- 4 months ago
The top focus of this episode of To The Point is on Punjab, which is battling the worst floods in decades.
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00:00Watching To The Point, I'm Preeti Chaudhary. Our top focus today will be the deluge in Punjab.
00:0529 dead and counting, many districts completely inundated.
00:10Our reporters on ground are going to get us the latest, but first up, allow me to take you through the headlines.
00:20SEO leaders sign and adopt the Tianjin Declaration.
00:23Big win for India at SEO Summit as leaders condemn Pehelgham attack and raise voice for unity to fight global terror.
00:38Prime Minister Modi holds bilateral with Putin on sidelines of SEO Summit.
00:43Prime Minister Modi thanks Putin for showing unity during difficult times.
00:47Both leaders also made a statement by carpooling to bilateral meet venue.
00:53In short periods of time, in short periods of time, Bharat and Russia are always going to meet the same way.
01:02Our close friends are not only for both countries, but also for peace, peace, peace and peace.
01:12Trump said Peter Navarro continues his anti-India rhetoric, takes Brahmin's profiteering jibe at India.
01:23This even as Global South and East meet at Tianjin in China.
01:27On the last day of voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar, Rahul Gandhi says we'll drop vote chori hydrogen bombs soon.
01:40BJP hits back, accuses Congress of insulting voters.
01:43Amidst row over EC's voter roll revision exercise, top court weighs in on a setting up of paralegal volunteers.
02:01EC says claims and objections filed over voter roll revision will be considered even if they are filed after 30th September deadline.
02:11Till now, 21 lakh complaints have been filed.
02:21Maratha reservation storm intensifies in Mumbai.
02:24Protesters block the streets demanding 10% quota.
02:27Bombay High Court comes down heavily on the protesters for disturbing city life.
02:32And a powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.0 rocks Afghanistan, over 800 dead after quake jolts Afghanistan.
02:44Hundreds feared trapped under rubble.
02:46All right viewers, I want to quickly take you to the latest news that is filtering in from the state of Punjab.
03:06And disconcerting visuals that have only been building over the last couple of days.
03:10The deluge in Punjab has claimed 29 lives.
03:15This has been the worst flood in decades.
03:18Punjab reeling under, like I pointed out, the worst flood in decades.
03:23The death toll has mounted to 39 now.
03:27Two and a half lakh people have been affected.
03:29Massive floods have been caused by the swollen Satloj, Bias and the Ravi River.
03:34We're seasonal rivulets due to heavy incessant rain.
03:38Moreover, what is worse right now, the IMD has issued a 36-hour alert for heavy rains to very heavy rains in Punjab.
03:47Parts of Punjab are now facing a red alert, even though they are completely inundated.
03:52The border districts, which flow right next to the river Ravi, are completely inundated.
03:56Area which adjoin Himachal Pradesh, where the Bias drains into, completely inundated.
04:02Several districts, and I just want to give you an example of yours of Punjab.
04:06Gurdaspur, Hoshyarpur, Pathankot, Mohali, are some of the worst affected where districts are concerned of Punjab.
04:15Having said that, large parts of the state are completely inundated and underwater.
04:22Lacks have been displaced.
04:24Just 39, as I speak, are dead.
04:27I want to immediately cut across these visuals, of course, coming in from the city.
04:31We're going to continue to get you visuals coming in from deep inside Punjab,
04:36where my colleague Navjot, Aman and Kamaljeet have been travelling to.
04:40Kamaljeet Sandhu joins me live from Chandigarh.
04:43Navjot Kaur, live from...
04:45She joins us from Ambala.
04:48No, she joins us from Amritsar, Anjala.
04:51Aman Bhardwaj, live from Firozpur, Punjab.
04:55We're going to cut across to all of them, but first up, I'm going to take you through the kind of visuals
04:59that we've been getting in disconcerting viewers, to say the least.
05:0339 lives are lost as I speak, and lacks are inundated.
05:07One thing is clear.
05:09The state of Punjab is now witnessing one of the worst floods it has in decades.
05:16The Punjab government has extended school holidays till the 3rd of September,
05:20as the incessant way continues.
05:21It continues many parts of Punjab, completely underwater.
05:25And the worst now, red alert in Punjab for the next 48 hours.
05:30Rivers like Ravi, Satluj, Bias and Ghargarh are flowing in full spate,
05:35consuming and taking everything in their wing.
05:38Satluj, Bias and Ravi rages across Punjab, inundating nearly 3 lakh acres of farmland,
05:53hitting around 1.25 lakhs of people in the state and killing at least 29 people.
05:59Right here, this is Samrala Chowk in Ludhiana, and just close to this is where what you see
06:07is a massive water logging.
06:11This is leading to flooding in cities.
06:14This is really at a point of time which could result in havoc.
06:19Now, a lot of people wading through waters, a key concern.
06:22But clearly what we've seen in massive cities, Jalandhar, Ludhiana,
06:28all looking at major water logging because of the incessant drains.
06:36Gurdaspur, Moga, Fazilka, Firozpur, Pathankot and Tarantaran are the worst affected in Punjab.
06:43Indian army along with the NDRF and civil administration
06:47have been deployed for relief and rescue operations.
06:51We are at Firozpur, Indo Park border, and you can see right behind me is the fencing
06:56at 50 to 100 meters, and we won't disclose the post which is,
07:03but you can see the water flowing this side as well and that side as well.
07:07Because this is the Satluj River in Firozpur that flows along the borderline, along the fencing,
07:13and to that side of the fencing, you can see the water that has hit, the flood that has hit.
07:19And this side also, you can see the fields, the crops, how it's been damaged.
07:25And 11 villages here that on the borderline are majorly affected.
07:31And this area of Firozpur, there are total 100 villages that are affected
07:36and people here were evacuated, were rescued from their homes.
07:40Still, the water level is at where it was, and still people are under the threat
07:46that in coming days, water level can increase if the water has been released from the dams.
07:52The flood caused by incessant rain and swollen rivers have led to huge financial losses
07:57due to crop damage and livestock loss in Punjab.
08:00Chief Minister Bhagwant Man has constituted a high-powered committee for relief work
08:06and has sought 60,000 crore rupees from the centre as relief funds.
08:13The Kamajit Sandhu and Aman Bharadwaj, Bureau Report, India Today.
08:17There's one thing is for clear, that the state of Punjab is witnessing its worst flood in decades.
08:27Look at these visuals that are coming in from the most affected areas,
08:31areas of Gurdaspur, Ajnala, Firozpur, Ghoshyadpur, Zirakpur, Ludhiana,
08:37inundated fields, swollen rivers, Punjab completely submerged.
08:42These visuals have been continuing for the last couple of days with incessant rainfall.
08:48Rivers like Ravi, Beas, Gagar, in full spate, taking everything in its wake.
08:55Till now, there are over 30 dead and the loss to life and property is mammoth.
09:01Lacks have been displaced and the next 48 hours now crucial viewers
09:06because a red alert with more incessant rainfall now been alerted by the IMD.
09:11I want to quickly cut across to our reporters who have been reporting relentlessly over the past 48 hours.
09:18Joining me, my colleague Kamal Jeet Sandhu, who is now joining us from Chandigarh.
09:22She was in Ludhiana this morning.
09:24My colleague Navjot Kaur, who has been reporting incessantly from the border areas of Amritsar.
09:29She joins us from Ajnala, Punjab.
09:32Aman Bharadwaj, joining us live from Firozpur.
09:35Kamal, before I cut across to our other reporters,
09:37give us a sense, what's the current situation?
09:40Already over 30 dead.
09:42Lacks have been displaced.
09:44What's the latest?
09:47Well, it's one of the worst floods in four decades.
09:51So that way, the problem has already been there, especially in the border districts.
09:55But now what has happened is the incessant rainfall is also impacting its cities.
09:59So Jalandhar, even parts of Ludhiana, seeing waste-deep water, people wading through waters.
10:06So this is only adding to woes.
10:08What is also important and significant is about how people have now joined hands, celebrities coming in.
10:13So a whole lot of help really coming in.
10:15There are also one upmanship, if we can say so, between central forces as well as the state government.
10:21Obviously, the state pointing out that there is 60,000 crores, which are yet to be given to the state.
10:27That is the utmost requirement.
10:29Many, especially the opposition, pointing out that the arm of the party government was caught napping,
10:33that despite its preparation, it really failed up to its image.
10:38The helicopters were used for PR.
10:40So a whole lot of exchange between political parties.
10:44All of them, remember, 2027 elections is not too far.
10:46But on ground zero, it's the people who are impacted.
10:50It's the livestock, several of them, one lakh hectare of crops.
10:55And remember, Punjab is the food bowl.
10:57Also significantly is the livestock, several of the buffaloes being swept away, several of them killed.
11:03So these are heart-wrenching images.
11:06But what Punjab has shown is resilience.
11:08Despite facing one of its worst flood, several of the villages have come out to help each other.
11:14There is also assistance coming in.
11:16Remember, there are helicopters, there are drones being utilized, technology coming to the end.
11:21But on ground, we've also seen schools getting impacted.
11:25And that is why there is a closure till up to third.
11:28But this could perhaps be a signal as to why the cities are blocking water.
11:35Why is the water not being drained away?
11:37Is there a larger question whether how we've seen in Uttarakhand or Himachal Pradesh?
11:42Is the construction really leading up to these particular gaps, which is putting all the water together?
11:49Now, we know that there is water coming in from several of the dams, Bhakda, Pong Dam.
11:53But it's also about whether the water is able to seep in and has a way out.
11:58Or that is why this particular flooding is taking place.
12:00Many are talking about the sewerage lines not being open, not being cleaned.
12:05So, a whole lot of questions.
12:06But remember, the questions will come later on.
12:08It's a leap and rescue at first.
12:11All right.
12:11Relief and rescue.
12:12But right now, things are on an edge, viewers.
12:15I want to immediately...
12:16Navjot, give us a minute because our colleague, Aman Bhardwaj, is joining us from Ferozpur.
12:22He's in a boat.
12:23People are still being evacuated as we speak right now because the next 48 hours, there is a red alert.
12:30Aman, over to you.
12:32You are a part of, you know, one such rescue mission.
12:35How bad is the situation in Ferozpur, Punjab, one of the worst affected districts where many lives have been lost?
12:46Priti here, the network is very poor.
12:49So, the voice was also breaking.
12:50I didn't hear the question completely.
12:52But what I heard is, you want to know regarding the situation, I'll show you first the visuals.
12:57That wherever you will see, it all seems like ocean, that we are in ocean.
13:02But it's Punjab's Ferozpur border area from where hardly at 200, 300 meters, there's an international border with Pakistan, Indo-Pak border.
13:12And here, approximately 12 villages are under worse condition.
13:16Here, we are in a boat at Ferozpur, Nahala, Lavera village, where the depth of this water is either on the pedicrop at 3 to 4 feet or at 15 to 20 feet.
13:28And you can imagine that this complete stretch, the Satluj has been widened up to 8 kilometers.
13:33So, people hardly can come to know that where is the actual structures flowing and where is the flooded water.
13:40And BSF personals, this is the wing, the boat wing who are operating, boat, water wing guy, Pritam ji is with us.
13:50So, how the rescue has been going, what are people saying, what is the condition here, if you can just tell us.
13:58Sir, when we were deployed here, the water wing personnel of GP under the firm command of our water wing OC CS Toshwara and Devanath's GP HQ headquarter, group commander,
14:11he clearly instructed us to rescue and save each and every people of Nihala Lavera and Dhiragara and Telegram, each and every people in every possible ways.
14:24Sir, what are the things that you are taking here and how many persons are being rescued?
14:28Sir, we are providing them food daily, water bottles, medicines as well as the other necessary things to them in every possible way,
14:39irrespective of every hardships and irrespective of any other kind of problems.
14:44You can well see that this 30 HP OVM is also deployed here.
14:48We cannot deploy here if every boat having 90 HP boat.
14:51Sir, what are the challenges here? Because all you see is water.
14:53We cannot actually identify what is the actual depth of this particular water, where actually Sattloos is flowing and where is the flooded area.
15:03So the entire area is shredded with the green grasses.
15:07So it becomes a kind of hindrance to us to cover up the entire area.
15:13But we have been doing our level best to...
15:16What is the level of water in these houses, in these homes and schools or all the infrastructure that is here, it is 4 to 5 feet.
15:26And what are people saying?
15:27They want to stay in their houses because they are also insecure that theft can take place or they are not willing to leave their place.
15:36Of course.
15:37Some people have...
15:38We have also rescued more than 1,000.
15:41But there are few people who cannot leave their house because we all know that it is their sweet home.
15:46So they are not willing to go any other places.
15:49So we are providing them each and everything.
15:51So this is a situation, Preeti, and you see locals are also here who are taking these things to the people.
15:58And the situation here is more concerning because of water level sometimes is increasing and sometimes it is decreasing.
16:05So this is a situation where we are taking these things to the people who are taking these things to the people who are taking these things.
16:35So Preeti, this is a borderline, they are also patrolling at the same time and at the same time they are rescuing people.
16:43They are providing the necessary things that is needed.
16:45And also for tomorrow in Firozpur, because more than 100 villages are affected and it is a borderline, international border is there.
16:53So Governor Punjab, Gulab Chand Katariya, Chief Minister Punjab, Bhagwan Taman will be visiting Firozpur and take the...
16:59Right.
16:59Aman, I am going to come back to you.
17:01How is the situation?
17:01Because I just want to give you a sense where Aman is.
17:04Aman, let's go full frame with Aman.
17:06Aman right now is in a paddy field, is at a paddy field right now in Firozpur area in one of the villages.
17:16And he is with the BSF, he is with the local police, he is with the NDRF.
17:22And they are saying that they don't quite know where the satloj is flowing and where is the flood water.
17:28You cannot distinguish beneath the two.
17:31Help, you can see that visual there.
17:34That is my colleague Aman on a boat where they are delivering help, food to eat in houses that have been completely inundated.
17:41A rescue.
17:41A rescue there being made of a young boy that you can see on your television screen, viewers.
17:51Or there is food being delivered.
17:53A sweet visual there of this young kid completely in water.
17:58Let's go back to Aman and then we will go to Navjot.
18:00Aman, take us through what's happening.
18:03Okay, we are going to come back to Aman.
18:11I want to, we are going to keep continue to play these visuals and I want to cut across to my colleague Navjot who is joining us from Ajnala.
18:18Navjot, over the last few days you have sent some horrific reports coming in of villages after villages completely inundated.
18:28The next two days, Navjot, they will be very crucial because there is a red alert of heavy to intensely heavy rainfall.
19:40foreign
19:47foreign
19:54foreign
19:59foreign
20:04foreign
20:09i want you to be safe i hope you're safe there is a lot of anger where the locals are concerned
20:33we have a team there we are going to check in on them so clearly the locals are angry
20:37that the you know administration hasn't been able to reach them in time you know some of these visuals
20:45will break your heart viewers i want to cut across back to aman but you know we're going to check on i
20:52hope navjot's unit is fine navjot is fine my colleague who's been who's been reporting from ajnala okay
20:59navjot sam agar koi dicka thori and abogada ap harjai a quite a bit of a shake so that's my colleague
21:18navjot because we all there's a lot of anger there is a lot of anger because um administration hasn't
21:24been able hasn't been able to reach many villages that are completely marooned cut off for the last
21:3148 hours my colleague navjot they're speaking to the locals uh there but i want to cut across for
21:37a brief while to my colleague aman who's uh accompanying a rescue mission or rather a
21:42relief mission where water milk food is being delivered to houses which are completely maroon
21:49over to you aman then we'll quickly move on
21:55pretty you see now they have given the milk the necessity things that were required butter
22:00bottles being given to this uh house in frospur of nahala veda nahala lavera and you see people
22:07standing there uh there's no electricity there females you see how with uh all tears in eyes
22:14and emotional uh in a in a because they do have expectations from the administration
22:20from the government but nothing so far been met whatever was needed and you see they there's no
22:26electricity there's no mobile network and all you see is water all around this is a uh this is a
22:32parking area of their this home and there's a cow shed there cows are the kettles are there cows are
22:39there but still in this gate and their entrance and this parking area all you see is water and this
22:45water outside is being merged with satluj and eight kilometer wide and satluj is uh is creating a horror
22:52among these people here in ferozpur and locals are here uh engineer engineer engineers are working bsf
23:00guys are here who are on rescue at this time as well and you see the weather is still scary there's a
23:06wind that is blowing and now even on the boat the rescue can't be carried out still the uh at this
23:14time bsf uh has taken on the uh taken on the responsibility on the shoulders that any uh any
23:21stone will not be uh will not be left unturned what else you have given what
23:29what what what what things uh what things you have given here and how this rescue operation is okay we
23:39have given them biscuits and daily commodities for their cooking water sub water as well as medicines each
23:46and everything water wing personnels are working and toiling hard 20.7 to give them
23:51go and speak to them no because uh you have no idea what is the actual level of the water so this is the
24:01problem i will talk to them up kit kit kit napani aap ke gar mein kit napani thawar abhi kitna
24:06kina panini so he's in fifth what's your name kina harman preet is in fifth and he studies but
24:31there's no electricity that's a condition of punjab uh
24:59Ardev Singh is all thanking BSF that because of them, all the ration or the necessary thing that is required is reaching to the home.
25:08And you see the weather condition is also scary right now.
25:12For the next 48 hours, Amun, I'm going to urge you to get back to safety as well.
25:17The next 48 hours are crucial again.
25:19There's a red alert in various districts of heavy to very heavy rainfall.
25:23Where my colleague Amun is right now, viewers, is very close to the border with Pakistan and the Satloj there.
25:31And, you know, one really doesn't know where the Satloj ends and the floodwaters are.
25:36It's that inundated where over 20 villages completely cut off and marooned.
25:41We're going to keep a keen eye on all the developments coming in from the state of Punjab facing the worst flood in 40 years, four decades, viewers.
25:51With that, I want to quickly move on to the other big story that we've been tracking all day on the network.
25:56At the SCO summit in Tianjin, all 10 members of the organization condemned the terror attacks and cross-border terrorism in the region.
26:03While the condemnation of Pehelgham attack in the presence of Pakistan is a big win for India,
26:08members of SCO did not name Pakistan as the perpetrator.
26:11The joint declaration of Tianjin SCO summit condemned terror attacks in Jafar Express, Balochistan as well.
26:21Shanghai Cooperation Organization's declaration at the end of two-day summit at Tianjin reaffirmed the bloc's firm commitment to fight terrorism, separatism and extremism.
26:39The Tianjin declaration, signed and adopted by all 10 members, including India, Pakistan and Russia, strongly condemned the April 22nd Pehelgham attack.
26:49But the joint declaration steered clear of naming Pakistan, despite India's long-standing charge that Islamabad provides a safe haven to terror outfits.
27:00Also, we have reached out to the important part of the government and the world who live in our country.
27:15Our country is embraced by the entire time of the government.
27:18This is the先-movement government, that we have to carry out the rest of the whole country.
27:24Joint statement declared, and I quote,
27:50The member states strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pehelgham on 22nd April 2025.
27:58They expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the dead and the wounded.
28:04They further stated that perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of such attacks must be brought to justice, unquote.
28:13And it also mentioned, and I quote,
28:16Member states also strongly condemned the terrorist attacks on Jafar Express on 11th March and in Khuzadar on 21st May 2025, unquote.
28:28Calling for an end to cross-border movement of terrorists,
28:32the declaration stressed the inadmissibility of attempts to use terrorists, separatists and extremist groups for mercenary purposes.
28:41S.C.O. member states are all friends and partners.
28:49We must respect each other's differences, maintain strategic communication,
28:53build collective consensus, strengthen unity and coordination,
28:58expand the scope of cooperation,
29:01make full use of each country's strengths,
29:03and shoulder together the responsibility of promoting peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region.
29:11On the issue of territorial integrity and sovereignty,
29:19the Tianjin Declaration said, and I quote,
29:21Member states advocate respect for the right of peoples
29:26to independently and democratically choose their own parts of political and socio-economic development
29:32and emphasize that the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty,
29:37independence, territorial integrity of states,
29:40equality, mutual benefit, non-interference in internal affairs
29:44and non-use of force or threat of force
29:47are the basis for the sustainable development of international relations, unquote.
29:51This becomes an important point for India as far as the border standoff
29:58and the dispute with China is concerned.
30:01Vera Report, India Today.
30:10All right, let me quickly take you through the latest news break that's coming
30:13in U.S. President Donald Trump's big statement after the S.C.O. summit.
30:17Trump has now stated India now offered to cut their tariffs to nothing.
30:21But it's getting late.
30:22They should have done so years ago.
30:24That's a huge statement coming in by President Donald Trump once again
30:28resorting to social media to say that India has now offered to cut their tariffs to nothing.
30:35But it's getting late.
30:36They should have done so years ago.
30:37Trump doubling down on Russian oil charge on India.
30:40India buys most of its oil and military products from Russia,
30:44very little from the U.S.
30:46What few people understand is that we do very little business with India
30:50and they do a tremendous amount of business with us.
30:52Until now, a totally one-sided relationship and it has been so for many decades.
30:58Big news coming in.
30:59I want to cut across to my colleague Pranay Upadhyay, editor India Today,
31:02joining us to break it down.
31:04Pranay, once again, you have President Trump making a big statement on part of India
31:10where he claims India has offered to cut down tariffs to zero.
31:14What does he actually mean?
31:16President Donald Trump again trying to make this claim.
31:19But also if you see the tone of President Donald Trump's truth social post,
31:22it clearly is visible that he's trying to explain his position
31:25because there are many voices and there are many critics who are asking Donald Trump
31:30and his administration's policy vis-a-vis India is concerned
31:33that why U.S. is trying to alienate a strategic partner like India
31:38and to fight against the Chinese hegemony to Indo-Pacific policy,
31:42India has been a pivotal partner for the United States.
31:46On the other side, now U.S. has taken a contrary position.
31:49But if you see the two social media posts which came today on one side,
31:54the U.S. Embassy in India has posted a statement of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio
31:59saying that India remains a vital partner,
32:02India remains a pivotal partner for the United States
32:05as far as the 21st century partnership is concerned,
32:08as far as the future of India-U.S. strategic ties are concerned,
32:10India-U.S. remains hopeful
32:12and this is a steadfast partnership between U.S. and India.
32:17On the other side, President Donald Trump trying to explain
32:19that you know why he has taken this position,
32:21he is trying to make a case out of it.
32:23But look, whatever tariff policies U.S. have been objecting,
32:26these tariff rates have been derived out of the WTO procedures.
32:29But Prane, do we have any confirmation of this from India?
32:34Because this is a claim that President Trump has made,
32:36that we have offered to cut our tariffs down.
32:40You are absolutely right.
32:41Yes, there has been assurances to cut down on tariff lines
32:45because when you enter a BTA, a bilateral trade agreement,
32:48so in that trade agreement, like we did in case of India-UK-FTA,
32:52you have zeroed down or reduced the tariff rates for certain tariff goods,
32:58certain goods and their associated tariff lines.
33:00So in this case also, we have already reduced tariffs on many products
33:04and we were assured to reduce it further.
33:07When the BTA is done...
33:08So pressure tactics, that's what it is.
33:10You're going to leave it at that.
33:12Prane, thank you for joining us.
33:13My colleague Prane Upadhyay are getting us the latest news.
33:15All of this is taking place, of course, not this.
33:18This is taking place on social media where President Trump once again tweeting away.
33:22But the SEO summit, all of that taking place in China
33:26but reverberations in the state of Bihar as well
33:29because today was the end of the Vote Adhikar Rally.
33:33Lok Sabha LOP Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a swipe at Prime Minister Modi's China visit
33:37mentioning that the slogan,
33:39Vote Chori Gaddi Chod, is not limited to India but has also reached Beijing.
33:44Vote Chod!
33:50Meanwhile, there's something else that Rahul Gandhi said in that
34:19Let's just quickly play that.
34:20And the conclusion of the Vote Adhikar Rally,
34:22Rahul Gandhi also claimed that he was going to now unleash a hydrogen bomb
34:26about the SIR exercise in Bihar.
34:29We was al-hark you back when Rahul Gandhi said he's going to drop an atom bomb
34:32is when he held that press conference making grave charges
34:37on the election commission of voter fraud
34:39where he took a constituency in Karnataka of Lok Sabha 2024.
34:44Now he claims there's a hydrogen bomb that's going to be dropped very soon.
34:49Alright, listen in.
34:53Hello.
34:54Hello.
34:55oh yeah I can't go to the
35:01I'm not going to come up
35:03I'm not going to
35:04I'm not going to
35:07I'm not going to
35:09go to the
35:10hotel
35:11hotel
35:12I'm not going to
35:13I'm not going to
35:15be a big
35:17logo
35:17hydrogen
35:19bomb
35:19I'm
35:19I'm
35:20I'm
35:22I'm
35:23I'm
35:24foreign
35:38foreign
35:54All right, I want to quickly cut across to our political face-off this evening.
36:03And God alone, where shall we start?
36:04Shall we speak about China?
36:06Shall we speak about what President Trump just tweeted or what Rahul Gandhi just about said?
36:10First up, apologies to you both to keep you waiting.
36:12We had a bit of news break coming in from a tweet by President Trump.
36:15And before that, the tragedy that we are facing in the state of Punjab.
36:18So appreciate your patience.
36:20But we have 20 minutes with you.
36:22I would hope you'd make the most of it.
36:23We have a clock, two minutes each.
36:25I begin with Dr. Ajay Kumar, National Spokesperson Congress, Sanju Verma, National Spokesperson BJP.
36:32Dr. Ajay Kumar, let's start with what Rahul Gandhi just said.
36:35What in the world is this hydrogen bomb?
36:41You're on mute, sir.
36:43You're on mute.
36:44Can we get the clock going as well?
36:45Two minutes.
36:46Yeah.
36:47So the...
36:48Go ahead, sir.
36:48Rahul Gandhi should have said, Treeti, neutron bomb.
36:51Because majority of the TV channels, majority, not all, and all newspapers are not even covering this vote showery.
36:59It looks as if the neutron bomb has wiped them out.
37:02It's only the YouTubers and the others.
37:04There are certain people who are highlighting it.
37:06Can I hold your timer, sir?
37:07I'm going to hold your time.
37:09I'm going to hold your time.
37:10And you're going to allow me to...
37:11Just hold his time, please.
37:12Can we freeze his time?
37:13Okay.
37:15And I'm going to...
37:15I'm going to...
37:16I'm going to say this.
37:18Because it's amazing.
37:19Because day after day, you come in on our channel.
37:22You cast aspersions on our channel.
37:23While we've just played the whole reaction of Rahul Gandhi out.
37:27While we are playing the whole rally out.
37:29And then you go and laud YouTubers.
37:32You know, sir, either then don't come and do this.
37:34If you have to do this, then respect what we're doing.
37:36So, one second.
37:37Go ahead, sir.
37:39I don't know, Preeti, why you're getting touchy.
37:40I said some TV channels.
37:43I didn't tell you.
37:44And I genuinely didn't mean you.
37:45But you seem to be over-touchy today.
37:48So, it's part of life.
37:49I also get touchy at times.
37:51You guys covered it.
37:52Some channels have covered it.
37:53I'm not saying.
37:54I'm saying majority.
37:56Majority of newspapers have not covered it.
37:59And the fact is that the vote...
38:03The electoral rolls fraudism is unbelievable.
38:09The change of law so that the chief election commissioner cannot have an FIR.
38:13Election commissioners cannot have an FIR against them is unbelievable.
38:17It was only brought in 2023.
38:20You're not showing the videos of the polling after 5 p.m. in Maharashtra.
38:25You brought a law to change it.
38:27Because we wanted to prove it to you that it is not possible that after 5 p.m. so many people voted.
38:31Unbelievable.
38:31So, my question to you is, what is he saying?
38:35He's saying the lakhs of voters have been disenfranchised.
38:40New voters are being put in.
38:43The BJP, Prabhari, voted in Gujarat last time and got registered in Patna.
38:50Unbelievable.
38:51Because they are vote chores.
38:52So, what do you say?
38:54Now, we are doing study assembly after assembly.
38:57So, the hydrogen bomb and the neutron bomb will expose that there is no integrity left in this election commission.
39:05And last, Preeti, Anurag Thakur doesn't get a notice.
39:10Rahul Gandhi has to file.
39:11Anurag Thakur also made allegations.
39:13No?
39:14Why isn't Anurag Thakur getting it?
39:15So, who will trust this election commission?
39:17Rahul Gandhi gets a fit of it.
39:19Anurag Thakur is left free.
39:20This is ridiculous.
39:23All right.
39:24Sir, you know, not all parties, but some parties have a habit of constantly attacking the media.
39:30I'm not blaming you.
39:32So, don't get touchy.
39:33But I'm just saying.
39:34I'm just saying, sir.
39:35No, no.
39:35Sir, why are you getting touchy?
39:37No, no.
39:37I'm not getting touchy.
39:38No, no.
39:38Preeti, only five seconds.
39:40I would never make a comment on your channel, and you especially, for the simple reason
39:46as I've seen your coverage.
39:47I didn't want to flatter you so that people don't attack you.
39:50No, I don't flatter you.
39:51I don't attack you.
39:52Okay, fine, sir.
39:52I'm not getting you to it.
39:54But all I'm just saying is I'm taking it up for my entire channel and all my fellow journalists.
39:58Not all, but a few parties have a habit of constantly attacking journalists, especially
40:03national media.
40:05Or legacy.
40:06Or legacy channels that latest whipping boy.
40:08Or girl.
40:09I'll come back to you.
40:10I'll come back to you, sir.
40:11Okay.
40:11I want to bring in Sanju Verma into this conversation.
40:14Sanju Verma, the fact is you might say the atom bomb in terms of Rahul Gandhi's allegations
40:18on the EC earlier on, where Karnataka and the study Congress did on a particular seat
40:23in Karnataka, what a dud.
40:26But now he's promising a hydrogen bomb where SIR is concerned.
40:29Your quick take, and then we'll move on to Trump.
40:33You know, Preeti, let me make one thing very clear.
40:35Rahul Gandhi, you know, can say that we'll throw a hydrogen bomb in Jhumri Talaia, atom
40:41bomb in Mars, you know, we'll throw a missile launch on Jupiter and Uranus.
40:46Nobody takes Rahul Gandhi seriously because a politician, especially a leader of opposition,
40:51needs to have a certain amount of gravitas.
40:55And I think gravitas is a word that is completely alien to Rahul Gandhi.
40:59It does not exist in his dictionary.
41:01And let me remind the Congress, the SIR exercise has been upheld by the Supreme Court, which said
41:08that wide Article 326 of the Constitution, the Election Commission is absolutely well within
41:15its rights to conduct SIR and Justice Sudhanushu.
41:18And let me also say that, you know, there are more than one seven, 17,509 BLAs of Congress
41:36Party to be precise.
41:38And despite that, there have hardly been any claims, counterclaims or objections filed by
41:44the BLAs of the Congress Party against the SIR exercise.
41:48So Rahul Gandhi making reckless allegations is a hot air balloon.
41:52And let me also end by saying one thing, Maharashtra keeps coming up.
42:03Yes, the voter turnout between 5 and 6 p.m. in Maharashtra went up by 7.83%.
42:08But equally, the voter turnout in Telangara went up in the last one hour by 11.8%.
42:14In Karnataka, it went up by 13.9%.
42:17In Himachal Pradesh, it went up by 13.7%.
42:21But Telangara, Himachal and Karnataka, the Congress Party won.
42:25So the rise in voter turnout was dismissed.
42:28But because the Congress Party got a brutal dropping in Maharashtra, they are weeping like
42:32a bunch of sore losers.
42:34Janata Janardhan hai, sab samajti hai.
42:37All right, we're going to go into the SEO summit declaration as well.
42:40But before that, and we get on to discussing that with our panelists, I want to quickly
42:44cut across to my colleague Moshmi, who was tracking the yatra.
42:48But one quick comment each before that, and I will bring in, you know, Dr. Rajoy Kumar
42:53again and Ms. Sanju Verma.
42:55Dr. Kumar, now it's a bit much because you had Rahul Gandhi who actually linked vote,
43:00chori, gaddi chhod all the way to China.
43:03You know, I think, should we not?
43:05Do you reckon it's disrespectful to bring that up?
43:07Because there you're representing India.
43:09It's a tightrope diplomatic walk.
43:11We needed to do it, keeping in mind our current context.
43:15Would you thought that was not needed?
43:17Should have been avoided?
43:18So, Preeti, when their official guys, their IT troll army says,
43:25that Trump has been in the tension of Xi Jinping.
43:28Okay, they're official.
43:30And when he meets Xi Jinping, they say,
43:33that Xi Jinping has been in the tension of Xi Jinping.
43:35Trump's tension of Xi Jinping.
43:36Who is insulting India?
43:39They themselves are insulting India and all the other people by doing these kind of stupid
43:44stuff, morning to evening.
43:47They are doing, they were saying,
43:49Turkey ko la la dikha diya, boycott Turkey.
43:52Now we have brought Turkey back.
43:53You tell me, what is this nonsense they do?
43:56Their official guys are saying,
43:58Azerbaijan, Turkey, China was supporting Pakistan.
44:02These guys were all over the social media,
44:04press statements, whatever it is.
44:06And now, Preeti, ask them to, and Sanju Verma Ji should explain,
44:11what is the newfound love after Pakistan was supported by China?
44:15Suddenly, Trump tension mein?
44:17And Xi Jinping and Modi discussion mein?
44:20I mean, what kind of statements they make?
44:22So, they have destroyed India's credibility a billion times more.
44:28Even if we tried, we can't do as much damage as the BJP IT sell in this folks.
44:33I mean, they have, you know, the communication department and their whole team.
44:37You have 45 more seconds.
44:38You want to let go of it?
44:39Oh, no, I would continue.
44:41Oh, thank God for reminding me because I thought it was just...
44:43So, the important part...
44:45So, the important part...
44:46So, give me five seconds extra.
44:48The important part is the credibility of India is on democracy.
44:53The credibility is India on its voting system.
44:56And these are, you know, whether it's the European Union,
44:59whether Trump is a, you know, one-time flash in the pan,
45:01there's only a thousand days more to go.
45:03But the rest of the world looks at us for what we stood for.
45:06Nepal used to take our suggestions, Bangladesh, Maldives, everybody,
45:09all the countries of the world would take...
45:11That election commission is gone.
45:13And the people of India don't believe in the electoral process.
45:17And I want to tell Sanjeev Verma Ji, the last most important,
45:20please get the videos of Telangana.
45:22If there is a...
45:23Please get the videos of Karnataka.
45:25If there is a mistake, please inquire it.
45:28We are not saying Karnataka or Telangana.
45:30Inquire it.
45:30But don't get away with this story.
45:33All right.
45:34Two minutes.
45:35You have Sanjeev Verma who will respond.
45:36And then I'll cut across to Moshmi to dip in.
45:39Because the yatra of Rahul Gandhi ended today in Bihar.
45:41And then we'll move on to our discussion
45:43whether India scored a diplomatic win today or not.
45:46Sanjeev Verma, go ahead.
45:47Make your point.
45:50You know, Preeti,
45:51today I'm reminded of this famous Hindi saying,
45:54jhukti hai dunia, jhukane wala chahiye.
45:56That fabulous photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
46:01and Russian President Putin
46:04sitting in the car having a 45-minute chat
46:08despite, you know, Mr. Modi
46:12apparently making Putin wait for 10 minutes,
46:14but that was not intentional.
46:16You know, despite a bilateral summit that was already planned,
46:19they first had a 45-minute chat in the car
46:21and then they had a one-hour-long-plus discussion
46:24where the two of them exchanged, you know,
46:27views on various things, security, connectivity, trade,
46:30global peace, stability, the Ukrainian conflict, blah, blah, blah.
46:34I forget as a BJP national spokesperson,
46:37as an Indian, I'm so proud.
46:39Zheilinsky is quoting Prime Minister Modi,
46:52Bhaiya, Russia-Ukraine concert,
46:54ban ki jiye.
46:55Putin and Prime Minister Modi's relationship
46:58in terms of India-Russia partnership
47:00is at its highest point that it has ever been.
47:03China and India's relationship
47:05is back on track, seemingly.
47:07And guess what?
47:09I am also amused by that photograph
47:11of Putin and Prime Minister Modi
47:13walking past like a breeze
47:15and Shraibha Sharif looking as a helpless,
47:18you know, hapless.
47:19You know, Pakistan has been isolated
47:21despite being part of the SEO summit.
47:24So Modi ji ne wo kar dikhaaya,
47:26jo achche achche neta kar nahi paate.
47:28And as far as India's credibility goes,
47:31you know, you have to be visiting a shrink
47:33if you feel that the SEO summit
47:35was not about India or Modi.
47:37It was about Modi.
47:39It was about India's, you know,
47:41rising stature, India's rising diplomatic prowess.
47:44And most importantly,
47:46jab hum kehte hai, modi hai toh munkin hai,
47:48it is not IT cell troll.
47:50Russia, Chin, Amerika, mehdi.
47:53All right.
47:54I'm sure Dr. Rajoy Kumar
47:55has a few things to say about that.
47:56I can already see his smile on his face.
47:58But Dr. Kumar, the fact is,
48:01you know, diplomacy is a tightrope walk.
48:03You are very well attuned to that.
48:05We went to China under certain circumstances,
48:08and I would reckon we've come back
48:10with the best possible takeaway.
48:12With Pehelgam being mentioned,
48:14yes, Balochistan has been mentioned as well.
48:16But India's got what it possibly needed.
48:19Would you call it and admit it was a diplomatic win?
48:22Look,
48:23China
48:25was accused by nobody less than
48:28the deputy chief of army staff
48:30for supporting Pakistan.
48:33China has voted in the United Nations Security Council
48:36every time
48:37till now
48:38in favor of Pakistan and Azhar Mahmood.
48:42They have given all their technology
48:44and defense resources to them.
48:47China continues
48:48to claim 70,000 kilometers of Arunachal Pradesh
48:52and starts naming it.
48:54I'm amused that the BJP is finding
48:56great success in
48:58for what did we do after Galwan?
49:02We gave them a clean shit in 2020.
49:05We gave them a clean shit after 2020
49:07saying nothing, nobody came in.
49:09Have things changed?
49:10And the same China,
49:12their own people are sending,
49:13we're sending photos
49:14that Trump with Modi
49:15is in the tension of Xi Jinping.
49:18Now,
49:18the same people have changed it
49:20and said
49:20that the Xi Jinping with Modi
49:23is in the tension of Xi Jinping.
49:24Oh, brother,
49:25let's change the script.
49:26Please change the awful script writers they have.
49:30You know,
49:30the story and my most important thing
49:32is the relationship between China
49:33and I'm sure Sanju Verma Ji
49:35and BJP will be turning in their,
49:37not right now,
49:38but the old BJP leaders
49:39will be turning in their graves
49:40for the simple reason
49:42is China quoted
49:44Pandit Nehru's punch shield.
49:46So Nehru Ji came from China,
49:49statement right now on punch shield.
49:51And they accepted it.
49:52No,
49:53they accepted it.
49:5470 years back,
49:55the Chinese said
49:56that there was a punch shield
49:57and BJP couldn't say a word.
50:00Non-aggression, non-aggression.
50:02Ma'am, we are going,
50:03we are going,
50:03it's tempo,
50:04I'll come to you,
50:05I'll give you enough time.
50:06Okay,
50:06Sanju Verma,
50:07please respond
50:07because Sanju Verma,
50:08you might say
50:09it's a diplomatic win
50:10which many should look at it
50:11as a diplomatic win
50:12but on the other hand,
50:14Pakistan's also got the same
50:15out of what they can go back home
50:17and say that,
50:18see,
50:18Balochistan was mentioned.
50:20When did we deny
50:20Pehel Gamba
50:21was not a terror attack?
50:22We think it's a terror attack,
50:24they've just never taken responsibility for it.
50:27You know,
50:28Preeti,
50:28let me make one thing
50:29very, very clear.
50:30You know,
50:31now we,
50:31you know,
50:32said,
50:34you know,
50:34BJP ki IT
50:35sell,
50:36you know,
50:37these guys are a bunch of trolls,
50:39blah, blah,
50:39let's get down to the brass tacks
50:41and have a serious discussion.
50:43Your audience needs to listen to this.
50:45They,
50:46I will come to
50:47who is this they?
50:48They said,
50:49in 2018,
50:50do not buy S-400 from Russia.
50:53They said,
50:54Rafael,
50:55deal,
50:56you know,
50:56is shady,
50:57shabby
50:57and against India's interests.
50:59They said that China
51:01will never agree
51:02to voluntary disengagement
51:04post-Galwan.
51:05Whereas for the first time
51:06in the longest time,
51:08in 2021,
51:09China voluntarily decided
51:12to disengage
51:13post-Galwan,
51:14something which it has never done
51:15despite having territorial disputes
51:17with 24-odd nations.
51:19They said that Modi
51:21will certainly
51:22open the doors
51:23of genetically modified
51:24U.S. crops
51:26and compromise
51:27the interests
51:28of Indian farmers.
51:30They said that
51:312,000 square kilometers
51:33of Indian territory
51:34has been encroached
51:35upon by the Chinese.
51:36But let me say this,
51:38the Supreme Court
51:39no less
51:40castigated Rahul Gandhi
51:41calling him,
51:42no,
51:43Priti,
51:43wait,
51:43I'm giving equal time.
51:45They don't have time
51:46which is us
51:47right now.
51:48Ma'am,
51:49we need to,
51:49we need to close the,
51:50we need to,
51:51call him anti-national.
51:52Okay,
51:52I need to close the debate.
51:54And we will try
51:55and do a more cohesive,
51:56constructive debate tomorrow
51:57and I hope to have
51:58both of you back
51:58where what went down
52:00in China
52:01with the SEO summit,
52:03what have been
52:04the biggest takeaways
52:04for India
52:05and we'll debate it politically
52:06but we need to end
52:07the show right now.
52:08Appreciate our guests
52:09for joining us
52:09for that quick fiery face-off.
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