- 19 minutes ago
The political standoff between the BJP and Congress over the Election Commission of India and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar intensified, with the Congress and Indian Youth Congress staging nationwide demonstrations demanding his resignation or prosecution over alleged electoral disenfranchisement through the Special Intensive Revision process. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi visited Delhi's Bella Estate and alleged that hundreds of voter names had been deleted from electoral rolls. BJP leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, hit back, accusing the opposition of targeting constitutional institutions to deflect from election defeats. An India Today panel examined the allegations, the Form 6 declaration process and the statutory provisions governing electoral rolls under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Meanwhile, violence broke out in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, during a road-widening demolition drive that affected a portion of the Shahi Masjid. The incident came ahead of the 2028 Simhastha Maha Kumbh.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:02Good evening. The war over the functioning of the Election Commission and the opposition
00:08demanding the ouster of the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is escalating.
00:14The BJP now has come out all guns blazing, accusing the Congress party in particular
00:19and the opposition in general for blaming the Election Commissioner, the CEC and the
00:25Election Commission for their electoral failures, poll after polls. So from Union Health Minister
00:32JP Nadat, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the BJP hit back today. They accused
00:38the Congress of weakening democratic institutions for political vested interests. From blaming
00:45the electronic voting machines earlier to the CEC and the EC now, but not looking within.
00:52That's the BJP's charge at the opposition and the Congress in particular.
00:57But the Congress came out all guns blazing with protests across multiple cities, insisting
01:03these protests will continue till the CEC Gyanesh Kumar is either removed or turns approver.
01:09Congress MP Pawan Kheda called the Election Commission clarification on the issues raised
01:15as too lame, too little and too late. Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the Chief Election
01:22Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of match fixing elections. He cited reports alleging Gyanesh Kumar while serving
01:29as an IAS officer had helped recruit a former Kerala Chief Secretary for the BJP. He made the offer
01:36according to this report. The BJP on the other hand is citing Congress leaders in Kerala praising the
01:43SIR process saying cleaning of the electoral rolls led to the Congress victory in Kerala.
01:49So the BJP says, Rahul Gandhi ridiculously claims that wherever there is SIR, there is vote
01:58chori. On the 4th of May 2026, when the Kerala Assembly election results were announced, the current
02:05Congress Home Minister of Kerala, Ramesh Chenithala, lauded and appreciated how the SIR process had actually
02:12helped the Congress win by removing bogus votes from the electoral rolls. Ramesh Chenithala,
02:19incidentally, is not the only Congress leader who praised the SIR process and lauded the removal of
02:24bogus voters. Two days later, so Ramesh Chenithala spoke on the 4th of May. On 6th of May, Congress MLA
02:32elected that time, Matthew Kuzal Nandan, he was quoted saying words to the effect, of course, the SIR process
02:42also removed fake voters, which in some constituencies at least was managed by the CPIM. So that also helped us.
02:50So if Gyanesh Kumar is fixing matches in favour of the BJP, as the Congress alleges, the BJP asks,
02:57Gyanesh Kumar was appointed the 26th Chief Election Commissioner of India on the 19th of February 2025.
03:05So how did BJP win elections in 2014, 2019 and 2024? So for example, in 2014, V.S. Sampath was
03:14the CEC. He was
03:16appointed during the tenure of Dr. Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister and that was 2012. Or post 2024,
03:23when you look at the bigger picture and let me get you some of those elections that the BJP won
03:29or
03:29the Congress won. BJP retained Haryana, 48 of 90. Retained or regained Maharashtra. Won Delhi from the
03:37Aam Admi Party, 48 of 70. Retained or won Bihar. It was an India landslide and the BJP became the
03:44single
03:44largest party. Retained Assam, BJP winning 82 of 126. Won West Bengal handsomely. Restored from the
03:54Trinamul Congress, 207 of 294. Retained Pudchari. That of course was the NDA victory. So yes, the BJP had
04:04or the NDA had multiple victories. But the election commission also declared Congress or India Alliance
04:13or opposition parties victorious. For example, the Congress won Kerala. The BJP says same election
04:20commission, same SIR process. Congress won Kerala. Congress leaders praised the SIR process. The TVK won
04:27Tamil Nadu and Congress joined hands. Congress became an alliance partner. So Congress also won
04:33Tamil Nadu. National Conference. So from Tamil Nadu, let me take you straight up to Jammu and Kashmir.
04:38National Conference formed the government in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
04:42JMM and Congress, they retained Jharkhand. So is there merit in the opposition blaming the CEC
04:50or the election commission? We'll come to that in just a moment. But I want to begin by showing you
04:57two pictures. One, massive protests across the country in multiple cities by the Congress. And two,
05:04the BJP using this opportunity to hit back at the opposition saying that Congress blames the
05:10election commission or EVM when voters reject the Congress party. So from Uttar Pradesh Chief
05:16Minister Yogi Adityanath to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, multiple chief ministers
05:22of BJP rule states or NDA rule states came out. From Bihar to Bengal, Rajasthan to Delhi,
05:28their message is clear. Questioning institutions and you must question them. That's legitimate.
05:33But allegations should be backed by hard facts. And the Congress, according to them,
05:40needs to look within for electoral losses. Listen to me.
05:44time.
05:50Texas
05:52an election
05:52total位
05:53or the political party or the RGD or the other party who can win the election.
06:00If they win the election,
06:00they will win the election.
06:03If they win the election committee or the EBM,
06:17ndon ko ko ko ko do si therana kita na jayaz hai kubhi in dalong ko swim
06:26hai iska chintan karna chahiye at ma ulokan karna chahiye rahul gandhi
06:33hai balehi savi dhan dhara hai hai lekin unka plan unki modus operandi
06:42savi dhan saamne karke jitni savi dhanik sanstahe hai unko badnaam karna unke baare
06:51me logo ke man mein prashna tayyar karna logo ka vishwaas savi dhanik sanstahe
06:58uđ jaya isprakar ki wivastah tayar karna isp wivastah ko tayyar karke araj akta yana
07:05nr ki lana a picture the very clear picture mahamta bena ji how cpm posthi mangal
07:13kis tariq se jhout kar raha hai toh picture sida hai in loge min ke kya dhe posthi mangal
07:19mein toh exception case hai hai posthi mangal mein s.i.r ko lhe kar election commission
07:26ka power supreme kore nne seach kiya tha ero ka power electoral register dovis hai
07:31oto logical discremenci me 6 lakh me jho 27 lakh reject kiya
07:37oto judicial officer nne kiya a supreme court me toh mamta benan jiya aur unki party
07:45eek baar nnehi 20 baar gya hai during s.i.r time a district charges ko happen kya
07:52a kya hai s.i.r time a kya.r time a kya ndi.r time a kya ndi.r
07:59time a kya kya
08:02foreign
08:12foreign
08:35So you heard the Bharatiya Janta party taking the fight right back to the congress camp.
08:40But the congress has come out all guns blazing and not just in the national capital in Delhi.
08:45There were protests held in multiple parts of the country from Delhi to Bengal to Uttar Pradesh to Madhya Pradesh
08:52to various other parts of the country.
08:54The congress wants to make this into a nationwide protest against the special intensive revision of the electoral roll process
09:02under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
09:06They are saying that this is match fixing.
09:08Opposition parties staged protests in different parts of the country specifically against Gyanesh Kumar being the CEC demanding that he
09:16either be removed forthwith or as Rahul Gandhi earlier said he should turn approver.
09:21Let me quickly get to some ground reports from the national capital and other parts of the country.
09:27Currently I am here at the Raisena Road just a few meters away from the IYC headquarters from where Indian
09:32Youth Congress has started their protest march towards the Election Commission office.
09:36But on the other hand I will show you in the visuals that heavy barricading has been done by the
09:40Delhi police and the paramilitary forces to stop the congress workers to march towards the Election Commission headquarters.
09:46But here in the visuals clearly you can see that IYC workers are holding placards in their hand, they are
09:52trying to march towards the Election Commission office, they are holding posters in their hand, vote chori in prison.
09:58So clearly they are targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar who has been in the center of the controversy after
10:04the Indian Express report.
10:05They are demanding resignation of Gyanesh Kumar and they are also asking answers from the BJP that why you are
10:12allegedly shielding Gyanesh Kumar.
10:14But here in the visuals I will show you that how heavy barricading has been done here by the Delhi
10:18police paramilitary forces have been deployed here.
10:22And clearly in the visuals you can see that IYC workers from around the national capital and other North Indian
10:28states have gathered here.
10:29I am joined by Uday Banuchip, IYC National President.
10:33What are your main demands?
10:34Main demand is that Gyanesh Gaddar who will go to jail, 13 crore of the Jews, the reason the people
10:39who have been in jail is being taken to jail.
10:42This person is sitting in jail is a great effort and has been destroyed in jail.
10:48Gyanesh will not go to jail until they are going to jail, they will not go to jail.
10:51So we will do protest and do protest.
10:54IYC is saying that Gyanesh Kumar should be in prison.
10:57He should resign from his position because we are saying that Indian Youth Congress, Congress Party
11:02and other units of the Congress have started their Halla Bol protest march around the India.
11:08Not only here in the national capital, we are seeing visuals coming from Patna, Kashmir
11:12and various other cities around the India where we are seeing that Congress party workers are protesting
11:17and after that we will see that Dili Pradesh Congress has also called a protest march around 2 p.m.
11:23where they will be also protesting against Ganesh.
11:32And Rahul Gandhi has doubled down on his attacks on the Election Commission and the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
11:39He's visited Bella Estate on the banks of River Yamuna and he's once again brought out, as he puts it,
11:46discrepancies in the special intensive revision of the voter roll.
11:50Rahul Gandhi was quoted saying, after SIR, only one name remains on the voter list.
11:56727 names have been struck off.
12:00Rahul Gandhi has said, on the phone with the SDM, I said, exactly this.
12:05Having one house or not having a house has no connection with the right to vote.
12:12CEC Gyanesh Kumar himself has said that house number zero is for the homeless.
12:18And yet, in this place, 727 names have been struck off.
12:25Rahul Gandhi says, this isn't special intensive revision of the voter list.
12:31This is a method of vote chori or vote theft.
12:36From those who have the least, their only power, the power of voting is being snatched away.
12:45Rahul Gandhi insists Gyanesh Kumar will have to go.
12:48He will go, but the system that made him do this will have to answer.
12:54I'll get you more on the story, but let's listen in to Rahul Gandhi.
12:57I'll get you more on the story.
13:29I'll get you more on the story.
13:46This is the name of the Voter List. You have put their name on the Voter List.
13:51There is no place to go. It was just a place to go.
13:55How do you do this?
13:57You give me your name and designation. I will see you in the other direction.
14:03We are going to get people from SCC.
14:05We are going to get people from SCC.
14:07We are going to get people from SCC.
14:08We are going to get people from SCC.
14:15We are going to get people from SCC.
14:19Smile, smile.
14:24I once again want you to listen in to leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
14:29So he visited Bela Estet and he says even if people are juggi dwellers,
14:36even if they do not have pakka accommodation,
14:39there is a procedure and the election commission has spoken of that procedure.
14:42House number zero.
14:44People here, 729 of those, they had vote and then their names were struck off.
14:51And he spoke to the subdivisional magistrate of that area.
14:56Initially he said I want to know all the details.
14:58Why were their names cut off? Why were their names struck off?
15:01The electoral list.
15:03And then Rahul Gandhi, he said I know how to deal with this.
15:07Give me your name and your designation.
15:09I know how to deal with this.
15:12After SIR, from this entire list only one name remains.
15:16Others have been struck off.
15:18That's the question he asked.
15:19I will get you more.
15:20But listen in to Rahul Gandhi once again.
15:23These people who are told in SIR who they are.
15:24There are 729 votes.
15:26Here you added one vote in the SIR.
15:30The vote has been taken on the list.
15:32You have given them the name of the vote.
15:34There's no need to get from the government.
15:37The vote is paid from us.
15:40They have been sent to you.
15:42They came to us.
15:49799 people here, you have one vote.
15:56Look, it's a period, it's all right, but here, their name is a voter list.
16:01Listen to me, their name is a voter list, and has been, and has been in the years.
16:06My name is a voter list, and you have been out of their name.
16:16Shri Mataji, what's the name of the voter list?
16:17Shri Mataji, how is the name of the voter list?
16:17Shri Mataji, what's your name?
16:17Shri Mataji, what's your name, your designation?
16:24I'll see you next time.
16:27We have received a lot of information from the government.
16:31We have received a lot of information from the government.
16:48So, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi continues to insist that BJP is winning because
16:54of what he calls is match fixing by Gyanesh Kumar.
16:58The question the BJP asks, Gyanesh Kumar took over as the CEC on the 19th of February 2025. He was
17:06one of the election commissioners earlier in 2024. 15th March 2024 to be precise.
17:12So, is there merit in the BJP saying what explains the Congress getting 44 seats in 2014 when V.S.
17:18Sampath appointed in 2012 in the time of Dr. Manmohan Singh was CEC or rising to 99 in 2024?
17:24Should the Congress and the opposition parties look within instead of, as the BJP puts it, defaming the institution of
17:32election commission of India?
17:33We get you a direct face-off. Sanju Verma, national spokesperson of the BJP joins us.
17:38Adal Singh Bhoparai, national spokesperson of the Congress party with us. Also with us is political analyst Rajat Sethi.
17:44Adal Singh Bhoparai, the BJP insists Congress accepts the EC or the election commission results or the outcome when it
17:54wins, but attacks it when it loses.
17:56For example, they point out your leaders in Kerala lauded SIR where the Congress won, but where the Congress loses,
18:03Rahul Gandhi alleges vote chori.
18:06Is there merit in the BJP saying look within instead of blaming Gyanesh Kumar?
18:13Gaurul, this is classic water bountry. Can the BJP's most ardent supporter also believe that the BJP can win Kerala?
18:22Will they commit this harakiri of manipulating votes in Kerala? Is it even possible for the BJP to be in
18:30a poll position in Kerala?
18:31So therefore, this water bountry will not work. Let's deal with specifics because I'm not here for a political slugfest.
18:38This is beyond the Congress and the BJP. This is about the edifice on which our republic stands.
18:45Point number one. From Goa, you have a situation where the ERO, who is the SDM, after careful scrutiny, found
18:5397 names to be fully eligible to be included on the electoral rule.
18:57How is it that despite his concurrence, that these names should be put on the electoral rolls, the ECI net,
19:04the software, the algorithm is not including them in the roll?
19:09Point number one. Point number two. It is now beyond any pale of doubt, even the revised, the subsequent press
19:16release of the ECI makes it abundantly clear that Gyanesh Gupta was running the ECI unilaterally as his personal fee
19:25-fedom.
19:25Why did he amend form 6, which is not even within the jurisdiction of the ECI? To amend a form
19:326, it has to go to the government and thereafter, there is parliamentary oversight.
19:37Number two. Number three. On whose authorization was he filing 16,000 appeals in Bengal?
19:46I will give you an example. India today is a private limited company. Tomorrow, if India today decides to sue
19:53Adil Singh Bhopar Rai, your board of directors will convene a meeting.
19:57They will authorize Gaurav Sawant to be the authorized signatory to prefer a suit against Adil Bhopar Rai in the
20:03Delhi High Court.
20:04In this case, Subbir Sandhuji and Mr. Yoshi say on whose authority is the ECI filing 16,000 appeals? In
20:13other words, Gyanesh Gupta has become bigger than the institution.
20:18Number four.
20:19So, let's take it point by point. You've raised three pertinent points. Let me, you've raised three very pertinent points.
20:25Let's keep this conversational and get me, let me get Sanju Varma to respond to this.
20:30Why are the BJP's top leadership from party president to health minister to several chief ministers defending the election commission?
20:38Let the election commission defend itself, ma'am. Opposition parties have an issue with CEC. Let him respond. Congress says
20:46BJP jumping to EC's defense proves complicity and there is no response on that specific issue, for example, of Goa
20:56and Form 6.
20:58So, Gaurav, very quickly. Of course, yes, the BJP will defend Jyanesh Kumar. Of course, yes, the BJP will defend
21:07the CEC because Rahul Gandhi, Akhiresh Yadam, Mamata Bounidvi, Udhav Fateh and the entire opposition Sahal has repeatedly, recklessly alleged
21:18that CEC is a handmaiden of the BJP, that Jyanesh Kumar is an agent of the BJP,
21:25that Jyanesh Kumar takes instruction from the Modi government. You mean to say that the Congress ecosystem can make reckless
21:33allegations and then expect the BJP to not respond? Sorry, that is not going to happen.
21:40We will stand up in defense of the electoral process and we are doing exactly that.
21:46My second point, very quickly. Has Jyanesh Kumar violated Article 324, 325 and 326 of the Constitution?
21:56Because these are the articles from where he derives his two-o-moto-powers. The answer is N-O, no.
22:03Has Jyanesh Kumar violated representation of people back in 1950? The answer is no.
22:09And has Jyanesh Kumar violated registration of electoral rolls in 1960? The answer is no. No, wait, Gaurav. I heard
22:20him for a good four minutes.
22:22The other point I want to say is this. The Supreme Court in its judgment on the 27th of May
22:272026 categorically said that the Form 6 has neither been physically or online.
22:35It has not been altered. It has not been altered. And the Election Commission is well within its jurisdiction to
22:40add and lecture.
22:42So why make a mountain out of a moulin? And yes, if you look at social media, Gaurav, you are
22:49somebody who has a very good knack of the social media narrative.
22:54It is clear. 1, 3, 13 crore voters were never deleted. There is a difference between the draft roll and
23:03the final electoral roll.
23:06And if Rahul Gandhi fails to understand this nuance, it is not the BJP's problem.
23:12And Rahul Gandhi very quickly, very quickly got a 50 second.
23:15The biggest challenge is to say, how is it that Prime Minister Modi is not suffering anti-incumbency?
23:22So in 22nd, Gaurav, the Congress ruled Madhya Pradesh for 43 years, Orisha for 41 years, Pihar for 37 years,
23:32Uttar Pradesh for 19 years, Goa for 16 years, Tamil Nadu for 20 years, and Gujarat for 25 years.
23:40So, BJP didn't say that it is virtually the problem that Rahul Gandhi is a sore loser.
23:49Fair enough.
23:50I have directly raised a point about Rahul Gandhi.
23:53Adal Singh Bhoparai, wear your legal hat and respond to the legal points and political points raised by Sanju Verma,
24:00the two of you, before I bring in Rajat Sethi.
24:01Go ahead, sir.
24:03Let's test Ms. Verma's hypothesis.
24:07She casually uses the word reckless aggregation.
24:11If Indian Express has made reckless allegations against the Chief Election Commissioner, then why has he not availed his legal
24:18remedies?
24:18Let's test it for the sake of argument.
24:21Let's assume what Ms. Verma is saying is correct, that Indian Express has made reckless allegations.
24:26Is there a defamation suit?
24:28Is there some kind of police command?
24:31Nothing, however, number one.
24:33Number two, the more critical part here.
24:35Please understand this.
24:37Ms. Verma, perhaps I will ignore her ignorance.
24:40Under Article 324 of the Constitution of India and as interpreted by the Supreme Court, the Chief Election Commissioner is
24:49first amongst the equals.
24:51He is on the same pedestal as the other ECs.
24:57The moment he completes his point, ma'am, I am coming to you.
25:00Let him just complete his point, I am coming to you.
25:01The other ECs are not rendered ornamental.
25:06Number two, number three, please understand.
25:10You have a scenario where Mr. Gyanesh Kumar is a tool.
25:14Let me again say this.
25:16Gyanesh Kumar is a tool of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister and he has to go.
25:23He will have tender his resignation.
25:26Sir, since you've raised the point, since you've raised the point naming Prime Minister, I wanted to bring in Rajat
25:31Sethi, but I will quickly bring in Sanjeev Verma to respond specifically.
25:34But all the points you made, sir, they will have to test the scrutiny in a court of law.
25:40You know, political allegations, yes, but court of law.
25:44But Sanjeev Verma, respond, ma'am.
25:46You know, I really don't care if the Congress spokesperson said, oh, Sanjeev Verma is ignorant.
25:51This is the same spokesperson who said, oh, we are going to be in Maharashtra.
25:55Haji had been in Congress in Maharashtra.
25:57This is the same spokesperson who on a debate said, oh, Haryana, Congress will be big.
26:02Today he has a nice big side of the community in space.
26:05Haji had been in Congress in Haryana.
26:07So Mr. Goparai, your credibility is Z-E-R-O-0.
26:10So please have that smirk, but understand that you and your party have not covered yourself in glory.
26:16Now come to the limited point, Gaurav.
26:18What is the biggest allegation against the CEC and its team?
26:24Rahul Gandhi and the Darbari ecosystem says that the ECI net website can only be accessed by the CEC or
26:32his jane, pehchane hand-waden.
26:36Whereas, the BJP has put this out in public domain.
26:40In Uttar Pradesh, 84 lakh new voters were added in the final role by the ERO via the ERO.
26:50In Tamil Nadu, 27.53 voters were added in the final role via the ECI net by the EROs.
26:59And Gaurav in Bihar, again 21.53 voters were added to the final role via the ECI net.
27:09I want to quickly bring in Rajat Sethi into this conversation now.
27:12I want to bring Rajat Sethi.
27:15Gyanesh Kumar has to go, says the Congress party.
27:19You know, if I go back in history a little.
27:21So, V.S. Sampath was the Chief Election Commissioner in 2014 when BJP came to power.
27:27I think Sunil Arora was the CEC in 2019 and Rajiv Kumar in 2024.
27:33So, is there merit in the BJP saying Congress is unable to win elections and is blaming Vot Chauri?
27:39Or do you find merit in the Congress saying Gyanesh Kumar has to go?
27:42He's been helping the BJP.
27:44He's been match-fixing for the Home Minister and the Prime Minister.
27:48So, Gaurav, I will start off with, you know, first of all, saying that, see, over the past year or
27:54so, ever since 2024 elections,
27:56we have seen that Rahul Gandhiji has been learning the nitty-gritties of electoral role live on camera.
28:03First thing, if you remember in Haryana, he suddenly objected to the fact that how is it possible that in
28:08one household,
28:09you have 600 to 700 voters registered?
28:11And lo and behold, today, he's coming back to the same question that why are 600, 700 people not in
28:17House No. 0?
28:18In fact, we all knew that, you know, while we were debating this issue, this issue was objected by Congress
28:24as an electoral malpractice,
28:26wherein a House No. 0 was allocated to 700 people.
28:30Then the Election Commission had to come out and with a press release saying that this is the methodology.
28:34So, Rahul Gandhiji, I mean, he needs to genuinely understand that there are far too many nuances in this country
28:40which he is not aware of.
28:41He needs to really understand the process before he goes out and objects and starts establishing malified intent on EC.
28:48Before and without any, he had several attempts of proving this in the court of the law and he has
28:54so far not in a single instance been able to produce this, any tangible fact.
28:58Now, also, now moving past Gyanesh, is the CEC, there have been multiple CECs.
29:03We remember, again, Gaurav, that there has been instances where the entire electoral voting machine was called into fraud as
29:12if the entire software can be hacked.
29:13But the election commission, then under a different CEC, actually brought out those election commissions and said that, let us
29:19have an hackathon.
29:20Let us allow the prominent hackers world over to come in and try to hack this machine.
29:25Then all the parties who were giving allegations against the EVM, they chickened out.
29:31Nobody stepped up and said anything.
29:32So, this has become a pattern.
29:34You go after, you know, ECs after ECs and ECs will come and go, but the accusation will remain.
29:41Because at the heart of it, you do not understand the process.
29:44You are not able to prove anything in the courts of law.
29:47And having said all of this, I still maintain if, and there is a very big capital letter if, the
29:53due processes of the election commission's functioning have not been followed, then the responsibility is with the CEC and with
29:59the other two commissions equally.
30:00Exactly. Responsibility is with the CEC to come out and clarify on all the points.
30:05I mean, Caesar's wife has to be above suspicion.
30:08Come out.
30:09But that needs to be established.
30:10Just respond to every allegation that is being leveled.
30:13But Adal Singh Boparai, if I were to take it politically, take for example, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
30:19He is bringing out exactly this point.
30:21First, Rahul Gandhi blamed the EVM.
30:23Now, he is blaming the CEC.
30:26Rahul Gandhi or the Congress Party is being accused of destroying institutions.
30:30And they say, look at statistics.
30:322022, Congress Party contested 399 seats.
30:36In Uttar Pradesh, they won only two.
30:39Lost deposit in 387 seats.
30:41Or the previous election in 2017, which brought Yogi Adityanath to par, Congress contested 114, won 7.
30:49There was no Gyanish Kumar to blame then, sir.
30:52Gaurav, Gaurav, let us not very conveniently shift the goalpost.
30:57Now, let me deal with it one by one.
31:00Rajat is ostensibly aligned with the BJB.
31:03So, therefore, let me have my say.
31:05And he is completely entitled to do so.
31:07I have no difficulty with that.
31:08Number one, is O.P. Ravadji a Congresswoman?
31:12Is Ashok Lavasa ji your congressman?
31:14Is Mr. Qureshi your congressman?
31:17These people have held the positions of CECs and ECs.
31:21And there have been officers beyond reproach of unimpeachable integrity and rectitude.
31:27They have come out and pointed out that there are serious loopholes.
31:32There are serious errors and opacity in the functioning of the current ECI.
31:37It is not the Congress Party.
31:38The Indian Express story is not by the Congress Party.
31:41The Indian Express story, the deduction of the story is unilateralism in the functioning
31:48of the ECI, which has not been disputed or negated even by this half-baked press release of the ECI.
31:57Number one.
31:58Number two, let's look at specifics.
32:00I can also indulge in political point scoring.
32:04Let's look at specifics.
32:05Form 6.
32:07Form 6 is a very important and a crucial document for first-time voters who intend to have themselves included
32:14in the voters.
32:15Now, this form cannot be amended or an additional declaration cannot be inserted by the ECI.
32:22It is not within their jurisdiction.
32:26It has to be done.
32:26Sir, that is also tested in a court of law.
32:28Can I come in?
32:29That is also tested in a court of law and has been responded to.
32:32Sanju Verma wants to come in.
32:34Can I come in on this?
32:35This is not very important.
32:36Sanju Verma.
32:38Gaurav.
32:39This is not fair.
32:41Yes.
32:42Gaurav, I don't wish to be interjected.
33:03You know, Gaurav, I just wish to say one thing.
33:09Oh, is O.P. Rawat a Congress spokesperson?
33:14Says the Congress spokesperson.
33:16Is S.Y. Qureshi a Congress spokesperson?
33:19Says the Congress spokesperson.
33:21Is Ashok Lamaasa a Congress spokesperson?
33:24Says the Congress spokesperson.
33:26Excuse me.
33:27If you have the audacity and the shamelessness to call Gyanesh Kumar a BJP stooge, I say yes.
33:36No, no.
33:37But I am not getting into specifics.
33:38Ma'am, no.
33:39This is not a platform for name-calling.
33:40No, sorry.
33:41Sanju Verma, this is not a platform for name-calling on either side.
33:45I wanted you to respond on merits on Form 6.
33:49We hold people in good honor.
33:53India today does not back either what Congress says or BJP says on individuals.
33:58No, no.
33:59So, I am being very clear about that, Sanju Verma.
34:01I came to you for intervention on Form 6, ma'am.
34:04Specifically.
34:05Okay, Gaurav.
34:06Gaurav.
34:06I heard you, Gaurav.
34:08Gaurav.
34:09You know, I love coming on your debates.
34:11But if the Congress spokesperson can get away by calling Gyanesh Kumar a tool of the BJP and with no
34:16offense to you, you did not interrupt him.
34:19Why are you interrupting him?
34:20I...
34:21Anyway, but let's stay on the substantive issue, ma'am.
34:22She's wasting prime time, Gaurav.
34:24She's wasting prime time.
34:25Please mute her.
34:26Let me make my point.
34:27She's wasting prime time.
34:28I don't want your picture, Mr. Boparai.
34:29Gaurav, my limited point is this.
34:35Do you know who brought in the provision of having booth-level agents in 2008?
34:41It must be Congress party because it's saying that BNOs are either government-
34:46Why do you want to go back to 1950?
34:47Why do you want to go back to 1950?
34:50I want to ask Gaurav.
34:52Okay, give me a moment.
34:54Give me a moment.
34:55I'm going to stay on the substantive issue and I quickly want to bring in Rajat Sethi on this broadcast
35:01because Rajat Sethi, Congress says there is no response on very critical issues by the EC.
35:06The response is either too lame, too little or too late.
35:09There is no clarity.
35:10The Congress says on form 6 changing it was illegal on objection raised by ECs on 14 occasions in 10
35:16months.
35:17No clarity on that or 97-odd names cut off in Goa.
35:21Only 81 may have been added.
35:23But why did the problem come in the first place?
35:26That shows all is not well in the EC.
35:30So, Gaurav, again, going to the substantive points, we need to understand that the Constitution itself and several Supreme Court
35:38judgments have laid the enormous powers that is being given to the Election Commission through the Article 324.
35:46Article 324 is called a reservoir of power.
35:49That's the amount of power and the residual power that resides with the Election Commission.
35:54This topic of residual power was also brought in when this Bihar SIR was tabled before the Supreme Court.
36:01And there has been no adverse remarks that was made by the Supreme Court on this specific issue.
36:05The form per se has not been changed.
36:07There is a declaration which has been attached because there is an SIR process which is a live process in
36:12order to ensure that there are no leakages in the system.
36:16This declaration was slapped alongside the main form 6.
36:20So, there is no substantive changes.
36:22And also keep in mind that philosophically from the constitutional provisions, enormous reservoir of powers remain in Article 324.
36:29And this has been well-established in the MSGL versus Union of India versus the Election Commission.
36:36Okay.
36:37You know, because the specific point, the Election Commission has also, Adil Singh Bhoparai, clarified on this point 6.
36:44The EC says, there is no change to form 6.
36:48The requirement relating to the linkage with parents or grandparents was introduced as an additional declaration along with the existing
36:57approved form.
36:59Form 6.
37:00The ECI's position is that attaching a separate declaration does not amount to altering the statutory form.
37:07Now, wear your legal hat, sir.
37:09Does this pass legal scrutiny?
37:12Gaurav, you can verify this after this debate rule.
37:15Now, please understand where does form 6 derive its legal sanctity.
37:20Form 6 derived its legal sanctity from the registration of Elector's Rules 1960.
37:27It is a statutory form.
37:29In other words, it is a pro forma.
37:31Sanjeev Verma, I'll come to you to respond.
37:33Let him complete his point, ma'am.
37:34I'm coming to you.
37:35Let him respond.
37:36Go on, sir.
37:37Form 6 is a statutory pro forma form.
37:41Number 1.
37:42Number 2.
37:43Even the Supreme Court at the time of the Bihar election, at the time of the Bengal election said,
37:48please do not go beyond the statutory framework.
37:51Point number 2.
37:52Point number 3.
37:54Mr. Sandhu, and as revealed by the Indian Express says,
37:57raises an objection that when you seek an amendment or an additional declaration, it puts a burdensome or an unerous
38:06obligation on an elector to disclose whether his parent or his grandparent was part of the earlier SIR or not.
38:14You need to amend the rules, have it amended by the government and then thereafter it has to be parliamentary.
38:20Did he object in a meeting?
38:24Do we need more clarity that whether this objection was subsequently, you know, was it his objection alone?
38:31Was it 2 is to 1?
38:32Was it 1 is to 2?
38:34All of that, we need more clarity.
38:36Sanju Verma wants to come in because opposition Sanju Verma is clearly not satisfied with the clarification of the EC.
38:43Should the CEC and the ECs now hold a press conference and clarify these issues, ma'am?
38:48Can I make a 30 second interjection before you go over?
38:51After Sanju Verma, Sanju Verma responds.
38:53I don't wish to be heckled.
38:55Because when I am speaking, I am heckled and I don't think that it's fair, Gaurav.
39:00Go on, ma'am.
39:00Please, I need my time and I need 2 minutes.
39:04Okay, only Sanju Verma.
39:07Gaurav, this is my friend.
39:08Either you call the BJP and give us time.
39:10Yes, only Sanju Verma.
39:12Go on, ma'am.
39:15On the 27th of May, 2026, the Supreme Court clearly said no alternation of Form 6 has happened.
39:25But if a declaration or an annexure is added, the CEC is well within his jurisdiction to do that.
39:33Point number one.
39:34So, Gyanesh Kumar has not violated any rule or rule and has not overreached his brief.
39:41The second point is this.
39:45People in Rahul Gandhi, they first said that these EVMs are faulty.
39:50The Supreme Court told Rahul Gandhi, EVMs are not faulty.
39:54Then Rahul Gandhi said, Om Dirla, the speaker in Noxon, is being unfair.
40:00They moved a no-confidence motion.
40:02Om Dirla came unscathed and Rahul Gandhi had a nice big fat omelet on his face.
40:08They even passed a no-confidence motion in August 2023 against Prime Minister Modi's government ahead of Lok Sabha 2024.
40:17Again, that no-confidence motion was defeated on the floor of the House.
40:21So, what am I trying to say?
40:22I am trying to tell you that each time Rahul Gandhi loses an election, he starts shouting more story.
40:29Tell me, Gaurav, after winning the CLM election in 2026, Rahul Gandhi said,
40:35But after the BJP won Bengal, he said,
40:38Now, it remains to be seen because this war is all set to escalate.
40:43This war is all set to escalate.
40:44We will be tracking that story.
40:46I want to thank all our guests because there's another big story I'm moving to.
40:49It's in Ujjain where clashes erupted over the demolition of the portion of the Shahi Masjid there.
40:57Now, this portion of the Shahi Masjid was being removed as part of a road-widening project ahead of the
41:032028 Simhast Mahakumbh pilgrimage.
41:08So, members of a certain community watched those images.
41:13They gathered outside the mosque and then, as authorities prepared to carry out the task.
41:20In fact, the Shahar Kazi and elders of the community were themselves doing this.
41:25The mob began pelting stones and clashing with the police.
41:29The police had to use tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
41:32But there's another aspect for it.
41:33The crowd put women in burqas in front and then targeted the police.
41:38And then they used social media to spread rumours.
41:41Much more on this big story.
41:43First, let's report.
41:48Tensions gripped Ujjain as members of the Muslim community gathered in large numbers
41:52to oppose the demolition of a portion of the Shahi Masjid.
41:57The demolition is part of a road-widening project as a portion of the mosque falls in the way.
42:06The 9.8 crore road-widening project is aimed at easing traffic in Ujjain for the Simhasta
42:11Kumbh pilgrimage in 2028.
42:14But as the authorities prepared for the removal of the affected portion of the Shahi Masjid on Monday,
42:19a mob collected outside the premises.
42:23What followed was stone pelting,
42:26clashes with the police
42:29and the use of tear gas to disperse the mob.
42:33More than 2,000 police personnel were deployed.
42:36Barricades were placed around the mosque
42:37and at least 10 persons detained by the police.
43:08This is an epicenter.
43:18authorities have pointed out that the demolition work was initiated by the mosque
43:22committee itself but certain miscreants attempted to create disturbance
43:31.
43:32.
43:32.
43:32.
43:40foreign
43:43foreign
43:46foreign
44:09While one section of the Muslim community started removing the affected part of the mosque
44:13themselves, another group objected to the voluntary demolition. Ujjayan city Kazi has appealed
44:19to members of the Muslim community to maintain peace and not to pay heed to rumors, stressing
44:24that the issue had already been resolved.
44:47The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed an appeal challenging the proposed demolition,
44:51taking note of an agreement reached between the mosque management and the municipal cooperation.
44:58As part of this road-widening drive, a portion of Chief Minister Mohan Yadar's ancestral home
45:02that was obstructing the project has also been demolished.
45:14And joining me on this special broadcast is Maulana Sajid Rashidi, he is the President
45:18of All India Imam Association.
45:20Also with me is Dr. Vikram Singh, former Director General of the Uttar Pradesh Police, someone
45:24who has dealt with situations like this in the past.
45:27Maulana Sahab, when the temple was removed from 10 temples or the Atikraman was removed,
45:34there was no doubt.
45:36When the mosque was removed from the mosque, there was no doubt.
45:41The 벽 isabar Trump and the site was leaving between the
45:50two of them.
45:50There are a few more people who have been watching with the Uttar Pradesh.
45:52Why are they doing this?
45:53What is that?
45:58We have to understand this.
46:03There is a couple of days before the the Ghandi forced protest to be wrought.
46:08The post was silent.
46:09The meeting was back.
46:12heartland
46:13.
46:13.
46:15।
46:15.
46:18।
46:40.
46:42and my question is that you have told yourself that the temple also
46:46and the community of the community also has no problem.
46:50Only the temple also has no problem.
46:52This is the biggest question that you should return.
46:55Yes.
46:56Yes.
46:57Yes.
46:59Yes.
47:00Yes.
47:04Yes.
47:05Let me get Dr. Vikram Singh to respond to this.
47:07Dr. Vikram Singh,
47:08we need clarity on this subject, sir.
47:12For the simple reason,
47:13if 10 temples can be removed for the road widening for the Mahakum in 2028
47:22and there is no problem with that.
47:24If a Muslim Masjid can be removed, no problem.
47:28Why is it that only when Shahi Masjid is being tackled
47:32and as per law, then women are put in front and violence starts?
47:38Good evening, Gaurav Ji.
47:40This is very much on expected lines.
47:42You would see that this is a pattern.
47:43A pattern in the sense that first you agreed to the proposal
47:46and Khaliqur Rahman Sahab, the Sheher Kazi, also was privy to the understanding
47:51that happened late in the evening.
47:52But yes, it was just a ruse perhaps to buy time.
47:56And when the actual demolition did start, a few sane-minded people of the community,
48:01they started the demolition of the part of the Shahi Masjid on their own.
48:06And I salute their sense of judgment and propriety.
48:09But there were mischief makers also who not only assaulted women police officers
48:13and also Prabha Ji, who was the inspector of the crime branch, also got seriously injured.
48:19And also there were others who were seriously injured.
48:23Now, this is totally on expected lines.
48:25Wherever you would see such problems, the women would be in front,
48:28whether it is the anti-CAA agitation or others.
48:30And Maulana Rashiri, I wonder if he is listening to me or not.
48:33But the fact of the matter is that he put more questions to you than he answered.
48:37And the question, I would have been very satisfied.
48:39Maulana Sahab, you have 10 years.
48:41I have made a great deal for you.
48:43빠-paabs Isa is there.
48:44Yeah, I know.
48:45I hope sl Jar支 right there.
48:47That's how it's not going on in just the question.
49:00That allows保持, I don't know.
49:03However, you have to have the dutyiend for a private reminder,
49:04whether or not enough people believe,
49:05I Strongman.
49:05I didn't expect albo in regret or there is a decision.
49:07In this case�� конт tendon.
49:07No one at all has to follow up.
49:07No one would bring deform law from taking its own course.
49:09Go wrong.
49:11No, this eventual bakın does not finish the law.
49:12That was a great deal on the podium that there will explain.
49:13and this is how Dr. Vikram Singh said that a plan has been made
49:17that we will go ahead and then we will go back and then we will go back.
49:22In 2020, later in Kaur Rajji, the police have seen it and now we will see it in Madhya Pradesh.
49:32My name is Vikram Singh Singh and I want to say that these people,
49:41they can do this because they will like to get a stamp by my government within the rest of this
49:56now
49:56to aid them.
50:11You make this promise.
50:11। । । । । । ।
50:44। । ।
51:17। । ।
51:43। । । । ।
51:57। । ।
52:29। ।
52:53।
52:54।
53:01।
53:13foreign
53:17foreign
53:19foreign
53:20foreign
53:20foreign
53:27foreign
53:33foreign
53:34foreign
53:41foreign
53:45foreign
53:47foreign
53:47foreign
53:53foreign
53:55foreign
53:56foreign
53:56foreign
53:58foreign
53:59I would like to say that you don't have to say that you don't have to say that.
54:41foreign
54:41foreign
54:41foreign
54:54This is something that the administration now says they've identified the outsiders.
55:06Five people have been taken into custody.
55:08They've identified the social media influencers who tried to create unrest.
55:14Some of them have been taken into custody.
55:16There are others who will be taken into custody.
55:19Those who are found to be fomenting trouble.
55:21And that's a story we'll be tracking very closely.
55:23I want to thank Dr. Vikram Singh and Maulana Sajid Rashidi for joining me here on India First.
55:28That is all I have for you on this special broadcast.
55:30Many thanks for watching.
55:31News and updates continue on India Today.
55:33Stay with us.