- 2 months ago
Calling Gandhi’s protest a “political stunt”, Irani alleged that the Congress leader was not genuinely interested in securing justice for those who suffered alleged wrongdoing. Instead, she claimed Gandhi was using the issue as a “shield” to deflect attention from the ongoing row over India’s National Song, Vande Mataram.
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NewsTranscript
00:05so rahul gandhi has taken a pellet gun with him to the parliament street police station
00:10demanding an fir be registered we're waiting for an fir to be registered this is now politics
00:18between the government and the opposition and joining me now uh is smriti irani national
00:24general secretary of the bhartiya janta party also former union cabinet minister former minister
00:30for education smriti rani welcome rahul gandhi is at the police station he's demanding an fir leader
00:37of opposition demanding an fir because the pellet gun victim says twice he went fir wasn't registered
00:44and fir is a right why is that not being registered ma'am the congress asks but of your seasoned
00:50journalist and you know that an investigation is already underway you're a seasoned journalist and
00:55you know that the police has already received and accepted the complaint you're a seasoned journalist
00:59who knows that the supreme court has opined on the issue and ordered a probe now in the absence of
01:08a political shield that will stem the outrage that erupted from the vande matram controversy
01:14rahul gandhi thought that this is the definite moment where he could use this political stunt
01:19because if he truly believed in the pursuit of justice mr saavan he would not be chucking toffees
01:25as he sat outside the police station at people who have surrounded him he would not be giggling
01:30heckling he would be absolutely serious to demand justice not only for citizens but also paramilitary
01:37personnel and police force personnel who were beaten and injured have you heard the leader of
01:42opposition once asked for an investigation into the attack on uniform personnel but the pursuit of
01:50justice in this case cannot be complete if we don't stand up for uniform personnel as well
01:56has the leader of opposition spoken once about men and women in uniform who were attacked
02:06okay i'll come to men and women in uniform who were attacked because this is something that those who
02:12say that the security forces or the police targeted protesters they do not even seem to acknowledge
02:17uh this aspect and that's a very important point to raise but the point rahul gandhi is raising or the
02:24opposition is raising is that the government is not even serious about addressing the concerns
02:29the government is not serious would an investigation be underway the home minister hasn't responded rahul
02:35gandhi asked neither in parliament nor out of it no the home and that is wrong the home minister has
02:41very
02:42vehemently stood in parliament premises said he's ready for a discussion it is a congress that did not
02:47accept that stand at the home minister the home minister in fact appealed publicly that the congress
02:55party come and speak to him on the floor of the house that he's willing to hear every statement every
03:00position taken by the opposition so that he can give the facts with regards to this particular issue
03:05it is the congress party that did not want to have a conversation or a dialogue or a debate or
03:12a
03:12deliberation on this issue in the indian parliament the home minister never shied away the government
03:17never shied away the government repeatedly during the uh parliamentary session that was underway just
03:23a few days ago emphatically stated that let the congress have a discussion on the floor of the house on
03:29any issue that it deems fit it did not want a discussion it wanted a disruption okay what do you
03:35want to do is deviating attention from the vande matram row i will come to the vande matram controversy and
03:45that's a very serious uh point once again uh you know the congress says they will sing only two stanzas
03:50uh the
03:51government insists
03:52who is the congress to decide when the parliament has opined on the issue who is the congress to
03:58decide when in the constituent assembly in 1950 rajendra parsaji says that vande matram is to be given the
04:04same respect as janagana mana but then are you telling me are you telling me that once the parliament
04:12of india opines on a particular issue and legislates on it sonia gandhi has the unique right in this
04:18country to throw that legislation in the dustbin of time
04:24and what did they dissuade people from singing in the congress headquarters what are those stanzas
04:30pertaining to mr saman those standards say we look at maabharti as a source of knowledge
04:36does sonia gandhi deny that we look at a maabharti as something that we keep devotedly in our hearts
04:43we look at maabharti as a manifestation of our rashtadharma we look at maabharti as a source of
04:51strength we look at maabharti as a nourisher of our children we look at maabharti as we look upon
04:58maabhagwati bearing 10 arms in her 10 hands we look at maabhagwati as a source of samriddhi like
05:06maa laxmi so what is it that mrs gandhi has a problem with maabharti or goddess durga what is
05:13it that the congress party has a problem with maabharti or goddess laxmi what is it that the
05:18congress party has a problem with maabharti or goddess saraswati what is it that the congress
05:23party has a problem with maabharti being a source of knowledge or power or that it may be in conflict
05:29with religion, perhaps of some Indians, some people?
05:35How is it that the first two stanzas are not in conflict with anybody?
05:39When we say Vande Mataram, salutations to the mother.
05:45Those who were against Vande Mataram and wanted to walk the path of Jinnah
05:48left and created Pakistan.
05:50Those who stayed back knew Vande Mataram is a war cry for independence
05:55by Indians who did not all belong to the Congress Party.
05:58Even the Gandhi family did not belong to the Congress Party.
06:02They usurped the Congress Party under their titleage.
06:06So how can they claim today that they have the rights to our national song?
06:10So if a decision was taken in 1937, the Congress asked to say only two stanzas.
06:15Hang on, you know how many decisions the Congress Party took?
06:18Under Nehru's leadership, Muhammad Ali Jinnah put forth 14 points for Nehru to consider.
06:24There is a communication correspondence between Nehru and Jinnah,
06:27which I think if you can look at the records from the Nehru archives between 1937 and 1939.
06:32In 1938, Nehru writes to Jinnah saying in point number seven,
06:36you want cow slaughter.
06:38As a response to it, Nehru accedes to that demand.
06:41Is Sonia Gandhi today of the opinion that cow slaughter should be legitimized in this country?
06:46Can she say this from the Congress headquarters?
06:49Can she?
06:52That's Nehru's stand.
06:54In 1923, in Kakindana, there was a session where Siddharp Patel was in the session
06:59where Jinnah called for Vande Matram not to be sang.
07:03A Marathi singer got up and spoke up against Jinnah and said,
07:08that this is a national platform, not a platform of a particular religion.
07:12And Vande Matram shall be sang.
07:14Is Congress of the opinion that that one Marathi soul singer had the courage that Nehru did not
07:19to stand up against Jinnah?
07:22Who had to go with Jinnah, he had to go to Pakistan.
07:25What will the government do if the Congress continues to stick to that CWC decision and say,
07:37we'll only sing two stanzas?
07:38Is that in violation of the law?
07:40The Communist Party has shown two things, Mr. Savant.
07:42One, a complete disregard for national sentiment.
07:46Two, a complete disregard for the sentiments of Hindus.
07:51Has the Congress Party ever insulted any other religion except Hinduism?
07:57In the national headquarters of the Congress Party,
08:00those people who are calling the Bhagavati, who are not stopping Lakshmi,
08:05who are not stopping Saraswati, who are not stopping Saraswati,
08:08do not tell their own words.
08:09Okay, ma'am, even as we speak, the Delhi police, they have registered an FIR.
08:15But if you see, 14th when that victim went, FIR was not registered.
08:2017th it was not registered.
08:22Now when leader of opposition goes with the victim to the police station,
08:26the Delhi police have registered an FIR.
08:29The point that is being raised is, street forces the government.
08:34Street forces the government to act, ma'am.
08:37I have no access to the FIR.
08:39But the one thing you can confirm, Mr. Savant, for me is this.
08:43Has Rahul Gandhi filed a separate FIR to investigate
08:47who beat up paramilitary and Delhi police?
08:51Can you please confirm to me whether Rahul Gandhi,
08:54since he's seated there at that very police station,
08:57has he filed an FIR as an individual citizen to say,
09:00I am outraged that somebody at Jantar Mantar hit Delhi police,
09:06hit paramilitary forces?
09:07Has Rahul Gandhi filed an FIR separately to say,
09:11investigate such people and throw the book of law at them?
09:17Can you confirm for me, Mr. Savant,
09:19has Rahul Gandhi filed such an FIR?
09:22That's a pertinent point.
09:24If he is indeed pursuing justice,
09:28can he pursue justice piecemeal?
09:32The BJP is accusing him,
09:34party leaders have accused him of being a camera GV.
09:38The fact that before Rahul Gandhi got there today,
09:41an investigation was also already underway,
09:45can that be denied?
09:48Yes, an investigation was underway.
09:50Can an investigation be underway, Mr. Savant?
09:54You've been a journalist long enough to today.
09:56Confirm this to the viewers.
09:58Can an investigation be underway
10:00if the government or agency
10:02do not take cognizance of complaints?
10:06Can it?
10:07No, a complaint has to be filed and a cognizance is taken.
10:12There is a cognizance of a particular complaint,
10:15verbal or written.
10:17Hence, an investigation is underway.
10:19So, can Rahul Gandhi today politically claim
10:22that he went and hence investigation ensued?
10:24No.
10:25Because if the purpose of an FIR or a complaint
10:27is investigation ensues,
10:29is transparently done and evidence presented,
10:32then did the government or the agency concerned
10:35fulfill its legal obligation to the state
10:38and its citizens?
10:39Yes.
10:41Okay.
10:42But my question as a citizen, again,
10:44of the leader of opposition is this.
10:45If you want to pursue justice,
10:47can I please see your FIR
10:48to investigate
10:50who gave slogans against the Indian Army?
10:54Can I please see Rahul Gandhi's FIR
10:57on who hit Delhi police personnel?
10:59Can I please see Rahul Gandhi's FIR
11:02on who hit paramilitary forces?
11:06But that FIR already is being investigated.
11:10That investigation is already underway.
11:12So, was this so-called incident?
11:15Okay.
11:15But the core of this issue was a paper leak.
11:19The core of the issue is,
11:20a paper leak.
11:22Ma'am, you've been a union minister
11:24and you've been minister for education.
11:26And I know you were making efforts
11:29and an effort was being made
11:31to have a structure
11:32where paper leaks would not happen
11:33and yet paper leaks continue to happen.
11:37Isn't that a major issue
11:38where the government...
11:39It is an issue the prime minister has addressed.
11:42Do you accept it?
11:43Yes, he called it sin.
11:45It is an issue addressed
11:47not only by making up the task force
11:49but also legislatively
11:50by bringing a new bill.
11:52Do you accept?
11:53I've been education minister from 2014-15.
11:57I've had the privilege
11:58under the prime minister's direction
12:00of creating the new education policy
12:01consultation across the country.
12:05I wrote to every parliamentarian
12:07which included Rahul Gandhi.
12:09In my two years as minister of education,
12:11Mr. Gandhi never came up
12:12and offered any productive suggestions
12:15to say, let's sit together and see
12:17how can we better the system.
12:18Today, the prime minister creates a task force
12:21which includes somebody
12:22who fought an election against him
12:23in 2014 on a congress ticket
12:25but the congress party does not accept
12:27that the prime minister is not being myopic.
12:30He has assimilated every point of view
12:32into that task force.
12:34Can we say the same
12:35about the leader of opposition?
12:36I have had the privilege of serving
12:38as member of parliament from Amiti.
12:40The same place where Rahul Gandhi
12:41was also an MP from.
12:43This is a constituency
12:45where we've had two prime ministers
12:48and Rahul Gandhi was the sitting president
12:49of the Indian National Congress.
12:51In that time when I got the responsibility,
12:54we had children sitting on the floor
12:57without a bench or a chair
12:59in a constituency where the Gandhi
13:01Khandan ruled for over 60 years.
13:04So I can also point your attention
13:07to a land taken by the Gandhi family saying,
13:12we will open up a medical college here,
13:15land which belongs to the people of this country
13:17and they have also ensured
13:20that they've built a private residence
13:23guest house of the Gandhi family,
13:25not the medical college.
13:26Who's building that medical college?
13:28The Modi government.
13:29So if I have to productively evidence
13:32who has contributed towards making systems robust,
13:35there's only one person
13:37I can evidence it with.
13:39That is the Modi government.
13:42Education is an issue
13:43where we help build the future of our country.
13:46Could Mr. Gandhi have not found the time
13:48or the inclination
13:49to collaborate on this issue?
13:51Did you see him productively
13:54give inputs on the bill
13:56that was discussed in parliament?
13:58Did you see him approach
13:59the task force that the prime minister has set up
14:01to say this is my contribution
14:03to how to make the systems
14:04technologically more robust?
14:08No.
14:09So has the leader of opposition
14:11conducted himself responsibly
14:13when it came to issues of policy
14:14and fixing the system
14:16and making it more robust?
14:18But you do concede
14:20that the system needs fixing
14:22and especially the...
14:23Did you see people
14:24under whose regime
14:26paper licks took place
14:27sitting next to those people
14:29in Jantar Mantar?
14:33Did you see Mr. Gandhi
14:35go and give a dhana outside
14:37the CM Jharkhand's residence
14:38so that he can be picked up
14:39for a photo op?
14:41Did you see Mr. Rahul Gandhi
14:43take away support
14:44from the Jharkhand government?
14:48Did you see Mr. Gandhi
14:49go to Karnataka?
14:51Did you see Mr. Gandhi
14:52raise the issue
14:53of paper leak in Kerala?
14:57So for you,
14:58you're saying that
14:59all that he's doing is
14:59for the camera?
15:01I am not saying it.
15:02He's doing it.
15:05Okay, let me for a moment
15:08now switch focus
15:09to Vande Matram
15:11and you did raise that issue.
15:13Vande Matram,
15:14why is it important
15:15whether only two stanzas
15:16are sung or six?
15:18Isn't the more important issue
15:20that there is peace
15:22in the country,
15:23there is peace
15:24and that nobody feels
15:25that they are being
15:25discriminated against
15:27is the point
15:28that the opposition
15:29has raised.
15:29My issue is
15:30are you telling me
15:32if I pay salutations
15:34to my motherland
15:35there will be disturbance?
15:38Are you telling me
15:39there will be
15:39political disturbance
15:40and issues
15:42of law and order
15:43if I say
15:44I look upon
15:45my motherland
15:46as a source of knowledge?
15:48Are you telling me
15:49there will be
15:50a particular
15:51subsection
15:52of the Congress
15:53vote bank
15:53that will be
15:54very displeased
15:55if I say
15:56I look upon
15:57my motherland
15:57as I would
15:59look upon
15:59my bhagwati?
16:00They are saying
16:01it's in direct
16:04it's against their religion
16:05in 1937
16:07that is what
16:08the resolution
16:08also seemed to
16:09indicate
16:09is the Congress
16:10point of view.
16:11What is the Congress
16:12resolution?
16:14There is a
16:15complete written
16:16record of Nehru saying
16:18that the position
16:19taken by
16:20Muhammad Ali Jannah
16:21is communal.
16:23There is a
16:24particular statement
16:25of the same kind
16:26given by
16:26Subhash Chandra Bose.
16:29There is the
16:301923
16:31Kakinada session
16:32but if you
16:34are cherry picking
16:34from your part
16:36of history
16:36then is the
16:38Congress of the
16:39opinion that
16:39whatever Nehru
16:40says is sacrosigned
16:41for them
16:42then Jinda
16:43also wanted
16:44slaughter of
16:44cows.
16:46Will the Congress
16:47have the capacity
16:47the audacity
16:48to say that
16:50from their
16:50headquarters today?
16:54are you telling
16:56me if I pray
16:57to my God
16:58there will be
16:58a disturbance?
17:01That means
17:01in this country
17:02freedom to
17:03profess,
17:04preach,
17:05practice your
17:06religion is the
17:07only freedom
17:08that will be
17:08denied to
17:08Hindus?
17:10At the state
17:11level.
17:12I mean you
17:13know at
17:13government level.
17:14What state level?
17:15What is the
17:15Congress party
17:16headquarter?
17:16A state
17:17organization?
17:18No, at
17:18state level
17:19is the point
17:20that they
17:20raise but
17:21you know
17:21since you
17:23were education
17:24minister and
17:24I am sorry
17:25and I am
17:25digressing once
17:26again from
17:27the one day
17:28matrim issue
17:29coming back
17:29to the issue
17:30of paper
17:31leaks and
17:32unrest that is
17:33taking place
17:34in different
17:35parts of the
17:35country.
17:36When you
17:36were education
17:36minister there
17:37was unrest
17:38in one part
17:40after a
17:41particular
17:42suicide.
17:43Do you
17:43see a trend
17:45that is building
17:46up of
17:47protests on
17:48the street
17:48to take
17:49on the
17:49government?
17:51No
17:52government has
17:53ever been
17:53devoid of
17:54a protest
17:54or a push
17:55back in
17:56the history
17:56of democracy.
17:58The question
17:59before us
18:00is do
18:00people in
18:01government
18:02respond
18:02productively
18:03to outrage?
18:05Did the
18:06prime minister
18:07of our
18:07country in
18:08a country
18:09where people
18:09say I
18:10have a
18:10nine to
18:10five job
18:11and after
18:11five I
18:12would be
18:13available the
18:13next day
18:14in such a
18:15country as a
18:16professional,
18:16as a
18:17politician,
18:17as an
18:18administrator,
18:19was the
18:19prime minister
18:19of our
18:20country available
18:20at twelve
18:21midnight to
18:22converse with
18:23our citizens?
18:24He was.
18:27Was that
18:27panic as the
18:28opposition puts
18:29it?
18:30Pay your
18:30pardon?
18:31Was that
18:31panic as the
18:32opposition puts
18:33it?
18:34Panic that
18:34Gen Z are
18:36getting angry
18:37or they're not
18:37listening, reach
18:39out directly?
18:40How old are you
18:40Mr. Savan?
18:42My apologies
18:43for asking you
18:44this.
18:44How old are you?
18:44No, I'm
18:4452.
18:45I'm 50.
18:47Are you telling
18:48me that you
18:48and I as
18:49citizens are
18:49redundant because
18:50we are not
18:5130 years old?
18:52No.
18:53In this country
18:54we've had
18:54divisions which
18:55are layered in
18:56the name of
18:56religion, region,
18:57caste,
18:58subsections.
18:59Are we
19:00dangerously adding
19:01a new ageist
19:02silo?
19:03Are we telling
19:04people in this
19:05country that if
19:06you are not
19:06below the age of
19:0729 and don't
19:09form a bracket
19:10which is
19:11internationally
19:12proclaimed, then
19:13you will not be
19:13relevant as a
19:14citizen?
19:1664 crore Indians
19:18went to vote,
19:18Mr. Savan, in
19:202024.
19:21We all did not
19:22vote for the
19:23same party.
19:23We all did not
19:24vote for the
19:25same person.
19:26We all do not
19:27follow the same
19:27political ideology.
19:28But we all
19:29believe in our
19:30institutions and
19:31that's why we
19:31come out to
19:32vote.
19:34We know that
19:35our system is
19:36evolving.
19:37We know we
19:37have challenges.
19:38but we also
19:39know that as
19:40a country we
19:40are committed
19:41to following
19:41solutions.
19:44Today, I
19:45will quote the
19:46CM, Mr.
19:48Abdullah, who
19:50said that this
19:50is a new
19:51nomenclature which
19:52basically makes
19:53you remember the
19:54old adage,
19:55that who is my
19:55father?
19:57Those who screamed
19:58at the crossroads
20:01where there was
20:02troop movement to
20:03say, I am Gen
20:03Z and I am
20:04paying taxes,
20:05they should go
20:06back and scream
20:07and see what
20:08the family of
20:09a fallen soldier
20:09says.
20:11That family
20:12will say,
20:12I will give you
20:13the tax,
20:14I will give you
20:15my son.
20:18True.
20:20Undoubtedly.
20:20As Mr.
20:21Rahul Gandhi
20:22admonish such a
20:23person, we all
20:28have our politics
20:28to fight, but
20:30our politics cannot
20:31be greater than
20:31our country.
20:33We all will
20:34indulge in
20:36political skirmishes,
20:37we will all
20:38indulge in
20:39political battles,
20:40debates, but
20:42nothing overrides
20:43the sentiment for
20:44our country.
20:45Did the leader of
20:46opposition, Omar
20:48Abdullah made a
20:48statement, but
20:49did the leader
20:50of opposition
20:50step up and
20:51say, you
20:53cannot shout
20:54down at an
20:55armed force
20:55personnel and
20:57say, I'm
20:57a tax
20:58burden, because
20:59I'm Gen
20:59Z.
21:00There are
21:00Gen Z who
21:01serve in the
21:02Indian armed
21:02forces, there
21:03are Gen Zs who
21:04serve in the
21:05front line as
21:06health workers,
21:07there are Gen
21:07Zs who are
21:08engineers, there
21:09are Gen Zs who
21:09are technologists,
21:11there are Gen
21:11Zs who are
21:12even in Delhi
21:12police who are
21:13getting beaten
21:13up.
21:15Did Rahul Gandhi
21:15speak up for
21:16those Gen
21:18Zs?
21:19So let's
21:20stop dividing
21:21people now on
21:23the basis of
21:24age.
21:24Every Indian
21:25irrespective of
21:26region, religion,
21:27caste and age is
21:28relevant and
21:30every Indian
21:30institution demands
21:33and deserves
21:33respect, which
21:35includes the
21:36parliament that
21:37mandated the
21:39full rendition of
21:40Vande Matara.
21:41Spriti Rani for
21:42joining me here on
21:44this India Today
21:44special broadcast,
21:45many thanks.