Is the Shift to E20 Petrol in India a Trade-Off?
India wants to reduce its dependence on imported oil. One of the biggest tools in that plan is already reaching our fuel tanks: ethanol blended petrol. Supporters say it can save billions in oil imports, strengthen energy security, support farmers, and make India less vulnerable to global oil shocks. Critics ask a different question: What happens to engines, water resources, agriculture, and long-term costs? As conflict and uncertainty continue to affect global energy markets—including in West Asia—the debate around fuel is becoming bigger than just petrol prices. In this video, we unpack the economics, science, and trade-offs behind India’s ethanol push.
Why Are People Migrating from Arunachal’s Border Villages?
More than 500 villages along Arunachal’s border areas have seen depopulation, with families leaving behind their ancestral homes, ways of life and cultures. With even the most basic facilities missing, many people say they had no option but to move in search of a better future for the next generation. But this migration — not by choice, but because of circumstance — has left deep wounds of neglect. For governments, the border has always mattered. But the people living along it have had to wait much longer to matter. In this video, Newsreel Asia travels to Lower Dibang Valley, one of the districts in Arunachal Pradesh that shares a border with the Tibet Autonomous Region, controlled by China. Datu Mega, Pronov Mega and Deta Mega represent three generations of hill-inhabiting Idu Mishmis who have suffered the consequences of this neglect.
What Forced These Parents to Join Cockroach Janta Party Protest?
Thousands of protesters gathered at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, holding flowers and wearing cockroach masks, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and accountability for continued misgovernance in the conduct of examinations. Protesters said repeated failures in the examination system have pushed young people’s futures into uncertainty. At the centre of their grievances was the recent NEET paper leak which has caused widespread distress among aspirants and contributed to several student suicides.
The protest was called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), a newly emerged youth-led satirical movement that began online on social media and has now moved to street demonstrations. The movement was founded by Abhijeet Dipke, a U.S.-based Indian student and strategist, after India’s Chief Justice reportedly referred to critics as “cockroaches” and “parasites” during a court hearing. Dipke and his supporters turned the insult into a symbol of survival, resilience and defiance, arguing that young people may be dismissed or dehumanised, but cannot be erased.
We spoke to participants at the protest site, which included not just the Gen Z but also millennials and older people, to know their motivations for joining this movement.
Inside Arunachal’s Systemic Corruption
From buying votes with lakhs of rupees during elections to contractors allegedly paying massive commissions to secure government projects, corruption runs deep across Arunachal Pradesh. Because Arunachal Pradesh shares an international border with China, the central government allocates huge funds for infrastructure and development. But where does that money really go?
This documentary explores how corruption in Arunachal is no longer limited to politicians or officials alone — many believe it has evolved into an entire system involving power, money, contractors, voters, and institutions meant to ensure accountability.
He Was a Naxal. Here's Why He Quit.
In this interview, Newsreel Asia's producer Gunjan Handa speaks to a former Naxal who once lived under multiple identities — Asan, Asin, Anil, Rajaram — names that were all part of his life inside the movement. As the Indian government claims major success in its mission to end Naxalism, this conversation goes beyond the headlines and statistics to explore the people behind the conflict. Why do individuals join such movements? What does life inside these groups actually look like? And what happens after surrender? From ideology and survival to state operations and rehabilitation, this interview offers a rare glimpse into one of India’s longest-running internal conflicts through the eyes of someone who experienced it from within.
Inside Arunachal’s Polygamy Problem - Part 2
In Part 2 of the story on polygamy among tribal communities in Arunachal Pradesh, Nada Nampi, now an advocate, speaks about the disturbing impact this practice has on women, children, families, and society at large. When she met her husband, who had also grown up in a broken family shaped by similar circumstances, she felt she had found someone who would understand her. But some social customs are inherited in ways that the very patterns people suffer under become the ones they carry forward; and Nampi did not realise when her biggest fear would become her own reality.
After Naxalism: What Do Tribals Fear Now? Part 2
As Amit Shah sets a March 2026 deadline to eliminate Naxalism, Newsreel Asia producer Gunjan Handa sits down with journalist Shubhranshu Choudhary, who has spent decades working in naxal-affected region. The conversation explores the road ahead — from integrating tribal communities into mainstream society to improving their economic conditions.
Has Naxalism in India Ended or Changed Form?Part 1
Is Maoism really ending in India? As Amit Shah sets a March 2026 deadline to eliminate Naxalism, journalist Shubhranshu Choudhary questions the narrative. While armed insurgency may be weakening, the deeper politics of land, dignity, and justice remain unresolved. From the Naxalbari uprising to Dandakaranya, Maoists once built trust among tribal communities. The conversation examines Salwa Judum, surrenders, internal fractures, and shifting aspirations.
Why State Has Monopoly Over Legitimate Violence
Why do we go to the police instead of taking revenge ourselves? Why does the court decide disputes instead of families settling them through force? The answer lies in the political science concept of “monopoly over legitimate violence.”
Tradition of Marrying More Than One Woman | Inside Arunachal’s Polygamy Problem
In Arunachal Pradesh, a predominantly tribal state known for its rich cultural heritage, certain traditional practices continue to shape everyday life. However, as conversations around rights, equality, and justice grow, many of these customs are being questioned. One such practice is polygyny—the system where a man can have more than one wife.
A Mother’s Journey of Raising an Autistic Child
Antara Dey Chowdhury was a Squadron Leader in the Indian Air Force when her life changed course. In 2012, after her son Kabir was diagnosed with autism, she made the difficult decision to leave her military career to care for him full-time.
Why Governments Limit Freedom in the Name of Security
Do governments really need to limit our freedom to keep us safe? In this episode, we break down the concept of security politics and how states define threats, justify extraordinary measures, and expand their powers in the name of protection.
Why We Don’t Act Together | The Collective Action Problem
Why do we all want better public services—clean air, safer roads, good schools, and accountable governance—yet fail to act together to achieve them?
Suffering in Silence: A Visual Retrospective of NRC in Assam
More than seven years after the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise concluded in Assam, the issue continues to appear in political debate across the country. The Election Commission (EC)’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has drawn comparisons with the NRC, although the Commission rejects those claims. This mini-documentary, filmed in Assam in 2018, captures the effects of the NRC on people living through the process at that time.
Why Is Punjab Becoming a Gangster Haven? Crime Journalist Answers
Punjab has long been known for its rich culture, music, and resilience. But in recent years, another narrative has been growing: the rise of gang culture. Newsreel Asia’s journalist Gunjan Handa interviewed Jupinderjit Singh on his new book, Gangs of Punjab: Guns, Greed and Girlfriends. In this interview, senior journalist and author Jupinderjit Singh joins us to unpack how and why this transformation has happened. He has also written the book 'Who Killed Moosewala?,' which investigates the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. Drawing from decades of reporting on crime and policing in Punjab, Jupinderjit Singh explains how gangs evolved in the state, how social media and diaspora networks have changed the dynamics, and why young men are increasingly getting pulled into this world. He also talks about the role of drugs, politics, policing challenges, and the influence of gangsters on Punjabi pop culture.
What Is a Constitution and Why It Matters
What is a Constitution, and why must every citizen understand it? In this episode of We the People by Newsreel Asia, we explain the meaning of a Constitution, how constitutionalism evolved from ancient law codes to modern democracy, and why the Indian Constitution remains central to protecting our rights, liberty and equality.
When Politicians Become Rulers in Democracy
In a democracy, power is meant to belong to citizens. Elected leaders and public officials hold authority only as a trust — to serve the public and remain accountable to it. But over time, that relationship can begin to feel reversed. In this episode of “We the People,” Surabhi Singh examines how a system built on representation can gradually start to feel like control.
Why Millions Stay Poor Despite Working Hard
If hard work alone could end poverty, the poorest people in the world would be the richest. Yet millions remain trapped in poverty for generations. Why? In this episode of Newsreel Asia’s explainer series “We the People,” Harshita Rathore examines why poverty cannot be reduced to individual effort or personal choices.
A Mother Who Lost Her Life: One Year of New Delhi Railway Station Stampede
On February 15, 2025, a deadly stampede took place at the New Delhi Railway Station. It was triggered by a sudden surge of passengers, fueled by delays to three trains, including a special train bound for the Maha Kumbh mela - projected as the world's biggest religious congregation - that was being held in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. One year on, students of Jamia Milia Islamia University revisit the family of Pinki Devi, who was one of the 18 victims who lost their lives in the tragic incident.