UpFront

Is Modi’s India heading down a dangerous path?

We speak to Indian MP Shashi Tharoor, and ask a member of Turkey’s AK party about Erdogan’s clampdown on the media.

In this episode of UpFront, Mehdi Hasan speaks to leading Indian politician Shashi Tharoor about the rising religious tensions in the country.

Hasan also highlights the truth behind growing wealth inequality, and asks if Turkey’s Erdogan is bullying the media.

The Headliner: Indian MP Shashi Tharoor

The recent lynching of a Muslim man by far-right Hindus for allegedly eating beef, has sparked debate within the country. Some place blame on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Partygovernment for rising tensions, so how worried should the world be about the rise of Hindu nationalism in India?

In this week’s Headliner, Mehdi Hasan speaks to Shashi Tharoor, one of India’s most talked about politicians, who has accused Modi of failing to address increasing communal violence since assuming power in 2014. The politician also speaks candidly about being hounded by the media since the tragic death of his wife. 

Reality Check: It’s the inequality, stupid

The 85 richest people on earth own more wealth than the poorest 3.5 billion, that is according to Oxfam. This means a group of individuals who could fit on a London double-decker bus owns as much as half the world’s population.

Despite the naysayers, growing inequality is real, and according to the experts, it is not just morally wrong, but also bad economics. In this week’s Reality Check, Mehdi Hasan highlights the truth behind growing wealth inequality and its impact.

The Arena: Is Turkey’s Erdogan bullying the media? 

As Turks head to the polls next month, some journalists and opposition parties are accusing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of silencing the media.

Multiple journalists have been detained, others sacked and papers critical of Erdogan’s AK party have been raided. AKP (Justice and Development Party) supporters say the president is being unfairly maligned, but critics point to a new “cult of personality”.

In this week’s Arena, Daily Sabah journalist and AK party member Zeynep Jane Kandur debates Mustafa Akyol, a columnist for Hurriyet Daily News.

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