Line Of Truth

Are we moving towards the American tradition of late-night satire where shows pack in factual news with tongue-in-cheek commentary?

Political Satire is booming in India and the reason is all about the controversy surrounding their opinions. It is with a dry humour that political satirist are making their points without necessarily lampooning the politicians. 

Akash Banerjee, founder and host of India's biggest Political Satire platform, The Deshbhakt joins Ratnadeep Chakraborty to talk about political satire, the process of using satire to make a point and the future of political satire in India.

Subscribe to The Deshbhakt: https://www.youtube.com/user/akashban

What was the formula that Modi-Shah used to win the general election for the second time in five years?

What was the core issue in the election: a development agenda or national pride? 

Will the Modi magic work in the assembly elections or does the BJP needs to work on its allies?

Bestselling author and veteran Journalist Padma Shri Rajdeep Sardesai joins Ratnadeep Chakraborty to decode the 2019 General Elections, shares his experience and stories from the campaign trail and the road ahead for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Buy '2019: How Modi Won India' - https://amzn.to/2HDeaU6

Did Nirbhaya’s rapist, Ram Singh, commit suicide or was he murdered?

What was the last wish of Maqbool Bhat and why wasn't it delivered?

Is the hanging of Afzal Guru a stain on India's democracy?

Mary Morgan Hewett Award recipient veteran journalist and author, Sunetra Choudhury joins Ratnadeep Chakraborty to talk about life inside Asia's largest prison, the hanging of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat, and the life of Sunil Gupta as a jailer.

Buy 'Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer' - https://amzn.to/36UalE8

Should you compromise your ethics over money?

Can you be friends with a person from opposing political opinions?

Would Zaira Wasim be treated differently if she was a Hindu?

Hiba Beg joins Ratnadeep Chakraborty to talk about what it's like to be a millennial journalist in India and a Muslim in Modi's India. 

Get in touch with Hiba at https://twitter.com/HibaBeg

In the middle of the night of 19th January 1990, half the population of Kashmir Pandit was on the street, running to save their lives.  January 20, 1990, was the day when thousands of Kashmiri Pandits, including the old man, were forced to flee from their homes - their paradise. Over 60,000 Kashmiri Pandits escaped from the separatist insurgency as violence peaked in the early 1990s. Most of them had to drive a 12-hour long ride to Jammu, where they sought refuge for the next few years. 

It's been over thirty years now. Kashmiri Pandits continue to live as refugees in exile in their own country. It's the biggest shame in the history of a democratic and secular country like India. Sushil Pandit joins Ratnadeep Chakraborty to talk the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, the abrogation of article 370 and the way forward for Kashmiri Pandits.

To watch an older interview video by 'The Honest Critique' featuring Sushil Pandit- https://youtu.be/de5vDaFcFGI

Kashmir has been misrepresented by Bollywood for a long time. Lush green hills, shikara rides, Dal lake and fetishization of ordinary Kashmiris are the imageries you find in a Bollywood movie. Ashvin is one of the only directors who have tried to give a human side to the conflict and narrated the story of Kashmiris like never before. After two successful documentaries and a decade long experience in Kashmir,  Ashvin makes a coming-of-age film about friendship, hope and peace told through the innocent eyes of Noor-a British Kashmiri teenager.  

India's youngest Oscar-nominated director, Ashvin Kumar joins Ratnadeep Chakraborty to talk about his new film 'No Fathers in Kashmir' ahead of its global release on January 24. 

Click on the link below to watch 'No Fathers in Kashmir'- https://vimeo.com/ondemand/nofathersinkashmir

The Indian media has often painted the picture of Kashmir in binaries. An entire generation of Kashmiri youth has taken on the Indian state, both online, and on the streets. Initially, the protests on the streets were peaceful, as large crowds gathered to protest fake encounters, land transfers, human rights violations, and cases of sexual violence, demanding an end to the occupation and the right to a plebiscite to determine Kashmir’s future. As the protests grew in momentum, the Indian state responded brutally, firing live ammunition and pellet guns into crowds, arresting political leaders and youth activists, and oftentimes, declaring shoot-on-sight curfews in the region in order to prevent further protests from occurring. Torn between battles, neverending curfews, and oppression- the life of an ordinary Kashmiri is agonizing. In this episode, Ather Zia and M Junaid join Ratnadeep Chakraborty to talk about the abrogation of Article 370, the internet shutdowns, and the effect on ordinary citizens in the valley.

Edited by: C Prateek Singh Chauhan

Source: https://www.standwithkashmir.org/

Buy 'Resisting Disappearance: Military Occupation and Women's Activism in Kashmir': https://amzn.to/2ESQ6Lw

Is liberalism a western idea or does have its root in India?

Can you be a liberal and patriot at the same time?

How will the nationalist rhetoric with a claim to challenge the pernicious effects of neoliberalism affect the Indian polity in the long run?

Liberalism is central to public and political debate at this moment and it is more challenged in India today than in any other democracy in the world. While the hate crimes and violence on minorities have increased over the years, freedom of free speech and expression are at stake and there is rampant misuse of public institutions- it is time we take a step back and understand the values of liberalism that Gandhi taught us. Veteran journalist and author, Sagarika Ghose joins Ratnadeep Chakraborty for the first episode of 'Line Of Truth'.

Edited by: C Prateek Singh Chauhan

Buy 'Why I Am a Liberal'- https://amzn.to/2M5iWMS

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