recent elections on my mind – and on most Indians’ minds – it struck me how one domain could offer lessons for the other.

No, I’m not referring to the storm in a teacup over Dhoni’s wicket-keeping gloves with the Army insignia; I firmly believe he should follow the ICC rules and not make a fuss about it.

I am thinking, instead, about the trough the Congress party now finds itself in, and how reminiscent that is of the English cricket team four years ago, when defeat by Bangladesh sent them crashing out of the 2015 World Cup. England spent the intervening four years reinventing themselves as the most formidable ODI team in the world and are now firmly established as the favourites to win the 2019 World Cup.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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Kathua Verdict: Do We Need a Debate on Death Penalty for Convicts?

Thu, 13 Jun 2019 09:51:09 GMT

Family wants death penalty for the convicts, but the judge’s decision shouldn’t be second-guessed in such cases.

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760: Neighbourhood First: Modi 2.0’s Top Foreign Policy Priority

Thu, 13 Jun 2019 08:39:34 GMT

There’s one thing to be said about Prime Minister Narendra Modi — he does exactly as he says. He and his close advisors have been stressing the primacy of the neighbourhood, and the recent flypasts of the prime minister and his erudite foreign minister to Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bhutan gives more substance to a policy that has been pretty much continuous since 2014.

There’s no more taking these countries for granted as Delhi’s ‘backyard’. That’s all changed.

A look at the Joint Statement with Maldives indicates a bag of goodies worthy of a Santa Claus. This includes not only the training of a cricket team that the Maldivians will cheer, but also a slew of measures designed to tie Malé securely to India’s security concerns in the Indo-Pacific. The coastal security radar system is back on track, after it was vetoed by the earlier government.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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759: Delhi Journo Picked Up By UP Police For FB Post Against Adityanath

Sat, 08 Jun 2019 15:50:05 GMT

Freelance journalist Prashant Kanojia was picked up by the Uttar Pradesh Police from his Delhi residence, on Saturday, 8 June, for a social media post against UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

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758: Women’s Entry into Mosques: Freedom of Religion or Equality?

Fri, 07 Jun 2019 12:04:30 GMT

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757: 'Can't strengthen a party by buying MLAs:' Uttam Kumar Reddy, Telangana Congress President

Thu, 06 Jun 2019 14:45:24 GMT

Telangana Congress President Uttam Kumar Reddy said, the chief minister is living in the illusion that buying out elected representatives of other parties can strengthen him. Two-thirds of the party MLAs have sought a merger with ruling TRS on Thursday, 6 June.

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756: Podcast: All Talking Points From the India vs South Africa Clash

Thu, 06 Jun 2019 11:09:08 GMT

In today’s podcast, we will talk about Team India’s campaign opener at the ICC World Cup against South Africa.

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755: Bharat - Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Thu, 06 Jun 2019 08:40:30 GMT

Salman Khan can do whatever he wants to do, and we need to suspend our disbelief and simply go with it - This is the clear message that Bharat director Ali Abbas Zafar sends, and that too beautifully, through the 167 minute duration of the movie.

Salman Khan plays, surprise surprise, Bharat in the creatively titled Bharat, a man born before partition. Bharat witnesses a lot of emotional upheaval, drama and conflict in his own life, a clear symbolic reference to the fortunes of India.

India’s pain is Salman’s pain. India’s suffering is Salman’s suffering. But the movie, far from being campy, works. Perhaps, this is why it’s become Salman’s biggest Eid opener, as well as his own highest grossing opener, raking in Rs 42.3 crore on day 1 of its release!

Listen to the podcast for the rest of the review!

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754: Told Yuzvendra to Give His 200 Percent in England: Chahal’s Father

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 13:25:46 GMT

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Why Chernobyl is the Most Relevant Show of Our Time

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 14:41:12 GMT

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SBI Sold Over Rs 5851 Crore Worth of Electoral Bonds in 10 Months

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 11:01:39 GMT

In response to an RTI filed by Pune-based activist Vihar Durve, the State Bank of India has revealed that over Rs 822 crore (Rs 8,22,25,79,000) worth of electoral bonds were sold in the month of May alone, during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The Quint has published a series of articles showing why electoral bonds are dangerous in a democracy, highlighting the opacity of the scheme.

The RTI filed by Durve also gives a city-wise break down of the origins of the bonds sold in May. The maximum amount of bonds, worth over Rs 370 crore, were sold in the Kolkata Main SBI branch.

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753: Can ‘Kerala Model’ Help Congress Revive at the National Stage?

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 09:20:50 GMT

Kerala is one of the rare success stories for the Congress party in the last two Lok Sabha elections. In 2014, Kerala was the only state in which the United Progressive Alliance could reach double figures - the Congress won 8 seats, Indian Union Muslim League won two and one seat each went to Kerala Congress (Mani) and NK Premachandran of the Revolutionary Socialist Party.

This time, Kerala was the only state where the Congress’ individual tally was in double figures. The party won 15 seats, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad, while its allies won four.

Reduced to just 52 seats in the Lok Sabha, the Congress is looking towards Kerala for possible ways in which it can revive at the national stage.

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752: Kathua Rape-Murder Verdict on 10 June: Distrust Vs Hope in Jammu

Mon, 03 Jun 2019 12:57:27 GMT

The Kathua rape-murder case verdict is going to be announced on 10 June in a trial in Pathankot. The Quint spoke to the 8-year-old's father and the Hindus of Kathua's Rasanna to see there is hope and brewing distrust in the district.

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751: How Tobacco Smoking Made a Case of DVT Get Worse

Fri, 31 May 2019 16:26:08 GMT

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EVM Vote Count Mismatch In 370+ Seats and EC Refuses to Explain

Fri, 31 May 2019 14:04:50 GMT

The data you’re about to read defies logic and calculation. The Quint has deep-dived into two sets of data shared by the Election Commission of India (EC); first, the voter turnout/votes polled data on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and second, the votes counted data on EVMs in the Lok Sabha Elections 2019. We have found serious discrepancies in the two sets of data in 373 constituencies which went to polls in the first four phases of the election.

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749: PM Modi’s New Cabinet Sworn In - Who's On It & Who's Not?

Fri, 31 May 2019 03:08:29 GMT

PM Narendra Modi was sworn in for second term late 30 May 2019. His new cabinet of ministers includes many familiar names, some new ones, and drops a few key people from the list.

Who made the cut, who didn’t?

Listen to the podcast for the complete analysis:

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748: PM Modi’s Swearing-In: BIMSTEC Invitation Is A Snub To Pakistan

Thu, 30 May 2019 12:25:42 GMT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done it again. Leaving the pundits speechless, he has led his party, the BJP, to its second consecutive victory, with a thumping majority in the Lok Sabha.
As he readies to take the oath of office for the second time, he is reiterating an unequivocal message on the foreign policy front – neighbourhood first – but with a caveat.
For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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747: No More Gathbandhan: Where Does Akhilesh Yadav Go From Here?

Wed, 29 May 2019 15:51:50 GMT

The 2019 parliamentary elections saw several Opposition parties bite the dust. Each of them must now introspect and rebuild, not only in self-interest but also in the interest of something larger, the country’s democratic project. This is going to be tough given the scale of the rebuke the electorate has delivered them, and internal conflicts that are likely to emerge as they chart the way forward.

One suspects that the Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav is going to find this more challenging than most others.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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College Admissions Unfairly Punish Students From Some State Boards

Wed, 29 May 2019 13:41:34 GMT

The disparity between the marking schemes of CBSE and certain state boards is so high that it creates an unfair playing field for undergraduate college admissions. Even the toppers of some state boards do not have the percentages required to secure admission in the top colleges of, say, Delhi University, which solely consider Class 12 board marks while granting admission.

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746: Why Did A Few States Completely Miss the Narendra Modi Wave?

Tue, 28 May 2019 15:12:23 GMT

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance’s victory in the Lok Sabha elections was even more remarkable than the 2014 win as it covered an even larger expanse across the country. The Narendra Modi wave swept not just the Hindi heartland and BJP strongholds like Gujarat and Maharashtra, but also Karnataka, Assam and Tripura. The BJP also expanded in West Bengal, Odisha and even parts of Telangana.

However, there are a handful of states and union territories – accounting for close to 100 seats – that seem to have withstood the Modi wave. In Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Meghalaya and Puducherry, the NDA could secure just five seats out of 100. On the other hand, the UPA did well winning 67 seats in these states.

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745: Ghar Wapsi, Ban On Worship Of Non-Hindu Gods: The ‘Adivasi Life’

Tue, 28 May 2019 13:25:30 GMT

The arrest of tribal theatre activist Jeetrai Hansda in Jharkhand over a 2017 Facebook post, has exposed the fault lines over tribal identity and culture all over again. In the post, Hansda had asserted that for Santhals and other tribals, beef-eating was intrinsic to their culture.

“There should be no law that forces us to accept Hindu customs and rituals,” he had said, drawing the ire of the RSS and the police, in a state where the eating or selling of beef is banned.

Hindu right-wing organisations as well as the BJP government in the state have been proactively persecuting such acts of tribal self-assertion for at least a couple of years now.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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744: BJP’s Rise In Bengal: Mamata Banerjee Can Blame No One But Herself

Tue, 28 May 2019 13:23:13 GMT

The BJP has swept north Bengal and the western parts of the state, which is predominantly the tribal belt, and also border areas like Bongaon, where infiltration from neighbouring Bangladesh is an emotive issue.

The saffronisation of Bengal, which was a bastion of Left ideology for more than 30 years before Mamata Banerjee roared into power in 2011, is well and truly underway. Leading in just one seat, the Congress is less than irrelevant, and the Left, which has not been able to make its presence felt in a single seat, seems to have disappeared into thin air.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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743: 10 Days Over: BJP Totally Silent On Pragya Thakur’s Godse Remarks

Tue, 28 May 2019 12:42:43 GMT

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742: Hindutva vs Soft Hindutva, What Convinced Voters in Bhopal?

Mon, 27 May 2019 15:33:35 GMT

Was it her personal tale of ‘torture’ or the presidential style elections? Pragya Singh Thakur benefitted from both.

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741: BJP Consolidated Upper Castes, OBCs & STs, But Not Dalits: Survey

Mon, 27 May 2019 14:40:32 GMT

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance’s spectacular victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was propelled by a near complete sweep in the Hindi heartland. The BJP and its allies won 203 out of 225 seats in Hindi-speaking states, the United Progressive Alliance won just seven seats and the Mahagathbandhan won 15 seats. This was particularly surprising as the party had lost three key Hindi heartland states to the Congress in the Assembly elections just six months ago.

Many have argued that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity cut across caste and economic backgrounds, at least among Hindu voters. This is largely accurate with a few state-specific exceptions.

However, the Lokniti-CSDS post poll survey reveals that a sizeable chunk of Dalit voters in the Hindi heartland may still have voted for the Opposition even though the BJP’s popularity among Dalit voters did increase significantly.

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740: Will Modi 2.0 Have ‘Courage to Change Himself’ As He Once Claimed?

Mon, 27 May 2019 13:15:04 GMT

As a critic of Narendra Modi’s polarising politics, let me begin by heartily congratulating him on his stupendous victory.

The outcome of the election to the 17th Lok Sabha was, first of all, a victory for India’s democracy, as it has always been since the first general elections in 1952. Irrespective of which party wins or loses, it is always the people’s verdict that has triumphed.

Never has a people’s mandate been annulled in India, nor has our country ever seen a bloody transition of power, or capture of power by the generals, as has so often happened in our neighbourhood and beyond. This repeated victory of democracy – despite all the flaws in our democratic system – has contributed immensely to the international community’s admiration for India.

A test of one’s faith in democracy is that, even when your opponents win, you should not only gracefully accept the verdict of ‘Janata Janardhan’ (which is another way of saying, ‘Janata is the Maalik’ of all politicians) but also wish the victors well. It is in this spirit that even Modi’s opponents should commend him on his outstanding victory.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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739: 2019 Elections Are Done, What Should We ‘Brace’ Against? Not Hope

Mon, 27 May 2019 13:12:26 GMT

The messages doing the rounds just before the election results were announced on 23 May were on the lines of “What can India expect if…?” “What should we brace for?”

Those who had braced themselves for a BJP-led NDA victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, were well aware of what they needed to brace themselves for. The last few years have offered some indication.

There is the assumption that ‘bracing’ will help. It is unlikely. Bracing helps to break a fall, either in a crash landing or in a somewhat evenly-matched martial contest.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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738: Budgam Crash: Should Officers Be Tried for ‘Culpable Homicide’?

Mon, 27 May 2019 13:09:21 GMT

The Budgam helicopter crash incident of 27 February 2019 in which we lost precious lives of air force personnel, is in the news again.

There were reports in the media that the chopper came down on account of ‘friendly fire’, and that the Air Force was contemplating trying the officers responsible for the incident, for culpable homicide. I even saw reports and comments on social media that the pension and other benefits of the families of the fallen would be determined as per the conclusions reached in the investigation.

I personally find the above quite odd for a variety of reasons.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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737: Naval War Room Leak: The Trade of ‘Top Secrets’ in 2005

Mon, 27 May 2019 13:05:59 GMT

The Naval War Room Leak, among the biggest scandals of the country, came to light in May 2005. It involved the leak of over 7,000 pages of sensitive information including the Navy’s plans for the next 20 years.

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737: Modi’s 303 Mandate: Voters Want Restoration of India’s Lost Glory

Mon, 27 May 2019 13:05:51 GMT

The mandate for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 was a vote of hope – hope that he would provide jobs, provide solutions to age-old problems, and improve the quality of life. In contrast, the mandate of 2019 is a vote of confidence, but faith in Modi for the wrong reasons.

There is no longer faith in elusive jobs, nor the belief that Modi will fix agrarian issues which have caused huge distress to small and marginal farmers. There is also no confidence that ‘achhe din’ will be ushered in.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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Jharkhand Prof’s Arrest for FB Post on Beef is Travesty of Justice

Mon, 27 May 2019 12:31:59 GMT

Why the case against Adivasi lecturer Jeetrai Hansda for a Facebook post about beef-eating in tribal communities, and his arrest on dubious procedural grounds, is chilling for free speech.

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736: Gujarat Congress Needs Fresh Blood to Stay Relevant in 2022

Mon, 27 May 2019 11:19:04 GMT

The new Congress cadre need to be educated about Gandhian and Nehruvian ideologies, because they are not aware about their legacy.

The road ahead is bleak for the grand old party, who need to revitalise its cadres, if the party hopes to make an impression in the 2022 Gujarat Assembly Elections.

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735: BJP 2019, Congress 1984: A Similar Wave & Pockets of Resistance

Mon, 27 May 2019 09:05:00 GMT

A country's elections often tell a similar story. In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a historic mandate, securing 303 seats on its own and its alliance, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) securing 353 seats. It's a saffron sweep, with the BJP taking entire states like Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. But it's not an unprecedented sweep. Listen to the full story here!

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734: Delhi 2020 Polls Ahead, AAP Must Worry After Their Poor 2019 Show

Sat, 25 May 2019 16:07:16 GMT

AAP’s political relevance in Delhi and Punjab is under threat. Between 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, AAP’s vote share has dangerously reduced from 33 percent to 18 percent in Delhi and similarly went from 24 percent to 7.3 percent in Punjab.

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733: How Congress Lost 2019 Elections: 4 Charts Give the Full Picture

Sat, 25 May 2019 14:54:22 GMT

The Congress Working Committee on Saturday rejected party president Rahul Gandhi’s offer to resign, taking responsibility for the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. The party won just 52 seats, still less than the tally required to get the Leader of Opposition’s post in the Lok Sabha.

Irrespective of whether Rahul Gandhi remains at the helm or not, the party has an enormous task ahead of it if it has to put up even a semblance of a challenge in front of the BJP in the years to come.

To quote BJP president Amit Shah, “Congress got zero seats in 17 states and Union territories while BJP secured over 50 percent votes in as many states and UTs”. This is how huge the gap between the two parties is.

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732: Can We Ever Use Android Phone Without Google Apps?

Fri, 24 May 2019 14:45:16 GMT

The recent trade ban affecting relations between Google and Huawei, and the former’s decision to cut Android support for Huawei phones has brought up the subject of Google’s overpowering domination with its services in the world.

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731: Other Users Can See Your Passwords If You’re Using Google Chrome

Fri, 24 May 2019 12:23:43 GMT

Did you know that even Google is keeping a track of all the passwords you’re using on its browser (Google Chrome) and those passwords can end up easily being seen by someone else if you’re not careful?

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730: Millennial Review: Kamal Haasan's 'Hey Ram' Is Relevant Even Today

Fri, 24 May 2019 11:12:42 GMT

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729: Movie Review: PM Narendra Modi - The Movie

Fri, 24 May 2019 07:12:41 GMT

Is there anything like too much of Modi? Not really! Not now at least. The mood is buoyant. Mr Modi has won a humongous mandate and emerged victorious in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Who would have thought that Omung Kumar’s film would actually get the perfect release date. Just as Modi readies himself for a second term, his biopic is sure to bring out his cheering squad to the theatres.

The thing about biopics in India is that they are almost bhajans. Modi is revered, put on a pedestal, eulogised.

He is a figure who can do no wrong, forget that – he can’t commit a mistake even in his sleep! It is a hagiographic portrayal sans nuance or balance. This one is by a Modi Bhakt, for Modi Bhakts; there are no two ways about it.

The full podcast has the whole, scathing review! Listen in.

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728: EVM ‘Tampering’ Claims: Why EC Should’ve Allowed VVPAT Counting

Wed, 22 May 2019 15:37:11 GMT

Most non-NDA regional parties along with the Congress party have raised grave allegations and doubts over EVM manipulation. While this is not the first time that doubts over the EVM mechanism have been raised, the sheer fact that there seems to be a United Opposition questioning it, demands serious introspection and response from the Election Commission.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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727: BJP-Shiv Sena Don’t Need ‘Modi Magic’ To Win Maharashtra This Time

Wed, 22 May 2019 15:35:20 GMT

With 48 Lok Sabha seats, Maharashtra holds high stakes in the results tally for both the major parties, the ruling BJP, and the Opposition, Congress. Also, the performance of their allies – the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party respectively – lend an additional factor in the election.

Most exit polls give the BJP-Sena alliance between 34 and 42 seats, and project 13 to 16 seats for the Congress-NCP. Despite the lack of overt ‘Modi magic’ this time, the BJP-Sena alliance seems to have held its own. The Opposition has bounced back somewhat from its lowest-of-the-low performance in 2014, but does not take home the numbers it expected, if the exit polls are to be believed.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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726: What If BJP Punishes Us For Not Voting For Them: A UP Dalit Fears

Wed, 22 May 2019 15:32:48 GMT

If you are shell-shocked by the largely one-sided projections of the exit polls, then this might calm your nerves.

The average of all exit polls, or the Poll-of-Polls, has predicted that Uttar Pradesh may end up sending 49 BJP MPs to Parliament. The SP-BSP alliance, that looked like a daunting force on paper, may do far less damage than expected. But here’s what many of us may not have taken into account: the pulse of the people on ground.

Deadline-driven journalists who have little time to spare, may have missed out on this crucial aspect.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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725: In Mamata’s Bengal, BJP May Change the Meaning of ‘Poriborton’

Wed, 22 May 2019 15:16:23 GMT

In 2011, when Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) knocked over a 34-year-old Left Front government in West Bengal, the key slogan was ‘poriborton’ – positive change.

Eight years later, in the Lok Sabha elections, the people of Bengal (crucially, not just Bengalis) are making choices that will mould, in all probability, a new version of Bengal. Mamata may have coined ‘poriborton’ for 2011, but the term will probably apply far better to 2019, when the elections are done and dusted.

The bald fact is this: the BJP is going to emerge as the second-largest party in the state in terms of vote share, which suggests considerable support for its ideology. What does that mean in terms of ‘poriborton’?

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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724: 4 Big Trends from 2 Exit Polls That May Come True on Results Day

Wed, 22 May 2019 11:06:37 GMT

Only two polls have prominently displayed state-wise vote share figures: CVoter’s exit poll and Lokniti-CSDS’ post-poll survey. Most of the other polls haven’t cared to make their vote share predictions public. So purely from a methodological point of view, these polls need to be taken more seriously than others, irrespective of how close they are to the final results.

Let’s take a look at the state-wise vote share by CSDS and CVoter. The differences and similarities in the two polls are both important.

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723: 7 TV Shows to Look Forward to After ‘Game of Thrones’

Wed, 22 May 2019 07:19:08 GMT

Game of Thrones is over, and loyal fans of the show are already experiencing withdrawal symptoms. But good thing for fans of big ticket fantasy, science fiction and drama genres is that there are many fan-favourite shows returning to the screen after a hiatus in the coming months. And they are all set to cash in on the void left behind by the gigantic finale of GoT.

From Stranger Things to The Crown - here are our top picks for the upcoming season of online streaming that could make you feel like there is still a lot of good stuff to look forward to.

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722: 22 Parties Unite Over EVMs: Can This Be a Coalition After Results?

Tue, 21 May 2019 15:58:09 GMT

Exit polls may have shown the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance returning to power, but the Opposition hasn’t given up the fight. This is clear in how they are holding the Election Commission to account on Electronic Voting Machines. As many as 22 Opposition parties have given a memorandum to the Election Commission, putting forward two key demands:

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721: Chunav Tracker | K’taka in Disarray, BJP Meets NDA Allies & More

Tue, 21 May 2019 13:46:53 GMT

Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are likely preparing to host a dinner for the NDA allies as we inch closer to counting day, but the Opposition have been kept busy with EVMs. Various leaders of Opposition parties are meeting the Election Commission to discuss the tallying of the VVPATs with the EVM alleging that the EVMs have been “compromised”.

Meanwhile, the stock market fell again right after the big rise that came after exit polls. And it’s not just the stock market, it seems Karnataka government is also on the verge of falling since the exit poll surveys gave a resounding victory to the NDA in the state.

Congress leader Roshan Baig has indicated that he would leave the party if the need arises and have also asked Muslims to side with the BJP. He also slammed the Congress-JD(U) alliance and said that the portfolios were “sold” and minorities were ignored.

But good news for Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh, as they have been given a clean chit in a disproportionate assets case against them for lack of evidence.

All this and more on this episode of Chunav Tracker with Sanjay Pugalia. Tune in!

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720: Can Indian Armed Forces Finally Learn to Stay United?

Tue, 21 May 2019 11:57:05 GMT

On May 14, the Government announced the raising of the Armed Forces Special Operations Division (AFSOD) with Major General AK Dhingra as its first head. The AFSOD, with elements drawn from the Indian Army's Parachute Regiments (Special Forces), Indian Navy’s Marine Commandos (MARCOS), and the Garud Commandos of the Indian Air Force, will function under the HQ of the tri-services Integrated Defence Staff. Starting with 3000 soldiers, the AFSOD will reportedly have its own dedicated helicopters, transport planes and specialised weaponry besides surveillance equipment.

To be based at Agra (where the Parachute Brigade is located), the AFSOD is one of the three new strategic-level raisings that were approved by the Defence Ministry in Sept 2018, and by the Government in December 2018. This was in consonance with the recommendations of the 2012 Naresh Chandra Task Force. The other two organizations are the Defence Cyber Agency (DCA), being set up at Delhi under Rear Admiral Mohit Gupta, and the Defence Space Agency (DSA), being raised at Bangalore with Air Marshal SP Dharkar as its chief. Together, all three agencies represent India’s resolve to address the evolved, new age threats.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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719: Exit Polls: Southern Parties May Have to Build Bridges With Modi

Tue, 21 May 2019 08:39:07 GMT

It is best not to believe an exit poll, or even a range of exit polls, entirely. The results in the last three parliamentary elections have shown that exit pollsters, predominantly, have got the numbers wrong. In 2009 and 2014, they managed to get the direction right, but were largely far from the numbers and did not predict a simple majority for the BJP in 2014 (except Chankya in 2014).

Having declared that red herring, IF the 2019 exit poll results were to hold on 23 May, then, at a national level, it will be a body blow to regional parties and the Congress.

The numbers come as a shocker, not because they predict a return of the BJP and Narendra Modi, but because they predict that the existing NDA, by itself, may cross the 300 seat mark, and have a clear majority.

This would mean not just a return of Narendra Modi to power, but a strong Modi to power.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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718: For a ‘Weaker’ Modi, BJP Must Win, But With Less Than 2014 Tally

Tue, 21 May 2019 08:36:36 GMT

An assortment of exit poll data, including grossly unscientific ‘mean’ figures in the so-called ‘poll of polls’, has been put on the table. Till actual counting on 23 May – people will, depending on their political orientation and which pollster they decide to go with – rejoice or grieve.

As per CVoter, the Congress-led UPA is projected to get 128 seats, while the BJP-led NDA could bring in a total of 287. The Congress by itself is projected to get 80 seats, while BJP alone is projected to win 236 seats.

The Mahagathbandhan looks set to grab 40 seats, while the TMC in Bengal is set to get 29 seats.

However, given the inconsistent track record of pollsters over several elections, exit polls at best, give only a general sense of the direction India is heading in. At worst, they could have got everything wrong.

It is obvious that much depends on the final tally. It would determine equations among parties, and decide who gets to sit with who in the Treasury Benches in Parliament, or are relegated to the Opposition rows. At this stage thereby, several scenarios are in store, and it is worth examining these, as India's social, economic and political future will vary, based on which of these possibilities become reality.

In random order, let us take the most talked-about post-poll scenario in the run-up to the long, cacophonous, bordering on loutish, electoral campaign.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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717: ‘Exit Poll to Discourage You’: Priyanka Gandhi’s Message to Cong Workers

Tue, 21 May 2019 03:22:35 GMT

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716: Dad Called Me Khan Market Gang: Being Anti-Modi In A Bhakt Family

Mon, 20 May 2019 17:04:30 GMT

The Modi wave hasn’t just swept the nation. It has also birthed awkward silences among colleagues, broken friendships and caused heated arguments in family get-togethers.

According to many people – especially from Hindu families – who oppose the divisive and communal rule of the BJP, it has become impossible to have conversations with family members who are staunch supporters of the BJP government, and Narendra Modi in particular.

Listen to the full story here!

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715: Chunav Tracker | Have 2019 Exit Polls Got It Wrong?

Mon, 20 May 2019 12:27:06 GMT

Almost all exit polls have predicted a BJP-led NDA sweep of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. But, each poll predicts a different number, and by a fairly wide margin.

On this edition of Chunav Tracker, Sanjay Pugalia explains why the landslide victory predictions for the NDA might need a closer look.

On 23 May, the day of reckoning, who will form the next government? Listen to the podcast for the whole analysis.

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714: Modi’s ‘Overexposure’ & Choice of CM Adityanath, May Cost the BJP

Sun, 19 May 2019 05:45:58 GMT

The incumbent BJP-led NDA is facing a tougher-than-expected contest in the ongoing parliamentary elections. While this has rightly been traced to its overall disappointing performance in power, particularly on the economic front, it would also appear that at least two political calls made early in its tenure – both by the BJP – have now come back to haunt the NDA.

The first was the BJP’s decision to go into almost every assembly election post-2014 with Narendra Modi as its mascot.

Local issues and leadership questions were relegated to the background, consciously. This had its dividends, keeping inner party squabbling at manageable levels, and ensuring that the carefully-crafted, systematically-magnified Modi persona papered over anti-incumbency and blunted entrenched rivals.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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713: J&K, Manipur Still Need AFSPA: A Review, However, Will Do No Harm

Sun, 19 May 2019 05:34:10 GMT

It is learnt that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is likely to be withdrawn from all districts of Assam in the near future or as early as Aug 2019. The whole of Assam was declared disturbed on 27 Nov 1990 at the peak of the ULFA movement.

Last year, the central government had specifically empowered the state of Assam to recommend the continuation or revocation of the ‘disturbed areas’ status which enables AFSPA to be valid in a state, district or tehsil.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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712: Can Bibi Khalra & PDA Break SAD-Congress Stranglehold Over Punjab?

Sat, 18 May 2019 12:32:03 GMT

The constituency that symbolises this battle against the Akalis, Congress and BJP is Khadoor Sahib.

Interestingly, Khadoor Sahib is the only Lok Sabha seat that covers all the three regions in Punjab: six of its assembly segments are in the Majha region, two in Doaba and one in Malwa.

Challenging the Congress and the Akalis here is Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalra of the Punjabi Ekta Party.

Khalra has extensively worked with families whose members were killed or forcibly abducted by the police during the 1980s and 1990s.

Her husband Jaswant Singh Khalra was a prominent human rights activist, whose efforts exposed several cases of encounters, abductions and human rights abuses that were carried out by the police in the name of fighting the Khalistan insurgency.

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711: Five Reasons Why India Won’t See Many Electric Cars Until 2025

Sat, 18 May 2019 11:05:18 GMT

A recent Bloomberg NEF report states that only about 6.6 percent of the total vehicles sold in the country would be electric by 2030. That's a far cry from the planned 100 percent electrification by 2030 that the Indian government wanted. In fact, by 2025, while two-wheelers and three-wheelers may see more electrification, cars will still be few and far between.

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710: PM Modi’s ‘Press Conference’ That Wasn’t

Sat, 18 May 2019 08:41:55 GMT

One must hand it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is a leader who knows how to do things ‘differently’ — and leave the people of the country gob-smacked by his startling moves. On Friday, 17 May, Mr Modi came out with one more zinger. He did a press conference without actually doing one.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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709: US & Iran May Not Go To War But India Still Has Reason to Worry

Fri, 17 May 2019 16:53:40 GMT

Will President Donald Trump’s campaign of ‘maximum pressure’ against Iran, stumble into war by accident, miscalculation, or misreading of signals? The similarities to the 2003 build-up against Iraq, which led to the most unnecessary and destructive war, are eerie. And at least one key actor – US National Security Adviser John Bolton – is a common factor. Bolton, who also worked in the George W Bush administration, has long advocated regime change in Iran.

Then, as now, US ‘Intelligence’ – Iranian missiles being loaded on boats and proxy groups being activated – has made an appearance in a replay of ‘evidence’ of Iraq’s non-existent nuclear weapons programme.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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708: In Bihar CM Nitish’s Constituency, Dalit Weavers Upset With Modi

Fri, 17 May 2019 16:50:51 GMT

“Dinosaurs became extinct because they refused to change with the times. And that’s what has happened to the Communist Party of India (CPI) in (Bihar’s) Jehanabad and Nalanda. They (CPI) were ruling these districts in the 1980s and early 1990s but were dogmatic and refused to accept new social realities,” says comrade Ambika, the district secretary of Jehanabad’s CPI.

Another comrade adds, “If Begusarai is Leningrad, then by that logic, Jehanabad is Moscow”. In a manner of speaking, they are right. Unlike Begusarai, where the CPI only won the seat once in 1967, Jehanabad elected a CPI candidate, Ramashray Prasad Singh, four times in a row (1984, 1989, 1991 and 1996). In neighbouring Nalanda constituency, the CPI won thrice (1980, 1984 and 1991).

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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707: ‘Mahatma Gandhi Would Have Forgiven Pragya Thakur,’ Says Grandson Gopal Gandhi

Fri, 17 May 2019 15:53:01 GMT

Former Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi on Friday, 17 May, said that his grandfather Mahatma Gandhi would have forgiven BJP leader Pragya Singh Thakur for hailing his assassin Nathuram Godse as “deshbhakt.”

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706: De De Pyaar De’ Owes a Lot to Ajay Devgn & Tabu’s Chemistry - Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Fri, 17 May 2019 13:39:19 GMT

It’s routine for some of our 50-plus superstars to romance women half their age on screen. We had to accept this fact grudgingly. With time and some criticism, even if the male hero’s abdicated the “college lover boy” image, the machismo and star aura still ensured that while they kept getting older the women opposite them kept getting younger.

So when De De Pyaar De trailer came out, where Ajay Devgn’s character is shown trying to juggle life between his “mature” ex-wife and a 20-something chirpy girlfriend, one frankly didn't expect much – same old jokes, stereotypes and double meaning dialogues.

Turns out the trailer did it disservice because De De Pyaar De is actually surprisingly good!

Listen to the podcast for the full review!

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705: Upcoming Assembly Bypolls Hold the Key For JD(S)-Cong in Karnataka

Fri, 17 May 2019 11:58:38 GMT

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704: Indigo Braces for Turbulence As Bosses Differ on Airline Expansion

Fri, 17 May 2019 11:36:22 GMT

According to The Economic Times, “serious differences” have emerged between Indigo promoters Rahul Bhatia and Rakesh Gangwal, over the expansion and long-term strategy of the country’s largest airline. Consequently, the two parties have engaged law firms to resolve the differences in the shareholders clause.

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703: Exclusive: Rahul Gandhi in Conversation With The Quint

Fri, 17 May 2019 11:19:12 GMT

The 2019 Lok Sabha elections are coming to a close, and with that one of the most hard-fought political battles in recent memory.

How will India’s future look like after 23 May? Rahul Gandhi, President of the Indian National Congress, speaks to Raghav Bahl, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Quint and Sanjay Pugalia, Editorial Director of The Quint.

Gandhi speaks about Congress’ failure to establish a coalition in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, the party’s flagship NYAY scheme, Gandhi’s strategy on a fractured mandate post-results and who will be the prime minister in a Congress-led government. Listen to the podcast for the full interview!

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702: Bengal’s Shadow Over Modi Will Loom Large, Long After Polls End

Fri, 17 May 2019 07:08:15 GMT

The BJP may well have shot itself in the foot in Bengal, courtesy a pliant Election Commission. The EC played into Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s hands with its openly partisan decision to curtail the campaign for the final phase in the state by a day, but only after Narendra Modi completes his scheduled rallies.

Mamata has been on a roll since. She’s invoked Bengali pride. She’s lashed out at Narendra Modi and Amit Shah in the strongest possible language, getting downright personal with both. And she’s masterfully played the victim card, positioning herself as David fighting not one, but two Goliaths.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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701: No Modi, No Captain: Data Reveals An Election of Anger in Punjab

Thu, 16 May 2019 14:09:24 GMT

Anti-incumbency is a mild word to describe the public sentiment in Punjab as it goes to vote in the Lok Sabha elections on 19 May. There is resentment against the political class at every level – from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to local leaders across party lines.

Candidates from almost every party have been heckled during the campaign – Union Minister Harsimrat Badal, her opponents Amarinder Singh Raja Warring of the Congress and Sukhpal Khaira of the Punjab Democratic Alliance, Congress’ Patiala candidate and the CM’s wife Preneet Kaur, AAP leader Bhagwant Mann and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Parminder Dhindsa – to name a few.

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700: Early End to Campaigning in West Bengal & More Updates From 16 May

Thu, 16 May 2019 13:09:05 GMT

In a first, the Election Commission invoked article 324 and announced that campaigning for the last 9 seats in West Bengal will end on 16 May, 10 pm, a day before the scheduled deadline. The state is set to go to polls on 19 May, the seventh and last phase of elections. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee called the decision “unethical” and accused the EC of working for Modi. She said the timing of the ban allows PM Modi to deliver his two scheduled election rallies in Bengal on 16 May.
The decision came after the entire fiasco at Amit Shah’s rally resulting in violence and vandalism of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s statue. Playing the blame-game over the broken statue, Didi called out the BJP goons while Modi blamed the TMC workers, stating that BJP will rebuild Vidyasagar statue.
In yet another controversial remark, BJP candidate Pragya Singh Thakur called Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse, a “patriot” and said those calling him a “terrorist” will be given a befitting reply when the election results are announced. Her remarks come in the wake of Kamal Haasan’s comment that Godse was India’s first terrorist. The BJP, however, scrambled to control the damage and condemned her remarks asking her to publicly apologize.
Gearing up for the election results, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi took charge of hosting the opposition parties for a meeting which is set to be held on 23rd May, the day the results would be announced.
And your last update for the day, the Haryana Police booked state minister Manish Grover and former Congress MLA B B Batra for allegedly entering a polling booth without permission and disorderly conduct.
That was your quick 2019 My Vote Elections wrap for the day. You can subscribe to The Quint's podcasts on Spotify, Apple or Google podcasts. You can also log on to The Quint’s website and check out our podcast section!

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699: Godse’s Killing of Gandhi Is Not Just Terrorism – It’s Much Worse

Thu, 16 May 2019 08:27:52 GMT

“Hinduism has an infinite capacity, almost incredible capacity, to survive and endure the outrages committed on it by its followers… Hinduism has always been an admixture of foreign goodness and indigenous debasement.”

This quote by Nirad C Chaudhury, one of the most irreverent yet incisive critics of all things Indian, is very apt and useful if you want to understand the current outrage over actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan’s recent statement, that Nathuram Godse was the ‘first Hindu terrorist’ in India.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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698: Chunav Tracker | West Bengal Clashes to Benefit TMC or BJP?

Wed, 15 May 2019 13:34:16 GMT

With just one phase of voting left, nine seats in West Bengal will vote on 19 May. But before this can happen, violence has gripped the last days of campaigning in the state.

Tensions peaked after unknown elements defaced a statue of Bengali writer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar on 14 May. The TMC and BJP have blamed each other for the incident.

Meanwhile, tensions are at an all-time high in the state.

What does this mean for the 2019 elections? How will West Bengal's elections play out? Sanjay Pugalia explains on this episode of Chunav Tracker.

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697: Modi vs Mamata: Surveys Show BJP in Single Digits in West Bengal

Wed, 15 May 2019 10:51:51 GMT

West Bengal is emerging as the main battlefield in the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The vandalism of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s statue, allegedly by BJP cadres taking part in party president Amit Shah’s roadshow on Tuesday, has given West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee exactly what she wanted: an opportunity to hit the streets and invoke Bengali nationalism against the BJP.

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696: ‘No Communal Angle’, Says Daughter of Man Murdered in West Delhi

Wed, 15 May 2019 09:35:39 GMT

Days after a 51-year-old businessman was stabbed to death, allegedly for resisting youths who passed lewd remarks at his daughter in West Delhi, his family told The Quint that the matter should not be made communal.

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695: Kedar’s Injury, Kuldeep’s Form: What’s Ailing Team India Post IPL

Wed, 15 May 2019 09:25:29 GMT

After 52 days of intense cricket in the Indian Premier League, what are the issues that crept up in the World Cup-bound Indian team?

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694: WHY IT'S TOUGH TO BE IN KANGANA FAN CLUB NOW

Wed, 15 May 2019 08:53:16 GMT

Kangana Ranaut was the harbinger of the much-needed change in Bollywood; the feminist icon that the industry had been looking for. But something’s changed in the last year or so. It seems like our icon has clay feet.

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693: Why Are Indians Not Buying Enough Cars?

Wed, 15 May 2019 06:45:38 GMT

The new financial year has gotten off to a dismal start, with overall passenger car sales declining 19.93 percent in April 2019 compared to the same month a year ago, according to data from SIAM.

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692: SC’s Approach to Mamata Meme Case Endangers Freedom of Speech

Tue, 14 May 2019 14:24:04 GMT

How the order directing Priyanka Sharma to apologise for her Facebook post sharing a meme about Mamata Banerjee violates fundamental rights jurisprudence and the rule of law.

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691: How Will Regional Parties Sway the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections?

Tue, 14 May 2019 13:35:25 GMT

If the 2019 Lok Sabha elections result in a hung parliament, what is going to be the role of the Ms and the Ns?

Sanjay Pugalia analyzes the signals MK Stalin, Mamata, Mayawati and Nitish Kumar are sending across, on today's episode of the Chunav Tracker podcast.

Listen to the podcast for the complete analysis.

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690: IAF Gets AH-64E Apache Helicopters: Who Are The True ‘Guardians’?

Tue, 14 May 2019 12:58:42 GMT

Heralding another multi billion-dollar import of weaponry, the first of twenty-two AH-64E (I) Apache ‘Guardian’ attack helicopters, was formally handed over to the Indian Air Force (IAF) by Boeing at their production facility in Meza, Arizona on 10 May.

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689: How Science Has Destroyed the Foundation of RSS' Idea of India

Tue, 14 May 2019 11:32:50 GMT

Genetics has proved that Aryans did migrate from the Steppe region and that the Harappan Civilisation was pre-Vedic. What does this mean for the RSS' definition of nationalism?

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688: The Accidental Terror Suspect

Tue, 14 May 2019 01:32:41 GMT

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687: Rafale Review Decision Comes Down to Whether Govt Misled SC

Mon, 13 May 2019 15:39:12 GMT

Here’s the key issue the CJI-led bench will need to consider, and why it could spell trouble for the government.

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686: Why Deen Dayal Upadhyay’s Philosophy Fits A Presidential System

Mon, 13 May 2019 15:15:31 GMT

The BJP once seriously considered changing the country’s system of government. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was very interested in the presidential form of government. In a speech in 1998 he declared that “we should discuss the merits of the presidential system.”

He said, “I often wonder whether the British Westminster model has been defeated by the Indian reality.” His home minister, LK Advani, had also made a series of speeches and wrote articles pushing for a presidential system. He went so far as to say, “The basic structure doctrine doesn’t bind us to parliamentary democracy.”

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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686: Will Dalit Anger Cost BJP the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections?

Mon, 13 May 2019 15:14:39 GMT

A Dalit man beaten to death in Uttarakhand’s Tehri Garhwal; a 18-year-old Dalit girl gang-raped in Thanaghazi in Rajasthan’s Alwar district; stones hurled at a Dalit wedding procession in Gujarat’s Aravalli district - these are some of the crimes that have taken place in the past few weeks, even as the country was in middle of, as the cliche goes, the ‘festival of democracy’.

These aren’t isolated incidents. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, crimes against Dalits have increased by 25 percent between 2006 and 2016 and the trend has been continuing since then.

Subjected to physical attacks as well as more day-to-day forms of humiliation, there is a simmering anger among Dalits across the India. While the anger goes beyond politics, in this election it appears to be mostly directed towards the ruling BJP.

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685: Ramadan vs Ramazan Debate: ‘Creeping Wahhabism’ Is a False Alarm

Mon, 13 May 2019 15:10:25 GMT

Every year, there is an odd debate on the “correct” spelling of Ramadan/Ramazan. It is a curious thing, tinged with concerns about radicalisation, a xenophobic nativist unease about “Arabisation”, and generally divorced from any idea of history or an understanding of India’s place in the world.

Much of it reflects concerns with the Sunni violence perpetrated against the Shia populace of Pakistan, without acknowledging the large differences between the Muslim communities in India and Pakistan, and the impact of state policy and international wars.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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684: Chunav Tracker Podcast | Voter Turnout, Silent Voters and More!

Mon, 13 May 2019 13:08:33 GMT

One more phase down and the last one left. While in some places the voter turnout slipped down, it some places it shot up. What do these numbers indicate about the elections?

With the only phase left, we are also witnessing the final efforts by the political parties to impress the voters. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the mood to give interviews to journalists. But why is he talking about cloud covers and digital cameras?

These elections have also brought some of the important regional players back into the narrative. What is the chatter on KCR, Mayawati and Mamata about?

One curious factor about elections are the silent voters who haven’t opened up about their political preferences. We’ve heard the slogans, we’ve heard the debate but how do we interpret the silent voters and their impact on the 2019 polls?

All this and more on this episode of Chunav Tracker with Sanjay Pugalia. Tune in!

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683: 6 Key Factors That Turned The IPL Final Mumbai Indians’ Way

Mon, 13 May 2019 13:06:34 GMT

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682: Islamophobia and Communalism: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Mon, 13 May 2019 12:34:59 GMT

Muslims are always unknown, an ever receding community from the eyes of popular perception. Islamophobia is much more normalised and rationalised than non-Muslim thinkers usually conceptualise. Communal riot erupts when the already present flame of Islamophobic sentiments is stoked. The two reinforces one another. One is overt, another covert. One is head, another tail. But two sides of the same coin. Listen to the podcast for the full story.

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681: Four-Time Champions – Decoding Mumbai Indians’ Success Formula

Mon, 13 May 2019 11:30:55 GMT

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680: Review: 'GoT' S8 Ep5 Destroys Everything as Queen of Ashes Rises

Mon, 13 May 2019 11:22:05 GMT

Let's first address the elephant in the room: the Mad Queen plot-line, which many fans hoped would turn out to be a red-herring after the last episode, turned out to be true, and it played out like a nightmare in the penultimate episode (episode 5), titled The Bells, of the Game of Thrones season 8.

To see the biggest fall from grace of one of the most powerful characters you rooted for through 7 seasons, can be a very hard thing. But definitely a raging madness cannot be put past Daenerys Targaryen's character, and very few would deny that. How the creators got to this point is surely worth debating.

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679: Podcast | Student of The Year 2 is KJo’s Campaign for Star Kids

Mon, 13 May 2019 09:08:42 GMT

When will Tiger Shroff stop getting “launched” ? His first film came out in 2014. 5 years on he remains the favourite star kid still being featured in show reels! Don’t get me wrong. Few can fight as convincingly as Shroff Jr does and he has a likeable presence but his treatment in every movie has been of a “product” being “launched” and now it’s getting a bit much!

The only way to describe Student Of The Year 2 is that it is Karan Johar’s right and “dharma” to campaign for star kids and display to the world what these lovelies are capable of. Tune in to the podcast for the full review!

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678: Endgame Or GOT Season 8? The Only Time Being A ‘Bhakt’ Is Okay

Mon, 13 May 2019 08:03:38 GMT

Fandom is almost like being part of a cult, a commune of acolytes. Certain writers have said that it is like fanaticism, but to a cultural ideology – your commitment is as intense and involved as a right-winger or a left-winger, but because it is to pop culture, it seems trivial. In other words, fandom is about being a pop culture bhakt!

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677: If Pakistan Wants Peace in Balochistan, It Must Look Inward

Mon, 13 May 2019 06:33:42 GMT

Pakistan cannot hope for peace in Balochistan unless it realises that the solution is to address domestic problems. The country should take responsibility for making Balochistan a hotbed for terror groups.

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676: The Malayali Man And His Elephant: A Manufactured Love Story

Sun, 12 May 2019 14:54:36 GMT

Kerala, often lauded by others – and Malayalis themselves – for its highly-educated population, has gotten entangled in two public debates which have shaken the foundation of this status of the community.

The first one was in the form of the huge protests taken out by a section of the community against the Supreme Court verdict allowing women to enter the Sabarimala shrine. The second one is the more recent debate against the forest officials‘ refusal to allow one ageing elephant with low eye-sight from participating in Thrissur Pooram, one of the biggest temple festivals in Kerala.

Listen to the full podcast!

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675: The Psychology of Students Committing Suicide in India

Sat, 11 May 2019 12:45:12 GMT

14 year old Prerna took her own life after she failed two subjects in her Class VIII half-yearly exams. She is one of thousands of Indian students who commit suicide in India every year.

A 2014 study from the government of India reported that over 32,000 Indians in the 15-29 age group took their own lives that year. And this number has only grown over the past 20 years.

On this podcast, we’re looking at India’s student suicide crisis.

Exam-related pressure was the largest cause of suicide in India’s youth. On this podcast you’ll hear from people who work with suicide support groups, doctors, as well as the last words of several students taken from their suicide notes.

Listen to the podcast for the full story.

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674: In Yogi’s Gorakhpur, Ghosts of ‘Hindu Vahini’ Past Haunt the UP CM

Sat, 11 May 2019 11:38:47 GMT

Saurabh Vishwakarma, 34, is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator from ward number 63 in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur. His ward, with nearly three thousand voters, abuts the Gorakhnath Math headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Vishwakarma was 15 when he joined the Hindu Yuva Vahini, Adityanath’s vigilante group or private army. He is a three-time BJP corporator and was re-elected in 2017, on a BJP ticket, even after he had a bitter falling out with Adityanath, who had declared a bounty of Rs 25,000 on his head.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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673: Rajiv Gandhi Said He ‘Looked Forward To Seeing Me’ In Lakshadweep

Sat, 11 May 2019 09:17:00 GMT

In a letter on 4 August 1987, as I left the PMO to take up an assignment in Lakshadweep, classified by the MHA as a ‘punishment posting’, Rajiv Gandhi wrote: “Thank you also for your hard work and cheerful assistance over the last five years; first with my mother, and then with me. We shall miss you, especially in our forays into the countryside. You are going to an important assignment. I look forward to seeing you in Lakshadweep at the winter meeting of the Island Development Authority.”

A paradise set in the heart of the Arabian Sea is the archipelago of Lakshadweep –Sanskrit for ‘one hundred thousand islands’. A Union Territory since 1956, this tiny chain of 36 coral islands of which 10 are inhabited, with an estimated population in 1985 of 44,000, is home to a unique civilisation.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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672: We Muslims Must Introspect and Bring Back Islam’s Golden Age

Sat, 11 May 2019 08:18:44 GMT

In light of the horrific bombing in Sri Lanka in April, it is vital that Muslims across the world unite against violence being perpetuated in the name of Islam. In fact, a few hours before this article was published on 8 May 2019, at least eight people were killed in a blast, claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, outside a major Sufi Muslim shrine in Lahore, Pakistan.

There are episodes in recent history which clearly indicate the malice and hostility of those committing acts of terror and mass violence in the name of Islam. Amjad Sabri, the famous qawwal, was killed in June 2016 by the Pakistani Taliban.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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671: Mamata’s ‘Barrackpore Coup’ May Ruin Modi-Shah’s Mission 22 Plan

Sat, 11 May 2019 08:16:23 GMT

Everyone loves a good fight. In Bengal, the high-octane verbal spat between Narendra Modi and Mamata Banerjee this election season, is a huge source of entertainment and amusement. It’s being watched with rapt attention, and is getting more eyeballs than TV soaps.

Unlike most fights, however, there’s no suspense about the outcome of this one. “Didi will win. No-one can defeat her in Bengal,’’ says an iron merchant in north Kolkata’s Shyam Bazaar, where Mamata’s former right-hand man, Sudip Bandyopadhyay – out on bail after 136 days in prison, in connection with the Rs 17,000 crore Rose Valley scam – is locked in a tight contest with prominent BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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670: Modi May Win 2019 But Rahul Gandhi, Too, Has Come of Age As A Neta

Sat, 11 May 2019 08:07:39 GMT

How do you respond when someone calls your father names? Do you punch him in the nose, launch a counter-attack on his family, or do you send him love and a hug to boot?

Incredibly, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is undoubtedly the main challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this long and gruelling general elections, has opted to do the latter. When Modi called his father Rajiv Gandhi, a former Prime Minister who was assassinated 28 years ago, "Bhrashtachari No 1", Rahul responded with a tweet that said, “Modi ji, The battle is over. Your Karma awaits you. Projecting your inner beliefs about yourself onto my father won’t protect you. All my love and a huge hug.”

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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A Whopping Rs 2,256 Cr Donated Via Electoral Bonds In 10 Days

Fri, 10 May 2019 17:56:51 GMT

In the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha Election, one issue that has been discussed and argued over a lot in the Supreme Court is that of electoral bonds scheme. But why so? Because of the alleged opacity of the scheme.

In an RTI reply to Vihar Durv, the State Bank of India has revealed that Rs 2,256,37,12,000 crore (over Rs 2,256 crore) worth of electoral bonds were sold by the Bank in the month of April 2019 alone, and that too in just 10 days.

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669: Which Way Will KCR Tilt After 23 May? Here’s His Game Plan

Fri, 10 May 2019 16:35:20 GMT

Many parts of India are yet to vote but parties have already started preparing their strategy for result day – 23 May. Strangely, the first initiative hasn’t been taken by the BJP or the Congress but by the two Deccan satraps: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

While Naidu’s strategy has been clear from the beginning – uniting all anti-BJP forces – it is KCR, whose moves are most interesting.

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668: Why Congress Has Reason to be Optimistic in Madhya Pradesh

Fri, 10 May 2019 16:02:48 GMT

Madhya Pradesh was tipped to be one of the states where the BJP was hoping to use Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “popularity” to bounce back from its loss in the Assembly elections last year.

But data and inputs from the ground indicate that Madhya Pradesh isn’t heading for a BJP sweep like the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, in which the party won 27 out of 29 seats with only senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia surviving the wave. This time, the Congress seems all set to improve its tally from the two seats it won last time due to a number of factors.

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667: A Lesson From Ambedkar’s Unusual Choice of Symbol During 1937 Poll

Fri, 10 May 2019 13:39:57 GMT

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666: AAP vs Gautam Gambhir, Modi Slams Pitroda Over Riots Remark & More From 10 May

Fri, 10 May 2019 12:30:43 GMT

The temperature and Indian politics is heating up as the country gears up for the sixth phase of elections on 12 May. Hey guys, I’m Sonal and you’re listening to the My Vote 2019 Podcast, your one stop shop for daily election related developments.
As you know, AAP held a press conference over the distribution of pamphlets with extremely derogatory and casteist language against its East Delhi candidate Atishi Marlena allegedly circulated by the BJP candidate Gautam Gabhir. And now our elections has officially hit a new low. But Atishi has filed a complaint with the Delhi Commission for Women and in turn, Gambhir has sent a defamation notice to Atishi, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia for alleging that he circulated these pamphlets. Gambhir first said he will quit politics if it can be proven he distributed these pamphlets, then he also said he would hang himself.
While addressing a rally in Haryana, Prime Minister Modi slammed Congress for its leader Sam Pitroda’s remark, “Hua so hua” for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Modi said these three words summed up the Congress’s arrogance. Pitroda in response hit out at BJP for twisting his words and distorting facts to hide their own failures.
Andhra Pradesh CM and Telugu Desam Party president Chandrababu Naidu held a closed door discussion with his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kharagpur on future plans of the Mahagathbandhan. Naidu and Didi also discussed whether she will attend the meeting of opposition parties to discuss future plans, set to be held on 21 May.
And your last update for the day, in a relief for Delhi voters, the Delhi Metro will begin services two hours earlier on polling day. The train services will begin at 4am instead of 6am on 12 May.
That was your quick 2019 My Vote Elections wrap for the day. You can subscribe to The Quint's podcasts on Spotify, Apple or Google podcasts. You can also log on to The Quint’s website and check out our podcast section!

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665: Millennial Review: Sunny Deol’s Hyper- Nationalism in ‘Gadar’

Fri, 10 May 2019 12:04:13 GMT

A millennial review of the 2001 classic Gadar: Ek Prem Katha starring Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel.

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664: Nehru on INS Delhi ‘Fits Under Protocol’: Ex-MoD Official

Fri, 10 May 2019 11:25:30 GMT

Following PM Modi's claim that late PM Rajiv Gandhi had used INS Viraat as his 'personal taxi' for a vacation in the Lakshadweep islands, another claim on similar lines has emerged, this time targetting Rajiv Gandhi's grandfather and India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Listen in!

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663: If India Loses Bangladesh’s Friendship, Blame ‘Hindutva’ Brigade

Fri, 10 May 2019 09:52:50 GMT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently alleged at a poll rally in West Bengal, that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had not come out in support of the UN declaration of Masood Azhar as a ‘global terrorist’. “Why Didi, because this will upset your vote banks,” Modi had thundered with a mischievous smile.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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662: Did Rajiv Gandhi Use INS Viraat as a ‘Personal Taxi’ as PM Claims?

Fri, 10 May 2019 08:15:57 GMT

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off a controversy on Wednesday, 8 May, claiming that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi used INS Viraat a ‘personal taxi’ in 1988, several senior naval officers and experts, who were in the know at the time, have weighed in and are divided on the matter. Listen in!

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661: When Pragya Thakur & Her Supporter Shirked The Quint’s Interview

Fri, 10 May 2019 07:59:59 GMT

Pragya Singh Thakur avoided questions when The Quint’s reporter went on a campaign trail with the leader.

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660: EC’s Clean Chits to Modi Unbecoming Of Supreme Election Authority

Fri, 10 May 2019 07:56:07 GMT

Former Chair of the Election Commission of India (ECI), SY Quraishi, writing in The Hindu on 7 May 2019, cited a 1977 Supreme Court ruling, in which it was observed: “Where these (the existing laws) are absent, and yet a situation has to be tackled, the Chief Election Commissioner has not to fold his hands and pray to God... to enable him... to perform his duties, or to look to any external authority for the grant of powers to deal with the situation. He must lawfully exercise his power independently, in all matters relating to the conduct of elections, and see that the election process is completed properly, in a free and fair manner.”

Quraishi held this to be the EC’s bible.

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659: Imran Khan, How Will You Convert Spirituality Into Super Science?

Fri, 10 May 2019 07:54:04 GMT

Dear Mr Khan,

On 5 May 2019, you laid the foundation stone of Al-Qadir University in Sohawa near Jhelum in the Punjab province. You emphatically, albeit with some difficulty, announced that “we will convert spirituality into a super science”. The government of Pakistan’s Twitter account wrote, “Al-Qadir University would provide both Islamic and scientific education to the students and help them become morally, intellectually and spiritually accomplished persons”.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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658: ‘China Isn’t Warlike. We Just Don’t Want To Be Exploited Again’

Fri, 10 May 2019 07:44:26 GMT

China has never been an expansionist power. On the contrary, it has been a victim of expansionism.

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657: Lira Lessons for Democracies: Respect Institutions or Else

Fri, 10 May 2019 07:21:11 GMT

Turkish currency Lira fell nearly 40 percent in 2018. The currency has been in free fall yet again, following the announcement of results of municipal elections in Turkey last month.

But why should a country’s sovereign currency fall because of municipal election results?

What has happened in Turkey - both in its municipal elections and how its 'supreme leader' Recep Erdogan has controlled institutions - has many lessons for here in India.

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656: US Sanctions on Iran: How India Can Cushion Blow to its Economy

Thu, 09 May 2019 18:17:36 GMT

The US suddenly made an announcement on 22 April 2019, that it will end all Iran sanction waivers after 2 May 2019. These waivers were granted to eight countries for an initial period of 180 days, after the US had imposed sanctions against Iran’s oil export on 5 November 2018.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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655: Chhole, Saambar ‘Unaffordable’ Once, Not Anymore: What Changed?

Thu, 09 May 2019 18:13:26 GMT

Just four years ago, high prices had put pulses beyond the reach of the poor, and the middle-classes were skimping on it. In mid-2015, at the height of the price shock in pulses, I accosted people at Delhi’s Khari Baoli spice market, for a TV programme on the issue. Ira Shukla, a former school teacher had said, “Instead of twice a day, we are eating watery dal once a day, because rates have almost doubled. Poor people cannot eat it; middle-classes like us manage somehow.”

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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654: ‘Surgical Strike’ A Misnomer, Trans-LoC Raids Took Place Under UPA

Thu, 09 May 2019 18:10:48 GMT

With the BJP leadership tom-tomming their hawkish national security credentials by repeatedly invoking the 28/29 September 2016 ‘surgical strike’, former Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, in an interview on 2 May to Hindustan Times, asserted that “multiple surgical strikes took place during our tenure too. For us, military operations were meant for strategic deterrence, and giving a befitting reply to anti-India forces, than to be used for vote garnering exercises.”

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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653: After SL Blasts, Why Do Sirisena & Wickremesinghe Still Have Jobs?

Thu, 09 May 2019 18:07:30 GMT

After the mammoth security and intelligence blunder that led to the Easter Sunday massacre, both President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe have been backed into a corner. They were forced to say they ‘failed’, and that too with reluctance.

Sri Lankan politicians are almost all liars, corrupt, thieves and rogues, some are even accused of murder and assault. These politicians are reluctant to admit their mistakes, faults and wrongdoings. You'd be hard-pressed to find them saying 'sorry' or 'thank you' to voters.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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652: Is the ECI Scared of Doing Its Job or Is It in Cahoots with Modi?

Thu, 09 May 2019 18:05:37 GMT

Is the Election Commission of India scared of doing its job?

On the evidence of its orders refusing to take action against Narendra Modi for flagrant and wilful breaches of the Model Code of Conduct, it is either that or it is in cahoots with him. The alternate theory, that they lack the most basic comprehension skills, can be safely ruled out because they had no difficulty in reading and understanding what other candidates who engaged in similar speeches had to say before banning them from election campaigns.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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651: ‘Ramzan Saved My Life’: Pak Journo Gul Bukhari On Her Kidnapping

Thu, 09 May 2019 18:02:07 GMT

Ever since my brief abduction on 5 June 2018, I have been dogged by questions like, ‘why were you abducted’, ‘why were you released’ and ‘why were you let go so quickly’.

To be honest, only my abductors would have the definitive answers to these questions. But while everyone seems to know who my abductors were, they don’t shoot these questions at them. But they keep asking me, as if I ought to know all the answers. I find it all quite funny, and also quite sad – that no one dares question the criminals.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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650: Why I’m Rooting for ‘Handsome’ Raghav & ‘Smart’ Atishi: Gul Panag

Thu, 09 May 2019 17:59:09 GMT

As I hit the campaign trail to support Raghav Chadha and Atishi of the Aam Aadmi Party, I can’t help but wonder, how in this day and age, candidates are still seeking votes for providing basics. I would also like to use this opportunity to exact revenge for the objectification I faced during my own campaign, by objectifying Raghav (albeit in jest!) – when I spoke of him being honest, upright, hardworking – and handsome!

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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649: SC Verdict on Rahul Gandhi & Tej Bahadur & More Election Updates From 9 May 2019

Thu, 09 May 2019 13:14:49 GMT

The Supreme Court dismissed a petition that sought to debar Congress President Rahul Gandhi from the elections over allegations that he holds dual citizenship. CJI Gogoi stated that "there was no merit to these claims. "
While Rahul got a clean chit, former BSF jawan and Samajwadi Party candidate Tej Bahadur Yadav’s petition to contest elections was dismissed by the Supreme Court. If you remember, the poll panel had rejected Yadav’s nomination from Varanasi due to discrepancies in the information he gave out while filing his nomination.
An FIR was filed against BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit chief Ravinder Raina and another party leader for allegedly bribing and violating the Model Code of Conduct. Members of the Leh Press Club had earlier accused BJP of bribing their members with money inside envelopes.
In a high-strung press conference, AAP’s East Delhi candidate, Atishi, broke down as her party accused BJP rival Gautam Gambhir of circulating a derogatory pamphlets about her.
And in your last update for the day, the District Collector of Bhopal ordered an inquiry to investigate if permission was granted for the three-day camp held by Namdas Tyagi, who likes to call himself Computer Baba. The probe will also investigate the role of Congress leader Digvijaya Singh who had performed a havan with the baba to ensure his win in elections.
You can subscribe to The Quint's podcasts on Spotify, Apple or Google podcasts. You can also log on to The Quint’s website and check out our podcast section!

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649: Why A 7-0 BJP Sweep in Delhi Isn’t A Forgone Conclusion

Thu, 09 May 2019 13:13:26 GMT

The seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi will vote in the sixth phase of polling on 12 May. Most pre-poll surveys predicted that if the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress fail to form an alliance, the state could witness a repeat of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in which the BJP won all seven seats with huge margins. While that may very well be the end result, a 7-0 sweep isn’t as much of a foregone conclusion as it was five years ago. Here’s why.

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648: Watch ‘Fleabag’ for a Crash Course in How Women Survive

Thu, 09 May 2019 06:56:12 GMT

A two-part British comedy series written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (the woman behind BBC’s 'Killing Eve'), 'Fleabag' is the story of a 30-something woman who runs a guinea pig-themed cafe in London.

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647: Probing CJI ‘Conspiracy’, Not Harassment Claim: Justice Patnaik

Wed, 08 May 2019 15:13:03 GMT

“I will begin the probe into the affidavit filed by lawyer Utsav Bains in the Supreme Court (SC). My probe will be limited to his affidavit only. It will be totally independent of the sexual harassment complaint [against the CJI],” said former SC Justice (Retd) AK Patnaik to The Quint.

The Supreme Court on 25 April 2019 constituted a one-man panel with former apex court judge, Justice (Retd) AK Patnaik, to hold an inquiry into the allegations raised by Bains of a “larger conspiracy” to frame the Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi.

The conspiracy is allegedly at the behest of an important corporate figure, in collusion with judgment ‘fixers’ and disgruntled employees of the court. It also directed the Directors of theCentral Bureau of Investigation, the Intelligence Bureau and the Delhi Police Commissioner to cooperate with Justice Patnaik’s inquiry.

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646: Chunav Tracker | Stock Market Bracing for a Coalition Govt?

Wed, 08 May 2019 12:31:38 GMT

Lok Sabha election results have always weighed on the share market. Like previous general elections, the anticipation of the outcome of this years’ elections is also affecting the stock prices.

Over the last few days, the stock markets have been falling . The benchmark BSE Sensex extended its losing streak by falling over 250 points in early trade on Wednesday.

Why is the stock market getting anxious? Is it revising its numbers in the expectation of a coalition government?

Among other news, the Opposition parties are taking an unusual step and planning to meet President Ram Nath Kovind after the elections to tell him to not call the single largest party to form the government in case of a hung parliament.

All this and more on this episode of Chunav Tracker. Tune in!

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645: Political Songs a Hit on YouTube for Delhi’s Bhojpuri Singers

Wed, 08 May 2019 12:12:48 GMT

The Bhojpuri music scene and election campaigns have collaborated since years. As election season begins, there is a rise in demand for singers for stage shows and campaigns for political parties.

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644: ‘I Feel Hopeless,’ Says SRFTI Student Alleging Sexual Harassment

Wed, 08 May 2019 11:37:43 GMT

A 28-year-old female student at Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) has accused a member of the non-teaching staff of sexually harassing her, more than once. The accused continues to work on campus. “I access the admin building almost everyday, so I have to see him all the time. It makes me very uncomfortable. Sometimes, I feel really hopeless," she tells The Quint.

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Exclusive: CBSE Cheats Students by Tampering Class 12 Marks, Again

Wed, 08 May 2019 09:56:33 GMT

On 24 April 2017, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar had announced that 32 school education boards, including the CBSE, had taken a decision to stop the practice of unfairly increasing students’ marks in order to show higher-scoring results.

Yet, just like in 2018, a data-driven investigation by The Quint shows how the CBSE has once again betrayed that promise made to all the other boards and indeed students across the country, by unfairly and unequally tampering marks of students who appeared for the CBSE Class 12 examinations in 2019.

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643: Lack of Inputs Leaves Sri Lankan Bombers’ Bengaluru Visit Unprobed

Wed, 08 May 2019 07:59:31 GMT

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642: Need Assurance That We Won¹t Be Sued Again: Gujarat Potato Farmers

Wed, 08 May 2019 06:57:22 GMT

After PepsiCo decided to withdraw cases filed against potato farmers in Gujarat, one would assume that dust has settled on the matter once and for all.

Instead, potato farmers are still fuming because the state government did not consult them or the cultivators before meeting PepsiCo, to arrive at an amicable statement.

A joint statement issued by the farmers rights group on Saturday, 4 May said, “The Gujarat government, after making itself a mediator in this controversy, has not consulted the farmers sued by PepsiCo and has not involved any farmers' organizations in the discussions it is holding with PepsiCo India"

Eventually on Monday, 6 May, PepsiCo withdrew one case filed against potato farmers Fulchandbhai Kachchhawa and Sureshbhai Kachchhawa at the Deesa court in Banaskantha district.

However, the sued farmers not only want an unconditional withdrawal of the cases but also an assurance from PepsiCo that they will not pursue litigation against farmers in the state.

Listen to the podcast for the full story now.

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641: Your ‘Muslim Sisters’ Won’t Forget BJP’s Hateful Reign, PM Modi

Tue, 07 May 2019 18:37:46 GMT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi called out to his ‘Muslim sisters.’ He said, “I would like to tell the Muslim sisters of Bhadohi and across the nation, several countries don't have the provision for Triple Talaq. We want to give the same rights to our Muslim sisters which have been provided to the sisters in Muslim countries.”

The remark leads to a series of questions and demands for answers from our prime minister. On what basis are you asking ‘Muslim sisters’ to trust that you will defend them?

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640: Return of Hoodas: Father-Son Duo Lead Congress’ Revival in Haryana

Tue, 07 May 2019 14:42:06 GMT

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s roadshow in support of Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda on Tuesday, 7 May, is a clear indication that this is one of the seats the party hopes to win in Haryana. It is also an acknowledgement on the part of the Congress leadership that the Hoodas are the party’s best bet in the state.

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639: Yours Truly movie review

Tue, 07 May 2019 13:35:58 GMT

In a city like Mumbai, where life hangs by local trains and the din tires the soul, Yours Truly is the calm that needs to be felt.

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638: VVPAT Checks, Modi's 'Bhrashtachari' Remarks & More From 7 May 2019

Tue, 07 May 2019 12:06:11 GMT

The Supreme Court rejected a review plea filed by 21 opposition parties seeking an increase in random matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs in the ongoing elections. The Court had directed the Election Commission to increase random matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs from one to five polling booths per assembly segment, previously also on 8th April .
Over 200 teachers from Delhi University issued a signed statement condemning remarks Prime Minister Modi made about late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Modi, in a rally on 4 May had called Gandhi Brashthachari no.1. The statement from Delhi University called Modi's remarks derogatory and untrue.
Speaking of the BJP and controversial remarks, Union Minister and BJP candidate, Giriraj Singh surrendered before a local court in Begusarai over a violation of the model code of conduct. Singh was charged for making controversial remarks against the Muslim community at an election rally in Bihar. He has been granted bail.
The Election Commission asked NITI Ayog for a response to the Congress' claims made that the BJP had misused the think-tank to collect information in advance about places where the Prime Minister was set to campaign.
And your last update for the day, a polling officer died while 24 others, including security personnel, were injured when their vehicle overturned in Amethi. The accident took place when they were on way to deposit EVM machines after polling on 6 May.
That was your quick 2019 My Vote Elections wrap for the day. You can subscribe to The Quint's podcasts on Spotify, Apple or Google podcasts. You can also log on to The Quint’s website and check out our podcast section!

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637: Punjab Is India’s Only ‘Modi-Mukt’ State: These 5 Charts Show Why

Mon, 06 May 2019 16:14:47 GMT

Punjab has been a bit of an enigma in Indian politics. It went against the Modi wave in 2014 as well as the Congress surge in 2009. Politics here is localised. And given that a handful of families - Badals, Kairons, Majithias, Brars and the Patiala royal family - wield disproportionate clout, there is a deep clamour for change in the state.

But a common trend in Punjab’s politics, is the people’s distrust of authoritarian leaders. This is as true today as it was centuries ago. Be it Alexander or Aurangzeb, Indira Gandhi or Modi, Punjab has consistently resisted authoritarian leaders.

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636: Modi’s Politics All About Dead Men: Twitter On PM’s Rajiv Remark

Mon, 06 May 2019 13:56:31 GMT

In another low for Indian politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday 5 May, while addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh, attacked former PM Rajiv Gandhi in a statement. He said, “Your (Rahul) father was termed ‘Mr Clean’ by his courtiers, but his life ended as ‘Bhrastachari No 1’.”

Many Opposition leaders condemned the statement and called it ‘shameful’ and ‘unfortunate’.

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635: Chunav Tracker Podcast | Is the Mood of The Nation a Coalition?

Mon, 06 May 2019 13:53:06 GMT

51 constituencies has gone to polls on 6 May in the fifth phase of the elections.

But a lot of new developments are taking place on the side and coalition seems to be the keyword of it all.

In a recent interview to Bloomberg, the General Secretary of the BJP, Ram Madhav said that the BJP might need help of the allies to form the next government.

Is the mood of the nation a coalition government be it the UPA or the NDA?

Political tiffs seem to be extending outside campaigns as well. While on one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciated how Odisha CM Naveen Pattnaik handled cyclone Fani, PMO sources told reporters that Modi's office called West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee twice to enquire about the cyclone but the calls went unanswered as she was on ‘tour’.

We know where the snubs are coming from but is the appreciation hinting at a coalition in Odisha?

All this and more on this episode of Chunav Tracker.

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634: LS Elections for Phase 5, Grenade in Pulwana Polling Booth & More

Mon, 06 May 2019 13:18:18 GMT

We are in the fifth phase of the elections now. 51 constituencies across 7 states went to polling on 6 May. Several political bigwigs like Mayawati, Jayant Sinha, Rajnath Singh and Yashwant Sinha came out to vote.
The seats to watch out for in this phase are the traditional strongholds of Congress, Rae Bareli and Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Minister Smriti Irani are also in the fray. This is also the first election in Ladakh division following its split from the Kashmir division earlier this year.
Polling was held in 7 seats of West Bengal and yet again there are reported incidences of poll violence from this state. The BJP has asked for a repoll in Barrackpore constituency alleging violence by TMC workers on voters. Union minister Prakash Javadekar accused TMC “goons” of booth-capturing and not letting BJP voters cast their votes.
In another part of West Bengal, people of Sabar tribe have called for a boycott of the elections due to unavailability of electricity in their houses.
In Amethi where Smriti Irani is facing Rahul Gandhi for the second time there are some allegations of booth capturing. BJP minister Smriti Irani alleged booth capturing by Congress in the constituency and asked Election Commission to take note of the matter.
In another incidence of violence, a bomb went off in Jammu and Kashmir outside the polling booths. Militants threw a grenade at a polling station in Pulwama district where polling was underway for the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency. No injuries or casualties have been reported so far.
And some good news for Maharashtra, the Election Commission allowed the relaxation of the model code of conduct to allow the state government to undertake drought relief measures.

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633: ‘Ex-Jawan Tej Bahadur Was a Poor Choice of Candidate Against Modi’

Mon, 06 May 2019 07:06:06 GMT

I am no admirer of Mr Modi, but I think that former BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav was not the ideal opponent to the prime minister, notwithstanding the media going ballistic over the rejection of his (Yadav’s) nomination papers.

Yadav, in a surprise move, was made a joint candidate of the Mahagathbandhan, to fight the PM from Varanasi. Allotted the symbol of the Samajwadi Party, the fight is unlikely to happen, unless the Supreme Court – which Yadav has threatened to approach, alleging bias – overturns the decision of the Returning Officer.

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632: If Modi Is So Sure of Winning Bengal, Then Why ‘Threaten’ Mamata?

Mon, 06 May 2019 06:59:06 GMT

If Narendra Modi has largely usurped the centre-stage of India's parliamentary election this summer, his bitter battle with West Bengal's chief minister Mamata Banerjee has hogged the limelight, with every passing round in this long seven-phase election. After it emerged that a seemingly formidable Priyanka Gandhi wasn’t going to contest from Varanasi, BJP cried ‘cowardly retreat’.

The real ‘Jhansi ki Rani’ now seems to be Mamata Banerjee, who is leading a do-or-die charge against a far more formidable adversary, matching its money power with raw muscle and mobilisation.

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631: Mayawati-Akhilesh’s ‘Alliance Driven By People’ Could Harm BJP

Mon, 06 May 2019 06:56:35 GMT

After four phases of polling in Uttar Pradesh, BSP supremo Mayawati’s bold move to accept a pre-poll alliance with arch rival Samajwadi Party (SP), appears to be working smoothly. Reports from the ground suggest that the BSP’s core support base of Jatavs has collaborated surprisingly well with the SP’s Yadavs, who were not so long ago seen as oppressors.

Supported in Western UP by a sizeable section of Jats – another previous oppressor of Jatavs – and backed by a consolidated bloc of Muslim voters – this extraordinary coalition of social groups in the country’s most populous and politically crucial state, could halt the mighty Modi juggernaut, and be the game-changer in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

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630: US Sanctions on Iranian Oil: the Reasons and Challenges Explained

Sun, 05 May 2019 10:50:30 GMT

The United States has announced that it will no longer waive sanctions for nations buying crude oil from Iran. The waivers are due to expire in May. The announcement has elicited knee-jerk reactions from the nations affected, not least India, which imports more than 80% of its oil needs.

Why is the US trying to cut off Iran’s oil revenue? What are the reasons behind this move and what is India planning to do?

Listen to the podcast for the full story.

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629: Why BJP’s Uttar Pradesh Disaster May Become Worse in Last 3 Phases

Sat, 04 May 2019 15:12:28 GMT

Nearly half of Uttar Pradesh - 39 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats to be precise - has already voted. In 2014, the BJP won 35 of these seats and Samajwadi Party won four. Both the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress failed to win even one of these 39 constituencies.

According to conservative estimates, this time the BJP could be down by around 15 seats in the first four phases alone. However, many other analysts say that the party could lose over 20 of the 35 seats that it had won from the first four phases.

The bad news for the National Democratic Alliance is that the subsequent phases might actually be worse for it.

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628: Our Exams Neither Test Knowledge Nor Prepare Kids For College

Sat, 04 May 2019 09:39:31 GMT

Our students continue to amaze us in their examination results, with so many of them scoring close to perfect marks in their board exams. These are the same cohorts of students that have been declared largely unemployable.

Still, not just the highest scores continue to soar, but also the pass rates continue to rise. There is clearly something happening here that enables such incredible marks. Interestingly, the toppers this year are not from the big city famous schools, they are from from little known schools in Ghaziabad and Muzaffarnagar. Also, the Humanities now deliver scores as high as science subjects breaking the barrier of subjective marking.

Listen to the full story here!

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627: I was Denied Admission to College for Wearing a Hijab to Class

Sat, 04 May 2019 07:18:20 GMT

I’m Fathima Fazeela, I am 16-year-old and a student of St. Agnes PU College (in Mangaluru). This year, when I went to the college for my second year (II PU) admission, I was denied admission because I wear a headscarf in the class.

They denied my admission without providing me with any official letter. I asked for it several times, I even went three days to the college for that letter but they never gave me the letter. In fact, they said they would issue a Transfer Certificate instead and not the official letter ( with the reason for denying admission).

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Citing ‘Spike’ After 5 pm, Cong Alleges Booth Capture in Telangana

Sat, 04 May 2019 05:16:28 GMT

The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), a state unit of the Congress party, wrote to the Election Commission on Wednesday, 1 May, raising concern over the percentage of votes polled during the Lok Sabha elections after 5 pm.

The letter, written by TPCC chairperson Marri Shashidhar Reddy, says there was an “unusual increase in the percentage of polling after 5 pm” on 11 April 2019, polling day, in 17 parliamentary constituencies in Telangana.

Three significant observations are made in the letter:

The average percentage of votes polled till 5 pm in the 17 constituencies was 59.08%.

The average percentage of votes at the end of polling in all 17 constituencies was 64.32%.

An overall increase in percentage of votes after 5 pm was close to 5.26%.

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626: Meet, Greet, Delete: How’s India’s ‘Hookup’ Culture Faring?

Fri, 03 May 2019 16:56:38 GMT

For many, the heart doesn't get ripped out of the chest anymore when you don't see them again. “Sex is cool, but have you ever heard of not making a big deal about it?” smirks 28-year-old Sneha* from Delhi. Sex has been afforded the choice of letting go of emotional reserves, she explains to me with a tinge of relief in her voice.

“Dispensability is now a way of life, you know? Everyone can be done without, unless you're sure you’re investing right,” she says. “Wham-bam-thank-you- ma’am works for me... for some, it doesn't though,” she trails off into silence.

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I Did the Right Thing: Harsh Mander on SC Deportation Case Drama

Fri, 03 May 2019 14:47:25 GMT

The Quint spoke to Harsh Mander about why he asked CJI Ranjan Gogoi to recuse himself in the Assam deportation case, and whether he thinks he made the right decision. “I would do it again,” he said, adding “I can act only according to my conscience and judgement.”

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625: A Chinese Student Blogs On the Success of ‘Andhadhun’ In China

Fri, 03 May 2019 12:08:20 GMT

A Chinese student blogs on the success of Ayushmann Khurrana’s AndhaDhun in China. For starters, Sriram Raghavan’s Andhadhun (released as Piano Player in China) was widely publicised on WeChat and Weibo even before its release.

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624: ‘Cried as I Ate’: Shanti Verma on Breaking Fast Against Harassment

Fri, 03 May 2019 12:01:14 GMT

Shanti Verma's is one of 17 sexual harassment cases that are currently pending action from AIR. In October 2018 – post the resurgence of the #MeToo movement in India – the AIRCACU sent a letter to the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) and to the National Commission for Women (NCW), to probe a series of sexual harassment complaints that had come in from AIR stations all across the country.

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623: TN Bypolls: 4 Constituencies, 3-Way Fight – What’s at Stake?

Fri, 03 May 2019 07:20:54 GMT

Elections in Tamil Nadu have always been a single phase affair. This year, the Assembly elections, and the bypolls to 18 (out of 22) constituencies were held on the same day, in Phase 2, on 18 April. The remaining four constituencies will go to polls on 19 May. Here are the names. Full marks if you can pronounce them in one go –Thiruparankundram, Sulur, Aravakurichi and Ottapidaram.

The battle is between three parties: DMK, AIADMK and AMMK. Read on for some dope on the contestants and the issues plaguing the constituencies.

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622: Super Cyclones Like Fani Aren’t Rare: How Ready Are We?

Fri, 03 May 2019 06:57:43 GMT

Cyclone ‘Fani’, which had developed south-east of Sri Lanka, has been categorised as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), at 05:30 hrs, on 2 May, ‘Fani’ was about 450 km south-southwest of Puri (Odisha), 230 km south-southeast of Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), and 650 km south-southwest of Digha (West Bengal) – and is expected to make landfall around Puri on the afternoon of 3 May, with average wind speed of 170-180 km per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 200 kph.

Weather forecasters estimate that ‘Fani’ is likely to affect around 19 districts of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. Cyclonic storms in the Bay of Bengal are categorised based on the maximum wind speeds at their “eye” (centre).

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621: Why We Need to Think About the Gurugram Moral Policing Viral Video

Fri, 03 May 2019 03:29:34 GMT

Language is anything but neutral. ‘Rape’, as the recent Gurugram moral policing incident shows, is a loaded word that cannot be used to mete out punishment as one sees fit.

However, as we assess the incident — the woman’s alleged “you should be raped” comment, the recording of the video, how the six women approached the situation, the social media support and outrage, and finally the media coverage of it all — we must pay some attention to our own words.

What we seem to have not noticed is that the words we use shape the narration of this incident and many more like it.

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620: I Don’t Wear Niqab But Oppose the Move: MES Student on Veil Ban

Thu, 02 May 2019 15:52:55 GMT

The Muslim Educational Society in Kerala has issued a circular banning niqab (veil covering the face) in all its educational institutions.

The MES is one of the largest minority educational organisations with over 100 institutions to its name.

In the circular released by the organisation, president of the institution PA Fazal Gafoor says, “MES aims at the social and cultural progress of the Muslim community insists that the students, even while maintaining high standards in curricular and extra-curricular activities, follow certain decorum in the dress code too. We should discourage all undesirable practices on the campuses.”

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619: What is Doxxing, Why is it Bad And How Do You Avoid It?

Thu, 02 May 2019 14:40:28 GMT

Doxxing involves looking up the details of people’s lives, usually by digging through their social media profiles, publicly available data, government records and even comments across old and defunct message boards. While snippets of this information might be irrelevant individually, put together,they can cause real harm.

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618: On World Press Freedom Day, Nothing ‘Fake’ About Rising Dangers

Thu, 02 May 2019 13:35:08 GMT

It’s been seven months since Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and dissident, was brutally murdered inside the country’s consulate in Istanbul. His dismembered body has still not been found. The Saudi Royal Family remains the chief suspect.

Yet, for globetrotting capitalists in search of opportunity in Riyadh, it’s back to business as usual.

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618: Chunav Tracker | Masood Azhar, Mahagathbandhan & More

Thu, 02 May 2019 13:01:16 GMT

Masood Azhar was been blacklisted by the UNSC as a global terrorist, on 1 May. And it couldn’t have come at a better time for the BJP which is campaigning for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s re-election before the remaining phases which has some crucial constituencies in the Hindi heartland go to polls.

On the other hand, there seem to be glaring differences among the parties in opposition about the Congress cutting into the Mahagathbandan’s vote share in certain constituencies.

BSP chief Mayawati, on May 2, accused the BJP and Congress of having a tacit understanding and unitedly working against the SP-BSP alliance.

All this and more on this episode of Chunav Tracker. Tune in!

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617: Elections 2019: Why All is Not Well For Modi in Gujarat

Thu, 02 May 2019 12:36:33 GMT

The Indian electorate loves to throw up surprises in almost every election – whether in terms of throwing hung verdicts or giving decisive mandates. Something similar seems to be brewing in the politically significant state of Gujarat.

During the 2014 elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party smashed all opposition and rode to victory by sweeping Gujarat’s 26 parliamentary seats. The euphoria of seeing a fellow Gujarati becoming the PM, discarded both local dynamics as well as candidate considerations.

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616: Facebook, WhatsApp & Instagram to Get Updates - What Will Change?

Thu, 02 May 2019 12:32:42 GMT

There’s an 85% chance you’re listening to this podcast on a mobile phone. Listen up because this is for you. If you own a mobile phone or a computer, you’re likely to be one of the 2.3 billion who use Facebook or the 1.5 billion who use WhatsApp.

Both Facebook and WhatsApp are going to go through a LOT of changes soon. So, to avoid any sudden, rude surprises, today we’ll tell you all the BIG changes that you’ll see on your two most used apps.

Facebook held its annual F8 Keynote Conference. The conference is usually when the tech giant announces how it plans on changing its primary apps, i.e., Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and its Virtual Reality arm, the Oculus VR system.

So sit back and listen. This is everything new that’s coming to Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram!

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615: Modi’s Masood Azhar ‘Coup’ With China’s Help: A Political Bargain?

Thu, 02 May 2019 09:27:14 GMT

The most important question that comes to mind after China has lifted its hold on Masood Azhar’s designation as a terrorist under UN rules is: Why now? Why plumb in the middle of the general elections? The simple answer would be: to oblige Narendra Modi, whose government has assiduously campaigned to have this done. But that would be too simplistic. This is a political bargain, plain and simple.

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614: पूर्वी यूपी में बाहुबली नेताओं का दबदबा, बिगाड़ सकते हैं समीकरण

Thu, 02 May 2019 03:13:04 GMT

पूर्वी यूपी की बात करें तो यहां कुछ ऐसे चेहरे भी हैं, जो स्टार तो नहीं लेकिन अपने इलाके में काफी दबदबा रखते हैं. ऐसे नेताओं को बाहुबली नेता कहा जाता है. आपराधिक छवि के बावजूद ये नेता लोगों में काफी पॉपुलर हैं

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Things That Do Not Deserve Rape

Wed, 01 May 2019 14:06:23 GMT

The recent viral video of the lady saying that short dresses invite rape leads us to this:

Nothing. Absolutely nothing ‘deserves rape’. Because rape is not something one ‘earns’ on a karma scoreboard. One’s actions have no bearing, under any conceivable circumstances, on the act of rape. It is a heinous, blood-curdling crime punishable under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code.

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613: May Day Under Modi: A Distress Call From India’s 40 Crore Workers

Wed, 01 May 2019 02:53:03 GMT

What has ‘Modinomics’ done for workers? If they were dreaming of achhe din, they’ve got a nightmare. The Modi government has not only failed on its promise to create more jobs, it has actually ended up reducing them.

The government’s own leaked report, held back on grounds of being unsound, says that unemployment is at a 45-year high. Data from India’s most respected private economic intelligence agency, CMIE, says employment has dropped from about 40.7 crore in 2016-17 to 40.1 crore in March 2019. That’s about 57 lakh jobs lost in the space of three years. RBI-KLEMS data shows a drop of 12 lakh jobs in the two previous years.

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612: David Warner Is More Dangerous Since His Comeback: Sandeep Patil

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 17:26:40 GMT

David Warner of Sunrisers Hyderabad proved everybody wrong over the last five weeks of the 2019 Indian Premier League feels Sandeep Patil. Warner's innings hasn't been only about power-hitting. It has been well-planned and a very well-executed batting display.

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611: BJP, Don’t Use Fahadh & Mammootty to ‘Divide & Conquer’ Kerala

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 14:38:12 GMT

What do Malayalam actors Fahadh Faasil and Mammootty have in common (apart from good looks and acting prowess)? Well, in a recent bizarre incident, both of them were asked to take a stand on Islamic terror, out of the blue, by one of BJP’s candidates in Kerala.

Alappuzha’s BJP candidate KS Radhakrishnan, while condemning the terror attack on the church in Sri Lanka, asked actors Fahadh Fasil and Mammootty to respond to it.

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609: Hey PepsiCo, Enforcing IPR Is Fine, But Suing Farmers Isn’t Okay

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 11:53:36 GMT

PepsiCo, the US-based food and beverages multinational, has sued nine farmers of Gujarat, some of them for Rs 1 crore each, for allegedly violating its intellectual property rights (IPR) in a registered potato variety. A court has given an injunction after finding that the samples were indeed PepsiCo’s variety, but the company might find it difficult to prove that the farmers obtained the seed illegally.

India has two laws for protecting agricultural IPRs. Genetically-modified (GM) traits like bollworm resistance and herbicide tolerance in cotton, for instance, being artificial nucleic acid sequences, are protected by the Indian Patent Act. India also has a unique law, enacted in 2001, which protects the rights of farmers and communities in plant varieties they have conserved over time.

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608: MHA Asks Rahul Gandhi To Prove Nationality & Other Election Updates From 30 April

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 11:51:04 GMT

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi asking him to clarify his nationality after BJP MP Subramanian Swamy alleged that Gandhi is a British national. The letter said that Gandhi had declared his nationality as British in an annual returns statement filed by a British company named Backops Ltd. The MHA has given Gandhi 14 days to file a response.
And the trouble for the Congress President doesn’t seem at an end. Rahul Gandhi issued an apology to the court, for wrongly stating that the Supreme Court had also said, “chowkidar chor hai”. Gandhi had been charged with contempt of court after a case was filed by BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi over his statement. In his response he also stated that he had no intent of dragging the court into the political arena and that Lekhi was only seeking political mileage out of the entire issue.
The Election Commission suspended five polling officers in West Tripura for allegedly abetting booth capturing and attempting to further the prospects of some specific candidates winning. The EC is also likely to announce a repoll in at least 130 booths of the West Tripura constituency.
While the rest of the country was surprised when the BSP-SP-RLD alliance announced that they would be fielding former BSF constable Tej Bahadur Yadav, AAP chief and Delhi Cm Arvind Kejriwal praised the jawan for standing up to Modi.
If you remember, Tej Bahadur Yadav was dismissed from the BSF in 2017 after a video of him complaining about the quality of food served to the forces, went viral.
And the drama in West Bengal continues. CM Mamata Banerjee called Prime Minister Modi “shameless” for his claims, that about 40 TMC MLAs were in touch with him and would switch sides once the BJP won the elections. She also said that Modi’s candidature should be cancelled for engaging in horse-trading.
And finally, updating our total list of black money and freebie-seizures, the Election Commission seized cash, illicit liquor, drugs and other freebies worth more than 3,274 crore in the fourth phase of the elections on 29 April.
And that was your quick 2019 My Vote Elections wrap for the day. For other podcasts, log on to The Quint’s website and check out our podcast section!

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608: Learning to Ride Off-Road With the Pros: Skills, Drills & Basics

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 11:49:30 GMT

The month of June is crucial for me as the TVS Media Racer Championship kicks off during the same time. Every second of track time I get plays a critical role in how I perform on race day.

The 15 racers who qualified were invited to an off-road training program in Bengaluru as a part of the same programme.

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607: Gautam Gambhir’s Mounting Legal Troubles May Nullify His Election

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 17:36:34 GMT

Gautam Gambhir first dabbled in electoral politics back in 2014, when he campaigned for BJP’s long-time strategist and first-time Lok Sabha candidate from Amritsar, Arun Jaitley.

Painted as a ‘parachute candidate’ by his rival Captain Amarinder Singh, Jaitley was unable to shake the image of an outsider despite being a seasoned politician and eventually lost.

In 2019, Gautam Gambhir finds himself campaigning for yet another ‘parachute candidate’ fielded by the BJP in East Delhi: Gautam Gambhir.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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606: Imran Khan at Beijing Forum: Is CPEC’s Sparkle Starting to Fade?

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 17:33:11 GMT

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was one of the 40 or so heads of state and government present at the 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) in Beijing last week. In his speeches and remarks, he strongly batted for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its star project, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Responding to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s speech at the opening ceremony of the BRF, Khan said that the BRI was “a model of collaboration, partnership, connectivity and shared prosperity” in a world of geopolitical uncertainty, rising inequality and trade barriers.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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605: EC Mute While BJP Has Violated Silence Period in Every Phase with Facebook Ads

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 16:36:26 GMT

The Bharatiya Janata Party is said to have violated the mandatory 48-hour silence period leading to and during each of the four phases of polling thus far in the Lok Sabha Elections.

The BJP, identical to its behaviour in the third phase, had 600 active Facebook ads running even as polling was underway in phase 4 on 29 April. All the ads were targeted at one or, in most cases, multiple states -- like West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan -- which went to polls on Monday.

The consistently brazen violation of the 48-hour ‘silence period’ has exposed the toothless nature and abject failure of the Code of Ethics for the elections that social media platforms like Facebook had submitted to the EC.

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604: In Chambal, 6 Seats Across 3 States Show 1 Trend: No-Wave Election

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 15:07:13 GMT

“Chambal paar kartay hi Modi lehar khatm ho jaati hai," Manish Kumar, a barber in Madhya Pradesh's Morena says dramatically.

The Chambal river marks the border between the south eastern districts of Rajasthan such as Dholpur, Karauli and Sawai Madhopur on one hand and the northern districts of Madhya Pradesh such as Morena and Sheopur on the other.

The 28-kilometer journey between Dholpur and Morena passes through the Chambal river and its famous ravines.

But along with the terrain, the political landscape also change.

Listen to the podcast now!

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603: IPL 2019: What Teams Need to Do to Book Last Two Play-Off Spots

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 14:08:32 GMT

Here’s a look at the permutations and combinations that might end up deciding the last two teams that qualify for the IPL 2019 play-offs.

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602: My Vote 2019: Phase 4 Polls, Violence in West Bengal & More

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 13:20:33 GMT

The election season is in full swing as we move on to the fourth phase. Hey guys, I’m Sonal and you’re listening to the My Vote 2019 Podcast, your one stop shop for daily election related developments.
A total of 72 constituencies spread over nine states voted today in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections. One of the most interesting battles of this phase is in Begusarai, where Union Minister Giriraj Singh, former JNU Student Union President and CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar are at loggerheads. For Maharashtra, it was the final phase of polling and saw the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Sachin Tendulkar come out and vote.
West Bengal again saw a violent day of polling as TMC workers clashed with security forces at the polling booth in Asansol. BJP’s Babul Supriyo’s car was also vandalized, allegedly by TMC. The TMC had also filed a complaint with the Election Commission, against Supriyo for violating the model code of conduct during an election rally in West Bengal. The TMC alleged that the BJP theme which was banned by poll authorities, was played out in public.
In another alleged violation of the model code of conduct, East Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party candidate, Atishi filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Gautam Gambhir on 28th April. Atishi has sought a 72-hour campaign ban on Gambhir for carrying out a rally in Jangpura on 25th April without permission.
The Election Commission strongly condemned Union Minister Maneka Gandhi for threatening Muslim voters during her speech in Sultanpur, earlier this month. She was warned against repeating such conduct. If you remember, she was also banned for 48 hours after she made these remarks on 15th April.
And in the last update for today, a 50 year old poll officer at the Lodhikheda polling booth Madhya Pradesh died of cardiac arrest after she arrived at the booth. In another incident, an assistant sub-inspector deployed on poll security duty died after suffering a heart attack in Sidhi district.
That was your quick 2019 My Vote Elections wrap for the day. For other podcasts, log on to The Quint’s website and check out our podcast section!

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601: Chunav Tracker | Next Phases of Polls Critical for BJP

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 13:09:52 GMT

Every upcoming phase of the 2019 elections is CRITICAL for the BJP. What does voter turnout from phase 4 reveal? Find out on another episode of the Chunav Tracker podcast.

Among other news, Rahul Gandhi has run into legal trouble once more. A Bihar court has summoned the Congress president to appear on 20 May. Why? Well listen in to found out.

Meanwhile, 72 seats across 9 states voted on 29 April, Monday.

All this and more on this episode of Chunav Tracker.

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601: Raj Thackeray’s Rise Reflects Utter Failure of Mainstream Media

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 13:08:35 GMT

There are no permanent winners or losers in politics, to tweak a famous cliché.

On the list of permanent losers seemed to be Raj Thackeray, with no role to play in state or even Mumbai politics. His Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, now 13 years of age, began with a bang seizing 13 seats in the state Assembly in 2009, and in subsequent years, went on to score handsomely in some of the municipal corporations in state.

In the next Assembly elections – in 2014 – its tally had come down to one, and that sole MLA too crossed over to the Shiv Sena. As far as the civic bodies were concerned, the MNS’s presence is negligible to nothing.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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600: Why PM Modi Should Listen to these Dissenting Voices from Varanasi

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 12:57:20 GMT

In 2014, a phenomenal political performance by the then candidate Narendra Modi clinched Varanasi as his ‘karmabhoomi’. Expectations soared to unimaginable heights as to how he would transform Kashi to Kyoto.

Since then, PM Modi has tried to deliver, by flooding the 2,500-year-old sacred city with projects worth thousands of crores. Almost every government department did their bit for the prime minister’s constituency. Most admit that the push to clean Kashi and make it a smart city, was also unprecedented.

But as Varanasi folks take stock of Modi ji’s performance, there are strong voices of dissent surfacing from within the ancient city. These are voices that offer a rare glimpse into the minds of those who believed in the idea of ‘Modi’s India’. It raises obvious questions as to whether there is growing dissatisfaction with the BJP even in supposedly safe seats like Varanasi, and whether this sentiment will shape voting behaviour.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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599: In Seychelles, A Herculean Task Awaits Ex-Army Chief DS Suhag

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 12:54:23 GMT

On 25 April, the Ministry of External Affairs announced the appointment of former Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag as the next High Commissioner to Seychelles. This appointment is aimed at deepening India-Seychelles military ties, as the latter is a country of strategic importance to India.

Although Seychelles – with a fair sized population of Indian descent – has longstanding ties with India, the growing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has obligated India to take substantial steps to safeguard its strategic interests in the region.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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598: ISIS Is Here, And the Threat Is Real. Let’s Stop Being Ostriches

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 12:51:04 GMT

The revelations continue to trickle in about the Sri Lanka terror attacks. One report indicates that among the suspects who perpetrated the bombings are two women, one of them seeming absurdly young.

At least two were from very affluent families. Another brings out a damaging admission by Sri Lankan authorities, that the planning for the attack had been going on for months, a revelation that is likely to lead to considerable political repercussions.

And finally, the most recent news is of ongoing investigations into possible sleeper cells in South India, particularly Kerala and Tamil Nadu, that are related to the Sri Lankan attack. This is disturbing, to say the least.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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597: Game of Thrones S8E4: All Who Died All in the Battle of Winterfell

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 11:50:05 GMT

Game of Thrones season 8 episode 3 was one of the darkest episodes to date, and quite literally so. The last episode of Game of Thrones set us up emotionally for the bloody Battle of Winterfell in episode 3, which as expected claimed many lives.

We saw the end of some of our beloved characters from the HBO show. From Knight King to Jorah Mormont, here’s looking at all those who died and the significance of their deaths.

'Listen to the podcast for the full story'

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Odisha Oddity: BJP Banking on Cong Fans to Dent Naveen’s Dominance

Sat, 27 Apr 2019 15:27:41 GMT

One of the peculiar aspects of this election in Odisha is that the BJP, which hopes to have stamped itself as the BJD’s primary rival come 23 May 2019, needs the votes of erstwhile Congress voters more than anyone else, in order to dent the dominance of Naveen Patnaik and his party.

But does Patnaik’s BJD face a stiff challenge from either the BJP or the Congress? Have 19 years of uninterrupted rule gathered enough anti-incumbency to push the BJD out of power and Naveen Patnaik out of his chief ministership, or could the party sweep the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the state yet again à la 2014?

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596: Imagined Homelands | Migration Coming in the Way of Voting?

Sat, 27 Apr 2019 09:15:37 GMT

India, today, is not only the world’s largest democracy but also its most mobile. There’s a constant movement from rural to urban, from city to city and guess how many migrants there are in the country roughly? 400 millions!

That makes India has both the largest migrating population and the largest voting population. And chances a good percentage of those who are listening to the podcast are migrants, working or studying in a city or state you were not born in! But for a lot of people being a migrant means better luck casting your vote next time!

Yet, there is little that we see the government doing in terms of addressing this issue with evidence based policy-making. To make our democracy substantive and inclusive, we need a collective conversation about what the gaps in the system are and how they are to be fixed. Tune in to this podcast for more!

This podcast is a collaboration between The Quint and India Migration Now.

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Land Disputes & Lack of Industry: Can Odisha Jobs Crisis Hurt BJD?

Sat, 27 Apr 2019 07:37:03 GMT

As per the leaked National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) report on jobs data in 2017-18, unemployment in Odisha was at a peak of 7.1 percent, one whole percentage point higher than the national average.

Biju Janata Dal’s Naveen Patnaik, who has held on to the chief minister’s chair for the last 19 years, has been unable to resolve the state’s employment divide, with thousands of youngsters continuing to migrate to neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh in the search for jobs.

The state government’s high-profile deal with POSCO, the South Korean steel manufacturer, had been billed to be India’s largest FDI deal at the time it was signed in 2005. But the 12 billion USD investment project (52,000 crores) did not eventually see the light of day when after 12 long years of local resistance and regulatory hurdles, the South Korean giant officially withdrew from the state and surrendered the controversial land.

Two years after the 2017 exit, we visit the now desolate site in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district, and speak to locals about the decade of resistance, the woes of unemployment and the status of their land today. The region votes simultaneously for the next Assembly and Lok Sabha representatives on 29 April, in the fourth phase of the general election.

Can the jobs crisis hurt the ruling BJD in the ongoing elections?

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595: Avengers: Endgame Review

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 15:40:36 GMT

Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 22nd offering has arrived at our cinemas to put an end to the collective misery. It’s a tentpole to beat all tentpoles, brimming with special effects, and a breathless count of heroes. Director duo Anthony and Joe Russo take 181-minutes to navigate the grief-induced adventure.

Listen to the audio read for full story!

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593: 2 Uttar Pradesh Predictions: BJP Retaining 40 Or Going Below 25?

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 15:23:31 GMT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “interaction” with the media in Varanasi on Friday, 26 April, turned out to be little more than a short bite. But even in that short statement, he gave a politically significant hint.

He said, “Some people are creating the impression that Modi is winning so there’s no point of voting. Please don’t listen to such people. Come out and vote for a stronger India.”

This statement does indicate a certain anxiety on his part that the enthusiasm among BJP voters is falling which may cause many of them to stay away on voting day.

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590: Avengers Endgame is Underwhelming | Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 13:49:32 GMT

Let’s admit it. You aren’t looking for a review of Avengers Endgame. Because if you are, then this film isn’t for you anyway.

Our love affair with the Marvel cinematic universe started in 2008 with Iron Man! Eleven years later, it all comes down to this fantastic finale – a closure we loyalists of the Marvel cinematic universe (MCU) need and deserve.

Listen on without fear as this review contains no spoilers.

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589: Naamdar vs Kaamdar? Rahul Didn’t File His Nomination While Seated

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 12:17:44 GMT

A set of photos comparing Rahul Gandhi filing his nomination in Amethi to Narendra Modi filing his nomination from Varanasi is gaining traction on social media. Here's the truth.

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588: Chunav Tracker Podcast | Grander BJP Campaigns for Hindi Heartland?

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 11:59:19 GMT

On 26 April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination from his home turf in Varanasi and the real campaigning for the BJP, in a sense has only begun.

Three phases down and 242 seats left in the remaining four phases mostly in the Hindi heartland states which favoured the BJP in 2014.

In the last general election, the BJP won 190 out of these 242 seats, is the BJP doubling its campaigning efforts for the remaining half of the election to maintain its grasp on these seats?

Join us on another episode of Chunav Tracker with The Quint's Editorial Director Sanjay Pugalia, where we walk you through everything that's making news in the time of general elections.

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587: AAP Manifesto: Delhi Will Get the Moon – But Only After Statehood

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 11:50:46 GMT

Arvind Kejriwal would make Delhi an El Dorado if the capital were to get full statehood. That was the main thrust of the Aam Aadmi Party’s election manifesto which was launched on Thursday, 25 April. The 35-page document made an array of promises — and the subtext of almost every promise was that it would come to pass only after Delhi attained full statehood, which the AAP would fight for if voters elected its candidates from all of Delhi’s seven Lok Sabha seats.

The chief minister and his party have long sought full statehood for Delhi. And there are justifiable reasons for that. But AAP’s manifesto must also be viewed in the context of an almost moral force that Kejriwal sought to imbue it with.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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A Banker's Guide To Winning Elections ft. TMC's Mahua Moitra

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 11:13:46 GMT

Mahua Moitra is the Trinamool Congress' candidate from the Krishnanagar constituency in West Bengal. Mahua's journey from the Vice President of JP Morgan in London to the spokesperson, MLA and now MP-candidate from the Trinamool has written

As has been her Louis Vuitton bag, being anointed as the “Most Charming Woman in Kolkata” by a magazine many years ago, her sarees, her over-sized sunglasses and her “mem-saheb” image.

For this interview, though, we decided to skip the last bit. Listen to the podcast now!

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Hang Me If You Can Prove My Relation With Kin of CJI: Utsav Bains

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 10:34:36 GMT

The name Utsav Bains has triggered chatter in Supreme Court corridors ever since he claimed that he was “offered bribe to help frame CJI (Chief Justice of India) in the sexual harassment case”. In his affidavit to the SC, he said that he was offered Rs 50 lakh as legal fees to take up the sexual harassment case against the CJI by a former SC staff. But when he refused to defend the victim, he says, he was offered Rs 1.5 crore.

The Quint learnt from a few lawyers that Bains is a friend/acquaintance of the CJI’s close relative. When The Quint asked him about it, he said:

“If anyone in this universe can prove that I have any relation with the kin of CJI Rajan Gogoi, I would accept the punishment to be hanged outside the Supreme Court for lying through the teeth and would also leave my legal practice.”

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586: No Priyanka Gandhi From Varanasi: Final Call or Is There A Twist?

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 10:17:04 GMT

By announcing Ajay Rai as its candidate from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress has almost ended speculation that party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this high-profile seat.

But the last date for filing nominations in Varanasi, which votes in the last phase of polling, is on 29 April and there could still be a twist in the tale.

A Congress leader, who has been closely involved with the party’s campaign in Uttar Pradesh, disclosed that the issue hasn’t been closed as yet.

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585: Why Do China & Pakistan Want Modi Back in Power?

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 09:49:37 GMT

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has suggested his country was preparing for ‘another Wuhan’, a high level summit once again between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Obviously this cannot happen before the Indian parliamentary elections are over – but the Chinese foreign minister seems to be suggesting that Modi will be back in power anyway.

The Chinese, for all their other strengths, are not known for their understanding of complex elections – and for obvious reasons. But though they don’t have to worry about elections back home, the Chinese have to closely monitor elections in other countries, especially in the neighborhood or where they have made much investments with long-term calculations.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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584: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s Diet Is A Conspiracy Against Us Foodies

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 07:42:54 GMT

Jack Dorsey, the man who gave us Twitter, a digital conspiracy to keep us distracted from achieving greatness, eats as much in a week as I do in 24 hours. One square meal a day for five days, followed by wild weekends spent OD’ing on water.

It’s crazy how much his lifestyle mimics that of a poor farmer, minus his bathing routine, that is more complicated than Cleopatra’s. Jack Dorsey alternates between a mini sauna and an ice bath every few minutes, till the Bay area runs out of water.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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583: BRI’s ‘Colonialism’: Will China Use 2nd Forum To Rebuild Image?

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 07:41:00 GMT

Well into the sixth year of President Xi Jinping’s signature initiative, Beijing is vigorously preparing to host the second Belt and Road (BRI) Forum on 25-27 April 2019. The biennial jamboree is likely to attract 37 heads of states / governments, and representatives of around 150 nations, as per Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

For the first time, Italy, a G7 country, will be participating as a beneficiary. Most leaders from South Asia, barring India and Bhutan, will also be present. But the celebratory mood is subdued, due to mounting criticism of the predatory BRI deals that are trapping member-nations in a debt-web.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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582: Will Modi Hold First Press Conference As Times Now Said? Lol No

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 06:26:38 GMT

Times Now, on 24 April, took to Twitter to announce that PM Modi would address his first-ever press conference. But only the news was fake.

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581: Who Gains From Record Turnout in Gujarat: BJP or Congress?

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 04:55:58 GMT

Gujarat recorded an all-time high voter turnout in 52 years on 23 April, with 64.11 per cent voting registered across 26 seats. On Tuesday, Gujarat overtook its 1967 voter turnout of 63.77 per cent and the 2014 voter turnout of 63.5 per cent.

The tribal belts led the charge followed by rural voters. Although the urban voters came out in large numbers, the turnout in four out of the six Lok Sabha seats was less than the the 2014 election turnout.

Incidentally, both the BJP and the Congress are over the moon with the record-breaking turnout as both sides speculate that voters favoured their party. However, political analysts are shying away from jumping to conclusions.

Listen to the podcast for the full story.

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580: चुनाव 2019: इन लोकसभा सीटों पर टिकी होंगी नजरें, दिलचस्प मुकाबला

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 04:09:35 GMT

लोकसभा चुनाव की आधी सीटों पर मतदान हो चुका है. अब बाकी बची सीटों के लिए लड़ाई बाकी है. लेकिन इस लोकसभा चुनाव में कुछ सीटें ऐसी हैं, जहां मुकाबला काफी दिलचस्प हो चुका है

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579: Unmasking Terrorism in Sri Lanka - In Seven Slides

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 03:48:33 GMT

On 21st April, a series of 7-8 suicide bombers targeted churches and star hotels around Batticaloa, Colombo and Negombo in Sri Lanka, killing 320 and injuring over 500. On the one hand, the Sri Lankan government admits to a security / intelligence lapse. On the other, the serial blasts are also seen as one of the most meticulously planned, precision terrorist attacks in recent years, next only to 9/11.

The Sri Lankan government has named the National Thowheed Jamath as the organisation behind the attack, while the Islamic State (IS) too has claimed responsibility. Zohran Hashim, leader of the NTJ is also suspected to have ties with the IS.

But why the sudden attack on churches, when communal tensions in Sri Lanka have brewed historically only between the Muslim minority and the Buddhist majority? Who are the NTJ? And what is their connection to the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath based in Tamil Nadu?

Listen on.

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578: Bad News for Mehbooba Mufti As South Kashmir Polls See Low Turnout

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 15:39:54 GMT

In sharp contrast to 2014, the voter turnout in the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) traditional stronghold in South Kashmir has been marginal, in phase-I of the Lok Sabha elections – and could be worse in the next two phases.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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577: Karnataka: Voter Turnout Forecasts Possible Results in Big Seats

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 14:18:28 GMT

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576: Liberals Can No Longer Afford to Be Timid About Islamist Terror

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 13:46:31 GMT

Liberals Can No Longer Afford to Be Timid About Islamist Terror

Audio: The Quint

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575: Varanasi Without Priyanka, AAP Manifesto & More

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 13:13:51 GMT

All speculations on whether or not Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be contesting this election came to an end when the Congress on Thursday, fielded Ajay Rai from Varanasi to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ending speculation on a possible blockbuster electoral duel between Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the PM in the temple town of Uttar Pradesh. But why did Congress not end the suspense right away?

And speaking of Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has filed his nomination from this constituency and held a roadshow in his home turf.

Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal finally released his party's election manifesto. What are the focal points?

Join us on another episode of Chunav Tracker with The Quint's Editorial Director Sanjay Pugalia, where we walk you through everything that's making news in the time of general elections.

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574: ‘No Credit Till Rahul Becomes PM’: Edited Photo Makes a Comeback

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 11:51:18 GMT

A photo of Rahul Gandhi standing in a sweet shop with a signboard behind him which reads "No credit will be accepted till Rahul Gandhi becomes Prime Minister" has resurfaced on social media.

Here's a fact check on the photograph.

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573: Dear Mr Modi, We’re Interested in More than Your Love for Mangoes

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 11:36:20 GMT

India is a richer nation today for knowing that its Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a mango lover. Indians, or those who watched his carefully constructed and faux casual conversation with Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, also know whether the prime minister prefers to use a fork for his mangoes or draws out the juicy flesh with his hands and mouth.

Whoever thought that such edifying information would be necessary for us Indians, in the middle of sweltering heat and a scorching general election, added more illuminating factoids on a range of subjects. They covered:

Modi’s anger management,
Modi’s penchant for humour and castor oil-warm water remedy for a nasty cold,
How Modi fashioned his half-sleeved kurta,
How Modi’s childhood poverty made him feel “inferior” about his clothes,
How Modi’s uncle gave him a pair of white canvas shoes for which he would wait till after school to pick up chalk remnants as polish,
Why Modi wears his wrist watch the way he does,
Modi’s leaving home early in life as an explanation for his detachment from his family,
How Modi wanted to be a sanyasi and had never dreamed of becoming PM

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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572: CJI Sexual Harassment Case: How Fragile Is Judicial Independence?

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 11:32:58 GMT

Since the infamous Saturday morning emergency hearing in the Supreme Court on an “issue of great public importance”, several legal and political commentators have raised noteworthy concerns over the apparent absence of due process, and the possiblity of abuse of the office of the Chief Justice of India.

Another aspect of the Court’s approach that is disturbing is that, in its attempt to discredit the complainant, the Court and the law officers representing the Central Government, dressed the issue in the constitutional language of ‘judicial independence.’

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571: Modi Isn’t the Only ‘Chowkidar’, He Can Learn from Hooda Report

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 11:30:22 GMT

The release on Sunday, 21 April, of a national security strategy document by the Congress party was, perhaps, inevitable – given the BJP’s decision to make national security its key re-election plan.

A key element of the 44-page document entitled ‘India’s National Security Strategy’ (INSS) is the view that India must be prepared for unilateral, limited military actions against terror groups in Pakistan, as it can be assured of peace only if it demonstrates its capability to defend national interests through the use of force.

The man who led the task force to draft the document is Lt Gen (retd) D S Hooda, under whose watch the Army carried out its surgical strike following the Uri attack in 2016.

The Congress Party says that elements of the document have been incorporated in its manifesto. This is a welcome development since it suggests that a political party is willing to put its ideas on security to pen and paper. Equally, that the Congress has no intention of ceding political space to the BJP on the issue of national security.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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570: Everything You Need to Know Before Watching ‘Avengers: Endgame’

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 07:41:10 GMT

Avengers: Endgame releases on 26 April and for Marvel fans, it’s the end of an era. The film marks the end of phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and brings to a close a saga that was spread over 11 years and 22 films.

So before the film hits theatres, here’s a quick recap of what has happened up till Avengers: Infinity War plus some interesting theories on what can we look forward to in Avengers: Endgame.

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569: Akshay Kumar-PM Modi Interview: The Questions He Should Have Asked

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 14:22:28 GMT

Akshay Kumar interviewed Prime Minister Modi. No wait, let me rephrase that. Akshay Kumar had an “informal chat” with Prime Minister Modi. An informal chat that lasted an hour and nine minutes, which was carried on nearly every news channel in the country.

An “apolitical” conversation that comes bang in the middle of elections. Today we’re looking at the “informal chat” that PM Modi had with Akshay Kumar, and we've got better alternative questions that he SHOULD have asked, instead of the ones he did ask.

Listen to the podcast for the full story!

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568: Did Sri Lanka President Order a Shutdown of Mosques and Madrasas?

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 13:42:12 GMT

In the aftermath of the bomb attacks that ripped through Sri Lanka over the weekend, a false post claiming that the country’s president has ordered all mosques and madrasas to be shut down is currently going viral on social media.

Listen to the podcast now!

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567: Sri Lanka Attacks: A Stable & Alert Govt Could’ve Averted Disaster

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 06:51:37 GMT

The last series of suicide attacks that occurred in Sri Lanka were by six Sea Tiger suicide boats across the Nandikadal lagoon on 17 May 2009. Two days later, the Sri Lankan Army’s 53 Infantry Division killed in the last single operation of the war, the LTTE’s dreaded and ‘invincible’ leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran.

With his end, Sri Lanka went delirious, celebrating through singing, dancing and feasting on traditional milk-rice (kiri bhath), the termination of three decades of terrorism.

In his book, Road to Nandikadal: True Story of Defeating Tamil Tigers, Maj Gen Kamal Gunaratne, Commander, 53 Infantry Division writes, “it is now the duty of our leaders, countrymen and future generations to protect this freedom, and (hopefully) it will not be taken for granted and squandered away”.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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566: Why ‘230’ is the Magic Number This Election Season

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 06:49:37 GMT

Though there has been some waffling about it lately, most pollsters have predicted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will end up with around 230 parliamentary seats on 23 May.

This is also pretty much what most armchair psephologists have been predicting for the party. It may not be the poll winds alone that have led to this prediction. For, some had predicted a similar number for the BJP before the 2014 polls, a poll in which the electoral mood was clearly far more in favour of the party than it is now.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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565: Telangana Election EVM and VVPAT Vote Count Did Not Match

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 15:19:14 GMT

The Election Commission of India (EC) is using Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in polling booths to counter the controversy over the tampering of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM). On the Supreme Court’s order, the EC has been randomly verifying 5 VVPATs per constituency in the Lok Sabha elections.

This was being done to restore voter confidence, but the petitions filed in the Telangana High Court have raised further concerns. The petitions say that during the Telangana Assembly elections in December 2018, the vote count of a few VVPATs did not tally with that of the EVMs.

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564: Imran & Rouhani: Does Pak Really Want to Be Friends With Iran?

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 14:30:50 GMT

Sitting beside Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at a joint press conference in Tehran on 22 April, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan admitted that “Iran has suffered from terrorism, from groups operating within Pakistan”.

He was on his first official visit to Iran and his primary publicly-stated objective was to address the issue of terrorism which was, he confessed, becoming a “divisive” factor in Iran-Pakistan bilateral ties. Significantly, Khan specifically mentioned that Pakistan’s security chief was part of his delegation. This was obviously a reference to General Asim Munir, Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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563: Chunav Tracker Ep 6 | Phase 3 of 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Rahul’s Rafale Remarks in SC & More

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 13:27:40 GMT

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, 23 April, issued a notice to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, in a contempt plea filed by Meenakshi Lekhi, against his “chowkidar chor hai” remarks on the Supreme Court's interim order on the Rafale deal.

The apex court has decided to hear the Rafale review petition and the contempt petition filed by Lekhi together on Tuesday, 30 April.

Meanwhile, as this happens, 117 seats across 14 states and two union territory voted in phase 3 of the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, on 23 April, Tuesday. What does voter turnout from phase 3 indicate for the BJP?

Join us on another episode of Chunav Tracker with The Quint's Editorial Director Sanjay Pugalia, where we walk you through everything that's making news in the time of general elections.

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SC to Examine Lawyer’s Claim of ‘Conspiracy’ to Frame CJI Gogoi

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 13:27:29 GMT

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to advocate Utsav Bains, who has filed an affidavit in the court claiming that the sexual harassment allegations against Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi are part of an attempt to frame the CJI, asking him to appear before the court on Wednesday morning with material to back up certain claims made by him.

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562: Can Mamata Banerjee Emerge As Both Kingmaker & King?

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 10:32:05 GMT

This election season is witnessing an interesting paradox. This is primarily because there are two distinct narratives that are emerging from the public domain. It's however, not the regular Congress vs BJP or Modi vs Rahul narrative. So what are we talking about? The stark contrast between credible ground reportage versus the opinion polls that are doing the rounds on TV news.

While the opinion polls are by and large giving a clear edge to the BJP, ground reports suggest otherwise. From Western UP to Vidharba, rural MP to Chattisgarh, and Jharkhand – across states – there seems to be a tide against the BJP and its allies.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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562: Phase 3 On But BJP Still Targeting Voters with 600 Facebook Ads

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 10:30:17 GMT

On Tuesday, as over 18 crore Indians go to polls in over 2 lakh booths across 117 constituencies spread over 14 states and Union territories in phase 3 of Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has been running 600 ads on Facebook targeted at those voting today.

This not only amounts to a direct violation of the mandatory 48-hour ‘silence period’according to section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, but also illustrates the toothless nature of the “Code of Ethics” that social media platforms like Facebook and the Election commission had announced on 20 March.

The 600 active ads – all running as video GIFs – consist of a variety of election manifesto promises from the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), fighting terrorism, to increasing jobs, access to drinking water, and pipe gas connections among others.

According to Facebook’s weekly political ads report, the BJP was the highest spender on election ads last week, having spent Rs 44 lakh between 14 and 20 April.

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561: Allegations Against CJI Must Not be Given an Unceremonious Burial

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 08:13:43 GMT

A special hearing was convened by the Supreme Court on Saturday, 20 April, over safeguarding the independence of the judiciary following a complaint of sexual harassment against the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

Undoubtedly, the matter required urgent attention but the court hereon has to be cautious not to proceed with the presumption that the complaint is false. It is not whether the allegations are true or false, but the impartiality with which the court proceeds will cement the faith of the people in the judiciary.

The bench, presided over by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, did not issue any specific direction, but the hearing on the judicial side clearly seemed unwarranted. The hearing purportedly for preserving the independence of judiciary was based on the presumption that the complaint was false. Or at least it seemed to be so, with the proceedings maligning the alleged victim and her family members who were not represented.

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560: CJI Gogoi’s Misuse of SC as a Platform Sets Back #MeToo Movement

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 08:10:42 GMT

In case you missed it, a woman came forward with sexual harassment allegations against a powerful man, which included testimony about having dealt with intimidation tactics and criminal charges for months. Would you like to venture a guess as to who got vilified in the Supreme Court of India today? Who out of the two was publicly decried for threatening the sanctity of the institution?

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559: Why Indian Academia Shouldn’t Ignore Mental Health of PhD Scholars

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 13:15:46 GMT

A common, yet the most hushed-up aspect in the life of a PhD student in India, is the amount of intense stress, burn out, depression, insomnia and suicidal tendencies that a scholar undergoes. However, this is very much an open secret among both junior and senior academics in Indian research circles.

This subject is usually brushed under the carpet for fear of backlash from academic guides, research supervisors and higher management in the academic fraternity. However, as the number of Indian research institutions grow at a rapid pace, this growing problem needs to be addressed at some point, even if it’s a little late.

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558: SC Order on VVPAT Verification: Door for Greater Scrutiny Opened

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 13:14:01 GMT

First the prophesy: it's a matter of time, before clamour to return to the paper ballot system becomes forceful again. An equally strong lobby however, citing multiple reasons – investments already made for 10.35 lakh EVMs, to how ridiculous India would look globally, for marching backwards on the highway of technological progress, etc. – will object to turning the clock back.

After all, it is a decade and half since paper ballots were stopped completely in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections since 2004.

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557: Election Commission’s Snub to TDP’s EVM Expert Reveals Its Biases

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 13:11:57 GMT

The EVM debate will go on forever, unless the Election Commission makes these black boxes transparent, and actually allows someone – including its sharpest critics – to tear them apart.

Any machine can be prone to malfunction and error, and if these are being pointed out to the Election Commission, it should address them. Instead, the Election Commission has chosen to ignore legitimate concerns raised by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), by refusing an audience to EVM ‘expert’ Hari Prasad Vemuru, who has been accused of ‘stealing’ an EVM in the past.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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556: Chunav Tracker Ep 5 | Phase 3 Polls, Rahul Gandhi on Rafale & More

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 13:01:44 GMT

116 constituencies across 14 States and a Union Territory prepare to vote on 23 April, Tuesday. With phase 3, India will have voted for 302 seats in the Lok Sabha, well across the halfway mark.

Overall voter turnout in Phase 1 and 2 of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections has seen little change from the 2014 elections. What does this mean for the BJP government at the Centre?

While the election fever continues, we also examine Rahul Gandhi’s statement where he said that he regrets what he said about the Rafale deal in Supreme Court.

All this and more, on this episode of Chunav Tracker with The Quint's Editorial Director Sanjay Pugalia.

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555: Is Kalank Worth a Watch? - Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Thu, 18 Apr 2019 05:50:47 GMT

The clothes are distractingly good . And the jewellery well that’s tantalisingly beautiful. As for all the radiance on screen thanks to the excessive gorgeousness brought on my Alia Bhat, Aditya Roy Kapoor and Varun Dhawan - it only gets better . Abhishek Varman’s Kalank is beautiful ! It’s visually stunning but devastatingly boring!

One could easily mistake the setting to be in contemporary fantasy land than a period drama it claims to be. It’s only thanks to the occasional “angrez ja rahe hain” and “mulk ka batwara” references that we keep reminding ourselves that it’s the 1940s. Azaadi is almost round the corner , but sadly at the cost of partition and more pain and destruction.

Is Kalank worth a watch? Well listen to the podcast review!

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554: Chunav Tracker Ep 4 | All the Developments Before Phase 2 Polling

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 13:17:45 GMT

Campaigning for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections is officially over as 97 constituencies across 12 States and a Union Territory prepare to vote on 18 April, Thursday.

The campaigning in Tamil Nadu ended on a bitter note with IT raids being conducted at residences of members of opposition parties. Coordinated raids have also been conducted by the IT department at premises owned by people allegedly linked to JD(S) in certain districts of Bangalore. Is this a case of the Opposition being targeted?

Who are the big shots contesting in this phase, and what are the key constituencies to watch out for?

Tune in to The Quint's election special podcast series ‘Chunav Tracker’, with Editorial Director Sanjay Pugalia to keep track of the election season.

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553: Can Poll Campaigns Be Clean & Sans Enmity? Yes, Says Gul Panag

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 06:20:17 GMT

Five years ago, almost to the date, I fought my first election. It was a life changing experience. And I’d gladly go back and do it again, even if the outcome remained the same. It was an impulsive decision, to be honest.

The idea of AAP as ‘anti status quo-ists’ was something I believed in – and I had set aside time to campaign for some of their candidates like HS Phoolka, someone I’ve long admired. When Chandigarh’s AAP candidate withdrew, I reached out to Arvind Kejriwal and threw in my hat.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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552: Why Should Urmila’s Religion Matter If Hema Malini’s Doesn’t?

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 06:17:20 GMT

Urmila Matondkar, the Rangeela (1995) star who blazed across Bollywood through the ‘90s and after, is contesting as a Congress candidate from a difficult seat in Mumbai – Mumbai North. The area comprises a mixed population of linguistic and religious communities, uber luxe towers and swathes of slums, old East Indian gaonthans and suburbs, which have witnessed an exponential growth in the last decade and a half.

When Matondkar was negotiating Bollywood, BJP stalwart and present Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik represented Mumbai North in the Lok Sabha. Subsequently, her colleague and Bollywood star Govinda Ahuja, contesting on a Congress ticket, defeated Naik in 2004.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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551: Chunav Tracker Ep 3 | EC Always a Little Slow in Taking Action?

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 13:01:49 GMT

Leaders are campaigning in full swing as we prepare for the next phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. And in some cases, the josh has tended to lean towards hate speech. So what is preventing the EC from taking timely action?

There’s a lot going on still, other than hate speech — like, whether or not the EC will change its decision about stalling Modi’s biopic until elections are over.

Tune in to The Quint's election special vodcast series Chunav Tracker, with Editorial Director Sanjay Pugalia to keep track of all the developments.

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550: Did Ambedkar Confuse Responsibility With Parliamentary Democracy?

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 08:39:46 GMT

A grateful nation bows each year on BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary (on 14 April) to pay tribute to his tremendous contributions in the making of our Constitution. His advocacy inside India’s Constituent Assembly for the parliamentary form of government was brilliant, and is still considered legendary.

But in view of how poorly our Parliament has performed, we as a nation might do well to reconsider his arguments, so as to understand what is going wrong now.

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549: Psychology of Sacrifice: Why Voters Still Wait for ‘Acche Din’

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 08:37:23 GMT

Opinion polls show that the Modi mania is back, especially among the youth. Gone are the memories of demonetisation, GST, rising prices, and mob lynchings. People want Modi back for another round. Is this because we are fickle? Aren’t we lacking in jobs, social security, labour reforms? Are we a populace full of masochists? Modi, if anything, should be booted for causing immense social and economic havoc. Then why, despite all the pain he has put the country through, do we still want him back?

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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548: Why Indian ‘Tax Payers’ Must Stop Cribbing About Welfare Schemes

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 08:35:18 GMT

When the election season of 2019 is written about in history books, one thing will stand out: the competitive welfarism that parties across the board have promised to voters.

The reason perhaps, is that we are going into the polls at a time of deep economic distress, especially for the poor. There have been unprecedented job-losses, the real income of farmers has gone down, and rural wages have collapsed.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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547: Imagined Homelands | Is India Any Better Than Myanmar for Rohingyas?

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 12:31:49 GMT

Imagined Homelands is a collaboration between The Quint and India Migration Now. This podcast series aims to look at the lives of migrants and problems of immigration.

For the first episode of this podcast, we spoke to Rohingya refugees settled in West Delhi’s Bodela locality. Is India providing a safe environment for them? What are their employment opportunities? And who are the most affected members of this persecuted community?

We met Abu Taher and Nizamuddin - both of whom fled from Myanmar and came to India via Bangladesh. They talk about their families’ needs and necessities and the difficulties of living as a refugee under the current BJP regime in India.

We also spoke to Ranjana Kumari, the director of CSR, on why the Indian government isn’t too keen on settling the Rohingyas.

Tune in!

Follow India Migration Now on Twitter.

Music Courtesy:

Big Bang Fuzz
VOY 2016 Turning Tables

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546: Chunav Tracker Ep 2 | A Lowdown on the Day After Phase 1 of Polls

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 11:19:45 GMT

We have officially stepped into the election season and there are a lot of developments to track!

From Union Minister Smriti Irani's degree to a letter to President Kovind written by 150 ex-servicemen against the politicisation of armed forces in the election campaigns — here’s what transpired after the phase one of polls.

Tune in to The Quint's election special vodcast series – Chunav Tracker, with Editorial Director Sanjay Pugalia to keep track of all the developments.

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545: Black Hole Image: India’s Contribution in This Feat Will Wow You

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 07:37:01 GMT

Some hours ago astrophysicists brought us the real look of a far away black hole for the first time in history. Numerous science fiction writers, artists, and thinkers have dreamt and visualised the image of a black hole before. But, this is the first time we see a real image of a black hole using powerful (wo)man-made telescopes.

The target was a supermassive black hole located at the centre of the Messier 87 (M87) galaxy about 500 million trillion km away from Earth. It measures 40 billion km across, roughly 3.3 million times the size of the Earth.

Let that sink in.

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544: Slamming Kanhaiya Kumar For His Caste Is Misguided and Narrow

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 07:29:59 GMT

Mainland liberals and progressives were more than okay with former JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar as long as he was sloganeering with JNU students, getting beaten up by lawyers, and facing jail time as an “anti-national”.

But their favour eroded quickly as they witnessed his soaring rise to becoming the CPI candidate from Begusarai in Bihar, and how people were gladly putting their money on him.

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543: Mamata Banerjee Was ‘Haunted’ By ‘Bhobishyoter Bhoot’ – Here’s Why

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 07:25:09 GMT

A film that was mysteriously pulled out of Bengal theatres after release had become a flashpoint for debate over artistic freedom in West Bengal. Bhobishyoter Bhoot, directed by Anik Dutta, pegged as a political satire, was unofficially ‘banned’ from the screens on 15 February, as buzz swirled about orders received from ‘higher ups’ about a possible ‘law and order’ threat that the film presented.

At one point it seemed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her government, that had been officially ‘silent’ on the issue, was about to lose a share of the prestige support she had once commanded among the artistic community.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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542: Meet Shakti, a B’luru Group That Wants More Women in Politics

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 06:41:21 GMT

The Quint spoke to Shakti which is a Bengaluru-based civil society initiative that is gunning for more women in politics through online programmes, fundraising and other support systems.

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541: In Muzaffarnagar, Women Voters Hear Only Empty Promises

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 06:39:42 GMT

The Quint reached Jadoda village in Muzaffarnagar to find out about the issues that matter to women voters in UP, their hopes from the next government and their opinion on women’s representation in politics.

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540: The Tea Tribes of Assam: Who Will they Vote For?

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 06:38:22 GMT

The tea tribes were Congress supporters but in the 2014 general elections, it shocked the Congress, by choosing two BJP MPs from the tea belt. One of the main reasons for this switch was the long-standing demand of Scheduled Tribe Status.

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539: Do the MPs from the Northeast Have a Say in the Parliament?

Fri, 12 Apr 2019 06:37:05 GMT

India’s northeast has 8 states and together they send 25 member of parliament to the Lok Sabha. But are these parliamentarians heard in the parliament? The students of St Anthony's college, Shillong give an insight.

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538: Cong, BJP Manifestos on National Security: Pacifism vs Jingoism

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 13:28:09 GMT

With elections drawing close, political parties have released their manifestos, projecting for the nation their promises in the years to come. How many promises will would be kept, how many ignored, remains a moot question. The Congress Manifesto, titled ‘Hum Nibhayenge’, was released on 2 April, while the BJP Manifesto, titled ‘Sankalp Patra’, was released on 8 April.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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537: Will Jagan Reddy Gain Minority Votes in Andhra By Forgiving Cong?

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 13:23:42 GMT

Politics can be unforgiving, but forgiveness has fit into YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s electoral calculus. The leader of the YSR Congress party and chief ministerial aspirant in Andhra Pradesh, has suddenly decided to “forgive” the Congress party and has said so in public.

Interestingly, he has chosen the last few days of campaigning in Andhra Pradesh, which goes to polls on 11 April, to invoke forgiveness. Why?

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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536: Are BJP & Congress’ Election Manifestos ‘Green’ Enough?

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 13:21:49 GMT

Are environmental concerns ever top of the agenda as far as elections in India are concerned? Well, the good news is that (unlike previous elections), both leading national parties, namely, the Congress and the BJP, have separate sections related to issues such as forest, tribal rights and clean air, in their respective manifestos.

A cursory glance at their manifestos shows that while the national parties finally appear to allude to the green cause, the devil lies in the detail.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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535: Chunav Tracker Ep 1 | Everything You Need to Know From Day 1 of Polling

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 12:20:02 GMT

The first phase of what is going to be a really long election season, has begun with 91 seats, across 20 states going on polls, on 11 April.

From voter turn out to an alleged sniper threat to Congress President Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Amethi — what are the highlights of the first day of polling? Tune in The Quint's election special vodcast series – Chunav Tracker with The Quint’s Editorial Director, Sanjay Pugalia to make sense of all the developments.

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534: What Happens When no Party Gets a Majority in Lok Sabha?

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 11:05:18 GMT

In this episode of Sadda Haq, The Quint explains the process that follows when no single party or a pre-poll coalition manages to secure majority in Lok Sabha.

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533: Movie Review | RAW is a Spy Movie Without Any Suspense

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 05:48:36 GMT

There is a point in the film when one of the characters utters “it’s all too obvious” and it seems like the fourth wall broke and we were being addressed directly! It’s all too obvious indeed and the lumbering manner in which the tale is told doesn’t help matters either.

Written and directed by Robbie Grewal, RAW is set in the 1970s leading up to the events that created Bangladesh. Frenzied camera work hints at the uncertainty that such a highly charged atmosphere warrants. A closer look however would reveal the vacuous plot marred by predictability. Tune in to the podcast for the full review.

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532: Radhika Apte Talks About Building Her Own Place In Bollywood

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 07:28:12 GMT

Radhika Apte talks about getting trolled for Netflix, striving for even better content, and making her place in the West.

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531: What is NOTA?

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 06:15:08 GMT

Do you feel that in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, no candidate from your constituency is worth voting for? Have you lost hope in all of them and think they are corrupt? are you eager to vote, yet want to send a stern warning to political parties? If these pre-poll questions are bothering you as a voter, then in this episode of Sadda Haq, we will explain how NOTA can come to your rescue.

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530: Pankaj Tripathi gets candid about his struggles, his inspirations and why he loves acting.

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 12:12:45 GMT

Pankaj Tripathi has had a long and tumultuous journey to success in Bollywood. After auditioning for years and playing small parts in different films, he has now made a special place for himself. He speaks to us about his struggling days, why talent will always be above nepotism and actors that inspire him.

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529: What Do the Youth of Pulwama Think About Lok Sabha Elections?

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 09:42:32 GMT

Being dubbed as 'the place of terror' in various national media after the dastardly suicide attack that killed 40 CRPF jawans, Pulwama is battling with the 'terror' tag, and so is its youth.

The Quint reaches this district of South Kashmir to find out who will vote, who will not, and why?

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528: Despite Loan Waiver Why Are Banks Torturing Us, Ask Nagpur Farmers

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 09:41:48 GMT

It’s been two years since loan waivers had been announced by the Maharashtra government. A huge number of farmers have still not been able to get benefits from the government. Farmers are discontented as there is constant pressure from the banks.

In the year 2017, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Krishi Samman Yojna. Under the scheme, farm loans upto Rs 1.5 lakh rupees were promised to be waived off.

To check how successful the government has been in fulfilling the promise, The Quint’s Election Chaupal reached Nagardhan village in the Lok Sabha constituency of Ramtek.

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527: The Centre Should Talk to Us About Our Problems: Kashmiri Youth

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 09:40:48 GMT

We usually hear about Baramulla when the stories of encounters between militants and the army occupy the national news headlines. In the light of the upcoming elections, The Quint decided to reach this side of the valley to ask its youth what impacts them as a Kashmiri voter and what are their issues?

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526: Election Chaupal: Students of Assam Say No to Communal Politics

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 09:39:31 GMT

Assam votes in the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2019 on 11 April. Two more phases will follow on 18 and 28 April.

So, what are the big election issues in Assam? To find out, The Quint reached Assam. Through our My Vote Chaupal, we have been giving a voice to the Indian voter. Because we truly believe that elections are not about the politicians but about the voters who choose them by making an informed choice.

In this edition of My Vote Chaupal, we spoke to a few students of University Law College, Gauhati University. And here the mandate was clear – the biggest issue in the elections is the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 (CAB). The bill was not passed in the Parliament and it lapsed.

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525: Can Strategic ‘Space’ Help BJP’s Nationalist Cause in Elections?

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 08:44:00 GMT

On Wednesday, 27 March morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi created a buzz in newsrooms across the country when he put out a tweet saying he would be addressing the nation later with an “important message”.

The tweet predictably brought back memories of his last address in 2016, when he had announced the demonetisation of high-value currency notes.

There was all-around anticipation about a similar big-bang announcement once again. Coming ahead of next month’s crucial Lok Sabha election, it was a given that the prime minister’s message was essentially aimed at setting the agenda for the coming polls, boosting the BJP’s electoral prospects, and showing the Congress in poor light. So, when PM Modi finally went on air to tell the nation that India had become the fourth nation to bring down a live satellite with an anti-satellite missile, the announcement failed to generate any excitement.

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524: Rahul Gandhi’s NYAY Is Not Only Feasible, It Is Absolutely Crucial

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 08:40:13 GMT

Rahul Gandhi has pulled off an ‘Indira Gandhi’. His grandmother nationalised banks, abolished the privy purse and fought the 1971 elections on the Garibi Hatao platform. Rahul is fighting 2019 on the idea of a Minimum Income Guarantee aka NYAY. He has promised five crore poor families a minimum income of Rs 12,000 per month. That will work out to an average ‘top-up’ of Rs 6,000 per month or Rs 72,000 per year.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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523: Manohar Parrikar: The Genial ‘Sanghi’ Whose Smile Hid the Saffron

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 08:35:40 GMT

Manohar Parrikar, who passed away on Sunday evening after a valiant battle against cancer for a year, was unlike many of his colleagues in Bharatiya Janata Party. He was not the archetypal Sanghi who spouted Hindu nationalism by the hour or wore saffron on his sleeve, yet Parrikar’s devotion to the ideals and agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was second to none.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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522: Sadda Haq | Why Every Voter Must Read the Model Code of Conduct

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 06:36:45 GMT

What is the Model Code of Conduct? and how can it be an empowering tool in the hands of voters? In this episode of Sadda Haq, we’ll explain how you can ensure that candidates play by the book, based on a series of guidelines set by the Election Commission.

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521: SC Refuses Ban on Road Shows During Polls & More Election Updates From 25 March

Mon, 25 Mar 2019 12:21:41 GMT

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea filed by a former DGP of Uttar Pradesh seeking an order to the Election Commission of India to ban roadshows and bike rallies during polls.

Singh, a former Director General of Police of Uttar Pradesh, said in his petition that roadshows and bike rallies violate EC's instructions and cause damage to the environment.

The bench said that they wouldn’t entertain the plea.

The BJP has released its list of candidates for two parliamentary constituencies and nine Assembly constituencies in Odisha. Kharbela Swain, who joined the BJP on Monday itself, would be contesting from the parliamentary seat of Kandhamal.

Meanwhile, former Odisha DGP and DG CRPF Prakash Mishra would be contesting from the parliamentary constituency of Cuttack. He joined the BJP on Sunday.

Tripura Congress President Pradyot Kishore has announced that the Congress and the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) are forming an alliance for the Lok Sabha polls.
Today the Supreme Court asked the Election Commission to file an affidavit on why physical verification of VVPAT paper trail should not be extended to more than one polling station per Assembly segment. The EC has till 28 March to file the affidavit.

The apex court also asked the poll body to give reason for its satisfaction on the existing arrangement of sample survey of one EVM with VVPAT per assembly segment.

Odisha Chief Minister and BJD Chief Naveen Patnaik files nomination for the Bijepur assembly constituency at the Padampur Sub Collector office in Bargarh. He had earlier filed his nomination for the Hinjili assembly constituency as well.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) releases list of star campaigners for Lok Sabha elections for Maharashtra.

Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel and Supriya Sule feature on the list.

Paralympian Deepa Malik and INLD MLA Kehar Singh Rawat joins Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Sanjay Dutt dismissed reports that he would contest elections and said that they were just rumours.

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520: Sharad Yadav to Contest from RJD Seat & More Election Updates From 22 March

Fri, 22 Mar 2019 13:14:41 GMT

Sharad Yadav will contest on a RJD symbol in Bihar, the RJD confirmed.
On the question of seat sharing, RJD leader Manoj Jha said that the RJD would contest on 20 seats, Congress on 9, HAM on 3, RLSP on 5, VIP on 3, and CPI-1 in the RJD quota.
Bahujan Samaj Party released its list of 11 candidates for the Lok Sabha Elections on 22 March.
The Shiv Sena also released its first list of 21 candidates for the Lok Sabha Elections.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter and sitting MP from Nizamabad, K Kavitha, filed her nomination papers for the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana.
Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister and son of CM N Chandrababu Naidu also filed his nomination to contest in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly Elections from Mangalagiri constituency in Amaravati.
Ananda Bhaskar Rapolu, former Rajya Sabha MP from Telangana, resigned from the primary membership of the Congress party, on 22 March.
The Madras High Court dismissed the petition seeking to defer the election date for the Madurai parliamentary constituency, citing the Chithirai festival.
Son of Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, and sitting MP from south Chennai, J Jayavardhan filed his nomination papers for the south Chennai parliamentary constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, on 22 March.

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519: Kesari - Movie Reviews With RJ Stutee

Fri, 22 Mar 2019 09:55:31 GMT

Kesari plays out as a cinematic tribute to the valour and sacrifice of 21 men who preferred to die on the battlefield showing exemplary courage in the face of overwhelming odds.

We are first introduced to Havaldar Ishar Singh (Akshay Kumar), an upright soldier in the British Indian Army who routinely gets into trouble with his seniors for his headstrong opinion on justice and service.

Upset with him for not following orders, Ishar Singh is sent to Saragarhi Fort to take charge.

Apart from its strategic importance in the British rule in the province, it hasn’t seen much military action. But all that changes when local Tribe leaders gang up and march towards Saragarhi.

What happens next? Well, listen to the podcast and find out!

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518: PM Modi's Address to Chowkidars, Mayawati Big News and More

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 13:54:19 GMT

As a part of his 'Man Bhi Chowkidar' campaign, PM Narendra Modi addressed over 25 lakhs chowkidar across the country through a conference. He told them, “Chowkidars have been called chor, that is unfortunate...We have to be vigilant and do our duties.”
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hopped on the last boat on the last lap of her three-day election boat-rally. She got back at Modi for his jibes on dynastic politics. She said BJP has been “systematically attacking every institution in the last five years, including the media."
In Jammu and Kashmir After much deliberation, the Congress and National Conference (NC) on Wednesday, sealed an alliance in Jammu and Kashmir for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Polls. J&K will vote in five phases on April 11, 18, 23, 29 and May 6.
BSP chief Mayawati dropped a big news today, she said she will not be contesting the lok sabha elections but will only focus on campaigning.
While on one hand the BJP is trying to win votes with the citizenship bill, Congress leader Rahul is trying to do the opposite. In an address in Tripura he said that the Congress delivered its promise and stopped the citizenship amendment bill in the Lok Sabha, but if elected to power, his party will make sure that the bill is not passed.

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517: BJP Ruled Delhi & Mumbai, Forgot Vidarbha: Nagpur on 2019 Polls

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 10:00:57 GMT

“The 'mahagathbandhan' is a baseless, senseless, and visionless alliance,” said Vishlesh Godhani, an engineering student from Nagpur.

Many others echoed Godhani’s thoughts as The Quint’s chaupal reached Nagpur to speak to the citizens ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

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516: We Are in Distress, Say Mathura Farmers But ‘Will Vote For Modi’

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 09:59:37 GMT

What are the problems faced by farmers? Do they get a fair price for crops? Who will they vote for in the Lok Sabha elections of 2019? Bearing these questions in mind, The Quint spoke to farmers in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, in order to get a sense of the pulse among the country’s agrarian warriors.

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515: What do Bhiwandi’s Power Loom Owners Want From 2019 Polls?

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 09:58:08 GMT

Once buzzing with the sound of spinning yarns, the power looms in Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi have now fallen mostly silent. First, dealing with demonetisation that forced an entire sector that had been heavily cash driven to go digital overnight and then came GST that struck a double whammy. Bhiwandi’s power loom sector no longer yields the robust business it did till about five years ago.

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514: Farmers in Bharuch to Vote for Nota or Local Candidate but Not BJP

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 09:55:48 GMT

In 2014, Gujarat unanimously voted for their Chief Minister Narendra Modi during the General Elections helping the saffron party clinch all 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state. However, in 2019, although Modi is the Prime Minister of the country, Gujaratis are visibly miffed especially in South Gujarat.

South Gujarat is not only a fertile strip of land with a bi-annual yield, it’s also one of the most heavily industrialised regions in the country. Now, three major infrastructure projects of national significance are currently underway in South Gujarat, which will eat into fertile land and has drawn the ire of several farmers.

These projects are: The Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor (Bullet Train Project), The Mumbai Ahmedabad Expressway and the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) on the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). Except for the Bullet Train project, land acquisition for the other two projects has been completed, albeit, the farmers have dragged the state government to the court.

One of the major concerns for the farmers is the paltry compensation offered to them by the government, as it is far lesser than the actual market rate of the land. The Quint met with some farmers and land owners in Bharuch District where the three above mentioned projects will kick out hundreds of farmers from their lands.

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513: ‘Pray to God Modi Govt Doesn’t Return to Power’: Vidarbha Farmers

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 09:53:31 GMT

‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ was a slogan given by Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965. Almost 55 years after that slogan and 70 years after Independence, the farmers of Maharashtra’s Vidarbha are still taking their own lives.

Year after year after year, successive governments have failed to address the farmer crisis. The Quint spoke to farmers from the Akola district of the Vidarbha region, where the farmers give a report card of the Modi government.

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512: ‘First, Treat Us as Humans’: Dalit Women Speak on 2019 LS Polls

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 09:51:13 GMT

Why do Dalit women have to be a part of the 2019 elections for a better tomorrow? Why are they important? What do they want?

On 18 February, over 60 Dalit women gathered in Chennai, to discuss ‘Dalit Women in Politics: Past, Present and Future,’ organised by The Blue Club and All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch.

The Quint, in its Chaupal series, spoke to a few of the prominent Dalit activists and leaders to understand their expectations from the 2019 elections. We discussed not just gender, but political power, multiple levels of oppression because of class, caste and intersectionality.

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511: ‘Rs 6,000 Per Year is Just an Election Ploy’: Mandsaur Farmers

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 09:47:55 GMT

What do the farmers in Mandsaur want? Farm loan waivers? A basic annual income? Or that they be paid the right minimum support price (MSP) for their produce? The Quint’s ‘Chaupal’ reached Mandsaur to find out the answers to these questions.

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510: The Unpublished Khushwant Singh Interview - I Fear Being Dependent

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 13:19:52 GMT

Khushwant Singh donned many a cap over the course of his life. After beginning his career as a lawyer in Lahore, Singh would go on to become a journalist, a diplomat, and even a politician.

While his death came at the ripe old age of 98, Singh’s acidic wit, caustic humour and skillful way with words left an impact on people that will stay beyond his time.

This is a previously unpublished interview with Khushwant Singh that was recorded in 2009 by Dr. Kiran Bala, just after Singh turned 94.

Producer: Vishnu Gopinath

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509: 'The Women are Re-Victimized' - Chinmayi on Pollachi Assault

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 17:26:43 GMT

Chinmayi, the woman who fronted the MeToo movement in Kollywood and the rest of South India speaks exclusively to The Quint, on what issues the Pollachi sexual assault case underlines in our society; and her concerns about shaming and slandering the victims, while the perps are given a clean chit.

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508: Congress Leader Tom Vadakkan Joins BJP & More Election Updates From 14 March

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 12:48:59 GMT

Congress leader Tom Vadakkan joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on 14 March, in the presence of Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Vadakkan was always believed to be a close aide of Sonia Gandhi. In fact, Vadakkan was once the national spokesperson of Congress and even a former secretary of the AICC.
In Uttar Pradesh, SP-BSP will have joint election rallies during the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, said former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav
Next, the NCP announced a list of their candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. The list includes Supriya Sule from Baramati, Sanjay Dina Patil from Mumbai North East, Anand Paranjpe from Thane, Sunil Tatkare from Raigad and Mohammad Faisal from Lakshadweep.
After Tom Vadakkan’s choice to switch from Congress to the BJP, it’s the TMC’s turn to shake things up a little. Trinamool Congress MLA Arjun Singh also joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
In an interesting twist, Election Commission officials demonstrated how to use Electronic Voting Machines & VVPATs, at a mass marriage function in Hatti village in Karnataka’s Koppal district. Fun fact? This was done based on a request from the couples and involved the guests at the wedding also participating in the campaign.
Rahul Gandhi in Thrissur: In 2019, when we come to power, we've decided to take a big decision of Minimum Guarantee Income. With Guaranteed Minimum Income, anybody who earns less than minimum income line will be given money by the Government of India to bring them up to the minimum income line.

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507: BJP Tells EC to Declare WB as 'Super-Sensitive' & Other Election Updates

Wed, 13 Mar 2019 15:26:37 GMT

Priyanka Gandhi kept us on the hook for a while and chose to stay in the shadow even after formally joining the Congress. In fact, she delivered her first speech as an official member of the party only yesterday but it is not clear if she'll be contesting in this year's General Election at all.
This update came from NDTV who quoting sources said that "Priyanka would play an active role and helping her mother and brother in their constituencies as well as help other congress candidates in the state".
Party President Rahul Gandhi had an interactive meeting with students of Stella Mari college in chennai as a part of the Congress' outreach program, where he took questions from the students. He said that if his party forms government then they will pass the Women's Reservation Bill, he also pointed out that the Narendra Modi has not yet held any press conferences in his career as PM.
We may not know for sure if we'll see Priyanka in action this election season but what we do know is that she met Bheem Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad at Meerut's Anand hospital. Azad who was arrested from Deoband in Uttar Pradesh after allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct by using more than a stipulated number of motorcycles in a political rally in Saharanpur district. Does his meeting with Priyanka hint at an alliance? We'll know in the coming days.
A delegation of BJP leaders which included Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Nirmala Sitharaman among others met the Election Commission and requested the agency to declare all of West Bengal as a 'super-sensitive' state to ensure a fair Lok Sabha election.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tagged several social media influencers, media houses, journalists members of opposition and Bollywood celebrities to encourage voter participation in the upcoming elections.
Of course some of the members of opposition took the opportunity to take a dig at the prime minister like SP leader Akhilesh Yadav tweeted that he was happy that the prime minister was appealing to the "mahagathbandhan for a mahaparivartan (change)". while some others like Omar Abdullah, who is the leader of NC reminded Modi that his government has disenfranchised people in J&K by not holding the Assembly elections on time.

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506: Why J&K State Polls Deferment Is Due to Logistics, Not Politics

Wed, 13 Mar 2019 12:02:56 GMT

With the obvious exception of the ruling BJP at the Centre, most of the regional and national political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are critical of the Election Commission of India’s decision to not hold the Assembly elections concurrently with the general Lok Sabha elections.

After withdrawal of support from Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition in June 2018, the Assembly was placed under suspended animation and Governor’s Rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir. After the political parties’ failure to form the government in six months of the Governor’s Rule, President’s Rule was imposed in December 2018.

For more podcasts from The Quint, check out our Podcasts section.

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