- 14 hours ago
What began as a march of students, parents and job aspirants from across the country ended in clouds of tear gas and clashes just a short distance from Parliament. Waving the tricolour and carrying handwritten placards, protesters – some dressed as cockroaches and others as Mahatma Gandhi – repeatedly attempted to breach police barricades after every setback. As rain lashed central Delhi, the roads around Parliament Street, Patel Chowk and Rail Bhawan echoed with slogans demanding Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. Delhi Police responded with baton charges and tear gas, saying over 50 personnel were injured, while the Cockroach Janta Party alleged excessive force and claimed dozens of protesters, including a minor, were hurt. By evening, Parliament Street was strewn with broken barricades, abandoned shoes, torn placards and shattered umbrellas – silent reminders of a day of confrontation.
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NewsTranscript
00:05Students storm Delhi
00:15Streets roll, protest peaks
00:22Delhi witnesses unseen protest
00:31Latties used
00:36Tear gas fired
00:42Street pressure forces dialogue
00:54From showdown to solution
01:01Dialogue, democracy's way forward
01:06Good evening, as you're watching To The Point, I'm Preeti Chaudhary
01:09If all the cliches of the monsoon hold true
01:12Today was a student storm in the national capital
01:17Unexpected, unprecedented
01:18Took many of us by surprise
01:20For someone who's covered the Nirbhaya protest in 2012
01:24Today was an eerie reminder of exactly that
01:27A redux of that
01:29Since the morning for a protest that had seen in terms of people support very little of it
01:37The last 24 hours saw a groundswell of sorts
01:40And today, this morning, surprised all
01:42Even till about half hour ago, there were protesters right here where I'm standing
01:47Which is cannot place
01:48The sheer fact that, of course, viewers
01:51A lot in this protest was also political element
01:55There was political cadre of various parties, especially the Amadmi party
02:00There was logistical support provided by certain political parties to the protesters
02:05But we would do ourselves the biggest disfavour today if we do not accept
02:10And be in denial of what we saw today was a groundswell
02:13Organic groundswell of sorts
02:15Of students that had come in, not just from the national capital
02:18But across the country
02:20Asking for accountability
02:22In solidarity with the protests
02:25What ensued over the last 6 hours is going to be the subject of the next 45 minutes
02:30And we are not cutting across to spokespersons of political parties
02:34We are not cutting across to analysts who are sitting inside their drawing rooms
02:38We are going to cut across to Boots on Ground of India today
02:41Our editors, our reporters, our correspondents who've been on the ground
02:45Who have witnessed what the last 7 to 8 hours have entailed firsthand
02:51They've had the ringside view
02:53And they're going to get you unadulterated, factual information of how the day progressed
02:58There were reports coming in that in certain pockets
03:01Especially from where I'm standing, Hanuman Mandir
03:04There were protesters that turned on the police and started felting stones
03:09Yes, it has happened
03:10But what has also happened, even where I'm standing, till about 5.30pm
03:15Unprecedented crackdown in terms of lathe charge
03:18In terms of tear gas shelling
03:20And we have witnessed that first hand
03:22We're going to get you all accounts of the story
03:24We are not going to hide away from any factual information
03:27I just want to take you through on how the day has progressed
03:30And I will tell you
03:31Because the government that till now was not engaging with the CJP
03:36The Kokoro Janata Party
03:37As the day progressed
03:39As the protests peaked on the streets of the national capital
03:44Then gave in and has opened channels with the CJP
03:49Meeting a delegation
03:50A string of demands
03:51We're going to tell you exactly what those demands are
03:54Have the protests right now quelled?
03:56Yes
03:57In the last half hour we've seen
03:59Especially where I'm standing
04:01Which is Connaught Place
04:02Which had become the epicentre, the hub of the protests
04:04We've seen people clear out
04:06But that was after one hour viewers
04:08Of heavy tear gas shelling
04:10And lathe charge right behind me
04:12Which is the Palika Bazaar
04:14Through the course, lots has happened
04:16If, you know, usually we use cliches
04:19Like from the streets to the parliament
04:21Sansat se sadat tak
04:23Today, day one of the monsoon session
04:26Historic in multiple ways
04:28And we'll get into the politics of it later
04:30This 45 minutes we focus
04:32On what transpired in the national capital
04:35Here's this report
04:37We cut across to our reporters
04:39Editors, correspondents on the other side
04:41My colleagues who with me
04:42Were on ground today
05:08It was the kind of march
05:09That India had not witnessed
05:11Since 2012
05:16Thousands gathered at various locations
05:19In the national capital
05:20To protest against the alleged irregularities in need
05:24Demanding the resignation of the education minister
05:30Their destination, parliament
05:36An unprecedented gathering
05:40The organisers claimed
05:41People had come on their own
05:47They've dropped tear gas shells
05:50Just at the barricade
05:51Right ahead of me
05:52So clearly there's a sense of panic
05:53With what you can see
05:55Why are you so scared?
05:56We're not scared
05:57It's just that there was tear gas out there
05:59Which is why we had to move
06:01This is a very natural reaction to tear gas
06:03Nobody's scared
06:04Okay You guys are coming
06:05You guys are coming
06:05The tear gas had completely concussion
06:07Two people passed on their parliament
06:10This government is so **** up
06:13I mean we are students we are just normal students they are doing this to
06:18us we just want one thing he was not able to do his job properly we just want
06:26his resignation that's all all right so they have started dropping rounds of
06:30tear gas you can hear it right now you can see the sense of panic I want to try
06:35and get in as many reactions because we are there are a lot of young students
06:39here are you guys stressed because of the tear gas yes yes yes yes that's why
06:51you're wearing what you're wearing yeah I'm wearing the I was sure the
06:54government would do that and I got my swimming goggles what do you expect from
06:57the club they broke the barricade we were trying to enter and then they did not
07:02let us so we stopped there people were sitting down we were planning our next
07:06steps they threw more tear gas where are you from sir Delhi Delhi are you a
07:10student no no but I used to be part of the Delhi University so yeah of your own
07:15volition you've come here no pressure nothing all right why are you here ma'am
07:20for the country for the people for the children who died for the system that is
07:25ruined everything for us we we talk about edge of being educated and education but
07:31our country is not letting us study the people we tried to we just try we just
07:36sat there and they you know through tear gas at us and like our entire face was on
07:41like fire it was insane as a country that prides itself on its growth the growth
07:47can't happen without education the fundamentals are weak of this country I
07:51get yourself to a safe spot maybe move and you can continue our protest get
07:55yourself to a safe spot a lot of people who have just sat and started squatting and
08:00you can actually hear the tear gases get your gas shells being locked I can
08:05hear them it's in the air you can actually it's very bad were you there
08:12where the tear gases were being locked you were there yes there was a tear gas
08:15right in front of us and as we were planning to vacate the area there was
08:20another behind us there was no idea where to go people panicked and the only way to
08:28find a way was just by ourselves there was no assistance nothing the situation
08:33was that the situation was that it started throwing the tear gas and they
08:37started it in a jiffy and many came at us from left right and center so we were
08:44just stuck in the middle because there was one in front of us there was one
08:47behind there was one on the right side and we had nowhere to go I think the
08:51youth should be aware of how important united we stand is instead of political
08:58divide and rule it's so important and I think the young people are getting that
09:02message because I hear them speaking and they want change and I don't think in 50
09:10years there's been a movement as great as this and our movement peaceful and our movement was peaceful
09:17yeah but but this is all about youth and and I think they're quite penniless but
09:24the way they've done it is phenomenal the message really is about India needs
09:29change we have had enough of Gunda Raj and Danda just got Danda uska Bhaes Raj this time
09:37about people people are the rulers of India people are the the grassroot of
09:43india people are the reform of india and we need that but the protesters were
09:49marching despite Delhi police denying permission
09:54at Jantar Mantar police use batons to disperse the crowd most of them youngsters
10:04some protesters and police personnel sustained minor injuries
10:14but the confrontation between police and cjp protesters was not confined to Jantar Mantar
10:22protests soon spread to Diog Bhawan
10:32protesters are being told that they should clear this entire area they had reached till here that is the final
10:39barricade of the parliament and you can see the amount of smogeneering that's happening right outside the parliament this is
10:48nearly 200 meters not even 200 meters away
10:52the smoke that you see behind me the smoke that you see behind me is actually the entire clear gas
10:58fighting you can see those sounds that's actually clear gas and you can see that people are running here
11:08similar scenes unfolded near the meridian circle
11:17a huge chunk of protesters who have been let go of because they were creating a pressure on the left
11:23-hand side are now moving towards the second group which had been stationed here
11:36hundreds of protesters breached barricades on Raisina road forcing security personnel to use tear gas as crowds moved close to
11:45parliament
11:48even cannot place witness tear gas shells being fired to disperse demonstrators
11:55plumes of smoke rising where the tear gas shells have been logged we heard three banks and tear gas shells
12:03have been logged right there and you can see the smoke rising from there there is a gridlock all across
12:08central Delhi and in cannot place itself the main arterial roads have been blocked by students protesters some of them
12:16of course party carder as well but the protesters have gathered here in large numbers
12:21we have just heard two tear gas shells being logged in cannot place because the main outer circle has been
12:31blocked by protesters
12:36amid reports by sections of the media alleging violence and detentions at Jantar Mantar Delhi police issued a clarification
12:43police said no such incident had taken place and that the protest was being handled professionally
12:56the opposition however ceased on the issue to target the government
13:03the opposition however ceased on the issue to target the government
13:16the police said no one could arm twist the government
13:38the police said no one could arm twist the government
13:45a meeting was held between JP Nandai and a delegation from the CJP
13:49the CJP delegation presented its demands to the government
13:55meeting
13:56meeting
13:56we have just said that our three demands are first to release
14:00that Sonam Vangchuk ji to immediately release
14:03number two
14:03our demand is also that our resignation is now
14:08that our resignation is now
14:08to come on
14:09or not to come on
14:13or to come on
14:14or to come on
14:25the Jantar Mantar protest site has been cleared of CJP supporters
14:30for now the focus shifts from the streets to the negotiation table
14:34talks between the CJP and the government have finally begun
14:37signalling that dialogue is the way forward
14:41whether these talks lead to a breakthrough or prolong the standoff
14:45only time will tell
14:49With Preeti Chaudhary, Shivani Sharma, Moshmi Singh, Bureau Report, India Today
15:03Understandably the opposition is very quick to seize what has been a moment
15:06that hasn't really belonged to India's protest culture
15:11at least in the last few years
15:12or in terms of what we have witnessed in the national capital
15:17the kind of organic outpouring of students coming and taking to the streets
15:23so yes the opposition is quick to latch on to it
15:26finally you have the Congress Rahul Gandhi commenting on the CJP protest
15:31listen in
15:40this country has a majority of young people
15:44Prime Minister Modi is the most anti-youth Prime Minister India has ever had
15:49the boys and girls who are walking the streets of Delhi are not criminals
15:53they are demanding their rights
15:55their rights are to have an education system that respects them
16:00to have an education system that is fair
16:02to have an education system that is working
16:05there is absolutely nothing wrong in what they are doing
16:08and it's disgusting what the government is doing
16:10and what the police is doing
16:12this is absolutely no way to behave
16:14tear gassing students, lati charging students
16:16is not democratic
16:17it's not India's way
16:19and it is not the way this should be done
16:21they have legitimate demands
16:23the Prime Minister should accept these demands
16:27and do something about it
16:29everybody is sick and tired of the way our education system is running
16:32everybody is sick and tired of how the RSS has captured our education system
16:37and how all our institutions are being run by one organization
16:41this is a natural response that the young people of India are making
16:44and it should be respected
16:45we have been raising this issue not for weeks or months
16:48we have been raising it for years
16:49there is a fundamental problem
16:51and Modi disrespects all the young people of this country
16:55alright viewers, just to give our viewers perspective
16:57this is possibly the first time you have had Rahul Gandhi acknowledge
17:01the protest that was taking place in Jantar Mantar
17:05and linking the students outpouring of protests today
17:11suggesting and taking on the government on the same
17:13I want to bring in my colleague Moshmi
17:15who has been tracking the day, the parliament
17:18and what a day we have had Moshmi
17:19but before we get on to that
17:21and we will bring you back later into our reportage
17:23because you were there alongside covering this protest
17:27for the first time
17:29Rahul Gandhi understanding how the day has gone by in Delhi
17:33with the organic outpouring of students
17:36now taking on the cause of the student protest
17:40still not saying anything where the CJP is concerned
17:47absolutely correct right there that he doesn't mention the CJP
17:51but the underlining part is that it's very significant
17:55that Rahul Gandhi has spoken out as he is the leader of the opposition
18:00and we saw the beton being taken from Mr. Karge
18:04who in fact on the floor of the house said that the students were being lati charged
18:08so there has been a build up from the congress party
18:15from sending leaders to the Jantar Mantar agitation to meet Mr. Bangchuk
18:21now Rahul Gandhi stepping in
18:24that really means that somewhere the congress would be backing this entire agitation
18:31as far as the student's demand is concerned
18:34saying that these are students on the street
18:36and also calling out the Modi government
18:38thereby you know somewhere parallelly as the congress was running the Chhatro Ki Goons program
18:46this is actually you know basically a combination of the entire cause
18:53you know somewhere the congress is bringing the entire student's cause together along with this agitation
19:00when you see Rahul Gandhi speaking out
19:05you know Moshmi stay on with me
19:07and I'm going to come back and revisit your report that you filed from ground
19:11and get you back in on what you witnessed
19:13I want to now cut across
19:15I'm standing at Connaught Place viewers
19:16we're at a vantage point
19:17right behind me is Le Meridian
19:19that's a hotel
19:20and that road was Chaukhu Block
19:23swept by protestors just about an hour and a half, two hours ago
19:27for about 20 minutes the Delhi police resorted to beaten charge
19:32as well as tear gas shelling
19:34my colleague Anmol Bali reported right through the thick of things
19:38we're planning to see that
19:45in this time
19:49in this drama
19:50the police police
19:50the police police
19:52I think
19:53the police police will start
19:54the police police
19:54foreign
20:02foreign
20:03.
20:33foreign
21:23All right, so Anmol Bali is with me right now.
21:25We've been reporting through the course of the day, of course, in different locations.
21:28Anmol, this particular report you filed right behind me, where we are, which is Le Meridian,
21:34and that entire road at about what time was this, and what did you see through the day?
21:38It was around 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
21:40I was there at the Le Meridian, which connects the Raisina Road, which goes towards the parliament,
21:45and what we have seen, that thousands of students have gathered there.
21:48They were holding photos of B.R. Ambedkar and Bhagasing, and they were holding Tiranga flags in their hand
21:53because they were pushed back by the Delhi police earlier.
21:56We have seen the visuals of that how smoke canisters were used when the protesters have reached near to the
22:01parliament.
22:01But after that, we have seen that the protesters have reached near the Le Meridian hotel.
22:06From there, they were pushed.
22:07First, Delhi police personals and senior officials tried to talk with them,
22:10but they said they won't be budging from that place until unless Dharaminder Pazhan,
22:15the education minister, whose resignation they are demanding,
22:18their demands are being fulfilled by the administration, by the government.
22:21And after that, we have seen that Delhi police has used their baton charge.
22:25The students, they have also used around more than one dozen off-smoke canisters.
22:29Just there?
22:30Just there, near the Le Meridian hotel, the main chonk, which connects the Knot place.
22:34And they dispersed the crowds from there.
22:35So this was about, because I was here at about 5.30 an mole,
22:38and we saw right where we are standing, which is Palika Bazaar right here,
22:42baton charge once again, lati charge being used,
22:45and very aggressive rounds of tear gas shells being lobbed.
22:50So there was one attempt in the afternoon that the Delhi police did to push back the protesters,
22:56and the second attempt was made at about 5.5.30.
22:58As you know, as the sun was setting, we have seen the Delhi police has pushed the protesters
23:02from the Jantar Mantar, from near the parliament to the Le Meridian hotel,
23:06and then protesters were pushed towards the CP, the Janpath market.
23:10And there also we have seen the Delhi police has used smoke canisters and baton charge of protesters,
23:15and many protesters were trying to run here and there.
23:17They were trying to run inside the Janpath market,
23:20but they all were found and tracked by the Delhi police,
23:23and then many were detained by the Delhi police.
23:25And then we have also seen the visuals.
23:26Even I have reported from here, heart of the national capital in CP,
23:30that how protesters, those who were sloganeering near the Palika Bazaar park,
23:35above the Palika Bazaar, on the park,
23:38they were sloganeering against the Education Minister Dharminder Pradhan.
23:40There also we have seen that these protesters were baton charged by the Delhi police.
23:45And even in the inner circle of the Connaught place,
23:48which is also called the heart of the national capital,
23:50one of the main market in the central Delhi,
23:52we have seen the smoke canisters were used by the Delhi police to disperse the crowd.
23:56We've been, you know, reporting on that, and you saw it right here on the network,
24:00but viewers, we'll have to give you all sides of the story.
24:02And we are going to get into the next news break on the back of that.
24:05So, yes, the Delhi police did come down heavy with a very heavy hand on protesters,
24:10some of them students with baton charge, with tear gas shelling.
24:14And these were students, some of them as young as 18, 19 years old,
24:17who had just come out in support and seeking accountability.
24:20But, like we have been pointing out, there have been elements,
24:24some political, some unwanted elements that have also joined this protest.
24:29And let's quickly break this news that's coming in.
24:32My colleague Anmol Bali also reported on this story,
24:36these visuals recorded from not very far from where I am.
24:40This is Hanuman Temple in CP itself.
24:43So, if at one end the police was baton charging hapless students at Palika Bazaar,
24:49on the other side in Hanuman Temple,
24:51they were facing the ire of protesters who turned against the police and were stone pelting.
24:57These visuals recorded from Hanuman Temple.
25:00We promised you, we're going to bring you every facet and every side of the story
25:04as it has developed in the national capital.
25:07So, these visuals are recorded from Hanuman Temple in the national capital,
25:12where certain elements, which were a part of the protest,
25:16turned against the Delhi police and started resorting to stone pelting.
25:21I want to bring in Anmol, who reported on this, who got these visuals as well.
25:26Anmol, you know, that is what the nature of protest is.
25:30While some peaceful protesters faced the heavy hand of the Delhi police,
25:34on the other hand, you have the Delhi police that has faced the ire of protesters
25:39who actually resorted to stone pelting.
25:42These visuals were recorded around 5 p.m. that we got to know
25:45that few protesters are stone pelting towards the rapid action forces
25:49as well as Delhi police personals.
25:51And we have also seen the visuals of the few protesters,
25:53those who are trying to break a car near the Rajiv Chong.
25:56So, this is not just the one side earlier we have discussed,
25:59the other side is also that around more than 50 police personals
26:02have been injured in this all action from since morning to evening.
26:05This is what Delhi police is saying.
26:07And even around 70 people have been now detained by the Delhi police.
26:10But we have been told by the Delhi police that they are looking into CCTV footage,
26:14they are looking into social media footage,
26:15because whole social media, if you look open Twitter, Instagram, Facebook,
26:19you will be seeing visuals, you will be seeing reels
26:21of the today's Jantar Mantar march and protest.
26:24Yeah, but even that was brutality for Delhi police also,
26:27because we have seen the pictures, we have seen ourselves while reporting
26:31that how Delhi police personals were beaten by few protesters
26:34which led to bloodbath on the roads from the both sides
26:37to the protesters as well as to the Delhi police.
26:39So, some hapless protesters, viewers, and quite a few of them,
26:41faced the heavy hand of the police with baton charge,
26:44with tear gas shelling, and some of them, like I said,
26:47young students, very, very young.
26:48But on the other hand, you have also had news, you know,
26:52of the police being turned on by the protesters
26:56in terms of the protesters' pelting stones on the police
27:00and not very far away where both these incidents took place.
27:04I just want to get a quick word in, and I'm going to let Anmol go.
27:07We've all had a very, very long day and a very tiresome day as well.
27:10Anmol, for someone who has covered multiple protests,
27:13both in Haryana, in Delhi, what happened today?
27:16Was it expected?
27:17Were you a seasoned reporter who is usually on ground,
27:20taken by surprise?
27:21Ma'am, I have been covering protests for the last three years
27:24since I have joined India Today Group,
27:26and even I have covered the farmer protests,
27:28but this time this was something different
27:30because we have seen genuine students
27:32coming across to the national capital.
27:34They were pouring from the various corners
27:35since Sonam Vangchuk was detained by the Delhi police.
27:38So the last 24 hours led to what we saw today?
27:40Last 24 hours, ma'am, yesterday I was at the Jantar Mantra.
27:43I have been covering the CJP protests from the very first day.
27:46Earlier we have seen that it was only a few hundred students
27:48from JNUDU.
27:49But yesterday what I saw,
27:51I think around 10,000 to 20,000 students
27:54have poured at the Jantar Mantra,
27:56which clearly showed that the 20th July protest march
27:59will be a hard kick for the Delhi police to handle.
28:02And keeping all that in mind,
28:03we have also seen heavy deployment of paramilitary forces,
28:06Delhi police personals on the ground.
28:08But yeah, even we have also seen that many protesters
28:10successfully reached just near to the parliament
28:13and then we have seen that smoke canisters,
28:15tear gas were used by the Delhi police.
28:17And even I have talked with many of the students,
28:20many of the protesters,
28:21and even I have seen many of the students
28:23were really genuine.
28:23I have talked with one of the guys,
28:25he was from IAT Delhi.
28:26He was a PhD scholar in IAT Delhi.
28:28The other guy was a PhD scholar in Delhi University.
28:30One of the guys was a neat aspirant himself.
28:32He came with his parents.
28:34So yeah, the protest was a mix of students
28:36and even people,
28:37those who are kind of not happy with the government.
28:40Yeah, but the government...
28:40See, you know, you've got to calibrate it.
28:43What we saw today was unprecedented.
28:45We saw lots of students,
28:47organic, you know, groundswell of sorts.
28:51There were elements which were political.
28:53There were political parties,
28:54especially the Aam Admi parties,
28:56CADA did support this protest.
28:58There was logistical support,
29:00but you cannot deny the fact
29:01that there was an immense amount of organic support
29:06which came in from the students of this country.
29:09I want to cut across,
29:09because all of us were spread out
29:11in various parts of the national capital.
29:13If Anmol was on the ground near Limeridian,
29:15I was at Jantar Mantar, then CP.
29:17My colleague Moshmi,
29:18who covers the parliament very closely,
29:20was at Raisina Hill.
29:21This was the report she filed from Raisina Hill
29:24and we'll get her in right after that.
29:27So, I'll show you.
29:29If you look here,
29:30if you look here,
29:30you'll see here on Raisina Road.
29:32And on Raisina Road,
29:34you'll see behind it,
29:35there's a sunset.
29:38You'll see here,
29:40there's a barricading.
29:56foreign
29:57foreign
29:57foreign
29:57foreign
29:59foreign
30:11so
30:13foreign
30:15foreign
30:15foreign
30:41All right, so the last bit of protesters now still being chased to where the cops are concerned.
30:45I want to cut across immediately to my colleague, Moshmi, who's joining me live with the latest.
30:52Moshmi, what a day we've had, and I still remember, Moshmi, if we go back, I remember you and I
30:57covering Nirbhaya.
30:58Today, reminded you in somewhat way in terms of the youth coming out in the numbers that it did in
31:04Delhi.
31:05Nirbhaya was, of course, different in terms of it was a sustained protest over 16, 70 days.
31:10There was a gradual build-up of protesters, but in the last 24 hours.
31:14And the build-up as it peaked today was rather unprecedented and unexpected, Moshmi.
31:21Absolutely, Preeti. And there was a similarity between the Nirbhaya protest and this one because this report that you just
31:31showed was the first report that I had filed.
31:34And thereafter, the entire thing climaxed into protesters, you know, what I saw throughout the day, protesters running helter-skelter.
31:44First, they reached the Rail Bhavan, which is about 50 meters away from the main south gate of the parliament,
31:53which is one of the main gates.
31:54And the cops and the paramilitary force, it was a huge challenge for them. For one hour or two hours,
32:03they jostled, trying to disperse those protesters.
32:08And then they spread out to the Kartavya Pat. Similarly, as in the Nirbhaya case, we saw that the entire
32:14India gate and the Kartavya Pat was choked at that time.
32:19And similarly, we saw that there were hundreds, they came in hundreds, they came from metro stations, they came from
32:27several small, small pockets.
32:29And these were students. They were students from as young as 15, 16-year-old students, two PhD scholars.
32:39There were students from different parts of the country. I could recognize that they were not from north.
32:46There were students also mixed from different parts of the country, just not from Delhi.
32:51And I saw that the police was trying to detain them, push them into buses, because they refused to go.
32:59They just simply refused to go. And that was quite a nightmare for the parliament security as well.
33:06Had it been one more gate that would have been choked, the MPs would have been housed inside.
33:13Moshmi, okay, so the lati charge continues here. The last remnants of the protesters right behind me, there were a
33:23brief lati charge again,
33:24because protesters had started to gather once again. They've just been cleared from here.
33:28Okay, Moshmi, I want to just cut back across to you and we'll go to the news break as well.
33:32Moshmi, if today, with what you saw, nobody denies that there was an element of political support to this protest.
33:40Yes, there were Kader, which had infiltrated, political Kader, which had infiltrated the groups.
33:46There was logistical support. How organic do you feel the protest was today?
33:54I really think, Preeti, and you would also be able to, in fact, amplify that.
34:00It was very organic. It was really organic at large.
34:04You can have some bad elements. You can have some disruptions or disruptors, in fact,
34:11or some political elements trying to draw political mileage.
34:16But I felt that these were students who had poured out from outstation.
34:20They'd camped in railway stations. They'd camped at metro stations.
34:25And they didn't know where to go. They didn't know what to do.
34:28They were just at large. And that it was not like an organized protest.
34:33One could make that out. They were just at large, waiting to hear from someone.
34:39They were just here, waiting to register a point.
34:42They were here, many in solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk.
34:45And they were in solidarity for the larger cause of their future and the future of the next generations.
34:52Somewhere they think that they've been really let down with the education system.
34:56And I saw that feeling, you know, that drove them to camp throughout the day,
35:02despite the police repeatedly telling them to go away, despite facing the Baitan.
35:08And the youth, who was often accused of not really, you know, being sensitive to the cause of the country,
35:16here, you know, proved in this litmus test that they were ready to stand up for themselves.
35:22And I'm sure that you would have...
35:24You know, I think a lot has been said.
35:26A lot has been said that nothing can really get a rise out of Gen Z.
35:30They're busy tweeting and being very active on social media.
35:34Nothing can bring them to the streets.
35:35And today, I think a lot of them proved many of us very, very wrong.
35:41And we saw that on the ground, where especially even, you know, viewers,
35:46I don't want to get into a classist documentary, but even from every particular class,
35:52there were kids who came in, in solidarity and in protest.
35:57I want to quickly cut across...
35:59Moshmi, thank you for joining us with what your thought was of covering this protest today.
36:03I want to go into the next news break that's coming in.
36:05And I believe Sonam Wangchuk has given out a statement as the day ends.
36:10I want to take our viewers through what his first statement amidst the high drama that took place in the
36:15national capital has been.
36:16Sonam Wangchuk says he will continue his fast.
36:20Seeing the brutality with which peaceful, protesting youth are being dealt with,
36:25I have decided to continue my fast until the youth leaders are allowed to meet the parliamentarians
36:31at the Samsat Bhavan, or I am allowed to meet them here at the hospital.
36:36Hopefully, government will fix accountability of Education Minister.
36:40I am touched and moved by how the youth have held on to peace despite provocation,
36:46and I appeal to the government and the police force to resolve the issue
36:51by simply allowing the student to present their grievances before the parliament today or tomorrow.
36:58I am sure the young protesters will show the same patience and tolerance tomorrow as they did today.
37:05So, Sonam Wangchuk says he's not breaking his fast today.
37:08Earlier on, he had said on 20th, I am going to break my fast.
37:11He says after the brutality of what peaceful protesters were put through,
37:15I'm going to continue my fast.
37:16But once again, he has left his statement in ambiguity,
37:19and it seems to be focusing on the climb down of not asking for the Education Minister's resignation
37:26on which he actually started with.
37:28He says, I will continue my fast until the youth leaders, which are the CJP leaders,
37:35allowed to meet the parliamentarians of the Sonsad Bhawan,
37:38or I am allowed to meet them here at the hospital.
37:41Which parliamentarians is Sonam Wangchuk speaking of?
37:44Is he talking about the parliamentarians which come in from the opposition or the government?
37:50There is ambiguity here.
37:51And this ambiguity conforms to the statement that Sonam Wangchuk had released yesterday,
37:56which once again was an ambiguous statement.
37:58Is there a climb down from his demand of resignation of the Education Minister?
38:03Yes, because he says, hopefully government will fix accountability of Education Minister.
38:08This was something for him, was non-negotiable till two days ago.
38:13But on ground, with what you see, viewers, in terms of the protest, it is different.
38:18In terms of what the CJP has presented the government with,
38:22with the CJP delegation meeting him, with the three-point agenda right on top,
38:27still stands the resignation of the Education Minister, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan.
38:32I want to bring in my colleague Aishwarya, who is joining us for more.
38:36Aishwarya, what are you picking up from the stand of the government?
38:39We had a statement from the government which expressed empathy towards the protest,
38:44especially the students who have been protesting,
38:47and has asked them to call off the protest,
38:49and their demands will be dealt with empathetically.
38:51What does this mean?
38:52A juxtapose it with Sonam Vangchuk's statement.
38:57Well, you know, Preeti, one of the things which is very, very clear is that
39:00today was the first official meeting that we did see taking place
39:03between the government and those who have been at the forefront
39:08when we speak about the Kokrut Janata Party.
39:11So this, in fact, is a middle ground of sorts,
39:12which both of them have actually come to.
39:16The government now, J.P. Nanda, had a long conversation,
39:19understood the demands, and also gave an assurance that, yes,
39:22all the demands will be looked at, and what can be done next from the government's end.
39:26That is something which is being looked at.
39:28So, you know, the meeting happened at J.P. Nanda's house,
39:31which was outside the parliament.
39:32But let me just give you a glimpse of what was happening inside the parliament.
39:35Inside the parliament, meeting after meeting,
39:37in fact, Darmendru Pradhan, the education minister,
39:39had a long meeting, almost three and a half hour long meeting,
39:43with the Home Minister, Amit Shah.
39:44So this means that something definitely is brewing,
39:46and we should see things moving in the next 24 to 48 hours.
39:50We are also seeing, Preeti, how the opposition parties,
39:53we did see how the Samajwadi party, in fact, took the centre stage.
39:57It was Dimple Yadar.
39:58First, she was marching inside the parliament,
39:59and then she was out on the streets,
40:02showing that they, in fact, are with the protesters.
40:05We've also seen how Rahul Gandhi, now, for the first time,
40:07has come out and made a video,
40:09and spoken about the fact that there was Lati charge,
40:11which was being done on the students.
40:13So the opposition also now associating and saying that,
40:17yes, we are firmly standing with the Kokrujanta party,
40:20with the students who had come out.
40:21The government also climbing down,
40:23has moved almost 10 steps forward,
40:26and said that, yes, we will listen to the demands.
40:28The demands have been presented to the government,
40:30and meeting after meeting has already taken place.
40:33Sonam Bangchuk also now has said,
40:35that what he wants is for the parliamentarians to,
40:37A, either look at the issue inside the house,
40:40and B, we are hoping that we will see
40:42some of the opposition leaders,
40:44the top leadership,
40:45actually speaking about it on the floor of the house.
40:47Will there be a separate time given to it, Piti?
40:49That's something that now we'll have to wait and watch.
40:52Aishwarya, thank you for joining us with the latest.
40:55Let's cut across to the report
40:56that my colleague Aishwarya filed today.
41:01What you're seeing right behind me
41:02are the kind of preparations
41:03that at the moment are underway in the parliament,
41:06and this is being done because there are chances
41:08that some people who have been protesting
41:10could actually somehow manage to come to the parliament,
41:13and that's the reason why what we are seeing now
41:15is the heightened security reveal
41:16also move and show you the gate of the parliament,
41:20which is now being shut.
41:22Multiple checks are being done at this moment.
41:25This is the main gate of the parliament,
41:26the gate from which the MPs,
41:28most of them actually enter the parliament.
41:31That gate now is shut,
41:32and you can also see how the barricading now
41:35has been done in this area.
41:37Very high security at the moment.
41:40The protocol people, all of them standing here,
41:42all of them on high alert.
41:43Now, this is the condition inside the Indian parliament
41:46at the moment,
41:47and this is being done
41:48just in case few people somehow
41:50manage to cross over the barricade
41:53and reach the barricading.
41:54The CISF, as you will be able to see behind me,
41:57and behind the CISF,
41:58you will be able to see the fire brigade
42:00also on high alert.
42:02So, this is the CISF,
42:04which is all set,
42:04the guns are out,
42:05and they, in fact,
42:06are now readying themselves
42:08to make sure that no one
42:09toward incident takes place.
42:11This is Aishwarya Paliwal reporting for India.
42:13All right, so that was the report
42:14that my colleague Aishwarya filed
42:15much earlier in the day.
42:17A lot has happened in Delhi since then.
42:20I want to cut across right now.
42:22My colleague Shivani and I
42:23bumped into each other
42:24as both of us were covering this protest,
42:26just about a kilometer away
42:28or a kilometer and a half away
42:30from Jantar Bantar.
42:31This was the report
42:32filed by my colleague Shivani.
42:36At Raisina Road,
42:39you can see that the smoke
42:42is coming out.
42:43That means the tear gas
42:45is still being used here
42:47in this whole area.
42:50This is how the protesters
42:52are still here on the Raisina Road.
42:56and tear gas is being used.
43:02We're trying to capture the picture here
43:06at Raisina Road
43:08where the police is using tear gas.
43:12You can see the barricades
43:14that were placed here.
43:15They were broken by the protesters
43:17and now cure.
43:24The disruption continues.
43:30Let me cut across to my colleague Shivani
43:32who's still with us.
43:34You know, what we've attempted to do
43:36during this broadcast
43:37is bring together all reporters,
43:38all editors
43:39who've actually had the ringside view
43:41of the developments.
43:43We're trying to get you facts.
43:44We're trying to not embellish them
43:46with opinion.
43:47This is what we saw
43:48and this is what we are reporting.
43:50I pull in Shivani on this.
43:52Shivani, will you take us through
43:53and what you experienced
43:53through the day?
43:55Niti, I was at Jantar Mantar
43:58at 8 o'clock in the morning
43:59and by that time,
44:01hundreds of these protesters,
44:03they were a mix of students,
44:05political parties,
44:06political cadre,
44:07as we call them.
44:08They were all gathering
44:09at Jantar Mantar.
44:10And then later in the day,
44:12they started moving out
44:14of this whole area,
44:15Jantar Mantar.
44:16The metro gates had to be closed
44:18for a while
44:19because they wanted to move out
44:21of these metro gates,
44:22especially the central secretariat
44:24because it's quite close
44:25to the parliament.
44:26But still,
44:27these protesters,
44:28hundreds of them,
44:29they were students.
44:30They all marched
44:31outside Jantar Mantar
44:33despite heavy deployment
44:34of police,
44:35the CISF,
44:36the paramilitary forces.
44:37They were placed
44:38all along that area
44:40which leads Jantar Mantar
44:42towards parliament.
44:43And they kept walking
44:44and we know that
44:45they've broken
44:46multiple layers of barricades
44:47through their way
44:48and there were announcements
44:51that were being made
44:51by the police
44:52that you are not supposed
44:54to march towards the parliament
44:55since you have no permission.
44:57And since it was day one
45:00of the monsoon session,
45:01the whole area
45:02remains prohibited.
45:03We know that.
45:04But still,
45:05three layers of barricades
45:06were broken by these students.
45:08They reached close
45:09to the parliament
45:09as Mossmi was also reporting.
45:12And we also saw
45:13how in a span
45:14of 10 to 15 minutes,
45:16there were more than
45:1712 tear gas shells
45:18that they were lodged.
45:20And this all happened,
45:21kept happening
45:22between 11 and 5
45:25and even still
45:26when I was moving
45:28from central Delhi
45:29towards CP,
45:30I saw that there was
45:31there was a group
45:33of these protesters
45:35who were trying
45:36to stop people
45:37who were moving
45:37back towards
45:38their destinations.
45:39They were even
45:40stamping on the cars.
45:42So we need to tell
45:43every part of that story,
45:45Preeti.
45:45We've also shown
45:46how some policemen
45:47were seriously injured.
45:50There was stone pelting
45:51that was happening
45:52on these policemen.
45:52And I personally reported
45:54a policeman stuck
45:56in an ambulance
45:57near the Raisina Circle
45:59who was seriously bleeding.
46:01He was bleeding
46:03and he was injured
46:04due to one of the stones
46:05that hit him
46:06during these protesters
46:07were pelting stones.
46:08Many students were stuck
46:10who were not a part
46:11of this protest.
46:12Many people who were
46:13commuting to their work,
46:14they had to face problems.
46:15The whole area
46:17close to central Delhi
46:19was choked for hours.
46:21People were stuck
46:22in their vehicles
46:22for two to three hours.
46:24So all this also
46:25needs to be highlighted,
46:26Preeti.
46:27And yes,
46:28this has been
46:30a very long day
46:32because since morning,
46:33since 8 o'clock
46:34and even till now,
46:36there are some
46:37of the other parts
46:38of the central Delhi area,
46:40even Jantar Mantar,
46:41even Jantar,
46:42which are still witnessing
46:43these gatherings
46:45of these protesters.
46:47True.
46:47Right behind me
46:48just happened, Shivani.
46:49Right behind me right now.
46:50You know,
46:50thank you Shivani
46:51for joining us
46:52and giving us
46:53your perspective.
46:53We were,
46:54let's not for once
46:55suggest that what
46:56happened today
46:57was all organic.
46:58It was just a flood
47:00of students
47:00that took over
47:01the national capital.
47:02No, that didn't happen.
47:03Some of them
47:04were political elements.
47:05Some of them
47:06were elements
47:07that only wanted
47:07to exploit the situation.
47:09They turned against
47:09the cops,
47:10started pelting stones.
47:11All of that did happen.
47:12So let's not suggest
47:13it was all organic,
47:14but not for once
47:16shall we suggest
47:18that this was all planned,
47:22pre-planned,
47:23only political.
47:24Because then we do
47:25ourselves the biggest
47:26dispaver.
47:27A huge chunk
47:28of what we saw today
47:29was organic.
47:30And that is
47:31what the government
47:32needs to pay heed to.
47:34And democracy,
47:35viewers,
47:35is the only way forward.
47:37These visuals,
47:38the government
47:39opening talks
47:40with the protesters,
47:42at least the ones
47:43who are spearheading
47:44the protest
47:45with the CJP
47:46is the way to go.
47:48Let's hope
47:48there is fruitful conversation
47:50and something comes out of it
47:52which is acceptable
47:53to the many students
47:55out there
47:55who have come here
47:56of their own volition,
47:57who have faced
47:58a Lattis today
47:59and who have faced
48:01tear gas shells today.
48:03We leave it at that.
48:04Thank you for joining us.
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