The Interview With Karan Thapar

The Wire
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From incisive questions to insightful responses, the most definitive interviews that you need to watch out for.

  1. 3 days ago

    Mecca defence pact gives Pakistan a greater profile in Middle East – no doubt about it

    Mecca defence pact gives Pakistan a greater profile in Mid East - no doubt about it: Shyam Saran, former Foreign Secretary, to Karan Thapar for The Wire. ....................................... Does the three nation Saudi-Turkish-Pakistani defence pact announced last week have serious and worrying implications for India? Does it strengthen Islamabad vis-a-vis Delhi? Does it raise questions about India’s relationship with Saudi Arabia and possibly also Israel? And how should the Modi government respond to this development? Those are some of the issues I shall raise today with one of India’s most highly regarded former foreign secretaries, Shyam Saran.

    Mecca defence pact gives Pakistan a greater profile in Middle East – no doubt about it

  2. 3 days ago

    FCRA Bill is undemocratic, unconstitutional & will adversely affect Christian institutions

    There’s growing apprehension that the government could bring the Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment Bill to parliament in the last few days of the monsoon session. It’s silence on this matter is not reassuring. Meanwhile, the opposition and the Christian community in particular strongly oppose the bill. They’ve called it undemocratic, unconstitutional, dangerous and deeply alarming. Today we examine the bill and its impact on Christian institutions in India. Can its opponents succeed in ensuring the bill is withdrawn in its entirety or referred to a joint committee of parliament? Or given the government and its allies have a majority in both houses of parliament is that unlikely? My guest is DMK Rajya Sabha MP and Chairman of the Joint Action Forum on Minorities, P. Wilson.

    FCRA Bill is undemocratic, unconstitutional & will adversely affect Christian institutions

  3. 8 Aug

    The credibility of Modi govt depends on fulfilling its promise to restore statehood to J&K

    The credibility of Modi govt depends on fulfilling its promise to restore statehood to J&K: Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, to Karan Thapar for The Wire. ....................................... August the 5th was seven years since the abrogation of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir’s loss of statehood. Whilst most people have accepted that the abrogation is irrevocable, the Modi government has promised that statehood will be restored at the earliest. That was said to the Supreme Court three years ago but the government has failed to live up to its commitment. So today we ask how strong is the case for full statehood? And does the Union Government’s argument against it hold water? My guest is the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah. Chief Minister Abdullah refutes at length the claim that statehood cannot be restored until terror is eradicated. This is a particularly forceful part of the interview and the arguments he makes are convincing and need to be heard from him directly. In the interview, Chief Minister Abdullah also speaks in detail about how the Lieutenant Governor’s control of the administration, the police and many ministries has undermined the powers and effectiveness of his government. This will come as a surprise, if not a shock, to many people. Again, you should hear this for yourself. Chief Minister Abdullah also speaks about the disappointment people in Kashmir feel about the loss of their statehood. He says his own credibility has suffered because he genuinely believed that if he established an amicable relationship with the Union Government it would facilitate the restoration of statehood. But despite his best efforts that has not happened. I will stop there. This is a very forceful, powerful and informative interview. If you want to understand the position of the government of Jammu and Kashmir, not just vis-à-vis the Union Government and the issue of statehood but also in terms of the powers it has and how it is stymied by the Governor, then this is an interview you should see.

    The credibility of Modi govt depends on fulfilling its promise to restore statehood to J&K

  4. 5 Aug

    If restoration of statehood in J&K depends on BJP coming to power we could wait 100s of years

    If restoration of statehood in J&K depends on BJP coming to power we could wait 100s of years: Radha Kumar, Co-chairperson, Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir, to Karan Thapar for The Wire. ....................................... Today, August the 5th, is seven years since the abrogation of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir’s loss of statehood. Whilst most people have accepted that the abrogation is irrevocable, the Modi government has promised that statehood will be restored at the earliest. That was said to the Supreme Court three years ago but the government has failed to live up to its commitment. So today we ask how strong is the case for full statehood? And does the Union Government’s argument against it hold water? My guest is a former member of the Group of Interlocutors and Co-chair of the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir, Radha Kumar.

    If restoration of statehood in J&K depends on BJP coming to power we could wait 100s of years

  5. 1 Aug

    Did “uncertainty and the meaninglessness of life” fuel student protests?

    Did "uncertainty and the meaninglessness of life" fuel student protests?: Prof. Suhas Palshikar, Chief Editor, Studies in Indian Politics, to Karan Thapar for The Wire. ....................................... How should we assess the outcome of last week’s student protests? Is there a wider message that they have signalled? For the government? For the country? And how should we view the future of the Cockroach Janata Party and Abhijeet Dipke? Those are some of the key issues I will explore today with the Chief Editor of Studies in Indian Politics, Prof. Suhas Palshikar. Prof. Palshikar argues that the student protests sent out two loud and clear messages to the government as well as the country. The first was about the education system. It has, as he puts it, become “boring time-pass” or a “creche for young adults”. It needs to be more than just overhauled. It needs to be re-thought through ab initio. The second message is in a sense deeper. Prof. Palshikar argues that the protests and the striking energy behind them “represent the utter meaninglessness of life that confronts (India’s) youth”. Life has become precarious at multiple levels and that uncertainty has created angst, deep concern and a sense of hopelessness. As he puts it “life is precarious, irrespective of whether you belong to low-income groups or the so-called middle class”. I will stop there. You should hear Prof. Palshikar directly. His analysis and understanding of the recent protests is both revealing and disquieting. It’s the second because we don’t have credible answers to the message the protesters sent out. Here is the link:

    Did “uncertainty and the meaninglessness of life” fuel student protests?

  6. 29 Jul

    Gen Z has lost its fear & will not be silent & helpless in face of Modi govt excesses & injustices

    Gen Z has lost its fear & will not be silent & helpless in face of Modi govt excesses & injustices: Neha Bora, National President, AISA, to Karan Thapar for The Wire. ....................................... Is Saturday’s agreement between the Modi government and the Cockroach Janta Party secure or is it in danger of being breached? Will the Bihar government apologize for its police constable firing an AK-47 at the protestors? Is the BJP right to treat Dharmendra Pradhan as a hero? And has the pall of fear lifted for Gen Z forever? Those are some of the issues I shall raise with the National President of the All India Students’ Association who fasted at Jantar Mantar for nearly 23 days, Neha Bora.

    Gen Z has lost its fear & will not be silent & helpless in face of Modi govt excesses & injustices

  7. 29 Jul

    Student protest success a personal defeat for Modi; his self-confidence will weaken

    Student protest success a personal defeat for Modi; his self-confidence will weaken: Aakar Patel, Author and Chairman Amnesty India, to Karan Thapar for The Wire. ....................................... Today we focus on the outcome of the Cockroach Janata Party’s protest culminating in Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Was this a defeat for the government and how significant was it? Who deserves the credit? Abhijeet Dipke and the CJP or Sonam Wangchuk? What impact will this have on Prime Minister Modi’s image and confidence? And on Indian politics and next year’s state elections? Finally, is this a potential turning point? And how can we ensure history actually turns? My guest is the well-known and highly regarded journalist, author and Chairman of Amnesty India Aakar Patel.

    Student protest success a personal defeat for Modi; his self-confidence will weaken

  8. 24 Jul

    Was Chief Justice’s refusal to take up student case irresponsible? Dushyant Dave responds

    Was Chief Justice's refusal to take up student case irresponsible? Dushyant Dave calls it "failure of constitutional duty": Dushyant Dave to Karan Thapar for The Wire. ....................................... On Wednesday when a lawyer attempted to convince the Supreme Court to admit a case about how the fundamental rights of young students had been breached when they were beaten up by the police and miscreants the Chief Justice refused to take it up. He said don’t waste our time and don’t waste your time. Today we ask - What should we make of that response? Does it undermine our constitutional fundamental rights? Does it weaken the Supreme Court’s duty to protect those rights? Does it negate the power of Article 32, which was drafted to defend those rights? And how would Dr Ambedkar view all of this? Those are the issues I shall raise with one of India’s most highly regarded constitutional lawyers and a former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Dushyant Dave.

    Was Chief Justice’s refusal to take up student case irresponsible? Dushyant Dave responds
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From incisive questions to insightful responses, the most definitive interviews that you need to watch out for.

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