- 6 months ago
A war of words has erupted in Bihar ahead of elections after RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav dismissed Election Commission's claims of illegal voters from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar as 'Mutra' (urine).
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00:00Good evening. Source-based information has stirred that political cauldron in Bihar because it was sources in the election commission that were quoted saying that there were a large number of people, whether they're Bangladeshis or Nepali or Myanmar, they were found to be a part of Bihar's voter list during house-to-house verification.
00:20This is part of that SIR or Special Intensive Revision Process that's currently underway in Bihar. And sources in the election commission said that these names will not be included in that final voter list that's published on the 30th of September.
00:35So when journalists put this question to Tejasvi Yadav and said sources in the election commission had said so, just take a look at what he said and that big political fight after.
00:50Election commission's sources drop Bihar poll bombshell.
01:12Political slugfest over EC source-based news break.
01:20Tejasvi Yadav draws the sutra-mutra analogy.
01:34BJP and JDU slam R.J.D.'s Lumpet Politics.
01:39The war over cross-commons in Bihar battle is our top focus on India first.
01:57our top focus on India first and what does this indicate about the forthcoming
02:07elections in Bihar BJP calls it arrogance of power of a leader of
02:10opposition in the Bihar Assembly whose father Lalu Yadav and mother Ravi Devi
02:17they've both been chief ministers of the state the opposition says it shows how
02:22they're fighting these elections with their back to the wall with the election
02:25Commission leaking information to the media and not coming clean either on the
02:30SIR or how will they ensure a transparent elections with genuine
02:35voters not being denied their right to vote and that's that big political
02:39battle we get you all sides of the story also coming up on India first at 8 30 the
02:44dragon capsule carrying group captain Shubhanshu Shukla and other astronauts
02:48they've successfully undocked from the International Space Station they are now
02:52earth-bound we'll get to the latest on that journey and the experiments and why
02:58at least seven of those 60 experiments that have been carried out specially for
03:03the ISRO or for India's space research organization and mission these 18 days of
03:11experiments are very crucial for India's space mission I'm Gaurav Savan as always
03:16let's get started with the headlines on India Air India CEO insists there is no
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04:41I can say again I can say again I can say that today's world looks better now
04:48now everyone looks better now let's move on quickly on the ground
04:50on the ground
04:55External Affairs Minister Dr. S.J. Shankar meets his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at the Shanghai
05:00Crew Operation Organization says resolving friction along border and avoiding restrictive trade
05:07measures must to normalization of ties between India and China
05:14We have made good progress in the past nine months for the normalization of our bilateral relations
05:21It is the result of the resolution of friction along the border and our ability to maintain peace and tranquility there
05:28Our stop story on this special broadcast is from Bihar and there's a war of words in the run-up to elections
05:39Now that's taken a new turn and a rather crass turn
05:42Tejasvi Yadav is leader of opposition in the Bihar assembly
05:47He is also the R.J.D. lead or the top leader now
05:51He stirred a massive controversy with his Sutra Mutra jibe
05:58After sources in the election commission flagged illegal voters from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar
06:04In the ongoing voter verification
06:08insisting that Bangladeshis, people from Myanmar, people from Nepal
06:13they will not be on the final electoral roll on the 30th of September
06:18The BJP has hit right back
06:20dubbing the Mahagadbandhan a Gali alliance
06:23Saying that this just shows not just his lack of education
06:28but his level of knowledge of that alliance
06:32We get you more in all the twists and turns in the battle for Bihar
06:46Bihar's leader of opposition Tejasvi Yadav is gunning for the election commission
06:51and the NDA in the state
06:55After sources within the EC claimed
06:57they claimed that the large number of people from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar
07:02were found to be living in Bihar during the special intensive revision of voter list
07:10Tejasvi Yadav dismissed the claims
07:12describing them as Mutra
07:15the Hindi word for urine
07:18At a Mahagadbandhan press conference
07:21Tejasvi said the inputs reportedly received by the election commission
07:25were mere smokescreen
07:28He also questioned
07:29the legitimacy of the poll body's ongoing revision
07:32of electoral rolls
07:33and alleged serious flaws in the process
07:37These are the ones that were in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore
07:42who were doing this
07:44These are the ones that we must understand
07:48And if there is something like that
07:50the last time
07:52the U.P.A. government
07:53was in 2003
07:54S.I.I.A.
07:55in that time
07:56We have 3-4-4-4 million votes
07:58So
07:59did they get to Narendra Modi
08:01to vote?
08:02Mukesh Sahani
08:03Mukesh Sahani
08:04Another leader from the Mahagadbandhan
08:08and chief of the Vikash Shil Insan Party
08:11also alleged irregularities
08:13in the voter poll revision process
08:16M.I.M.'s Asaduddin Ovesi too slammed the NDA
08:27M.I.M.'s Asaduddin Ovesi too slammed the NDA
08:40You know it is very embarrassing
08:44that a constitutional body
08:46is giving
08:48or is relying on sources
08:50Why can't a constitutional body like E.C.I. say
08:53come out openly and tell to the media
08:55who are these sources please tell me
08:57and
08:58E.C.I. cannot decide or determine citizenship
09:02who has given them the powers
09:03The BJP and allies were quick enough to hit back
09:09Slamming the RJD leader
09:11they called Tejasui
09:13the Yuvraj of Jangalraj
09:15and claimed
09:16that illegal voters are the RJD's support base
09:20T.C.I.M.'s
09:23This kind of work is not possible to be able to remember the T.C.I.M.
09:24This kind of work is impossible to remember the T.C.I.M.
09:25foreign
09:41foreign
09:46foreign
09:50The election commission launched the special intensive revision drive on June 25th to verify citizenship status of registered voters in Bihar.
10:09More than 77,000 boot-level officers and government staff are currently verifying the credentials of 7.8 crore voters.
10:20Tejasvi Yadav's Sutramudra Jaib has stoked a massive, massive controversy in Bihar politics with his opponents maintaining that this language only manifested that the RJD leader was jittery and nervous, anticipating a possible defeat in the upcoming assembly elections.
10:43Remains to be seen that what impact will this controversy have on Tejasvi Yadav's poll prospects.
10:52This is Rohit Singh in Patna for India Today.
11:13It was found during house-to-house verification of the electoral roll.
11:18This is a part of the ongoing SIR or special intensive revision of that process that's currently underway of the electoral roll.
11:27Sources also said those names will not be included in the final voter list which will be published on the 30th of September.
11:33So when this question was posed to leader of opposition in Bihar assembly, Tejasvi Yadav, he hit back.
11:41He said,
11:42Or we consider such sources as urine.
11:49The India hit back saying that this statement actually shows the lumped politics or the lumpen elements in politics in Bihar not expected of somebody whose father and mother have both been chief ministers of the state or it just shows his lack of education.
12:02But it does raise several questions about this SIR process in Bihar.
12:07One, why is the information coming only through sources and not officially?
12:12Why does the election commission not issue an official statement which incidentally we are told they have just issued?
12:19Why is the opposition not waiting for the SIR process to be completed before objecting?
12:25Because there was no stay even by court.
12:27And does the opposition, and this is the question that the BJP is asking, does the opposition want Bangladeshis or Rohingyas on the voter list?
12:34To which of course they say that the same voters also voted in the Lok Sabha elections which propelled the BJP to par at the centre.
12:41So did the Bangladeshis and Rohingyas vote BJP to par?
12:45Let's take this to our guests on this special broadcast.
12:48Joining us on India first is Ravi Shankar Ravi representing the RJD on the broadcast.
12:53Pradeep Bhandari represents the BJP.
12:55Amitabh Tiwari is a very well-respected election analyst and researcher, as is Ajit Kumar Jha, a senior journalist and analyst.
13:04Incidentally, both Amitabh Tiwari and Ajit Jha are from Bihar.
13:09And they will give us the sons of the soil perspective on what's happening on ground.
13:14Ravi Shankar Ravi, what kind of language is this, sir?
13:18And that too at a press conference and then repeated again the next day.
13:25Is this the language to be used by leader of opposition in Bihar Assembly or somebody who's seen as an aspiring chief minister of Bihar?
13:33Gaurab Ji, I think any word has to be understood in its context.
13:39What Tejasvi Ji was referring, he was not referring to the entire media.
13:44He was referring to the section of sources which spread lies, rumour and hate.
13:51and have been claiming that Islamabad, Karachi have been conquered.
13:59We have to look at his entire clip, not just one word.
14:06And such sources are disgusting and repelling.
14:09So, he used it and it's not, I think, I mean, if you look at it in a context, it's not unparliamentary.
14:18And also, the kind of, at the ground level, the election commission, the way they are doing this exercise without taking the documents, without giving the receivings.
14:32Then what kind of exercise is going on?
14:36And one journalist named Ajit Anjum Ji.
14:39I'm not going into individuals.
14:41I'm not going into individuals.
14:42He's not here to defend himself or whatever he said.
14:47You know, he can, that I'll leave it for another debate.
14:51But I am simply on facts that are in public domain.
14:54People get information at times wrong.
14:57Sources may be wrong.
14:58But is this the kind of language that should be expected of somebody who aspires to be chief minister of a state?
15:05Or is there merit in the opposition or in the BJP saying it shows his level of education?
15:11But Pradeep Bhandari, Tejasvi Yadav's remark mocking ECI's sources.
15:17BJP may have slammed it.
15:18But your leaders are also not addressing that question that's being raised by the RJD.
15:25Is this reliable?
15:26Whatever ECI is saying through sources, it seems as vague.
15:31Who are these foreigners?
15:32How are they making it?
15:34How will the ECI ensure that this entire process becomes transparent?
15:38Because the opposition is saying, RJD is saying there's no transparency in this process.
15:43There is no receipt that's being given.
15:45Who submitted a form?
15:46Who hasn't submitted the form?
15:47So, how will all these issues be addressed, sir?
15:50Well, Gaurav, let me just state certain facts.
15:58Fact number one.
15:59The latest press release by the Election Commission, 88% have been enrolled in SIR.
16:05This is an official press release.
16:06So, people in Bihar, the voters in Bihar are participating.
16:09Fact number two.
16:10The abuse of media by RJD is something which is not new.
16:16Recall what happened on 5th October 2018 when journalist named Amit Bilali was given death threat by RJD workers.
16:23Sir, again, I'm not going into individual cases.
16:26My submission to you is, you know, when ECI says 88% have, you know, submitted their forms, again, RJD asks, where is a copy of the receiving?
16:38What are documents that are being uploaded?
16:40What is happening?
16:41They have absolutely no idea.
16:43There's lack of transparency in the process, sir.
16:45Well, Gaurav, if that was true, then the Supreme Court should have given an interim stay.
16:53Why did the Supreme Court of India not give an interim stay to their plea?
16:57Because the Supreme Court of India said that what the Election Commission is doing is constitutional, what it is doing is legal, what it is doing is moral.
17:04The Supreme Court, in fact, went to the extent of saying that it is in the wisdom of the Election Commission to decide whether it wants the Aadhaar Cards to be used or not.
17:11And if it is not taking Aadhaar Cards, then the Election Commission should just write with specification.
17:16So, the Supreme Court has given a clean sheet to the Election Commission.
17:19The reality is that till yesterday they were abusing the Election Commission.
17:22Today they are abusing the media because the internal survey of the RJD suggests that they are losing the election.
17:27So, they have a history of abusing constitutional bodies.
17:30And just let me quote a certain fact.
17:32I'm not going into individual cases, but this is the official Twitter handler of Lalu Prasad Yadav.
17:36So, if Mr. Lalu Prasad Yadav can quote-unquote use the word sources, then I believe that the media also has a right to use sources and the Election Commission also has a right to use sources.
17:46Just because the ground is slipping away from Mr. Tejasvi Yadav, he does not have any right to abuse the media, abuse the Election Commission or even go to the extent of abusing the Supreme Court.
17:55Recall what Rahul Gandhi did two days back when he was in Patna.
17:58Rahul Gandhi even threatened the agencies.
18:00And if their intent and merit was fine, Gaurav, why did they not officially go to the Election Commission office in Patna and did a single official complaint?
18:08Why is not a single boot-level agent out of the 47,380 boot-level agents that the RJD has nominated on the ground filed a single official complaint?
18:16Why are they not doing so?
18:17So, on one hand, they are participating in the entire process.
18:20On the other hand, they are discrediting it because they know that Shahzada Tejasvi Yadav is losing his another election.
18:25And he has to sit in the opposition.
18:27Please tell us a certain fact.
18:27I'll get RJD to respond to that.
18:29But let me quickly bring in Ajit Kumar Jha on this and Amitabh Tiwari.
18:44Ajit Jha, Tejasvi Yadav's remarks, are they polarizing the discourse and, you know, from a political perspective?
18:52Is this a strategic move by the RJD, rally its entire cadre together, undermine that broader debate on electoral integrity in Bihar and just keep it restricted around an allegedly biased election commission?
19:07Well, let me put it this way.
19:10First of all, Tejasvi Yadav didn't only use the term mutra, which he probably shouldn't have.
19:20He could have used a more gentlemanly term.
19:23But then he said something further, and that is interesting, where he pointed out that even if 1% of voters are left out of the verification process, almost 8 lakh voters across the state would lose their right to vote.
19:38Now, that is a very serious question.
19:41Let me point out something else, because I'm not only from Bihar.
19:45I come from the Mithala community.
19:48And, you know, one third of Nepal, the southern part of Nepal, Terai, they are my Thils, by the way.
19:54So, I come from a Mithal Brahmin family.
19:58At least 10 people in my family, not immediate family, but across my whatever relations, are married in Nepal.
20:06So, you know, this whole nonsense of who is a foreigner and who is not.
20:11You know, the wife, when the wife gets married, she ends up getting a double citizenship.
20:16In India, she might have a different citizenship there.
20:20It's the other way around, too.
20:21So, what I'm saying is, if the ECI is immediately, within minutes, claiming that so much lack is illegal, they have found out, I would not trust that figure.
20:33Because this is a very porous border in Nepal, right?
20:36Now, Bangladesh and Rohingya is another question.
20:39But what I'm saying is, someone pointed out, and very rightly, the Supreme Court did say that the ECI can carry on their SIR, but they do not have the right to fix citizenship.
20:53To deny.
20:54All they can do is give identity.
20:56So, I think the ECI, instead of using sources to make these claims that they have found this, they have found in four districts where Muslims dominate.
21:05That's also, by the way, an ecological fallacy.
21:09When you point out, for example, that Purnia or Katihar, which has a very large Muslim population, Aradia, in this case.
21:17When you point out those four districts and say 120%, 126%, the question is, who in that district has got a double card?
21:27Maybe it's the Hindus.
21:28Maybe it's the Christians.
21:29So, it's an ecological fallacy.
21:31So, I think the ECI would not be quoting sources.
21:32Okay, I will get…
21:33So, Pradeep wants to respond to that.
21:35Pradeep wants to respond to that.
21:36But let me bring in Amitabh Tiwari first.
21:38And then we'll take a round of response also.
21:40Amitabh Tiwari, in 2019, the Election Commission had informed the Parliament that there weren't significant cases of foreign nationals on the rolls.
21:50And they were talking about elections in 2016, 2017, and 2019.
21:55Election Commission told the Parliament that there were only three complaints in 2018, and none of those three, none, were from Bihar.
22:04They were from Bengal, Telangana, and Gujarat.
22:08One each.
22:09How do you see the ECI's 2025 claim of a large number of suspected foreign nationals ahead of 2025 elections, sir?
22:17Yeah, see, again, since ECI has not come out openly and officially on this, and this is source-based, I mean, we have to take it with a pinch of salt, of course.
22:30But, of course, one of the ministers has said that there are 20 million illegal immigrants in the country, and assuming some of them have got enrolled in the voter list as well.
22:41See, the question is larger, and you've seen in the operation Sindhu, when you covered Gaurav, that in this new age of social media, the means of communication have changed significantly.
22:55Once the India side started holding regular press beefings, the tide turned in our favour.
23:02Otherwise, previously, the global West was claiming that Pakistan perhaps had had an upper hand.
23:08So, in this sensitive issue, and a one-month period wherein 7.8 crore voters are being verified, I think it is very pertinent on the ECI to hold regular briefings or regular communication.
23:26What it does is that it increases transparency, because that is one of the basic objectives also of the SIR.
23:33And that is why Indian democracy is respected across the world. It's a transparent democracy.
23:39When elections are held, Pradeep Bhandari, you know, before I bring in Ravi into this conversation once again,
23:45because it's such a transparent process, the whole world sees it.
23:49They trust it. Every five years, governments change depending on who the voter wants in power,
23:55or remain, as in the case of Narendra Modi for the past, you know, two elections plus, as the voters may want.
24:02But Pradeep Bhandari, when BJP repeatedly raises this issue of saturation of Aadhaar that Ajit Jha also brought out,
24:09and especially four districts of Simanchal, Katehaar, Araria, Purnia and Kishanganj,
24:13this oversaturation of Aadhaar in Simanchal.
24:16Now, what does this indicate?
24:19The opposition says, it's document fraud under the BJP government.
24:24Your government, how did it permit these loopholes, either in border security,
24:29how did these Bangladeshis come in and get voter eye card,
24:31how did these Myanmaris or the Rohingyas come in,
24:34okay, Nepal is a different story, but in these two instances,
24:38how do you counter this accusation that this SIR is actually a process
24:42to suppress opposition voters, rather than address the issue of your government's failures, sir?
24:52Well, let me go step by step, Gaurav.
24:54On 3rd July, 2025, this is your sister channel, Aachitak's news report,
24:58which says that 105% Aadhaar card in Kishangan, 102% in Araria,
25:04101% in Katiyar and 100.97% in Purnia.
25:08All of them are opposition MLAs.
25:10Is it a mere coincidence that wherever you have reported that Aadhaar card
25:13have seen oversaturation, all have an opposition MLA?
25:16Point number one, it's a matter of investigation.
25:18Now, let us go to point number two.
25:20Now, this SIR process has happened in the past and in 2003.
25:24In 2003, you saw a change in government.
25:26Now, if the argument is that there are removal of voters from the voter list,
25:30Telangana had removal of 22 lakh voters.
25:33Congress party won the Telangana election in 2023.
25:35If the argument is about addition of voters,
25:38then Jharkand saw an addition of 2,67,000 voters.
25:41It was won by the Indy Alliance.
25:42If the argument is about revision of voter rolls,
25:45Jammu and Kashmir had seen a revision of voter rolls after three years.
25:48You had an Indy Alliance government there.
25:50Please tell me, hypothetically, if there are 100 people in village
25:53and 80 people are registered and 20 genuine people are remaining,
25:56what will the booth-level agents of the Bharatiya Janata Party, JDO and RJD do?
26:00They will obviously identify the genuine voters belonging to any of the parties
26:03and go to the booth-level officer and get them registered.
26:06That is the basic objective of a booth-level agent.
26:09RJD has appointed 47,000.
26:10We have appointed 57,000.
26:12Congress is not present on the booth.
26:13Can you please tell me one complaint by a booth-level agent of the RJD in the past?
26:18I will take that to Ravi Shankar Ravi to respond.
26:20And last point, transparency is there on the Election Commission.
26:23But please note, Gaurav, that it is a subjudice matter now.
26:26And the Supreme Court will be hearing the matter end of July.
26:29And the Supreme Court primus VC has not found any amount of iota
26:32of discredit or invalidation on the part of Election Commission.
26:35So, the Supreme Court is the best judge rather than a press conference
26:38to take the intentions of the EC in this process, correct or incorrect.
26:44Fair enough.
26:44Ravi Shankar Ravi, you want to respond?
26:46Have any of your booth-level workers raised any objection to this?
26:51You know, the BJP says you have 47,000 of them.
26:55Let also respond to BJP ITCELL chief Amit Malviya writing.
26:58And I want to quote what he has written in as many words.
27:01Respond to both the points, sir.
27:28Gaurav, first of all, Aadhaar cards are not issued by the opposition AMITAs.
27:36It is UI, DAI agency which issues it.
27:43And oversaturation is not the concern of these areas only.
27:48It is in Noida, it is in Delhi and so many other places.
27:51My point is, I will come to what Amit Malviya said.
27:54Do you have a proof?
27:56No, no, I am sorry, I am not, I am rejecting.
27:58Does he have a proof of word saturation in Noida?
28:00Who has quote the proof?
28:01Yes, it was reported three days back.
28:02Do not you also showed media reports three days ago.
28:03I am interrupting because Noida belongs, has RHP and RMS in this court.
28:08Okay, just give me a moment.
28:09Let him complete his points, sir.
28:11I am coming to you.
28:12Show the proof.
28:12I have not brought printout like you, but I can show it.
28:20I will have to find it out now, but the discussion is going in some other direction.
28:26It is a well-known fact, Gaurav.
28:28Now, what Amit Malviya is saying, as I said, it has to be understood in a context.
28:38The BJP leaders have been indulging in uttering derogatory languages, even in election times, even in parliament, in election times, in violation of the code of conduct.
28:53But nobody discusses that.
28:59Here, in the court, when the Supreme Court raised three points about the power, procedure, and timing, the election commission was not prepared.
29:11They took time to respond through counter-apidavit, and time was given.
29:18And the next hearing is on, as we all know, on 20th July.
29:21So, the documents which are listed, Gaurav, in the list of the notification issued by election commission, so many of them are issued on the basis of Aadhaar.
29:36So, they will also be fake.
29:39Then, what kind of a special intensive review is taking place?
29:43Okay.
29:43We will wait for that election commission.
29:45You are absolutely right on the account that we will have to wait to see what the election commission responds on the 20th July.
29:51The 8th in its affidavit.
29:53But the point that, has the RJD registered a single complaint against any malpractice, as is alleged on TV debates, or, you know, has that been done?
30:03That point, perhaps, still needs to be answered.
30:06But, okay, quick 30-second rejoinder, Pradeep Bhandari, before I bring in Amitabh and Ajit into this conversation.
30:12Gaurav, RJD should be the last person, last party which speaks about language.
30:20They have abused the media.
30:22They have abused the sources.
30:23So, I will not go on towards that tangent.
30:25Let me come back to the specifics.
30:27Still, the RJD spokesperson has not answered.
30:2947,000, Gaurav, not a small amount.
30:3147,000 booth-level agents are appointed by RJD on the ground.
30:35Not a single official complaint.
30:36If the Supreme Court had found that the timing is wrong, procedure is wrong, and the intent of election commission is wrong, please tell me, has the Supreme Court given a permanent stay?
30:45Has the Supreme Court restricted the election commission?
30:47Has the Supreme Court put an interim stay?
30:49The answer is a big no on the three.
30:51Which proves that the opposition's argument was political, it did not have merit.
30:56Okay, Amitabh Tiwari, the ECI's exclusion of Aadhaar, Aadhaar, Ration Card, voter ID as proof of citizenship, that's drawn criticism or suggestions even from the Supreme Court.
31:07Now, in Bihar, and I'm talking about Bihar specifically, there's 88% saturation of Aadhaar.
31:13Your experience, okay, let me just bring in Amitabh, I'll come back to you, sir.
31:17Your experience, what does this indicate?
31:20Is this justified?
31:21Or, as is seriously said by several analysts, there is a great, grave risk that legitimate voters could also be disenfranchised, particularly either the poor or the marginalized or those who are outside.
31:35See, I think this case will be a landmark case because this is essentially pointing out to the fact that we need a national register of citizens.
31:45Because if the objective of the exercise is to weed out illegal immigrants or citizens, and the Supreme Court says that ECI cannot decide on the citizenship, then first we need a national register of citizens.
31:57Second also is that this exercise also shows that currently we have very lax norms, loose norms while admitting new voters, and we are having perhaps stricter norms while doing a verification.
32:10We need to have tighter norms while enrolling new voters because today if you have just an Aadhaar card, you can actually get enrolled as a new voter because for citizenship, you just need to declare that I am a citizen of India.
32:24So, we need tighter rules for voter enrolments and also a national register of citizens so that it is very clear who can be on the voter list and not.
32:34And this will eventually lead to that, I believe, in the Supreme Court.
32:38In fact, Ajit Kumar Jha, leaders like Asaduddin Ovesi of the AIMIM, in fact, several opposition leaders insist that this SIR is actually nothing but NRC through the back door.
32:50Well, I don't think when Amitabh was saying national register of citizens, he was actually talking of the NRC.
32:58You know, it's an irony that 78 years after independence, we still do not have a single document which defines our citizenship when every other developed democracy in the world has so.
33:11And it's really shocking that both the Congress, which was in power for 50 years and the BJP, which has been now power for almost 16, 17 years, have not thought of one document which proves who is a citizen of India.
33:27And then you start this so-called, you know, which hunting that is going on under the SIR without sort of clarifying what a citizenship is.
33:38Is identity citizenship? Is citizenship more than identity?
33:43And by the way, the Supreme Court talked about it.
33:46And that's why the Supreme Court said that the Election Commission can talk about identity, but they cannot grant citizenship.
33:54If they cannot grant citizenship, they have no right to delete citizenship.
33:59So I think this is something we need to, because now the Election Commission has said, not only in Bihar, but across the country, we are going to have the SIR.
34:08So in that case, first let's define what a citizen is.
34:13And that has to be done by the government of India, not by the Election Commission.
34:17So I think that's very important.
34:18And I think that's what Amitav meant when he talked about the National Register of Citizens.
34:24Right, Amitav?
34:25Okay, Amitav, you want to quickly respond before I...
34:27Yes, yes, yes, yes. Agree. Agree, yeah.
34:30Okay.
34:30Pradeep Bhandari, is there a pattern?
34:32And there are several political analysts who say that the BJP raises this issue of outsiders before every election.
34:39It may work, it may not work.
34:41For example, Bihar Assembly Elections 2024, Delhi 2025, Maharashtra 2024, West Bengal 2021, Assam 2016.
34:50There's virtually a pattern to this, sir.
34:52Well, point number one, Gaurav, in 2021, if you recall, when we were getting a bill to interlink Aadhaar with voter ID,
35:04it was the Congress Party and the ecosystem of the Congress Party which opposed it, saying that it is against right to privacy.
35:11Point number one.
35:12Point number two, if I extend your argument that we only raise it near to election, please, please, allow me, allow me to complete.
35:185th July 2025, 200 illegal immigrants belonging to Bangladesh airlifted from Bhandodra.
35:26Please tell me which election is in Gujarat in 2025.
35:30We are also identifying illegal immigrants in Delhi after our government has come in.
35:35Please tell us which election is in Delhi at present.
35:38The opposition has always and consequently backed illegal infiltrators.
35:43We have raised it in Jharkhand where we did not win the election.
35:45We are raising it in Bihar.
35:47We are raising it in every state because it is to do with the national security.
35:51And please tell me what is the representation of People's Act?
35:54The representation of People's Act says that only a citizen of India more than 18 or 18 years of age can vote.
36:00Now, if somebody who is not a citizen of India or has got a document by surreptitious means,
36:05by support of the opposition or some local administration,
36:08it is our duty as a government which believes in national interest to obviously identify that and take into action.
36:13When we had got the NRC, it was the same people, the entire lobby, which opposed it.
36:18Now, I will throw another question.
36:20You recall what happened during the time of CIA, Gujarat?
36:22Sir, you should actually be giving us answers since you are the ruling party.
36:25You are the ruling party.
36:28You should be giving us answers.
36:30Sir, the question is, sir, the question is, in case there is any political leader.
36:35We are identifying the illegal immigrants.
36:37We are taking them out.
36:38And who is giving them Aadhaar cards?
36:40Who is giving them voter cards?
36:41Take action against those elements.
36:43Take action against whichever leader, whichever party.
36:46Take action against them.
36:47Gujarat, tell me one.
36:49We are taking action.
36:51We are, we are in Delhi also we acted.
36:53Which, so who got them their Aadhaar card?
36:56Who got them Aadhaar card?
36:57What action has been taken?
36:59Okay, but let me also bring in Ravi Shankar Ravi for his closing comment because the point that Pradeep Bhandari makes and rightly so in Jharkhand.
37:05Bengal, it was Mamata Banerji, Home Minister Amishra has given the statement in the parliament.
37:11Okay, in Ravi Shankar Ravi, in Jharkhand, the BJP lost despite raising the Ghuspethya issue.
37:18Why is the RJD worried if this is an issue being raised and frankly, even as an Indian, everybody should ensure that Bangladeshis don't vote in Indian elections, Rohingyas don't vote in Indian elections?
37:32No, Gaurat, it has nothing to do with winning or losing an election.
37:37It is a constitutional issue.
37:39It is a legal right of voting on which we are fighting.
37:45We are fighting at the ground, we are making our volunteers work and make the people...
37:52We are historically one of both looters.
37:54We have done protest rallies, we are fighting in the courts.
37:58I just want to add one thing.
38:02When the Honourable Supreme Court judge, one of the judges, made an observation that even if a single legitimate voter is in danger of being disfranchised,
38:18then it is not going to be a level playing field.
38:22No, completely agree with that point, but even Bangladeshis and Rohingyas should not be permitted to vote and there should be no cover fire.
38:29No, no, no, no, she has to vote in Indian elections.
38:33That has to be equally clear.
38:35Gaurab, the way this exercise is being conducted, the way documents are being taken, as I said,
38:42the documents on the basis of Aadhar, Aadhar itself is fake, so those documents will also be fake.
38:47Then what kind of special exercise is this?
38:50and how can the intruders be excluded?
38:55So that is exactly what we'll wait and see
38:58what the election commission responds in the Supreme Court
39:01on the 28th of July
39:02and we'll be tracking that story very closely
39:04to all my guests.
39:05Many, many thanks for joining me
39:07on this very crucial debate,
39:09an important debate
39:09because what's happening in Bihar right now
39:11is a pilot project.
39:13If successful,
39:14it will be followed across the country
39:16to weed out outsiders
39:19and they should not be voting in Indian elections.
39:22You know, those who are from either Bangladesh
39:23or Myanmar or any other country,
39:26only Indian citizens who have a right to vote
39:28should be voting in this.
39:31External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jai Shankar
39:33has met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi
39:36at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
39:39Foreign ministers meet on the sidelines.
39:41Now, during this meeting,
39:42the ministers reviewed the state of India-China bilateral ties.
39:46They took note of the recent progress
39:48made by the two sides
39:49to stabilize the relationship
39:51and rebuild ties.
39:53Priority on people-centric engagement,
39:55including activities
39:56to commemorate 75 years
39:58of establishment of diplomatic ties
40:00between the two countries.
40:01The External Affairs Minister
40:02appreciated Chinese side cooperation
40:04for the resumption of the
40:05Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
40:07The two sides have agreed
40:08to take additional practical steps,
40:10including travel to each other's country
40:12and direct flight connectivity
40:14for facilitating people-to-people exchanges.
40:17The External Affairs Minister
40:18highlighted the positive impact
40:19of peace and tranquility at the border
40:21for smooth development of bilateral ties
40:24and supported continued efforts
40:26towards de-escalation
40:27and better border management.
40:29He undermined and underlined
40:30the need for cooperation
40:33on trans-border rivers,
40:34cooperation including resumption
40:36of provision of hydrological data
40:38by the Chinese side.
40:40He took up the issue
40:41of restrictive trade measures
40:42and roadblocks
40:43to greater economic cooperation
40:46between the two sides.
40:47Listen in to Dr. Jai Shankar.
40:48I'll get you more on the story.
40:49We have made good progress
40:53in the past nine months
40:54for the normalization
40:56of our bilateral relations.
40:58It is the result
40:59of the resolution of friction
41:01along the border
41:02and our ability
41:03to maintain peace
41:04and tranquility there.
41:06This is the fundamental basis
41:08of our mutual strategic trust
41:10and for smooth development
41:12of bilateral relations.
41:14It is now incumbent on us
41:15to address other aspects
41:17related to the border,
41:18including de-escalation.
41:22Geeta, we've had sweet words
41:24from all sides,
41:25India and China,
41:26but it's sweet action on ground
41:29that India believes
41:30and not words.
41:31So what is happening on ground
41:32for peace and tranquility
41:34at the borders
41:34and to address the trade imbalance?
41:37Well, you're very right
41:39in saying that there is
41:39no forward movement
41:41that we've seen at the border,
41:42Gaurav,
41:43and the situation stands as was.
41:47There has been no forward movement
41:48when both sides
41:49have been talking about
41:50maintaining peace and tranquility.
41:52That goes without saying
41:54because right now
41:55there is a mechanism
41:56and there are conversations
41:57that are taking place
41:58at the diplomatic level
42:00and at the military level.
42:02But beyond that,
42:03in terms of disengagement,
42:04we are still stuck
42:05with the Chinese forces
42:07not moving back.
42:08and that's an unacceptable situation
42:12right now for India.
42:13Having said that,
42:14there are a few things
42:15where they've moved forward,
42:17which is people-to-people connect,
42:18like you rightly said,
42:19when it comes to
42:20the Kailash Mansurova Yatra
42:22or for that matter,
42:23direct flights
42:24between India and China.
42:25But in terms of looking
42:27and hydrological data
42:29that China is now willing
42:31to share with India,
42:32it had stopped sharing data
42:33on Brahmaputra River,
42:34which was critical for India.
42:37These are really incremental steps
42:40but forward moving,
42:41yet not enough
42:43when it comes to the border standoff.
42:45The other very important thing
42:46that was missing
42:46from the statement,
42:48which Dr. Jaisinkas
42:49certainly would be making
42:50at the STO foreign minister
42:52meeting in Tianjin,
42:53Gaurav has to do with terrorism.
42:55And he's already said that,
42:57he's going to talk
42:57about counter-terrorism,
42:59but for a country
43:00such as China
43:02that supports Pakistan
43:03unquestionably
43:05and unconditionally
43:06to not discuss
43:08Pahalgam
43:09or cross-border terrorism
43:10certainly is something
43:11that is starkly a miss
43:14in both the statements.
43:16And that is something
43:17that China must realize
43:18you cannot have
43:18people-to-people contact
43:20when Pakistanis
43:21are killing Indians
43:22through terror
43:22and China supports
43:24the same Pakistan
43:24not just by blocking
43:26designation of terrorists
43:27at the United Nations
43:27but actively in combat
43:30like at Operation Sindur.
43:32And Geeta Mohan
43:33and our team
43:33will be tracking that story
43:34very closely.
43:35Geeta,
43:35many thanks for the moment.
43:38Group captain
43:38Shivanshu Shukla
43:39is returning home to Earth
43:41after 18 days
43:42on board
43:43the International Space Station.
43:45The spacecraft
43:46is now expected
43:46to splash down
43:47in the Pacific Ocean
43:49off the coast of California
43:50around 3pm
43:51Indian Standard Time
43:52tomorrow.
43:53India today
43:54tracks Subhanshu Shukla's
43:55Space Odyssean
43:57journey back home.
43:58Group captain
44:04Subhanshu Shukla
44:05is all set
44:06for a Gharwapasi.
44:10After spending
44:1118 days
44:12on board
44:13the International Space Station
44:14the second Indian
44:15to ever be in space
44:17is finally set
44:18to return to Earth
44:19on Tuesday.
44:22At precisely
44:234.45pm
44:25Indian Standard Time
44:26the Dragon capsule
44:28of the Exeo Mission 4
44:29undocked
44:30and began
44:31its journey
44:32back to Earth.
44:36After a 22-hour
44:38long journey
44:39Shuk along with
44:40astronauts
44:40Peggy Witson
44:42Slavos Wisniewski
44:44and Tibor Kapu
44:45will splash down
44:46off the coast
44:47of California
44:47in the Pacific Ocean
44:49at around 3pm
44:50on July 15th.
44:53Before bidding
44:54farewell
44:54to International
44:55Space Station
44:56Shuk paid tribute
44:57to India
44:58from space.
45:00Echoing
45:01the iconic
45:02statement
45:02by the man
45:03who conquered
45:04space before him
45:05Wing Commander
45:06Rakesh Sharma.
45:20Aaj ka Bharat
45:21confident
45:22dikhta hai
45:23Aaj ka Bharat
45:24garb se poon
45:25dikhta hai
45:26aur inhi sab
45:27karonon ki wajay se
45:28mein ek bar
45:29fit se kai sakta hou
45:30ki aaj ka Bharat
45:32abhi bhi
45:33sare jaha se
45:34achcha dikhta hai
45:34sare jaha se
45:38achcha hindos
45:39ta hamara
45:39tab bhi
45:40aur abhi
45:41Manish Purohit
45:42is a former
45:42scientist at the
45:43Indian Space Research
45:44Organization.
45:45He's a space educator.
45:46Joins us on this broadcast.
45:47Shiv Utharipaar
45:48he's a senior assistant
45:48editor of science
45:49with us.
45:50Joins us on this show.
45:51Manish Purohit
45:52your appreciation
45:53of the past 18 days
45:54and how will this
45:56benefit India's
45:57space mission?
45:59See actually
45:59this is the advent
46:00of India's
46:01human space program.
46:02So we have
46:04Gaganyan planned
46:05on the lines
46:06of human space
46:07crewed missions
46:08returning back to
46:09earth.
46:09All those
46:10you know
46:10intricacies
46:11have to be understood.
46:12Now when we
46:13have our own
46:14Shubhanshu Shukla
46:15our own
46:15Gaganyatari
46:16who is the pilot
46:17who is the pilot
46:18for this particular
46:19mission
46:19we get the
46:20first cut
46:21hands-on experience
46:22in person
46:22in person experience
46:24of how it feels
46:25when you lift off
46:26leave the gravity
46:27go to microgravity
46:29stay there for 18 days
46:30survive there
46:31do the experiment
46:32and then
46:33when you return
46:34back
46:34what all are
46:35the different steps
46:36you might have
46:37done many
46:38virtual environment
46:39things
46:39you might have
46:39done many
46:40simulators
46:40you might have
46:41done many
46:42things on earth
46:43in the lab
46:43settings
46:44but when you
46:44do it
46:45real time
46:45with the machine
46:46up there
46:47in microgravity
46:48there is a lot
46:49of experience
46:49to gain from
46:50that
46:50and that is
46:51going to help
46:51us
46:51when we talk
46:52about
46:52our Gaganyan
46:53okay
46:54Shivu
46:55impact on
46:57our body
46:58whether we can
46:58grow plants
46:59in space
47:00I believe it was
47:00Moongdal and
47:01Methi
47:01that he tried
47:02to grow in
47:03space
47:03all of that
47:04is likely
47:06to help a lot
47:07in India's
47:08space station
47:11Bharat space station
47:12and by when
47:13do we see
47:14you know
47:15like the
47:15international space
47:16station
47:16the Indian
47:17space station
47:17definitely
47:19this was a
47:20very very
47:20research intensive
47:21mission
47:22not just for
47:23India but
47:23for across
47:23countries across
47:24the world
47:2460 experiments
47:26were sent
47:26from across
47:2731 countries
47:28India had sent
47:287 experiments
47:29as you rightly
47:30mentioned that
47:31there were
47:31multiple
47:31experiments
47:32which was
47:33on plant
47:34growth
47:34which was
47:35on how to
47:36develop
47:36photosynthesis
47:37process
47:37which was also
47:38on how to
47:39develop life
47:40support system
47:40for India
47:41group captain
47:42Shubhan Shukla
47:42also tested
47:43tardigrades
47:44now these are
47:44microorganisms
47:45that survive
47:46extreme weather
47:47environments
47:47going forward
47:48India is
47:49planning to
47:49launch its
47:50own
47:50Bharti
47:50Antrik
47:50station
47:51the plan
47:52is to
47:52launch it
47:53by 2035
47:54the modules
47:54will begin
47:55launching by
47:552035
47:56and eventually
47:57the plan
47:57is to go
47:58to the moon
47:582040 is
48:00when the
48:00government
48:00has set
48:00their target
48:01the Indian
48:01space research
48:02organization
48:03has set
48:03their target
48:04so all
48:05these
48:05experiments
48:05that were
48:06conducted
48:06by group
48:07captain
48:07Shubhan Shukla
48:08will eventually
48:08help in
48:09strengthen
48:09these missions
48:10now
48:10Bharti
48:11Antrik
48:11station
48:11and the
48:12moon
48:12mission
48:12both are
48:13long duration
48:14space travel
48:14group captain
48:15Shubhan Shukla
48:16also studied
48:17what will be
48:17the effects
48:17of gravity
48:18long duration
48:19space travel
48:19on the human
48:20body
48:21when you are
48:23in space
48:23for a long
48:23period of time
48:24your muscle
48:25mass is lost
48:26you lose
48:26bone density
48:27all this will
48:28now be studied
48:29by ISRO
48:29by the institution
48:30that had developed
48:31those experiments
48:32once he returns
48:33those experiments
48:35will be analyzed
48:35we expect a lot
48:37of research papers
48:38to come out of this
48:38and a lot of new
48:39findings to come out
48:40of this for us
48:41and also for the world
48:42going forward
48:43it's all about
48:44collaboration
48:44the AX4 mission
48:46in itself
48:47is a major
48:47collaboration
48:48between multiple
48:49countries across
48:50the world
48:50so ISRO is looking
48:51forward to
48:52gaining that insight
48:53from that
48:53collaborative approach
48:54and the
48:55Bharti Antrik
48:55station is going
48:56to begin
48:57formation by
48:572035
48:59Gaurav
49:00this is very
49:00very fascinating
49:01you know
49:01having a
49:03Bharti Antrik
49:04station
49:04in space
49:06we are also
49:06looking at
49:07how space
49:08science
49:09it's not just
49:09for the super
49:11rich countries
49:12but it benefits
49:13the common
49:14people
49:15in India
49:16whether it's
49:16through
49:17you know
49:18predicting
49:18weather
49:19whether
49:19it's for
49:21communication
49:22it really
49:23benefits the
49:24armed forces
49:25no doubt
49:25but do we
49:26actually
49:26foresee
49:27Manish
49:28Purohit
49:28is it too
49:29fascinating
49:29to foresee
49:30living
49:31on moon
49:32or a colony
49:33on the moon
49:34see actually
49:36once technology
49:37matures
49:37then it will be
49:38like you know
49:38travelling
49:39first of all
49:40travelling to this
49:40space
49:40has been a big
49:41challenge
49:42how you are
49:42going to
49:42survive there
49:43when there is
49:43no pressure
49:44when there is
49:45so much of
49:45radiation
49:45when you can't
49:47control the
49:47temperatures
49:47when there is
49:48no oxygen
49:49so when there is
49:50no atmosphere
49:50how you are
49:50going to survive
49:51but then
49:52now we have
49:52an international
49:53space station
49:54floating around
49:54earth
49:55for last 25
49:56years
49:56working perfectly
49:57and not for
49:59a single second
49:59has been left
50:00vacant
50:00it has been
50:01thriving with
50:02human activities
50:03for last 25
50:03years
50:04continuously
50:04one cruise
50:05goes
50:05other cruise
50:06come back
50:07then the next
50:07replaces
50:08and it's
50:08going on
50:09so when
50:10that can be
50:11done
50:11the next
50:12step
50:12that lunar
50:13gateway
50:14that what
50:15Artemis is
50:15planning
50:16they are going
50:16to plan
50:17a lab
50:17around the
50:18moon
50:18in the lunar
50:19orbit
50:19which will be
50:20a laboratory
50:21mostly operated
50:21by robots
50:22but still
50:23there will be
50:23human intervention
50:24and then
50:25from there
50:26there will be
50:26a touchdown
50:27on the lunar
50:28base
50:28where astronauts
50:29will be staying
50:30there for the
50:31research work
50:32and they will be
50:33using that
50:34as a depot
50:35to take a
50:36plunge towards
50:37deep space
50:38journeys
50:39maybe towards
50:39Mars
50:40you might have
50:40heard about
50:41SpaceX
50:42Elon Musk's
50:43plan of
50:44Starship
50:44going to
50:45Mars
50:45and making
50:45human journey
50:47to Mars
50:47much more
50:48appreciable
50:48and much
50:49more
50:49approachable
50:50so this is
50:51all about
50:52technology
50:52actually
50:53and once
50:53technology
50:53matures
50:54things appear
50:55very very
50:55simple
50:56I'll give you
50:56an example
50:57right now
50:57we all use
50:58laptops
50:59we all have
50:59scratch resistant
51:00glasses
51:01we have
51:02RO facilities
51:03in our houses
51:03but when
51:04first astronauts
51:06were being
51:06planned and
51:07trained
51:07and the
51:08systems
51:08were being
51:08developed
51:09back in
51:101960s
51:11then there
51:11was a big
51:12challenge
51:12how you can
51:13take up
51:13such a huge
51:14computer system
51:15up there in
51:16the space
51:16and then
51:17they started
51:18miniaturizing
51:19and we got
51:19kind of
51:20laptop was
51:20first flown
51:21into the
51:22space
51:22that kind
51:23of research
51:23has given
51:24us so many
51:25beautiful things
51:26the algorithms
51:26that were
51:27used
51:28and that's
51:29why science
51:30is so
51:31fascinating
51:32it's so
51:33fascinating
51:33and every
51:34day
51:34it's a new
51:35learning process
51:36to both
51:37Manish and
51:38Shibu for
51:39joining me
51:39here on
51:40this India
51:40Today special
51:41broadcast
51:41many thanks
51:42we'll have
51:42both of
51:42them back
51:43and a lot
51:44more conversation
51:44on this
51:45post 3pm
51:46I mean
51:47through the
51:47day tomorrow
51:47but it's
51:48going to be
51:48very fascinating
51:49when that
51:49splashdown
51:50happens
51:51and over
51:51the next
51:52several days
51:52on India
51:54Today
51:54we'll have
51:54much more
51:55on this
51:55story
51:55that is all
51:56I have
51:56for you
51:57on India
51:57first this
51:57evening
51:58many thanks
51:58for watching
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