- 2 months ago
This special report focuses on the escalating political rhetoric in Bihar, highlighting RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's controversial promise regarding the Waqf Amendment Act and the NDA's strategic show of unity. Tejashwi Yadav has publicly stated his intention to 'throw it in the dustbin when he comes to power', a comment aimed at mobilising Bihar's significant Muslim electorate. The programme analyses this statement, with experts discussing whether a state government can legally challenge a central law. It also examines the NDA's counter-narrative, featuring visuals of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and LJP's Chirag Paswan meeting during Chhath celebrations, projecting a united front to quell any speculation of a rift within the alliance ahead of the crucial elections. Panelists include BJP's Dr. Nikhil Anand, and political analysts Ravi Srivastava and Badri Narayan.
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NewsTranscript
00:00So clearly the Mahagat Bandhan is trying to woo the Muslim voters,
00:04whether it is the issue of VAKF Amendment Bill,
00:08which Tejasui says he's going to throw it in the dustbin when he comes to power,
00:13or the issue of Deputy Chief Minister face.
00:16Now we're going to talk about this and joining us live now are Dr. Nikhil Anand,
00:21he's the spokesperson of the BJP, also Ravi Srivastava, political analyst,
00:26and Badri Narayan Triwari, who is the author and academic and director at GBPAN Social Science Institute.
00:33Thank you very much, gentlemen, for joining in this conversation.
00:37I will begin with you, Mr. Anand.
00:39The conversation that we are hearing around the Muslim voters,
00:44today Tejasui has made a very tall claim of throwing the VAKF Amendment Act into the dustbin if he comes to power.
00:53What is your reaction to that?
00:56It's obvious that RJD is very much into the appeasement politics,
01:04appeasement of Muslims are at their agenda in this election.
01:09And that is why they want to incite and provoke the sentiment of common Muslims of Bihar,
01:14just to grab their votes.
01:17And what is this?
01:18If Tejasui is saying so,
01:21do Tejasui don't have any respect for the parliament of India?
01:24Do Tejasui don't have respect for the constitution of India?
01:30If he is saying to throw the VAKF Amendment Act into the dustbin or tore apart the VAKF Bill,
01:38what is this?
01:40It is simply a provocation.
01:42But what basically RJD has done for the Muslims?
01:46They have used Muslims as a vote bank.
01:49But you see, in the last 20 years,
01:54whatever the welfare scheme run by Narendra Modi ji or Nitish Kumar ji,
01:59it has benefited the common Muslims of Bihar.
02:03Okay.
02:04Which Muslims have benefited with Lalu politics?
02:10But Mr. Anand, one could argue the support that Nitish Kumar had given to the VAKF Amendment Bill
02:16could be seen as something that could alienate that population.
02:21And 19% is not a small chunk.
02:25So, with this lip service, maybe, that Tejasui is doing,
02:30does BJP stand to lose any support that they might have had
02:34in terms of the face of Nitish Kumar for the Muslims?
02:37I don't think so.
02:41Anybody who is progressive,
02:43and you say Paswanda Muslims.
02:50Junia, Halal Khor, Bakkho,
02:54whatever the Paswanda community,
02:57they are the big beneficiary of Nitish Kumar development schemes.
03:03And they are with the government, NDA government.
03:06And that is why Tejasui is raising issue,
03:12which is simply provoking,
03:14which will provoke the Muslims.
03:16And Tejasui is afraid that the Muslim votes are being divided.
03:22Okay.
03:22I am asking Tejasui, Yadav,
03:25if he is opposing the removal of triple talaq,
03:30do any other Muslim country have triple talaq rule?
03:35Do waqf-like institutions exist in any other Muslim countries?
03:41No.
03:42But here, it is a movement among the Muslims,
03:48Muslim clerics or whatever,
03:50Maulana, to grab the land of this country.
03:52Okay.
03:53We will uphold this truth and land,
03:56then,
03:57that if I see Paswanda should not...
03:58Okay.
03:59Mr. Anand,
04:00you know,
04:01we have slight issue with your audio there.
04:03We will try to fix that.
04:05Meanwhile,
04:05let me bring in Mr. Ravi Srivastav.
04:07He is a political analyst.
04:09Mr. Srivastav,
04:10how do you see this?
04:11Is it a fear of losing that support
04:13that they have taken for granted
04:15for the RJD?
04:16Because come to look at it,
04:19the Yadav population
04:20is actually lesser than the Muslim population.
04:22So,
04:22if you take away the M
04:23from that equation,
04:25it becomes very problematic for RJD.
04:30Good evening, Anjali.
04:32First of all,
04:34that M-Y equation
04:35which benefited
04:36Achilles Yadav in UP
04:39and other elections also,
04:42I think here,
04:44the act,
04:45the very act,
04:46VACF Act,
04:47had been controversial
04:48right from the beginning.
04:50Somehow,
04:52by virtue of the brutal majority
04:53in the parliament,
04:55government could pass the muster
04:56in the parliament
04:57and the act was passed.
04:59But,
05:00immediately,
05:01the Honourable Supreme Court
05:03has taken a cognizance of that
05:04and several sittings
05:06have taken place.
05:07It is under the scrutiny
05:08of the Honourable Supreme Court
05:10and quite a few
05:12act provisions
05:14have already been stayed.
05:16Yes,
05:16but the act has not been stayed.
05:18Let's be clear about that.
05:19Not at all.
05:20I am not saying that.
05:21I am saying only certain provisions
05:23and so far,
05:24the state of Karnatak,
05:26Tamil Nadu,
05:27West Bengal
05:27and GNK
05:28have already passed
05:30the resolution
05:30in their assemblies
05:32opposing
05:33the VACF Act.
05:34And this is what I think
05:36Achille
05:36Seja Sri Yadav
05:38has taken a clue from there
05:39and he has promised it.
05:41Because this is
05:42ultimately going to affect
05:43a population
05:44of 18 to 19 percent
05:46votes in Bihar.
05:47So,
05:48he cannot ignore that.
05:49And just now,
05:50you have broken the news
05:51of the Congress
05:51supporting
05:53a deputy CM
05:54of the minority
05:55Muslim community
05:56over there
05:57to,
05:58you know,
05:59have a
05:59representation there.
06:02And Mukesh Sani
06:03being already
06:04announced that
06:05the deputy CM.
06:05So,
06:06they have said that
06:06second deputy CM
06:07will be from the
06:08Muslim community.
06:09And I think
06:10Tejasvi was already
06:11in support of that.
06:12He had already
06:13mentioned it
06:13I think yesterday
06:15or today morning
06:15in the speeches.
06:16Okay, so Mr. Srivastava,
06:18you are saying that
06:19now RJD
06:19does not want to take
06:21that support
06:22for granted
06:22and they are ensuring
06:23that they
06:24make it known
06:25to the Muslim community.
06:27Mr. Tiwari,
06:28you know,
06:29so as Mr. Srivastava
06:32just pointed out,
06:33it is just a resolution
06:34that probably
06:35even if
06:36Tejasvi comes to power
06:37that is all
06:38he could pass.
06:39It's a central law.
06:40Do try and explain
06:41to us
06:42how a central law
06:44can be impacted
06:45by a state
06:46government's
06:47unwillingness
06:48to implement it.
06:50Yeah,
06:51Anjali,
06:51you are very right.
06:52Actually,
06:53this is not going
06:54to be decided
06:55in this state assembly
06:56election.
06:57If one has to
06:58repeal it
06:58or put it anywhere,
07:00it has to go
07:01to the parliament.
07:02So,
07:02it will be decided
07:03by the parliament.
07:04And so,
07:05but why,
07:06you know,
07:06the politics of narrative,
07:07why he is saying this
07:09at this time?
07:10Just to create
07:11mobilizational excitement
07:13among a certain community.
07:15And this excitement
07:17because they understand
07:20that now
07:21this is not
07:22cohesively under
07:23in one,
07:24their party.
07:25It will go to
07:26any party alone.
07:28So,
07:29this is a fragmented,
07:30fractured vote
07:31in our age.
07:32Because,
07:32you know,
07:32in Bihar,
07:33Muslims,
07:34are divided
07:34in three parts.
07:35In one way,
07:36they have,
07:37certain sections
07:37have attracted
07:38towards
07:38Nitish Kumar,
07:39Pasbandaj,
07:40and all,
07:41and many others.
07:42Those who are
07:42traditionally involved
07:44with the
07:44Nitish Kumar politics.
07:45Some of them
07:46may have left,
07:47but most of them
07:47are still with
07:48the Nitish Kumar.
07:49Second is,
07:50PM Modi has also
07:51attraction among
07:52certain sections
07:53of the Muslims
07:53because of the
07:54beneficiary impact
07:56among poor Muslims.
07:57and third is the
07:58AIMI politics
08:01because he told
08:02this thing
08:03in the area
08:04which is Muslim
08:04dominated
08:05where he has
08:06to fight
08:06with this
08:07thing for
08:07political groups.
08:10So,
08:10it is a political
08:11narrative
08:12to create
08:13excitement
08:13among the
08:14community
08:15for getting
08:16vote.
08:17So,
08:17that also
08:18showed
08:18a kind of
08:19insecurity
08:20because
08:21now you
08:22can't take
08:22them
08:22for granted
08:24that they
08:25will
08:25possibly
08:26go to
08:26one party.
08:29So,
08:30you are very
08:30right that
08:31this is not
08:32the place
08:32where this
08:33statement
08:33should be
08:34made
08:34when it
08:35will be
08:35decided
08:35by the
08:35parliament
08:36election.
08:36So,
08:37clearly
08:37it's lip
08:37service
08:38is what
08:38you are
08:38saying
08:39because
08:39the
08:40comments
08:40are made
08:41in
08:41places
08:42where we
08:43have
08:43higher
08:43Muslim
08:43population
08:45like
08:45Kathiaar
08:45and
08:46Kishan
08:46Ganj
08:46and
08:47these
08:47are
08:47just
08:48comments
08:48that are
08:49made
08:49but
08:49Mr.
08:50Anand,
08:50I will
08:52still bring
08:52this back
08:53to you
08:53because
08:54Chief
08:54Minister,
08:55you know,
08:55last time
08:56we saw
08:57because of
08:57his support
08:57to the
08:58Waqf Amendment
08:59Act,
09:00when we
09:00saw his
09:00iftar party
09:01happening,
09:02there were
09:02many Muslim
09:02organizations
09:03that chose
09:04to stay
09:04away from
09:04him.
09:05He could
09:05be losing
09:06his Muslim
09:06appeal
09:07and when
09:08you talk
09:08like this
09:09and you
09:09you know,
09:10you tom-tom
09:11the whole
09:12support for
09:13a certain
09:13act and
09:14removal of
09:14a certain
09:15act,
09:16well,
09:16this talk
09:16can lead
09:17you to
09:17a very,
09:18you know,
09:19a conclusion
09:20that could
09:21benefit the
09:21RJD
09:22because many
09:23do not
09:23understand what
09:24we are
09:24discussing.
09:25When the
09:25voter goes
09:26and he
09:26votes,
09:26he does not
09:27know that
09:27this law
09:28cannot be
09:28scrapped by
09:29the state
09:29government.
09:30So do you
09:30think
09:31Nitish Kumar
09:31is going
09:32going to be
09:32dented by
09:33this?
09:35No,
09:35I don't
09:36think so.
09:37Nitish Kumar
09:38has played
09:38a very
09:39progressive
09:39politics
09:40and what
09:42we see
09:42that who
09:44were the
09:45role models
09:46for RJD
09:47among the
09:48Muslims.
09:49It was
09:49Shahabuddin,
09:50the mafia
09:51don and
09:52the smuggler
09:53and criminal
09:54Taslimuddin.
09:55Once Lalu
09:57Prasad
09:57managed to
09:58make Taslimuddin
10:00the union
10:01minister of
10:01home,
10:02but he
10:03has to
10:03resign for
10:04certain
10:04reasons,
10:05criminal
10:05charges.
10:07Now
10:07Tijasri
10:08Ado is
10:09planning to
10:10promote,
10:10elevate
10:11this
10:12Osama as
10:14the deputy
10:14and whatever
10:15the rumour
10:16is going
10:16on in
10:16Bihar.
10:17So they
10:18don't have
10:19anything for
10:20the Muslims
10:20except
10:21inciting and
10:23provoking their
10:23sentiment.
10:24But here
10:25Nitish Kumar
10:25has done
10:26a lot and
10:27Narendra
10:28Nodiji has
10:28done a lot.
10:29All the
10:29social welfare
10:30schemes goes
10:31to the
10:32Muslims.
10:33The Jivika
10:33system that
10:34has benefited
10:35the Muslim
10:35women as
10:36well.
10:37And now
10:37under the
10:38OBC and
10:39EBC provision
10:40EBCs are
10:41given 20%
10:42reservation in
10:42panchayati
10:43systems.
10:44EBCs are
10:45in,
10:45Muslims are
10:46in EBCs
10:47as well.
10:48And here
10:49I want to
10:50ask Tijasri
10:50Ado,
10:51on what
10:52ground he
10:53is opposing
10:54Vakbill?
10:56Vakbill is a
10:58progressive
10:58initiative by
11:00the central
11:01government.
11:02And we
11:03want to do
11:04away all
11:05those elements
11:06who are
11:06into land
11:07grabbing
11:07initiative,
11:10mission.
11:11And it
11:12stoles that
11:13Tijasri don't
11:14have any faith
11:15in the
11:16constitution of
11:17India as
11:17well as the
11:18parliament of
11:18India.
11:19It is simply
11:20a political
11:21move.
11:21But it is
11:22not going to
11:23benefit Tijasri
11:24much.
11:25Okay.
11:25So you
11:25feel it is
11:26just political
11:26speak.
11:27But Mr.
11:28Srivastav,
11:29let's look
11:30across party
11:31lines.
11:31All of them
11:32are talking
11:32about the
11:33Muslims.
11:33But let's
11:34also look at
11:34the number
11:35of tickets
11:36that each
11:36party has
11:37given.
11:38For a
11:38population of
11:3917-19%,
11:40not even
11:4135 tickets
11:43in all.
11:44So clearly
11:45representation in
11:46terms of
11:46percentage is
11:47not there in
11:47any party.
11:48That does
11:51happen, but
11:52at least there
11:53are parties who
11:53have given
11:54the tickets to
11:55the Muslim
11:55candidates.
11:56I think we
11:57have, I
11:58think BJP
11:58does not
11:59have any
11:59good track
12:01record of
12:01giving the
12:02tickets to
12:02the Muslims.
12:03And they
12:04hardly have
12:05anyone except
12:06that one
12:07minister they
12:08had in
12:08UP that also
12:09was thrown
12:09out.
12:10So they
12:11call them
12:11as a, if
12:12a small
12:13representation is
12:14there, they
12:14call them as
12:15a Karathi
12:15minister.
12:16So BJP has
12:17got absolutely
12:18nothing to
12:19gain from
12:19this and
12:20they are
12:21definitely going
12:21to miss
12:22this.
12:22But one
12:23thing let
12:23me say,
12:24Nitish Kumar
12:25himself was
12:26an advocate
12:26for the
12:27VAKF
12:27will, for
12:28opposing the
12:30amendment
12:30act, till
12:33he converted
12:34to BJP a
12:36couple of
12:36years before.
12:38And when he
12:38became, you
12:39know, now he
12:39has become a
12:40supporter of
12:40RSS and
12:41BJP and
12:42etc.
12:42So is this
12:44kind of a
12:44somersault?
12:45Do the
12:46people appreciate
12:47that and
12:48what purpose
12:49does it
12:49have?
12:49But to be
12:50fair to
12:50Nitish Kumar,
12:52they did
12:52give certain
12:53points that
12:54were to be
12:55included in
12:55the amendment
12:56and they
12:56were taken
12:57in by the
12:57parliamentary
12:58committee also.
12:59But lastly,
13:00I'll ask you
13:00quickly, Mr.
13:02Tiwari, your
13:03points that you
13:04would like to
13:04add to this.
13:06See, Anjali,
13:07first of all,
13:08this work board
13:09issue, whether
13:11it's going to
13:11impact entire
13:12Muslim community,
13:13I don't know.
13:14It may be
13:15impact a certain
13:16community who
13:17are very
13:17much, it's
13:18a kind of
13:19community which
13:19is involved
13:20with the
13:20work board
13:21discourse.
13:22But mostly
13:23in the
13:23everyday life
13:24of most of
13:25the Muslims,
13:26this is not
13:27going to be a
13:27popular issue,
13:28but it's just
13:29a kind of
13:30an attempt to
13:31create mobilization
13:32excitement, as I
13:33said.
13:34But Nitish Kumar
13:35and the others
13:37also have a
13:38great, it's a
13:39kind of impact
13:40and that impact
13:41may have created
13:42insecurity with
13:43the traditional
13:43conventional
13:44pattern of
13:45the voting
13:45of the
13:45Muslims, which
13:46would really
13:46go to the
13:47RJD.
13:48So, that's
13:49season crisis.
13:50Okay, clearly
13:51the parties are
13:52going for the
13:52Muslim vote and
13:53it seems
13:55Tejasvi has
13:55taken a very
13:57innovative way
13:58of saying that
13:59he's going to
13:59throw the
14:00work for
14:01amendment act
14:02into the
14:02dustbin, which
14:03clearly is not
14:04in his purview.
14:05But we have
14:05another big news
14:06coming in, we'll
14:07quickly dip into
14:08that.
14:10Now, it
14:10seems we are
14:12seeing a united
14:13front as far
14:16as NDA is
14:16concerned because
14:17today as
14:18Chhat Pooja
14:19continues,
14:21Nitish Kumar
14:21went to
14:22Chirag Paswan's
14:23house and he
14:25went there for
14:25the Chhat Millan
14:26in Patna and
14:27the Bihar Chief
14:28Minister met
14:29and greeted
14:30not just
14:30Chirag Paswan
14:31but his family
14:32and Chirag Paswan
14:34once again
14:35touched
14:36Nitish Kumar's
14:37feet and
14:38sought blessings.
14:39Now, clearly
14:40these visuals
14:41and this
14:42instance clearly
14:43shows that
14:44they are trying
14:44to project
14:45unity amongst
14:46NDA and
14:47they are trying
14:47to show that
14:48Mahagatbant,
14:49which has not
14:49been able to
14:50get that same
14:50kind of message
14:52across, they are
14:53clearly trying to
14:53say no, there's
14:54nothing wrong
14:55between the LJP
14:56and the JDU
14:57and look at them,
14:58even Chirag Paswan
14:59is even touching
15:00feet of
15:01Nitish Kumar.
15:07Right, Dr.
15:20Anand, I'll
15:21bring this to
15:22you.
15:23How do you
15:23see this visual
15:24that is coming
15:25on our screens
15:26and we are
15:26showing that
15:27two leaders
15:28who didn't
15:29seem very happy
15:30with each other,
15:31especially Nitish
15:32Kumar was not
15:32very happy with
15:33the seats that
15:34were being given
15:34to LJP, now
15:35it seems
15:35everything is
15:36fine?
15:38Yeah, it's a
15:39very good sign
15:40for NDA
15:42and you see
15:43that NDA
15:44has, India
15:46is a leap
15:46forward.
15:48We have
15:48started our
15:49United campaign
15:50earlier in
15:51the Grand
15:53Alliance and
15:54we are in a
15:54comfortable situation.
15:56It is a
15:57courtesy that
15:58on Chhatt,
15:59Nitish Kumar
15:59has gone to
16:01Chirag Paswan's
16:02home just to
16:03have Prasad of
16:04Chhatt.
16:05Today is the
16:06first Prasad
16:07which we all
16:08go to each
16:09other's home.
16:10And there is
16:11in the past
16:12election what
16:13has happened,
16:13that is the
16:14past.
16:14But this
16:15election,
16:16NDA is
16:16very much
16:17united.
16:18Okay, so
16:19can we lay
16:19to rest
16:20the entire
16:23speculation that
16:24many are
16:24saying that
16:25Nitish Kumar
16:25will not be
16:26the next
16:27Chief Minister
16:27even if
16:28NDA comes
16:29to power?
16:29There are
16:30many who
16:30have been
16:30speculating
16:31that.
16:33No, I
16:34don't think
16:34so because
16:35you know
16:35Prime Minister
16:36has reputed
16:36even our
16:38Home Minister
16:38Amit Sahaji,
16:39he has
16:40said that
16:41Nitish Kumar
16:42is leading
16:43NDA in
16:45Bihar.
16:46Nitish, we
16:46are going to
16:47the elections
16:47under the
16:48leadership of
16:48Nitish Kumar
16:49Ji and
16:49Nitish Kumar
16:50Ji will of
16:51course be the
16:53Chief Minister.
16:54And whatever
16:55Amit Sahaji
16:56talked in the
16:57past, he
16:58talked about
16:58process, but
17:00nobody said
17:01that Nitish
17:01Ji will not
17:02be the
17:03Chief Minister
17:03again.
17:04We are all
17:05for Nitish
17:06Ji.
17:06We are
17:06fighting this
17:07election under
17:08the leadership
17:08of Nitish
17:09Kumar Ji.
17:10We are a
17:11united front
17:12and there is
17:13that credibility
17:14which we feel
17:16for each other
17:17and we respect
17:18each other and
17:19you see that in
17:20sea-searing there
17:21is no controversy
17:22but Grand
17:23Alliance is going
17:25through many
17:25conflicts, even
17:27their rebels are
17:28fighting on
17:29certain seats.
17:31Okay, I just
17:32have 30 seconds
17:33left.
17:33Mr. Tiwari, what
17:35is your view of
17:36this Bonhomi that
17:37we are seeing on
17:37screen between
17:38the two leaders?
17:41Yeah, I think
17:42see this already
17:44is a kind of
17:46election time.
17:47And election
17:48time, visual
17:49has its own
17:49politics.
17:51So this is
17:51very good politics
17:52that they are
17:53looking at,
17:54seeing them
17:55together in a
17:56good spirit.
17:57It is going to
17:58impact voters
17:59because both
18:00have their own
18:00base votes and
18:02it will give a
18:03message to their
18:03base votes.
18:05And Chirag had
18:06earlier, he had
18:08a lot of
18:09kind of
18:11contradictions
18:12with Nitish
18:13Kumar in the
18:14media, I don't
18:15know, in the
18:15real politics.
18:17But that
18:17narrative now
18:18has been
18:19shifted, changed,
18:20wiped out.
18:20Absolutely.
18:21And it is one
18:21of the effort
18:22also.
18:23Absolutely.
18:23Every single
18:24visual, every
18:26single statement
18:27that is made in
18:28the run-up to
18:29the elections
18:29has an impact,
18:31whether it is
18:32the Vakt
18:32Amendment Act
18:34to be thrown
18:34in the dustbin,
18:35whether it is
18:36the Deputy CM
18:37face which
18:38should be a
18:38Muslim, or
18:39whether it is
18:40this visual
18:41where we see
18:42two tall leaders
18:43standing together
18:44and showing us
18:44that there is
18:45nothing wrong.
18:46Thank you very
18:46much gentlemen
18:47for joining in
18:48this conversation.
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