- 4 hours ago
The big focus of this episode of Super 6 is on two poll-bound states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where Prime Minister Modi on Friday sounded NDA's poll bugle for the upcoming assembly elections.
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00:00Hello and welcome. Good evening. You're watching Super 6 here on India Today.
00:05I'm Akashita Nanda Gopal. We've got lots lined up for you over the next one hour
00:08with the biggest news breaks through the day reflected over the next 60 minutes.
00:13We'll focus particularly on the big headlines emerging from the two poll-bound states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
00:19Prime Minister Modi visited the two states today, confidently declared that the BJP will win in Kerala and in Tamil Nadu.
00:28But is that actually possible? Is this a pipe dream or is it possible?
00:32The Prime Minister putting the focus on BJP's mission south or a saffron south, as in fact the BJP has been putting it.
00:40How realistic is this? Will the BJP see growth in Kerala? Does the NDA stand a chance in Tamil Nadu?
00:45We're going to be talking about that and getting your highlights of what the Prime Minister had to say in those two mega rallies.
00:51But we begin this broadcast, as always, with the top 10 headlines first.
00:55Prime Minister Narendra Modi sounded the poll bugle in Tamil Nadu, holding his first major election rally in the presence of BJP's alliance partners.
01:05Prime Minister Modi said Tamil Nadu is ready to bid farewell to Chief Minister Stalin and the DMK.
01:11Not just Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Modi also visited another poll-bound state, Kerala.
01:16While launching a scathing attack on the left, Prime Minister accused the Pinarai government of looting Kerala,
01:21referring to the Shabrimala incident as well.
01:24He vowed the NDA would oust the corrupt, appeasement-driven Pinarai administration.
01:31It's Tharoor versus Congress.
01:34Again, Congress sources say Tharoor skipped high-command meeting in Delhi on Kerala poll strategy
01:39because Prime Minister Modi was rallying in his constituency.
01:42Instead, Tharoor will attend the Kerala lit fest.
01:44Rahul Gandhi repeats his dead economy attack on the Modi government,
01:51says job losses and factory shutdowns due to 50% U.S. tariffs is the reality of the dead economy.
02:01Karnataka governor versus government heats up.
02:03Karnataka chief minister ups the ante against Governor Gailot.
02:06Chief Minister Sidra Maya accuses the governor of insulting the national anthem,
02:10asking why he didn't stay till it was played.
02:12After Indore, another MP city sees people being put in a hospital due to contaminated water.
02:22At least 22 people have fallen ill.
02:24Officials say teams are conducting door-to-door surveys now to find out what went wrong.
02:29The Karnataka High Court has lifted the ban on bike taxis.
02:31The court said the state can set rules to regulate them,
02:34but it cannot reject permit applications just because the vehicle is a motorcycle.
02:38Amazon is set to undergo fresh layoffs next week,
02:43with up to 16,000 jobs likely to be affected.
02:46Unlike previous layoffs, this time even core teams such as AWS and Prime Video are expected to be impacted.
02:51A sharp change in weather across North India.
02:57If in Delhi there was a fresh spell of rain in Kashmir and Himachar Pradesh,
03:01snowfall has of course led to beautiful images,
03:05but flight delays and road closures as well.
03:07And Trump has issued a fresh warning to Iran,
03:10announcing that U.S. naval armada is moving toward the country.
03:13This comes just days after he warned Iran of consequences over the anti-regime protests.
03:17We begin with a news break coming in from Jammu and Kashmir's Katwa,
03:28where there's been an encounter in which a Jaish terrorist has been neutralized.
03:32The terrorist, identified as Usman, has been killed by forces after a brief exchange of fire.
03:37A joint operation was in fact conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir police, the army and the CRPF.
03:44At this point, forces have maintained that the operation is still underway.
03:49There's a possibility that more terrorists are hiding out there.
03:52I'll bring in Sunilji Bhatt for more details on this.
03:56Sunilji, what's the latest you can tell us about this operation?
04:00A Jaish terrorist has been neutralized.
04:03And we understand that the hunt continues for many more terrorists hiding in that area.
04:08Before I take this across to Sunilji, just we'll play out that video for you.
04:11Listen in.
04:14You can hear the sound of explosions.
04:40This is from a safe distance and we can confirm for you that these are not live images.
04:46Considering that the operation is still underway, we've kept due sensitivity of that operation in mind.
04:52These are deferred images on your screens.
04:54Let me bring in Sunilji Bhatt for those updates on this encounter.
04:58Sunilji, take us through the details that we're picking up.
05:01The operation is still underway, but we understand one terrorist, a Jaish terrorist, has been neutralized.
05:06It's a major success for the security forces just ahead of the Republic Day.
05:14As we know that many counter-terror operations are on in the hilly areas of Jammu Division, whether it's Kathwa, whether it's Doda or Rajuripunj sector.
05:25And Jammu Division, Jammu Division, along with the Army and CRPF, have achieved a major success.
05:31A dreaded Pakistani terrorist, Mohamed Usman, has been neutralized by the security forces in the forest area of Bilaver in Kathwa district of Jammu Division.
05:39Kashmir, the security forces had a specific input about the presence of this terrorist in this particular area.
05:46And acting on that specific input, a massive counter-terror operation was launched in this particular area.
05:52And it was a credible input that the security forces had.
05:55And they have achieved a major success.
05:58Mohamed Usman was a dreaded Pakistani terrorist who was active in this region for the last several months.
06:03And finally, the security forces have been successful in eliminating him.
06:09And counter-terror operations are still on.
06:13Search operation is still on because there are two more dreaded terrorists who continue to be at large in this particular area.
06:19That is why reinforcements are being sent.
06:22And this search operation has been extended in other areas of Jammu Division.
06:27So two more terrorists are hiding out there, Surilji confirms for us.
06:31We're going to track the latest on that operation.
06:33Thanks, Surilji, for the moment.
06:38And we move on to our top focus here on Super 6.
06:42Prime Minister Modi sounding the poll bugle in Tamil Nadu and Kerala for the BJP.
06:47Let's focus first on what's happened in Tamil Nadu, where he wrapped up that massive campaign just about an hour ago.
06:53Prime Minister Modi vowed to uproot the Stalin government from the state.
06:58This was, by the way, a big NDA show of strength.
07:01So right next to Prime Minister Modi, you had Edapadi Paraniswamy.
07:05And there were images of the bonhomie between Prime Minister Modi and EPS that was evident.
07:09Then you had TTV Dhinakara.
07:11For the very first time, on the same stage as EPS, they were, of course, on either side of the Prime Minister.
07:17So we didn't really see any personal interaction between the two leaders.
07:20Then PMK's Ambumani Ramados was there.
07:23You had GK Vassan as well.
07:25So all of these leaders, part of a larger NDA rising, coming together for this mega rally with the Prime Minister.
07:32But let's put the focus on what Prime Minister Modi has said.
07:34Here are some of the highlights of how he attacked the Stalin government.
07:37Friends, you have given the DMK two times clear mandate.
07:50दिया.
07:52लेकिन इनों ने तमिलनाडू के जनता का बरोसा तोड़ा.
08:01DMK ने बादे भेते डेर सारे किये.
08:06but the job is zero.
08:11DMK government to now
08:14CMC government to say
08:18CMC government to
08:23corruption, mafia
08:28and crime.
08:30The government, the government
08:36of Tamil Nadu,
08:39DMK
08:42and CMC
08:45both
08:47have become
08:50made.
08:53Here, BJP and NDA
08:56double engineers
08:57become
08:58a
09:00government.
09:02Today,
09:03Tamil Nadu
09:04has
09:05a
09:06government
09:07has
09:08a
09:09government
09:10has
09:11no
09:12government
09:13or
09:14accountability
09:16has
09:17no
09:19a
09:21DMK
09:22is
09:23only
09:24one
09:25country
09:26has
09:27been
09:28in
09:29a
09:30country.
09:31If
09:32anyone
09:33has
09:34more
09:35than
09:36a
09:37country
09:38has
09:39only
09:40three
09:41or
09:42four
09:43routes
09:44a
09:45dynasty
09:46route
09:47and
09:48corruption
09:49route
09:50and
09:51abuse
09:52women
09:53route
09:54and
09:55abuse
09:56our
09:57culture
09:58route
09:59and
10:00and
10:01this is
10:02the reason
10:03that
10:04DMK
10:05is
10:07the
10:08people
10:09who
10:10are
10:11in
10:12this
10:13way.
10:14This
10:15is
10:16the
10:17whole
10:18Tamil Nadu
10:19is
10:20happening.
10:21Tamil Nadu
10:22is
10:23the
10:24children
10:25know
10:27that
10:29is
10:30where
10:31there
10:32is
10:33the
10:35corruption
10:36is
10:38going
10:39to
10:40the
10:41people
10:42who
10:43are
10:44going
10:45to
10:46Kerala.
10:47Because the
10:48larger question
10:49we're asking
10:50here is about
10:51the BJP's
10:52chances in
10:53a
10:54Tamil Nadu
10:55or
10:56Kerala.
10:57And before we
10:58discuss that,
10:59here's a report
11:00on what played out
11:01earlier today when the
11:02said
11:03a warm
11:04welcome to the
11:05Honorable
11:06Prime Minister.
11:07It went from
11:08warm
11:09greetings
11:10to
11:11Kerala
11:12to
11:13Narendra Modi
11:14Narendra Modi
11:15was in
11:17poll-bound Kerala
11:18on Friday to
11:19inaugurate development projects and flag off four new trains.
11:23Chief Minister Pinnaree Vijayan received Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Thiruvananthapuram airport.
11:30Later, the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister shared the stage where the Prime Minister inaugurated the projects. After the official engagements got over, Prime Minister Modi held a roadshow which saw thousands of BGP's
11:35supporters line up to greet him.
11:36BGP supporters line up to greet him.
11:3701
12:05At the public meeting that followed, Modi switched to his avatar or BJP campaigner.
12:11He took on both the ruling LDF and UDF.
12:15Prime Minister raised corruption charges against the left.
12:35He promised action against those who stole Shabarimala gold if the NDA comes to power.
13:05Modi asserted that the upcoming assembly polls are about Kerala's future.
13:29And ended his speech with these words.
13:35The Congress has hit back at the Prime Minister.
14:00We welcome the Prime Minister of India to Kerala.
14:05Kerala is a very hospitable state.
14:08Each one of you all are welcome.
14:09We will give him good food.
14:11But one thing he should remember is that BJP will never come to power there.
14:16He can go back the same way as he has come.
14:20Prime Minister has sounded the poll bugle in Kerala.
14:23The NDA is confident of improving the tally after its big win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation polls.
14:29Vishivi Molkeji, Thiruvananthapuram, Bureau Report, India Today.
14:34Okay, let me open this up to a panel joining us this evening.
14:40We've got Srinivas Reddy, Kumbham, spokesperson of the Congress.
14:43Tuhin Sinha, spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
14:46Selim Dhani Dharan, spokesperson of the Dravidar Munitra Kargam.
14:49And Shekhar Iyer, senior journalist.
14:52Thank you all very much for your time.
14:53Good evening.
14:54Or should I say namaskaram, vanakkam to all of you on this conversation.
14:58Shekhar Iyer, I'd like to begin with you.
15:00You know, you had the Prime Minister leading this massive campaign both in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
15:04But do you think the BJP actually stands a chance in these southern states, two states the BJP so far has struggled to actually breach?
15:17I mean, the best scenario that the BJP is probably looking at in Kerala and Tamil Nadu is like this.
15:26In Kerala, they hope to see that left, they start, you know, do a hat trick.
15:32I mean, again, come back to power for a third term.
15:35And the UDF is not in a very comfortable position because of narrow margin.
15:40And they themselves are able to open a decent number in the Kerala series.
15:45As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, the BJP has been working behind the scenes to get all these leaders to come on a platform.
15:53That itself was a very big achievement, considering the animosity between TTV Dhinakaran and Edapandi Pandhiswami.
15:59And one thing you would have noticed today at the Madurantakam rally is TTV Dhinakaran openly, you know, gave his support to Edapandi Pandhiswami,
16:09saying that they have forgotten their past differences because they want to get Tamil Nadu rid of the DMK rule.
16:16That's a big message to the AI-DMK candidates who have been upset that their two leaders have been on a war part.
16:23So that's the kind of message that the BJP is working.
16:26And, you know, this effort of the Prime Minister would be largely to unite the anti-DMK votes which these other parties are bringing,
16:36like the presence of Anupabadi Ramdhas is also interesting, though Patali Makkal Kacchi has been having a mega father-son fight.
16:45But overall picture in terms of BJP's long-term strategy for both states is that if they can ensure that the DMK does not come back to power,
16:56it is short of numbers, BJP will consider it a big achievement.
17:00Similarly in Kerala, even if the Congress were to come back, but with its reduced margin,
17:05that would see a lot of instability given narrow margins by which candidates win in Kerala.
17:10Okay, so interesting analysis there.
17:13I think you've summed it up as far as both Kerala and Tamil Nadu are concerned.
17:16Let me bring in the Congress first on this broadcast.
17:19Srivast Reddy, looking at, you know, the Prime Minister's speech in Kerala particularly,
17:24many would suggest, experts too would suggest that the BJP perhaps is on the rise in Kerala.
17:29Is there a cause of concern for the Congress which is looking ideally to come back to power in a state like Kerala in a few months?
17:35Seeing Prime Minister Modi's speech today, I would feel that BJP is probably dreaming of coming into power in Kerala.
17:47Because Kerala, in entire South India, if you are taking, we can see that South India, here the elections are mostly based on local issues,
17:59then personality-based politics happens here, regional-based politics happens here.
18:05And it's mostly the regional parties which are strong here.
18:09In some states, likewise in Kerala, I mean, Karnataka and Telangana, we have the Congress in power.
18:16In Andhra, if we see, it's only, BJP is only an alliance partner over there with about eight seats over there,
18:23but they claim that they are in power. Similarly, they are probably thinking that in Kerala, they might come to power.
18:29They have one MP seat over there and they have one mayor who has won just recently.
18:35And probably, it's a good try for them, but definitely, I don't think it is a possible scenario there.
18:43So, Hint Sina, your response. Is this merely a pipe dream then for the BJP to be able to conquer a Kerala or a Tamil Nadu?
18:50Well, good evening, everybody. You know, first of all, very happy Saraswati Pooja to all.
18:58Well, certainly, in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, BJP is going to come up with its best performance till date.
19:05And for Congress to, you know, say that we are dreaming of coming to power, Congress should worry about its existence
19:10because, you know, even in, you know, across the country, Congress seems to be facing an existential crisis,
19:16including at the local body.
19:18Now, when it comes to Kerala, we are, you know, facing a duopoly which has ruined the state in every possible way.
19:26Corruption is at an all-time high.
19:28But more than corruption, it is the radicalization which both of these groups have encouraged over the last many, you know, last two decades.
19:36Congress has an open alliance with the Jamaat.
19:39When we question them over the alliance and Jamaat, you know, rooting for an Islamic state, they have no answers.
19:44Khaled Mashal, you know, held a conference in Kunur, barely two weeks after the Israel attack.
19:52Not one Congress leader, not one CPIM leader had the courage to attack that.
19:56So, that is the reality of Kerala.
19:58When it comes to Tamil Nadu, obviously, corruption is at an all-time high.
20:02The anti-incumbency factor is going to, you know, play in a very big way in Tamil Nadu.
20:08And we are cobbling up an alliance which will hit at that anti-incumbency factor, which will make sure that the DMK crumbles at the right moment.
20:16Dhanitar, in your opening comments of what the Prime Minister said today in Tamil Nadu,
20:21Tuhin Sinha also suggesting that, look, this is an alliance that's going to win in Tamil Nadu,
20:26that there is a great deal of anti-incumbency.
20:28And the Prime Minister in his speech put the focus largely on corruption, on misrule,
20:33saying that, you know, law and order has gone to the dogs, he's talking about a drug issue, all of that in Tamil Nadu.
20:39So, whatever the Prime Minister may say, the facts will have to be discussed based on data.
20:48Even the NCRB data says Tamil Nadu is the safest state in India for women.
20:54All the crime rates in comparison to 2016 to 2021, in Tamil Nadu, it has improved drastically.
21:00Also, if you look at the top 10 safer states in India, for all metrics, Tamil Nadu ranks in the top 5 or 6.
21:05It's only the BJP rule states that are on the bottom 5, the worst states, for law and order.
21:09That is the fact which Prime Minister should acknowledge.
21:13People in Tamil Nadu have cell phones, they can go and Google.
21:15Now there is Grok, now there is ChatGPD and also Google where people can get to the official documents and know the truth.
21:21So, Prime Minister should know if there is corruption, right?
21:23Why isn't the central agencies not able to prove any corruption against the DMK members?
21:27But central agencies have flagged it.
21:29Dhani Dhani, central agencies, the EED has repeatedly flagged it, asking for investigation.
21:33I don't, where is the conviction?
21:36ED's conviction rate is 0.01%.
21:39So, that is the ED, CBA income tax.
21:42If at all, someone has made corruption, then there has to be a proof.
21:46And then the proof will have to be taken into consideration in the court.
21:49And the court will have to give a verdict.
21:51Also, now all my ministers on whom acquisition was casted are acquitted.
21:56That's this point, number one.
21:57Point number two, Tamil Nadu ranks better than all BJP rules states and socio-economic metrics.
22:02Our CM has launched a number of schemes that serves an example, not just to India, but to the world.
22:07For example, morning breakfast scheme.
22:09After Tamil Nadu, UK and Canada launched the same scheme.
22:12Okay.
22:12Pudum, I went to some thousand rupees to government school girls going to college.
22:15No, point taken.
22:16Do you see that ultimately the DMK's contention is this?
22:18That Tamil Nadu is one of the best performing states.
22:20Look at any metric you want.
22:21And they constantly refer to this as the Dravidian model.
22:24So, will this narrative that there's misrule in Tamil Nadu actually work on the ground?
22:29Doheen, can you unmute yourself, please?
22:38You know, the BJP right now does not have a presence in any of the southern states.
22:44So, they can claim the best among the mediocre non-BJP states.
22:48You know, the fact is they have not been able to even implement the PM Shri scheme, which is part of the Samagra Shiksha Abhyan of the center, despite committing to it.
22:58There was a liquor tragedy one and a half years back in broad daylight that killed 58 people.
23:04Obviously, you know, their local leaders have been minting money through liquor tragedies.
23:08Their attack on judiciary.
23:09They, you know, they wanted to, or perhaps they still want to impeach the judge who passed the judgment in favor of the Deepathun lighting.
23:19This is the reality of the DMK.
23:21They may claim they are better among the non-performing opposition rule states, but that is not the parameter.
23:27You compare it with any of the BJP rule states, be it Maharashtra or Uttar Pradesh.
23:32And fact is that Tamil Nadu government has done nothing but stalled important development projects.
23:39No, but are you suggesting that in Uttar Pradesh, like a state like Uttar Pradesh's economy is better than that of Tamil Nadu's?
23:44If you have to compare it from 2017, the journey of Uttar Pradesh, the transformation, the metamorphosis from a Bimaru state into one of the, you know, one of the states which is getting maximum investment.
23:56Tamil Nadu was always ahead in many of the parameters.
24:00On the contrary, there is stagnation since the time DMK government came into power because of their extracurricular activities.
24:07Their, their interest in, in, you know, undermining the judiciary.
24:11Their, their interest in anti, anti-Hindu activities.
24:14Why did they have to impeach the judge who passed the judgment in favor of Deepathun?
24:18Can he answer that?
24:19Can I just comment?
24:20Danitaran, go ahead.
24:22See, I'm not going to get into all this religion, spirituality.
24:24BJP does not have any development to show.
24:26They want to bring religion into it.
24:27I will only say air pollution in India is the worst.
24:29R&D spending in India is the lowest.
24:31Sanitation in India ranks 120 to 122 countries.
24:34I will, Chinese universities are now ranking in the top five when it comes to research citations.
24:38Indian universities are not, nowhere present.
24:40Mimodi has been in power for 11 years.
24:41These are the questions I wanted to answer.
24:43When it comes to Uttar Pradesh, any socioeconomic metro, Uttar Pradesh ranks only as good as sub-Saharan Africa
24:48and Tamil Nadu does as good as Eastern European countries or some of the states in the United States itself.
24:53Developed countries.
24:54This is where we stand.
24:55In all metrics, it has only improved.
24:57The Tamil Nadu was a revenue surplus state in 2011.
25:00When ADMK demoted office, revenue deficit was minus 66,000 crores,
25:04which in a COVID year, my government reduced it by 20,000 crores.
25:07And then now the revenue deficit is 30,000 crores.
25:09Debt to GDP went from 18% to 30% under Yadapadi, BJP partner.
25:14The same alliance is going to counter selection.
25:15That we have reduced to 26%.
25:17So what is he talking about?
25:18Okay, so that's data for you, Tuhin.
25:20Tamil Nadu's revenue to GDP reduced by 2 percentage points under Yadapadi, Pandit Swami.
25:23Which means that the money that should have gone to the government got disappeared.
25:27Okay, you've given those numbers.
25:29Danitha, let Tuhin respond.
25:31You've given those numbers.
25:32You know, the point, the point is, the point is, there is, like I mentioned,
25:36given that Tamil Nadu already, you know, was way ahead of Uttar Pradesh 10 years back,
25:41there is...
25:41I've given data now.
25:42You go by data, I go by your behavior.
25:45Why did you stall?
25:46Why did you stall the Coimbatore and Madurai rail projects when the center was pushing for it?
25:51You provided wrong and fallacious DPRs.
25:53That's also a fact.
25:55You know, we have a development model which is not impeded by petty politics.
26:03You people have only, only and only got into a conflict with center on frivolous issues.
26:10The story of Tamil Nadu would have been something else otherwise.
26:13Darni, Darni, your response quickly and then I'll bring in Srinivas Reddy also.
26:16The first CAG audit in 2022 and 2023 had flagged certain discrepancies during Yadapadi Pallisamish
26:24regime with Minister Vailumani, where they said 90% of the smart city tenders were only
26:29awarded to one company with links to the minister's brother and all the tenders were submitted
26:34to only one computer IP address and the number two bid was also another same company.
26:39Because of this, there was a loss to a cheque of 6,000 crores.
26:43Shuck case!
26:43Why isn't Vailumani, any FAR has been filed by the ED?
26:46No, no, but Darni Dharam respond to what the BGP is saying that central schemes are blocked.
26:50That central schemes are blocked in Tamil Nadu.
26:53Even Manrega, when it comes to Manrega which existed then.
26:57Okay, okay, let Darni Dharam finish.
27:01No central scheme is blocked.
27:02In fact, Madurai and Khoi Mathur, the preposterous reason they gave it, the population is less
27:05than 15 lakhs.
27:06But cities, smaller cities like Indore were given metro.
27:09Agra was given metro, but not the state.
27:11I will give you entire data of non-BJP rule states, not just Tamil Nadu, how the funding
27:16has been reduced.
27:17In 2014-15, Uttar Pradesh used to get 40,000 central funding, Tamil Nadu 20,000.
27:21Now we get, Tamil Nadu gets about 60,000, Uttar Pradesh gets about 2.1 lakh crores, which
27:25is about, they get each year 1.6 lakh crores more for a central devolution.
27:29Tamil Nadu's own tax revenue, right, is 75%.
27:32Uttar Pradesh's own tax revenue is only 50%, which means 75% of expenditures meant by own revenue,
27:39which does not come from the centre, that is a fact.
27:41So earlier it wasn't the case.
27:42So our own revenue has increased, the central transfer has reduced, which means we are doing
27:47good administration, despite central not allocating the fund, right.
27:50And our growth rate is 11.2% in comparison to India's growth rate of 6.7%.
27:55India is, Tamil Nadu is the fastest growing state in the last five years.
27:58You compare it to India's growth rate, our growth rate is highest, which is the data which
28:02is given by our...
28:03Tuhin, Tuhin, your response particularly on what, particularly what Daridhan raised on
28:07Veil Muni?
28:08You know, I have, Akshita, I have very clear, I have very clearly specified the data, you
28:14know, the cherry picking of data can be misleading.
28:16Bihar reported a 14.5% GDP growth rate.
28:20For the last two years, Bihar has reported in excess of 14% GDP growth rate.
28:23So what is he talking?
28:24Fact is that a lot of these projects, which are encouraged by the center, have been stalled
28:30even, you know, in the last election...
28:33In the last elections, they promised they would raise the Manrega scheme, Manrega, which
28:41has now been replaced by VBG Ramji bill, they promised they would raise the 100-day work
28:45guarantee to 150.
28:46Did they do that?
28:47They did not do that in the last five years, till we brought the VBG Ramji bill, you know,
28:51last month.
28:52So they have made a lot of promises, they have not delivered on it, because their focus
28:56was on some extracurricular activities, particularly undermining the judiciary, particularly undermining
29:03the Hindu faith, which we have seen them do time and again.
29:07Daridhan, go ahead.
29:08Akshita, I'll have to come in here, okay?
29:10Yeah, please, please, quickly, I didn't have to bring in the other panelists.
29:12For example, in a school exam, right, when your mark is 10 out of 100, you get from 10 to
29:1620, the percentage increase is 100%.
29:19Similarly, if you are scoring 90 out of 100, if your mark is 99, your percentage is 10%.
29:23That is why in the world, developed countries' growth rate is 2%, and underdeveloped countries'
29:27growth rate is very high.
29:28The fastest growing country in the world is, I think, Congo, 28%, or South Sudan, 28%.
29:32So, Tamil Nadu, being the developed state in India, still we are maintaining 12% growth
29:36rate, twice higher than India as an achievement than an underdeveloped state having a double-digit
29:41growth rate.
29:42So that is how it works.
29:43You look at the, you compare Norway's growth rate and some South Sudan African country's
29:47growth rate.
29:48Okay, I've given...
29:48That's why it's going faster than underdeveloped states.
29:52It's a fact.
29:52That shows the administrative ability of my chief minister.
29:55Okay.
29:55Mandrega, drastically the funding was reduced each year by the union government, despite contrary
30:00advice from Nobel laureates such as Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, so on and so on.
30:04I can keep saying.
30:05And even this scheme, with the new scheme that they have brought in about, is one is about
30:09state funding.
30:10State has to put in a major chunk of money.
30:12Sir, given both you, Dhani Dhanan and Tuhin Sina, a chance to counter each other, let me
30:17bring in Srinivas Reddy also, before I wrap this up.
30:20Srinivas Reddy, putting the focus really on the Congress's performance right now, looking
30:25at the fact that the Congress in both Kerala and Tamil Nadu, who's hoping they have a chance
30:28in Tamil Nadu, of course, with the DMK in an alliance, is the Congress also looking at
30:34how the BJP is putting the focus on these two states?
30:36For the Congress, ultimately, the South matters the most.
30:39For the Congress, definitely South matters the most.
30:43For BJP, if you are looking at BJP, they have always given stepmotherly treatment to
30:47South India.
30:48Even now, what they are trying to do, they know that they are definitely not going to
30:52break the Southern barrier here.
30:54So, what they are trying to do is, they are trying, after the deal...
30:57No, but you see the numbers.
30:58For example, in Kerala, you see the numbers, sir.
31:00They are on the rise.
31:01As our dear friend from DMK has said, that definitely, if a person gets 10 marks, definitely
31:09if we get 12 marks or 20 marks, it's a 100% rise.
31:13Their vote share, their vote pattern, whatever is there in South India is a different story
31:17altogether.
31:18Here, they are trying to, you know, increase the number of parliament, decrease the number
31:23of parliament seats, because they definitely know in the next election, they are not going
31:27to get anything here.
31:29So, they are, the BJP is trying to increase the number of seats in Northern India, based
31:35on population, based on...
31:36That's a false claim.
31:38Okay.
31:39...delimitation.
31:40Tuhin, quickly, I'll give you a chance to respond to the...
31:42You know...
31:43You know very well what's going to happen in South India.
31:44Tuhin, quickly.
31:45They are not, definitely not going to come back to power here.
31:48Okay.
31:49Okay.
31:50Tuhin.
31:51You know, when they, when they start stoking this North versus divide, you know, they don't
31:55have any positive agenda.
31:56In February 2025, Home Minister Amit Shah has specified that Tamil Nadu and not any single,
32:04of the Southern states will lose any seat because of delimitation.
32:07We are willing to walk that extra mile to ensure that those seats are there the way
32:13it is, which would mean that even we are transgressing from the original formula of delimitation.
32:18But having said that, if in the past delimitation formula has been based on population, we are
32:23willing to even change that to ensure these fears are allayed.
32:27But the North versus South divide, which they have stoked repeatedly by attacking Sanatan,
32:33by attacking people from other parts of the country, has a limited shelf now, shelf life.
32:37Now people can see through it that.
32:39And that is why they are so frustrated today because that is not...
32:42No, so...
32:43Is there fear mongering on the issue of delimitation?
32:45We don't know what it's going to look like.
32:46Are we jumping the gun on it?
32:49No.
32:50Home Minister say the number of seats won't be reduced.
32:52I also say the number of seats won't be reduced.
32:54The total number of seats would be 888 approximately.
32:56But then the proportion of seats would reduce.
32:59For example, if Tamil Nadu represents 8% of the parliament, it will reduce to 5.5%.
33:03The delimitation act itself says the redrawing of constituencies based on population.
33:08And because population in the states have reduced, which means the contribution, the proportion
33:12of parliamentarians from South India will reduce to 17% from 25% and increase in handful
33:17of North Indian states from 40% to 70%.
33:19That is the worry.
33:21What we are saying is the Home Minister can come and say proportion of seats won't be reduced.
33:24They are not using the word proportion.
33:26Again, playing with plain math.
33:28That's all the whole point is.
33:29They should first freeze delimitation like how Vajpayee did and Indira Gandhi did.
33:33And then have a discussion with the state and then tell this is what we are going to do.
33:37Because delimitation automatically elapses.
33:39The constituencies will have to be redrawn based on the population.
33:42Let me just...
33:43Okay, gentlemen, I'm just going to press pause.
33:45I'm going to come to you, Tuhin.
33:46Give me a moment.
33:47I just want to get in a reaction that's coming from Tamil Nadu to Chief Minister M.K.
33:50Stalin to what Prime Minister Modi has said.
33:53Clearly, Chief Minister Stalin hitting back.
33:55Referring to the double engine the Prime Minister Modi spoke out of as Dappa engine.
34:01Essentially, that is like an empty engine.
34:03If I were to translate that for you.
34:05He's saying that won't run in Tamil Nadu.
34:07He's saying despite all the barriers imposed by the BJP,
34:11Tamil Nadu has achieved the kind of development that history speaks of by shattering them.
34:16And then he's spoken of states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar.
34:19He says these are the so-called double engine states.
34:22He compares that to a Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka, West Bengal.
34:26And says that the states where your Dabba engine hasn't entered are the ones soaring high in development.
34:32Tuhin Sina bringing you in on this.
34:34A comparison where he's essentially looking at BJP-ruled states saying your double engine doesn't work.
34:40This is what the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister says.
34:42Can you just repeat that? There was a slight...
34:48So he's drawn a comparison to him where he says that the double engine in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar are doing nothing.
34:56You compare it to the states' development in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana.
35:00He's listed all the states where the BJP is not empowered to say they're doing better.
35:04Suddenly the DMK pretends it is ignorant about history.
35:09You have seen where we took over in 2017 in Uttar Pradesh.
35:14It was the condition of Uttar Pradesh then. It was a Bimaru state.
35:17There was complete lawlessness.
35:19The transformation that Uttar Pradesh has witnessed, the growth in GDP, you know, that is unprecedented.
35:25That is the transformation we bring in every state we inherit.
35:29But the argument then will be that in Tamil Nadu it's always been the Dravidian parties are the four who've ensured the growth in the state.
35:35The Dravidian parties have, you know, presided over the stagnation of the state.
35:41The Dravidian parties have presided over the stagnation of the state.
35:45Tamil Nadu would have been at another level had BJP been given an opportunity way back and it will still be at another level if we get an opportunity now.
35:53Projects which have been stalled and I listed some of them will see the light of the day.
35:57That is the crucial difference which we will bring about.
36:00Darnidharan, your response that you cannot compare an Uttar Pradesh and a Tamil Nadu.
36:05Even now in socio-economic metrics, Uttar Pradesh have not undergone any transformation.
36:10It's all the same how it was 10 years back, 15 years back, 20 years back.
36:14Even GDP growth rate they are not doing as well as Tamil Nadu in spite of being an underdeveloped state where they are supposed to grow faster.
36:20It is only additional, because of additional union government transfer, the money that grows from Tamil Nadu to Uttar Pradesh, Kerala to Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka to Uttar Pradesh, Telangana to Uttar Pradesh.
36:28Because of that some infrastructure projects have been announced even though they have not been completed properly.
36:32All the newspapers we saw how in today's day and age someone had to, in middle of the road there is a drain and a car goes into the drain, the drain was not even covered.
36:42That is how underdeveloped Uttar Pradesh today is. That is how bad the governance is.
36:46The minister's son have ran over farmers in Uttar Pradesh. That is the brazen, brazenness with which BJP operates there.
36:53So what is, what are they saying? This is the same, like they said, Gujarat model, Gujarat model. 25 years after...
37:00Closing comments, please. Closing comments from Shekhar Iyer.
37:03Mr. Shekhar Iyer, you know, when you put the focus on development and it's a comparison of these double engine states versus a state like Tamil Nadu.
37:11Do you think that narrative works among the people of Tamil Nadu? Ultimately, Tamil Nadu is a state that's doing very well.
37:18And so when Stalin puts the focus on that, do you think it's advantage, DMK?
37:22Oh, well, you see, people know that you can't compare what the Tamil Nadu has achieved over the years and what is happening in Uttar Pradesh today.
37:32Because the way the Uttar Pradesh has progressed and the way Tamil Nadu had the benefit of initial investment right after independence, that's a different story.
37:41But one thing, Akshita, we are not talking this time is the Vijay factor. For the last two, three weeks, the Vijay guns have fallen silent.
37:50It is back to, you know, two fronts that we are talking. What happens once Vijay again comes out of his current silence and relaunches his campaign?
38:00Because he has been caught in, you know, how to get his film cleared, Janana Icon by the censor.
38:05No, but he's also, he's gone silent. Shekhar Iyar, the reality is he's not out there, he's not campaigning.
38:10You know, how much can you talk about Vijay factor when he's not visible on ground?
38:14No, but I would expect that this scenario will undergo change. But let me make it one thing clear. There are serious anti-incompensation issues in Tamil Nadu for the DMK.
38:24But the DMK is counting on the various bonanzas it has announced for the government employees, for women, for farmers, all that has come in the last minute.
38:34So, the whole idea and that has been counted by Edapadi also equally matching with even more announcements.
38:41It finally comes down to dole versus doles or you know, allowances versus allowances.
38:46Okay, okay. I don't have time. I don't have time for an intervention. I'm going to wrap this up. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, gentlemen.
38:51My apologies to him. I've run out of time, but thank you all very much for joining me on this broadcast.
38:57I'm caught between the quotes and the calendar. Vijay's farewell film, Janana Icon, remains stalled amid that legal dispute over the censor certificate.
39:05500 crores is at stake. Election pressure is looming, but its release hangs in the balance.
39:12What's really happening? When is the next update expected? Take a look at this report.
39:26Caught between the quotes and the calendar, Talapati Vijay's much-anticipated farewell film, Janana Icon, faces a race against time.
39:34Originally planned for a Jan. 9 theatrical release, the film remains stalled due to an ongoing legal dispute with the Central Board of Film Certification, forcing it to miss the crucial Republic Day window.
39:52On January 20th, the Madras High Court heard arguments from both the CBFC and the makers, reserving its order without specifying a verdict date.
40:11The next possible hearing is scheduled for January 27th, keeping producers, theatre owners and fans on edge.
40:20KVN Productions highlighted the high stakes, revealing an investment of 500 crore rupees and disclosing that Amazon Prime Video had threatened legal action due to ongoing uncertainty.
40:33With no major releases in early February and Sankranti Telugu films winding down, February 6th or 13th could offer a clear run for Vijay's Swan Song film.
40:45However, the impending Tamil Nadu assembly elections add another layer of urgency.
41:13With Vijay and his party, Tamiragavitri Karagam set to contest and the Election Commission could impose restrictions under the Model Code of Conduct,
41:23potentially halting screenings if the film is deemed politically influential.
41:28commentary on coin is only influential.
41:38Directed by H Vinod,
41:50Directed by H. Vinod, Janna Nayagan features an ensemble cast including Pooja Hegde, Bobby
41:57Diol, Priya Mani and Prakash Raj, promising a grand send-off for the superstar.
42:17The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether Vijay's farewell can finally hit the
42:22big screen or face further delays.
42:47Entertainment Bureau, India Today.
42:54Entertainment Bureau, India Today.
43:12We'll see you next time.
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