- 3 months ago
In this episode of Newstrack, the focus is the political showdown over alleged infiltrators ahead of the Bihar elections. Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the Congress party of protecting illegal immigrants, mocking their 'voter adhikari yatra' in Bihar.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Hello everyone, good evening, you're watching NewsTrack and I'm Maria Shakil.
00:04After Prime Minister Narendra Modi is wow to remove infiltrators, the BJP has doubled down.
00:11Union Home Minister Amit Shah today launched a sharp attack against Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party,
00:17accusing them for Ghust Paithi Prem.
00:20Further mocking the party's vote Adhikar Yatra in Bihar as save infiltrators Yatra.
00:26The Home Minister backed the Election Commission's special intensive revision of voter rolls, calling it a crucial step.
00:35The Congress then hit back hard, accusing the BJP of using infiltrators as a poll plan.
00:42With Bihar headed for elections later this year, the issue has snowballed into a major political showdown.
00:49First up the story and then I bring in the guests.
00:56On a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 75, celebration quickly gave away to confrontation.
01:06From the stage of Delhi's Tiagradh Stadium, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.
01:14Accusing the opposition of siding with infiltrators, Shah mocked Rahul Gandhi's voter Adhikar Yatra as nothing more than a save Ghust Paithi's Yatra.
01:35Reaffirming the government's push for a special attack on Rahul Gandhi and the government's push for a special attack on Rahul Gandhi's side of the country,
02:05special intensive revision of electoral rolls, Shah said the exercise is vital to purge illegal
02:11voters, further charging the Congress with protecting them.
02:35Shah's remarks echoed Prime Minister Modi's recent statement in Purnia, both leaders making
02:46it clear that the BJP will put infiltration and voter rolls at the centre of its Bihar campaign.
03:05In a sharp rebuttal, the Congress accused the BJP of spreading lies and playing politics.
03:35The Congress's 14-day, 1,300-kilometer-long voter-adhikar yatra was held in Bihar to protest
03:46the Election Commission's intensive revision exercise.
03:50With Bihar headed for polls later this year, BJP and Congress are making it clear the clash
03:56over voter lists is no longer just about numbers.
04:01Bureau Report, India Today.
04:05And joining me on the show tonight, Dr. Joy Kumar, National Spokesperson of the Congress.
04:10We have Pradeep Bhandari, National Spokesperson of the BJP.
04:14Pradeep Bhandari, first the Prime Minister, then the Home Minister.
04:18This is an issue of national security, not really a political talking point.
04:24If there are infiltrators in some states, they should be removed.
04:31Why is it becoming a political talking point from the BJP?
04:35Well, Maria, thank you so much for having me on your show.
04:42It has become a political talking point because it is the political party, Congress party, which
04:47by intent and its action is shielding them.
04:50And I will illustrate this with three specific examples.
04:53Example number 1, the former National Advisory Council member, Saida Hamid, has made a public statement that illegal infiltrators are one of our own and they should be protected.
05:02Statement number 2 was of Sam Pitroda, which was during the time of 2024-25 when he said that illegal infiltrators are one of our own and they should be protected.
05:13Now, the example number 3, which is not just a statement but is an act of intent, was of Gula Mehmad Meer.
05:20When Gula Mehmad Meer went to the extent of saying that the illegal infiltrators should be given gas cylinders and this was as recent as the Jharkhand elections.
05:28Point number 4, not even one Congress leader, whether it is Rahul Gandhi, Suniya Gandhi or Priyanka Wadra, has given a single statement against illegal infiltration.
05:36So, when you have the principal opposition party, which is not either in its intent or its action or its statement speaking against illegal infiltration, this is where it becomes political.
05:47Recall at the time of CA, which was about giving citizenship to those who were religiously persecuted, the Congress party from different platforms had said that the Indian Muslims will lose their citizenship.
06:00The CA has been implemented and not a single Indian Muslim has lost the citizenship.
06:04So, whether it is CA or whether it is SIR right now, whenever it comes to matters of national security, whenever it comes to matters of unity and integrity of India, the Congress party for its vote bank politics has gone and created a...
06:18Let me bring Dr. Joy Kumar now for his opening comments.
06:21And a virtual sphere in the Congress party.
06:24Dr. Joy Kumar, also during the UPA, there were, if I get the numbers right, there was almost like 80,000 to a lakh people who were sent back to the respective countries.
06:36If this is a voter list cleanup, then why politicize this matter?
06:41Because you also carried out an exercise of this nature during the UPA.
06:45No, no, you'll have to first tell this to Pradeep Bhandari, that they sent 6,000 people out of the 4,000 of Nigerians.
06:54It is like this, don't talk to Pakistan, but we'll play cricket match.
06:59Day in and day out, one side, Pradeep.
07:01Day in and day out, spewing nonsense about...
07:04George Bernard Shaw correctly said that the jingoism is the last resort for scoundrels.
07:08And correctly, because continuously saying this stuff, and Pradeep, I don't mean the BJP as it, I'm just quoting George Bernard Shaw.
07:14The first question is, they have sent 20...
07:18Parliament answered, Maria, it will be very interesting, 2023, 2024, all this nonsense.
07:2411 years you're in government.
07:27Who's doing it? These guys only?
07:3111 years, 20 years in Bihar.
07:3220 years in Bihar.
07:35So, like all rhetoric, we swear by India, we will not...
07:42Pani, blood and water will not flow, but cricket will flow.
07:46We will continue to have business interest across China.
07:50We will show LAL arm to China.
07:52We'll ban TikTok.
07:53Then we'll hug them at Tianjin.
07:54So, this continuous...
07:57Mr. Pradeep Bhandari, we say what we mean.
08:03Continuously.
08:04No infiltrators.
08:05Anybody who's not a citizen of India should not vote.
08:08But you tell me, one crore voters who were added in...
08:11Mara, sir, were they Guuspeti?
08:14Were those Mahoba and 900 people in one house?
08:18Are they Guuspeti?
08:19They are BJP people who are being attached and vote-chori is happening.
08:23We are saying, vote-chori ne karege to aapke peet mein joe, aapko joe, aapki tabiat, you're getting sick.
08:29We are saying, vote-chori, bhai sir, please read my words, Pradeep.
08:32Vote-chori bhai karo, bhai.
08:36We have...
08:37And we have shown, you are...
08:39Maria, if I look at the data which was available, publicly available, three people of three nations were sent to the maximum who were non-residents of Indian foreigners, infiltrators.
08:51They were Nigerians first, second Bangladeshi, third was people from Uganda.
08:57Nigerians were more than people from Bangladesh.
08:59They have only sent 6,000 to 7,000 in 10 years.
09:02That's what the data is there, what I could see it in through various tools I had.
09:05We sent 1,000,000.
09:07So my first question to you is, does anybody in India want non-Indians to vote?
09:12No.
09:13Does anybody who are legitimate citizens of India, should they vote?
09:17Yes.
09:171 crore people are guspeti in Bihar, which you were saying 95 lakh in SIR.
09:2275 lakhs per 25.
09:24Are they guspeti?
09:24You tell on national TV, we'll go to Bihar and tell ki aap sablo guspeti BJP bol rahe hai.
09:29Pradhibai, just tell those 1 crore 75 lakh people, people you have removed in the SIR.
09:35This is becoming like an election issue now, rather than an issue of national security.
09:42Pradhib Bhandadi, my concern is even bigger.
09:47You know, in a state like Bihar, which has a very high population density,
09:54you know, infiltrators would obviously be seen as those who are taking away somebody's land.
10:00We have seen similar protests play out against infiltrators or alleged infiltrators, I would say, in Assam.
10:07It hasn't happened in Bihar or Bengal.
10:10Then is this some kind of a myth which is being created in the run-up to the elections?
10:19Well, Maria ji, illegal infiltration is a huge issue.
10:23It's about national security.
10:25As later, as back as 1992, if you recall, when the Bharatiya Janata Bhavati was not in power,
10:31our resolutions have been speaking about how illegal infiltration is a threat to national security.
10:37In fact, at that time in 1992, Lalu Prasad Yadav, in fact, himself had said that illegal infiltrators have started to enter Bihar.
10:45Now, after aligning with Congress, which is a Woodbank party, his stand has changed.
10:50However, 1992 is when even the opposition used to speak about it.
10:54Even Mamata Banerjee spoke about it.
10:55Now, let me just quote three specific facts.
10:59Fact number one is the following.
11:001,653 kilometers of border out of 2,216 kilometers of border has been sealed by us.
11:08400 kilometers of land has not been given by Mamata Banerjee.
11:11Not an inch has been given by her to the central government to seal it.
11:16So, the intent of the opposition is to allow the illegal infiltrators to come from porous borders so that it can become vote banned.
11:23Point number two, can Mr. Rajai Kumar in the last 11 years show one Bharati Janta party MLA or a local leader who has been caught in a racket involving the illegal infiltrators?
11:34There has been a Congress MLA which is caught in Haryana.
11:37There has been an Aam Admi party MLA who is caught in Delhi.
11:40There have been individuals belonging to the opposition who are involved in providing fake adhar cards.
11:44So, there is political patronage.
11:46My concern then is, Adhar card is the responsibility of the center and the state.
11:53In Bihar, you have been in power for 20 years.
11:57How are these cards being distributed under your leadership, under your government?
12:04Very legitimate question, Mariyaji.
12:08We do not have 243 of 243 MLA's.
12:11You are also very well aware, you come from the state of Bihar, you are a very senior journalist,
12:15that if an MLA writes for an Aadhar card, there is a possibility in a process where an Aadhar card is provided.
12:21So, yes, the Congress and the RJD MLA's in Kishangarh...
12:24No, no, no, there is a problem with that.
12:25No, no, no.
12:26Aadhar card is not provided on the basis of an apachitti by an MLA, sir.
12:31That is not how it is given.
12:33There is a proper investigation which is given of a residence,
12:37when an MLA writes a recommendation...
12:39No, no, no, no, no.
12:40When an MLA writes a recommendation...
12:41When an MLA writes a recommendation...
12:43There is an MLA writes a recommendation for an Aadhar card...
12:44So, are you saying that...
12:45No, no, no, no.
12:46Yes.
12:47So, then in that case, then why are you...
12:48Yes.
12:49So, you are also aware...
12:51No.
12:52My concern is then, Aadhar card...
12:55No, you are also aware that...
12:55Is the responsibility of your government.
12:57Yes.
12:5720 years you have been in power.
13:01So, if certain MLA's...
13:03Yes.
13:03No, if certain MLA's...
13:04Absolutely, yes.
13:05One moment.
13:06One moment.
13:06Since you are saying that Aadhar cards are being given
13:09only on the basis of some letter being written
13:12by some MLA's of the RGD and the Congress,
13:15then why is an action not being taken against them?
13:19Why have you not done that in 20 years?
13:25No, as we started to identify that...
13:28See, Maria, this logic of 20 years...
13:30You will say that for 70 years,
13:31Article 370 was not abrogated.
13:34Why did you not abrogate it in 2014-15?
13:36We were working on it and we abrogated it in 2019.
13:39You will say for 70 years CA did not come.
13:41Why did you not do CA in 2015?
13:43We did it in 2020.
13:44Governance is a continuous process.
13:46There are various issues.
13:47Congress has left 1,000 potholes in this country.
13:49We have filled 300 of them.
13:51We will take another 15-20 years to fill the rest 700 of them.
13:54Have we even once his intent said that illegal infiltrators
13:57should be in this country?
13:58No.
13:59Can you name even a single Congress leader from the top,
14:02whether it is Mr. Kharge, Rahul Gandhi or Priyanka Wadra,
14:04which has openly and categorically spoken against illegal infiltration?
14:08No.
14:08When we even got a law like CA,
14:10which was about giving citizenship,
14:12even that they link to the Indian Muslims.
14:15Foreigners or infiltrators or illegal migrants are a huge issue.
14:20then shouldn't the political class be speaking in one voice?
14:25Whatever the time of this effort,
14:29even if it is coming just ahead of the elections,
14:32time to election in Bihar,
14:34time keeping in mind the Bengal elections,
14:37nevertheless, if it is happening,
14:40shouldn't your party be backing it?
14:41No, no.
14:43First question is no illegal...
14:45You know, the kind of nonsense they prove.
14:47We have always been saying no illegal person should get a vote.
14:50And an amount of...
14:51Pradeep Bhai, you know, please talk...
14:52Don't continue to tell untruths on TV.
14:55MLA recommends no proof of that.
14:57MLA can't recommend.
14:58MP can't recommend anymore.
14:59This is a long time, so please get your facts.
15:01No recommendation.
15:01I have proof.
15:02That is working right now.
15:03I have proof.
15:05No, no, no.
15:05I have proof, Ajayi.
15:06I'm sorry.
15:06This is your Congress...
15:08This is your Congress MLA.
15:10No, no.
15:10This is your Congress MLA.
15:11Name Nalit Nagar.
15:13Nalit Nagar from Hirana.
15:15I can name you as a 15 Congress MLA.
15:16I cannot...
15:17Finish his point.
15:18Let him finish his point.
15:19Yes.
15:19Yes.
15:20Yeah.
15:20First question is...
15:22Their people are with ISI.
15:25Their social media guys.
15:26They go all the time compromise.
15:29Their businessman friend does business with Pakistan.
15:31There is no problem.
15:33So this kind of nonsense on national TV...
15:35I mean, please, Pradeepji, let's talk on facts.
15:36The fact is, we sell one lakh people in our period.
15:38You sell 6,000.
15:40Shame on you.
15:41The most anti-national people, the Bharatiya Janta Party.
15:43First of all, the UPA government sends one lakh people back.
15:47Listen, listen, listen, listen.
15:48One lakh people.
15:49Can you counter that?
15:50So please stop telling untruths on TV.
15:53Second issue, border.
15:55You have not bothered anything on Nagaland, Manipur, nothing...
15:58...where your government is there.
15:59But yeah, one lakh...
16:00Did you do...
16:01No, Maria, ask them.
16:03They will tell that a patch of land in Bengal...
16:06It's Mamata Banerjee.
16:06I don't know how much of lies Mr. Pradeep Bhandari is saying.
16:09I don't know about Mamata Banerjee.
16:10I don't hold brief for her.
16:11But what about Manipur and Nagaland and Arunachal?
16:14Why have you kept the whole border open?
16:16Tell her, oh, infiltration in the northeast.
16:17Where are the people coming?
16:18They're coming from all over the country.
16:20Kripura border is not bordered fully.
16:2311 years they've been in government.
16:26With the most modern technologies in 2020, Maria.
16:29They continue to...
16:31And the shamelessness is they sent 6,000 people in 11 years.
16:36Out of that 3,000 plus is Nigerians.
16:38And then they say,
16:39Guspati, 20 years in Bihar.
16:4211 years here,
16:43they only want to attack the Muslims.
16:47People of India have seen through the game.
16:48Like they say, Pakistan ko ban karo.
16:50Yeah, this is where he's caught.
16:52Ekman, ekman, ekman.
16:53Ekman, ekman, ekman.
16:53Bolo, Matyar, I didn't interrupt you.
16:55You don't talk.
16:55Hey, my friend.
16:56He's caught on your show.
16:58You were caught.
16:59Allow me a rebuttal.
17:00Have manner.
17:01Allow me a right to rebuttal.
17:02As usual, mannerless.
17:04No, let me finish.
17:05No, have some manners.
17:06When you speak, I don't interrupt you.
17:07You're caught.
17:08Hey, Pradeep.
17:09When you speak, I don't interrupt you.
17:10Let me complete.
17:11Turkey, Turkey ban.
17:12Azerbaijan ban.
17:14And then Turkey ka hakiya.
17:16Went and hug Turkey, no?
17:17So, rest of Indians should ban Chinese stuff.
17:20Ah, Prime Minister.
17:22Let us use Desi stuff.
17:25And then, Videshi Chashma, Videshi Avajaj, Videshi.
17:28So, stop this nonsense about Rajtubadi.
17:30Please, that it is too hard to swallow.
17:33Please, identify any outsider.
17:37The elections are precious.
17:38But, we are talking on vote theory.
17:43If you are having 100 people in one house in Mahabha, in three houses.
17:47If you are having one crore people added in Maharashtra.
17:50And all of them are not Guzpettis.
17:52They are all your supporters.
17:54So, you have to tell your supporters,
17:57you are all who are Guzpetti ko nikaalou.
17:58Ek crore ko nikaaliye, joo aapne Maharashtra mein choda hai.
18:01So, Maharashtra, bottom line,
18:04every outsider who is not an Indian should be done.
18:08But the shame on this government.
18:09Then, Amit Shah should resign.
18:11Guzpetti, Guzgaya.
18:12Look at the shamelessness of Mr. Amit Shah.
18:14Guzpetti, Guzgaya.
18:15Aap home minister.
18:16Please resign, sir.
18:18Okay.
18:18Pradeep Bandhani, quickly, the concern is,
18:22it's a huge concern if it is about infiltrators.
18:25It cannot be about elections per se.
18:28Why is it that these issues are raked up only during the time of elections?
18:36Well, Mariah ji, Ajay ji has gone around the world in a few minutes,
18:40but not spoken on the fact.
18:41Fact number one, till date,
18:43Ajay ji has not been given a single statement on Rahul, Priyanka, Sonia, Karge,
18:47on, against illegal infiltration.
18:50Point number two, he dragged the Indian Muslims.
18:52I did not even utter the word Indian Muslims.
18:55This is the issue.
18:56When we got CA, which was about providing citizenship to religiously persecuted,
19:00they say, Muslims khatre mein hai.
19:01Now, we are speaking about Guzpetti, Ajay ji is saying that it is about Muslims.
19:05It's the Congress Party which is linking the Muslims of this country
19:08with illegal infiltration.
19:10This is the premise issue.
19:12Point number three, I want to bring into it.
19:14This is Tarun Gogoi's statement.
19:15He was saying that there is not a single Guzbettia in Assam.
19:19And today we all know that how Guzbettias have entered Assam
19:21and it is our government which is removing it.
19:23Point number four, which is a larger point on facts.
19:26Ajay ji, let's not talk about Pakistan.
19:28You will not understand patriotism because you are a person
19:30and your party is a person which is getting endorsement
19:32from Hafiz Saeed, terrorist,
19:34from Shahid Afridi, an ISI agent,
19:36from Ilan Omar.
19:37So you are the poster boy of Pakistan.
19:39You will not understand what patriotism and nationalism is.
19:41In fact, you should look at the statement.
19:4330 seconds.
19:44I can give you 30 seconds, Dr. Ajay Kumar.
19:47Because the opening comments were given.
19:49No, no, no.
19:5030 seconds is all I'm giving it to you.
19:52Mr. Pradeep Bhandari was sat in an air-conditioned room.
19:54Mr. Bhandari, I got shot.
19:55I served in the Indian police service.
19:57I got my gallantry.
19:58So don't give me certificate, boss.
20:00Sir, I have been a cipholicist for 10 years.
20:04I have traveled more than Lok Sabha constituencies.
20:06I'm not into the AC room.
20:07Please don't make it personal.
20:08One sec, one sec.
20:08Pradeep Bhandari, let me speak.
20:10I have traveled more.
20:11No, answer, you said, if you said it to me,
20:13that's what I meant.
20:14If you didn't say it to me,
20:15the second issue, Mr. Bhandari, is
20:17Conrad Sangma, your own support,
20:19your government in Meghalaya says,
20:20put inner line permit for Guzpatis.
20:24You're not doing it in Meghalaya.
20:26Inner line permit, Meghalaya,
20:27I will clap for you, sir.
20:30Tulab came, you have to have the name of Guzpatis.
20:33Okay, you know, of course,
20:35we'll be seeing several chapters in this issue
20:37because there'll be a lot of political rallies
20:41in which this issue will be raised.
20:43Thank you so much, Dr. Joy Kumar and Pradeep Bhandari
20:46for joining us.
20:47Today is Prime Minister Modi's 75th birthday
20:50and among his several decisions
20:54have been his key policy-making decisions.
20:58What does the chairman of the 16th Finance Commission
21:01and a renowned economist, Dr. Arvind Panagriya,
21:05have to say about Prime Minister Modi's economic legacy?
21:09Listen in to what he told me.
21:10I'm leaving you with that.
21:11Thanks so much for watching.
21:12Professor Panagriya, you speak about Prime Minister Modi
21:20as someone who has been very holistic.
21:23Yes.
21:23So, in these 11 years,
21:25which is one economic reform,
21:27do you think which really is landmark in the truest sense,
21:32which will make his economic legacy really stand out?
21:37Well, if you ask me just one,
21:40then that has to be the GST,
21:42the goods and services tax,
21:44because this was an extremely difficult reform
21:48involving, you know,
21:49about three different amendments to the Constitution
21:50requiring all the states to be on board
21:53and replacing a my-right kind of taxes,
21:58indirect taxes,
22:00both at the level of the union
22:02as well as the states,
22:04by a single tax.
22:06So, I think, you know,
22:08if you tell me one,
22:10that's the one I will point to.
22:12Of course, you know,
22:12you have worked with Prime Minister Modi
22:14in various capacities
22:15in the last two decades, I would say.
22:19When you were a professor
22:22at the Columbia University,
22:24he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
22:26What was the nature of conversations
22:28that you used to have with him
22:30when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat?
22:32Yeah, so I was at Columbia University
22:36and that is when my association really began.
22:41You know, I had been very impressed
22:43with his policies and outcomes in Gujarat.
22:51I had been studying, you know,
22:53around 2012 or so,
22:54there was a book that I did
22:57which had three states,
23:00Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar,
23:02so as a part of that,
23:03I really studied very closely Gujarat.
23:05And this is also the time
23:07there was a big kind of debate happening
23:08because people were seeing
23:09Prime Minister,
23:12well, then Chief Minister of Gujarat
23:14as a possible future Prime Minister.
23:17So, there was a very vibrant debate
23:18going on on the performance of Gujarat
23:20and I wrote on those.
23:22And as a result, I think, you know,
23:24I got noticed by the then Chief Minister
23:26and I ended up giving him quite a bit of,
23:29actually, briefings on India's economy.
23:33And from there we started
23:34and very quickly I kind of found out,
23:36you know, a lot of the things that unfolded later on,
23:39things like Swachibharat, for example,
23:41he talked about that
23:42when we spoke in Gandhinagar with him.
23:45Development of North East,
23:48he spoke about that.
23:51The kind of neglect of defense,
23:55different aspects of defense,
23:57we talked about that.
23:58So, there were a number of things,
23:59you know,
24:00which eventually unfolded
24:02as a part of his policy
24:03that he talked about.
24:06And of course, you know,
24:07poverty was central
24:08to everything that we discussed
24:10and how growth was very important.
24:13He appreciated that.
24:14And he was also very courageous,
24:16you know,
24:17from the beginning you could see
24:18that he had the courage
24:19to do the reforms,
24:20which he actually did do.
24:22And the outcomes are for us to see there,
24:25you know,
24:26from 10th largest,
24:28we are now 5th largest economy in the world,
24:30very soon we'll be the 3rd largest.
24:32And this has come with,
24:33you know,
24:33widespread reduction in poverty.
Be the first to comment