We The People

There has been a rise in the cases of stray dogs attacking people across India. These disturbing headlines have put the focus on man-animal conflict playing out on the street outside. On 'We The People' tonight, we look at ways to solve the man-animal conflict and how can there be harmony between human safety and animal rights.

Following the horrific rape and murder of the Kolkata doctor, the West Bengal government has passed the 'Aparajita' Bill, introducing the death penalty for rape in cases where the victim dies or is left in a permanent vegetative state. The bill also calls for time-bound probe, fast-track courts and special task force. Executions in India are rare, but did death penalty to Nirbhaya's rapists changed anything? As protests rage on the streets, is death-for-rape the real deterrent or is it just a knee jerk reaction? Watch as panellists discuss on We The People.

 

Of all the ways one can imagine about missing out on an Olympic medal, Vinesh Phogat's certainly falls in the rarest of rare category. The wrestler was disqualified from the women's 50kg final at the Paris Olympics 2024 for being 100 gram overweight. From the protest on the streets of Jantar Mantar to a near-podium finish in Paris, Vinesh's journey is in a league of its own. On We The People, we discuss the trials, tribulations and triumphs of women in elite sports.

As Wayanad picks up the pieces in the aftermath of the most recent landslides. The images of death, destruction and devastation serve as a lasting reminder of the fact that we now live in the age of climate change. From Himachal to Uttarakhand to Kerala, the fallen trees, and cut-up mountains are now closing in on us across India. The question is are we prepared to sow what we reaped?

The recent spate of hit-and-run cases has put the focus back on fast cars, uncontrolled speeds, irresponsible drivers, and a law that hangs in balance. The two recent cases of hit-and-run accidents have gripped the attention of the country for all the wrong reasons. The big question is with a weak law and its selective implementation, will the accused, who hit and run, ever see the full face of the law? Will there be no chase for the rich and mighty?

Be it the Hathras stampede in Uttar Pradesh or the roof collapse at the Delhi airport, Hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu, train collision of the Kanchanjunga express or the hoarding collapse in Mumbai, preventable tragedies are routine in India. While they are quick to make headlines as the dead get counted and families compensated, the story fades into oblivion. On 'We The People' we ask, is human life cheap in India? And when will we ever learn to value human life?

The National Testing Agency in India has made national and international headlines lately. The NEET, UGC-NET exams were cancelled following a series of irregularities in marking and subsequent allegations of a paper leak. UGC-CSIR was also delayed due to logistical reasons and the NEET PG was delayed as a precautionary measure. Needless to say India's nodal testing body, the NTA, has failed India's students. But, the question is with lakhs of students' lives and futures at stake, is the removal of the NTA head enough or is there a need to rethink the existence of the NTA and the whole process of exam conduct in India?

Global pharma giant AstraZeneca has admitted that its COVID-19 vaccine developed by researchers from Oxford University and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India can cause a rare side effect of blood clotting and low platelet count. AstraZeneca said this in a statement responding to a class action lawsuit in the UK which claims the vaccine caused deaths and severe injuries in 51 cases. On the latest episode of We The People, top Scientists and experts discuss all the concerns.

Singapore and Hong Kong have taken off Everest and MDH masalas from their shelves, citing food safety concerns. It's not just masals, Cerelac was in the dock after a report suggested that Nestle adds sugar only to baby food in India. Also, Bournvita is no longer categorised as a 'health drink. This episode of We The People is a cry out loud for better, more transparent food safety in India.