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BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's aide was shot at point-blank range near Kolkata on Wednesday. The BJP alleged a targeted political revenge killing by the Trinamool Congress, while the TMC denied involvement and sought a CBI investigation.
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00:01Good evening, you're watching India First. I'm Gaurav Savant. Let me get you the latest from Bengal.
00:07Mamata Banerjee is now no longer the Chief Minister of the state. Despite Mamata Banerjee insisting she will not resign.
00:17Despite Mamata Banerjee saying she did not lose elections, 100 seats were stolen from her.
00:24However, the Chief Minister's post in the state that has now given a historic mandate to the Bharatiya Janata Party
00:32is no longer Mamata Banerjee.
00:34The Governor has dissolved the West Bengal Assembly as per law and this effectively means Mamata Banerjee's tenure as a
00:47leader, as an MLA, as a Chief Minister has automatically come to an end.
00:52According to a former Secretary in the Government of India and earlier a member of the Trinmul Congress, Jawahar Sarkar,
01:01the Governor, now takes interim charge of the administration till the time a new government is sworn in and that's
01:10expected on Saturday.
01:13But this is not to be seen as President's rule in the state. This is just an interim arrangement.
01:20I'll get you more on the story. Remember Mamata Banerjee at her press conference after the defeat of the Trinmul
01:27Congress in the elections had said she does not accept this verdict, she will not resign and that she will
01:33not go to Lok Bhavan and tender her resignation.
01:37At the same time, the Chief Secretary of the State had issued instructions to all bureaucrats, no file will move
01:44out of the West Bengal secretariat, no file would be photocopied, no file would be destroyed, every document would remain
01:53in the administration, in the centre.
01:56No state government, no state government, no political leader of the Trinmul Congress would take any file out of the
02:05government.
02:06Just listening to my interaction, my colleague Indrajit Kundu had with Jawahar Sarkar on what this means once the Governor
02:17dissolves the State Assembly.
02:21Now that the Chief Secretary has come out with the Gazette notification for dissolution of the current West Bengal Assembly
02:30and the West Bengal Chief Minister has not tendered her resignation,
02:35so could you give us a clarity where do things stand who is in charge in West Bengal till such
02:41time that the new government is sworn in on the 9th of May?
02:47The Governor has dissolved the Legislative Assembly, whose term is over.
02:53So right now, the leader of the previous rules stands, let us say, without a job.
03:03It is called functus officio, that means her job has expired.
03:08Can we call it a precedence rule?
03:11No, not at all.
03:12The person's rule is a specific order considered is a quasi-judicial order considered with a lot of material and
03:21issued under another section.
03:23This is only an interim arrangement.
03:25Usually, as I said, the Governor has called upon the outgoing Chief Minister to hold it for another couple of
03:32days.
03:33As a K-A-T-K Chief Minister?
03:35As a K-A-T-K Chief Minister, for a day or two?
03:40If he does not, then it is assumed that he is holding all powers.
03:48Bengal or Badlapur?
03:50The violence in Bengal, the targeted killing of a key aide of Shwendu Adhikari of the BJP is our top
03:59focus story.
03:59The probe into the chilling murder of a key aide of Shwendu Adhikari, his personal assistant, Chandra Nath-Rath.
04:08That probe is now being headed by an officer of the rank of the Inspector General of Police.
04:14Investigators believe the attackers, they actually had carried out reconnaissance missions for several days before the killing.
04:22So, they carried out a recce of the area.
04:24They knew when his vehicle would turn from the main road into a bi-lane.
04:30And that is where they targeted the key aide of Shwendu Adhikari.
04:36And then, from that narrow bi-lane, they actually knew how they could escape and split into various groups.
04:43Apparently, the tailing was done not just in one car, but also in multiple motorcycles.
04:48The assailants were between four, perhaps eight in numbers, on four different motorcycles and cars.
04:58They mapped out the entire route and the escape route before they carried out the killing.
05:04These are the initial findings that indicate Raj Scorpio Jeep was being followed at least by two vehicles.
05:12There was a silver-coloured small car bearing the registration number and apparently this is a fake registration number.
05:20We'll also show you that vehicle and the vehicles that are tailing that Scorpio.
05:24So, that's where you see that Scorpio vehicle on CCTV cameras and at least two vehicles are trailing it.
05:32One car with a number WV74AX2270 will show you that vehicle and individuals on motorcycles.
05:44A four-wheeler overtook Raj Scorpio, forcing it to slow down.
05:50Moments later, bike-borne assailants, they came close and opened fire with pinpoint accuracy,
05:58killing him virtually at point-blank range.
06:01At least ten rounds, at least ten rounds were fired.
06:05Bullets hit Rat in his chest, neck, abdomen and head, according to initial investigations.
06:15The police have recovered one of the motorcycles used in the crime, barely four kilometres from the spot.
06:22So, the killers knew which vehicle to come in, carry out the strike and then where to abandon the vehicle.
06:30The car was abandoned in a locality some distance away, the motorcycle was abandoned.
06:35The motorcycle, it seems, did not even have a number plate.
06:39India today has accessed CCTV images of moments before Chandranath Rat was shot dead.
06:46Two two-wheelers can be seen following his Scorpio shortly before the attack.
06:53They were looking for that perfect place where a car could overtake him as he turns off from the main
06:59road into a side road.
07:00And that is where the motorcycles came close and he was shot dead.
07:04The car that allegedly blocked Chandranath Rat's vehicle from the front has also now been recovered.
07:12Bengal police have traced the original vehicle whose number plate was allegedly cloned and used by the attackers.
07:21The vehicle is registered in Siliguri, North Bengal.
07:24The owner of the original vehicle says he'd put up his car for sale online nearly two weeks ago.
07:31The assailants apparently took the number plate from the site online.
07:37The preliminary post-mortem report states that there were multiple bullet wound injuries.
07:43Multiple bullets pierced Chandranath's heart, leading to massive loss of blood, which led to a multi-organ failure.
07:52The last rites of Chandranath Rat were performed at his native village in Chandipur, in East Medanipur.
08:00The BJP said this is targeted killing its political vendetta.
08:05They've blamed the Trinmul Congress.
08:08They allege Trinmul Congress leaders are directly involved in this murder.
08:13The Trinmul Congress, on the other hand, has denied any role in this incident.
08:18The TMC, they distanced themselves from this killing.
08:22They've sought a court-monitored CBI probe.
08:25Before I get you more on this story, let's quickly bring you this ground report.
08:42Blood on Bengal streets.
08:49Bullets after ballot.
08:54Just days after the explosive election battle, BJP MLA-elect Sovinda Adhikari's close aide Chandranath Raut was gunned down in
09:01Kolkata in what police suspect was a cold-blooded, pre-planned assassination.
09:12At around 10.20pm on Wednesday in Modhyam Gram, Chandranath was heading home when bikers and a silver-coloured car
09:19allegedly began tailing his SUV.
09:21Later, the vehicle blocked his path.
09:24Bike-borne gunmen approached the SUV and then came a burst of bullets.
09:32Investigators say nearly 10 rounds were fired at point-blank range.
09:37Chandranath was hit in the head and the chest and collapsed inside the car.
09:42He was declared dead at the hospital.
09:44The driver remains critical.
09:48It was a point-blank attack on the window pane, which has now been turned into shambles.
09:55It has now, you know, been broken.
09:57Front seat on left-hand side, Chandranath Roy was sitting up.
10:02Though the person who was driving has also been shot, we can also see the bloodstains on the driver's seat
10:10of this car.
10:11Police, police, see, DGP again.
10:14It's a complaint.
10:15It's a pre-planned murder.
10:16It's a very big incident.
10:17It's a very big incident.
10:19It's a very big incident.
10:19Yes, it's a very big incident.
10:21It's a personal loss.
10:24It's a personal loss.
11:05Sources say an Austrian-made Glock pistol may have been used.
11:08Fake number plates, bikes without registration numbers and a mapped escape route all pointing
11:14to a coordinated execution.
11:16A massive manhunt is now underway.
11:18An SIT headed by an IG-ranked officer has been formed.
11:23Sources say the security of Shubinda Adhikari is likely to be upgraded soon.
11:29On April 30th, during the Bhabanipur strongroom flashpoint, Chandra had openly confronted
11:35the police, oppose Mamata Banerjee's entry near the strongroom and let BJP protest in Shubinda's
11:40absence.
11:42His close friend Kasim Ali has claimed that Shubinda Adhikari may have been the real target.
12:08BJP has alleged a massive conspiracy involving Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek.
12:28The General Congress is hit back accusing BJP of fueling post-pol violence and demanding
12:33a CBI probe.
12:51In Basirat, a BJP worker named Rohit Roy was shot at while he was hoisting the BJP flag
12:57in his area.
13:00The big question now remains, has Bengal's ballot battle once again turned into a bloody
13:05war for survival?
13:06With Piyush Mishra in Kolkata, Bureau Report, India Today.
13:15Bengal and Badlapur.
13:18How should one look, one, at this murder?
13:21Two, the BJP saying Abhishek Banerjee and Mamata Banerjee are involved in this, unable
13:28to digest the defeat of the Trinmool Congress.
13:31And if these claims are made, on what basis are these claims being made?
13:35Sanju Verma is the national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janta Party.
13:38Joining me on this broadcast, Shikha Mukherjee is a senior journalist and political commentator.
13:43Joins us from Bengal, Vikram Singh is former Director General of the Uttar Pradesh Police.
13:48He is someone who looks at crime and investigations very closely.
13:52I want to welcome all our guests.
13:53And Sanju Verma, go first, Naveen Mishra of the BJP and Kasim Ali.
13:58Kasim Ali, who is a very close friend of the deceased Chandranath Radh, seem to indicate
14:05or claim there is the role of the Trinmool Congress.
14:09And they are specifically naming Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee,
14:13saying this is revenge killing to avenge Mamata Banerjee's defeat.
14:18But ma'am, is there any evidence whatsoever to point to this link, alleged link?
14:24You know, Gaurab, first and foremost, my heartfelt condolences
14:28to the family of Chandranath Radh.
14:31The second and moot point is this.
14:34I don't think you need an IQ of more than 50
14:37to understand that this is a premeditated, calculated political killing,
14:42born out of revenge, born out of disdain for the BJP's sweeping victory,
14:48and born out of contempt for Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated Mamata Banerjee,
14:53last time from Nandi Gram, and this time from her own bastion in Bhavanipur.
14:58I don't want to jump the SIT which has been set up and say,
15:02O, X or Y or Z is to blame, because that would be irresponsible on my part.
15:07But if you look at the telltale signs, Gaurab.
15:10What does that tell you?
15:12You know, forget the investigation which will take its due course.
15:15That is a given.
15:16And Prime Minister Modi had said in his victory speech,
15:22He clearly said that the BJP will not engage in the politics of retribution,
15:28in the politics of revenge.
15:30Having said that, please look at the comments made by Bhai Po,
15:35as in Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee.
15:39He said, I challenge the Union of India.
15:43After 12 noon on the 4th of May, even your fathers from Delhi will not be able to save you.
15:49He said this openly at a public function from a public podium,
15:55threatening BJP workers, and basically telling them,
16:04Because Abhishek Banerjee was clueless.
16:07He thought TMC will come back to par for the 4th time.
16:10Unfortunately, that did not happen.
16:12And the result is this retributive killing on the TMC's part.
16:16So let me take this to Shikha Mukherjee for her analysis and appreciation of this situation.
16:22When BJP leaders on ground directly blame Mamata Banerjee or Abhishek Banerjee,
16:28or statements made by Abhishek Banerjee,
16:32after 4th May, there will be nobody to save BJP Kader in this state.
16:39What is your reading of this killing and the cycle of violence in Bengal, ma'am?
16:45There are two different things.
16:47Number one, if you look at the killing,
16:49I think it's best not to speculate about who or what was responsible for this atrocious incident.
16:57Because this is now being investigated by the police, state police, all of it, at the highest level.
17:05The reason is because, you know, there will be this, there will be a Suomoto denial from the Trinamool Congress,
17:16and there will be an equally aggressive statement from the BJP saying that, no, you are responsible.
17:24So this kind of charge and counter charge is going to go on for some time to come.
17:32And I think that, you know, I really want to avoid taking a position on who is responsible because the
17:38police is looking into it.
17:39Let the police tell me who is responsible.
17:42This kind of thing.
17:44And this is precisely why the spiral of violence that we're talking about, of provocation, more provocation, and then the
17:54spiral of violence.
17:55And Bengal is known for its, Bengal has a history of political violence.
18:01And this political violence at this point in time is relatively muted, but it is not going to stay that
18:11way.
18:11So I'll come to that point in this spiral and cycle of violence, because the way, and I will get
18:18Sanju Verma to respond,
18:19because when I was speaking to BJP leaders in the state, they were telling me in 2021, when they lost,
18:24they were victims.
18:25In 2026, when they have won, they are victims.
18:29Either ways, according to them, the perpetrators remain the Trinamool Congress carder in their appreciation.
18:35But let me bring in Dr. Vikram Singh for his initial comments on this.
18:38Dr. Vikram Singh, Sanju Verma says, every indication is, and that's what the police also said so, that this is
18:46a planned murder.
18:47A pre-planned murder, they'd carried out a recce first, they got a fake number plate, the motorcycle did not
18:54have a number plate.
18:56They pumped bullets, then they abandoned the two cars.
18:59Not some country-made weapon, but police believe it's a Glock 43X, a highly sophisticated sidearm handgun.
19:08Your reading of the situation, sir?
19:10Good evening, Gaurav Ji and esteemed panelists.
19:13Yes, you have a very pertinent point.
19:15And our esteemed panelists also have made very pertinent points, in the sense that it is a cold-blooded, deliberate,
19:22well-planned murder, and hard assassins are a part of this conspiracy.
19:26And you have mentioned, point number one, weapon used was Glock, the black market of which is something around 35
19:33lakhs.
19:33Even a cartridge cost more than 10,000 rupees, and to have wasted away around 10 rounds.
19:38That means they had no cash crunch, and they had deep pockets.
19:42Two, the reconnaissance and the recce that they have made of the route and of the target.
19:46The manner in which the eyewitnesses say that he stood on one leg, he did not stand on one, that
19:51is known as the battle crouch position,
19:53in which a trained sniper takes aim and then shoots.
19:58And I think he was pretty accurate in his shooting, so much so that he got to the vital parts
20:03of the deceased and also got the driver but did not kill him.
20:06I don't think it was fortuitous, the driver said, but he allowed him to perhaps stay alive and then get
20:13away.
20:13And the manner in which the getaway vehicles were used, the two-wheelers were used, and also the tampering of
20:18the number plates, the security number plates,
20:20and also erasing the chassis numbers goes to show the deep and the devious manner in which these criminals said,
20:27and Madame Sanju Verma has a very pertinent point when she says that it is not fortuitous, it is not
20:32accidental, there is a deep conspiracy.
20:34And who has the motive? Let us not speculate on that, because it is common sense, two plus two is
20:40equal to four.
20:41Who stands to gain and who stands? Shwavindu Ji is chief minister in the making almost.
20:48And therefore, to get somebody very close to him also drives the lesson.
20:51You may win or lose, but I can have the last shot or the last laugh.
20:56Okay. Okay. Shikha Mukherjee, I want to quickly respond to this point before I bring in Sanju Verma on this,
21:01that this is a message that's being sent out by the Trinamool Congress as is being alleged by the BJP.
21:08Mamata Banerjee has taken the defeat personally when she went and sat on a dharna at the school where all
21:17the counting was to happen.
21:19Even four hours she sat there, four hours Rat stood there, ensuring that there can be no tampering and no,
21:28you know, officials there can be intimidated by the chief minister.
21:32So this was, this killing is personal, according to the BJP.
21:37That's the BJP's allegation. And, and they're perfectly, they're perfectly within their rights to make that allegation. All I'm saying
21:45is that I don't want to enter into this debate, but the simple reason that these, this kind of unconfirmed
21:56allegation, because an allegation is always unconfirmed, only creates the kind of good.
22:03If the police has already been given responsibility, why should, I mean, this is, this is a kind of spiral
22:11of speculation, which only turns the heat up.
22:15And it creates the kind of environment within which the spiral of violence goes out of control.
22:22I would much prefer, I would, I listen very carefully to both the, both the observations.
22:31And I think, you know, there are certain conclusions that professionals draw from a particular crime scene.
22:37Though I would want you to comment on both sides, on both sides, as the BJP says, they were victims
22:43in 2021, they're victims once again in 2026.
22:47Sanju Verma, you wanted to come in, because the Trinambul Congress says people are being killed on both sides.
22:53TMC Carder have also been targeted in the past two days. Why just blame the TMC?
22:59You see, Bengal has this culture of violence after election results. It's been happening election after election. And this time,
23:07it's much less.
23:09You know, Gaurav.
23:10It's actually much better.
23:12Gaurav, I told you.
23:12Can I please?
23:13Sanju Verma. First, Sanju Verma and then I'll come back to you, ma'am.
23:16Go on.
23:17Go on, Sanju Verma.
23:17Gaurav is going to stress upon one thing in no uncertain terms. In the run up to the elections, Mahuang
23:23Moitra made a diabolical statement saying, Amit Shah's head should be chopped away and served on a golden platter.
23:30Then you had Mamata Banerji who in Bangla said
23:33If you dare touch me I will create a political upheaval
23:41And what's more she said
23:50Basically saying I will play such a deviant game
23:53That you will not be able to touch me or catch hold of me
23:57These were intimidations or you know
24:01Intimidative tactics that your viewers will judge
24:04But the fact that after the Malda Rites of 2016
24:07What did Mamata Banerji say?
24:09It was Hindus who suffered
24:10She said hua to hua
24:11After 2017 Boshirat Rites
24:14She said hua to hua
24:15After 2018 Asan Sol Rites
24:17Mamata Banerji said hua to hua
24:19After 2019 Jadavpur Rites
24:21Mamata Banerji said hua to hua
24:23After 2020 Dirbhum Rites
24:25She said hua to hua
24:26After 2021 Sita Kulchi Rites
24:28Mamata Banerji said hua to hua
24:30Soma so Gaurab
24:31Give me 30 seconds
24:33Abhijit Sarkar
24:34Shovarani Mondal
24:36Uttam Ghosh
24:36Gaurab Sarkar
24:37Ganesh Sarkar
24:38Radharani Sikdar
24:39Momik Moitra
24:41And Rohit Roy
24:42And more recently
24:44Chandranath Rath
24:45These are all political killings
24:47Encouraged
24:49Perpetrated by the gunda dispensation
24:51Of TMC
24:52And Mamata Banerji said hua to hua
24:55Abhishek Banerji said hua to hua to chow
24:57Okay, let me get
24:59Ms Mukherjee's perspective on this
25:01That while there may be a cycle of violence
25:04But systematically
25:06The allegations that are being leveled
25:08Against the Trinmool Congress
25:09Not this particular instance
25:11But even past instances
25:13Would you agree that a culture of violence
25:17One remains in the state
25:18After 2021 elections
25:20The manner in which TMC and Kader
25:22Were in the line of fire
25:23For entering houses
25:25Molesting women
25:27Raping women
25:27People were convicted in some instances
25:30Himant Biswa Sarma says that
25:32Several people had to leave Bengal
25:34And find refuge in Assam
25:36So did this have state patronage
25:39The TMC patronage
25:40Ms Mukherjee
25:43I think that the cycle of violence
25:45Begins in 20
25:46Well, one cycle of violence
25:48Which is connected to the Trinmool Congress
25:50Begins in 2011
25:51When it first came to Powell
25:54There was a spiral
25:54There was real violence
25:56There was massive violence
25:58On the streets
25:59Or actually across the state
26:02And then you have 2021
26:04When there is another spiral of violence
26:07But West Bengal has
26:10As I keep telling everybody
26:12West Bengal has
26:14A bad history of violence
26:16Pre-poll
26:17Post-poll
26:18And in between polls
26:21And Trinmool Congress
26:23That would indicate
26:24The complicity of the state
26:26Trinmool Congress
26:27If the state doesn't want
26:28There will be no violence
26:29The ruling party
26:31Has an issue
26:33About defending its stuff
26:34Violence is a message
26:36That political parties
26:38In West Bengal
26:39Have all the time used
26:41To kind of deliver
26:44To the audience
26:46The targeted audience
26:47That we are in control
26:49And therefore this is happening
26:51I mean, look at the fact
26:53That a Trinmool office
26:54In the heart of the city
26:56Gaurav, let me finish
26:57A Trinmool office
26:59In the heart of the city
27:00Was bulldozed
27:02What happened?
27:03Why?
27:05Okay, Sanju Verma
27:06You want to quickly
27:06Respond to that?
27:07Why was the TMC office
27:08Bulldozed?
27:09Then I want to quickly
27:09Bring in Dr. Vikram Singh
27:11But respond, ma'am
27:12You know, I'm appalled
27:13There is more outrage
27:15From the left liberal
27:16Work ecosystem
27:17About TMC's office
27:19Being supposedly
27:20Bulldozed
27:21Than about the brutal
27:22Killing in cold blood
27:23Of Chandranath Raks
27:25Look at the audacity
27:26Of these people
27:27And Gaurav, I don't want
27:28To get personal
27:28I have done a
27:30What do you mean audacity?
27:30Hi, what do you mean
27:31By audacity?
27:37Only Ms. Mukherjee and Sanju Verma
27:39Go on
27:39Yes
27:40Go on
27:40Go on
27:41I have done a billion debates
27:42I have done a billion debates
27:45Where Shikha Mukherjee was there
27:47On the panel
27:47With their colleague
27:48Preeti Chaudhary
27:49In all those debates
27:50I made only one point
27:52That the women of Bengal
27:54They are the silent voters
27:55But their voice will be
27:56The loudest
27:57When it comes to the
27:58Ballot box
27:59And that is exactly
28:00How this has panned out
28:01Shikha Mukherjee not once
28:03Condemned Sandesh Khali
28:05Gang rips
28:05Shikha Mukherjee not once
28:20Condemned Archie Khar
28:31Only Ms. Mukherjee please
28:32Go on ma'am
28:33Unnecessary when we are discussing
28:34An extremely important issue
28:37Which is
28:38The post-poll violence
28:40That has happened
28:41In West Bengal
28:42Where a political person
28:45Has been killed
28:46In a pre-planned murder
28:49In which
28:51Obviously there was a lot of preparation
28:54And a lot of thought
28:55I mean we are discussing
28:57Something serious
28:58Is this the time
28:59To make all this
29:00No in fact ma'am
29:00What is extremely worrisome
29:02Dr. Vikram Singh
29:04Is that this cycle of violence
29:06Is part of the culture
29:08Of elections
29:09In Bengal
29:10And that culture
29:11Must come to an end
29:13Irrespective of the kind of force
29:14That would need to be deployed
29:16And I am glad
29:172,35,000 policemen
29:18Had to be deployed
29:19To ensure at least
29:20Elections could happen
29:21People could vote
29:22This violence
29:24Also should not happen
29:25Dr. Vikram Singh
29:26Because unless the state wants
29:28There cannot be violence
29:30Not the kind of violence
29:31That we see sir
29:34Absolutely Gauravji
29:35The state
29:35If it decides to have
29:36That there will be no violence
29:37Then there will be no violence
29:38But when you choose
29:39To look the other way
29:40And be selective about it
29:42Then of course
29:43You open a Pandora's box
29:44Now in the present case
29:45There has been a history of violence
29:47There has been a past
29:48Reason for violence
29:50And counter violence
29:51And what you
29:52Speakers have said
29:53Allegations
29:54And sweeping generalization
29:55In investigation
29:56That is an important aspect
29:58Of fixing a motive
29:59For the violence
30:00And for the murder
30:01Even in this case also
30:02Therefore all allegations
30:04And counter allegations
30:05Will have to be investigated also
30:06They are an important part
30:08Of investigation
30:09But to the state's responsibility
30:10The tragedy of Bengal
30:12Has been
30:13That the police
30:14And the police stations
30:15Have been decimated
30:15And there is no power
30:17It is the TMC carders
30:19Who will give their own letterhead
30:21Only then a case
30:22Will be registered
30:22When they write
30:23In their own letterhead
30:24Only then a person
30:26Will be arrested
30:26And if the FIR
30:28And the allegations
30:29Pertain to a particular community
30:30No FIR
30:31In property
30:32Will ever be registered
30:33So this is the
30:34Administrative tragedy
30:35To which
30:35West Bengal
30:36Has fallen into
30:37Therefore there needs to be
30:40A restructuring
30:41Of the West Bengal police
30:42When you have
30:43Senior most officers
30:44Sitting with
30:45Magda ji
30:45In agitation
30:46Contributing all the provisions
30:47Of policeman incitement
30:49To disaffection act
30:50Well the less said
30:51The better
30:52Because the demoralization
30:53We will be tracking
30:54Yes
30:55We will be tracking
30:56This story very closely
30:57Ma'am
30:57Okay 30 seconds
30:5830 seconds
30:59Because I have to go
31:00To that other big story
31:0130 seconds
31:01Ms. Varma
31:02Gaurat
31:03I am saying
31:03Forget the BJP
31:04Or the TMC
31:05Or what Shikha Mukherjee
31:06Me
31:06You
31:07Or Dr. Vikram Singh say
31:08The Supreme Court
31:10After the Panchaat elections
31:11Of 2023
31:12Told Mamta Banerji
31:13The license to hold elections
31:15Does not give you
31:16The license to conduct bloodshed
31:18If you cannot hold elections
31:20In a free and fair manner
31:21And maintain law and order
31:22Let us know
31:23We will put together
31:24An alternative mechanism
31:25Supreme Court
31:26Has castigated
31:27Mamta Banerji
31:28Repeatedly
31:29But she
31:29Driven by hubris
31:31Has failed to read
31:32The writing on the wall
31:33Leading to Chandranath Rukh's death
31:34And Shikha Mukherjee
31:36Is a TMC stooge
31:37Let's sincerely hope
31:38Let's
31:39Okay
31:39No personal attacks
31:40No
31:41Absolutely no personal attacks
31:43My apologies
31:43Ms. Mukherjee
31:44But sincerely
31:45Sincerely
31:46We hope
31:46There's a free
31:47Fair
31:48Investigation
31:49That we'll be tracking
31:50Very closely
31:50But Sanju Verma
31:51Dr. Vikram Singh
31:52And Shikha Mukherjee
31:53As always
31:53Many thanks for joining me
31:55Here on India
31:56Today
31:56There's a big story
31:57That's coming in
31:58From China
31:59China has sentenced
32:01Two former
32:02Defense ministers
32:03To death
32:04Of course
32:05There's a two year
32:06Reprieve
32:07Over corruption
32:08Charges
32:09The big
32:10Big big story
32:11Coming in
32:11Two former
32:12Defense ministers
32:13In China
32:14Have been sentenced
32:14To death
32:15This is a suspended
32:17Sentence as of now
32:18So former defense
32:19Ministers
32:20Wei Fengshei and Li
32:22Shang-Fao
32:23Both have been handed
32:25Suspended death sentences
32:27They were both found guilty
32:29Of bribery and corruption
32:32Having assets disproportionate to their known sources of income
32:36This sentence was announced by a military court in China
32:40And this hearing lasted nearly two months
32:45Two years
32:46So what we've been given to believe
32:49Since very little information filters out of Beijing
32:52The sentence was announced by a military court in China
32:56Nearly two years after both the leaders were expelled
32:59Both the former defense ministers of China were expelled from the Chinese Communist Party
33:06For what Beijing described was
33:08Serious violation of discipline
33:11So Wei Fenghe
33:13He served as China's defense minister between 2018 to 2023
33:18Remember the Galwan incident and the standoff along India-China line of actual control
33:24That took place in 2020
33:26He was succeeded by Li Shang-Fu
33:31Who was removed from office in October 2023
33:34Just seven months after taking charge as the defense minister of China
33:39In June 2024
33:41Both Li and his predecessor Wei
33:44Were formally expelled from the Chinese Communist Party
33:49Li Shang-Fu was accused of accepting bribes
33:52Abusing his position to grant favors
33:55And taking massive sums of money
33:58For benefits that he was able to extend
34:02He was also initially accused
34:05And then later found guilty of paying others
34:07To secure undue advantages
34:10Wei Fenghe was also initially charged
34:15And later found guilty of accepting money and expensive gifts
34:19And misusing his office to help others in return
34:23For getting cash and other valuables as gifts
34:28In China, a death sentence with a two-year reprieve
34:32Is typically commuted to a life in prison
34:36If the convict commits no further crimes during the reprieve period
34:42However, the sentence is usually converted into life in prison
34:46Do keep in mind
34:48No parole
34:49No reduction of any sentence
34:52So as long as both the former defense ministers live
34:55They will remain in prison
34:58We'll be tracking that story very closely
35:00Do keep in mind
35:01More than 100 Chinese generals
35:04Have either been sacked or jailed or demoted
35:07By Xi Jinping
35:08Who's seen
35:10Who's the most powerful leader of China
35:13Including the chairman of their Central Military Commission
35:16The secretary of the Communist Party
35:17And the president of the country
35:19And he's axed a number of ministers and top generals
35:23India has been a victim of Pakistan's state-sponsored
35:26Radical Islamist terror for decades
35:29Remember the 1993 Mumbai serial blast
35:33257 innocent Indians were killed in a series of blasts in Mumbai
35:38Through 2611 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008
35:41166 people were massacred
35:44Then there have been a series of attacks on Indian marketplaces
35:49Railways, buses, temples
35:51Centers of education, economy and faith
35:55Operation Sindur was truly a game changer
35:59After the Pehelgaam terror attack
36:02India not only hit terror at source
36:05Not just terror bases in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir
36:09But crossed Pakistan's red line
36:12And hit Pakistan in Pakistan's Punjab province
36:16At Muridke in Bahawalpur
36:19Which had never been done before
36:21And then when Pakistan attempted to strike
36:24At Indian military assets
36:26Indian Air Force and the Indian Armed Forces
36:29They punched holes in Pakistan's air defence
36:32And bombed multiple Pakistani military and air bases
36:37From Noor Khan, their command and control centre
36:39To Raheem Yahr Khan
36:41From Rafiki to Jacobabad
36:43To Bholari in Sindh
36:45Forcing Pakistan virtually to cry uncle
36:49And seek a ceasefire
36:51Which incidentally remains US President Donald Trump's dream
36:54Against Iran even today
36:57We will talk about this in greater detail
37:00But first
37:01On the first anniversary of Operation Sindhur
37:03We get you this report
37:18A year ago India stopped mourning
37:20And started striking back
37:24The blood spilt in Pehelgaam was not just an attack on innocent tourists
37:28It was an assault in India's soul
37:30But what followed rewrote our rules of engagement
37:40Operation Sindhur was not merely retaliation
37:43It was a doctrine
37:44It was a declaration
37:46It was a declaration
37:48It was a declaration
37:48It was a declaration
37:49It was a declaration
37:50It was a declaration
37:52It was a declaration
37:53It was a declaration
37:54It was a declaration
37:55It was a declaration
37:55It was a declaration
37:55It was a declaration
37:55It was a declaration
37:58It was a declaration
38:15And one year later, the echoes of those strikes still reverberate throughout Rawalpindi.
38:23When Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside other ministers changed the display pictures to the Op Sindhu logo on Thursday, it
38:30was more than symbolism.
38:32Operation Sindhu became a showcase of India's next-generation warfare power and its growing Atmanirbha defence strength.
38:46For the first time at this scale, the Army, Navy and the Air Force operated in seamless combat synergy.
39:00The Army sealed the grid, the Navy enforced maritime dominance and the Air Force unleashed surgical devastation.
39:08From MOS missiles, scalp cruise missiles, hammer bombs, kamikaze drones unleashed in a systematic dismantling of Pakistan's terror machinery.
39:20Late night on the 7th of May and early next morning, Indian forces targeted nine terror hubs linked to Jaish
39:26-e-Mohamed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizul Mujahideen across Pakistan and POK.
39:33From Bahawalpur to Mureetke, India destroyed terror headquarters, launch pads and training camps long-sheltered under Pakistan's protection.
39:43Lashkar's Markas-Taiba and Mureetke was reduced to rubble, while Jaish headquarters Markas-Subhanallah and Bahawalpur suffered massive damage.
39:51And across POK, terror camps in Muzaffarabad, Kotli and Bimbar were wiped out in precision strikes.
40:00Pakistan retaliated with drones and missiles over the next several nights.
40:04India intercepted all of them.
40:07India intercepted all of them.
40:09They have not been able to inflict any major damage on to our side.
40:17Okay, not toh humare coi military infrastructure damaged hoa hai, not much of civilian structures.
40:25structures. Remember narratives and rhetoric do not give you victory. Victory is measured by hard
40:34facts. And then came the message that altered the strategic script. We had achieved our objectives
40:40and our mission was complete. But when Pakistani establishment decided to side with terror and
40:45make it their own fight, we had no choice but to respond in kind. It was about self-defense much
40:52beyond a counter-terror operation. When we responded, it was lethal and ruthless. We had delivered the
40:58message and the message was very clear. That is, misadventure will not go unanswered. Acts of terror
41:06will carry consequences. No endless restraint, no surrender to nuclear blackmail. India had made
41:13one thing clear. Terrorism will invite precise punishment. The objectives were achieved through
41:21a calibrated shot and sharp shock that altered the enemy's risk appetite and disrupted his command
41:28and control. Without locking India into a long-drawn war or conflict, the ill effects of which we are
41:37seeing in ongoing conflicts around the world. One year later, the message remains etched firmly
41:43across the border. India may pause but India will not hesitate. Because Operation Sindur was not
41:51merely about revenge. It was about restoring deterrence and dignity and proving that the price of spilling
41:57Indian blood will now be unbearable.
42:00I see you can't be unbearable. The fighting, Bahrain, the angrily, theальном
42:15peace of the world. The dead sea of the world can't be unbearable. Myanmar has been a
42:18also of the laisser that the air may be unbearable. The peace of the world can't be unbearable. The media
42:20of war can also четыred or trade. The no longer term is the same. The peace of the earth could
42:24be unbearable. The
42:27Or, paani or khun bhi, ek saath nahi baisakta.
42:35From restraint to retaliation, and from strategic patience to strategic precision.
42:41Bureau Report, India Today.
42:48In 88 hours, India was able to get Pakistan to seek a ceasefire.
42:54Which, after more than 40 days of bombing, America hasn't been able to get Iran to seek a ceasefire.
43:01So, how was Operation Sindur different, even though that operation is still on?
43:06Let me quickly cut across and bring into this conversation, Air Chief Marshal RKS Madhurya, former Chief of Air Staff.
43:11Sir, welcome on India First.
43:14Thank you, Gaurav.
43:14And congratulations on the first anniversary of Operation Sindur.
43:18India was able to send across a message.
43:20Sir, what was that message, in your view, that India was able to send across to Pakistan, that Pakistan sought
43:27a ceasefire in 88 hours?
43:30The implementation of Operation Sindur started with very clearly defined objectives.
43:35That was to hit the terror targets.
43:37That was met, and thereafter, when Pakistan started to attack military targets, with all the drones, routing militia, followed by
43:44missiles and weapons,
43:45we responded proportionately, responded robustly, and you see what happened on 9th and 10th.
43:54And the kind of escalation control and the kind of damage we inflicted on 10th, I think, was important, which
44:02forced them to come to ceasefire.
44:03So, Pakistan cried uncle.
44:05Yeah.
44:05On the 10th of May, he cried uncle and sought a ceasefire.
44:09What did India do on the night of 9th and 10th of May that Pakistan sought a ceasefire?
44:15Because while the government has said so multiple times, there appears to be some kind of ambiguity on what was
44:21India able to achieve.
44:22No, you must understand the sequence of what we did.
44:25Firstly, we hit nine terror targets, out of which some were very, very big and complex.
44:32Bhawalpur, Mureedke, like you mentioned.
44:34Unthinkable targets.
44:35So, the choice of targets was really, really very strong.
44:40So, tell me something.
44:41When the Pulwama terror attack happened, India went and hit Balakot.
44:45That time, why it wasn't Mureedke and Bahawalpur hit?
44:48What was the thinking that time in 2019?
44:51No, you must see that while the political will and the resolve was indicated by Prime Minister's articulation of zero
45:00tolerance to terror,
45:01very clearly it was a paradigm shift and a very strategic shift on how we are going to deal with
45:06cross-border terrorism.
45:07But thereafter, it was built step by step.
45:11The capabilities.
45:12The surgical strike happened first.
45:14Balakot strike was important.
45:15It was the first time air power was used.
45:18So, myth of not using air power because of escalation dangers was busted.
45:23The myth of using air power against nuclear armed, you know, country and therefore invoking nuclear touch roads, that was
45:29busted.
45:30So, Balakot was important.
45:31That's a very important point.
45:32It was a paradigm shift.
45:33And for the benefit of our viewers, Pakistan is a nuclear weapon state.
45:38No other country has used this kind of air power against another nuclear weapon country,
45:44the manner in which India hit Pakistan first in Balakot in 2019 and then during Operation Sindur.
45:51Is there any other example anywhere in the world?
45:53Not in this manner.
45:54Not nowhere.
45:55And remember, after Balakot, so the political will followed by the change in scene of how
46:03we are going to deal with it, the strategic resolve, the Balakot was indicative of what
46:07we are ready to do.
46:08And that thereafter, what happened in Pahlgam for the nature of terrorist attack that was
46:14conducted, the prime minister's direction was very clear, unimaginable punishment for the
46:19terrorists and for the backers.
46:21And the choice of those nine targets was indicative of what he had in mind.
46:25So, Muridke, which is the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Bahawalpur, which is the headquarters
46:30of Jaish-e-Muhammad.
46:31Remember, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad are two terrorist organizations that have bled
46:35India for decades, whether it's the parliament attack of 2001 or the Raghunath Temple attack
46:40or a series of other attacks that have taken place in our country, including Pulwama,
46:46Pathan court, other attacks that have taken place.
46:49Why weren't Bahawalpur and Muridke hit earlier?
46:52Was it because Pakistan's Punjab provinces, Pakistan army's red line?
46:56Because Pakistan thought we'll never hit them in Punjab.
46:58No.
46:59You must understand when Balakot was done for the kind of target that was required at the
47:04time and the kind of change that we were doing of using air power.
47:08That was, I think, a good stepping stone, well calibrated, well chosen and well executed.
47:16Thereafter, it gave, obviously, the political mandate came for the next higher level of attacks
47:23and the confidence in the, you know, services to handle any kind of such, this thing increased.
47:29Also remember, post-Balakot and post-1415 with the focus on Atmanirwartha, the focus on
47:37our military industrial complex, focus on developing our own capability, our own weapons,
47:42that, that was, there was intense focus.
47:44Along with it, the kind of weapons and combat capability that we inducted post-Balakot,
47:49all that gave us much better capability and strength.
47:52And therefore, for example, what you're saying is during Balakot, we did not have the BVRs
47:56that we required, the beyond visual range missiles that we required or the Rafale aircraft
48:01that we required.
48:03And what happened subsequently, we had the Rafales and we had our beyond visual range missiles,
48:10missiles that can hit more than 100 kilometers away.
48:12Do I understand that correctly?
48:13Absolutely.
48:14And we had Brahmos inducted with, on Su-30s into the Air Force.
48:20We had S-400s that got inducted.
48:22We had taken our networks to a higher level.
48:24Many other actions that were taken.
48:27Long range precision weapons got included.
48:29Drones got included in the three services.
48:32Counter-drone systems started to come in jammers.
48:34Across the board, a lot of capability development.
48:37And therefore, when Pelgam happened, and for the nature of, you know, the terror act at Pelgam,
48:43a higher response was required.
48:44And the government took that call.
48:47Despite the political risk, it was a very, very strong decision by the government.
48:51And it shows also their confidence in the services.
48:54So, basically, the government had to weigh in that you're hitting a nuclear weapons state.
49:00Absolutely.
49:00A radical Islamist country you're hitting.
49:02Yeah.
49:03And he can escalate by hitting you anywhere.
49:05Yeah.
49:05And he can try and mobilize the 0.5% that he thinks that a two and a half front,
49:12he can activate the Bangladesh front.
49:14Is that what was the apprehension?
49:15No, I think straight apprehension, firstly, in the mind of this government, there's no apprehension.
49:21Once it was decided, the will was there, the strategic resolve to change how we'll tackle this was already there.
49:27So, there was a very clear-cut objective laid out, and they knew that services will deliver,
49:32services are capable, they have built up, okay, we have built up indigenous, we have built up.
49:36And, therefore, the delivery was no surprise to them.
49:40You must remember, hitting those nine targets when Pakistan is fully alert is no small achievement,
49:46no mean achievement.
49:47And hitting all successfully, and the kind of damage that you see at Mureet K and Baalpur in particular,
49:52those were with weapons from, you know, the latest weapons that we just talked about.
49:57And it was for the whole world to see.
49:59So, the world and Pakistan woke up to a new dawn, you know, and the new normal that India has
50:05shifted to on 7th of May.
50:07Pakistan lost 100 terrorists.
50:09Nearly 100 terrorists, yeah.
50:10Nearly 100 terrorists there.
50:12That must have hurt the Pakistan army losing their sons, losing their brothers.
50:17Absolutely, that must have hurt for sure.
50:19And the way you saw on some of those funerals, the senior Pakistani army officers attending those funerals,
50:25because Pakistan, in many ways, was exposed to the world.
50:28And what you talked about, thereafter, what happened, how did we conduct...
50:33So, when they responded, they tried to target our military assets.
50:35Yeah.
50:36So, you know, we know the psyche of Pakistan army, Pakistan air force.
50:41We knew they will respond.
50:42They responded with drones, with, you know, a lot of disruptive kind of drone flying.
50:47What about their J-10Cs and the PL-15s, BBRs?
50:50They were still behind initially.
50:52They did not, you know, go on to weapons.
50:54They depended on drones and some of their loitering munitions.
50:58And when that did not affect, when our army and air force countered that, did not allow
51:03it to interfere in our system.
51:04And for that, although our entire counter-drones, you know, emerge, evolving capability was not
51:11in place, but whatever was in place was very well tackled.
51:14That is when they went for a much higher level.
51:17And when they were doing these drones, loitering munitions, et cetera, you know, we targeted
51:24very intelligently, in a very calibrated manner, their radars, their some SAMs.
51:29And we were already building towards a separation plan, which could come in handy later.
51:34So, eh, Chief Mashal Bhadoria, for joining me here on this India Today special broadcast.
51:39As always, many thanks, sir.
51:40Thank you for having me.
51:41Always a pleasure.
51:42Operation Sindur is still on.
51:45India remembers our braves, those families who were singled out.
51:51Men were asked their religion.
51:53They were killed because they are Hindu, because they were Hindu.
51:58That's one message that we must never forget.
52:01The kind of war these radical Islamists in Pakistan are waging against India.
52:07We'll be tracking developments on that story very closely.
52:09That is all I have for you on this India Today special broadcast.
52:13Many thanks for watching.
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