- 2 days ago
The big talking point of this episode of News Today is the political controversy surrounding allegations of massive voter fraud in the 2024 Haryana assembly elections.
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00:00Good evening, hello and welcome. You're with the news today. This is your prime time destination. News, newsmakers, talking points. Our big talking point tonight, Rahul Gandhi's Vochori H-bomb. Is it a bomb or a dud? That's the big question we'll raise. Also we'll ask the question, is it time for the election commission now to once and for all come clean an order of time bound investigation?
00:30If it has nothing to hide, why no investigation? Also, the big global story that's creating a stir in India too. Zoran Mamdani wins the New York mayoral poll, takes on Donald Trump. The Mamdani phenomenon on the news today. But first, as always, it's time for the nine headlines at nine.
00:51Rahul Gandhi drops another Vochori bomb. Claims multiple voter IDs with Brazilian model's image were used to vote in Haryana. Election commission asks why issue was not raised during Haryana elections. BJP accuses Rahul of spreading lies.
01:10Phase 1 polls in Bihar tomorrow. Big battle. Ballot battle in 121 constituencies across 18 districts. Over 1,300 candidates including Tejasvi Yadav and Samrat Chaudhary are in the fray.
01:29Democrat nominee. Democrat nominee Zoran Mamdani wins the New York mayoral poll, becomes the first Muslim mayor of U.S.'s largest city. Trump fumes as lost because I wasn't on the ballot.
01:44Mounds for businessman. Ani Lombani, corporate ministry, begins investigations against Ani Lombani's group. ED, CBI, SEBI already probing him.
01:59Politics speaks over the Karoor. Stampede. TVK chief Vijay speaks out, says chief minister Stalin drunk on power. DMK blames Vijay for the stampede. Asked why did he arrive late.
02:21Deringana chief minister stirs a political row while campaigning for Jubilee Hills.
02:27Bipole says Muslims exist because of Congress. BJP accuses him of making a communal and divisive remark.
02:37Elon sees Starling enters India. Signs first deal with Maharashtra government to provide connectivity across remote and underserved areas in the state.
02:47Rishabh Pant returns to India's squad for the upcoming series against South Africa. Trump Pant was out of action after he suffered an injury versus England in Manchester.
03:00And Prime Minister Modi hosts the champions of the world. India's women's cricket team meets the Prime Minister at his residence in Delhi.
03:13He imposes with the prestigious cup along with the women in blue.
03:16But first, tonight's top story.
03:28Rahul Gandhi has dropped what he calls a hydrogen bomb.
03:32Alleging massive voter fraud with over 25 lakh fake votes, according to him, in the Haryana elections last year.
03:40This is part of a series of vote chori allegations he's made against the Election Commission, claiming that the Commission is backing the BJP.
03:49This time, from duplicate entries to fake voters, including that of a Brazilian model and bulk voters found at single addresses,
03:58the Congress leader accused the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP to ensure the Congress defeat in Haryana.
04:05The EC and the BJP have strongly rejected Rahul Gandhi's claim.
04:10The controversy, though, has raised fresh questions just coming a day ahead of the Bihar polls.
04:16Was this hydrogen bomb a dud or did it explode?
04:19Here's more in tonight's top story.
04:30Rahul Gandhi drops what the Congress calls the hydrogen bomb.
04:34The leader of the opposition started his presentation with a photograph of a voter elegantly enrolled in Haryana.
04:41Haryana की जनता से पूछना जाता हूँ कि ये कौन है?
04:49इसकी एज क्या है?
04:51ये कहां की है?
04:54ये आपको बता सकता हूँ कभी इसका नाम सीमा, कभी स्वीटी, कभी सरस्वती.
04:5822 बार
04:59हर्याना के युवा
05:01अच्छी तरह सुनिए
05:0322 बार
05:04दस बूत में
05:08इसको वोट देने का मौका मिलता है.
05:12The Congress leader alleged
05:14a massive voter fraud
05:16claiming that 25 lakh votes
05:18around 12.5 percent
05:20of the electorate for Haryana Assembly polls
05:22in 2024
05:23were fake voters.
05:26Rahul Gandhi claimed
05:28there were 5,21,619
05:31duplicate voters on Haryana's voter list
05:34for Assembly elections.
05:36As example, he cited
05:38the same photo used 100 times
05:40in one Assembly seat.
05:42In another instance,
05:43he claimed one photo was used
05:45for 223 voters
05:47in two polling booths.
05:50Rahul Gandhi claimed
05:50there were 1,24,177 voters
05:54with fake or blurred photographs
05:56in multiple booths.
05:58The leader of opposition alleged
06:00that thousands of voters
06:02were enrolled
06:02both in UP and Haryana.
06:04As examples,
06:05he listed names of people
06:07he claimed
06:07were BJP leaders
06:09enrolled in the two states.
06:12There were 19,26,351
06:16bulk voters
06:17the Congress leader charged.
06:19He listed three cases
06:2066 voters
06:22at a local BJP leader's house,
06:24501 at another
06:26and 108 at a third address.
06:30BJP Vice Chairman
06:31Zilla Parishad Palwal
06:32he's allowed
06:35to have 66 voters
06:37on the list
06:38by saying
06:39they're in his house.
06:40Was ground verification
06:41done of this
06:42that there are 108 people
06:43living here
06:43and they don't exist?
06:45Was ground verification
06:46done of this BJP leader?
06:4766 voters
06:48he's saying
06:49they're living there?
06:50They don't live there?
06:52Was it done
06:52in these 500 cases?
06:54No.
06:55Otherwise,
06:55they wouldn't be
06:56on the list.
06:58The leader of opposition
06:59claimed 3.5 lakh votes
07:01were deleted
07:02from the rolls.
07:03He alleged
07:04that the election commission
07:05has blocked access
07:06to form 6 and 7
07:07which deal with
07:08additions and deletions.
07:10Rahul Gandhi
07:11accused the election commission
07:12of acting in collusion
07:14with the BJP
07:14and robbing his party
07:16of a victory
07:17in Haryana.
07:17that the Congress party
07:19is sweeping the election
07:20when every indicator
07:22is that the Congress party
07:23is going to win
07:24all the polls
07:24all the exit polls
07:26are saying it
07:26and this gentleman
07:27is very sure
07:28and is smiling
07:29that the BJP
07:31has some vivastha
07:32that is going to
07:33show itself.
07:35After all this
07:36the end result was
07:39Congress lost
07:40the Haryana election
07:42by 22,000 votes.
07:44The Chief Electoral Officer
07:46of Haryana
07:47reacted to the charges
07:48issuing a fact sheet.
07:50The election commission
07:51says final electoral
07:53rolls were shared
07:54with parties
07:54on August 28, 2024.
07:58No appeals were filed
07:59by anyone.
08:00Electoral rolls
08:01were shared
08:01with candidates
08:02on September 16.
08:03Voting took place
08:04on October 5.
08:06The results were declared
08:07on October 8.
08:08In all
08:0923 petitions were filed
08:10challenging the elections.
08:13The BJP has rubbished
08:14Rahul Gandhi's allegations.
08:15Rahul Gandhi's explosive claims
08:44have set the stage
08:45for another high-voltage
08:47political showdown.
08:48With the leader of opposition
08:50claiming that a conspiracy
08:51is being hatched in Bihar,
08:53the spotlight is once again
08:55on the election commission.
08:57Bureau Report,
08:58India Today.
08:58Okay, let me first get
09:02quick political reactions.
09:03I am joined by
09:04Nikhil Anand,
09:05BJP spokesperson,
09:06Mahima Singh,
09:07Congress spokesperson,
09:08on a political face-off
09:09triggered off
09:10by what Rahul Gandhi
09:11has said.
09:12Nikhil Anand,
09:12to you first.
09:13Your first reactions
09:14to what Rahul Gandhi
09:16has said.
09:17Do you agree that
09:18given the gravity
09:19of the charges,
09:20someone is the leader
09:21of the opposition
09:22is claiming that
09:22there has been
09:23massive vote chori?
09:24Should the election commission
09:26do much more
09:27than just put out
09:28a press statement?
09:30Should they not
09:30order an investigation
09:32and put that out
09:33in the public domain
09:34so that all doubts
09:35are settled?
09:38Rajdeep,
09:39I think election commission
09:40of Haryana
09:41or election commission
09:42of India
09:42will surely
09:44come out
09:45with her detailed
09:46press conference
09:46to reply
09:47to all the questions
09:48raised by Rahul Gandhi.
09:50But my point is that
09:52SIR-like process
09:54first time
09:55held in Bihar
09:56after a long time
09:58and now it is being
09:59initiated
09:59in all over the country.
10:02But he is quoting
10:03the reference
10:04of Haryana
10:04and saying
10:06that 25 lakh people
10:08fake voters
10:10are there
10:10and that is why
10:12SIR being
10:13is much needed.
10:15You see that
10:16Rahul started
10:17vote chori
10:18in Bihar
10:19and that flopped
10:20miserably.
10:21There is no taker
10:22for his issues
10:23in Bihar.
10:25People don't bother.
10:26It doesn't affect
10:27the common masses.
10:29This is not a crisis.
10:31Even Tejasvi Adha
10:32refused to
10:33take this agenda
10:34and now
10:36Rahul is deliberately
10:38attempt
10:40trying to make a point
10:42just to
10:43keep himself
10:44discussed
10:45in this election.
10:47Rahul is out
10:48of this
10:48whole election
10:49process in Bihar.
10:51Do you know
10:52the process
10:52how the SIR
10:54all
10:55being done
10:57in Bihar?
10:57One minute
10:58Nikhil.
10:58Nikhil Anand,
10:59let's focus.
11:00You are saying
11:01that Rahul Gandhi
11:02is using
11:02this press conference
11:05of his
11:05to gain attention
11:07ahead of the
11:07Bihar election
11:08where you believe
11:09that the Congress
11:10is out of the race.
11:11Let me take that
11:12at the moment
11:13to Mahima Singh.
11:14Mahima Singh,
11:15Rahul Gandhi
11:15claimed three months
11:17ago that he was
11:18going to drop
11:18an H-bomb.
11:20This H-bomb
11:20comes one day
11:21ahead of the
11:22Bihar elections.
11:24The question
11:24therefore will be
11:25raised if
11:26Haryana took place
11:27last year in
11:28September,
11:29if the electoral
11:29rolls were made
11:30available on
11:31August 28,
11:322024,
11:33what was Rahul
11:34Gandhi or the
11:35Congress Party
11:35doing for 14
11:36months?
11:37What were your
11:37boot level agents
11:38doing?
11:39One day before
11:40Bihar,
11:40suddenly you
11:41come up with
11:41the H-bomb.
11:42There will be
11:43questions raised.
11:46Jayhind,
11:47with the BJP
11:48or rather let
11:49me say
11:50Chori Ki Sarkar
11:51in power for
11:52the last 11
11:53years,
11:54it has become
11:55abundantly clear
11:56the means that
11:57this government
11:57is,
11:58this party
11:59in partnership
12:01with the ECI
12:02is resorting to.
12:03Now you are
12:04asking why
12:05Haryana and
12:05why not Bihar?
12:06I am asking
12:08why did it
12:09take 14
12:09months for
12:10Haryana?
12:11Yes,
12:11you are doing
12:12it one day
12:13before Bihar,
12:14but what were
12:14you all doing
12:15for 14
12:15months?
12:17This systemic
12:18sabotage of
12:19the Indian
12:19democracy is
12:21so elaborate,
12:22so deep,
12:23that it takes
12:24time to
12:24contemplate data,
12:26to analyze
12:26data and
12:27that's what
12:27we have been
12:28doing and
12:29that's what
12:29you saw on
12:30the stage
12:30today and
12:31especially with
12:32the ECI
12:33going so opaque,
12:34refusing to
12:35give data.
12:36You see,
12:37the election
12:37commission of
12:38India should
12:38be concerned
12:39today that
12:40how come
12:4166 voters
12:42can be
12:43registered in
12:43a single
12:44house?
12:45How come
12:45a Brazilian
12:46model's
12:46photograph
12:47features on
12:48electoral rows
12:49in Haryana
12:49across 10
12:50booths?
12:51She has
12:51also voted
12:52at least,
12:53somebody has
12:53voted in
12:54her name,
12:54at least 22
12:55times in
12:56Haryana.
12:57The curtain
12:57has been
12:57raised and
12:58which is why
12:59the BJP
12:59is today
13:00rattled.
13:01We saw
13:01the parliamentary
13:02affairs minister
13:02come out and
13:03address the
13:05people.
13:06You know,
13:08the point
13:08though,
13:09Nikhil Anand
13:10is quite
13:10simply this.
13:12Now,
13:12Rahul Gandhi
13:13cites a
13:14specific case
13:14of this
13:15Brazilian
13:15model,
13:16whom he
13:17claims her
13:17photo and
13:18he's shown
13:19that that
13:20was on
13:2022 ID
13:21cards
13:22across 10
13:23booths
13:24in one
13:25area.
13:26Now,
13:26EC must
13:26respond to
13:27that specific
13:28charge.
13:28There's no
13:28point talking
13:29about
13:29generalities.
13:30Why
13:30didn't
13:30you
13:30complain
13:31in
13:31August,
13:31September?
13:32It is
13:33for my
13:33house.
13:33It is
13:33for my
13:34house.
13:34and I
13:36make the
13:36allegation
13:37that
13:37the election
13:40commission
13:40is saying
13:41prove the
13:41chori.
13:42It is not
13:43for me to
13:44prove the
13:44chori.
13:45It is for
13:45election
13:46commission to
13:46investigate
13:47were there
13:4822 ID
13:50cards with
13:50the same
13:51photo who
13:51actually
13:52voted.
13:55Rajdeep,
13:56it may be
13:57possible that
13:58there are
13:59one voter
14:00can be at
14:01multiple
14:01places.
14:03But how
14:03can Rahul
14:04say that
14:05they all
14:07have voted?
14:09It is just
14:09a hypothesis
14:10he is
14:10presenting.
14:11No,
14:11but why
14:12should the
14:12same person
14:13have made
14:13I agree
14:14with you.
14:15I agree
14:15that there
14:16is no
14:16proof that
14:17they all
14:18voted.
14:18But the
14:18truth is
14:19their photograph
14:19was of a
14:20Brazilian
14:20model on
14:22the same
14:22ID card
14:23of 22
14:24people.
14:24That is
14:24why SIR
14:25is needed.
14:27Rajdeep,
14:27that is
14:28why SIR
14:28is over.
14:29First there
14:29should be a
14:30Haryana
14:30election,
14:31then have
14:31the SIR.
14:33Investigate
14:34the Haryana
14:34election.
14:38Rajdeep,
14:39I am just
14:40giving you a
14:41reference of
14:41one assembly
14:42constituency that
14:43is my
14:44constituency,
14:45Maner,
14:46in Bihar.
14:47And I am
14:48the BLA one.
14:50I have
14:51appointed all
14:52the BLA
14:52two on
14:53all the
14:54booths.
14:55You see
14:55that 30,000
14:57omissions were
14:58done.
14:5930,000
15:00voters were
15:01deleted.
15:02Among them
15:0214,000
15:03were all
15:05those who
15:05died
15:05from
15:062003 to
15:09this time.
15:10And around
15:1112,000
15:12were those
15:13who were
15:13double or
15:14triple voters.
15:14and we
15:15ensured,
15:16we worked
15:17hard to
15:17ensure that
15:18all are
15:18at one
15:20place at
15:20least.
15:21And at
15:22two places
15:22or three
15:23places they
15:23were deleted.
15:24And one
15:25or 2,000
15:26voters were
15:26those who
15:28shifted to
15:29other places
15:30or migrated
15:31to this
15:32place.
15:33I am
15:33saying ECI
15:34gave one
15:35month extra
15:36time so
15:37that those
15:38who were
15:38wrongly
15:38omitted or
15:39those who
15:40want to
15:40be inducted
15:42in the
15:42roll list
15:43they can
15:44try.
15:45And 9,000
15:46people were
15:47inducted into
15:48the final
15:49list.
15:50So the
15:51process is
15:51very clean.
15:53And I
15:53am saying
15:54there are
15:5577,000
15:57booths all
15:58over the
15:58Bihar.
15:59And why
16:00not one
16:01BLA to
16:01complain to
16:03the ECI?
16:03Sir,
16:04this is not
16:05about...
16:05Sir,
16:06one minute.
16:07This is not
16:08about...
16:09You make a
16:10valid point
16:10about SIR
16:11but this
16:12is not
16:13about Bihar,
16:13it's about
16:14Haryana.
16:15Was the
16:15Haryana
16:16election as
16:17Rahul Gandhi
16:17claims stolen?
16:19The point
16:19Mahima Singh
16:20is very
16:21simple.
16:22I come
16:23back to
16:23it.
16:24You have
16:24booth level
16:25agents.
16:26If there
16:27was scaled
16:27up,
16:28scaled up
16:28irregularity,
16:29they should
16:30have caught
16:30it.
16:31This is
16:31your weakest
16:32point.
16:33You see,
16:34yes,
16:34there are
16:35specific
16:35charges that
16:36Rahul Gandhi
16:37made that
16:37deserve to
16:38be investigated.
16:39But when
16:39you say
16:4025 lakh
16:41votes are
16:42stolen and
16:43your BLAs
16:44don't file a
16:45single complaint
16:46ahead of the
16:47elections,
16:48then it
16:49seems that
16:49this is only
16:50an afterthought
16:50or your
16:52system is so
16:53weak that
16:54you couldn't
16:54catch 25
16:55lakh votes
16:56being stolen
16:56and therefore
17:00you need an
17:01SIR.
17:01Before I
17:02come to
17:02answer your
17:03question,
17:03Raj,
17:04before I
17:06come to
17:06answer your
17:07straight question,
17:08let me make
17:09this brief
17:09point which I
17:10was raising my
17:10hand for
17:11earlier.
17:12In Bihar,
17:13the BJP's
17:13whataboutery and
17:14its dumbfounded
17:15position is very
17:16clear.
17:17We want to
17:17ask them,
17:18we have been
17:18asking how
17:19many illegal
17:20immigrants were
17:20found out if
17:21SIR is so
17:22right, how
17:22many illegal
17:23immigrants were
17:24found out and
17:25now coming to
17:25your question and
17:27relating it to
17:28what I have just
17:28said, you see,
17:30you are asking
17:30us what were our
17:31BLAs doing at
17:33that point in
17:33time.
17:34I think
17:34honourable leader of
17:35opposition has made
17:36it abundantly
17:37clear today that
17:38we get the
17:39lists only at
17:40the last minute.
17:41So it is very
17:42hard, very
17:44difficult for us
17:44to contemplate.
17:46And now,
17:46after the SIR,
17:48please allow me to
17:49complete my
17:49thought, after the
17:50SIR exercise in
17:52Bihar, Rajdeep,
17:537% voters have
17:55been deleted.
17:56I mean, that's a
17:57matter of fact
17:59here.
18:00We can all see
18:01that.
18:01So 12% fake
18:03voters in
18:03Haryana is not
18:05really difficult to
18:06achieve for a
18:07party which has
18:08staged the
18:09Chandigarh mayor
18:10election, after
18:11which the CGI of
18:12that time had to
18:13really remark that
18:15this is broad
18:15daylight murder of
18:16democracy, or
18:18for a party who
18:19stole the
18:19Panipat Sarpanch
18:20election, which
18:21has been vindicated
18:23after two and a
18:23half years now by
18:24the Punjab Haryana
18:25High Court.
18:26Today we know
18:27why exactly the
18:28BJP bulldozed.
18:29Allow me to
18:30complete this.
18:30Today we know
18:31why the BJP
18:32bulldozed the
18:34Supreme Court's
18:34verdict on CECs.
18:36We also know
18:36why the ECI
18:38overnight changed
18:39rules when the
18:40Punjab Haryana
18:41High Court asked
18:42them to provide
18:43the proofs and
18:43evidences, CCTV
18:45footages to
18:46Mehmud Pratcha.
18:47We know all of
18:48that today.
18:49Okay.
18:49I've heard the
18:51politicians.
18:52They will make
18:53their arguments.
18:54We've heard them.
18:55But I want to
18:56broaden this discussion.
18:57This goes beyond
18:58just politicians.
18:58I appreciate both of
18:59you joining us.
19:00Rahul's expose.
19:02Is it really the
19:03hydrogen bomb or
19:05the H-bomb that
19:05he claimed or is
19:06it a dud?
19:07Is vote chori
19:08real or is it
19:10hype?
19:11Is it backed by
19:11proof or a shot
19:13in the dark?
19:14Does the election
19:14commission need to
19:15come clean?
19:16Is India's election
19:17process under the
19:18scanner?
19:19I'm joined by
19:20Anjali Bhardwaj,
19:21co-convener national
19:22campaign for people's
19:23right to information,
19:24by Mohammed Amin,
19:25former joint director
19:26at the election
19:27commission and
19:28Rajat Sethi,
19:29a political analyst
19:30who is associated
19:31closely with some
19:32of the BJP's
19:33election campaigns.
19:35Anjali Bhardwaj,
19:36first to you.
19:37Do you believe
19:38that votes can be
19:41robbed, there can be
19:44voter theft or vote
19:45chori at such a
19:45scale?
19:46In a state with
19:47two crore voters,
19:4925 lakh voters are
19:50allegedly fake,
19:51according to Rahul
19:52Gandhi and it's
19:53not caught by
19:54anyone for 13
19:55months?
19:58Rajdeep, what we
20:00are hearing, the
20:01allegations that are
20:02being made are very,
20:04very serious
20:05allegations.
20:06They go to the
20:07root of our
20:08electoral system and
20:10they cast very,
20:12very strong doubts
20:14and aspersions on the
20:16election commission of
20:17India.
20:17As a citizen of the
20:18country, I am
20:20extremely concerned.
20:21Now let me state
20:23here that this is
20:25not something which
20:26has come out of the
20:27blue.
20:28As citizens, we
20:30have for many years
20:32been raising concerns
20:33about the conduct and
20:35performance of the
20:36election commission.
20:38The Congress, the
20:40LOP coming out and
20:41making these statements
20:42is a relatively new
20:44phenomenon.
20:45Citizens in the
20:46country, including in
20:47the Citizens
20:48Commission on Elections,
20:49have been raising
20:50these concerns,
20:51because for many
20:52years now, in fact,
20:54matters have been
20:55taken to court, to
20:56the Supreme Court,
20:57including the process
20:59of appointment of
21:00election commissioners.
21:01What is the problem?
21:03The clear problem is
21:04that the referee who's
21:06supposed to conduct
21:07elections does not
21:09today come clean.
21:11We are facing a crisis of
21:14trust and confidence in the
21:16election commission of
21:17India.
21:18You didn't answer my
21:19question, though, ma'am.
21:20You didn't answer my
21:22question.
21:2214 months.
21:23Sorry, ma'am.
21:23You didn't answer my
21:24question.
21:25If you're claiming these are
21:27election irregularities, the
21:28scale of it, does it take
21:3114 months, in your view?
21:33Yes, it could take 14
21:35months, because I can tell
21:36you that as a citizen,
21:38till date, none of us has
21:41actually seen searchable,
21:43machine-readable voter
21:45lists of Haryana.
21:46What was shown to us today
21:48was seen for the first time.
21:50They were photographs.
21:52If you look at the manuals,
21:54the rules of the election
21:55commission, citizens are not
21:57given access to photographs
21:59of the electors.
22:01Today, when we saw what was
22:03being shown to us, we
22:04actually went and looked at
22:06the data that is on the
22:07election commission website,
22:09the voter list, and there
22:10was no way for anybody to
22:11verify.
22:12So today, a political party
22:14has done this exercise and
22:15put it out there, but what do
22:17I expect from my election
22:19commission?
22:20And that's what I was coming
22:21to, Rajdeep.
22:22If the election commission,
22:24as it has tweeted, claims
22:26that all of this is
22:28unfounded, I really hope
22:30that it is.
22:31How are they going to
22:32convince me as a citizen?
22:33How are they going to
22:34convince you and your
22:35viewers?
22:36By doing three things.
22:38First, they should put out
22:39all the machine-readable,
22:41searchable voter lists in
22:43the public domain and say
22:44that, look, the leader of
22:46opposition is lying.
22:48What he's saying is
22:49unfounded, and that is the
22:51only way to show to us today
22:53that we can trust the
22:54commission, and what we are
22:56hearing is wrong or is
22:57unfounded.
22:58The second thing is that the
23:00CCTV footage of all booths in
23:04elections in Haryana must be
23:07immediately made public.
23:09This is a demand we have been
23:10making repeatedly, because the
23:13commission says that how do you
23:14know that all these people came
23:16out and actually voted?
23:17Well, how will we verify that?
23:19By seeing the CCTV footage.
23:21But the election commission is
23:23simply refusing to give the
23:24CCTV footage.
23:25We saw in the Chandigarh mayor
23:27elections how the presiding
23:30officer, Anil Masi, was
23:32actually tampering with ballot
23:34papers and was tweaking the
23:36result in favor of the BJP.
23:38How did we all see that?
23:40How did we all get to know and
23:41believe it?
23:42Through the CCTV footage.
23:43Today, that very footage is being
23:45denied to people.
23:46People are being told you can't
23:48have it for different reasons
23:49like privacy.
23:51Well, fine.
23:51We are being told Bahu
23:53betis, their privacy will be
23:54taken away.
23:55What about checking electoral
23:57fraud then?
23:58And forget all of this.
24:00There is repeatedly, we have
24:02seen that there is unprecedented
24:03increase in voter turnout, which
24:06basically means something like
24:07ballot stuffing is happening.
24:09We are asking for Form 17C.
24:12That doesn't have anybody's
24:13photo or name or any other
24:15address.
24:16It simply has figures of how
24:18many people turned out to
24:19vote and how many votes were
24:21cast in the EVM.
24:22What is so secret about that?
24:24The election commission is
24:26refusing to come clean.
24:28The question today is that,
24:30yes, some allegations were
24:31made today.
24:32Maybe they should have been
24:33made earlier by the Congress
24:34Party.
24:35But as a citizen, I have the
24:37right to question my
24:39constitutional body, which is
24:41the election commission of
24:42India.
24:42Anjali Bhardwaj, I take your
24:44point.
24:45I take your point.
24:46And Rajat Sethi, let's be
24:47clear.
24:48There are important points that
24:49Anjali Bhardwaj just raised.
24:52In a digital era, to not
24:54provide machine-readable voter
24:56lists to voters seems a bit
24:58strange.
24:58I know that the government
24:59cites a 2018 Supreme Court
25:01order.
25:02But the fact is that we are in a
25:04digital age, it will only
25:05improve transparency.
25:07Not retaining CCTV footage
25:09after 45 days is also
25:11problematic.
25:13It almost seems as if the
25:14election commission has
25:15something to hide.
25:17And therefore, when Rahul Gandhi
25:18made specific allegations like
25:20that of the Brazilian models
25:21photographed on 22 identity
25:23cards, there will be questions
25:26raised.
25:26They should be raised, surely.
25:27So, Rajat Sethi, again, I am no
25:32one to fend for election
25:34commission.
25:34It is their job.
25:35They are getting taxpayer
25:36salary, taxpayer-paid salaries
25:38to do this job.
25:39They should come out and do it.
25:41My observation only, just to
25:43the extent of this being only
25:45considered as mere
25:46observations, that did the
25:48election commission change the
25:49rules of keeping these, you
25:51know, these voter lists
25:52unscannable, deliberately done
25:54during the last 10 years or
25:5511 years?
25:56Was this a new sort of rule
25:58that the election commission
25:59came about, where it was
26:00trying to deliberately hide
26:02data or deliberately delete
26:04the CCTV footage?
26:05Or was it a practice that
26:06election commission always had?
26:07If you want changes in the
26:08processes of the election
26:09commission, you can make
26:10suggestions to the election
26:12commission as the
26:13No, no, the CCTV footage
26:14was changed after a Punjab
26:18and Haryana high court order.
26:20Suddenly, the election
26:21commission decided we will
26:23remove all CCTV footage
26:24after 45 days.
26:25That was not the case 10
26:26years ago.
26:27Even on machine-readable
26:29voter lists, we are in a
26:31digital age.
26:32You know it better than
26:32anyone else.
26:33If I have nothing to hide,
26:35why not make it machine-readable
26:36so that you don't have to
26:38wait 14 months to see
26:39whether a photograph is on
26:4022 different voter identity
26:43cards?
26:43Absolutely.
26:45I think all the best practices
26:47which can exist should be
26:50brought out.
26:51And the election commission,
26:52while it is doing an SIR, it
26:53should come out and open up
26:55all the electoral rolls for all
26:57kinds of scrutiny and
26:58scanning.
26:59And that SIR has to be done.
27:01I think Congress and Rahul
27:02Gandhi has made the best
27:03possible case anybody could
27:04have by presenting these facts
27:06as if it is his version can be
27:08treated as facts.
27:09Now, you know, even last time
27:11he made accusations around
27:12Karnataka.
27:13He talked about a few women
27:14carried, you know, in certain
27:16cases, a lot of congressmen
27:18carried the T-shirt.
27:20They were wearing T-shirt of
27:21Anjali Tyagi.
27:22And suddenly you see Anjali
27:23Tyagi coming out and saying,
27:24no, I exist.
27:25So these are allegations.
27:27Allow the dust to settle and
27:29the facts to emerge to
27:30understand where genuinely the
27:31gap is.
27:32For one, I believe there is
27:34duplication of voters.
27:36There is 100% illegal migrants
27:38who have acquired Aadhaar
27:40cards and have entered into
27:41our voter list.
27:42They have to be weeded out.
27:43There have been duplication.
27:44People are actually the
27:46citizens' responsibility to
27:48not be registered on two
27:49counts.
27:49It's a criminal offense to do
27:50it.
27:50But people, including Mr.
27:52Pawan Kheda, was found to
27:53be registered at two
27:54different polling booths in
27:55two different, complete
27:56different states.
27:57So people have been doing
27:59this mistake and this is why
28:00the voter list has, you
28:01know, really populated and
28:02there are a lot of
28:03duplication slash fake
28:05voters that need to be
28:06eradicated.
28:06And I believe Election
28:07Commission has taken a
28:08bold step for SIR and
28:10Congress Party and all the
28:11supporters of Congress
28:12Party should come out in
28:13active support of the SIR
28:15as a process.
28:16That's the only possible
28:17legal way of cleaning up.
28:19The SIR is for the future
28:21for a cleaning up.
28:22But that is effectively also
28:23an admission that there was
28:26a problem with the
28:26electoral rolls in the
28:27first instance.
28:28Mohamed Ameen, your
28:29former Joint Director,
28:31Election Commission.
28:32I'll come back to you,
28:33Rajat.
28:33I want to get that clear.
28:35Is there an admission,
28:36therefore, that there is
28:37something wrong with the
28:38electoral rolls?
28:39That's why you need an SIR
28:40and that's why you again
28:42need a transparent SIR.
28:44An SIR also cannot be
28:45conducted in a cloak and
28:47dagger manner without taking
28:48stakeholders into
28:49confidence.
28:50Is there a problem as
28:50Rajat Sethi is also
28:51admitting with duplicate
28:52voters as Rahul Gandhi is
28:54now claiming?
28:55Rajat, first I want to
28:58answer the madam.
28:59Madam has raised the
29:00question about the
29:01Chandigarh mayor example
29:03for the rigging at the
29:05time of the counting.
29:06That is not related with
29:07the Election Commission
29:08of India.
29:09Election Commission of
29:10India can control only
29:11the Assembly election,
29:12Parliament, MLCs and
29:14Rajasabha and
29:15President election.
29:16Though for mayor or
29:18any block level,
29:19election is conducted by
29:20the Election Commission
29:21of India.
29:22Second thing, Madam was
29:24also mentioning about
29:25the list given, not
29:28given to the party
29:29leaders.
29:31Madam, whenever we have
29:32the elections in
29:33country for Parliament
29:35or the Assembly of
29:36the States, every party
29:38who is recognized by the
29:39Election Commission of
29:40India, registered with
29:41the Election Commission
29:42of India, officially we
29:43are giving the
29:44readable, readable
29:46madam, readable
29:47voter list, fully
29:49voter list to the
29:51all-party head of
29:52the...
29:53No, you don't give,
29:53sir, you don't give
29:54digital machine readable
29:56list.
29:56Let's be clear.
29:57No, no, no, no, no.
29:57We are...
29:58I have to go, I have to
29:59scrutinize the list in a
30:01manner not, it's not
30:02digitally available
30:03easily.
30:05No, no.
30:06They can take from our
30:07district election
30:07officers whenever they
30:08need it.
30:10If they give the
30:11application, they get
30:12from the Election
30:12Commission office that
30:14is called the district
30:15election officer, district
30:16collector office.
30:17They can get it
30:18always.
30:19They never hide
30:20anything from
30:21anywhere.
30:22So, at the time of
30:23the revision, of
30:24regular revision or
30:26SIR, we are
30:28authorizing, like the
30:29when we have the
30:30poll, the polling
30:31agents are there, all
30:32stakeholders.
30:33And the counting
30:34time, we have all
30:35stakeholders from all
30:36parties, they are
30:37recognized by the
30:39Election Commission
30:39presiding themselves.
30:41So, you're saying
30:42to me, Mr.
30:43Ameen, if 25
30:44lakh voters were
30:45fake voters, whether
30:46they were duplicate
30:47voters, it should
30:50have been caught
30:50out by the BLAs at
30:52the initial stage.
30:53Am I correct?
30:54That you can't, there
30:55were no complaints
30:56and therefore, you
30:57believe it is
30:58possible to catch
30:59fake voters right
31:01at the initial
31:02stage?
31:02Rajdeep, I want
31:04to tell you,
31:06whenever we, Election
31:07Commission is a lot
31:08of big process and
31:08a lot of things are
31:09doing there.
31:10We were also
31:11working there.
31:12A lot of pressure is
31:13there.
31:13So, whenever they
31:14have any party, I'm
31:16telling you, any
31:17party have any
31:18complaint or any
31:19problem, they can
31:20write to the
31:21Election Commission.
31:22Election Commission
31:22is bound to give
31:23the reply to all
31:24stakeholders, which are
31:26registered with the
31:27Election Commission
31:27of India.
31:27You're therefore, in a
31:28way, saying the
31:29Election Commission
31:30process is a
31:32process that does
31:33involve accountability.
31:35Rajat Sethi, I
31:36stopped you when you
31:36wanted to make a
31:37final point.
31:38Go ahead, make it
31:38now.
31:40No, all I'm
31:40saying is this, you
31:42know, multiplying
31:43anecdotes and
31:44converting them into
31:45large statistical
31:46numbers, that is
31:47where I believe there
31:48is a logical flaw and
31:49several loops have
31:50been jumped by Rahul
31:52Gandhi to arrive at
31:53the number of 25
31:53lakhs.
31:54And how are you
31:55saying that Brazilian
31:56Sweety has voted
31:57for BJP?
31:57Did you see that
31:59voting?
31:59How did he reach to
32:01that conclusion?
32:01Maybe as well be the
32:02case that Sweety has
32:04voted for Congress
32:04Party?
32:05How are you
32:05establishing that?
32:06So, in order to
32:07reach to a conclusion
32:08that Sweety or
32:09whomsoever, in one
32:11assertion Rahul
32:12Gandhi says that
32:12one woman has
32:14223 entries, are
32:16you assuming in
32:16one day, can you
32:17go out into so
32:19many booths and
32:19vote 223 times and
32:21still be within the
32:23time limits?
32:24No, no, to be
32:24fair to Rahul
32:25Gandhi there, Rajat,
32:26he did not say she
32:27voted 223 times.
32:29We should be very
32:30clear.
32:30Even 22, there
32:31is another woman, he
32:32said 22.
32:33I challenge you,
32:33Rajdeep, let us do
32:34a test on Bihar
32:35election.
32:36Let us pick a
32:37voter to just go and
32:38touch 22 different
32:39booths in a single
32:39day.
32:40No, he did not
32:41say that also, he
32:42said the Brazilian
32:44woman's photograph
32:45was there on 22
32:46cards, those 22
32:47people voted on
32:49that same card in
32:5010 booths.
32:51We must be clear
32:52on the facts.
32:53No, but how is
32:53that possible?
32:54No, again, you
32:55are saying that
32:56somebody can, you
32:57know, there is no
32:57face matching done,
32:59there is absolutely
33:00no identity being
33:01matched, so the
33:02whole election
33:03process can be
33:03thrown into the
33:04Russian in that
33:04case.
33:05That's a good
33:05point, Rajdeep
33:06Sethi.
33:06That's a good
33:08point, which
33:08Anjani Bhardwaj,
33:09you see, Rahul
33:10Gandhi seems to
33:11be making a
33:12leap of faith or
33:15seems to be making
33:17the projection that
33:18because there were
33:1922 names which
33:22had the same
33:22photograph, they
33:23all 22 voted.
33:25As Rajdeep
33:25Sethi points out,
33:26as Mr.
33:27Ameen points out,
33:27there's a process.
33:28They will see your
33:29photograph and match
33:31the photograph to
33:31the face and the
33:33person may not
33:33vote.
33:35So how do you
33:35know that all of
33:36this actually took
33:37place on the scale?
33:38That's the question.
33:39Rahul Gandhi is
33:40pointing out some
33:41anomalies but that
33:42does not mean that
33:44the voter, that the
33:45election was stolen.
33:47That's a huge claim
33:49to make.
33:51Rajdeep, let me say
33:52this again.
33:54As a citizen of
33:55this country, when
33:57these allegations are
33:59being made, I can
34:00see that they are
34:01very serious
34:02allegations.
34:03This is not just
34:04about the integrity
34:06of the electoral
34:07process, this is
34:08about the legitimacy
34:09of the governments
34:10that they have
34:11resulted in, these
34:12elections.
34:13So this is a very
34:14serious allegation
34:15that has been made.
34:17It is up to the
34:18Election Commission
34:19of India, and I'm
34:21going to repeat
34:21this, it's up to the
34:23Election Commission
34:24of India to, it's
34:25on, it's the onus
34:26is on them to prove
34:28that what the LOP
34:29said today was
34:31incorrect.
34:32How will they prove
34:33it?
34:33Let them show the
34:34CCTV camera footage
34:36to the citizens of
34:37the country.
34:38They will judge
34:39whether the same
34:40person went in all
34:41of those places or
34:42not.
34:43When we are asking
34:44for that data, why
34:45is the Election
34:46Commission not
34:47coming clean?
34:48And let me here
34:49bring in the fact
34:51that in the Haryana
34:52election, today the
34:54whole H files or
34:55whatever was about
34:56Haryana elections.
34:57after Haryana
34:59elections, thousands
35:00of people asked
35:02for CCTV footage,
35:03presiding officer's
35:04diary, Form 17C.
35:07They were denied all
35:08of this.
35:09They went to the
35:10Punjab and Haryana
35:11High Court.
35:11The High Court said,
35:12of course, this must be
35:13given under Rule 93.2
35:15of the conduct of
35:16election rules.
35:17What did the ECI do?
35:19The ECI quickly ran
35:20to the central government
35:22and changed, amended
35:24the conduct of
35:25election rules 93.2
35:27to say, no, this
35:29information cannot be
35:30given.
35:31Point taken.
35:32Point taken, ma'am.
35:34Point taken.
35:34I just want Mr.
35:36Amin to get a final
35:36word.
35:37Let me finish, Rajdeep.
35:39This is important.
35:40When an allegation
35:41like this is made,
35:43citizens want to see
35:44a certain kind of
35:45action.
35:46We would have liked
35:47the Election
35:48Commission to not
35:49say, give us
35:49affidavits, not to
35:51give out tweets saying
35:52it's unfounded.
35:53They should have
35:54called a meeting of
35:55all political parties.
35:57I would even go so
35:57far as to say,
35:58televise it.
35:59We are in AI age
36:01today.
36:02Show to people that
36:03there is nothing to
36:03hide.
36:04Show to people that
36:05all the records are
36:06here.
36:07Check them.
36:08Your point is well
36:09taken.
36:10Amin Saab, final
36:11word to you, 30
36:12seconds.
36:12Why not at least
36:13keep the CCTV
36:14footage?
36:15I come back to it.
36:16You see, there will
36:16be those who will put
36:18question marks, throw
36:19mud at the EC.
36:20If the EC is not
36:21seen to be
36:21transparent.
36:23Rajdeep, first I
36:24want to respond to
36:25madam that she was
36:26telling that form
36:2717c is not given.
36:29This is the
36:30mandatory by the
36:31presiding officer.
36:32Every polling
36:33station in the
36:34evening when we
36:35have the wind up,
36:37all the
36:37stakeholders,
36:38candidates, they
36:40are representative,
36:41means they are
36:41polling agents.
36:43They sign it in
36:44presence of the
36:44presiding officer and
36:46form 17 every day
36:47given after the
36:48poll.
36:48What about CCTV
36:49footage?
36:51I am not aware
36:52about that.
36:53But I am telling
36:54you this is the
36:54form 17c.
36:56Everything is
36:57clear.
36:59Yes, Anjali, 30
37:00seconds, quickly.
37:01Mr. Amin is saying
37:05that form 17c is given
37:07to polling agents.
37:08I am sorry.
37:09Elections in our
37:10democracy are not
37:11held for polling
37:12agents or for
37:12political parties.
37:14They are held for the
37:15people of the country.
37:16Why are the people of
37:18the country when they
37:19are repeatedly asking
37:20for form 17c not being
37:22given form 17c?
37:24What is there to hide in
37:25form 17c?
37:26I want to leave it
37:29there.
37:30I want to leave it
37:31there.
37:31Surely the polling
37:32agents are given.
37:34It's the job of the
37:34polling agents also to
37:36go through it.
37:37Let's be very clear.
37:38There are gaps in the
37:39system.
37:40Those gaps need to be
37:41filled.
37:42We will debate on
37:43another day whether the
37:44SIR is the right way to
37:45go about it.
37:45But for now, Rahul Gandhi
37:47has added to the debate.
37:49Like him, don't like him,
37:50agree with him, disagree
37:51with him.
37:52The fact is we need to
37:54have a clear time-bound
37:56investigation into the
37:58specific charges that are
37:59being made.
38:00I appreciate my guests
38:02joining me on the show
38:03tonight.
38:04I want to turn from that
38:05to the other big story
38:06making waves across the
38:07world.
38:08The historic win in New
38:09York City where Zoram
38:11Mamdani, scripted
38:13history, the son of Indian
38:14Ugandan immigrants including
38:15the son of Meera Nayad,
38:17the noted filmmaker, Mamdani
38:20becomes the city's first
38:21Muslim and South Asian
38:22origin mayor, defeating
38:24former Governor Andrew
38:25Cuomo.
38:26More importantly, he's
38:27decided to take on the
38:29one and only Donald Trump.
38:31Take a look at Zoram
38:33Mamdani's historic day.
38:41Cheers, confetti and a
38:44night to remember in the
38:45Big Apple for the
38:46Democrats.
38:47History made in New York as
38:52it chooses its next mayor.
38:55Zoram Mamdani has emerged
38:56the winner in a three-way race.
39:00Son of Ugandan Indian
39:01immigrants, Mamdani is New
39:03York City first Muslim and a
39:05person of South Asian descent
39:07to become mayor.
39:09The 34-year-old who calls
39:11himself a Democratic Socialist
39:13defeated former Governor Andrew
39:15Cuomo in a contest that upended
39:17America's political
39:18establishment.
39:22So Donald Trump, since I know
39:25you're watching, I have four
39:29words for you.
39:32Turn the volume up.
39:34New York will remain a city of
39:37immigrants, a city built by
39:39immigrants, powered by
39:42immigrants, and as of tonight,
39:48led by an immigrant.
39:50So hear me, President Trump,
39:53when I say this, to get to any
39:55of us, you will have to get
39:57through all of us.
39:59He also said that New York will
40:01not reward Islamophobia.
40:04And we will build a city hall
40:06that stands steadfast alongside
40:09Jewish New Yorkers and does not
40:11waver in the fight against the
40:14scourge of anti-Semitism.
40:17Where the more than one million
40:19Muslims know that they belong.
40:25Not just in the five boroughs of
40:27this city, but in the halls of
40:29power.
40:31No more will New York be a city
40:36where you can traffic in Islamophobia
40:38and win election.
40:42Running an insurgent campaign from
40:44Queens, Mamdani promised sweeping
40:46reforms.
40:47A freeze on rents for nearly a million
40:49apartments, higher taxes on the
40:52wealthy, and free city buses to make
40:54public transport equitable.
40:56Moments after his victory was declared,
41:00chants of free Palestine echoed
41:02outside his campaign headquarters, a
41:05knock to his outspoken support for
41:07Palestinian rights.
41:08Free Palestine!
41:10Free Palestine!
41:12Free Palestine!
41:12Free Palestine!
41:13In his fiery victory speech,
41:16Mamdani invoked India's first Prime
41:18Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, quoting lines
41:20from the historic, dressed with destiny
41:22address.
41:23Standing before you, I think of the words
41:29of Jawaharlal Nehru.
41:32A moment comes but rarely in history, when we
41:36step out from the old to the new, when
41:39age ends and when the soul of the nation
41:41long suppressed finds utterance.
41:45Tonight we have stepped out from the old
41:47into the new.
41:48Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump
41:54lashed out, blaming his name's absence
41:56from the New York ballot, and the federal
41:58government shut down for what he called
42:00a temporary setback.
42:02But for Zoran Mamdani, the night belonged
42:04to history, a new mayor for New York,
42:07and a new political movement for America.
42:11Vera Report, India Today.
42:18So what does Zoran Mamdani's win mean for
42:22America, for New York?
42:23Democrats, have they got a formula now
42:25to take on Donald Trump?
42:27Will the New York City result lead to
42:29further polarization to some of the
42:31contentious issues I want to raise today
42:34on a day which, as I said, a slice of
42:36history has been created in America?
42:39I'm joined by Atis Tarsir, author,
42:42columnist, someone who has lived in New
42:45York for years, Irfan Nuruddin,
42:47professor, Georgetown University, Mumbai
42:50boy, who now lives in Washington.
42:52But first to you, Atis, what did this
42:54day mean for New York?
42:56I see the smile on your face.
42:58Is this, in a sense, a rejection of
43:00Donald Trump, or a triumph of what
43:03Zoran Mamdani stood for?
43:05I mean, Rajdeep, just on a purely
43:07emotional level, and believe me, I have
43:10many policy differences aside, to see
43:13like Dhoom Machale Dhoom playing like
43:15in New York City, to hear Panduji's words
43:18like ringing out from like the next
43:20mayor of the city, deeply emotional.
43:23I mean, you know, everything, all
43:25political differences aside, kind of
43:28just, it really sort of gave you a catch
43:31at the heart to see someone like you,
43:33like the same color, shape, size as you,
43:36to see his mother who looks like my
43:38mother, like all of these things.
43:39Like, for me right now, at least, like,
43:43they kind of like, I was surprised by
43:45how powerful a feeling it was.
43:48Where did that park?
43:49You know, is this sort of, after a year
43:52in which there has been an anti-immigrant
43:54rhetoric, then to find someone of South
43:56Asian origin, of Ugandan, Indian
43:58parentage, becoming the mayor?
44:02Was it that, that because of the last
44:0412 months, what it's meant to several
44:06Americans, a sense that maybe there is
44:08an America which still believes in the
44:09idea of multiculturalism?
44:12Well, exactly that.
44:14And also, you know, he was under so much
44:16pressure to kind of bend, and he did
44:19retain an integrity.
44:22You might, it might not be your
44:24position, but his willingness to kind
44:27of stand up for things, stand up for
44:29what he believed in, and to let the
44:30chips fall as they would, that was,
44:33politically, it was very powerful.
44:36You know, you're saying it was a
44:37politically powerful message.
44:39Irfan Nuruddin, there has been a
44:41rising tide of Islamophobia in America
44:45and in several parts of the world.
44:46Is New York an exception because of the
44:48nature of New York?
44:50And New York is not America.
44:52Zora Mamdani can't win, for example,
44:54in the Midwest.
44:55Therefore, are we, in a way, hyping it
44:58up a bit more than it actually, than what
45:01it means?
45:01Is New York always an outlier?
45:03Yeah.
45:05First, I mean, in honor of his mother, I
45:08think we should say, Salaam, New York, on
45:11this morning, right?
45:12Just like she wants to know that beautiful
45:14movie about my and your city, Salaam,
45:17Bombay.
45:18Look, I mean, New York is unusual.
45:20It's atypical.
45:21It's brilliant.
45:22It's complicated.
45:23It's messy.
45:23But at the end of the day, what you have
45:26over here is a young politician who seems
45:29to have captured a particular zeitgeist,
45:31giving voice to young people.
45:33And of course, as Atish so powerfully said,
45:36to people who look sound, remind us of
45:40sort of who we are and where we came from.
45:44And I think that appeals broader than just
45:46New York.
45:46The particular rhetoric, the democratic
45:50socialism, the overt support for the
45:54Palestinian people and for Palestinian
45:56rights, that probably doesn't transfer
45:58very well outside of Manhattan and outside
46:02of the five boroughs.
46:03But on the flip side, the notion that a
46:06politician who's aggressively progressive, who
46:08talks about economic issues, who takes back from
46:12the Republicans this mantle of economic
46:14populism, can win an election in a very
46:17large, complicated city, I think that does
46:20transfer.
46:20So while we'll be talking about Mr.
46:23Mamdani right now, I mean, in Cincinnati,
46:25Ohio, Aftab Purewal won the mayoral election,
46:30defeating, in fact, J.D.
46:32Vance's brother-in-law, right?
46:33And this is a man whose name is Aftab
46:35Karma Purewal, and he wins an election in
46:38Cincinnati, Ohio to be the mayor of that
46:41town.
46:41So Cincinnati is far more like what we might
46:44think of as being a typical American city, and
46:48even there, an immigrant of South Asian heritage
46:50is winning a mayoral election over someone who's
46:54literally this brother-in-law of the vice
46:56president of the United States and stands for
46:58something very different.
46:59The other part of it is while we talk about the
47:01mayoral election, and Mr.
47:02Mamdani deserves all the attention he's getting
47:04this morning.
47:05In New Jersey, a Democratic woman wins the
47:07governor's race.
47:08In Virginia, a Democratic woman wins the
47:11Democratic race.
47:12In Virginia, a black man wins the attorney
47:14general's race, a very contested race that he, for
47:17a while, looked like he may have damaged himself
47:19on.
47:20So I think in the, and of course, in California,
47:22the voters overwhelmingly support a motion to make
47:26it easier to redistrict.
47:28So across the country, this was as good a day that the
47:31Democrats could have dreamed of.
47:33I do think it sort of will reinsert a certain optimism
47:36and a certain aggressiveness as they think about the
47:39next year.
47:40But I think, as your question suggests, simply playing
47:43that Mamdani's formula can be translated elsewhere, that
47:45would be a mistake.
47:47You know, Atish, in a way, therefore, here comes someone
47:51who's challenging the Trump establishment, the new Trump
47:56establishment, it's the story of the underdog.
47:59For immigrants who've gone to America, made their lives,
48:03does he therefore symbolize hope?
48:06When he speaks about economic equality, he's dubbed, of
48:10course, a communist by some, democratic socialist by others.
48:13But does he symbolize, above all else, hope?
48:16Much like Barack Obama did all those years ago.
48:18Does it mark another shift in that sense in the mood in America?
48:22I mean, Rajli, there's also another wrinkle, you know, right?
48:27I live in a very Jewish neighborhood and newspaper, and it's
48:30very divided.
48:31So the older Jewish people are very, very skeptical.
48:34And the younger Jewish people are very much in support.
48:36But one of the things I hear a lot in New York, they say about
48:39Indians, oh, you're the new Jews, meaning that you are like a
48:43kind of global aristocracy.
48:44And this is very much a child of global aristocracy, coming into
48:49politics at a moment of cultural warfare, at a moment when, like,
48:53you know, it used to be that brown, yellow, black people were kind of
48:57encircled by the white man's gaze and the white man's power.
49:00And now traffic is moving in the other direction.
49:03So, you know, in a sense, like, like, don't like it's not it's not quite as
49:07underdog as all of that.
49:09Like, we're setting up, we're setting up a much more, for a much more
49:13contentious political battle, which will be used against us.
49:18It's interesting the way you're putting it at the moment.
49:21But clearly what we've seen today in America has brought a smile to
49:25many faces, particularly, I think, for those who've, immigrants who've
49:30made their lives in America the land of hope and of dreams being
49:34fulfilled.
49:35And Zoram Mamdani is a great story in that sense.
49:38And to do it at such a young age makes it perhaps even more
49:42energizing, if anything else.
49:45Atish Taseer, Professor Nuruddin, for joining me here today on the
49:49news today.
49:49Thanks very much.
49:50Not to forget that slice of Jawaharlal Nehru, as you put it.
49:54That, in a sense, was a moment where India seemed to arrive once again
49:58in a strange way on the world stage.
50:01Just when you thought there was no space for Jawaharlal, he comes back
50:04like a ghost who you can never get away from.
50:08Thanks to both of you for joining me there from New York and Washington.
50:13Our image of the day is back home.
50:15The wonder women, the cricket world champions, the women in blue, met the
50:19prime minister at his official residence in the national capital today.
50:23And they posed for the trophy with the prime minister who hailed their journey
50:27and felicitated Harmanpreet Kaur and company.
50:30The women's team gifted a namo jersey to him.
50:35Good to see our women playing such a starring role this week.
50:39They are our stars.
50:40Thanks for watching.
50:42You stay well, stay safe.
50:43Good night, Shubratri.
50:44Jai Hind.
50:45Namaskar.
50:46Namaskar.
50:47Namaskar.
50:48Namaskar.
50:49Namaskar.
50:50Namaskar.
50:51Namaskar.
50:52Namaskar.
50:53Namaskar.
50:54Namaskar.
50:55Namaskar.
50:56Namaskar.
50:57Namaskar.
50:58Namaskar.
50:59Namaskar.
51:00Namaskar.
51:01Namaskar.
51:02Namaskar.
51:03Namaskar.
51:04Namaskar.
51:05Namaskar.
51:06Namaskar.
51:07Namaskar.
51:08Namaskar.
51:09Namaskar.
51:10Namaskar.
51:11Namaskar.
51:12Namaskar.
51:13Namaskar.
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