- 13 hours ago
In a big setback, Madras High Court pulled up actor Vijay and the TVK in the Karur stampede case.
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00:00Good evening, hello and welcome. You're with the news today, your prime time destination.
00:04Friday night ahead of the weekend, we'll bring you all the day's top stories and we've got a power-packed show for you today on the news today.
00:11Our big talking points, the Karoo Stampede, the Madras High Court now pulls up actor-turned-Neta Vijay and the state administration.
00:21Our special guest tonight will include the BJP leader, K. Anna Malai.
00:26We'll ask the big question, with her accountability amidst the political blame game.
00:31Also, my other newsmaker tonight, Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali, has knocked the door of the Supreme Court a week after her husband was arrested.
00:42Will Sonam Wangchuk be released or not?
00:45Also, we'll be looking at a case that's created a bit of a stir.
00:50However, the Wintrack CEO who exposed a customs bribery row on social media, is bribery still part of the Indian ecosystem when it comes to business?
01:03Lots to talk about on the news without the noise.
01:06But first, as always, it's time for the Nine Headlines at Nine.
01:10A big setback for actor Vijay and the TVK in the Karoo Stampede case.
01:18Madras High Court pulls them up for fleeing from the Stampede site.
01:22High Court also questions the state administration probe but rules out a CBI probe into the case.
01:29Army Chief General Upendra Duvedi issues a big warning to Pakistan, says stop supporting terror if you want to stay on the world map.
01:45Air Chief Marshal claims Pakistan lost four to five fighter jets during Operation Sindur, including possibly F-16s.
01:54Assam Chief Minister forms a judicial panel to investigate singer Zubin Garg's death.
02:02Singapore Police shares Zubin's post-mortem report, which ruled out foul play.
02:07Assam CID now gets custody of all the four arrested accused.
02:13Sonam Wangchuk's wife approaches the Supreme Court, seeks husband's release from jail,
02:19also questioned the decision to slap the anti-terror law NSA against the environmental activists who won the MACSSA.
02:29Eleven children are dead after allegedly consuming cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
02:35Drug body gives clean chit to the cough syrup makers.
02:39Union Health Ministry issues an advisory for rational use of cough syrup for children under five years.
02:45U.S. President Donald Trump sets a Sunday deadline for Hamas to accept the Gaza peace plan,
02:54threatens more attacks if they don't accept it by Sunday.
03:01Pilots' body who were taken on board by the investigation board as a subject matter experts into the Air India June crash,
03:09claims cockpit audio was open to interpretation and this sparked speculation.
03:19India firmly in control of the first test match against the West Indies.
03:23After tons from KL Rahul, Jadeja and a debut ton for Dhruv Jurel give India a 286 run first innings lead.
03:33An actor, Akshay Kumar shares an incident of online harassment faced by his daughter,
03:42urges Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Padnavis to begin cyber classes in schools.
03:47Tonight, our top story comes from Chennai,
04:02where the Madras High Court has intervened finally in the Stampede case in Karood last weekend,
04:09where 41 people died while they were attending actor-turned-neta Vijay's political rally there.
04:16Today, the Madras High Court made it clear the actor could not avoid responsibility for what had happened.
04:23They also pulled up the state administration but have ruled out a CBI probe.
04:28Our top story tonight is a week, almost a week after Karoor,
04:32will accountability be fixed for 41 deaths in the Stampede in Karoor?
04:39Take a look at the story.
04:41I'm waiting.
04:42A political rally in Tamil Nadu that turned into a tragedy.
04:5541 innocent lives lost and scores injured.
05:02TVK Chief Vijay is in eye of the storm.
05:05The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Friday rejected petitions,
05:10including the one filed by TVK demanding CBI investigation in the case.
05:18The court took on record the Stalin government's submission
05:21that it will not allow rallies near highways till standard operating procedures are framed.
05:27In another hearing, the Madras High Court slammed actor-turned-politician Vijay
05:32for leaving the scene of tragedy.
05:36The court lambasted the state government for inaction against Vijay
05:40and questioned the police why the organizers were not held responsible.
05:45It rejected anticipatory bail petitions filed by TVK leaders
05:49Busi Anand and CTR Nirmal Kumar.
05:52The Madras High Court has ordered the constitution of an SIT headed by IPS officer
05:57Asra Garg to probe into the Karoor Stampede.
06:01The court categorically stated that there should be proper facilities
06:05provided at any political rally.
06:09Meanwhile, Stalin government claimed that BGP was conspiring
06:13to gain political mileage out of the tragedy,
06:16keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections.
06:18The NDA hit back at Stalin for the governance failure.
06:48that led to the stampede.
06:52I must say that this is a deflecting strategy that he has adopted.
06:57He is the CM of the state.
06:59He should own up.
07:00Under what circumstances his government, the district administration,
07:06could not know that there would be a congregation of 30,000.
07:10Isn't it absolute intelligence failure on part of the police administration?
07:18As the political blame game over the tragedy escalates,
07:37the families of the deceased await justice.
07:41We are a report, India Today.
07:43And joining me now is one of our newsmakers tonight,
07:50K. Anna Malai, former president of the BJP in Tamil Nadu,
07:54one of its most vocal and visible voices, a former IPS officer also.
07:59Anna Malai, today the Madras High Court has come down heavily on Vijay.
08:03They've also questioned the state administration,
08:06but they've also rejected the BJP's demand for a CBI probe,
08:10enough of this political blame game.
08:13They want accountability, but they don't want the politics.
08:17Your response, has this entire tragedy now,
08:20the stampede that killed 41 innocent lives,
08:24become a political playground ahead of the Tamil Nadu elections next year?
08:28Frankly speaking, what happened in Karur is unacceptable
08:34because our state hasn't seen this kind of an episode post-independence,
08:38a political rally and people of this nature getting killed.
08:42And at one side, TVK has gone to the court.
08:45On the other side, a lot of common people have also gone to the court.
08:49And this is one particular judge from the Madras High Court
08:51has given his opinion on the petition that is filed.
08:54Everybody, we respect the court's opinion, sir.
08:56At the same time, from day one, I'm speaking right in Karur
09:01and everywhere I'm speaking, the same things are won.
09:03The DMK government tried to put the whole blame on TVK.
09:06That is unacceptable for us.
09:08It is the state government that has to take responsibility.
09:11The local administration has to take responsibility.
09:13Of course, the organizers have to take responsibility.
09:15No, escaping from that fact.
09:16But we are very clear, the one-man commission of inquiry
09:19appointed by the state government cannot do its job.
09:21We are seeing it for the last three, four days.
09:22The particular former judge in the ground talking to people.
09:28And it is appointed specifically by name,
09:30by the Honorable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
09:32That is why we particularly lost interest in the one-man commission.
09:36We hope and pray that better sense will prevail.
09:38We are more interested in the SIT appointed by the Madras High Court.
09:43A very eminent officer, IG-ranked officer, who has got a good name.
09:47A very neutral officer as well.
09:49So, let us wait for the SIT report and how deep they get into this issue.
09:53And anybody who is part of this, right from the administrative level
09:56to the political level, everybody should be charged.
09:58We are very clear about it, sir.
09:59You are saying you are very clear that no one should escape punishment.
10:07But the truth of the matter, Annamalai,
10:09is when the court says that a political blame game is on,
10:13we heard MK Stalin, for example, Tamil Nadu's chief minister,
10:17saying the BJP sends a fact-finding mission to Karoor.
10:20But you will not send fact-finding teams when stampedes happen in Kumbh,
10:25when there is a tragedy in Morbi,
10:27when there is a tragedy at the Delhi railway station.
10:30The entire episode, unfortunate as it is,
10:34seems to be about scoring political points.
10:36You want to target the Stalin government.
10:39Stalin wants to target Vijay and the BJP,
10:43in some ways caught in the middle.
10:46Sir, the Tamil Nadu chief minister, Mr. MK Stalin,
10:49he has to understand, just like that,
10:50he got every right of the chief minister to come to Karoor at 1 a.m.
10:54to take stock of the situation as the chief minister to perform his duty.
10:58Likewise, the national party president of BJP has also got every right
11:01to appoint a delegation of NDA MPs to study that episode.
11:05In fact, the chapperson of the delegation,
11:08Madam Hema Malani, Anurag Thakurji, Tejas Fisuri,
11:11all of them are very clear.
11:11They never pointed anything politically.
11:14They said the goal is to study this,
11:16take their report right up to the national president,
11:19if there is any lacuna anywhere,
11:20to bring it up to the attention.
11:21The chief minister cannot blame,
11:23oh, the fact-finding committee did not go here,
11:26did not come here.
11:27If something has happened in any part of the country,
11:29did we stop the DMK from not putting a fact-finding committee there?
11:31Every party has got the right.
11:33Instead of chief minister traveling all around India and saying,
11:36why not in Assam?
11:37Why not here?
11:37Why not here?
11:38Yes, the fact-finding committee has come here.
11:40In fact, the collector and SP,
11:41the local administration has given time at 2.45 p.m. to meet them.
11:45At 2.30, the collector called and canceled.
11:47He said, sorry, I can't meet.
11:48That is a state of affairs.
11:49If the collector and SP has got nothing to hide,
11:52what is the problem in meeting the fact-finding committee?
11:54So, I am very disappointed with our chief minister's remark.
11:57Instead of just putting the blame game,
11:58he should have fronted up and said,
12:00yes, fine, let the fact-finding committee come.
12:01It has got nothing to hide.
12:03Let them come and give a report.
12:05He can always find fault with the report.
12:07The report is one-sided.
12:08The report is biased.
12:09Fine.
12:10But what is the problem with the fact-finding committee coming here?
12:12Sir, it is not a first time the committee has come.
12:14Even for the Kallakurji huge tragedy,
12:16the committee has come.
12:17And multiple times in the last four years,
12:19the national president, J.P. Nandarji,
12:21has sent a fact-finding committee.
12:26You see, but the fact is,
12:28at the end of the day,
12:28Anna Mala,
12:29you've been both a police officer and politician.
12:31So, you know what it takes for crowd management,
12:34crowd control.
12:35Surely, the primary responsibility is with the organizers.
12:38The police give them a time to hold the rally.
12:413 p.m. onwards,
12:42up to 10 p.m.
12:44The organizers start calling people to reach the venue at 12 noon.
12:49By 7 p.m.,
12:50when the actor finally is reaching the place,
12:52people are tired, exhausted.
12:54Some are on treetops.
12:55Some are on tin sheds.
12:57Are you going to,
12:57as a former police officer,
12:59blame the local police?
13:00Or are you going to hold actor Vijay culpable?
13:03Are you also worried that if you target Vijay,
13:05he will get the sympathy
13:07and he will become larger than life?
13:09All of you seem afraid of Vijay.
13:11He's not even named in the FIR.
13:13That has been filed.
13:15Sir, we are not in the government.
13:16It is for the DMK government
13:17to put an FIR,
13:19to name whomever they want.
13:21And finally,
13:21the investigation to carry on.
13:23So, that part,
13:23I can't answer, sir,
13:24because we didn't decide
13:25whether Vijay should be number one,
13:26number two or number three.
13:27All we are saying from day one,
13:29don't point it completely to one direction.
13:31Yes, of course,
13:32the organizers are responsible.
13:34But the primary responsibility,
13:35if you look at the permission letter
13:36that was given by the TVK,
13:38it says from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
13:40I've never seen a political party
13:42giving seven hours' time frame
13:44to conducting a program.
13:45Fine, they've given.
13:46The state government
13:46could have restricted to two hours.
13:48Why did the state government
13:49give permission from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.?
13:52As mentioned in the letter, sir,
13:54when they mention 10,000 people can come,
13:56sir, no political party can predict
13:57whether 10,000 will come,
13:5820,000 will come.
13:59At no end,
14:00we are saying that TVK is not culpable.
14:02Yes, of course, they are culpable
14:03because they are organizers.
14:04But the DMK government
14:06from day one
14:07is setting a narrative.
14:08It is only the TVK is responsible.
14:10That is where we had a problem.
14:11We said,
14:11you own up responsibility.
14:13Kallakurjee, 64 people died.
14:14Chennai air show,
14:155 people died.
14:16Chennai air show,
14:17when the Indian Air Force air show happened,
14:19no FIR is filed, sir.
14:20There they should have filed an FIR.
14:22There the lacuna happened.
14:23Crowd mismanagement happened.
14:25So we cannot have
14:25two different issues
14:26to two issues.
14:27But today,
14:31the High Court has made it very clear
14:33that you cannot organize
14:34these rallies now
14:35around highways,
14:36for example,
14:37without standard operating procedures.
14:39And we are told
14:40the DMK government
14:41has planned an all-party meeting
14:43to look at this issue.
14:44Do you believe
14:46that political rallies
14:48are now a recipe for danger
14:50because there are no standard
14:52operating procedures?
14:53And then,
14:53when there are celebrities
14:55like Vijay who are involved
14:57who become film stars,
14:58the crowd goes out of control.
15:00Do you believe
15:00that all such rallies
15:01should be halted
15:02till SOPs agreed upon
15:04by all parties
15:05are put in place?
15:08We agree on that point, sir.
15:10We agree on that point.
15:11That is very important.
15:12Time has come.
15:13In the last three, four years,
15:14if I look at Tamil Nadu politics,
15:16the rallies that are supposed
15:17to happen with big crowds
15:18outside the city
15:19have changed
15:20into rallies going
15:21inside the city.
15:21That is the nature of
15:22politics have changed now.
15:24Everybody wants to go
15:25into a city.
15:26Everybody wants to do a rally.
15:27Everybody wants to choke up a road.
15:29Everybody wants to show a crowd.
15:31That too,
15:31they want peak time.
15:32Fine.
15:32This is a trend
15:33that I am seeing
15:34for the last three, four years.
15:35All parties are responsible
15:36because,
15:37and many people want a weekend.
15:38At least now,
15:39I agree to this point, sir,
15:41SOP has to come
15:42because the SOP
15:43will help in multiple things.
15:44There should be certain
15:45go areas,
15:46no-go areas in a district.
15:48And we should all
15:48clearly agree to each district,
15:50to each place.
15:51This is an area
15:52where a rally can happen.
15:53This particular time
15:54rally can happen.
15:55This is a place
15:56where rally cannot happen.
15:57So that every political party
15:58will know,
15:59oh, I am asking permission.
16:00They are giving it
16:00to ruling government.
16:01They are not giving it to me.
16:02So let us all
16:03have a clear understanding,
16:04agreed by the government,
16:05agreed by all the political parties,
16:07that certain places
16:08is a no-go area
16:09for everybody,
16:10including the ruling government,
16:11including the opposition.
16:12That I agree, sir.
16:13It has to happen
16:14till the SOP gets formalized
16:16maybe in 10-15 days.
16:17Let us all wait
16:18because they are clearly
16:19mentioned in the high court
16:20that whatever permission
16:21is given,
16:22the rallies can go on.
16:23No new permission
16:24has to be given.
16:25We will wait.
16:25Of course,
16:26we are willing to wait, sir.
16:27Let the SOP come
16:27so that everybody
16:28adhere to it
16:29because the lack of
16:30the problem is
16:31why this blame-glaim
16:32is happening, sir?
16:33Okay.
16:33For the lighthouse
16:34and other areas
16:36where TVK has asked permission,
16:38DMK has done a rally
16:39last year
16:40in the same place.
16:41Now, TVK is saying
16:42you have given it to them
16:43not to wait.
16:44So why this blame-glaim?
16:45Let us agree
16:46to a fixed location
16:47and let us all stick to it, sir.
16:51My final question to you,
16:53you have been quoted
16:54as saying,
16:56Vijay shouldn't be accused.
16:57If those mistakes happen,
16:58we must learn from them
16:59and move forward.
17:01Today on the program,
17:02you are saying
17:02Vijay and the organizers
17:04are also responsible
17:05as is the state administration.
17:07If you were in government,
17:09would you name Vijay
17:10in the FIR or not?
17:12Sir, we have to understand, sir,
17:13Vijay is a person
17:14who comes to a spot
17:16after a permission is given.
17:17I still don't agree
17:18to the fact
17:19that he can be made
17:20accused number one.
17:21It cannot happen.
17:22So people might say,
17:23oh, allurgy won't happen.
17:24It cannot happen.
17:25It will not stand
17:26a test of law.
17:27It will not stand
17:28a court of law.
17:28The organizers
17:29should be punished.
17:30If at all we find
17:31a lacuna,
17:32the person who took
17:32the permission,
17:33the person who is responsible
17:34for the rally,
17:35they are the culprits.
17:36It is not the person
17:37who comes.
17:38They have a moral
17:38responsibility, agreed.
17:40But fixing somebody
17:41as A1,
17:41any part of the country,
17:42BJP ruling,
17:43BJP not ruling,
17:44we want to fix up somebody.
17:46It will not stand
17:47a test of law, sir.
17:48In this case,
17:49I completely disagree.
17:50Mr. Vijay can be accused
17:51number one.
17:51I don't have anything
17:52to do with Vijay.
17:53We are in the ideological
17:54stand.
17:54Fix the organizers.
17:55But politically,
17:56you start fixing
17:57all the leaders,
17:58then political parties
17:59cannot function, sir.
18:00Okay, I'm going to leave
18:05it there,
18:07Keanna Malai.
18:07You've spoken out,
18:09as always,
18:10your views
18:11very clearly.
18:12Appreciate you
18:13joining us there
18:14from on the road
18:16as you are
18:17near Madurai.
18:18Thank you so much.
18:19Thank you, sir.
18:19Keanna Malai
18:20on the news today.
18:21Okay, let's turn
18:24to another of our
18:25special stories
18:26and newsmakers.
18:28Environmental activist
18:29from Ladakh,
18:30award-winning,
18:31is in jail,
18:32remember,
18:33for the last week,
18:33detained under
18:34the National Security Act,
18:36accused of triggering
18:37the protests
18:38that turned violent
18:39in Ladakh
18:40on September 24th.
18:41Today,
18:42Sonam Vanshuk's wife,
18:43Gitanjali Angmo,
18:45moved the Supreme Court
18:47asking that
18:49a habeas corpus
18:50petition be filed
18:51under Article 32,
18:53challenging his detention
18:54under the National Security Act
18:56and seeking
18:57his immediate release.
18:58In a petition,
19:00Angmo claims
19:00that she has had
19:01no contact
19:02with her husband
19:03for the last week,
19:04calling it a violation
19:06of rules
19:07and of his
19:08constitutional rights.
19:09He's been arrested,
19:10remember,
19:11and taken
19:11to a Jodhpur jail.
19:13She says she has not
19:14received a copy
19:15of the detention order,
19:16has no information
19:18on the grounds
19:19of detention.
19:19Only yesterday,
19:20she had written
19:21to President Draupadi Murmu.
19:23Now she's taken
19:24her case
19:24to the Supreme Court.
19:26She's my next
19:27newsmaker.
19:35And joining me now
19:36is another of our
19:37newsmakers tonight.
19:38Gitanjali Jain Angmo
19:40is Sonam Vanshuk's wife.
19:42She's also the
19:42co-founder
19:43of the Himalayan
19:44Institute
19:45of Alternatives
19:46in Ladakh.
19:47Appreciate
19:48you joining us,
19:49Gitanjali.
19:50You've gone
19:50and knocked
19:51on the door
19:51of the Supreme Court
19:53today,
19:53a week after
19:54your husband,
19:55Sonam Vanshuk,
19:56was detained,
19:57arrested
19:57under the
19:58National Security Act.
20:00Why do you believe
20:01that his detention,
20:03his arrest
20:03is illegal
20:04under the NSA?
20:08Yeah.
20:08So thank you,
20:10Rajdeep.
20:10his detention
20:15is illegal
20:15because he is
20:17in no way
20:18a threat
20:18to national security.
20:21He is a person
20:22who has worked
20:23very closely
20:25with the Indian
20:26Army.
20:27He has worked
20:27at the grassroot
20:28level for innovation.
20:30He has always
20:31represented India
20:32abroad
20:33with pride,
20:35be it through
20:35his
20:36ice-thup
20:37artificial glaciers
20:38or his
20:39passive solar-heated
20:41buildings.
20:42So such a person
20:43who has
20:44dedicated
20:45and devoted
20:45his life
20:46to the
20:48cause
20:48of education,
20:49environment,
20:50sustainability
20:51in India,
20:53in Ladakh,
20:54cannot ever
20:55be a threat
20:56for national security,
20:58especially
20:58when this
20:59very government
21:00has awarded
21:01our institute
21:02with the
21:04best in
21:05innovation
21:06for passive
21:06solar homes,
21:08scotch
21:08award for
21:09the
21:10ice-thupa
21:11artificial glaciers
21:12for our work
21:13in Himalayan
21:15farmstays
21:16in ecotourism.
21:18So how can
21:18the same
21:19person who
21:20along
21:22with me
21:23as the
21:24co-founder,
21:25how can
21:26this person
21:27suddenly turn
21:28into being
21:30an
21:30anti-national
21:30when he
21:32was being
21:33awarded
21:33not less
21:34than a
21:35year or
21:35two ago?
21:35Because
21:36the government,
21:41Gitanjali says
21:43that it was
21:44Sonam Vangchuk
21:45whose provocative
21:46speeches
21:47led to the
21:49violence that
21:50took place
21:50in which
21:51eventually
21:51tragically
21:52four people
21:53died,
21:54that he
21:54in some way
21:55was responsible
21:56for provoking
21:57that violence.
21:58Your response
21:59to that,
22:00the violence
22:00that took
22:00place on
22:01the 24th
22:02of September?
22:04So first
22:05of all,
22:05he immediately
22:06condemned the
22:08violence and
22:09he said that
22:09my peaceful
22:10method of
22:11protesting has
22:12failed and
22:13he called off
22:13his fast.
22:15And secondly,
22:17a person who
22:18has worked
22:18all his life
22:19for the
22:21upliftment of
22:22youth,
22:22for empowering
22:23them with
22:24education,
22:25with knowledge,
22:26cannot ever
22:27provoke them
22:28to go on
22:29a path which
22:30he never
22:30himself believes
22:31in.
22:32We've seen
22:33in the last
22:33five years
22:34that he has
22:35done all
22:36his
22:36unshans and
22:38fasts and
22:38padhyatras and
22:40marches in an
22:41extremely peaceful
22:42manner.
22:43So a teacher,
22:44and he considered
22:45himself a good
22:46teacher above
22:47everything else
22:48because he
22:49has declined
22:50a lot of
22:51offers from
22:51all the
22:52political parties
22:53who wanted
22:53him to run
22:54for various
22:55positions because
22:56he wanted
22:56to always
22:58hold his
22:59himself as
23:01a teacher
23:01first.
23:02So a teacher
23:03always walks
23:04the path.
23:05If a teacher
23:05is talking
23:07about non-violence,
23:09he would
23:09never instigate
23:11violence or
23:12ask the
23:13youth to
23:14follow that
23:15path which
23:15he himself
23:16never believes.
23:16So you're
23:17saying all the
23:23allegations that
23:24are being made
23:24about Sonam
23:27having a
23:27Pakistan link,
23:29the allegations
23:30that are being
23:31made that
23:32Sonam
23:32Wangchuk in
23:34some way was
23:35encouraging seditious
23:36behavior are all
23:38hogwash.
23:38Is that what you're
23:39saying?
23:39That you're
23:40challenging the
23:41government in the
23:42Supreme Court
23:42petition to
23:43prove that there
23:44is a Pakistan
23:45link, if at
23:46all, to
23:47Sonam
23:47Wangchuk, because
23:48the DG in
23:48Ladakh tried to
23:49bring out a
23:50Pakistan link to
23:52the protests.
23:52Yes, absolutely.
23:55I have stood
23:57firm in
23:58condemning all
23:58these allegations
23:59as being
24:00absolutely
24:01businessless and
24:02as a
24:03propaganda and
24:04a narrative to
24:06frame him.
24:07And it is not,
24:08it is now that it
24:10has intensified,
24:11but this witch
24:12hunt began
24:12about four years
24:15ago when
24:16first our
24:17application of
24:18FCRA was not
24:19allowed to go
24:20through, then
24:21our application at
24:22the UGC was
24:23not allowed to
24:23go through,
24:24then all the
24:26PSUs that
24:27fund us for
24:28our CapEx
24:30requirements for
24:31buildings through
24:32their CSR have
24:34told us that
24:35they have received
24:36calls from the
24:37MHA to not
24:38support us.
24:39Some of them
24:40withdrew at the
24:41last moment before
24:42signing of the
24:43MOU.
24:44And then there
24:45were a lot of
24:46other witch
24:47hunting strategies,
24:48especially in the
24:49last one month,
24:50and I have not
24:50done anything else
24:52but answer all
24:54the CBI
24:54probes and
24:57fact-finding,
24:58as they call
24:59it, you know,
25:00and all the
25:01IT summons and
25:02all of that.
25:04I have been just
25:04busy doing that
25:05for the last
25:06one month.
25:07And before that
25:08was the land
25:10that was,
25:11you know,
25:12unilaterally,
25:13they said,
25:13has been
25:14estuited back
25:15to the government,
25:15even though the
25:16delay was on
25:17their side,
25:18that they did
25:18not have a
25:19lease policy to
25:20be signed.
25:21So all this
25:22witch hunt had
25:23started.
25:24So are you
25:25telling me,
25:26Gitanjali,
25:26when you use
25:27words like
25:28witch hunt,
25:29are you telling
25:29me that the
25:30cancellation of
25:31your FCRA
25:32license, the
25:32income tax
25:33probe, the
25:33CBI probe,
25:35has only started
25:36after Sonam
25:37Wangchuk took an
25:38aggressive position
25:39against the
25:40center, demanding
25:42Sikh schedule
25:43status for
25:44Ladakh?
25:44until then,
25:45the same
25:45Modi government
25:46was giving
25:47you various
25:48awards for
25:49what you were
25:50doing in the
25:52field of
25:52environment, in
25:53the field of
25:53education.
25:54You're telling
25:54me there's a
25:55link between
25:56political activism
25:57started by Sonam
25:58and these
25:59probes against
26:01you.
26:01Am I correct?
26:03Yes, it is
26:04correct, because
26:05this has only
26:07started so that
26:09we can be
26:11stopped from
26:13doing and he
26:14can be stopped
26:15from working
26:16for the Sikh
26:16schedule.
26:17So there is a
26:18clear link
26:19between these
26:19two, because
26:20the Intelligence
26:21Bureau used
26:22to visit me
26:23very regularly
26:25when he, about
26:27two years ago,
26:28when he went
26:29for his fast
26:31for the first
26:31time.
26:32So they have
26:33been visiting
26:34our office and
26:36visiting us,
26:37visiting me,
26:39and asking
26:40all kinds of
26:41questions, but
26:42they could not
26:43get anything.
26:44They have
26:44access to all
26:45our financial
26:46documents.
26:4799.9% of
26:49all our
26:49transactions are
26:50online through
26:51checks, through
26:53net banking.
26:54So there is no
26:55question of, you
26:57know, anything
26:58which is not
26:58transparent.
26:59We have been
26:59filing our
27:01returns with
27:02the, you
27:03know, the
27:04ROC of
27:05companies and
27:06all of that.
27:07So because they
27:07did not find
27:08anything, I
27:09miss, so the
27:10only thing that
27:11was left was
27:11this NSA.
27:13Because it is
27:14this draconian
27:15act which does
27:16not, you know,
27:17need you to
27:17explain.
27:22So can I ask
27:23you in conclusion,
27:24it's a week
27:25since he was
27:26arrested under
27:26NSA.
27:27Have you got a
27:28copy of the
27:28detention order?
27:29Do you know
27:30what the condition
27:31of Sonam
27:31Vangchuk is?
27:32Have you been
27:33given any
27:33information or
27:34any access to
27:35him at all?
27:36No, that is
27:39why I waited
27:39for five days.
27:41So first of
27:41all, they had
27:42told me that
27:43as soon as he
27:44is flown down
27:45to Jodhpur
27:46Central Jail,
27:48the officer
27:48would speak to
27:50me and make
27:50him speak,
27:51make me speak
27:52to Sonam.
27:53But that did
27:53not happen last
27:54Friday.
27:55And then I
27:56waited for five
27:56days to get a
27:57copy of the
27:58detention order.
27:59And it did
28:00not happen.
28:00and therefore
28:02day before
28:02yesterday, I
28:03wrote this
28:04representation
28:05through the
28:06president of
28:06India with
28:07a copy to
28:08the prime
28:08minister,
28:09home minister,
28:10law minister,
28:10LG of
28:11Ladakh as
28:12well as the
28:13DC of
28:13Ladakh.
28:14And even
28:15after one
28:16day of
28:17that, there
28:18was no reply
28:18from any of
28:19them.
28:20And therefore
28:20yesterday I
28:21had to file
28:22this corpus
28:23with the
28:24Supreme Court
28:25of India.
28:25So you
28:29have no
28:30idea of
28:30his condition,
28:32his health,
28:32you have no
28:33idea of
28:34exactly how
28:36he is keeping,
28:37am I correct?
28:37You have been
28:38completely cut
28:39off from him
28:39for the last
28:40week.
28:41A quick
28:41answer.
28:42Exactly.
28:43So I have
28:44no access
28:45to him,
28:45I have no
28:46access to his
28:47information,
28:48I have no
28:48access to his
28:49situation,
28:50to his
28:50condition and
28:52to anything
28:53about him.
28:55OK, I'm
28:58going to leave
28:59this there
29:00Gitanjali.
29:01I will
29:03wait, we
29:03will continue
29:04to track
29:04this story.
29:05We will
29:06continue to
29:06see what
29:07happens in
29:07Sonam
29:08Vangchuk's
29:08case.
29:09Someone who
29:10was fetid
29:10with various
29:11awards including
29:12by the
29:13government of
29:13India today
29:14is detained
29:15and arrested
29:16under the
29:17National Security
29:18Act.
29:18What changed?
29:20Well, that's
29:20for the
29:20government to
29:21answer.
29:22Gitanjali
29:22for joining
29:24me there,
29:24appreciate it.
29:25Thank you
29:26so much.
29:27Thank you
29:28Rajthi.
29:30OK, from
29:32there let me
29:33turn to
29:33another special
29:34story.
29:35For years
29:36now, local
29:37level bribery
29:38in this
29:39country has
29:39been seen
29:40as a major
29:41impediment to
29:43the ease of
29:43doing business
29:44and India's
29:45growth story.
29:47Paisa
29:47dena
29:47padhta
29:48hai
29:48kaam
29:48karwane
29:49ke liye.
29:49Well, all
29:50of this is
29:51spoken about
29:51but now
29:52a businessman
29:53of an import
29:54company in
29:55Chennai
29:56has gone
29:57public on
29:57social media
29:58giving details
29:59of the
30:00bribes that
30:00were being
30:01demanded, he
30:01claimed, by
30:02the Chennai
30:03customs.
30:04He even
30:04said he
30:05was going
30:05to give
30:05up the
30:06business
30:06because the
30:07bribe-taking
30:08was getting
30:09out of
30:09hand.
30:10The finance
30:10ministry has
30:11stepped in
30:12and said
30:12they will
30:13inquire into
30:14these charges.
30:15It is now
30:16a story of
30:17a company
30:18versus the
30:20Chennai
30:20customs.
30:21Take a
30:22look at
30:23our story
30:24which looks
30:25at an
30:26old
30:26disease, a
30:28cancer that's
30:30coming back,
30:31bribery.
30:32Take a
30:33look.
30:35I'm no
30:35longer going
30:36to do business
30:37in India in
30:38form of import
30:39or export or
30:39anything.
30:41A trader's
30:41post that has
30:42set social media
30:43on fire.
30:44Still planning
30:45revenge on me,
30:46planning to
30:46wait, planning
30:47to hurt,
30:49planning to
30:49affect my
30:50personal life
30:52and other
30:52things.
30:53Explosive
30:54allegations of
30:55revenge and
30:55harassment by
30:56customs officials.
30:58To all the
30:58importers and
30:59exporters, if
31:00each one of
31:01you also raise
31:02the voice against
31:03this kind of
31:04bribery,
31:04corruption,
31:05then only
31:07everything can
31:08be abolished.
31:09And an appeal
31:09to India's
31:10traders, stop
31:11bribing
31:12officials.
31:13It began
31:14with this post
31:15by Wintrack
31:16Inc. on the
31:161st of
31:17October,
31:18blowing the
31:18lid of
31:19bribery and
31:19intimidation at
31:20Chennai Customs.
31:22The claim,
31:23retaliatory action
31:24by officials has
31:25forced the
31:25company to
31:26shut shop in
31:26India.
31:29A day later,
31:30its proprietor
31:31went public with
31:32an 8-minute
31:33video, laying
31:34out his story
31:35in detail.
31:36In the month
31:37of August, it
31:39got very serious
31:40and they were
31:41very much
31:41desperate to
31:43hold our
31:43shipment, stop
31:44our shipment
31:45and cause
31:46loss.
31:47We had also
31:48complained to
31:48Principal
31:48Commissioner,
31:49Joint
31:50Commissioner
31:50that we
31:51are facing
31:51issue in
31:52Shed because
31:53of the
31:53revenge that
31:54we exposed
31:54them in
31:55Twitter about
31:56their corruption,
31:57about their
31:58bribe.
31:58And the
31:59same I
31:59informed to
32:00the assistant
32:01commissioner
32:01when I
32:02went to
32:02meet him
32:03regarding the
32:03Wintrack
32:04shipment.
32:05I explained
32:05him, sir,
32:06why is
32:06still bribe
32:07is demanded
32:08so huge,
32:09almost 30-40
32:10percent of the
32:11shipment value,
32:11how can we
32:12do business?
32:12I explained
32:13my grievance.
32:14Since
32:14last two
32:15months,
32:15the office
32:15has made
32:16it very
32:16clear that
32:17either
32:18Wintrack or
32:18Praveen
32:19related in
32:20his shipments
32:20we will not
32:20clear,
32:21we will give
32:22him trouble
32:22to maximum
32:23and cause
32:24him loss.
32:25Social media
32:26erupted in
32:26support for
32:27the businessman.
32:28There were
32:28unending
32:28stories of
32:29harassment,
32:30an outpouring
32:31of frustration
32:32against the
32:33country's
32:33Babu culture,
32:34people recounting
32:36their own
32:36experiences at
32:37the hands of
32:38customs
32:38officials,
32:39with a liberal
32:40sprinkling of
32:41memes and
32:42jokes thrown
32:42in.
32:43Even big
32:44names joined
32:45in.
32:45Shashi Tharoor
32:46flagged rampant
32:47corruption and
32:48Mohandas Pai
32:48appealed to the
32:49Prime Minister
32:49and Finance
32:50Minister to
32:51end tax
32:52terrorism.
32:53Chennai customs
32:55at the centre
32:55of the controversy
32:56hit back.
32:58In a social
32:58media post,
32:59it denied the
33:00bribery allegations.
33:01In a sharp
33:02counter,
33:03they accused
33:03Wintrack of
33:04misdeclaration
33:05and misclassification,
33:06calling the
33:07claims false
33:08and a tactic
33:08to pressure
33:09officials.
33:09The Central
33:11Board of
33:11Indirect Taxes
33:12and Customs
33:13also backed
33:15Chennai customs,
33:16calling it a
33:17compliance issue
33:17but promised
33:18a probe.
33:20The Finance
33:21Ministry has
33:21said that it
33:22has taken
33:22serious
33:23cognizance,
33:24deputing a
33:24senior revenue
33:25officer to
33:26investigate and
33:27promising appropriate
33:28and expeditious
33:29action in
33:30accordance with
33:31the law.
33:31But the
33:32fight is not
33:33one-sided.
33:34Some social
33:35posts have
33:35accused Wintrack
33:36of tax evasion
33:37and importing
33:38goods without
33:38proper
33:39certification.
33:39how he was
33:41harassed multiple
33:42times after he
33:43exposed the
33:44corruption involving
33:45customs officials
33:46starting from
33:47January itself
33:48has now
33:49caused a
33:50rub.
33:50Not just
33:51that,
33:51the Finance
33:52Ministry has
33:52reacted on
33:53this matter
33:53claiming a
33:54serious
33:55investigation will
33:57be conducted
33:57by officials of
33:59Department of
34:00Revenue.
34:01Deva,
34:02from
34:02Vodmadav,
34:03for India
34:03Today.
34:04Okay,
34:05and joining me
34:06now is
34:07Praveen
34:07Ganeshan,
34:08the Wintrack
34:08CEO who
34:09claims that
34:10he was forced
34:11to give
34:11bribes to
34:12the customs
34:12to clear
34:13his goods
34:14at Chennai
34:15customs.
34:15Appreciate
34:16your joining
34:16us,
34:17Mr.
34:17Ganeshan.
34:17you've created
34:18quite a stir
34:18with your
34:19tweet where
34:20you've gone
34:20public accusing
34:21the Chennai
34:22customs of
34:22demanding bribes
34:24and you even
34:25threatened to
34:25close down your
34:26company because
34:27of the bribery.
34:28I want to
34:28understand what
34:29prompted you to
34:30go on social
34:30media and in
34:32a way expose
34:34as you're claiming
34:35the Chennai
34:35customs.
34:36Do you stand
34:36by the allegations
34:37because the
34:38Chennai customs is
34:39denying it?
34:40Hi Rajeeb.
34:43I completely
34:44stand by my
34:45words which I
34:46have expressed
34:46in the social
34:47media because
34:49what harassment
34:50we have been
34:51going through for
34:52the past 45
34:53days with
34:54regards to
34:55one shipment
34:56that is being
34:57held up by
34:57them because
35:00of my Twitter
35:01expose in
35:02Jan and
35:03June.
35:04In the month
35:05of Jan there
35:06was a bribery
35:07issue in Chennai
35:07customs.
35:08We exposed
35:08them and
35:09after the
35:10issue got
35:11solved I
35:11took down
35:12the tweet and
35:13again in the
35:14month of May
35:14there was a
35:15bribe demand of
35:165 lakhs and
35:16we paid 3 lakhs
35:17and one of the
35:19departments which
35:19did not receive
35:20the bribe share
35:21held up my
35:23CHS another
35:24shipment in the
35:24month of June.
35:25So at that time
35:26I had all the
35:27records of the
35:28bribes and
35:28everything I
35:29paid in May.
35:30So I put out
35:31the tweet in
35:31June.
35:32But may I ask
35:33you Mr.
35:35Ganeshan for a
35:36moment you are
35:37coming on my
35:37program and
35:38saying you
35:39openly pay
35:39the bribe to
35:40the Chennai
35:41customs.
35:42Now why
35:43didn't you go
35:44and expose
35:45these officials
35:46before a local
35:47court or
35:48indeed before
35:50their higher
35:50ups rather
35:51than going on
35:52social media.
35:53Why did you
35:54end up paying
35:54a bribe?
35:55You could have
35:55gone and
35:56exposed them
35:56instead of
35:57paying up the
35:58bribe.
35:58no this is
36:01the operation
36:03thing that is
36:04happening like
36:04even after our
36:06expose in
36:07January all
36:08the shipments
36:08from February
36:09March April
36:10and May all
36:11of the shipments
36:12we had to pay
36:13a little bribe
36:14that is part of
36:15the system we
36:15could not
36:16voice out every
36:17time because
36:185,000 10,000
36:1920,000 like
36:20that.
36:20But in the
36:21month of May
36:22at one point
36:23there was three
36:24shipments held
36:25up at Chennai
36:25customs and we
36:27were demanded
36:285,000,000 and
36:29finally brought
36:30down to 3,000,000.
36:31And the two
36:33departments only
36:34split the money
36:351,500,000 each.
36:36So the another
36:37department held
36:39my CHS shipment
36:40in June and
36:41demanded I pay
36:421.5 lakhs for
36:44the shipments
36:45already cleared in
36:46May.
36:46If I didn't pay
36:47they would not
36:48release the
36:48other shipment.
36:50So at that
36:51time I had put
36:52it out in the
36:52social media.
36:53See I have
36:53paid so much
36:54always every
36:55time.
36:55But may I ask
36:56you Mr.
36:57Ganeshan
37:02instead of
37:03paying the
37:04bribe why
37:04did you go to
37:05the local
37:06authorities are
37:06you saying you
37:07have no
37:07confidence in
37:08the local
37:08authorities in
37:09the customs
37:09higher-ups or
37:10the finance
37:11ministry to
37:11say that I
37:12am being forced
37:13to pay bribes.
37:14I mean why
37:15did you end up
37:16going to social
37:16media because
37:17the Chennai
37:17customs says
37:18you are doing
37:19all this to
37:19avoid scrutiny
37:20that you
37:21yourself have
37:22are guilty of
37:23violations and
37:24therefore you
37:25are blaming the
37:26customs.
37:26Your response?
37:29No no no
37:29it's not the
37:30case.
37:31We have
37:31imported all the
37:32shipments from
37:33February to
37:33August is the
37:34same product.
37:36even which the
37:36product is being
37:37held up now
37:38there is no
37:39different more
37:39than 20-25
37:40shipments have
37:41been cleared
37:41is the same
37:42goods which is
37:43being held
37:44now.
37:44So there is no
37:45misdeclaration
37:46earlier or now
37:47it's the same
37:48goods that have
37:49been repeatedly
37:50imported by us
37:51and all of the
37:52shipments have
37:53been passed on
37:54cleared by the
37:55same set of
37:56officers who are
37:57raising suspicious
37:58issue now.
37:59Okay I'm going to
38:04ask you my
38:05final last
38:06question.
38:07This is my
38:07sixth.
38:07Are you
38:08confident that
38:09the finance
38:10ministry which
38:11is now
38:11intervening will
38:12order a free
38:13and fair
38:13probe?
38:14Are you
38:14hopeful of
38:15this or are
38:15you going to
38:16go ahead and
38:16shut down your
38:17business because
38:17of these
38:18briberies?
38:19Are you going
38:19to shut down
38:20your business
38:20because you
38:20don't want to
38:21pay bribes
38:21anymore?
38:22No, I'm
38:24very firm on
38:25shutting down
38:26because even
38:26in the twice
38:27incidents before
38:28I have named
38:29the official and
38:30we have clearly
38:31stated all the
38:32proof there was
38:33no action.
38:34The officer still
38:35works there.
38:36There is no
38:36departmental action
38:37also.
38:38So I think
38:39officers are
38:40shielding their
38:41own colleagues
38:42and there is no
38:43relief to the
38:44importer however
38:45he reports like
38:46social media or
38:47digital media.
38:50Let me leave
38:51it there.
38:51Mr. Ganesh
38:52and we've
38:52heard you.
38:53You claim that
38:54the bribery is
38:55something which
38:57is part of the
38:57system.
38:58Thank you very
38:59much for joining
39:00me here on the
39:00show tonight.
39:01I want to raise
39:01big questions
39:02with special
39:03guests.
39:04Bribery at
39:05customs across
39:06this country.
39:06Is this an
39:07open worst
39:08kept secret?
39:09Is corruption
39:10affecting the
39:11ease of doing
39:12business even
39:12now in the
39:13country?
39:14Is a social
39:15media expose
39:16really a way
39:17to expose
39:18corruption?
39:20I want to
39:20join special
39:21guests.
39:22Subhas Chandra
39:22Garg is
39:23former finance
39:24secretary
39:24government of
39:25India.
39:25Sanjeev
39:26Aluwalia is
39:26a former
39:27IAS officer
39:28and a
39:28distinguished
39:29fellow at
39:29the Chintan
39:30Research
39:30Foundation.
39:31Appreciate
39:31both of
39:32you joining
39:33us.
39:33Before I
39:34come to
39:34you I
39:34want to
39:35put up
39:35what India
39:36today's
39:37domestic
39:37gross
39:38domestic
39:38behavior
39:39survey found
39:40earlier this
39:41year.
39:4261% I
39:43want you to
39:44understand these
39:45numbers carefully.
39:4561% said
39:47sometimes it
39:48is necessary
39:49to pay a
39:50bribe to
39:50get your
39:51work done.
39:5238% said
39:53not needed
39:54to get your
39:55work done
39:55through bribes.
39:5694% the
39:58highest was in
39:58Uttar Pradesh
39:59said they were
40:00ready to give a
40:01bribe to get
40:01their work done.
40:0382% in
40:04Tamil Nadu
40:04where Mr.
40:05Ganeshan is
40:05from said they
40:07are opposed to
40:08paying bribes.
40:10Subhach Chandragarh
40:11your first response
40:12here is a
40:13businessman who's
40:13gone public
40:14saying he
40:15had to pay
40:15bribes to
40:16get his
40:16goods imported
40:17and he's
40:18now threatening
40:19to close
40:19down his
40:20business.
40:21So this
40:22is what
40:24has come
40:24out is a
40:26very common
40:27sort of
40:29business
40:30practice in
40:31India.
40:31I am sorry
40:33to say but
40:33that's a
40:34fact.
40:35Mostly it
40:36is it
40:37remains
40:38under covers
40:39it doesn't
40:40come out in
40:40the open
40:41because both
40:42sides the
40:43government
40:43officials as
40:44well as the
40:45businessmen
40:46understand that
40:47that is the
40:48way to do
40:48business that
40:50is considered
40:51as part of
40:52the cost to
40:52some extent
40:53and then
40:55they go ahead
40:56do their
40:56business but
40:57whenever it
40:58becomes unreasonably
41:01or uncontrollable
41:03so to say
41:04that even the
41:06basic business
41:07itself is
41:07threatened or
41:08the existence
41:09are you saying
41:09it's part of
41:10a chalta
41:10hai
41:11no no one
41:11minute Mr.
41:11Garik
41:12Mr. Garik
41:13are you saying
41:14are you saying
41:15there is a
41:15chalta hai
41:16attitude
41:16for all the
41:17talk of
41:18na khahunga
41:19na khane
41:19dunga
41:19which the
41:20prime minister
41:20says on the
41:21ground a
41:22customs official
41:23in Chennai
41:23believes bribes
41:25are part of
41:25his in a way
41:27of his job
41:27profile he takes
41:28the money
41:29according to
41:29at least Mr.
41:30Ganeshan
41:31see that is
41:33the normal
41:34case I
41:35wouldn't put
41:35it in this
41:37chalta hai
41:38kind of
41:38attitude but
41:39this is the
41:40normal way
41:41to do
41:41business but
41:42in this case
41:44I have gone
41:45through a little
41:45bit of into
41:46it actually
41:48our policy
41:49makers at
41:49the highest
41:50levels many
41:51times we
41:51think that
41:52it's operational
41:52problem down
41:55under where
41:56there is a
41:56problem but
41:57the root even
41:58in this case
41:59if you look
41:59at it is
42:00these are
42:02the kind
42:03of new
42:03requirements
42:04which have
42:05been imposed
42:06recently in
42:07last couple
42:08of years
42:08there is a
42:09requirement for
42:10batteries import
42:11to get an
42:12EPR extended
42:13producers sort
42:15of responsibility
42:16certificate from
42:17the from the
42:18authorities there
42:19is a environmental
42:20authorities there
42:21is another
42:22requirement which
42:23the customs have
42:23cited that you
42:25have to get
42:25from the
42:26meteorology
42:27department a
42:27certificate that
42:29what you are
42:29importing
42:30is in
42:31compliance of
42:32that there
42:32is a BIS
42:33additional
42:34requirement so
42:35this gives
42:35the handle in
42:37the hands of
42:37the customs
42:38official if you
42:39want to sort
42:40of punish
42:40somebody that
42:42you have not
42:43given this
42:43certificate they
42:45wouldn't ask
42:45normally speaking
42:46so in this
42:47case these
42:48three certificates
42:49have been asked
42:49which is
42:50impossible for
42:51anyone to
42:51produce so it
42:52is the
42:54policy makers
42:55problem is
42:56they create
42:56they say it
42:57is ease of
42:58new doing
42:58business but
42:59in the process
43:00we keep on
43:01creating more
43:02and more
43:02hurdles so
43:03it's a very
43:04sad situation
43:06it's only
43:07in a way
43:08this is a
43:09classic case
43:12sir of a
43:13bureaucratic
43:13maze it's
43:14interesting I
43:15have two
43:15bureaucrats the
43:16businessmen that
43:16I asked to
43:17come on the
43:17program didn't
43:18want to come
43:18and that's
43:19part of the
43:19problem the
43:20fear factor in
43:21speaking out
43:22Sanjeev
43:23Aluwalya is
43:24there a
43:25bureaucratic maze
43:26that still
43:26exists where
43:27you have
43:27discretionary
43:28powers and
43:29maybe the
43:30customs still
43:30have far too
43:31many because
43:32of customs
43:32laws that's
43:34where the
43:34corruption starts
43:35the corruption
43:35is linked to
43:36the discretionary
43:37powers do
43:38you agree
43:39Rajdeep
43:42bureaucracy is
43:44by definition
43:45a maze so
43:47you know you
43:48can't get away
43:48from that the
43:50only difference
43:50is that in
43:52our case the
43:53rules and
43:54regulations and
43:54this is not
43:55new this has
43:56always been
43:57there the
43:58rules and
43:59regulations have
44:00three problems
44:01one they are
44:02extremely and
44:03does unnecessarily
44:05complicated and
44:07intrusive right
44:08so that requires
44:10the compliance
44:11requirements that
44:12sort of just
44:12mentioned the
44:14second is that
44:15more recently the
44:16new rules that
44:17are being written
44:17are being written
44:19very shabbily
44:20they are not
44:21explicit they are
44:22not clear and
44:24they are not
44:25you know they
44:28could have two
44:28or three meanings
44:29to them which
44:30leaves open the
44:31chance for dispute
44:33and for
44:34reconciliation and
44:36later on for
44:36appeal you know
44:39against whatever
44:41decision is taken
44:42by the
44:42assessing officer
44:43officer so I
44:44think this is a
44:45policy problem
44:45that needs to
44:46be solved
44:47almost entirely
44:49across the
44:50whole gambit of
44:52rules and
44:52regulations that
44:53we have you
44:54might remember
44:55that there was a
44:55famous case
44:56earlier about
44:57people importing
44:58built-up cars
45:00as completely
45:02knocked down
45:02cars because the
45:03duty was less
45:04and these are
45:04very reputed
45:05companies including
45:06a German company
45:07so these
45:08practices will
45:10always be there
45:11where the rules
45:12are porous and
45:14shabbily written
45:14we have to write
45:16these rules properly
45:17and we have to
45:17write them simply
45:18now there's a
45:19problem that most
45:21rules are written
45:22in English
45:22English is not
45:24a language which
45:25is you know
45:26known by very
45:28many people in
45:28India in terms
45:30of its
45:30intricacies so
45:32maybe we should
45:33reconsider that
45:34the original copy
45:36of everything should
45:37be written in
45:37Hindi and then
45:39translated in
45:39Tamil Nadu
45:42whichever language
45:43sir whichever
45:44language they are
45:45written in laws
45:47need to be simplified
45:48and ensure minimal
45:49discretionary powers
45:50to officials now
45:51that's the
45:51bureaucratic problem
45:52the other issue
45:54Subhash Chandra Garg
45:55is in this instance
45:56the person was ready
45:57to pay the bribe
45:58instead of he was
45:59readily paying the
46:00bribes instead of
46:01going to the higher
46:02ups and exposing
46:04these officials and
46:06that reveals a
46:06lack of confidence
46:07Mr. Garg in the
46:08system
46:09see for the
46:12businessman the
46:14idea is to do
46:14business for him
46:17as I said earlier
46:18paying some money
46:20is the cost of
46:21doing business
46:22it's part of the
46:23cost structure which
46:25it takes into
46:25account businessmen
46:27don't have time to
46:28go to authorities
46:29and do it to fight
46:30to the system as
46:32long as it is
46:32reasonable they are
46:33they don't make an
46:35issue out of it
46:36I don't think the
46:37expectation that this
46:38guy should have
46:40gone to he went to
46:41the senior officers in
46:42Chennai how long he
46:45he's exposing by way
46:47of tweets he did it
46:49couple of times
46:50earlier also which
46:52could have been
46:53noticed by the
46:54senior officials now
46:56what do you expect
46:57him to come to
46:58Delhi or to other
47:00senior officers to
47:01chase his case he is
47:02to do his business
47:03or to do all
47:04this kind of
47:05things so I
47:05don't think this
47:06expectation that he
47:08should fight the
47:09system which he
47:12might be he might
47:14not be the only
47:15one and then sort
47:18of spend his time
47:19you know but
47:22listening but
47:25listening to both
47:26of you it almost
47:27seems as if even
47:29businessmen have
47:30accepted that bribing
47:31local level officials
47:32is part of doing
47:33business is that
47:35what you are saying
47:35Mr. Garg that
47:36businessmen have to
47:37accept it it's part
47:39see our business
47:42culture yes Mr.
47:43Aluwalya wants to
47:44Mr. Aluwalya wants
47:45to intervene Mr.
47:46Aluwalya wants to
47:47intervene let him
47:48intervene Mr.
47:48Aluwalya have
47:50businessmen also
47:51accepted that giving
47:52these bribes is part
47:53of my business model
48:01okay the image of Mr.
48:04Aluwalya has frozen
48:06you want to take
48:07that you you want
48:08to take that question
48:09Mr. Garg and end it
48:10there it is what's
48:12your view yeah okay
48:13go ahead go ahead
48:15Mr. Aluwalya quickly
48:16yeah I'm saying that
48:19very quickly that as I
48:20said and you know so
48:24therefore one do I am
48:25making no allegations in
48:28this particular case this
48:30has to be investigated
48:31and Department of
48:32Revenue has taken up
48:33the thing so I'm sure
48:34they'll do a good job
48:35and you know give
48:36justice where it's due
48:37but there are
48:39businessmen and there
48:40are businessmen as I
48:41gave you the case even
48:43a German company was
48:45paying was undercutting
48:46tax by misdeclaring
48:48their imports one reason
48:49is because our rules
48:51are not properly
48:52so they're open to
48:54multiple
48:55I take it take the
49:03point I take the
49:04point that rules are
49:05responsible rules are
49:06responsible we have a
49:07maze of rules but that
49:08still doesn't excuse the
49:10fact that there is a
49:11human angle as well
49:13where bribery has got
49:14normalized let's start
49:16accepting it let's end
49:18this chalta hai attitude
49:19and maybe more
49:20businessmen need to
49:21start speaking out more
49:23openly and freely the
49:25fear factor must also
49:28end speak up rather than
49:30bribing officials mr.
49:32garg and mr.
49:33alu walia I appreciate
49:34you joining me on my
49:35talking point okay let's
49:38turn to another of our
49:40special stories tonight and
49:42our special story is of a
49:45man who has over the years
49:47been called the fastest man
49:49in the world the one and
49:51only Usain Bolt we managed
49:54to catch up with him we
49:55actually caught up with him
49:56Rahul Rawat our sports
49:58team go-to person was fast
50:01enough to catch up with
50:02Usain Bolt who's on a rare
50:03trip to India listen in to
50:05what Usain Bolt had to say
50:07Usain thank you very much for
50:15this interview and welcome to
50:16India how's it going enjoying
50:18your stay here in India yeah it's
50:20been it's been wonderful people
50:22are great I've seen the city so
50:26it's been good we have a count of
50:28the number of selfies or pictures
50:30that you've taken so far here no it's a
50:32a lot it's a lot it's a lot I try to
50:34do as much as possible because I
50:36understand that this is my first
50:38time here but it won't be my last so I
50:40try to take as much in a different
50:42world if Usain Bolt was not an athlete
50:46as in a track athlete what would you
50:51have been a cricketer for sure yeah I
50:54think if my if my cricket coach
50:57probably didn't say you know go try
50:58running I probably would have stick with
51:00cricket because my dad was a massive
51:03cricket fan and that's all I knew
51:05growing up you know I mean cricket
51:07cricket a little bit of football but
51:08all I knew was cricket cricket that you
51:11looked up to when you growing up for me
51:13it was definitely the West Indies guys
51:16you know I mean Brian Laura was top
51:18you know and currently Ambrose and
51:20Courtney Walsh and all these guys
51:21Courtney Walsh another Jamaican there
51:24you know now we've switched lanes from
51:27sprinting to cricket you know
51:29hypothetically if you have a relay team
51:31you of course will run the ankle leg
51:34three cricketers that you would want to
51:37have in your team and this is the
51:40Olympic final yeah we've talked about
51:43this I think Kohli was definitely quick
51:47I know Brett Lee I would say and I've always
51:53John T Rose from South Africa he's pretty good
51:56you're saying you know what does an Olympic
51:59medal or an Olympic gold do to a nation
52:02like Neeraj Chopra won an Olympic medal here
52:05at the last last Olympics there and now we see in India everybody wants to be a Neeraj Chopra
52:12everybody has taken up Javelin what does an Olympic gold medal you know do to a nation
52:20now it's massive you know I mean because Olympics is almost like the World Cup for us at least because it's such a big thing I know even basketball players want an Olympic gold medal I know a lot of guys they look forward to
52:35Usain Bolt and Virat Kohli may be in a relay run one day I want to end though with a story that is saddening at least 11 children have died after consuming cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan the center has now issued an advisory to limit the use of cough syrup for young children
53:00especially those below the age of two the total children who've died has come to 11 but the government also denies that toxins were in any way associated with what happened either way cough syrups have to be taken carefully it's our get real India story
53:19a medicine that is common consumption for children is now at the center of a deadly health controversy that is anything but common
53:33at least 11 child deaths have been linked to cough syrups over the past fortnight with two deaths being confirmed in Rajasthan and nine deaths being reported in Madhya Pradesh's Chindwara district
53:46in Rajasthan the children were given a cough syrup containing dextromethorphan hydrobromide the manufacturing company Kaysans Pharma is under the lens for supplying substandard drugs to government hospitals in Rajasthan it was penalized once in 2023 and then in February 2025 for violation of the drugs act
54:08however the company's cough syrup has now
54:18the company's cough syrup has now
54:29However, the company's cough syrup has now passed the drug test.
54:40Health department sources claim overdose is to blame for the deaths.
54:45Earlier, when we spoke to the owner of Kesan's Pharma, Virendra Gupta,
54:49he too had blamed overdose.
54:59The Rajasthan Health Department has suspended Dr. Palak Kulwal and pharmacist Pappu Kumar Souni
55:26for administering the controversial cough syrup.
55:29In Madhya Pradesh too, the radar has now shifted from the manufacturers to the prescribers.
55:35Sources in the Central Drug Standard Control Organization have told India Today
55:39that until now, their testing has found no contamination of cough syrup samples in Madhya Pradesh.
55:47And another big revelation is the advisory that has been issued by the DGCS.
55:52And they have said that children less than two years of age should not be prescribed cold and cough medications.
56:01In fact, children up to the age of five years should not be given these cold and cough medications
56:07because of certain chemical components that may impact their kidneys,
56:11leading to kidney failure as well as death.
56:15The deaths have reignited the debate over whether children even need cough syrups.
56:21The Health Ministry has now issued an advisory to all states and union territories,
56:25urging rational use of cough syrups amongst children under five years.
56:29With Sharath Kumar and Milan Sharma, Preksha Jain for India Today.
56:37Well, that's all that we could pack in on the show today.
56:40We had a variety of exclusives and stories.
56:42We will keep bringing you the news without the noise.
56:45Maria Shakil is up next.
56:46Thanks for watching.
56:47Stay well, stay safe.
56:48Good night.
56:49Shubratri.
56:49Jai Hind.
56:50Namaskar.
56:51Jai Hind.
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