The Big Fight

The Gandhis have given up the Amethi seat and fielded a party loyalist from the seat. With this, for the first time in years, a non-Gandhi is contesting from Congress in Amethi. On the Big Fight, we debate, whether bastions have become the Achilles heel for politicians in the evolving political landscape of India.

A recent survey by Lokniti-CSDS delves into the political preferences of first-time voters. It was done in January. The data suggests that BJP has a substantial lead with 70 % support indicating a widespread belief among the first-time voters that the BJP is best suited for national governance. Are first-timers leaning towards PM Modi? Watch Big Fight.

In this week of The Big Fight with Marya Shakil, we discuss the BJP's dash of nationalism in 2024 campaign. The question we ask on the show tonight: "How strong are BJP's forts?" Let's debate.

In this edition of The Big Fight with Marya Shakil, we discuss the Electoral bonds theory. Electoral Bonds were to make the poll process transparent, instead they have been declared unconstitutional and arbitrary. The bonds allowed donors and parties to keep their association hidden from the public - only the State Bank of India could track the donations. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud set the tone for the verdict by stressing that "information about funding of political parties is essential for the effective exercise of the choice of voting". The question we ask, 'Can the relationship between Money and politics be ever transparent?'  

With just weeks to go before the general elections, women voters have taken centre stage again. There is competitive populism among political parties to woo this crucial vote bloc. Tonight, on this special episode of The Big Fight with Marya Shakil we have an all-women panel to decode how women are becoming the game-changers ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

On the show tonight, we decode the BJP Vs INDIA bloc - who is more battle-ready ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. While the BJP is leaving no stones unturned, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi paused his Nyay Yatra to speak at the Cambridge University. Let's decode.

Why are farmers protesting? What are their demands? The farmers, primarily from Punjab and Haryana, are seeking a legal guarantee on the minimum support price. The government has held four round of talks but has not made any headway. What is the solution to this problem? Watch The Big Fight. 

In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court has declared the Electoral bond Scheme - launched in 2018 with much fanfare - as unconstitutional. They violate the people's right to information and Article 14 of the Constitution guaranteeing equality. They also infringe upon the principle of free and fair elections as stipulated in the Constitution, the court argued. The Electoral Bond Scheme was launched in 2018 after a series of amendments to financial rules in 2016 and 2017. The petitioners argued that their effect was to enable political parties to not disclose contributions received through electoral bonds, allow companies to make unlimited funding, and not disclose the details of contributions made in any form. This has now been overturned. On The Big Fight, we ask, "Will the Supreme Court ruling clean up political funding in the country?"

India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States, this is how Article 1 of the Indian Constitution describes the country, underscoring the unity of India. That's how democracy was envisaged by the makers of our Constitution but over the last few months a strong north vs south narrative is playing out.  Three southern states - Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu - have reached Delhi to knock on the doors of the central government alleging discrimination in the federal funds allocated to states. The question we ask tonight on 'The Big Fight': What is the reality behind the fund allocation war?

The grand old party has taken a huge gamble ahead of 2024. It has decided that it will not attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. But the Congress isn't really united in its messaging of calling it an RSS-BJP event. In a country where faith is at the core of its population-defining identities, is this move a political harakiri or is the party speaking for 11 crore voters who voted for it in 2019?

The BJP and the Opposition have entered the New Year with clear focus on their areas of concern for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP juggernaut moved South and the Congress announced the second leg of Rahul Gandhi's yatra starting from Manipur. In the last few days some political developments indicate realignment or revisiting of past. On Big Fight, we decode the implications of these political developments on 2024. Who will rock the southern remix?

As we count down to the New Year with heightened anticipation of what the year holds for us, The Big Fight brings you 5 ideas that could shape the 2024. Watch here.

One hundred and forty-six Opposition MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha after protests in both Houses over the December 13 Parliament security breach. The mass suspension of MPs nearly emptied the Opposition benches. However, the government continued with its legislative business. The House had complete and total dominance of the treasury benches. What added to the acrimony was the row over a video of Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee mimicking Rajya Sabha chairman and VP Jagdeep Dhankhar that went viral. The last full session of the 17th Lok Sabha set the tone for the 2024 polls. Gloves are off and the narrative is set. Watch The Big Fight as we take a look at the implications of the winter session.

Glaring loopholes in parliament security and intelligence apparatus has come to the fore after an intrusion into the Parliament on Wednesday. December 13 also marked the 22nd anniversary of 2001 parliament attack. Two young men, Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D, jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber, shouting anti-establishment slogans and opened smoke canisters. Will accountability be fixed at the top for this massive security breach? Watch The Big Fight.   

One factor that has clearly emerged from the election results in the three states is that caste has not played a predictable role. But caste in its traditional way has been reimagined. As stage gets set for Mandal 2.0, we take a look at the aspiration vs representation debate.

The voting in the battle for five states ended after Telangana voted on 119 seats on Thursday. Which way is the wind blowing? Will the BJP-led NDA dominate? Or will the Congress emerge as a serious challenger? And how will it influence the Opposition bloc India? Experts discuss.

The five states going to polls this election season are being loosely and largely being called the semi-finals before the big Lok Sabha polls in 2024. Although history has it that it doesn't change or impact the Lok Sabha results. This time, like most recent elections, we saw the political discourse hit a new low with sharp personal attacks across the political spectrum. Has the campaign for the states set the political lexicon in the run up to the 2024 battle? Which narrative will win the battle for 2024?

Political parties are facing crucial state polls in five states and campaign blitzkrieg by various parties saw multiples issues take centerstage. It has been welfarism of state vs welfarism of center in some states as well. In this state of war who holds the trump card?

The Bihar Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a bill to increase reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and Extremely Backward Classes in state jobs and educational institutions to 65 per cent. This is well past the Supreme Court's 50 per cent cap. Other parties in the INDIA bloc including the Congress jumped on the bandwagon making caste census the calling card for opposition to counter the BJP ahead of 2024. In 2024, it will be interesting to see what the BJP does to counter this new caste challenge from the Opposition. That's what we debate on the Big Fight.

While the Indian Team is showing exceptional performance, many debate that whether or not it is the best Indian Team we ever had. India has seen legends of cricket making a global mark. On the Big Fight, with experts and former cricketers, we discuss if it is just a winning streak or is it really best Indian team we ever had?

On The Big Fight, as the world witnesses the devastation in the Israel-Hamas war and the realignment in its trajectory, the big question - can the international community establish a ceasefire and bring in peace. A special discussion on where the West, Arab World and India in particular stand on the Israel-Hamas war.

Last week, Election Commission announced dates for five state polls. BJP has released candidate lists for Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. While Vasundhara Raje Scindia's loyalists haven't been given a ticket in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan got ticket only in the fourth list. What is BJP's gameplan in these crucial state polls and how is this going to affect Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Vasundhara Raje Scindia?

This week saw the arrest of AAP MP Sanjay Singh and 'Newsclick' founder Prabir Purkayastha. These events have triggered a political conversation around whether the BJP-led government is using central probe agencies as tools of political vendetta.

The BJP has so far fielded seven of its Lok Sabha members - three of them Union Ministers - for the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. The party is yet to release its candidates' list for Rajasthan, where it is likely to field MPs and Union Ministers on seats not their stronghold. Will BJP's gamble work?

This week, India scripted history by passing the Women's Reservation Bill. This bill offered the opposition to come together against the BJP with their demand for quota within quota for OBC women. Ahead of the 2024 polls, the issue of reservation for OBC women is crucial. Who is winning the OBC narrative -the I.N.D.I.A. bloc or NDA?

The special five-day session of Parliament will start on Monday. The announcement was made when opposition alliance was meeting in Mumbai, hence there were allegations of this being a headline-management exercise. Is the special session usual politics?

The opposition's INDIA alliance will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election "together as far as possible", the bloc said today, the final day of its meeting in Mumbai. The wording of the INDIA alliance's resolution, however, has sparked questions over how united the alliance really is.

In a surprise move, the BJP released its first list of candidates for Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh elections months before poll dates were announced for the states. This comes after BJP faced a defeat in Karnataka. Will change in BJP's poll strategy work?

The monsoon session of parliament is over. The opposition moved a no-trust motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an attempt to make him speak on Manipur violence. The goverment treated this opportunity to launch its 2024 election campaign.

Rajya Sabha MP and AAP leader Raghav Chadha said the BJP-ruled Centre can bring legislations similar to the Delhi services bill for other non-BJP states. Speaking to NDTV, he said the bill was the "most unconstitutional legislation ever". YSRCP and BJD's decision to support the bill in Lok Sabha was out of compulsion, we added.

The Lok Sabha passed the much-debated controversial Delhi services bill on Thursday. While AAP and several opposition parties called it unconstitutional and an attack on Indian democracy, the BJP differed and said services in Delhi have always been under the centre's ambit. On The Big Fight, we discuss if the bill is a constitutional cover for a political act.

The opposition moved the no confidence motion in Lok Sabha this week. If we look at the numbers, NDA, with over 300 seats,  is very comfortable as far as winning any form of trust vote is concerned. The opposition says it has no option but to move the motion to force Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on Manipur in parliament. So, technically opposition will end up losing the trust vote but they may end up winning in getting the PM Modi on the floor of the house. In this battle of narratives, will this 'Baazigar' movement help the I.N.D.I.A. alliance's position?

This week saw the birth of I.N.D.I.A., which is an alliance of 26 opposition parties. Can I.N.D.I.A rid itself of its inner contradictions and beat 39-party strong NDA in 2024?

The Opposition's key meeting will be held next week in Bengaluru after being postponed. This time, the meeting will be attended by 24 parties as opposed to the 17 who attended the first huddle in Patna on June 23. Can these 24 parties beat PM Modi and the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha election?

Past week has been about Ajit Pawar's betrayal and Sharad Pawar's reiteration that he is the face of NCP. Amid this Maharashtra crisis, opposition unity is of utmost importance. Can opposition unity brave the Maharashtra storm? Has BJP struck opposition unity in its early stages?

PM Modi has endorsed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and a political war has erupted over it. The UCC has always been on BJP's agenda. With 2024 Lok Sabha elections coming up next year, is this the BJP's next big poll move?

The first big and sincere meet of opposition parties took place in Patna on Friday. Players who one often thought will never come together were seen on the same stage. The objective: a united front against the BJP in 2024. Some parties were absent. The most important question now - can it happen in 2024? On the Big Fight tonight, Opposition Unity: Will there be a meeting of minds?

With the Law Commission of India issuing a public notice asking for a cross-section of opinions on the Uniform Civil Code, one of the most contentious themes in India's history, has come back into sharp focus. On the Big Fight tonight, is it time for India to have a Uniform Civil Code?

The Congress government in Karnataka is looking at ways to review or undo changes to textbooks brought in by the earlier BJP government - though the government has made it clear that the printed books will not be withdrawn, it says a separate booklet will be sent to all schools which may have new chapters along with guidelines. The BJP has threatened a protest if chapters related to Savarkar and RSS founder Hedgewar are removed or edited.

The political war over the inauguration of India's new parliament has escalated, particularly over the legacy of an independence-era sceptre called the 'Sengol' and whether it symbolised the transfer of power when it was handed over to India's first PM, Jawaharlal Nehru.

After a clean sweep in the Karnataka elections, dodging challenges of infighting, can congress emerge victorious in 2024? Watch The Big Fight.

In the final, hectic leg of campaigning ahead of the May 10 assembly polls, the BJP and the Congress go head-to-head, leaving no stone unturned to emerge victorious in Karnataka. The latest flashpoint being the Congress in its Manifesto promising to ban Bajrang Dal in Karnataka.

With Karnataka elections inching closer, the battle for the southern state gets hotter. Congress and BJP have resorted to sharp tactics. With a tough fight between the two, can JDS be the kingmaker? 

For three days straight, arguments continued in the Supreme Court over legalisation of same sex marriage. While the Centre called it an "urban-elitist" concept, the Chief Justice of India said, "The act of decriminalising homosexuality contemplates same-sex marriage-like relationships. These relationships are not just physical but more of a stable, emotional relationship." On The Big Fight, we take on the question, is India ready for same sex marriage?

A week after Sharad Pawar's shocker, the opposition is picking the pieces once again to forge an alliance ahead of 2024. The big question is - will it work?

On BJP's 43rd Anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack at the Congress using the word 'Badshahi', a word that usually refers to one with a feudal mindset. If this is going to be the narrative of the BJP with the 2024 mega polls ahead, then whose 'Badshahi' narrative will work on the ground? Watch The Big Fight.

Rahul Gandhi's disqualification has resulted in a rare show of opposition unity. Has this crisis for congress created a window of opportunity for the opposition. Will this unity be put to test in the upcoming Karnataka polls?  

This week saw the disqualification of Congress' Rahul Gandhi after a Surat court convicted him in a 2019 defamation case. Politically, we see both the BJP and the Congress starting their messaging campaign ahead of 2024 polls. The big question on The Big Fight is, whose message will deliver in 2024?  

Amidst the standoff in Parliament between the government and the opposition - more importantly the Congress - there was another flash point today. Ironically, in the middle of the ruckus and political noise, the House went silent for almost 20 minutes. No, this wasn't the House suddenly in order. After five days of continuous logjam, the question is: who is benefitting from this - the BJP or the Congress? 

There is some kind of raid either by Enforcement Directorate, CBI or Income Tax almost every week. These result in allegations that these raids are politically motivated to deplete the opposition. On Big Fight, we discuss if central probe agencies are being used to disarm the opposition and if there are double standards when it comes to cases against BJP leaders

After BJPs win in the northeast, there are six more state elections in the year 2023. With the 2024 Lok Sabha elections coming up next year do the 2023 results give a hint of what's going to happen in 2024?

Political parties, regional and national are buckling up for the 2024 polls and the common aim of the opposition is defeating the BJP. But with the divide and division can the Opposition make a mark in 2024? Watch The Big Fight as we take on this question.

It's been a war of words in the Parliament -- be it the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. From Prime Minister Narendra Modi's powerful rebuttal to the Opposition, to points from Opposition's speeches getting expunged. The game plan for the mega 2024 polls seems to be set. But who will win this narrative war? Watch The Big Fight.

On The Big Fight, we discuss the Union Budget 2023 with experts on issues ranging from MNREGA's slashed budgetary allocation to budgetary focus on capital investment.

Two days after Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University dramatically cut off power and electricity to the campus to prevent students from screening the controversial BBC series on PM Narendra Modi, students from two other top universities in the national capital -- Delhi University and Ambedkar University -- faced similar treatment from university administration and the police. Large gatherings were banned outside DU's Arts Faculty, where a screening was planned, and authorities disconnected the power supply in Ambedkar University to stop another planned screening. A group of students raised slogans and protested at both universities, and several of them were detained by the police. Meanwhile, in Kolkata, protests were staged by SFI students. The screening was held done in Madras University.

Athletes are protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding the Wrestling Federation of India to be disband completely. Sports stars who have made India proud at the international level are alleging that WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh sexually harassed players. This is not the first time such a scandal has come out in the open. The question is, is it time for athlete-driven sports associations in India? 

The Uttarakhand government will probe if power firm NTPC is responsible for the sinking of land in Joshimath. Eight institutes will investigate the cause of subsidence in the Himalayan town and carrying capacity of all hilly areas will be checked. The key decisions were made at a Cabinet meet to assess the situation in the "sinking" town. This as the people affected by the land subsidence in the key Himalayan town struggle to cope with their daily lives. Who is responsible for this human suffering?

Amit Shah announced that Ram Mandir in Ayodhya will be ready on January 1, 2024. He also hit out at the Congress for the delay caused for the Ram Mandir. The big question: is the Ram Mandir opening being used for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls? 

The India-China border tension dominated the proceedings in parliament throughout the week. The opposition alleged that the centre is stonewalling every effort at answering queries on what is happening along the Line of Actual Control, or LAC. All this comes within days of the Tawang clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers. With no breakthrough with the 17th round of talks, will there ever be a 100 per cent return to the status quo before 2020?

Bollywood Stars Shahrukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan spoke about negativity on social media and Censorship. This comes amidst Pathaan controversy which was triggered by Narottam Mishra, Home Minister of Madhya Pradesh. Now, this has not been the first time that 'Boycott Calls' are there for a movie. On Big Fight, we ask, is Bollywood finally countering super censorship?

The elections are over, and it was a win-win situation for all -- the BJP, AAP, Congress, Samajwadi Party and RLD. But do these results send a larger message ahead of 2024 or is it just a passing phase? Watch The Big Fight as debate the key question.

The polls for Gujarat have reached the fever pitch, as phase two of the elections are yet to take place. While on one hand political parties are holding the longest rallies, Congress says it is keeping its campaign low key. But the question is, will the incumbents return or will there be a big surprise in the Gujarat elections.

It is a full-out campaign war in Gujarat as the state heads for the second phase of voting in the assembly election. While the BJP and the AAP are holding rallies across the state, the Congress says it's keeping its campaigns low key. As Congress continues its campaign without its star campaigner late Ahmed Patel, his daughter and Congress leader Mumtaz Patel speaks to NDTV about the party's chances of winning or even making an impact in the polls.

Rahul Gandhi stoked a controversy with is remarks on VD Savarkar. While his rant rattled the BJP, it has also offended its ally, the Shiv Sena of the Uddhav Thackeray faction. While the Uddhav camp has condemned Rahul Gandhi's remarks, the leaders of the Uddhav faction have hinted that the remarks may even cost the Congress the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance.

Noted journalist and author of 'The Last Heroes', P Sainath speaks to NDTV exclusively about the need to chronicle the stories of foot soldiers of the Indian freedom movement. He also takes on the stories and controversies surrounding VD Savarkar and Tipu Sultan. He says, "One can pick their own Savarkar, but must not forget the foot soldiers."

The BJP has unleashed its mission Gujarat and has hit top gear with the PM as the campaigning face. In eight days, the PM will attend 25 rallies, one rally each for three constituencies. The BJP has announced 40 star campaigners for the Gujarat polls. On The Big Fight, we discuss how should one view this, is this a sign of nervousness given that there is a new challenger in AAP or is this just the BJP style of going into a contest.

Rajiv Gandhi's killers will now walk free. Parties in Tamil Nadu say it is only natural this happened and the Gandhis seem to have forgiven the killers, but Congress has taken a divergent and aggressive stand on the issue. On The Big Fight, we discuss what explains Sonia Gandhi's own party taking a view different than the Gandhis.  

As the Air Quality continues to get worse by the day, capital city Delhi is converting into a 'Gas Chamber' and now this has put lives of several children and adults at risk.  While the public awaits a permanent solution to deal with this recurring issue, the political blame-game continues.

Arvind Kejriwal has asked for gods and goddesses on currency notes. From the BJP to the AAP, is the Gujarat election now centred around the Hindu card?

We have lost the count on the number of shows we have done on the growing hate in this country. Hate for profit, hate for votes, hate for validation, hate for TV anchors and so on - this is not just a group of people just rambling on and on, because the Supreme Court shares the concern. A big thank you to our judges for acknowledging that something somewhere has gone seriously wrong in society and needs fixing. So far, the Supreme Court was always seen to be making sharp observations but they never found mention in the order and a lot of lawyers started asking - whether it even amounts to something or not, but now the Supreme Court has called for suo moto action on hate by the police. And if that is not done, it will be considered a contempt of court. The nation could not have asked for a better Diwali present from the courts. Will this at least start the process of ending hate?

From hate speeches by a BJP MP and an MLA in Delhi to a mob attack at a mosque in Gurugram by right-wing goons, a hate wave has gripped the country. With no punitive action or punishment for spewing hate and flouting the rule of law, and political silence at the very top of the establishment, the hate brigade has been further emboldened. What will it take to turn the rising hate tide in the country?

Author Amish Tripathi speaks to NDTV about his latest book, War of Lanka. On the lines of religion, sensitivity and hate, he also takes on the latest controversies surrounding the film 'Adipurush' and an ad by a bank starring Aamir Khan and Kiara Advani.  

The rupee hurtled to an all-time low of 82.3 against the dollar on Friday amid other bleak economic cues - service growth at a 6-month low, price rise, widespread unemployment and India's growth forecast slashed by the RBI and the World Bank. Although the government depicts a rosy picture of the economy, tonight on The Big Fight, we ask what role these economic headwinds play, especially right ahead of the key 2024 general elections.

Rajiv Kumar, former chairman NITI Aayog, said the Indian economy is that not isolated from all that's happening in the global economy. "We know that this is unprecedented synchronised downturn in the global economy that is taking place. But we probably are one bright spot in the global environment. We remain a very good story as far as foreign investors are concerned and as far as global economy observers are concerned," he said. On the question of fiscal deficit, he said GST revenues are buoyant and that the government has enough fiscal space. To balance out the Current Account Deficit, he said is required is far bigger focus on how to push out exports

Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram today said the BJP government cannot just blame "external factors" for price rise, and that India's growth forecast "will be slashed further" if no steps are taken. "The only one who seems to be happy about the economy is the government. I call it whistling in the dark" he jibed, adding, "Everybody else has predicted serious headwinds."

Elections to the post of the Congress President have dominated the headlines all of this week. Internal party election have been as exciting as a general election. It has seen everything from revolt, retraction, apology, anger, suspense, twist, last minute additions and pull-outs. But at the end, it is a contest between Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge. But even here, there is an interesting story. Mr Kharge's last minute candidature is being seen as an official entry. Images from the party HQ of his nomination also make it seem that he has the blessings of the high command. If we see  images of Mr Tharoor's nomination, bit of an 'Ekla Chalo' moment for him. He was full of ideas in his press conference. But it was clear where the support lies. So, then what does one make of these elections? Fixed match? Contest? Foregone conclusion?

Senior Leader of the Congress and Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Singhvi speaks exclusively to Sanket Upadhyay on The Big Fight about Mallikarjun Kharge announcing his nomination on the last day and clears the air on whether he is backed by Gandhis or not.

Supreme Court pulled up TV news channels for propagating hate just to gain TRP.  The court said that it is the anchor's duty to intervene at the right time. NDTV's motto has always been 'no hate for profit'. On The Big Fight, India's longest-running debate Show, we discuss with journalists, politicians and lawyers about whether court guidelines are the only solution to stop the nuisance happening on TV channels.

"The Modi government has maintained a clean image. They (opposition) tried a lot to malign the BJP. They tried to do that with the Rafale issue, but Narendra Modi has a clean image. His image is that of a person that works 24x7. Rahul Gandhi goes abroad 5 days every month," Sushil Modi, senior BJP leader, said.  

The battle for 2024 is now on. All camps have sprung into action. The BJP has set a target of mission 350 seats. On the other hand, Nitish Kumar says the BJP will only manage 50. Let's discuss what is in store for both sides.

Two years to go for the general elections, the opposition's strategy remains unclear. Nitish Kumar has put up posters in Patna. AAP is expanding its footprint in Himachal and Gujarat. KCR has started the efforts of getting all opposition leaders together. A consensus remains elusive.

"We saw how the Prime Minister, I think for the first time in his political life shed tears in Parliament for Ghulam Nabi Azad. So we know there is a soft corner there. We know there is some kind of jugalbandi happening there...We've known Ghulam Nabi Azad and his proximity to PM Modi. Everybody is free to have these kind of relationships. Fair enough. But if they start talking in the same language then obviously there is something happening," said Congress's Pawan Khera on Ghulam Nabi Azad's suggestion of a "Congress Jodo Yatra" before the party undertakes Bharat Jodo Yatra.

National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah today said Ghulam Nabi Azad's letter resigning from the Congress reflects his pain and anguish. He said the need is of a "strong opposition and the Congress can give that."

Veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned from the party on Friday. Azad wrote a 5-page letter blasting Rahul Gandhi for "childish behaviour", "glaring immaturity" and for letting a "coterie of inexperienced sycophants" run the party. We discuss with our panelists what awaits Congress in the aftermath of recent exits.

Bilkis Bano has said that she was bereft of words when her rapists were set free by the Gujarat government. On August 15, 11 convicts were released free from a Godhra jail after the government granted them release under its remission policy. In this discussion, we look at the horror that follows Bilkis Bano after her rapists were released. We also discuss with experts the legal options that Bilkis has.

India celebrates 75 years of Independence this year. Has nationalism's definition changed over the years? There are some who suggest India is championing democracy on the global stage and muffling it at home. Others say India is the mother of democracy. On The Big Fight, we discuss whether waving the national flag and chest-thumping are the only way to display patriotism.

The past few weeks have seen the powers of the Enforcement Directorate or ED, a political battle around it, a Supreme Court judgment on it and subsequent ED overdrive. The opposition alleges that this is ED's political action against opponents. While all of this was happening, the Congress decided to shift gears on Friday. The party planned a mega black Friday protest where senior leaders wearing black clothes, led by the Gandhis, were seen battling it out on the streets. By the evening, the BJP added a spin to the saga, with Amit Shah saying this is Congress' appeasement tactics. That they chose to wear black clothes on a day when 2 years ago, the foundation stone was laid for the Ram Temple. One thing is very clear that the political battle for 2024 has begun. But on The Big Fight, we ask a broader and a fundamental question - is the opposition fighting an existential battle?

Trinamool MP Derek O'Brien says "It is clearly in the rules, it is the government's responsibility but we have a government which doesn't want Parliament to run, and they are the cause for all these disruptions. You mentioned the names of Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Vajpayee, great parliamentarians whose ideology I did not share but there was so much to learn from them. What have we come to today? The only beneficiaries of Parliament not running is the BJP."

It is turning out to be quite a monsoon wash out in the Parliament. The week gone by saw 27 MPs suspended for creating a ruckus in Parliament. Even as this suspension saga continues, with MPs spending the night at the Mahatma Gandhi statue inside the Parliament, the government too started disrupting the house. An erring Adhir Ranjan and his utterances for the President drew the ire of BJP MPs. The Congress MP called the new President 'Rashtrapatni'. He then later issued an apology, but along the sidelines, a Smriti Irani-Sonia Gandhi spat began. Each party is giving out their own version of what happened.

The cross-voting in the presidential elections may not have dramatically affected the elections, but it has definitely sent a message to the opposition.  An analysis of state-wise data shows that cross-voting happened in favour of Droupadi Murmu. So, the big question is: where does this leave the idea of opposition unity?

The rupee is sliding, now it has touched 80 against a dollar. There are political arguments and then there are economic arguments, and we discuss all of them on the Big Fight. We will also ask the four big questions that arise as a consequence of this rupee slide.

Debating, giving opinions on religion is becoming increasingly difficult day by day.  You could be interpreted in a way that could land you in a lot of trouble, or worse, in jail. In recent days, the aforementioned issue has come to the fore with people reacting violently in real life as well as on social media. This debate sheds light on the issue.

The Udaipur hate terror act has left a nation in shock. A family bereaved. Absolutely no one in their right mind can justify this act of terror. It is now also coming to light that the perpetrators were extremely radicalized terrorists. Who chose an ISIS like killing method, even bought a bike with the numbers 2611. As those investigations are still on, a Supreme Court hearing on Friday was on in which Nupur Sharma petitioned the court to transfer all hate FIRs against her to Delhi. The Big Fight today is asking, who started this fire? And who will put it out?

As the Maharashtra crisis is unfolding every day, a quick perspective from our panel on the new twists and turns being witnessed each moment.

There have been massive protests over the Agnipath recruitment scheme. Dozens of trains, BJP offices, MLAs' homes have been attacked. It appears that what began as a recruitment program in the armed forces, has now turned out into massive law and order concern. Government introduced some changes last night; the one-time upper age relaxation from 21 to 23 years. The government says that this scheme is beneficial for agniveers. On Big Fight we explore the workings of Agnipath scheme in India.

Last week, the utterances of BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal created an international uproar. The BJP took action against the, but since then another polarised debate on hate has begun. Today's show is a little different though. All this started because hate has become normalised on TV news. We call this the hate for profit media fix match. The impact to the society is devastating. So, while we take action against motormouths, how about reigning in hate for profit media? in the name of free speech, should hate debates and hate news be normalised? a casual abuse here or there, a casual slap here or there, a casual insult, why? Nip it in the bud. End the fix match in the hate for profit media.

Protests broke out after Friday prayers in several cities over former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's remarks on the Prophet. But while protesters dispersed in most places, in others like Ranchi and Prayagraj there was violence and clashes were reported. Can violence over someone's verbal remarks ever be justified?

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has repeated his position on Kashi and Mathura, saying the RSS will not be a part of any such movement as its main job is character building. However, this time, he went a step further, saying why look for a 'shivling' in every mosque? Apart from a message to the RSS cadre and people in general, this could be a strong message to BJP leaders as well, as both Yogi Adityanath and Keshav Maurya have been at the forefront in terms of commenting on Kashi and Mathura. While the central leadership is trudging more cautiously, is this some sort of a strategy we do not know about? Or will the BJP actually follow the words of Mr Bhagwat?