The Indian police force of late has been in the thick of controversy for alleged extrajudicial killings or fake encounters. The motivation of the police behind the killings in many recent cases has come into question. The Supreme Court has categorically declared that extrajudicial killings violate the fundamental right to life enshrined in the Constitution. Such killings are nothing but the misuse of power by the police. We speak to families of people who lost their lives to controversial encounters. 

Speakers: 

Afroz 

Wife of late Zeeshan Haider 

Meeran Chadha Borwankar

Retired DG, Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD)

PV Krishnamachary

Advocate

(Appeared for the 4 accused in in the rape and murder of Disha)

Ravindranath Angre

Former Mumbai police officer 

Zulfikar Nasir

Survivor, Hashimpura massacre (1987)

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India’s first trans photojournalist was stripped naked by a cop for refusing sexual favours. The Transgender community was mocked in the UP assembly. The Centre recently told the top court that it could not recognise same-sex marriages. The government has also barred gay and transgender persons from donating blood. In this Podumentary, you will hear the community’s struggles while facing mass discrimination.

Speakers

Payal and Yashvika
Lesbian couple
Social media influencers

Thangjam Santa Singh 
Trans activist

Akhilesh Yadav
President 
Samajwadi Party

Satish Mahana
Speaker 
Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly

Tripthi Shetty 
Trans activist
Businesswoman

Saurabh Kirpal
Senior advocate 
Author

Bella Sharma
Trans activist
Model 

Rifaya Izma
Trans woman

Zoya Thomas Lobo
India’s first trans photojournalist

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The second seniormost judge of the Supreme Court of India had recently said that it would take at least 500 to 700 years to dispose of India’s pending bail applications. Why are bail cases pending in India? Hear this latest episode of our Podumentary! 

Speakers:

Dushyant Dave
Senior Advocate, Supreme Court

Justice Madan Lokur
Former Judge, Supreme Court 

Leah Verghese
Research Manager, Daksh

Sudhanshu S Pandey
Senior Advocate, Supreme Court

Vikas Singh 
President, Supreme Court Bar Association

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Description

The last government of India census was conducted in 2011, and the next exercise was to have taken place in 2021. The government could not meet the 2021 timeline because of the Covid pandemic. But unfortunately, the census exercise continues to be delayed even when other pandemic-related restrictions have been lifted in the country. Why has the government put the census on hold and how has it impacted us? Hear this Podumentary out!

Speakers: 

Avani Kapur

Senior Fellow

Centre for Policy Research

Mala Ramanathan 

Professor, Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology 

PC Mohanan

Former Acting Chairperson

National Statistical Commission 

Sonalde Desai 

Professor | Director 

NCAER - National Data Innovation Centre, Delhi 

Udaya Shankar Mishra 

Professor

Centre For Development Studies 

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Description

The Mid-Day Meal scheme, which is the government’s scheme for free Mid-Day meals in schools, was initially designed to better the nutritional standing of school-going children, but since the inception of this programme, the Mid-Day Meal scheme has been in the thick of controversy over the substandard quality of food served to children and the scheme’s poor implementation. Hear what’s going wrong with the scheme!

Speakers: 

Anuradha Talwar 

State Convener

Right To Food Campaign (RTFC)

West Bengal

Asif Hussain Sohail 

President, Telangana Parents Association for Child Rights and Safety

Chandan Maiti
Secretary, Advanced Society for Headmasters and Headmistresses, West Bengal

Dr Sylvia Karpagam

Researcher

Public Health Doctor 

Dr Veena Shatrughna 

Former Deputy Director

National Institute of Nutrition

Hyderabad 

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Description

Delhi Nurses Federation (DNF), a conglomeration of thousands of nurses, have decided to intensify their protests. The federation has stated that they have repeatedly written to the Delhi government to redress their grievances, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Why are the nurses protesting, and how is the government putting public health at risk by not heeding the legitimate demands of the nursing community? Hear this Podumentary out!

Speakers: 

Amit Pandey

General Secretary

Lok Nayak Hospital Nurses Union 

Anita Mathew 

Senior Nursing Staff 

GB Pant Hospital

Devendra Kumar Jain

General Secretary 

GB Pant Hospital

Liladhar Ramchandani
Secretary General

Delhi Nurses Federation

Punam

Nursing Officer 

Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital

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The United Nations Development Programme and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative released the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index report last month. According to the report, Meghalaya and Assam are some of the poorest states in India. The Niti Aayog’s Multidimensional Poverty Index report also puts Assam, Meghalaya, and some more Northeastern states on the poorest list. Why are some of the Northeast Indian states that are endowed with rich natural resources multidimensionally poor? Hear this Podumentary out!

Speakers: 

Dr Dibyajyoti Saikia
Human rights and Social activist 

Dundee C Khongsit
President, The Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo people (FKJGP)

Karma Paljor
Editor in Chief
East Mojo 

Prof Sanjoy Hazarika
Director, Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research, Jamia Millia Islamia 

Suhas Chakma
Director, Rights & Risks Analysis Group 

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When the government of India introduced the electoral bonds, it claimed they would bring transparency to political party funding. But the bonds have just done the opposite. It compromised electoral transparency and has made political party funding murky in the world’s largest democracy. Why are electoral bonds continuing to damage Indian democracy even after it was red-flagged by the Election Commission of India? Hear this Podumentary out!

Speakers:

Commodore Lokesh Batra (retd)

RTI activist

Jagdeep S Chhokar

Founder & Trustee 

Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR)

Poonam Agarwal

Freelance Development Researcher, BBC

Editor Investigations, The Quint

SY Quraishi

Former Chief Election Commissioner of India

Ullekh NP 

Executive Editor

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