Chhota Hafta 269: India’s lockdown, the role of journalists during a crisis, police brutality, and more
A snippet of NL Hafta for non-subscribers.
In this episode of NL Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal, Manisha Pande, and Mehraj D Lone are joined by data journalist Rukmini S.
Abhinandan begins by bringing up Rukmini’s piece in The Print where she wrote that India could see up to 30,000 COVID-19 deaths by May. “Even with significant intervention, there will be not an ending, but a reduction [in cases],” Rukmini says.
Discussing how the 21-day nationwide lockdown was imposed by Narendra Modi to enforce social distancing, both Raman and Mehraj think India won't be able to handle that many patients. Mehraj asks what measures exist for the homeless, and those dependent on daily wages. Manisha says she was stunned by Modi’s decision and the manner in which he communicated it to the public. “Someone who supposedly was a chaiwallah, who rose from nowhere, is so out of touch with how Indians live.”
To listen to the full episode, subscribe to Newslaundry.
Recommendations
Rukmini
How the Coronavirus Could Take Over Your Body (Before You Ever Feel It)
Anything written by Anuja Chauhan
Amelia Bedelia series
Manisha
Spanish flu: How information policing and nationalist propaganda worsened a pandemic a century ago
It takes a whole world to create a new virus, not just China
The People in Charge See an Opportunity
WHO Press Briefing - 13th March, 2020
WHO Press Briefing - 23th March, 2020
How wildlife trade is linked to coronavirus
Mehraj
Underlying Conditions: India’s coronavirus crisis was decades in the making
Delhi carnage: The story of one mob, two drains, and five murders
Abhinandan
NPR Planet Money: Pandemic Bonds
#Covid19: Dr WHO gets prescription wrong
Raman
Produced and recorded by Aditya Varier, edited by Harshula Sharma.
You can also listen to all our podcasts on the Newslaundry app and get updates about them via Twitter and Facebook.