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Mallikarjun Kharge's 'Khushiyon ka Eid' remark sparks row; Israel's govt formation battle
Transcript
00:00Hello and welcome you watching India First. I'm Gaurav Savant.
00:03Let me begin by wishing you and your family a very happy Diwali and a prosperous new year ahead.
00:10This Diwali, the political fireworks have come from the Congress Party President Malikarjun Karge.
00:16Now while extending Diwali greetings to all, the Congress President ended up using a reference to Eid.
00:23He said, and I quote,
00:44He said, I extend my Diwali greetings to all.
00:47It's a major festival celebrated by all across the country.
00:50Essentially, it's a grand celebration of joy, a festival of Eid.
00:55One that spans a long period of time.
00:58And this Eid reference has given the BJP ammunition to hit out at the Congress and say,
01:06they are accusing the Congress of being anti-Hindu, anti-Sanathan and a party that indulges in Muslim appeasement to
01:15win elections.
01:16This is what the BJP claims. The BJP is questioning why a traditional Hindu festival needs to be compared or
01:26a parallel drawn with Eid.
01:29They're saying this is reflection of vote bank politics of the Congress Party.
01:34In fact, Union Minister Giriraj Singh, he's actually gone a step ahead.
01:37He said, Malikarjun Karge may be voicing these words, but this is the mindset of the Gandhi family saying he's
01:45only echoing what Rahul Gandhi believes.
01:48And the criticism hasn't just come from the BJP.
01:50The AIMIM has hit out at Malikarjun Karge, calling his comparison, nothing but a political stunt,
01:58alleging that the Congress is doing this to appease a particular voting community.
02:04The Congress, however, has very strongly defended Malikarjun Karge.
02:08In fact, Congress MP Pawan Kheda, he said Eid literally means festival.
02:14He's accused the BJP of being ignorant of the meaning of Eid.
02:19But in a politically surcharged atmosphere, ahead of very crucial elections, including in states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttaragand and Punjab,
02:27the attacks and counter-attacks are not only swift, they're piercing.
02:31From demagi-naxal mindset, a sharp strike by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
02:35to Congress hitting back saying don't hide behind the uniform, accept the challenge for a debate.
02:40The war of words is only intensifying.
02:44Take a look.
02:56Festive greetings that ignited massive political fireworks.
03:01While extending wishes, Congress President Malikarjun Karge described Diwali as Khushiyon ki Eid.
03:08Diwali ki shubh kama na haiin sabhi ko khushiyon ka eek Eid heee.
03:14Or bhoot dinn lambay sa mahi tuk chalne waala Eid yeehee hee.
03:20To lok ko sukh shanthi se rhenne ke liye.
03:26Or aapne lok ko milne ke liye.
03:30Eek acha tiwar hai.
03:42The BJP launched a scathing attack at Congress, alleging that the party was stooping to a new low with appeasement
03:50politics.
04:24The BJP alleged that Kharge's remark exposes the mindset of Congress.
04:30The Raghul Gandhi family comes in the heart, they say that the Malkarjan is standing there.
04:39In the Kharge's eyes, in the day of Deepa Vali, the Hindus have been told, but there is also a
04:50seat in the heart.
04:59The AIMIM-2 hit out at Kharge over comparison of Eid and Diwali.
05:27Defending Kharge, the Congress urged BJP to prepare and convince PM Narendra Modi to accept Rahul Gandhi's challenge.
05:36Eid is a generic word, just as Tiohar is a generic word.
05:41And in Dakani, where Mr. Kharge comes from, this is how it's spoken.
05:46Ask them not to waste time on what Mr. Kharge has said or what XYZ has said.
05:51Spend half or one-fourth of the time in tutoring the Prime Minister, in preparing for a debate with Rahul
05:56Gandhi,
05:56because once that debate happens, with or without a teleprompter, their entire superstructure will collapse.
06:04What began as a Diwali wish has quickly snowballed into a full-blown political controversy.
06:12Bureau Report, India Today.
06:19In the past, we have to remember one thing, we have to remember one thing.
06:27The Naksalik has been destroyed, but the danger is not yet.
06:57Now, if Mallika Arjun, Kharkis, Diwali, the remarks weren't controversial enough,
07:01another senior congress leader, Rashid Alvi, has taken this debate several notches higher,
07:08comparing Eid and Diwali, and how, defending the congress president, Rashid Alvi said,
07:15Eid is often used as a metaphor for joy, and that Mallika Arjun Kharkis' remarks actually reflect his secular outlook,
07:24and then, perhaps the sting was in the tail.
07:28The congress leader, that's Rashid Alvi, drew a distinction between Eid and Diwali,
07:34saying while both symbolize joy, one does not lead to a spike in the air quality index, in AQI.
07:42Listen in to the remarks that have given the BJP more ammunition to target the congress party
07:48on what the BJP insists is reflection of the congress party's blatant Muslim appeasement and anti-Hindu mindset.
07:57Listen in.
08:01The question of joy is when it comes to Eid, it comes to an example of Eid.
08:42You heard that shocker, that Eid and Diwali both give happiness, there's only one difference, there is no AQI in
08:51one festival, and I want you to hear this once again, so that it sinks in.
08:55Because this is the mindset the BJP alleges the congress party has.
09:01And it's not just a political firestorm to erupt this Diwali, and these aren't the only issues.
09:06The BJP has come out all guns blazing against the congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi over her remarks on
09:12the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya.
09:16In an interview to a foreign publication, ahead of the release of a book, Belonging, A Journey of Love, the
09:23former congress party president recalled watching the demolition on television on the 6th of December 1992 and breaking down in
09:32tears.
09:32Sonia Gandhi is reported to have said that the incident made her realize that India faced a long battle to
09:39protect its secular character, the very idea that Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and their colleagues had worked to build.
09:46The BJP has been quick to hit back. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi accused the congress of continuing to harbour sympathy
09:53for Babur's legacy.
09:56He also questioned why Sonia Gandhi and the congress had not shown similar concern over the killing of Karsevaks in
10:021990 and the killings of Hindu Kashmiri pundits in 1990s in Kashmir.
10:09He invoked the 2008 Batla House encounter, alleging that Sonia Gandhi is also believed to have shed tears for the
10:17terrorists who were killed in the Batla House encounter.
10:22The BJP MP referred to a statement made by former External Affairs Minister and Senior Congress Leader Salman Khurshid in
10:29February 2012.
10:30Now addressing a rally in Azzamgarh, Salman Khurshid had said that when he showed photographs of the Batla House encounter
10:38to Sonia Gandhi, she cried, she wept and she said, please take away these photos from me.
10:47Salman Khurshid claimed Sonia Gandhi asked him to take up the matter with then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and
10:53that possibly an idea of a judicial inquiry was also discussed.
10:58The BJP asks, were tears shed or not shed for the massacre of 75 CRPF personnel in a red terror
11:08attack in the Tadmetla forest in Chintalwar, in Dantewada?
11:13Again, a bit of war of words, listen in.
11:47foreign
11:52foreign
11:53foreign
11:55foreign
12:00foreign
12:02foreign
12:02foreign
12:04foreign
12:12is
12:40So in the run-up to elections, you're seeing how this battle is getting personal, bitter, and many could argue,
12:47vicious.
12:48Let's begin with Malika Arjun Kharge's comments on Diwali being Khushyoky Eid or words to that effect
12:53and the subsequent escalation of the political war of words.
12:56Joining me on India first is Sardar R.P. Singh, National Spokesperson of the BJP.
13:00Salman Soz, National Spokesperson of the Congress Party.
13:03Sangeet Ragi is a professor, author, and political analyst.
13:08Also with me is Ashutosh, former journalist, author, and political analyst.
13:12Gentlemen, welcome.
13:13Sardar R.P. Singh, explain why is the BJP upset with Malika Arjun Kharge's Diwali being described as Khushyoky Eid
13:21or words to that effect?
13:25Well, if Diwali is Eid of joy, then Eid should be Diwali of joy.
13:30Why will Mr. Kharge ever be able to say so?
13:34No, it's all calculated just because of the UP election.
13:38Even the tears which she is referring to, that her tears, she shed tears because of the babri structure, the
13:46distributed structure.
13:48That's also part of the same game plan.
13:50I mean, I see it's a bigger game plan where targeting a particular vote bank.
13:53That's how Mr. Kharge has said what he has said.
13:56And he has roped in Eid along with Diwali.
13:59And so is Mrs. Sonia Gandhi.
14:02When she says he has rolled down her eyes because of the babri demolition, the distributed structure demolition.
14:12As Mr. Kharge will never say, Eid ki Diwali manai jati hai, because they have never celebrated Diwali.
14:20I've never seen any Congress leader ever holding a Diwali get together.
14:23They always have an Eid millen at their residence and they call all people from all the communities also, although.
14:30But they hold Eid millen functions.
14:32But will every tear roll for Girja Tikku, who was sought into two by the terrorists in Kashmir, Kashmiri Pandak
14:43woman, will tears roll down for Bhaagi Kor, who was raped 27 times in a period of three days.
14:52And 500 women were kept naked and the Congress men would take them and rape them turn by turn.
15:01So tear has never rolled down for that.
15:04Let me begin, Salman Sos.
15:05You've raised two points.
15:06Can I have another one second, another one second, another one second.
15:08I will finish.
15:09I'll come back to you.
15:10I'll come back to you.
15:11Salman Sos.
15:12Another one second, another one second, another one second.
15:14Okay.
15:15Where was her tears when her husband got 27 and 33 official figure, butchered, although the number was much more
15:22high, 27 and 36 butchered by Rajiv Gandhi's order?
15:30Salman Sos, respond point by point.
15:33Has any Congress leader ever described Eid as Khushyon ki Diwali?
15:37Why does Eid reference have to come into Diwali?
15:40BJP says this reflects the Muslim appeasement politics of the Congress.
15:44And if Sonia Gandhi shed tears for Babri, did she ever shed tears for the massacre of Sikhs in the
15:50national capital, sir, is the question that R.P. Singh asks.
15:57Gaurav, first of all, on Kharkiji's remarks, I will only say that Kharkiji is not the only leader.
16:04I mean, just talking about Hindu festivals and Muslim festivals together is not the first time this has happened.
16:10In fact, Prime Minister Modi referred to Diwali and Eid together in the context of Srinagar in 2024.
16:18In fact, Home Minister Ahmed Shah just this year mentioned multiple festivals together in 2026.
16:26So I think that's not the real issue.
16:29And by the way, they talk about Sonia G. not, you know, shedding tears, for example, when Babri Majid was
16:36demolished.
16:37Do they not?
16:38Are they hiding?
16:39Are they trying to hide the fact that Prime Minister Vajpayee, Prime Minister Vajpayee apologized for it in 2002.
16:46L.K. Advani, the big BJP leader of yesteryears, he said it was the saddest day in his life.
16:54Mr. R.P. Singh won't have an answer for that.
16:56But, by the way, one of your, in one of your packages, no, please, please don't interrupt.
17:02Mr. R.P. Singh, let, let, let, let, let Salman Sos complete.
17:06I'll come back to you.
17:07You know, when you spoke, he didn't interrupt. Salman Sos complete your point, sir.
17:10In your package, somebody mentioned that in the, in Chhattisgarh, taxolites attacked CRP of Jawan and 75 were murdered in
17:20that attack.
17:21And Sonia Gandhi didn't say anything.
17:22What are you talking about?
17:23Sonia Ji was among the first to condemn it.
17:26What is this nonsense?
17:28They, you, all you have to do is Google it before you, before you try to misdead people.
17:32I'll tell you why, Gaurav, they're misdeading people.
17:35Let me tell you why.
17:36One, nobody wants to talk about the debate that Rahul Gandhi has, you know, challenged the Prime Minister for.
17:44Nobody wants to talk about 19% youth unemployment in this country.
17:48Nobody wants to talk about stagnant wages in this country for the last 10 years.
17:51That incomes have not risen at all.
17:54Nobody wants to talk about, nobody wants to talk about the smart cities that Prime Minister Modi had talked about
17:59and none of them just write down.
18:00Raise every of that issue and you must, and you must, however, show me one leader, one leader who's called
18:09Eid Khushyo Ki Diwali.
18:11Because this Ganga Jamani Tehzeeb, is it a one-way street in our country, is the question that is being
18:17asked.
18:18But I will, I will, you know, come back to you to respond, but I want to bring in Sangeet
18:22Ragi.
18:22Because Sangeet Ragi, this reflects the secular credentials of the Congress Party.
18:27You know, why take offense to Diwali being described as Khushyo Ki Eid?
18:32What's wrong with it, sir?
18:44How do you expect that he will be talking the language of Hinduism?
18:48It is impossible.
18:50When Pradhan Manthri talks about, when Pradhan Manthri talks about, when Pradhan Manthri says that it's a party, I will
18:58be talking about it.
19:01The Congress Party's party's party's party, and when I am a party, I will be talking about it.
19:15If it's an Italian National Congress, it's an Indian National Congress, it's an Indian National Congress.
19:24So, this is a war.
19:25Thank you very much.
20:19Thank you very much.
20:29Thank you very much.
20:48Thank you very much.
20:54Thank you very much.
20:55Thank you very much.
21:32Thank you very much.
21:51Thank you very much.
21:56Thank you very much.
22:03I have a lot of respect for the Prime Minister.
22:05But the kind of language he has used is basically crossing the Lakshman Rekha.
22:10And in India, Indian democracy is safe and secure.
22:13Because here, the civilian administration has an upper hand and armed forces are not to be politicized.
22:21But the Prime Minister has used Diwali for the politicization of the armed forces.
22:25This is really, really sad.
22:27And this has dangerous consequences.
22:29I'll get R.P. Singh to respond to the charges that you've leveled.
22:33But I want to ask you, sir, if you say that the government wants to run away or the BJP
22:38wants to run away from bread and butter issues that the country faces,
22:42why give them an opportunity when you're the Congress Party president by saying things like this, which you know will
22:50be used, not just by the BJP, but also by the AIMIM.
22:54You know, why not keep the focus entirely on bread and butter issues, but be that as it may.
22:59You know, when people say, you know, you want to say Holy Mubarak or Diwali Mubarak, I also want to
23:07hear Eid ki mangal kaam nai.
23:10You know, let it be equal in India.
23:14Does anybody ever say Eid mangal mai ho?
23:18You know, I think we are a very old civilization.
23:25Yes.
23:25I always say Holy Mubarak a very old civilization where Diwali was there long before any other festival, long before,
23:34centuries, you know, thousands of years before any other festival.
23:38So, you know, we don't need a comparison with Eid to celebrate our festivities, do we?
23:43I think, Gaurav, we have to, we have to get over this mindset.
23:46I'm sorry to say this is no comment on, this is no comment on you, neither a comment on by
23:51my fellow panelists.
23:52But this is, goes against the basic ethos of Vasudha Kutumbakam.
23:58At the one end of the spectrum, we say Vasudha, ki Vasudha haamari Kutumbakam.
24:02And at the other end, we take an offer that somebody is calling Diwali's Eid.
24:06I'm telling you, Holy Mubarak, Diwali Mubarak.
24:09Sir, you have to say Eid mangal mai hai.
24:12Salman bhai, can you say Eid ki mangal kaam nai?
24:15No, no, that is, listen to me, listen to me, listen to me.
24:20Okay, Salman wants to come in, Salman wants to come in.
24:22Let Salman come in.
24:23Listen to me, listen to me, listen to me.
24:25Listen to me.
24:26I have no qualms about whether calling Eid mangal mai ho ya Diwali.
24:29But this comparison is, is extremely, extremely dangerous comparison.
24:35Because at least, at least, at least, at least, at least, this is not a politics of hate.
24:40At least this is not a politics of hate.
24:41So, Eid mangal mai ho becomes politics of hate, but Diwali, you know, Eid hai, is politics of love.
24:51Okay, Salman wants to come in.
24:52Come in, sir.
24:54Gaurav, I would just say...
24:55No, no, only Salman, only Salman shows.
24:57Go on, sir.
24:58Okay, Gaurav, I would just say that, look, I'm a student of Urdu, but I get a lot of messages
25:02in Hindi and I translate them.
25:05And I get a lot of Eid pe shub kaam nai hai ho.
25:08So, what's wrong with that?
25:09What's the problem?
25:10No, nothing.
25:10It's fine.
25:12I will tell you, Gaurav, that in this particular case, if there is something that, as for Indian society, if
25:19there is something that is really important, it is, in my view, when you talk about Khangeji, he's a very
25:24respected leader of the Congress Party, our one of, what, he's our senior most leader, right?
25:28He's been in public service for 50 plus years.
25:31Of course.
25:32If there is one thing that I would say is really important in his context is that just a few
25:39months back in Uttarakhand, they did a Shuddhi Karan where he appeared.
25:45That, I think, is a much more serious consequence for our country as a society.
25:50Oh, absolutely.
25:51But BJP and BJP has not yet, I mean, I don't see any senior leaders, I don't see the Prime
25:58Minister come out and say that this was wrong.
26:01Okay, I want to bring in Sardar R.P. Singh or the President of the BJP.
26:06Sir, I also want your views on the other senior Congress leader, Malika or, you know, Rashid Alvi.
26:13And I'll come to him in just a moment where he says two festivals, both joy, only one is AQI.
26:19And tell me how acceptable is that to you also?
26:23But R.P. Singh, Congress leader says this just shows the ignorance of the Bharatiya Janta Party or their lack
26:29of understanding of the secular credentials of this country.
26:33Eid means festival.
26:36You heard Pawan Kheda, sir.
26:38So, do the Pavani mean festivity?
26:40So, you rightly said, let them next time say, sir.
26:44Yes.
26:45Why not?
26:46What's the problem?
26:48So, I appreciate, I appreciate, I appreciate, I appreciate next time during Eid, they will say Eid ki De Pavli
26:57ki Khushya Mubarakho.
26:59He won't never say that.
27:01He can't afford to say that.
27:02This, I reiterate again, this is as per pure game plan, keeping in mind the UP election.
27:08And that's why the tears rolled down.
27:11And that's why this mixing of Eid with Diwali.
27:15And this is very clear.
27:16I mean, there's no confusion in my mind and neither the confusion in the voters' mind.
27:20They can go to any extent for the vote bank politics to even demeaning our cultural festival.
27:27I mean, is it, it's not, it's not a religious festival at all.
27:31It's a cultural festival.
27:32And they demean, Mr. Kharkis demean that.
27:35And Mr. Alvi has further done the harm to the Congress also by saying that, no, during Diwali festivities, there's
27:44an AQI issue.
27:45Whereas, there is no problem in Eid, although there are a lot of issues being raised on the butchering of
27:52the bakra also, the goat also.
27:54Okay.
27:55Salman, so as BJP claims that there is a pattern to what the BJP describes as the anti-Hindu mindset.
28:03They have come out with a list, including Rahul Gandhi reportedly telling a former U.S. ambassador, according to WikiLeaks
28:10papers,
28:11that the bigger threat to India is the rise of radicalized Hindu groups, bigger than radical terror of Lashkar-e
28:19-Taiba and Jaisya Mohammed,
28:20or the Home Ministry during the Congress party coining a term, saffron terror or Hindu terror,
28:27or veteran Congress leader, Digvajay Singh, being part of a release of a book that said 26-11 was RSS
28:35ki saadish,
28:36virtually giving a clean chit to Pakistan state-sponsored radical Islamist terror.
28:42You know, whether it's ISI or Kassab, they were given a clean chit, sir.
28:47By the way, nobody's been given a clean chit as far as terrorism is concerned.
28:51All governments in this, as far as in my living memory, all governments have been fighting terrorism,
28:55Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, tooth and nail.
28:58I don't think any government is going to have given a clean chit to anybody.
29:00As far as radicalization is concerned, you know, we believe that the RSS is not good for the country.
29:08Absolutely not good for the country.
29:09Their ideology is not good for the country.
29:12And we've been fighting them and we'll continue to fight them.
29:15But, you know, I don't, you know, RPC or BJP…
29:17Including calling 26-11 RSS ki saadish, when everybody knows, even through court documents,
29:24that it was Pakistan state-sponsored radical Islamist terror.
29:27But, you know, at an individual level, people can make mistakes and they can respond to those things.
29:32But I can only say this.
29:33As far as the BJP coming up with this narrative right now,
29:38including through Mr. RPC or anybody else, Sudhanshu Trivedi or anybody else,
29:42talking about this particular issue, not addressing a senior Dalit leader's insult in Uttarakhand.
29:50I think that is, to my mind, he wants to see.
29:52But I will only say one more thing.
29:54If you do not, if you think that this is the real election or the real issue of UP election,
30:01then you're sadly mistaken.
30:03Real issues are going to be unemployment for young people.
30:08There are examination leaks.
30:09They're going to talk about stagnation in wages and salaries.
30:13And they're going to talk about what you're doing for the future.
30:16That is what matters to the people of the country.
30:18And that is what…
30:19Before I bring in Ashutosh and Professor Raghi,
30:21RPC quickly respond.
30:23You are diverting from bread and butter issues that the Congress party actually wants to raise in elections, sir.
30:29Well, Governor, one thing is very good, Mr. Sosha said,
30:34that he never mentioned SIR.
30:36So SIR is no more issue for them in UP election.
30:38I mean, just as per Mr. Sosha…
30:42Is this a bigger issue for you, sir, given the number of votes that have apparently been cut?
30:46Sir, sir, sir, sir.
30:48If these have been the issues, then they will not make human crime on SIR,
30:51which is all a built-up issue, which is all false and propaganda only.
30:55So, they have all the right to do what they want to do,
30:57but Mr. Sosha has come out with the truth.
30:59And he has shown the merit to his leaders, especially Rahul Gandhi, impressively.
31:02But coming to the issue, coming to the issue, coming to the issue,
31:06coming to the issue.
31:07Gaurav, how can we forget that Sonia Gandhiji never uttered a word for Mohan Chand Sharma?
31:16You were there at that time when he was shot at and later in he died.
31:21He was a martyr of the battle house.
31:24Even then, the tear rolled down only for the terrorists.
31:27So, this is a selective game plan of the Congress party.
31:31They do it intendingly, keeping in mind the vote bank,
31:34because they want to ensure that they consolidate that particular vote bank in UP.
31:38Very interesting point, and Ashutosh wants to respond.
31:41And that is a very, you know, is that a serious charge
31:43that the Congress will find difficult to live down?
31:46The statement of Salman Khurshid, the former External Affairs Minister,
31:50Sonia Gandhi cried when she saw battle house pictures.
31:53Sir, they were Indian Mujahideen terrorists.
31:57That module, once it was taken down, Delhi became much safer,
32:02and a brave inspector made the supreme sacrifice of his life.
32:06Is there merit in the BJP asking, Ashutosh,
32:09no tears for brave inspector Mohan Chand Sharma,
32:11but tears for those Indian Mujahideen terrorists?
32:15See, Gaurav, give me a minute.
32:18See, Gaurav, I think the BJP should learn a lesson
32:21from the victory of Abdul Al-Sayed in Michigan.
32:26Less than 2% Muslims, and he was called by the president
32:31as a lunatic jihadist.
32:32You know what happened?
32:33He won.
32:35Handsomely won.
32:36Because the people did not fell into the trap
32:39laid by the Republicans.
32:40I think the world is moving fast.
32:43Bolsonaro is losing in Brazil.
32:45Orban is losing in Hungary.
32:48Trump is losing in America.
32:51And because they are still living in the past,
32:54the world has moved faster than them.
32:57Sooner BJP comes back to the issues related to the people.
33:01Otherwise, BJP will face the same fate which these people have faced
33:06because they lived in the past.
33:08They didn't want to come out.
33:09Bolsonaro's victory.
33:10Bolsonaro had to leave the country.
33:12Okay.
33:12Yeah.
33:13Okay.
33:13R.P. Singh wants to respond.
33:14Salman Sos want to come in.
33:15But R.P. Singh go first and then Salman Sos.
33:17Ashutosh, Ashutosh, how can you forget Kundarki?
33:20And how can you forget Keshtwar?
33:21How can you forget Rezi Nagar?
33:23Highly Muslim populated areas.
33:26And who won?
33:26BJP won from these seats.
33:28And also, give me a second.
33:29Ashutosh, I never interrupted.
33:32Ashutosh, I'm less not respected of you.
33:34You're not a Congress spokesperson here.
33:36And he's very well behaved today.
33:39I mean, otherwise, Ashutosh, he's very well behaved.
33:41But coming to the issue, 49 crore people has come out of the poverty
33:49just as per the World Bank data.
33:51You never speak about that.
33:53I mean, because it doesn't suit you.
33:55Because you have a selective agenda.
33:57I appreciate you following a particular ideology and following a particular agenda.
34:02You can have a right to do that.
34:04But the fact is that the country is moving ahead.
34:07And you can't compare us with America or France or whatever is happening there.
34:11Here, people are satisfied.
34:12I'll give you this recent example.
34:15The Dark Union election, the Student Union election.
34:17BJP, sorry, Vidarki Parishas has won.
34:20The Odisha Student Union election.
34:23The Punjab Student Union election.
34:25The University Student Union election.
34:26Give me a chance to respond.
34:29Before I bring in Professor Raghi, Ashutosh wants to respond to you, sir.
34:33Go on, Ashutosh.
34:34Gaurav, you know what was the fundamental issue in US?
34:37The $6.25 per gallon diesel.
34:41And $4.56 per gallon petrol.
34:46That was the fundamental issue.
34:4840% increase.
34:49You know, Trump wanted to make America great again.
34:53He wanted to, he wanted to, he was basically spreading hatred to the society.
34:59Society rejected it.
35:00They accepted somebody who was called a lunatic jihadi.
35:05You know, I want BJP to come back to the real roti kapla makan issue.
35:09The unemployment, the price rise.
35:11It's going high.
35:12It's going beyond people's purse.
35:14And if BJP does not come to that, my doubt is the BJP will cut a very humble pie in
35:212027 assembly election and in 2029 parliamentary election.
35:25If they keep repeating these communal issues like Prime Minister did in 2024.
35:30And the Prime Minister should learn from 2024 campaign.
35:34Okay.
35:35Prime Minister should learn from 2024 campaign.
35:37Professor Raghi, Rashid Alvi, a senior Congress Party leader, speaks of the secularism in this country.
35:47Sees nothing wrong in comparison between Eid and Diwali.
35:50He, in fact, used words to the effect, any distinction between Eid and Diwali, both festivals of joy, Eid does
35:57not lead to an increase in AQI, air quality index, or words to that effect.
36:03Professor Raghi, you wanted to raise this point.
36:05Why are you so upset with this statement?
36:08Gaurav, first, I must lose my complaint because you gave disproportionate time to my undear friend Asutos.
36:18Let me begin with that India doesn't need Arabic word to express its cultural, to give cultural and religious expression
36:31in India.
36:32Even the word saheed, saheed, usko kaha jata hai, jho Islam ke liye mertah ho.
36:38But we have a popular language, but we have to use it in our popular language, so we have to
36:42stop it.
36:43Mubarak, koji, jaruri nahi, it's a Arabic term.
36:47Diwali ke liye, hem ko mubarak kram ki jaruit nahi hai.
36:50Dousari baat, ek jihadi, yadi Amerika me jit jata hai, Amerika me Islam ka population 5%, 3% hai.
36:59Islam ka abhi utna khatra nahi hai.
37:02Bharat mein islam ka khatra hai.
37:04Nain, sir, this may be a personal view.
37:09Nain, sir, lakin bhaashah ki sundertah yahi hai, ki us mein nai bhaashahun ke shabh judhte rahethe hai,
37:15og woi ek agaral dharah behethi hai.
37:17But bida does it may, my question to you is very specific.
37:20Sir, kyunki samayi simit hai, rashid alwi ka joh biyan hai, ki eed og diwali dhonohu khushi djetethe hai,
37:26lekin ek me eQI bharata hai, ek me nahi bharata hai, or watch to that effect,
37:30us par aapko kya pati thi?
37:32Sir, mujhe ek line apni-apni baat kahalene dijiye.
37:35Ji.
37:35Uri dunia mein democracy hai.
37:38Kui mujhe bataye ki islamic world mein democracy and coexistence kio nahi hai.
37:43Is, is, is.
37:44May ye janna chaatau.
37:45Just, Len, please, Asutos, don't be ruffian.
37:48Don't be ruffian.
37:49It is unacceptable.
37:50Okay, no personal attack, gentlemen.
37:52Second, second.
37:53Is that, is that an issue today?
37:55No, no, no, no, no.
37:56It is a, it is a matter of debate.
37:58It is a matter of debate because you quoted, you quoted a person who won an election in
38:03America.
38:03Gentlemen, one by one, Daurav will have a session on this.
38:07We'll discuss.
38:07Please, don't disturb.
38:09Please, don't disturb.
38:09I'm not disturbing you.
38:11I'm not disturbing you one by one.
38:12You are, you are, you are, you are, you are, you are communalizing the entire debate.
38:16He was, he was, he supported Muslim Brotherhood.
38:19I have to respond.
38:20No, you can't, this can't be allowed.
38:23This can't be allowed.
38:23You can't, you can't, you can't cast, you can't cast this person on a particular community.
38:28You behave like a spokesman of the Congress party.
38:29No, no, no, we can also, we can also, we can also talk about it.
38:36No.
38:36You say, this is not done, Gaurav.
38:38This is not done, Gaurav.
38:39One by one, gentlemen.
38:40You are giving, you are giving, you are giving, you are giving, you are giving, you are giving,
38:41Congress party, who is spreading, who is spreading, who is spreading, who is spreading hatred against
38:46the Muslims.
38:46Are you the Congress, don't give platform to this man.
38:49One by one, gentlemen, one by one, hold on, hold on, hold on.
38:54One by one, one by one, one by one.
39:01No, he is communalizing.
39:02There is no place for it.
39:03Gaurav is communalizing the entire debate.
39:05There should be no place for it.
39:07Okay.
39:08Salman Soz wants to come in, Salman Soz wants to come in, R.P. Singh wants to come in.
39:12Gentlemen, my question is very, very specific and, you know, Salman Soz, put your hand on
39:18your heart.
39:19Are you okay with Rashid Alvi's comments, Eid and Diwali, both are festivals that bring
39:25joy, but AQI increases only in one or worse to that effect.
39:29Are you okay with that?
39:30Of course, I'm not okay with that.
39:32I'm not okay with that.
39:33Why?
39:33I can say that to you.
39:34I'm not, I'm not okay with it and you should not have said that.
39:37But I would say this, Gaurav, just a couple of things because it's important.
39:41Professor Raghi, I don't know him, but from his, it seems to me that his perspective is
39:46that Muslims are enemies of Indians.
39:48It's like, I'm, Gaurav, your enemy.
39:51That's what it means, basically.
39:53That's what he's propagating on national television.
39:55I think I condemn it and I think we should all condemn it.
39:58As far as our BJP spokesperson friend is concerned, I think, I don't know where they're getting the
40:04information.
40:05They keep repeating misinformation.
40:07He again talked about Mrs. Gandhi and said that she did not say anything about the death
40:13of Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma.
40:14And of course, he's wrong.
40:17On September 19, 2008, the day he was killed, she condemned that.
40:23She expressed her grief.
40:24And the UBA government gave him an Ashoka Chakra.
40:28Why is he repeating falsehoods on national television?
40:30Why?
40:31Two very pertinent points you raised.
40:34I'll get both Professor Raghi and R.P. Singh to respond to both.
40:37But go ahead, sir.
40:37You want to complete your point?
40:38You have another point to make?
40:39I was, I was, I was, I was again saying that on national television, let us, let us at least
40:45have, we can have disagreements.
40:47But let us not bring in falsehoods.
40:50And let's not bring in incendiary, incendiary kind of comments like what Professor Raghi was
40:55making this, this is not acceptable.
40:58Okay.
40:59But again, Rashid Alvi's comments, are they incendiary or are they not?
41:03They're not acceptable.
41:05I'm telling you, they're not acceptable.
41:07Fair enough.
41:08First, Professor Raghi and then R.P. Singh.
41:10How is it commonal, how is it commonal, Gaurav, when I say that Hindi is sufficient or
41:16Sanskritic words are sufficient or Indic language are sufficient to express the cultural idioms
41:23of India?
41:24That's what he's saying.
41:24We don't need any, we don't need Arabic word at all.
41:29We don't need.
41:29No, sir, you said, you said that Muslims are 15%.
41:33Secondly, I asked a very pertinent question.
41:35No, no, no.
41:36You said, you said Muslims are 15% in India and that's the problem.
41:40Where was the cultural tolerance in Kashmir?
41:45Answer that.
41:45Answer that.
41:46When the Kashmiri pundits were kicked out.
41:48Why would you answer that?
41:48You said, you said, you said that in America Muslims are 1% or 2% that's not a problem.
41:56In India it's a problem.
41:57Don't meet me.
41:57Where was your culture?
41:59Where was your culture?
42:00Where was your culture?
42:00Which university are you teaching at?
42:02Okay.
42:03Okay.
42:03Give me a moment.
42:05Give me a moment.
42:07Sir, Professor Raghi, you may believe it is not required to use words like Mubarak, but
42:14you know, Malikarjun Kharge may believe that Khushyon Ki Eid is required.
42:19So, you know, we're a secular country.
42:21We're a large country and there's freedom of expression for all.
42:24But fair enough, you may have a point of view, but R.P. Singh wanted to come in on the
42:28AQI aspect of Rashid Alvi's statement.
42:31Is that acceptable?
42:33Is that okay?
42:34Both Eid and Diwali are festivals of joy, but only in one AQI goes up.
42:39Why are you upset with that, R.P. Singh?
42:42Well, why to raise the AQI issue?
42:44I mean, has Diwali been celebrated from the last 10 years or 8 years when the AQI issue
42:50has started happening in the city?
42:51I mean, it has been celebrated millions of years from millions of years.
42:55I mean, we don't know how many thousands of years Diwali has been celebrated.
42:59But again, as I said, there's an agenda behind it.
43:03I reiterate what I said earlier.
43:05There's an agenda behind it.
43:06The agenda is very clear.
43:08Commonizing the election because of the vote-bank politics.
43:11And they can go to any extent I'm reiterating.
43:13You will see many more things of this shortcoming in coming days.
43:16From Mr. Khadgi, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi.
43:18Where they will try to target their vote-bank, which is the Muslim vote-bank.
43:22And they have all the right to do so.
43:24I'm not denying them yet.
43:26Give me a second.
43:27Give me another second.
43:28Another second.
43:29Another second.
43:30To polarize the Muslim to its side.
43:32Okay.
43:33Sir, Professor Aragi, R.P. Singh wants to quickly complete this point.
43:38For the vote-bank.
43:40Okay, I've overshot my time.
43:42And again, again, we are an old civilization.
43:46And we have accepted everyone within the civilization.
43:49But that doesn't mean that you hurt the civilization.
43:52I mean, you're hurting the civilization.
43:54Are you saying Rashid Alvi's comments have hurt the civilizational ethos?
43:58Is that what you're saying?
43:59I'm saying we have assimilated everyone who has come from outside.
44:03And they're part of our civilization.
44:04Till the time you accept, yes, we are part of the Indian civilization.
44:08Fair enough.
44:11Okay, everybody wants to comment.
44:13But just on a statement of fact.
44:15On India Today, we give out facts.
44:16And perhaps Rashid Alvi should look at this.
44:186th of November.
44:19This is before Diwali.
44:20This is even before Chhoti Diwali.
44:22AQI, 4 o'clock, was 382.
44:26382.
44:27AQI on Chhoti Diwali was 369.
44:30AQI on Diwali was 376.
44:33AQI after Diwali, after Diwali is 344.
44:37And this is the CPCB, 4 p.m.
44:41Every day, Ashutosh.
44:42So, every day, it is being taken.
44:45You know, this targeting of Hindu festivals.
44:47This one-way street secularism in our country.
44:50That, you know, Raksha Bandhan is patriarchy.
44:53Holi is pollution.
44:54Diwali is pollution.
44:56Somewhere down the line, there has to be a Lakshman Rekha.
44:58Ashutosh.
45:00Gaurav, 468.
45:01Severe.
45:04AQI, 468 right now.
45:05Let me just put it in the context.
45:08Please give me 30 seconds.
45:10Whatever that gentleman has said,
45:13it's not right.
45:15Let me put it in the context.
45:16You also agree what Rashid Alvi said is not right?
45:18Absolutely, I do not agree.
45:20Why?
45:21Let's have a debate.
45:23No, but why isn't it right?
45:25No, no, let me, let me, let me come.
45:26But let me, let me tell you one thing.
45:29Do we really need these crackers?
45:32Is Rp Singh trying to tell us?
45:33No, no, is Rp Singh trying to tell us?
45:36There are many who would say,
45:37do we actually need,
45:38do we actually need to slaughter animals?
45:40Gaurav, let me complete.
45:41Gaurav, let me complete.
45:42Gaurav, let me complete.
45:43But that's another thing.
45:45Is Rp Singh trying to say,
45:47is Rp Singh trying to say
45:48that the Supreme Court
45:49has no understanding of judicialization?
45:52Is Rp Singh trying to say
45:54that Supreme Court
45:55has no understanding
45:56of Indian civilization?
45:58Supreme Court
45:58is asking repeatedly
46:00here and on every year.
46:02He has said that India is a Hindu country
46:05and Hindu as part of judicialization.
46:07It's the way of living.
46:09You are Hindu,
46:09so I'm Hindu.
46:11Every day,
46:11you put him vote on a daily basis
46:11as part of the Supreme Court definition.
46:14Are you not aware,
46:15are you not concerned
46:16about the health of your kids?
46:18Are you not concerned
46:19about the health of old people?
46:20Are you not concerned
46:21about the health of the heart patients?
46:25Why do we need firecrackers?
46:27Why do we need firecrackers?
46:29Respond, Rp Singh.
46:31It's a festival of Bia.
46:34Well, if I go by his definition,
46:36we don't need firecrackers.
46:38Okay.
46:39If I go by his definition,
46:40then boosting the lamps
46:41and so spoil the water.
46:45Let's...
46:46That's why he gave me...
46:47No, no, whatever Rp Singh,
46:50whatever is wrong is wrong.
46:51Supreme Court boss,
46:52you...
46:53First you, I'll ask you.
46:54Satiprathath is justified.
46:56Satiprathath is justified.
46:59Sir, Satiprathath is a society for women.
47:08Why is it only Satiprathath
47:09and why not Halala?
47:11You must speak on everything,
47:12isn't it?
47:13Exactly.
47:15Why is secularism here
47:16such a one-way street?
47:18No, Dora, Dora.
47:19If Satiprathath is wrong,
47:21Halala is equally wrong.
47:22Against Halala.
47:22Good.
47:23I would expect our analysts
47:24to say that in equal terms, sir.
47:27In equal terms, sir.
47:28For all.
47:30Gaurav, let me ask you
47:31a simple question.
47:32Are you comfortable
47:33with the firecrackers?
47:33On another debate.
47:34I've run out of time.
47:35I've really run out of debate.
47:37It's an absolutely outstanding debate
47:39and it's such a treat
47:40to have Salman Sos,
47:42Ashutosh,
47:42Professor Ragi
47:43and Sardar Rp Singh
47:44on India first.
47:45And I hope to have you back
47:46tomorrow and day after
47:48as we take this debate
47:49and many other questions forward.
47:50I want to thank you all
47:51for joining me.
47:52It's being seen as a major setback
47:53for Israel's Prime Minister
47:54Benjamin Netanyahu
47:55days after voters
47:56gave him the majority
47:58but not the magic
47:59halfway mark figure.
48:01Former Israeli Armed Forces
48:03Chief,
48:04Gandhi Eisenkot,
48:04the leader of Opposition Alliance,
48:06the Change Alliance,
48:07has now formally been invited
48:09to form the next government.
48:10He has 28 days
48:11with a possible
48:1214-day extension
48:14to secure numbers
48:15in Parliament.
48:16So,
48:16Israel's President
48:17Isaac Herzog
48:19handed Eisenkot
48:19the mandate
48:20after he received support
48:22from 67 lawmakers
48:24compared to 46
48:25who are backing
48:26Benjamin Netanyahu.
48:27Now,
48:28seven lawmakers
48:28haven't endorsed
48:30either candidate.
48:31But forming the government
48:32will not be easy.
48:33In the October 27 elections,
48:36Benjamin Netanyahu's
48:37Likud party
48:37emerged as the single
48:38largest party
48:39with 27 seats.
48:40Eisenkot's party
48:41secured 21.
48:42However,
48:43Netanyahu's wider alliance
48:45managed only 53 seats
48:47while Eisenkot's
48:48four-party block
48:49has 48.
48:50Neither side
48:51crossing the 61 mark
48:53in the 120 member
48:55kereset.
48:55We get you more
48:56in this report.
49:03Israeli President
49:05Isaac Herzog
49:06has officially tasked
49:08former military chief
49:09and Yasha party leader
49:11Gadi Eisenkot
49:12with forming
49:13the country's
49:14next government.
49:19Mr. Gadi Eisenkot,
49:21I hereby interest you
49:22with the task
49:23of forming a government.
49:25Accordingly,
49:26it is my honor
49:26to present you
49:27with the mandate
49:28to establish
49:28a government in Israel.
49:30I wish you
49:31great success
49:32in this mission.
49:32Thank you very much.
49:35With the mandate
49:36entrusted to me
49:37here today,
49:37I will lead
49:38the formation
49:39of a national
49:40emergency government.
49:41This will require
49:42creative and
49:43unconventional
49:43political steps.
49:45Israel does not
49:46have the luxury
49:46of dragging out
49:47the process
49:48of returning
49:48to endless
49:49rounds of elections.
49:52Weeks of protracted
49:53negotiations
49:54are expected
49:55to follow
49:56Gadi Eisenkot's
49:57nomination.
49:57On the first day
49:58itself,
49:59Eisenkot has
50:00invited members
50:01of Prime Minister
50:02Benjamin Netanyahu's
50:03Likud party
50:04and the far-right
50:05Religious Zionist
50:06party to join
50:07a coalition
50:08under his
50:09leadership.
50:12The rule
50:13is simple.
50:13If you are
50:14willing to sign
50:15to our four
50:16principles I
50:17have outlined,
50:18you are potential
50:18partners for the
50:19national emergency
50:20government under
50:21my leadership.
50:22The four principles
50:23are well known
50:24indeed.
50:25Firstly,
50:26recognition of
50:27Israel as a
50:28Jewish and
50:29democratic state.
50:30Secondly,
50:31acceptance of
50:32the values of
50:32the Declaration
50:33of Independence,
50:34Thirdly,
50:35the obligation
50:36of service
50:36for all
50:37military,
50:38national and
50:38civil to
50:39strengthen the
50:40IDF and
50:41expand its
50:41ranks.
50:42Fourthly,
50:43recognition of
50:44Hamas as a
50:45terrorist organization
50:46and a commitment
50:47to dismantling
50:48its military and
50:49governmental power.
50:51The leader of
50:53the centrist
50:53Yashar party
50:54has received
50:55recommendations
50:56from 67
50:57lawmakers in
50:58the 120-seat
50:59Israeli parliament
51:01compared with
51:0246 for
51:03Benjamin
51:03Netanyahu.
51:04Now,
51:05Gandhi
51:06Eisencourt has
51:0728 days to
51:08try and form a
51:09government with
51:11a possible 14-day
51:12extension.
51:13If he fails,
51:14President Herzog is
51:16likely to hand the
51:17mandate to
51:18Netanyahu.
51:19Beru Report,
51:20India Today.
51:24India Today's Pranay Upadhyay was tracking the story on Ground Zero.
51:29He's now back with us in Delhi.
51:31Pranay, how difficult is it for Gandhi Eisencourt to cobble up the numbers to reach that magic
51:37figure of 61, given the tough conditions he's put for outside support.
51:43Karo, you mentioned about my reporting, but you have also reported from Israel and especially post-7 October 2023, how
51:50the politics of Israel has changed forever.
51:53And you know that how complicated this is because the mandate given by the people of Israel is a fractured
51:59mandate.
52:00No party, no coalition got a clear mandate to form a government with a majority of 61.
52:04And now, since the President of Israel has invited Gandhi Eisencourt, former IDF chief, to form the new government, but
52:12it remains very complicated because Gandhi Eisencourt has to find some unconventional arithmetic to form this government because the principal
52:20partner of this coalition with the Yashar party of Gandhi Eisencourt is Mr. Avigdor Liberman and who is firmly opposed
52:29in taking any support of the Arab parties.
52:31And without, you know, Mr. Liberman's support of seven members of a member of Knesset and without support of the
52:39Arab parties, those who have agreed to give or to lend their support externally to the Gandhi Eisencourt government, forming
52:46a government is a very difficult and a very complicated task.
52:48Though today, both Gandhi Eisencourt and Liberman had a meeting and they expressed their hope that they will be able
52:54to form a new government within the stipulated days of a period of 28 days given by the President of
53:00Israel.
53:01But the possibility, the 3-4 possibility includes formation of a national unity government where Likud party of Benjamin Netanyahu
53:10and Gandhi Eisencourt's Yashar party can come together.
53:12Though both the leaders have said categorically that they are not willing to work with each other or under each
53:18other.
53:18But, you know, you know how unconventional coalitions have worked in Israel and how coalition politics has been the fate
53:26of Israel.
53:27So we have to wait and watch and see what kind of formation comes and take power in Israel.
53:33Fair enough. Keep tracking that story. I will come back to you for more.
53:37Pranav Upadhyay, for the moment, many thanks for joining me.
53:39Will Gandhi Eisencourt be able to form a government? Will it be a stable government?
53:43Will there be a national emergency government keeping the Arabs out as some seem to argue?
53:50We'll be tracking that story very, very closely.
53:52Pranav Upadhyay, for the moment, many thanks for joining us.

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