The Buck Stops Here

They are a bunch of unlikely heroes but they are fighting one of the most critical battles of our times, the battle against fake news. The vicious cycle of fake news, manufactured outrage and increased polarisation is now spilling out of social media into the real world in the form of violence, including most recently in Bengal's Basirhat where a morphed image of the Kaaba sparked off communal tension and then more fake images were used to fuel further tension. We explore how fake news and fake news websites are identified, and why fact checking has become one of the most important things media can do in the age of post-truth and alternative news.

It is truly a great time for Indian cricket. Our women cricketers are the toast of the nation. Yes, it is true that they didn't win the World Cup but they lost by just a few runs. But it is clear now that, finally, Indian women's cricket has some of the star following that Indian men's cricket enjoys. Stereotypes have been shattered, as India finally celebrates the successes of a young generation of potentially world-beating Indian women cricketers.

A Mumbai RJ, Malishka, sings a parody song criticising the Mumbai municipality over potholes in the city... and wow! What a reaction! The Shiv Sena, which runs the BMC, threatens her radio network with a Rs 500 crore defamation suit. Malishka herself is charged by the municipality for apparently breeding mosquitos in her home. Social media is livid; so is the Shiv Sena who says Malishka is killing the international image of the city. Is this really about potholes in the city or is this about the freedom of expression, something we used to take for granted in this country?

As Parliament's monsoon session got down to business today it started raining controversies - an incensed Mayawati has handed her resignation from the Rajya Sabha to the Vice President. She said if she doesn't have the right to speak about Dalits and rising atrocities against them she has no right to sit in the house. Was this a legitimate reaction or, as some have put it, an attempt to stay politically relevant? Mayawati's Dalit support base is heavily eroded and her position as the country's pre-eminent Dalit leader is in peril.

As he filed his nomination papers, the Opposition's vice-presidential candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi justified his efforts to save Yakub Memon, a convict in the Mumbai blast case from the gallows. He said that the practice of capital punishment was medieval and wrong. In response to criticism from the NDA, particularly the Shiv Sena, Mr Gandhi said Mahatma Gandhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar were his inspiration and they were against death penalty and wanted it abolished.

There is another twist in the battle for Bengal with the BJP launching its #SaveBengal campaign. As BJP leaders accuse Mamata Banerjee of allowing 'jihadis' to take over Bengal, her government is accusing the centre of an out-and-out conspiracy fuelled by fake news and inflammatory posts. With 11 communal flare-ups since October last year, what has gone wrong in Bengal that prided itself on being above ethnic, communal and caste violence?

President Donald Trump is the closest he has ever come to being impeached according to analysts in Washington. It is Trump's son this time who is the cause of the trouble because Trump Jr has now admitted that he met with Russians to get information against Hillary Clinton.

A day after the terror attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims, The Buck Stops Here travels to Srinagar to get you exclusive details of the Kashmir terror network. Can such attacks be prevented? What are the security solutions that exist?

In the wake of the #NotInMyName campaign, we debate Masuka, or the Manav Suraksha Kanoon, which is now an online petition drafted by a handful of distinguished citizens including actor Swara Bhaskar. On The Buck Stops Here, we discuss, do campaigns like these essentially appeal to a small segment of highly educated city people or can these movements be truly national in character?

The biggest ever seizure of the narcotic drug LSD in Hyderabad brings home some scary truths - drug use in our cities is not restricted to street children. Educated children are some of the biggest victims. In fact, a study found that one-third of juveniles who use these substances live at homes and attend schools. On The Buck Stops Here, we debate: Is the drug problem progressively getting out of control among school children in our big cities?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu talked of "shared priorities" and a partnership that "can help global peace and stability," after holding back-to-back meetings over four hours and signing seven deals, including pacts on agriculture and water management. PM Modi invited the Israeli Prime Minister and his wife to India and Mr Netanyahu immediately accepted the offer. This is the first visit to Israel by an Indian Prime Minister. After their meetings the two leaders met Moshe, the Israeli child who as a toddler survived the 2008 terror attack at a Jewish centre in Mumbai. Moshe, now 11, read out a welcome note for PM Modi, saying "Dear Mr Modi, I love you."

On The Buck Stops Here, we look at the deep communal faultlines in West Bengal where communal clashes or political violence seems to be a defining feature, particularly over the last one year. Also on the show, the big takeaways from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Israel visit.

Al Jazeera, one of the few media organisations that reports independently from the West Asian region, has responded strongly to demands that it be shut down. The demand was part of a 13-point charter given to Qatar, where the channel has its headquarters by Saudi Arabia and its allies as the price for lifting their almost three-week-long diplomatic blockade of that country. So how and why has Al Jazeera got embroiled in the middle of what's being seen as the worst diplomatic crisis in West Asia since Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990? In a video, Al Jazeera has said any call for closing down or obstructing access its channels is an attempt to silence freedom of expression. (video courtesy:Aljazeera)

Hugs, handshakes and greetings in Hebrew and Hindi marked the big welcome for Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he landed in Tel Aviv and was received by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a visit that is being described as being of unprecedented importance. In a big departure from the past, PM Modi is not doing a balancing act by visiting Palestine. So have India-Israel ties finally come out of the closet?

Activists are up in arms after essentials for people with disabilities like hearing aids, braille books and wheelchairs will be taxed between five and 18 per cent under the new GST regime. Why tax disability, they say, when the government talks so much about inclusion? Now Rahul Gandhi has added his voice to those protests, tweeting that his Congress demands a full roll back of what amounts to a 'disability tax' that will put millions of differently-abled Indians through further hardship.

Buying property is the biggest financial decision you may make in your life. Now that GST is a reality, is there going to be an increase in property prices? What about those who are halfway through paying their dues, looking for property rentals, or living in housing societies? Experts gauge the impact of GST on the real estate sector.

"Killing humans in the name of protecting the cow is wrong": A strong, passionate message from the Prime Minister. But is the Prime Minister's message too little too late? Another man is murdered by a mob whose members said they were trying to stop cattle thieves. When will this madness end?

On a day when the Army Chief visited his troops in Sikkim, there was a fresh warning from China telling India to withdraw soldiers from the disputed Dokala plateau. The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson warned India 'don't let the situation escalate.'

The Home Ministry has made it clear that the Delhi Golf Club objecting to the presence of a woman from the Northeast apparently on the basis of what she was wearing - which happened to be her traditional dress - was unacceptable and a racist attack. In its response, the Delhi Golf Club says this issue shouldn't have a broader political spin. On The Buck Stops Here, we debate: is this about dress code or is it class discrimination?

The 'Buck Stops Here' travels to the Mecca of Indian Badminton - the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad. This is the academy that's churning out world class shuttlers - Kidambi Srikanth, PV Sindhu, HS Prannoy, Saina Nehwal to name a few. What makes this academy run? How is it that India is producing so many top class badminton talents? Is this the best time for Indian badminton? We speak to super coach Pullela Gopichand and superstar shuttlers HS Prannoy, P Kashyap and Sameer Verma.

Pakistan attempted once again to send in its Border Action Team across the Line of Control on Thursday but the major attack was foiled in the Poonch sector. Two Pakistan Border Action Team members were killed in a firefight with Indian jawans and a third one escaped back across the Line of Control. Two Indian soldiers died during the initial exchange of fire.

The internet shutdown in Darjeeling has not stopped outrage from spreading over the death of three Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters in Saturday's clashes with police. In Sikkim, Trinamool's state chief quit the party and the ruling SDF reiterated support for Gorkhaland. Mamata Banerjee, meanwhile, called for calm, saying 'Don't play with fire' today.

From football to cricket, women in Kashmir are proving that sports is among the best unifying factors as an all-girls state-level cricket team played an exhibition match, captained by legendary Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist.

It's arguably the best thing India gave to the world. Yoga, practised through the ages as a miracle exercise for overall well-being, has become not only very profitable as an industry the world over but it also has become very political. World Yoga Day is coming up on the 21st and when the first one was observed in 2015, it was hailed as a major international achievement by the government. While Yoga Day has been relatively controversy free after the first year, the Ayush Ministry has again gotten into trouble over a pre-yoga day briefing in which a booklet was handed out which advised pregnant women to 'avoid lust and non-veg' and 'practice spiritual thoughts'.

He's wanted by India for defaulting on loans worth Rs 9,000 crores, but when Vijay Mallya had his day in court today, he hadn't lost that swag. The liquor baron was accompanied by his son to a very brief hearing which lasted under 30 minutes. Vijay Mallya came out confident, saying that there was enough evidence to prove his case. Is Mallya right or is it just bluster against a water-tight CBI case?

The Mamata Banerjee government is battling its latest challenge in the hills of West Bengal. Protests started in Darjeeling last week over fears that the state government was forcing the Bengali language on schools in the hills. Even the army was deployed after stone-throwers clashed with the police. The West Bengal government has clarified that Bengali would not be compulsory from Class 1 to 10 in schools in North Bengal. But the protest has escalated into a demand for a separate state, Gorkhaland. What started out as an education policy issue has turned into a political challenge for Ms Banerjee.

As the headlines focus on Rahul Gandhi's theatrical journey, cut short before he could reach Mandsaur, where five farmers lost their lives in police firing and on the government accusing the Congress party of orchestrating protests, has politics drowned out the very real issue of farmer distress? Can loan waivers be the solution? Can India see beyond political platitudes, when it comes to the farm crisis?

As the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh struggles to stop the violent farmer protests in the state, the Prime Minister held a top level meeting today. five farmers were shot during a protest on Tuesday and since then farmers in Mandsaur, Dewas and Neemuch have taken to the roads burning and stoning vehicles. The opposition has alleged that PM Modi's government has no strategy to help farmers and Rahul Gandhi plans to be in Mandsaur on Thursday. As the blame game begins, has politics overtaken farmer distress?

A month ago Kashmiri schoolgirls had hit the headlines throwing stones at police vans in Srinagar. Among them was Afshan Ashiq, footballer and coach. Her photograph became emblematic of the frustration and despair of youth in the valley, but that's an image Afshan is determined to change. She is now coaching Kashmir's first all-girls football team. She talks about how she is trying to create a better Kashmir for young boys and girls, in her own little way.

Former Environment Minister and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh talks to NDTV about his book on Indira Gandhi's environment legacy. He tells NDTV that the former PM's passion for nature resulted in political action and that she was an ecological pioneer. He also talks about range of political issues, including a leadership change in the Congress, the present government's controversial ban on cattle sale for slaughter and the burning question of Kashmir.

"A few Biharis are spoiling our image," Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said in response to reports of large scale irregularities in the Class 12 exams. Almost 65% students failed the board examinations this year, the worst result in nearly two decades. That's not all, this year's arts topper Ganesh Kumar is now in jail after it was revealed that he was 42 years old and had forged his age documents to appear for a board exam he should have taken 20 years ago. This is the second year in a row that a "topper scam" has plagued Bihar's class 12 examinations. Last year, arts topper Ruby Rai had failed to answer basic questions and described political science as related to cooking. From fake toppers to record failures, from mass cheating to money laundering charges against the exam board chairman, what is ailing the education system in Bihar and can the government duck responsibility?

Among the many incredible things that the retiring Rajasthan High Court Judge MC Sharma said on Wednesday his explanation for why the peacock was India's national bird was perhaps the most curious. India's national bird he said doesn't mate, but produces offspring with its tears. That remark has produced much hilarity on social media, in the last 36 hours but hilarity aside, should comments like this from a High Court judge worry us?

Just a day after BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Union Minister Uma Bharti were charged by a Lucknow court with conspiracy to demolish the Babri Masjid in 1992, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was in Ayodhya today, first visit by a UP chief minister to the disputed Ramjanamabhumi site in 15 years. While he said the temple would be built after talks, he also added, many Muslim bodies favour handing over the disputed land to Hindus to build the temple. Is the BJP keeping the mandir port simmering?

A PHD student at IIT Madras has been thrashed for participating in a beef festival organised to protest the centre's ban on cattle trade for slaughter. After mob violence in the name of cow protection around the country, is beef the new campus flashpoint? The major bone of contention, the government's new cattle trade rules that effectively ban slaughter, has now been put on hold in Tamil Nadu for a month by a Madras High Court ruling. Is this just a temporary setback or will the government now back down?

The CBSE and ISC Class 12 results are out and the toppers of the two boards have scored 99.6% and 99.5% respectively. Toppers, teachers, career counsellors and other stakeholders debate whether high marks are the only yardstick of success. Has the system become self-defeating with too many high scorers translating into sky-high college cutoffs? Isn't it time we look at life beyond board exams?

As the Modi government turns three, Union Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Badal speaks to NDTV about the hits and misses of the NDA government. "We have put the country on the right path," she said but the challenge for the government is going to be "to actually ensure that our policies translate into insulating our country from what is going on globally as far as maybe joblessness or slow growth is concerned". Commenting on the Amarinder Singh government in Punjab, she said that the state has gone from "no power cuts" to "10-12 cuts each and every day". "He wants to sell it (power) to Pakistan," she said. In a damning allegation against Amarinder Singh, she said, "Everybody knows what VIP Pakistanis is being taken care by state government in Punjab" and added, "if you have got a Pakistan connected family staying in the CM's residence...living in that house makes you privy to many things which people outside that house are not privy to."

What does it mean to be a young Kashmiri soldier in the Indian Army? More often than not, the images coming from Kashmir are of young men picking up stones to throw at security forces. Less often we hear of the 1,500 boys who join the Army annually. Regimental pride is immense, but they live in fear of what could happen to their families. The Lt General in charge of defending the Line of Control, in his first TV interview, talks about terror launchpads across the Line of Control becoming active once again and how the Indian Army keeps adopting new techniques to keep them at bay.

The General commanding the Army's critical 15 Corps in Kashmir has dismissed Pakistani threats that India would pay heavily for any aggression along the Line of Control or LoC. Lt General JS Sandhu, who oversees the defences of 400 kilometres of the Line of Control in Kashmir, says "these are inflated statements" by Pakistan.

The Indian Army has struck back hard after two Indian soldiers were beheaded earlier this month. The army today released video of punitive fire assaults across the Line of Control. A Pakistani post was comprehensively demolished and the message is clear, if the Pak Army supports terrorists looking to infiltrate India, then the Indian Army will strike hard along the Line of Control.

In the first such instance of its kind, three senior bureaucrats including former coal secretary HC Gupta has been sentenced to jail for two years by a CBI court. Is this justice or has an "honest" officer been convicted for acts of omission rather than commission, as his IAS colleagues argue. It's not just other officers, even union minister Nitin Gadkari has told NDTV that it's troubling when officers are penalised for "honest mistakes". The larger question - should officers be sentenced when the netas who approved their decisions are not?

On The Buck Stops Here, meet Afroz Shah - the man behind what is being called the world's largest beach clean-up, the man who led the makeover of Mumbai's Versova beach.

The International Court of Justice at The Hague has ruled in favour of India. Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian national who Pakistan accuses of espionage, cannot be executed until the court hears the larger case against him, perhaps in August. But it was a military court in Pakistan that had sentenced Mr Jadhav. The big question is whether the military in Pakistan will accept the verdict of the world court or will they just ignore it?

Has superstar Rajinikanth given the clearest indication yet that a foray into politics may not be too far away for him? In cryptic remarks made to his fans, who he is meeting personally after eight long years, he said if he joined politics, the corrupt would be shunned. Could Rajini 2.0 be the 'Thalaiva' of politics as Tamil Nadu continues to be in a state of flux?

A landmark hearing in the Supreme Court began to assess the constitutional validity of triple talaq, the controversial form of Muslim divorce. The bench hearing the case comprises the senior most judges in the Supreme Court. Today, the Chief Justice of India spelt out how they would go about examining the case. Firstly, is triple talaq a fundamental element of Islam and if that is the case the court will not intervene. Is triple talaq part of an enforceable fundamental right? And thirdly, is triple talaq a sacrosanct part of Islam. On The Buck Stops Here, we debate: is it time for triple talaq to go?

One of India's foremost authors Amit Chaudhuri speaks about his new book Friend of My Youth, an ode to the city of Mumbai. Chaudhuri, who is best known for chronicling Kolkata weighs in on what he describes as the BJP's 'invented agenda' in Bengal as well as the freedom of speech debate.

A young, unarmed army officer has been tortured and killed in Kashmir. Lt Ummer Fayaz, just weeks away from turning 23, was found dead in Shopian around 30 km from his village where he had gone to attend a wedding. The Lieutenant of the Rajputana Rifles had joined the army just five months ago. His family, too terrified to report his kidnapping, had hoped that he would be sent back alive. Hundreds turned up this morning as the festivities turned tragic for the family. His instructors remember him as a 'dynamic and smart go-getter'.

The Aam Aadmi Party ran a demonstration of how secret codes could be used to hijack an Electronic Voting Machine but critics have been quick to point out that this was a test on a simulated machine, not a genuine EVM. The Election Commission has challenged the party to try to hack a real EVM. Was it a legitimate expose or a stunt to deflect attention from the bribery allegations against chief minister Arvind Kejriwal-levelled by sacked minister Kapil Mishra?

Ten days after the death of 27-year old model and anchor Sonika Chauhan in a car accident, there are allegations of a high level cover-up. Sonika's friends have launched a campaign for justice, citing a video from the night of April 29 as proof that actor Vikram Chatterjee was drunk when he crashed their car.

The fodder scam is back to haunt Lalu Yadav with a major setback today as the Supreme Court orders another trial for Lalu which will have to be completed within nine months. What does this mean for the ruling alliance in Bihar? Nitish Kumar has maintained a studied silence. Could this trigger a political realignment in Bihar?

In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das told NDTV that he expects GST to impact GDP growth which he expects will touch 8% next fiscal. Asked about the delay in counting of cash post demonetisation, he said that counting machines were working overtime to complete the enormous exercise. There were some points where double counting was happening, he said. Has the notes ban exercise netted big black money holders? Mr Das said that 18 lakh accounts have been identified with disproportionately high deposits and that income tax department was questioning those account holders, but in a non-intrusive manner.

Actor, politician, pilot and now the first Indian woman to drive a Formula E racecar - Gul Panag wears multiple hats with panache. She talks to NDTV about her Formula E experience and how she hopes a shift to e-mobility will ease pollution problems in many a cities.

A recent report estimates that details of 13 crore Aadhaar card holders have been leaked from four government websites. These include bank account details, income levels, addresses, even caste and religion details. As the Supreme Court questioned the government about this, the centre admitted for the first time that the leaks had taken place but passed the onus on to state governments. It also argued that no technology was a 100 per cent foolproof but that couldn't be the basis for a constitutional challenge. Those who have petitioned against making Aadhar mandatory for filing income tax say no other democratic country has such a requirement and allege that it shows the sinisterness of the government.

This year marks the 100 years of the Champaran Satyagraha or civil disobedience movement that Mahatma Gandhi launched in Champaran in Bihar against the British. And in two years from now, India will mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Are the teachings of the Mahatma still relevant in a world that is vexed with intolerance and extremism, as President Pranab Mukherjee said? Mahatma Gandhi's grandson and well-known historian Rajmohan Gandhi has come out with a new book 'Why Gandhi Still Matters' that looks at Gandhi's legacy. On The Buck Stops Here, Rajmohan Gandhi, political psychologist Ashis Nandy and senior journalist Ashok Malik discuss the relevance of Gandhi in current times.

Pakistan today crossed a crucial line, not just Line of Control but code of military behaviour accepted internationally. Pakistan Border Action Team came 200 metres across LoC under cover fire from a Pakistan army post, killing two soldiers - BSF Head Constable Prem Sagar and Army's Naib Subedar Paramjeet Singh - then mutilating their bodies. Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said the army will respond "appropriately" and the soldiers' "sacrifice won't go in vain". On the Buck Stops Here, we debate: what are India's options? Should India's response be diplomatic or military or both?

The BJP insists it is all over for the Aam Aadmi Party as it sweeps to a mega victory in Delhi's civic body elections. The Congress sees Ajay Maken and PC Chacko, the men in charge of Delhi, resigning even as the top leadership seeks Opposition unity in the face of the PM Modi juggernaut. But is the Aam Aadmi Party refusing to acknowledge voter anger as it fritters away its massive mandate of 2015? Is this end of the road for the Aam Aadmi Party or will the party read the writing on the wall in time?

The Buck Stops Here broadcasts from Raipur on the bloodbath in Sukma and the tough questions that are being asked as to how 25 CRPF jawans were massacred. On the show, ground reports from Chhattisgarh and special interviews with the Director General of Naxal Operations, Chhattisgarh Police and a brave CRPF jawan who took a bullet in his neck but gave a "muh tod jawab" to naxals.

25 CRPF men have been killed in an ambush in Sukma in Chhattisgarh, the highest casualties in a Naxal attack since the Modi government took over. The prime minister has called the attack cowardly and deplorable and said that the sacrifice of the martyrs will not go in vain. The jawans were ambushed while sanitising the area for workers building a road. Survivors said an estimated 300 naxals, helped by local villagers, had surrounded them and they were completely outnumbered.

They were beaten, stoned and abused. Three brave CRPF jawans, the same jawans whose video went viral, talk about their ordeal in Kashmir where just six of them were confronted by a mob of over 1,000 protestors and how for half an hour they walked through a hostile crowd shouting anti-India slogans.

The National Green Tribunal comes down heavily on the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar-led Art of Living Foundation for damaging the Yamuna floodplain in their World Culture Festival last year in Delhi. Sri Sri blames the green court and the government for giving permission for the event. The green court retorts "You have no sense of responsibility, do you think you have the liberty to say whatever you want?"

"It does hurt," says Harjit Sajjan, the visiting Canadian Defence Minister, when asked about whether he had any affiliations with the Khalistan movement. According to Mr Sajjan, who is a war veteran and has served several tours of duty in Afghanistan, "I served people who are the men and women in uniform. I've served alongside them. They know who I am and I'm not going to let anyone else define who I am for their political reasons. I have earned my recognition. I wear my history on my chest."

With just a week to go before the Delhi civic polls, the BJP's big catch is former Delhi Congress chief and ex-minister Arvinder Singh Lovely. The Congress seems to be imploding, much like it did in Uttar Pradesh. And the Aam Aadmi Party is now on the defensive after its bypoll rout in Rajouri Garden. The BJP's Shazia Ilmi filed a police complaint against online abuse and trolling, saying her abusers have links to the AAP and that she's being targeted because of the civic polls.

From Udta Punjab to Lipstick Under My Burkha to now Raveena Tandon's comeback film Maatr, which deals with the issue of rape, the Central Board of Film Certification or CBFC has been cracking down on an increasing number of films for their content, their language, effectively for anything that the board, in its wisdom, deems offensive or inappropriate. Now for the first time in 47 years, India's censorship laws have been challenged in a petition in the Supreme Court by veteran actor and filmmaker Amol Palekar.

After a video emerged of CRPF jawans being slapped by protesters in Kashmir, some tough questions need to be asked. Are our security forces helpless against protesters in Kashmir, particularly after the pellet gun controversy, or is restraint the order of the day? And if it is, then how do security forces, the Army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir police deal with riots and mobs?

India's surgical strikes across the Line of Control wiped out several launchpads and killed terrorists as well. Now, backed by the Pakistan army, these launchpads are active again, with terrorists coming together to target India once again. This amid the Pakistan army's grave provocation of announcing a death sentence for an Indian citizen. NDTV's Vishnu Som travelled to the Line of Control to bring us this exclusive report.

After meat and liquor bans, is a curb on food portions now on the government's plate? Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan wants restaurants and hotels to disclose and standardise food portions to crackdown on wastage. This as two states - Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh - are talking about liquor prohibition. On The Buck Stops Here, we ask: from food portions to liquor, is the big brother watching? Is this a case of state invading personal liberty?

The by-election for Kashmir's Anantnag constituency, which was due on April 12, has been deferred to May 25. The Election Commission's decision came a day after unprecedented violence was witnessed in the elections for Srinagar parliamentary constituency in which eight people died and nearly 100 were injured. The turnout was the lowest in 30 years - only 7 per cent.

In an exclusive interview to NDTV, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah says the only solution to the Kashmir situation is 'talking'. Speaking on the violence that marred the Srinagar parliamentary by-polls and killed eight people, Dr Abdullah said that he was confident the current government targeted and prevented the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference's loyal voters from carrying out their democratic duty. He further said that it was the government's failure which couldn't 'ensure voters' safety'.

In conversation with the star cast of 'Sonata', a woman-centric film about three friends, starring stellar actors Aparna Sen, Shabana Azmi and Lilette Dubey. There is plenty of female bonding as the actors talk politics, censorship and of course films in this special edition of The Buck Stops Here.

Central Reserve Police Force Commandant Chetan Cheeta was discharged from hospital after spending weeks in the critical care unit of Delhi's AIIMS. He was shot nine times in a gunfight with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district in February. On the special edition of The Buck Stops Here, we bring you the story of incredible willpower and determination of Chetan Cheeta and his survival, nothing short of a miracle.

Top lawyer Ram Jethmalani has said that if Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal cannot afford to pay his fee, he will not charge the politician to defend him in court. His offer comes after a controversy was triggered by Mr Kejriwal's government attempting to pay his Rs 3.8 crore bill using public funds for defending Arvind Kejriwal in a criminal defamation case filed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The Delhi Chief Minister's petition in court refers to the case as a 'private' matter. Does the question of public interest arise at all?

At 13, she became the youngest person to scale the world's highest mountain. Poorna, after conquering the Mount Everest, is now conquering the silver screen. The adivasi girl from Telangana who shattered a million stereotypes joins us on The Buck Stops Here with actor-director Rahul Bose, who has turned her life into a riveting biopic.

Protests against the Supreme Court's liquor ban on highways have intensified with hoteliers meeting the Tourism Minister today. With crores in revenue, tourism and jobs at stake, even the government is now cautiously talking about adopting a middle path. With a staggering 400 road deaths daily, India's roads are among the deadliest in the world. On the Buck Stops Here, we ask: will the court's order to keep liquor off highways actually save lives?

Kashmir's top cop has said that gathering at encounter sites is like committing suicide for civilians. This, after a surge in encounters in the past month. While the BJP has backed the top cop's view, the PDP has distanced itself. Some are calling it a law and order problem, others are calling it a political problem. But what is the way forward? We discuss on The Buck Stops Here.

In a landmark ruling, Supreme Court today banned the sale of BS-III vehicles across India, with effect from April 1, 2017. The court observed that public health is more important than commercial interests. Car manufacturers can no longer sell vehicles that do not comply with Bharat Stage IV emission norms. Will our netas follow the ruling? We debate on The Buck Stops Here.

On The Buck Stops Here, we look at India's 2-1 series victory against Australia, where the focus was as much on the terrific cricket as it was on the ugly controversies both on and off the field. We ask: did cricket or controversy triumph?

The Rajya Sabha today saw the opposition tear into the government saying Aadhaar was never meant to pry into the private lives of citizens and that it would turn India into a surveillance state. The government argues that linking Aadhaar to welfare schemes has brought transparency and exposed four lakh bogus cases in midday meal scheme. The Supreme Court has reiterated that while Aadhaar can't be made mandatory for welfare schemes, the government can't be stopped from using Aadhaar for non-benefit schemes like income tax. On The Buck Stops Here, we debate, is Aadhaar set to become the indispensable identity no Indian can do without or will it mean a massive violation of privacy as so many have claimed?

As Adani Group battles massive green opposition on the path of achieving his Australian dream we bring you what the controversy is all about. Joining us on the show former cricketer Ian Chappel who along with many prominent Australians have raised the green alarm and also Townsvile Mayor Jenny Hill, who defends why the project is important for the country.

NDTV travelled to the Rajgarh Hills of Jharkhand where we discovered two villages with empty school buildings and missing teachers. Starving children are forced to eat rodents.

N Biren Singh, the BJP's first Chief Minister in Manipur, spoke to NDTV just hours after taking charge. In a candid confession N Biren Singh, most of whose cabinet berths went to the coalition partners, conceded that the BJP had to "sacrifice" to accommodate allies and rally enough support to stake claim following a hung verdict in the assembly elections. Raising a conciliatory tone on Naga groups' demand for a separate state, he said they too are "sons of the soil" and should be engaged in dialogue.

After Goa, Wednesday was Manipur's turn to get a BJP government - and its first at that. Did the BJP outwit the Congress by snatching Manipur, Goa from its clutches despite winning fewer seats? Is the Congress right in accusing the BJP of "stealing" their mandate or was it too slow to act?

After his party won just seven of 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi, who starred in the campaign and directed strategy along with sister Priyanka, described the result "as a little down". Has India's Grand Old Party given up on the next national elections due 2019 and in dire need of a shot in the arm?

A day after reports of the first strike by ISIS on India, there is now confusion on whether it is indeed ISIS that struck on the Bhopal-Ujjain Express. The Home Minister didn't spell it out in Parliament, but the MP government clearly did. How real is the ISIS threat in India? That's what we debate on The Buck Stops Here.

Had the Surrogacy Regulation Bill 2016, which is pending in Parliament, been passed, it would have been illegal for Karan Johar to opt for surrogacy. On The Buck Stops Here, we ask: as Karan Johar shatters stereotypes and follows his heart, has he put the spotlight squarely back on the proposed surrogacy law? Is it unfair to deprive all others apart from infertile legally married couples from opting for surrogacy? Or is it ethical and moral to crack down on an unregulated rent-a-womb industry, even if it means depriving a wider cross-section of parenthood through surrogacy?

On The Buck Stops Here, a special feature with the Indian Army on the changing face of terrorism in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir and how soldiers are training to meet the changing requirement. We take you to Army's Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School in Mizoram where the soldiers are training with improved equipment and evolving new tactics to take on the constant threat of terror.

BJP member Shazia Ilmi has alleged that she was barred from speaking at a seminar on Triple Talaq that was organised by an RSS-backed forum on the premises of Jamia Millia Islamia University. Authorities in Jamia deny they barred Shazia Ilmi from speaking though they have admitted that the organisers were asked to change the topic from Triple Talaq to Muslim women's empowerment as the former was an 'uncomfortable' subject. On The Buck Stops Here, we ask: from Delhi University's Ramjas College to Jamia Millia Islamia, have our campuses started gagging free speech the moment they sense trouble? Are our universities, which have always been the place for debate and dissent now running scared of words and ideas?

It is being called a revolution in technology that can miraculously replace some body parts in the process saving the lives of patients. It's the 3D printing of body parts. Find out how its changing the lives of patients in India. On The Buck Stops Here, a very special discussion with the doctors who are actually doing this.

It is being seen as a new regressive set of guidelines meant to throw out illegal immigrants from the United States, millions of whom have lived in the US for decades. The Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has issued memos to officials that identify "priorities" for deportation. Some of the laws are so stringent that, for example, if an illegal immigrant is caught driving without a license, he/she can be thrown out of the country. There are 3 million Indians in the US who are illegal immigrants. Are they too going to potentially be thrown out? We debate on The Buck Stops Here.

For the first time, Pakistan government appears to have acknowledged that 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed is a threat to the country. The statement came from Pakistan's Defence Minister who was speaking at a conference in Munich in Germany, days after Saeed was placed under house arrest and listed under an anti-terrorism law. 44 weapons licenses given to his organisations have been seized today alone. On The Buck Stops Here, we ask: Is this lip service or is Pakistan serious about cracking down on terror? When Jaish chief Masood Azhad and the LeT's Zaki ur Rahman Lakhvi are still free, is Pakistan serious about cracking down on terror?

A day after the Prime Minister lambasted the Akhilesh Yadav government by drawing a parallel between Hindu and Muslim festivals and referring to graveyards and crematoriums to say there should be no discrimination on the basis of religion, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister hit back. He dragged in actor Amitabh Bachchan in his capacity as brand ambassador of Gujarat asking him not to do an advertisement on donkeys of Gujarat. The Prime Minister today referred to the BSP as Behenji Sampatti Party and Mayawati responded saying 'Narendra Damodardas Modi means Negative Dalit Man'. On The Buck Stops Here, we ask: has high decibels and low discourse hijacked real issues as the UP election enters a dead heat? And is any party exempt from blame?

In the last three days, as many as six soldiers have been killed in three separate encounters in Handwara, Bandipore and Kulgam in Jammu and Kashmir. Worryingly, there were reports of these terrorists getting cover from civilians, who attacked armymen while these encounters were underway. Prime Minister and the Army Chief led tributes to the soldiers today but the Army Chief also talked tough saying it was local support to terrorists that was leading to these higher casualties. He also had a warning that local boys will be treated as "overground workers of terrorists" if they obstruct operations. On The Buck Stops Here, we debate: civilians 'helping' militants - is this the new challenge for the Army and the government?

Despite the frostiness in India-Pakistan ties, the government's flagship cultural body the Indian Council of Cultural Relations has sponsored the airfares of four Indian authors to attend the Karachi Literature Festival. The ICCR says it was at the request of the Indian High Commission. On The Buck Stops Here, we debate: can diplomatic hardball and cultural handshakes co-exist? Or will cultural ties blunt the diplomatic offensive to globally isolate Pakistan?

Political drama continued in Tamil Nadu as Governor C Vidyasagar Rao returned to Chennai and first met O Panneerselvam and then VK Sasikala. The image of the day was clearly Ms Sasikala offering her list of MLAs along with flowers for Jayalalithaa's blessings before she presented the same list to the Governor. So will Ms Sasikala's brute strength of MLAs win the day or will public sentiment which seems to be with O Panneerselvam prevail? On The Buck Stops Here, we ask: is this going to be the Tamil Nadu Governor's toughest test?

A principal of a Mumbai college has a bizarre theory on why women suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome. She has told girl students in her college not to dress like men for it causes "gender role reversal in their head" and results in "problems like PCODs". US President Donald Trump reportedly also wants his female staff to "dress like women". Twitteratti hit back with #DressLikeAnIndianWoman and #DressLikeAWoman trending on social media. We ask: is it time to shut down the wardrobe police?

Fierce competitors, united for once. The founders and top bosses of Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal got together today to voice concerns over a provision in the Goods and Services Tax called 'tax collection at source'. On The Buck Stops Here, Amazon India head Amit Agarwal tells NDTV why the GST clause could affect nearly 2 lakh jobs.

To many around the world, US President Donald Trump, the most powerful man on earth, is becoming a bigger embarrassment by the day. First the war of words with Mexico, then the stunning travel ban followed by criticism of the judge who stayed his executive order. Now, many in America, including the country's influential technology industry, appear fed up by what they see as Mr Trump's bungling. On The Buck Stops Here, we ask: should Indians in the US and elsewhere now be seriously worried? co-founder of Indian Americans for Trump join us from New York.

There's uncertainty over when VK Sasikala will take oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. But as she gets set to take over, we look at the potential roadblocks ahead. A crucial Supreme Court verdict on unaccounted wealth could come next week in which Ms Sasikala is still accused No. 2. And then there is the larger issue - Ms Sasikala has never won an election or held any party post. On The Buck Stops Here, we ask: is she an inheritor or usurper of Ms Jayalalitha's legacy?

As the unparalleled Jallikattu protests in Tamil Nadu continue, there is, for the first time, a sign that a solution may be in sight. The Attorney General has said that an ordinance can legally be passed by the state government. But while that may deal with the immediate situation, what if this ordinance too gets stayed by the Supreme Court. That only time can tell. Meanwhile, on the ground in Chennai at the Marina beach and now in other parts of Tamil Nadu, other parts of the country and even outside the country, the protests seem to be intensifying. Thousands of people are now for a third night, demanding that Jallikattu, the bull taming sport, be allowed to happen. They say that their Pongal celebrations have been ruined without Jallikattu. Markets, schools and colleges are shut. There are no taxis and autos in places. Like the last few days, the protests which are now spreading to other parts of the state are peaceful but when will it all end? We discuss on The Buck Stops Here.

A group of 100 NRIs have come to Punjab to campaign for the Aam Aadmi Party. It's called the Chalo Punjab campaign. The Aam Aadmi Party aims to get 10,000 NRI volunteers to campaign for them. How does this help the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab? We debate.

What began as large gatherings in Tamil Nadu over Jallikattu, a bull-taming sport, have now become a massive protest, but fortunately peaceful. Thousands, primarily students, assembled on Marina Beach and other parts of Tamil Nadu to make the point that the Supreme Court ban on the traditional celebration is not acceptable to them. It's a battle between an order by the highest court of the land and the pride of young Tamilians. There are no political parties to instigate these protests, they are all spontaneous. AIADMK chief Sasikala Natarajan has said she will ask the center for an ordinance to lift the ban. Chief Minister O Panneerselvam is meeting the Prime Minister tomorrow. The protestors want the original petitioners in the case - the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA India - to be banned in Tamil Nadu. On The Buck Stops Here we look at the issue politically and legally. Will the Centre oblige the Tamil Nadu government?