We The People

Lakshadweep has made international headlines. First, it was the tourism promo by PM Modi and then the rather unwanted controversy with the Maldives. But the #ChaloLakshadweep social media splash has left out a rather important issue - the environmental challenges associated with the rampant development of the fragile islands. So, while #ChaloLakshadweep is the flavor of the season, can the pristine beaches and the coral reefs survive the onslaught? What will become of Lakshadweep if we all decide to go there? Do we need to look before we leap towards Lakshadweep?

As the government proposes a near-complete overhaul of the criminal justice system under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, some sections of the Road Safety Act have also seen a sea change. Following dramatic protests by truckers' associations, the government has now put the new amendments on hold. Amid the alarming deaths in road accidents, the big question is, "What is the highway to safer roads?" Let's decode.

The tunnel collapse in Uttarakhand, in which 41 workers have been trapped for the past 15 days, has made national and international headlines. Given the apparent threat to the ecosystem of the mountains, the question we face is whether all development works in Indian hill states are akin to a disaster.

The season of deadly smog is here and once again we are back to breathing poison. On We The People, we talk about surviving it.

Supreme Court's recent verdict on aborting a 26-week pregnancy has once again reignited the pro-choice vs pro-life debate. Watch We The People.

The Supreme Court this week fell short of legalising same-sex marriages, leaving the decision to the government. While the Chief Justice of India did champion queer unions, nothing changes in the lives of same-sex couples. After the Supreme Court's verdict, the fight for marriage equality has reached a pit stop. With their right to marry again a distant dream, watch members of the queer community discuss the road ahead.

Custody battles in India and abroad largely remain centered around the divorce, with a clear mother vs father narrative - but what about the children, who are often caught in the middle of an often harrowing legal and psychological war? On We The People, we speak to all stakeholders involved, and ask - is there a lack of institutional support for children?

The India-Canada diplomatic standoff has grabbed national and international headlines lately - but what is its larger impact on students - not just on the Indian students already enrolled in Canadian universities, but aspirants who wish to go there? On We The People, students and parents speak out on what they think of the diplomatic tension, and visa experts and counsellors weigh in on the way forward.

An alarming study says that cancer cases in those aged under 50 have risen by 80% in the last three decades - this coupled with a WHO study that cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide, killing one in six globally - and another study by the ICMR that pegs cancer cases in India to rise to over 15 lakh by 2025. Tonight, on We The People, we bust the biggest myths behind the Big 'C' - and decode the cancer epidemic that has taken millions of lives across the world.

A worrying report published by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago puts South Asia at the epicentre of the global pollution mess - saying that Delhi is the most polluted city in the world and that Delhi residents lose almost 12 years of their lives due to air pollution. However, thankfully, this is reversible, says the report - and these years could be restored if nations make a sustained effort to reduce pollution. On this episode of We The People, then, we ask - what is the way out of this 'airpocalypse'?

There are new rules for schools. The Central government has launched a new curriculum framework for school students under the new education policy that came into play in 2020. All these changes are expected to come into force from next year. But What does it mean for the students? Will it increase the pressure or is it going to ease the burden of the students? We Discuss on We the People.

This week, the WHO flagged a contaminated Indian-made cough syrup in Iraq - the 5th such warning against medicine produced in India by the organization in 10 months. While the government cracked down on over 70 firms back in March, substandard drugs continue to be manufactured in India and sold across domestically and worldwide - prompting worry about the currently existing drug regulation norms in the country. Amid all this, Parliament passed the Jan Vishwas Bill earlier this month, which arguably hands a 'get out of jail free' card to pharma companies. On We The People, we ask - how urgent is the need for a unified drug regulation law in India?

Sexual harassment complaints at top publicly traded companies saw a 70% surge compared to the previous financial year, according to a report by Mint. The report comes days after the Supreme Court pointed out the 'disquieting' implementation of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, saying that despite the law being around for a decade, women are still reluctant to report workplace harassment.

Without debate and amid chaos, the Lok Sabha on 26th July passed the Forest Conservation Amendment Bill, 2023. While environmentalists demand a rollback, citing disaster for the country's forest resources, the government disagrees. The bill seeks to amend the 1980 act - and crucially, if passed, will allow the construction of highways, hydel power projects and other such projects in geographically sensitive areas within 100 km of international borders or the Line of Control without a forest clearance. Tonight, on We The People, we debate the role this new bill will play in the age of climate change.

The horrific video that shows two naked women being paraded, groped and molested by a mob in the violence-hit Manipur has sent shock waves across the country, once again highlighting the plight of women caught in the crossfire of a deadly conflict. The incident prompts us to ask: Why is it that women continue to pay the highest price for conflict for centuries now?

As the ruling government continues its push to bring in a Uniform Civil Code, citing the imperative need for a common law across all religions to ensure 'gender justice', on We The People, we ask - will a codification of laws necessarily be able to solve a deeply rooted societal problem that has persisted for centuries?

Have you ever asked how many drinks are too many drinks? Well, recent studies suggest that binge drinking over the weekend may be worse for your health than moderate or light drinking over the week. But what is binge drinking? And how harmful is it exactly? On this episode of We The People, doctors, mental health professionals and liver transplant survivors weigh in.

After Tata Consultancy Services, one of India's top IT firms, stopped their work-from-home policy, it triggered a mass resignation from women in the organisation - ironically, the very same organisation that had over 35 per cent women in their workforce. This incident, though, begs a larger question - what changed for working women over the pandemic? And what should the new normal be for women in a post-pandemic world? Is empowering women with flexibility a luxury or a necessity?

While Cyclone Biparjoy has dominated headlines this week, it is not an isolated extreme weather event - rather, the sign of many more to come, say scientists. As more and more bizarre 'natural' disasters hit countries all over the world, we can no longer afford to 'other' the climate crisis staring us in the face. On We The People, we ask - what is the human cost of climate change?

700 Indian students are facing deportation from Canada because their offer letters for admission to Canadian universities in 2018-19 were found to be fake. But as the number of students going abroad, as well as the number of loans being taken to support foreign study are on the rise, how can one protect oneself from immigration fraud?