- 3 hours ago
The top focus of this episode of To The Point is the stormy start to Parliament's Winter Session, with the battle over SIR taking centre stage on Day one.
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00:00Winter session opens in kiosk.
00:14SIR sparks the first showdown.
00:26You allow us to discuss how it is, it is a very important issue.
00:34Vote Chori Chants rock the house.
00:43Government vs. Opposition.
00:51The proud country, they want to kill the democracy.
00:57No calm, no consensus.
01:03Political war inside, protests outside.
01:07Good evening, you're watching To The Point.
01:20I'm Kreeti Chaudhary.
01:21Lots lined up for you.
01:22Two big debates coming up.
01:23First, allow me to take you through the headlines.
01:26Prime Minister Modi tears into opposition with taunts ahead of winter session.
01:35Wands against drama after defeat tells opposition find another place.
01:41There is a place for drama.
01:42There is a place where we have to do it.
01:47There should not be a drama here.
01:49Kharge versus Rijiju and Nadda over new Rajya Sabha chair.
01:55Kharge says hope new Rajya Sabha chair impartial.
01:58Rijiju says ex-Rajya Sabha chair was repeatedly insulted.
02:02It's round two of Sidharamaya DKS peace talks tomorrow.
02:11DKS says nutty chicken on breakfast on menu with Sidharamaya as guest for breakfast,
02:17says Chief Minister and I are like brothers.
02:20A horrid story coming in from a Hyderabad school of a nanny abusing the child in her care.
02:43On camera, brutal assault on a four-year-old toddler in preschool.
02:47School attendant beats up the young child.
02:54Government confirms possible flight sabotage bid in parliament.
02:58Centre claims some flights operating near vicinity of the IGI airport in Delhi
03:03reported instances of GPS spoofing to confuse flights.
03:17For Durandar, Delhi High Court order CBF will take into account the concerns of Major Mohit Sharma's family.
03:32It's gone now.
03:43If anything was to go by in the tone that was set on day one of the winter session,
03:47then we can well assume that the winter session is going to go down exactly on the lines of the monsoon session
03:53or even the budget session that was a complete washout.
03:57On day one, you had the Prime Minister who openly stated,
04:00listen, if you have to resort to theatrics and drama, parliament is not the place.
04:05Just because after a defeat you want to prove a point, don't use parliament as a platform.
04:10The government, of course, setting the line, but the opposition hitting back.
04:17Today, on day one, the issue that resonated through parliament was Vot Chauri and SIR.
04:23Parliament witnessed a stormy start to the winter session on Monday,
04:44with the battle over SIR taking centre stage from the very first hour.
04:48Ahead of the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged members of parliament
04:53to keep the focus on meaningful discussion and not on drama.
04:59There is a place for the drama.
05:01We are trying to do it.
05:03We should not be able to do drama.
05:05Within minutes, the Congress hit back.
05:35It is a huge issue for democracy. What is going on? Whether it's the election situation or the SIR. Speaking about issues, raising issues is not drama. Drama is not allowing discussion. Drama is not having a democratic discussion about issues that matter to the public.
05:53As Parliament convened, protests erupted in both houses. In the Lok Sabha, opposition MPs raised vote-chory slogans and demanded an immediate discussion on the SIR exercise.
06:06MPs stormed the well of the House, accusing the government of rushing the SIR process, not giving both level officers enough time and allegedly attempting voter suppression.
06:17The election commission fully well knows when the elections are due in each state. So why can't you start the process 12 months or 18 months earlier, adequately train the BLOs, give them resources.
06:42Why do it in a rushed manner in 30 days and put so much pressure on them? Government must be a little bit more accommodating. Give us space to raise issues of our concern. And I'm sure everything will work smoothly after.
06:51The government, however, maintained that the SIR is a routine electoral process and rejected all allegations. But as the political wall rages inside Parliament, the pressure on ground-level election staff is now turning deadly.
07:08Targets, deadlines, endless surveys. The opposition says frontline workers are being pushed beyond human limits. The poll body on Sunday extended the schedule for the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls across 12 states and union territories by a week.
07:27The poll panel said the extension was meant to ensure full transparency. Meanwhile, there are more reports of BLO deaths.
07:34In Moradabad, Booth-level officer Suresh Singh died by suicide. His families say he was under extreme stress due to SIR targets. This video, now widely circulating, shows him breaking down in tears. And his suicide note spells out the mental tone.
07:57The anger has now spilled onto the streets. In Kolkata, the Mathwa community marched the protest.
08:21The Congress has joined the stir, transforming the issue into a nationwide political confrontation.
08:26Shocking figures of BLO deaths are emerging. In just last one month, 33 Booth-level officers have died after the rollout of the Election Commission's SIR 2.0 system.
08:42What began as a revision of electoral rolls has now turned into a battle with real human consequences.
08:49As political parties trade charges in Parliament, families of overworked, Booth-level officers are left to grieve in silence.
08:58The question now is not just about voter rolls, but also the price being paid to update them.
09:03All right, cutting across to our panelists this evening, joining me, Rajvat Sethi, political analyst, Ashutosh, political analyst, Pradeep Bhandari, national spokesperson, Bharatiya Janata Party, Mr. Salman Saurz, national spokesperson, Congress.
09:24Each of you will get two minutes' time to put your point forward on a timer, and then the chance will go to somebody else.
09:30I'd like to begin with the BJP spokesperson, Pradeep Bhandari.
09:34You know, while the jury is out on theatrics on the floor of the Parliament, while drama on the floor of the Parliament is one thing,
09:42but outside what is happening is entirely another issue where it comes down to the human cost of what is going on in the form of an SIR process.
09:51I am sure the video of the BLO from Muradabad crying before he took his own life will break your heart to Pradeep Bhandari.
10:04Well, Pridhi, good evening to your viewers, and at the outset, let me tell you that an investigation has been ordered on that specific case.
10:11But what are the facts of the matter?
10:12The opposition today has become a rent-a-cause opposition, which always has an alibi or an issue in order to divert the attention from the mandate of the people,
10:22which is time and again telling the Indian opposition that it is engaging in disruptive, negative politics,
10:27which the Honorable Prime Minister called as the Muslim League Mawadi Congress.
10:31Just a few months back, the opposition was claiming about vote-chori.
10:34Allow me to make my opening submissions by two observations of the Supreme Court, one of which is quoted by the India today.
10:39Quote, can foreigners with Aadhaar card be allowed to vote, the Supreme Court asks on the SIR.
10:45Quote, no voter came forward to challenge exclusion despite apprehensions of mass deletions after Bihar SIR.
10:51So, the claim of the Indian opposition, in particular Rahul Gandhi, was 60 lakh voters have been deleted, but not a single voter has come.
10:58Now, please note, what is the constitutional process under 324?
11:00It's the election commission which is looking after the process and the Supreme Court is supervising the process.
11:05Yes, I do agree that certain deaths of BLO is definitely a matter of concern because let me tell you what has happened in the last one week.
11:13Trinamool Congress BLA has threatened the BLO that if you remove any Bangladeshi leader name, Lovely Khatun, you will be threatened to life.
11:20You have Trinamool Congress MLA Shyamalan Yadav who is publicly threatened to break the hands of the BLO.
11:24You have TMC leader Jameerul Islam Molla who threatened to kill BLO Deepak Mehato.
11:29I believe you have also seen that video and India Today has reported it.
11:32How we all were shattered seeing the BLO being openly threatened by the Trinamool Congress.
11:36We've seen how TMC leader Mohammed Kasimuddin has beaten up BLO Nivedita Mandel's husband Kamal and threatened to kill him.
11:44Now, on the intention of the government, this is what Mr. Kiran Dijiju has said in the floor of the house at 432,
11:49that we are willing to discuss the SIR. But nothing gives the opposition the argument to disrupt the parliament
11:56where each and every issue is willing to be discussed. The opposition is disrupting it because it does not have facts on its hand.
12:03All right, great. You know, we're having a problem with our timer this evening.
12:06So, I would really urge all our panellists to take care of the time that they speak for and, you know, allow each of your panellists to speak.
12:15I could not hear your timer. I thought that...
12:16I am glad, sir. But you have ended it. You know, though I do keep my own watch, you know, on a timer.
12:23But you have respected the time frame of what you were given. I would hope your co-panellists will do the same.
12:29I want to bring in Salman Saws into this conversation.
12:32Though, you know, Pradeep Bhandari, the fact is, you have every right to go after the opposition on the charge of vote chori
12:38or what the opposition says. But to treat 33 lives right now,
12:43and that is what we are counting in terms of BLO suicides on ground. That's not small, sir.
12:47And that needs to be addressed. I'll come back to you and I want to bring in Salman Saws into this conversation.
12:51Salman Saws, are we staring at another session, which is going to be a complete washout?
12:57If day one is to go by, that is exactly what's on the cards.
13:00Because if the government says that the Treasury benches say that they will allow debate,
13:07they are willing to talk about SIR, should the opposition not cooperate this time?
13:14Well, Priti, I think the Prime Minister himself set the tone for this Parliament session by,
13:19first he said that the opposition does drama and they should be talking about delivery.
13:24But he actually was doing drama outside Parliament today. That is drama.
13:31If you really want to deliver, deliver a press conference outside Parliament, then I will see.
13:39If you really want to talk about delivery, you've got to go inside Parliament
13:42and say the same things in front of the assembled parliamentarians.
13:48That is...
13:53Salman Saws, there's a problem with your audience.
13:55Yeah, so I was just saying that if he does these things inside Parliament,
14:00then I would say this is delivery. But we know he does a lot of drama.
14:05You know, we saw the footage that you just showed.
14:10It's very sad. It's heart-rending.
14:12You know, our report is that 41 election workers have died in 27 days
14:18for this exercise that a very arrogant election commission,
14:23very arrogant election commission, which gives not an inch to the opposition,
14:29not an inch to our supporters,
14:32and basically runs this entire massive process,
14:36wants to do it in just a couple of months.
14:38The arrogance of the election commission flows from the arrogance of the government.
14:43Why? Because the government chooses the election commission members.
14:47We know that because this government circumvented what the Supreme Court had asked it to do.
14:53We want accountability.
14:55The people of India want accountability.
14:58We want accountability on air pollution in Delhi, for example.
15:02Not just Delhi, across the country.
15:04And what do they do? They manipulate data.
15:05By the way, this is in Delhi, there were four Indian circles.
15:11Chief Minister, LG, MCD, you know, and of course the Prime Minister.
15:18But they have done nothing but hide data.
15:22On national security, we want debate.
15:24Saman Sars, I'll circle back to you now.
15:26You're one and a half minutes up,
15:28and then hopefully we'll get the timer for the second round,
15:30so everybody can get equal time.
15:32I thought you said two minutes. That's why I kept going.
15:33Okay, no, no, because your co-panelist spoke for a minute and a half,
15:37so I'm giving you the same on my stopwatch,
15:38and I will cut across right now.
15:40But, Preeti, because he doesn't have much to say,
15:42he only took one and a half minutes out of two.
15:44Well, sir, I'm sure everyone has a lot to say,
15:46even if they don't have much to say.
15:47So, let's, you know, let it rest.
15:50Do not challenge me on that, Mr. Sos.
15:52No, no, don't challenge each other.
15:54It's going really well till now.
15:55Everyone's respecting each other.
15:57It's a good way to go about things.
15:59All right, I want to bring in Rajat Sethi and Ashutosh into this debate.
16:02Rajat Sethi, the fact is there is zero trust deficit.
16:05When even the Prime Minister uses language like,
16:08keep the theatrics outside,
16:09drama ke leh bohat or jagay hain,
16:11not Parliament,
16:12he's also cracking the whip.
16:14You can say that,
16:15look at what has happened in the past,
16:17the opposition can say,
16:19you've already set the tone.
16:22See, you have to leave some politics
16:24to the politicians, Preeti Ji.
16:26You know, if all of these statements
16:28are wiped out from the political scene,
16:30it will become a very boring political theatre.
16:33So, let's leave that aside
16:35and focus on what is important.
16:37If the SIR has to be discussed,
16:39again, you know, repeatedly,
16:40over the past 10 years or so,
16:42we've seen, you know,
16:43when Congress has been leading the opposition,
16:45they are the ones who know the rules
16:47and regulations much better
16:48than any other party.
16:50They are the grand old party of this country.
16:52There are rules and procedures
16:53that you have to follow,
16:55be it filing complaints against the election
16:57or tabling an issue like SIR
16:59in the Parliament.
17:00My problem is that,
17:01why does Congress not follow the rules?
17:04Question hour is not meant for SIR.
17:06There are separate rules
17:08which you can invoke
17:08to have that discussion
17:09and then ghero the government
17:11or the election commission,
17:12whatever you want to do.
17:13But if you want to, you know,
17:15break all the rules
17:16just because you believe
17:17that you are some kind of a princeling
17:19or something like that,
17:20then, you know,
17:21somebody is going to crack the whip
17:22and then you'll come out crying
17:23and weeping and creating
17:24Tamasha on television channels.
17:26So, that should be avoided.
17:27Act like a mature party.
17:29Follow the rules
17:29and be more, you know,
17:31resilient about how you take up issues.
17:34Take up issues.
17:35Find people on the ground.
17:36Try and make a whole, you know,
17:39whole degree of seriousness
17:40around what is there.
17:42Don't piggyback on to the deaths
17:44that is happening
17:44because all of these deaths
17:46happen due to many, many other factors also.
17:49You need to establish that.
17:50There will be FIRs.
17:51There will be investigation
17:52to clearly lay it out
17:53that why is a man
17:55or a BLO
17:57crumbling under the pressure?
17:58Are there any other factors
18:00which are adding to this whole pressure?
18:02And of course,
18:02when it comes to pressure,
18:03I am 100% of the opinion
18:05that the election commission
18:06should give more time.
18:08Even for the five states
18:09that are going into election,
18:10we should allow voter list preparation
18:12to go on till at least January end
18:14through the SIR process.
18:15Even if the Congress party
18:17or the opposition cries out
18:18that why is the list being created
18:20towards the very last day of the election,
18:22let that be the case.
18:23We should not put pressure on the BLOs,
18:26but also the Congress party
18:27and the others in the opposition
18:28should realize
18:29not to create this timing,
18:31you know, related issues
18:33that they did in Bihar election.
18:34They were the ones,
18:35why did you drag the process
18:36till October?
18:37Similar pressure
18:38and pressure should not be put
18:39on the election commission
18:40because it all passes down
18:41to the BLO.
18:43No, and it is passing down
18:44to the BLO
18:45because Rajat,
18:45you might say
18:46that it's a matter of investigation,
18:47but Prima Faisai,
18:4833 deaths
18:49and out of it,
18:50which are at least
18:5114 bona fide suicide notes.
18:53You know,
18:53there clearly is
18:54a lot of pressure
18:55on the Booth level officers
18:57and it is translating
18:58into them breaking down
19:00and we've seen
19:01enough visuals of that
19:02and that doesn't compensate
19:03by the election commission
19:05releasing one happy video
19:07of BLO's dancing.
19:08You know,
19:08that's just the mockery of it.
19:09But we'll come back to that.
19:10I want to bring in Ashutosh
19:12into this conversation
19:13with what's really happening
19:14in Parliament, Ashutosh,
19:15because what we are headed towards
19:17is, you know,
19:18another washout
19:19and day one
19:21has set the tone.
19:22What happened
19:23during the monsoon session,
19:24what happened
19:25during the budget session,
19:26it's exactly that.
19:27It's going to be abject waste
19:28of public money,
19:30your and my money.
19:31Many would say that
19:31Parliament is the best place
19:33to protest,
19:33but ultimately some business
19:34needs to get done.
19:36You know,
19:36like Salman was saying,
19:38I would love to hear
19:39a debate on pollution
19:41where it's actually
19:41taken seriously
19:42by our leaders.
19:44See, Priti,
19:45this money debate,
19:46I never had given
19:47much importance to that
19:48because the Parliament
19:48is a Parliament
19:49and whether we give
19:51the logic that
19:52we are paying so much money
19:53from people's pocket
19:55and that's why
19:55there should be debate
19:56in the Parliament.
19:57That's an absurd debate.
19:58I never subscribe
19:59to that debate.
20:00The issue is
20:01that the Prime Minister
20:02has successfully
20:03controlled his own party.
20:05The Prime Minister
20:05does whatever the party,
20:08the party does
20:09what the Prime Minister
20:10wants him to do.
20:11There's no difference
20:12of opinion in the party
20:13and nobody
20:13dare differ with him.
20:16Now,
20:16he wants the similar
20:17kind of an opposition
20:19that opposition
20:20should listen to him,
20:21whatever he says
20:22should follow
20:22and if opposition
20:24is trying to be defined,
20:25then obviously
20:26there are issues
20:27and that will be done.
20:28And it shows
20:29very clearly
20:29that in one day
20:31140 MPs
20:32were suspended.
20:34Never heard
20:34in Indian democracy
20:36till that date.
20:38So,
20:39the issue
20:39today
20:40is
20:40a fundamental issue
20:42that
20:4228 or 32,
20:45forget about 28,
20:4632,
20:46when the 10 BLOs
20:47had committed suicide
20:48or died
20:48because of that,
20:50should it not be
20:51immediately taken up
20:52in the Parliament
20:53and discussed
20:54and debated
20:54that why this is happening?
20:55I haven't heard
20:57a single word
20:58from the BJP.
21:00Rather,
21:00there's insinuations
21:01that these BLOs
21:03are committing suicide
21:05for any other factor
21:07could be reason for that.
21:09In an earlier debate,
21:11somebody
21:11which is close
21:12to the government
21:12has even insinuated
21:14that there is
21:15a bigger conspiracy
21:16that's why these
21:17BLOs are committing suicide.
21:19I think nothing
21:19could be more cruel,
21:21more heartless
21:22than this.
21:23BLOs are
21:24they belong
21:26to the lowest
21:26rank of the bureaucracy.
21:28They are poor people
21:29and
21:30the picture
21:31of the video
21:32which we had
21:33the whole nation
21:34has seen today
21:35is a reality
21:36but not a word.
21:39Why?
21:41Should it not be
21:41debated on the floor
21:42of the house?
21:44Immediately?
21:45Time is up
21:46and we have
21:47our timer back.
21:48It clearly had
21:48a long weekend
21:49and now back
21:51with us
21:51but great.
21:52So,
21:52the two minute timer
21:53comes,
21:53kicks in round
21:54and Pradeep Bhandari,
21:55you know,
21:56the fact is,
21:56like I said,
21:57some of those videos,
21:58some of the heart-rending
21:59messages
22:00of the BLOs,
22:01you can't unsee
22:02and unhear them
22:03and that needs
22:04to cut deep
22:05where the government
22:06is concerned
22:06and that needs
22:07to be addressed
22:08ASAP.
22:09Keep the politics aside.
22:11Whatever the opposition
22:12might be saying,
22:13whatever the government
22:14wants to counter,
22:15that can be done
22:16separately
22:16but one must
22:18address this issue,
22:19one must debate
22:20this issue
22:21on the floor
22:21of the house.
22:22It cannot be
22:22TMC
22:23trying to instigate
22:24BLOs in West Bengal
22:26and in Tamil Nadu,
22:27it is at the DMK's
22:28behest
22:28or in Uttar Pradesh
22:29it is Samajwadi Party.
22:30Well, Preeti,
22:36at the outset,
22:37my dear friend
22:38from the Congress Party
22:39has forgotten
22:39that it's not
22:40the Congress government
22:41at this moment,
22:41it's Prime Minister
22:42Rendra Modi's government.
22:43When the Congress
22:44was in power,
22:45this gentleman,
22:45a corrupt man
22:46like Naveen Chabla
22:47was appointed
22:47by Sonia Gandhi
22:48and the government
22:49used to appoint
22:50the election commission.
22:51At this moment,
22:52there is a three-member
22:52committee which appoints
22:53the chief election commissioner
22:54and the Congress Party
22:55had gone to challenge
22:56it in the Supreme Court
22:57and the Supreme Court
22:58rejected the petition
22:59of the Congress Party
23:00saying that under
23:01Article 3 to 4,
23:02the government
23:02is very well justified
23:03to have a committee.
23:04So for the first time
23:05in India's independence,
23:06you have a committee
23:06deciding the chief
23:07election commissioner.
23:08The Congress Party
23:09always had a chief
23:10election commissioner
23:10like a man who used
23:11to be a loyalist
23:12to Sonia Gandhi.
23:13That is fact number one.
23:14Fact number two,
23:15I completely agree with you
23:16that there should be
23:16a deeper investigation
23:17which has to be ordered
23:18and I will tell you why.
23:19Please look at the gentleman
23:20who was protesting today
23:21as a BLO.
23:22This gentleman
23:23was till yesterday
23:25with Abhishek Banerji
23:26in his local party meeting
23:27and today he claimed
23:29to be a BLO
23:29who was protesting
23:30against Shuvendu Adhikari.
23:32So definitely I believe
23:33these are not
23:33representatives of BLOs
23:34and there has to be
23:35a larger inquiry ordered
23:37that who are these gentlemen,
23:39who is pressurizing them,
23:40that is point number two.
23:41Now please look at
23:42the seriousness
23:42and the difference
23:43between the intention.
23:44This is Mrs. Renuka Chaudhary
23:46who takes her dog
23:47to the parliament
23:48and calls the parliamentarians
23:49as dog
23:50and she believes
23:51that this is the issue
23:52which has to be discussed
23:52and this is the most
23:53important issue
23:54when quote unquote
23:55the SIR
23:56is an issue
23:57which the opposition
23:57wants us to discuss.
23:59So this is the seriousness
24:00of the India's opposition
24:01which is reflected
24:01by Renuka Chaudhary
24:02on which Ashutosh
24:03who might be a very
24:05well established man
24:06and there are very rich people
24:06in opposition
24:07like Rahul Gandhi
24:08who believe that
24:092.5 lakh rupees
24:10of taxpayers money
24:10per minute
24:11does not matter.
24:12This is what their mindset is.
24:13Our intention is reflected
24:14from how there was
24:15100% productivity
24:16in the parliament session
24:18in April 2025
24:19because the opposition
24:20did not disrupt
24:21the parliament.
24:22I will give you
24:23another instance.
24:23You recall this video
24:25of Rahul Gandhi
24:25for six months
24:26they used to say
24:28that why is there
24:28no discussion
24:29happening on Manipur.
24:30When the prime minister
24:31started to speak
24:32on Manipur
24:32it was Rahul Gandhi
24:33instructing his member
24:35of parliament
24:35to stop the prime minister
24:36and go to the well.
24:37This is the intention
24:38of the congress party.
24:39So the intention
24:40of the congress party
24:40is neither to let
24:41the house function
24:42neither to have a discussion
24:43on SIR
24:44and they are even
24:45not serious on BLO
24:46and I will tell you
24:46Pradeepji the time is up
24:48I will circle back to you
24:49we might have just
24:49one more minute
24:50for all of our panellists
24:51but Pradeepji
24:52you bring up the case
24:53of one BLO
24:55which needs to be investigated
24:56there are ten other pictures
24:57that like I said
24:59should cut in deep
25:00the heart rending messages
25:02including of this man
25:03who says
25:04take care of my daughter
25:05before he killed himself
25:06and I think
25:07you know
25:07that needs to be addressed
25:08Pradeepji
25:09that can't be washed
25:10under the ambit
25:11of larger investigations
25:13who is pressurizing them
25:14political pressure
25:15that needs to be addressed
25:16absolutely
25:16an investigation
25:16has to be ordered
25:17I want to bring in
25:19Salman Sors
25:20into this conversation
25:21Salman Sors
25:22you know
25:22while the treasury benches
25:24the government
25:25is responsible
25:26for the functioning
25:26of the parliament
25:27so is the opposition
25:28Salman Sors
25:29and if
25:30the opposition
25:32is serious
25:32about addressing
25:34the issues
25:35of the plight
25:36of BLOs today
25:37then play by the rules
25:39have that discussion
25:40I think the rule
25:42is that
25:43when you have
25:44such a horrible
25:45situation in the country
25:47where so many
25:48of our workers
25:49are dying
25:50these election workers
25:52are dying
25:53I think
25:54this should be prioritized
25:56and what
25:56the prime minister
25:57and the BJP
25:58want to do
25:58is they'll basically
26:00cast aspersions
26:01on anyone
26:01who raises
26:03the issue
26:04of the plight
26:05of these workers
26:06and the craziness
26:07of the SIR process
26:09that the election
26:10commission
26:10has instituted
26:12and by the way
26:13I would
26:13if I was a BJP
26:15spokesperson
26:15I would not
26:16bring up Manipur
26:17Manipur is one state
26:19you should not
26:19bring up
26:20that is a state
26:21where women
26:22and children
26:23have been raped
26:24where women
26:25have been paraded
26:26naked
26:26you should be ashamed
26:28that the prime minister
26:29did not visit
26:31Manipur
26:32at all
26:34would not say
26:35anything about it
26:36at all
26:37you should
26:38so I would not
26:39if I was a BJP
26:40spokesperson
26:40I would keep quiet
26:41I would shut up
26:42about money
26:43okay
26:44as far as
26:45this parliament
26:46is concerned
26:47now
26:49let us talk
26:50about parliament
26:50in this session
26:52it's going to be
26:5415 days
26:54the shortest
26:56the shortest
26:57session
26:57in history
26:59and there are going
27:01to be
27:0113 bills
27:02have been scheduled
27:0413 bills
27:0515 days
27:06and 10 of these
27:08bills
27:08have not even
27:09gone to their
27:10respective standing
27:11committee
27:12you want us
27:13to be serious
27:14you should be serious
27:16the BJP
27:17should be serious
27:18about 800 million
27:19people in India
27:20surviving on free
27:21government food
27:22that is the situation
27:24of this country
27:24that the international
27:26monetary fund
27:27is telling you
27:27that the data
27:29that you're putting
27:29out for our economy
27:30that gets a C grade
27:33you should be careful
27:34about what you want
27:35we want answers
27:37for the people
27:37of this country
27:38we want answers
27:39for the PLOs
27:40who have died
27:41by suicide
27:42that is the seriousness
27:44we want you to see
27:45we don't want you
27:46to talk about Manipur
27:46anymore
27:47because you shut up
27:49about Manipur
27:49for two years
27:50did nothing
27:51the prime minister
27:51was silent
27:52the time is up
27:53I want to bring in
27:54both Ashutosh
27:55and Rajat Satin
27:55to this conversation
27:56as political analysts
27:58devoid of ideology
27:59Rajat
27:59let's begin with you
28:00okay
28:01what should
28:02the opposition
28:04and including
28:05the government
28:07do
28:07that we see
28:08some work
28:09in this session
28:10at least we see
28:11some fruitful debates
28:12either sides
28:14need to bridge
28:15this deficit
28:16which is
28:17where trust is
28:18concerned
28:18rock bottom
28:19I think
28:21they should be
28:22they should not
28:24walk into the trap
28:25that the BJP
28:25would be laying
28:26over and over again
28:27you know
28:28what does BJP
28:29would want
28:30ideally
28:30the opposition
28:31creating a ruckus
28:32not allowing them
28:33to table an issue
28:34and then the BJP
28:35can also walk out
28:36saying that
28:36see
28:36we gave them
28:37a chance
28:37they never
28:38wanted a chance
28:38to discuss
28:39serious issues
28:39why do you
28:40want to fall
28:40into that trap
28:41each time
28:42see if you
28:43want to raise
28:43SIR
28:44be serious
28:45about it
28:45there are
28:46rules
28:46which are
28:47laid out
28:47you can have
28:48back channel
28:48conversations
28:49back channel
28:49negotiations
28:50that's how
28:50the parliaments
28:51used to work
28:52those are
28:52personal relations
28:53that you invoke
28:54and again
28:55the subject
28:55the main subject
28:57is the election
28:57commission
28:58which is not
28:59represented on the
29:00floor of the house
29:00so how do you
29:01ask those questions
29:02there has to be
29:03a meaningful way
29:04of engaging that
29:05you cannot say
29:06that SIR is illegal
29:07because it's a
29:07patently
29:08constitutional exercise
29:09so you need to
29:10support it also
29:11find ways
29:12in order to be
29:13a creative part
29:14of the
29:14political class
29:16they won't do that
29:17the problem is that
29:18if you want to
29:19discuss economy
29:20discuss economy
29:21bring out issues
29:22AI is the
29:23conversation around
29:23the world
29:24technology and
29:25technology dominance
29:26has completely
29:27shaken up the
29:27contours
29:28including security
29:29contours
29:29but as a
29:30responsible opposition
29:31you will find
29:32all of these
29:33issues too boring
29:33because this
29:34won't garner
29:34votes for you
29:35but let me tell
29:36you contrary
29:37to how you
29:38think that the
29:39Indian public
29:39falls for
29:40these are the
29:41genuine issues
29:42public is worried
29:43about and concerned
29:44about but as a
29:45responsible opposition
29:46have you ever
29:47chosen to raise
29:48these issues
29:48has your leader
29:50ever spoken on
29:51these issues
29:51in proper depth
29:52that is needed
29:53to handle it
29:54and even
29:54corner the
29:55government
29:55for that
29:55sake
29:56see the
29:56problem is
29:57you want to
29:57only look
29:58for theatre
29:59you want to
29:59only look for
30:00acting roles
30:01and then it
30:01results in a
30:02drama
30:02and this is
30:03what the
30:03prime minister
30:03has said
30:04and he
30:04basically
30:05he deliberately
30:06put in that
30:07line because
30:07he knew
30:08that the
30:09congress
30:09will fall
30:10into that
30:10trap
30:10and will
30:11create
30:11similar
30:11ruckus
30:12and will
30:12allow the
30:13government
30:13another
30:13peaceful
30:13another 15
30:14days or so
30:15throughout the
30:15parliament
30:16session
30:16this is my
30:17reading of the
30:18situation
30:18alright which is
30:20basically every
30:21fault lies with
30:22the opposition
30:23none with the
30:23government
30:24and the
30:25opposition
30:25now needs to
30:26you know
30:27place what
30:28Rajat Sethi
30:28says but I
30:29want to bring
30:29in Ashutosh
30:30into this
30:30conversation
30:31Ashutosh
30:32you know
30:32gone are the
30:33days you know
30:33Rajat seems to
30:34suggest the
30:35goodwill back
30:36channel talks
30:36where SIR is
30:37concerned
30:38I think it's
30:39been a year or
30:39two that that
30:40doesn't happen
30:41anymore where the
30:41parliament comes
30:42into question
30:43there is no
30:43goodwill
30:44anymore
30:45see Preeti
30:47mark my
30:47word
30:48the government
30:49doesn't want
30:50an opposition
30:50it's not a
30:52joke it wasn't
30:53a joke when it
30:54was said
30:54Congress
30:55Mukt Bharat
30:56ya Vipaksha
30:57Mukt Bharat
30:57so that agenda
30:59is on to
31:00discredit opposition
31:01at every given
31:03point of time
31:04discredit them
31:05so much
31:05with so much
31:07government
31:08machinery and
31:08resources that
31:09tomorrow the
31:10people will start
31:11believing the
31:11opposition because
31:12they don't want
31:12an opposition
31:13they hadn't
31:15there is no
31:16secrecy about
31:17it now the
31:17two things which
31:18really baffles me
31:19one the BJP's
31:21over vehement
31:22support to
31:23election commission
31:24despite
31:24Villalos committing
31:26suicide
31:26secondly election
31:28commissions
31:29sheer
31:30rigidity
31:31that this
31:33exercise has to
31:34be done in a
31:34month's time or
31:35or so
31:36now are these
31:38two things linked
31:38to each other
31:39I just don't
31:41don't know
31:41if anybody and
31:44everybody wants a
31:45clean voter list
31:46if that is the
31:47idea that is the
31:48aim that is the
31:49goal then why
31:51insist on 30
31:52days why not
31:54three months why
31:55not four months
31:56especially in a
31:57states where the
31:58elections are
31:59almost one and a
31:59half years away
32:00why so so much
32:03insistence on just
32:04one month 30
32:05days or 40
32:06days just spread
32:08out for three
32:09months the
32:10billows will have
32:10more relaxed
32:11time they
32:12will do a
32:13better job
32:13there will be
32:14better screening
32:15there will be
32:15better scrutiny
32:16but no it has
32:17to be done in
32:18a month's time
32:19whether the
32:19people are
32:20committing suicide
32:20or not suicide
32:21that is
32:21immaterial how
32:23cruel a system
32:24can be just
32:26imagine about
32:27the family of
32:27this man
32:28service just
32:29imagine about
32:30it this could
32:31have and and
32:32since he belongs
32:34to the lowest
32:35rung of the
32:35bureaucracy so
32:36nobody is
32:36bothered now
32:38left right and
32:39center the
32:39fir are lost
32:40against them
32:41how many
32:42dms have
32:42been sacked
32:43how many
32:43dms have
32:44lost their
32:44job none
32:45because they
32:46are powerful
32:46people
32:47fair point
32:48because these
32:49are the
32:49blos are the
32:50foot soldiers
32:51where the
32:51election commission
32:52is concerned
32:52and most taxed
32:53i want to
32:54quickly give
32:54in one one
32:55minute i
32:55believe and
32:56let's go with
32:57that first up
32:58pradeep bhandari
32:59one minute to
32:59put your point
33:00forward please
33:00go
33:01well the congress
33:05party speaking
33:06about northeast
33:07is like gabbar
33:07speaking about
33:08acting as jai in
33:10a sholay because
33:10it was congress
33:11which had bombed
33:12mizoram point
33:13number one
33:13point number two
33:14the fact here is
33:15that mr.
33:16ashitosh can go
33:17to the supreme
33:18court like
33:18yogi and
33:19riyadhav has
33:19what is stopping
33:20him to go to
33:21the supreme court
33:21because this
33:22domain 3 to
33:234 it is in
33:23the purview of
33:24the election
33:24commission and
33:25the supreme
33:25court maybe
33:25ashitosh has
33:27not read the
33:27constitution of
33:28india very
33:29well that is
33:29point number
33:30two point
33:30number three
33:31and which is
33:31a very very
33:31important point
33:32please go to
33:33the he was
33:34speaking about
33:34congress mukt
33:35bharat we do
33:35not want to
33:36do congress
33:36mukt bharat on
33:37our own it's
33:37congress which
33:38is doing it
33:38bihar the
33:39congress people
33:40are fighting
33:40against congress
33:41jammu and
33:41kashmira is
33:41nobody to pick
33:42up congress
33:42flag and
33:43karnataka it's
33:44the congress
33:44cm and deputy
33:45cm which are
33:45fighting you did
33:46six o'clock
33:46show on it
33:47so ashitosh
33:48call the
33:48congress which
33:48is doing
33:49congress mukt
33:49bharat the
33:50real intention
33:51is here when
33:51the election
33:52commission increase
33:52the honorarium of
33:53the blo you
33:54know who did
33:54not implement
33:55it it was
33:55only one
33:56government which
33:56did not
33:57implement it
33:57and the
33:58government is
33:58the tinnamul
33:59congress so
34:00here the
34:00culprit is the
34:01indian opposition
34:02which wants
34:02the blo's to
34:03be pressurized
34:04which do not
34:04want a free
34:05and fair
34:05process
34:06and we need
34:07to
34:07I just want
34:07to put a
34:08small show
34:08plug you
34:09said we
34:10have been
34:10doing karnataka
34:11congress
34:12versus congress
34:12but look at
34:13the ticker
34:13band right
34:13now it
34:14is mahayuti
34:15versus mahayuti
34:16where maharashtra
34:16is concerned
34:17stay tuned
34:18at 7.30
34:18to watch
34:19that show
34:19one minute
34:20I'm just
34:22telling you
34:24stay tuned
34:24for that
34:25one minute
34:26time starts
34:27now sir
34:28go ahead
34:28I want you
34:30to think
34:30back to what
34:31Rajat Sethi
34:32said about
34:32how the
34:33prime minister
34:34set a trap
34:34and the
34:36opposition
34:36fell into
34:37it
34:37if you
34:39think
34:40that is
34:41the case
34:42it really
34:43tells me
34:43that the
34:44prime minister
34:44is a very
34:44non-serious
34:45person
34:45that he
34:47does not
34:48seem to
34:48understand
34:49that there
34:50is a real
34:50crisis in
34:51this country
34:52of jobs
34:53of people
34:54not being
34:55able to
34:55afford food
34:56of real
34:58starvation
34:59concerns
34:59if a
35:00government
35:00handout
35:01is not
35:01provided
35:01to people
35:02I thought
35:03we were
35:04in the
35:04business
35:04of creating
35:05opportunities
35:06for the
35:06people of
35:06India
35:07so that
35:08they could
35:08fend for
35:08themselves
35:09but what
35:10the prime
35:10minister and
35:11the BJP
35:12have been
35:12doing
35:12is actually
35:14trying to
35:15create a
35:15situation
35:16whereby the
35:16people would
35:17be dependent
35:18on a
35:18welfare state
35:19and they
35:20would benefit
35:20the BJP
35:21would then
35:21benefit from
35:23that kind
35:24of a system
35:25because it
35:25would be
35:26where they
35:26can just
35:27donate money
35:27I think
35:28that the
35:28prime
35:29minister
35:29if he
35:29thinks
35:30that's
35:30going to
35:30sustain
35:31Sir time
35:31mark it
35:32will be
35:32a hard
35:32cut sir
35:33one minute
35:34Rajat
35:34Sethi make
35:35your point
35:35please
35:36Rajat
35:42Sethi your
35:42turn sir
35:43one minute
35:43can you
35:44hear me
35:45he's there
35:47with us
35:48go ahead
35:48yes go
35:48ahead
35:48yeah so
35:49what I was
35:50saying is
35:50that prime
35:51minister is
35:52far too
35:52serious a
35:53politician
35:53beyond the
35:54comprehension
35:54of the
35:55congress
35:55party and
35:56the entire
35:56opposition put
35:57together so
35:58for you guys
35:59to understand
35:59him you'll
36:00have to do
36:01a PhD and
36:02go to the
36:02public ask
36:03solicit their
36:04support and
36:05still you will
36:05find it very
36:06hard to
36:06understand him
36:07if you want
36:07to debate
36:08on genuine
36:09economic
36:09issues read
36:10up read
36:11up the data
36:12read up
36:12IMF reports
36:13this report
36:14that you are
36:14quoting as a
36:15C grade given
36:16to data
36:16there's just
36:17one clause
36:18that has been
36:19picked up and
36:20a narrative has
36:21been built
36:21what is a
36:22fact is that
36:23the country is
36:24growing at the
36:25fastest possible
36:26rate 8.2
36:27percent around
36:27the world
36:28the kind of
36:29global headwinds
36:30that are there
36:30working against
36:32India right now
36:32are unprecedented
36:33and in spite of
36:34that that shows
36:35the resilience of
36:36this country if it
36:36can grow at 8.2
36:37percent when such
36:38turbulence is there
36:39that gives us
36:40confidence it might
36:41not give congress
36:42party the
36:42confidence but it
36:43gives the normal
36:44citizen of this
36:45country far too
36:45much confidence
36:46that there is
36:46future in this
36:47country and if we
36:48work hard we can
36:49achieve the
36:49impossible
36:50but the
36:51problem
36:51time up one
36:53minute
36:54Ashutosh make
36:55your point
36:55I wish what
36:57the Rajas
36:57city is saying
36:58should have
36:59been true
36:59economy is
37:01growing at
37:01the rate of
37:028.02
37:03but IMF
37:04doesn't believe
37:05it it's the
37:06same IMF
37:06which talked
37:07about the
37:07fragile 5 and
37:08the BJP took
37:09to the whole
37:09world and
37:10ridiculed the
37:11congress
37:11development the
37:12Manmoun Singh
37:13government's
37:13development now
37:14the same IMF
37:15is talking about
37:16that India's
37:17data is suspect
37:18and that's why
37:19it has been put
37:20into the category
37:21of C
37:21C category
37:22imagine we
37:24are not
37:24discussing this
37:25the American
37:27Chinese economic
37:29security review
37:31openly say that
37:32the Pakistani
37:33army has
37:34succeeded over
37:35Indian army
37:36and it's not a
37:37terrorist attack
37:38it's an
37:38insurrection kind
37:39of a thing
37:40government of
37:40India has kept
37:41his mouth shut
37:42not a word
37:43that the confidence
37:45which our prime
37:46minister shows
37:47in our
37:48government
37:49what about
37:50the rest
37:50why we are
37:52not speaking
37:52why we are
37:54not telling
37:54why I am
37:55up to shut
37:55up
37:56why we are
37:56not telling
37:56the American
37:57administration
37:58shut up
37:58are you
37:59trying to tell
38:00us
38:00that's all
38:01the time
38:01that we have
38:01now Pradeep
38:02wants to come
38:02in but Pradeep
38:03if I come to
38:03you I'll have
38:04to give equal
38:04time to everyone
38:05and then it's
38:05just going to
38:06never end
38:06but what you
38:07can do Pradeep
38:08is stay tuned
38:08for the next
38:09show which is
38:10on the Mahayuti
38:11in Maharashtra
38:11because you've
38:12been tuning in
38:12to all our
38:13shows in
38:13Karnataka
38:14so I'm going to
38:14leave it at
38:15that thank
38:15you all
38:16four of you
38:17for joining
38:17us
38:17for the last
38:18one week
38:18you would
38:19have seen
38:19all media
38:20channels and
38:20networks fixated
38:21about the
38:22politics within
38:23the Congress
38:23where Karnataka
38:25was concerned
38:25the succession
38:27war where
38:28DKS and
38:30Sidhara Maya
38:31were concerned
38:32but little
38:34wonder that
38:35the neighbour
38:35Maharashtra
38:36in equal
38:37trouble where
38:38the Mahayuti
38:38alliance comes
38:39into question
38:40political tremors
38:41now shaking
38:42Maharashtra
38:43where the ruling
38:44Mahayuti
38:44alliance is
38:45facing infighting
38:46allegations of
38:47internal poaching
38:48and corruption
38:48right before
38:49key municipal
38:50elections in
38:51Maharashtra
38:52with partners
38:52accusing each
38:53other of
38:54engineering
38:54defection
38:55poaching
38:56voter bribery
38:57for days the
39:10political spotlight
39:11was on Karnataka
39:12as the DK
39:13shivakumar versus
39:14sidhara maya power
39:15tussle forced the
39:16congress into a
39:16temporary truce
39:17but now political
39:20turbulence has shifted
39:21next door
39:22this time the crisis
39:24is in Maharashtra's
39:25ruling Mahayuti
39:26unfolding on the
39:28eve of crucial
39:29municipal force
39:30tomorrow
39:30the latest flashpoint
39:33poaching allegations
39:35within the alliance
39:36itself
39:36local level
39:39defections
39:39triggered sharp
39:40reactions from
39:41Mahayuti
39:42partners
39:42who accused
39:43each other of
39:44engineering shifts
39:45just ahead of
39:46polling
39:46but chief
40:16minister
40:17eknath shinde
40:17moved quickly
40:19to douse the
40:19fire
40:46kuch bhavena
40:47hootie
40:47kuchh jagah
40:48peh
40:48hum
40:48bhali
40:49alag
40:49lardate
40:50lakin
40:51koji
40:52bhi
40:52aysa
40:53ah
40:54hama
40:54ra
40:54agenda
40:54kya
40:55hai
40:55development
40:56ka
40:57ustani
40:57ji
40:58joh
40:58ustani
40:58yag
40:59prashna
40:59hai
40:59vaha
41:00ki
41:00samashya
41:01hai
41:01us
41:01ko
41:01lelkar
41:02hum
41:02prachar
41:02kari
41:03kari
41:03bhi
41:04prachar
41:04hama
41:04ra
41:05hama
41:05harma
41:05harma
41:05mitra
41:06pachshay
41:06ke
41:06khilaab
41:06hum
41:06nai
41:07kari
41:08kari
41:08ki
41:08kai
41:12jaga
41:12peh
41:12hum
41:12saat
41:13me
41:13kai
41:13jaga
41:13peh
41:13nahi
41:14hai
41:14lekin
41:14iska
41:15matlab
41:15ye
41:15nahi
41:15hai
41:16ki
41:16ye
41:17chuna
41:17me
41:17hum
41:17sangar
41:18chakare
41:18earlier
41:21this month
41:21shinde met
41:22Amit Shah
41:23in Delhi
41:24a meeting
41:25closely watched
41:26within the
41:26alliance
41:27amid rising
41:28unease
41:28this meet
41:29came after
41:30shinde
41:30ministers
41:31boycotted
41:31a maharashtra
41:32cabinet
41:32meeting
41:33then came
41:36the most
41:37explosive
41:37charge
41:38from
41:39Sindhu
41:39Durg
41:39Shiv
41:39Sena
41:40MLA
41:40Nilesh
41:41Rane
41:41accused
41:41the
41:42BJP
41:42of
41:42voter
41:42bribery
42:08allegation
42:10As Maharashtra votes, the Mahayuti heads into polling day under a cloud of mistrust and public sparring.
42:32The real political test is next year's BMC election, the biggest civic prize in the state.
42:38Can the Mahayuti bridge the gap in time?
42:41Bureau Report, India Today.
42:46Alright, our Mumbai Bureau Chief Sahil Joshi joining with us, who exclusively spoke to Mr. Reknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister.
42:54But Sahil, what's going on inside? Is the Mahayuti house in order? Is it just posturing or is it real trouble?
43:01Well, at this point of time, one can only say that it's more of a posturing.
43:08I mean, it's been brewing since past one year because the day when Eknath Shinde realised that he cannot become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra the way he could in 2022.
43:20And ever since, Eknath Shinde has been a little bit upset for not getting a chance again because he genuinely thinks that the victory in Maharashtra in November 2024 elections,
43:33Assembly elections was because of his decision of implementing Larki Bahin, distributing 1500 rupees every month to 2.5 crore women in Maharashtra.
43:45And that is the reason why the Mahayuti, the Shiv Sena BJP and NCP alliance could win election with such a massive mandate.
43:53But he didn't get a chance. But at the same time, now these local polls, the city council polls, almost 288 city council elections are happening in Maharashtra.
44:04And in the next month or so, or maybe in the month of January, the big corporations, the BMC, the Thane Corporation, the Kalyan Corporation, Pune, Nasik are going to go for elections.
44:15What we can clearly see here is that there is definitely a fight within BJP and Shiv Sena for a one-up-punch ship between Eknath Shinde and Devinder Fadnam is for sure.
44:26Eknath Shinde has realised that if he doesn't put his weight behind his party workers, his party leaders,
44:33then the BJP is going to sweep these elections on their own and then their claim in 2029, Assembly elections or the Lok Sabha elections are going to be solid.
44:43So, he has realised that now he has to, somewhere he has to fight back, he has to come out of the shadow of the BJP and that's what he is trying to do in these city council elections, the local body elections.
44:58Very interestingly, Eknath Shinde, for the first time, he said it in those many words that the alliance dharma needs to be followed by everyone.
45:07It is not only one party's responsibility. Everyone should be following it.
45:11And, you know, what triggered this is basically that Shrikan Shinde, his son's constituency, the Lok Sabha constituency, where the BJP state chief poached people from Shiv Sena.
45:23You know, that unwritten rule within the alliance partners that they will not poach into each other's territory.
45:28And that's what happened and from there it actually triggered and we saw what Nilesh Rane, the Shiv Sena MLA alleged against, made allegations against the state BJP chief.
45:38So, you know, this is going to be the reality of the Maharashtra politics as what we can see at this point of time.
45:45The whole discussion around this election has been taken over by the BJP and Eknath Shinde all together because of this.
45:52Alright, so more posturing as of now, but trouble still brewing. Will it come to a boil? We'll see. That remains to be seen.
45:59Thank you, Sahil, for joining us. We're going to leave our viewers with the possibility of the film Dhorandar with Ranveer Singh running into legal trouble.
46:09We'll leave you with that.
46:10The family of late major Mohit Sharma, Ashok Chakra and Sena medal awardee,
46:39has approached the Delhi High Court seeking an immediate stay on the film's release and screening.
47:00The family alleges that Dhorandar heavily borrows from the officer's life including his covert mission
47:06and his martyrdom without their consent or that of the Indian Army.
47:23According to the petitioners, the film's unauthorized depiction infringes upon Major Sharma's post-humor personality rights under Article 21 of the Constitution.
47:31They further claim that the portrayal violates the family's right to privacy, dignity and emotional well-being.
47:38The petition also raises concerns that Dhorandar appears to portray sensitive military strategies,
47:57infiltration techniques and operational details without securing mandatory approvals from the Indian Army's additional
48:04Directorate General of Public Information.
48:06The family has requested the Delhi High Court to halt the release until they are granted a private screening of the film.
48:22This legal challenge comes shortly after filmmaker Adityadhar issued a public clarification on ex distancing Dhorandar from Major Mohit Sharma's story.
48:40Starring Ranveer Singh alongside Sanjidat, Aar Madhwan, Akshay Khanna and Arjun Rampal, Dhorandar is slated for release on December 5.
49:02Wether the film reaches theatres on schedule now depends on the Delhi High Court's ruling in the days ahead.
49:20Entertainment Bureau, India Today.
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