On Hafta 478, Manisha suggested that the BJP is stronger than the Congress and that’s why they keep winning. I would like to differ on this. 

Now, on a scale of 10, let’s say, the TMC, which defeated the BJP, is at 10. In my mind, the BJP is somewhere at four and the Congress at six. But the BJP plus media is at say eight. And that’s why they win. 

Media in the south isn’t as partisan, and so the Congress manages to give the duo a fight in the south. What do you think would happen to the BJP if the media ripped them apart as it did to the UPA? Indian people are more or like sheep, they follow the trend. They go where they think the wind is blowing. Wind might not be blowing where they’re going, but if the media told them it is, they will go that way. It’s not a good situation but that is our reality. 

How else do you suggest people’s silence on Revanna but huge protests over Nirbhaya? Either that, or simply that a large part of Hindus are plain and simple bigoted to the extent that they think rape and murders are sound means to maintain power.

Dheeraj DK 

***

The discussion on inheritance tax was interesting and insightful. The reservation I have on the implementation of such a tax would be the manner in which this would be implemented and the use of such taxes. Tax system in India is already very convoluted and this would become another tool for the government to get back at its detractors. Many of these initiatives do not yield the desired results because rich people, with resources at their disposal, engage in tax planning and avoid paying such taxes. Any new taxes will be welcomed if citizens have confidence in the government that both the implementation and taxes will be effective. Currently, the confidence is pretty low among Indian taxpayers, based on the recent implementation of the GST. To address wealth inequality, macro-economic measures such as higher minimum wages, pay parity and diversity in recruitment should be mandated and can yield better results. Thank you for all your work. I enjoy reading and following NL.

Ankit 

***

Abhinandan, thank you for clearing out the distinction between undemocratic leaders (Modi/Shah), erosion of values, and the “this-is-the-last-election” narrative. IMO, if this isn’t a democracy, there’s no point discussing it on a podcast. While I entirely agree that Modi/Shah are not instinctive democrats, I think circumstances force them to be so. So, my question: which Indian leader do you think was a democrat by instinct? After the freedom struggle generation?

As an exam marker, recently, students at a top tier professional college submitted pages of squiggles. The students were obviously hoping that they would be rewarded in bulk. Jai Shri Ram might be the same.

On EVMs, do you think returning to paper is better? With ballot stuffing and invalidation of votes? 

One year on, what is going on with The Wire, Meta and Tek Fog? What consequences should Siddharth Varadarajan and Jhanvi Sen face, in your opinion?

PS: You have a discord server. I think there are probably 10 of us left. Why keep it up?

Methodman from the discord server 

***

With regards to Manisha’s response to my previous letter, I would just like to say that “dumb down” actually means simplifying the message and not that someone is dumb. 

Manisha’s assumption that I am a “south Indian on a high horse” is just another example of how complex issues are unnecessarily simplified (I’m probably as south Indian as Abhinandan Sekhri is). My letter was limited to the observation that I see a marked difference in political discourses, in that the atmosphere in north India feels a lot more vitiated than in the south. I was also not talking about who can defeat Modi, which is a separate conversation. Hope this clarifies any feelings of hurt among the NL team. 

On a different note, I am quite impressed with the election coverage and I was happy to switch to the NL-TNM joint subscription when my previous subscription came up for renewal recently.

RS 

***

Hi team,

Great work on election coverage in Surat and some other superb reports by Basant. But I still felt NL didn’t capture the ground reality well this election so far. This could be due to the election being spread across seven phases. The south coverage has been great along with The News Minute.

My main request today to see how we can focus on data-based journalism. Rukmini S has a great new website DataforIndia. Also Poonam has done a great job challenging the data put out by the Election Commission. So far, the absolute numbers are missing which is further worrying, given their clearly perceived subservience so far. My one question to the panel on Modi speeches: would he be banned under an impartial EIC for his anti-Muslim comments?

Overall, happy to be a subscriber for many years now and hoping your strength and reach grows manifold from here!

Ayush 

***

Referring to the thumbnail on this video: Trust me, I am with you when it comes to acknowledging the danger Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses to our country’s democracy. However, there is a very thin line between journalism to uncover the truth and the media’s bias being projected on citizens.

Through your tremendous hard work over the years, you have earned great respect and the power of making people stand up and pay attention to what you have to say. But it’s your responsibility to not use it lightly. Lest, you may end up becoming the ones you loathe the most.

Just my opinion, you can totally ignore or tell me if I am wrong.

Hasam U Kroya 

***

Dear team,

Though I apologise for the length of this email, the topic at hand – inspired by a recent discussion on reimagining elections from a listener named Arti – warrants a thorough exploration beyond the typical word limit.

India, like many countries, uses the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system to elect its representatives. In this system, the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins the election, regardless of the margin of victory. While the FPTP has its advantages, it also has significant drawbacks that contribute to the rise of identity politics.

Pros and Cons of FPTP

On the plus side, the FPTP is simple to understand and administer. It also tends to produce a clear winner, which can be beneficial in a system where coalition governments are common. However, the FPTP has several drawbacks. It can lead to a winner-takes-all mentality, where the winning candidate may not necessarily represent the majority of the population. This can result in a lack of representation for minority groups and a sense of disconnection from the political process. 

Moreover, the FPTP can exacerbate identity politics by creating a culture of competition and division. Candidates often focus on mobilising their core supporters rather than appealing to a broader audience. This can lead to a polarised political landscape, where voters are pitted against each other along lines of identity.

Alternate voting systems

Fortunately, there are alternative voting systems that can help mitigate the negative effects of the FPTP. Some notable examples are:

Proportional Representation (PR): In PR systems, seats are allocated based on the proportion of votes received by each party. This can lead to a more representative government, as smaller parties and minority groups have a greater chance of being represented.

Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP): MMP combines elements of FPTP and PR. Voters elect a local representative in a constituency, while also casting a vote for a party list. This system can produce a more representative government while still allowing for local representation.

Ranked-choice voting system vote (RCV): AV allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. This system can produce a more nuanced outcome, as voters can indicate their second or third choice if their first preference is eliminated. This MMP Voting system was first adopted by West Germany (the Federal Republic of Germany) in 1949. After World War II, the Allied powers and West German political leaders sought to create a new electoral system that would prevent the rise of extreme parties and ensure a stable, representative democracy. New Zealand and Bolivia are among countries that use MMP. We elect our president based on the RCV variant known as Instant-runoff voting (IRV). Australia and Ireland also use IRV.

The UK and Canada have identified the limitations of FPTP and are trying to move away from it.

Your role is important

Media outlets play a pivotal role in educating the public about pros and cons of electoral systems. By providing detailed analyses and facilitating informed discussions, the media can spearhead a shift in public opinion towards electoral reforms that promise a more equitable and representative democratic process.

Informed listeners, equipped with insights gained from robust media coverage, are vital in the push for electoral change. They can leverage their knowledge to influence discussions, participate in advocacy, and exert pressure on policymakers to consider and implement more inclusive voting systems. This partnership between the media and its audience is essential for fostering a political environment that prioritises diversity and inclusivity over division.

Find more information here.

Nahar P 

***

Dear NL hafta team, I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for your exceptional news coverage. As a 12th grader, I rely on your platform to stay informed on important matters. I particularly appreciate Hafta, Tippani, TV Newsance, in-depth analysis, investigative reporting, and the focus on local news.

Your reporting keeps me engaged and helps me understand the complexities of the world around me. Thank you for your commitment to journalism.

Anonymous 

***

Hi NL team,

I like the discussions/reports on the elections on TNM and NL. To get a BJP spokesperson to speak to you alongwith Maya Sharma and Saugata Srinivasa Raju was good to see. With Sreenivasan Jain and TNM, it may become possible for you guys to have more right-wing views. It is good to see more of TNM on Hafta.  

I agree with Manisha that neither the BJP nor the Congress may have known the extent of this scandal. I heard on Neta Nagri and Lallantop that these allegations and rumours have been around for two years. Somebody within or close to the family knew this. What did the father, mother, grandfather or relatives do to treat or punish this young sick man? Forget about the politics for the moment, the driver also seems to have come forward only after he was fired from his job. Till then it was ok by the driver too. So, the morals of those who knew about this and did nothing is the real question here. There were people around who could have prevented this from happening and they didn’t. The Congress blaming the BJP and the BJP blaming the Congress in return is just bizarre.

As he comes from an important family, it’s unlikely that he will be punished for this. Only the violence on the women - IF ALL THIS IS TRUE - is real and will be long lasting. Baaki bas newscycle and realpolitik ke saath change ho jayega.

Renu Jha 

***

Hello, please see this as a cathartic exercise for some concerns. 

Rahul and Manisha: Surprised with Manisha’s views on Rahul, especially given her positive view for Prashant Kishore as a politician. Besides yatras, engagement with public, a much-improved SM game, what else is needed to appreciate Rahul’s efforts, given the mountain he climbs against the ‘Pappu’ tag and news blackout. Quick answer will be election results. But, in my view, that isn’t a satisfactory answer.

EVMs and Anand: I believe the digital payments analogy is false as people who don’t trust it have alternative mediums. Germany has a low uptake for digital and so it is in line with their stand on voting.

Inheritance Tax: UK has 325K threshold which is 3.3 crore (PPP 1.2 crore). While each country can define thresholds, the discussion assumed that this is only for the ultra-rich which isn’t the case in Europe. I believe that it cannot be levied in India with EU thresholds without the government providing social security.

Nuclear Power: Europe overreacted to the Fukushima incident and over-steered towards fossil and dependence on Russia. Just FYI, the opinion is changing with 11 EU countries calling to “fully unlock” the potential of nuclear

Great work. Apologies if the tone is terse. But the intent was to keep it short and cover the four points.

Cheers, 

Roger N 

***

Continuing the discussion on NOTA of the last letter. I get Manisha’s point, what if NOTA wins? Then there should be provision for re-election with complete new nominations, and older contestants should be banned from contesting the next election. Because voting is our constitutional right and every citizen should get to exercise it. If an unopposed candidate will be declared winner so easily, this will be normalised in future. You all know there are “Bahubalis” contesting elections in our country, they just have to go to the homes of all other 8-10 contestants and “ask” them to withdraw the nomination and it will be done.

As Abhinandan says, “That’s my rant of the week.”

Keep doing the good work.

Manan Shah 

***

In Hafta 483, what Manisha said about Modi using Mangalsutra against minorities has some logic.

One has to remember that Modi is an RSS Pracharak and RSS will always keep the Hindus united over other threats such as Muslims, Christians, and communists. Golwalkar talked about this in Bunch of Thoughts. RG is trying to replicate the Dravidian model at a nationalistic level by talking about caste census and wealth redistribution model.

Modi is using welfare and Hindu unity to attract voters. RG is using social justice and more welfare to attract the same set of voters. Hence, Modi was somewhere forced to escalate to polarisation.

I have written about this in my personal blog in detail, I can reproduce (under anonymity), if interested.

T

***

I agree with Manisha that bashing north Indians is pointless. It distracts from a much broader question, which Hindu society at large will have to reckon with. How did we allow the RSS’s hateful ideology to establish itself so deeply in our collective psyche? How can we reverse that? The answer will be region specific, but we will have to deal with it before it’s too late. Before we, like many Israelis, find ourselves celebrating the dehumanisation of fellow humans. We’re well on our way. There are multiple reports of suppression of Muslim voters. But many seem to be carrying on as if this is business as usual. I recommend ‘They Thought They Were Free’, a book about how regular citizens in Nazi Germany found themselves being complicit in the holocaust.

Siddhant 

***

Thanks, Abhinandan for reading out my letter and the discussion regarding the closure of Rohith Vemula’s case. I am a woman, as you referred to me as “He” :)

The day the closure report was filed, all Godi channels screamed “Rohith Vemula not a Dalit”. Smriti Irani and Amit Shah were also seen on Republic TV, as the stakes are high for the BJP in this case.

As a Dalit, I am aware of what a Dalit student goes through on college campuses. Rohith was an outspoken student activist and I can understand how he would have suffered.

It takes a lot of inner strength to be outspoken about Dalit identity and I have immense respect for people like Anurag Minus Verma, Yashica Dutt and many more from the younger generation, who are doing great.

On May 12, Saturday, Pooja Prasanna released her “Let Me Explain” on this topic.

Before I conclude, I appreciate Abhiandan’s point of view on merit. Anyone who treats Dalit realities with empathy, melts my heart.

Anonymous 

***

Hi Team NL,

Recently, I watched The Broken News on Zee5 and was blown away by the fact that it’s so close to reality. I am not sure if you guys have already reviewed/discussed it, but please do if you haven't yet. It is worth talking about. Please keep up the good work.

An old and regular subscriber (the Royal Enfield with NL sticker guy :) )

Please promote pasting the sticker on cars and bikes as it is an effective way of branding and awareness.

Ravi Prasad 

***

Dear Newslaundry,

At a time when legacy news media is failing its mandate, subscriber-led models like Newslaundry are emerging, like Zeteo. How is NL different from similar organisations like it globally?

I attended the screening of ‘While We Watched’ at Alliance Francias, I was deeply impressed and happy to see the NL staff being so determined about their work. Thank you for your efforts. I will always be a subscriber. Take care, everyone <3

Siddharth Sachdev 

***

Thank you, NL Hafta, for your work. I’m working on appreciating good work more, and I’ve particularly enjoyed your contributions, especially Manisha’s. Keep up the great work!

Khushboo