- 6 weeks ago
In this episode of Super 6, watch India Today's special eye-opening reality check on Chennai's infrastructure challenges as the recent rain in the city exposed a stark divide between VVIP zones and waterlogged public streets.
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00:00Let me show you the tale of two Chennais on India Today.
00:04One Chennai of beautiful paved roads with not a single pothole,
00:10of perfect pedestrian pathways and definitely not a single pothole
00:14or any sort of problem in sight.
00:16This, I'd like to call it Singar Chennai.
00:20But wait, this isn't a Chennai for you and me.
00:21This is the Chennai that is reserved for netas,
00:24reserved for ministers, for politicians, for superstars.
00:28The Greenways roads where ministers reside.
00:30Cenotaph road where Chief Minister Stalin resides
00:32or even Nilangare where superstar Vijay resides.
00:35Pristine, perfect.
00:37But like I said, it's reserved.
00:39So what do you and I get?
00:40Welcome to the other side of Chennai.
00:43And this is why I say there are two Chennais.
00:45In the other side of Chennai, there are no roads.
00:47Roads, what's that?
00:49You'll find some remnants of a road,
00:51mostly potholes in these stretches.
00:54Lots of water, of course.
00:55So you actually feel that the monsoon season is here.
00:58This is the Chennai reserved specially for you, the viewer.
01:02I've lived in Chennai.
01:03I've lived in Velicherry, in Madipakam, in Sholinganalur.
01:07And from my school days, college days decades ago,
01:10we're still having the same conversation of basic facilities,
01:14of good infrastructure.
01:16This isn't about one part of Chennai.
01:18All the footage sent by my colleagues on ground
01:20highlight the exact same contrast.
01:23Every single area they visited.
01:25Pallikarne, Medavakam, Tenampet, Royapeta, you name it.
01:28It's the same story.
01:29Of broken roads and of broken promises.
01:32That, of course, is barring the Singarachanai for politicians
01:35that I've referred to.
01:39And let's now get you an eye-opening ground report.
01:43We showed you part one of our reality check,
01:45where we in fact covered two areas,
01:47Medavakam as well as Pallikarne.
01:49Now we went on to different parts of Chennai
01:51and found pretty much the same story
01:53of no roads, broken roads for residents of the city.
01:57And this at a time when monsoon has already arrived in Chennai.
02:01We reported on the pothole mess in Tenampet, for example,
02:04where immediately we had officials
02:05from the municipal corporation swooping in.
02:08And that led to a huge India Today impact.
02:10But the question is,
02:11how many locations do we cover and ensure this action?
02:14Because clearly, it takes a national channel's focus.
02:17It takes attention and criticism
02:20for any sort of action in Chennai,
02:22or for that matter, I'd say anywhere in the country.
02:24Take a look at this reality check
02:26filed by Pramod Madhav and Adhagar Keshav.
02:28A few hours of heavy shower
02:37and this is what Chennai received.
02:40Water logging and broken roads.
02:42And a civic administration's assurances
02:44that hold no water.
02:47India today went on the ground
02:49to show the sad state of affairs
02:50that people in Chennai experience
02:52during their daily commute.
02:53Large craters on the roads,
02:56vehicles risking bumpy roads
02:57and water-locked potholes.
03:02Moments after the India Today report,
03:04Chennai civic body officials swung into action.
03:08Officials began repair work
03:10at the spot highlighted by India Today.
03:12What we could see in the morning
03:14is that, of course,
03:15water has drained in many locations.
03:17However, there are sporadic spots like this.
03:19This is one of the important roads,
03:20Anna Saleh.
03:21And the interesting fact is that,
03:22like, you know,
03:23work is happening
03:24of bridge construction
03:25or metro in various areas.
03:27So there are, like,
03:27such kind of, like,
03:28localized areas there are,
03:29because of bad roads and such,
03:31water stagnation is also visible.
03:33We're glad to report that
03:34India Today's story coverage
03:35on the monsoon rains
03:36have made impact on the ground,
03:37as we speak,
03:38because there were two locations
03:39that we reported,
03:40one from the site
03:41and another we mentioned,
03:43both on Tenampet.
03:44And this is a site,
03:45we said that this is a location
03:46that is being taken
03:47by the chief minister every day.
03:48But even here,
03:49the roads were really bad
03:50and it has been there,
03:51such like kind of fine,
03:52for almost a week.
03:53But as we have spoken
03:55on this matter right now,
03:56work is in progress
03:57where people are here,
03:59they have brought in M-Sand
04:00and they are covering the road
04:01and also they have brought in a JCB
04:03through which they are leveling it.
04:04As we speak,
04:05this is being taken care of.
04:06This is a kind of preemptive work,
04:08we were speaking about earlier.
04:09It's a this work
04:10should have been done
04:11at least three days before
04:12knowing that there's going to be
04:13heavy rainfall
04:14and the impact on the ground
04:16would be such kind.
04:18India Today went a step further
04:20and exposed the shocking bias
04:21by civic administration
04:22when it comes to VVIPs
04:24and common citizens.
04:28These are images of lanes
04:29in front of residents of VVIPs.
04:32India Today visited the lane
04:33leading to TVK chief Vijay's house
04:35and the lane opposite
04:36key politicians in Chennai
04:38only to find Soanky roads there.
04:43And these are the visuals
04:44of what Chennai's Makkal get
04:46after paying taxes.
04:48Cratered roads with water
04:49filled in it.
04:50We are at present
04:52and this is a road
04:53where we have
04:54Tamiragavitchi Karagam leader Vijay
04:56and other prominent
04:57VVIPs residents
04:58and look at the way
05:00the roads have been maintained.
05:01Very less like water
05:02stagnation over here.
05:04Otherwise,
05:04the road is pretty neat.
05:06Not that much potholes
05:07and it has been kept
05:07very clean
05:08to make sure
05:09that the VVIPs
05:10at this port
05:10do not have
05:11any kind of concern.
05:12This is one road
05:14and we are just going to walk.
05:15Now,
05:15just to show
05:16a parallel road
05:17on this particular location
05:18and to our left side
05:20you could see
05:21what is happening.
05:22This is a road
05:23that is parallel
05:24to where Vijay stays
05:26and unfortunately
05:27this is a condition
05:28you can see
05:29the vehicles
05:30how difficult
05:31it is for them to travel
05:32and what happened
05:33is that
05:33one of the concerned citizens
05:35from this particular area
05:37informed us
05:38that this particular road
05:39has been in this condition
05:41since October 2024.
05:45This is Chennai's
05:47Greenway's road locality
05:48with prominent politicians
05:49including Deputy Chief Minister
05:51Uday Nidhi Stalin's
05:52residence is located.
05:54It shows the stark example
05:55of how VVIPs
05:56get special privileges
05:57of clean and swanky roads
05:59compared to common citizens.
06:02This is one of the best parts
06:04of Chennai.
06:05You know why?
06:06Because this is where
06:07the real VIPs
06:08of the city live.
06:09Cabinet ministers,
06:10top businessmen,
06:11the real VIPs
06:13of the city
06:13live on this very
06:15stretch
06:15where we are
06:16reporting from
06:16the Greenways Road.
06:18Just take a look
06:18at this road
06:19smooth,
06:20spotless,
06:21no cracks,
06:22no water logging.
06:23What an absolute
06:24joy ride
06:25it is to drive
06:26on this very
06:27stretch of road.
06:28Now compare this
06:29with Palli Karanai,
06:31Medawakam,
06:31Madipakam,
06:32Toray Pakam
06:33the entire OMR
06:34stretch of road
06:35Porur,
06:36Poonamalli
06:37and there you have
06:38your answer.
06:40Tall claims have been
06:41made by the
06:42Stalin government
06:42that it is fully
06:43prepared for the monsoon.
06:45Promises which
06:45now lie fully
06:46exposed.
06:48With Pramod Madhav
06:48and Anagar Keshav
06:49in Chennai,
06:50Bureau Report
06:51India Today.
06:55I want to bring in
06:57Pramod Madhav
06:57and Anagar Keshav.
06:59Both are joining us
07:00from Chennai.
07:00They have been out
07:01and about in the
07:02entire city today
07:03to get you some
07:04of those ground
07:04reports that you
07:05have seen.
07:05And congratulations
07:06to both of you
07:07because Anagar
07:08and Pramod,
07:09based on your
07:09reports,
07:10finally Chennaiites
07:11are getting some
07:12relief.
07:12There is action
07:13right after you
07:14report at many
07:14of these locations
07:15but that is
07:16what it takes
07:16unfortunately.
07:17Reportage by us,
07:19authorities being
07:20exposed for any
07:21sort of action.
07:22And Pramod,
07:23the monsoons
07:23already kicked in.
07:25These steps
07:25ideally should have
07:26been done months
07:27ago in preparation
07:28for this very time.
07:29It actually is,
07:33and just like you
07:34mentioned,
07:35these are the
07:35hard spots which
07:36like we very well
07:37know this is going
07:38to happen preemptively.
07:39Imagine if we know
07:39this, authorities
07:40will very well know
07:41because they are on
07:42the ground 24-7
07:42and localized spots
07:44and for just two
07:45days we were able
07:45to find so many
07:46spots like this
07:47and we could
07:48actually give in
07:48a contrast between
07:49how the roads
07:50for netas and
07:51VIPs are.
07:52If the authorities
07:53can maintain it
07:54in that condition,
07:55how come these roads
07:56are not being done?
07:57So in fact,
07:58the locations at
07:58Tenampet is a part
07:59that actually is
08:00being used by
08:00the Chief Minister
08:01regularly when he
08:02goes to his home
08:03from the party
08:03headquarters and
08:04that was the
08:04condition and after
08:06we reported
08:06because we saw
08:07that the commuters
08:08were struggling
08:09to move through
08:09that part,
08:10it was sorted.
08:10So definitely
08:11authorities have
08:12all the mechanism
08:13and such but
08:13why they are not
08:14acting, that is
08:15something we are
08:15still trying to
08:16find an answer
08:16to, Akshita.
08:18Anagar, what
08:19did you see?
08:20You know, you
08:20visited so many
08:21of these locations.
08:22I remember your
08:23report particularly
08:24where you tried
08:24to ride a bike
08:25and struggled
08:26through a road
08:27that was filled
08:28with portals.
08:28There was barely
08:29any road honestly
08:30in that particular
08:31stretch.
08:32But was this
08:33a situation in
08:33just some pockets
08:34of Chennai or is
08:35this across the
08:36city?
08:36Because, you know,
08:37this is no longer
08:37about low-lying
08:38areas.
08:38This is basic
08:39roads infrastructure
08:40that's missing.
08:41Well, Akshita, you
08:46know, this is not
08:47just in the
08:48outskirts of
08:48Chennai or in
08:50the constituencies
08:50that have
08:51recently been
08:51included under
08:52GCC's limits.
08:53In fact, this
08:54unfortunate state
08:55of affairs is
08:56persistent throughout
08:57the city.
08:57And the prime
08:58example was how
08:59India Today reported
09:00this morning outside
09:01the iconic Satyam
09:02Theatre which falls
09:03under Royapetta.
09:04Imagine a prime
09:05area as famous
09:07as Satyam Theatre
09:08just outside that.
09:09If that was the
09:10big crater that
09:11was found there,
09:12just imagine the
09:13condition in
09:13cities outskirts.
09:15You know, it's
09:15not just in the
09:16cities outskirts or
09:17some pockets of
09:18the city but
09:19potholes are
09:20persistent throughout
09:21the city.
09:22You know, the
09:23city's civic
09:23administration has
09:24slept throughout
09:25the sunny days and
09:26now that monsoon
09:27has finally arrived,
09:29now that there's so
09:29much backlash on
09:30social media, they
09:31are trying to do
09:32some patchwork,
09:33trying to put some
09:34M-sand, some
09:35jelly, some tar
09:36stones, you know,
09:37trying to do some
09:38kind of patchwork
09:38but remember,
09:39monsoon is here,
09:40it is going to
09:41rain every single
09:42day from today
09:43onwards and every
09:44single effort,
09:45every single
09:45patchwork effort
09:46that the government
09:47tries to put in
09:48is just going to
09:49go in vain because
09:50from today until
09:52February, you can't
09:53really expect sunny
09:54days to come.
09:55The government
09:55should have acted
09:56much earlier and
09:57no amount of
09:58patchwork that they
09:59try to do now is
10:00not going to solve
10:01anything.
10:04Okay, Anagar and
10:05Pramod, thanks very
10:06much for joining us.
10:07Great work, of
10:08course, with the
10:09reports that you
10:09have filed.
10:10Part three of that
10:11reality check is in
10:13fact something we
10:13promise to air
10:14tomorrow where
10:15Prabod and Anagar
10:16will get you more
10:18reports that give you
10:19a sense of what the
10:19situation is in
10:20different parts of
10:21Chennai.
10:21This unfortunately is
10:22the need of the
10:23hour because we're
10:24hoping that with
10:25these reports we
10:26finally wake up the
10:26authorities to what
10:27the situation is in
10:29different parts of
10:30Chennai.
10:31But I'd like to
10:31bring in on this
10:32broadcast voices from
10:34the city of
10:35Chennai.
10:35These are Chennai
10:36ites who are
10:37joining us here on
10:38India Today to tell
10:39what they feel about
10:41what's happening in
10:41the city right now.
10:42Kasturi Shankar is
10:43joining us on this
10:44broadcast.
10:44She's an actor joining
10:45us from Chennai.
10:46We have Carrie
10:47Edwards, voice or
10:48artist, actor, a
10:49very popular R.J.
10:50also.
10:51Lata Sridivasan, film
10:52critic.
10:53All of you, of course,
10:54are veteran Chennaiites,
10:56if I may call you
10:56that.
10:56Carrie, I'd like to
10:57begin with you.
10:58Are you disappointed
10:59looking at these
11:01images of Chennai or
11:03Singara Chennai, as
11:04many call it, or
11:05is this something
11:06that's become run
11:07off the mill that
11:08every year we see?
11:13Well, you know, I'd
11:14like to say that I'm
11:15disappointed, but the
11:16sad truth is that
11:18every time things like
11:19this happen, it kind
11:20of just fulfills our
11:21expectations.
11:22I think we've come to
11:23have incredibly low
11:24expectations of
11:25authorities, especially
11:28with regard to
11:29roads and
11:30electricity and
11:31things like that.
11:32So, yeah, sadly,
11:34while I would like to
11:35be disappointed, the
11:36truth is that my
11:38It's kind of
11:41normalized.
11:43Well, it's
11:45normalized to a
11:46point now that,
11:47you know, unless
11:48there's a massive
11:50hole in a road,
11:51no one's really
11:53considering that a
11:55big problem.
11:55It's just like, well,
11:56yeah, it's monsoon.
11:57And that's the sad
11:58truth of our
11:59existence is that,
12:01you know, this has
12:01been normalized to a
12:02point where it's
12:05really not good for
12:06anyone.
12:06It's not good for
12:07society.
12:09It's not good for the
12:09road users.
12:10It's not good for the
12:11government.
12:12There really are no
12:13winners.
12:14But, you know, that's
12:15worrying.
12:15Lata, I'd like to
12:16bring you in on this.
12:17If we don't seek
12:18accountability, how can
12:19we really expect the
12:20government to kind of
12:21wake up from their
12:22slumber?
12:22And, you know, I
12:23agree with Keri that
12:24we've kind of
12:25normalized this kind
12:26of below-par
12:27infrastructure, so
12:29much so that
12:29politicians also
12:30think, look, we
12:31don't need to give
12:31them anything.
12:33No, you know,
12:34Akshatar, the
12:35problem is year on
12:37year, citizens raise
12:39their voice.
12:39Year on year, the
12:40government says we're
12:41taking measures,
12:44we're fixing the
12:45significant, it's
12:46important, even
12:48chief ministers.
12:52Okay, Lata, just
12:53hold that thought,
12:53please.
12:53I'm going to come
12:54back to you.
12:54I'm having a bit of
12:55a problem with your
12:55signal.
12:56That same question to
12:57you, Kasturi, on
12:58whether there's a
12:59lack of accountability
13:00that's sought from
13:00the citizen.
13:01Is that the issue
13:02that politicians think
13:03they can get away
13:04with doing the bare
13:05minimum or not even
13:06that before a monsoon
13:07in a city like
13:08Chennai?
13:10Here's the thing.
13:11I'm going to start
13:12with what Keri just
13:14said about, you
13:14know, unless there
13:15is a big hole in
13:16the road, we
13:18will, Chennai
13:19Aids will no
13:19longer be surprised
13:20about anything.
13:21I'm going to
13:22actually change that
13:23and say unless
13:24there is actually a
13:25road instead of a
13:27hole, that's when
13:28Chennai Aids will get
13:29surprised at this
13:30point because we
13:31expect, you know,
13:34we laugh out of
13:35frustration.
13:36Yeah, but it's
13:36sad.
13:36But it's not
13:37laughing matter.
13:39We expect, like,
13:42I, I, you
13:43introduced me as
13:44a veteran
13:45Chennaiite, that's
13:47true, but right
13:49now I live in
13:50Hyderabad and I
13:51have done so for
13:52a while now.
13:53Why?
13:54Because in
13:55Hyderabad you
13:56have water during
13:57the summer and you
13:58don't have water
13:59during the monsoon.
14:01I literally am
14:02living here for the
14:04what others would
14:05consider basic
14:06necessities.
14:06necessities, I think
14:09of it as a luxury.
14:11I'm able to escape
14:12to Hyderabad.
14:13You know, it's
14:14like that.
14:15I live in, my
14:16house is in
14:17Poist Garden.
14:18I have an
14:18independent house in
14:19Poist Garden.
14:20It's a heritage home
14:22which means it's
14:23older than the rest
14:24of the properties
14:25around it.
14:26Poist Garden, if
14:27you didn't know, for
14:28the unversed, it is
14:30the VVVIP area.
14:32Yeah, Jail Alita's
14:33residence is there.
14:34Rajnikanth lives
14:35there.
14:36And I want your
14:38reporters to go to
14:39Poist Garden today
14:40and see what is
14:41going on there.
14:42We'll do that.
14:43Yeah, because Udyanidhi
14:45doesn't live there.
14:46Because even the
14:46counsellors from our
14:48Tenampet area don't
14:49live there.
14:49So because the
14:51people who are
14:52accountable for it
14:53don't live there,
14:54therefore Poist
14:56Garden actually gets
14:57stepmotherly treatment
14:58and God forbid you
14:59have an older
15:00property where all
15:02the water from the
15:03road will come into
15:04our house because
15:05everybody who is
15:07actually there is
15:08pumping water out
15:09of their premises.
15:10So the person who
15:11is not there is me.
15:12My house is closed.
15:14So where will the
15:15water go?
15:16We are all pumping
15:17it out.
15:17So those who don't
15:18pump out, they are
15:19going to be floating.
15:20I just want to tell
15:21who is responsible
15:23for this.
15:23Yes, the government.
15:25But we no longer
15:25expect the government
15:27to answer any
15:28questions.
15:28Two years ago,
15:29they said storm
15:30water drain
15:31construction,
15:3244,000 crores.
15:35How much?
15:364,000 crores.
15:37So what happened
15:38in the last year?
15:39We don't know what
15:40happened to the
15:404,000 crores,
15:41but all the
15:42sewage water from
15:43everywhere was inside
15:44our houses.
15:46People were going
15:46in boats.
15:47So then we said
15:48what happened to
15:494,000 crores?
15:50And the mayor of
15:51Chennai, Priya,
15:53she said, you know,
15:55we didn't expect
15:56this kind of rain.
15:57Nobody can be
15:58prepared for this.
16:00We did everything
16:01and the stormwater
16:02drains are in place,
16:03but they have
16:04fallen short of
16:06this kind of
16:07unexpected rain.
16:07I have news for you,
16:09there's two days of
16:10rain.
16:11There's two days of
16:12rain so far.
16:13And this is the
16:14beginning of the
16:14monsoon.
16:15Yeah, it has
16:16rained for two
16:17days, day before
16:17yesterday and
16:19yesterday.
16:20And already we are
16:22in such a deep
16:23hole.
16:24So now I'd like to
16:25ask the mayor of
16:26Chennai, what were
16:27you doing?
16:27You had one year
16:28to figure this out.
16:29Elections are
16:30around the corner.
16:31Don't you have
16:32any shame?
16:33Forget responsibility.
16:34Forget accountability.
16:35You don't have any
16:38shame.
16:39But we are also
16:40responsible.
16:41I asked Carrie,
16:42I asked Lata,
16:43Lata is a journalist,
16:44Carrie is a media
16:45person.
16:45Do you know who
16:46your councillors are?
16:48Do you know who
16:49is your...
16:49My question also is,
16:52you have highlighted
16:53something important
16:53here, Kasturi, that
16:54you know we're months
16:55away from an election.
16:56But Carrie, very often
16:57when Chennai, it's
16:58caste, they vote, do
16:59we really look at the
17:00issues that matter
17:01like infrastructure?
17:02Do we look at, you
17:03know, what has been
17:03done in my constituency?
17:06And should that be
17:07one of the biggest
17:08narratives then going
17:09into an election to
17:10ensure the change
17:11that we want?
17:12I think it absolutely
17:13should be.
17:14But I also think that,
17:16you know, Kasturi is
17:17completely right in
17:18saying that most of
17:20us, and this is from
17:21an entire cross-section
17:23of society, I think
17:24most of us, when we
17:25go into the polling
17:26booths to put in
17:28our votes, we're not
17:29really looking at what
17:31we would, what we
17:32would sadly call small
17:34ticket items, right?
17:37We're looking at,
17:38we're looking at the,
17:39at the top ministers.
17:41We're not looking at
17:43the people in charge of
17:44roads and the people
17:45in charge of power.
17:46And that's really what
17:47we should be doing
17:48because the truth of
17:49the matter is, and I
17:51say this as gently as
17:52I can, whoever is at
17:55the top, it doesn't
17:57really make that much
17:58of a difference to the
17:59people's lives on a
18:00day-to-day basis,
18:01right?
18:03But the people, the
18:04people who, what we
18:05would consider the
18:06small ticket items in
18:07an election, those are
18:09the people that will
18:10significantly influence
18:11people's day-to-day
18:13lives, right?
18:14Yet somehow, those are
18:15the people that we
18:16don't know.
18:17And I'm guilty of that
18:18too.
18:18I don't know who my
18:19councillor is.
18:20I mean, I would have to
18:21Google it to figure it
18:22out.
18:22Have you ever tried
18:23though, Carrie, like,
18:24you know, if you've had
18:24an issue in your area,
18:26what do you do?
18:27Do you just keep quiet
18:28because you're like,
18:28you know, this is just
18:29too long-winded a process
18:30to figure?
18:31I have a somewhat
18:33unique problem, which is
18:36that when you live in our
18:38country with my name, you
18:41very often find it
18:43impossible to vote.
18:44So usually, come voting
18:48time, what I am having to
18:52do is drive around the
18:53city and try to figure
18:54out where my name is to
18:55begin with.
18:55So going that extra step
18:57and trying to figure out
18:58who, you know, is the
18:59person in charge of my
19:01constituency and things
19:02like that becomes
19:03incredibly difficult
19:05because even when, even
19:07in the event that I can
19:08find the person, I will
19:09never get an appointment.
19:10I will never get to meet
19:11anybody relevant.
19:12They'll say things like,
19:14you know, write us a
19:15letter.
19:15That's what I've gotten,
19:16write us a letter.
19:17And I was confused.
19:18I thought I had gotten
19:19into a time machine and
19:20gone back to 1985.
19:22But, you know, write us a
19:24letter.
19:24Who does that anymore?
19:27So, but apparently our
19:28government still functions
19:29like that.
19:29It's perhaps an attempt
19:30just to kind of, you
19:31know, divert, to ensure
19:33that they don't have to
19:33deal with the problem in
19:35the first place.
19:35But Kasturi, we've spoken
19:37about this.
19:38You know, every monsoon,
19:39unfortunately, we put the
19:40spotlight on the mess.
19:42You see some sort of
19:43cover-up here and there,
19:44some action, some attempt
19:45to cover up the
19:46potholes.
19:47That's about it.
19:48What do you do?
19:49What is the solution
19:49here?
19:52I think responsible
19:54media.
19:54This is the age of media
19:57and social media.
19:58You're talking about
19:59covering up potholes
20:01last year, believe it
20:02or not.
20:02I mean, you can't make
20:04up things like what I'm
20:05going to say to you.
20:06They actually put from
20:08the government side and
20:10from the, I want to say
20:12from, I want to say a
20:16huge TV channel, which
20:18was showing this on
20:19loop, was showing a
20:20bridge, showing a picture
20:22of a bridge and
20:24saying, look, no
20:26water.
20:26Look, mom, no water.
20:29You know, they were
20:30showing an actual flyover
20:31bridge.
20:32Okay.
20:33And then they were
20:34showing places which
20:36were, pictures were
20:38taken three days later
20:39and three days before
20:41the rains.
20:41And they were showing
20:43those pictures.
20:44And as you yourself
20:45rightly pointed out,
20:46they were showing
20:47pictures of Cenotaph
20:48Road, Chitaranjan
20:50Road, Gopalpuram.
20:52You know, those roads
20:54are famous for being
20:56the residences of the
20:58chief minister and the
20:59deputy chief minister.
21:00Those roads were on TV
21:02and people were given
21:03to believe that all of
21:05Chennai is looking like
21:06that.
21:07And on social media,
21:09we could find the real
21:10situation.
21:11People were throwing
21:12pictures of their own
21:13places and literally
21:15to each his own.
21:17Everybody was helping
21:18each other.
21:19At least the humanity
21:20of Chennai and the
21:21resilience of Chennai
21:22comes out in these
21:23kind of situations.
21:25So everybody was
21:25helping each other.
21:26Nobody was really
21:27expecting even a phone
21:29call to be taken.
21:30As Carrie says, you
21:31can call everyone.
21:32You can go sit in
21:33front of the
21:35councillor's houses.
21:36You don't have
21:36anyone to meet.
21:38It's not going to
21:39happen.
21:40So nobody expects
21:41that anymore.
21:42But I say, make it
21:44count where it
21:44counts.
21:45I'm sorry that you
21:46can't vote as of
21:48now, Carrie.
21:49We will fix that
21:50before the elections.
21:51Make it count.
21:52Let's make noise.
21:54Congratulations and
21:55salute to India
21:57today.
21:57Today, because what
21:58you've done today is
21:59so important.
22:00everybody is talking
22:02about bigger pictures.
22:04Can I just say here
22:05what prompted this,
22:07Kasturi, and I'll be
22:08honest here, what
22:10prompted us to
22:10actually pick this up
22:12and this campaign is
22:13Chennai, it's taking to
22:15social media, what
22:15you're referring to.
22:16And the organic
22:17movement that we saw
22:18on social media where
22:19so many people were
22:20putting out videos from
22:21the locality and
22:21saying, look at what's
22:23happening.
22:23And I think that's
22:24what prompted us to
22:25speak.
22:25And I hope many
22:26others will join that
22:27because I think that
22:28this is a sustained
22:29campaign.
22:30It's not going to be,
22:31you know, one show,
22:31two shows with that
22:32understanding what's
22:33happened to Chennai.
22:34No, because this is
22:35just the beginning of
22:35the monsoon.
22:36I'm going to dig also
22:38tomorrow into the
22:39corruption because I
22:40think that's a big,
22:41big factor in what's
22:42led to the current
22:43plight of Chennai.
22:44So hopefully we'll be
22:45able to get answers
22:45on that as well.
22:47But Carrie,
22:47Kasturi, yeah.
22:48No, no, can we,
22:49can we, just a
22:50request on air.
22:52Can I ask people
22:56who approach me for
22:57help, can they come
22:59to your reporters in
23:00Chennai?
23:01Can we do that?
23:02100%.
23:03100%.
23:03You know, we're
23:04going to get our
23:04reporters to also get
23:05in touch with you so
23:06we can line that up
23:07because we're going to
23:08follow this up.
23:09We want Chennaiites to
23:10speak out.
23:10We want their voice to
23:11be heard and hopefully,
23:13hopefully we'll see the
23:14change we need to see
23:15and it's not going to be
23:16a terrible monsoon
23:17where people aren't
23:18sitting and enjoying the
23:19monsoon anymore.
23:20They are worrying about
23:21how to get out of
23:21their homes.
23:22But Carrie, Kasturi,
23:23thank you very much
23:24for your time, for
23:25joining us here on
23:26India Today.
23:27We're going to
23:28continue speaking about
23:29this and about the
23:30situation in Chennai.
23:31But we want you to
23:33join our campaign.
23:34Tell us what's the
23:35current situation in
23:36Chennai.
23:37We're calling it
23:37Sing City Chennai
23:39because unfortunately
23:40that's the reality of
23:41what's happening in
23:41the city.
23:42This is a sustained
23:43campaign that we
23:44will continue over
23:45the next many days.
23:46So we want you,
23:48Chennaiite, to join us
23:49in this effort to
23:50expose what's the
23:51situation in different
23:52parts of the city.
23:53We've attached and I'm
23:54showing right now a
23:56URL, a link on our
23:57screens.
23:58It's an interactive link.
24:00You click on that
24:00particular link which
24:01we'll put out on social
24:02media as well.
24:03You'll be able to share
24:04videos, pictures of the
24:06situation in your
24:07locality.
24:08The idea of doing this
24:09is to ensure we cover
24:10every part of Chennai.
24:11Virtually impossible for us
24:12to do that.
24:13So we're inviting all of
24:14you to join us in this
24:16campaign for change
24:17because we recognize the
24:18need to build this up
24:20further and ensure that
24:22we truly, truly, in its
24:23truest sense, give a
24:25reality check to the
24:27authorities.
24:28The monsoon has kicked
24:29off and we're seeing
24:30Chennai sinking.
24:32We're not going to allow
24:32that to happen.
24:36And here are some of the
24:38images coming in from
24:39different parts of
24:40Tamil Nadu of what's the
24:42situation due to heavy
24:43rains.
24:43On your screens, the
24:44iconic Kutralam Falls
24:45has been closed off for
24:46tourists for days now as
24:48water levels rose due to
24:49heavy rainfall in the
24:50Western Ghats.
24:51Water levels in dams of
24:53Tenkasi have gone up
24:53significantly within weeks
24:55of the monsoon kicking off.
24:59A flood alert has been
25:01sounded in Madurai as
25:02Vaigai river levels have
25:03also gone up with more
25:04rains predicted for
25:05Madurai.
25:06There's a serious concern
25:07of low-lying areas going
25:08underwater now.
25:13Heavy rains in Puducherry
25:14has led to a virtual
25:15shutdown of the Union
25:17Territory as offices and
25:18educational institutions
25:19were closed.
25:20A red alert has been
25:21sounded for extremely
25:22heavy rainfall for the
25:23next few days.
25:27Several parts of
25:28Tutukuri remain waterlogged
25:30as the town has been
25:30battered by heavy rainfall.
25:32Fishing activities have
25:33also been suspended due to
25:34extremely rough sea
25:35conditions.
25:36The district of Tanjavur has
25:41seen enormous crop damage
25:43due to the torrential
25:44downpour.
25:44And AIADM chief Adhapadi
25:46Parani Swami visited some
25:47of the areas worst hit by
25:50the rains.
25:50He was seen interacting with
25:51the farmers.
25:52All right, let's move on and
26:00talk about the big headline
26:02coming in from Telangana.
26:03The countdown is on for the
26:04Jubilee Hills Assembly
26:05bipoll.
26:06As many as 211 candidates
26:09have filed nomination to
26:10contest these elections.
26:11Some of these nominations
26:12have been filed by
26:13individuals affected in a
26:15land acquisition that's
26:17happened in this area.
26:18But what really is this
26:19political battle looking
26:20like?
26:21Abdul Bashir gets you
26:22this ground report.
26:26The stage is set for a
26:28mega political clash in the
26:30heart of Hyderabad.
26:32This is where the who's who
26:33of Hyderabad reside.
26:35From politicians to
26:36superstars.
26:37And so when the affluent
26:38Ghibli Hill seat is up for
26:40grabs, it becomes an
26:41explosive fight.
26:44It's a three-way battle
26:45between the Congress, the
26:46BJP and the BRS.
26:48The BRS hopes to hold on
26:50to the seat, but it will
26:51be a challenge.
26:53BJP does not want to
26:54expose the Congress and
26:55Congress is committing a
26:56lot of mistakes and which
26:58people are really vexed
27:00with.
27:01So therefore, I think in
27:02this election, Jubilee
27:03elections, both Congress
27:04and the BJP will be taught
27:07a befitting lesson.
27:08The BJP is going all out
27:10to win this crucial seat,
27:11with Union Minister
27:12Kishan Dreddy leading
27:13this campaign.
27:14The
27:15BRS Party
27:16has been 10 years
27:17and the Congress
27:19has been 2 years.
27:20There is no change.
27:21There is no change.
27:23There is no drainage problem,
27:25water problem,
27:26eye tension wire problem,
27:27regulation problem.
27:29There is no problem.
27:30The Congress, meanwhile,
27:33believes they have an edge
27:34claiming that they are way
27:35ahead in the race for
27:36Ghibli Hills.
27:39Congress Party is more
27:42than 10 percent ahead of
27:44BRS Party.
27:47BJP is very, very,
27:48way behind even
27:52TRS Party.
27:54So it is a contest
27:56which has become
27:57one-sided now.
27:59The AIMIM has pledged
28:01its support to the Congress
28:02for the upcoming bi-poll,
28:04with OVC putting its weight
28:05behind Revan's Reddy.
28:08We appeal to
28:103,978,724 voters
28:14that they will
28:16give a young
28:17Naveen Yadav
28:18a vote
28:19so that they can
28:21get the development
28:23in Ghibli Hills.
28:24The high-stakes bi-poll
28:26to the Ghibli Hills
28:26Assembly constituency
28:27here will take place
28:29on the 11th of November,
28:31with the counting of votes
28:32on the 14th of November.
28:33Well, here,
28:35what we are learning
28:35is that more than
28:37200 candidates
28:38have filed
28:39300-plus nominations
28:41for these
28:42Jubli Hills bi-poll,
28:43which is said to be
28:44a center point
28:45for political war of words.
28:47With camera person,
28:48there's been a whole lot
28:50of criticism and outrage
28:52over the fact
28:52that Sarfaraz Khan
28:53wasn't named recently
28:55in the selection
28:55for Team India A
28:57against South Africa A.
28:58But amid that,
29:00politics also,
29:01because Congress
29:01of Shama Mohammed
29:02has now accused
29:04Gautam Gambir,
29:05the head coach,
29:06of religious bias.
29:07And that's why
29:08she says
29:09Sarfaraz Khan
29:09hasn't been selected.
29:11This comment
29:12has sparked
29:12a fresh controversy
29:13ahead of India A
29:15squad's upcoming matches.
29:16Here's what Shama Mohammed
29:17said in the reactions
29:18that came in.
29:25It's the big
29:26communalizing
29:26cricket controversy.
29:28Congress spokesperson
29:29Shama Mohammed
29:30bowled
29:31a communal bouncer
29:32over the omission
29:34of explosive
29:35batchman
29:35Sarfaraz Khan
29:36from the India A team.
29:41Shama Mohammed
29:42claimed that Khan
29:43was ignored by selectors
29:44because he's a Muslim.
29:48The Congress leader
29:49took aim
29:50at head coach
29:50Gautam Gambir
29:51and accused him
29:52of naked
29:53religious bias.
29:55Not just the Congress,
29:57even Asadud and OVC
29:58jumped in
29:59questioning selectors
30:00for allegedly
30:01sidelining Muslim players
30:02and belittling
30:04Indian cricket's pride.
30:06Sarfaraz hit
30:08350 again
30:09England
30:10averaged
30:1015
30:11three tests.
30:12He then hit
30:13100 against
30:13New Zealand
30:14in the home series
30:15which India
30:15lost 0-3
30:16went to
30:16last year
30:17but didn't play.
30:19At times
30:19he didn't get
30:20a chance to
30:20bat even
30:20in net
30:21sessions
30:21madam.
30:23So
30:23at the end
30:24of the tour
30:25he was dragged
30:25into conspiratorial
30:26whispers.
30:27It was about
30:28an injury
30:28as it is never
30:29recovered from
30:30it.
30:30He also
30:30lost 17
30:31kilos.
30:33He lost
30:3317 kilograms
30:34of weight.
30:35But now
30:36Ajit Agarkar
30:37I think
30:39is the
30:39senior
30:40selection
30:40committee
30:41for the
30:43Indian
30:43team.
30:45So
30:46but
30:46this is
30:47something
30:47which they
30:47have to
30:47answer to.
30:48Why he's
30:49not been
30:49selected?
30:50What is
30:50the
30:50selectable
30:50criteria?
30:51The BJP
30:54has rejected
30:55charges
30:56of any
30:56religious
30:56bias
30:57and slammed
30:58the
30:58congress
30:58for
30:58injecting
30:59communal
30:59venom
30:59into
31:00cricket.
31:01The BJP
31:02added
31:02that
31:02some
31:02opposition
31:03leaders
31:03are
31:03politicizing
31:04cricket
31:04and
31:05insulting
31:05team
31:06India.
31:09These
31:09things
31:10I think
31:10do not need
31:12politics
31:12to bring
31:13into it.
31:14Because
31:14he has
31:14been
31:15a year
31:15to
31:15captain
31:15and
31:16he has
31:16been
31:17to
31:17him.
31:18I don't know
31:19these people.
31:20This is
31:20for the
31:21people.
31:51This isn't Shama Mohamed's first swipe at cricketers.
32:02Ahead of the T20 World Cup, she had faced backlash for fat-shaming captain Rohit Sharma in a now-deleted social media post.
32:13Now, by suggesting a communal bias in cricket selections, the Congress has once again triggered a massive controversy.
32:22Sushund and Eta stop being spoiled sports and leave the game alone.
32:29With Nitin Srivastav, Bureau Report, India Today.
32:32Okay, joining us on this broadcast now is Moshmi Singh, who tracks the Congress for us.
32:42We also have, of course, Nikhil Nas with us on this broadcast.
32:45Moshmi, I'm just going to quickly come across to you on what the Congress has to say about Shama Mohamed's comment.
32:50You know, the last time that she fat-shamed Rohit Sharma, I remember that the Congress distanced themselves completely from that comment.
32:56In this particular case, does the Congress back what she said? Do they endorse her view?
33:01See, clearly, Akshita, you know, last time round, she was told to delete that post.
33:09And, you know, the Congress really didn't want to identify with what she was saying.
33:15And it had created a huge embarrassment for the Congress party as well.
33:20But yet again, she's commented on politics, on sports.
33:24And the Congress is not in tune with what I'm told, with what Shama Mohamed has clearly said.
33:32Because, you know, it rakes up a completely different controversy.
33:38And even Mr. Waisi did put in a question mark saying that why was Sarfara not selected in the team?
33:45It has surprised many as it's out on social media.
33:52But still, Shama Mohamed perhaps, you know, breaching that party line yet again by putting out that post,
33:59questioning whether there is a bias because of his religion and he was not selected.
34:05Surely the Congress leadership would not be pleased with that.
34:07So let's see if there's any sort of comment that comes in from the Congress.
34:11Moshmi, thanks for those details.
34:13Let me bring in Nikhil Nazan.
34:14Nikhil, I'm obviously not going to ask you about the politics of it all,
34:18but rather about how the exclusion of Sarfara Khan is being viewed.
34:22Because there are some suggestions, as you've heard there from Shama Mohamed,
34:25that this is to do with his religion.
34:28Well, I tell you what, Akshita, I'm not the one to ever object on anyone making comment about,
34:33let's say, cricket or politics.
34:34All of us, you know, have the right to do that.
34:36But let me just give you one straight out fact there with what Dr. Shama Mohamed has tweeted.
34:41And she says that it's probably because of his last name.
34:44And it is Gautam Gambhir's stance that we all know.
34:47So I'm just going to give you two simple facts straight up.
34:51Firstly, when she's talking about his non-selection, I'm assuming she's talking about his non-selection from the India A team,
34:56because that team was announced yesterday.
34:58As far as the Indian main test team is concerned, Sarfara has been out for almost 12 months now,
35:03at least close to 11 months.
35:05So clearly she may not be talking about the Indian team.
35:07Now, when you talk about the India A team, the score of which was selected yesterday,
35:12do you know what?
35:13Gautam Gambhir has zero contribution to make in that,
35:15because he's not even part of the India A coaching setup.
35:18She's blamed him.
35:19Yeah, that's what I'm trying to say.
35:20So at the end of the day, if you were to consider the facts,
35:23that she's pointing fingers at Gautam Gambhir, it makes it very clear that it's a political statement.
35:28She wanted to make a political point, obviously because he's been an ex-BJP MP.
35:32So she's pointing a finger at him.
35:34He had zero role to play in the non-selection of Sarfara's for the India A team.
35:39Having said that, if you look at it from a cricketing point of view,
35:42I agree that Sarfara's not being part of the India test setup.
35:46That is unusual.
35:47Sarfara's not even being part of the India A setup,
35:50which is a rung below the main team, and he's now being pushed out of that.
35:53That also will raise questions.
35:55I think those questions should be raised.
35:57But once you give it a religious tinge to it, then you actually dilute your argument.
36:02Because I'll tell you, there are 99 things that are wrong with Indian cricket.
36:05Religion isn't one of them.
36:07And I say that with over two decades of experience having covered Indian cricket.
36:12Now, so far as Sarfara's is not being selected,
36:14I'll give you two insights into what is it that we picked up
36:17when he was not selected for the Indian test team.
36:20One thing that was pointed out that he's not fit,
36:22the valid point there,
36:24and now he's gone on to lose 17 kilos and yet not part of India A.
36:27So that doesn't hold mustard as well.
36:29The other thing that was pointed out,
36:31and this was done right after that Australia series that happened in December last year,
36:35there was a meeting,
36:36and a couple of very senior BCC officials pointed out
36:40that Sarfara's was guilty of leaking some inside information
36:43from within the team setup last year in the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
36:47And probably that is one of the reasons why they've kept him out.
36:50Whether that's a valid reason or not is up for debate.
36:52We can talk about it.
36:53But it's clearly non-cricketing reasons,
36:56not religion, non-cricketing reasons why he's out.
36:58Because his cricketing performances is top-notch.
37:01He should definitely not only be part of the India A team,
37:04should also be part of the Indian test team at the moment.
37:06You know, just a quick, quick, you know, addition to that,
37:09and correct me if I'm wrong, Nikhil,
37:11but, you know, on the religion front,
37:12if I'm not wrong, Mohamed Siraj is also one of those who's been selected?
37:17That's absolutely correct.
37:18Mohamed Siraj is part of the team.
37:19And let me also add,
37:20I think there were two big selection blunders
37:23that have happened in the recent past.
37:24I think the ones that have raised the maximum amount of eyebrows,
37:27and that is Shreya Sayyar not being part of the Indian T20 team,
37:31and Yashashvi Jaiswal not being part of the Indian T20,
37:35as well as ODI team.
37:36They were already part of that.
37:37Top performers, both of them, they've also not made it.
37:40So, my point is that selection is such a matter
37:42that it's very difficult to please everyone.
37:45It's a thankless job.
37:46There will be players over which there will be question marks
37:48as to why they were not picked.
37:50As I said, there could be various other reasons
37:52why they cannot be accommodated,
37:53but unfortunately, as what Dr. Shama Mohamed is pointing out,
37:57religion or some sort of communal tinge that she's trying to give,
38:00that isn't true at all.
38:01All right, Nikhil, thanks for that.
38:02Thanks for joining us.
38:04And simply, purely from a sporting perspective,
38:07to kind of break it down as to why Sarfraz Khan wasn't chosen.
38:10You can outrage all you want, and we're seeing that, of course, on social media.
38:13Everyone has a right to an opinion, to a view on what the team should look like.
38:17Shama Mohamed, the Congress, of course, has dragged in religion to this.
38:21And what Nikhil has confirmed for us is that you have a Mohamed Siraj in the team.
38:26So it doesn't look like there's any sort of religion bias
38:28and never has been, perhaps, in Indian sporting history
38:32because Indian sports is about those kind of divides,
38:37those kind of divisive politics that we see, unfortunately,
38:41in the country, in other sectors.
38:43So it doesn't look like there's any sort of rules,
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