- 24 minutes ago
A protest was held at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), the demonstration called for the scrapping of the exercise and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Organisers Abhijit Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were joined by actor-activist Prakash Raj, who criticised the revision. The CJP claimed that more than 13 crore names had been deleted across 20 states and Union Territories. Protesters also held a People’s Tribunal and announced a slipper protest before their planned march to Delhi.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome. Good evening. You're watching Super 6 here on India Today. I'm Akshra Tananda Gopal.
00:04It's been a day of dharanas, of protests. I'm talking about all that's playing out across the country
00:11as the Congress, the opposition is upping the ante against the CEC.
00:15And on Super 6 this evening, we're giving you a sense of the protests that are taking place right now
00:20in Delhi
00:20where Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are currently at Rajkart.
00:23Unlike yesterday, unlike the day before, they've been allowed to go inside
00:27and they're currently on their dharana there. We'll get you those live updates.
00:31But that's not the only update coming your way on Super 6.
00:34The other dharana we're focusing on is the one that took place today in Bengaluru
00:38where you had the CJP leading a stir against the CEC, a trailer, they say, of sorts,
00:44of what to expect on Saturday when CJP is planning this massive stir in the national capital, in Jantar Mantar.
00:50We'll get you all the live updates, reports on what each of these protests look like
00:55and what's happening on the ground across the country.
00:58We'll begin with the headlines.
01:04Day 3 of dharana of drama in Delhi.
01:08India Bloc MPs at Rajkart pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
01:11Heavy police deployment in the capital.
01:13Opposition MPs adamant on CEC.
01:16Dyanesh Kumar's resignation.
01:22Rahul and Priyanka booked for assaulting cops.
01:25F.I.R. also against Congress workers over violence.
01:28BJP launched a scathing attack on Rahul.
01:30Asks, is this how Rahul smashes the patriarchy?
01:38Prime Minister Modi attacks opposition at the India Mobile Congress.
01:43As those who looted earlier don't like Modi.
01:46Assets, let them cry out loud.
01:47I will continue my crackdown.
01:55After Elon Musk claimed that his satellite broadband company Starlink
01:59was being blocked by certain oligarchs in India.
02:03Akash Ambani speaks to India today.
02:05Says focused on ensuring every Indian has internet access.
02:09Comments to make on the first one.
02:11We want to be our heads down and deliver values to our Indian consumers.
02:20Veteran actor Nana Patikar passes away at the age of 75.
02:24Last strides to take place this evening in Pune.
02:27As tributes pour in from across the country.
02:44It's a repeat of what we saw yesterday.
02:46A lunch meet followed by a march.
02:49A protest march.
02:50A flash protest, if you will.
02:51The opposition MPs once again coming together.
02:54But the difference this time is that they've been allowed to protest at the Rajgat.
02:58So as we speak, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Malik Karjum Kargay are inside Rajgat.
03:04They're being allowed to sit there on their protest and will be allowed inside with a handful of Congress leaders
03:12who are all right now staging that protest.
03:14Along with them are some other members of the India bloc.
03:17It's a symbolic protest.
03:19They're saying it's a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
03:21And we will ensure that our democratic right to protest is upheld.
03:25So as Congress, as the opposition attempts to put pressure for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
03:31The kind of scenes that we witnessed yesterday of protests, of drama, of detentions.
03:36None of that playing out today.
03:37Yes, massive security on ground.
03:39But the Delhi police has given permission to Rahul Gandhi, to Priyanka Gandhi and to a handful of opposition leaders
03:45to visit Rajgat and to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi as their form of protest.
03:50As we get you those images from inside Rajgat, where you've got these opposition leaders
03:55who've in fact paid their tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
03:58It looks like overall, compared to yesterday, things are much more peaceful in the national capital today.
04:04No detentions that have been placed.
04:07Largely, the Delhi police are also telling the opposition leaders that,
04:10look, if you cooperate with us, follow the rules and we allow you to protest in one particular pocket,
04:15you follow that, there will be no detentions.
04:17Anjali Pandey is joining me live.
04:19She's been covering these protests through the day.
04:21She's joining us live from outside Rajgat.
04:23Anjali, largely peaceful today compared to yesterday.
04:26No detentions, no drama playing out on the streets.
04:29A handful of them, we understand, are inside Rajgat right now.
04:38Well, absolutely, Akshata, the visuals and the scenes that we are witnessing today
04:43are very different from what we saw in the last two days.
04:46It's much calmer, much peaceful than the last two days.
04:51The reason is that, the difference today is that they were allowed to move to Rajgat.
04:56They wanted to move to Rajgat.
04:58They were allowed to do so.
04:59There were no detentions.
05:00There were no hurdles that they had to face.
05:02And that has made all the difference.
05:04And that is why the leaders, the opposition MPs, are inside the Rajgat.
05:07They are paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
05:09They will be sitting there for half an hour or so.
05:11We spoke to some of the Congress workers who are waiting outside.
05:14They are staging peaceful protests outside Rajgat.
05:17And they were telling us how they were anticipating that they will be stopped.
05:21And that is why a huge number of workers had gathered.
05:24Because they were anticipating that once they will be stopped,
05:27that is when they will be staging a dharna.
05:29That is when they will be protesting.
05:30But nothing of that sort happened.
05:32So, today it was the cops that gave them a surprise.
05:35Every time we've been seeing how Rahul Gandhi has been surprising the cops.
05:39But today, it was the cops turn to surprise the opposition MPs.
05:43Because this is not something which they were expecting.
05:45They thought that even today they will be stopped.
05:47There will be confrontation that will be taking place the way we saw yesterday
05:51when they were stopped from going to Jantar Mantra.
05:53But nothing of that sort happened today.
05:54So, what we are learning after talking to some of the Congress workers
05:57is that it is highly unlikely that any sort of drama will now be taking place
06:03once the leaders get outside.
06:04They were telling us that the leaders will simply pay tribute.
06:09They will come out and they will go back to their homes.
06:12Tomorrow is when more action could take place.
06:15Tomorrow also the opposition is likely to stage protests.
06:18So, for now, the scenes are calm.
06:21The scenes are peaceful.
06:22They are peacefully protesting.
06:24And not much of a drama is what we are expecting even to take place in the coming hours.
06:29I'll just highlight that the images on our screens are the latest images of the opposition leaders
06:32who have been allowed inside Rajgat.
06:35And only a handful of India bloc leaders who are their representatives of different political parties,
06:40the Gandhis themselves, are all inside Rajgat right now.
06:44Now, you can see Jairam Ramesh, Sanjay, no, I'm sorry, that's Pawan Khera, Jairam Ramesh
06:49and a handful of other leaders that I'll identify for you shortly.
06:52Because the top leadership of the Congress is right now there staging a symbolic protest at Rajgat.
07:00Now, unlike yesterday where there was no permission given there to sit down in front of Jantar Mantar
07:06and then were taken away, paraded away by the Delhi police, none of that playing out today.
07:10The Delhi police instead saying that, yes, we will ensure a sea of security,
07:14but you will be allowed to go inside Rajgat.
07:17There are also a number of advisories, traffic advisories that have been put in place in the national capital
07:22because, mind you, this is in the heart of Delhi.
07:25Therefore, the last three days, these protests have also led to traffic disruptions.
07:30But the opposition has made it clear that they're going to continue.
07:32Three days and counting.
07:34Tomorrow as well, they're planning a mega protest.
07:36Amit, run us through what you're seeing around you.
07:39So, you know, it's interesting that the Delhi police, third time around, decided to say,
07:43okay, we're going to let you protest.
07:50Yes, that was the clearance given by Delhi police.
07:54But I will still wait for Rahul Gandhi and India block leaders, you know,
07:59that visual of them stepping out of Rajgat.
08:02Ideally, it is already time for the leaders to leave Rajgat.
08:06I can see some carcades making movement from here.
08:09But we do not know.
08:10Okay, this is, I believe, the carcade escort vehicles of the...
08:26Live there, just caught a brief bit in Malayalam, where he said that this is just the beginning.
08:31There's no question of our movement ending right now.
08:34We'll get you the detailed reaction in just a bit.
08:36Senior Congress leaders making it very clear that just because they were allowed to protest at Rajgat
08:41doesn't mean that their movement comes to an end now, that this is just the beginning.
08:46Rahul Gandhi, earlier today speaking, said very clearly.
08:48Okay, let's get you Pawan Khaira's reaction.
09:20The India block protest will be continuing, and if his masters Modi and Amit Shah are going for
09:29protest to Ganesh Kumar, they will also sink along with Ganesh Kumar.
09:34We are proceeding with resolve and determination.
09:48We are going to track all the latest reactions that are coming in, but the Congress making it very, very
10:03clear.
10:03In all of those interactions, all the Syria leaders are saying one thing only.
10:07Regards and respects to the father of the nation.
10:09Since we are working the principles, the ideology shown by the great Mahatma Gandhi,
10:13Mahatma Gandhi has always spoken about Satyagraha.
10:17Satyagraha teaches us two things.
10:18That if you are to follow that path, you have to shed two fears in life.
10:22One is the fear of going to prison, two fears of dying.
10:25So if we take the path, Satyagraha, first, Satyagraha is going to be...
10:32...regards of the agency and all the institutions, they have successfully bounced in.
10:37But what I want to tell you is that the number of people that have come out to the world
10:42yesterday,
10:43and the kind of people that have been pouring onto the streets from the last two months,
10:47especially from the time Bengal's results have come to the fourth months,
10:51is not only surprising, it shows us what the heritage of the country is.
10:55My last report, my books are so much, much, much, much, much of the day.
10:58If I don't doubt...
10:59We're going to get you that reaction from Abhishek Banerjee.
11:02We're having a bit of a problem there with Amit's network.
11:05But he was getting us that exclusive conversation with Abhishek Banerjee.
11:08The opposition making it very clear that they're going to continue their fight
11:11for the removal, the resignation of CEC, Gyanesh Kumar.
11:16And so tomorrow, you're going to see another protest by the opposition.
11:19What will that look like?
11:20Will it be a lunch followed by a march in the heart of the national capital?
11:23We don't really know.
11:25But now, with the Congress leaders and the opposition being allowed to enter Rajgat for today,
11:32it looks like the protest has ended.
11:34Unfortunately, with no drama, no detentions, none of that playing out.
11:38The Delhi police allowed them to enter.
11:40They've gone in.
11:41They've paid their tribute to Mahatma Gandhi as a form of protest, essentially.
11:46Let's get you more reaction.
11:54Okay, we'll keep dipping in and out as those live reactions come in from Congress leaders.
12:00They're all making their way out of Rajgat.
12:02And I think the question everyone's asking is, what is the plan for tomorrow?
12:06Tomorrow, the Congress is saying we will hit the streets once again.
12:09Will it be another lunch plus protest?
12:12We don't really know.
12:13Where will they plan the agitation?
12:15We don't know.
12:15The Delhi police also is on standby, which is why you see this massive deployment now for the last two
12:21days.
12:21It's going to continue tomorrow as well in the national capital because they want to be prepared in case the
12:27opposition decides to go ahead with another protest.
12:29And mind you, Saturday is also the CJP star in the national capital.
12:33So it's going to be a week of protests of Dharna say in Delhi.
12:37Some of them being allowed like this one.
12:39But in all other circumstances, it's led to an ugly, ugly showdown with even claims of assaults by both sides,
12:46which we'll tell you about in just a bit.
12:48But sticking to those live updates, Anjali, as we're getting in images and reactions from leaders who are making their
12:54way out of Rajgat,
12:55they're saying very clearly that just because we were allowed to protest today doesn't mean it's the end of our
13:00movement,
13:01that this is just the beginning, as they put it.
13:03Any details that have emerged about what tomorrow's plan is?
13:21So as the leaders have made it clear that though they have been allowed to protest today,
13:26so it was a peaceful day, no detentions have also taken place, but this is not the end of it.
13:30They refuse to let this issue die down.
13:33They've clearly stated that they want the ouster of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
13:37They want the resignation.
13:39They've also sought an appointment with the President over this matter.
13:44So the protest will continue.
13:46Tomorrow is the 9th of October.
13:48Then day after tomorrow, it's the 10th when the CJP protest is also slated.
13:52Tomorrow is what we are learning is that when a mega opposition protest can take place.
13:56Remember yesterday, Akshita, there were questions being raised on the opposition unity.
14:00People were saying that Samajwadi Party is missing.
14:03There are no senior leaders from the other allies of the India bloc.
14:07But today, that was not the case.
14:09There were representatives from the Samajwadi Party.
14:11There were representatives from the TMC.
14:14In fact, Abhishek Banerjee himself was there.
14:16And as you can see behind me, the bus has started moving.
14:20The MPs have once again boarded the bus.
14:22They're now leaving from the Rajghat.
14:24And the bus has now started moving.
14:26No drama took place.
14:28No protest that was staged by the opposition MPs.
14:31They clearly stated that because they were allowed to today reach Rajghat.
14:36And hence, there was no confrontation that took place.
14:40But they've also made it clear that just because they were allowed,
14:42just because things were peaceful today, does not mean that the protest has ended.
14:46The protest will continue tomorrow.
14:48And as you can see behind me, this is the bus in which MPs have boarded.
14:52But now we can't see Rahul Gandhi inside this bus.
14:59We're assuming that he must have left in his private vehicle along with his security.
15:05So as you can see, this was the bus.
15:07Jairam Ramesh can be seen in this bus.
15:09Jairam Ramesh is sitting here.
15:11And so the buses have started leaving along with the MPs.
15:15And there are two more buses.
15:17So in total, there were three buses, just like yesterday, that had come to Rajghat.
15:21But the route was very different.
15:23The venue was different.
15:24And what happened along the route was very different.
15:27Unlike yesterday, there was nobody stopping the MPs.
15:30That was really surprising, even for the MPs,
15:33because they themselves had not expected this to happen.
15:35So what happened today is not what was strategized or what was on the cards.
15:41This is not something that the MPs had expected.
15:43They themselves are very surprised.
15:45But it was a peaceful day.
15:47And of course, the hat-trick of detention of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi-Wadra
15:51did not happen for the last two days.
15:53And he's been daring the cops.
15:55He's been saying, let them bring on the FIRs.
15:57I'm counting them as if they're medals.
16:00And so he's made it very clear that the FIRs don't disturb him or affect him in any way.
16:06Anjali, continuing to get us those updates.
16:08Let's get you an explosive conversation now with Abhishek Banerjee.
16:14The message is very clear.
16:19The vote chodi has come into the forefront.
16:21And the allegation that the political parties have been raising from the last one year
16:25are the very allegation the chief election commissioners,
16:28the election commissioners are raising against the CEC.
16:31So we, at the opposition, 300 opposition MPs have been trying to meet the chief election commissioner
16:36from the day before yesterday.
16:37They are stopping us.
16:39Yesterday also, the designated protest site, which is the Jantar Mantar,
16:42the opposition MPs assembled there to sit on a peaceful protest.
16:46They were dragged from there.
16:47Women were pulled by their hair.
16:49We have seen those visuals.
16:50Today we have come to pay our respects and our deepest regards and respects to the father of the nation.
16:59Since we are walking in the principles and the ideology shown by the great Mahatma Gandhi,
17:03Mahatma Gandhi has always spoken about Satyagraha.
17:06Satyagraha teaches us two things.
17:08That if you are to follow that path, you have to shed two fears in life.
17:12One is the fear of going to prison.
17:14Two is the fear of dying.
17:15So if we are to take that path of Satyagraha, every person needs to understand that these two fears need
17:21to be shed.
17:22BJP can only bully you by showing their might with regard to the agencies and all the institutions they have
17:28successfully homogenized.
17:30But what I want to tell you is that the number of people that have come onto the streets today
17:36and the kind of people that have been pouring onto the streets from the last two months, three months,
17:40especially from the time Bengal's results have come to the forefront, is not only surprising,
17:46it shows us what the reality of the country is.
17:48My last resort, my vote is also being stolen by the government of the day.
17:52If I don't come and hit the streets and fight for my own right, nothing will be left for tomorrow.
18:01Okay, so we'll continue getting you those reactions, but also putting the focus on those images that have come in
18:07now of Rahul Gandhi inside Raj Ghat.
18:10Let's get you more reactions before I focus on those images.
18:40Telling on our Chief Minister Revant Reddy also speaking.
18:42Remember, there's an SIR controversy playing out in his state.
18:46He's currently in Delhi and a part of that protester at Raj Ghat that has now concluded.
18:56No drama, no detentions taking place today.
18:59But let me put the focus on what happened yesterday because it led to a full-fledged political fight
19:04with allegations of assault from both sides.
19:07While, in fact, the Gandhis yesterday claimed that they were assaulted, they were being dragged by the Delhi police,
19:14the Delhi police, on the other hand, has put out videos to say that their personnel,
19:18their women personnel, were targeted by, in fact, the Congress workers.
19:22There's also a video that's gone viral since of Rahul Gandhi shoving, pushing a woman police officer.
19:28The Delhi police, therefore, is analyzing videos amid allegations that several of its personnel were assaulted during that stir.
19:35An F.I.R. has been registered against Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi for assault of police personnel
19:40and for obstruction of police work.
20:04A protest, a street showdown, assault, abuse, torn uniforms and a war of words.
20:13Opposition protest against election commission has exploded into another political storm.
20:20Serious allegations are flying from both sides and now Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi-Wadra face an F.I.R.
20:30At the center of this firestorm is what the cameras captured and what each side says they show.
20:37The BJP alleged that Rahul Gandhi inappropriately touched a woman police officer during the confrontation.
20:45Rahul Gandhi has the audacity to lecture about smash the patriarchy and, on the other hand,
20:52he engages in such indecent behavior.
20:57Disgrace on Rahul Gandhi for insulting the dignity of a woman
21:02and if he has any sense of shame or guilt left, Rahul Gandhi should apologize immediately.
21:17The Congress is accusing police of brutality against party leaders
21:22and claims that Priyanka Gandhi was scratched by police personnel.
21:25This is how they treat members of parliament
21:29who are asking simply to meet the election commissioner.
21:33This is how they treat us.
21:34They are beating members of parliament.
21:37Their police members have scratched me all over.
21:40They have thrown us to the ground
21:41and now we are not going to move from here.
21:55The Delhi police personnel have allegations of their own.
22:14Constable Ankit Kasana claims he was surrounded by 35 to 40 people, abused and assaulted.
22:21The police have booked Congress leaders for allegedly assaulting police personnel
22:38and are now analyzing the video.
23:03The cameras captured the confrontation.
23:06The police filed cases.
23:08And with more dharna's plan in the capital against CEC Gyanesh Kumar,
23:13Delhi is set for more face-offs.
23:16Bureau Report, India Today.
23:40They were allowed inside, a handful of them at least, were allowed inside to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
23:50This, they say, is their form of protest putting forward the message that they will ensure that their right to
23:57protest is upheld
23:58and that Mahatma Gandhi's ideals are upheld as well, which they say is about truth, about honesty.
24:04And so the demand being put forward by the opposition is that CEC Gyanesh Kumar must resign.
24:09There are questions about what really tomorrow will look like because the opposition says we'll continue our protest.
24:14Remember, there's also a demand from them to meet with President Draupadi Murmu and hand over a memorandum once again
24:22seeking action against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
24:25So we'll have to see if, in fact, that permit is given if President Murmu accommodates them in her schedule
24:30tomorrow,
24:31in which case it's going to be another politically power-packed day in the national capital.
24:36But you've seen the last few days how the Congress seems to have changed their strategy as far as the
24:42attack on the Election Commission, the CEC, is concerned.
24:45You've got Rahul Gandhi leading from the front in protest politics.
24:49And it's taking a different shape from surprise sit-ins to sudden change of locations.
24:55The opposition's protests are increasingly built around an element of surprise.
24:59And Rahul Gandhi seems to have decided this is the way he's now going to take up issues.
25:22Two detentions in 24 hours.
25:25Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were detained by Delhi police again on Tuesday before being released within hours.
25:32But this time, the protests did not start with a march.
25:36It began with a lunch.
25:38India bloc leaders had gathered for lunch in central Delhi.
25:43It was a routine political meeting until the leaders suddenly got into buses and the lunch turned into a flash
25:51protest.
25:52No long march announcement, no elaborate build-up.
25:56Just a sudden change of plan and a protest on the streets.
26:04In fact, this was a second surprise move in 48 hours.
26:10Just a day earlier, the opposition's march to the Election Commission had been stopped.
26:15Police had barricaded the route.
26:18Priyanka boarded a bus.
26:20Rahul was about to follow.
26:21Then, the Gandhis suddenly changed direction.
26:25They dashed towards Akashbhani Bhavan, a move that caught police off guard and even surprised some Congress leaders.
26:33The detour turned into another city.
26:36But this surprise formula had been used before.
26:40On July 21st, Congress MPs were initially called to Mallika Arjun Khargay's residence.
26:47Then came the real plan.
26:49Rahul Gandhi and party leaders suddenly marched towards the Prime Minister's residence.
26:58A flash sit-in outside 7, Lok Kalyan Mark.
27:03Police moved in and Rahul was detained.
27:12Another unexpected move came on August 21st.
27:16Rahul Gandhi walked into Parliament Street Police Station with student Sahil Lochab
27:21and demanded FIR over alleged pellet gun injuries.
27:25When the FIR wasn't immediately registered, Rahul sat down outside the station.
27:31Priyanka Gandhi and opposition leaders soon joined him.
27:35Seven hours later, the FIR was registered.
27:42From the Prime Minister's residence to a police station to Akashbhani Bhavan.
27:48And now, another flash protest after a lunch meeting.
27:52Different locations, different triggers, but the same political playbook.
27:57For Rahul Gandhi and the opposition, the element of surprise is now becoming a key part of the protest strategy.
28:05We had a report, India Today.
28:10It wasn't just in Delhi that we saw protests on the issue of C.C. Gyanesh Kumar and with the
28:16demand of his resignation.
28:17While the opposition led that protest in Delhi, these were the images in Bengaluru's Freedom Park,
28:23where you had the CGP leading this massive protest at the Freedom Park in Bengaluru.
28:28And so this is the latest battleground over the election commission's SIR.
28:32You had the cockroach Janata Party demanding the scrapping of SIR, the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar.
28:39Several people came together for this particular agitation.
28:42But this, CJP says, is just a trailer of what to expect come Saturday in the national capital in Delhi,
28:49where they say much like the neat protest that led to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan,
28:53they will be coming together with a huge crowd staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar.
29:09The slogans grew louder at Bengaluru's Freedom Park,
29:12as protesters turned up to take on the election commission over the special intensive revision of electoral ropes.
29:19The protest was organized by the Kokoro Janta Party,
29:22with Abiji Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka taking center stage.
29:27Actor-activist Prakash Raj also joined the protest.
29:31Prakash Raj hit out at the election commission over SIR,
29:34alleging that the exercise had insulted the entire country.
29:39Prakash Raj to ihre
29:40V depends on the slogan of the international system,
29:44believe Kanasar Mantar,
29:44The employer said that Jantar Mantar,
29:46they have insulted the honour of this country,
30:17The folks have to look at these places.
30:19Most of them have to look at the country's democracy.
30:28It's the democracy of India that has died, not these people because these people are standing here alive.
30:36The CJP points out that the SIR has resulted in the deletion of more than 13 crore people across 20
30:42states and union territories.
30:44Protesters say that the issue is about the basic right of citizens to remain on electoral rolls and exercise their
30:50franchise.
30:51The Freedom Park protest also saw a People's Tribunal where alleged irregularities and revision of voter lists were raised.
30:58And the protest is not ending here. The organizers have announced a slipper protest as the next phase of the
31:04campaign against the election commission.
31:07People are being deleted from the voter list to benefit certain parties and yeah so it is not right.
31:15So we are demanding, we are supporting everybody else who is demanding that this whole SIR process be either it
31:23should become efficient and fair or it should be scrapped totally.
31:47The opposition and civil society groups are demanding the resignation of CC Gyanesh Kumar over the SIR exercise.
31:56But the election commission has rejected all charges so far.
32:00The demand of the people here is quite clear.
32:03Not only the SIR process, even the system of electing the election commissioner should be changed and ensure there is
32:10some kind of fairness and justice to be done.
32:12Nithira Janesh Shivu, Sakairaj reporting for India today from Bengaluru Freedom Park.
32:23There's been a raging controversy over SIR in Telangana as well, with only recently an FIR being filed against a
32:31BJP BLA for filing these Form 7s in Telangana.
32:35And now there's an incident that's come to light where a dead man has filed a Form 7, if that's
32:43even possible, to declare his living wife dead in Hyderabad.
32:47So many questions being asked of how something like this can happen.
32:51The woman is alive, the man passed away and yet the Form 7 has been filed in his name against
32:58the woman saying that she cannot be a part of the voter roll.
33:03The Congress therefore has picked this up to once again question these Form 7 applications, suggesting it's all a conspiracy
33:10to delete several voter names of the minority community in particular,
33:15which the Congress says is an attempt to wipe out those who will not be voting for the BJP.
33:20This incident has taken place in Mushirabad constituency of Hyderabad, the same constituency where you've had, in fact, mass applications
33:29of Form 7 already.
33:30That's been filed with the Election Commission.
33:33In Mushirabad, the Congress has alleged that 248 Form 7 applications had been received and around 60 to 70 percent
33:42of those applications contained blank or incomplete details.
33:45Another allegation by the Congress is that many of these Form 7 applications were pre-printed forms by the BJP
33:51and handed over.
33:53So the controversy continuing to play out in Telangana.
34:00We'll continue tracking the showdown over SIR, but let me also give you all of the other big stories coming
34:06in from the southern states.
34:07In Tamil Nadu, there's a big question mark on whether we're going to see another star enter into politics.
34:13I'm not talking about Dhanush because, yes, that speculation has been going on.
34:17But I'm referring to Sivakarthikeyan, who seems to have set his sight on politics.
34:22Why am I saying that?
34:23Because at a fan club meeting in Chennai, the actor spoke about being a star made by the people and
34:30having a larger purpose in life.
34:31He spoke of unity.
34:33He spoke of his Narpani Mandiram, which is to change the lives of at least a few people, which is,
34:39in fact, the association that he has.
34:41He's invoked the legacies of MGR of Captain Vijay Kant, who's hugely inspired even the likes of Vijay, saying they
34:47use their public standing to do good deeds.
34:50The line and the connect here is also that both MGR and Vijay Kant, of course, tried their hand in
34:57politics.
34:58MGR hugely successful, Vijay Kant not so much.
35:01But Sivakarthikeyan making a mention of them has, in fact, led to questions about whether after Dhanush, he too could
35:08be considering a political plunge.
35:10In which case, Chief Minister Vijay's success in politics seems to have rubbed off on many in the industry.
39:25I have no comments to make on the first one.
39:27We want to be our heads down and deliver values to our Indian consumers.
39:32From my perspective, you know, satellite is one of the technologies that's one of the
39:36biggest use cases is the home broadband, right?
39:39Today, we're making sure that every Indian home broadband has a solution that we're able
39:43to give.
39:44That's not in the future.
39:46That is today.
39:47And satellite is only going to have to express, to really extend those boundaries very, very
39:54quickly.
39:55We're making good progress.
39:57I think we're building an end-to-end indigenous stack.
39:59So, from my perspective, you know, we need to make sure that this technology is on power
40:04with or leading the world.
40:07And that's what we've done with the other technologies that we have launched.
40:11And we're making rapid progress on that.
40:13So, I don't want to give an exact answer of when we will launch.
40:17But what we're promising is that every Indian home will have a broadband connection that
40:21they can connect to.
40:24The other telecom tycoon, Sunil Bharti Mittal of Bharti Airtel, also dismissed Elon Musk's
40:30allegations, saying his own Satcom venture, Utilsat OneWeb, is awaiting approvals to start
40:38operations.
40:42Currently, the government has given licenses to three companies for satellite communication
40:46services in India.
40:48This includes the Musk-led Starlink, Reliance Geo Satcom, and Utilsat OneWeb.
40:56The telecom ministry also issued a statement slamming the allegations made by Elon Musk.
41:06The ministry said its authorization framework was fair and non-discriminatory and that there
41:12could be no compromise with security clearances.
41:15These include safety for all users as well as their data.
41:19It added that the allocation of spectrum may only begin once the security roadblock was
41:25cleared.
41:25The ministry also clarified that all licensees were broadly at the same regulatory stage.
41:34Ironically, Starlink is one of the star invitees to the Indian Mobile Congress.
41:39The government's private industry.
41:41For years, we've been setting the foundation for this same type of relationship structure
41:46here in India.
41:47Establishing MOUs with Airtel, Geo, and more, and working closely with state governments to
41:55listen and learn how Starlink might be able to best serve their communities once it's authorized.
42:00Starlink operations, specifically for India, in recognition of Indian security requirements
42:07and other regulations, establishing controls at every layer for India, and keeping Indian
42:15user data within India.
42:18The social media is meanwhile flooded with memes on Musk in Starlink.
42:24With most users finding the post ironic.
42:28Some were quick to point out that it was amusing to see the world's richest person talk about
42:33allegedly being blocked by oligarchs.
42:37Bureau Report, Business Today TV.
42:44Meanwhile, the Indian stock market witnessed bloodbath.
42:48The sense of crashing over 1,000 points and the nifty plunging below 22,250 to hit a fresh
42:5452-week low.
42:56What's triggered this?
42:57We'll break that down for you.
43:01It was a terrible Thursday for stock markets with a relentless sell-off pushing the nifty
43:06to a fresh 52-week low, wiping out investor wealth and sending shockwaves across the market.
43:13The 50 stock nifty plunged more than 370 points to close near 22,232, while the sensex lost
43:22over 1,000 points as selling intensified across sectors.
43:26The pressure began with relentless selling by foreign institutional investors.
43:31Overseas investors have pulled out nearly $5 billion in just nine trading sessions, adding
43:36to the record exodus from Indian equities this year.
43:39But the decline became even steeper as news came in of Brent crude crossing $105 a barrel.
43:45For an oil importing economy like India, that's bad news for inflation, corporate earnings
43:50and the current account.
43:52Adding to the nervousness, bond deals are climbing across global markets, making fixed income
43:57assets more attractive and putting further pressure on equities.
44:01And the rupee hovering near its record low against the dollar has only deepened the worries.
44:07Whether it is oil, whether it is interest rate across the world, inflation across the world
44:14and thereafter interest rate increased by Fed and now by Indian RBI.
44:19So I think world macros are challenging.
44:24Indian macros are in a good place and improving.
44:30But what we have seen now is basically on the back of an interest rate increase from Fed,
44:35I think RBI has also increased because there are concerns on inflation in India also
44:39and largely to do with the oil prices.
44:42Interestingly, the IT index was the lone bright spot for much of the trading session, pulled
44:47up by optimism around the TCS results which would open the Q2 earnings season.
44:51But even that, defence collapsed in the final minutes of trade as selling pressure dragged
44:56the IT index into negative territory.
44:58By the closing bell, not a single sector had escaped the market route.
45:03On one hand, oil prices have risen and import bills have gone up.
45:08Rupee has fallen.
45:09India's exports have fallen.
45:11And as a result of rising imports and falling exports, you have a further strain on the rupee.
45:18On the other hand, domestically, you've had a number of, you know, local factors,
45:23you know, unnecessary points such as insurance industry trying to bring down the pricing,
45:28brokerage industry, STT rates being high, hospitals, you know, talking about putting a pricing cap.
45:36Now, for companies to invest, we need certain amount of stability and clarity.
45:40So, I think domestic factors too have contributed.
45:43And third, strategically is, you know, innovation on a broad scale across any big sector
45:49has remained fairly subdued in India.
45:52So far, investors have lost around 11 lakh crore rupees in October in just five trading sessions.
45:57So, is the worst over?
46:00The immediate outlook remains fragile.
46:02Markets will closely track crude oil prices, global bond deals, the rupee and foreign investor flows.
46:08Unless oil prices cool and FII selling eases, any recovery could struggle to sustain.
46:14For now, the message from Dalal Street is clear.
46:17The bears are firmly in control and the next test for the market may be just around the corner.
46:23Bureau Report, Business Today TV.
46:28And let's hope things look up tomorrow.
46:30Thanks very much for tuning in to this edition of Super 6.
46:33I'll see you same time, 6pm tomorrow.
46:36Cheers.