Dr Kumar Askand Pandey, Associate Professor of Law at Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University in Lucknow, points out that sedition cases rose sharply after 2014, gravely threatening civil liberties. Though the sedition law has been paused by the Supreme Court, we still have a long way to go to secure our fundamental freedoms, he tells All Indians Matter. Tune in! 

India’s startups are laying off employees in significant numbers, and it is feared that another 5,000 would be let go of soon in the face of investor pressure to improve profitability, choppy financial markets, slowing growth and inflation. How many more layoffs can we expect and how long will the bloodletting continue? Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy says the government should place a draft version of any law it makes before the people for their inputs. This is important for a truly participative democracy. However, at last count, 227 of the 301 bills placed in Parliament after the policy was introduced were presented without prior consultation. The attempt to become not just a representative but a deliberative democracy has failed to take off. Public policy expert Arun PS, who has a special interest in the Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy, speaks to All Indians Matter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India experienced a severe heatwave and high temperatures are likely to persist. Heatwaves can raise physiological stress, exacerbate pre-existing conditions such as respiratory and heart diseases, and even create public health emergencies. Underprivileged sections are much more at risk than the others. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

More than 60 million Indians suffer from mental disorders, 10 to 20 million of them from severe conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. India has one of the highest prevalences of mental illnesses globally. Daniel Lobo, CEO and Founder of BecauseYOU.in, a mental health social enterprise that supports individuals to thrive irrespective of their emotional distress, speaks to All Indians Matter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The campaign to make Hindi the national language seeks to strip away the layered reality of India to a single idea. You can’t impose a language at the expense of people’s linguistic and cultural characters. Such an imposition threatens our very cultural identity. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Healthcare is crucial for sex workers, exposed as they are to poverty and sexually-transmitted diseases. Recent reportage by journalist Shalini Singh, for the People’s Archive of Rural India, revealed that sex workers in Delhi are often denied health services or exploited in return for this access. She speaks to All Indians Matter.

Healthcare is crucial for sex workers, exposed as they are to poverty and sexually-transmitted diseases. Reportage by @Shalininess revealed that sex workers in Delhi are often denied health services or exploited in return for this access. She speaks to @allindianscount.

Indonesia’s decision to halt palm oil exports is a tremendous blow to the poor and the salaried class as edible oil prices will rise significantly at a time when inflation is soaring already. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agriculture badly needs transformation. Innovations that stress on solutions for challenges ranging from irrigation to the supply chain are the answer. Kavita Sharma and Ruchika Singh, who are part of the World Resources Institute’s Land Accelerator programme, which aims to make a difference in agriculture, agri-tech, the circular economy, etc, speak to All Indians Matter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The early arrival of hot weather has made electricity demand skyrocket – it’s expected to rise the fastest in 38 years. The power grid is experiencing record loads but, with coal stocks running low, electricity firms are unable to cope. With logistical issues further complicating matters, India could experience frequent and severe power cuts this summer. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices