We The People

The arrest of two men for stalking and sexually harassing a 24-year-old South Korean YouTuber in Mumbai is not an isolated incident. That they dared to do so in public is a telling commentary on the state of affairs in our cities. Is it the Indian man instead of its women who need moral policing?

The macabre murder of Shraddha Walkar has opened up a debate on partner violence - and the lack of conversation about it. We The People attempts to decode why women suffer domestic violence silently - and the role that society plays in helping women escape.

It is Day 7 of the probe into Shraddha Walkar's gruesome murder, with new details emerging, each grislier than the last. Yet, the discourse on mainstream media and in drawing room conversations remains largely toxic - choosing to focus on aspects like Shraddha's presence on dating apps, her decision to elope with her would-be killer Aftab and the live-in relationship she entered into with him. On We The People, we ask - is this toxic discourse straying from the topic at hand? Why is the victim, even in death, being vilifed?

On October 14, this year, 23-year-old Faizan Ahmed's body was found partly decayed in his hostel room. His family claims, their son died by suicide because he was ragged by his seniors. Despite laws, ragging continues to remain a persistent problem in educational institutions. On We The People we discuss, why and what's driving the young generation to continue this ragging ritual.

The central body that recommends actions to fight pollution in the national capital has removed some restrictions after air quality improved marginally. Entry of trucks into Delhi is now allowed, and the ban on non-BS 6 diesel vehicles has been removed. BS 6, short for Bharat Stage 6, mandates cleaner automotive fuels and engines. First Covid and now pollution, online education has somehow become the escape route for any form of crisis. While Delhi battles to breathe, children bear the brunt by missing out on schools. On We The People, we discuss the same. 

This week, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court delivered a split verdict on wearing a hijab in school - while one said it would be the antithesis of secularism, the other felt asking a student to remove her hijab was an invasion of privacy. Amid all this, we ask - where is the woman's right to choose?

Events this week have revived the horrific memories of survivors who spoke up against their abusers during the #MeToo movement. Sajid Khan, the director who has been accused of sexual assault allegations by half a dozen women from different fields, has been invited as a contestant on the reality show Bigg Boss. This has led to an outrage.

The term 'moonlighting' - referring to the act of taking up a side job additional to one's primary job - has been making headlines of late. IT giants like Infosys and Wipro have publicly red-flagged the practice, terming it 'cheating' - while other companies like Swiggy have shown their support. Tonight on We The People, we decode what moonlighting really entails, and whether it is an ethical practice.

While antibiotics are undoubtedly important drugs, a new Lancet study has found that they are grossly misused in India. In such a scenario, antibiotics can actually harm you, given that your body will build up something called 'antibiotic resistance' - which is when humans stop responding to even the most powerful antibiotics. On We The People, we consult experts and find out how serious this problem really is.

 

From The Wall Street Journal to The Economist, open any newspaper or tune into a podcast and one will hear the new buzz word - "quiet quitting". It is a new workplace trend where employees, returning to work after the pandemic, stay in their job but don't take on the extra work that might be causing them stress and affecting their mental health. They say "no" to requests to go beyond what they think should be expected of a person in their position, no to extra hours and working weekends. Is this an act of establishing healthy boundaries or is this slacking off? As the global economy picks itself up again, is it time to get back to "business as usual" or is it time to set the rest button?