Hafta 504: MUDA scam, Modi in USA, Trump vs Harris

In this week’s special free episode, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal, Manisha Pande, and Jayashree Arunachalam, are joined by The News Minute’s Pooja Prasanna and University of Michigan associate professor and author Joyojeet Pal.

The conversation begins with discussions on the Tirupati laddu controversy and the Karnataka High Court setback for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysore Urban Development Authority case. Pooja delves into how life has come full circle for Siddaramiah. 

Abhinandan underlines the similarities between Indian and US news: “Top headlines on Indian channels is beef in laddus, while top headlines in the US are Donald Trump’s ‘immigrants will eat your dogs’ speech.” Joyojeet explains the nuances of the Kamala Harris vs Donald Trump presidential battle. He says, “Right now it’s a neck and neck fight.” 

The panel also discusses PM Modi’s visit to the US. On his address to NRIs in Long Island, Jayashree says, “Modi talked about his biggest achievements, such as new airports and better broadband services – because that’s all that matters to NRIs.”

This and more, tune in!

Hafta letters: CJI-Modi’s Ganesh pooja, arguments on nuqta, work-life balance 

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Song: Ho Jamalo

Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/_X8eQttDXx0 

Audio Timecodes

00:02:51 - Announcements

00:07:40 - Headlines

00:22:46 - Announcement

00:23:26 - Tirupati laddu

00:32:06 - MUDA case - setback for Siddaramiah?

00:43:48 - Pooja’s recommendation

00:44:45 - Subscriber letters

01:00:44 - US polls & Modi in USA

01:32:53 - Joyojeet’s recommendation 

01:38:46 - Subscriber letters

01:55:20 - Recommendations 

References

Introduce your friends to Hafta - Google form

Power our US elections coverage - NL Sena

Gaza: One Year Later - NL Sena

Let Me Explain : Tirupati Laddu Row

Indian Americans in US politics

Despite NGT order, an Adani-operated coal mine got environmental clearance in Chhattisgarh

Delhi in flux: What AAP’s reset means for assembly polls | Anand Vardhan

Farewell, comrade | Anand Vardhan 

What’s Your Ism? Ft. Sitaram Yechury

Recommendations

Pooja

Let Me Explain by Pooja Prasanna

Mad Men

Joyojeet

Coolie No. 1

Disgrace by JM Coetzee

Manisha 

The Case Against Travel

Inside Kashmir’s media crisis

Raman

The dark side of Haryana’s sports success story

Curry & Cyanide

Jayashree

Madras Check

The Other Latif  

Doctors Describe the Horror of Israel’s Pager Attack in Lebanon

Abhinandan

Were Israel’s Actions in the Gaza War Justified? Eylon Levy vs. Mehdi Hasan

Evita: Birth of a Legend

Check out previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters 

Produced and recorded by Priyali Dhingra, edited by Hassan Bilal and Samarendra K Dash.