- 1 year ago
The Gen Z-led protest in Nepal, first triggered by a social media ban by the government, has morphed into a demonstration against corruption and seeking civilian rule.
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00:00Good evening, Nepal is on the edge. The wife of a former Prime Minister of Nepal, she was charred to death when protesters set their home on fire.
00:10And that's not the only home of a top political leader that's been set on fire. We have an entire list.
00:16So, Sheetal Nivas, the President's house in Nepal, set on fire. Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, he's stepped down. His house has been set on fire.
00:25The parliament building has been set on fire. Shere Bahadur Diobha, former Prime Minister, and his wife Arzu Rana Diobha, they were roughed up, they were assaulted by the mob.
00:36Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachand, the mob tried to set their house on fire. Ram Chandra Padel, President of Nepal, the presidential palace attacked.
00:48Ramesh Lehek, Home Minister Nepal, home attacked. Bishu Prasad Padel, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, chased, beaten up and stripped by protesters in Nepal.
01:00And this list goes on and on. The situation is very tense. Airports are being set on fire. Government buildings have been set on fire.
01:08Even though Prime Minister, Khadda Prasad Sharma Oli, K.P. Sharma Oli, he's stepped down. The entire cabinet has resigned. The President has accepted that resignation. The mob's still not satisfied.
01:20They said, change all these political leaders who use Nepal's power as a revolving chair. The same four or five faces will keep returning as the Prime Minister and the power never comes to the people.
01:33They now want genuine change or parivartan. And over the course of the next half hour, we get you all details. But take a look at the ground realities right now.
01:50Parliament to pavement. Nepal's power play. K.P. Sharma Oli, government ousted. Gen Z triumphs. After Colombo and Dhaka, now Kathmandu.
02:20Nepal Army appeals for peace. Nepal's next chapter, a coup, calm or civilian rule. That's our top focus on India First.
02:37The army is out on the streets, but the army is only appealing to the protesters to go back home and restore law, order and calm.
02:47But there have been instances, and especially when Sheetal Nivas, the presidential building, the presidential house, when that was targeted, the mob snatched their weapons and they were brandishing those self-loading rifles and AK-series assault rifles.
03:00There have been instances where the mob or the protesters are now distancing themselves from banks being targeted, government offices being targeted.
03:08And in some instances, loot at government offices and the presidential building.
03:16We'll get you all those details. Also coming up, C.P. Radhakrishnan is the new vice president of India.
03:21He's got 452 first preference votes as against.
03:27300 for the opposition, India block candidate, Sudarshan Reddy, Justice Sudarshan Reddy.
03:34Of course, the opposition says that's moral victory for them.
03:36We'll get you more on that story.
03:38I'm Gaurav Savant.
03:39As always, let's get started with the headlines on India First.
03:43Cures on the streets of Nepal.
03:49Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigns.
03:51Protesters take out a victory march across Kathmandu.
03:54The parliament building, president house set on fire.
03:58Several ministers have been targeted.
04:00NDA pick C.P. Radhakrishnan is the new vice president of India.
04:09C.P. Radhakrishnan bagged 452 votes while India block candidate, Justice Sudarshan Reddy, got 300 votes.
04:1715 less than what the opposition expected.
04:27Prime Minister Narendra Modi carries out an aerial survey of flood.
04:30Affected regions of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
04:33The Prime Minister reviews relief efforts in both the states.
04:37Beats victims of the flood.
04:45An avalanche hits an army camp at the Siachen Glacier.
04:49Three soldiers sadly lose their lives.
04:51Their bodies have now been recovered.
05:00Big escalation.
05:02Israel targets Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar.
05:06Report says senior Hamas leaders have been targeted in this attack.
05:12Confirmation avated on the success.
05:14So, in Nepal, there's kiosks on the streets.
05:30Not just of Kathmandu, but across the 77 districts of Nepal.
05:35Whether it's the hill region or the plains.
05:38There are people who are out on the streets.
05:40Not in hundreds, but in thousands.
05:43Protesters stormed.
05:45They singled out homes and offices of powerful ministers.
05:49Including Prime Minister Khadda Prasad Sharma Oli.
05:53KP Sharma Oli, they set his personal house on fire.
05:57Homes of several ministers have been set on fire.
06:01In one instance of former Prime Minister Hanal, his wife.
06:05She was at home when they set the house on fire.
06:08Sadly, she was killed.
06:11She was burnt to death in this mob attack at their house.
06:15Dramatic escalation.
06:17The Prime Minister's office at Singh Darbar was targeted.
06:20The seat of government has turned into a flashpoint.
06:23That's the ground reality right now.
06:25Look at those pictures that you see.
06:27The parliament building has been set on fire.
06:29The presidential house has been set on fire.
06:31I quickly want to cut across to my colleague Pankaj Das,
06:34who joins us live from Kathmandu with the latest Pankaj.
06:37Is there still a situation in Kathmandu?
06:41Or is there still a situation in Kathmandu?
06:43Or is there still a situation in Kathmandu?
07:12Thank you very much.
07:42Thank you very much.
08:12Thank you very much.
10:11picked you.
10:13has been attacked on set on fire. Ramesh Lehek was the home minister of Nepal. He was held
10:18responsible for the 22 deaths of the protesters. His house has been set on fire. Vishnu Prasad
10:26Paudel, deputy prime minister and finance minister, he was chased, stripped and beaten on the streets
10:31of Nepal. And this list goes on and on. Prithvi Gurung, minister for IT and communication. And
10:39remember, he's been in the line of fire, home set on fire. Jalanath Khanal, former prime minister of
10:44Nepal, senior leader of the Communist Party, wife Rajya Lakshmi, former lecturer in MSC,
10:49mob set the house on fire. The list goes on. Kantipur, it's a very major publication newspaper
10:54in Nepal, office set on fire. Nepali Congress office set on fire. Communist Party office set
11:00on fire. I want to quickly bring in India Today's Rohit Singh, who joins us for more on this big
11:05story. Rohit, this just goes on and on and on. The kind of targeted attacks on the political
11:10leadership in Nepal, cutting across political lines.
11:21Rohit, can you hear me?
11:22Yes, Gaurav, massive violence has… Yes, Gaurav, could you just repeat your question?
11:29Rohit, where you are right now, is the situation under control? Because there are reports of massive
11:37violence, not just restricted to Kathmandu, but across the 77 districts in the Plains. What's the situation?
11:49Well, yes, Gaurav, you are right. It's not just the national capital Kathmandu, which is really burning,
11:55but several parts of Nepal, which is on fire at this point of time. In the last two days, we have seen
12:01massive violence being witnessed. And right now, I am in Birganj, which is located on the Indo-Nepal border.
12:06And this town is right now under curfew. And this is indefinite curfew, because remember, after what happened
12:13in Kathmandu yesterday afternoon, the fire flared up. It fanned across Nepal. And in the evening, by evening,
12:21it spread to Birganj also. And massive violence was reported here, following which there was a 12-hour
12:26curfew, which was imposed from 9 p.m. yesterday. And in the morning today also, when it was expected
12:31that the situation would increase, improve a bit. But however, we saw throughout the day, huge violence
12:38being reported, following which the administration in the evening today has decided to impose indefinite
12:45curfew in Birganj. And all throughout the day, Gaurav, let me tell you, this city was burning.
12:51Several government offices were set on fire. The municipality office was set on fire. The
12:56vehicles were set on fire. The telecom offices were set on fire. Stones were painted at the police
13:01personnel. And several vehicles were also tossed. So the situation on the ground remained completely
13:08tense. And that is why the administration has been compelled to
13:11impose and extend the curfew in this area for indefinite period. Back to you.
13:18Stay with me on this broadcast. India today has the biggest team of reporters on ground zero
13:23to get you a 360-degree perspective of what's happening. But for perspective, I'm also joined
13:28now from Nepal, Major General Binoj Basniyat is a strategic affairs expert, a former veteran of the
13:36Nepal Army. He joins us on the show. Lieutenant General SL Narsimban is former member of the
13:41National Security Advisory Board, was our defense attache in China, joins us on the broadcast.
13:48Ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar with me on this. But General Basniyat, what's the current situation in your view,
13:55sir? Is the army in a position to contain the widespread reports of violence and arson that we hear in Nepal?
14:06Gaurav, thank you so much for inviting me. Well, firstly, let me tell you that the current
14:13peaceful protest by the JNG is the largest protest in Nepal's political agitation history,
14:24whether it is the Kodhpur of 1846 or different agitations. So with this comes the present ground
14:33reality. So the present ground reality has three folds. One is the law and order of forces as
14:42credibility is diminishing. Second, the political parties have stopped functioning temporarily,
14:51particularly the Nepali Congress, the UML and the Maoist. So this is questioning the constitutional
15:01arrangements. And the third is the protest is getting wider. It's not just the JNG's population,
15:11but it has gone into the homes. And it is basically due to the handling by force of the government.
15:22So right now, there is a constitutional vacuum. When the prime minister has resigned, there is no
15:28government. The house has not yet been dissolved. And the president also seems to be in a bad shape,
15:36in the sense that he is, I mean, some say he's in the mood of resigning. Some say he has to be
15:45accountable because the only two bodies that will be left to handle this interim arrangements will be
15:52the president's office and the Nepalese army. And I think the Nepalese army's popularity and the trust
16:00amongst the people will give direction for immediate and short-term stability. And I'm not aware exactly
16:16what the chief of the army's chief, General Sickdale, spoke in the media with the people.
16:23But I think these are all professionals who can handle things well to address two issues.
16:31One is the political issue. That is the amendments in the constitution. The other is the government's
16:38governance issue is the only charges of the commission or commission to be formed for corruption
16:44charges. So if these two things are handled, I think the interim arrangements with the president's
16:49president's directions and Nepal army's rule in meeting the security arrangements will let the police
17:01protesters subside. Okay, go back to their homes. Sir, stay with me for a moment. I have Abdul Khan,
17:06who's a former minister in the government of Nepal, joining me on this broadcast. Abdul Khan,
17:11the chief of the government of the government of Nepal臣. So I have some questions about it.
17:28Thank you for joining us.
17:58foreign
18:28We will be speaking shortly.
18:55Thank you very much.
19:25Thank you very much, Gaurav.
19:30Unlike the protests that we saw in Bangladesh, here it seems to be instantaneous what happened
19:36here in Nepal.
19:39And so there is no leadership, there is no organizational structure in this protest.
19:44So therefore, I think the protests have come instantaneously on their own.
19:47That is one thing I could get to see.
19:49The second problem that you will find is, Army is still contemplating on getting into
19:56the sea.
19:57Though, of course, Army Chief is said to have asked the Prime Minister to resign before Army
20:02can take control of the situation.
20:04This Army will definitely be able to control.
20:07That is the first point I want to convey.
20:09And I see my former, my friend General Binod Basniad there.
20:14Army will definitely be able to control.
20:16It is a professional army, very well trained army.
20:18So I don't think there will be a problem there.
20:22The only problem is, there is no constitutional structure at this point in time.
20:26There is no president, there is no Prime Minister, there is no governance actually at
20:31this point in time.
20:32That has to be brought back to some kind of a shape.
20:35And there is a name of Mr. Balinder Shah is coming up for, you know, that people are
20:38wanting to be the interim Prime Minister.
20:42All those things will take shape.
20:43First, I think they need to get the situation under control.
20:46I think once the army moves in, I think that will happen.
20:49Maybe within a day or two, you will find a semblance of peace coming back.
20:54Okay.
20:55Ambassador Sajjanhar, is there also your appreciation that it's a spontaneous uprising against
21:01massive corruption in the K.P. Sharma Oli government.
21:05But, you know, it's the same leadership, whether it's the Communist Party or the Nepali
21:10Congress Party or others.
21:12It's a revolving door policy.
21:15Different parties, same faces.
21:17They are just playing a game.
21:19They just keep coming into power each time.
21:21This time people said there has to be someone new.
21:23Your appreciation also of Balendra Shah or Balen Shah, the rapper turned political leader
21:30of the mayor of Kathmandu, who is likely to be the interim Prime Minister if the street
21:35is to be believed.
21:37No, absolutely.
21:38You're very right, Gaurav.
21:39I think a couple of things.
21:41I also feel that it is an organic protest.
21:44And that is why, you know, it has come up so suddenly.
21:47You know, that trigger or the proverbially the last straw on the camel's back was this
21:53social media app ban, et cetera, et cetera.
21:56But the real issue was corruption, was malgovernance, was inflation, was unemployment, et cetera, and
22:03everything that goes with it.
22:05The second point is that all political parties, you know, those who have been in government, they
22:11have lost credibility, completely lost credibility.
22:14And that is why you would have seen that it is not only KP Sharma Uli.
22:18You know, he's been Prime Minister five times.
22:21Sher Bahadur Deba, five times.
22:24Prachand, four times.
22:25Madhav Nepal also equal number of times.
22:28So, you know, what people feel is, as you put it, a revolving door or it's a musical chair.
22:34You know, someone is coming, someone is going, someone is getting out, someone is coming in.
22:38And as far as the opposition is concerned, on some trumped up charges or the other, they
22:43are put behind bars or they are thrown out of favor.
22:47So, for all practical purposes, there is no opposition as far as the country is concerned.
22:52The second point I want to make is that all institutions in the country appear to have
22:59been totally discredited.
23:00Because, you know, they are moving against the presidency, they are moving against the
23:04Supreme Court, they are moving against even the police, the law enforcement agencies.
23:09So, you know, democracy, which came to the country 17 years ago, has really not been able
23:16to develop roots, has not been able to strengthen institutions.
23:21That is not all that surprising.
23:23The last point I want to make is the first need of the hour is to get peace, security and
23:30stability.
23:31That is not getting the only institution that seems to be in a place competent, capable and
23:38have the trust and credibility of the people is the army.
23:42And they have the instruments of power and authority to be able to impose that so they
23:47can enter into a dialogue.
23:49It's a very professional army.
23:50Absolutely.
23:51So, you know, the last point.
23:55Go on, sir.
23:56Yeah, last point.
23:57You know, the title of your program here was who, calm or civilian rule.
24:03And you put a question mark.
24:04I will remove the question mark.
24:06I will say first it will be army control.
24:09That will bring calm.
24:10And that will lead to civilian rule.
24:12You know, that is the...
24:13And let me take that to General Basniyat.
24:15General Basniyat, the army does not want to take control from whatever I was able to
24:20gather from my conversations.
24:22General, the army is being asked to come maintain law and order.
24:27But they wanted the prime minister to step down first so that the army does not get discredited
24:32to be associated with him.
24:33But they want some kind of a civilian leadership in place before they come.
24:37Do I understand that correctly?
24:39General Basniyat.
24:40General Basniyat.
24:41I think when you're talking about the army, you know, the army was deployed yesterday
24:47according to the Local Administrative Act, which does not deploy the army in full.
24:54So it has to be done, the constitutional arrangements, it has to be done through the National Security
24:58Council, chaired by the prime minister, and which did not happen.
25:02One.
25:03Second is, I think looking at the prospects now, when the president is the deciding factor,
25:13he should take several steps.
25:15One is, he must dissolve the parliament, one.
25:19Second, he must form an interim government with non-political personalities, expertise on
25:30different fields, who can let the commissions and lead the government so that the government,
25:39I mean, so that the political direction and are given by the expertise rather than with
25:46the political biases.
25:48So this is what has to happen.
25:50So the president has to be very careful politically.
25:53But I would like to draw two lines.
25:55One is, I think the president must be, the constitutional body must be very involved in getting the politics
26:04and direction, with the amendments in the constitutions that the people should desire, and preserving
26:10the Nepal's identity.
26:12At the same time, I think the army must assist in formalizing the security order and trying
26:22to form a security of a body that really looks into a long term.
26:28So this is a very bad incident.
26:32But I tell you, Gaurav, this is not a surprise.
26:37This would have come one or the other day.
26:40It is ignorance of the political elites not to identify the challenges that the government,
26:47that the people were facing and the nation was facing.
26:50So this ignorance has led to a loss of lives, lots of tragedies.
26:55And so the president and everything lies on the president's office and the chief of the army.
27:03So all eyes on Ram Chandra Paudel?
27:05In the coming days.
27:08Yes, all eyes on the president, Ram Chandra Paudel.
27:11He, of course, is not in the presidential house because the presidential house was set on fire by the mob.
27:15From what sources say, he was whisked away to safeties at a military garrison, but will stay back.
27:23Unlike some other political leaders who want to leave the country, apparently he wants to stay back.
27:28But Nepal is in flames.
27:30Gentlemen, stay with me.
27:31From the parliament house to the prime minister's house to homes of several top political leaders
27:38to the presidential house, Sheetal Nawaz, they were set on fire.
27:41So such was the anger of the youth because they'd been crying for a very long time.
27:46Not just the social media.
27:48They were crying for jobs.
27:49They wanted jobs.
27:50They were crying for a better life.
27:52They were crying against this rampant corruption.
27:55And it's not just one instance of corruption in buying aircraft for the Nepal Airlines.
28:02Multiple instances.
28:03KP Sharma Oli finally put in his papers this afternoon.
28:07Nepal army has been asked to step in.
28:10But as ministers actually fled in helicopters to the Tribhuvan International Airport,
28:15there's curfew not just in Kathmandu, but across the 77 districts.
28:18The nation is in freefall.
28:20The big question, who will take charge?
28:23Nepal in freefall.
28:37Kathmandu burning from the parliament to the Supreme Court.
28:42From the president's office at Sheetal Nawaz to political party offices and private homes of political leaders,
28:51protesters have taught symbols of power.
28:57Even former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deoba and Baburam Bhattarai were not spared.
29:05The Gen Z uprising has toppled the KP Sharma Oli government in Nepal.
29:12The trigger, rampant corruption and a controversial social media ban.
29:19Though the Oli government rolled back its ban,
29:22Gen Z had already taken charge of the streets,
29:25demanding accountability and action against corruption.
29:30The Nepal army has now been forced into the spotlight.
29:35They are the murderers of our nation.
29:38They killed our 14-year children on gunshot in head.
29:43And this is very brutal.
29:45The Nepal army has now been forced into the spotlight.
30:00KP Sharma Oli resigned as Nepal's prime minister after army chief General Ashok Raj reportedly told him to step down in national interest.
30:12Sources say Oli pleaded with the army for help to flee Nepal.
30:17Dubai, now his likely destination.
30:22Ministers are being heli-lifted from their homes and army choppers as curfew has been clamped across Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhattapur.
30:34Since morning we have seen after the airport got shut down,
30:39the choppers are being used, army choppers are being used to take the political class out of the country.
30:49And the protesters from the Gen Z community are wanting to have complete dissolving of the parliament.
31:00Protesters call Oli's exit people's victory.
31:05The third violent power shift in India's neighbourhood after Mahind Rajpakse in Sri Lanka in 2022 and Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh in 2024.
31:16With the political class discredited, all eyes now are on the Nepal army.
31:25The military leadership insists it stands with the people of Nepal, issuing a rare joint appeal with the police and civil administration to restore calm as quickly as possible.
31:39The youth though are weary and have appealed to Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah to take over as the interim Prime Minister of Nepal.
31:51The Prime Minister has resigned, but that is not enough. The youth over here, they won't be satisfied just by the resignation of Prime Minister.
32:02We need Prime Minister to be in front of the people and be sorry for all the killings that he has done yesterday.
32:11We don't believe in this party. We need the government from the government and the government from the government.
32:18And the government from the government, our government, will not believe our government, will be able to rise again.
32:26Tonight, the Oli era is over. What comes next to Nepal? An interim civilian government or an army-backed dispensation remains the big question.
32:38With Pankaj Das, Rohit Singh and Amit Bharatwaj in Nepal, Bureau Report, India Today.
32:45Ambassador Sajjan Har, you heard the voice on the street.
32:53Gen Z want, one, their leadership. A clean break from the leadership that hasn't been able to deliver on their aspirations.
33:01Two, they want accountability. But looking at past trends, is accountability even possible or feasible in the current scenario?
33:12Yeah, you know, Gaurav, what we've been talking about, that these are spontaneous, these are organic protests and demonstrations that have come about.
33:20So, you know, they don't have a unified leadership. There is no unified party or body or group that has sort of, you know, brought this.
33:29Of course, of course, there is this organization, Hami Nepal, and, you know, they were the ones who sort of, you know, set it up.
33:35But I don't know in terms of their grassroots outreach and, you know, political interest and ambitions.
33:45What is it? Is it a social? Is it a, you know, civil sort of an organization? Is it political?
33:51So I think basically they will have to come together because individuals might say that, you know, we want our rule.
33:58But basically it has to be a cohesive body that has to come to in position to be able to take charge, to be able to take control and to be able to give that confidence.
34:09And, you know, maybe some of these opposition parties, which have been sidelined completely, like the RSP, the gentleman was talking about and whose, and also there was, you know, whose leader was put behind bars.
34:26He got quite a good number of MPs, more than 20 in the last elections, but then, and he was able to do quite creatively.
34:36Okay.
34:37But then he was on some charges or the other. He was put behind bars. He's been released from there.
34:41So I think some of those who have some grassroots.
34:45In fact, there's breaking news that's coming in, Ambassador Sajanar.
34:48There have been, there's been a breakout of jails, whether it's the Pokhra jail, at least two jails.
34:54There has been a breakout and hundreds of prisoners, including political prisoners have been able to, have been able to come out.
35:02So amidst this chaos and protest across Nepal, there have been reports of jailbreak.
35:09It's a dangerous dimension to what's happening in Nepal.
35:15Jailbreak happening, Jalal Narsimman.
35:17The situation does look very alarming, even as we speak.
35:21But, you know, the fact that civilian leadership has been targeted, police have been targeted,
35:27even the judiciary or a section of judiciary hasn't been spared, but the army, well respected,
35:34can they restore order or will they also be now treading on eggshells?
35:39See, the jailbreak was to be expected.
35:42When such large protest takes place, this is one of the things that will generally take place.
35:47And it has happened. So that needs to be controlled.
35:51The thing is, the earlier the army comes onto the streets and then start handling the situation, the better it will be.
35:57I think that is the only organization left in Nepal now at this point in time to handle this situation.
36:03And they are well respected professional army, as I mentioned to you earlier.
36:07And they have always been balanced in their approach.
36:10Whichever governments came in power in Nepal.
36:13Because you know that no prime minister in the last 14-15 years have completed his term.
36:20They always kept shifting.
36:22So, army has been very well balanced.
36:24I think it's a respected organization.
36:26The earlier they come on the streets, the better it is to restore normalcy.
36:31In the meanwhile, the political activity should carry on the way the MP mentioned.
36:37So I think that is the way to go.
36:39The army will definitely be able to control.
36:41Okay.
36:42I want to bring in Mr. Abdul Khan, former minister in the Nepal government once again into this conversation.
36:47So, who can you tell us about those who are going to be with the Karadhan Minister?
37:04They will be the king of the king?
37:06Do you think this?
37:08Look, the people who were all in the past,
37:14there was no party or any party or any party.
37:19This is why the protest in the past,
37:22the people in the past were all in the past.
37:25But the people who were all in the past,
37:30वो उसमें सभी दल, सभी पार्टी के लोग सामिल हुए.
37:34तो इसे यह सावित हो रहा है कि कुछ नेता सब,
37:38जो टप 15 या 20 लेडर जो थे यहाँ पे नेपाल के,
37:42उन्ही लोग परती आक्रोस जो इवाओं का दिखा,
37:46अब इवाओं का मानना यह है कि कोई भी आए,
37:49लेकिन वो इवाओं होना चाहिए और हमारे नेपाल की भविश्य को जो है बदलने वाला होना चाहिए,
37:58उसका भेजन, उसका मिशन, सोच, बहतर होना चाहिए.
38:01अब तो लिए प्रोटेस्ट हुआ है, इसमें विशुद रूप में नेपाल के लिए हुआ है,
38:18ये कोई किसी भुभाग के लिए इसमें कोई भी बात नहीं आई है,
38:22कोई जाद, धर्म, संप्रदाए की बात नहीं है,
38:25इसमें विशुद रूप में नेपाल को कैसे समरित बनाया जाए,
38:28नया नेपाल कैसे बनाया जाए,
38:30is
39:00Thank you for joining me.
39:30Thank you for joining us on this part and we'll be tracking developments in Nepal very, very closely. It's actually a revolution that started from the ground but will it now have direction or will it lead to more fires being lit up is something that we'll be tracking closely.
39:46But I have breaking news coming in on the new Vice President of India. A big story coming in. I want to get you the latest of what's been happening in Parliament through the day today.
39:56Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated CP Radhakrishnan on being elected the new Vice President of India.
40:04Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media platform X to say and I quote, congratulations to Thiru CP Radhakrishnanji on winning the 2025 Vice Presidential election.
40:16His life has always been devoted to serving society and empowering the poor and the marginalized.
40:24I'm confident he will be an outstanding Vice President who will strengthen our constitutional values and enhance the parliamentary discourse.
40:33That's what the Prime Minister has just responded.
40:37So, we also have the numbers that have come in and I want to get you those numbers.
40:43767 votes that were cast. 98.2%.
40:48One ballot box. 6pm counting ended and the counting started.
40:55767 votes polled. 752 were valid. 15 were unvalid.
41:02And if you look at these numbers and we're putting those numbers out for you, 377 was the majority mark.
41:09I want to quickly cut across and bring in India Today's Piyush Mishra and Aishwarya Paliwal who joined us on the show.
41:15Also joining me now is Mosmee Singh.
41:18Piyush at 452 first preference votes.
41:22Clear victory. There was never any doubt, Piyush.
41:25Well, absolutely there was never any doubt, Gaurav, that CP Radha Krishnan will have a say in these elections.
41:36Because India itself had the majority mark in its hand.
41:41427 was the India's kitty.
41:43But later on we also saw how it enjoyed the support of VICE-RCP.
41:47And BRS and BJJ deciding to abstain also boosted the morale of NDA.
41:52Why? Because India lost an important 11 in its kitty.
41:56So NDA was very much confident since the beginning.
41:59And this is what we are also seeing turning into results.
42:04Where the CP Radha Krishnan candidate of NDA has got 452 in its kitty.
42:10152 votes more than the India Alliance candidate of B. Sudarshan Reddy.
42:15And after the announcement of CP Radha Krishnan as the Vice President-elect,
42:22we are also seeing the celebrations taking place outside the election office of CP Radha Krishnan.
42:27Let me try to show you the pictures also from right outside his office,
42:31which is also the residence of Perala Joshi.
42:33And here you can see as to how the entire area has been decked up using different kind of garland.
42:39Senior ministers in the government are seen arriving here.
42:43BJP's National President J.P. Randa along with J.D.U. working President Sanjay Jha and other leaders of NDA.
42:49They have already arrived.
42:50We are now seeing a few more leaders reaching here at the residence of Perala Joshi.
42:57Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister of Delhi.
42:59Let me also bring in Mosmee Singh.
43:03Mosmee, the opposition, they knew they were fighting a losing battle,
43:08but this was an important battle just to put numbers in place.
43:12So, how is the opposition reacting?
43:14This was something about moral victory being said.
43:17But what's the buzz in the opposition camp, Mosmee?
43:20So, Gaurav, we need to understand that 452 votes is what the NDA scored.
43:31They were expecting, as Mr. Jaiswal told me, about 450 votes.
43:35That is 427 plus about 23 more votes is what they were expecting, but they got 452.
43:46And what's interesting is that, you know, of these 23 votes that they got extra, 11 was YSRCP.
43:55So, if you take that out, almost 14 more votes is what NDA got extra, apart from the YSRCP giving them support.
44:04On the other side, there were 15 votes that were invalid.
44:08Now, we don't know which votes were invalid.
44:11And a very important point that the viewers need to understand,
44:15if these were NDA votes that went invalid, then the NDA figures could have gone even lower.
44:21So, the probability of opposition votes being invalid is higher.
44:26And now, from the opposition side, it's being said that we've got almost above 40% votes,
44:32which is way above the 26% votes that we got when Margaret Alba fought Mr. Dhankar.
44:39So, it's a moral victory.
44:41So, you know, the claims and counterclaims will flow.
44:44But the top secret is, Gaurav, one would never know, because there's no name written on the vote paper,
44:54that which MP actually cast an invalid vote or which MP cross-voted.
45:01So, that speculation, I think, would just continue.
45:04In fact, there has been intense speculation in the past 45 minutes to an hour, Aishwarya, about cross-voting.
45:12And all the buzz, Aishwarya, was the BJP camp or the NDA camp was very excited that there's cross-voting happening from the other side.
45:20On what basis were they saying this or attributing this to point one and point two, going into Bihar elections?
45:28Is this something that they will tom-tom?
45:30Well, definitely. You know, is this vote-chory?
45:33This is what the BJP at the moment is pointing fingers and saying.
45:36That you have been saying that there is vote-chory which has happened over the past many elections,
45:40especially in the Lok Sabha elections.
45:42But what happened within your own camp?
45:44So, these are the questions that BJP at the moment is asking and rightly so.
45:47Let's just take a look at the numbers.
45:49You know, we did see how the Congress, in fact, Jairam Ramesh, tweeted out and said that 315 is what they were looking at.
45:55They are 15 minus.
45:56So, we will now have to wait and watch whether the cross-voting, that is exactly what a lot of people at the moment are pointing fingers at.
46:02Is it true?
46:03Has someone, either from the Congress or some of the Congress allies, have they actually voted in favor of the NDA?
46:09Because they were looking at close to 427.
46:13They have got 452.
46:14So, their margin has increased.
46:16The invalid votes also at the moment, let me speak about it, there are close to 15 invalid votes.
46:20Have all the people, you know, from the opposition, are they the ones which made sure that there was some kind of invalid voting which happened?
46:28Because that actually has helped the NDA.
46:30So, all these permutation combinations, Gaurav, in play, vote chory is something which the BJP now turning the tables and asking,
46:37has there some kind of vote chory which has happened in the opposition camp?
46:41The NDA, very, very happy.
46:42We will see a spillover taking place in Bihar.
46:44But, you know, Gaurav, in just the next couple of weeks, we will see how the top guns of the BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
46:50they will be doing rallies and this is something that they will definitely be speaking about.
46:55In fact, on the inside story, so when Mossmi, Aishwarya, Piyush, when they all sit together on their podcast,
47:02they will give you lots of inside stuff of what's been happening.
47:06Of course, I'll get some of it on India First right now.
47:08But I first want to quickly bring in Akshita Nand Gopal, who joins us from Coimbatore.
47:13And Coimbatore has another reason to celebrate.
47:16You know, their son of the soil, representative, former MP, is now making it as Vice President of India.
47:25You were speaking to Annamalai.
47:26He was very excited about this.
47:27But tell me about the celebrations on ground in Coimbatore.
47:32Manakam Gaurav, yes, there's a lot of excitement in Coimbatore.
47:36We've had a very successful India today conflict in South.
47:40And I think every Coimbatorean who I've spoken to has been very excited, whether on stage or off,
47:46about the fact that we have someone who's a representative of the soil of Coimbatore,
47:52now as the Vice President of the country.
47:54It's a big deal because CPR is someone who's referred to very often Gaurav as the Vajpayee of the South,
47:59as the Vajpayee of Tamil Nadu.
48:00And that's because of how several political parties always have agreed with him.
48:06He's always been staunchly a BJP man.
48:09He's won from the Coimbatore looks of our seats twice.
48:12He's been party president for the Bharatiya Janata Party here in Tamil Nadu.
48:16He's got, of course, a long legacy as far as the BJP is concerned in Tamil Nadu.
48:21He's faced success in a state where the BJP struggled to previously.
48:25And also important, you know, there's so much messaging involved, so many layers here.
48:29One is, of course, that you have elections coming up in the state of Tamil Nadu.
48:34Coimbatore, the Kongu Belt, which is in the western part of Tamil Nadu,
48:37is considered to be a crucial, crucial support base for the NDA, for the BJP, as well as for the AIA-DMK.
48:43And then CPR comes from the Gaunder community, which is part of the OBC group.
48:48Again, very predominant, dominant in the western part of Tamil Nadu.
48:52So, this is an outrage on so many layers, you know, it's to the people of Coimbatore,
48:56to the Kovai Belt, the Kongu region, because of the caste factor that I spoke of.
49:00And because CPR is someone who's greatly loved by the people of Tamil Nadu.
49:04He is, you know, a son of the soil.
49:06And that's the sense that you see here.
49:08A sense of great pride that someone who represents Coimbatore is now in Delhi.
49:13Mosmi, when we talk about the opposition bloc or the India bloc,
49:17Jairam Ramesh said, you know, 100%, everyone came, everyone voted.
49:22But, is there disappointment that, one, they knew they would never have the numbers.
49:28But with these invalid votes and with this talk of cross-voting,
49:32will there be, you know, some way that they'll get to know the truth?
49:35Were there any anxious moments?
49:37Or this was well known?
49:38Because, Mosmi, the fact really is, YSRCP said, NDA or the BJP had its act in place.
49:44They approached them first.
49:46And YSRCP said, we wanted a decision by unanimity.
49:50And that's why we said yes to CP Radhakrishnan.
49:53You know, clearly, Gaurav, there are three takeaways.
50:02One is that the BJD and the BRS abstain.
50:04Now, that's the first, because we've often seen the BJD call out the inner voice,
50:10leave it to the inner voice and conscience of the MPs in the most pertinent WAC bill as well.
50:16So, that's a departure from the past.
50:18You know, you've chosen to be a fence-sitter.
50:20Then again, you get the numbers down.
50:23When 7 plus 4 MPs don't add up, the total numbers come down.
50:28That could also be helpful for the NDA.
50:32And secondly, the other thing is that YSRCP joining the bandwagon in terms of, you know,
50:38perhaps giving in a word, that's a big boost for the NDA
50:43because, you know, your ally is an arch-rival of the YSRCP, the TDP.
50:50So, both voting on the same side is also an achievement.
50:54But on the other side, you see that this is one issue after the SIR issue and the WACF bill.
51:01We've seen a more consolidated fight by the opposition.
51:04India bloc plus opposition parties 1.123 have added up.
51:11That is a big unifying ground.
51:13Getting 300 votes, you know, the opposition can pat its back
51:17as far as, you know, getting the Aam Admi Party, Oversee, Mr. Azad, all of them to rally.
51:24And also the TMC without any objections and asking for more room to manoeuvre over the choice of candidate.
51:32Coming to the Congress's side, the India bloc side, is a departure.
51:38So, I can say one thing, Gaurav, that this has set new political permutations and combinations
51:45for both sides, you know, as far as the power play is concerned.
51:50Okay.
51:50So, victory for CP Radhakrishnan and moral victory for Sudarshan Reddy.
51:57And we'll be tracking that story closely.
51:58Many, many thanks, Mosmee, Aishwarya, Akshita and Piyush for joining me on this.
52:06We're getting the first reaction from the Vice President CP Radhakrishnan
52:10after winning the Vice Presidential Elections.
52:12Okay, that's reaction number one.
52:15He's said, he's thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
52:17He's thanked President Draupadi Murmu for extending wishes to him for his victory.
52:24CP Radhakrishnan has said heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi
52:30and also to President Draupadi Murmu.
52:33I'll get you more on that story when more reactions come in.
52:36But there's a big story that's coming in from West Asia.
52:40Israel has targeted Hamas, but not in Gaza.
52:43This time, Hamas has been targeted in Doha, in the capital of Qatar.
52:48And there are reports that say that senior leaders of the Hamas were targeted in Doha, Qatar.
52:55Those are visuals that are coming in.
52:57Details coming up. Stay with us.
53:06Welcome back. Big story coming in.
53:08Israel has targeted the headquarters of the negotiating delegation of the ceasefire in Qatar, in Doha.
53:14And it is believed as of now that the Hamas ceasefire negotiators have been targeted.
53:21The Israeli defense forces have said that they conducted a precision strike targeting senior leadership of Hamas.
53:28And they've called it senior leadership of the terrorist organization Hamas.
53:33Qatar has condemned what is described as the cowardly attack by Israel on Hamas headquarters in Doha,
53:40calling it a violation of all international laws.
53:42The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has also condemned Israel's strikes on Qatar, on Doha.
53:51But Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that action against top terrorist chieftains of Hamas was independent.
54:00It was an independent Israeli operation.
54:03Israel initiated it, conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility for this attack.
54:09I quickly want to cut across to India today's Foreign Affairs editor, Geeta Mohan, for the latest on this big story.
54:14Geeta targeting Qatar, targeting Doha, sounds really improbable.
54:21And that too, not through a clandestine Mossad operation by the Israeli defense forces doing it.
54:26What more can you tell us?
54:27Well, this is certainly one of the statements that Prime Minister Netanyahu made, and now he's walking the talk,
54:34in saying that he's going to eliminate all senior leadership of the Hamas.
54:38But this is a serious breach of Qatari territory.
54:42Qatar's Foreign Ministry has come out and put out a statement on how the country not just condemns the attack,
54:49but this is an act of real violation when it comes to international laws.
54:55Having said that, what Qatar's response is going to be is something we'll have to wait and see.
55:00Gaurav, the fact that Netanyahu comes out and in a statement very clearly says this was wholly an Israeli operation
55:06means that they want to give a clean shit to the United States of America because it holds an air base in Qatar.
55:16And last time around, when there was an attack on Iran, we saw the response when it came to how the base in Qatar was attacked.
55:25So giving America a clean shit, but this does not end. This is certainly escalation.
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