We The People

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.

The grand festival of democracy, the 2024 general election has begun. The proverbial red carpet has been rolled out for the voter and while there are some raring to go, some aren't - the urban voters. Of the 50 Parliamentary constituencies that recorded the lowest voter turnout in the 2019 elections, 17 were urban. 30 crore eligible voters did not vote in the last general election. The Election Commission says that voter turnout across most metros was lower than the national average of 67.4%. On We The People, we ask why is voting not fashionable in urban India? Is it privilege, apathy or just political indifference?

In this week's 'We The People', we discuss how social media influencers are 'influencing' the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The election is being fought amid soaring temperatures on the ground and in the cool and comfort of social media, with political parties and personalities using the might of social media influencers to increase their influence in the upcoming election, be it culture, fashion, or fitness. Political parties are tapping into influencers to push their political message. So, while every brand is buying your attention at a price, why not our netas? But the big question is, 'Can the rules of a free-market economy apply when it comes to driving narratives in a democratic election?

The recent controversy around Vistara flight cancellations and delays has put the focus back on we the people at the mercy of the airlines. For how long will Indian airline carriers continue to take you for a 'ride'? And where does the buck stop?

Kate Middleton's recent cancer diagnosis has once again put the focus back on rising cancer in young adults. Data shows that not only is cancer on the rise, but is also rapidly rising in younger people. But cancer is not a data story, cancer is a human story. On We The People, we tell the cancer story not to alarm but with a hope to raise awareness.

Eight people were arrested in Delhi for the sale and manufacture of fake 'life-saving' cancer drugs. Two of them worked at a cancer hospital. Earlier this month, fake antibiotics racket was unearthed in Hyderabad. Essential medicines like diabetes, blood pressure and painkillers worth a crore of rupees were found to be fake in Ghaziabad. Chalk and starch were found in antibiotics in Uttarakhand. There has been a crackdown on fake medicines across four states in just the last month. On We The People, we decode the fake medicine epidemic and how worried should we really be?

The Supreme Court upheld the two-child policy in Rajasthan. India is now the most populous country in the world overtaking China but the fertility rate is on the decline and the population with or without these measures is expected to start declining by 2060. Is such a policy progressive or coercive?

Farmers are back on the road. The last week has seen yet another bitter standoff between the security forces and the farmers, who were tear-gassed, subjected to rubber bullets, and shut out of Delhi's fortified borders. On We The People, we decode what the farmers are demanding - whether it is viable and what the farmers' demand for an MSP or minimum support price means for you.

Uttarakhand is the first state to enact a Uniform Civil Code believed to be a template that many states will soon adopt. Several of the provisions have raised constitutional concerns of privacy and personal liberty. Enacted in the name of gender justice and rights for women, who does the UCC really benefit? Isn't the UCC intrusive for live-in? What about same-sex couples? And most importantly while the state wants to meddle with affairs of home and heart, what about rights of live-in couples? Is it all duty and no rights?

A day ahead of the Ram temple Pran Pratistha ceremony, preparations are in full swing and security has been tightened. On this special edition of We The People, we talk to the people who have travelled from various parts of the country to attend the Ram Temple inauguration. We bring you the enthusiasm and cheer around the big day.