- 1 day ago
This edition of Super 6 focusses on the sexual assault and murder of a three-year-old child in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur district.
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00:00Hello and welcome. Good evening. You're watching Super 6 on India Today. I'm Akshita Nanta Gopal and this evening, this
00:06right here is our talk focus.
00:08A three-year-old girl being sexually assaulted, being murdered.
00:12We're going to be getting you this story in detail on the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu.
00:17We're also coming up on the show here on Super 6. We're going to be talking about what's happening in
00:22Karnataka.
00:23BJP MP Tejasvi Surya is joining me here on Super 6 to talk about what's really playing on and why
00:29Bengaluru still doesn't have an in-charge minister.
00:33There's been a lot of politics on this. Tejasvi Surya will be joining me here on India Today in just
00:38a few moments from now to discuss that.
00:40We've got lots lined up for you on this broadcast, but we get started with the horrifying story that's come
00:46to light from the outskirts of Chennai.
00:49Again, putting the spotlight on law and order in the city and what's the current situation.
00:55As we get you those details right now, I'll tell you about what's really played out.
00:59The latest incident, a three-year-old toddler being lured with just a five-rupee biscuit packet, brutally raped and
01:08then thrown aside, her body thrown aside in a tawny bush.
01:12This happened in the outskirts of Chennai in Kumudipundi.
01:15The accused migrant worker was a resident of Bihar who was working in Tamil Nadu.
01:21He was caught by locals and handed over to the cops, so he is in custody now.
01:27But there's a larger question here.
01:29What's going on in Tamil Nadu that every single day, day after day, we see more and more such incidents
01:36taking place in the state of crimes against women,
01:39of crimes against little children.
01:42And clearly this has to be the top priority right now for the Vijay government.
01:46The DMK faced massive backlash over this, especially in the run-up to the elections.
01:50Everyone spoke about law and order, about crimes against women, about crimes against children.
01:55And it's on one of those planks that the TVK has come to power.
01:59However, Chief Minister Vijay will face a big test now to rein in these elements.
02:04He, remember, launched the Singapore task force last week, exactly with this mission,
02:09to ensure crimes against women, crimes against children come down.
02:13Sure, it's only been just over a month, and he too has said that he wants to ensure safety of
02:19women and children.
02:20But strict policing and ensuring a strict deterrent is the need of the hour.
02:25And we'll have to see how really the TVK performs on that.
02:32A horrifying tale from Tamil Nadu's Thiruvallur.
02:38A missing three-year-old daughter of migrant workers was found brutally sexually assaulted in a thorny bush.
02:46She fought for life in hospital and lost.
02:52Neighbors described the scene of panic, a mother frantically searching for her toddler around six in the evening,
02:58only to discover the unthinkable.
03:18Angry residents nabbed 19-year-old Vibin Munch,
03:21and handed over to police.
03:23Police have registered an FIR and probe is now underway.
03:28While the new Vijay government promised women and child safety,
03:32horrific cases are now piling up.
03:36On May 27, a police constable in Chennai allegedly molested a 16-year-old boy
03:42after forcing him to drink alcohol.
03:44On May 28, a 61-year-old woman was brutally attacked in broad daylight during her evening walk.
03:51And on May 21, in Coimbatore, a 10-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped, raped and murdered in cold blood.
04:01The opposition has gone on the offensive against the Vijay government over women's safety and law and order concerns.
04:10Leader of opposition, Udyanadi Stalin, expressed shock,
04:14demanded action against the real culprits and called for strict punishment.
04:19The BJP, too, has mounted pressure on the Vijay government,
04:23accusing it of failing to guarantee women's safety and maintain law and order.
04:28The situation of law and order, especially when it comes to women's safety,
04:32has set its rock bottom in Tamil Nadu.
04:35It's horrific what has happened to this 3-year-old child.
04:37At the same time, we are also seeing news reports about a first-standard girl
04:41in a nearby vicinity of Chennai in Pundamali, who has also been sexually assaulted.
04:45This government, which is more focused on digital media platform promotions,
04:51and is functioning more on reels.
04:56A 3-year-old's tragic rape and murder has become Tamil Nadu's shame.
05:02How many more must die before the Vijay government wakes up?
05:06Bureau Report, India Today.
05:12Okay, let's open this up right now.
05:14Joining us on this edition of Super 6, we have former IPS Sanjay Sahai,
05:18Dr. Syed Hafiz, DMK spokesperson, and Mr. Nandakumar, political analyst.
05:23Mr. Nandakumar, I'd like to begin with you.
05:25You don't know words are enough to condemn what's happened with this 3-year-old girl,
05:29but the reality is that, Mr. Nandakumar, this isn't a one-off incident.
05:32There have been so many in the last one, two weeks that it's shocking that, you know,
05:38as much as everyone criticised the DMK on Law & Order,
05:41those questions will now be asked of the TVK as well and what they are doing.
05:47First and foremost, Aksheda, this 3-year-old girl child,
05:52that too, because of sexual assault, is heartbreaking and it is highly condemnable.
05:58And everyone in Tamil Nadu is angry and everybody is looking for the horse's punishment.
06:06This is such a heinous crime.
06:08Whoever does this, whatever the background of that guy,
06:12whichever the caste, religion, creed, state, doesn't matter.
06:16These guys have to be given the horse's punishment available.
06:19Agreed.
06:20But having said that, currently the victim needs the justice
06:25and there should not be a political exploitation.
06:28Because this last one month, if you see,
06:32this is the system the TVK government has inherited.
06:36It is not a blank slate that TVK has got inherited.
06:39We need to understand this.
06:41This is what the last two years we have been crying at the rooftop
06:45that the law and order, especially the drug menace
06:48and also the protection for the girl, child and woman
06:53with respect to sexual assault was,
06:56it is completely exceeding beyond everyone's limit.
07:00We have been shouting, but nobody has given a say to that.
07:04Even the last government, DMK government's social welfare
07:10and woman empowerment minister, Mrs. Geetha Jeevan,
07:14has gone on the assembly and also in the press report,
07:17they said that there were 7,000 POCSO cases have been in a year
07:22where 104 crores have been compensated.
07:25So you guys have to really understand what kind of system
07:28has been inherited by this TVK government.
07:29Are you suggesting, Mr. Nandakumar, it's too early?
07:31It's too early to judge the TVK government?
07:35Absolutely, because this is a system, it is an inherited system
07:38where if you take, for example, Lakshita,
07:41in the last five years, there have been 27,877 POCSO cases
07:46during the DMK government.
07:48And the last year alone in 2025, roughly about 7,000 cases,
07:52which is translating to 583 POCSO cases per month.
07:56Okay, inherited.
07:57That is the system TVK government has inherited.
07:59This is the system that's been inherited by the TVK government.
08:02Dr. Saeed Hafiz of the DMK also with us on this broadcast.
08:05Dr. Hafiz, would you like to respond?
08:07That the reason we're still seeing these kind of horrifying crimes
08:11happening in Tamil Nadu is the result of the DMK's governance.
08:16Madam, this is really funny.
08:18When it comes to blame game,
08:19they say it is because of the past government,
08:22inefficiency of the past government.
08:24Whereas when it comes to signing the MOU,
08:26this government takes credit.
08:27This is a hypocrisy.
08:28How is it, madam?
08:29It has become the hobby of the people supporting the government
08:32and people who are ruling,
08:34saying any good thing happened in the last one month
08:36is because of CMBJ and his government.
08:39Any bad thing happens,
08:40that is because of the past government.
08:43This is not hypocritical.
08:44This is not an oxymoron.
08:45Ma'am, see, the issue here is
08:47the government, the chief minister is inefficient.
08:50He does not understand administration.
08:53His friends are running the show.
08:55The OSBs who are nowhere related to the elections,
08:58to the mandate are running the show,
09:00who are incapable.
09:02That is the first thing.
09:03You know what happens?
09:04See, let that be the inheritance for an argument's sake.
09:08How is the government responding?
09:09Where is the official statement?
09:11There is no official statement from the chief minister.
09:14None of the ministers talks about the folks of cases.
09:16I'm giving an example, madam.
09:17The TVK MLA from the Sri Waikundam constituency
09:21has been allegedly,
09:23allegedly, not once,
09:25but tried on an open press meet.
09:27The survivor of the sexual assault
09:29has time and again came and said
09:31that the TVK MLA is threatening her,
09:35intimidating her against filing the complaint.
09:38He is intimidating her to stop the complaints
09:40of sexual assault by the TVK members.
09:43Now you see the traffic court.
09:45See, the number of cases,
09:46the people involved are the TVK members.
09:49So he spoke about the inheritance.
09:51The inheritance comes from last regime
09:53where the TVK people are involved in such crime.
09:57And there have been,
09:59Mr. Nandakumar, your response,
10:01there have been a couple of these instances
10:03where there have been TVK leaders
10:05also involved in some of these crimes.
10:07That doesn't set a good example, does it?
10:10No, actually,
10:11if you would have listened to the press meet
10:13by the ministers of TVK,
10:15they have categorically said that
10:17whoever is exceeding the law
10:19and whoever is doing the crime,
10:20everyone will be punished
10:22and the law will be applicable to anyone
10:24irrespective of who is that,
10:26which party they belong to,
10:28whether it is a TVK, DMK, AI, ADMK,
10:30no one will be sparred.
10:32And again, on these spokesocaches,
10:34all these law and error and everything,
10:35more than the ministers,
10:36it is the DGP who has come on the screen
10:39and they have given the press release
10:41for your kind information on 23rd of May.
10:44There was a press report
10:46in which they have said that
10:4715,349 rowdies have been inquired,
10:51out of which there are 12,650 history sheeters
10:55where there are 2,699 non-history sheeters
10:59have inquired.
10:59Out of the 3,246 rowdies
11:02have been detained for further investigation.
11:05The crimes continue unabated, sir.
11:07So clearly there is a need
11:08to immediately crack down.
11:09Is that happening?
11:11Yes.
11:11Are you seeing policing on the roads
11:12that stop these kind of incidents
11:14of a little girl being lured
11:15with a biscuit packet
11:16or body being thrown in the bushes?
11:19Absolutely.
11:20This is completely,
11:21that's why I said that
11:21it is a heartbreaking incident.
11:23Nobody can tolerate
11:24these kind of scenarios in Tamil Nadu.
11:27This is not a scenario
11:28of a developed society.
11:30But having said that,
11:32no government or nowhere,
11:33it will be a zero crime.
11:35But what we have to look at
11:36is that comparative
11:37to the previous government,
11:38how quickly the current government
11:40is taking actions.
11:42And again,
11:42day before yesterday,
11:43again the DGP,
11:44because in case of
11:46a previous government,
11:47you might be aware
11:48that there were no,
11:49there was no proper DGP,
11:50full-time DGP was there.
11:52So you've mentioned, sir,
11:52what the DGP has said
11:54and issued a statement.
11:55Dr. Hafiz,
11:55your response?
11:56I see your hand going up.
11:58No, no.
11:59See,
11:59this is the same explanation
12:01what we gave us
12:01the government last time.
12:02We said the government
12:04is acting.
12:05It was this,
12:06the chief minister of today
12:07who was campaigning,
12:08he was dancing,
12:09jumping,
12:10saying,
12:10women's safety,
12:11the very next day
12:11I come to power,
12:12everything will be stopped.
12:13Now, you know,
12:14when you come to the seat,
12:15you know the reality.
12:16Your claim,
12:17your rhetoric
12:18when it comes to performance,
12:19people are looking at you.
12:21This is a very sensitive issue
12:22where you guys,
12:24the TVK ecosystem
12:25does not come
12:26and give an official response.
12:27The political,
12:28the legislative leadership
12:30is mute,
12:31trying to create real,
12:32sit and do drama
12:34rather than acting.
12:35Police force was always there.
12:37The police force
12:38did its job
12:39in the DMK government
12:40in today's regime.
12:41The question
12:42on the political leadership
12:43who's ruling today
12:44needs an answer.
12:46So what would you have?
12:47One second.
12:47Hafiz,
12:48what would you have
12:50the government do here?
12:51Where do you feel
12:52they are lacking?
12:53Is it in their response?
12:54Do you feel
12:54that they haven't done enough?
12:56Because the argument
12:56they are putting forth
12:57is that,
12:57look,
12:58we are trying to clean up
12:58the system,
12:59it will take time.
13:01Madam,
13:02the cleaning up
13:03of the system
13:03should start
13:04by sending a message.
13:06TVK,
13:06MLA,
13:07who has been accused
13:08of intimidating
13:09a sexual assault survivor
13:11needs to be enquired,
13:13which is not happening.
13:14This TVK government
13:16behaves like
13:16how the BJP government
13:17behaved
13:18when the wrestlers
13:20of India
13:21came and accused
13:22the question
13:23saying,
13:23the response
13:24was like this,
13:25like this,
13:26and like this.
13:27This is exactly
13:28the response
13:29of the TVK leadership
13:30today.
13:31Should they not
13:32nine days
13:33till the first
13:34press meet,
13:34madam,
13:35not even once
13:35the TVK,
13:37MLA has been enquired
13:38by the police force.
13:39Nobody talks about it.
13:40How is that
13:41everywhere,
13:42every second day
13:43in Tamil Nadu,
13:44wherever the sexual
13:45assault case,
13:46it comes,
13:46it's the TVK leadership.
13:48You don't even have
13:49to step out
13:49of the house,
13:50madam,
13:50in Alandur,
13:51where the TVK,
13:52a local party secretary,
13:54the Pagadi Chailala,
13:55what they call,
13:56he went into the house
13:57and assaulted a woman
13:58who was single,
14:00a widow,
14:01or a separated woman.
14:02Now,
14:02what kind of a messaging
14:03that you are going,
14:04you said Tamil Nadu
14:05is unsafe,
14:06Tamil Nadu is unsafe
14:07because of the TVK.
14:08The political leadership
14:09needs to answer
14:10to the people of Tamil Nadu
14:11have voted for you.
14:12Rather than shying away,
14:14let me bring in
14:16Mr. Sanjay Sahai,
14:17former IPS officer
14:18who has been waiting
14:18rather patiently
14:19on this broadcast.
14:20Mr. Sahai,
14:21to you,
14:22do you think it's fair
14:23to question on law
14:25and order
14:25the TVK government
14:26which has been in power
14:27for the last one month?
14:28Do you think
14:29that that's enough time
14:30to have cracked the whip
14:31and ensure
14:32that things are brought
14:33under control in Tamil Nadu
14:34or it's simply unfair
14:35to base a decision
14:37on just one month?
14:39It is not a question
14:40of one month
14:41or one week
14:42or whatever the duration
14:43of time is required
14:44to bring the law
14:45and order situation
14:46into control.
14:47If Mr. Vijay knows
14:49that it will take six months
14:51to bring the law
14:51and order situation
14:52under control
14:53or to control crime,
14:55he could have declared
14:56in his electioneering itself.
14:57Mr. Vijay carries
14:59the background of Kerur also.
15:00So, without getting it,
15:02commenting on the political
15:03part of it
15:04which is none of my
15:06either perorogative
15:07or my scope
15:08as far as the current
15:10debate is concerned.
15:11What I can tell you
15:12is they have literally
15:13carried on
15:14what was happening
15:15in the DMK
15:16and I don't think
15:17there is anybody
15:18in their organization
15:19which finally became
15:20a government
15:21who actually understands
15:23law and order.
15:24The beauty of the whole
15:25situation is
15:26that they have been
15:26talking about
15:27a full-time DGP.
15:28Now, you have
15:29a full-time DGP.
15:30What difference
15:31does it make?
15:32We have an instance,
15:34I think it is in Salem
15:35where 50 women
15:36have been victimized
15:37and that is there
15:38on a pen drive
15:38and mobile phone
15:39and all sorts
15:40of electronic gadgets.
15:42It reminds me
15:43of Pradval Ravana
15:44who was literally
15:45running mayhem
15:46for years together.
15:49So then, Mr. Sahai,
15:50what serves as a deterrent?
15:52To you,
15:53in your experience,
15:54what serves as a deterrent?
15:55How do you change this?
15:56what serves as a deterrent.
15:57The first deterrent
15:58is in the political leadership
15:59and in the political leadership.
16:02I mean only
16:02the political executive.
16:04I am not bothered
16:04about the other
16:05elected representatives.
16:07If they know their job,
16:08they know how
16:09police organizations work
16:11and they bring in officers
16:13on their merit.
16:14I think that is
16:15the biggest deterrent.
16:16This whole question
16:17of press conferences,
16:20social media,
16:21electronic media,
16:22that is not going
16:23to deliver any policing
16:25any time.
16:26It has never delivered.
16:27It is not delivering.
16:28It is not delivered.
16:29It is not delivered.
16:29The second most important thing is
16:31if they can crack,
16:33if they can literally
16:34crack on the officers
16:35till the SHO level,
16:37that is your police station level.
16:39Now, all these officers
16:40come through hobnobbing
16:42with their political bosses.
16:43Actually, the police rate,
16:45it's pretty diluted
16:46when you get into
16:47the cutting edge level
16:48and it's the political rate
16:50which finally runs.
16:51Now, you see both the cases,
16:52you see Salem
16:53and I think it was
16:55Shivaganda or Alandor.
16:57Alandor,
16:57both the cases you see
16:58and it is going,
16:59it is literally going
17:00and who comes out
17:02in the open.
17:03Now, Vijay has been
17:04this very close to people,
17:07affable and all sorts of things.
17:09Now, he should come out
17:09in the open and say,
17:11oh, this is happening.
17:12Does a Singapore task force work?
17:14Yes or no, Mr. Sahai?
17:15Depends if you make it work.
17:17Everything will work
17:17if you make it work.
17:19Otherwise, in the Rania Rao case,
17:20the whole of the Bangalore
17:22International Airport
17:23would not work.
17:23So, you have to make it work.
17:25There is nothing
17:25which will work
17:26or which will not work.
17:27Okay, and it comes down
17:28to political leadership on that.
17:29I really hope,
17:30I really, really hope
17:31that, you know,
17:32we don't see more such incidents.
17:34It's horrifying.
17:35It's downright terrible,
17:37tragic.
17:38Imagine the plight
17:38to off that little girl's family
17:40right now.
17:41And it seriously should serve
17:43as a wake-up call
17:43to all of the authorities
17:44that it's time to crack down
17:46on law and order
17:47and ensure that these kind of crimes
17:48against little children,
17:49against women,
17:50simply do not continue.
17:51Thank you, gentlemen,
17:52for joining me on this broadcast.
17:54We will continue tracking
17:55what really happens in Tamil Nadu.
17:57But I want to shift focus now
17:58to Karnataka,
17:59where for the last many weeks,
18:02while you've got a change
18:03in Chief Minister,
18:04there's a big question mark
18:05on who will handle Bengaluru.
18:07That portfolio remains
18:08at the centre
18:09of a political tug-of-war.
18:10Krishna Bhaira Gowda
18:11was given charge.
18:12He was given charge
18:13as the Bengaluru
18:15Development Minister.
18:16But there's a showdown.
18:18Why?
18:18Because two authorities,
18:20the BMRDA
18:21and also, you know,
18:23the BDA,
18:24they don't come under him.
18:26They are the most powerful agencies
18:28of Bengaluru.
18:29They're still with Chief Minister
18:30D.K. Shivkumar.
18:32So that's the Bengaluru
18:32Development Authority
18:33and the Bengaluru
18:34Metropolitan Region
18:35Development Authority,
18:36BMRDA.
18:37These agencies oversee
18:39mega infrastructure
18:41and development projects
18:42worth more than
18:4365,000 crores,
18:44including the ambitious
18:46Biddi AI City project.
18:47There's a controversy
18:48over there
18:49that we'll talk about.
18:50The BGP has alleged
18:51that the Congress government
18:52is holding on
18:53to these agencies
18:54for vested interests
18:55and D.K. Shivkumar
18:56is not willing
18:56to hand it over.
18:58Let me take this across now
19:00to Tejasvi Surya,
19:01Bengaluru South
19:02Member of Parliament,
19:03who's joining us
19:04on this broadcast.
19:05Tejasvi, I saw the post
19:06that you put out
19:07on social media,
19:08but I have to ask you this.
19:09Are we jumping the gun,
19:11Tejasvi, being critical
19:12of the D.K. Shivkumar government?
19:14A cabinet expansion
19:15is yet to happen.
19:16Sure, there seems to be
19:17some sort of confusion
19:18over one portfolio
19:20that's still being figured out.
19:21Are we being too harsh?
19:23Are we jumping the gun?
19:27It's been 15 days, Sakshita.
19:29It's been 15 full days
19:30since the Chief Minister
19:32took over.
19:33And this turf war
19:35over Bengaluru
19:36has begun
19:37from the very first day.
19:38The first week,
19:39it was a fight
19:40between Ramalinga Reddy
19:42and the Chief Minister.
19:43Then,
19:44we hope things will turn
19:46to the better
19:47and Krishna Bhairagoda
19:48will take charge.
19:49It's been two full weeks
19:50and yet,
19:51there is no clarity
19:52on this.
19:53Two weeks,
19:53two weeks.
19:54Bengaluru is suffering.
19:56Yeah, but two weeks
19:57and you know,
19:57constantly,
19:58you ask the Congress,
19:59they say,
19:59we ensure a seamless transition
20:01from Sidra Maya
20:02to D.K. Shivkumar.
20:03There have been a few issues
20:05but otherwise,
20:05it's been completely seamless
20:06is what the Congress says.
20:09Well,
20:09if this is the definition
20:11of seamless transition,
20:14then God save the Congress.
20:16What is happening?
20:18Half,
20:19it's been two full weeks.
20:21still the full cabinet expansion
20:23has not happened.
20:24Most of the Congress leaders
20:26are here in Delhi
20:27knocking at the doors
20:30of the Congress leaders
20:31here in Delhi,
20:32lobbying for ministerial posts.
20:34No minister has started
20:37the work fully
20:37because they don't know
20:39when they are going
20:39to be changed.
20:40And most importantly,
20:42the most important portfolio,
20:44Bengaluru in-charge minister,
20:47he hasn't taken charge.
20:48And strangely,
20:50the chief minister
20:51wants to keep control
20:52with himself
20:53over two very important
20:55city organizations,
20:57the BDA and BMRDA.
20:59And he has given
21:00the in-charge minister
21:02control over GBA
21:04and five non-existent corporations.
21:07This is like giving you
21:08a car without an engine
21:09and asking you to drive.
21:11Okay.
21:12Now,
21:12I am not asking
21:13who should be
21:14the district in-charge minister.
21:16It is the chief minister's
21:17prerogative.
21:17He wants to make
21:18Krishna Bhairi Gowda,
21:19Ramling Garedi,
21:20he wants to make
21:20another person.
21:21It is completely
21:22his prerogative.
21:23But why are you
21:24not empowering him fully?
21:26Don't you have confidence
21:27in your own ministers?
21:28How yesterday,
21:29the chief minister
21:30had a press conference
21:32where he said,
21:32please give me
21:33constructive feedback.
21:34Tell me if I am wrong.
21:36Tell me on the face
21:37if I am wrong.
21:37Even if our ministers
21:38are asking you
21:41to do illegal things,
21:43I have instructed officials
21:44to not follow.
21:45These are things
21:46the chief minister
21:46has said yesterday.
21:47Okay.
21:48If this is the case,
21:50if he is really
21:50empowering people like this,
21:52then why is he not
21:52empowering his own minister?
21:54How can a Bengaluru
21:57in-charge minister
21:58function effectively
21:59if he will not have
22:01control over BDA
22:02and BMRDA,
22:04which are the two
22:05most important
22:06parastatals?
22:07BDA controls
22:08all the important
22:09layouts,
22:10controls all the
22:11important infrastructure
22:12projects,
22:13all the elevated
22:14corridor projects
22:14that is proposed.
22:16BMRDA holds
22:17supervision and control
22:18over all the
22:19peripheral areas
22:20of the city
22:20where for the first
22:21time city-grade
22:22infrastructure needs
22:24to be provided.
22:25New layouts are
22:26coming up.
22:27Why are these two
22:29not with the
22:30Bangalore in-charge
22:31minister?
22:31You have given
22:32the Bangalore in-charge
22:33minister control
22:35over GBA
22:36and five corporations.
22:37Where are the
22:37corporations?
22:38The corporations
22:38don't exist.
22:39So what is this?
22:41It's a joke.
22:42No, but let me
22:43flip this around.
22:44Let me flip this
22:45around and ask you
22:46that a city like
22:47Bengaluru, and I
22:48think you and I
22:49will both concede
22:49that yes, the
22:50city is an absolute
22:51mess, needs immediate
22:52intervention, needs
22:53immediate help.
22:54Does a city like
22:55Bengaluru need two
22:56leaders in-charge?
22:57Is that something
22:57that will actually
22:58benefit the city
22:59that you don't just
23:00have a minister
23:01with full control
23:02but it's split
23:03and the chief
23:03minister himself
23:04is directly involved?
23:09What we are asking
23:10for is accountability
23:12first at the
23:13ministerial level
23:14and then of course
23:15the chief minister
23:16is the overall
23:17head of the state.
23:18He will, the
23:18Bangalore in-charge
23:19minister also has to
23:20finally be accountable
23:22to the chief minister.
23:24But if tomorrow
23:25the Bangalore in-charge
23:26minister has to call
23:27a meeting of
23:27different parastatals
23:28of the city
23:30and if he cannot
23:31call meeting
23:33for the two
23:35most important
23:36agencies, what
23:37governance can he
23:38do?
23:39We are asking
23:40purely from a
23:40governance perspective.
23:42This is not at
23:43all, I mean, we
23:44are not bothered
23:45who will be the
23:46minister but whoever
23:47it will be, for
23:48heaven's sake,
23:48empower him, give
23:50him authority over
23:51all agencies.
23:52This has been the
23:53demand of the whole
23:54city.
23:55Why did they say
23:55they want to make
23:56GBA?
23:57The idea behind
23:58GBA was, there
23:59will be decentralization
24:00at the corporation
24:01level but there
24:02will be one
24:03central authority
24:04where all agencies
24:06can be controlled.
24:07This was your
24:08own argument.
24:08This was the
24:09argument the
24:10Congress made in
24:11support of and
24:12in favor of
24:12dividing the
24:13corporations and
24:14creating this new
24:14body called GBA.
24:16Now, will that
24:17same logic not
24:18apply when Bangalore
24:20in-charge minister
24:21needs to be
24:21empowered?
24:22Suppose in your
24:23own department,
24:24Akshita, you
24:25have an editor,
24:26you have a, you
24:27know, producer and
24:28you have a, you
24:29know, camera guy.
24:30If I am going to
24:31ask you to be in
24:33charge of just the
24:35editor and the
24:35content writer but
24:36not the camera and
24:37the producer, will
24:38you be able to
24:38function effectively?
24:41How will you hold
24:42your team to
24:43account?
24:44How will, as
24:45citizens, how can
24:46we hold the
24:47minister to
24:47account?
24:48Valid, valid
24:49question.
24:49They just may
24:50valid question but
24:50I have to ask
24:52this.
24:52In light of what's
24:53happening right now
24:55and, you know, in the
24:56last many years, has
24:57the city of
24:58Bengaluru and this
24:58entire portfolio, the
25:00fight over it, has
25:01that meant essentially
25:03that this city more
25:04than really focus on
25:05what really the city
25:06gets, benefit of
25:08Vikas, development,
25:09progress, any of that,
25:10that Bengaluru has
25:11become more of a
25:12cash cow now?
25:14Well, absolutely.
25:16I mean, nothing else
25:17makes sense to me.
25:19Nothing else makes
25:21sense to me.
25:22If the question is
25:24purely one of
25:25governance, then you
25:28will empower your
25:29minister fully and
25:30then hold him to
25:31account for his
25:33commissions and
25:34omissions.
25:35You will hold him to
25:37account on certain
25:38key deliverables.
25:40But if you are not
25:41empowering him in the
25:42first place and
25:44keeping only those
25:45two agencies which
25:48have all the money
25:49and have all the
25:49control and you are
25:51giving the minister a
25:53token responsibility
25:54where you have five
25:56non-existent
25:57corporations and you
25:58make him in charge of
25:59that, what are you
26:00trying to do?
26:01I am again telling
26:02it is the chief
26:03minister's prerogative on
26:05who should be the
26:06minister.
26:07But whoever be the
26:08minister, empower him
26:10so that the citizens
26:11can hold him to
26:12account and you
26:13yourself can hold him
26:14to account.
26:15This is just good
26:17administration.
26:18In the last three and
26:20a half years, Bengaluru
26:21has suffered.
26:22In the whole city,
26:23Akshita, you were here
26:24for a week covering the
26:28whole CM transition.
26:30There is not 500 meters
26:32of walkable quality
26:33footpath.
26:34I completely agree.
26:34Even in areas, you
26:36know, in the main
26:36streets of the city,
26:38even around Vidhan
26:40Sauda, you don't find
26:41one kilometer of road
26:42stretched without
26:43potholes.
26:45Children going to
26:46schools, in school
26:47buses are suffering
26:48injuries because of the
26:49kind of road quality
26:51that the city has.
26:53The Bandar Gata road
26:54is dug up and is
26:56filled with potholes
26:57from almost a year now.
26:59No metro project is
27:01running on time.
27:02No new metro proposals
27:04is given to the
27:04center.
27:06The pink line that was
27:07supposed to be
27:08inaugurated is again
27:08delayed.
27:09Nobody has a clue what
27:11is happening with the
27:12most important airport
27:14line project.
27:16Companies which were
27:17earlier preferring
27:18Bengaluru are now
27:19going to Hyderabad.
27:20They are now going to
27:20Andhra Pradesh.
27:22They are now going to
27:22Pune.
27:23They are going to
27:24Mumbai.
27:25We are losing out on
27:27investment.
27:28And Bengaluru,
27:30mind you Akshita,
27:31contributes more than
27:3350% to the state's
27:34GDP.
27:35And if you don't take
27:36care of Bengaluru,
27:37the rest of the state
27:39which as it is is
27:40suffering because of
27:41these populous
27:42guarantee schemes and
27:43is on the verge of
27:44financial bankruptcy,
27:45imagine what will
27:46happen to the whole
27:47state.
27:48So this is purely
27:50an administrative
27:51demand as far as
27:52BJP is concerned.
27:53No, it is
27:54unfortunate that the
27:55city of Bengaluru
27:56simply doesn't get
27:57the kind of
27:57attention that it
27:58needs.
27:58Like I said,
27:59the focus was on
28:00who gets what
28:00because obviously
28:01these are big,
28:02powerful,
28:04influential portfolios
28:05and births,
28:06agencies also that
28:07they are looking to
28:07control.
28:08Just one final
28:09question to you,
28:10just to be on the
28:10controversy that's
28:11playing out over
28:12the AI Tech City
28:14Park that DK
28:14Shukumar has
28:15planned.
28:15It's his pet
28:16project, his dream
28:16project.
28:17He's now said to
28:18all of the
28:19criticism that's come
28:20in from you,
28:21from your ally,
28:22the JDS,
28:23he says that this
28:24was a project that
28:25was actually praised
28:26by Prime Minister
28:26Modi, that Prime
28:27Minister Modi
28:28acknowledged his
28:29plan and praised
28:29him.
28:30What do you have
28:30to say to that?
28:35Well, funnily,
28:36this is not the
28:37first time that the
28:38Chief Minister is
28:39trying to, you
28:40know, like draw
28:41credibility and use
28:43that, you know,
28:44Prime Minister's name
28:44as a crutch to
28:46further his own pet
28:47projects.
28:48Akshita, if you
28:49remember earlier,
28:50the Chief Minister,
28:52the then DCM,
28:53now CM, was
28:54toying with this
28:55idea of tunnel
28:56road for Bengaduru
28:57and wanted to
28:58acquire six acres
28:59of Lal Bagh's
29:01land, pristine
29:02green land in
29:03Lal Bagh.
29:04Thousands of
29:05people, citizens
29:05came out in
29:06protest.
29:07What was his
29:08response?
29:08He said, no,
29:09this is a project
29:10that has gotten a
29:11green signal from
29:12the centre, urban
29:14affairs minister.
29:15He used Manoharlal
29:16Khattarji's name.
29:16Another instance,
29:18he used some other
29:19minister's name.
29:20And today, he is
29:21using the Prime
29:22Minister's name.
29:23Why will the
29:24Prime Minister give
29:27support to a
29:28project where
29:30thousands of
29:31farmers are
29:33opposing this
29:35bulldozing of
29:36their rights?
29:37Every day on
29:38social media, you
29:39are seeing
29:39hundreds of
29:41videos that
29:41farmers are
29:42making, asking
29:43clarity.
29:44What is going to
29:45happen to our
29:46lands?
29:46Who is going to
29:47acquire it?
29:48For what project
29:49will they acquire
29:49it?
29:50What will be the
29:51rehabilitation process?
29:52What compensation
29:53will be offered to
29:54us?
29:55Which officers are
29:56going to come and
29:57speak to us?
29:57What is the
29:58process?
29:59No clarity.
30:00Just bulldozing the
30:01process.
30:03And because one has
30:04to bulldoze the
30:05process, if you have
30:06to resort to taking
30:08the name of the
30:09Prime Minister, then
30:10it is extremely sad.
30:12The Chief Minister
30:13should not be doing
30:14this.
30:15But also,
30:15Tejasvi, what's the
30:16solution then as per
30:17the BGP?
30:18Because again, you
30:18know, the question
30:19that will come up is
30:20what about development?
30:22Are you saying that
30:23development should be
30:24stalled?
30:25Do you propose an
30:26alternate site?
30:26What is the solution
30:27here?
30:27If you're opposing the
30:28bit of the AI tech city,
30:30what's the plan then
30:31according to the BGP
30:32that should be in
30:32place?
30:34There is a process.
30:36The country runs on
30:39the Constitution.
30:40The Constitution gives
30:42right for every citizen
30:44for fair compensation.
30:46It gives him right to
30:48property.
30:49The Congress is very
30:51well aware of how these
30:54processes must be
30:55followed to protect the
30:56rights of those who will
30:57be affected by these
30:58projects.
30:59Why don't you go talk
31:01to them?
31:01Why this arrogance?
31:03Why don't you take the
31:04farmers into confidence?
31:06And it is not that,
31:08you know, this is an
31:08orchestrated protest.
31:09You see hundreds of
31:11organic videos that
31:12farmers are making
31:12every day saying this
31:14is a piece of land.
31:14This is where my
31:15grandfathers were
31:16tilling.
31:16This is where I have.
31:17I have no idea what I
31:19will do if this land is
31:20taken away without
31:21fair free compensation.
31:23Please talk to them.
31:25There is a process.
31:25You have an entire
31:26department of the
31:27government which is
31:28mandated by law to do
31:30this whole thing.
31:31Why don't you do this?
31:33Okay.
31:33You wanted to dig a
31:3618 kilometer tunnel road
31:38through the city, acquire
31:40six acres of Lalba, break
31:42the geological monument, the
31:45oldest peninsula rock in
31:49the country.
31:49You wanted to do all of
31:51this without holding a
31:53public consultation, without
31:55actually taking the local
31:56people for confidence,
31:58without even informing
31:59citizens of the locality
32:00what it is.
32:01In the same way you want
32:02to replicate the same
32:03model there now in
32:04Birdi.
32:05Why this high handedness?
32:07Why this arrogance?
32:09Why don't you go to where
32:10the people are?
32:11Explain to them.
32:12Okay.
32:12Explain to them the
32:13benefits of what this
32:14project is going to do to
32:15them, to their children.
32:17How they will be empowered
32:19financially?
32:19What is going to happen to
32:21the next generation?
32:23So, if they are not going
32:25to do this, and if they
32:27want to bulldoze the
32:28people, then how can the
32:30Bharati Janata Party or the
32:31JDS or the NDA support
32:33such high handed action?
32:34So, you are saying that
32:36DK Shivkumar and the
32:37government should go out to
32:38the people, reach out to
32:39the people and the farmers
32:40particularly of Birdi, before
32:42going ahead with their
32:43plans.
32:44So, not necessarily opposing
32:45this entire city, but saying
32:46go about it the right way.
32:48Tejasvi Surya, thank you
32:49very much for joining us here
32:50on India Today.
32:51So, you have heard there
32:52from the BJP, critical of
32:54the DK Sarkara from the
32:55get-go.
32:56It's been just about two
32:57weeks, but already a
32:58number of issues coming up.
33:00But let me take you through
33:01what exactly the Birdi
33:03controversy is all about.
33:04This is a big plan that
33:05DK Shivkumar had of an AI
33:07tech city.
33:08Obviously, it creates
33:09employment, it creates
33:10opportunities, brings in
33:11investments, but the
33:13challenge is of the
33:14allegation that over two
33:15lakh trees will be felt to
33:17make way for this grand
33:19AI tech city.
33:20And that's what has got
33:21farmers up and
33:22arms.
33:26Karnataka is racing
33:27towards the future with
33:29ambitious infrastructure and
33:31technology projects.
33:32But one such proposal is now
33:34at the center of a major
33:36controversy.
33:38The Bidadi AI City project,
33:40championed by Chief
33:41Minister DK Shiva Kumar, aims
33:43to transform the region into
33:45a world-class AI and
33:46technology hub.
33:47But at what cost?
33:51According to estimates cited
33:53by RTI, more than two lakh
33:55trees could be chopped.
33:56Over 87,000 coconut trees are
33:59under threat.
34:00More than 83,000 Erika nut trees
34:03may be felled.
34:04Over 12,500 mango trees could
34:07be lost, along with more than
34:09three lakh banana plants located
34:11within the proposed project
34:15zone.
34:16Amid the controversy, the BJP
34:19questioned Congress leader Rahul
34:20Gandhi, reminding him of his
34:22recent Nicobar Island under sea
34:24diving and taking up the green
34:26cause.
34:27BJP questioned Rahul's silence and
34:29accused him of double standards on
34:31environment.
34:34Chief Minister DK Shiva Kumar, however,
34:37has strongly defended the project
34:39and countered BJP's charge of
34:41nexus with builders.
35:05According to the Karnataka government,
35:07the AICT will boost investment,
35:09create jobs and strengthen the state's
35:12position as a leader in AI-driven
35:14development.
35:16But support for protesting farmers who
35:18are up in arms over land loss is also
35:21coming from sections of the film
35:22industry.
35:24The fertile farmland should be
35:25preserved.
35:26Life for the farmers should be made
35:28easier.
35:29Life for the farmers should be made
35:30more convenient because they are the
35:33basis of the nation.
35:34And instead, these contractor lobbies,
35:37these real estate lobbies,
35:39these are all trying to make it a
35:41concrete kind of like township,
35:43which is destroying this fertile land.
35:47DK Shiva Kumar, who earlier claimed
35:49that Prime Minister Modi appreciated
35:51the project and its vision, remains
35:53determined to push ahead with what he
35:56calls a dream initiative.
35:58The BJP had warned DKs against dragging
36:00the PM's name for what it called the
36:02chief minister's personal project.
36:05However, the opposition has alleged that
36:08a real estate nexus is driving the
36:10township project.
36:12Opposition leaders have also warned of
36:14legal action and intensified protests if
36:17the government proceeds without addressing
36:19environmental and farmers' concerns.
36:22events with Sagai Raj, Bureau Report, India Today.
36:28And as I slip into a short break here on
36:30Super 6, here's a look at an image that's
36:33won a heart across the world and perhaps a
36:35few lessons for us here in India as well.
36:37Japanese fans upholding the spirit of the
36:39game like no one else does, reminding
36:41everyone why football is called a beautiful
36:44game.
36:44Japanese supporters started picking up trash,
36:47cleaning up stadiums after the game between
36:50Japan and the Netherlands ended in a
36:52draw year after year.
36:54Edition after edition of the World Cup, the
36:56Japanese humility and kindness continues to be
36:58one of the most heartwarming stories of the
37:00FIFA World Cup.
37:01Those are pictures that can truly inspire
37:03every single one of us.
37:07It's not the culture, but it's like respect for
37:11everything, respect for the players,
37:15supporters and also for the stadium.
37:18We are kind of honored to be here, so we don't
37:22want to make the mess and then leave it.
37:25So I think that's the reason why we do it.
37:27Let's get you our daily live monsoon tracker and
37:30unfortunately, no good news.
37:32The effect of that powerful Super El Nino continue
37:35to be felt across the world and concerns are now
37:38growing over the progress of the Southwest monsoon
37:40in India.
37:41Parts of Delhi did witness pre-monsoon showers
37:44and the relief was short-lived.
37:47Temperatures in several parts of the national
37:49capital remained above normal and the monsoon
37:51is still some distance away.
37:53The normal date for the onset of the monsoon in
37:56Delhi is June 27th.
37:58In Mumbai, it's usually June 11th.
38:00However, weather patterns have become increasingly
38:03unpredictable in recent years.
38:04If I just take a look at what's happened in the
38:07last few years, it shows you how erratic
38:09the monsoon has become.
38:10In Delhi, the monsoon arrived 16 days early in 2021,
38:14was largely on time in 2022, a significant delay in 2023.
38:18It arrived five days early in 2024.
38:21Mumbai has seen a similar trend where the city experienced
38:24a delay of over two weeks in 2021.
38:26The monsoon arrived slightly ahead of schedule in both 2022 and 2023.
38:31This year, despite the calendar suggesting that the rains should
38:34already be active in Mumbai, bright sunshine, dry conditions have dominated
38:39large parts of the city, leaving residents waiting for the monsoon's arrival.
38:43We're talking about a 60%-plus deficit so far in the monsoon.
38:52Did you know that every year, millions of Indians are affected by dengue?
38:57A tiny mosquito, but one that can have devastating consequences for an entire family.
39:02Dengue is not just another fever.
39:04It's a serious disease that can cause high fever, severe body pain, a dangerous drop in
39:10platelet count, hospitalization, and in some cases, even becoming life-threatening.
39:16Children, senior citizens, and those with weakened immunity are especially vulnerable.
39:20What makes dengue particularly concerning is that the mosquito responsible for spreading
39:24it doesn't breed in distant forests or remote areas.
39:27It thrives right around our homes, in coolers, flowerpots, balconies, and any place where clean
39:34water is allowed to stagnate, which means the fight against dengue begins at home.
39:39But this is not a battle that can be won by one individual, one family, or one institution
39:44alone.
39:44To defeat dengue, the entire nation has come together.
39:48With this resolve, today, on World Dengue Day, All Out and India Today have launched a nationwide
39:54public awareness movement.
39:57Through this campaign, we're bringing credible stories, credible information, expert advice,
40:03and simple prevention measures to households across the country.
40:07And remember, a few simple steps can go a long way in protecting your family.
40:11Do not allow water to collect in and around your home.
40:14Change the water in coolers and flowerpots regularly.
40:17Take extra care to protect children and senior citizens from mosquito bites.
40:20And use mosquito repellents and vaporizers regularly to help keep your home protected.
40:26Because when every home stays alert, dengue loses its chance to spread.
40:31Join All Out and India Today in this collective fight.
40:34Saat la dengue, dengue se.
40:38And that's all we have time for in this edition of Super 6.
40:40Thanks very much for tuning in.
40:42I'll see you same time tomorrow.
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