March 4, 2023

Good morning. Every Saturday, we publish the results of polls from feature stories that were published the past week. We also give a brief overview of the topics that were discussed.

🗳️ POLL RESULTS – Week 114

🗓️ THE WEEK THAT WAS

Digitising MGNREGA: Is it a set-up for failure?

Daily | 27 February 2023

The NREGA Sangharsh Morcha, a national collective of workers’ unions and organisations working on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act, 2005 (MGNREGA), are on an indefinite protest against the government’s new app that digitally records attendance. The workers’ protest warrants a closer look into whether digital attendance is fixing or exacerbating its problems. Read more on this here.

Caste discrimination law in Seattle: Was it the right call?

Daily | 28 February 2023

The Seattle city council amended the city’s municipal code to include caste as a protected class alongside race, religion, and gender identity. While some have welcomed the move, others say it puts a target on the backs of South Asians, particularly Indians. Did the city council make a mistake? We discuss it here.

Should social media platforms be liable for the content they carry?

Daily | 1 March 2023

Last week, the Supreme Court (SC) of the United States heard two cases about the role of Google, Youtube, Twitter and other interactive platforms in aiding and abetting terrorist activity. The court’s decision could make or break how we experience the internet today. And it all comes down to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Some argue that the law gives tech platforms a dangerous get-out-of-jail-free card, while others contend it protects free speech. So, which is it? We unpack the issue here.

Nagaland peace talks: Will there be progress this year?

Daily | 2 March 2023

A couple of long-standing issues have yet to be resolved in the state. There are the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party’s (NDPP) efforts to negotiate a peace deal with insurgent groups. There’s also the demand from several tribal groups for a separate state called Frontier Nagaland. Given how long these have been on the docket, the question is, will 2023 be the year where there’s progress on peace? Find the debate here.

Is Manipur’s anti-immigration drive the right move?

Daily | 3 March 2023

Despite lacking a refugee law, the Indian state has historically maintained appositely porous borders for asylum-seeking refugees. So the recent anti-immigration drives against refugees across India present a unique moment in Indian nation-making. Manipur, too, offers a curious conundrum with a divided local population and an unwavering top gun position against refugees and immigrants. Follow the story here.