Divgun
Hey NL team, hope you all are doing great. Sending all the strength for the great work you guys do. My question to the panel is, what can be done for the great Indian litterbug? Be it places of worship, heritage, parks, public transport – the Indian litterbug finds their way to make it filthy. How could this be addressed and is never an issue for our legislators?
Vicky
Dear Newslaundry podcast team,
I’ve been a member for nearly eight years, a period shaped by my time living in both red and blue states in the US. Since the 2024 election cycle, I’ve closely followed your coverage of US politics. While I value your global lens, I’d like to offer some detailed feedback on where I think you’re missing the mark.
Your takes on Donald Trump,Musk and DOGE often feel overly simplistic and naive. They mirror the framing I’d expect from left-leaning US outlets like CNN or The Washington Post – quick to critique but slow to explore details. DOGE, too, gets dismissed without dissecting its appeal or feasibility. This reliance on a single narrative feels lazy for a platform that claims independence, and it risks alienating listeners who crave nuance over talking points.
Anand and Manisha haven’t left the show, but when they’re absent from episodes, the difference is stark. Without their voices to stir the pot, it turns into an echo chamber – same ideas, same slant, no pushback. The guest lineup doesn’t help; too often, it’s a parade of like-minded politics who nod along rather than challenge each other. I’d love to see you mix it up – bring in a red-state commentator, a Democrat party sceptic, or someone outside the usual bubble. Those absences of Anand and Manisha expose how much the show leans on them for balance, and the guest choices only deepen the rut.
I’m not calling for a total rethink – just more rigour and variety. You’ve got an audience that trusts you to cut through the noise, especially on US politics from an outsider’s view. Invite some diverse voices – a rural journalist, a conservative thinker, or an average voter – to spark real debate. It’d make Hafta sharper and your coverage richer, reflecting the complexity I’ve witnessed across America’s divide.
Thanks for hearing me out. I’ve stayed with Newslaundry because I see its potential. Hoping for some fresh energy ahead.
Sneha
Two weeks before a certain political party tore down The Habitat where Kunal Kamra performed his contentious set, I was paid a visit by karyakartas of the same party, asking for contribution for a festival (Shivaji Jayanti). I refused politely. For starters, to run an orthodontic clinic on rent being a single mother, I have huge overheads. I have been dipping into my savings just to stay afloat.
To top that, the BMC has ravaged the entire road in front of my clinic. The unstoppable JCB sometimes strikes the water supply, sometimes the electricity, and sometimes the WiFi. It seems like a miracle when we are able to work. Most days are spent amid the deafening noise of machines, resigned to our fate, unable to even hear ourselves think.
Anyway, when I refused to give money, the three men got aggressive, demanded to talk to ‘a man’. Sorry, no man here, just little old me running this joint. They took pictures of my clinic and threatened they’d show me ‘gundagardi’. I know the vandalism they are capable of. It is historically famous. So I took the measures of informing the landlady, the building committee, getting CCTV footage as proof of their identity.
It’s a struggle trying to do good, honest business in this city. Why must we live in fear? More of us common citizens must stand up to political goons, refuse to allow them to scare us.
I have a bone to pick with Kamra. He must have anticipated some blowback for the bold political commentary he made? If I could foresee vandalism for a smaller issue, how could he not? He performed the set in many locations, but chose to upload only the recording of the time he did it at the Habitat, Mumbai? Something does not sit right.
And now, the issue about BookMyShow delisting him from their platform and not sharing audience data with him. Between 2017 and 2025, why didn’t he request the audience for their details before every show? Nobody can stop the performer/organisers!
As a healthcare provider, even I pay an online aggregator for online visibility. But patient details are always shared with us. Why then can’t artists demand the same of a platform like BookMyShow? Or collect the data yourselves regularly!
PS: Sorry, my word count has been shot!
Dipankar
Hello,
1) Manisha did raise the issue of dissonance of Muslims have nots, but not touched. The divide between Ashraf and Pashmanda is real. For example, a study by AMU faculty has shown that while Ashrafs are only 15 percent of Muslim population, they represented 85 percent of 440-odd MP positions held by Muslims since independence.
2) On the Hyderabad agitation, the city has a long tradition. Osmania University, for example, was a hub of Telangana agitation.
3) The point of colonial clubs being in city centres for few is a great point. A snapshot of some areas by clubs:
Tollygunge Club: 100 acres
Bangalore Club: 11 acres
Delhi Gymkhana: 27 acres
Roshanara: 23 acres
4) The IITs are still called by old names like IIT Bombay and IIT Madras as they were established by an act of Parliament. Same with IIMs and many others.
Vishnu
Hi team,
In my opinion, letters have been a way for subscribers to be part of the podcast. It was also a reason to subscribe as Abhinandan always said only subscriber letters will be read in the podcast.
I feel like I have been left out since my last letter was not in the podcast or I didn’t see if it was read out (it was about how US is behind India in extorting states with federal funding). This is probably because of what I mentioned first.
Akshit
Three points:
Renewed my subscription – you folks are the best!
RK Sir mentioned 43 crore viewers for the cricket final. If you referred to the number on the top right, that’s total views, not viewers – you can see it subtly written there. Hotstar used to show viewer count, Jio shows number of views post acquisition – an insider confirms this inflates numbers to attract ads (shocker! considering who owns Jio). Also, cricket is a game, not a sport – I agree with AS! Football is best – athletic and democratic, unlike privilege-heavy sports like tennis, golf and F1.
Saw comments on AV Sir’s talking style. He doesn’t need validation, but I fully support him. I enjoy listening to him exactly because he doesn’t speak in tweet-length sentences, and has tons of info to share – even gives citations sometimes which is so rare in these gossip-y times. He’s someone you'd love to chat with over slow evening tea, not a long drive – and that’s fine by me! Can’t wait for his new NL show.
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