Let Me Explain

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Welcome to Let Me Explain, a show from The News Minute that aims to break down complex topics in simple words. Hosted by our Reporting Head Pooja Prasanna, the show cuts through the noise of today’s fast-paced news cycle, to bring you in-depth insights and clarity. Whether it is politics, policies, infrastructure, or public health, she brings her extensive on-the-ground experience and thorough research to explain the facts that truly matter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. From “Food Jihad” to “Love Jihad”: Rise of communal content online | LME 117 | Pooja Prasanna

    19H AGO

    From “Food Jihad” to “Love Jihad”: Rise of communal content online | LME 117 | Pooja Prasanna

    A Telugu YouTube channel recently accused Muslim vendors of selling “poisoned” food at a tribal festival in Telangana, without medical evidence, official complaints, or verification from authorities. Instead of investigation, the videos relied on confrontation, repeated use of conspiracy phrases like “food jihad,” and public shaming of small traders. But this is not just about one festival or one channel. Across India, a growing number of YouTube platforms are using a similar format: provoke in public, frame suspicion as reporting, upload quickly, and monetise outrage. From Telangana to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu to Kerala, isolated incidents are increasingly communalised online — often without evidence. In this week’s Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna examines how hate is produced, amplified, defended, and normalised on YouTube, and why the consequences don’t stay online. For suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.com ‎ Follow the Let Me Explain channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbDIedz2phHLQZTyNj1W Like Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lme If you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wR Become a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscription Produced by Megha Mukundan, Script by Lakshmi Priya, Inputs by Anjana Meenakshi, Camera by Ajay R, Edit by Nikhil Sekhar ET Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    11 min
  2. Tamil Nadu’s Lavanya Case: Communal narrative vs Evidence | LME 116 | Pooja Prasanna

    2D AGO

    Tamil Nadu’s Lavanya Case: Communal narrative vs Evidence | LME 116 | Pooja Prasanna

    Four years ago, the death of 17-year-old Lavanya in Thanjavur was turned into a forced conversion controversy by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and others. But the Central Bureau of Investigation has now concluded that there is no evidence she was pressured to convert. Multiple videos recorded at her hospital bed show she spoke about abuse and academic stress not conversion. Only one later video mentioned conversion, and that clip was amplified, triggering protests and communal outrage. For suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.com ‎Follow the Let Me Explain channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbDIedz2phHLQZTyNj1W Like Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lme If you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wR Become a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscription Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    5 min
  3. Epstein files: The Indian names and the bigger story | LME 115 | Pooja Prasanna

    FEB 14

    Epstein files: The Indian names and the bigger story | LME 115 | Pooja Prasanna

    The Epstein files – millions of pages of documents, emails, and records – detail how Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, operated and how power protected him for years. The Epstein files also offer a look into how he stayed connected to powerful people long after his crimes were known. In this episode of Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna explains why Indian names appear in these documents and what the records actually show about figures like Anil Ambani, Hardeep Singh Puri, Ravi Mantha, and Deepak Chopra. None of them are accused of crimes in the files, but the material reveals how Epstein continued to function as a fixer and broker of access. We also look at how misinformation and AI-generated images are distorting public understanding, and why the real story keeps getting lost: the survivors who were abused, ignored, and failed by institutions for decades. For suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.com ‎Follow the Let Me Explain channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbDIedz2phHLQZTyNj1W Like Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lme If you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wR Become a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscription Produced by Megha Mukundan, Script by Lakshmi Priya, Camera by Ajay R, Graphics by Dharini Prabharan, Edit by Nikhil Sekhar ET Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    13 min
  4. Tirupati Laddu Row: What the SIT report finally says | LME 113 | Pooja Prasanna

    FEB 7

    Tirupati Laddu Row: What the SIT report finally says | LME 113 | Pooja Prasanna

    For months, claims that animal fat was used in Tirupati laddus dominated headlines, political debates, and primetime TV, triggering outrage across the country. One year later, the SIT chargesheet and government lab reports tell a very different story. Two premier institutions, ICAR National Dairy Research Institute and NDDB CALF, found no animal fat in the ghee samples tested. No lard. No beef tallow. No fish oil.  Instead, the reports point to vegetable oil adulteration using palm oil and related fats, along with chemical additives to mimic real ghee. So how did a case of food adulteration turn into a nationwide religious controversy? In this episode of Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna breaks down what the chargesheet reveals. For suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.com Like Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lme If you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wR Become a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscription Produced by Megha Mukundan, Script by Pooja Prasanna, Camera by Ajay R, Graphics by Dharini Prabharan, Edit by Nikhil Sekhar ET Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    11 min
  5. Kerala’s ‘Kumbh’: What’s unfolding on the ground | Let Me Explain 112 | Pooja Prasanna

    JAN 31

    Kerala’s ‘Kumbh’: What’s unfolding on the ground | Let Me Explain 112 | Pooja Prasanna

    In Kerala’s Malappuram district, an ancient gathering from the past is being revived, but in a very different form. Mamankam, a gathering in Kerala that once centred on power, trade and multiple communities is now being projected as a “Kerala’s Kumbh Mela.” Mamankam was not a Hindu pilgrimage. It was a secular, political and ritual assembly where kingship was contested and Muslims were part of its structure. So what does it mean when Mamankam is rebranded as Kumbh? In this episode of Let Me Explain, we hit the ground to bring you the real story and unpack how a plural past is being reshaped into a singular religious narrative. For suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.com Like Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lme If you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wR Become a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscription Producer: by Megha Mukundan, Script: Pooja Prasanna, Megha Mukundan, Reporting: Haritha Manav, Megha Mukundan, Camera: Ajay R, Megha Mukundan, Edit: Nikhil Sekhar ET Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    17 min
  6. NTV, Arrests, and Allegations: A Warning Sign for Journalism Let Me Explain 111

    JAN 24

    NTV, Arrests, and Allegations: A Warning Sign for Journalism Let Me Explain 111

    Two journalists were arrested after a prime-time broadcast on NTV sparked a political storm in Telangana. The story had no documents, no named sources, and no evidence. In this episode of Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna breaks down what really happened behind the NTV controversy, why allegations of business and political rivalries entered the newsroom, and what this episode reveals about media ownership in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. This isn’t just about one channel or one broadcast. It’s about what happens when media houses are owned by powerful business interests, when editorial lines shift with political power, and when journalism turns into leverage instead of public service. For suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.com Like Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lme If you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wR Become a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscription Produced by Megha Mukundan, script by Dhanya Rajendran, camera by Ajay R, edited by Nikhil Sekhar ET Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    10 min
  7. How One Word in A.R. Rahman’s BBC Interview Led to Patriotism Test | Let Me Explain Pooja Prasanna

    JAN 21

    How One Word in A.R. Rahman’s BBC Interview Led to Patriotism Test | Let Me Explain Pooja Prasanna

    A.R. Rahman is one of India’s most celebrated and globally recognised artists. And yet this week, he found himself having to publicly reaffirm his love for his own country. In a BBC interview, Rahman cautiously used the word “communal” while speaking about why his work in Hindi cinema has reduced in recent years. He did not make an accusation or draw a conclusion. But the reaction to that single word was swift. Very quickly, the conversation stopped being about music or the industry and became about Rahman’s identity and patriotism. In this episode of Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna breaks down what Rahman actually said, how his words were turned around, and why the reaction ended up proving his point. This episode is not just about A.R. Rahman. It is about how easily a conversation about work becomes a test of belonging in India today. Produced by Bhuvan Malik, Edit by Jaseem Ali, Script by Pooja Prasanna, Camera by Ajay R. For suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.com Like Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lme If you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wR Become a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscription Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    10 min
  8. The RSS: 100 Years, 2,500 organisations | Let Me Explain 110 | Pooja Prasanna

    JAN 17

    The RSS: 100 Years, 2,500 organisations | Let Me Explain 110 | Pooja Prasanna

    For over a century, the RSS has operated not just as an ideological movement, but as a vast organisational network embedded in everyday life. From schools, hostels, labour unions, media houses, charities, and cultural forums, its reach extends into education, work, and communities. A six-year research project led by Dr. Felix Pal from the University of Western Australia mapped over 2,500 organisations linked to the Sangh across India and the world. The Caravan magazine fact-checked the data and published it as an interactive map, revealing how the RSS builds influence quietly through social infrastructure rather than just politics. In this episode of Let Me Explain, Pooja Prasanna breaks down how the Sangh operates through schools, hostels, unions, media, and diaspora organisations, shaping communities and narratives both at home and abroad. Watch to understand how the RSS wields power through everyday institutions and a global network of affiliated organisations. Produced by Megha Mukundan, Script by Lakshmi Priya, Camera by Ajay R, Edit by Nikhil Sekhar ET For suggestions and feedbacks, write to lme@thenewsminute.com Like Pooja’s LME? Support the show: https://rzp.io/rzp/support-lme If you are watching from abroad, click this link: https://buy.stripe.com/28o01q9md0OPdtm8wR Become a TNM subscriber- https://www.thenewsminute.com/subscription Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    13 min
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About

Welcome to Let Me Explain, a show from The News Minute that aims to break down complex topics in simple words. Hosted by our Reporting Head Pooja Prasanna, the show cuts through the noise of today’s fast-paced news cycle, to bring you in-depth insights and clarity. Whether it is politics, policies, infrastructure, or public health, she brings her extensive on-the-ground experience and thorough research to explain the facts that truly matter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Newslaundry .com
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Newslaundry .com
  • Show Website
    Let Me Explain