- 6 weeks ago
In an exclusive interview on India Today, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju addressed key national political issues, parliamentary proceedings, and border security. Commenting on his viral video swimming in an Arunachal Pradesh river, Rijiju dismissed comparisons with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, stating he has swum in mountain waters since childhood. He responded to Rahul Gandhi's remarks on patriarchy, questioning Congress' stance on issues affecting Muslim women, including triple talaq and polygamy. Rijiju asserted that India is governed by the Constitution rather than religious texts and noted that Hinduism permits internal debate. Regarding the parliamentary monsoon session disruptions, he emphasized the need for constructive debate over repeated washouts. On national security, Rijiju detailed border infrastructure development in Arunachal Pradesh since 2014, addressing undemarcated frontier stretches, psychological naming tactics by neighboring nations, and force deployment along the border. He also commented on freedom of expression regarding Kangana Ranaut, government responses to Gen Z protests, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on governance over narrative creation.
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00:00First up, sir, thank you for taking the time out. You've been on our wish list forever and thank you
00:07for considering UNPolitics in India today. It's a pleasure, it's an honour.
00:10Mr. Rijiju, you're used to very rich introductions. You know, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, you've held so many offices in the
00:17Cabinet, four times MP.
00:19Okay, let's begin with a political question. With you jumping into that river and swimming. Now, that's raised quite a
00:27few eyebrows, it's become a talking point, there are people who are comparing you to Rahul Gandhi as well.
00:33I don't know, when I am doing something which is of my interest, nobody else come into my mind. Leave
00:41alone Rahul Gandhiji.
00:42I mean, I don't think about anybody when I'm swimming in that Gashing Rivers in Arunachar Pradesh, which is no
00:48child's play to jump and swim there.
00:52It is only people like me who grew up there, we know it. I jumped it and just to inspire
00:58my followers, I put it in social media.
01:01It's not like because Rahul Gandhi is doing it and he's done so many of these videos.
01:05I've been swimming since childhood, ever since I was four years old. Rahul Gandhi must have taken some training coaching.
01:11I don't need training coaching.
01:13It was a simple video where I have shown it that this is the way we swim in our village.
01:20And the Congress people started trolling me, saying, oh, you're comparing with Rahul Gandhi ji, you can't swim like Rahul
01:26Gandhi and all. Rahul Gandhi didn't exist in my mind.
01:29But they started just comparing. Then I hit back. I said, I'm a player here. I don't need any teaching,
01:37I don't need any teaching, I don't need any coaching.
01:40And Rahul Gandhi ji needs training, coaching, I don't need money. I don't need money without money. This is my
01:48way of life.
01:49All those. And just to tell you interesting part, some people were trolling on my swimming style.
01:56Diving. Diving position is wrong. That's what they said.
01:59Imagine in that kind of flooded water, deep, around seven, eight meters depth. And then the logs are coming because
02:08it's a very monsoon type of, you know, that water.
02:13The river is in spade. Yeah, the river is in spade.
02:15In such water, you can't dive with your heads down and you don't open your eyes down there and you
02:22swim with a straight body, not flat like you swim in a swimming pool.
02:27Because if you swim straight, the water will hit you. So your body has to be straight.
02:32But do you agree, Mr. Rajijju, that the BJP does have a dearth of, you'll call them yuva netas. Or
02:38netas were more relatable to the youth.
02:40That is perception. BJP leaders are extremely...
02:45Tell me one more like you. Mr. Thakur, maanlo. But tell me one more like you.
02:49It's not good to take names because then you are classifying. See, in the cabinet, Prime Minister himself and all
02:58the cabinet ministers, we exchange free views, we give our expert opinion, and we talk about subject and all.
03:08There's no restriction as such. And then when the cabinet meeting is over, all the cabinet ministers are very jolly,
03:16we talk, we have fun.
03:17And then when we meet in the party...
03:19Does this really happen, Mr. Rajijju? Yes.
03:20You know, the perception outside is that Prime Minister, you tell them, and everyone comes out, takes a dictation and
03:26comes out.
03:27I must tell you, I have never seen a person in my life who can listen more than Modi ji.
03:39He sits and listens and listens and listens and listens. Nobody else will have that kind of patience which Modi
03:47ji has.
03:47And who has built this kind of image outside? I think journalists like you, I mean, not you particularly.
03:55TK, sir, you can say journalists like me. That's okay.
03:58The media have created Modi ji's image that...
04:04Even some of my minister colleagues, they listen less because they have to say.
04:11He will offer his suggestion at the last. He speaks for less than 5% and 95% is always
04:24for the other colleagues.
04:26Those who have met Modi ji in life, in life, ask them how much they listen.
04:31And how do they make the image in the outside?
04:33Modi ji, they don't clarify. They don't think they do their work.
04:37They don't think they do their work. They don't think they do their work.
04:39So that image is created by basically media, I think.
04:44But sir, the image is also bolstered of the lack of a press conference.
04:48Yes, yes.
04:49In the press conference, if everyone...
04:51You saw the last time when Modi ji was the chief minister of Gujarat.
04:57How did the media orchestrated Sanjayo ji...
05:01They were fighting a campaign in an organized way.
05:06So, when they were fighting a campaign,
05:09and for me, they were fighting a campaign...
05:12Why would I do a press conference?
05:15And with each press, I have to see how much interaction is on the press.
05:43that's what you know i i do and agree and i accept that he's given a lot of interviews
05:48uh you can say that it is a media generated uh image that uh you know he doesn't listen the
05:55prime minister doesn't listen we don't think that the prime minister doesn't listen i think the
05:57prime minister listens
06:16no i understand sir i understand what you're saying but you know i'm a i wasn't there on the time
06:22of when
06:23the prime minister or i wasn't a journalist at the time when the prime minister was the chief minister
06:27in 2002 i was still in school then but uh there is a perception that maybe we should have press
06:34conferences because you know you don't like the term gen c but a lot of young kids today
06:38look at other countries where there are press conferences
06:41and whether head of state prime minister to press conference take a picture i want to interaction
06:47karta sida logo say sida bat karta jitna engagement prime minister karta chai scientist ke logo say
06:54abataya kornsa pradhan mantri joe isro ke scientist say itra interaction karta tell me who else is the
07:02prime minister who has interacted with the students every year during the exam time during other
07:08occasions like the way prime minister does with athletes olympic jane se pehle baat karta
07:14anegabad bat karta hain commonwealth bay asian games of kornsa prime minister bata ye joe khilari
07:20bides jata hai tabi baat karta anegabad medal lake anegabad bpm saab bula ki chai pilate baat karta
07:27koi nahi kar sakta itana mei aapko bata raha hoon phir bhi jabardusti image banaya jata ke pm saab
07:33karta rahul gandhi made a call in pune held an event which is smash patriarchy you yourself a lot of
07:42leaders from the bjp have reacted you yourself reacted yes the congress's charge mr rajiju is
07:48that patriarchy is not restricted to religion while you have somewhere down the line put it into binaries
07:54of hindu and muslim see it's a very serious issue for me personally because i'm also the minister
08:02for minority affairs when leader of opposition talks about smash the patriarchy that means it is
08:10basically he wants to say that the females should be given freedom females should have their own way
08:17of life then i question him what about the muslim women are muslims not our betis our sisters what
08:26about those who want to have a sharia law what about the triple talaq what about the millions of muslim
08:32girls subjected to polygamy and tortures and all why are you talking about manus humility and only
08:40hindu culture so it is a design to hit the hindu culture it's a larger conspiracy that is why not
08:49this time but i had stated earlier that why india was subjugated by the foreign rules for over thousands
08:57of years that is because half of the hindus themselves are not supporting the hindu cause or
09:06hindu culture because if you are targeting or try to weaken your own hindu structure then
09:15you are going to weaken your own community if there are bad practices and hinduism that must be called
09:24out sati has been declared as a invalid or crime or child marriage has been declared as a null and
09:32void
09:33polygamy this is declared non non non valid now so this kind of many practices even many social
09:41reformers have come they have not abused hinduism they have asked for reforms within the hinduism so
09:49the issue is a larger one if the leader of opposition had targeted everybody say that no religion should
09:56have this kind of binding control over the daughters and the girls then i would have said oh there's a
10:01good
10:01one but you are connecting monosimity and then you know smash the patriarchy only targeting hindu not
10:10mentioning about triple talaq muslim women come to me i have met since i've become minister for minority
10:17affairs i've interacted with so many muslim women the girls they equally deserve the support of the
10:24government the congress have to answer what shah bono case teach us that rajiv gandhi himself change the law
10:34itself under the pressure of the the clerics so that is why i said that if you take a stand
10:42take a
10:43universal stand don't target one community that is my point so you're saying as the leader of opposition
10:48it was the responsibility of rahul gandhi to touch on patriarchy in every religion not just one
10:54religion yeah speak about all religion so away from politics you know you're a practicing buddhist i'm a
11:01young woman i'm a practicing hindu and i do feel and i would think it's something that we know that
11:06hinduism is one of the most liberal religions in the world absolutely it is it's open to question
11:12it's uh encourages debate and discourse so when we speak of manu smriti there are lots of young
11:19women out there who are looking at the government in power today and saying that why must we uh women
11:25of this country adhere to texts that might be part of a civilizational history but are deeply
11:33problematic and patriarchal and manu smriti has excerpts which are so why shouldn't we denounce them
11:39exactly that's what i'm saying the government is not uh putting manu smriti as the yardstick to
11:46government india is run by the constitution the spirit of a constitution governs not manu smriti
11:52manu smriti is belief system if somebody believes in it then you have a right to oppose and you have
11:57a right to defend that is democracy if somebody is uh supporting something which is they're prescribed
12:06in manu smriti that is his right in democracy how can you say that you don't you can't subscribe to
12:13that true so that is why i said when sonia gandhi ji and raul gandhi ji said that we cannot
12:19tolerate rss
12:21so you don't subscribe to rss means let it be no those who believe let them believe is rss
12:36this kind of concerted attack against rss has made rss the largest social organization in the world
12:46and this kind of concerted campaign against modiji made modiji the most popular leader not only of india
12:53but of the world that is why you should not make this kind of regulated campaign which is actually
13:00mis trying to mislead the people my point is if you don't subscribe to any religious text
13:08you object to that or you raise your opinion which is different from the other person
13:15but don't say that the other person doesn't have right to believe such a way no i hear you so
13:19you just
13:20say that you don't subscribe to certain things that is your right no i hear you and i'm glad you're
13:25saying this because i'll tell you why because you said sometimes there's perception there is perception
13:30sir that you know and it has been bolstered by certain leaders from your party that if you see
13:36anything don't say your party everybody is independent and everybody is citizen of india and they're
13:42allowed so there there are people who will have their own opinion true only if bjp has certain
13:49guideline i will not go against the bjp guideline or my party's policy but with regards to your
13:55social movement and your religious belief how does government control your religious belief system
14:03i i hundred percent hear you so let me ask you a question which is devoid from politics if a
14:08young
14:08girl out there today says that i want to denounce manusmriti and parts in which they or those parts which
14:16are
14:16patriarchal in nature should she be labeled anti-hindu those who have left hinduism and embrace buddhism
14:24with ambadkarji has anybody been jailed lacks of people those who were called as untouchable
14:35they renounced hinduism and they embraced buddhism i agree on 14th october 1956 also thereafter also
14:45hindu is the only liberal religion which has allowed this to happen can this happen in christianity
14:52true i agree can this happen in uh islam no no no you try in any of the islamic nation
14:58try to get this
14:59very islam uh believer converting into another religion so please appreciate hinduism hundred
15:06percent is the only philosophy which has given so much of freedom hundred percent sir so i that's why i
15:13agree because we are unlike other religions hinduism is unlike like you said christianity unlike islam
15:19it gives me the reason and the space and a safe space to question my religion so that's all i'm
15:25asking so i'm not and not me if a girl out there says i don't want to subscribe to it
15:29so she's not
15:30anti-hindu who has jailed them i'm asking you there are not jailed sir but there are a lot i'll
15:34tell you
15:34why calling is difference of opinion but how can somebody be jailed only because or treated as
15:43illegal or taken action only because one has given opinion but if you say you want to break india cut
15:49chicken neck and break northeast i will be the first person to tell he should be convicted of course and
15:55we'll get to that also because you have given a full detail we'll get to that later i want to
15:59stick to
16:00smash the patriarchy and because you know if i'm also deeply invested in it because i'll tell you
16:05why not what rahul gandhi said at all i'm just as a woman invested in women empowerment so i will
16:10ask you another question today itself sir because there are so many times um your party has gone out
16:17and struck a reconciliation record yet you have certain members of your party and i'll give you an
16:23example one advertisement comes out sir of kriti sanan where she's dressed in an outfit which is
16:30revealing and she's tying rocky to someone there is a full social media campaign and bullying and a
16:36part of it is your mps like kangana that's again i'm coming to you back if she has the right
16:43to do
16:44certain things if there is criticism that is also part of freedom how can you restrict that so that
16:50advertisement has been pulled down that is another issue that this is a commercial issue i don't get into
16:55that my point is if you have freedom to express things as per your choice why are you restricting
17:02others from disagreeing or oppose i hundred percent agree with you that's everyone everyone has a
17:08freedom of expression but when a parliamentarian and i'm talking about your colleague kangana
17:15freedom to the parliamentarian freedom is there for every indian okay so it's freedom for kangana
17:22or not to take on kriti sanan and say that why are you restricting to kangana or kangana is a
17:27first
17:27term mp very junior and sometimes i will tell her how to function in a parliament business and other
17:36things but but you are a minister you are the parliamentary that's what i'm saying as a
17:40parliamentary affairs i can guide for parliamentary procedure but i can't guide her what to speak what
17:45not to speak i agree these are personal choice but should some leader show restraint and i'll give
17:51you another example at the same time when the prime minister was striking such a reconciliatory throne
17:55of forgiveness with students at the same time you had certain ministers like her again who called gen z
18:02gutter generation that i heard it she didn't say that she says that those who abuse not everybody she
18:09she clarified it later prime minister has shown his big heart just imagine 17 years old 18 years old
18:19girls abusing prime minister and his mother is it indian culture you can criticize you can oppose
18:27why are you abusing the prime minister and the dead mother if we try to defend such culture i'm sorry
18:35we are misguiding the youth if we promote or we applaud such abuse and such languages i agree there
18:45is should be no space for abuse in this country and you're very right but i also think and i
18:49hope you'll
18:50agree with me that both boys and girls are equal in that i'm saying i'm saying during the protest whoever
18:57whoever so it can't be just because the girls abuse they are worse off than the boys
19:01videos were shown more that's why people say that girls should be more docile but for me boys girls
19:05should be equal equal right i'm glad you're saying it thank you for saying it it's really important
19:10because you know just because a girl abuses i'm not saying abuse is right abuse is wrong one should
19:15never i will never never ever remain silent if somebody abuses i will tell that that's wrong
19:22you can't be quiet and it's equal for the prime minister is so forgiving
19:40which you know fatherly figure prime minister will give so much of space and so much of heart out
19:47you did listen to the students and you did for whatever reasons were best at that time accept
19:52their demands so but in terms of narrative i want to ask you a straight question sir is there a
19:58perception that the bjp lost the narrative war during the gen z we are not working for narrative we are
20:04here
20:05to serve the citizens of the nation if we are busy building the narrative who will govern the country
20:13people of the nation have given such a huge mandate to modiji for the third time modiji has said that
20:20in modi three we have to perform three times faster than what we have done in the first two terms
20:27that is our focus we are not here to build narrative and build a different kind of a story okay
20:34let me ask
20:34you this in a different way because you spoke of the rss uh the rss chief in a public meeting
20:40said
20:41uh the jant that the rss me uh chief in a public meeting said and i want to quote here
20:46so i don't get
20:47it wrong jantar mantar exposed the systematic flaws in the government failure in the system was there
20:55so you accept there was a systematic flaw there was certain improvement or certain reforms required
21:08that is why new law was brought in if everything is perfect you will never need parliament to make
21:14another law it is evolving it's all dynamic and we listen to the people we are we are the people
21:22who are there because people wanted us to govern this nation so we have to listen to them we are
21:29not
21:29there from the aliens i'm going to ask you another question uh a lot has been said about excessive force
21:35you
21:35say that no bullets were fired but on the 23rd of july sir the delhi police where the raf was
21:42concerned
21:43there are two diary entries which say that two rounds of pellet guns were fired under the order of a
21:48dcp
21:49this is official documentation i have counted many agitations 30 40 agitations where people were killed
21:59during congress time true in this agitation you also have followed this agitation closely
22:06there was no loss of lives which is such a relief for us
22:14i give the example whether it's gujarat or punjab or telangana or up or assam or anywhere during congress
22:23this time whenever there was large scare protest and agitation there were always
22:30police firing and there were always cases of death
22:34police officers who died a few times more than two thousand of other people in this country
22:39but in this car protest protest no one student or another human soul , this is not something
22:47that there is no part of the police that there is no debate as a big thing
22:48in such a big protest that when the police has been paid for us to do it
23:11or whatever the court says that the protest is illegal or beyond a point the area is protected
23:21area then police will act as per the law as per the manual the home minister doesn't give the order
23:29for firing is a basic but but overall management responsibility responsibility government
23:36that is why i said if you just open up the old cases of agitations in india thousands of people
23:45were killed by the police firing and all were under congress regime and in this protest not a single
23:52life was lost and that is a professional management of delhi police police carer hum gali dene lag
24:00jaga to kal surak cha kondega kuch b hota to police calm gali dete raat ko chori hones me police
24:07ko
24:07boli ga arki law and order problem ho ga police ko bulae ga police hamaara surak cha kere or police
24:14ko ham dushman jisai baat kertai de ved police people are trashed ar tumko protest karna to shanty
24:20se protest karna chahiye na to parlement na kiyo march karna chaatai polis ko kiyo mar raha ho
24:26to so so police ne bhi restrained kya na jab polis ko maartya to police bhi us ko bal priyok
24:31karta hai islami nne ka ki sanyam barakna chahiye sabko leken is protest ko leker ke jo bar bar
24:38kahta ke amit shah ji nne goli maanne ka order diya hai aray jab insana ka maut nahi hua
24:45or home minister firing ka order kubhi nahi dete hai ye niyam hi nahi hai even in this it's the
24:51dcp
24:51that's what i'm saying so rahul gandhi or ye logu kiyo bolte hai amit shah nne firing
24:56kandhi ka baat order diya hai is traga baat nahi karna chahiye na bachche wala baat
25:02or begadne wala baat nahi karna chahiye jab aap matured se baat kertai hai if you are
25:06leader of opposition then you should behave like a leader of opposition your languages must
25:11have waited halka pulke mein tasweer leker ki waha parlimen mein aai ga bhagwan ka photo leker ki
25:18waha jamin pe rakhe ga ye sab nahi karna chahiye baot khara bakta hiya parlimen di
25:24democracy hai logo nne buna hai parlimen di democracy is all about people and we are here
25:31to serve the people democracy mat means people i'm gonna i'm gonna talk about the parlimen
25:40but i'll ask you one last question on that is there regret that pellet guns were used because
25:45some of them did hit young students woh detail toh supreme court hearing karra toh mein to
25:49kaise kaisata ho see anything which is under investigation or proceedings going in the court
25:56then we should not make comments on the details i only said koi nahi mara hai kyunki itna bara
26:04joh agitation me koi jaan nahi gaya toh ye ek relief achi bat na toh itna hi mein bolta
26:10ab detail mein kaisa bata hoon detail bolne ka mera adhikari nahi hai
26:14the court will look into the matter and the authorities police agara court me bata
26:20sir you as parliamentary affairs minister mr rajiju as well as the government and the treasury
26:26benches did you do all that it could take to make sure that the monsoon session was not
26:32to wash out because it was yes uh it did have a negative uh impact on my understanding about
26:41the opposition because i i thought after all we are all responsible people to run our parliament
26:51whenever i have gone out to the opposition parties i have reached out to everybody
26:58uh in a private not all are okay but then when they have taken a stand then they stick to
27:05that
27:05they have taken a stand the congress in samajwadi that they will not let parliament function
27:11so rest are all just excuses they had decided not to let the parliament function so i don't think that
27:19any extraordinary appeal would have had any impact i because i had a long discussion with rahul
27:29gandhi ji even priyanka gandhi was also sitting there when i had a discussion with rahul ji uh he had
27:36only taken a stand that he will not compromise on certain things and especially on home minister he
27:43said home minister has to just give a statement and resign democracy doesn't function like that
27:49home minister is a responsible person and he will do everything responsibly but how can he
27:58just uh act as per this childish demand up statement though or isn't you don't behave like that in
28:07the parliamentary democracy see one thing you know as somebody who watched parliament i do agree that
28:12uh the opposition constantly kept changing goal posts uh went from one to the other their charges and
28:18you tell me if it's true sir they say that the home minister and the prime minister never came to
28:22the house they came to the parliament but never came to the house sansad me i sadan me
28:26was it that they came to him and said that i don't want to get down on them there and
28:40i said that
28:46all the other day they don't allow parliament to function and on the other side they are accusing the
28:54of praying minister of not coming to the parliament there you know don't have to go there and then i
29:00Let me tell you frankly, not as a BJP minister, I'm telling you as a member of parliament.
29:08I feel sorry for Congress MPs.
29:12Congress MPs now have started thinking that their primary duty is to raise slogans and abuse.
29:21It has normalized it.
29:24Congress was a party with such dignified leaders in the past.
29:29Stalwarts.
29:30The Congress leaders were inspiring and stalwarts those days.
29:35Look at the people who are running Congress party now.
29:38And these Congress MPs holding those placards, abusive language, every day.
29:46Modi chor hai, Modi yeh, Modi yeh.
29:49I mean, you are reducing parliament to this abusive language against your prime minister.
29:54If you have guts to oppose prime minister, speak with content.
30:00Debate Corona.
30:01They say that the treasury benches is, it's become, you know, most MPs that I speak to from the opposition
30:07say that parliament has become very hostile.
30:10One bill after the other, without discussion, is being pushed through.
30:15And the latest charge from Mr. Jairam Ramesh is that this monsoon session hasn't even been prorogued, which is officially
30:21where it is closed, the session.
30:24It is, and he's asking why hasn't it happened.
30:26That is up to the government, whenever parliament is to be called, it is the government which decides and requests
30:32the Rashtrapati to call the session.
30:37And when the house is not prorogued, then the session can be called.
30:43Can there be another session?
30:44It is nothing, it is nothing new which we are doing.
30:48Can there be a special session?
30:49No, that I will not answer, but what I am answering you is.
30:52You won't answer that.
30:53No, what I am answering you is.
30:54Right.
30:56Since 1952.
30:58Right.
30:58After this interview, I will give you the list.
31:01Right.
31:03After 1952, there were numerous occasions where parliament session was adjourned, sign a die, but not prorogued.
31:13And the session was summoned again.
31:17And there are numerous instances where the prorogued had happened much later.
31:26Congress can quote conveniently many things just to accuse the government, but I will not buy those arguments.
31:34My primary point is, when we wanted the discussion on the bills, we allotted the time.
31:45Each bill was given time to discuss in Lok Sabha and Rajas Sabha.
31:52So, sir, I infer that there could be a special session called.
31:57You are saying you won't answer it, but as a journalist, I am answering it.
32:00No, no, you have every right to have inferences, and as a senior journalist, you are very experienced in reading
32:06the things.
32:07You can read both ways.
32:09But then, as a parliament affairs minister, I am always open to people's scrutiny.
32:18And observation also.
32:19And then, when the time comes, I will inform you.
32:23We all know.
32:24Is delimitation still on agenda?
32:27Already, a prime minister has made a very clear-cut commitment to the women of this nation, that women's reservation
32:34and the commitment given by the parliament to the women of this country will be fulfilled.
32:43That is a commitment given by the prime minister.
32:46Mahilao ko apna adhikar haum deke chhodenge.
32:49Yeh Pradhan Mantri ka waada hai.
32:52So, based on that, we are working.
32:54But, sir, why can't…
32:54I hope you understand with that.
32:55No, I understand.
32:56So, that means you are working.
32:57But then, why can't reservation be given on the current strength of the house, which is 543?
33:02Why must we have delimitation or anything else?
33:05You must have read 2003 delimitation, that provision there.
33:10Delimitation, women's reservation.
33:12We call the women's reservation as Nari Shakti Vandan Adheniyam.
33:16Adheniyam, yes.
33:17When the Nari Shakti Vandan Adheniyam was passed in 2023, you read the provision.
33:24This will be implemented on the basis of delimitation conducted after 2026, the census available there.
33:35So, it was written in that, so why didn't you say it?
33:39But, yes, we are saying that we are saying that you are doing on the 543.
33:43I cannot do it.
33:44I have told you, I have told you.
33:452003.
33:46That is happening.
33:50That is happening.
33:51Then, is tied up with the census delimitation karke, phir hum denge.
33:56Ho hum abhi nahi kya rahe, wo tuta tun tunditri bil mein hae, ush mein wo act ban chuka hai,
34:00ush mein likhha ho hai.
34:01Let me, on the sideline of it, you seem to have a decent working relationship with Rahul Gandhi, at least
34:08as parliamentary affairs.
34:09No, with everybody.
34:10Rahul Gandhi ji and everybody.
34:11Everybody.
34:11I have no problem with any colleague.
34:14We are all colleagues.
34:16Ha, and it seems like that as well.
34:18You also had a really fun inter, you know, change with Rahul Gandhi, where you asked him about working out.
34:23And tell me if it's true.
34:24And he said, you come home and you work out with me.
34:26There was a jitsu.
34:26No, Rahul Gandhi ji is a very interesting person.
34:30Private me to, we had, you know, besides politics also, we had discussed about.
34:34You have fitness in common.
34:35Ha.
34:36To, what a problem ne.
34:37Ham dushman to nahi mani to, shahar bajari ka hai.
34:39Publicly, I have said that we are not enemies.
34:43We are just political rivals.
34:45And as a parliamentary affairs minister, it is my duty to reach out to the opposition.
34:51To, kubhi, phone may be Rahul ji se baat ho jate hain.
34:54Mil ki bhi baat kerti hain.
34:55To, ye to merah duty hai.
34:58Agar sarkar apne opposition saathiyo se baat nahi koro ge, to kone kore enghe.
35:03True.
35:03Lekhi, wo baat nahi maantai to, mujhe dukh ho jate hain na.
35:06Baat maanna chae na, mein itna effort dalta hou.
35:08Mera effort ka bhi khadar ho na chahe na.
35:10Mein itna mehenat kertah hou.
35:12Oppositional logoan saa baat kerne ke lihe.
35:14Ho, mehenat bhi to rang lana chahe hain.
35:16Ho, sunte hi nahi ho.
35:18Who out of the opposition is, listens to you most?
35:22Who you think he, ye toodah reasonable insaan hai?
35:25Isse baat kerna chahe hai?
35:26Achilles Yadav is very interesting.
35:28Interesting?
35:28Haan.
35:29Ho, jub milte hai, Achilles ji se, jub mein baat kertah ho.
35:33Toh, nee, nee, teek, teek, milte hai, koji baat nahi hain.
35:36Ham sab eki hai.
35:37Toh, very positive.
35:39Haan.
35:39Or, jub kabhi nahi maanna hai, toh, woh, mobile switch off karke, shayad lakhano chale jate hai.
35:44Toh, unke baaki samaj baadhi hala bulte hai ki nahi.
35:47So, on the face of it, on the face of it, he's always very amiable.
35:51Nee, Achilles ji, mein uska policy, muslim appeasement, ye sab ko, mein nahi bol raho hon.
35:57Haan.
35:57As a person, bhot achcha hai, merah saath...
35:59But Rahul Gandhi asked you, sir, that you come and work out with me, we'll do jitshu together.
36:03Nee, Rahul Gandhi ji, aur humara, toh, jitna hum baat kerne mein dekha hai,
36:09jo, chemistry mein koji problem nahi hai.
36:12Lekin, kiya hai ki, wo, congress party ka neta hai.
36:15He's the boss of congress party.
36:17Toh, mein usko izzet deeta ho.
36:19You, you know, the Prime Minister made the reference to Dimagi Naksal.
36:24And then you gave a breakdown of who Dimagi Naksal is.
36:27I want to ask you a question.
36:29In this country, if someone disagrees with the government, criticizes the government,
36:35or critiques the government, questions the government, aadeh Dimagi Naksal.
36:39Mein he bhot clear se baat ke.
36:41Let me rephrase it, since you are representing a very prestigious
36:48media team, India today, I have to be absolutely correct in what I say.
36:55When Honorable Prime Minister referred to Dimagi Naksals,
37:00he made it clear who are those Dimagi Naksals, that there were confusion.
37:04Then I also said, in response to Chidambaram and other people,
37:08they said, the Sahara opposition ko Naksal bata diya.
37:12I noted down three points.
37:15I want to add one more.
37:17Right.
37:18Number one is,
37:20those who are supporting the separatist,
37:25in Article 370,
37:27which leads to the separatism mindset,
37:31those who don't follow the constitution of India,
37:35because the Maoists and the Naksalites,
37:38they hold their own court.
37:44I agree.
37:46So they don't follow Indian constitution.
37:48So anybody who supports them
37:49are Dimagi Naksals.
37:51Third,
37:53those who say that chicken neck should be cut
37:57and not it should be thrown out.
37:59Anybody supporting those people,
38:01there are many advocates and civil workers
38:04openly saying,
38:05you check the internet,
38:07openly saying that
38:07they say that they have to save them.
38:09They say that they have to cut the chicken neck,
38:12they say that they have to say good.
38:12We support them.
38:14There are people like that.
38:15And people who are sitting there for the banter,
38:17they are Dimagi Naksals.
38:19Or fourth,
38:20You're writing one.
38:22I said that's the headline then.
38:23The fourth one is,
38:26anybody who is trying to stop
38:29the economic growth of India.
38:33There are many development projects
38:36happening in the country.
38:37To stall the developmental projects,
38:43that is to stall the growth of India,
38:46they want to raise some kind of,
38:49they use sometimes
38:50the innocent tribals.
38:52But sir,
38:52then why did the BJP handle
38:54take out a video
38:54which had all opposition leaders
38:56in YouTube
38:56as Dimagi Naksal?
38:58Who is Dimagi Naksal?
39:00BJP
39:00is a whole campaign.
39:01No, no.
39:02It is a campaign, sir.
39:04No, no.
39:04It handles a tweet.
39:06Nobody has said that
39:08all opposition members
39:09are Dimagi Naksal.
39:10Our mind is bad.
39:11Now,
39:12opposition to Dimagi Naksal
39:13will be.
39:14Opposition
39:15or anyone
39:15will be.
39:16If you support
39:17the country
39:18to destroy the country,
39:19then you are Dimagi Naksal.
39:20I'm glad you're saying it, sir,
39:21because it was tweet,
39:22this video was tweeted out
39:23by the BJP social media handle,
39:25which had labeled opposition.
39:41You will also support me.
39:43No, I agree with your points.
39:46I'm not saying,
39:46but I was just saying
39:47that there has been,
39:47but I'm glad that you're saying
39:48that what you're saying.
39:50I want to just come back to
39:52what is Kiran Rajiju
39:53looking ahead for?
39:55I am looking forward
39:57with the responsibility
39:58which I have with me
40:00to serve the nation
40:02as I've been doing,
40:04but I hope I can do more
40:06with the responsibility
40:09which I have.
40:10It is fortunate
40:12to work with Modiji
40:13as a colleague of his cabinet
40:15and to serve the nation.
40:17I cannot imagine
40:20a better person
40:22to lead the nation
40:23in this kind of situation.
40:25I have seen the parliament
40:27and I've seen
40:27different prime ministers
40:28in the past.
40:30You know,
40:31those days,
40:31you are young,
40:33but you are not that young.
40:35You will remember
40:37those days,
40:38during summers,
40:39the ministers
40:40used to go to holiday
40:41with the family,
40:43Europe,
40:44America,
40:44Singapore.
40:45Sir,
40:45what's wrong
40:46in holiday?
40:46You should do a little.
40:47You should do a little.
40:48You should do a little.
40:49You should do a little.
40:49We can't do it.
40:50We can't do it.
40:50My job is a holiday.
40:52Wherever I go,
40:53this is a bad precedent.
40:57Holiday should be allowed,
40:58sir.
40:59no.
40:59You should leave the minister
40:59and leave the minister.
41:01Who wants to do a holiday?
41:03Who wants to do a holiday?
41:04You should be on holiday
41:05and go to the holidays.
41:06Sir,
41:06you are saying
41:07you shouldn't enter politics
41:08if you don't want to...
41:10You are right.
41:12I will not spin anything,
41:16I swear.
41:16My point is, before 2014,
41:20the lights were blowing up the lights,
41:22the lights were blowing up the lights.
41:24The lights were blowing up the lights.
41:27They were blowing up the lights.
41:29We were not here for this.
41:30Have you seen the lights on the lights in a city?
41:32Mojitiji has closed.
41:34Very welcome.
41:35This is a holiday to go to work.
41:38I don't do a holiday.
41:41I'm glad.
41:42I closed the holiday to go to work.
41:44But I'm glad, sir, with what you're saying.
41:47One can take a holiday, even if you're working.
41:50This is what you look forward to in life.
41:52Sir, latest news, the opposition is picking it up.
41:55I want you to answer it.
41:56You come from Arunachal Pradesh.
41:58Have there been some more transgressions from China to our side in Arunachal Pradesh?
42:03See, it's a very sensitive issue, so I have to be absolutely careful and also truthful
42:11to put the facts before the nation.
42:16The entire Arunachal Pradesh portion is undemarketed.
42:23Not a single stretch is demarketed.
42:28Only there are border points where the PLA and our Indian Army, they meet.
42:35That's called flag meeting.
42:36So when the area is not demarketed, certainly there are cases of our forces and their forces
42:47moving and crossing over to each other's claimed territory.
42:51The problem is, ever since 1914, when McMohan Line was drawn, an imaginary line was drawn
43:02of the map, there was no border infrastructure development from our side.
43:09Chinese also started very late.
43:11But unfortunately, we started the border roads very late.
43:17In the 70s and 80s, there were some border roads, but that was just a nominal movement,
43:26you know, not reaching exactly to the border point.
43:30But 2014, when Modi ji came to power, he started building the road infrastructure along the border.
43:38So when we were building the roads, the Chinese have already built.
43:43So they have a larger movement and they have a better deployment.
43:48Thereby, they have built infrastructure in certain areas where we also have claim, they also have claim.
43:56That is why the issue raised by border people in Arunachal Pradesh, they are valid.
44:04But somebody tried to say that, oh, 50, 60 kilometers, the Chinese have come inside Arunachal.
44:11These kind of statements are damaging.
44:14Because the border problem is 2, 3 kilometers.
44:19At the most, 4 kilometers like that.
44:21Because the area is very vast.
44:23An attempt to rename places from our side and their side.
44:26And then if you come to the technical level, I think the Chinese have played some psychological game.
44:37They have started naming some of the passes and some of the areas in Arunachal Pradesh,
44:44which will have no bearing or no practical effect on us.
44:49Because Arunachal Pradesh is purely an Indian territory.
44:53It is an Indian state.
44:54I belong to Arunachal Pradesh.
44:56So by naming, the Chinese government will not gain anything.
45:02But on the other side, now we are building the infrastructure.
45:05I think our borders are more safe now because we are adequately prepared to protect our territory
45:13through proper infrastructure and our forces deployment.
45:17Sir, you speak about Arunachal Pradesh.
45:20We ask you to speak to one very young citizen of India and Arunachal Pradesh,
45:26who was not very happy till about a week ago.
45:30Are we allowed to do that?
45:32You can.
45:32You can connect.
45:34So there's this little tinkle who had put out a video on social media.
45:39Are you connecting through video phone?
45:41Should I connect on video?
45:43Are you okay with that?
45:44Yeah, I'm okay.
45:44You're fine?
45:45Let me try and connect, sir.
45:47So little tinkle had put out a video of her saying that she's not,
45:57people are saying that she's not Indian, she's Chinese.
46:00Let's see if she, they.
46:21Are you okay to be called an uncle?
46:23No problem.
46:32Just for a minute, sir.
46:33I'll make her name.
46:35That's the young girl.
46:36Tinkle, her name is.
46:38Tinkle, hello.
47:07Tinkle, hello.
47:23Thank you, sir, for doing this.
47:24You didn't have to, but thank you.
47:27Thank you so much.
47:27They are from Itandagar.
47:31They're staying in Itandagar now.
47:32But thank you, Mr. Rajiju.
47:34You have taken out so much time for us.
47:37And like I said earlier, it's very rare that you have leaders who are cabinet ministers and
47:43positions like you who have taken every question we have asked you.
47:46Thank you so much.
47:47It's a pleasure.
47:48It's an honor.
47:48Absolute pleasure for me also.
47:50To have a very free and frank exchange of views.
47:53Thank you, sir.
47:54I'm glad.
47:54I hope that you continue doing more conversations like that with us on India today.
48:00Certainly.
48:00Thank you, sir.
48:01Appreciate it.