South Central

In this week’s South Central, hosts Pooja Prasanna and Anisha Sheth are joined by political economist and author Dr Parakala Prabhakar for an extended conversation on the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the deletion of voters and the larger questions these developments raise about India’s electoral democracy.

Audio timecodes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:35 - Headlines

00:09:35 - ECI, SIR and the deletion of voters

Support our legal fund. Click here

Check out the recommendations and references from this episode.

Check out the list of headlines discussed in South Central

Support South Central: https://pages.razorpay.com/south-central

Send your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism as well.

Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here

To check out our other shows, Click here

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

You can also let us know what you think by filling out our quick feedback form. Your suggestions help shape future episodes of South Central.

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

Producer - Akshay Lal, Editor - Jaseem Ali, Camera - Ajay R, Social Media - Anakha C J

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s South Central examines the questions surrounding the Veeramani case in Tamil Nadu, allegations of police inaction and a culture of silence. Hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna are joined by TNM’s Chennai Bureau Chief Shabbir Ahmed.

The episode also discusses the police raid on the Reporter TV newsroom and the wider debate over press freedom and media ownership, with senior journalist MG Radhakrishnan joining the conversation.

The episode also looks at reported dissent within the Election Commission of India, questions over electoral roll verification and the centralisation of voter data, and what the rift means for transparency and voter trust. The hosts are joined by independent investigative journalist Poonam Agarwal.

Audio timecodes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:08 - Headlines

00:08:12 - Veeramani POCSO case

00:27:19 - Reporter TV raid

00:47:08 - The Election Commission and internal dissent

1:09:35 - Recommendations

Support our legal fund. Click here

Check out the recommendations and references from this episode.

Check out the list of headlines discussed in South Central

Support South Central: https://pages.razorpay.com/south-central

Send your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism as well.

Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here

To check out our other shows, Click here

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

You can also let us know what you think by filling out our quick feedback form. Your suggestions help shape future episodes of South Central.

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

Producer - Akshay Lal, Editor - Jaseem Ali, Camera - Ajay R, Social Media - Anakha C J

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna explore whether AI could pose an existential threat to humanity, and what regulation and the debate over whether AI development needs to slow down.

They are joined by Sarayu Natarajan, founder of Aapti Institute and Visiting Associate Professor at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and Deepthi Bathini, AI Policy and Strategy Fellow at Successif and Associate Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University.

In the second part of the episode, the hosts turn to the political developments in Telangana, including the ruckus during the Assembly session, the BRS-Congress confrontation and the growing questions over Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s control over both the government and the party.

They are joined by senior Deccan Herald assistant editor SNV Sudhir, who covers Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Audio timecodes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:39 - Headlines

00:09:17 - Warnings about the risks of AI

00:48:12 - Current political scenario in Telangana

1:10:15 - Recommendations

Support our legal fund. Click here

Check out the recommendations and references from this episode.

Check out the list of headlines discussed in South Central

Support South Central: https://pages.razorpay.com/south-central

Send your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism as well.

Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here

To check out our other shows, Click here 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

You can also let us know what you think by filling out our quick feedback form. Your suggestions help shape future episodes of South Central. 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

Producer - Akshay Lal, Editor - Jaseem Ali, Camera - Ajay R, Social Media - Riya TT

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna are joined by former Supreme Court Justice Madan Lokur to discuss a wide range of issues - from the cancellation of law school convocations following student protests against the CJI to mass voter roll discrepancies and the judiciary's hesitation to intervene.

In the second part of the discussion, the hosts are joined by Divya Arya, a journalist reporting for the BBC World Service, who worked on the story exposing the prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) content in Meta apps.

Audio timecodes:

0:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:50 - Headlines

00:12:43 - Dissent, SIR and more

00:58:28 - Meta and CSAM

1:27:15 - Recommendations

Support our legal fund. Click here

Register for the NL-TNM book club. Click here

Check out the recommendations and references from this episode.

Check out the list of headlines discussed in South Central

Support South Central: https://pages.razorpay.com/south-central

Send your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism as well.

Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here

To check out our other shows, Click here 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

You can also let us know what you think by filling out our quick feedback form. Your suggestions help shape future episodes of South Central. 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

Producer - Akshay Lal, Editor - Jaseem Ali, Camera - Ajay R, Social Media - Riya TT

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna discuss controversial remarks by Muslim religious leader Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar on women’s participation in public religious events.

They are joined by Shahina KK, Founder and Editor of Offbeat Concerns, and Sunaina Shahida Ikbal, Writer, Psychologist and Academician.

In the second part of the episode, the conversation turns to the growing calls for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay to become Prime Minister in 2029, and what the phenomenon says about celebrity politics, political cults and Vijay’s ambitions. The hosts are joined by journalist E.T.B. Sivapriyan.

Audio timecodes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:30 - Headlines

00:09:37 - Grand Mufti - Statements, influence and pushback

00:48:26 - Vijay as PM

01:11:25 - Recommendations

Register for the NL-TNM book club. Click here

Check out the recommendations and references from this episode.

Check out the list of headlines discussed in South Central

Support South Central: https://pages.razorpay.com/south-central

Send your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism as well.

Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here

To check out our other shows, Click here 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

You can also let us know what you think by filling out our quick feedback form. Your suggestions help shape future episodes of South Central. 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

Producer - Akshay Lal, Editor - Jaseem Ali, Camera - Ajay R, Social Media - Riya TT, Anakha C J

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna discuss the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to scrap the Parandur airport project. They are joined by aviation safety consultant Captain Mohan Ranganathan and K E Raghunathan, national chairman of the Association of Indian Entrepreneurs.

In the second part of the episode, the hosts discuss the recent anti-reservation movement. They are joined by Professor Ravikant Kisana.

Audio timecodes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:27 - Headlines

00:09:12 - Scrapping of Parandur Airport project

00:45:09 - Anti-reservation movement

01:19:53 - Recommendations

Get special 6-month subscription of TNM-NL at Rs 1947: https://pages.razorpay.com/tnm-1947?utm_source=sc&utm_medium=sc1947link&utm_campaign=sc

Check out the recommendations and references from this episode.

Check out the list of headlines discussed in South Central

Support South Central: https://pages.razorpay.com/south-central

Send your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism as well.

Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here. 

To check out our other shows, Click here 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

You can also let us know what you think by filling out our quick feedback form. Your suggestions help shape future episodes of South Central. 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

Producer - Akshay Lal, Editor - Jaseem Ali, Camera - Ajay R, Social Media - Anakha C J

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode of South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna first discuss raids and inspections across the country at restaurants and the prevalence of contaminated food even at top-end eateries. They are joined by food influencer and author Krish Ashok and TNM reporter Shivani Kava.

In the second part of the discussion, the hosts discuss the BJP’s big political reshuffle. They are joined by Aditya Menon, journalist and Political Editor at The Quint.

Audio timecodes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:13 - Headlines

00:08:38 - Food Safety in India

00:51:02 - BJP rejig and PM CARES fund

01:19:34 - Recommendations

Get special 6-month subscription of TNM-NL at Rs 1947: https://pages.razorpay.com/tnm-1947?utm_source=sc&utm_medium=sc1947link&utm_campaign=sc

Check out the recommendations and references from this episode.

Check out the list of headlines discussed in South Central

Support South Central: https://pages.razorpay.com/south-central

Send your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism as well.

Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here. 

To check out our other shows, Click here 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

You can also let us know what you think by filling out our quick feedback form. Your suggestions help shape future episodes of South Central. 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

Producer - Akshay Lal, Editor - Jaseem Ali, Camera - Ajay R, Social Media - Sukanya Shaji, Riya T T, Anakha C J

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s South Central, hosts Pooja Prasanna and Anisha Sheth first discuss the problem of exotic animals across the world being taken into private custody. They are joined by independent journalists Siddharth Prabhakar and M Rajshekhar.

In the second half, the hosts discuss the Tamil Nadu Speaker JCD Prabhakar attending and leading an anti-abortion rally in Chennai. He made an anti-abortion speech and also said he would take this up with CM Vijay. They are joined by Dr Alka Barua, a senior rights activist and TNM’s senior reporter Bharathy Singaravel.

Audio timecodes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:32 - Headlines

00:11:33 - Exotic animal smuggling

00:47:36 - Abortion rights in India

01:12:34 - Recommendations

Get special 6-month subscription of TNM-NL at 1947: https://pages.razorpay.com/tnm-1947?utm_source=sc&utm_medium=sc1947link&utm_campaign=sc

Check out the recommendations and references from this episode.

Check out the list of headlines discussed in South Central

Support South Central: https://pages.razorpay.com/south-central

Send your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism as well.

Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here. 

To check out our other shows, Click here 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

You can also let us know what you think by filling out our quick feedback form. Your suggestions help shape future episodes of South Central. 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

Producer - Akshay Lal, Editor - Jaseem Ali,  Vignesh Manickam, Camera - Ajay R, Social Media - Sukanya Shaji, Riya T T, Anakha C J

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Anisha Sheth discuss the arrest of Udhayanidhi Stalin and the Union government's social media crackdown following the CJP protests.

They are joined by activist Tara Krishnaswamy, lawyer Nikhil Narendran, and TNM's Tamil Nadu Bureau Chief, Shabbir Ahmed.

Audio timecodes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:01:33 - Headlines 

00:08:25 - Arrest of Udhayanidhi Stalin

00:50:17 - Crackdown on social media

1:07:52 - Recommendations

Get special 6-month subscription this Independence Day at Rs 1947: https://pages.razorpay.com/tnm-1947

Check out the recommendations and references from this episode.

Check out the list of headlines discussed in South Central

Support South Central: https://pages.razorpay.com/south-central

Send your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism as well.

Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here. 

To check out our other shows, Click here 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

You can also let us know what you think by filling out our quick feedback form. Your suggestions help shape future episodes of South Central. 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

Producer - Akshay Lal, Editor - Jaseem Ali, Camera - Ajay R, Social Media - Riya T T

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna discuss the aftermath of the Jantar Mantar protests, led by the Cockroach Janta Party. They are joined by senior journalist and editor of The Wire, Seema Chisti, and Peek TV co-founder Vedanta Agarwal.

Audio timecodes:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:02:43 - Headlines 

00:09:01 - Aftermath of CJP protest

1:08:12 - Recommendations

1:12:55 - Letters

Get 20% off on TNM-NL Subscription https://rzp.io/rzp/tnm-nl-stickers

Support PEEK TV https://pages.razorpay.com/ptvn

Support The Wire https://support.thewire.in

Check out the recommendations and references from this episode.

Check out the list of headlines discussed in South Central

Support South Central: https://pages.razorpay.com/south-central

Send your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism as well.

Contribute to our reporting fund. Click here. 

To check out our other shows, Click here 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

You can also let us know what you think by filling out our quick feedback form. Your suggestions help shape future episodes of South Central. 

To not miss any updates, join TNM's WhatsApp Channel! Click here

Producer - Akshay Lal, Editor - Jaseem Ali, Camera - Ajay R, Social Media - Riya T T, Sukanya Shaji, Anakha CJ

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.