Shows
Parley by The HinduShould political leaders retire at 75?The suggestion of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat last week that leaders should step aside at the age of 75 triggered a debate. Opposition leaders saw Mr. Bhagwat’s comment as a nudge from the RSS to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is turning 75 in September, to step down. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has maintained a studied silence on the issue.
Should political leaders retire at 75? Here we discuss the issue.
Guests: Manisha Priyam, Sir Louis Matheson Distinguished Visiting Professor, Monash University; Rahul Verma, Associate Professor, Shiv Nadar School of Law, and Fellow, Ce...
2025-07-1746 minParley by The HinduAre existing mechanisms effective in preventing custodial violence?The gruesome death of security guard Ajith Kumar, 27, while in police custody in Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district last month, is yet another grim addition to the long and growing list of custodial deaths in India. In response, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has ordered a CBI probe to ensure a transparent investigation, and the Madras High Court has directed the agency to complete its inquiry and submit a report by August 20.
Are the existing institutional mechanisms effective in preventing custodial violence? Here we discuss the question.
Guests: Anup Surendranath, Professor and Executive Director of Th...
2025-07-1045 minParley by The HinduIs U.S. imperialism a threat to the world?Beginning with the Maharashtra Assembly elections last year, Opposition parties have made many allegations regarding manipulations in electoral rolls. The Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, and others have raised the matter both inside and outside Parliament. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has maintained that it is impossible to tamper with voter rolls. Two days ago, it issued instructions for holding Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar for the Assembly elections to ensure that the names of all eligible citizens are included, the name of no ineligible citizens are included, and to introduce complete transparency...
2025-07-0328 minParley by The HinduIs voter registration being subject to fraud?Beginning with the Maharashtra Assembly elections last year, Opposition parties have made many allegations regarding manipulations in electoral rolls. The Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, and others have raised the matter both inside and outside Parliament. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has maintained that it is impossible to tamper with voter rolls. Two days ago, it issued instructions for holding Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar for the Assembly elections to ensure that the names of all eligible citizens are included, the name of no ineligible citizens are included, and to introduce complete transparency...
2025-06-2631 minParley by The HinduIs Bangladesh slipping into authoritarianism?On June 7, on the eve of Eid ul Azha, the Chief Adviser to the interim government in Bangladesh, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, delivered a televised address to the nation, promising to hold elections in April 2026. He also announced that the country would witness the launch of the ‘July Proclamation’, which had been earlier planned by student activists to “bury” the Constitution of Bangladesh, as it is linked to the founder of Bangladesh and Awami League co-founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Prof. Yunus said that the document will “include a list of reform proposals, agreed upon by all parties, aimed at building a welfare...
2025-06-1236 minParley by The HinduIs establishing the truth a problem during a conflict?Parallel to the escalation of the recent military tensions between India and Pakistan, misinformation and disinformation surged online, making it increasingly difficult for the public to distinguish between fact and fiction. Many media outlets published sensational stories, riddled with unverified claims, and disseminated fake pictures and videos. Jingoism often drove the public response.
Is establishing the truth a problem during a conflict? Here we discuss the question.
Guests: Nirupama Subramanian, independent journalist who was The Hindu’s correspondent in Pakistan from 2006 to 2010; Pratik Sinha, co-founder, AltNews, a fact-checking website
Host: Ma...
2025-05-2231 minParley by The HinduIs Bihar’s high replacement rate a consequence of poverty?According to the Sample Registration System report for 2021 released by the Registrar General of India on May 7, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR), which is the average number of children that a woman is expected to have in her childbearing years, in India was 2.0 in 2021, the same as in 2020. While Delhi and West Bengal reported the lowest TFR of 1.4, Bihar reported the highest at 3.0.
Is Bihar’s high replacement rate a consequence of poverty? We discuss the question here.
Guests: Saswata Ghosh, Prasenjit Bose
Host: Shiv Sahay Singh
You ca...
2025-05-1545 minParley by The HinduIs the World Trade Organization still relevant?United States President Donald Trump’s ‘reciprocal tariffs’ have been compared to the Smoot-Hawley tariffs of the 1930s, which many say hastened the slide into the Great Depression. The difference between the 1930s and now is that we have the World Trade Organization (WTO) to oversee and enforce global trade rules. However, some argue that over the years, the WTO has gradually lost its compass and is in need of massive reforms. Is the WTO still relevant? Here we discuss the question.Guests: Mohan Kumar, Professor of Diplomatic Practice at the Jindal School...
2025-04-2447 minParley by The HinduShould India reduce tariffs given the U.S. moves?U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to impose reciprocal tariffs on many countries, including India, has caused significant uncertainty in the global economy. Indian policymakers have tried to placate Mr. Trump by reducing tariffs on a number of U.S. goods, and they have also been in talks with U.S. trade negotiators about a possible bilateral trade agreement. Should India reduce tariffs given the U.S.’s moves? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Ajay Shah, economic columnist affiliated with the XKDR Forum; Laveesh Bhandari, president and senior fellow at the Centre for Soci...
2025-04-0319 minParley by The HinduIs Artificial Intelligence affecting critical thinking skills?Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly being used in classrooms around the world. Last month, British universities were warned to “stress-test” all assessments after new research revealed that “almost all” undergraduates are using generative AI (GenAI) in their studies. Last year, a study by TeamLease EdTech revealed that over 61% of educators in India are using AI tools. All this has given rise to fears that students will likely begin accepting information at face value rather than critically analysing it.Does the use of AI in education affect critical thinking skills? Here we discuss the question.Guests...
2025-03-0632 minParley by The HinduIs there a right to take offence? | The Hindu parley podcastThe popular YouTube show ‘India’s Got Latent’ has sparked controversy after criminal proceedings were initiated against its creators and participants over allegedly obscene remarks in one of its episodes. On February 18, 2025, the Supreme Court granted interim protection from arrest to podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, one of the participants named in the FIRs. This has reignited the debate on whether stringent criminal sanctions are justified for contentious speech.Is there a right to take offence? Here we discuss the question.Guests: Justice Gautam Patel, former judge of the Bombay High Court; Dushyant Dave, senior advocate based in Del...
2025-02-2037 minParley by The HinduIs India open to the idea of dual citizenship?At an event in December, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said there are a lot of challenges in providing dual citizenship to Indians settled abroad. He pointed out that the Overseas Citizenship of India drive is a step towards meeting the demand and added that the debate on dual citizenship is “still alive”.Here we discuss the issue.Guests: Vivek Katju, Diplomat Ambassador; Amitabh Mattoo, Dean of the School of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru UniversityHost: Kallol BhattacherjeeYou can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spo...
2025-01-0934 minParley by The HinduShould wealth tax be brought back to address inequality in India?At a recent panel discussion in New Delhi, French economist Thomas Piketty suggested that a wealth and inheritance tax be imposed on the super-rich in India, which, in turn, could fund health and education. India’s Chief Economic Advisor, Anantha Nageswaran, opposed the idea, arguing that higher taxes could encourage fund outflows.Should the wealth tax be brought back to address inequality in India? Here we discuss the question.Guests: Ajay Shah, Senior Research Fellow and Co-founder Xkdr Forum; Rahul Menon, Associate professor at the Jindal School of Government and Public PolicyHost: Sa...
2024-12-2653 minParley by The HinduShould EC ensure internal democracy in political parties?India’s multi-party democracy thrives on diversity but often sees political parties driven by individual charisma rather than internal democracy. Despite their role in upholding the nation’s democratic framework, many parties struggle to maintain democratic structures. Can the Election Commission (EC) ensure these organisations practice internal democracy?Guests: O. P. Rawat, Former Chief Election Commissioner; M.R. Madhavan, PRS Legislative Research PresidentHost: Sreeparna ChakrabartyYou can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. Search for Parley by The Hindu.Write to us with comments and fe...
2024-10-0322 minParley by The HinduIs India’s growth story benefiting only big capital?India’s impressive economic growth since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic has surprised many, including those who were critical of the Centre’s economic policies. The Indian growth story is today widely praised across the world. In 2023-24, the country grew at 8.2%, the fastest among major economies. However, most of the economic gains in the last few years have mostly come from big businesses.Is India’s growth story benefiting only big capital? Here we discuss the question.Guests: Himanshu, Professor of Economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University; Ritesh Kumar Singh, Business economist and founder of Ind...
2024-09-2631 minParley by The HinduShould children be barred from social media?The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently announced a plan to set a minimum age to use social media platforms.Should children be barred from social media? Here we discuss the question.Guests: Amanda Third, Professorial Research Fellow in Digital Social and Cultural Research in the Institute for Culture and Society and Co-Director of the Young and Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University; Aparajita Bharti, Founding Partner of TQH, a Delhi-based public policy research firm, and co-founder of Young Leaders for Active CitizenshipHost: Mandira ModdieYou...
2024-09-1934 minParley by The HinduIs it time for India to introduce a Universal Basic Income?Due to the phenomenon of jobless growth, i.e., the rise in output and labour productivity without the commensurate growth in employment generation, several countries have mooted the idea of a universal basic income (UBI). This idea has gained traction, especially since the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s most recent World Employment and Social Outlook links the decrease in jobs growth and the increase in inequality to a surge in automation and the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Among the several suggestions on the ways to address this is a UBI.Is it time for India to in...
2024-09-1259 minParley by The HinduIs the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill draconian? | The Hindu parley podcastOn July 11, the BJP-led Maha Yuti government tabled the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, in the Assembly. While presenting the Bill, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that it is aimed at curbing the menace of Naxalism in urban areas. He said that Naxalism is not limited to rural areas and is increasing in urban areas through frontal organisations. The unlawful activities of such organisations need to be controlled through effective legal means, he added. The provisions of the proposed Bill, which allows the State to declare any organisation as ‘unlawful’ with offences categorised as cognisable and non-bailable, has rais...
2024-07-2530 minParley by The HinduShould States get special packages outside Finance Commission allocations? | The Hindu parley podcastIn the run-up to the Union Budget, Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Ministers of Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, respectively, who are in a position to decide the political fate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre, have demanded special financial packages for their respective States. These packages could potentially increase the fiscal burden on the Centre and also on other States.Should States get special packages outside Finance Commission allocations? Here we discuss the question Guests: Arun Kumar, former professor of economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Pinaki Chakraborty, f...
2024-07-1128 minParley by The HinduDo coalition governments slow down the economic reforms agenda? | The Hindu parley podcastUntil the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 282 seats and Prime Minister Narendra Modi rode to power, India had had coalition governments for 21 years. Ten years later, the BJP has 240 seats in the Lok Sabha and India once again has a coalition government in power. Fitch had stated that coalition politics and a weakened mandate for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) could make it challenging to pass legislation on the more ambitious parts of the reform agenda.Do coalition governments slow down the economic reforms agenda? Here we discuss the question....
2024-06-1336 minParley by The HinduDoes the Model Code of Conduct need legal teeth? | The Hindu parley podcastOn May 22, the Election Commission of India (ECI) asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress to desist from raising divisive issues in the campaign. In recent years, and particularly during the campaign to the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, critics of the ECI have accused the body of being late or ineffective or partial in responding to alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).Does the MCC need legal teeth for better implementation? Here we discuss the question.Guests: T.S. Krishnamurthy, former Chief Election Commissioner; P.D.T. Achary, former Secretary...
2024-05-3022 minParley by The HinduShould doctors be kept out of the Consumer Protection Act? | The Hindu parley podcastEarlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled that advocates cannot be held liable under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, for deficiency in service. The Court also indicated that its 1995 decision that held medical professionals accountable under the Act may need to be revisited. It suggested that the definition of the term ‘services’ under the Act, which includes the medical sector, be re-examined. The issue will be placed before a larger Bench.Should doctors, like lawyers, be kept out of the Consumer Protection Act? Here we discuss the question.Guests: Rajeshwari Sekar, a medico-legal expert in Chennai with...
2024-05-2323 minParley by The HinduDoes PMJAY need a design change? | The Hindu parley podcastAyushman Bharat, the government’s flagship programme to achieve universal health coverage (UHC), was launched in 2018. The scheme has two inter-related components: health and wellness centres and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) that aims to provide a health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to over 12 crore families that form the bottom 40% of the population. PM-JAY has issued 34.27 crore cards. About 6.5 crore have received treatment and there are over 30,000 empanelled hospitals. However, over the past year, hospitals in some States have reported they are owed hundreds of crores in dues, and...
2024-05-0255 minParley by The HinduIs the urban water system breaking? | The Hindu parley podcastBengaluru, often celebrated for being a ‘garden city’, the ‘IT capital’ of the country, and its pleasant weather, has been making headlines this year for facing a severe water crisis following the drought of 2023. The water crisis is also likely to hit other urban centres and rural areas. According to a recent weekly bulletin by the Central Water Commission, even as peak summer is around the corner, most of the major reservoirs in the southern States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana are filled to only 25% of their capacity or less.Is the urban water system b...
2024-04-0434 minParley by The HinduDid the electoral bonds scheme enable extortion? | The Hindu parley podcastMany companies that faced regulatory action from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or Income Tax (IT) Department donated electoral bonds worth crores of rupees to ruling parties via the electoral bonds route, show data submitted by the State Bank of India (SBI) to the Election Commission of India (ECI). Some companies which got huge government contracts purchased bonds for large amounts. Some new companies, which were incorporated during the COVID-19 pandemic, purchased bonds worth crores of rupees just months after starting out. Was the electoral bonds scheme used as an extortion tool? Here we discuss this question. ...
2024-03-281h 06Parley by The HinduShould judges accept official posts after retirement? | The Hindu parley podcastRecently, hours after resigning as a judge of the Calcutta High Court, Abhijit Gangopadhyay announced that he was joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The judge’s decision to join politics and the manner in which it was taken has raised questions of judicial impropriety. Some people disapprove of the practice of judges holding official posts after retirement; they believe that this may impinge upon the independence of the judiciary. Others, including those in the government, have pointed out that such posts often require judicial personnel of the highest integrity and there is no Constitution bar to this effect.
2024-03-2124 minParley by The HinduShould Internet shutdowns be used to maintain public order?Over the past few years, the Indian government has increasingly been trying to control law and order by shutting access to the Internet, whether in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Manipur or Punjab. Between 2016 and 2022, 60% of Internet shutdowns across the world took place in India. Should shutdowns be used to maintain public order? Here we discuss the question.Guests: Radhika Jhalani, Counsel with the Software Freedom Law Center in New Delhi; Karnika Seth, Founding Partner of Seth Associates and a cyberlawyer practising at the Supreme CourtHost: Aroon DeepRead the p...
2023-07-0724 minParley by The HinduWill Agnipath energise or demoralise the military? On June 14, the government announced the Agnipath scheme which fundamentally transforms the process of recruitment of soldiers, sailors and airmen into the three services. Agniveers, the recruits, will be employed for four years, after which up to 25% of them will be selected for enrolment in the regular cadre, while the rest will be given a certain amount of money and be shown avenues to get back to civilian life. The scheme has generated a lot of debate, and protests against it have been violent in several parts of the country. Here we discuss the nuances of the is...
2022-06-2324 minParley by The HinduWhy isn’t global interconnectedness halting war?In a bid to isolate Russia, the world has imposed some of the most wide-raging sanctions seen in recent times, as the war in Ukraine enters the eighth day. But why has the international world order failed to prevent the war?Here we discuss the implications of Russia’s war on its neighbouring country and the human cost of the war.Guests: Mohan Kumar, Professor and Dean, Office of International Affairs and Global Initiatives at the O.P. Jindal Global University and former diplomat; Asoke Mukerji, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations from 2013 to 2...
2022-03-0546 minParley by The HinduIs the institution of Governor subverting federal structure?Governor R.N. Ravi returning the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) Bill passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly and the running battle between West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee underline again the problematic role that governors play in Indian politics.Here we discuss this issue.Guests: Gopalkrishna Gandhi, distinguished professor of history and politics, Ashoka University; Shadan Farasat, advocate practising law at the Supreme Court of IndiaHost: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The HinduRead the Parley article here .You can now find The Hindu ’s podca...
2022-02-1130 minParley by The HinduDoes the Omicron variant make a case for booster doses?If conversations around booster shots to tackle COVID-19 were loud earlier, the emergence of the new variant, Omicron, has ensured that the clamour for booster shots has reached a fever pitch. The Health Minister stressed that India’s priority is to fully vaccinate all adults and not administer booster shots even though adequate vaccines are available. He also said that any decision on booster doses will be based solely on scientific recommendations. At a recent meeting, the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation maintained that it was not recommending a booster dose for any section of the population, priority gr...
2021-12-1050 min
Parley by The HinduIs the crypto asset boom sustainable?One of the defining economic trends of the year has been the rise of cryptocurrencies. After the Supreme Court’s decision last year overturning the Reserve Bank of India’s 2018 order banning financial institutions from enabling cryptocurrency transactions, there has been a huge rush of retail investors into cryptocurrencies. Yet, the risk of the government cracking down on private currencies has remained. On Wednesday, the Centre announced that it will introduce a bill in the upcoming winter session of Parliament seeking to ban private cryptocurrencies, albeit with a few exceptions. Many commentators see the rise of cryptocurrencies as a bubb...
2021-11-2737 min
Parley by The HinduCan cricket fandom be conflated with patriotism?The recent ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates once again showed us the glorious uncertainties of cricket. The sport’s twists were evident when title-favourite India got knocked out. Immediately, the knives were sharpened on social media. Worse had happened earlier following India’s loss to Pakistan. Some fans who had celebrated Pakistan’s triumph were arrested and despicable remarks were made about Indian speedster Mohammed Shami’s Muslim identity, which raised the question: can patriotism be conflated with the Indian men’s cricket team? Isn’t sport a medium that cuts across boundaries?Here we d...
2021-11-2026 min
Parley by The HinduIs the economy still reeling from demonetisation?On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that from midnight, ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes would no longer be considered legal tender in India. The government’s stated aim was to curb corruption and the pervasion of black money in the economy, as well as the proliferation of fake currency which was also being used in terror funding. Pronab Sen discusses with Vikas Dhoot the after-effects of the demonetisation gamble and whether the intended outcomes have been achieved.Here we discuss about the economy after the demonetisation:Guest: Pronab Sen, is the country Director for the India Programme of the...
2021-11-1242 min
Parley by The HinduWill Air India’s sale smoothen the privatisation runway?Earlier this month, the Tata Group emerged as the winning bidder for Air India, the debt-laden national carrier. In this year’s Budget, the government unveiled a bold new disinvestment policy that envisages a bare minimum presence of government-owned businesses even in the strategic sectors. The government is also pursuing the sale of its entire stake in public sector firms such as BPCL, Shipping Corporation of India, IDBI Bank, two other public sector banks and one general insurance company this financial year. Given India’s recent disinvestment record, this is an ambitious target.Here we discuss the impl...
2021-10-2350 min
Parley by The HinduShould universities avoid teaching controversial texts?Kannur University has decided to retain lessons on the works of V.D. Savarkar and M.S. Golwalkar — Hindutva: Who is a Hindu? by Savarkar and A Bunch of Thoughts by Golwalkar — in the post-graduate course, Governance and Politics, after a controversy erupted over an earlier decision to ban the texts from the syllabus.Here we discuss the larger implications of such bans.The Parley discussion was conducted when the Kannur University’s ban on the texts of Savarkar and Gowalkar was still in force.Guests: Yogendra Yadav member, and former president of Swaraj...
2021-10-0129 min
Parley by The HinduIs the BJP high command calling the shots in States?The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has changed five Chief Ministers in four States this year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home State, Gujarat, is the latest to see a change of guard. Are these changes a sign of anti-incumbency or are they a sign of concentration of power in the hands of the Central leadership?Here we discuss the issue.Guests: Sudheendra Kulkarni, political commentator; Harish Khare, senior journalist and former Editor of The TribuneHost: Sandeep PhukanWrite to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
2021-09-1729 min
Parley by The HinduWhy hasn’t marital rape been criminalised in India yet?In 2017, the Supreme Court, in Independent Thought v. Union of India, refused to delve into the question of marital rape of adult women while examining an exception to Section 375 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which allows a man to force sex on his wife. Recent rulings by High Courts have been contradictory — one backed marital rape as a valid ground for divorce, while another granted anticipatory bail to a man while concluding that forcible sex is not an “illegal thing”.Why do differences persist despite the Justice J.S. Verma Committee recommendation to criminalise marital rape...
2021-09-1031 min
Parley by The HinduIs monetising public assets a good idea?Last week, the Centre released the ‘National Monetisation Pipeline’, a document listing the various public assets that will be leased out to private companies over the next four years. The government believes that monetising underutilised public assets will bring in almost ₹6 lakh crore to the government and help build new infrastructure to boost the economy. The Opposition has accused the government of selling off valuable national assets to “crony capitalists”.Here we discuss this move.Guests: Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former Deputy Chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission; Ajay Shah, Professor at the National Institute for Public Fin...
2021-09-0334 min
Parley by The HinduHas the first-past-the-post system polarised Indian politics?India’s parliamentary democracy is going through a phase of intense confrontation between the dominant ruling party and a weakened but belligerent Opposition. Is this situation a consequence of the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, where a party with the the highest votes gets the seat even if it doesn't win a majority?Here we address this question.Guests: E. Sridharan, Academic Director and Chief Executive at the University of Pennsylvania Institute for the Advanced Study of India, and Editor-in-Chief of India Review; Suhas Palshikar taught political science at Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, and chief editor of...
2021-08-2731 min
Parley by The HinduWhy are government schools not the first choice?The public education system is the primary option for millions of students in India. These institutions have become more important as the pandemic takes a toll on the economy, putting fee-charging schools beyond the reach of many and forcing thousands to move to government schools. The Patna High Court recently asked for data on how many IAS and IPS officers have enrolled their wards in government schools.Here we discuss the quality of public education.Guests: Uma Mahadevan, Principal Secretary, Panchayati Raj, Government of Karnataka; Anita Rampal, Professor and former Dean, Faculty of Education, Delhi...
2021-08-0741 min
Parley by The HinduAre the Taliban returning to Kabul?After 20 years of fighting, the U.S. is set to end its military operations in Afghanistan by August 31. Since May 1, when U.S. troops started withdrawing from Afghanistan, the Taliban have made rapid territorial gains in the country. They have taken control of dozens of northern districts and several of the country’s key border crossings, mounting pressure on the Ashraf Ghani government.Here we discuss the Afghan situation, India’s options, and the prospects for a peaceful settlement.Guests: Avinash Paliwal, Deputy Director of the SOAS South Asia Institute, London; Jayant Prasad, a former Indi...
2021-07-3031 min
Parley by The HinduWill the new e-commerce rules really favour consumers?In June, the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry came out with a list of proposed amendments to the Consumer Protection Act of 2019. These include appointment of a Chief Compliance Officer and a Resident Grievance Officer, provisions of fall back liability, registration of e-commerce entities and seeking an end to flash sales. The Centre claims that these amendments try to rein in unfair trade practices adopted by e-commerce companies and intend to take care of the interests of consumers. But not everyone agrees.Here we discuss the proposed amendments in a conversation moderated by:Guests: Prithwiraj Mukherjee...
2021-07-2340 min
Parley by The HinduIs the Indian stock market in a bubble?Since the nationwide lockdown announced by the Prime Minister in March 2020, the Indian economy has faced its worst contraction in history. Yet, the country’s stock indices, the Sensex and the Nifty, have almost doubled in price from the low that they hit in April 2020. Many analysts and even the Reserve Bank of India now believe that stocks are in a bubble.Here we discuss the current state of Indian markets.Guests: Alok Jain, a SEBI-registered investment adviser and a momentum investor; Anand Srinivasan, a value investor and the author of Ordinary Stocks, Extraordinary Profits...
2021-07-1947 min
Parley by The HinduShould only elected legislators be eligible for chief ministership?The option provided in the Constitution should be used with honesty, not just to tinker with politics.The sudden exit of Tirath Singh Rawat as Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, a development the Bharatiya Janata Party sought to explain in terms of a constitutional roadblock to being elected as a legislator with in six months, has led to thickening speculation about the fate of West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee, another unelected Chief Minister.Here we discuss the road ahead.Guests: M.R. Madhavan, is President and co-founder of PRS Legislative Research, a public policy re...
2021-07-1231 min
Parley by The HinduCan the CBSE’s plan objectively assess students of Class 12?The CBSE has prepared a tabulation scheme to determine the marks that students of Class 12 will be awarded in this pandemic year, upon completion of schooling. How reliable is such a scheme against the backdrop of the digital divide, and can it be improved?Here we discuss the road ahead for assessing students.Guests: Uday Gaonkar, a teacher in a rural school in Karnataka’s public system who has worked in science teaching and learning; Anita Rampal, Professor and former Dean, Faculty of Education, Delhi University.Host: G. AnanthakrishnanRead the Pa...
2021-06-3037 min
Parley by The HinduShould India accept Islamic State returnees?In 2016-18, four women from Kerala accompanied their husbands to join the Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan's Khorasan Province. Their husbands were killed in different attacks and the women are now lodged in an Afghanistan prison. Authorities in Afghanistan want to return the women to India, but the Indian government has not indicated what it proposes to do in this matter.Sources say security agencies have advised against taking them back. What do international laws say about foreign fighters returning to their countries? Here we discuss the question.Guests: Kabir Taneja, a Fellow with the...
2021-06-1934 min
Parley by The HinduShould retired officials be barred from disclosing information?Last week, the Government of India prohibited retired officials of security and intelligence organisations from publishing anything about their work or organisation without prior clearance from the head of the organisation. Serving civil servants are barred from expressing their personal opinion on policy matters and criticising the government. But once they retire, many of them take part in public debates and enrich our conversations.Here we discuss whether there should be any restrictions on the freedom of expression of a specific category of retired government officials. And if yes, what the limits of such restrictions should be.
2021-06-1133 min
Parley by The HinduIT Rules: a case of overreach?Last week, WhatsApp decided to legally challenge one of India’s new Information Technology rules which requires messaging platforms to help investigative agencies in identifying the originator of problematic messages. WhatsApp reckons this would break end-to-end encryption and undermine people’s right to privacy. The government responded saying it is committed to ensuring the right of privacy for all its citizens, and that it also has to ensure national security.Have these new rules been framed to adequately address the privacy versus security balance, especially in the context of social media intermediaries such as WhatsApp? Here we disc...
2021-06-0631 min
Parley by The HinduIs the two-state solution to Israel-Palestine conflict still alive?The 11-day fighting between Hamas and Israel, coupled with protests across the Palestinian territories and Israeli cities, have turned the spotlight once again on the Palestine question. The internationally accepted solution to this crisis is the so-called two-state solution. This would mean that an independent, sovereign Palestine state and an independent, sovereign Israeli state would coexist in peace. But on the ground, since the Oslo Accords were signed, there has been little progress on the two-state solution and Israel has only tightened its occupation of Palestine over the years.Here we discuss the past, present and future...
2021-05-2841 min
Parley by The HinduCan the economy survive the second COVID-19 wave?As the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and the State-level lockdowns batter the economy, Reserve Bank of India governor Shaktikanta Das this week noted that the impact of the second wave is likely to be less severe than the first one. He said that businesses and people have started to adapt to lockdowns and that the hit to demand would be much lower this time.Here we discuss the two COVID-19 waves, and how they have impacted the economy.Guests: Radhika Pandey, an economist and consultant at the National Institute of Public Finance and...
2021-05-2155 min
Parley by The HinduShould political prisoners be released during the pandemic?As the second wave of the pandemic rages across India, the country’s overcrowded prisons are in danger of becoming major hotspots for the spread of the disease. Dozens of political prisoners, mainly civil rights activists, continue to languish in prison indefinitely with no possibility of their trials commencing any time soon.Here we discuss the issue of overcrowded prisons during the pandemic.Guests: Sanjay Hegde, is a Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India; V. Suresh, is a National General Secretary for the People’ Union for Civil Liberties.Host: Jayant SriramRead...
2021-05-1421 min
Parley by The HinduIs the government committed to vaccine equity?The Central government has transferred the responsibility of vaccinating people in the 18-44 age group to the States, and opened up vaccine pricing to market forces, at a time when discussions around the world are about an intellectual property (IP) waiver for COVID-19 vaccines and providing free vaccines. Here we discuss India’s vaccination policy and its challenges. Guests: K.M. Gopakumar, a is Legal Adviser, Third World Network. He works on the global intellectual property regime and its impact on developing countries; K. Sujatha Rao, a former Union Health Secretary, is the author of the book, Do We Ca...
2021-05-0341 min
Parley by The HinduShould election campaigns be made virtual?India is witnessing a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, with record numbers of new cases and deaths every day. At the same time, States holding Assembly elections have seen mass rallies by political parties. In most such rallies, especially in West Bengal, which still has two phases to go and where campaigning is still on, COVID-19 protocols such as masking and physical distancing are blatantly flouted.In view of the COVID-19 surge, and the fact that public rallies are super-spreader events, should campaigning be restricted to virtual mode — at least until the pandemic is behind us? He...
2021-04-2342 min
Parley by The HinduHow can India contain the second wave?After daily new COVID-19 cases peaked on September 16, 2020, during the first wave, new cases and deaths in India began to increase from the third week of February 2021, marking the beginning of the second wave. The rise in daily cases and deaths has been steep since April 1. On April 14, India reported nearly 2 lakh cases. The seven-day average test positivity rate has also been climbing.Here we discuss what will it take to contain the second wave?Guests: Giridhara Babu, an epidemiologist at the Public Health Foundation of India and a member of the Karnataka COVID-19 Technical...
2021-04-151h 22
Parley by The HinduShould governments regulate online platforms?Australia’s new News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code will force platforms like Facebook and Google to pay local media outlets and publishers to link their content in news feeds or search results. The Australian law is being seen as one of the early shots fired in the coming battle by countries to regulate tech giants to take back some of the control they have on global communications.But is it an ideal regulatory model? Won’t regulating the platforms affect free speech? Is regulating platforms the way to save the news media business that is i...
2021-02-2653 min
Parley by The HinduIs India criminalising comedy and entertainment?Producers of entertainment content, especially stand-up comedians, are increasingly becoming the target of legal action. To take just two examples, while Kunal Kamra is facing contempt proceedings for remarks about the Supreme Court, fellow comedian Munawar Faruqui had to spend more than a month in jail on vague charges before getting bail.Are Indians so lacking in humour that their first response to a joke is to take offence and then file a case? Here we explore this question.Guests: Arti Raghavan, an advocate practicing at the Bombay High Court and also the counsel for...
2021-02-2053 min
Parley by The HinduIs India’s Digital Services Tax discriminatory?Last month, a United States Trade Representative investigation report found India’s Digital Services Tax to be discriminatory. It said the tax is “inconsistent with prevailing principles of international taxation”, and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce. India has denied these charges. The bone of contention is a 2% tax that India has charged since April 2020 on revenues from digital services, applicable only to non-resident companies.Here we discuss this issue.Guests: Nikhil Kapoor, a Research Fellow at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy; Suranjali Tandon, an Assistant Professor, National Institute of Public Finance and PolicyH...
2021-02-1233 min
Parley by The HinduBoard exams in the midst of a pandemicWith the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the academic year 2020-21, for the first-time, students of class X and XII are set to face board examinations based on knowledge gained almost entirely from virtual teaching.Here we discuss the challenges in conducting board examinations now.Guests: K. Devarajan, a former Director of Government Examinations, Tamil Nadu; Chandra Bhushan Sharma, Professor, School of Education, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New DelhiHost: D. Suresh KumarRead the Parley article here.You can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts an...
2021-02-0934 min
Parley by The HinduWhy haven’t other sports reached the heights of cricket?On January 19, precisely a month after being bowled out for its lowest Test score of 36 against Australia, India bounced back to script one of the more memorable series triumphs in cricketing hiistory.Dealing with injuries and insult in varying degrees, the squad fought gallantly to beat the odds and a full-strength opponent to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The series-clinching three-wicket win at Brisbane — the first for a visiting team since 1988 — was achieved by a team that was missing nine of the regular players who formed the playing XI in the first Test at Adelaide.This fitt...
2021-02-0356 min
Parley by The HinduDo we have a grip on disinformation in 2021?Disinformation, or “fake news” in common parlance, is a malaise born amid the infodemic of the social media age. In the last few years, it has been used as an effective weapon to polarise communities and upset democratic processes.As we begin 2021, we discuss the current state of the malady.Guests: Rasmus Kleis Nielsen, Director of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and Professor of Political Communication at the University of Oxford; Pratik Sinha, co-founder of Alt News, a fact-checking website.Host: P.J. George, Deputy Internet Editor, The HinduRe...
2021-01-0849 min
Parley by The HinduIs the Special Marriage Act losing out to the bogey of ‘love jihad’?The Special Marriage Act (SMA), 1954 is seen as a progressive law enacted to help inter-faith couples. But with States such as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh framing laws that target inter-faith marriage, the procedural requirements of the SMA — such as the need to give prior notice, and allowance for ‘objections’ — seem to be undermining its original intent by opening the doors to violent moral policing by vigilante groups.Can the SMA come to the rescue of inter-faith couples, who, in addition to the old challenge of parental opposition, today also have to contend with the bogey of ‘love jihad...
2021-01-0252 min
Parley by The HinduAre children being introduced to coding too early in life?The number of coding and programming bootcamps that are being offered by educational technology (Ed Tech) companies for children as young as four or five years has increased exponentially in recent times. Ed Tech companies argue that careers in the 21st century will be based on technology, for which children should get a head start. There have also been ringing endorsements from celebrities for this trend.Should we at all be concerned about this? What are the repercussions of increasing screen time for young children? Here we discuss this issueGuests: Latha Madhusudhan, an educator...
2020-12-2543 min
Parley by The HinduAre IT project managers facing an existential crisis?Despite the years of experience and expertise that the middle management layer brings to the Indian IT services industry, it has been facing an existential crisis for a while now. Stories abound of clients preferring senior code writers over project managers, and of tech CEOs aiming the axe at this layer first every time a sizeable layoff is planned. The pandemic has not made it any easier.Have enough project managers made the change to agile methodologies that steer clear of the traditional, and sequential, more rigid ‘waterfall’ approach while working with clients? Here we discuss the quest...
2020-12-1212 min
Parley by The HinduDoes India’s neighbourhood policy need reworking?Recent visits by Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to countries in the region appear to show new energy in India’s neighbourhood policy. Over the past few years, there have been many strains in ties with neighbours — for instance, with Nepal over its Constitution in 2015 and now over the map, and with Bangladesh over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).Here we discuss India’s neighbourhood policy.Guests: Constantino Xavier, a nonresident fellow in the India Project, and is currently a fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress; Shyam...
2020-12-0429 min
Parley by The HinduAre tougher laws the answer to check online abuse?Following widespread criticism, the Kerala government decided early this week to put on hold an Ordinance that gives unbridled powers to the police to arrest anyone expressing or disseminating any matter that it deems defamatory.However, the move to introduce such a law in the first place shows that State governments believe that existing laws are not adequate to deal with social media abuse. We discuss to what extent is this true.Guests: Rishab Bailey, a lawyer working with the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, an autonomous research institute established by the Ministry...
2020-11-2728 min
Parley by The HinduIs India facing a two-front war?While the India-China stand-off continues in eastern Ladakh, the Line of Control (LoC) is yet again on the boil. We discuss whether India faces the prospect of a two-front war.Guests: Harsh V. Pant, Director, Studies at the Observer Research Foundation and Professor of International Relations, King’s College London; Lieutenant General D.S. Hooda (retd.), a former Northern Army Commander. Host: Dinakar PeriYou can now find The Hindu’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at soc...
2020-11-2035 min
Parley by The HinduCan the right to work be made real in India?As economies around the world struggle to recover from the double whammy of a pandemic and a lockdown, unemployment is soaring. In India, the land of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the promise of jobs and the politics of unemployment have a long history.Can a citizen demand work as a right, and is it the state’s responsibility to provide employment? We discuss the possible policy approaches to the right to work.Guests: Amit Basole, Head, Centre for Sustainable Employment, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru; Reetika Khera, Associate Professor of Economics at...
2020-11-1341 min
Parley by The HinduAre there indications of an economic revival in India?After India’s economy collapsed in the first quarter of 2020-21 following the nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, some economic indicators from September and October, from power consumption to GST collections, suggest that things are improving.We discuss whether there is a sustainable recovery under way, or it's just an expression of pent-up demand combined with India’s festive-season spending.Guests: M. Govinda Rao, a former member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister and the Fourteenth Finance Commission; Naushad Forbes, a former president of the Confederation of Indian Industry and...
2020-11-0654 min
Parley by The HinduIs the U.S. on the wane as a superpower?Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said that China and Germany are soon going to be superpowers as U.S. influence wanes globally. Today, as the U.S. is on the cusp of a new presidency, after a remarkable almost four years under President Donald Trump, it is worth examining whether its superpower status endures in the realms of politics, economics, military and diplomatic power, and culture.We discuss why the U.S. faces an ideational problem despite having an unparalleled position militarily and economically.Guests: Richard Lachmann, a Professor of Sociology at the University at...
2020-10-3041 min
Parley by The HinduHas India passed the COVID-19 peak?Since mid-September, the number of daily new COVID-19 cases recorded has been reducing from the peak of 90,000-odd cases. A few days ago, the COVID-19 India National Supermodel Committee, constituted by the Department of Science and Technology, based on mathematical modelling studies, concluded that India had passed the COVID-19 peak in September. It also found that there will be fewer than 50,000 active cases from December and if proper safety protocols continue to be followed, the pandemic can be “controlled by early next year” with “minimal” active symptomatic infections by end-February. We discuss whether India has gone past the peak.Gue...
2020-10-2351 min
Parley by The HinduShould the government regulate TRPs?Last week, the Mumbai Police said that a TRP (Target Rating Points) racket involving three news channels had been busted by its Crime Detection Branch. Since then, the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), which monitors the TRPs, has suspended ratings of news channels for three months.The alleged scam has once again highlighted the need for regulation. Television channels are driven by TRPs and it is viewership that drives their business. We discuss how TRPs are manipulated and what could be the solution.Guests: Sashi Kumar, the founder and editor in chief of Asiaville, a...
2020-10-1631 min
Parley by The HinduShould Indian startups take on global Internet giants?Online payments company Paytm recently announced that it was building a ‘Mini App Store’ which would ‘empower Indian developers’. This move came days after Paytm was removed from Google’s Play Store over apparent violation of its policies. Though it was reinstated later, Paytm and several other Indian Internet startups allege that Google is using its market dominance to arbitrarily enforce policies and target competitors. The Play Store is the key app store for Google’s Android operating system, which runs over 90% of smartphones in India. Google also announced that it will start enforcing a 30% commission on all payments made for dig...
2020-10-0937 min
Parley by The HinduShould online gambling in India be regulated?The growing popularity of gaming platforms like Dream11 and Paytm First Games raise questions about whether they are proxies for online gambling as they can involve financial transactions though are currently classified as ‘games of skill’. We discuss the current legal position in India on games of skill versus games of chance, the size of the gambling industry, and issues of regulation.Guests: Vidushpat Singhania, Managing Partner of Krida Legal and specialises in sports and gaming laws; Jay Sayta who has has extensively tracked issues pertaining to the gaming industry and gaming laws over the last decade and...
2020-10-0244 min
Parley by The HinduWill the farm bills give farmers a choice?Three farm Bills — the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill (commonly referred to as the APMC Bypass Bill), and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill — were cleared by Parliament amid protests from the Opposition. We discuss the implications of the controversial Bills.Guests: Arindam Banerjee, Associate Professor at the School of Liberal Studies at Ambedkar University; Sudha Narayanan, Associate Professor at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research.Host: Vikas DhootYou can now find The Hindu’s podcasts...
2020-09-2551 min
Parley by The HinduIs the Quad rising after China’s challenge at the LAC?As India faces China’s challenge over the ground situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), we discuss whether a maritime coalition in the Indo-Pacific, the Quadrilateral, comprising India, the U.S., Japan and Australia, an effective counter?Guests: Tanvi Madan, director of The India Project at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., and author of Fateful Triangle: How China Shaped U.S.-India Relations during the Cold War; Ashok Kantha, director of the Institute of Chinese Studies, and former Ambassador to China.Host: Suhasini Haidar, Diplomatic Affairs Editor, The HinduYo...
2020-09-1830 min
Parley by The HinduHow much is too much when collecting data for planning?On Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) under which “every Indian will get a Health ID card.” He said: “Every time you visit a doctor or a pharmacy, everything will be logged in this card.” The NDMH seeks to create an ecosystem under which health records will be digitised. The government has clarified that this would be voluntary, data will be stored locally, and only anonymised data will be shared upwards. We discuss whether real-time capturing of demographic data and broad health indicators will lead to benefits that outweigh the perc...
2020-09-1139 min
Parley by The HinduShould the age of marriage for women be raised to 21?In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the government will soon take a decision on the age of marriage of women. Earlier, a task force had been formed to consider raising this from 18 years to 21.Guests: Jayna Kothari, Executive Director of the Centre for Law and Policy Research and Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court.Madhu Mehra, Executive Director of Partners for Law in Development India, and co-founder of the National Coalition for Advocating for Adolescent Concerns.Host: Jagriti Chandra, Principal Correspondent, The HinduWrite to us...
2020-09-0458 min
Parley by The HinduShould women be entitled to menstrual leave?Zomato, one of India's largest food delivery firms, has announced a new paid menstrual leave policy for its employees, 35% of whom are women. While this is not the first time that a company is announcing such a policy, it has triggered a sharp debate among women themselves on whether this is a progressive move, mere tokenism, or a regressive move.GuestsBarkha Dutt, senior journalist and Editor of Mojo.Kavita Krishnan, CPI (ML) Politburo member and All India Progressive Women’s Association secretaryHostRadhika Santhanam, Assistant Editor, The Hi...
2020-08-2121 min
Parley by The HinduShould early child care centres be opened sooner?The world is still struggling to come to terms with the unprecedented impact that COVID-19 has had on every aspect of human life. The pandemic has forced cities and towns to go into lockdowns. The attendant side effects — including the rather sudden withdrawal of certain social support services — have affected large groups of people. For a good proportion of the working population, working from home is not an option and they have been summoned to their workplaces. And, the usual structures that would keep their young children safe while their parents are at work — schools, anganwadis and balwadis — are not oper...
2020-08-1443 min
Parley by The HinduCan the NEP aid access to universal education?The new National Education Policy (NEP), approved by the Union Cabinet last week, seeks to align itself with the Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all in the next 20 years. The policy has brought into its ambit children in the age group of 3 to 18 years. There are concerns that the policy abandons the state’s commitments under the RTE Act.Additional Reading: The Hindu Explains | What has the National Education Policy 2020 proposed?Guests: Leena Chandran Wadia, senior consultant in the Kasturirangan Committee. Anita Rampal, former Dean, Faculty of Edu...
2020-08-0733 min
Parley by The HinduShould the government go easy on the telecom sector?Following years of breathtaking subscriber growth, tele-density is showing signs of strain. Some telecom players are facing an existential crisis due to brutal competition and the government demanding unpaid dues. At the same time, investors of different hues are lining up to invest in the space, signalling a belief that the industry still holds prospects of juicy returns.In a conversation moderated by K. Bharat Kumar, former Chairman and Managing Director of VSNL B.K. Syngal and International Institute of Information Technology-Bangalore professor V. Sridhar discuss what lies in store for the industry....
2020-07-311h 06
Parley by The HinduCan open book examinations offer an alternative?The Ministry of Human Resources Development’s insistence, based on new University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, that final year examination in all universities and institutions be held in spite of the risk posed by COVID-19, has also led to a debate on open-book examinations. Do open book examinations offer a way out of the student evaluation crisis thrown up by the pandemic?Guests: Yoginder K. Alagh, former Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru UniversityRamakrishna Ramaswamy, Visiting Professor at the Department of Chemistry, IIT - DelhiHost: G. Ananthakrishnan,Search for Parley by Th...
2020-07-2450 min
Parley by The HinduShould the Gandhis disengage from the Congress?Two Congress leaders discuss the role of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and the future of the Party. These two guests have been part of the Congress Party, yet are not party insiders.Host: Varghese K GeorgeGuests: Kumar Ketkar, Rajya Sabha legislatorRajeev Gowda, who recently completed his first term as an MP in the Rajya SabhaSearch for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
2020-07-1734 min
Parley by The HinduWith app bans, is Internet freedom being sacrificed for national security?A discussion on the vulnerability of Internet freedom at a time of national security risks. This comes in the backdrop of the government’s decision to block 59 Chinese apps, something that followed the escalation of tensions at the border between the two countries. Host: Sriram Srinivasan, Strategy & Digital Editor, The Hindu Guests: Arghya Sengupta, Research Director at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. Raman Chima, Asia Policy Director and Senior International Counsel at Access Now.Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
2020-07-1039 min
Parley by The HinduShould Ayurveda and other traditional medicine be subjected to scientific rigour?Patanjali Ayurveda’s claimed cure for COVID-19 has been criticised for making unsubstantiated claims of efficacy. However, can Ayurveda, or alternative medicine in general, be evaluated in the same way as modern medicine?Host: Jacob Koshy Guests: Dr. Bhavana Prasher, senior scientist at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology. Dr. S.P. Kalantri is a Professor at Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, WardhaSearch for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
2020-07-0245 min
Parley by The HinduCan online learning replace the school classroom?The COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted the academic year, cancelled classes and examinations across the country. To ensure that students do not miss out on their studies, schools moved classes online, forcing students to attend lectures via their gadgets. However, this has also sparked a debate on whether the increased amount of screen time helps students learn or if it impedes their progress. While Maharashtra has banned online classes from pre-primary to Class II, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have extended the ban till Class V. Here's a look at the pros and cons of online learning. Host: Puja Pednekar Guests: Ki...
2020-06-2528 min
Parley by The HinduCan India decouple itself from Chinese manufacturing?The border clashes with China and the COVID-19 pandemic have reignited questions about India’s dependence on Chinese manufacturing. India’s imports from China in 2019-2020 reached $65 billion, out of $81 billion two-way trade. Is the pandemic, as Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said last month, a “blessing in disguise” for Indian manufacturing? Will companies be able to move deeply integrated supply chains out of China? And if so, will they choose India? In a discussion moderated by Ananth Krishnan, Biswajit Dhar, and Amitendu Palit, discuss India’s options and the challenges ahead in India’s efforts to boost manufacturing at home.
2020-06-1932 min
Parley by The HinduIs work from home here to stay?The Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdowns have made work from home an imperative for several industries. Clearly, some job profiles lend themselves to work from outside the office. Others, where human interaction is necessary, obviously do not.For those industries and job profiles for which work from home is possible, has the concept come to stay, is the question before us now…Running up to 2025, a large IT services firm in India has said it would have about 75% of its 4.5 lakh employees globally to work from home, up from the industry average of 20% today. It...
2020-06-171h 02
Parley by The HinduAre social media platforms arbiters of truth?In the midst of the massive protests that have erupted in the U.S., social media platform Twitter decided to do something it had avoided for several years: call out some of President Donald Trump's tweets as being incorrect information and as being against its policies.This prompted Mr. Trump to warn social media platforms of stricter controls via an Executive Order. It also prompted another social media giant, Facebook, to state that they did not want to take similar action since they did not want to be 'arbiters of truth'.These developments bring into...
2020-06-1734 min
Parley by The HinduPushing for healthcare as a fundamental right in IndiaIndia has never spent more than 2% of its GDP on healthcare. And healthcare facilities across the country straddle several levels of efficiency and sufficiency. The infrastructure facilities and services are at best patchy. While States such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu fare better, the impact of a virulent COVID-19 has shaken even the States that traditionally have done well.With COVID-19 having put the country’s heathcare system to the test, Dr. Abhay Shukla, national convener of the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan and Senior Program Coordinator of Sathi; and Prof. T. Sundararaman, former executive director, National Health Systems Re...
2020-05-0836 min
Parley by The HinduShould government intervene in platform-publisher relationships?In the last few weeks, France and Australia have taken significant steps to make news aggregators such as Google pay for the re-use of news. The beneficiaries will be news publishers, who for years have been struggling to make the digital transition. While the competition regulator in France has effectively pushed Google into negotiating a remuneration deal with publishers, Australia has proposed to make platforms pay for the use of news.Rasmus Kleis Nielsen, Director, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism; and Parminder Jeet Singh, Executive Director, IT for Change, weigh in on whether governments should...
2020-05-0135 min
Parley by The HinduWill India be able to manage the economic impact of COVID-19?This week, we discuss the global Coronavirus pandemic that has effectively brought normal life to a full stop in India through a Centre-enforced lockdown. The importance of social distancing cannot be stressed enough. But this also has huge repercussions on our livelihoods and the economy, which has already been suffering a slowdown over the last year.To discuss this, are Dr. Naushad Forbes (former president, Confederation of Indian Industry; co-chair, Forbes Marshall) and M. Govinda Rao (economist, former member of 14th Finance Commission).Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and...
2020-03-2751 min
Parley by The HinduIs it time to drop the sedition law?On March 2, a 43-year-old Muslim man was charged with sedition after he allegedly chanted pro-Pakistan slogans in front of the mini Vidhan Soudha at Kundapur in Karnataka’s Udupi district. Last month, the police arrested a teacher and a parent in Bidar for an allegedly seditious play against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Over the last few months, many people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act have been charged with sedition all across the country.Senior Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hegde and Delhi government’s addition standing counsel (criminal) Nandita Rao discuss why Section 124A (sedition) still exists in t...
2020-03-0628 min
Parley by The HinduWhat should India’s restructured military command look like?The massive restructuring of the military command structure has dismantled the old civil-military relationship, with far greater powers in decision-making now being bestowed on the armed forces. In a conversation moderated by Atul Aneja, Madanjit Singh and Anit Mukherjee weigh in on this highly complex transformation which is likely to lead to a complete overhaul of the military command structure.(Madanjit Singh is Vice Admiral (retd.), former head of the Western Naval Command and member of the task force for the review of the management of defence, set up after the 1999 Kargil War. Anit Mukherjee is a...
2020-03-0543 min
Parley by The HinduShouldn’t women officers get the chance to rise through the ranks?After the Central government cited physical and physiological reasons for why women could not be given commanding positions in the Indian Army, the Supreme Court had last week observed that there was a need for a “change of mindset” and display of “administrative will”.In this episode of Parley, moderated by Dinakar Peri, Lieutenant Generals Syed Ata Hasnain (Chancellor, Kashmir University) and Deependra Singh Hooda (former Northern Army Commander) discussed the issue of granting permanent commission and commanding posts for women in the armed forces.Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments...
2020-02-1729 min
Parley by The HinduWill Budget 2020’s proposals boost the investment cycle in India?Presenting the Union Budget for 2020-21 in Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it would boost common people’s income and enhance their purchasing power. Ananth Narayan (Professor of Finance, S.P. Jain Institute for Management Research) and veteran banker V. Srinivasan discuss whether the proposed changes in direct taxes and other measures are likely to spur consumption and investment in the economy.Hosted by Suresh Seshadri, Business Editor, The Hindu Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
2020-02-0725 min
Parley by The HinduDo free speech laws need to be reworked in today’s context?The past few weeks have been the most polarising in recent memory with regard to freedom of expression norms. FIRs were registered against students for stating their political opinions even as political leaders actively indulged in hate speech.This brings into focus the tug-of-war between morality and state security, freedom and responsibility. Should statements by civil society and politicians be made chargeable offences or should our idea of free speech expand to accommodate the full range of our society’s political opinion? Freedom of expression is enshrined under Article 19 (1) of the Constitution with safeguards outlined in 19 (2). Do th...
2020-02-0130 min
Parley by The HinduShould celebrities avoid political activism?Over the past few weeks, several actors have spoken out against the Citizenship Amendment Act-National Population Register-National Register of Citizens (CAA-NPR-NRC) as well as the attack on students and faculty in Jawaharlal Nehru University. In a conversation moderated by Radhika Santhanam, Malayalam actor Parvathy Thiruvothu and communications consultant Dilip Cherian discuss why so many celebrities are suddenly speaking up and whether their voices make a difference. Search for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
2020-01-1735 min
Parley by The HinduWhat is the state of ‘open source’ in India today?Open Source has been part and parcel of software programming in India for a while now. Free sharing has been an ideal for a long time. But have Big Tech proprietary firms co-opted the open-source platforms along the way?Venkatesh Hariharan (Senior Fellow, IDFC Institute) and Sangeeta Gupta (VP, National Association of Software and Services Companies) discuss the history of the Open Source movement in India.Host: Jacob KoshySearch for Parley by The Hindu. Write to us with comments and feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in
2020-01-1435 min