- 5 months ago
As per the Mood of the Nation (MOTN) survey, 64% of Indians believe the country's elections are free and fair, while a significant 32% disagree.
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00:00Are elections free and fair in India?
00:03It's a question that the opposition led by Rahul Gandhi is raising.
00:08And 64%, 64% say yes, elections in India are free and fair.
00:1532% say no.
00:17So there's a large majority, over 6 in every 10,
00:21who still have faith in the democratic process,
00:24believe elections are free and fair in the country.
00:28Okay, so that's the big question that's going to raise a lot of contentious debate.
00:33To debate that question and more, analyze the data,
00:37Yashwan Deshmukh is C-voters' man in charge.
00:41He's the one who's done the poll.
00:42Anything goes wrong, blame Yashwan.
00:44If it goes right, we'll take the credit.
00:46Preeti Chaudhary, managing editor, joins us.
00:49Maria Shakil, our lead news anchor and editor, joins us.
00:52And Sahil Zoshi comes all the way from Mumbai with all his experience.
00:57Managing editor, joins us.
00:59Also joining us is Sanjay Jha.
01:01Remember, he's coming as a political analyst,
01:03but I want to make it clear, he's very much,
01:05his heart and head is with the Congress Party.
01:08And R.P. Singh, national spokesperson of the BJP, is also with us.
01:13Thank you all very much for joining us.
01:16Very quickly, when I look at that big number,
01:18Yashwan Deshmukh, that's going to be now put out on social media,
01:22certainly by the BJP, to say,
01:24look, most people believe Indian elections are free and fair.
01:27Rahul Gandhi is going around the country saying, vote chori.
01:30How is it that most of the citizens,
01:33unless they are directly affected by voter fraud,
01:37believe, yeah,
01:37Well, two quick answers to that.
01:43Number one, this number has actually come down.
01:45Earlier, it used to be in 70s.
01:47It has come down to the 60s.
01:49So first things first.
01:50In the last six months alone?
01:51In the last one year or so.
01:53So basically, there is certainly a drop in that number.
01:57Still, a huge majority of India believes.
02:01And it's very easy to understand, Rajdeep,
02:05who are the voters who would say elections in India are not free and fair?
02:12Are BJP voters going to say that?
02:14Because BJP has been winning all along.
02:16Will Mr. Stalin's DMK voters will say that?
02:19No, because they are ruling Tamil Nadu.
02:22Will Mamta Benerji's voters say that?
02:24No, because they are ruling West Bengal
02:26and they sent a big number of TMC MPs.
02:29Will Akhilesh Yadav's voters say that?
02:31No, because he humiliated the BJP
02:34in the most effective way
02:36in the last year's Lok Sabha election.
02:39Will Arvind Kejriwal's voters will say that?
02:41Who have given 67, 65
02:43and they swept Punjab after that?
02:47No, no, hold on.
02:47Arvind Kejriwal, I disagree.
02:49Arvind Kejriwal is saying that there is vote show.
02:51I am not saying Arvind Kejriwal what is saying.
02:54You are saying voters.
02:55Voters will say that.
02:56That's the problem.
02:57Good point.
02:58You see.
02:59So you are saying the winners and their voters
03:01by and large will not make this allegation
03:03with the ferocity that Rahul Gandhi
03:06is making it at the moment, right?
03:08The average voter is not making the allegation
03:11in the way the political leaders are.
03:12That's the distinction that Yashwant is drawing.
03:15Anyone has a different view?
03:17Preeti, you agree with what?
03:18When I look at these numbers,
03:2064% are saying free and fair.
03:22Most Indians believe
03:23voting ke din hum daat jate hain.
03:25That's the one day as I say
03:26where Mukesh Ambani
03:27and a person living in a chawl
03:29have the same right.
03:30They go to a voting booth
03:31and cast their vote.
03:32You know, okay, to begin with,
03:33more or less I do agree with Yashwant.
03:35But Rajdeep,
03:36this is not a political question
03:38in terms of a political party.
03:40It's a question which is directed
03:41at the election commission.
03:42And I would think in India
03:44that number should be way over 64%
03:46where we have absolute faith
03:49in our electoral system.
03:50So number one,
03:50I won't be proud.
03:52The bigger number you're saying is 32%.
03:54See, I'll just hark back
03:55to what our tenet has been.
03:56That even if there is 1% doubt,
03:58there is cause for concern.
03:59Good point.
03:59So therefore,
04:00you know,
04:01I wouldn't be happy
04:01if I was the election commission
04:03with these numbers, number one.
04:04Number two,
04:05with what Yashwant says,
04:06I just want to go one step further.
04:08The fact is, Rajdeep,
04:09let's go with the biggest benchmark,
04:11which was Lok Sabha elections.
04:12And then a lot of voters
04:13who voted the opposition
04:14felt validated
04:15that their vote mattered.
04:18And that,
04:18and it reflected.
04:19So you don't see those there.
04:21So what you said earlier,
04:23it's subjective.
04:23If you're not directly affected by it,
04:26so DMK is not going to question it.
04:29The voters of DMK
04:30are not going to question it.
04:31Same in West Bengal.
04:32But maybe in other states,
04:33Maharashtra,
04:34Haryana,
04:35you know,
04:36which...
04:36So you're...
04:36I take your point.
04:38The 32% matter,
04:39if 32%,
04:40that's also one in every three,
04:42are saying that
04:43they are not fully trustworthy
04:44of Indian polls,
04:45that's not a good sign
04:46for Indian democracy,
04:47Maria and then Sahil.
04:48The question is
04:49that if there is trust
04:50in the electoral process,
04:52is there also trust
04:53in the institution
04:54which is conducting
04:55this election?
04:56That is the question here.
04:58Because perhaps
04:58the SIR,
05:00the way it has been challenged
05:01in the Supreme Court
05:02and the way
05:02the entire hearing
05:03is unfolding
05:04and how the Supreme Court
05:06is allowing multiple documents now,
05:08including Aadhaar and EPIC,
05:09to be used
05:10as a verification document
05:11which will be seen
05:13as a setback
05:13for the Election Commission
05:14which conducted this exercise
05:16just three months before that.
05:18That's where the issue is.
05:19Is it about
05:20the Election Commission?
05:21People have faith
05:22in the democratic institution.
05:24They have faith
05:25in the exercise
05:26that this is legitimacy
05:27of their voting rights.
05:29But what about
05:30the institution
05:30which is conducting it?
05:31You're making a distinction
05:32between the power
05:32that people have to vote
05:34and their faith
05:34in the Election Commission.
05:36We are seeing
05:36other polls, Sahil Joshi,
05:37where the trust deficit
05:39in the India Election Commission
05:41has risen,
05:42a lack of trust,
05:43has risen.
05:44There's a trust deficit.
05:45Your view,
05:45when these numbers are put,
05:4764% saying yes,
05:48free and fair,
05:4932% saying no,
05:50not free and fair.
05:51Well, you know,
05:52the question is
05:53very generic questions
05:54and if you are trying
05:55to club it
05:55with the whole SIR
05:57No, that I'll come
05:58to a separate question.
05:59This is only about
06:00straight question,
06:02free and fair or not.
06:03So, exactly.
06:04Here is my point.
06:04So, I think,
06:06I mean,
06:06Yashwan can put his point
06:09to that
06:09because I think
06:10because always
06:10a lot of people
06:11felt that the elections,
06:13the way elections
06:13are conducted in India
06:14are not free and fair.
06:15A lot of people
06:16think that way.
06:18There comes money power,
06:19there comes a lot
06:20of other issues as well.
06:21So, it is not
06:23with respect,
06:23if we are looking
06:24at the whole process
06:26through the SIR
06:27controversy lens,
06:28then obviously
06:28we will say
06:30that 32% people,
06:31even if they think
06:32that the elections
06:33are not free and fair,
06:34then it's a big issue.
06:35But I think
06:36the question
06:37was pretty generic
06:38and a lot of times,
06:40even in the past,
06:42people have felt
06:42that the way
06:43the elections
06:43are conducted,
06:44the way the campaigns
06:45are run,
06:46it is not free and fair
06:47and that is the reason
06:48why a lot of times
06:48people have raised
06:49the questions
06:50that the candidates
06:52who do not have money,
06:54how are they going
06:54to contest elections?
06:55You are raising
06:56a different issue.
06:57Elections in India
06:58may be free
06:59but they are not
07:00necessarily fair.
07:01Correct.
07:02Because a fair election
07:03means that you will
07:04provide a level playing field.
07:05That's been my argument.
07:06Elections in India are free
07:08but they are not fair.
07:09But that didn't start
07:10only in the last one year.
07:11That's been over the years.
07:12Whichever party
07:13has been in power
07:14has always had
07:15a disproportionate advantage.
07:16So money power
07:18has also always existed.
07:19So if you would have
07:19asked this question
07:2020 years back,
07:21I think we would have
07:22got the similar
07:23kind of results.
07:23You think similar
07:24kind of results?
07:25Similar kind of results.
07:26So Sanjay Jha,
07:27R.P. Singh,
07:27to get your first reactions,
07:29when you look at
07:30these numbers,
07:31do you believe
07:31that there is a sense
07:32of faith being reposed
07:34in elections
07:35slash election commission?
07:37Do we need to make
07:37a distinction
07:38between the institution
07:39and the power to vote?
07:40Are elections free
07:42but not fair?
07:43And that's why
07:4432% probably are
07:46those who feel
07:46they are not fair.
07:47Your response,
07:48Sanjay Jha quickly
07:49and then Sardar R.P. Singh.
07:52And where does this
07:54leave Rahul Gandhi's
07:55vote-choree campaign?
07:57Razdeep,
07:58in my opinion,
07:59this is beyond
07:59Rahul Gandhi,
08:00the Congress,
08:01the opposition,
08:02not Bihar.
08:03What you are talking
08:04about is the
08:05core integrity
08:06of India's
08:07electoral processes
08:08and institutions,
08:10which means
08:11you are basically
08:11saying that
08:13the very foundation
08:14of Indian democracy
08:15today is under
08:17question,
08:17which means
08:18it is fragile.
08:19You are talking
08:20about two issues
08:21that need to be
08:21coupled here.
08:22Number one,
08:23an institutionalized
08:25mass-scale rigging
08:26possible.
08:27Is it possible
08:28because an institution
08:30is compromised
08:31right from the way
08:32it is appointed?
08:33We know how
08:34the Chief Justice
08:35of India was removed
08:36and a minister
08:37brought in.
08:38We also know
08:39that the Chief
08:40Election Commissioner,
08:41as per the last
08:42reports I read,
08:42has suddenly got
08:44immunity from
08:45any legal cases
08:46against him or her.
08:47We also know
08:48that had the Supreme
08:50Court not actually
08:51heard the opposition
08:52petition and compelled
08:54the Election Commission
08:55to disclose
08:5665 lakh names
08:57of deleted voters,
08:58that would not have
08:59happened.
09:00These are brazen
09:01manifestations of,
09:03I would say,
09:04very suspicious behavior
09:05by the Election Commission.
09:07Add to that,
09:08Rajiv,
09:08this is the point
09:09we need to add,
09:10this government
09:11of Mr. Modi
09:12passed a law
09:13which the Supreme
09:15Court struck
09:15as unconstitutional,
09:17which was on
09:18political funding.
09:20That is a serious
09:21thing that needs,
09:22need not be decoupled
09:23with the argument
09:23that there was an
09:25attempt made
09:25by the Modi
09:26government to
09:27ensure that
09:28political funding
09:28became opaque,
09:30which is the
09:30reason why
09:31corruption and
09:32electoral loot
09:33can become more
09:34rampant.
09:35You know,
09:36Sardar,
09:37RPC,
09:37how do you
09:38see these numbers?
09:3864% saying
09:39elections are
09:40free and fair,
09:41but as many
09:41as 32%,
09:42one in every
09:43three Indians
09:44no longer
09:45believe elections
09:45are free and
09:46fair.
09:47Now,
09:47this could be
09:47linked either
09:48to the
09:48ongoing debate
09:49or a general
09:50feeling
09:50that all
09:51are neta
09:52and money
09:52power
09:53will win
09:53with the
09:54money power.
09:58Rajdeep,
09:59this you
10:00should have
10:00said before
10:01the 2014
10:02election,
10:022009 election,
10:032004 election,
10:04I mean,
10:05this should
10:06have applied
10:06on your,
10:07this remark
10:08should have
10:08applied then
10:09also,
10:10but fact is,
10:10in fact,
10:11the best of
10:11efforts by
10:12Rahul Gandhi,
10:12Mr. Soros,
10:13Mr. Rajdeep
10:13Sardasai,
10:14and others
10:15like Sanjay
10:15Jha,
10:16still people
10:17believe in
10:17election commission.
10:18I was going
10:19through your
10:20video yesterday,
10:21if I repeat
10:22that,
10:22this is shocking,
10:23the way you
10:23are questioning
10:23the election
10:24commission itself.
10:25You never
10:25realize the
10:26question on
10:26election commission
10:26when Vinita
10:27was the
10:27election commission,
10:28who used
10:28to call up
10:29from the,
10:29he would
10:30take off
10:31from the
10:31meeting and
10:31go to the
10:32toilet and
10:32call back
10:33Mr. Sonia
10:33Gandhi,
10:34and this
10:34was written
10:35complaint by
10:35the then
10:36election
10:36commission,
10:36and then he
10:37was made
10:38election
10:38commission midway
10:39during the
10:39election itself.
10:41Also,
10:41Mr. Gill,
10:42I mean,
10:42Mr. Gill was
10:43the election
10:44commission who
10:45was later on
10:46made as the
10:46sports
10:48minister in
10:49the UPA
10:50government.
10:51So,
10:52I mean,
10:52this is shocking
10:53that the
10:54questions have
10:54been raised
10:54on election
10:55commission.
10:55Are you saying
10:57that the election
10:58commission in
10:58this country
10:59is about
10:59scrutiny?
11:00Are you saying
11:01we are not
11:01entitled to
11:02ask questions
11:02of the
11:03election
11:03commission?
11:04What happened?
11:04Democracy is
11:05about the
11:05right to ask
11:06questions.
11:07You have
11:07all the...
11:07not to ask
11:08questions?
11:11Sorry.
11:12You have
11:12all the
11:13right to
11:13ask
11:13questions.
11:14You have
11:14all the
11:15right to
11:15ask
11:15questions,
11:16but you,
11:16if I,
11:17please,
11:17I'll
11:18appreciate.
11:18If you
11:19want me to
11:19show that
11:19video,
11:20then I
11:20have to
11:20show that
11:20video,
11:21where you
11:21are raising
11:23on the
11:23basic
11:24premise of
11:24the working
11:26of the
11:26election
11:26commission.
11:27Election
11:27commission is
11:27not just
11:27alone.
11:28There are
11:28three people
11:28who work
11:28as the
11:29election
11:29commission.
11:30And here
11:31it is.
11:31You want
11:31to see
11:31this.
11:32Here it is.
11:32So you
11:36are raising
11:36question as
11:37election
11:37commission is
11:38neutral
11:38empire.
11:38I'm
11:39questioning
11:39what's wrong
11:41with questioning
11:42can I complete
11:44please?
11:44First of all,
11:44I'm glad you
11:45showed the
11:45video.
11:46Few more
11:46followers I'll
11:47get on
11:47Instagram.
11:48But my
11:48only question
11:49is what
11:49is wrong
11:50if the
11:51public is
11:5232% in
11:53the poll,
11:54forget about
11:54my video,
11:5532% in
11:56the poll are
11:57asking,
11:57are saying,
11:58no,
11:58elections are
11:59not free
11:59and fair.
12:00Should that
12:00not be
12:00worrying?
12:01Should that
12:01not need
12:02to asking
12:02questions?
12:07Well,
12:07if you
12:08have to
12:08divide your
12:09part free
12:09and fair,
12:10I mean,
12:10I can
12:11accept that
12:11there can
12:12be questions
12:12being raised
12:13on being
12:13fair,
12:14but elections
12:14are free.
12:15And also,
12:16you are
12:17saying that
12:17can I ask you
12:17just a one-line
12:18question,
12:19sir?
12:19Let me ask
12:20a question
12:20on what you
12:21believe.
12:21Can I
12:21complete a
12:22sentence?
12:22Can I
12:23complete a
12:24sentence?
12:24Please complete.
12:24Please complete.
12:24Please complete.
12:25Can I allow
12:25me to complete a
12:26sentence?
12:26Please complete,
12:27sir.
12:27Please complete.
12:29You break
12:29my sequence.
12:30please cover.
12:30So issue is that although election commissioners categorically said in their social media
12:37that Mr. Rahul Gandhi is misleading and when you say misleading means he is a fraudster
12:43or he is bluffing, the person who misleaders, when I'm going through the chat GPT,
12:48it says there's fraudster or a bluffer.
12:50So let Mr. Rahul Gandhi go and file a case against him.
12:54That election commission is misquoting him or trying to wrongly put a word to him that
13:01he is misleading.
13:02Fact is, there is no narrative.
13:04Okay, I'm prepared to talk to you, Rajiv, if you call me for a show, I'm prepared to
13:08talk to you as a common man on each and every subject which Mr. Rahul Gandhi has raised.
13:12Each and every subject.
13:12Can I ask you?
13:13Can I ask you?
13:13Let Preeti raise the question.
13:15I just want to ask you.
13:15One minute, Mr. Raj Singh.
13:17Now let Preeti ask her question.
13:18R.P. Singh, I just want to ask you one very simple question, sir.
13:21As a politician, as a common man, whichever way you want to answer that question.
13:25Is the election commission above board any questions?
13:28Are you actually telling our viewers today that no questions need to be asked of the
13:33election commission because it's a constitutional body?
13:36Yes or no, sir?
13:37Is it above board?
13:38Are we not allowed to question the election commission of this country?
13:41You have all the right to ask the election commission.
13:46Election commission is bound to answer all your questions.
13:48I'm there bound to clear all the queries raised by opposition or by any...
13:53Give me a second now.
13:54I mean, you said it raised the question.
13:55Let me complete.
13:57But trying to castigize election commission that there is a vote jury happening.
14:01I mean, that is absurd.
14:04That is questioning the election commission, sir.
14:05It's the election commission's prerogative to come up with a point by point rebuttal, which it has.
14:10No, no, but Sanjay Jhadir, you know, just to say, it's one thing to question the election commission and say,
14:15are you a neutral umpire or not?
14:17It's another thing then to say, vote chori ho rehi hai.
14:21You see, you're not just saying election commission, there is a problem.
14:23You're then going to say, vote chori ho rehi hai, elections are manipulated, elections are rigged.
14:27Those are very serious allegations.
14:29Do we need to distinguish between the two?
14:32Well, let me tell you, Rajdeep, as someone who's...
14:34Our poll is showing majority don't believe that elections are being rigged.
14:37That is not the majority view.
14:40Well, let me tell you, as somebody who's an anchor for you, for Preeti, for Maria,
14:46how do you judge your performance or your success?
14:49You judge it by your viewers, the eyeballs or the TRPs or whatever.
14:53For a politician, it's a vote.
14:55And you don't want that to be rigged.
14:57We know the kind of drama that happened in the media when there was a TRP scam and somebody was trying to rig it.
15:02It is no different for politicians.
15:04And I'm going to tell you this, Rajdeep, that once upon a time, the voters chose a government.
15:10Under Mr. Modi, we are having a situation where the government wants to choose the voters using the EC as a handmaiden.
15:17And I think this is an issue of every citizen of this country.
15:20I think as Maria, I think that's a big shame on the double.
15:22Sir, I have to only double.
15:23That's not what our poll is showing.
15:25Our poll is showing 64% are saying free and fair.
15:27That's about the institution.
15:27So they are not buying the election.
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