Left, Right & Centre

The Nagaland police has named 30 Army special forces soldiers, including a major, in a chargesheet over a botched ambush last year that killed 14 civilians. The police have filed the chargesheet based on a probe conducted by the Special Investigation Team. The SIT alleged that soldiers didn't follow protocol. Has the botched Nagaland ambush reignited the AFSPA debate?

Suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and 31 others have been named in an FIR following the row on remarks made against the Prophet. According to the Delhi Police, they have incited others on divisive lines. Is it fair to equate all these individuals and their comments or is this some sort of all-faith balancing exercise?

The attack and gang-rape of a child in Hyderabad - minute-by-minute details of how educated kids of well-known politicians planned and brazenly attacked the victim - in broad daylight. This is one of the sickest cases one has heard of. How was there no fear of the law?

Senior DMK leader and Rajya Sabha MP TKS Elangovan said on Monday: "Hindi is the native language in underdeveloped states - what will Hindi do? Hindi will make us all 'shudras'." The BJP has strongly reacted to these remarks, hitting out at the DMK for being 'castiest' and 'divisive'. On tonight's episode of Left, Right and Centre, we ask - was this language necessary, and does this further deepen India's language divide?

The BJP may have sacked two of its leaders but the damage has been done. Minority bashing had become a norm, and the world is watching.  On tonight's episode of Left, Right & Centre, we ask the question: does referring to these spokespersons now as "fringe elements" give the BJP a free pass? Should the BJP do more to prove that it is a government of all communities?

Two BJP leaders' comments on Prophet Muhammad have unleashed a backlash in Islamic nations, with Qatar, Kuwait and Iran summoning the Indian envoy today. On social media there have been calls to ban Indian products. The two BJP spokespersons have been suspended by the BJP. Why this about turn? Is this because there is a recognition that the communal stress that we have seen in India over the last few months has now reached a tipping point or is there an understanding that crucial strategic relationships with some of our closest partners could end up being demolished at the altar of so called TV debate shows. The remarks made by the Qatari leadership come during a visit of the Vice President of India to the country, this is a diplomatic embarrassment.

The government has asked Twitter and YouTube to take down two controversial ads by a body spray brand that sparked a massive controversy. These ads essentially glorify rape culture. The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) found the ads in "serious breach" of their code. The question we are asking is - where does the buck stop with these sick ads? Is there a body that clears these ads or is it left to the creative discretion of the agency and the brand? How did it actually go on air in the first place?

Bank manager Vijay Kumar was killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday - another murder in the string of targeted killings taking place in the valley. A host of Kashmiri Pandits have been trying to leave the area in search of safety - bringing us to the debate on tonight's episode of Left, Right and Centre - have the government's policies in Kashmir failed - and is this a Kashmiri Pandit exodus reminiscent of the one that happened in 1990?

For the past many weeks, Kashmiri Pandits, who have been a subject of great discourse for the BJP, Central government, J&K L-G, have been protesting. Lot has been said that a lot has been done for them, but these Kashmiri Pandits have been subjected to terror attacks. Almost daily, we get to hear reports of targeted attacks against members of not just this community but, Kashmiris as well. All that people of Kashmir get are assurance. The list of targeted killings is getting longer. Now, Kashmiri Pandits feel that their voices aren't been heard. Is New Delhi isn't listening to the 'Mann ki Baat' of the Kashmiri Pandits? Has the central government failed these Kashmiri Pandits?

The government released the latest GDP figures, with India recording a growth of 8.7% in FY 2021-22 - the highest since 2000, though this is on the back of a very low base. While the GDP has regained to slightly above pre-pandemic level, with the government in an optimistic mood about growth, the bad news is that GDP only grew by 4.1% in the March quarter - the lowest quarterly growth in the entire year. This brings us to the debate on tonight's episode of Left, Right & Centre - who handled the economy better - PM Modi or PM Manmohan Singh?