Are we voting for our Member of Parliament or Prime Minister? Is it unpatriotic to ask questions of the government? In this first episode of The Breakdown, Meghnad S talks about Indian democracy and its institutions, as well as their history and recent challenges, and crucially why the 2019 General Election is so important.

Music: Brooke's Triumphal March by United States Marine Band
Source: YouTube Audio Library

Episode 01: Indian Democracy feat. Meghnad S

This week we speak about the election manifesto for the Indian National Congress. We talk about their policy proposals for the economy, healthcare and law and order as well as their ideas for the environment and protection of vulnerable communities. We discuss: What's easy to implement and what's a tall order? What's hot and what's not?

Music
1. Brooke's Triumphal March by United States Marine Band
   Source: YouTube Audio Library

2. INC Election Anthem: Main Hi Toh Hindustan Hoon
    Source: YouTube

Episode 02: The Congress Manifesto

This week we speak about the election manifesto for the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). We discuss their ideas for national security,  examine the goals set by them for the economy and their posture on questions pertaining to religion. How realistic are the objectives proposed by the BJP? Does this manifesto cover all bases?

Music: Brooke's Triumphal March by United States Marine Band
Source: YouTube Audio Library

Episode 03: The BJP Manifesto

This week four Delhi University students and first-time voters (Poorvi Gupta, Evita Rodrigues, Nikita Dennis Joseph, Devak Namdhari) discuss their views on the most pressing issues of the 2019 election and their concerns about Indian democracy and its durability. Is the current election discourse satisfactory? How are India's institutions holding up?


Music: Brooke's Triumphal March by United States Marine Band
Source: YouTube Audio Library

Episode 04: First-Time Voter Special

In this episode we talk about the state of the Modi economy and how it has performed over the last five years. Associate Professor in Economics Sandip Sukhtankar from the University of Virginia joins us for this one. How can we explain GST and demonetization?

Music: Brooke's Triumphal March by United States Marine Band
Source: YouTube Audio Library

Episode 05: Economy (Part 01) feat Sandip Sukhtankar

In this episode, Sandip Sukhtankar analyses the key economic themes and ideas of the 2019 election. Apart from that, Sandip reflects on whether the discourse on economic issues has received the importance it deserves. Is the NYAY scheme viable and just? What are BJP's ideas for the economy?

Music: Brooke's Triumphal March by United States Marine Band
Source: YouTube Audio Library

Episode 05: Economy (Part 02) feat Sandip Sukhtankar

In this final pre-election episode, we discuss the most prominent foreign policy issue of this election: Pulwama and Balakot. Helping us make sense of this issue is Brookings India's fellow of foreign policy, Dr Dhruva Jaishankar. What exactly percolated between Pulwama and Balakot? Does the Modi approach to foreign policy signal a shift?

Music: Brooke's Triumphal March by United States Marine Band
Source: YouTube Audio Library

Episode 06: Foreign Policy feat Dr. Dhruva Jaishankar

The Breakdown is a weekly podcast where Abhishek Rakheja takes an issue pertinent to Indian democracy each week and sits down with experts and people on the ground to literally break it down.

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