- 6 weeks ago
The big talking point of this episode of 5 Live is the political confrontation regarding the Women's Reservation Bill ahead of a special Parliament session.
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00:11Hello and welcome. I'm Sorrel Mehrotra Kapoor. This is Five Live. Three big stories that we
00:17are tracking for you today. Number one, on the Women's Reservation Bill. The Parliament sits
00:21in for the special session starting tomorrow. What exactly is likely to happen? Is it politics
00:26before West Bengal elections, as the opposition is saying? Or is it actually merit? Importantly,
00:32will the government have numbers? The second story we've got our eyes on are on the latest
00:38updates on the war. What's happening? What to expect in that second round of conversations and
00:44talks that are expected to happen in Pakistan? And then story number three that we've got for you
00:49today is a very, very interesting one. All of us now know what is the state of Hormuz.
00:56But today, we make you see it through the eyes of someone who went diving there just last
01:03week. So brace yourself for a very exciting episode coming up. First up, as always, let's
01:08take you through all the top 10 headlines at this hour.
01:13A full-blown war of words over delimitation bill states set for a special two-day Parliament
01:19session from tomorrow. Prime Minister Modi urges the opposition parties to back the Women's
01:24Quota bill in Parliament. And Congress makes it stand very clear. It's not against women
01:29reservation, but it will oppose delimitation.
01:35Massive TCS conversion racket now busted in Maharashtra's Nashik. Maharashtra ATS is probing
01:42it. TCS HR and manager charged with the, sort of charged there with sexual harassment and
01:48conversion. Sources say that the Malaysian-based handler was in touch with the accused.
01:54Another shocker coming in from Maharashtra. A 19-year-old man has been arrested in Amravati,
01:59district of Maharashtra, for allegedly recording and circulating obscene videos involving minor
02:04girls. 80 minors, women, are sexually exploited, we are told. At this point, the accused circulated
02:11350 nude images and videos of the minors. Part of the accused's house has been raised by the
02:20authorities. Meanwhile, Bihar gets a new chief minister. It's a BJP chief minister for the
02:27first time. Samrath Chaudhary takes oath as chief minister to JDU. Deputy CM sworn in alongside.
02:36Hours after Punjab government withdrew the Z-plus security cover for Raghav Chadha, the centre now
02:41steps in to provide him security based on an existing threat perception. The cover is being
02:47extended across both Delhi and Punjab, with the paramilitary forces deployed for his protection.
02:55ED steps up heat on Amadi Party MP Ashok Mittal. Meanwhile, carrying out raids at multiple locations
03:01across Punjab is part of an ongoing probe under the Foreign Exchange Management Act. Amadi Party
03:06chief Arvind Ketriwal alleged political vendetta, linking the action to the run-up for the 2027
03:13Punjab polls. In a major setback to Congress leader Pawan Khera, the Supreme Court paused the
03:21interim bail granted to him by the Tilangana High Court. The case is registered by a SAM police
03:26remember on complaint filed by Rinki Bhuyan Sarma, wife of the Chief Minister Himanta
03:32Biswa Sarma.
03:36Stand-up comedian Anudeep Kartikala is arrested for joking about Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief
03:41Minister Pawan Kalyan. The state police picked him up from Prayag Raj on the 14th of April,
03:47three days after the FIR was filed.
03:53Trump's war almost over is his claim this time. Before talks 2.0 start, Trump has asserted that
04:01Iran war close to over, saying if U.S. escalates right now, it would take 20 years for Iran to
04:08rebuild.
04:10V.P. there, J.D. Vance, says the U.S.-Iran mistrust can't be fixed overnight.
04:18And Delhi, meanwhile, is staring at an early heatwave spell, with temperatures set to touch
04:23and cross the 40-degree mark in the coming days. The IMD warns of a steady rise in temperatures
04:28across northwest India, including the national capital, with heatwave conditions likely to
04:33intensify.
04:38Alright, let's cut across to some live visuals coming in. This is from Kanya Kumari. Prime
04:43Minister Narendra Modi is currently leading a roadshow there, as BJP is intensifying its
04:48campaign ahead of April 23rd Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Prime Minister has arrived in Trivandrum
04:55there earlier by a special flight and proceeded to Nager by helicopter. He has touched down
05:03at the Armed Forces ground and is now on his way to Vipamudu Junction, where the roadshow
05:08is underway. The one-kilometre stretch there from Vipamudu Begabaram Junction to the MGR statue
05:18has been designated for the event. Travelling in an open vehicle, the Prime Minister is greeting
05:24supporters and canvassing votes for BJP and India Alliance candidates across Kanya Kumari,
05:30Tiru Nevali, Tiru Nevali and Tenkasi districts.
05:38Alright, those pictures on your screen of Prime Minister there campaigning for the BJP and
05:45NDA Alliance candidates in the state. These are the districts that are likely to see you
05:54beside him, his alliance partners there also seen there alongside. Tamil Nadu elections are,
06:03the election sweep there is fully underway. Anaga, my colleague, joins us for more details on this.
06:11Anaga, give us the importance of these three districts where Prime Minister is campaigning.
06:18In fact, the Prime Minister is flanked by Nainar Nagendran, Annamalai as well as Zaidapadi Parani
06:24Swami. He is the grand, massive roadshow that he is witnessing at this point. He is campaigning
06:29and having a roadshow in Nagarkoil. Today was the day when he was in Kanya Kumari as well. A very
06:34crucial seat indeed for both the DMK and the BJP. In fact, the BJP has also won from Kanya Kumari.
06:42Remember last time when elections happened, we saw Prime Minister Modi, you know, pay his respects to
06:48Sirivalur statue and then he went into a museum where he was having a Ramakrishna memorial where
06:53he did that meditation. Some sort of iconic pictures were released on that day. And now the Prime Minister
06:59is back to the very same region in the southern part of Tamil Nadu, a very crucial district indeed. In
07:05fact,
07:05there is a very strong reason why the BJP and the Prime Minister chose Kanya Kumari and
07:10Coimbatore for campaigning. It's because the BJP has grassroot level presence in these two districts.
07:16And BJP does have a sizable support when, you know, in these two districts, the Coimbatore and
07:22the Kanya Kumari district when compared to any other region in Tamil Nadu. And that's why you see
07:27people who have gathered in large numbers extending that support for Prime Minister Modi. And many have
07:32also just come out just to see Modi in person just once. That's the kind of crowd support that you're,
07:38know, that we're all witnessing at this point. A very crucial feat for the BJP and for the AIA-DMK.
07:46Anika, speak to us a little bit about the NDA alliance in the region. Talk to us about what exactly
07:52happened back doors when the alliance was being formed and how it's between BJP and AIA-DMK.
08:01Well, in fact, the alliance was formed between EPS and Amit Shah. When Amit Shah was here in Tamil Nadu,
08:09that was when he sort of went to EPS and convinced him. Because remember, last year when general
08:14elections happened, the BJP and the AIA-DMK had broken ties. And now when Amit Shah was here personally,
08:21in Tamil Nadu, Amit Shah had to come all the way from Delhi to Tamil Nadu to convince EPS to
08:25join
08:25back hands with BJP. And now that happened, that grand meeting that we saw between EPS and Amit Shah,
08:32of course, there was a very strong condition that EPS had put out. And it was that the former BJP
08:37president, Annamalai, had to be replaced. And Amit Shah did listen to it. And therefore,
08:42Annamalai was replaced with Nainder Naghendran just ahead of assembly elections. And that's the same
08:47man, Nainder Naghendran, who you see beside the chief minister. Also, very interesting to note
08:53that Nainder Naghendran was in AIA-DMK before. So, he was indeed a colleague of Edapadi Parniswamy.
08:59And then he jumped ships and moved to BJP and is now heading to BJP for Tamil Nadu. Very important,
09:05you know, sort of equations that we are witnessing at this point. In fact, the Nagar Koyal area where
09:11Prime Minister is contesting is, I tell your pardon, having a roadshow from, it translates to the temple
09:17of Naga, temples of the Nagarjun, temple of the snakes. It's a very, very devoted and a very
09:23powerful spiritual place in Tamil Nadu. And that also explains why Prime Minister had chosen Nagar
09:28Koyal. The fact that it has such deep-rooted tradition and spirituality connected to it.
09:33And that is why Prime Minister has chosen Nagar Koyal and Kanya Kumari as his roadshow campaign's first
09:40place. And from here, on the 18th, he will go to Kormatao, where there'll be another massive grand show
09:47indeed. But just ahead of elections, there are going to be two roadshows of Prime Minister Modi,
09:52one in Nagar Koyal, Kanya Kumari, and the other one in Coimbatore. And similarly,
09:56Rahul Gandhi is also going to be coming to Tamil Nadu on 19-20-21, where we can expect a
10:02similar
10:02roadshow. But along with him will be Chief Minister Stalin. Right, Anika, thank you so much for breaking
10:08it down and bringing us those interesting anecdotes of what exactly happened in the alliance over there.
10:14Interesting times, as Tamil Nadu gets into full election mode.
10:33A high-stakes special parliament session is about to begin, and at the centre of it, the rollout of the
10:38women's reservation in Indian politics. The government is moving to finally implement the 33%
10:44quota for women in Lok Sabha and the state assemblies, a reform that has been pending for decades now,
10:50and was formally passed in 2023. But it's not a simple rollout, right? Because the reservation is now
10:57being linked to delimitation, a process that will redock constituencies and reset the distribution of
11:03seats across the country. And that linkage is where political battle is actually erupting.
11:10Let's break it down for you, because it's not just one, but three bills that are driving this transformation.
11:19All right, first up, the Dari Shakti Vandan Adeeniyam. This is the core legislation. It guarantees 33%
11:27reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. It has already been passed with a special
11:32majority, but amendments are now being proposed to enable implementation as well. In simple terms,
11:38this bill provides the promise of reservation, but needs the next steps to actually make it a reality.
11:45Number two bill that has to be passed for this to happen is the delimitation bill. And this one is
11:50tricky. So listen to this carefully. This is the operational trigger. It proposes a complete redraw of
11:57the constituency boundaries across the country and reset in the number and size of seats as well,
12:04and uses the 2011 census. That's the big, you know, chaos all about it uses the 2011 census as the
12:13basis for
12:14redistribution. Most importantly, it is this exercise that will unlock women's reservation,
12:21like targeting rollout by 2029, which is what the promise of this government is. But it's also the
12:28most contentious, like I said, because it could alter the balance of political power between states as
12:34well and within constituencies. It's very complicated, right? And number three, the third bill that is in
12:41question over here and has to be passed alongside is the UT laws amendment bill. What's happening there?
12:48This ensures that the same 33% reservation framework applies to all union territories,
12:55like Delhi, Jamun Kashmir and Puducherry. It aligns UTs with the national model and links their
13:01implementation timeline to the delimitation process as well. So taken together, one bill promises
13:08reservation, one redraws the map of how all seats are divided inside the country and one extends it
13:16nationwide to other UTs as well. The question now is not whether women's reservation bill will happen.
13:23The question now is, will this delimitation actually get a green light by the opposition? Because
13:31remember for this, they need absolute majority and they need it in both houses of parliament,
13:39which currently BJP needs the support of the opposition for. What is the opposition saying?
13:44Opposition is saying, why is the BJP calling a special session of parliament right before West
13:48Bengal and Tamil Nadu polls and doing it now? What's the hurry? What's the rush? Why are we basing it
13:53on
13:542011 census? They are smelling politics in all of this and perhaps there is reason in that. The BJP
14:01on the other hand is saying it's a long pending demand. Let's make it happen. Here's a report
14:06to take you through all those reactions.
14:13A full-blown political showdown is brewing. Parliament is set to begin a three-day special sitting
14:19from April 16 to discuss the women reservation bill. The proposal aims to implement a 33 percent
14:26quota for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies from 2029 general elections. A move that could
14:33redraw India's electoral map. Prime Minister Modi is expected to speak in the Lok Sabha on April 16 and
14:42present a detailed roadmap for the bill. But here is the political centerpiece. The government
14:49is linking delimitation to the rollout of 33 percent reservation for women in parliament.
14:54Prime Minister Modi has called it a historic step for women-led development, saying it will empower
15:00the effort to the public. It is impossible, families, to establish the好き of the issues.
15:13Now the people who have the rights have made, they need to throttle this right.
15:24The government should be enirsting that the nation's defense.
15:27Now the people who have the rights are under the force of the people,
15:30and really keep the rights of the people who have the rights of the country,
15:36The opposition is pushing back hard.
15:39Congress sources indicate strong resistance, calling the move politically motivated
15:44and questioning the link between delimitation and women's quota.
15:48They are telling they will go with the latest censors.
15:52The basic principle is that those who went with the government of India policy for population control
15:59is going to be punished or not.
16:02Sonia Gandhi, meanwhile, said that delimitation, not women's reservation, was the core issue,
16:08warning that the delimitation proposal was extremely dangerous and an assault on constitution.
16:15Samajwadi Party is also raising concerns, demanding a quota, Wadheen quota, for OBC women,
16:21warning that without it, the reservation could sideline backward communities.
16:25I think that the government doesn't want to do this.
16:30The government wants to do this, and the government wants to do this bill or doesn't want to do it.
16:48Opposition parties argued this could alter the federal balance
16:51and reshape political power equations between regions.
16:55The government has, however, slammed opposition over women's reservation issue.
17:00It's a reservation.
17:01There will be a delimitation committee.
17:03There will be that commission which sits in every state.
17:06They will talk with everybody, with all political parties,
17:09and then only a call will be taken.
17:11You have fear about every law which is being passed, whereas you don't do anything here.
17:18Former President of India, Pratibha Patil, has written to Prime Minister Modi,
17:22expressing her support for the Nari Shakti, Vandan Adhiniam.
17:26She said the legislation would strengthen the constitutional framework
17:30by ensuring greater participation of women in legislative bodies.
17:34The centre, however, is holding firm.
17:37Union Minister Kiran Rijiju says no party will oppose women's reservation,
17:42highlighting the Prime Minister's outreach efforts.
17:45No political party will oppose it.
17:48An Honorable Prime Minister has expressed his gratitude
17:51to all the political parties for coming together in their national interest.
17:56Because women's reservation cannot be a political issue.
18:00We have waited for 40 years.
18:03But with numbers, representation, caste equations at stake,
18:07this is no ordinary reform.
18:09It's a battle that could reshape India's political balance for decades.
18:14Bureau Report, India Today.
18:25All right, more updates coming in on the matter.
18:27The United Opposition meeting that was held at the National Capital just about an hour ago
18:32has now concluded.
18:33And on the women's reservation amendments,
18:35the message that they have is very, very clear.
18:38They're saying there will be support for the idea,
18:41but there are strong objections to the government's approach.
18:44Malik Arbun Gharge said that opposition is firmly in favour of the women's reservation,
18:49but questioned the manner in which the amendments have been brought in,
18:54calling it politically motivated.
18:55He also stressed that while there is consensus on the principle of 33% quota,
19:02there are serious reservations over the timing,
19:05the process, and the linkage with delimitation.
19:10So the battle lines there are clearly drawn.
19:13And of course, everybody questioning the timing right in the middle of polls.
19:18All right, let's hear actually what Mr. Kharge had to say on the matter.
19:25I have nothing to say, but only I can say that we all are in favour of women's reservation bill.
19:40But the way in which they have brought, for that we have got reservations,
19:48and it is politically motivated just to trap and suppress the opposition parties,
20:02the government is doing like this.
20:06Therefore, we all have decided we will, though continuously we are supporting women's reservation bill.
20:212010, then even 2023, it is unanimously accepted the constitutional amendment.
20:31And we are insisting that they should implement that whatever earlier amendment is passed,
20:44that delimitation, they are also playing some tricks.
20:51Therefore, all parties, we are going to take one stand.
20:58We, unitedly, should fight in parliament.
21:03And...
21:03And opposition.
21:05All opposition parties, unitedly.
21:09And this is the only thing I want to convey you,
21:13because we are united in this.
21:15And unitedly, we have decided, and we will oppose this bill.
21:23But I want to tell you, we are not against the reservation.
21:31We, the way in which they have put in the bill,
21:34whether it is delimitation, whether they have not even cleared census,
21:39and almost all powers of the constitution,
21:45the executor is taking.
21:48And mostly, this...
21:52the power which can be executed by the institutions,
21:57the parliament they have given,
22:00so that they can change delimitation at any time.
22:03And they have done mistakes,
22:06or they have already deceived us in our...
22:13Assam.
22:14Assam, and also our Jammu and Kashmir, several places.
22:19So, therefore, we will fight unitedly on that issue.
22:25All right.
22:25Let's understand and get a perspective with our reporters on the story.
22:29Boshmi Singh joins me, and so is Piyush Mishra.
22:33Boshmi, I...
22:34You know, before you guys joined in,
22:36we were doing a simple explainer to tell our viewers
22:38that the women's reservation bill is linked to delimitation.
22:42Delimitation is linked to census.
22:44Census which was done in 2011.
22:46There is a whole host of...
22:48You know what Mr. Kharge is saying is political gadbad
22:52at this point, that they fear is behind it.
22:56I believe you have an expert also there with you.
22:58Take us through what exactly are the reservations
23:01that the opposition has at the moment.
23:06So, you know, it was a full strength, a show of strength,
23:10as far as, you know, we are at Mr. Kharge's house,
23:12and all the lead opposition parties were present,
23:16including the TMC, the Aam Admi Party,
23:19and, of course, the Samajwadi Party.
23:21Many joined through Zoom, like Mr. Udav Thakre and the others from JMM.
23:30But Mr. NK Premichandran is here,
23:32and, you know, when he speaks, even in the House,
23:34many times Home Minister says that he's a master of all the subjects
23:37that he speaks on.
23:39Mr. Premichandran, make us understand what is the core two points
23:43that you are opposing,
23:44and is it like a message that you are sending
23:48that you are against the Women's Reservation Act amendment,
23:51or is it some other issue?
23:53Absolutely, we want to make it very clear
23:57that the opposition is not against the Women's Reservation Bill.
24:01The Women's Reservation, 33% reservation for the women,
24:05in Parliament and Assemblies have already been passed,
24:09enacted, and that has become a law.
24:11That has already been here.
24:12We have all supported it.
24:14There is no question of against the Women's Reservation Bill.
24:17The main issue which we are contesting
24:20is that the delimitation process.
24:22Now the government wants to increase
24:24the 50% of the total number of seats,
24:27and what is the proportional representation will be given.
24:31That was the promise given by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister,
24:34and so many official sources said
24:36that the equal representation,
24:38that means a proportionate increase,
24:41proportionate increase in the number of seats will be provided.
24:43That is 50%.
24:45But when the bill comes,
24:46it is very clear that nothing is mentioned in the bill.
24:49Instead of that,
24:50the 2011 census is being taken as a criteria
24:53by which the delimitation process will take place
24:56by constituting a delimitation commission.
25:00So you are opposing the delimitation part of the entire exercise?
25:03Yes, absolutely, because this is absolutely according
25:06to the women fancy of the government,
25:08and further you have to see that the delimitation
25:11should be on the basis of the preceding census.
25:15That is the constitutional provision
25:17according to Article 81, Clause 3 of the Constitution.
25:21But now they want to change it.
25:24They want to change it,
25:25that it is according to a law passed by the Parliament
25:28with a simple majority.
25:29But do you think that this is a modus operandi
25:31of the Modi government,
25:33as you are saying,
25:34you are alleging that the Modi government
25:36is trying to sabotage the entire political landscape of India?
25:39Absolutely,
25:40they want to take over the political landscape of India
25:43by increasing the number of seats
25:45to the North Indian states,
25:46in particular UP, Bihar, Rajasthan,
25:48and Madhya Pradesh and all of the seats.
25:50And the South Indian states,
25:51you know,
25:52the states,
25:53they have very finely,
25:54they have implemented the family planning program
25:58or the population control.
25:59That is the national policy of the government.
26:01They have completed,
26:03they have well implemented it,
26:04they are being punished,
26:05as with North Indian states,
26:06you see.
26:07But the North Indian states,
26:09unfortunately,
26:09it is not there.
26:10So our saying is that
26:12it shall not be a criteria
26:13by which population should be considered
26:16in consultation with the opposition parties,
26:18and equal opportunity,
26:20equal representation,
26:21equal in the sense of equitable representation.
26:24Proportionate representation should be enhanced
26:26as far as all the states are concerned.
26:28Yeah, Moshami,
26:28Moshami,
26:29if you could ask...
26:30Because viewers would want to know
26:31then what is going to happen?
26:33Moshami,
26:34we would love to also understand,
26:35does he have all the opposition parties?
26:37Do they enjoy the confidence
26:39of all political parties at this point,
26:41opposition parties?
26:42It is against the women's reservation.
26:44That is why I want to reiterate
26:46the stand of the opposition
26:47that the women's reservation bill
26:49already passed.
26:50That law is in the statute book.
26:52I am asking you the technicalities.
26:54Also,
26:55Sonal was asking that
26:56are all opposition parties on board?
26:58Because we do believe,
26:59as I pointed out to you,
27:01Sonal,
27:01often the TMC
27:03or the Arm Admi Party
27:05have kept away from normally big issues.
27:08But this time round,
27:09you have a full show,
27:10full house here.
27:11The entire opposition,
27:12including TMC.
27:14We know that TMC,
27:16Madam Amida Banerjee,
27:17was always for the women's reservation.
27:19And almost all the parties,
27:20NCP,
27:21all the left parties,
27:23all the Congress,
27:24every politic,
27:25including Samajwadi Party,
27:27RJD,
27:28Janadar Dhaliun,
27:28and all the political parties
27:30have come together
27:31and took a unanimous position
27:33by which this is a political agenda
27:35of the BJP
27:37to take over the political landscape of India.
27:39All right.
27:40Thank you very much.
27:41And Sonal,
27:41with that,
27:42the battle lines are drawn.
27:44The swords are also drawn.
27:45We'll have to wait and see
27:46how this really unfolds.
27:48But a big setback
27:49to the Modi government there
27:50because
27:52despite the fact
27:53that the Prime Minister said
27:54that they have taken
27:55the opposition on board,
27:56there's been several consultations,
27:58the opposition
28:00is outrightly denying
28:01that the Prime Minister
28:02has not taken us on board
28:04and we are not going to
28:05catch the same train
28:07as the Modi government is
28:09as far as
28:09delimitation is concerned.
28:11All right,
28:12Moshmi,
28:12thanks so much for bringing us
28:13up to speed
28:14with that perspective.
28:15Piyush is also with us.
28:16Piyush,
28:16how exactly is the government
28:17responding to this?
28:19It is a bit of an embarrassment
28:22for one of their leaders
28:23to actually come out
28:24and say that
28:25we enjoy opposition confidence
28:27and they are with us.
28:28But opposition is saying
28:29point blank
28:30and this time in unity
28:31it seems
28:31that linking it
28:33with delimitation,
28:34doing it right
28:34in the middle
28:35of an election campaign,
28:36all of this
28:37points out
28:37to political agendas.
28:40Well,
28:41the government was very,
28:42very confident.
28:42Why?
28:43Because we remember
28:44how Union Parliamentary Affairs
28:45Minister Trenen Residue
28:46was in touch with
28:47various opposition parties.
28:49He himself spoke to
28:51various leaders
28:52of opposition parties
28:53and he was very sure
28:54that all opposition parties
28:55will support the government
28:57on the issue
28:57of Women's Reservation Bill.
28:59But here,
28:59the bone of contention
29:00is delimitation.
29:02What the opposition is saying
29:03is that we are okay
29:04with what the government
29:05is looking forward
29:06to implement
29:06and that's about
29:07Women's Reservation Bill.
29:08But as far as
29:09delimitation is concerned,
29:11that is being done
29:11on the census of 2011
29:13which will certainly
29:14hit the southern states.
29:15That's what the opposition
29:16is now saying.
29:17Now what we are learning
29:18from our sources
29:18is that the government
29:20has made it very,
29:21very clear
29:21that the three bills
29:24are going to be
29:24tabled tomorrow.
29:25One of them
29:26would be a bill
29:26which will be proposing
29:28to have a delimitation commission
29:30in all the states
29:31and that delimitation
29:32committee is going
29:33to decide
29:34in states
29:36how you see
29:37the bill to agree.
29:38I specifically want
29:39clarification on one point.
29:41Why now?
29:42Why is the government
29:44calling for a special
29:46session to pass this law?
29:47They are insisting
29:48this happens now.
29:50They are trying
29:50to get the opposition.
29:51Why now?
29:52What is so important
29:53right now?
29:54Well, it is very important
29:55because the government
29:56is saying that
29:57they want to implement
29:58implementation
29:58of a woman's reservation
30:00from 2029
30:01Lok Sabha elections.
30:03If government waits
30:04for the census
30:05which is currently
30:06going on,
30:07census 2026,
30:08then it will take
30:09a lot of time
30:10which means that
30:11the census,
30:13the committee will sit,
30:14they will do census,
30:16the reports will come out
30:17and then only
30:17it will be implemented
30:18which means
30:19it will be implemented
30:21from Lok Sabha elections
30:22of 2034.
30:24But the government
30:24wants a reservation
30:25to be implemented
30:26from Lok Sabha elections
30:27in 2029
30:28so that a larger proportion
30:30can be given to women
30:32and a larger role
30:33of women
30:33can be seen
30:34in the parliament.
30:35That's why
30:35government is insisting
30:37to get it passed
30:38and also to be implemented
30:39it now
30:39so that the first election
30:41on the implementation
30:42of a women's reservation
30:43will can take place
30:46but Piyush,
30:47perhaps what the government
30:48is not saying
30:48is that they know
30:49how critical women voters
30:50are in the state
30:51of West Bengal
30:52and Tamil Nadu.
30:53All their advertisements,
30:54the government advertisements
30:54that are coming out
30:55right now
30:56talk about Nari Shakti,
30:57talk about women
30:59voters constantly.
31:00The messaging
31:00is very clear,
31:01the target is very clear
31:02and that's why
31:03the question
31:03on the timing
31:04of it all
31:05but we leave it there
31:05for the moment.
31:06Thank you so much
31:06for joining us
31:07and bringing us
31:07up to speed
31:08with all of that.
31:09Well, Donald Trump
31:10seems to have woken up
31:12and new statements
31:13are coming in.
31:14This is on China and US
31:16where he's saying
31:17that China and US
31:18are working together
31:19smartly and are very well.
31:21Trump also goes on
31:22to say in his new post
31:23that China agreed
31:25not to send weapons
31:26to Iran.
31:27That's a big claim
31:28that Donald Trump
31:29is making.
31:29Also saying
31:30that China is very happy
31:32that I am permanently
31:33opening the Strait of Hormuz.
31:37All right,
31:38latest statement
31:39coming in
31:39from Donald Trump,
31:41US President
31:41saying China and US
31:43are working together
31:44smartly and very well.
31:46Also saying
31:47that China has agreed
31:48to send weapons,
31:50not to send weapons
31:52to Iran
31:52and that China
31:54is very happy
31:55that he is going
31:56to be opening
31:57the Strait of Hormuz.
32:00All right,
32:01the context,
32:03the context of the story
32:05is what?
32:06The context is
32:07that Donald Trump
32:08earlier had said
32:09that he will not
32:10be sort of setting,
32:12resetting the date
32:13for ceasefire
32:14in the backdrop
32:15of the fact
32:16that round
32:17conversations
32:18of Islamabad talks
32:212.0
32:22are set to start
32:23and then here comes
32:26and then here comes
32:26the statement
32:26from Donald Trump.
32:28Geeta Mohan
32:29is with us
32:30for more perspective
32:31on the story.
32:32Geeta,
32:33decode,
32:33attempt to decode
32:35what these statements
32:36by Donald Trump mean.
32:41The fact that Donald Trump
32:43is saying that he's
32:44going to open
32:44the Strait of Hormuz
32:45permanently
32:45and that the Chinese
32:47president is going
32:48to be rather pleased
32:49with him
32:49is a very important
32:50statement.
32:52So,
32:52comes a time
32:53there's a
32:54blockade
32:55but the feel
32:56and the
32:57something
32:57that are coming
32:58from Washington
32:59from President
33:00Trump himself
33:01whether
33:02it's about
33:03the conversations
33:04with Iran
33:05where he says
33:05a second round
33:06talks are going
33:07to take place.
33:08The fact that
33:09there have been
33:09no military act
33:10or attacks
33:12on Iran
33:13in the meanwhile
33:14again important
33:15indicator
33:16and then now
33:17him saying
33:17that they're
33:18going to open
33:19the Strait of Hormuz
33:20which means
33:20that they're moving
33:21towards a very
33:22significant development
33:24at this point in time.
33:25So,
33:25he is looking forward
33:26to a positive
33:27meeting with China
33:28that holds the cards
33:30when it comes to
33:30global supply chain
33:31and trade
33:32and on the other hand
33:33good news
33:34for the world
33:34if he thinks
33:35that there's
33:36a solution
33:37in sight
33:37and closer
33:38than we were
33:40expecting earlier
33:40and if the
33:41Strait of Hormuz
33:43is opened
33:43after a deal
33:44it would mean
33:45not just
33:46regional stability
33:47global stability
33:47when it comes
33:48to energy crises
33:49as also
33:50trade supply chains
33:52and supply routes
33:53will reopen completely.
33:56Alright,
33:57Geeta Mohand there
33:57decoding
33:58what those
33:59latest statements
33:59by Donald Trump
34:00really could mean
34:02if they were to
34:03happen that is
34:03and if they were
34:05to actually
34:05sort of follow up
34:07on what is
34:07taking place
34:08but let's stay
34:09with the war
34:09and give you
34:10the latest updates
34:10now.
34:11The war rhetoric
34:12is shifting,
34:13right?
34:13But the uncertainty
34:14is far from over
34:15in a series of
34:16striking and
34:17at times
34:18contradictory remarks
34:19to the US
34:20media.
34:21Donald Trump
34:22has made it clear
34:23that there is no
34:23immediate plan
34:24to extend
34:25any ceasefire.
34:26In fact,
34:26he says,
34:27don't think
34:28it is necessary
34:29rather indicating
34:30that he thinks
34:31the war is going
34:31to come to an
34:32end very soon
34:33even as he hints
34:34that the next
34:3548 hours
34:36could be critical.
34:37Now,
34:38with a stark
34:39binary there,
34:40either a deal
34:41is struck
34:41or a long war
34:43follows.
34:44But here's where
34:45the messaging
34:46gets really layered.
34:47On one hand,
34:48Trump claims
34:49that Iran war
34:49is close to over,
34:51signals that US
34:52will not escalate
34:53further for now
34:53and even asserts
34:55that Iran could
34:56take two decades
34:57to rebuild.
34:57On the other,
34:59he doubles down.
35:01He says,
35:02we are not finished,
35:03insisting Iran
35:03is under pressure
35:04and that Iran
35:06wants a deal
35:06very, very badly.
35:08So,
35:08is this de-escalation
35:10or is this
35:11strategic pressure
35:12or is this
35:12just a Trumpian
35:13way of doing it?
35:14Because even
35:15as the rhetoric
35:16stays tough,
35:17the diplomatic track
35:18appears to be
35:19quietly reopening.
35:20Trump has now
35:21indicated that
35:22talks could be
35:22back on the table,
35:23proposed possibly
35:25again in Pakistan,
35:26saying both sides
35:27are in touch.
35:28We've been called,
35:29he said,
35:29to quote him
35:30by the other side
35:31and there is a
35:32clear intent
35:33to work out
35:34a deal.
35:35And that brings us
35:36to the next
35:37big development
35:38that has happened.
35:39Peace talks,
35:40round number two.
35:42According to
35:43American media reports,
35:44Washington and Tehran
35:45are now preparing
35:45for a second round
35:46of talks with
35:47Islamabad once again
35:48emerging as the venue.
35:50The timeline is tight,
35:51possibly within
35:53the next two days
35:54we are told,
35:54even as both sides
35:55are sort of
35:56signaling caution
35:57and sometimes
35:58as some people
35:59would say
36:00cautious willingness
36:01as well
36:01to rearrange.
36:03This even
36:04as US says
36:05it has
36:06his own
36:07and now completely
36:08blocked
36:09the Strait of Hormuz
36:10and that
36:11no ships
36:12made it
36:12past the blockade
36:13in the past 24 hours.
36:14Remember this is the
36:15blockade on top
36:15of the blockade.
36:16There is an Iranian
36:17blockade on top
36:18of which on the
36:19eastern side
36:19Trump says
36:20he's put in a blockade.
36:21Right?
36:22All of that is happening
36:23and he's saying
36:24adding that
36:25six vessels
36:25sort of complied
36:27with directions
36:27from the US forces
36:29to turn around
36:30and re-enter
36:31the Iranian port.
36:32So where does this
36:33leave the conflict really?
36:35The ceasefire
36:36that may not be extended,
36:37the war
36:38that is close to over
36:39but not finished
36:40and talks
36:41that could decide
36:42the next phase,
36:43deal or deeper conflict.
36:44We really don't know
36:45but the next 24 hours,
36:4624 to 48 hours
36:48could actually define that.
36:52having understood that
36:53let's move on
36:55to the next big story
36:56and I'm really
36:57kicked about this one
36:58I'll tell you why.
36:59Now if there is
37:00one chokehold
37:01on the global economy
37:03one narrow strip
37:05of water
37:06that has
37:06stock markets
37:07sweating
37:08world leaders
37:09fighting
37:10and oil tankers
37:11holding their breath
37:11no prices for guessing
37:12that it is
37:13the Strait of Hormuz.
37:16But
37:16why am I showing you
37:18this picture
37:18of this young man
37:20holding a big fish
37:21while I tell you
37:22about the Strait of Hormuz
37:24because
37:24well
37:25that's what
37:26the Strait of Hormuz
37:26actually looks like
37:27for now.
37:28For a moment
37:29I want you to not
37:30look at those pictures
37:31okay.
37:32I want you to not
37:33look at those pictures
37:33just close your eyes
37:35and picture
37:36what exactly
37:37could be happening
37:38in the Strait of Hormuz
37:40with all the information
37:41that we have given you.
37:42You're probably seeing
37:43mines,
37:44military patrols,
37:45sort of stranded ships,
37:47geopolitical tension
37:47as well
37:48thick enough
37:48to cut
37:49you know
37:49with a knife
37:50but
37:50I'm about to
37:51introduce
37:52to you
37:53one man
37:55who looked
37:56at Strait of Hormuz
37:57and thought
37:57it's a great
37:59place to dive.
38:01No ships
38:02are going anywhere
38:02let's go dive.
38:04Not a rescue mission
38:05not a naval operation
38:07just recreation.
38:08Pure
38:09free
38:10breathless
38:11recreation.
38:12Now
38:13if you don't
38:13believe me
38:14then see it
38:15report for yourself
38:17what this
38:18young man
38:19Baqsh Khurana
38:20in the Strait of Hormuz
38:22is up to.
38:23Take a look.
38:26This is Baqsh
38:27reporting from
38:28the Strait of Hormuz.
38:29Maybe I think
38:30I might be the first
38:31Indian to come here
38:32recreationally.
38:33I'm on a fishing boat
38:34this is Oman
38:35and over there
38:36is Iran.
38:36I don't know
38:37if it's visible
38:37but there's a small
38:38shipping boat
38:39over there.
38:40Yep
38:41that definitely
38:42looks to me
38:43like a
38:44cargo boat.
38:46Last night
38:47when we were
38:48on the boat
38:48there were
38:49these two groups
38:50of pirates
38:50who came to us
38:52and tried to
38:52sell us
38:53smuggled
38:54petrol, diesel
38:55something like that
38:57and you know
38:57that got me thinking
38:58when I was diving
39:00in the water
39:01the fish were
39:02doing really well
39:03in fact I have been
39:03here many times
39:04and I have never
39:05seen such great
39:06marine life
39:07in fact they've
39:08recently spotted
39:09many different types
39:10of marine life
39:11that have never
39:11been spotted
39:12in this region
39:13in the Strait of Hormuz
39:14and the obvious
39:15explanation for that
39:16is that there are
39:16no boats over here
39:17I mean recently
39:18there were no boats
39:19over here.
39:20So most of the
39:21fishermen here
39:22are either Indian
39:23Pakistani
39:24Bangladeshi
39:24basically our
39:25people right
39:27and they
39:28I was chatting
39:29with them
39:29because I'm the
39:30only Hindi speaker
39:31on this boat
39:32and they were
39:32telling me that
39:33the marine life
39:34is actually doing
39:35really well
39:35I mean they're
39:36catching a lot
39:36of fish
39:37they're getting
39:38a lot of business
39:39it really put
39:40things into
39:41perspective for me
39:42you know we like
39:42to give ourselves
39:43a lot of importance
39:44that these
39:46political wars
39:47or country-based
39:48tribalism means
39:50a lot and we
39:50have the power
39:51to destroy the
39:52world
39:52but actually
39:54the cycle
39:55goes on
39:55the circle
39:55of life
39:56goes on.
39:58All right
39:59that's the man
40:00Baks Khurana
40:01an Indian
40:02freediving
40:03athlete
40:03who was
40:04at the
40:05Strait of
40:05Hormuz
40:06not very
40:06long ago
40:07he's back
40:07home safe
40:08and joins
40:09us live
40:10now
40:11hey there
40:13Baks
40:13thank you so
40:14much for being
40:15here with us
40:16my first
40:16question
40:17how long
40:17ago
40:18were you
40:19at Hormuz
40:20and what
40:20were you
40:21doing there
40:25I was
40:26there on
40:2711th of
40:28this month
40:29I have
40:30been going
40:30there often
40:31for diving
40:32I'm a
40:32competitive
40:32freediving
40:33athlete
40:34I represent
40:35India at
40:36the world
40:36championships
40:36for freediving
40:37and there are
40:39very few spots
40:40in the gulf
40:41which are deep
40:41enough to do
40:42competitive freediving
40:43and this area
40:44is one of them
40:45I was hoping
40:46to go to
40:47train
40:47but we were
40:49unable to train
40:50but it was
40:50it was still
40:51an amazing
40:52experience
40:54so hold on
40:55you were there
40:56right in the
40:56middle of the
40:57war
40:57were you not
40:58scared
40:59there is so
40:59much information
41:00on mines
41:01here and mines
41:02there and
41:02you're going
41:03deep sea diving
41:11I'm not
41:12very aware
41:13of the
41:13political side
41:14of things
41:15I mean
41:15I went there
41:16and everyone
41:16was fine
41:17the boat
41:18captain said
41:19everything is
41:19good
41:19so we went
41:20we got the
41:21permit
41:21as long as
41:22we get the
41:22permit
41:22then it's
41:23fine
41:25okay
41:25you've been
41:26there several
41:27times
41:27from what you
41:28told me
41:28earlier
41:28some 15
41:29times already
41:29you've been
41:30to the
41:30Strait of
41:30Hormuz
41:31right
41:31describe to
41:32me
41:33what did
41:34you see
41:34this time
41:35in the
41:35middle of
41:35the war
41:35and how
41:36is it
41:36different
41:36from
41:37earlier
41:40so before
41:41the situation
41:41there used
41:42to be a
41:42lot of
41:43tourists
41:44there used
41:44to be a
41:45lot of
41:45boats
41:45and because
41:45of that
41:46there was
41:46a lot
41:46of pollution
41:47in the
41:47water
41:48now I'm
41:49a big
41:49advocate
41:49of
41:50environment
41:51and save
41:51the seas
41:52in fact I've
41:52done a lot
41:53of volunteer
41:53work for this
41:54stuff which is
41:54why this time
41:55when I went to
41:55Hormuz I was
41:56really happy
41:57it was also the
41:58reason why we
41:59couldn't train
41:59because the
41:59water was
42:00completely green
42:01usually it's like
42:02the equivalent
42:03of the blue
42:04water in the
42:04Maldives but
42:05that that
42:06actually is not
42:06a very healthy
42:08ocean the
42:08healthy ocean
42:09looks green
42:09with a lot of
42:10algae and a lot
42:11of jellyfish
42:12because that we
42:13were not able to
42:14train but
42:14definitely the
42:15ocean is thriving
42:17it was really
42:18nice and even
42:19though I didn't
42:19get to train I
42:20got to see a lot
42:20of marine life
42:21so it was
42:21really nice
42:23alright in fact
42:24you sent us a
42:24video which has
42:25dolphins some
42:2625 I counted
42:27while diving in
42:29together we don't
42:29see visuals like
42:30that but that's
42:31the reality I
42:32want my producers
42:32to throw that
42:33video on the
42:34screen where you
42:34actually see
42:35dolphins diving
42:36up and down
42:37over there and
42:38you realize that's
42:39the state of
42:39Hormuz that is
42:40what the war is
42:41all about really
42:42but what you're
42:42describing to me
42:43at the moment
42:44sounds a bit
42:44like the
42:45pandemic right
42:46when pollution
42:46cleared up
42:47sky was clear
42:48everything was
42:49just rocking
42:49because of the
42:50pandemic environment
42:51was happy
42:54this is exactly
42:55what I was
42:56thinking because
42:56during the pandemic
42:57I was living in
42:57Bombay and it
42:58was exactly the
42:59same I remember
42:59seeing like these
43:00flamingos in
43:02Bombay and it's
43:03the same
43:05same I mean
43:06this sort of
43:06wildlife marine
43:07life is very
43:08rare we've seen
43:09dolphins in the
43:10past but nothing
43:11like this we saw
43:11dolphins doing
43:12backflips in the
43:13ocean we've never
43:14seen this
43:17right the earlier
43:18video that you
43:18sent me and we
43:20played it out for
43:21our viewers as
43:21well you talk
43:22about how you
43:23were the only
43:23Indian there
43:24perhaps right
43:26and you decided
43:28randomly in the
43:29middle of a war
43:30to go diving
43:30what is going on
43:32in your mind
43:32bugs
43:36so first about
43:37the Indian
43:37it's actually it's
43:38not because people
43:39don't want to go
43:40it's just extremely
43:40expensive now I'm
43:41very blessed that
43:42my parents are
43:43supporting this
43:44hobby of mine
43:45which is why I'm
43:45able to afford to
43:46go and a lot of
43:48Indians do go but
43:49they cannot go deep
43:50in because it
43:51requires a lot more
43:52expensive petrol to
43:53go deep into the
43:54strait but at the
43:56edge of the strait
43:56there were other
43:57boats which certainly
43:58had Indians and
44:00when it comes to
44:01pirates I think
44:02pirates are very
44:03common in the
44:04strait of Hormuz
44:05like everyone was
44:07reacting as if it's
44:08totally normal and
44:10I've heard these
44:10stories of pirates
44:11over there even
44:12maybe two years
44:13ago so before any
44:14of this situation
44:16has happened so I
44:16think it's totally
44:17normal but I think
44:18yesterday this weekend
44:20was the first time I
44:20saw it which is why
44:22I was a bit startled
44:23I even got a video
44:24of them I think I
44:25did not send this to
44:26you I will send this
44:26to you.
44:28Yeah actually I'll
44:29request our producers
44:30to actually get those
44:31videos out and play it
44:32out you've shown a
44:33very dark you know
44:35video where you
44:35actually see the
44:36pirates approaching
44:37you and they're
44:38not like the ones
44:38we see in the
44:39movies they're very
44:39different looking
44:40people but give me
44:41a glimpse box help
44:43me understand this
44:45I'm really trying to
44:46wrap my head around
44:47the fact that you
44:48were there can you
44:49describe to me that
44:51this geopolitical
44:52tension that we are
44:53thinking of how it's
44:54holding the entire
44:55economy in a fix not
44:57just India but world
44:58over did you get a
45:00sense of that at all
45:01while you were there
45:02or there locals are
45:04happy you know sea is
45:05thriving it's just
45:07you know all us sort
45:09of commercial people
45:11all us people who
45:12are worried the
45:13locals are thriving.
45:18So earlier of course
45:19there were these big
45:20boats I don't know
45:21what they are carrying
45:22but there were
45:23certainly a lot of
45:23big boats right now
45:24there was I think
45:25only just two or
45:26three I saw but from
45:29the tourism as an
45:30athlete for me it's
45:31pretty much the same
45:33like it's it's it's
45:35fun it's nice so as
45:36an athlete I don't
45:37see any major
45:38difference but I
45:39honestly don't
45:40understand the global
45:41politics or something
45:41so I don't know from
45:42the commercial
45:43perspective what is
45:44happening.
45:46All right so
45:47without getting into
45:47that help me
45:48understand this do
45:49the locals there
45:50were they talking
45:51about it what was
45:52their sense do they
45:54want what are they
45:55expecting which side
45:56are they on do they
45:58have a preference of
45:59which way the war
46:00should go?
46:03No there's a lot of
46:04business happening
46:05for the fishermen
46:05it's very good right
46:06now because it's so
46:08easy to catch fish I
46:09even sent you one
46:10video of the big
46:10fish I mean to catch
46:13that kind of fish it's
46:14very difficult but
46:16for the marine life
46:17it's doing well I
46:18don't again these
46:18fishermen are like
46:19they run tourist
46:21boats they don't get
46:22involved in the
46:24commercial petrol
46:25trade so honestly I
46:26don't think they also
46:27know and I personally
46:28also have no idea
46:29about all this.
46:32But you are
46:33planning to go there
46:33again Bugs you're
46:34not scared of the
46:35mines even America
46:37insurance companies
46:38are scared of the
46:39mines that are all
46:39over there and you
46:40are there you know
46:41going deep sea
46:42diving in middle of
46:44all of that you say
46:45you're planning to go
46:46there again next week?
46:49See the thing is
46:50it's expensive so if I
46:52can afford it maybe I
46:52will go day after
46:53tomorrow.
46:56All right then
46:57Bugs we leave it
46:58there for the
46:59moment thank you so
46:59much for joining us
47:00letting us see the
47:02Strait of Hormuz
47:03through your eyes
47:04well and for all our
47:05viewers well sea is
47:07thriving local
47:08fishermen are thriving
47:09you and I are held
47:11hostage in a way
47:12because of the oil
47:14and the ships that
47:15are really stuck there
47:16so that's a
47:17perspective on
47:18Strait of Hormuz
47:19we leave you with
47:19that see you again
47:20tomorrow bye
47:21bye.
47:27you and I am
47:28I am
47:28I am
47:28I am
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