- 7 weeks ago
This edition of India First discusses the geopolitical shockwaves following the US abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, an operation reportedly involving F-35 jets against Chinese-made air defenses.
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00:00Good evening is the takeover of Greenland next after the abduction of President Maduro of Venezuela and his wife.
00:08The US, after the success of its operations in Caracas, is reported to be working on a multi-pronged offensive.
00:15Israel is looking at a regime change in Iran.
00:18President Trump has already warned Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that a regime, if it uses any force on street protest, it will invite a strong US response.
00:31But take a look at the world map.
00:33From Colombia to Cuba, from Greenland to Iran, there are multiple targets for the United States of America.
00:43Which brings us to our big question of the day.
00:45Is there no rule-based order?
00:47Is it the law of the jungle in the world now?
00:52Might is right.
00:53And what happens to the United Nations?
00:56Is it now way past its use-by date?
00:59What should one make of President Trump's statement, even on India?
01:03And that's our focus on this special broadcast.
01:09Venezuela and Maduro in US grip.
01:17From Caracas to South Asia.
01:28Chinese weapons crumble again.
01:36Trump on a warning spree.
01:39Greenland, Colombia, Iran.
01:47Greenland, Colombia, Iran.
01:54Those swans, India on Russian soil.
02:01Donald, biggest bully, Trump.
02:04So, 150 US warplanes, attack helicopters, Chinook transport helicopters, electronic warfare aircraft and choppers.
02:16They swarmed the Caracas skies as missiles targeted multiple air bases, radars, military installations.
02:23And as deposed, Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro and his wife were paraded on the New York streets.
02:29And we'll show you those images.
02:31They've been indicted on four counts.
02:33More details have emerged on the operation and the failure of the Chinese diplomacy, radars and equipment.
02:42But the bigger question, can a head of state be abducted?
02:48Has the world response been rather muted?
02:52Are Greenland, Cuba, Colombia and Iran next on Trump target?
03:08Sudden strikes and a dramatic turn in Venezuela.
03:12President, Nicolas Maduro, under U.S. custody.
03:19As Maduro's grip on power collapses, the United States is moving fast.
03:24President Donald Trump boldly claims Washington is now in charge of Venezuela
03:28and will run the oil-rich nation until a political transition is complete.
03:34We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.
03:43But the bigger question is, how did Venezuela's heavily armed military fail to respond?
03:50For years, Caracas flaunted Chinese-made systems, from the stealth killer JY-27 radars to amphibious assault vehicles and fighter jets,
04:03claiming the most advanced defense network in South America.
04:06Yet, when the U.S. operation struck, that defense collapsed within hours.
04:15Electronic warfare blinded radars, command networks froze and anti-radiation missiles followed.
04:22Without air cover, heavy ground equipment was destroyed or abandoned.
04:30Even the latest JY-27A radars, one set to lock onto U.S. stealth jets, proved useless.
04:40A combination of real-time intelligence, electronic warfare and precision strikes
04:45knocked out both Chinese and Russian air defense systems.
04:49Reportedly, the only damage to U.S. forces came from scattered small arms fire.
04:57Nicolas Maduro had his chance, just like Iran had their chance.
05:03Until they didn't and until he didn't.
05:06He effed around and he found out.
05:10President Trump is deadly serious about stopping the flow of gangs and violence to our country.
05:15Deadly serious about stopping the flow of drugs and poison to our people.
05:21Deadly serious about getting back the oil that was stolen from us.
05:26And from Venezuela to South Asia, the pattern repeats.
05:31During India's Operation Sindur, Chinese-origin systems used by Pakistan underperformed.
05:38Indian Ramos missiles destroyed air bases and command centers.
05:42Rafale jets, armed with scalp and meteor missiles, dominated the skies.
05:48While indigenous systems like Akash Teer neutralized drones and missiles with precision.
05:55Chinese JF-17 fighters, air defense systems and drones were bypassed, jammed or destroyed.
06:03The message is clear in real combat.
06:08Chinese weapons often fail against modern electronic warfare.
06:12And precision strikes.
06:14And it has failed twice recently.
06:18But for Donald Trump, Venezuela may only be the beginning.
06:23The American president has renewed his warnings on Greenland, Iran and Colombia.
06:28Colombia is very sick too, run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.
06:37There's been protesters killed in Iran.
06:40You said we were locked and loaded, ready to go.
06:42What is the line there when the U.S. is going to get involved in those protests?
06:45We're taking a look.
06:46We're watching it very closely.
06:48If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they're going to get hit very hard by the United States.
06:54And I think that's as well.
06:55On the other hand, Donald Trump has called Prime Minister Modi a good man, but has threatened to raise tariffs on India's crude oil imports from Russia.
07:05Modi is a very good man.
07:08Yes, he's a good guy.
07:09He knew I was a good athlete.
07:11And it was important to make me happy.
07:13They do trade.
07:14And we could raise tariffs on them very quickly.
07:17It would be very bad.
07:19Our adversaries remain on notice.
07:22America can project our will anywhere, anytime.
07:27In a world of sudden strikes and shifting alliances, one thing is clear.
07:32In modern warfare, no nation is beyond reach.
07:37Euro Report, India Today.
07:39So Denmark's Prime Minister, Mata Fedriksson, has once again asked the United States to stop threatening to take over Greenland after President Trump said he absolutely needs Greenland.
07:56Colombia, Cuba, Iran, what next?
07:59And that big question, is there no rules-based order in the world?
08:02Has global response been rather muted?
08:05Let's try and make sense of some of these developments.
08:07Joining us on this special broadcast, Ambassador Yash Sina, former Indian Ambassador to Venezuela, former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
08:15Vanessa Newman is former Ambassador of Venezuela to the United Kingdom.
08:18Welcome.
08:19Left-in-Channel Sayyad Atta Haslen is former Military Secretary and an Analyst of International Relations, as is Daniel Silverberg, Managing Director at Capstone in the United States of America.
08:30Ambassador Newman, Keir Starmer, is a very well-respected human rights lawyer, the Prime Minister of the UK.
08:36The opposition in the UK has urged him to condemn U.S. actions, but he's refrained.
08:43Has Europe's response been rather muted in your view?
08:46And what does this mean for rules-based order?
08:50Thank you very much for having me.
08:54I think it is for the rules-based order because Maduro was not a legitimate president.
08:59He had lost the presidential election.
09:02Your own country is the biggest democracy in the world.
09:06And he lost the presidential election, and yet he clung to the presidential palace.
09:11He was supposed to have left on the 10th of January of 2025.
09:14So he did not have the legitimacy, and he did not have immunity.
09:19He was a wanted drug trafficker, narco-terrorist, for very solid investigations that had dated back to even while Chavez was in power and Maduro was his foreign secretary.
09:30That information is clearly laid out.
09:32I personally have written a book about it, and the DEA has thousands of files on it.
09:37So, to my mind, this particular decapitation strike, the capture of Maduro, reinforced the rules-based order.
09:48You cannot cling to the presidential palace against the will of your people and do whatever you want to them.
09:55And I have written that—
09:56Should this come through the United Nations, or can a powerful democracy or a country like the United States take unilateral action?
10:04Because today, it is the United States. Tomorrow, it could be China and Taiwan.
10:10Well, that could be, and we might be facing that China and Taiwan.
10:14And the Taiwanese, by the way, have a right to self-determination the same way my people, the Venezuelans, have a right to their self-determination.
10:21Okay?
10:22What the situation is that Venezuela wanted Maduro out and the United States obliged.
10:27Now, I, in my personal opinion, I think other countries, but I have written, is in since 2004, my doctorate was exactly about the fact that they, because the international order continues to do business, buy the oil, the gold, the diamonds, the, you know, whatever the commodity is,
10:47and give people access to central banks, ports, airports, no matter what they do to their own people, is the proximate cause of tyranny around the world.
10:57So this is on all of us. The fact that we have so many tyrannies on the world is because people, they have learned that all you have to do is get into the presidential palace, win your first election, seize all the assets, seize all the resources, murder your own people, and nobody else will do anything about it.
11:14Ambassador Sina, you're reading, okay, Ambassador Sina, you're reading of this, because what would this mean for rules-based order, or should the United Nations just lock its doors shut shop, because now the US will decide what it wants to do in the Western Hemisphere?
11:31Absolutely. I think the description that Ms. Newman made of an autocratic leader can be applied to many leaders, current leaders, and people leading from behind.
11:42So should decapitation strikes be ordered against all of them? And one particular so-called leader, I call a failed marshal in our region, is the best friend there in the White House, is feted and given lunch.
11:57So I mean, this ridiculous argument that you have the right to go and abduct a president, legitimate or illegitimate, is not the question.
12:06I'm aware that the elections, he had lost the elections, and Edmondo Gonzalez had actually won the elections.
12:14But where is Edmondo Gonzalez?
12:15Why is, you know, why has Nicolás Maduro been abducted, and the vice president has been, Rodriguez has now been, Delsi Rodriguez is now the interim president.
12:30What about Machado, the Nobel Prize winner, Maria Corina Machado? What about Edmondo Gonzalez, who won the election?
12:40If he's the legitimate president, shouldn't he be sitting in Mira Flores' palace right now?
12:46So I think this whole thing of taking the law into your own hands, any and everybody can do it.
12:52It is setting a very bad example. And in my opinion, it opens a Pandora's box.
12:58It does, because this would mean that the world, Daniel Silverberg, is just going by law of the jungle.
13:07Might is right. Trump doesn't like Maduro, so he'll have him abducted.
13:11What about the United Nations? Should this not have happened through the UN?
13:17I think it's really important to understand how President Trump and his team are viewing this action
13:25before we assess how the UN and others might respond.
13:32President Trump viewed this as a backyard operation.
13:37He has been very clear in his national security strategy, in his rhetoric,
13:43and now I would argue in his actions,
13:46that the Western Hemisphere is an extension, in his view, of the United States.
13:55It is part of our sphere of influence.
14:01And as Marco Rubio said yesterday on Sunday shows,
14:06which, by the way, I think provided the clearest lens
14:10of the internal deliberations of the administration,
14:14Marco Rubio said we are not going to allow any country
14:18to serve as a platform for our adversaries,
14:24Russia, China, and Iran, to operate in our region.
14:27So I, frankly, don't think that this administration
14:33is particularly concerned about the UN in this instance,
14:40about a multilateral approach.
14:42They viewed it as a Monroe Doctrine-like
14:46backyard sphere of influence effort to protect the US.
14:52And we can argue whether this was the right move or not,
14:55but I think for starters, it's critical to understand
14:57how they were viewing it.
14:59Okay, so the president is gone, the regime remains,
15:05depends whether it will be stable
15:07and how stable will it be in the times to come.
15:10But Ambassador Newman, it's Venezuela today,
15:13Cuba tomorrow, or Colombia tomorrow,
15:16Greenland next, Iran on target.
15:19This would somehow indicate that rules-based order
15:23have now been thrown out of the window.
15:26UN does not matter.
15:27It depends what President Trump thinks.
15:32And by the way, my surname is pronounced Neumann,
15:34like Freud.
15:35Neumann.
15:36Perfect.
15:36Yeah, that's all right.
15:39Unfortunately, I'm used to it.
15:40I think I absolutely 100% agree
15:44with what Mark Silverberg said.
15:46It was very clearly stated in the National Security Strategy
15:49that the United States views this as their sphere of influence
15:52and views it as a threat to their national security,
15:55the drugs, the migration.
15:57Don't forget, 9 million people, myself included,
16:00you know, have fled Venezuela.
16:02Left the country.
16:03Have left the country.
16:05It's bigger than Ireland, okay?
16:07And because they can't...
16:09There's no life there.
16:10There's only repression, corruption,
16:11and it's a horrible life.
16:14So they've gone to find better lives elsewhere.
16:16Now, I think that the UN has been ineffectual
16:22for a very long time.
16:24I wrote about this, again, back in 2004,
16:27saying that where we...
16:29And this, what I argued,
16:31was actually based on what was chic at the time,
16:33was the responsibility to protect.
16:35Does anybody remember that?
16:37The R2P doctrine that was going through the United Nations
16:41and was supposed to help us, you know,
16:44have a cosmopolitan view of our international brotherhood
16:48to defend our rights,
16:50that is the ethical and moral justification,
16:53the responsibility to protect of the United Nations
16:56is really what underpins that type of action.
16:58A, on the one hand.
17:00On the other hand,
17:00you also have the national security strategy
17:03of the United States,
17:04that the Western Hemisphere is the biggest source
17:07of migration, drugs, and trade.
17:09And, yeah, they're concerned about it.
17:11As for the other countries...
17:13So, two very important points.
17:13I'll leave that to other commentators.
17:16Ambassador Sina, two very important points.
17:18One, this is U.S. war against drugs.
17:23Does this indicate the U.S. next will go after,
17:26whether it's Colombia or Cuba,
17:28and does not want China or Russia's influence
17:31in the Western Hemisphere?
17:32Does this bring the U.S. directly in collision
17:35with China and Russia,
17:37and the fact that the Chinese have massive investments
17:40in Venezuela, the Russians in Cuba?
17:43You know, as far as Chinese investments
17:46in Venezuela are concerned,
17:48they're probably less than Chinese investments
17:49in other countries in the region.
17:51But be that as it may,
17:52I think China and Russia have a presence,
17:56they've always had a presence,
17:57in Latin America,
18:00in Venezuela in particular.
18:01But was that a threat to the United States?
18:04I guess only the U.S. can judge that.
18:07But to make another point,
18:09because we had elections in our neighborhood,
18:12in Pakistan,
18:13and the most popular leader
18:15and the person who was supposed to have won
18:17that election is in jail.
18:19Yes.
18:20And we have a government
18:23which has been installed by the army.
18:26And this self-appointed field marshal
18:28is being feted in the White House.
18:30So, you know,
18:31I don't want to carve a sphere of influence for India,
18:34but what happens in our neighborhood
18:35certainly concerns us.
18:37Look what's happening in Bangladesh.
18:39There was a movement there
18:42which overthrew a legitimately elected government.
18:44And now we have jihadis running all over.
18:47Is that the sort of exceptionalism
18:49we are looking at?
18:50Because I think we need to be very careful.
18:53And that's why I said,
18:54when you open the Pandora's box,
18:55the R2P,
18:56I was very much in the UN in New York
18:58that I know the India opposed it
19:00precisely for these reasons,
19:02because it'd be used for your own ends
19:05and under a rubric of larger,
19:08you know, common good.
19:10So I think what has happened,
19:11I'm not in any way trying to defend
19:14President Maduro and his regime.
19:17On the contrary,
19:18I'm aware of sort of the shenanigans
19:20that went on.
19:21What I have a problem is
19:23the way he was abducted
19:25and brought there.
19:27I mean, he's a fugitive from justice,
19:29according to what I've read
19:31from the US government,
19:33the administration.
19:34But the fact that there are many fugitives
19:36from justice,
19:37do you go after all of them
19:38and pick them out
19:39from wherever they are
19:40in their holes?
19:41After all, Saddam Hussein
19:42was picked up from Iraq
19:45and see what happens,
19:46what had happened to Iraq
19:47in Afghanistan.
19:49See what's happening in Afghanistan.
19:51So I think...
19:52Look at what happened in Libya
19:53and nobody's defending Colonel Gaddafi.
19:55Nobody's defending...
19:57Look at Syria.
19:57Look at Syria.
19:58We have a person
19:59who was on the most wanted list
20:00in the sanctions list
20:02of the UN.
20:02He's now sitting as president.
20:04Of course, he could have...
20:05Oh, absolutely.
20:06Ambassador Neumann does not agree.
20:08She wants to come in,
20:09but I want to bring in
20:10General Hasnain
20:10before I lose him again.
20:12Ambassador Neumann,
20:13give me a moment.
20:13Daniel Silverberg,
20:14give me a moment.
20:15General Hasnain,
20:16on the military aspect,
20:18you know, as an aside,
20:19I want to raise the point.
20:20Has the myth,
20:21the myth of Chinese anti-stealth
20:24been shattered?
20:26Look at how Chinese air defense networks
20:28were blind to the US offensive.
20:31Sir, is this another setback
20:33to the Chinese-made weapons
20:35and systems after Operation Sindhur?
20:38Thank you, Gaurav,
20:39for having me on your show.
20:40I'm sorry.
20:41The audio was not too good
20:42in the beginning
20:42before I could join.
20:44So I've not really followed
20:45the entire show,
20:46but I've got your question exactly.
20:48Yes, there's no doubt
20:49that when you make an assessment
20:51of Chinese weapons
20:52and wherever they have performed,
20:54we've seen this not twice,
20:55the second time, 2025-26,
20:58the performance obviously
21:00has been of a very low quality.
21:04I'm not sure in the case of Venezuela
21:06whether the Venezuelan armed forces
21:10were prepared to resist.
21:13Now that is a question,
21:15that's a bit of a doubt in the mind
21:16because if they were ready to resist
21:20and if in that case
21:21they could not determine,
21:23discern the early warning
21:25of an impending US raid,
21:28then obviously the quality of weaponry
21:31that they had,
21:31the quality of radars,
21:33early warning equipment,
21:34is highly suspect.
21:36But having said that,
21:38I would also add one more comment
21:40on the military aspects.
21:43The United States has done a,
21:45well, they've done
21:45a fairly professional job,
21:47no doubt.
21:48I believe they've been preparing
21:49for the better part of six months
21:51on the intel regarding
21:52Venezuelan deployment
21:54and protection and security
21:56for their president.
21:57But the history
21:58of the United States Special Forces,
22:01apart from the absolutely
22:03outstanding action
22:04against Osama bin Laden,
22:06has not been very good either.
22:09And to think that you can,
22:10they can take out
22:11something like this
22:12through a surgical strike
22:13going into Mexico
22:15or going into Colombia
22:16or going into Cuba, etc.,
22:19you'll have to think
22:19many times over.
22:21I may remind everyone
22:22what happened to the Delta Force
22:24way back in 1979, 1980,
22:28when an attempt was made
22:29to try and rescue
22:30the 54 hostages
22:32who were taken there,
22:34hostage in Tehran,
22:35during the Iranian revolution.
22:39So I think it would be
22:41a very risky thing
22:42to take this as an example
22:44and start executing operations
22:47all over the Western Hemisphere
22:49just to take out
22:51various offenders
22:52under the garb
22:53of national interest.
22:56Okay.
22:57Daniel Sullivan,
22:58how do you view
22:59America saying
23:01will not permit
23:02Russian and Chinese
23:03or foreign influence
23:03in the Western Hemisphere?
23:05what is the U.S. appreciation?
23:08How is China likely
23:10to respond to this
23:11beyond their opposition
23:13to these actions?
23:16Or will China
23:17just take this template
23:18and try it in Taiwan 2027?
23:23I frankly don't think
23:25that China's leadership
23:27is impacted
23:29one way or another
23:30in terms of their calculation
23:32on Taiwan
23:32regarding what happens
23:36in Venezuela.
23:36When President Xi thinks
23:37that it's the right moment
23:39to attack Taiwan,
23:42then he'll do it
23:43regardless of what's happening
23:44in the Western Hemisphere,
23:46Ukraine,
23:46or any other part
23:47of the world.
23:48And it's the job
23:48of the United States
23:49and key allies
23:51like India and Japan
23:52to dissuade him
23:54from doing that.
23:56I don't think
23:58that this operation
23:59is going to have
24:00a significant impact
24:01on U.S. relations
24:03with any of our allies
24:05or adversaries
24:07at this point.
24:08I am concerned
24:08as a former
24:09long-time
24:10lead congressional counsel
24:12who was responsible
24:13for war powers
24:16and congressional oversight
24:18of military action,
24:19I frankly am concerned
24:21that there was
24:22such distrust
24:23between the administration
24:24and Congress
24:25that not even
24:26the Gang of Eight,
24:27not even a small group
24:28of members,
24:29was briefed on this.
24:31But in terms
24:33of what this means
24:34for U.S. foreign policy,
24:36it is still so early.
24:39We simply don't know.
24:41What we do know
24:42is there's going
24:43to be a major effort
24:44to stabilize
24:44Venezuela's
24:46oil economy
24:48to make sure
24:50that it's diversified
24:52and not merely
24:54in the hands
24:54of the ruling elite.
24:57But even for that
24:58to happen,
24:58so many steps,
24:59Gaurav,
25:00need to take place first.
25:02Okay.
25:03The U.S. need to
25:04unwind sanctions regime.
25:05Ambassador Sinha,
25:06before I bring in
25:07Ambassador Neumann,
25:08Ambassador Sinha,
25:09you've served
25:09in Venezuela.
25:10So the way
25:11Daniel was saying,
25:12do you actually see
25:12U.S. firms now
25:13move and take advantage
25:14of the oil?
25:16Would that bring
25:17prices down?
25:18Would it also,
25:19if I may ask,
25:20reduce Indian dependence
25:21on Russian oil?
25:24You know,
25:24Gaurav,
25:25before President Chavez
25:27came to power
25:27in 1999,
25:29you had American
25:30companies basically
25:31investing and
25:33exploiting the oil
25:34resources in the
25:35Orinoco belt
25:35and in that entire
25:37area in Venezuela.
25:38Chevron, yes.
25:39They built up
25:39the oil industry,
25:41Maracaibo,
25:42they built up
25:43the oil industry
25:44in Venezuela.
25:45So there is
25:46absolutely right
25:47that the American
25:48investment,
25:49American companies
25:50did help,
25:51but it created
25:52a kleptocracy
25:53in Venezuela.
25:54You had the
25:55oligarchs pocketing
25:56most of that wealth
25:58and the people,
25:59that is why the
26:01people didn't really
26:01benefit and that is
26:02why President Chavez
26:04won the election
26:05and came to power.
26:06And he came to power
26:08as a charismatic
26:09leader.
26:10I can't say the same
26:11for President Maduro,
26:12but the fact is
26:13that there was a
26:13reaction.
26:14And since the
26:16Chavistas have
26:17mismanaged
26:18since then
26:21and the situation
26:23is so dire
26:23that Venezuela
26:25with the largest
26:26oil reserves
26:27in the world
26:28is producing
26:29a pittance
26:29and exporting
26:30even less.
26:31So I think
26:31if the oil
26:33industry is
26:34stabilized
26:34by American
26:36and other
26:37companies,
26:38by only American,
26:39by other companies
26:39also,
26:40it would be a
26:41good thing.
26:41But that's going
26:42to take a long
26:43time because
26:44the condition
26:45of those
26:46facilities
26:47will have to be.
26:47Ambassador Neumann,
26:48you wanted to come
26:49in on
26:50Venezuelan oil.
26:51Do you see
26:52American companies
26:53now exploit that?
26:54Well, let me
26:55correct the
26:56former ambassador,
26:57his excellency,
27:01on a point
27:01of fact,
27:02not opinion,
27:03fact.
27:04Venezuelan oil
27:05has never been
27:06in the hands
27:06of the oligarchs.
27:08This is some
27:08Russian disinformation
27:09campaign that I've
27:11been living through
27:11for decades.
27:12It went simply
27:14from foreign
27:15ownership.
27:16Brits were the
27:17first ones,
27:18then the Americans,
27:19and then,
27:21which is why
27:22you had so much
27:23of the upper
27:24class was related
27:25to the Rockefeller
27:26family,
27:27related by either
27:28marriage or
27:29business-wise.
27:30So you had the
27:30Brits and then
27:31the Americans,
27:32and then it was
27:33nationalized and
27:34taken by the
27:34Venezuelan
27:35government.
27:35Not for one
27:37second ever in
27:38the history of
27:38Venezuela have
27:40Venezuelan
27:40citizens,
27:41so-called
27:42oligarchs ever
27:43owned a
27:44Venezuelan
27:44oil.
27:45No,
27:45it's only the
27:46rich few is
27:47what the
27:47ambassador says.
27:48I didn't say
27:50that the
27:51oligarchs
27:51ran the
27:52oil company.
27:53No,
27:53I think
27:57what I said
27:58was misunderstood.
27:59I didn't say
27:59that the
28:00oligarchs
28:00owned the
28:01oil.
28:01They benefited
28:02from the
28:03oil revenues.
28:05People in
28:06Venezuela,
28:07the upper
28:08classes,
28:09the rich
28:09people,
28:10they benefited.
28:11I'm not
28:11saying that
28:12they ran
28:12the oil
28:13companies or
28:13they own
28:14the oil
28:14companies,
28:14certainly not.
28:15I mean,
28:16we know who
28:16owns Exxon
28:17Mobil and
28:17Chevron and
28:19Croco
28:20Philips and
28:20Texaco,
28:21etc.
28:22So I think
28:23that argument
28:24is fallacious,
28:25but anyway,
28:26I think we'll
28:26have to wait
28:27and see what
28:27happens because
28:29the situation
28:30is still
28:31unfolding.
28:32And the
28:33last 30
28:33seconds that I
28:34have on this
28:34part of the
28:34show,
28:35Daniel Silverman,
28:36your reading
28:37of
28:38Madre
28:38Frederiksen,
28:39the Prime
28:40Minister of
28:41Denmark,
28:42saying,
28:43do not
28:43threaten to
28:44take over
28:45Greenland.
28:46This is a
28:47very bizarre
28:47situation that
28:48one NATO
28:49country is
28:50asking another
28:51NATO country,
28:52do not take
28:52over.
28:53But do you
28:53think President
28:54Trump will?
28:57I think
28:59President Trump
29:00and his team
29:00feel remarkably
29:01emboldened
29:02right now.
29:04I think
29:05that they
29:06believe our
29:08adversaries
29:09are quaking
29:11in fear of
29:12the United
29:12States.
29:13Personally,
29:13I don't think
29:14that's the
29:14case, but
29:15I sense
29:16that that
29:16is their
29:17perception
29:17and that
29:19our allies
29:20like Denmark
29:21are going
29:22to be more
29:22willing to
29:23bend to our
29:23will.
29:24I think
29:25that that
29:25could be
29:26a strategic
29:27miscalculation.
29:29And I
29:30think the
29:30Denmark's
29:31Prime
29:31Minister's
29:32remarks
29:32were spot
29:33on point
29:34of saying
29:34let's
29:35take a
29:35calm,
29:36rational
29:37approach
29:38here and
29:40figure out
29:41a solution.
29:42If the
29:43United States
29:43instead of
29:44with a stick...
29:46Absolutely,
29:47what would
29:47that mean
29:47for NATO
29:48if one
29:49NATO
29:49country is
29:50threatening
29:50to take
29:51over
29:51territory of
29:52another
29:52NATO
29:52country,
29:53Ambassador
29:53Sinha?
29:54And also
29:54your reading
29:55of President
29:55Trump's
29:56statement
29:56on India
29:57and Prime
29:57Minister
29:58Narendra
29:58Modi,
29:59words to
29:59the effect
29:59that they
30:00wanted to
30:01make me
30:01happy,
30:02the Prime
30:03Minister of
30:03India,
30:03words to
30:04that effect,
30:04he's a good
30:05man,
30:05he's a good
30:06guy,
30:07he knows
30:07I'm not
30:08very happy
30:08and it's
30:08important to
30:09make me
30:09happy.
30:10You know,
30:11the problem...
30:12I'm not going to
30:12comment on what
30:14President Trump
30:15said in terms of
30:16making him
30:16happy,
30:17but what I
30:17can say is
30:18if the Prime
30:19Minister of
30:20India is a
30:20good man,
30:21then I think
30:22you're showing
30:22your love
30:23completely the
30:24wrong way.
30:25Because by
30:26sanctioning India
30:2750% tariffs
30:29and then
30:29threatening to
30:30increase the
30:31tariffs,
30:31I don't think
30:32you're going to
30:32be very popular
30:33here.
30:35Oh,
30:35absolutely.
30:36I want to
30:37thank all my
30:37guests for
30:38being a part
30:38of this show.
30:39There's so much
30:40to talk about,
30:40but there are
30:41massive protests
30:41in 21 of 31
30:43regions in Iran
30:44and India has
30:45now issued an
30:47advisory because
30:48of these protests
30:49due to inflation
30:50and collapsing
30:51economy and the
30:52protests on the
30:53streets and the
30:54action that's been
30:55taken.
30:55India has
30:55issued an
30:56advisory to
30:57all Indian
30:58citizens.
30:59The advisory
30:59says in view
31:00of latest
31:01developments,
31:03Indian nationals
31:04are advised to
31:05avoid non-essential
31:07travel to the
31:08Islamic Republic
31:09of Iran until
31:10further notice.
31:12Indian citizens
31:12currently in Iran
31:13should exercise
31:15due caution,
31:16avoid areas of
31:18protests or
31:19demonstrations and
31:20closely monitor
31:21news as well as
31:22websites and
31:23social media
31:24handles of
31:25the embassy
31:25of India in
31:27Tehran.
31:28Indian nationals
31:29living in Iran
31:30on resident visa
31:32are also advised
31:33to register with
31:34the Indian
31:35embassy if they
31:37haven't done so
31:38already.
31:40Look at those
31:40images.
31:41These are protests
31:42that are continuing
31:43for over a week
31:45and intensifying
31:46on the streets
31:48not just of
31:49Tehran but
31:50across Iran.
31:5221 of 31 regions
31:54after the collapse
31:55of the economy
31:56and if I may
31:57look at the
31:58currency.
31:58So one US
32:00dollar is worth
32:0214 lakh
32:03Iranian riyals.
32:05So this is how
32:06much the economy
32:08or the currency
32:09has collapsed.
32:10The economy is in
32:11a shambles.
32:12It started with
32:13the protest of
32:14traders and now
32:15it's intensified
32:17and this unrest
32:18is almost
32:19across Iran.
32:21The supreme
32:22leader of Iran
32:22Ayatollah Ali
32:23Khamenei, he
32:24has actually
32:25said that
32:26demonstrators
32:27will be put
32:29in their place.
32:31The latest
32:31protests in Iran
32:32began when
32:32shopkeepers took
32:33to the streets
32:34of Tehran on
32:35the 28th of
32:36December to
32:37express their
32:37anger and
32:38anguish at
32:39another sharp
32:40fall in the
32:41value of the
32:42Iranian currency
32:43against the
32:44US dollar.
32:46Inflation has
32:47risen to
32:48over 40%
32:50as sanctions
32:52over Iran's
32:52nuclear program
32:54continue to
32:55squeeze the
32:55economy.
32:56We'll get you
32:56more on this
32:57big story but
32:58there's more
32:58breaking news
32:59coming in.
33:00More breaking
33:00news and very
33:01disturbing news
33:02that's just
33:02coming in from
33:03India's neighborhood.
33:05This is information
33:05that's coming in
33:06from Bangladesh
33:07where another
33:08Hindu has been
33:10killed in
33:11Bangladesh.
33:11Rana Pratap
33:13was shot dead
33:14in public
33:15in Jasor
33:16district.
33:18According to
33:19information that's
33:19coming in
33:20Ivetices and
33:22police sources
33:22have told
33:23journalists this
33:24happened around
33:25six so just
33:26about two hours
33:27back unknown
33:28assailants they
33:29opened fire at
33:30Rana Pratap when
33:32he was in the
33:32market.
33:33He was hit by
33:34a hail of
33:35bullets.
33:36That's the
33:36information that's
33:37coming in and
33:38he died on spot
33:39and this led to
33:40panic in the
33:41area.
33:41After this
33:42incident the
33:42police arrived
33:43apparently the
33:45situation is under
33:46control.
33:47Rana Pratap is
33:47now the fifth
33:49Bangladeshi Hindu
33:50to be killed
33:52in Bangladesh.
33:53The fifth such
33:54instance.
33:55Deepu Chandra
33:56Das, Amrit
33:58Mandal, Bijendra
33:59Biswas, Khokan
34:01Chandra Das.
34:02These were some
34:03of the Hindus in
34:03Bangladesh who were
34:04killed.
34:05I want to quickly
34:06cut across and
34:06bring in India
34:07today's Ashutosh
34:08Mishra.
34:09He's just back
34:10from Bangladesh
34:10gets us more
34:11on the story.
34:12So I want to
34:13understand from
34:14you Ashutosh
34:152,900 cases of
34:18targeting of
34:19minorities.
34:19That's the
34:20information according
34:21to the minorities
34:22body in Bangladesh.
34:24What can you tell us
34:25about this incident
34:26and is there
34:27systematic targeting
34:28of Hindus,
34:29Buddhists,
34:29Christians and
34:30other minorities
34:30in Bangladesh?
34:31Well, 2,000 cases
34:36Gaurav that you
34:36mentioned about
34:37is what they
34:38reported because
34:39there have been
34:39several complaints
34:40even filed with
34:40the police.
34:41Remember the
34:42number of cases
34:42where the police
34:43have not even
34:43registered the
34:44cases, particularly
34:45in Chittagong
34:45region, in
34:46Josai area and
34:47there are several
34:48remote areas where
34:49there have been
34:50houses burned and
34:51post-July
34:51uprising so-called
34:52the movement
34:53against Sheikh
34:54Hasina regime.
34:54These cases
34:55were constantly
34:56on rise.
34:56In fact,
34:57minorities often say
34:58whenever there is
34:58a turmoil in
34:59Bangladesh, caught
35:00in the crossfire
35:01as always, the
35:02minority, particularly
35:02the Hindus.
35:03You mentioned
35:04five names.
35:05Now, Rana Pratap
35:06Bairagi, the
35:0745-year-old man
35:08makes the fifth
35:09Hindu youth who
35:11have been killed.
35:1145-year-old, this
35:12man around 5pm
35:13local time, he
35:14was shot by
35:15unknown assailants
35:16and we see the
35:17images that I've
35:18got.
35:18He was literally
35:19shot and dead.
35:19Looks like a
35:20point-blank fire.
35:22Someone from a
35:22very close range
35:23shot him down
35:24and eventually
35:25the same happened
35:26with Kokandas
35:26when he was
35:27attempted.
35:27So, clearly
35:28what is happening
35:29unfolding is a
35:30lawlessness
35:30in several
35:31cases we have
35:32been kind of
35:33fundamentalist
35:33when they
35:34mob-linch
35:35Deepudas and
35:36now the
35:36civilians are
35:37shooting down
35:37minorities,
35:39particularly the
35:39Hindus in
35:40Bangladesh and
35:40this is all
35:41happening.
35:41Remember, there
35:42is a model
35:42code of conduct
35:43imposed.
35:43Bangladesh is
35:44going for the
35:44voting on
35:4512th of
35:45February, hardly
35:4645 days from
35:47now.
35:49And despite
35:49of all that,
35:50all the
35:50assurances we
35:51have seen on
35:52Saturday, the
35:53minority groups
35:54meeting Tariq
35:54Rahman seeking
35:55assurance and
35:55safety.
35:56Dr.
35:56Linus
35:57often have
35:57been saying
35:57that we
35:58are here to
36:00protect the
36:00minorities.
36:01But clearly
36:02what the
36:02government is
36:02saying and
36:03what they
36:03say and
36:07what they
36:08do on
36:08ground.
36:09Keep
36:09tracking that
36:09story.
36:09I will
36:10come back
36:10to you for
36:10more.
36:13I now want
36:14to shift
36:14focus to
36:15our other
36:15big story on
36:16India first.
36:171000 years
36:18after Mehmood
36:19of Ghazni's
36:20first attack
36:20and seven
36:21and a half
36:22decades since
36:23its post
36:24independence
36:25revival, the
36:26Somnat Temple
36:27is once again
36:29at the heart
36:29of India's
36:30conversation and
36:31politics.
36:31Prime Minister
36:32Narendra Modi
36:32has hailed the
36:34Somnat Temple
36:34as a timeless
36:35symbol of the
36:36Bharatiya spirit,
36:38of India's
36:38spirit.
36:38He's praised
36:39it for its
36:41endurance and
36:42of course
36:42Sardar Patel's
36:43role in its
36:43restoration.
36:44He did take a
36:44jibe also at
36:45Independent India's
36:46first Prime
36:46Minister Pandit
36:47Jawaharlal Nehru's
36:48response in
36:481951.
36:50The Congress
36:50however accuses
36:51the BJP of
36:52politicizing history
36:53claiming Nehru is
36:54being used to
36:55score contemporary
36:56political points.
36:57The temple we
36:58know is more
36:59than just a
37:00pilgrimage.
37:01It now reflects
37:02and how it
37:02reflects Bhagawan
37:04Somnat, India's
37:06cultural renaissance
37:07and it continues
37:09to shape our
37:10present and
37:11stir political
37:12passions.
37:13We get you
37:13more in this
37:13report.
37:14history, politics and
37:31the battle of
37:32this narrative.
37:38A thousand years
37:39after its destruction
37:40and 75 years after
37:42its reconstruction,
37:44the Somnat shrine is
37:45back at the centre of
37:46India's political and
37:48ideological debate.
37:50As the country marks a
37:51thousand years since
37:53Mehmood of Ghazni's
37:54first attack, history is
37:56back in focus, reopening
37:57all debates over faith,
37:59secularism and nationhood.
38:03Located at Prabhas Patan
38:05near Veraval in Gujarat,
38:06Somnath is believed to
38:08be the first among the
38:09twelve Jyotirlings of
38:11Lord Shiva.
38:12Over centuries, the
38:14temple was destroyed and
38:15rebuilt repeatedly, most
38:17notably after attacks of
38:19Mehmood of Ghazni and
38:20later Aurangzeb.
38:23Its reconstruction in
38:241951 after independence
38:26turned Somnath into a
38:28powerful symbol of
38:29cultural continuity and
38:30resilience.
38:32This year, the
38:34millennium of Ghazni's
38:35attack is being marked
38:36as Somnath Swabhiman
38:38Parv.
38:38In a blog, Prime
38:39Minister Narendra Modi
38:40described Somnath as
38:42an eternal proclamation
38:43of India's soul,
38:45highlighting its survival
38:47despite centuries of
38:48destruction and its
38:49enduring pull on
38:50millions of devotees.
38:52He also recalled
38:53Sardar Vala Bhai Patel's
38:55role in rebuilding the
38:56temple and took a swipe
38:58at Jawaharlal Nehru,
38:59saying the opening of
39:00the temple in 1951 did
39:02not enthuse the first
39:04Prime Minister of the
39:04country.
39:05After the Prime
39:06Minister's remarks, the
39:08BJP sharpened its attack
39:09on the Congress.
39:11Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's
39:12discovery of India,
39:13he says that Mahmood was
39:14far more a warrior than
39:16a man of faith.
39:18Like many other
39:19conquerors, he used to
39:20exploit the name of
39:21religion for its
39:22conquest.
39:23India was to him just
39:24a place from which he
39:26could earn the treasures
39:27and material.
39:28The Congress says the
39:39BJP repeatedly invokes
39:40Nehru from political
39:41gain and has claimed
39:43that the Saffron Party
39:44is diverting attention
39:45and such remarks.
39:46ڈلی میں آپ بھی اسی زہریلی ہوا میں
40:11سانس لے رہے ہیں
40:11انکیتہ بھنڈاری کو نیائے کو لے کر
40:13لوگ سڑکگیوں پر اترے ہیں
40:15ٹرمپ بھارت کے پردانمنٹری کو
40:18اب شب کی طرح سے باتچیت کر رہے ہیں
40:21ان دور میں بچے پانی پینے سے مر رہے ہیں
40:23اس سب پہ پردانمنٹری کو لکھنا چاہیے
40:25اس سب پہ پردانمنٹری کی کیا
40:27ڈیوٹی بنتی ہے
40:29کیا انکہ نیتک فرز ہے
40:30اس پہ انکو بولنا چاہیے
40:32At its core, the Somnath debate
40:35reflects two different ideas of secularism
40:37The BJP sees it as
40:39civilizational pride
40:41and cultural revival
40:42while the Congress stresses
40:44strict state neutrality
40:46to avoid communal divisions
40:47Today, as political narratives collide
40:52the temple stands as a reminder
40:54that India's past continues
40:56to shape its present
40:57and influence the debate
40:59over its future
41:00Bureau Report, India Today
41:04So Prime Minister Narendra Modi
41:11will be visiting the Somnath temple
41:12on the 11th of January
41:13There are year-long activities
41:14that have been planned at the Somnath
41:16to mark the Somnath Swabhiman Parv
41:19And at the centre of this debate
41:20lies this class of visions
41:22One that views Somnath
41:23as a beacon of Bharat's cultural pride
41:25and the other
41:26that cautions
41:27against mixing faith and politics
41:29while being accused
41:30of doing the same
41:31and with minority appeasement
41:32So joining me
41:33on India First
41:34is Tuhin Sinha
41:35of the BJP
41:35and Mahima Singh
41:36of the Congress
41:36Tuhin Sinha
41:37The Somnath Parv
41:39may mark 1,000 years
41:40of resilience and revival
41:42sir
41:43but respond to those
41:44who say
41:45this is being used
41:46to politically target
41:48Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
41:49and the Congress Party
41:50It's an attempt
41:51to portray the Congress
41:52in poor light
41:52Good evening
41:56You know
41:57facts can be denied
41:59as Prime Minister
42:00Narendra Modi
42:02has very clearly stated
42:03for us Somnath
42:05which has
42:06the oldest Jyotirling
42:07and in fact
42:08some believe that
42:08you know
42:09the Jyotirling
42:10dates back to the time
42:12when Bhagwan Krishna
42:13actually lived
42:14You know
42:15the Congress
42:15never took pride
42:17in our civilizational identities
42:18and it's a fact
42:19that Nehru
42:20tried to prevent
42:21Dr. Rajendra Prasad
42:22who was the then
42:23President
42:23from going
42:24for the inauguration
42:25of it
42:25This is something
42:26which even
42:27even Dr. Rajendra Prasad's
42:29own granddaughter
42:30has put on record
42:31but that's point
42:32number one
42:33The second point
42:34is that
42:35the present day
42:36Congress
42:36has declined
42:37to the extent
42:38where Rahul Gandhi
42:39openly says
42:40Hindu
42:41So imagine the plight
42:47of this Congress
42:48imagine the plight
42:49of this party
42:49which is going
42:50all out
42:51to woo
42:52the minority
42:53community
42:53at the cost
42:54of hurting
42:55the sentiments
42:55of the Hindu
42:56community
42:56Mayimah Singh
42:58disagrees with you
42:59Mayimah Singh
43:00completely disagrees
43:01with you
43:01so let's take
43:01this point by point
43:02Mayimah Singh
43:03the point that
43:04you disagree with
43:05ma'am
43:05and when the BJP
43:07or when the Prime Minister
43:08says that the
43:08Somnath Temple
43:09represents 1000 years
43:11of resilience
43:12and revival
43:13why does the
43:15Congress see this
43:16as mixing
43:17politics
43:17and religion
43:18Jai Hind
43:21I must say
43:22at the very outset
43:23that I am a
43:24rightful Hindu
43:25yet I am a
43:26more proud Indian
43:27and I take
43:28great pride
43:29in the legacy
43:30and heritage
43:31of my country
43:31and its history
43:32and so did
43:33Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
43:35the very first
43:35Prime Minister
43:36of this country
43:37under whose
43:38cabinet
43:38the cabinet
43:40that he chaired
43:41the decision
43:41to rebuild
43:42this temple
43:43was taken
43:43in fact
43:44the driving force
43:45behind rebuilding
43:46this temple
43:47the historic
43:48Somnath Temple
43:49the driving force
43:51was Sri K.M. Munshi
43:52who in his book
43:53Gaurav
43:54the book named
43:55Pilgrimage to Freedom
43:571902 to 1950
43:59has categorically
44:00mentioned how
44:01Nehru agreed
44:02for the rebuilding
44:03of the temple
44:04using government funds
44:05then it was
44:07Bapu Gandhi
44:08who came forward
44:09and said
44:09let the public
44:10contributions
44:11be brought in
44:12let the temple
44:13be rebuilt
44:14with public
44:15contributions
44:15and thus the temple
44:17was rebuilt
44:17yes
44:18when Dr. Rajendra Prasad
44:20wrote in to the
44:21Prime Minister
44:22the conversation
44:23is public
44:24because those
44:24were the times
44:25when transparency
44:26and dissent
44:27was at the very
44:28core of the dialogue
44:29unlike this last
44:30decade
44:31in this decade
44:32an SIR
44:33is brought about
44:34and there are
44:35no files maintained
44:36an RTI activist
44:37goes and asks
44:39for the files
44:40where are the files
44:41they have no record
44:43a note
44:43when these
44:44cabinet ministers
44:45do not know
44:46about it
44:46those were the
44:47times when
44:48there was dissent
44:49when there was
44:50dissent
44:50when there was
44:51transparency
44:51yes
44:52Pandit Jawaharlal
44:53Nehru told
44:54Dr. Rajendra Prasad
44:55he said
44:56Rajendra Babu
44:57I advise you
44:58against this
44:59why
44:59because he said
45:00we have stopped
45:01our expenditure
45:02on education
45:03health
45:03and other
45:04beneficent services
45:05right now
45:06why
45:06because he said
45:08he can't afford
45:08it at the moment
45:09and at that time
45:10Dr. Rajendra Prasad
45:12as the head
45:12of the state
45:14as the president
45:14of the country
45:15participating
45:16you know
45:17in a religious event
45:18brought the wrath
45:19of the global
45:20community later
45:21to us
45:21of course
45:22because we were
45:23not able to
45:23spend on the
45:24very basic
45:25fundamental
45:25necessities
45:26fair enough
45:26respond
45:29respond
45:30that Pandit Jawaharlal
45:30Nehru
45:31you know
45:32Mahima Singh says
45:32wasn't opposed
45:33to the temple
45:34was only opposed
45:35to either
45:36public funding
45:37government spending
45:39where Bapu said
45:40let it be
45:40public spending
45:41two
45:42when the prime minister
45:43noted that
45:43Jawaharlal Nehru
45:44was not supportive
45:45of associating
45:46top constitutional
45:47authorities
45:47with temple
45:48reopening
45:49Dr. Rajendra Prasad
45:51stood firm
45:51the rest is history
45:52this is what
45:53the prime minister
45:53said
45:53now
45:54tell me this
45:55why
45:55Dragon Pandit Jawaharlal
45:56Nehru today
45:57very clearly
45:59the congress
46:00spokesperson
46:00has provided you
46:01the wrong reasons
46:02for Nehru
46:03not allowing
46:04or requesting
46:05Dr. Rajendra Prasad
46:06to not go for
46:07the inauguration
46:08of the temple
46:09very clearly
46:10it had to do
46:11with Nehru's
46:13flawed understanding
46:14of secularism
46:15flawed perception
46:15of secularism
46:16but Gaurav
46:17I think
46:17you know
46:17these are
46:18separate
46:18issues
46:19our cultural
46:20identity
46:21taking pride
46:22in our cultural
46:22identity
46:23is a separate
46:24thing
46:24you know
46:24fast tracking
46:25the reformist
46:26agenda
46:26which our
46:26government
46:27has done
46:27throughout
46:28the last
46:28year
46:28has been
46:29is a different
46:29thing
46:30governance
46:30is different
46:31but taking
46:31pride in
46:32our culture
46:33why should
46:33the congress
46:34party
46:34grudge
46:34that
46:35imagine
46:36there were
46:3640,000
46:37temples
46:38which were
46:38destroyed
46:39by Mughals
46:39and by
46:40invaders
46:40we take
46:41pride in
46:42resurrecting
46:42you know
46:43only those
46:43which
46:43which
46:44which
46:44are
46:45so
46:45eternal
46:46that they
46:46define
46:47our
46:47existence
46:48as a
46:48civilization
46:48why should
46:49the congress
46:50party
46:50have a
46:50problem
46:51with that
46:51okay
46:52Mahima Singh
46:53you ought to
46:54respond to
46:54this
46:54because
46:55defense
46:56minister
46:56Rajnath
46:57Singh
46:57was quoted
46:58saying
46:58words to
46:59the effect
46:59that
46:59Pandit Jawaharlal
47:00Nehru
47:00wanted to
47:00build
47:01the
47:01Barbary
47:02using
47:02public
47:03funds
47:03but
47:04it was
47:05Sardar
47:05Patel
47:05who
47:05opposed
47:06that
47:07that
47:07no
47:08public
47:08funds
47:08will be
47:08used
47:09either
47:09for
47:09Barbary
47:10or
47:10for
47:10Somnath
47:11and even
47:11Ram
47:12Temple
47:12was
47:12built
47:13using
47:14the
47:14common
47:14people's
47:15money
47:15and not
47:16government
47:16money
47:17let me
47:18indulge
47:19me for
47:20a fair
47:20opportunity
47:21but
47:22before
47:22I go
47:22forward
47:23to say
47:23that
47:23let me
47:24just
47:24say
47:24that
47:24the
47:25BJP
47:26spokesperson
47:26has
47:26certainly
47:27not
47:27gone
47:27through
47:28the
47:28very
47:28much
47:28available
47:29correspondence
47:30between
47:30Dr.
47:31Rajendra
47:31Prasad
47:32and
47:32Pandit Jawaharlal
47:33Nehru
47:33excerpts
47:34of which
47:34two
47:35excerpts
47:35I will
47:36just
47:36read out
47:36one is
47:37Pandit Jawaharlal
47:38Nehru's
47:38first response
47:39to
47:40Dr.
47:40Rajendra
47:41Prasad
47:41my dear
47:42Rajendra
47:42Babu
47:43I confess
47:43that I
47:44do not
47:44like the
47:45idea of
47:45your
47:45associating
47:46yourself
47:46with
47:46the
47:47spectacular
47:47opening
47:48of the
47:48Somnath
47:49temple
47:49this is
47:49not
47:50merely
47:50visiting
47:50a
47:50temple
47:51which
47:51can
47:51certainly
47:52be
47:52done
47:52by
47:53you
47:53or
47:53anyone
47:53else
47:54but
47:54rather
47:54participating
47:55in a
47:55significant
47:55function
47:56which
47:56unfortunately
47:57has a
47:58number
47:58of
47:58implications
47:58where
47:59Dr.
48:00Rajendra
48:00Prasad
48:00wrote
48:01again
48:01on
48:0110th
48:02March
48:021951
48:03and
48:03said
48:04that
48:04well
48:04he
48:04would
48:04like
48:05to
48:05participate
48:05where
48:06after
48:06Pandit Jawaharlal
48:08Nehru
48:08very much
48:09wrote to
48:09him
48:09and said
48:10I am
48:10sorry
48:11for the
48:11delay
48:11in
48:11answering
48:12your
48:12letter
48:12regarding
48:14your
48:14visit
48:15to
48:15Somnath
48:15temple
48:16I have
48:16already
48:17conveyed
48:17my
48:17reactions
48:18to
48:18this
48:18but
48:19if
48:19you
48:19feel
48:19that
48:19it
48:19will
48:20not
48:20be
48:20right
48:20for
48:20you
48:20to
48:21refuse
48:21the
48:21invitation
48:22I
48:23would
48:23not
48:28saw
48:29the
48:29last
48:29year
48:29compare
48:30this
48:30with
48:31the
48:31treatment
48:31of
48:32our
48:32Rashtrapati
48:33today
48:33Dr.
48:34Draupadi
48:35Murmoji
48:35The last
48:3630 seconds
48:36I have
48:36on this
48:37part of
48:37the
48:37show
48:37let me
48:37quickly
48:38get to
48:38Uhind
48:38Sinah
48:39to
48:39respond
48:40to
48:40this
48:40when
48:40we
48:41talk
48:41of
48:411000
48:41years
48:42of
48:42resilience
48:42it's
48:43also
48:43taking
48:44everyone
48:44together
48:45analysts
48:46say
48:46that
48:47this
48:47effort
48:48is
48:48an
48:49attempt
48:49to
48:50show
48:50the
48:51congress
48:51as
48:52anti
48:52Hindu
48:53which
48:54many
48:55analysts
48:55argue
48:56is
48:56incorrect
48:56it's
49:00the
49:00congress
49:00party
49:01which
49:01has
49:01shown
49:01itself
49:02as
49:02anti
49:02Hindu
49:03we
49:03just
49:03remind
49:03the
49:04people
49:04it's
49:04our
49:04job
49:04as a
49:05political
49:05party
49:05to
49:06remind
49:06what
49:06the
49:06congress
49:06party
49:07is
49:07doing
49:07has
49:08you
49:08know
49:08what
49:08did
49:08Rahul
49:09Gandhi
49:09say
49:09about
49:09the
49:09Pran
49:10Pratishtha
49:10in
49:10Ayodhya
49:11he
49:12ridiculed
49:12it
49:13calling
49:13it
49:13you
49:14know
49:14Najkana
49:15what
49:15did
49:15he
49:15say
49:16about
49:16the
49:16chhat
49:16puja
49:16in
49:17Bihar
49:17he
49:17ridiculed
49:18it
49:18saying
49:18drama
49:19so
49:19we
49:19have
49:20seen
49:20the
49:20behavior
49:21of
49:21the
49:21congress
49:21party
49:22their
49:22sheer
49:23disrespect
49:23for
49:23Hindu
49:24traditions
49:24over
49:25the
49:25years
49:25and
49:25by
49:25the
49:25way
49:26let
49:26me
49:26also
49:26remind
49:27you
49:27this
49:27was
49:27not
49:27the
49:28congress
49:28culture
49:28in
49:281988
49:29where
49:30Rajiv Gandhi
49:30started
49:31his
49:31election
49:32campaign
49:32for
49:331989
49:33elections
49:34from
49:35Ayodhya
49:35saying
49:36he
49:36can
49:36install
49:36Rahul
49:36Rajiv
49:37last
49:3830
49:38seconds
49:39but
49:40since
49:41a
49:41specific
49:41point
49:42I was
49:42making
49:44earlier
49:44you
49:45have to
49:45allow
49:45me to
49:46finish
49:46the
49:46point
49:46I was
49:46making
49:47earlier
49:47you
49:47see
49:48the
49:48BJP
49:48spokesperson
49:49is
49:49speaking
49:50without
49:52any idea
49:53of what
49:53I have
49:54just two
49:54questions
49:55of the
49:55BJP
49:56spokespersons
49:56to ask
49:57I want
49:58to ask
49:58him
49:58why
49:58was
49:59Draupadi
49:59Murmuji
50:00not
50:00invited
50:01to
50:01the
50:01inauguration
50:02of
50:02Central
50:02Vista
50:02which
50:03was
50:03done
50:03twice
50:04unrelated
50:06to
50:06today's
50:07show
50:07specifically
50:08I have
50:09run out
50:09of time
50:09today
50:10but
50:11perhaps
50:11in the
50:12days
50:12and weeks
50:13ahead
50:13when this
50:13becomes
50:13a
50:14talking
50:15point
50:15we will
50:16revisit
50:16the
50:16story
50:17for
50:18joining
50:18me
50:18here
50:19many
50:19thanks
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