- 2 hours ago
The top focus of this episode of Super 6 is on MK Stalin-led DMK government's proposal to introduce legislation banning Hindi films, songs, and signages in Tamil Nadu, reigniting the state's long-standing language debate.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome. You're watching Super 6 here on India Today. I'm Akshra Tananthi Gopal.
00:04Over the next one hour, I'll be breaking down for you the big stories coming in from the southern states.
00:09Let's begin with a look at what to expect over the next one hour and what our top focus this evening is.
00:16It's all in the Tamil Nadu government considering a legislation that would ban Hindi in the state of Tamil Nadu.
00:23Now, when India Today broke the story this morning, there was massive outrage and a massive debate on social media
00:29that's forced the government to rethink this legislation.
00:33And so the government now has said, we're hitting the pause button.
00:37There's a larger question, however, to be asked here on why language politics, even today, is the biggest talking point in Tamil Nadu.
00:46Shouldn't we be focusing on development, on investment and so much more?
00:50And is this now reduced to nothing but political bickering to try and gain political brownie points?
00:55Is that evident in this proposed legislation? We're going to be talking about that.
00:59On Super 6, that's our top focus.
01:01Also coming up on the show at 6.30pm, speaking of investments, we do a comparison of each state.
01:08With the AI Google Hub coming Andhra's way, there's a fierce contest that's broken out between Karnataka and Adhra Pradesh.
01:16On which state is doing better than the other as far as attracting investors is concerned?
01:21And amid that, in Tamil Nadu too, there's a controversy over Chief Minister Stalin's claim that Foxconn is investing more.
01:29And reports suggesting that Foxconn has denied the same.
01:33This is the kind of competition that we want to see among the southern states on who is doing better,
01:39who's getting more investments.
01:41And that's what we're talking about at 6.30pm this evening.
01:44I'm Akshay Tananda Gopal.
01:45Let's begin this broadcast with the top headlines.
01:52Late night, NDA seat-sharing drama in Bihar.
01:55Kushwaha miffed over Mauva's seat going to LJP.
01:58Says all is not well within the NDA.
02:00Tejasvi files nomination from Ragopur as Lalu and Rabdi Devi are company.
02:04Male friend of Bengal rape survivor arrested friend identified as Vasuf Ali was classmate of victim
02:16and accompanied her to a forest area.
02:18Statement of survivor recorded in court.
02:20Haryana top cop's family relents nine days after suicide.
02:31IPS Poran's family allows post-mortem after court issued notice to IPS officer's wife.
02:36Violent protests erupt outside Baksa Jail in Assam after all five accused in Subingar death case were brought to jail.
02:49Angry fans said police vehicle on fire.
02:52Cops fired tear shells to disperse the crowd.
03:00Big India Today impact after Stalin government declares war on Hindi.
03:04Sources say DNK government to stall anti-Hindi bills.
03:08Stalin government had proposed to ban Hindi in Tamil Nadu.
03:16And Supreme Court allows green crackers in Delhi will be sold only by certified companies.
03:22Delhi to have a cracker of Diwali this year, literally.
03:34And our top focus on Super 6 is a proposal that was pitched by the DMK government
03:44to bring about legislation that bans Hindi in the state of Tamil Nadu.
03:48And that means no Hindi signboards, no Hindi films or songs even.
03:54This obviously triggered an outburst of reactions with many slamming the Stalin government
04:00for even suggesting this kind of an idea.
04:02Now there was talk that Chief Minister Stalin was looking at bringing this bill within this session.
04:08However, after the outrage sources tell us that now the idea has been paused,
04:15there is going to be no bill that's brought about.
04:17But there's a larger question to be asked here on whether all of the language politics
04:21that we've seen in Tamil Nadu is going too far.
04:24It's one thing to oppose imposition, quite another to oppose a whole language.
04:33The language war has resurfaced in Tamil Nadu.
04:38Sources say the MK Stalin government has drafted a bill in the Assembly
04:42which is aimed at banning the imposition of Hindi in the state.
04:47After India Today's coup sparked a massive political outrage,
04:50it seems that the Tamil Nadu government has now backpedaled on its intentions
04:54with sources indicating that the bill has now been put on hold.
04:58But the larger fault lines over language remain in the state.
05:02Sources say the MK Stalin government is set to table a bill in the Assembly
05:06which is aimed at banning the imposition of Hindi in the state.
05:10Sources say an emergency meeting with legal experts was held on Tuesday night
05:14to discuss the proposed legislation.
05:16They add that the bill seeks to prohibit Hindi holdings, movies and songs across Tamil Nadu.
05:21However, officials emphasize that it will comply with the Constitution.
05:25We go by the Constitution.
05:31We are not BJP.
05:32We will not do anything against the Constitution like what BJP is doing.
05:39We will go by the Constitution.
05:41We cannot stop any Indian from talking in their mother tongue.
05:46We respect mother tongue.
05:47That is why we wanted Tamil to be protected, preserved.
05:51That's all.
05:53Now, the BJP has called the move stupid and absurd,
05:56arguing that language should not be used as a political tool.
05:59The party said that the legislation is a bid to divert attention
06:02from the controversial Foxconn investment issue.
06:04A day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin claimed investment by Foxconn in state
06:09and reports of Foxconn denying them,
06:11DMK ministers issued a clarification.
06:14However, the opposition BJP and the PMK have attacked the DMK.
06:19Whenever the DMK has a lot of setbacks,
06:22when they are facing a major setback,
06:24they have the habit of using language as a tool to divert the attention.
06:27It is the same DMK which in several areas like the Harbour Constituency in central Chennai
06:32use Hindi posters and fan clips during elections to woo the voters from North India.
06:38So I think it's very absurd.
06:39It's very stupid.
06:40All languages should be respected.
06:45In March this year,
06:46the Stalin government had replaced the national rupee symbol
06:49with the Tamil letter RU in the 2025-2026 state budget logo.
06:54The replacement had sparked criticism from BJP leaders
06:56and UNN Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman,
06:59though the DMK defended it as an effort to promote the Tamil language
07:02rather than reject the national symbol.
07:06With Pramod Madhav in Chennai, Bureau Report, India Today.
07:13Okay, so you've taken a look at all the reactions that have come in on this story.
07:16Let's open this up.
07:17Joining us on Super 6 this evening is Dr. Subhanci Raman, political analyst.
07:22We also have a Sarvanan spokesperson of the DMK and Raghavavas, the political analyst and advocate.
07:28Thank you all very much for your time.
07:30Mr. Sarvanan, I'd like to begin with you.
07:32Our sources have confirmed that now there's been a backtracking on the bill,
07:36that it will not be brought.
07:38There's a pause on the planning of bringing this legislation in this session.
07:42But why was this even considered a necessity in the first place, Mr. Sarvanan,
07:46to have an anti-Hindi bill, a ban on Hindi?
07:51No, no.
07:51See, there can never be anti-Hindi.
07:54When there is Hindi imposition, there can be Hindi opposition too,
07:58in the sense that we are opposing Hindi imposition.
08:01We have been very, very clear on this stand, long enough.
08:07And there is no...
08:09And on that aspect, there is...
08:13If the government wants to bring a bill, I think definitely it will be...
08:16No, but Mr. Sarvanan, it's two different things.
08:19And we've had multiple debates on language.
08:21You know, when we speak of Hindi,
08:23constantly the DMK said we're not against the language,
08:26we're against imposition.
08:27What this bill does is, when you say ban Hindi films,
08:31ban songs, ban the language in Tamil Nadu,
08:34that's no longer about imposition.
08:36That's about choice.
08:38See, we are here in the realm of speculation right now.
08:42We don't know what the bill is.
08:43There is just speculation that there is a bill
08:45that this will do that, this won't do that.
08:49So we don't know.
08:50We don't know anything about it.
08:51Just we are saying that they will ban Hindi songs.
08:54It has never happened in the state of Tamil Nadu.
08:56Even at the height, even after the heights of Hindi,
08:59anti-Hindi agitation,
09:01and the anti-Hindi imposition agitation,
09:04and we've had the action by Prachat Sabha,
09:08all famous Bollywood stars are very, very popular here.
09:13They have a huge fan base here.
09:15But DMK has always maintained
09:17that we will be against Hindi imposition.
09:20Whenever this bill comes and whatever form it takes,
09:23definitely it will follow the constitutional ethos.
09:27We can have no doubt about that.
09:30And in a federal setup,
09:32we know how to respect everybody's sentiments.
09:36But we cannot be pushed back.
09:38Man, muri, manam.
09:39It's very, very important.
09:41And if there is a challenge to that,
09:43people of Tamil Nadu and DMK
09:45will not keep quiet
09:46and silently watch what's unfolding.
09:48And BJP, BJP is guilty of pushing Hindi.
09:53BJP is guilty of being a Hindi majoritarian party,
09:57not bother about any other language.
09:59I can cite a number of examples.
10:00We have had a number of debates.
10:01How much of money is being spent on
10:03keeping the Sanskrit language in the state?
10:08Not even a fraction of the money
10:09is being spent on Tamil.
10:11Not even Tamil.
10:12The classical languages.
10:13If you look at the amount that is spent
10:15on the classical languages on the whole
10:18and the money that is spent on Hindi,
10:20promotion of Hindi Sanskrit,
10:22it's not even 110th or maybe 150th of what
10:26that is spent on the other languages.
10:27Let me open this up to our other panelists as well.
10:29I'll bring in Mr. Raghav Avasti
10:30to respond to what Mr. Sarvanan has said,
10:33where the DMK maintains, Mr. Avasti,
10:35that the ultimate goal
10:36is to take on Hindi imposition.
10:38Yeah, so my sense is only this.
10:43As far as imposition is concerned,
10:45there is absolutely no language
10:46that can or should be imposed.
10:49Having said that,
10:50I very firmly believe that
10:53the 22-odd official languages
10:55that we have in India
10:56cannot be put in silos at all.
10:59Ramayad was written,
11:00the story of Ram was written
11:02by Tulsi Das in Hindi
11:03and it was written by Kamb in Tamil.
11:06We cannot put them in silos.
11:09And I also don't feel
11:11that this charge
11:13that the BJP is a Hindi majoritarian
11:15or Hindu-Hindi majoritarian party
11:17is correct.
11:18The BJP has in fact
11:21made quite a few enroads
11:23in the southern states lately,
11:25politically.
11:26And I think Kannada
11:28has been recently accorded status
11:29of an official language.
11:31Of course, Kannada is not Tamil.
11:33But to make these points now
11:37and to just have this trial balloon
11:41floating up in the air
11:42in the run-up to the elections,
11:44it reeks of a lack of bona fides
11:46because what happens is
11:48that whenever elections come close,
11:50then these issues are raked up
11:52just so one can accuse
11:56the BJP government
11:57of Hindi imposition.
11:58And as a BJP supporter
12:01and as somebody
12:01who has been associated
12:02officially with two campaigns,
12:05I consider this to be
12:06a badge of honor
12:07that in the run-up
12:08to the election,
12:09Mr. Sarwanan
12:10is now attacking the BJP.
12:12So I think which means
12:13that the BJP is getting better
12:15and better in Tamil Nadu.
12:17And I mean,
12:18it was something similar
12:19was being said
12:20about the BJP in Kerala
12:21that the BJP
12:23can never win anything in Kerala,
12:24but we've done well recently.
12:25And then I think
12:28what is going to happen now
12:29is that the BJP
12:30will keep getting better
12:31and doing better and better.
12:33Okay, Dr. Sumansi Raman,
12:35your view of what's playing out
12:36right now,
12:37the fact that in the run-up
12:38to an election,
12:39we're back to square one
12:40of language politics.
12:42No, no, this is a drama,
12:44I mean, it's so obvious
12:45to everybody.
12:46The government is on the back foot
12:48after this Karoor stampede
12:50and the matter has been referred
12:52to the CBI,
12:53much to the discomfiture
12:55of the state government.
12:56So they need something
12:57to divert and where else
12:58but the old faithful is there.
13:00So anti-Hindi,
13:01we can start that,
13:03you know,
13:03they know very well,
13:04I mean,
13:04if what your team reported
13:07about banning Hindi songs
13:10and movies and all that,
13:11that will not stand
13:11in a court of law.
13:12They know it better than us.
13:14It is just a drama
13:15because, you see,
13:16they have understood
13:17how emotional people can be
13:19and how they can be fooled.
13:20So there,
13:21this is basically
13:22nothing but a method
13:24to pull wool over people's eyes,
13:25divert attention
13:26from the key issue
13:27which is the Karoor issue.
13:29Look,
13:29constitutionally,
13:31how can you ban
13:32a Hindi movie
13:33or a Hindi song
13:35in any state
13:36or any language movie
13:38or song,
13:38blanket bans
13:39cannot hold.
13:40I mean,
13:41they know that better than us.
13:42So I don't think
13:43we should give it,
13:44I think the oxygen
13:45that is being given
13:47is the oxygen of publicity
13:48which is the reason
13:49for which this is being done.
13:51And then there may be
13:52some backtracking.
13:53You remember,
13:54Rakshita,
13:54many governments
13:55with six months,
13:57eight months
13:57to go for an election,
13:59they will give a reservation,
14:00increase the reservation percentage
14:01beyond 50%.
14:02Now,
14:04they know very well
14:05once it goes to Supreme Court
14:06it's blocked.
14:08Yeah,
14:08but they will do it
14:09because it's more
14:10a political stunt.
14:11So this is again
14:12nothing but a stunt
14:13and I think that
14:14if at all it actually happens,
14:16it is not going to be
14:17valid in a court of law.
14:19They know it better than us.
14:21Mr. Sarvanan,
14:21is this all about optics,
14:23about reigniting
14:24the language war,
14:25making it Hindi versus Tamil
14:27in the run-up
14:28to an election?
14:29See,
14:30yeah,
14:31yeah,
14:31Akhita,
14:31this is just
14:32a strawman argument
14:33that,
14:34oh,
14:34this is what
14:35it is.
14:36Can you ban Hindi?
14:38When you impose Hindi,
14:39why cannot be banned?
14:41That is the question
14:42we need to ask.
14:42You can't impose
14:44any language
14:44on anybody
14:45and if you look
14:46at the past,
14:48see from 2004
14:48to 2014,
14:50this issue
14:50did not arise.
14:51We were not
14:52crying hoarse
14:52over what has happened.
14:54I can cite
14:54n number of examples
14:55how the BJP
14:56has imposed
14:57Hindi on us
14:58and it is
14:59an ongoing process.
15:00Even now,
15:01after making
15:02such human cry,
15:03there is not even
15:03a single scheme
15:04announced by the
15:05union government
15:05which is in any
15:06other regional language.
15:07Leave Tamil.
15:08No,
15:09the BJP
15:09constantly argues
15:10that they invest
15:11in the Tamil language.
15:12The Prime Minister
15:13has spoken of it
15:14previously also,
15:15Mr. Sarvanan.
15:16That is the biggest joke
15:17when the Prime Minister
15:19speaks that,
15:20you know,
15:20he has got Tamil
15:21in his heart,
15:22Tamil in his
15:23every cell.
15:25That is the biggest joke
15:26the Prime Minister
15:26can make.
15:27He is mocking
15:28the people of Tamil
15:29and mocking Tamil
15:31when he does not
15:32have the heart
15:32to spend money,
15:34not even a fraction
15:35of money
15:35that is spent
15:36for the other
15:36line.
15:37Again,
15:37everything boils
15:38down to this.
15:39How much money
15:40are you spending
15:41for this land wish?
15:42That is the question
15:43you need to ask.
15:44When that question
15:44is asked,
15:45all of them
15:46will vanish
15:47in three years.
15:49And the other
15:50aspect,
15:52what we are
15:52suggesting is
15:53that we are
15:54taking this issue
15:55now.
15:55No,
15:56we are not
15:56taking this issue.
15:57Every action
15:57will have an
15:58equal and opposite
15:58reaction.
15:59We are forced
16:00to take this issue
16:00because the BJP
16:01is imposing
16:02erstwhile
16:03competitive examinations.
16:04So the answer
16:05to imposition
16:07you are saying
16:07is a ban.
16:09It is a ban
16:09on a language.
16:11See,
16:12when you impose,
16:12why can't it be a ban?
16:14We will have to wait.
16:15The government knows
16:16that we will have to wait.
16:17If the bill comes,
16:18what will be there
16:19in the bill?
16:20And it is,
16:21see,
16:21we know,
16:22we have got
16:23enough examples.
16:24We have
16:25competent people
16:27to draft a bill
16:28which will ensure
16:29that it will
16:30stand the
16:32constitutionality test.
16:33it will pass
16:34the master
16:35in courts.
16:36We know
16:37what to do.
16:38But the question
16:39is,
16:39is it started
16:40by us?
16:40No.
16:41Because we don't
16:42have to worry
16:43about anything.
16:44We have good
16:44governance.
16:45We have schemes
16:45which have been
16:46copied by the BJP
16:47across the country.
16:48And they are
16:49saying,
16:49oh,
16:49this is,
16:50Karur,
16:51Karur is
16:51bothering everybody.
16:53Karur,
16:53we are not
16:53bothered.
16:54The Supreme
16:54Court,
16:55the FBI
16:55investigate
16:56or the FBI
16:56investigate,
16:57the truth
16:57will come out.
16:58Every single
16:59moment is recorded
16:59there.
17:00And it is
17:01the BJP.
17:01now the TVK
17:02has gone
17:03and fallen
17:03into the lap
17:04of the BJP.
17:05And much to
17:07the chakrin
17:07of the
17:08political
17:09analysts,
17:10so-called
17:10analysts and
17:11all other
17:11people,
17:12we are happy
17:12with what's
17:13happening around.
17:14We are not
17:14going to be
17:15bothered about
17:15by all these
17:16things.
17:16So you're
17:16saying it's
17:18not a
17:19distraction
17:19tactic in
17:20any way,
17:21that this
17:21is a
17:21counter to
17:22the imposition
17:23of India.
17:23Raghava Vasti,
17:24your response.
17:25Go ahead,
17:26Mr.
17:26Salman.
17:2710 more
17:28seconds.
17:29We don't
17:31need to
17:31distract
17:32people from
17:32anybody,
17:33because we
17:33are not
17:34lacking from
17:34lack of
17:35good
17:35governance.
17:36We have
17:36delivered on
17:37all the
17:37promises.
17:38And
17:38Tamil Nadu's
17:39economic
17:39growth is
17:40pegged at
17:4011.9%,
17:42which is
17:42not made
17:43possible by
17:44even the
17:44great
17:45administrator,
17:45Mr.
17:46Modi.
17:47He was
17:47not able to
17:47deliver that
17:48to
17:48India.
17:49We have
17:50been able
17:50to do
17:50that.
17:51Raghava Vasti,
17:52your response
17:54to what
17:54Saravanan is
17:55saying,
17:55that essentially
17:56this is a
17:56response to
17:58imposition of
17:59a language,
18:00so the
18:00answer,
18:01the counter,
18:01is going to
18:02be a ban.
18:03And secondly,
18:04questions about
18:05whether the
18:05BJP is
18:05invested enough
18:06in Tamil
18:07language.
18:08There is
18:09absolutely no
18:10question of
18:10any imposition.
18:11As I said,
18:12constitutionally and
18:13otherwise,
18:14all the official
18:15languages in
18:15this country,
18:16including Tamil,
18:17Kannada,
18:17Odiya,
18:18Bengali,
18:18have equal
18:18status.
18:20Yes,
18:21there are
18:21two official
18:22languages as
18:22far as the
18:23union is
18:24concerned.
18:25But otherwise,
18:26there is
18:26absolutely no
18:27question of
18:28any discrimination
18:28and ultimately,
18:30perhaps Mr.
18:31Saravanan will
18:32also admit it
18:32if I meet him
18:33off camera,
18:34people learn
18:35languages that
18:36are economically
18:37experienced for
18:38them to learn.
18:39If there are
18:40Tamilians who
18:40are getting,
18:41because of
18:41their skills,
18:42if there is a
18:42Tamilian who
18:43has become an
18:44IS officer and
18:44he's moved to
18:45Uttar Pradesh or
18:46Bihar, then he's
18:47going to learn
18:47Hindi or she's
18:48going to learn
18:48Hindi.
18:49If there is a
18:50Tamilian,
18:50if there is an
18:51Odiya person
18:51who's posted in
18:52Tamil Nadu,
18:53then he or she
18:53will have to
18:54learn Tamil.
18:55So there is
18:55absolute, no
18:56language can be
18:57imposed upon
18:58anybody.
18:59No, but it
19:00can in educational
19:01institutions, it
19:02can very much
19:02happen, Raghavavasti,
19:03that you impose
19:04in learning,
19:07which is one of the
19:07biggest bones of
19:08contention.
19:09as far as educational
19:11institutions are
19:12concerned, I will
19:13be very candid
19:14about it.
19:15If there are
19:16opportunities that
19:17are opening up,
19:19in case a
19:21youngster from
19:21Tamil Nadu
19:22learns Hindi,
19:23then he or she
19:24should not be
19:25influenced by any
19:25propaganda whatsoever.
19:27And I think
19:28vice versa also
19:29applies, right?
19:30Like if you're
19:31sitting in Delhi
19:32and you feel that
19:32you might be able
19:33to get a good job
19:34in Germany, you
19:35should learn
19:35German, irrespective
19:37of whether it is
19:38taught in schools
19:38or not.
19:39Yeah, that's
19:40choice.
19:40This imposition
19:42debate is
19:43completely misplaced.
19:45It probably
19:45belongs to the
19:471960s, when the
19:50whole country was
19:50not that economically
19:52integrated, the
19:53means of travel
19:54were not so
19:55widespread, and it
19:56actually took two
19:57days to travel from
19:58Delhi to Chennai.
19:59Now the whole
19:59country, the levels
20:00of connectivity are so
20:01high, not just
20:02Delhi and Chennai,
20:03but smaller urban
20:04centres, the
20:05country are also
20:05now so closely
20:06connected, that
20:07this debate doesn't
20:08hold any salience
20:09anymore.
20:1060 years from now,
20:12today we have a
20:12I'll complete, I'll
20:13complete, I'll
20:14complete, I'll
20:14just complete.
20:16Today we have a
20:17situation where a
20:18Kannada movie like
20:19Kantara, which is
20:21about, of course, I
20:23will repeat, Kannada
20:24is not Tamil, a
20:25Kannada movie like
20:26Kantara, which has
20:28absolutely nothing to
20:29do, which is a
20:31very, which is about
20:32a really local deity,
20:34right?
20:34which is
20:34concentrated in one
20:35particular, which is
20:36worshipped in a very
20:37concentrated form in one
20:38particular area of
20:39Karnataka, that movie is
20:41a hit across the
20:42country.
20:43And I will be very
20:44honest, I have seen, I
20:46have had occasion to
20:48travel to Chennai many
20:49times, I used to
20:50participate in this
20:51festival called IIT
20:53Sarang, and I have
20:55seen the kind of
20:56craze, as Mr. Sarwanan
20:57rightly pointed out, for
20:59Hindi movie stars like
21:00Shah Rukh Khan, I've
21:01actually sat in a movie
21:02theatre in Chennai, I
21:03forget the name, and
21:05there were people who
21:06were cheering for
21:06Shah Rukh Khan, I
21:07think.
21:07No, and that's
21:08something Mr.
21:09Sauronan has agreed
21:10with also, that there
21:11is a fanfare for it.
21:12Look, as far as this
21:13bill goes.
21:14Mr. Sarwanan is also
21:15smiling, let me
21:15complete, this is
21:17playbook from the
21:181960s, and all of us
21:20commend Tamil Nadu for
21:21the stellar economic
21:22growth, it is actually a
21:24very good thing that
21:25Tamil Nadu is growing
21:26economically.
21:27And, of course, with
21:29Tamil Nadu, the rest of
21:30the country will also
21:31grow.
21:31Tamil Nadu is a
21:32manufacturing state, of
21:33course, labour perhaps
21:34comes from the Hindi
21:35speaking states.
21:36So, this state-wide
21:38state chauvinism or
21:39linguistic chauvinism is
21:40irrelevant these days.
21:42I have lived, worked,
21:43represented...
21:44Mr. Sarwanan, Mr.
21:45Sarwanan, I'm running
21:45out of time, I'm running
21:46out of time.
21:47Mr. Sarwanan, is this
21:49an outdated narrative
21:50that's being brought
21:50back?
21:51Is there no place for
21:52talk of this language
21:54versus that right now?
21:56This is not about this
21:59language versus that
22:00language.
22:01We are...
22:01I have pointed out a
22:02number of instances.
22:04This is not a narrative
22:05which belongs to the
22:061960s.
22:07If you look at Mr.
22:10Amit Shah is speaking,
22:11there is a method to
22:12that madness.
22:14Take English, bring in
22:15Hindi.
22:16We are saying English
22:17should be there.
22:17Their idea is to do
22:19away with English.
22:20Bring in Hindi, make
22:21everybody a second-class
22:22citizen.
22:22The non-native speakers of
22:23Hindi will become second-class
22:25citizens automatically.
22:26That is what Mr. Amit Shah
22:27is proposing.
22:28That is what the idea of
22:29BJP is.
22:30And again, again, I'm
22:31telling you, he's saying
22:33there is no discrimination,
22:34there is no imposition.
22:35We have fought a number
22:36of battles.
22:37See, in the examinations,
22:38competitive examinations,
22:40CSC examinations,
22:41erstwhile, there used to be
22:42other regional languages
22:43also.
22:44But now, they have made
22:45certain examinations,
22:46English and Hindi alone.
22:48Because if you know
22:49Hindi alone, you'll be able
22:50to write that examination.
22:51No, but that's why you
22:52talk about choice.
22:53You talk about having
22:54other languages as choices.
22:55If you ban a language,
22:56then you're against choice.
22:58No, that's what I'm saying.
22:59That's what I'm saying.
22:59So, you've banned Tamil.
23:01If you know only Tamil,
23:02you cannot join the
23:03union government services.
23:05The competitive examinations.
23:07We raised human cry.
23:08Then they changed it.
23:10We found out several things.
23:11We raised human cry.
23:12So, we were able to
23:13modify that.
23:14But there are n number
23:15of posts which goes like
23:16this.
23:16This is the imposition.
23:18I'm pointing out
23:201,600 quotes
23:20is spent on Sanskrit.
23:22I'm asking Mr. Rahul,
23:23Raghav, how much money
23:24is spent on Tamil?
23:25Leave Tamil.
23:26The other classical
23:27languages, the other
23:28regional languages,
23:29how much money is spent?
23:31This is the imposition.
23:32If you're not able
23:32to understand that,
23:33sorry, we can't help you.
23:35Akshay, can I answer that?
23:36Okay, Dr. Samanshiram.
23:39Yeah, go ahead.
23:39This whole gyan about
23:42how much is spent on Sanskrit
23:43and how much is spent
23:44on regional languages,
23:45the center runs a lot
23:47of Sanskrit universities
23:48which are funded
23:49exclusively by the center.
23:51Therefore, the center
23:52spends more.
23:53If you don't believe me,
23:54take the 10 years
23:55of the UPA era
23:56when the DMK
23:57was part of the center
23:58and find out
23:58how much money
23:59was spent on Sanskrit
24:00versus how much money
24:01was spent on Tamil.
24:02Then it is the same
24:03proportion.
24:04There is no difference.
24:06So, this whole thing
24:07is basically to deceive
24:08the people.
24:08I have even put out
24:09this data multiple times
24:10because this is
24:11a usual argument.
24:13Because...
24:13Yeah, and I'm running
24:14just a quick follow-up
24:16question, Dr. Samanshiraman,
24:17on whether this is
24:18a 1960s narrative
24:19or is it a narrative
24:20that works today?
24:21No, it won't work
24:23because I think people
24:24have moved on.
24:24In an election season.
24:24This is an era
24:25of social media
24:26and you can't do this
24:28kind of, you know,
24:29pulling the wool
24:30over people's eyes
24:31cannot be done.
24:32Okay.
24:32Already, people are
24:33asking questions.
24:34If you feel so strongly
24:35about Hindi,
24:35why are you teaching it
24:36in the schools
24:37that you run?
24:38That is what is being
24:39asked to the DMK
24:39members.
24:41and so many
24:42of them run
24:42CBSE schools
24:43which teach Hindi.
24:45You don't want Hindi.
24:46You want to ban
24:46the language
24:48and you're teaching
24:49it in your school
24:49which your families
24:50are running.
24:51What is this hypocrisy?
24:54Okay.
24:54Quickly, quickly.
24:55I have exactly
24:5510 seconds,
24:56Rakavavasti.
24:5710 seconds.
24:57As far as,
24:58as I said,
25:00the people in Tamil Nadu
25:01will learn Hindi
25:02and people in the
25:03Hindi-speaking states
25:04will learn Tamil
25:05when there is an
25:06economic imperative
25:07for it.
25:08And this linguistic
25:09shamanism,
25:10as I pointed out
25:11earlier,
25:12belongs in the 1960s
25:13and it should be
25:14consigned to the 1960s.
25:16Mr. Sarvanet
25:17should have many
25:18more achievements
25:19that he should be
25:20talking about
25:20as far as his
25:21government is concerned.
25:21Mr. Sarvanet,
25:22go ahead.
25:23We can Trump
25:23Modi anytime.
25:24Trump, BJP,
25:25Trump, RSS,
25:26anytime because of
25:27the economic achievements.
25:28I am telling you
25:28again,
25:28it's a stupid argument
25:30again and again
25:31coming forward
25:32that it is
25:33the family-run schools
25:34are teaching Hindi.
25:35They are not
25:36teaching Hindi.
25:37The CBSE.
25:39You will have to
25:39ask the CBSE
25:40to take away
25:40the third language.
25:41Okay.
25:42What kind of a stupid
25:43argument is that
25:44the DMK leaders
25:45are teaching Hindi?
25:46Okay.
25:46I'm going to,
25:47I'm going to,
25:47I'm going to,
25:48I'm going to leave it
25:50at that time out
25:51because this is
25:52clearly getting heated
25:53and I've run out
25:54of time on this
25:55particular segment
25:56we leave it to you
25:57the viewer to decide
25:58on whether language
25:59is still an issue
26:00on which you can
26:01have an entire
26:02election that's fought
26:04and what you make
26:04of the Tamil Nadu
26:05government's move
26:06saying if there's
26:07imposition of Hindi
26:07our counter is going
26:09to be a ban.
26:09Thank you very much
26:10gentlemen for joining
26:11me on this broadcast.
26:12So we're hearing
26:14that this bill
26:16banning Hindi
26:17is going to come up
26:17in this very session
26:19of the Tamil Nadu
26:20assembly but let's
26:20focus on what
26:21happened today.
26:22When we saw a
26:23political war of words
26:25over the Karoor stampede
26:26in the Tamil Nadu
26:27assembly you had
26:28Chief Minister M.K.
26:29Stalin in a detailed
26:31statement defending
26:32the actions of his
26:33government in the
26:33aftermath of the
26:35Karoor stampede.
26:36He issued a statement
26:36in the assembly but the
26:38AIA-DMK was quick
26:39to hit back at the
26:41Chief Minister.
26:42Now Chief Minister
26:43Stalin while speaking
26:44about the stampede
26:45incident said that it
26:46has shaken the
26:47conscience of the
26:48state.
26:48He also expressed
26:49his condolences over
26:50the 41 lives that
26:51were lost but
26:52highlighted that his
26:53government acted
26:54swiftly after finding
26:55out about the
26:56stampede and also
26:58said very clearly
26:59that people's lives
26:59mattered the most.
27:01There was in fact
27:02quite a bit of drama
27:03witness because EPS
27:04at the same time
27:05stood up in the
27:05assembly saying he
27:06wanted to speak first
27:08and so the AIA-DMK
27:09staged a walk out
27:10from the assembly
27:11over Stalin's
27:12speech on Karoor.
27:14Edapadi Parani
27:14Swami said that
27:15Stalin only presented
27:17the Chief Minister's
27:18version of what
27:19happened and that
27:20the government had
27:21taken no action
27:22and there was no
27:22attempt to hear what
27:23the opposition had
27:24to say.
27:25Here are some of
27:25those highlights of
27:26what happened to
27:26the assembly.
27:27the
27:42Thank you very much.
28:12Thank you very much.
28:42Karnataka is facing the pressure.
28:45There have been questions about whether Karnataka is losing out to Andhra Pradesh, to which
28:48the Karnataka government has clearly hit back, saying there's no comparison even.
28:52Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu's Foxconn promises seem to be falling flat, with questions about
28:57whether they are getting a fresh investment from Foxconn or not.
29:01Amid all of this, there's a battle for southern supremacy between the states as to who gets
29:06the most investment and who gets what.
29:08Amid Andhra Pradesh getting a historic Google tie-up for an AI hub, the focus is now on
29:26neighbouring south states too.
29:28The investment announcement has sparked another front in the Karnataka versus Andhra fight.
29:35As Minister Nara Lokesh took another swipe at Bengaluru and Vizag, winning the big ticket
29:41investment.
29:42The comment did not go down well with the Karnataka government, with D.K. Shiva Kumar
29:48hitting back.
29:48The investment has also sparked a fierce competition between both states.
30:17With Karnataka ministers now taunting Andhra too.
30:23Today, what they will not tell you, sir, is that the push that they are giving to get
30:30investments.
30:31See, today Google AI has gone too, Vizag is the headline.
30:35What they will not tell you is that they are giving 22,000 crores incentives.
30:41What they will not tell you is that land is being given at 25% discount.
30:45Water tariff is at 25% discount.
30:47Not surprisingly, considering Minister Nara Lokesh, too has repeatedly set his eyes on
30:53beating Bengaluru as the IT hub of the south.
30:56Mr. Naidu made it very clear, HAL is going to be in Karnataka.
31:03No second thoughts about it.
31:04We have not asked them to relocate.
31:06But if the local government is unable to give, any government is unable to take care of their
31:10investors, and when there is a state willing to give a handout and say, come, let's build
31:15the ecosystem together, what is wrong?
31:17You know, we are the traffic freestyle of Bangalore airport.
31:22So, that's where Kia ecosystem exists.
31:25Kia also, we fought with various other states and got it to Andhra Pradesh.
31:28I believe it's important that states learn to compete rather than crib about it.
31:31Meanwhile, what about Tamil Nadu?
31:35Well, in the investment fight, there is a political row in the state over a proposed Foxconn investment.
31:42The question, is it a con investment or real?
31:45After Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin claimed Foxconn invested Rs. 15,000 crore in the state,
31:52Foxconn reportedly denied this fresh investment, prompting a big attack from the opposition.
32:00Foxconn has refused the claim by the Tamil Nadu government.
32:04It is such a shame.
32:06M.K.
32:06Stalin and his minister should hang their head in shame for lying to the people of Tamil Nadu.
32:11The clarification given by Foxconn yesterday clearly exposes the fact that there is a lot
32:18of discrepancy in terms of the fresh investments which are coming into Tamil Nadu.
32:23But the DMK was quick to hit back at the opposition.
32:28They don't want to accept anything good to Tamil Nadu.
32:31That is, BJP, along with them is their stooge, PMK and Bhumani.
32:38They say they don't want any good thing to happen to Tamil Nadu.
32:44Foxconn is already holding discussion with the state government, which means they are going to invest.
32:52So, which of the southern states is thriving?
32:56Which is attracting the most investments?
32:59The fight for the title is on.
33:01So, who gets the crown, the title of investment king in the south?
33:11I am joined by Pramod Madu, who is joining us from Chennai, Apoorwar Jai Chandran from Vijaywada and Sagai Raj from Bengaluru.
33:18Sagai, I am going to begin with you.
33:19Otherwise, you will accuse me of being biased towards Chennai.
33:22What is happening in Bengaluru?
33:23Is Karnataka wary of what is happening in Andhra Pradesh?
33:26Is Andhra Pradesh stealing all of the investment that was meant for Bengaluru?
33:36See, Andhra Pradesh is a new state and they are giving incentives to get these kind of companies.
33:42And according to our IT minister, Priyank Kargay, when we questioned him, why you allowed Google AI to go?
33:47They are giving around 22,000 crores of incentives to establish Google AI.
33:53And you don't require those kind of incentives to give from Karnataka and Bengaluru because there are plenty of companies, thousands of companies, which is already established here and home to many of these companies.
34:04So, they are giving 100% reimbursement of state GST and they are also giving around 25% discount on the land rate, 25% discount on the water and electricity.
34:17And Karnataka definitely, which already has so many companies, will not try to appease these companies with these kind of incentives.
34:25And probably that is one of the reasons that...
34:26No, but AI Google Hub is a big deal, Sagai.
34:28I am sure you have to consider it's a big deal.
34:30If Bengaluru got it, it would have been a game changer.
34:33So, these concessions are working.
34:34Of course, it's a big deal.
34:38Of course, it's a big deal.
34:40But definitely, at the end of the day, when the company had to see what all the incentives that they are getting and they have given better than any other state, not only Karnataka.
34:48There were options from Chennai, Kerala and as well as Telangana.
34:53But they chose Andhra Pradesh because the incentives was better than all these other states.
34:58And that is the reason they chose that.
34:59And definitely, as I told you earlier, that Karnataka cannot afford these kind of incentives.
35:04Yes, they can attract business.
35:06There are other incentives which have been offered.
35:10And definitely, a city like Bengaluru, which is a cosmopolitan city, which has huge talent.
35:15And definitely, many companies always choose Bengaluru over any other cities.
35:21But when it comes to this kind of setup, they have gone with Telangana, sorry, Andhra Pradesh.
35:26And even if you notice that there is a huge AI city, which will be established in Rabanagra area, where the government have allocated the land.
35:35And they will be coming up with an AI city, where most of the companies will establish there.
35:40And it is going to be a capital of AI in South Bengaluru.
35:45Okay, so you're saying no problem.
35:46We already have an AI capital.
35:49Karnataka has enough.
35:50Apoorva, as a result of freebies, as a result of concession, Andhra Pradesh is getting these kind of investments.
35:59What do you have to say to that?
36:07I don't think Apoorva can hear me.
36:08Apoorva?
36:12Okay, we'll take in a response from Apoorva on Andhra Pradesh in just a bit.
36:15But let's focus on Chennai, too.
36:18Pramod, where's Chennai really in this contest?
36:20It's always Bengaluru versus Andhra.
36:23Bengaluru versus Ysai.
36:24Bengaluru versus, you know, Vijayvada.
36:28Where's Chennai in the entire race?
36:30Because there's a lot of talk that even the promised Foxconn investment isn't coming.
36:38Well, Akshita, there seems to be a lot of confusion when it comes to Foxconn.
36:42I'll keep it… I'll set it aside.
36:43But the other thing is that Chennai is already a major hub when it comes to…
36:47Tamil Nadu entirely is a major hub when it comes to, you know, industrialization.
36:50It is also considered as a Dublin of the south.
36:52And we also have Tirupur.
36:54We have a lot of manufacturing units already over here.
36:57Yes, Sakai is talking about AI manufacturing and such.
37:00But here we are also planning the same way, you know, moving towards the future.
37:04We also had a kind of like conference to talk about AI, you know, making Chennai one of the prominent areas for that.
37:09We have the EV industry.
37:11We have the vehicle, you know, manufacturing industries.
37:13Also, the cell phone smart parts and well.
37:15This particular one that you particularly asked about, that was the Foxconn.
37:18While Foxconn says that no recent deals have been constituted, Tamil Nadu government wants to say that it was a deal on the pipeline for a long time.
37:25But 15,000 crores, as promised, will come.
37:28And 14,000 jobs will be created.
37:30So, it is about a healthy competition between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
37:34And, of course, Sakai will have rebuttals.
37:36But I am trying to say is that in the state of Tamil Nadu, we are also providing them with a proper platform to get their raw materials.
37:43We have a vast coastline that is, you know, Chennai port, the massive Chennai port as well.
37:48So, we have, like, you know, easily available kind of, like, raw materials and such.
37:52We have export, import, easy way to do that.
37:54So, that is why Tamil Nadu specifically is preferred by major companies, Akshita.
37:59Who's the bigger nemesis for Tamil Nadu, Pramod?
38:02Is it Karnataka?
38:03Is it Andhra Pradesh that's on the rise?
38:05Is it Telangana?
38:09Well, Akshita, one thing I'll very clearly tell you.
38:12Because, like, any kind of company that wants to come to Tamil Nadu, be it Winfast, be it any other firm,
38:17they come here, they get impressed, mostly by our food and by our hospitality,
38:22which you very well know I'm trying to get you silent here, and also in my side as well.
38:26And also, along with that, the important aspect is that, like, we are not considering Bengaluru or Andhra as a competition.
38:32That's not how, I mean, a nemesis, that is not how business works.
38:36Competition, yes, healthy competition, of course, but no nemesis,
38:39because one way or the other, it is going to be the future of AI, you know, communications and such.
38:44So, definitely, we will be needing Karnataka, we will be needing Andhra,
38:48and, you know, bringing them all together and benefiting from that seems to be the goal for Tamil Nadu.
38:53And, of course, I'm speaking like a proper businessman, Akshita.
38:57Sagai is smiling away, but, Sagai, you know, on one hand, promote talks of food, promote talks of the people.
39:04Bengaluru is facing a bit of an image problem right now,
39:06with all of the potholes and questions being asked about the infrastructure.
39:16See, Bengaluru is not only IT capital, it is a breakfast capital of India.
39:21And talking about the infrastructure, you know very well that the government is responding
39:26to all those grievances expressed by technocrats.
39:29You can speak to the government, you can talk to the ministers,
39:31you can tweet every single day, even if a small pothole, even a garbage on the street,
39:36you can tweet and ministers respond to you.
39:37That is the kind of syndicate that ministers and the politicians have with the technocrats,
39:43as well as the citizens.
39:45And the politicians are more vocal here in Karnataka.
39:48That is a plus point for you, because you cannot take these bureaucrats and other agents in between,
39:54if you have to establish.
39:55Talking about Foxconn, Foxconn has the second largest manufacturing unit after China.
40:02It has already established here in Bengaluru, and they manufacture iPhones here in Bengaluru,
40:07and supplying across the world.
40:09So, this clearly shows that whether you talk or you still want to establish your contact
40:14and bring a Foxconn to your city or state, it's a secondary.
40:17We already have everything, and we have established government.
40:22Even if you can bet on this, Akshita, if you want to talk to a minister,
40:27it is easy for you here in Karnataka.
40:30If you want to establish a business, you don't have any kind of agents
40:34who will stop you or will not allow you.
40:38It is easy for you to get an access, and you can avoid a lot of corruption in that place.
40:44So, they have a single window where you can go ahead and talk to them, get incentives, establish your company.
40:49It is not like that in many states.
40:52I don't know who you're taking a jai bat, Sagai.
40:54I don't know who you're taking a jai bat, but I will not fall for the bait of breakfast capital and get into a heated dosa debate.
41:01Apoorva is back with us.
41:03Apoorva, Andhra, youngish state facing off against two veterans, and I'm not talking about Sagai and Pramodh.
41:09I'm talking about Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
41:12You know, Sagai made a point that the reason Andhra Pradesh is getting these investments is because of freebies,
41:16because of concessions.
41:17How does Andhra Pradesh government really respond to that kind of, you know, criticism that comes their way,
41:23that the only reason these investments are coming is because your state is offering all these roles?
41:29Well, Akshita, forget being veterans.
41:31The most important part is being the newest state and the youngest state in southern India and in India as well.
41:38We've done what, you know, Bengaluru or Karnataka and other states have been wanting to.
41:44That is bringing in one of the largest companies, AI tech hubs, you know, second after the U.S.
41:49into Visakhapatnam and especially in Andhra Pradesh.
41:52Yes, you can talk about infrastructure and all things that is great in, you know, say, Karnataka
41:57or the food debate that Pramodh wants to sideline into in Tamil Nadu.
42:01But let's face it, be it food, be it the coastline or be it even infrastructure,
42:06there is nothing that has stopped Andhra Pradesh investments from coming into Andhra Pradesh.
42:10That's the, you know, the reality of the fact is that we have the cake and we are eating it too.
42:15And I think that's the, you know, proof of the pudding that lies there as well.
42:18We have the investments. We have a team that is committed to working for it.
42:22The government here, especially led by Anastasia Chiefs Minister,
42:25then Narachandra Babu Naidu and IT Minister there, Lokesh,
42:28is trying to see we can get in what kind of investments we want,
42:32be it, you know, be it infrastructure-wise, you know,
42:35we are a pothole-free city, we are a traffic-free city,
42:38and more importantly, we have a vast coastline, you know,
42:41vertically and horizontally as well, which helps the state in terms of investments,
42:45be it right from the corner of Vishakha Pannam,
42:47where Google is setting up its, you know, 13, over $15 billion worth of AI hub there,
42:55or be it right in a space city that is being set up in Sirupati.
42:59We have the entire coastline that is up for investments,
43:02and entrepreneurs being the youngest state, it is offering incentives.
43:05What's wrong in offering incentives as long as, you know,
43:07the state believes in the speed of doing business?
43:10And I think ultimately, we have shown that we have the ease
43:13as well as the speed in getting the best.
43:15That's a strong, strong pitch.
43:17You can tell that my colleagues feel very, very strongly
43:19about the states that they represent and the states that they cover.
43:23Food, you know, culture, infrastructure, investment,
43:28who's really the king of all this?
43:29I let the viewers decide I'm sitting comfortably in Delhi.
43:31So I don't need to take a stand.
43:33I'm far away from these states right now.
43:35But Pramod, Sagai, and Apoorva, thanks very much for joining us.
43:44All right, let's move on to other stories.
43:46Let's talk about what's happening in Kerala,
43:48where we've been seeing this entire controversy over hijab
43:51reignited from Karnataka now in Kerala.
43:54After in a school, a student wasn't allowed inside
43:57because she was wearing a hijab.
43:59Now, the Ernakulam Congress MP, Hybie Eden,
44:03has intervened on the issue and held a meeting with the parents of the student
44:07claiming the issue has been resolved.
44:09But then you had the Kerala Education Minister
44:11who slammed the school over the issue,
44:14who slammed the school for going ahead and saying
44:16that you must follow the uniform, must follow the dress code.
44:20The Congress MP, Eden, had said that the parents of the girl
44:24had said that she will not wear the hijab anymore.
44:26She will follow the dress code imposed by the school.
44:29But at the same time, you're continuing to see this entire controversy
44:33playing out because the Kerala Education Minister
44:36has now said that schools must permit students with hijab
44:40to attend school in that particular way,
44:43wearing a hijab and study.
44:45The right to education, we won't deny.
45:05Still now, she is our student.
45:10One day, one day.
45:10One day, three era Muslim students,
45:12we learned how to follow the same rules and regulations.
45:15That is aлеицate who had not liked the same rules over the issue.
45:37Thank you very much.
46:07Thank you very much.
46:37Thank you very much.
46:39Thank you very much.
46:41Thank you very much.
46:43Thank you very much.
46:45Thank you very much.
Recommended
2:04
|
Up next
13:13
Be the first to comment