News and Views

In the run-up to the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, 27 lakh voters have been struck off the voter rolls after their cases were adjudicated and rejected by tribunals. But here’s the twist: these voters can’t vote in the upcoming election, even if their appeals are accepted. Why are so many voters being excluded?In this video, we dive into the shocking numbers and the process behind voter exclusions, revealing patterns of targeting that raise serious questions about access, fairness, and caste-based and religious exclusions. Are these exclusions part of a bigger political strategy? What does this mean for the integrity of the election? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A pregnant woman is picked up from Delhi, blindfolded, and abandoned in a forest hundreds of kilometers away. When the blindfold is removed, she realizes she is in Bangladesh. This is the story of Sunali Khatun from West Bengal, who claims that in June 2025, she and her family were deported to Bangladesh, where they spent 101 days in jail. After the intervention of the Supreme Court, she returned to India with her son in December 2025, but her husband and others are still stranded there. This is not just one family’s story—it raises serious questions about the system, citizenship, and justice. In this video, Sunali shares her ordeal—watch the full story to know more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Young influencers from dominant castes such as Brahmins and Rajputs are making high-engagement reels centred on caste pride and superiority on Instagram, using trending audios, cinematic edits, and aspirational aesthetic. We analysed more than 100 reels across over 30 accounts. What emerged is a pattern: under the label of “pride”, caste superiority is being repackaged for the algorithm age. Read the full story on The Quint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"We are the kind of Hindu that stands up to say no to Hindutva, no to caste," says Sunita Viswanath, executive director and co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights, a non-profit based in the United States that works to counter Hindutva, especially among Indians abroad. "The Hindutva brigade was strong and growing across the diaspora. So we had the fight, of course, for our communities and families in India, but also right here where we live." On 11 March, Viswanath and her team held a launch event in New York City for Hindus for Human Rights Action, a new political advocacy arm that aims to be "unleashing the political voice of progressive Hindus" in the United States. Viswanath joins us for the second episode of VIGILANT, a new podcast hosted by Raghav Bahl, editor-in-chief of The Quint, and discusses the rise of Hindutva beyond India, and the actions that she and others are taking to combat it. The podcast is a part of VIGIL, a new offering on The Quint that discusses and champions themes of pluralism and inclusivity in the Indian diaspora. VIGIL stands for Voice of India: Global, Inclusive, Liberal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In December 2023, 100 Opposition MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha in a single week — the largest mass suspension in the history of India’s Parliament. But how unusual is this? As Birla faces a rate no-trust vote in the Parliament, our analysis of Lok Sabha records since 2004 shows that 112 MPs were suspended during Om Birla’s first term as Speaker, accounting for nearly half of all suspensions in the past two decades. The Quint continues to track how India’s democratic institutions — from Parliament to courts and investigative agencies — function and are held accountable. Watch the full investigation. Read the story here:https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/om-birla-no-confidence-motion-data-investigation-mp-suspensions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this ground report from Mirpur Hindu village in Ghaziabad, farmers are protesting against a proposed landfill and waste management plant, saying it could seriously impact their health, farmland, and groundwater. Villagers allege that the project is too close to residential areas and fear long-term environmental damage. The administration, however, maintains that all environmental norms will be followed and that the plant is essential for scientific waste disposal. Tensions have also risen after clashes during recent protests. Watch the full ground report by Avanish Kumar to understand the farmers’ concerns, the police action, and the government’s response. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, Anubhav Sinha, #taapseepannu and Kani Kusruti discuss the importance of films like #Assi, society's failure to prevent assault, hyper-masculinity in the industry, resistance to mounting female-led stories, the challenges directors now face while making films, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There have been reports of Muslim voters being targeted for deletion through fraudulent use of Form 7 across different states - Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Gujarat and West Bengal. But that's not the only way in which their right to vote is being attacked. The Quint narrates three ways in which this process is taking place and could expand across India. From exposing misinformation to delivering impactful human rights reporting, our newsroom has relentlessly pursued stories that drive change. We remain committed to asking the tough questions — and we'd love for you to be a part of our journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do the population census, crime data, hate crimes, household consumption, India's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment, Covid-19 deaths, Air Quality Index (AQI) and the Congress' Vote Chori allegations have in common? A pattern of data denial under the Narendra Modi-led NDA government. In many cases, data has not been collected for years. In others, it is missing, calculated using methods that diverge from global standards, rejected when it comes from international agencies, or tightly gatekept. But no data does not mean no crisis. Without reliable numbers, how is the government identifying vulnerable groups or ensuring taxpayer-funded welfare schemes reach the intended beneficiaries? This story examines how the NDA government’s data gaps are affecting accountability — and costing ordinary citizens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With men's rights activism growing rapidly in India across social media platforms, in this story, we take you inside the world of MRAs. Most MRAs seem to reportedly feed into biases, exploit selective news report headlines to push certain misinformation. But do we see MRAs speaking up when men commit crimes against men? Head to our website or YouTube channel for the full video. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India’s Gen Z is a mystery for any economist. They make less money in real inflation-adjusted terms than the previous generation, the millennials, but they spend much more on consumption and experiences than any other generation did. While their parents saved to build assets, Gen Z has very little savings. In fact, they often have huge amounts of debt—credit card payments that they have rolled over, or personal loans they have taken—without a concrete plan on how to pay them back. The reason for this can be encapsulated in one term: Financial Nihilism. In a brand-new episode of 'Caught in the Middle', senior business journalist Aunindyo Chakravarty explains why Gen Zs don't believe in conventional financial wisdom, instead choosing to learn everything about investments from Instagram influencers. Watch the video to know more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do Olympic champions have a different mindset? In this podcast, Prateek Lidhoo asks this question to sports administrator Manisha Malhotra, who was a part of Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra's Olympic gold campaigns. She also recounts some stories behind their preparation, and what we can look forward to in the Paris and LA games. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this podcast, we spoke to Norris Pritam, a veteran sports journalist, about his new book, 'The Man Who Made History: The Neeraj Chopra Story', a biography of Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra. The book chronicles his early life, exposure to athletics, and his eventual moment of glory when he won the Gold Medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In addition to talking about the athlete, Pritam also sheds light on some systemic issues plaguing Indian athletics, his resentment for cricket, and some anecdotes from his vast career as a sports journalist. Watch till the end for some untold stories about Indian sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Shami's fifers to Virat Kohli breaking Sachin Tendulkar's record, this podcast will make you revisit the last 45 days of the Men's Cricket World Cup 2023. Amrit Mathur, who has served as an author, and manager of the Indian men's cricket team, shares his insights into the tournament's defining moments, from thrilling matches to record-breaking performances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Partner | The COVID-19 vaccination drive in India exemplified as a model for routine immunization, achieved over 97% population coverage. It also amplified the need for timely immunization to prevent a global pandemic. In this podcast, Dr. Sanjay Kapur, from John Snow India (JSI) sheds his expert insights from the MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation & Equity project supported by USAID. We are also joined by Dr. Anuradha Sunil from the Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals (ISAP) who emphasized the challenges of vaccine hesitancy, combated through community involvement and awareness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a debate going on from social media to offices on the statement of Infosys founder Narayan Murthy that he works 70 hours a week. Narayana Murthy had said in an interview that the youth of India should say that this is our country and we will work for 70 hours. Everyone from the youth to elders gave different reactions to this statement of Murthy. Can India really progress with 70 hours of work and the productivity of the country's youth will increase? There are many aspects to this 70 hours of work and many related questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ravish Kumar is one of India's most accomplished journalists, known for his stint with NDTV India. But what is it like to be inside his mind? In this vodcast interview, filmmaker Vinay Shukla talks about his experience filming Kumar in intimate spaces, the YouTube leak of the documentary, and the state of Indian media and NDTV. Shukla's documentary, 'While We Watched', is a fly-on-the-wall look at Kumar's life and work. The film follows Ravish as he battles the external threats of violence in an ever-polarized national climate, and an internal dilemma between what the market wants, and what his brand of journalism stands for. In this interview, Shukla talks about the challenges of filming a complex portrait of a public figure. He also discusses the YouTube leak of the documentary, which happened after it was aired on American television. He offers his own insights into the state of Indian media and NDTV, the news channel where Kumar has worked for over two decades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this podcast, Pratikshya is talking to the two angry men of the Indian television industry - Raghu Ram and Rajiv Lakshman. They are here to talk about their new men's wellness podcast 'Mencyclopedia'. By their own admission, this podcast is 'only for men, no women allowed'. They also talk about their stint at MTV's superhit reality show Roadies, their journey in the world of TV media, and why Raghu thinks people like Andrew Tate are a bad influence on young boys and men. Listen till the end! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the resounding success of SRK's January release 'Pathaan', King Khan is back with his big-budget maas entertainer 'Jawan', directed by one of the massiest Indian directors, Atlee. In this video podcast, Prateek Lidhoo is talking to some of our in-house film buffs, Himanshi Dahiya, Aditya Menon, and Varsha Sriram about the politics of Shah Rukh Khan's social vigilante thriller. They also delve into some spoilers and talk about the good, the bad, and the absurd about this blockbuster. Listen till the end. And of course, SPOILERS ALERT! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If one thing Author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is known for is her ability to scout through timelines and transport her readers to another world with ease and poignancy. If 'The Palace of Illusions' and 'The Forest of Enchantment' enabled Draupadi and Sita to break out of their moulds, with her novel 'Independence', she charted a territory that marks, perhaps, yet another milestone in India's partition writings by women. Tune into this episode of News and Views to listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices