- 7 hours ago
This news broadcast covers multiple major developments across India. In an exclusive interview with India Today, author and columnist Chetan Bhagat addressed the intense public scrutiny surrounding his column on the Pune murder case involving Siya Goyal, societal pressures on marriages in India, parenting, and Gen Z.
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NewsTranscript
00:01Hello and welcome. I'm Sonal Merodhra Kapoor. This is Five Live.
00:06On the program today, three stories that we've got our eyes on.
00:09Number one, we look into the story of the cliffhanging murder mystery.
00:15Why exactly Kunt Sia just say no?
00:18Well, on this, Shetan Bhagat has a very different take.
00:22His post has got over a million views and people are debating both for and again.
00:26So we thought, let's chat up with him and find out why he thinks that Sia should not be held
00:34completely guilty.
00:36That's story number one.
00:38Story number two that we've got for you is the 11-year-old who was killed.
00:42Should we blame poor governance for it?
00:45Should we ask questions to the local councillor, to the mayor, on how and why life is so cheap in
00:52our country?
00:53We'll continue to bring you reports on that and also the plight of four more kids who are in hospital.
01:00And number three, this is the good news of the day.
01:03Yesterday, we got you a story of absolute red-tapism going on in Rajasthan's biggest government hospital,
01:10where one retired doctor shut his, locked his cabin and with it, the files of some patients who were extremely
01:21critical,
01:22who were all left lading in the lurch.
01:25We reported on that story and now that lock has been broken, that gate has been opened,
01:31the entire activity on the case has started.
01:36So what exactly is that all about?
01:38That'll also be our focus on the programme.
01:40But first up, as always, let me take you through the top headlines at this hour.
01:45The Ramantir donation scam investigation has taken a dramatic new turn.
01:50Police have now recovered a mysterious Ram Rajakosh,
01:53a donation box with a QR code from a yoga centre linked to the main accused.
01:59Even as sources claim, the arrested accused have confessed and alleged a nexus involving trust employees and also bank officials.
02:08With the probe widening now, the Ramantir Trust has tightened security at its cash counting centres.
02:15Samajwadi Party has alleged, meanwhile, that 20,000 crore scam with big names involved,
02:21they believe they are being shielded.
02:22Chief Minister Yogi Adithanath, meanwhile, has assured strict action.
02:28The Pune murder investigation is gathering pace with police,
02:33recreating the crime scene at the Lohagarh Fort, this time with the QQ's Jetan Chaudhary.
02:39Now, as investigators piece together the led sequence of events,
02:42fresh revelations have emerged about Sia and Ketan's relationship,
02:47from the horoscope match considered ideal to Ketan's growing suspicion about Sia's closeness to Jetan.
02:54Meanwhile, the Lohagarh Fort has been temporarily shut for probe investigations.
03:02The 11-year-old kid's death has left Mumbai asking painful questions.
03:06In fact, not just Mumbai, the whole of the country as well.
03:09As the city now mourns, young Vihan, a heart-wrenching video of his grieving mother clutching his cricket bat has
03:16shaken the nation.
03:17The tragedy comes after a tree crashed onto a school bus in Chehmbur amidst heavy rain,
03:23even as fresh questions are being raised over tree safety, civic preparedness and what exactly were the authorities doing?
03:33Relentless monsoon, meanwhile, showers continue to batter Mumbai, bringing the city to a standstill.
03:39Heavy rain has triggered widespread water logging, flooded roads,
03:42uprooted trees and massive traffic snarls across several areas.
03:47The rain has already turned deadly in Chehmbur, where a tree crashed on a school bus,
03:52like we told you, while flooding shut the Andheri subway and water logging disrupted normal life in BKC,
03:59Wadala and other parts of the city.
04:02More than 100 prominent citizens from India and Pakistan have appealed for the restoration of normal bilateral ties,
04:10diplomatic engagement and dialogue.
04:12The list of 117 signatories include Farouk Abdullah, Mahbubah Mufti,
04:17RGD MP Manojha, Humayu Kabir as well.
04:20The appeal comes even as India has maintained its position that terror and talks cannot go together,
04:26with Pakistan yet to act against the perpetrators of Mumbai and Pulwama terror attacks.
04:34Pakistan, meanwhile, has further escalated the Indus Water Treaty dispute with India.
04:39The PPP chief there, Bilawal Bhutto, has described that move to restrict Pakistan's share of Indus water
04:47as a national security threat, even invoking countries' nuclear doctrine.
04:51The remarks come months after India suspended the 1960 Indus Water Treaty
04:58following the Pahlkam terror attack, a decision that Pakistan continues to strongly oppose.
05:05A fresh political controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu.
05:08The TMK has accused two close aides of Chief Minister Vijay
05:11of attending confidential cabinet and official review meeting
05:15without holding any recognised government post.
05:18The opposition has now approached the DGP,
05:20demanding an FIR and a detailed probe,
05:23while also invoking the Official Secrets Act,
05:26alleging that the presence of the private individuals
05:29in sensitive government deliberations could amount to serious legal violations.
05:35There is some relief for commercial LPG users from today.
05:39Oil marketing companies have reduced the price of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs. 183,
05:45bringing the price of the 19kg cylinder in Delhi down to 2,930.
05:52The price of 5kg small domestic LPG cylinders has also been cut,
05:56offering relief to small businesses and commercial establishments.
06:01In West Asia, fresh negotiations are gathering pace after the recent US-Iran military escalation,
06:08with the American envoys meeting Qatar's leadership and Iranian negotiators expected
06:12in Doha for talks mediated there by Qatar.
06:16Even as technical discussions continue,
06:19US President Donald Trump has reiterated that Iran's denuclearisation remains Washington's key objective.
06:25Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nareed Modi has spoken to Iranian President,
06:28welcoming the progress in negotiations and expressing hope for lasting peace.
06:35But a major setback for President Donald Trump.
06:39The US Supreme Court has struck down the executive order,
06:42seeking to restrict birthright citizenship,
06:45reaffirming that children born in the United States are citizens at birth under the 14th Amendment,
06:50even if their parents are in the country unlawfully or temperately.
06:55Trump has criticised the ruling, calling it bad for the country,
06:59saying that he will now push Congress to change the law through legislation.
07:08Now, what began as a marriage arranged by the blessings of both families,
07:14complete with horoscope-matching wedding preparations,
07:17has now turned into one of the most chilling, cliff-hanging murder investigations in recent times.
07:24And with every passing day,
07:26the Pune police investigation is uncovering details that raise even more disturbing questions.
07:32According to the investigators,
07:33Ketan Agarwal had begun sensing that something was wrong well before the death as well.
07:40Police say Ketan had expressed concerns to his family about Sia's growing distance from him.
07:44His father has revealed that Ketan suspected Sia was having an affair, probably.
07:49He also reportedly questioned whether enough background checks
07:52had been carried out before the marriage was finalised
07:55and even spoke about Sia's closeness with Chetan Chaudhary.
07:59According to the family, Sia frequently mentioned Chetan during conversations,
08:03leaving Ketan increasingly uneasy.
08:06The investigation now suggests that those fears may not have been misplaced.
08:11Police say Sia's family knew that she and Chetan had once been friends,
08:16something that the family has on record at least was denied completely.
08:19Sia allegedly assured everyone that the relationship had ended
08:23and all contact had been cut off as well.
08:27And then the engagement with Ketan was fixed.
08:30Now, investigators, however, claim the reality was very different.
08:33According to the police probe,
08:34Sia and Chetan continue to remain in regular touch.
08:37Investigators claim that two exchanges of 2,004 phone calls happened.
08:45They spent, that is Sia and Chetan, that is,
08:51they spent nearly 238 hours speaking before Ketan's death.
08:55That's in a period of six months.
08:57And their mobile phones are now being forensically examined
09:00as investigators attempt to recover deleted chats
09:03and reconstructing the digital trail that they believe could reveal
09:07how the alleged conspiracy unfolded.
09:11Perhaps the biggest irony in all of this lies in how this relationship began.
09:15Before the marriage was finalized,
09:17the families reportedly consulted an astrologer as well.
09:20The horoscopes were matched, 27 gunas matched,
09:23a score traditionally regarded as highly compatible.
09:26The alliance was considered ideal.
09:29The wedding was fixed for November.
09:31Today, the same engagement is at the center of an alleged murder conspiracy.
09:37The courts ultimately get to decide
09:39who's guilty or innocent for the accused.
09:41The police investigation is still underway.
09:43And all allegations remain subject to judicial scrutiny.
09:47So before you jump the gun
09:48and name one a hero, another a zero,
09:52wait in to understand what really is going on.
09:55But the questions around this case continue to grow.
10:08Hello and welcome.
10:09For the past couple of days,
10:11a cliffhanger of a murder mystery
10:14has really captured the imagination of the country.
10:17Now, I have to be honest,
10:18on Five Live, we did not pick up the issue.
10:20I thought it's a very personal matter
10:23why there are other headlines
10:25that really deserve national attention.
10:27So we did not cover the story on Five Live at least.
10:31But then this morning,
10:32I woke up to an article written by Chetan Bhagat.
10:35Chetan Bhagat has now set up a cat amongst the pigeons
10:39because he's saying that
10:41while the entire country seems to be united in thinking,
10:44how can you kill someone?
10:46How can you throw somebody off the cliff really in this manner
10:51if you don't want to marry them?
10:53There are other ways.
10:54He's actually debating from the other side.
10:56He's saying it's not Sia's fault alone.
11:00He's got a perspective on parents,
11:03on society,
11:04and importantly, on business class families.
11:07So let me welcome Chetan Bhagat on the program today.
11:09Hi there, Chetan.
11:10Hi.
11:12How are you?
11:13I am good
11:14and slightly confused at this point
11:16because when I read your piece,
11:19I have to admit,
11:20a part of me agreed with what you were saying.
11:23But then immediately after that,
11:24I went into seeing the interview of the parents.
11:28Sia's parents is what I'm speaking about.
11:31And they have said,
11:33they have come out and said very plainly,
11:35very simply,
11:36that if it is their daughter's fault,
11:38she should be thrown off the same cliff as well.
11:41So help us understand,
11:44how did you come to this conclusion?
11:46Your piece,
11:47for those of you who haven't read,
11:50who probably live under a rock at this point
11:52and haven't seen his Twitter timeline just yet,
11:55he says,
11:56why Sia couldn't say no to marriage
11:58and that he was under pressure.
12:00A lot of girls,
12:02those of business families,
12:03have agreed with what Chetan has said.
12:05So let me give you the first word then
12:07to try and explain
12:10why you stand where you stand.
12:12Okay.
12:13First of all,
12:13let me make it very clear.
12:16If Sia is a criminal,
12:18the law will punish her
12:19and only the law can punish her.
12:21We can't punish her.
12:22My writing will not change anything.
12:24Your media trial will not change anything.
12:26And that's the way,
12:27luckily,
12:27the law works in this country.
12:29We have a constitution.
12:29I'm not sure about media trial,
12:31but we'll debate that some other day.
12:32I mean,
12:33that's not,
12:33I mean,
12:34so there is nothing,
12:35and I'm not justifying her alleged crime.
12:40It's still alleged,
12:41just to be responsible.
12:45But it can be explained.
12:48There's a difference between justification
12:49and explanation.
12:51And sometimes a writer's job
12:52is to explain things.
12:54And there are some issues,
12:56you know,
12:58we cannot discuss in public
13:01because it's not that,
13:02there's no opportunity to do it.
13:04But it's been burning in my,
13:06in my heart for a long time
13:08that how regressive
13:09India's business families are
13:11and how it affects their children.
13:13And also,
13:14I would say the entire country.
13:15And we can talk about that.
13:16But this case gave a chance
13:18to discuss that.
13:20Right?
13:21Otherwise,
13:21because all the attention
13:22is on this case,
13:23and it's a highly unusual case.
13:25Two weeks have happened.
13:26The whole country's attention
13:28is still on this case.
13:29Even though this is not like
13:30the Arushi case
13:30where we were like,
13:31who did it?
13:32You can still understand
13:33who done it
13:34can last a long time.
13:35Here it's,
13:36there's only the same characters.
13:38But it has shaken
13:39India to the core
13:40because such a thing
13:41can only happen in India.
13:43It's exception here also.
13:44But let us say,
13:45for example,
13:46there was a husband
13:47and a wife killed the husband.
13:48That's also very rare.
13:49But you can still
13:50maybe see that,
13:52okay,
13:52he was abusive.
13:53And the in-laws were abusive
13:55or they were not giving
13:56the divorce.
13:57They were just,
13:57she had no,
13:58like she was just
13:59cut to a corner.
14:00Here,
14:01it seems a fiance.
14:02The easiest thing
14:03for her actually
14:04was to go to family court
14:05with her boyfriend,
14:07get married,
14:07take a certificate,
14:08make a PDF,
14:10send it to the parents.
14:11Both sides say,
14:12sorry,
14:12this daughter was taken.
14:14End of story.
14:15But she didn't do that.
14:17In fact,
14:18in what the police
14:19has said to the media
14:20is that she told the police
14:21that she didn't cancel
14:23the wedding
14:24because it would have brought
14:24shame to the family.
14:26And that
14:28was the key point
14:29which started the column
14:30for me
14:31when she made that statement.
14:32And that is something
14:33that is there
14:33in business families.
14:34And I bring out
14:35two things
14:36which I feel
14:36were not being brought out
14:38as much.
14:38That's why it's trended.
14:39That's why it's
14:40kind of caught fire
14:41like it has.
14:42One is
14:43India's
14:44these business families
14:45which run these
14:45which I call the SMEs
14:47the 10 crore turnover
14:4850 crore turnover
14:49not the mega industrial houses.
14:52Say 10 to 500 crore.
14:54This bracket people
14:55they tend to be
14:56highly regressive.
14:58They run these businesses
14:59which
15:00and there's a reason
15:01and it does seem
15:03like wild argument
15:04but just stay with me here.
15:06They run these businesses
15:07which their daddy used to run
15:09grandfather used to run
15:10they tend to be
15:11stable businesses
15:11they are making steel pipes
15:13and ball bearings
15:15all essential things
15:16in the economy
15:16all hard work
15:17involved tiles
15:18things like that
15:19but not exactly
15:20the cutting edge
15:21of technology
15:22no R&D nothing
15:23just a business
15:24that gives a certain
15:24cash flow
15:25doesn't scale
15:25doesn't get bigger
15:26and bigger
15:27it just stabilizes
15:28at a level
15:28and what we call
15:30the Lala company
15:30and then the father leaves
15:32and the son comes
15:33and things like that
15:34keep happening.
15:35So they don't have
15:37any excitement
15:38as such in the business
15:39like global
15:40entrepreneurs do
15:41like
15:42they are not doing robotics
15:44like China is doing
15:45and they are not
15:46building the next AI app
15:47all of India's unicorns
15:48what you are saying
15:49could be a little
15:50simplistic at this point
15:52a lot of families
15:53could say that
15:54but I just want to quote you
15:55let me just finish
15:57one minute
15:58so what happens is
15:59what is their flex in life
16:00because they are rich
16:01they want to feel rich
16:02the ultimate flex
16:05is doing lavish weddings
16:07so you get to show
16:08that I am rich
16:08and I am something
16:09because you are
16:10like you know
16:11that's how you show
16:12your money
16:12and second
16:13you have compliant kids
16:15look at my daughter
16:16how much I want to say
16:17married the boy I chose
16:19married when I told her
16:20to marry
16:21who
16:21which community
16:22which religion
16:22everything
16:23when you do this
16:24other businessmen
16:25around you
16:26or women
16:26they just say
16:27wow
16:27what of family
16:28and for a few days
16:29they feel great
16:30Udaipur palace happens
16:31and a compliant
16:33nubile daughter
16:34agrees to them
16:35so that is
16:36it's everything to them
16:37because they don't have
16:38any real entrepreneurship
16:39going on in the business
16:41secondly
16:41why do the kids
16:42not object
16:43that's also something
16:44which needs to be discussed
16:45why does the
16:46so called
16:47empowered Gen Z
16:48does not object
16:49in this case
16:50the reason is
16:51these kids are never
16:53brought up to be capable
16:54they are never brought up
16:55to educate
16:56and I am not
16:57I am simply fine
16:59yes
16:59maybe there are families
17:00which are different
17:00yes
17:01okay
17:01but a lot of
17:03a lot of the times
17:04the kids just know
17:06the only thing they can do
17:07is step into
17:07daddy's business
17:08they don't have a
17:09LinkedIn profile
17:10they don't have
17:10good college education
17:11they can't apply for jobs
17:13so they are
17:13completely dependent
17:15on daddy
17:15to fund their life
17:17and it's a nice life
17:18it's a comfortable life
17:19so when someone
17:21funds you
17:21when some
17:22you depend on someone
17:23they will control you
17:25and that is the
17:26dynamic that happens
17:27it's regressive
17:29it's not good
17:30it's keeping India
17:31backward
17:32because these businesses
17:32are
17:33they think it's
17:34spending money
17:35on these weddings
17:35is the way to show
17:36that you are a great
17:36business family
17:37and these kids
17:39are not standing up
17:40and I felt
17:41it needs to be discussed
17:42and it has resonated
17:43with a lot of people
17:44you yourself
17:46were confused
17:47because you did
17:47initially like the column
17:48but then
17:49yes
17:49like I said
17:50you saw X
17:51and when you see X
17:52then you know
17:53no it's the opposite
17:54actually
17:54it's the opposite
17:55what I felt
17:56was the opposite
17:57of what X was
17:58discussing
17:58which is often
17:59the case in life
18:00as well
18:00but as a daughter
18:01of a business class
18:02family
18:03let me say
18:03this is oversimplification
18:04it doesn't always
18:06take place
18:06and what you're saying
18:07about lavish weddings
18:08as SME families
18:10India's best known
18:11families
18:12have thrown
18:12the most talked about
18:13weddings
18:14in the universe
18:15and you know
18:16so that's not an exception
18:17either
18:18but let me quote you
18:18over here
18:19let me quote you
18:19let me quote you
18:21no no
18:21you have to wait now
18:22I'm just coming
18:23to your comment
18:24I have to quote you
18:25for a second
18:25because we're digressing
18:26a little bit
18:27okay
18:27you've called these
18:28yeah
18:28you've got
18:29you've called these
18:30children trophy cattle
18:32and you explain
18:33no I don't call them
18:34trophy cattle
18:34there is no word
18:35okay you said
18:36when will business
18:37families realize
18:38that their children
18:39are not trophy cattle
18:40right
18:41you've said
18:42when they are not
18:42trophy cattle
18:43right
18:43and then there is a line
18:45which really
18:46caught on to a nerve
18:47wherein you're describing
18:48the parents
18:49and the context here is
18:50from biscuits
18:51to brides
18:52Indian parents
18:53want to decide
18:53everything for you
18:54how you will live
18:56what you'll eat or drink
18:57how you'll pray
18:58what you'll wear
18:59who you'll date
19:00brackets nobody
19:01who you'll marry
19:02the person we choose
19:03with three factor
19:05authentication of caste
19:06community religion
19:07when will you copulate
19:09when will you produce
19:10an offspring
19:11must a beat
19:13an emotional
19:14you know manipulation
19:15begin silent treatments
19:16and loud tears
19:17even suicide threats
19:19all of this
19:20you've spoken
19:21and it might be true
19:22for a lot of cases
19:23this happens or not
19:24this happens or not
19:25this happens or not
19:25this happens or not
19:25this happens or not
19:26this happens or not
19:26this happens or not
19:27I'll ask you a question
19:28I mean you're like
19:29okay yes
19:30okay okay okay
19:31so that's what I'm saying
19:32a lot of what you've said
19:34is actually right
19:34but there are certain
19:36pieces that you have
19:37assumed which are
19:38completely false
19:39for example you've
19:41assumed that the parents
19:42knew about the
19:43relationship between
19:44Chetan and Sia
19:45the parents on record
19:46have gone ahead to say
19:48that they had no idea
19:49in fact before I go
19:50to you for the next
19:51question I want to
19:52play out a little
19:52glimpse of that
19:54interview that we
19:54got with Sia's parents
19:56and when you listen
19:57to them Chetan
19:58you understand
19:59that there are such
20:00in so called
20:00Gen Z slang
20:01such sims
20:03there are such
20:04simple people
20:04who really just
20:06want to say
20:06that listen if
20:08it's my daughter's
20:08fault hang her
20:09just listen into
20:10this entire
20:11little bit of a
20:11glimpse and we'll
20:12come back
20:12let's play that
20:15see
20:16your daughter
20:17is a conspirator
20:17or is also
20:18visible in the
20:19primary investigation
20:20if she's a
20:20culprit finalized
20:22then she's
20:24being a ROP
20:25then she's
20:26you can give her
20:26Sia's parents
20:28you're a mother
20:29you're a mother
20:30if she's
20:31she's done
20:33she's done
20:33she's done
20:34she's done
20:35and she's done
20:36yes
20:38I would say that if any of the ROPs, any of the things that you have asked me to say
20:45is that she is your daughter,
20:47if she is my daughter, then I would say that if the court doesn't do it,
20:53then take her to the court and take her away from the court,
20:56then take her away from the same time, and then take her away from the court.
21:01Now there is more than that and I can say anything.
21:05Chetan, what does that tell you? What does that statement tell you about Sia's parents?
21:08Who you've questioned.
21:10I mean, when I see this little clip, I mean, all I can see is a lot of sadness
21:14and they have lost their future son-in-law and their daughter.
21:18In a way, they've lost her only.
21:21And they're just really sad. And I mean, what else are they going to say?
21:24I mean, whether they say punish her or not, it doesn't matter, sir.
21:28She's going to be punished based on what the court decides.
21:31I don't decide, you don't decide, the parents also don't decide.
21:33They can say whatever and no, nobody gets pushed over the mountain.
21:36There is an incarceration or there is like a hanging in our country.
21:40So I mean, interesting idea, but that's not how it works here.
21:43So it doesn't absolve anything. Why didn't she tell them?
21:50Why do parents not have a responsibility to create an environment?
21:54She was 19 when they fixed the wedding.
21:56Okay, an adult.
21:58But like she was barely like just turned adult and you're fixing her wedding at 19.
22:03And you don't know what she's up to. She's living a double life.
22:07There are videos of her in clubs and all.
22:10And the mom says, no, I didn't know. She never drank.
22:12So you are either clueless. So are you giving me the clueless defense?
22:17And if she was that, if they were so simple, then she could have, she would have told them,
22:21I'm giving you the progressive defense because look at the timeline over here.
22:26Now there is apparently a thing that the brother, Sia's brother was to be married to Chetan's sister
22:32and there was a full sort of family engagement to happen that was supposed to take place.
22:37But look at them. They went to Bali. I'm talking about the progressiveness of the parents.
22:43They went to Bali. They were talking about going to Mahabaleshwar.
22:47They were talking about the Lohagar trek, etc.
22:51It's not like the parents were keeping the kid trapped.
22:54She had full agency to decide.
22:56The mother in the same interview has said, I spent 50,000 rupees for her shopping
23:01for the pre-marriage photo shoot to Bali.
23:04The parents were progressive enough for her to go out.
23:07How is this progressive?
23:08For her to go out and travel.
23:10I don't know what is so progressive about this.
23:11No, travel in a different country with your fiancee you are not married to.
23:15That's progressive.
23:17I mean, you know, he's a fiancee. I mean, that's different.
23:20The marriage is fixed.
23:22See, listen, I don't want to comment on the individual case.
23:26That is not my job as a columnist.
23:27I'm not doing investigative journalism here.
23:29Sure.
23:29And I've written murder mysteries.
23:31That's my only claim to.
23:32So I'm very curious as a person.
23:35But, and I'm telling you this is going to be a hard one to prove in court
23:38based on our legal system.
23:40That's a separate thing.
23:41But how is all this relevant?
23:43Is it not true?
23:44You said yourself.
23:46You said in my case, my parents didn't say anything.
23:48It is not always true.
23:49Is not the same as it never happens.
23:52Or it doesn't happen a lot.
23:54It's not always true.
23:55Barely means.
23:56Yeah, there are exceptions.
23:57But is it not true that there are family pressures in India on who you will marry?
24:03And what career you will have?
24:05It doesn't matter.
24:06Is it not a big number?
24:09Or if you talk pan India, I'm not talking South Delhi, South Bombay.
24:12I'm not talking this crowd.
24:14I'm talking of all the Bhopal's and Guwahati's and Bikaner's and our country in the small business
24:20families.
24:21You think they are all progressive and they're like,
24:23introduce me to your boyfriend, call him home for Diwali.
24:27You think that's what happens?
24:29But you think she couldn't have said no?
24:33There are a thousand ways.
24:35I think she should have.
24:35There are a million ways.
24:36I think she should have.
24:37She's stupid or evil or both.
24:39I don't know.
24:40Right?
24:41That's why this is an exceptional case.
24:43But that doesn't make the pressure okay.
24:46That doesn't make it okay for parents to try and control their lives.
24:49Then what happened?
24:50If she could do that, she could do that.
24:52So this means that parents will be doing it in India.
24:55This can also be an argument.
24:57Isn't it time we change something else also?
25:00Punish her.
25:01She will get punished if she's proven guilty.
25:03There is nobody who can defend her now.
25:05Nobody.
25:06Right?
25:07There is nothing.
25:08There is no...
25:09The only defense they'll make is there is no evidence or something like that.
25:12Some legal loophole they'll try to find.
25:14But the bigger issue is that India is really regressive still.
25:18I've made a whole career on it.
25:20All my books have the same plot.
25:22Parents are opposing the marriage.
25:24I mean and it works.
25:26Because this is the reality of our country and it's shocking.
25:29You think Mark Zuckerberg tries to control his kids and who they're marrying?
25:32Or Elon Musk does that?
25:35I mean talking of businessmen, right?
25:37They're also businessmen.
25:38You're smiling because it sounds bizarre.
25:40No, I'm smiling because they have...
25:42All the big tech owners have gone on record to say that none of their kids are on social media.
25:46None of the kids even own a smartphone.
25:49So it's the opposite of what they bring into our lives.
25:52They're talking about minor kids.
25:53They're talking about minor kids.
25:55No, no.
25:55No, no.
25:56They're talking about...
25:56Let's be clear.
25:57They're talking about minor kids.
25:58They're not talking about adults.
26:00They don't control adults.
26:01You should control a three-year-old kid.
26:03Yes.
26:04You should keep your kid off social media.
26:06It's your responsibility as a parent to not give them a phone or an iPad when they're eight.
26:10Which a lot of parents give.
26:11If you go to Indian restaurants today, that's a separate discussion and a separate column maybe.
26:15So, yes.
26:16That should happen.
26:17But the difference is...
26:18You're growing too.
26:19You're growing too.
26:19You're growing too.
26:21You're growing too.
26:22You're growing too.
26:23You're growing too.
26:24You're growing too.
26:25I think why your article has gone so viral, Chetan.
26:28And why it has struck a nerve is that...
26:30There is this trend in India today that we blame everything.
26:34And especially with Gen Z, we blame everything on the parents.
26:37You have a mental issue, it's a childhood problem.
26:40You have...
26:41You are not...
26:41You don't have a drive in life, it's a parental problem.
26:44Now, if you can't say no to marriage, that is also parents' guilty.
26:48Why have we become the society where our younger generation is not owning up for their action?
26:54Why?
26:55Which is why...
26:55Which is what my problem with your article today is.
26:58Why have you put the locust back on the parents?
27:00The girl should have stood up.
27:02No.
27:02The girl.
27:03She was taking money from the very rich fiancé and giving it to the other.
27:09How can...
27:09Till when will we continue to blame the previous generation who did what they did?
27:13That's the best they know.
27:15Tomorrow our kids are gonna answer us the same questions.
27:18No, that's not the best they know.
27:19That's not the best they know.
27:20They can evolve.
27:20I've also blamed the Gen Z.
27:22They don't stand up.
27:23And these kids are not capable enough to be financially independent.
27:26They need daddy's money.
27:27They just don't need daddy's control.
27:29It doesn't work like that.
27:31So I am putting them on the hook.
27:32And I agree.
27:33There is a...
27:34I'm also a parent.
27:35I also have kids.
27:36If you push them too much, they say you were too strict on me.
27:39If you don't push them, they don't amount to anything.
27:41You never pushed me.
27:41Yeah, there's no perfect parenting.
27:43Parenting is the hardest.
27:44Listen, I have sympathy for all the parents.
27:47But this regressiveness.
27:48Once the child is old enough to try to control.
27:52And this whole thing.
27:53Do you know what happens?
27:57In weddings, they meet.
27:58And then they ask the girl side,
28:00How much money did you get on the wedding?
28:02Then they say 5 crores or 10 crores.
28:04Then they ask for invoices.
28:06And they give them.
28:07It happens or not, tell me.
28:09Why are you trying to shoot the messenger?
28:11It happens or not?
28:12And is it right?
28:14No, equally.
28:14It doesn't happen.
28:15Equally, equally we see divorce cases going up, Chetan.
28:19Equally we see women coming out and saying I will not do this.
28:22Equally we say that women are now claiming the space.
28:26You know, having an agency that they did not have.
28:30It's equally true.
28:32It's a big country.
28:32There are trends which are improving.
28:35But there is still a long way to go.
28:36And this case shows that how bad it can get.
28:39In such an affluent family.
28:42Such everything going right.
28:44And it was one conversation that could have fixed this entire problem.
28:48Right?
28:48It's not even like someone was trapped and someone was kidnapped.
28:51Or someone was beaten every day.
28:53One conversation.
28:55But that did not happen.
28:57Because the environment was not there.
28:59According to the police, that's the statement she's given.
29:02Okay.
29:03That I didn't want to bring shame.
29:05Okay.
29:05This whole concept of shame is there.
29:07In this case, this is there.
29:08Now whatever the parents seem simple or whatever.
29:11But she did feel that pressure.
29:13And she's not the only girl.
29:14Open my timeline.
29:15You'll find big, big accounts of girls who are telling.
29:18I saw a lot of people have identified with that.
29:20But I want to end on this Chetan.
29:21So what to do?
29:22I want to end on this.
29:23I often debate, you know, have a debate with myself on this thought.
29:27On how in India, because this is not the only case.
29:31We saw Giribala's case.
29:33Another girl who could not walk out of a wedding.
29:35Committed suicide.
29:36Apparently, allegedly.
29:37Again, all those riders apply here.
29:39There are so many other cases nowadays.
29:40We hear about the husband killing the wife.
29:43Or the wife killing the husband.
29:44Or the mother-in-law.
29:44You know, we are a big country like you said.
29:47There are lots of cases here.
29:48But do you think fundamentally what's going on here is that those with too much money and those with very
29:56little, those are the two kind of societal differences who completely lack a moral compass today.
30:04Do you think India's middle class is the only one who, and I will be trolled.
30:11I will be trolled for saying this.
30:12No.
30:12I will be trolled for saying this.
30:14But let me ask you this, Tre.
30:15Do you think India's middle class is the only one left to pay taxes and exercise a moral compass?
30:22Rest.
30:23For everybody else, it's a free world.
30:26It's a different world.
30:28Well, they definitely aspire to have a moral compass.
30:30But even the middle class doesn't have it.
30:33Even the middle class doesn't have it.
30:35And they just can't be as bad as the rich people.
30:41Because the rich people are richer and they have more options to do bad things and get away from it.
30:46But the middle class has to pay the bills and pay their EMIs and they don't have time to sometimes
30:52plan lavish weddings and send one crores for buying dresses.
30:56It's like bizarre.
30:57Some of the numbers that are being thrown around.
30:59When was the last time you did one crore of shopping?
31:03I think even if I have, the middle class person in me will not let me.
31:06Yeah, maybe you go.
31:07Even if I get that much money, I don't think I'll ever manage to spend that much.
31:11Yeah, and then you know, there is again reports.
31:13And again, I don't want to talk about the case, but there's reports that she gave that money to her
31:16boyfriend.
31:17That also happens and that's stupid.
31:19Maybe the boyfriend can say, I have this great startup idea, you know, and I can give me one, it'll
31:24become 100.
31:25And a girl is in love.
31:27And you know, these stupid things happen.
31:29And maybe there was a money angle people were asking.
31:32Yeah.
31:33Where is the money?
31:34And that's where it became.
31:36So we don't know, even in the case now, we don't know the full details.
31:40I think there are, there is more to this story because it's still too bizarre that if something can be
31:45solved with a conversation, why murder?
31:49You know?
31:51Yeah.
31:52Alright, Chetan Bhagat, like we said, I like having this chat with you because there is no absolute right or
31:58wrong as it is always the case in life.
32:00There is no, as it is the case on social media as well, you can't just cancel someone, make somebody
32:06a hero and a zero overnight.
32:07Always, always in real life, there's always a shade of grey.
32:10And I think as Sia did this, it is the most evil thing you can do.
32:16Yeah.
32:16And she is an evil person.
32:18I have sons myself.
32:19And I'm telling you, it is just the worst choice to take.
32:25There were a million other choices to take, even if there was pressure.
32:30That pressure may explain.
32:31That may be your reasoning.
32:33But cannot justify.
32:34But it cannot justify ever and definitely it's not going to work in court.
32:38You're going to get toast.
32:40The court will need other evidence though, which I don't know, that's a separate discussion.
32:45Right.
32:46All right.
32:46So food for thought.
32:47We don't know what happened in this particular case.
32:49But I think the reason we decided to do this interview and even expand on it, like we said, is
32:54to make people think a little bit.
32:56To make Gen Z and parents both think a little bit on what they can do better.
33:01And I think that's where we leave it for the moment.
33:03Thanks so much, Chetan Bhagat, for joining us here.
33:27All right, cutting across to some breaking news coming in.
33:30And this is an inside scoop that India today has on the Chanda Chori that's going on.
33:35In the Ram Temple Trust.
33:39Explosive documents of the loot have now been accessed by India today.
33:44Documents that reveal what was stolen and what exactly was the modus operandi.
33:51The files that the trust recovered loot before police probe.
33:58The trust had recovered that loot before the police probe.
34:02And also the documents submitted, they were already in the know.
34:08So what exactly happened here?
34:10Let me cut across to my colleague Samarth, who has all the inside detail.
34:15Samarth, what is it that you have got?
34:18We were debating this for the past couple of days.
34:21And this is what we are told allegedly.
34:23Champat Rai told the police as well.
34:25That they knew something was going on.
34:28So what exactly are these files?
34:30What do they reveal?
34:31Take it over.
34:36See, so India today TV has recovered the files, have got the files, accesses the files,
34:41which contain some serious information, especially regarding the recoveries from those accused
34:47who were involved in that embezzlement case of the Ayodhya Ram temple.
34:51And these are some serious documents that also mentions that the temple trust had the idea about these particular recoveries
34:57even before the police.
34:58And if I mention the names and then read out whatever has been recovered from them,
35:03I'll open that particular paper in a mobile phone and I'll start with the name of the accused.
35:10Manish Kumar Yadav is the first accused name and his residence obviously is in Naya Ghat Ayodhya.
35:14Items recovered, I must ensure our viewers, it's more than 2 lakhs.
35:20What I can read out here with 105 notes of 200, 400 notes of Rs. 100 and 270 notes of
35:28500.
35:28That means exact figures of the number of cash recovered, number of notes recovered is also being mentioned.
35:33And in these particular documents, which India TV has accessed as of now,
35:38Karunesh Pandey is another accused in this particular matter.
35:41And what police has recovered from his residence, his location is 18,07,063.
35:50And various notes and coins of this particular number, apart from that, Anukalp Mishra is another accused in this particular
35:57list.
35:57And a total of 16 lakhs, 82,000 rupees have been recovered from him, which includes it has got different
36:05kind of notes.
36:06Another is Tinku Tinku, very serious character in this particular Ayodhya story.
36:10His name is Rama Shankar Yadav.
36:12And what we are seeing in this particular list being recovered is around more than 1 lakh, 180 notes of
36:20500, 100 notes of 100 recovered from his hostel, which is in the New Year's colony in Ayodhya.
36:26Another accused is Rama Shankar Mishra.
36:29And he lives in the Mirpur area of Ayodhya.
36:32And the total recovery is somewhere around 7,32,170 rupees, which includes two white metal coins as well.
36:40And one toe ring, which weighs around 24 kg.
36:44So, this is another revelation.
36:45Another interesting character on number 6 is Lavukush Mishra.
36:49His detailing is, we have recovered 14,25,000 police teams have recovered that amount from him.
36:55Not just that, 2850 notes of 500 have been recovered from his residence, Lavukush Mishra.
37:03His residence also witnessed another police raid today as well.
37:06While Avinash Shukla is another character, very important character, Avinash Shukla.
37:10As police teams investigated and interrogated him inside the jail yesterday after seeking the permission from the court.
37:16Now we will get to know what police teams have recovered from Avinash Shukla's residence.
37:20They have recovered 20,039,220 cash.
37:27Silver-like metal weighing around 159.54 grams.
37:32One metal chain weighing around 8.14 grams.
37:37One yellow metal jewellery piece weighing around 3.44 grams.
37:41So, these are some serious detailing which India Today TV has currently accessed which clearly shows that this kind of
37:48nexus was being held inside the temple trust during that particular time. Back to you.
37:53So, Matt, what I'm gathering from what you're saying is not just the cash, not just the QR code.
37:58Actual items that were given to the trust, that was also stolen away and that's how the entire thing happened.
38:02So, there was physical transfer that was actually taking place.
38:04This is very worrying. Very, very worrying.
38:08An absolute, you know, playing with the faith of people in this case.
38:11What has happened in UP is an absolute way, you know, shocking, shocking case.
38:16And people will be asking some tough questions of the UP government on how exactly such a huge scam could
38:23take place in the name of God.
38:25And there will be more details that we will continue to bring you on this story.
38:30Thanks so much for joining us for the moment.
38:34Meanwhile, switching tracks to Mumbai where the 11-year-old boy, he left home for school, carrying a school bag.
38:41Just another ordinary day ahead of him, but he never returned.
38:44A roadside tree crashed onto the school bus, ending his life.
38:50Ending the life of 11-year-old Vihan Srivastav and leaving five other children injured.
38:56And today, this isn't just a story about monsoon rain.
38:59It is a story about whether a child's death could have been prevented.
39:03Local residents say that the warning signs were there long before Tuesday afternoon.
39:08The local residents claim cement road work around the trees had weakened its roots.
39:13The alleged complaints were made to the BMC about tree condition.
39:18And they say, despite this, the tree there was neither removed nor trimmed.
39:23These are allegations made by local residents and will be examined as part of the official inquiry.
39:29Hopefully, we'll come to a conclusion as well.
39:31And if true, this is not simply bad weather.
39:35This is a disaster that could have been stopped.
39:39Mumbai mayor, Ritu Tavde, has ordered an inquiry.
39:44But what was she doing before that?
39:47Municipal commissioner, Ashwani Bhinde, runs India's richest civic body.
39:53The one responsible for civic infrastructure and public safety.
39:56What was he doing?
39:59Local MLA, Tuka Ram, represents the very area where residents say their complaints were unheard.
40:07Where is he?
40:09How will he compensate for the family's loss?
40:12This is not an isolated case, remember.
40:17Between May of 23, May of 26, officials recorded, accordingly, some 12 people have died and one 25 injured in
40:25just tree falls across Mumbai.
40:29A woman in Parel, a man in Worli, vehicles crushed in Dadar, a pedestrian hurt in Andheri, traffic paralyzed in
40:37other parts, four injured in an auto rickshaw in Khar just weeks ago.
40:43This is like everyday life in our country or what?
40:46Why is life so cheap?
40:49Every monsoon, the locations change, the questions do not.
40:53So where was the audit that was supposed to catch trees like this, the ones that are to be taken
41:00care of before they fall?
41:03You know, there's something called a tree census that happens.
41:08Where they take stock of all the trees in the area, their condition, etc.
41:12The last tree census actually took place in 2018.
41:17That count recorded nearly 3 million trees in municipal land but left out the dense canopy of Sanjay Gandhi National
41:24Park, of course.
41:26A fresh census using ground penetration radar only began this year after an eight-year gap and is expected to
41:35take around another 18 months to complete.
41:38But I'm saying even without the census, if there are continuous complaints in the area, what are the authorities doing?
41:44Why do you elect a commissioner? Why do you have a mayor? Why do you have political parties and positions?
41:53Even the BMC's new tech based on tree health audit, by the way, that's that also.
41:57There is a tech for tree health audit, the one meant to catch internal damage before the tree collapses.
42:03It's not citywide. It was launched only as a pilot.
42:08First rolled out in, you know, our Central H-West wards as well.
42:14But Chambur falls outside that pilot.
42:18So when the BMC says its tree audits are on track, the real question is simple.
42:22On track for whom? Not for Chambur.
42:25Not for that family of the 11-year-old boy.
42:29And perhaps the most heartbreaking part of this, Vihan was not walking beneath the tree.
42:34He was inside a school bus, a place where a parent believes, you know, one's kid is safe.
42:40Experts will now examine whether the tree was sort of diseased, whether rain alone brought it down,
42:46or whether the allegations and residents played a part.
42:48But beyond the technical reports, there is a family that will never hear from their son.
42:55This death could have been prevented.
42:59Why were local warnings allegedly ignored?
43:02Who declared the tree safe? And when was it last inspected?
43:06Why does Chambur fall outside BMC's own tree health audit?
43:09And who will compensate?
43:12Not in monetary terms, but for the life of this young boy.
43:15Why?
43:16And for God's sake, when will you and I start asking these questions to our politicians
43:21when they come asking for our vote?
43:24When will we go beyond caste and creed to ask for these actual things and vote on this?
43:28So the government is accountable.
43:30Ask yourself that question.
43:36Cutting across to some more making news coming in at this point.
43:53Yesterday on the program we brought you a story from Jaipur.
44:00Rajasthan's biggest government hospital and one of their key departments was in a lockdown.
44:10Remember this story we showed you?
44:12A doctor retired.
44:13He did not unlock his cabin.
44:15All the files were stuck inside.
44:17So all these patients who needed a kidney transplant,
44:19despite completing all their paperwork, could not get one.
44:22Why?
44:23Because the files are shut.
44:26As an impact of India today's coverage, repeated coverage, that door has now been opened, we are told.
44:35We are told, as we expose that apathy at Jaipur Savai Man Singh Hospital, where 11 kidney transplant cases had
44:46been stalled, that door has now been opened.
44:49How quickly will they make it work?
44:52How many lives will we actually manage to save is the question.
44:55We are still asking.
44:56We haven't let our, you know, sort of focus on the story go off.
45:00Let me go across to my colleague.
45:01Sharat Kumar joining us with the very latest on this.
45:04Sharat.
45:04He joined us with the 여자,
45:07His family with the husband and his father investigation has happened.
45:17Ashraf.
45:18He signed us with the VIN mentar to the hospital procedure.д
45:22RFIKT But
45:23he's been doing it.
45:27foreign
45:57foreign
46:06foreign
46:07foreign
46:10ॐ ॐ ॐ
46:37foreign
47:07This is a good news for 2-3 hours and the doctors were coming and going there is also a
47:12bad news that there is no single doctor in the nephrology department.
47:17This is a good news.
47:20That's a good news.
47:22And congratulations to you.
47:24You have seen this news.
47:25You have seen this news.
47:26How sweet about the camera.
47:28This is a state of affairs.
47:32We need to show a report for a door.
47:33We need to show a report.
47:36There are many other things that we can debate and talk about.
47:39But the doors are open.
47:41The government will only show their faces and the truth.
47:44But if this is happening, we will show it.
47:47As long as it is helping the people of India, we will continue to bring you these stories.
47:55If these are 5 things, the microplastic or the plastic you are using is dangerous.
48:00Microplastic meter.
48:01So, there is this checklist.
48:03First is, heat, plastic and food should not mix as much as possible.
48:07Second, acidic food is not in plastic.
48:10Oily food is not in plastic.
48:12And long term, it is not in plastic.
48:15So, these three are a very big symbol of plastic.
48:18Which are acidic, oily and kept for a long time.
48:22And lastly, if we are agitating it.
48:26If we are agitating food or liquids, we are absorbing it.
48:29Or even cutting the plastic.
48:31That is dangerous.
48:32That's a good one.
48:33This is basically your checklist.
48:35Instead of getting paranoid about plastic.
48:37If you want to make a list and memorize it, remember these 5 things.
48:42Yes.
48:42Then you will use the plastic moral state.
48:44See you soon.
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