- 11 hours ago
A communal tensions erupted in a Mira Road housing society in Maharashtra's Thane after residents brought goats into the premises ahead of Bakrid.
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00:00Good evening, you're watching India First. I'm Gaurav Savan.
00:03Can animals be slaughtered inside a housing society, in a residential complex, in the name of religion?
00:12The question is not as ridiculous as it may sound to you.
00:17This is the unfortunate reality of our times.
00:20I want to show you images of a housing society in Maharashtra, in Thane.
00:25There was massive tension in Thane when just ahead of Bakreed, some people brought 25 to 30 goats, according to
00:33reports, inside a housing society.
00:35And they erected a shed and planned to slaughter these 25 to 30 goats inside this residential housing society as
00:43part of their religious celebrations.
00:45The Hindus in the society, they objected.
00:47And they objected on multiple grounds.
00:49Hygiene, violation of court orders.
00:51But the protest resulted in a knifing incident where three people were injured.
00:56And this led to a spike in protests.
00:58The Vishwa Hindu Parisha, the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party, both in Mumbai and in Thane, they went outside
01:05this housing society.
01:06And some of the protesters even carried a pig.
01:10The police intervened.
01:11They first took away the pig.
01:13And later, with municipal officers in tow, they took away those 25 to 30 goats too.
01:19Sadly, this is not the first time that in the name of religious freedom, some people brought animals for sacrifice,
01:29either wanting to carry out that sacrifice on Eid inside their homes or in public places in the housing society.
01:38They wanted to do it either on a rooftop or in the lawns or in one part of the parking
01:44lot.
01:44There are very clear court orders on this subject, including insisting that slaughter should only be carried out at designated
01:52slaughterhouses or certain areas that may be earmarked with prior clearance of the municipal authorities.
01:59The big question is, why should some believe it's okay to slaughter animals in housing societies in the name of
02:07freedom of religion?
02:08Why should political organizations and bodies bring a pig as a mark of protest?
02:15Instead of bridging the divide, are we actually looking to widen the fissures in our society?
02:20Because remember, a spark neglected can burn the house, especially when you have very hostile elements, not just across our
02:30borders and across seven seas who want to weaken our country, but even in our midst who may be funded
02:37by these foreign agencies.
02:39We'll talk about that in greater detail.
02:40Also coming up on India First at 8.30pm tonight, the Centre has constituted a high-level committee on demographic
02:48changes under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
02:50Now, this panel is to undertake scientific study to find out the nature, causes and consequences of unnatural demographic changes
02:59in different parts of our country.
03:00And this panel will then recommend policy changes, administrative changes, legal measures that need to be undertaken to counter the
03:08threat to our country.
03:09The panel will be chaired by former Supreme Court judge, Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naulekar.
03:15It will also have the Census Commissioner, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, Durga Shankar Mishra, former Bureau of Police Research
03:23and Development Chief, Balaji Srivastav, and a very well-respected economist, Dr. Shavika Ravi, among others.
03:30The members also include the Joint Secretary Foreigners 1 of FRRO or the Ministry of Home Affairs.
03:36He'll be the member secretary or the official will be the member secretary of this.
03:41We'll get to the latest on this big report.
03:43We'll also get to the latest on a massive spike in tensions between US and Iran.
03:47The United States has bombed certain Iranian boats that the USA was trying to lay sea mines.
03:53They've also bombed a missile launch site at Bandar Abbas.
03:57Bandar Abbas, remember, is one of the most crucial Iranian ports.
04:00The ceasefire is holding, but just about.
04:04So, action-packed 60 minutes.
04:07Lots coming up.
04:08But first, let's begin with this ground report from Thane, filed by India Today's Vidya and Divesh Singh.
04:18Big bawal over Bakreed goats inside a housing society in Mumbai's Meera Road.
04:23What began as each sacrifice preparations soon snowballed into a full-blown Hindu-Muslim flashpoint.
04:30Around 25 goats were brought into the society premises and kept inside a temporary shed ahead of Bakreed.
04:38But Hindu residents strongly objected.
04:41Very soon, the society turned into a battleground.
04:45Under mounting pressure, the municipal corporation stepped in and demolished the temporary goat shed.
04:51But the biggest political and communal flashpoint came later.
04:55As Hindu groups intensified protest outside the society,
04:59some Hindu activists were also allegedly injured after an unidentified man attacked them with a knife amid the chaos.
05:29And then came the twist that pushed the rao over the edge.
05:33A pig was brought in near the society premises as a counter-protest to the sacrificial goats.
05:41Hindu groups raised slogans outside the complex.
05:45The pig versus goat showdown instantly escalated tempers and triggered massive outrage.
05:51Cops were later seen taking the pig away.
05:54Heavy police deployment followed.
05:57Meanwhile, the goats were shifted to the designated place for sacrifice.
06:13D&D.
06:15D&D.
06:18D&D.
06:20The police, the police, the policeезд.
06:24D&D.
06:26D&D.
06:27D&D.
06:31foreign
06:40foreign
06:41foreign
06:50foreign
06:51foreign
06:51foreign
06:52foreign
07:15The BJP is now hailing the police and civic action,
07:19calling it a victory against appeasement politics.
07:54In the end, this was not just about goats or a temporary shed.
08:00It became a full-scale Hindu-Muslim confrontation.
08:04The goats may have been shifted, the pig removed,
08:08but the communal bitterness remains.
08:10And Meera Road stands as yet another reminder of how quickly identity politics can turn neighbours into rivals.
08:20Bureau Report, India Today.
08:49That they are not being given houses on rent.
08:52And then blatantly flout, some may flout, these norms in the name of their religion.
09:00That's the many questions.
09:02And then why should protesters then bring a pig to a protest?
09:06Because two wrongs clearly don't make a right.
09:09Sadly, this is not the first time something like this is happening in our midst.
09:13But is it now time to draw a Lakshman Rekha?
09:16Remember, there are enemies within, there are enemies across the border,
09:20and then there are foreign powers that are out to fund unrest and fuel unrest in our country.
09:25A spark neglected burns the house.
09:28Why can't that simple message go out?
09:31Follow the law of the land in letter and in spirit.
09:35What is permitted should be permitted for all,
09:38but what is not permitted is not permitted for anyone.
09:41Joining me on India First is Hemendra Joshi.
09:44Hemendra Joshi is a resident of this housing society in Meera Road.
09:50Zeenat Shaukat Ali is the founder, director of an organisation that talks about harmony.
09:57Harmony amongst religions.
10:00Advocate Shahadaab Chauhan is a leader of the AIMIM.
10:05Tushar Gupta is a political analyst.
10:07But I first want to cut across to India Today's Divesh Singh,
10:10who's been tracking the story very closely.
10:12Divesh, a lot of effort has been made to resolve this issue amicably.
10:18But despite this report of reported stabbing of three Hindus
10:22by this unidentified assailant Divesh,
10:25is there clarity?
10:27Has the attacker been arrested?
10:29Divesh, has this matter been resolved?
10:35Okay, give me a moment as I try and re-establish this link with my colleague Divesh Singh.
10:40Hemendra Joshi, who are those people who have had housing society in your society in your society
10:50who have cut to them?
10:51Do you want to do it?
10:53Do you want to do it?
10:55Do you want to do it?
11:01Do you want to do it?
11:06Do you want to do it in your society?
11:16Do you want to do it in your society?
11:19Do you want the situation?
11:21and the problem was that it was so far and so hard
11:29and the halogen was so problematic that our people were not able to do it
11:37we had a lot request for them, we had 7 years ago
11:42but we didn't know the society
11:46society is the main focus of society. If society didn't support them, they didn't come to
11:53today. However, last night, we had a meeting of Hindus and Muslims, the chairman of society
12:02was the final that we had to extend two days. This should not happen in the next year.
12:08a lot of effort was made to resolve this matter amicably despite this reported stabbing of three
12:36hindus by this unidentified assailant has this attacker been identified has the attacker been
12:41arrested and has the matter been amicably resolved now regarding the attacker we are trying to get
12:48more details from the police but uh police are as of now they've not provided any details regarding
12:54the attacker whether he was whether he has been detained or not but here the issue that is there
12:59at the housing society it has been resolved amicably and uh um the owners the owners would
13:07run these raids they were around 32 that have been run in this point of society
13:13this uh along with the other members of society when the police mediated and brought them together
13:20let's make them speak to each other it was amicably resolved after the wreckage that happened
13:26after the first atmosphere that was here throughout the day at major raids since last evening uh
13:32this issue was resolved then the civic body blotten and gave them a dedicated location a dedicated place
13:39to keep these boats and also for the chattopal for cheese and agha um that has been provided by the
13:47civic body and after that three trucks were blotten uh three trucks these boats were loaded on these
13:53and taken by the civic authorities with a police or court from the uh fuller of state housing society
14:02so stay stay with you for a moment advocate shadaab chauhan is it okay for people to decide that
14:08they will carry out slaughter inside a housing society why not follow the rules and the slaughter
14:16should be carried out only at a designated slaughterhouse or any place that may be earmarked
14:22by municipal authorities
14:27it's very unfortunate that there is some separate fringe elements they try to scare muslims on the
14:33occasion of evil adha not a issue of mira road or somewhere from ratlam to mumbai uttapadesh to
14:41other some part of the country we are seeing that this kind of uh issues happen but it's very
14:47unfortunate if i have article 25 protection of my uh religion fundamental right it's my fundamental
14:54right so it's a fundamental right to slaughter a goat in a housing society
14:58no let me complete edul adha is on 28th of may but people are saying that we are we saw
15:06a goat and
15:08our feelings were hearted it's very unfortunate and they are breaking pig in uh uh to counter that
15:15i didn't have any issue with pig you can eat pig or whatever you want poke whatever you want i
15:20didn't
15:20have an issue it's very unfortunate they are doing so you'll be okay if a pig is slaughtered in front
15:26of you
15:26you'll be okay with a pig being slaughtered no i'm not saying so i'm not saying so
15:31Hindus are not okay with a goat being slaughtered if Hindus are not okay with a goat being slaughtered
15:37why cannot muslims follow the law of this land is what i want to understand from you
15:41you're an advocate you're an officer of the law as an advocate no no no article article 25 gives you
15:48the authority to carry out a slaughter anywhere you may wish tomorrow you will say it's a freedom
15:53of religion i will do it at india gate i will do it at rashtupati bhavan let me complete i
15:59am not
15:59saying so we can slaughter in public places or such kind of thing definitely we will slaughter
16:06on a particular place it doesn't mean that who will decide that particular place
16:11dushar gupta who will decide that particular place will authorities decide particular place
16:16or will muslim community decide particular place
16:19gaurav i don't understand where the issue of fundamental rights comes in
16:24hold on hold on
16:25there is no question of fundamental rights the bombay high court in its 2019 order made it very clear
16:35that slaughter cannot be carried out in residential spaces there needs to be a designated space for it
16:40a law clearly addresses this issue it cannot happen in any residential society in any residential space
16:47there has to be a designated spot and that designated spot has to be a certain distance away from the
16:52residential societies that's the legal question question number two of civic sense there are children
16:57in these societies there are elderlies there are people who may be sick there are people who might be
17:02using the public facilities why would you want to convert that entire area into a slaughter ground
17:08i do not understand and this is also a point about civic sense that the community needs to understand
17:13point number three gaurav just last week we were debating that how singing vande matram comes in
17:19between one's religion and one's you know patriotism and therefore vande matram should be excluded
17:24as people from one community was saying today i want to ask this question isn't slaughtering in the
17:29middle of residential residence not coming in between the religion of all the other people
17:34why don't we do why do we take this double standard let me let me take this to advocate shadaab
17:39chauhan
17:39because as an officer of the court sir one would expect you know howsoever high you may be the law
17:46is
17:46above you does the law and article 25 that you speak of give you the religious freedom to carry out
17:53a
17:53slaughter anywhere including inside a housing society
18:00no i'm not saying to uh anywhere we are saying that urbani is a sacrifice of goat or valid animals
18:10which are not uh bound by any particular religion uh issues that will be sacrificed in a particular place
18:17with a covered boundary area not in a public place but how will you decide that what i have to
18:23do or
18:23what i not to do if uh if there is any minister netish rane saying that you will uh celebrate
18:29the
18:29digital what's the nonsense is that i'm not asking from anybody to celebrate their religion on my faith
18:37according to me i'm saying that you your religion is up to you and if i am celebrating my uh
18:44festival
18:44and who are you to ask questions if if i do anything which is unconstitutional then you can
18:51uh quote whatever you want but who the hell are you to uh target my community in an entire country
18:58on the kitchen of either i'm saying so okay let me let me get zeenat shaukat ali uh let me
19:07bring her
19:07into this debate tushar i'll come to i come come to you tushar gupta to respond to this but zeenat
19:11shaukat ali
19:13you've heard both sides and as someone who practices the religion and who lives in the same
19:21uh you know society uh not in thane but in in maharashtra how do you read this controversy how
19:27do you see this controversy uh do you agree with advocate shada that it is his freedom of religion
19:33and how the hell in his words can anybody tell him where to slaughter where not to slaughter
19:41thank you uh gara for inviting me to this show the first thing i would like to say i would
19:46like to
19:47talk about this religion which says it was talks about hukuk allah and hukuk anas hukuk allah means that
19:55your obligations towards god and hukuk and nas means your obligations towards human beings and it is
20:04constantly said in the traditions of prophet muhammad that if you show kindness to my people
20:10i that i will show kindness to you if you are gracious to my people it also says that a
20:17muslim is
20:17not a muslim if somebody else does not feel safe with him now the question here arises is that we
20:25we are bound to follow government orders because there are orders which tell us that you can sacrifice
20:32at a particular place and you're nobody stopping you from the sacrifice because this is sacrifice of
20:39hasard ibrahim so you sacrifice but there is a particular place allotted so you can go there and
20:45you can slaughter as far as housing societies are concerned yes the hukuk and nas says that you
20:51have to respect the other people of that society i may be a muslim and i may want to slaughter
20:59but i
20:59cannot do anything that comes into my mind i have to think of other people that is what my religion
21:05is teaching me besides what the law is saying clearly what your religion is teaching you ma'am is very
21:09different from what uh advocate shada seems to have learned i i want i want to complete this that
21:16you know if we do not follow and we do not act according to our own religious traditions of
21:23understanding other people respecting their rights there are many people who are vegetarians there are
21:29many people who do not like you know seeing blood there are children there are old people there's a you
21:35know the goats make there's a lot of noise and there's a lot of you know there has to be
21:40a civic
21:40sense that one must have also so you know i do not agree with anyone whoever so it may be
21:49that you can
21:50have the the right under article 25 to do as you choose you have to do article 25 does not
21:59give you
21:59the right to slaughter an animal wherever you may choose by saying it's freedom of your religion you
22:05cannot do it in a housing society there are court orders to that effect sir
22:10i want to know that chanting of hanuman chalisa is the solution for that what these separate fringe
22:17elements are doing there they take the line of your hands who allow them because they are protected by
22:26ethnicity government is the dialogue that go first sign oh my god sign already come with them I'm sorry the
22:33law
22:33do you agree do you agree no no this is you know life is not diwar movie life is not
22:41a movie you have to live in
22:43society your you have to live by the rules of the society you can't say that go first sign that
22:48why is or what is it or why is it who has done or what planet sir ?
22:53Now, same thing you will say about other religious festivals?
22:57Same thing you will say about other religious festivals?
23:02Are the other religious festivals the same as slaughtering animals on the middle of the road?
23:06Is that what you are saying?
23:07It doesn't matter slaughtering of a particular animal.
23:09I am saying that same thing.
23:10Slaughtering of any animal?
23:12Slaughtering of any animal?
23:13What religion do you have a problem with?
23:16Tell me, what religion do you have a problem with?
23:19Where is Garpati Baba dead?
23:21Oh, so now you are comparing slaughter with Garpati?
23:25No, no, no, I am not comparing.
23:26Really?
23:27I am comparing religious festivals, not slaughter.
23:29Really?
23:30Is that...
23:32I am not supporting them.
23:33Oh my God.
23:34Is that what your comparison level is?
23:36Slaughtering of any animal on the road is valid.
23:38No.
23:39No, no, no.
23:40You are comparing Garpati with slaughter of an animal?
23:44No, no, no. I never compare.
23:46I am saying that...
23:47Because I don't think you should. I don't think that's proper.
23:50In different religions.
23:53No, no, no. I am not comparing.
23:56You are saying so.
23:57I am not saying so.
23:58I am not saying so.
23:59No, no.
24:00Sir, you have to be very careful.
24:02I am sorry.
24:03You know, you cannot compare Garpati Visarjan or Garpati Puja, you know, with slaughter of an animal in a housing
24:10society or on the road.
24:11I am not...
24:12I am not...
24:13Sir, I am not...
24:15The false equivalence is a problem.
24:17The false equivalence he is trying to draw is a problem.
24:19It's a different religion.
24:20If you have a problem with the Hanuman Chalisa, if you have a problem with the setting up of the
24:24Christmas tree, go to the courts.
24:25You cannot draw a false equivalence between setting up a tree, bursting crackers, Ganpati Puja, Durga Puja and slaughtering of
24:32an innocent animal.
24:33Please be very clear on that.
24:35And even if you think, since you quoted Hanuman Chalisa, if you think Hanuman Chalisa is a problem, go to
24:40the Bombay High Court, get an order.
24:41Get an order that the Hanuman Chalisa shall be only sung in designated spots.
24:46That it will not be sung in residential societies.
24:48Do not take the law into your own hands, sir.
24:51The law is very clear.
24:52You cannot have a slaughterhouse being converted inside a residential society.
24:56It needs to be licensed, a slaughterhouse.
24:58And it needs to be a way out of the situation.
25:01One thing, the Advocate Chohan is saying is right.
25:04Those people who are taking the sewer, they can't even say right.
25:09If one person is saying something wrong and the other person is saying wrong,
25:13then there cannot be two wrongs.
25:15Two wrongs don't make a right, sir.
25:17We are actually sitting in a very precarious situation.
25:20In our country, there are also enemies.
25:22We are also trying to destroy the country.
25:25And if we take the sewer on the sidewalk,
25:27then there will be more trouble.
25:30Hemendra Joshi Ji.
25:34Namaste.
25:36Hello.
25:38Okay.
25:39Let me get Zeenat Shaukat Ali to respond to that.
25:42Because Zeenat Shaukat Ali, the question that is being raised
25:45is if Hindus can celebrate holy on the streets, Diwali on the streets,
25:49why can't Muslims slaughter animals on the streets?
25:51If Hanuman Chalisa can be read on the streets,
25:53why can't Eid slaughter take place as part of freedom of religion?
25:57That's the point that Advocate Chauhan makes.
25:59I think there is absolutely no comparison.
26:03A celebration.
26:04You know, there's a Christmas celebration.
26:06There is an Eid celebration.
26:08There is a Hanuman Chalishma celebration.
26:11There is a Ganpati celebration.
26:12These celebrations take place.
26:14And even when there are, you know, people come on the streets,
26:19there's a permission taken.
26:21There's a permission given by the authorities that this, you know,
26:25you can celebrate and you can, you know, take it.
26:28But a slaughter is completely different.
26:31Here you have blood flowing.
26:33There is hygiene involved.
26:34There's a civic sense involved.
26:36There are other people's sentiments involved.
26:39There are many factors that one has to consider.
26:41And actually this entire argument does not fall in line with what my prophet,
26:48peace be upon him, has taught us.
26:50He has said that, you know, you care for other people.
26:53If people who care for my creation, I will care for them.
26:57You respect the ways of others.
26:59You know, when you say,
27:00which means respect for life and respect the ways of other people.
27:06So when you are hurting somebody's sentiments,
27:08why are you doing it that way?
27:10You have a place.
27:11It's not that anybody is forbidding you for your sacrifice,
27:15giving you a specific place.
27:17You go to that place and you distribute the meat as you want.
27:21And, you know, to the poor.
27:23That is the idea.
27:24But this is not the way to affect us and disturb people's lives.
27:30You know, what's the glaring hypocrisy?
27:32Just a few days ago, just a few weeks ago in Delhi's Uttam Nagar,
27:37a young man was killed because his 11-year-old sister
27:40was playing with a water balloon around Holi
27:43and that water balloon hit a Muslim woman who was walking by.
27:46An entire mob slaughtered that 26-year-old boy named Tarun.
27:50Now, my problem is when such cases happen,
27:52where are advocates like Shadab Chohan saying,
27:55oh, we need to practice communal harmony,
27:57that someone else has the fundamental right of playing Holi.
28:00Why is the question of law then not coming up?
28:02Where is this hypocrisy?
28:04Why is it so selective?
28:05Why the festivals being discussed are so selective?
28:08My simple request to him is,
28:10the law doesn't forbid you from celebrating a festival.
28:13The country doesn't say that you cannot slaughter the animal you want to slaughter.
28:16But it has to be done in a systematic manner,
28:18at a designated spot, through a licensed slaughterhouse.
28:22What is so difficult about that?
28:23And he said a covered space.
28:25Covered space makes it too simple.
28:26The law doesn't say covered space.
28:28The law says a designated space, license.
28:31These are very important words.
28:32So just do not say, oh, because we have covered it,
28:34it becomes suddenly justified or acceptable.
28:36That is not how the law works.
28:38Okay, advocate Shadab Chohan wants to respond.
28:39Advocate Shadab Chohan, you want to respond.
28:41Because the law is very clear,
28:43and we are listing out what the court said in 2019,
28:46what the court said in 2023.
28:48It's very clear.
28:50Slaughter has to be carried out in a,
28:53either a slaughterhouse or a place that is designated by the authorities.
28:58You understand that, I'm sure.
29:01Right.
29:02Definitely, we also request from municipal corporation
29:04to make arrangements for the sacrifices.
29:07We are also requesting through the municipal corporation.
29:10And we are saying that if any individual
29:12is organizing a sacrifice of an animal,
29:15we are not in a public place, in a covered area,
29:19then our Hindu brothers should consider that.
29:23If there is anything, any waste,
29:25any waste of this particular animal goes out,
29:28then we will definitely oppose that.
29:30We didn't want to attain anyone's sentiment,
29:32but it doesn't mean that only I have to sacrifice.
29:36It's a cooperation.
29:37We are living in a country where we have to cooperate with each other.
29:41Sir, that spirit of cooperation must show.
29:44It cannot be a show of strength.
29:46It should not be a show of strength.
29:49Might is right.
29:50It cannot be might is right.
29:52Law has to designate.
29:54You can't just decide I have enclosed this place.
29:57This is where the slaughter will be carried out.
29:58Hold on.
29:59You have to cooperate with me.
30:00No, no, no, no.
30:01It has to be a designated place designated by authorities.
30:04Please.
30:05I think you have to know.
30:06Gaurav.
30:07I think you have to know about that.
30:10I have to know about what?
30:11No, Gaurav.
30:13No, go on. Shadab Chon.
30:14Go on, sir.
30:18Okay.
30:19Tushar, you wanted to come in.
30:19Go on, sir.
30:20No, no.
30:20He said that there are no designated spots or the arrangements have not been made every year.
30:26There are three designated spots after the reaction of the police.
30:29After the reaction of the police.
30:30Yes.
30:30I want to play that out.
30:32And I want our producers to bring out that reaction of the Mumbai police.
30:36Where they are very categorically saying.
30:38Yes.
30:38That there is a place, three spots have been designated.
30:42Slaughter will be carried out only in those places.
30:45It's been earmarked.
30:47Yes.
30:48And I want you to listen in to the police.
30:50But while we are, you know, getting that reaction ready.
30:53Hemendra Ji.
30:54It's not enough.
30:56Then you asked for four.
30:58You asked for five.
30:59You asked courts of law for six.
31:02It cannot be might is right.
31:04It's not enough.
31:05So I will do it where I want to do it.
31:06Hemendra Ji.
31:08In this situation, some people took a sewer.
31:12Is the sewer right?
31:13It's not.
31:14Because it's going to increase the pressure.
31:16Yeah.
31:17You have to live in the situation.
31:17You have to live in the situation.
31:19It's not enough.
31:29You have to live in the situation.
31:36There's no problem.
31:37What was the need to call the people outside?
31:42This was the case of the society, it was already clear,
31:46so why don't you put it in a different position?
31:49This is the same question,
31:51as we have told you,
31:53as we have to do our honeymoon,
31:57we have to do our honeymoon,
31:59what is the problem in the name of the name?
32:01We can do it somewhere.
32:04There is no problem for it.
32:05It doesn't matter,
32:06it doesn't matter,
32:08it doesn't matter,
32:09we make it out very big,
32:12we have never been given our objection.
32:15We never won our terrace,
32:15we are going to go to our terrace,
32:17we never won our objection.
32:20We have never made the objection of our country.
32:23We never did this.
32:25This is the same thing that,
32:28we are trying to understand,
32:29But I am trying to explain your story to advocate Shadab Chauhan.
32:35Advocate Shadab Chauhan, nobody has a problem with you celebrating your festival, sir.
32:40Celebrating the festival of Eid.
32:42Perfect.
32:43But slaughter in a public place, if it's not cleared by authorities, is illegal.
32:50As an officer of the law, you should understand that.
32:53But you seem to be trying to justify it, sir.
32:58No, no, no.
32:59I am not justifying slaughtering of any animal on a public place.
33:03I am not saying so.
33:04I am just saying that if any sacrifice in a particular place with a covered area,
33:10with a covered region, within a covered region, then there should be no problem about that.
33:16Sir, when you hit the people, they shout.
33:19They shout.
33:21It's a sound of people's heart.
33:24It may be okay with you, it may not be okay with some others.
33:29Can you ask the same question from Nitish Rane?
33:32Who is running a restaurant where mat and korma is available?
33:37Can you ask the same question from that?
33:38Is he slaughtering it in front of people?
33:41You don't seem to understand my point.
33:44Is he slaughtering that animal in the middle of his restaurant?
33:47I am not justifying whatever is happening there.
33:49All I am asking you is, illegal slaughter cannot happen, sir, in a housing society.
33:54No, no, no.
33:55Illegal slaughter cannot happen.
33:57Because it's not cleared by authorities.
33:59What is illegal slaughter?
34:00What is illegal slaughter?
34:01I want to know that.
34:02What is illegal slaughter?
34:03I will get Zeenat Shaukat Ali to tell you what is illegal.
34:06I mean, as an officer of the law, if you cannot understand that a place that is not designated
34:11as a slaughter area or a slaughter house by authorities, by municipal authorities, there
34:16are court orders to that effect.
34:18But, you know, Ms. Shaukat Ali, you want to respond?
34:22You want to respond because he's saying what is illegal?
34:25No, of course.
34:26I mean, the argument is not whole good.
34:29You are, there is nobody telling you that you cannot do the crime.
34:58I will let that be the last word.
34:59I will let that be the last word on this part of the show.
35:03This is a story we will be tracking very closely.
35:07Because everyone has freedom to celebrate their religion and to observe their religious practices.
35:14But it cannot be in violation of the law and rules that are laid out.
35:21They have to be followed.
35:22Because howsoever high you may be, the law remains above you.
35:27I want to shift focus to the other big story we're tracking here on India today.
35:32The Ghuspaitia Mukht Bengal mission of Chief Minister Shwendu Adhikari.
35:38Now, efforts to have that Ghuspaitia Mukht mission is underway.
35:43So there are holding centers that are now being established.
35:47Illegal immigrants are being identified.
35:49Border districts, even as we speak, are witnessing movement.
35:54So even before they're sent back to their country, we are told Bangladeshis are exiting.
35:59Because they know that perhaps this is the end of the road for them in this country.
36:04So if you look at the exit checkpoints right now, there's a huge crowd that wants to leave.
36:10The message from the Shwendu Adhikari government in Bengal, the BJP government in Bengal is loud.
36:16And it's clear.
36:19Detect, delete, and deport.
36:22Bengal Chief Minister Shwendu Adhikari has said,
36:25One message for the illegal immigrants.
36:28Bhaag jau.
36:29Bhaag jau jitni jaldi ho sakhe.
36:32Bhaag jau.
36:32Run away as quickly as possible.
36:34Leave our country.
36:35The government is not interested in spending money.
36:38In providing food to them in jail is what Bengal administration officials tell our reporters.
36:43But this isn't just about Bengal.
36:46Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced the formulation, the formation of a committee.
36:51There's a special panel that's been set up.
36:53And this panel is to carry out a nationwide assessment of certain demographic changes that are taking place.
37:00And it's, it's, the apprehension is that this is linked to illegal immigration in our country.
37:05And it's leading to unnatural population shifts.
37:09And this has massive national security ramifications.
37:13And we've seen this.
37:14We may want to, you know, walk with our eyes wide shut.
37:16But remember, the terror attack that took place at the Sanjuan military station,
37:20there were illegal Rohingyas living very close to that place.
37:23And why would Rohingyas be living close to a military station?
37:26It defies logic in Jammu and Kashmir.
37:29The larger message is becoming increasingly clear.
37:31Infiltration will not be tolerated.
37:33Border security is being tightened.
37:35The Home Minister is travelling across borders across the country.
37:38And India is no longer free entry, zero exit for illegal immigrants.
37:46Our Bengal Bureau gets us more in this one.
37:52Detect.
37:55Delete.
37:58Deport.
38:00This is no longer just political rhetoric.
38:03The BJP's vision of a ghuzpa adhya, Mukt, West Bengal, is now beginning to take shape,
38:09just days after they stormed to power.
38:13Holding centres are now being established across the state,
38:16in line with the centre's guidelines,
38:18regarding Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas residing illegally in India.
38:24And Malda has become the first district where such a holding centre has started functioning.
38:32With the crackdown intensifying,
38:35hundreds of alleged illegal immigrants are now rushing towards border checkpoints.
38:43When the new government came in and the new policy have been adopted,
38:47now several hundreds have already gathered.
38:49Today is the second day at a row when people in large number have came out here
38:53and they are waiting to get their turn to go to the other side of the border.
38:58And BSF is apprehending that there could be a much bigger turnout in next day,
39:01next few days to come.
39:02But overall, this was the goal of the newly elected government here in West Bengal,
39:07to identify and deport the illegal immigrants who have come over from Bangladesh.
39:13Many of these immigrants had been living illegally in different parts of West Bengal for several years.
39:46Chief Minister Svendu Adhikari,
39:48The TMC has sent out a blunt warning to infiltrators.
39:51Bhaag jau.
40:10The TMC is questioning the very need for holding centres.
40:13Asking if infiltration is indeed happening at such a scale,
40:17then how are illegal immigrants entering the country in the first place?
40:45The crackdown is no longer limited to Bengal alone.
40:48Union Home Minister Amit Shah is currently on a four-state tour
40:52to review border security and infiltration challenges.
40:56The Home Minister has warned that unnatural demographic changes caused by infiltration
41:02pose a very significant challenge to the present and future of any nation.
41:07Amit Shah has announced that the government has now constituted a committee
41:11that will conduct a comprehensive assessment of demographic changes occurring due to illegal immigration
41:17and other unnatural causes.
41:20Analyze patterns of abnormal population shifts at a level of religious and social communities
41:25and present a planned and time-bound solution for the scene.
41:30From political slogan to administrative action,
41:33the crackdown on infiltration has well and truly begun.
41:38Bureau Report, India Today.
41:46India Today's Tapas Sengupta joins us for more on the story.
41:49I also want to bring in senior journalist Sandeep Unithan for more on this tapas.
41:53Bring us details.
41:54I believe there's a large crowd at exit points at borders.
41:58Can you explain that to us?
42:04Well, yes, Gaurab, we had seen similar kind of turnout just before the implementation of the SIR last year.
42:12But this time around, after the new government had formed and when the new government had announced
42:17for making holding camps, it seems that the people have once again,
42:23the people who were residing here illegally, especially the illegal Bangladeshis,
42:27have started pouring into that same very border of Hakimpur checkpost
42:31and where hundreds of people since yesterday have been holding up
42:35and trying to go to the other side of the border.
42:39We came across multiple case studies where we had seen
42:42that either people have come by swimming from one side to the other through Shonai River.
42:48We had come across through the case studies where people came here for treatment
42:53and lived here ever since for seven, eight years.
42:57They did not go back because the treatment like cancer needs prolonged treatment
43:03and they did not have enough money to incur the entry and exit costs to India.
43:08And we have even come across to certain case studies where we had seen
43:13that females coming in, marrying a male member here in India,
43:18delivering to children at government hospitals and went unchecked.
43:21When I asked them that how did you get your babies delivered
43:24without having proper documentation,
43:27one of the ladies replied to me stating that only the Aadhaar card of her husband
43:32was taken by the hospital authorities and based on that,
43:36she had delivered not once but twice.
43:39And after that, the children were also given the birth certificate
43:43and that makes them legitimate citizens of the country.
43:46So there was more within the system, within the administration.
43:50People have been talking about that they were working here quite nicely.
43:53They were earning handsomely during the previous regime.
43:57But after the new regime came in,
43:59the rules have become much more stricter.
44:02And henceforth, to avoid any kind of legalities,
44:05they chose the easier way out, go surrender before BSF,
44:09get your credentials checked and go back to your own land.
44:12So the question remains that yes, they are going,
44:14they are flocking towards the border, thousands in numbers.
44:17But why at the first place, there were checks and balances not there,
44:21be it at the BSF level or especially at the administration level,
44:25because most of the people that we came across
44:27were living in and around the Kolkata,
44:29the area known to be the greater Kolkata.
44:31And they have been living, working as made, unchecked.
44:35Let me bring in Sandeep Unnithan,
44:37because Sandeep, this is now a wider exercise.
44:40This isn't just a Bengal-specific exercise,
44:42especially this panel that's been set up.
44:46The demographic profile,
44:48is there a deliberate ploy to change demographic profile
44:51in different parts of our country,
44:53and especially in sensitive areas like Jammu and Kashmir,
44:57close to military stations, Punjab, other places,
45:01near military installations, Sandeep?
45:03Absolutely, Gaurav.
45:04And you know, there's a line that says,
45:07demography is destiny.
45:09And this is clearly weighing on the minds of the government
45:12when they set up this committee,
45:13because as you mentioned,
45:15there are border districts,
45:16very sensitive border districts,
45:18in and around Jammu and Kashmir,
45:21and of course, West Bengal,
45:22where you've seen very large infiltration there,
45:27you know, resettlement of Bangladeshis there,
45:30you know, aided and abetted possibly by,
45:32you know, political parties,
45:33which have completely altered
45:35the demography of these border districts,
45:38very sensitive border districts.
45:40So it possibly could be a time before,
45:43you know, only a matter of time
45:44before we will see, you know,
45:46similar voices on both sides of the border.
45:49And let's not forget, Gaurav,
45:50partition in India has been,
45:51you know, less than 80 years.
45:54It's just about 80 years.
45:55Next year is going to be the 80th anniversary
45:57of that first partition of the subcontinent.
46:00There was another partition in 1971 as well.
46:02So in, you know, in a place
46:04where you've seen two partitions
46:06in less than a century,
46:08you know, issues like demography
46:11and, you know, change in the profile of districts,
46:15especially in sensitive border districts,
46:17is extremely, extremely important, Gaurav.
46:20That's a very pertinent point you make.
46:22Demography is destiny.
46:24And it's time for India to wake up
46:26because destiny may not be kind each time.
46:30Sandeep and Tapas for the moment.
46:32Many thanks for joining me.
46:39Welcome back.
46:41India's school, China and Pakistan
46:43on the border dispute.
46:45India's reacted to the China-Pakistan
46:47joint statement in response to media queries
46:50regarding unwarranted references
46:52to the Indian Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir
46:54in the joint statement between China and Pakistan.
46:58India's, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson,
47:00Additional Secretary Randeer Jaiswal said,
47:03and I quote,
47:03India categorically rejects unwarranted references
47:06to the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir
47:09in the joint statement between China and Pakistan.
47:12India's position is consistent
47:14and it's well known to concerned parties.
47:16The Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir
47:17and Ladakh have been, are, and will always remain
47:22an integral and an inalienable part of India.
47:26No other country, no other country
47:29has local stand-eye to comment on the same.
47:32I want to bring in my colleague Pranay Upadhyay
47:34for more on this.
47:36Pranay, Pakistan may be trying on a bent knee
47:39to do a sajda to China
47:41and try and say that China has a role,
47:44but very clearly India schooled both China and Pakistan here.
47:48This is a clear rebuttal coming from
47:50the Ministry of External Affairs,
47:51the government of India clearly rejecting
47:53the joint statement of China and Pakistan,
47:55which was issued
47:56of the conclusion of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's
48:00Beijing visit,
48:01wherein Pakistan Foreign Office,
48:03which released the joint statement,
48:04and I'm yet to see the copy released
48:06by the Chinese Foreign Ministry,
48:08but the Pakistan's Foreign Ministry's statement
48:12clearly indicates that how China,
48:14how Pakistan wanted to get China on its side,
48:17be it the Kashmir issue,
48:19the China-Pakistan economic corridor,
48:20and that's why the government of India
48:21clearly rejected
48:22not only the China-Pakistan economic corridor,
48:25Gaurab, you know it very well
48:27that we never accepted
48:28the China-Pakistan economic corridor,
48:30but also India clearly said
48:31that China and Pakistan
48:33cannot have any trans-border
48:35or trans-boundary river development
48:38because they do not share any boundary,
48:40they do not share any border
48:41between these two countries,
48:43and India has always rejected
48:45the illegal accession
48:48of the Shakskam Valley,
48:49over 5,000 km of Indian territory
48:52in 1963 to China,
48:54and this is a categorical statement
48:56coming from the government of India,
48:57and in fact this is
48:58not only to place it on record,
49:00but also to show to the world
49:01that what is going between China and Pakistan
49:04and that they are conducting
49:05an illegal business
49:06in the name of China-Pakistan economic corridor.
49:08Keep tracking that story,
49:09I will come back to you
49:10for more Pranay for the moment,
49:12many thanks.
49:13Now the situation in West Asia
49:14remains very precarious,
49:16while the ceasefire is holding,
49:18but just about.
49:18The United States has bombed
49:21two Iranian boats
49:22that the U.S. says
49:23was trying to lay sea mines.
49:25They've also bombed Bandar Abbas,
49:27a missile launch site
49:29at Bandar Abbas,
49:30which the United States says
49:31was posing a threat
49:32to U.S. air operations
49:34in the area.
49:35They've called it a defensive strike.
49:37Iran says
49:38there will be a response.
49:39The ceasefire is holding
49:40as of now.
49:41But what's happening
49:42in Israel right now?
49:44India today's Shivani Sharma
49:46is reporting from ground zero.
49:48She's reported from the area
49:49where an Iranian missile strike
49:52had killed people
49:54who were trying to rush
49:55to an underground center.
49:57India today also spoke
49:58to the international press spokesperson
50:00of the Israeli police
50:01who detailed how a synagogue
50:02was targeted
50:03and how a residential area
50:05now looks so devastated
50:07after those strikes.
50:09I'm right now in Israel's beach Shemash,
50:12which has an impact site
50:15where nine people were killed.
50:16They were killed
50:18in the Iranian cluster missile attack here.
50:21You can see
50:22this is the rubble
50:23of those buildings
50:24where people lived.
50:25There was a synagogue out here.
50:27And this is how
50:29the Iranian missiles
50:30have been hitting Israel,
50:32not only this time,
50:33the 40-day-long war,
50:35but last year also,
50:36the 12-day-long war
50:38where multiple buildings
50:39were hit by Iranian ballistic missiles.
50:42To tell us more about this impact
50:44and how Israel
50:45is countering these threats,
50:47I have with me
50:48Lieutenant Dean.
50:49He is the spokesperson
50:49of the Israeli police.
50:51Warm welcome on India today.
50:53So we see here
50:55this rubble.
50:56This was the Iranian cluster missile,
50:59you see.
50:59This was a direct hit
51:00from the Iranians' terror regime
51:02towards our civilian communities.
51:04And I want to thank you
51:05for coming here
51:06to witness it with your own eyes
51:07because you got to see
51:09that there's no military installation
51:11around us.
51:11You're in the heart
51:12of a residential community.
51:14And this was the pattern
51:15that we saw daily
51:16by the terror regime in Iran,
51:19focused not just on
51:21killing their own civilians,
51:22but targeting ours
51:23here in Israel.
51:24You can see the rubble here
51:25of a synagogue
51:27that once stood.
51:28You can see
51:28the residential houses here
51:30that belong to family members.
51:32Unfortunately,
51:33there were nine fatalities here.
51:35And it breaks our heart.
51:37What do you have to say
51:39to the people of the Israel?
51:41And what do you think,
51:43what do you expect
51:44out of the situation
51:45that is now emerging?
51:47My message to Israelis
51:49is the same as it always is.
51:51We're united.
51:52We're standing together.
51:54And just as we have been.
51:55We've gone through
51:56some rough times
51:57over the last few years
51:59with the war
51:59of the terror regimes
52:01trying to annihilate us.
52:02They consistently call
52:04for our destruction.
52:04And we know
52:06that you put all the bots
52:07on the side,
52:08the misinformation,
52:10delegitimization campaigns
52:11that target Israel
52:12and paint it out to be
52:13a bad guy,
52:16so to say.
52:17We know that all
52:18is that nonsense.
52:18And we know that
52:19we're standing together
52:20with our friends,
52:21our allies,
52:22just like our allies.
52:28Big story coming in
52:29from West Asia.
52:30Iran says
52:31it has hit back
52:32at the United States
52:33of America.
52:34It's targeted
52:35multiple U.S. drones,
52:38Iranian negotiators.
52:39They've traveled to Qatar.
52:41They're discussing
52:41points of contention
52:42and a potential deal
52:44to end the war
52:45in West Asia.
52:47But Iran's
52:47Islamic Revolutionary
52:48Guard Corps
52:49has claimed
52:50that they've downed
52:51a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone
52:53that entered its airspace.
52:56Tensions continue
52:56to escalate
52:57after the U.S.
52:58carried out
52:59a missile strike
53:01at a missile launch site
53:02in Bandarabbaa's port.
53:04The U.S. also claimed
53:05it had downed
53:06a couple of Iranian
53:08small boats
53:09that were laying mines.
53:10The IRGC
53:11has said in a statement
53:12that it has
53:13the legitimate right
53:14to respond to any
53:15violation
53:16of the ceasefire.
53:18This comes after
53:18U.S. forces
53:19attacked
53:19missile launch sites
53:21and mine-laying vessels
53:22in southern Iran,
53:23describing this operation
53:24as
53:25self-defense
53:26strikes.
53:27earlier,
53:28Iranian media
53:29had reported
53:29multiple explosions
53:30in the southern port city
53:32of Bandarabbas,
53:34a high-level delegation
53:35that includes
53:36Iran's chief negotiators
53:38Mohamed Bagheer Galibaf
53:40and also Iran's
53:41foreign minister
53:41Sayyad Abbas Araqchi.
53:43They've met
53:44mediators
53:45in Doha,
53:46in Qatar.
53:47Now,
53:47according to reports
53:48from there,
53:49Iran's negotiating team
53:50has said
53:51$24 billion
53:52of frozen assets,
53:54frozen Iranian assets,
53:55must be released
53:56in any potential deal
53:58with the United States
53:59of America.
54:00The team has also said
54:01half the amount,
54:02that's about $12 billion,
54:04must be released
54:04when a memorandum
54:06of understanding
54:06is announced
54:07to the world
54:08with the remaining amount
54:10released
54:10within the next 60 days.
54:13The United States,
54:14of course,
54:14insists this deal
54:15is only moving forward
54:17once that 400-plus
54:18kilograms of enriched uranium
54:20is either handed over
54:21to the United States
54:22of America
54:23or destroyed in Iran
54:25with international agencies
54:28certifying the destruction
54:29of that enriched uranium.
54:31So that's a story
54:32we're tracking very,
54:33very closely,
54:33but that is all I have
54:34for you on India First
54:35this evening.
54:36Many thanks for watching.
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