- 2 days ago
In Tamil Nadu, a political showdown is intensifying as DMK MPs are reportedly moving to impeach Madras High Court Justice G.R. Swaminathan.
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00:00Hello and welcome. Good evening. You're watching Super 6 here on India Today.
00:03I'm Akshita Nandakopal getting you all the top stories that we're tracking over the next 60 minutes
00:08with a keen eye of what's happening particularly in the southern states.
00:12We'll begin this broadcast by running you through the top two stories that we're tracking here on Super 6.
00:18Our first story is going to be from Tamil Nadu.
00:22Over the last many days, we've been seeing a huge, huge showdown
00:26over the lighting of the Deepam in Tirupara Kundram.
00:30Now, amid that the Tamil Nadu government is reportedly all set to take on the judge,
00:35DMK MPs are coming together to get signatures to impeach the judge, Yarswaminathan,
00:40who had actually said that you can go ahead and light that Deepam.
00:44We're going to be talking about that big news break that's come in
00:47as the political fight over the Madurai Temple continues.
00:51Also coming up on the show at 6.30 this evening,
00:53the Vande Matram debate has been wrapped up in the Lok Sabha.
00:57We'll get you all of the highlights in case you missed out that debate.
01:01Details coming up at 6.30, we'll get you highlights of what the Prime Minister said
01:04and Priyaka Gandhi's counter as well.
01:07I'm Akshita Nandakopal, here are the top 10 headlines of the day.
01:12DGCA's extended deadline to Indigo amid crisis ends.
01:15The airline was asked to explain the flight chaos.
01:18Sources say the DGCA is unlikely to provide any further extension.
01:23Moody's, meanwhile, a slammed Indigo crisis says it failed to plan air operations.
01:31Indigo's ramped up operations after nearly a week of disruptions,
01:34processing 610 crore rupees in refunds and returning around 3,000 misplaced bags.
01:40There are many more who are still waiting.
01:42As Indigo tries to restore full-scale operations,
01:48Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has warned of tough action to set an example.
01:53The minister speaking in the Rajasabha blamed the crisis on Indigo's internal issues
01:58triggered by new passenger safety norms.
02:00Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke in Lok Sabha today, marking 150 years of Vande Matram,
02:09the debate surrounding that, where he accused the Congress and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
02:14of echoing Jinnah's objections to the National Song and pandering to communal concerns.
02:19Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi-Wadra hit back on behalf of her party,
02:25questioning the need for a parliamentary debate on Vande Matram,
02:28saying there's no controversy around the National Song
02:30and alleging that the government is using the issue to distract from real public concerns.
02:38The Goa police have summoned senior government officials
02:41who are lapses linked to the recent nightclub fire.
02:44Five accused have been arrested.
02:45The others remain absconding.
02:47DNK MPs are reportedly preparing an impeachment motion
02:52against Justice G.R. Swaminathan of the Madras High Court
02:56after his order to light the Kartikai Deepam atop a pillar near the Dargah.
02:59The Tamil Nadu government has refused to implement the order,
03:02citing law and order concerns.
03:05The Kerala High Court has acquitted Malayalam actor Dilip
03:09of charges related to the abduction and rape of a fellow actor,
03:12ruling that he is not guilty.
03:14Dilip has been cleared of all allegations.
03:15And six other accused have been convicted in the case.
03:18Markets are ended today sharply lower with the sense it's down 610 points
03:25and the nifty slipping below 26,000.
03:28All sectors closed in the red.
03:30U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance is facing widespread criticism
03:37after an anti-immigration post that triggered online attacks
03:40targeting his Indian-origin wife, Usha Vance.
03:43The controversy follows his earlier comments on race
03:45and expressing hopes that his wife would convert to Christianity.
03:48There was a 6 p.m. deadline issued to Indigo to respond to a show cause notice from the DGCA.
04:04That deadline has officially come to an end.
04:08Remember that earlier, the DGCA offered Indigo 24-hour extension,
04:13but now the DGCA has made it very, very clear there will be no further extensions.
04:19Indigo was given the extra 24 hours.
04:22Adding that now is, in fact, when the deadline has come to an end.
04:28Indigo has been asked to explain what led to the massive flight chaos across the country,
04:34particularly on Thursday and Friday.
04:36We have been seeing, of course, that Indigo since then,
04:39after the DGCA went ahead and revoked its earlier order,
04:43the DGCA has been saying that Indigo has been saying that there's been improvement in air operations.
04:49Indigo has confirmed that today 1,800 flights have been flying.
04:53They're saying that there was 90% on-time performance today.
04:56But mind you, even today, there was quite a bit of cancellations, quite a bit of delays as well.
05:02Indigo has been maintaining that it will take a few days for normalcy.
05:06A full normalcy to return.
05:08But in the meanwhile, there are attempts to seek accountability here, very importantly.
05:12No one's going to forget this episode, even if normalcy is brought back.
05:15There are clear demands for answers of who is to be held accountable for so many passengers suffering.
05:21I'll bring in Amit Bharatwaj, who tracks aviation for us very closely.
05:25Amit, has there been a response from Indigo to the show course notice?
05:28Have they met their deadline?
05:29Akshata, let's be very clear about this, that the Indigo management and more so CEO of the Indigo, Peter Elbers,
05:38as well as the Chief Operating Officer, are not going to get any relief henceforth from the DGCA,
05:45as far as that show course notice is concerned.
05:47So, they will have to stick to the deadline because this deadline is something they put it on themselves yesterday while seeking the extension.
05:55And it was very clearly, it has been very clearly communicated what we are given to understand through our sources as well by the DGCA,
06:02that if Indigo fails to file that response, there will be ex parte decision taken by the DGCA in this particular context.
06:11So, either the Indigo CEO and COO respond or they will have to face the action from the DGCA Operations Department.
06:21Now, after the response is filed, what will happen?
06:23We are explaining this to our viewers as well.
06:26This letter will be obviously shared by the higher-ups in the DGCA as well as the Secretary Mocha.
06:30And eventually, the Minister will be briefed about the response that has been filed by the Indigo CEO as well as COO, Chief Operating Officer.
06:42Ramohan Naidu is in Parliament right now and till 7 in the evening, he will be there.
06:46So, obviously, after this briefing is done.
06:48So, let's be very clear that yes, the Indigo management will be pulled up, but so will the DGCA.
06:54So will the government on how they have addressed this particular crisis.
06:58Are they going to be cracking the whip against Indigo for the manner in which the airline has essentially handled this issue
07:04and the manner in which they left so many passengers in the lurch?
07:07Thanks very much, Amit, for joining us with those details.
07:10We'll await details of exactly what Indigo has said in response to that show-cause notice.
07:15Let's cut across to more breaking news coming in.
07:17And the Tamil Nadu Deepam controversy continues with DMK now declaring war on the verdict judge, G.R. Swaminathan.
07:32Sources reveal that DMK now is pushing for impeachment.
07:36Reportedly, DMK started getting signatures from members of Parliament to push for an impeachment motion against the judge.
07:44Remember, it was Justice Swaminathan who said that the Deepam close to the Darga in Tiruparang Kundram should be lit.
07:51That wasn't followed.
07:52At no point did the government give in.
07:54They refused to follow that particular order.
07:56And now they want to follow it up also with this particular move of an impeachment motion.
08:03Meanwhile, you're also seeing protests breaking out.
08:06A group of advocates held a protest outside the Madras High Court against the judge here.
08:11Members of the Federation of Lawyers Organization for Democracy and Secularism held this protest against the judge,
08:17seeking his impeachment pressure, clearly piling, seeking for action against the judge here.
08:23I want you to listen in to exactly what Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said on this entire issue,
08:30blaming the opposition, saying that this was a result of polarizing politics.
08:41In the United States, the
09:07That is the message from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister who maintains at this point that
09:22all of this is an unwanted controversy triggered by some.
09:26Pramod Madhul is joining us live from Chennai with more details on the story.
09:29Pramod, what are you picking up from your sources?
09:32You know, the DMK, we understand, is pushing for an impeachment motion.
09:35How do they plan on going about this?
09:41Well, Akshita, one thing is very certain.
09:43We were there at Tirupirgum in Dental Hills when this particular issue occurred.
09:45And we very clearly saw how the police were not ready to allow any kind of protester to
09:49climb up the hill or to, like, you know, the petitioner also to go ahead and light the lamp.
09:53Not just for one day, but it occurred for two days.
09:56And only after which an appeal was filed with the Supreme Court.
09:59And now the Chief Minister, who was in Madriyat, also very clearly called this as nothing but
10:04a kind of, like, dirty politics, cheap politics.
10:06And this is what is expected to resonate in the Parliament as well.
10:09As our sources claim that the DMK MPs are going ahead with a plan to bring in an impeachment motion
10:15and for which they are also collecting signatures as we speak, Akshita.
10:19All right. Pramod, thanks very much for joining us with those details.
10:21The DMK now collecting signatures, hoping that they will be able to get enough support
10:26to actually push for impeachment of the justice.
10:29The images that we're showing on our screens is from a few days ago on the occasion of Kartikai Deepam
10:34when there were attempts being made by some people to actually light the lamp based on the court order.
10:40This is what happened.
10:41There were riots, there were protests that broke out in Madurai, very close to Tiruparankunduram.
10:47And since then, this entire issue has escalated.
10:50But let me bring in on this broadcast our panellists also.
10:54We've got Selam Dhani Dharan, spokesperson of the DMK, S.G. Surya, spokesperson and president
11:00of the BJP Youth Wing in Tamil Nadu, K.V. Dhananjai, advocate of the Supreme Court as well.
11:05S.G. Surya, I'd like to begin with you.
11:07What does the BJP make of this particular move by the DMK?
11:11We understand they're now collecting signatures, trying to get maximum support
11:14to actually impeach Justice J.R. Swaminathan.
11:18In this entire episode, there is no transparency from DMK.
11:22They write from their arguments in the court, write from their stand in the public to this
11:27impeachment, so-called impeachment.
11:29It is not official.
11:30They have not said it officially.
11:32And none of the partners in the India Alliance have said anything about this because they
11:36know it is not acceptable in their part of the world or their part of the country.
11:40So here, first of all, the DMK's policy that the judge should give only favorable verdicts
11:47is laughable because there have been judges in the past who have given verdicts that were
11:51not acceptable both to the central government and the state governments.
11:55Just because this verdict is not acceptable to DMK, they're bringing in an impeachment motion
12:00is joke on this constitution.
12:02I don't think they are even going to push for this impeachment motion.
12:06Here's the justification from the DMK, Mr. Surya.
12:08They're maintaining that this is a verdict that was purely fueled by hate.
12:14The attempt was to create unrest in the state, which is the basic motive behind which they
12:20brought this kind of an impeachment.
12:23No, just because Hindus are reclaiming their thousands or hundreds of years old rights,
12:28it will not become hate.
12:29It will become hate to them, but not to the Hindus.
12:32Even the local Tiruparam Kundal village people, they are going to sit on fast from tomorrow,
12:39demanding to light the lamp in the Deepatun, which is in the top of the hill.
12:44So I don't think the true representation is made on what is happening in the ground.
12:50So we do not accept to their argument that it is fueling hate.
12:53This is just getting back the rights.
12:55Legally, after 40 years of legal fight, you should understand.
12:58For the 40 years, we have been fighting for this.
13:01Today, we have won it fair and fair in the court.
13:04They should argue in the court.
13:05They claim to have produced the best of the best advocates in the world and in the country.
13:09They should come to the courts and argue.
13:11All their arguments failed in the court.
13:13And today, they are hitting the streets, which is very unfortunate and is setting bad precedent.
13:18Even we must know that Mr. Athanavail Pandian, who was the DMK district secretary,
13:23went on to become the high court judge and the Supreme Court judge in the later days.
13:27Nobody in those times accused that the judge to be a DMK man.
13:31So this branding of judges and giving colours to the judges is the shameful act that the
13:36chief minister has stooped to this law is very condemnable.
13:38Let me bring in our other panellists.
13:40Mr. KV Dharanjay, advocate of the Supreme Court, is joining us on this broadcast.
13:44We also have Selam Dharani Dharan, spokesperson of the DMK.
13:47Mr. Dharanjay, to you first.
13:48What do you make of this particular move, sir, of seeking an impeachment motion against
13:53a judge because the order didn't go in your favour?
13:55Do you think this sets a wrong precedent or do you think it's fair what the DMK is pushing
13:59for?
14:00Well, I think this is an extreme measure.
14:03And I don't believe the DMK has a good enough justification for doing what they just did.
14:08You do not try to browbeat a judge of the high court by taking one judgment as a reference.
14:15You know, after I was called into the issue, I did some research of my own.
14:19And I find Justice J.R.
14:21Swaminathan previously has a lot of similar petitions, of course, not in the context of
14:26there being a dargah on the top of a hill, but then in other cases, you know, in Shivalingam
14:32in case of Tirunal Veli, he's passed an order in 2021.
14:36And so it's impossible for anyone to say that the judge could not have done what he did
14:41in this case, though some people might say that insisting on CISF presence was almost
14:47like a challenge to the state government.
14:50But, you know, it's possible the judge might have felt that this is a case where the religious
14:55right must be accorded due importance.
14:58And the judge might not have accepted the argument of the state government as to the possibility
15:02of escalation of violence if, you know, the IPAM is allowed on the top of the hill.
15:07And it's important also to note that there has been a great deal of precedent on this
15:11issue.
15:12So I think the DMK probably might want to, you know, send a chilling message to the judiciary
15:19here that please don't indulge in anything of this nature.
15:22But the DMK does not, they don't have to do anything like this.
15:26I think the law largely is in their favor.
15:28Now, the matter, I believe, will come up before a division bench of the Madras High Court on
15:32the 12th.
15:33And, you know, in matters like this, the state government could always take the pretext of
15:38law and order and then cite the 1992 Babi Masjid issue.
15:41What happened in that case?
15:43There were all kinds of assurances that there would only be a car saver and then the mosque
15:47could not be harmed or damaged.
15:49But something else happened.
15:50Yeah.
15:50You know, a very large number of people swelled, you know, came, swelled, and then the masjids
15:55were destroyed.
15:56So a government of the day today can always cite that example and say that the judgment
16:01of the executive and that the courts must defer to the judgment of the executive in a case
16:06like this.
16:06And eventually, I believe, DMK will prevail, maybe before the division bench or even...
16:12No, so ultimately, right now, the reason that the court order wasn't implemented is exactly
16:17what you said, Mr. Dhananjay, that the DMK said it's a law and order issue.
16:20But let me bring in Dhani Dharan of the DMK on this broadcast.
16:24Dhani Dharan, you know, the talk of this impeachment motion sends across a message that the DMK perhaps
16:30will target those judges who issue any order that doesn't seem to be what the government
16:35agrees with.
16:38There are two issues to it.
16:39Let me address the first issue and come back to the second issue.
16:42The first issue is that this temple and Dargah have been existing for more than 200 years
16:47together and people have been worshipping their people of respect to faith.
16:50There have been no worshipping there in harmony.
16:53In fact, in the foothills also, you see both Muslims and Hindus coexisting harmoniously
16:59and there has been no issue.
17:00This has been the stance of the Congress government which ruled Tamil Nadu in the 50s during the
17:03British era, the DMK in the 60s, 70s, ADMK in the 80s and then alternatingly between DMK
17:09and ADMK until Madam Jail Da was alive.
17:13So, why?
17:14So, no, you Hindus do not have a problem with this, Muslims do not have a problem with it.
17:17Now, one party with this template is to create religious disharmony, create fight between
17:23two religious groups and thereby come to power with a template we saw on north of India itself.
17:29There is the direct correlation between communal violence and BJP's electoral success.
17:32So, that is the main issue here.
17:34The issue is not the people.
17:35So, even the gentleman who has gone to the high court and filed a petition as a political
17:39party which is applied to the BJP.
17:40If there is an order that is coming from the court, that wasn't followed either and that's
17:44what led to the protest.
17:45The fact that that order wasn't followed.
17:48This whole point is subsequent to that there have been number of judges who have also given
17:52order who had maintained the previous order of the 1920s.
17:561920 there was an order.
17:57The temple belongs to the Hindus.
17:59That land which belongs to the Dargah would belong is 0.33 acres.
18:02No, that doesn't change.
18:03That doesn't change.
18:04This is about lighting of the Deepan.
18:06Yes, lighting of the Deepan.
18:07On that, the order.
18:09I'm coming there.
18:10I'm coming there.
18:11Yeah, please.
18:11Because I need to give context to your viewers.
18:12That's why I give the entire context.
18:13So, the lighting of the Deepan for the last 200 years or even before the founding of Justice
18:18Party has been not happening at the hilltop.
18:21It's been happening at the lower level.
18:22No one had a problem with it.
18:23Now, because of BJP, the problem with the judge.
18:25I'm coming to the judge.
18:26The constitution has mandate that you can launch an impeachment proceeding against the judge.
18:31We are only going by the constitution.
18:32No, but why?
18:33No, but why?
18:34Danithan, why?
18:35Why are you going ahead and doing this against the judge?
18:39Because I clearly said that's why the historical context was very important.
18:42This harmony was maintained by a delicate balance.
18:46Both faiths respected the other faith and based on that, the issue was going on.
18:50All the political parties that have ruled Tamil Nadu have also respected that.
18:54And the previous judgment also.
18:55So, this one specific judge, whatever his reasoning may be, has gone on, given a judgment.
19:00Then, considering the law and order.
19:01My chief minister is not chief minister for one faith.
19:04He's chief minister for everyone who lives in Tamil Nadu.
19:06However small their number may be.
19:07You have to understand.
19:08He may be of a faith or not be of a faith.
19:10His wife could be of a faith.
19:12But the whole point is that he's a chief minister for entire Tamil Nadu.
19:15His job is to maintain law and order and harmony.
19:18And which is why when the judgment came, we know this can create.
19:24But, no, so Dhani Dharan, then the question that will come up is in the manner in which
19:29it was taken care of, did that ensure no violence?
19:33No.
19:33There were protests.
19:34There was a riot-like situation.
19:36They broke out of Madriya as a result.
19:37Okay, we're just going to reconnect with Dhani Dharan.
19:43Surya, go ahead.
19:44See, there are two questions.
19:47We totally deny there will be communal tensions or communal disharmony in the state just because
19:52a lamp is lit in the property of the temple.
19:55It is very clearly argued by even the state government that Deepatun property belongs to
20:00the temple.
20:01So, how can just lighting a lamp in the Deepatun, which is the property of the temple, be inciting
20:07communal violences?
20:08I don't understand.
20:09Secondly, the Dargah did not come to the court and objected to the lighting of the lamp.
20:13In fact, in the year 2005 and also after that in several peace committee meetings, the
20:20Dargah has made it very clear that they do not have any objections to light the lamp, which
20:25is 15 meters away from the Dargah.
20:28This Deepatun is 50 meters away from the Dargah, so Muslims do not have a problem.
20:32The Dargah does not have a problem.
20:34Only the HRNC department and the DMK government has a problem.
20:38So, they are citing law and order.
20:39Surya, they are citing law and order and saying that this is all manufactured by the BJP.
20:44Not at all.
20:45Their problem is the vote bank.
20:47They want the Muslim votes to come consolidated without leaving a single vote.
20:51That's why they are appeasing the Muslims.
20:53They are turning against the Hindus.
20:55This is being watched by the people of Tamil Nadu.
20:57Certainly, in the coming elections, they will give a fitting reply.
21:00But my question is, the same question which the Justices Jai Chandran and KK Ramakishan
21:05have asked.
21:06Just by lighting a lamp in the property of the temple, how can there be communal riots?
21:12What does it say about the state of Tamil Nadu?
21:14Just by lighting a lamp on one day out of 365 days, if you think there will be riots in
21:21the state, what kind of communal harmony is it?
21:24We do not understand.
21:25You see, in so many Dargahs, they are lighting the lamps and the state government is promoting
21:29it.
21:30If you can light the lamps inside the Dargah, why not in the Deepatun, which is the property
21:34of the temple?
21:36We have given so many historical evidences to say that prior to the British, it was the
21:42place where Deepatun, the lamp was lit.
21:45So, it is not that we do not have historical evidences.
21:48It is not that the people are not against it.
21:51We are going to get Dhani Dharam back on this broadcast.
21:55We are having a bit of a problem with this connection to answer some of those questions
21:57that the BJP has put out.
21:58But Mr. Dhani Jai, coming back to this impeachment talk, you know, you heard from the DMK there,
22:04they are continuing to maintain that while this is a law and order issue, they also believe
22:08that this judgment would have led to a riot-like situation on the ground.
22:12Giving that as a ground to go ahead and push for an impeachment motion, do you think that
22:16will actually stand the test that is there for an impeachment motion?
22:20Absolutely not.
22:23The Constitution prescribes an impeachment possibility only when there is proved misbehavior or incapacity.
22:30Now, this is not a case of incapacity.
22:32And it's nearly, not nearly, it's impossible to characterize this judgment as proved misbehavior.
22:38There's absolutely nothing in the judgment that the DMK can cite to show that this meets
22:43the test of proved misbehavior.
22:45I believe the DMK is trying to send out a symbolic message.
22:48And again, we also have a very high threshold to secure impeachment.
22:51Just to have a motion for impeachment begun in the parliament, if, you know, for the Rajasabha,
22:58we need 50 members, or before the Lokasabha, we need 100 members.
23:02Now, outside of DMK, I don't believe anyone else is keen to, in fact, attach importance to this.
23:07And it's just my personal opinion that other parties should stay away from an extreme measure
23:12like this.
23:13The DMK has the forum of an appellate court.
23:16It eventually also has the forum of the Supreme Court.
23:19They should vent out their grievance there.
23:21What they are doing sets a very bad precedent, not because it will be effective.
23:25You know, even, let's assume for a moment, the DMK is able to get many members, 50 before
23:29the Rajasabha or 100 before the Lokasabha, to get a motion passed so that an investigation
23:34or an inquiry is commenced.
23:35Even after that inquiry is commenced, I can tell you that the Supreme Court will simply
23:39intervene because writing one judgment that is not palatable to the government in a manner
23:45that a reasonable person can't find fault with does not amount to proved misbehavior
23:49because that's the standard by which the Constitution, you know, wants impeachment to
23:54go on.
23:55So this is not proved misbehavior at all.
23:57So the DMK, perhaps, I'm sure, they also have wonderful lawyers within that party and
24:01they will be able to make sense out of the madness.
24:03In all likelihood, this is also just a case of grandstanding, that they don't expect to
24:08see this actually going through, considering it's a very elaborate process, an impeachment
24:12motion and ensuring it actually goes through.
24:15But perhaps this is all about messaging.
24:16But Darnit Dharam, we lost your connection.
24:18Apologies for that.
24:19We were, in fact, addressing the fact that, you know, you said this is a law and order issue.
24:23So ultimately, ultimately, with the Deepam not being lit, we still saw protests.
24:28We saw a riot-like situation break out in Madurai.
24:30See, I was making a point.
24:34Unfortunately, I had to lose my connection.
24:36The point is the chief minister is elected by the people of Tamil Nadu and not appointed
24:40by anyone.
24:41So which means that he also has a legitimacy from the people of Tamil Nadu.
24:44Right?
24:44So who represents the Hindus or a person of certain religious faith?
24:49Right?
24:50So the people are with the chief minister.
24:52And chief minister decided, based on the legitimacy from the people, what should be done?
24:56That's keeping the people of Tamil Nadu's opinion in mind.
24:59So then explain to me why we saw the violence and protests that broke out.
25:04If it was supposed to be, you know, if you did this to ensure that this exactly didn't happen,
25:09then it was wrong.
25:12A party, any party that has one person, Oshar, may have about one lakh, two lakh workers.
25:17If those workers will congregate in a place and protest, that doesn't mean that it's the
25:20opinion of people of Tamil Nadu.
25:21Has any person of following any of those faiths in Tamil Nadu, have they come and racked
25:25this issue up in the last 75 years or 78 years?
25:29Nobody.
25:31Irrespective, I'm not saying it's DMK.
25:32The ADMK, Congress, parties have ruled Tamil Nadu.
25:35Has this issue ever been raised?
25:36No.
25:37Now, even within the ADMK, BJP's alliance partner, there is a rift.
25:41The Yadapari Palliswamy is fighting with the BJP.
25:44Their party leaders like Jai Kumar has gone and said the customs of 100-year-old customs
25:48should be maintained.
25:50I think, for example, the former minister, one of the former ministers of the BJP, Selur
25:54Raju, has gone and said an opinion against the BJP's opinion on this matter.
25:58So, even within their alliance partner, there is a division on this view.
26:01That is because the people, you go to the states and talk to the people, regular people
26:05who do not have political affiliations.
26:07They will all say that we have been living harmonious here.
26:09Let this continue.
26:10Surya, go ahead.
26:11Your response to this.
26:12See, let me complete.
26:14So, when it comes to impeachment motion, whether it will succeed or not succeed, we don't
26:18know until we have the impeachment motion.
26:20We don't go for a motion in the parliament or a bill that is thinking that it will get
26:23passed or it won't get passed.
26:24You've leveled a charge against the BJP and the EIA-ADMK.
26:28Let Surya respond to that.
26:30No.
26:32Yeah, mister, the leader of opposition, I am sure his voice is the voice of the ADMK party.
26:38He has clearly stated that by not implementing the judgment which was pronounced by the Madurai
26:43bench of the Madras High Court, the state government has seared.
26:47So, the stand stops there.
26:48Even in DMK and Congress, there are so many problems.
26:51It's Praveen Chakravarti, who is the head of the data analytics department.
26:54He has met actor Vijay.
26:56That does not mean the party is getting into alliance with the Vijay.
26:59So, different people can have different views.
27:01But what is the finality is the leader of the political party's view and he has condemned
27:06the act of the state government for not implementing the judgment.
27:09I think the stand is very clear and loud.
27:12Secondly, Darnidharan says that we are a one-person party and people in the ground are not wanting
27:18it.
27:19But I am not sure if Darnidharan has ever gone to Tirparam Kundram temple.
27:23So, we have gone there like every month and we know people there.
27:27The entire village committee is in favor of lighting the lamp in the Deepathun.
27:31Today, they have met the collectors and they have asked for permission to sit on past and
27:35to death from tomorrow morning demanding the light be lit in the Deepathun, which is the
27:40historical place.
27:41So, they just add some views in their party-backed media to create a general opinion that people
27:47in Tirparam Kundram do not want the light to be lit in the Deepathun, which is incorrect.
27:52And we stand with the people of local Tirparam Kundram.
27:55We will definitely win this case.
27:55So, the BJP here, the BJP, Darnidharan, your final response to this, the BJP here saying
28:00very clearly that the people wanted this particular lamp to be lit in the Deepathun.
28:04It is clearly in temple property.
28:06So, what was the issue with allowing it to go ahead and happen?
28:08See, how do you know that people want it?
28:11If people want it, then people will elect the BJP in Tamil Nadu.
28:13No, so then I will go ahead and...
28:14In Tamil Nadu, it's not really happening.
28:15So, then Darnidharan, I'm not going to rely on either your word or his.
28:19If you tell me they were against it or if he says, you know, they're for it, I'm not
28:22going to rely on either.
28:23I'm going to rely on the fact that the court said it should be done.
28:25No, no, no, I'm coming there.
28:27See, the only way you will know it is either through an election or a referendum or the
28:32specific referendum on this issue alone for entire people of Tamil Nadu.
28:35What they think on this matter.
28:37This is the only way you will know.
28:38But because we are the elected government, we have the legitimacy of the people, which
28:42the BJP clearly does not.
28:44We strongly are telling that people do not want this interference with the BJP and they
28:49want the customs that have been followed for the last hundreds of years to be followed
28:52even now.
28:54The only way you can counter-prove me and rather opinion of a legitimately elected government
28:59that is which is elected by 6.4 crore elected of Tamil Nadu is by having an individual
29:05census or referendum on this matter, an individual referendum on this matter.
29:08Otherwise, it's all gibberish what we are saying.
29:10There is no merit in it.
29:11But it is in the constitution to call for an impeachment motion.
29:15We will give our strong points.
29:17It is up to the individual member of parliament.
29:18We have a Westminster system.
29:19Okay.
29:20So, they can now go against their party views also.
29:22They can go and vote whatever they want.
29:24Okay.
29:25But we feel we have merit in it.
29:27We will go and say the pros of it.
29:29Okay.
29:30Surya, quickly.
29:31I can see your hands up.
29:32Yeah, yeah, yeah.
29:33Surya, go ahead quickly.
29:34I have to wrap this up.
29:35BJP is nowhere in the picture.
29:36We did not file the case.
29:37The case is won by independent people.
29:39We are coming into the picture because the state is just a minute because this is to implement
29:46an order of the High Court.
29:48You cannot hide behind BJP.
29:50This is the order of the High Court which you have to implement.
29:53If you do not implement, it is a contempt.
29:55Very simple.
29:56BJP is nowhere in the picture.
29:57We have asked the question for urgent hearing in the Supreme Court.
30:02Similarly, we have also looked at the other constitutional mechanism to look at this matter because
30:07we feel that the tip of the iceberg, if we start doing this, BJP will start creating
30:11disharmony within Tamil Nadu in every other possible ways.
30:14We know what happened in Uttar Pradesh, we know what happened in Madhya Pradesh.
30:17What's that got to do with the impeachment of a judge?
30:19What's that got to do with the impeachment of a judge?
30:22Pardon?
30:23What's that got to do with the impeachment of a judge?
30:25Because the verdict, we feel, will bring about disharmony and also against the interests
30:32of the people of Tamil Nadu.
30:33Which is why you didn't follow it, but go ahead.
30:34Okay, so you are seeing also that the DMK is following that up with taking action now against
30:40the judge who delivered the verdict, Justice G.R. Swaminathan, whose pictures we have there
30:44on our screens.
30:45We leave it at this.
30:46Thank you very much, gentlemen, for joining me on this broadcast.
30:49The DMK now, we are hearing from our sources, picking up and collecting signatures to ensure
30:55that they get the numbers required for an impeachment motion.
30:57Can this actually go through?
30:59Highly unlikely.
31:00We have a very rigorous process, rightly so, to impeach a judge.
31:03It doesn't look like it will go through, but this is optics.
31:05Important ones at that that the DMK is resorting to.
31:09Let's cut across to breaking news that's coming in.
31:20TVK chief Vijay will be holding a rally tomorrow in Puduchedi.
31:24Puduchedi.
31:25There are extremely strict norms that have been put in place for this particular event.
31:30It's not going to be a road show like we have seen previously.
31:33It's not going to be an event that happens along the roads like what happened in Karur.
31:37In this particular case, restrictions include only 5,000 people being allowed for the rally.
31:43There will be QR code passes for supporters to actually enter to ensure that only the number
31:49that's allowed, which is 5,000, actually gather at that location.
31:53Pramod Madhav is joining us with more details on this.
31:56Pramod, the stage set for Vijay's mega rally tomorrow in Puduchedi.
32:00I don't know if I can call it mega because we understand that there are several restrictions
32:04in place to ensure that it's not massive.
32:07Well, Akshita, one thing is very certain after the unfortunate Karur tragedy where 41 people
32:14had died.
32:15This seems to be one of the biggest event after that because earlier Vijay went to a program
32:19at Kanchipuram, but that was a closed venue.
32:21We've been told that this is going to be an open ground once again.
32:24However, Puduchedi has limited, the government has limited the participants only to 5,000,
32:28like you mentioned, only carrying QR code invites.
32:31However, they are going to face a lot of difficulties because Puduchedi is a very small
32:35place.
32:36It's a union territory and it is also having boundaries that is shared with Tamil Nadu.
32:40So there is a Kadalu district and other districts that are surrounding it.
32:43How the police are going to control that, that's going to be a very big kind of issue that we
32:47are hoping that no untoward incident occurs.
32:49But right now, Puduchedi government has stated only 5,000 people are allowed and that too
32:53the TVK leaders have requested that like people with young children, pregnant women, elderly
32:59senior, I mean senior citizens are requested not to come for this event.
33:02That's where they are, that way they are trying to constrict as much as possible to make
33:06sure they go over there to just to listen to what Vijay wants to say, Akshita.
33:10Pramodh for getting us those details.
33:13Tomorrow we will track the latest that comes in from that rally.
33:16Everyone will also be watching out for what Vijay has to say.
33:19A Kerala court has acquitted one of the most influential once superstar of Malayalam cinema,
33:29Dilip, in the sexual assault case of his female colleague.
33:33This verdict has rocked Kerala.
33:36It's by far the most high profile case that's been going on for eight years now, where Malayalam's
33:40stars picked sides, where the survivor braved all possible challenges to fight the case,
33:45from her identity being revealed, to being threatened, to being completely alienated by the film industry.
33:51And that's exactly why this should be a national talking point.
33:54That an actor, who was not just accused of masterminding the sexual assault of his female colleague,
34:00but even accused of attempting to tamper with evidence, has been acquitted.
34:04Which begs the question, what led then to the assault in the first case?
34:07Dilip has been acquitted.
34:09Then why was the survivor, the victim, sexually assaulted in a moving car in Kochi all those years ago?
34:15And whose behest did this happen?
34:17Because Dilip's acquittal then means motive has disappeared.
34:21And for a moment, just imagine what this verdict does to the survivor.
34:25She's back to square one.
34:26Her brave, brave fight against Dilip alone has culminated in his acquittal now.
34:32And the legal fight moves to a higher court.
34:35So the harrowing journey begins all over again.
34:37And with that, the shaming, the targeting, the alienating.
34:47Here's a report on exactly what played out in court.
35:02Superstar Dilip is off the hook in the 2017 actor's sexual assault case.
35:13The Erna Kulam Prince Per Sessions Court pronounced its verdict on Monday,
35:17acquitting Dilip of conspiracy charges in the abduction and rape of the female actor.
35:25The court said the prosecution failed to prove his role in the crime.
35:29The court convicted six other accused of rape, abduction, criminal conspiracy and other charges.
35:36The convicts include Pulsa Sunni, the main accused in the case.
35:40The quantum punishment will be pronounced on 12th December.
35:48After the verdict, Dilip thanked those who supported him
35:51and alleged that the case against him stemmed from a statement by his former wife, actor Manju Warrior.
35:58Dilip claimed there was a conspiracy to destroy his image, but it failed in court.
36:03Altya Kulam Prince Fernandent.
36:06This kazanyi was the last organization who beat
36:21The people who have told me about their names are the ones who have told me about their names.
36:28In this case, there is a criminal in this case.
36:35There is a criminal in this case.
36:44The Kerala government has decided to file an appeal against a Sessions Court verdict.
37:14The BGP welcomed the verdict.
37:33The court has spoken and we are living in a democracy where the courts have a very significant
37:42role in adjudicating these type of crimes and deciding who is guilty and who is not.
37:48And I understand that the court has decided that he is not guilty.
37:51And so that is the law of the land and that is what will prevail.
37:56The verdict has left the film industry divided.
37:59Actor Parvati, who led a campaign seeking justice for the survivor, posted a social media message
38:05questioning the court judgment.
38:07Activists allege that the verdict is a travesty of justice.
38:12120B is not an easy thing to get conviction.
38:18That is the nature of that section.
38:21And it's not only that simple thing of conviction that matters.
38:27The cleaning up of Malayalam cinema industry area has happened due to this case.
38:34And the trial was a great challenge.
38:39It all began in February 2017 when a female Malayali actor ledged abduction and sexual assault
38:45by a group of people led by Pulsa Sunni.
38:48Dilip was accused of getting the criminals to commit the act.
38:52In July 2017, actor Dilip was arrested by SIT.
38:56Dilip was granted bail after 85 days in custody in October 2017.
39:02The trial then went on for six years from 2018 to 2024.
39:07On December 8, 2025, the Kerala court acquitted Dilip and two others and convicted six others.
39:14With the Kerala government now deciding to file an appeal against the verdict of the Sessions Court
39:21and the colleagues of the survivors saying that the fight is not over,
39:24the legal battle in the actress assault case is not over yet.
39:28While actor Dilip can feel relieved at the moment.
39:30With video journalist Tinkura Shekhar, Shibhi Molkeji for India today from Kuchy.
39:34Okay, let's get to your breaking news.
39:42Also, as the Kerala government has confirmed they will file an appeal against the verdict in this actor assault case.
39:49The Kerala law minister has confirmed that he has spoken to Chief Minister Pinaray Vijayan
39:55and the decision has been made that they will appeal against the verdict that acquitted Dilip in a higher court.
40:01So, the Kerala government making it clear that they are backing the survivor in this case.
40:07The government has decided to go for an appeal.
40:12We have discussed with the Director General of Prosecution and the Chief Minister and other officers
40:20and the Chief Minister has given direction.
40:22After going to the details of judgment, what was needed, we should take that.
40:27And the government has decided to submit an appeal.
40:30Whenever an accused is acquitted, then this is the general phrase.
40:37All judges should mention this.
40:39On the basis of that, the accused is accused.
40:43Then why and how?
40:45That we can find only after reading the full judgment.
40:48We bring in Shibimol for more details on this, Shibbi.
40:52For the survivor in this particular case, this will be a relief that the Kerala government has said that they will go ahead and also push for challenging this particular order in a higher court.
41:05Well, exactly, Akshita.
41:06In fact, that was expected also that the government will go for an appeal against the verdict because they said that the first part of the judgment is satisfying as the six accused were directly involved in the crime have been found guilty.
41:22But the second part is definitely not satisfying and it's concerning because without a clear motive, without a conspiracy behind it, it is not possible to execute a crime like this.
41:31This is what the government believes, is what the survivor believes and we stand by the survivor is what the government has today said.
41:38In fact, the law minister has also directed the prosecution to start the initial proceedings to fire an appeal as the appeal should be filed in the next 30 days itself.
41:46So, the proceedings, the initial proceedings have already begun is what we are understanding and this definitely is a major relief for the survivor because we were hearing from close sources that she was very worried about how the verdict is going to be and if the actor is, you know, acquitted in the case, then she will have to take this fight again to the higher courts itself.
42:05So, that is what we are seeing.
42:06So, the legal battle doesn't get over here.
42:08It was expected earlier also that...
42:10My apologies for interrupting, but we are getting more breaking news that's coming in.
42:14Let's cut across to that.
42:22So, the confirmation coming in that Indigo has filed its response to the show cause notice from the DGCA.
42:28Information that we are picking up right now is that the letter is highly guarded, meaning that the, in fact, communication from Indigo is something that they are not going to do.
42:37Something that they are not going to reveal right now.
42:39Remember that the DGCA saw details from Indigo on the flight chaos and the mess that had played out in the last few days.
42:46Amid that Indigo has filed its response.
42:48They were to meet a deadline of 6pm, which they seem to have met, but sources telling us as of now the details of the letter will not be revealed at this stage.
42:58Meanwhile, we understand that there is also going to be a meeting of the DGCA and also Civil Aviation Ministry officials that could happen this evening.
43:09And reportedly, deliberations on the response filed by Indigo will be taken up in this meeting.
43:13So, the government will figure out what exactly is to be done next based on the response given by Indigo.
43:20Top Indigo officials have also been summoned by the DGCA.
43:24The flight watchdog, the DGCA has summoned Indigo, our top leadership, including the CEO, Peter Elbers, who has been issuing statement after statement and has been pulled up for the kind of statement and the stand that Indigo has taken amid this mess and leaving so many passengers in the lurch.
43:41There will be a four-member DGCA panel that will question the Indigo top brass.
43:51And let's hope that with that, you know, with some steps now moving forward, we are going to be seeing accountability being fixed as well.
43:58Let's get your highlights of the debate that played out in Lok Sabha over Vande Mataram.
44:03Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the debate in the Lok Sabha and also targeted the Congress, criticizing them, accusing former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of echoing Jinnah's opposition to the national song and catering to communal pressures.
44:16For the Congress, you had MP Priyanka Gandhi-Wadra countering that the government was using the issue for political gains.
44:22And she argued that the debate was driven by the upcoming West Bengal elections and an attempt to distract the public from real issues.
44:29Here are some of those highlights.
44:31What to say.
44:33Okay.
44:34What are the claims which you can call for?
44:35The very same.
44:36I have done something.
44:37We are the.
44:38You have done something.
44:39Today, I am.
44:40I am.
44:41Oh, God.
44:42Oh, any other.
44:43What can I have done?
44:45I have done.
44:46I have done something.
44:47I am done.
44:48What can I have done.
44:50Do you believe?
44:52How can I have done some of the.
44:53If you have done some of the details.
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