Truth vs Hype

It's been almost a month since the murder of Bangalore-based journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh. As the protests against the cold-blooded murder waned, so has the progress into the murder by the investigating agencies. At Truth vs Hype this week, we go back to killings of three other rationalists and dissenters - Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare and MM Kalburgi - to analyse how the cases throw up common finding such as threats by Hindu extremist groups, forensic reports confirming same weapons used and shootings by hit squads on motorcycles. Despite a clear crime pattern, has the trail for these murders run cold?

Uttar Pradesh has started implementing its promised loan waivers to farmers - with thousands receiving certificates of just a few rupees, the smallest being of just one paisa. The government clarified that these are farmers who have repaid most of their loan and what has been refunded is only the balance - even if it is an insignificant amount. But we found on the field that even farmers who have debt running into thousands were handed a refund certificate of a fraction of that amount. The waiver, which cost the state Rs 36,000, was meant to benefit 86 lakh farmers. But has it turned into a a potential public relations disaster in the first round itself?

Uttar Pradesh has started implementing its promised loan waivers to farmers - with thousands receiving certificates of just a few rupees, the smallest being of just one paisa. The government clarified that these are farmers who have repaid most of their loan and what has been refunded is only the balance - even if it is an insignificant amount. But we found on the field that even farmers who have debt running into thousands were handed a refund certificate of a fraction of that amount. The waiver, which cost the state Rs 36,000, was meant to benefit 86 lakh farmers. But has it turned into a a potential public relations disaster in the first round itself?

India has described Myanmar's Rohingyas as a security threat, and has ordered their deportation. A Home Ministry advisory says they are vulnerable to being drawn to terrorism. But what is the basis for this sweeping generalisation? Does the track record of the estimated 40,000 Rohingyas in India suggest they are a terror threat? An NDTV multi-city investigation tracked police records at key Rohingya settlements, and found little evidence of terrorist links, or of greater criminality.

India has described Myanmar's Rohingyas as a security threat, and has ordered their deportation. A Home Ministry advisory says they are vulnerable to being drawn to terrorism. But what is the basis for this sweeping generalisation? Does the track record of the estimated 40,000 Rohingyas in India suggest they are a terror threat? An NDTV multi-city investigation tracked police records at key Rohingya settlements, and found little evidence of terrorist links, or of greater criminality.

For a while, the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed abusive handles on Twitter has been a matter of concern. That blew into outrage when some of those handles tweeted venom after the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh. The BJP responded, saying being followed by the PM is not a "character certificate". We examine whether that claim is Truth or Hype. And appeal to the PM: please unfollow #HandlesOfHate.

For a while, the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed abusive handles on Twitter has been a matter of concern. That blew into outrage when some of those handles tweeted venom after the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh. The BJP responded, saying being followed by the PM is not a "character certificate". We examine whether that claim is Truth or Hype. And appeal to the PM: please unfollow #HandlesOfHate.

Was demonetisation a 99 per cent failure? That is the conclusion drawn by much of the analysis after the Reserve Bank of India or RBI revealed that 99 per cent of cash banned by the government has come back into the system. In response, the government has moved the goalposts, and come out with a deluge of data to show that notes ban has been a success -- from reducing terrorism, to a greater formalisation of the Indian economy. We sift through the numbers to test if these new claims are truth or hype.

Was demonetisation a 99 per cent failure? That is the conclusion drawn by much of the analysis after the Reserve Bank of India or RBI revealed that 99 per cent of cash banned by the government has come back into the system. In response, the government has moved the goalposts, and come out with a deluge of data to show that notes ban has been a success -- from reducing terrorism, to a greater formalisation of the Indian economy. We sift through the numbers to test if these new claims are truth or hype.

As the High Court rebukes the BJP government of Haryana for the violence that erupted after self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted, we trace the chain of culpability to the very top and ask why, despite evidence of repeated incompetence, is the BJP still backing Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.