Topic: Arundhati Roy

India is reporting record-breaking daily infection numbers and a catastrophic collapse of its healthcare infrastructure, specifically regarding oxygen supplies. Writer Arundhati Roy has publicly labeled the government's handling of the crisis a "crime against humanity," targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration. The situation is further complicated by geopolitical tensions with China and Pakistan, as well as pressure from pharmaceutical companies regarding vaccine intellectual property.

Novelist Arundhati Roy criticizes the narrative of India as a global success story, pointing out the extreme disparity between the country's billionaires and its 800 million citizens living on less than 30 cents a day. Roy claims that the government is deploying paramilitary forces against its own poorest citizens to facilitate corporate interests. The hosts reflect on the "depressing" reality of India's rapid economic growth failing to reach the masses.