Episode · Badi Badi Baatein
'Why Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar Must Resign': Yogendra Yadav Talks CEC & BJP 'Jugalbandi
28 Sep 2026 · 31 min
Episode · Badi Badi Baatein
28 Sep 2026 · 31 min
Yogendra Yadav, political analyst and co-founder of Swaraj India, speaks to The Quint about the controversy surrounding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Election Commission of India (ECI) following The Indian Express investigation into internal objections within the poll panel. The Indian Express investigation published in September 2026 reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and processes within the Election Commission, including issues related to the Special Intensive…
An award-winning talk show hosted by The Quint's Eshwar, featuring conversations with political leaders, lawmakers, and key voices across fields.
1 May 2026 · 26 min
In this exclusive and candid interview, General MM Naravane, former Chief of Army Staff of India, opens up about his distinguished career and shares untold stories from his time in the Indian Army. We discuss a range of critical topics, including his book controversy involving Rahul Gandhi, the Pahalgam attack, and Operation Sindhu, providing a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics within the Indian military. General Naravane also addresses common military myths and misconceptions about the armed forces, taking us through the origins of military acronyms like SOS and M.H.O.W, and the…
31 Oct 2025 · 49 min
In this candid and frank conversation, scholar and civil-rights activist Dr Anand Teltumbde speaks about his latest book The Cell and the Soul, written during his imprisonment in the Bhima Koregaon case. He recalls his time behind bars — from the daily struggles of prison life to his moving exchanges with Father Stan Swamy, whose resilience deeply inspired him. Teltumbde reflects on what incarceration taught him about freedom, conscience, and the soul of democracy. The interview also explores the personal cost of state persecution — its impact on his family — and the persistence of caste…
29 Aug 2025 · 45 min
Shahid Siddiqui — veteran journalist, ex-MP, and editor of Nai Duniya — joins Badi Badi Baatein to discuss his memoir I, Witness. He recalls interviewing every Indian Prime Minister since Indira Gandhi, reporting on the Emergency, the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, and the assassinations of Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, while tracing the rise of Narendra Modi. Siddiqui revisits his 2012 interview with Modi on the 2002 Gujarat riots, that practically led to the end of his political career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
13 Aug 2025 · 16 min
There is a lot of 'on-the-road' censorship. The Censor Board should look at this and ensure they have a proper jury in place. If people start doing 'on-the-road' censorship, it will be extremely difficult for filmmakers like me to make the films we wish to." - National Award-winning director Raj More discusses the controversy around 'Khalid Ka Shivaji', which tells the story of a Muslim child’s admiration for Shivaji Maharaj and faces protests over the percieved depiction of the Maratha king as 'secular'. With the CBFC certificate blocked and right-wing groups objecting, More defends his…
10 Jul 2025 · 28 min
Author and former media advisor to former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Sanjaya Baru explores why India’s elite and middle class are increasingly choosing to leave the country. He cites growing global opportunities, declining ease of living in India, intrusive governance, and the inability of the Indian system to absorb its talent. Baru also critiques the weaponisation of the diaspora by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, and the communal mobilisation by groups like the RSS and VHP, in his book 'Secession of the Successful: The Flight Out of New India'. Learn more about your ad…
19 Jun 2025 · 10 min
Amitabh Kant stepped down as India's G20 Sherpa on June 16, 2025, marking the culmination of a 45‑year service in public administration. Appointed in July 2022 to lead India's G20 agenda, Kant played a pivotal role during the 2023 Delhi Presidency, guiding negotiations to consensus on the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration and notably ensuring inclusion of the African Union in G20 discussions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
29 May 2025 · 20 min
In this episode of 'Badi Badi Baatein', Gopalkrishna Gandhi, former diplomat and Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson, speaks about the fading memory of Gandhi in modern India, the communal discourse of present day Indian politics, the faults in the Congress Party, and Narendra Modi and BJP's claims to Mahatma's legacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
29 May 2025 · 22 min
As peace and normalcy are restored after weeks of military conflict between India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, the Narendra Modi government now finds itself in a limbo, with US President Donald Trump taking credit for the ceasefire agreement and offering to resolve the Kashmir issue. While Trump's 'interference' in the conflict has irked both BJP supporters and the Opposition, what role did the US exactly play? How legitimate is Trump's claim of 'mediation'? Why is his Kashmir offer an embarrassment for India? In this episode of 'Badi Badi Baatein,' Congress MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor…
2 May 2025 · 25 min
On this episode of 'Badi Badi Baatein', J&K National Conference leader and Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi speaks on the immediate and long-term fallout of the Pahalgam terror attack, the discrimination against Kashmiris and Muslims across India since since 22 April, and the concerns around Centre's claims of security since Abrogation of Article 370. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
16 Apr 2025 · 20 min
On this episode of 'Badi Badi Baatein', Poonam Agarwal, former Quint journalist who exposed the government's electoral bonds in 2018, talks about her book in which she details her investigations into India's electoral processes, the questions surrounding the credibility of the Election Commission, and the need for more accountability and transparency in India's polling processes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices