- 1 week ago
A sharp rise in retail prices for essential commodities, including onions reaching 60 to 65 rupees per kilo and sugar rising near 65 rupees per kilo, has triggered political debate ahead of the festive season. Opposition leaders criticise the government over food inflation, while officials cite global price trends, weather damage, and measures like releasing buffer stocks and imposing stock limits. Simultaneously, student protests escalated at IIT Delhi following the suicide of an MSc physics student, with agitators demanding official resignations, compensation, and an independent inquiry. In Patna, BPSC aspirants demonstrated over alleged paper leaks and recruitment irregularities in the 70th examination. In other news, the body of a 15-year-old boy was recovered from a Jasola drain four days after he fell in while flying a kite. Actor Kriti Sanon addressed online backlash regarding her attire in a holiday commercial. Additionally, the United States administration proposed a USD 103,265 fee on H-1B visa applications and renewals.
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00:00Good evening, you're watching To The Point. I'm Preeti Chaudhary. Two debates line up for you. First up, allow me
00:05to take you through that.
00:10A cafe life worm horror again. Now worm in Paul's Pune outlet dessert.
00:18Customer claims worm found inside the dessert. Nine eateries face food department action across Mumbai.
00:31Students stage protest over IIT suicide. Unrest in IIT Delhi after suicide case. Student demands Dean's resignation after new external
00:39panels set up for probe.
00:47Alhabad High Court's big hijab order for school says hijab not essential to Islam faith.
00:53Plea demanding hijab in school rejected. High Court says personal choice cannot alter uniforms.
01:05Rapist and murderer Ram Rahim is out in jail once again.
01:08Dera chief serving life sentence in rape and murder case gets furlough for the 17th time, this time for 21
01:14days.
01:19Amidst criticism over the Rakhi ad, actor Krithi Sanan hits back at trolls including Kangana Ranop.
01:26Asks, when will we stop telling women what to wear? Says culture and tradition are in hearts, not leg lines.
01:41Just ahead of the festive season, there is a fresh price pinch for households.
01:46Onion prices have jumped to about 35 rupees a kilo, 60 to 65 a kilo in several markets as well.
01:53While sugar prices too have climbed sharply to nearly 65 rupees a kilo.
01:57The opposition is blaming the government for the rising cost of essentials, especially at the time of festivities.
02:02The centre meanwhile says it is releasing onion buffer stocks and has launched a Kanda Express to bring prices down.
02:10While pushing back on the opposition's claim over sugar.
02:13So what is it that is driving the spike in kitchen prices and can the government's measures bring relief this
02:18festive season?
02:19Here's more.
02:25Just ahead of the festive season, the kitchen is getting more expensive.
02:30First, sugar.
02:31Now, onion prices are bringing tears to consumers.
02:35A month ago, onions were selling at around 35 rupees a kilo.
02:40Today, retail prices have touched 60 to 65 rupees in several markets.
02:46So what is driving the spike?
02:49Lower supplies, a delayed Kharif crop and weather damage to the late Rabhi crop.
02:56Because of which Maharashtra Kharif onion crop has been delayed.
03:09ग्याद्व पकशन सा होड़
03:12झेली अग्धर
03:13बरीटार
03:16उन्हीजी दिनमेट नहीं पाटें।
03:18अबून पाचाश लेटा अधा गिन्हीरा भी आफिड है कमें बढ़िया है।
03:34The opposition has now targeted the centre, accusing the Modi government of failing to control essential commodity prices and adding
03:43to the burden on households.
03:45The government is pushing back with action.
03:48The centre is releasing buffer stocks and has launched Kanda Express to move onions to key-consuming centres.
03:57Around 800 tonnes are being brought to major cities, with onions to be sold at Rs 35 a kilo through
04:04government outlets.
04:06But onions are not the only worry. Sugar prices have surged too.
04:11In just a month, retail sugar prices have risen from around Rs 48 to nearly Rs 65 a kilo, just
04:19ahead of the festive season.
04:20The opposition has attacked the government over low sugar stocks, questioned the diversion of sugar towards ethanol.
04:48The government, however, rejects the ethanol link.
04:51Not only in India, in the entire world, the overall agricultural production has come down, sewer price has come down.
05:02We are very much concerned about it and that's why we have immediately taken many measures.
05:11So, as the festive season approaches, the pressure is rising inside the kitchen.
05:16Sugar is getting costlier.
05:18Onions are getting costlier.
05:21And for the common household, the festival bill could come with a bitter aftertaste.
05:26With Ashutosh Mishra, Bureau Report, India Today.
05:33All right, for our face-off this evening, joining me is Pankhuri Pathak, National Spokesperson Congress.
05:39We'll also be joined shortly by Siddharth Yadav, National Media Co-Convener, Bharatiya Janata Party.
05:44Let's begin with Pankhuri Pathak into this conversation.
05:47Ms. Pathak, the BJP would say that, and that is the explanation that they are giving, that where onion prices
05:54are concerned, there is a Kandai Express and there will be no shortage in due time.
06:00Secondly, where you have targeted the government on sugar prices, you allege that the government is trying to divert sugarcane
06:07for ethanol production.
06:08The government has rubbished that, say that there is a global rise in sugar prices and India is only facing
06:14the aftermath of the same.
06:18Well, I think the BJP doesn't have answers, it only has excuses.
06:23Since the last one month, while the BJP kept the country trapped in the debate over Vande Matra, sugar prices
06:31rose by 40%.
06:32In eight of the Indian states today, sugar has crossed 65 rupees a kg.
06:39And it's just not sugar or onions.
06:41There is a significant food inflation that the common man of the country is experiencing today.
06:47Everything from flour, to rice, to cumin, to turmeric, to your regular mustard oil, and groundnut oil, everything is expensive.
06:58And this is happening right before the major Hindu festival season.
07:02I know the BJP loves to play the Hindu part all the time.
07:06And during elections, they ask questions like,
07:09Bijali, are you getting to the Hindu Tiohar or are you getting to the Eid?
07:13They love saying things like that.
07:15But are they prepared to give any relief to the common man just before we have our Janmashmi, our Dashera,
07:21our Raksha Bandhan?
07:22And all the Hindu festivals are lined up.
07:25But today, all that they have to offer to the Indian public is bitterness by increasing the prices of sugar.
07:33From being the largest exporter of sugar, we have today been forced to become an importer.
07:39So, obviously, questions will be asked more so because in 2014, one of the strongest pitch of the BJP was
07:50And we all know where we are today, where we are down the line.
07:54Today, the rupee has weakened by 58%, petrol is expensive by 43%, diesel is more expensive by around 60%.
08:06And the government doesn't have any answers to all these questions that the common man is asking.
08:12They would rather keep on debating Vande Matram instead of preparing to tackle the price rise.
08:17And whenever the time comes to answer, they will know these are the global factors.
08:22When the crude oil prices go down, Indians don't get any relief.
08:27While in all other countries, the consumers get relief, Indians don't get any relief.
08:33But Indians are made to suffer every single time.
08:36The excuse remains the same.
08:39And when it comes to ethanol, of course, the government will have to answer
08:43Because they promised that there would not be a shortage of sugar, that there is enough sugar, there is enough
08:49sugarcane.
08:50Ethanol is not going to cause any disruption in sugar production.
08:55But today, we are seeing the results.
08:56So, of course, the government will have to answer whether promoting ethanol is more easy
09:01or providing sugar to common influence is their priority or is it giving...
09:07I just want to bring in Siddharth Yadhar, the newly minted national media co-convener.
09:12Congratulations on that, Siddharth.
09:13But to bring you in on the latest attack by the opposition, which has also been felt by the people
09:20of this country.
09:21The question is very clear, Siddharth.
09:23It seems that the government has failed to manage its priorities right.
09:27Because you might give the sugar spike and the hike in sugar prices to a global trend.
09:32You might say because of excessive rain, certain states, there has been crop failure.
09:37But the government should have factored all of that in,
09:40provided that a sizable chunk of sugarcane has been diverted towards ethanol as well.
09:47Maybe that should have been stopped because we should have assessed the problem earlier.
09:55Good evening and good evening to all your viewers.
09:58To begin with, my learned friend from the Congress Party was saying that
10:02while the country, while the BGP was busy debating Vande Matram,
10:06you know, such and such things were happening in the background.
10:09I think there was no need for a debate on Vande Matram.
10:11Had you not disrespected Vande Matram, there would not have been any debate.
10:15But leave that matter for another debate, I think.
10:17Today, we are discussing a very important issue.
10:20And I would want to come down to a very point-wise answer,
10:24the myths that the Congress Party and the opposition is trying to sell.
10:27But to begin with, for the ethanol part of this,
10:32you would, Preeti, would appreciate that before any of such crisis
10:36or any of such price rise, as you would term it, happened,
10:40the government had already cut down the diversion of sugar
10:46from 12% from last year to 9% this year for ethanol consumption.
10:50Now, it's a very known fact that for the farmers to have a security of payment from the mills,
10:57the surplus of sugar every year has to be diverted someplace so that the farmers can be paid.
11:04Because this is not like Congress times, that the farmers are not paid for 2 years, 3 years.
11:08Last year, the sugar farmers were paid 99%.
11:11This year, already they have been paid 97%.
11:15So, it's a very welcome change.
11:18It's a change in policy that has benefited the grassroot farmers.
11:21And the such change should continue.
11:23It's already down.
11:24So, ethanol has nothing to do with the current price rise.
11:28This is point number one.
11:29Point number two, for sugar,
11:31it's not us who are saying that there's a global price rise.
11:34There is a global price rise.
11:35I have with me 30th June, 2026, the global price for sugar was $474 a ton.
11:4320th August, 2026, it rose up to $552 a ton.
11:48$552, 16% in seven weeks.
11:51So, if that happens in the global market,
11:55it would definitely resonate to the domestic market as well.
11:59But Preeti, leave that apart as well.
12:01For sugar, for onions,
12:04the government has taken eight measures for sugar
12:07and for onions, the government has taken five steps.
12:13All steps have been in the direction to ensure that no hoarding happens,
12:18nobody increases the price,
12:20nobody, you know, there are no mischief elements in the market
12:23who would raise the price
12:24or who would want to, you know, in this situation,
12:28try to take advantage of that situation.
12:30And that's what we are doing.
12:33Call cut over, I think.
12:34All right.
12:35Okay.
12:36We're going to try and connect back to you.
12:37You've made your point.
12:38Pankhudi, Pathak, okay.
12:40Now, there's a detailed explanation given by Siddharth
12:43on the various data points.
12:45On why A, which I pointed out earlier,
12:48that the government says that there has been a global spike
12:51in sugar prices where sugar is concerned,
12:54number two, there have been states
12:55which are sugarcane producing states
12:57and they've taken a hit because of excessive rains.
12:59So, there has been a fall in terms of the crop as well.
13:04Siddharth says that the government diversion of sugarcane
13:08from 12% had already gone to 9% for ethanol.
13:12So, ethanol is really not the point problem.
13:15It's a larger issue which the government is now addressing.
13:21First of all, unlike what my friend from the BJP said,
13:24price rise and the current situation of food inflation
13:28is not a myth.
13:30Regular Indian consumers know this,
13:33that there has been a substantial rise
13:35over the past few months
13:37and everything that is essential to the Indian kitchen,
13:41to the Indian household,
13:42is now more expensive than it was a few months back.
13:45When the BJP blames the global factors,
13:50there have always been global pressures.
13:53What is the job of the government?
13:54The government's job is to make policies
13:56that absorb those global pressures
13:59and ensure that a certain kind of relief
14:02is at least given to the consumers,
14:04that the consumers don't have to be at the front
14:06of whatever global or international pressures are present.
14:09The BJP government has always been unprepared
14:12to deal with such issues.
14:14And when you make promises,
14:18like in 2018,
14:20if I remember it was 2018,
14:22when Nitin Gadkariji said
14:23that once we come out with,
14:25you know, ethanol policy and P20,
14:28there will be a substantial decrease
14:30in the prices of diesel and petrol.
14:32But that never happened.
14:33We even gave a figure of 50 to 55 rupees
14:36that the prices are going to come down to 55 rupees.
14:39But what has happened today?
14:40And of course,
14:41the higher fuel prices are also contributing
14:44to food inflation
14:46because it's all interrelated.
14:47The crux is that the BJP has been unable
14:51to control price rises.
14:53They would rather keep the country engaged
14:57in, you know,
14:57different and diversionary tactics
15:00and debates that are not essential
15:02to common man's daily life.
15:04But they should have been prepared
15:06for this crisis situation.
15:08We understand that the government
15:10is going to do some kind of damage control.
15:12But the government should also answer
15:15why was it not prepared for this situation?
15:17Were you not aware
15:18that there are going to be
15:19certain global pressures?
15:21Were you not aware?
15:22Don't you have a system in place
15:24that can predict
15:25that there is going to be a crop shortage
15:27or whatever other issues
15:29today the BJP is talking about?
15:31This should have been planned in advance.
15:33And this is where the government has speak.
15:35So today, even if you say that,
15:37you know,
15:37we are going to bring in this express
15:39and the prices are going to go down,
15:41you need to answer for your unpreparedness.
15:43Ms. Pataghan, come back to you.
15:44Siddharthi Aadav, you know,
15:46the government has given out
15:47a detailed clarification
15:48on the rise of both sugar and onion prices
15:50and the weather, global pulls and tugs,
15:52all of that has a part to play in it.
15:55But leading economists,
15:56and I'll just give you an example.
15:57I think Ashok Gulati,
15:59Professor Ashok Gulati,
16:01leading economist in India,
16:02is very clear,
16:03where he simply says
16:04that the government
16:05has miscalculated the shortage.
16:07It is in effect,
16:08the government should have known
16:09that this was going to happen
16:11and we've reacted too late.
16:17No, Priti, first of all,
16:19there's no shortage.
16:21That's to begin with.
16:23The country has enough surplus.
16:24Even after the allowed export of onions,
16:28we still have surplus after that.
16:29We have stopped our exports.
16:31We are, the country has full stock.
16:33There's nothing to panic.
16:34This is point number one.
16:35The ministry has given
16:36a very detailed explanation to that.
16:39Point number two,
16:39the Congress, you know,
16:41might be thinking that
16:43they're away from the issues.
16:44What the leading economists
16:45seem to suggest is
16:46that the reduction in import duties
16:48which have happened now
16:50should have taken place
16:51six to eight months ago.
16:52We would not have felt the pinch today.
16:58Six to eight months ago,
17:00Priti,
17:01neither the prices had risen
17:02nor the situation was there.
17:04We had enough surplus sugar
17:07in this country.
17:08The production was even higher
17:10than last year
17:11or last to last year
17:12for that matter.
17:13Everything was under control.
17:15Diversion to ethanol was lesser.
17:17We were in a position
17:18that it was higher.
17:20What the country has done today,
17:22the steps that we have taken,
17:23the stock limit of 400 tons
17:25on sugar dealers countrywide
17:27for bulk consumers
17:28to not hold for more than 15 days,
17:30the joint state and center teams
17:32to go and check for mills,
17:34no mills should hold sugar
17:35for more than seven days after sale
17:37or a duty-free import
17:40for 10 LMT of raw sugar
17:42are the measures
17:43which have to be taken now.
17:44The country has responded,
17:46the government has responded
17:47at the very right time.
17:49The prices that we are speaking about,
17:51it's not one...
17:52But Chidat,
17:53why isn't the government
17:54looking at maybe
17:55capping sugar prices?
17:56When the prices have risen
17:57and...
18:00And because the consumption of sugar
18:04power is to the very essential nature
18:06of all consumers,
18:07we have a festive season
18:08coming ahead.
18:09Every year,
18:10Preeti,
18:10if you would see the chart
18:11of sugar price in this country,
18:13it has been average.
18:14Since we came to power,
18:15the sugar price in this country
18:16have been between 45 to 50.
18:18Every year,
18:19during festive season,
18:20it goes up,
18:21goes up to 58 and a half,
18:2259,
18:2349,
18:2349,
18:2448 and a half,
18:2549,
18:2649 and a half.
18:26But the average,
18:28the window that it has been under
18:31is between 40 to 50
18:33when we came to power.
18:34It's not like UPA
18:35when the food inflation
18:37would be in double digits.
18:38I have some data
18:39because my learned friend
18:40was trying to draw a comparison.
18:42Retail inflation
18:43today in July 2026
18:44is 4.45%.
18:45Food inflation is 5.52%.
18:48But what was the UPA2 average?
18:5010.25%.
18:51Peak was 12.5%.
18:53Food inflation was 12.2%.
18:5612.2%.
18:58Inflation in 22 out of 24 months
19:01just preceding 2014
19:04was 9% on an average.
19:069%.
19:07So when,
19:08you know,
19:09the UPA tries to build this,
19:10but you know,
19:10let me highlight one more thing,
19:12Preeti.
19:12From past three months,
19:13we were hearing from the Congress Party
19:15that the money given to the farmers,
19:18to onion producers,
19:18should be more.
19:20Suddenly,
19:20now there's a shift
19:21and the Congress Party says,
19:23no,
19:23forget about that money
19:24given to the farmers.
19:25The prices of onions should go down.
19:27But leaving that apart also,
19:28what farmers are getting today,
19:30today on 24th of August,
19:31they're getting 4,200 a quintal
19:33in Nasik.
19:35It's 40% more
19:37of what Congress was itself demanding.
19:39But Siddharth,
19:39let me ask you this question again.
19:41Why isn't the government today,
19:44you can take the time
19:45but just answer this question as well
19:47because a lot of people
19:48are asking this question.
19:49Why isn't the government looking
19:50to cap the maximum price of sugar
19:53which will in effect
19:54stop hoarding and profiteering?
20:01Preeti,
20:02decisions of such nature
20:04have to be taken
20:06in staged manners.
20:08When government
20:09has already taken
20:10eight steps,
20:11the prices for sugar
20:12have started to go down.
20:13What it was yesterday,
20:15it's lower today.
20:16It's going to be lower tomorrow.
20:18If those measures
20:19would not take place
20:20in effect,
20:21the Essential Commodities Act
20:22is already in place,
20:23the capping of prices
20:24would also happen
20:25but it has to happen
20:26in a staged manner.
20:27What we are speaking about
20:28is a 15-20 day hike
20:30of a sugar price.
20:31It's going down already
20:32and it's going to go down
20:33to back to normal prices
20:34in no time.
20:35So, you know,
20:36when something comes up,
20:38it has to be assessed holistically.
20:40It's not like
20:41and just allow me 10 seconds
20:43because we had seen prices
20:45of such essential commodities
20:47like sugar,
20:49like onions,
20:50very high,
20:51very high.
20:52The prices today
20:53are even lower
20:54than what it was
20:56in 2013-2014.
20:57I have the 2013 prices
20:59in front of me.
21:0160 rupees in Delhi,
21:0380 to 85 in Chennai,
21:0560 to 70 in Kolkata,
21:07Mumbai is 63,
21:0870 to 80 across the country.
21:1112 years back,
21:12Priti,
21:1312 years back,
21:1412 years later,
21:15we are around the same prices.
21:17A minor hike has happened
21:18for a brief time.
21:19The country,
21:20the government has taken
21:21all steps to contain it.
21:23The government is vigilantly
21:25monitoring the entire situation
21:27and ensuring that the prices
21:28would go down.
21:29It's in, you know,
21:30consultation with all stakeholders
21:32and we are very sure
21:34that such prices will go down.
21:35No myths in this time
21:37at least should come out.
21:38This is the request
21:39to the opposition,
21:40you know, particularly.
21:41It's not a time to spread myths,
21:44it's a time for facts.
21:46Okay, I agree with that.
21:48There is never a good time
21:49to spread any myths.
21:51It's also always a good time
21:53to stick to facts.
21:54So, therefore,
21:55the last brief
21:55that we've got
21:56from the government
21:57seemed to also suggest
21:58that we are facing a shortage.
21:59We are importing sugar.
22:01So, therefore,
22:02the question, Siddharth,
22:03that if we,
22:04what you are pointing out
22:05is that we are not
22:06facing a shortage.
22:06So, if we are facing a shortage,
22:08we are importing sugar.
22:09The next step would have been
22:10to cap prices
22:11because there is hoarding,
22:13there is profiteering
22:14which is going on
22:14and it's happening
22:15bang in the middle
22:16of festive season.
22:17So, every household
22:18is facing the pinch.
22:19Final comments.
22:19I want to bring in
22:20Pankhari Patak
22:21back into this conversation.
22:22Very quickly,
22:23make your point, Pankhari,
22:24because Siddharth has a point.
22:26It's not the first time
22:27we are debating inflation
22:29at the time
22:30of the festive season.
22:31The demand always rises
22:32and we have felt the pinch
22:34and there are ways
22:36which the government uses
22:37to cushion that.
22:41The BGP spokesperson
22:42said that there was
22:43no shortage
22:44until six months back
22:45and this just happened recently.
22:46So, I don't know
22:47what the government is doing
22:48if they cannot even
22:49scientifically predict
22:51and plan for what's going
22:52to happen after six months.
22:54Secondly,
22:55you don't become
22:57an importer
22:58from an exporter
22:59overnight.
23:00So, obviously,
23:00it took time
23:02and it took certain
23:03policies on the part
23:05of the government
23:05change in policies
23:06that led to this development.
23:08When the government
23:09is trying to shove down
23:11E20 down the throats
23:13of Indian consumers,
23:14I think they should
23:14have planned better
23:15about how they are
23:17going to manage
23:18the shortage of sugar.
23:19So, I think that
23:20is the question
23:21that the Indian public
23:22is going to keep
23:23on asking that
23:24what is the hurry
23:25to make policies
23:27around E20
23:28and make sure
23:29that everyone uses E20
23:30meant to have not
23:31even sufficiently
23:32planned for it.
23:33Lastly,
23:34I would just like
23:34to say that
23:35the government
23:36should right now
23:37think about
23:37giving relief
23:38to the consumers.
23:39You cannot keep
23:40on denying
23:41that there is
23:42a shortage.
23:42This is a tactic
23:43that the BJP
23:44always uses
23:45when there is
23:45a crisis.
23:46Be it COVID,
23:48be it LPG shortage,
23:49they'll first deny
23:50and act only later.
23:52So, I think
23:52it's high time
23:53the BJP should start.
23:54I just want to bring in
23:55I want to bring in
23:56Siddharth Yadav
23:57back into this conversation.
23:58Siddharth, you know,
23:59because you like
23:59sticking to facts,
24:00there's data.
24:01I have a report
24:01by ISMA
24:03which is the industry
24:04body where sugar
24:05is concerned
24:06and ISMA flagged
24:07a fall in production
24:09in January itself.
24:11So, in January
24:12if a fall in production
24:13was flagged,
24:14second point to that
24:16we were still
24:18exporting sugar
24:19and we were
24:20exporting sugar
24:21all the way
24:22till May
24:23even though in January
24:24it was flagged
24:25that there could be
24:27less production
24:28of sugar
24:29that it very well
24:30could happen
24:31that we will see
24:32a fall in production.
24:33January, February,
24:35March, April
24:36we continue
24:38to export sugar.
24:39Only in March
24:41do we stop
24:42exporting sugar.
24:43We could have
24:43avoided all of that.
24:45Siddharth,
24:45that's the question.
24:50No, Preeti,
24:51I think, you know,
24:52the data that I have
24:54in front of me
24:54and it's not a report
24:55it's the clear data
24:57which is, you know,
24:58which has been put out
24:59to the public
24:59from the ministry as well.
25:01We, the expected
25:02production this year
25:03is 306 LMT.
25:05We were expecting
25:06around 343 LMT.
25:08All of us know
25:09because of red rot
25:09and top boral disease.
25:12True, but Siddharth,
25:12that was red flagged
25:14in January itself.
25:15We had a lesser production.
25:17But that was flagged
25:18in January.
25:19The question I want
25:20to ask is
25:22does your and my data
25:23tally on the fact
25:24because my data
25:26suggests that
25:27we continue to export
25:29sugar all the way
25:30till May.
25:31Did we do that?
25:35No, Preeti,
25:36absolutely not.
25:38I think, you know,
25:39the season of sugar,
25:42you know,
25:43and until the final
25:44harvest also comes,
25:45it's until April
25:46that you finally
25:47understand that
25:48what the production
25:49is going to be.
25:50So whosoever claims
25:51that it's going to be
25:51in January
25:52or it was already
25:53flagged in February
25:53or we had a shortage.
25:55Sir, it's not whosoever.
25:56It's the sugar
25:58regulating industry body
26:00ISMA.
26:01I'm responding to that.
26:02Yes, please.
26:03I'm responding to that.
26:04I'm even appreciating
26:05their fact.
26:06Even appreciating
26:07what they are saying.
26:08We have enough buffer
26:10in the country
26:11because of the
26:12structural change
26:13that the government
26:14brought in 2017,
26:16in Preeti.
26:17The first time
26:17we brought
26:18the price stabilization fund.
26:20It's a big
26:2010,000 crore fund
26:21which is given
26:22to the ministry
26:23which is for
26:24the particular purpose
26:25which we never had
26:26institutionally
26:27in the country
26:27for whenever
26:28a shortage happens
26:29or there's
26:30a lesser production
26:31the government
26:32can also buy,
26:33procure, save, hold
26:34and then give out
26:35to the people.
26:35But Siddharth,
26:36I'm just taking you
26:36back to timelines
26:37because when
26:38Maharashtra
26:39which is one of our
26:40other than
26:41West Uttar Pradesh,
26:42Maharashtra
26:43which is one of our
26:43key sugar producing states
26:45all the way
26:46in last October
26:48had an issue
26:49where weather
26:49was concerned.
26:51Excessive rain
26:51in Maharashtra
26:52last October.
26:54Red rot
26:54that you speak of
26:55and top borer disease
26:56in sugar cane crop
26:57in UP and Maharashtra
26:59had impacted
27:00production
27:01in the cycle
27:02of last October
27:04to all the way
27:05to Jan.
27:06You know,
27:07there are two seasons
27:08where sugar cane
27:10is produced
27:10in this country.
27:11So,
27:11it was already flagged
27:13at that point
27:13of time
27:14and there was
27:15an assumption
27:16which was made
27:16on this data
27:18by ISMA
27:19that we are going
27:20to have a fall
27:20in production
27:21yet we continue
27:22to export
27:23all the way
27:24to May.
27:28Priti,
27:29our domestic consumption
27:30of sugar
27:31every year
27:32is 280
27:32to 290
27:33LMT.
27:34We were expecting
27:35a bumper
27:36343 this year.
27:37The actual
27:38came out
27:39to be 306.
27:40Even with the actual
27:41we have more
27:42than the domestic
27:43consumption
27:44than the export
27:46and then the buffer
27:47even with the actual
27:48consumption.
27:49So,
27:49the analysis
27:50I am appreciating
27:50with whatever body
27:52has come out
27:52with whatever analysis
27:53but the true picture
27:55only came out
27:56when it was added up
27:57with the global
27:58surge of prices
27:58in sugar
27:59when that also
28:00reflected on the
28:01domestic quo
28:02until today
28:03we are
28:04you know
28:04very confident
28:05that the buffer
28:05that the government
28:06has been holding
28:07it's in place
28:08the measures
28:08that have been
28:09taken up
28:09the prices
28:10are already
28:11going down
28:11Priti.
28:12You check
28:12the prices
28:12from yesterday
28:13from day
28:14before yesterday
28:15and from today
28:15you put out
28:16a comparison
28:16when it's
28:17a decline
28:18already
28:18and you know
28:19the decline
28:20will continue
28:20to happen
28:21yes
28:22so when
28:22the decline
28:23has started
28:24for any such
28:25prices
28:25it's going
28:26to go down
28:26more
28:26the situation
28:27is under
28:28control
28:28and it's
28:29because of
28:30the institutional
28:30mechanisms
28:31that have been
28:31put in place
28:32by the government
28:33and a very
28:33quick response
28:34that has been
28:34put out
28:35it has been
28:36a very quick
28:37vigilant
28:38by the government
28:39to act upon
28:40this space
28:40and we are
28:40very confident
28:41that it's going
28:41to be no time
28:42a very normal
28:43situation back
28:44all right
28:45you know
28:45with that
28:45we're going
28:46to leave it
28:46at that
28:46thank you
28:47for both
28:47our guests
28:47for joining
28:48us this evening
28:48appreciate it
28:49we're going
28:49to quickly
28:50move on
28:50to our
28:50other big
28:51debate
28:51lined up
28:52this evening
28:52and that
28:54is coming
28:55in from
28:55IIT Delhi
28:56protests
28:57viewers have
28:57intensified
28:58at IIT Delhi
28:59after the death
29:00of a 31
29:01year old
29:02MSC physics
29:02student
29:03Rishikesh Kumar
29:04students are
29:05demanding
29:05one crore
29:07compensation
29:08resignations
29:08of senior
29:09officials
29:09and an
29:10independent
29:10probe
29:11IIT Delhi
29:12has announced
29:13an external
29:14inquiry
29:14and new
29:15student support
29:16measures
29:16but students
29:17have rejected
29:18the response
29:19as inadequate
29:20and evasive
29:21here's the full
29:22report
29:28these are
29:29unusual visuals
29:30from IIT Delhi
29:31a campus
29:33known for
29:34classrooms
29:35laboratories
29:36and academic
29:37excellence
29:38is now
29:39witnessing
29:39protests
29:40and slogans
29:41of justice
29:41for Rishikesh
29:45at the center
29:46of the protest
29:47is 31 year old
29:48MSC physics
29:50student
29:50Rishikesh Kumar
29:51who died
29:52by suicide
29:52on August 22
29:56his family
29:57has alleged
29:57that the
29:58administration
29:59was alerted
30:00about his
30:00struggles
30:01and that
30:02requests
30:02for accommodation
30:03and academic
30:04support
30:04went unanswered
30:08and that
30:09a
30:10good
30:10and
30:10that
30:10you
30:10have to
30:11give me a hostel
30:12but
30:13they didn't
30:13think that
30:14there's no
30:38Students are demanding one crore rupees as compensation for Rishikesh's family.
30:43Resignation of senior student affairs officials, resignation of the physics department head and an independent investigation into his death.
31:13They are still not giving us the compensation and we are also demanding the resignation and they are even not
31:20giving us the resignation.
31:21They are insisting upon the investigation and also for the investigation the committee they have made which is very biased.
31:29IIT Delhi has announced an inquiry. A five-member panel will probe the circumstances surrounding Rishikesh's death and submit its
31:38report within two weeks.
31:39The panel includes former Uttarakhandi GP Ashok Kumar and AIMS Psychiatry Head Professor Pratap Sharma, along with student representatives and
31:49the IIT Delhi Registrar.
31:50The institute has also announced financial assistance for the family, an omsworth person for student grievances and a new mentor
31:59system for students needing mental health support.
32:07Students have also rejected the administration's response as inadequate and evasive and so the protests continue.
32:15For these students, this is no longer just about one death.
32:20It is about whether one of India's premier institutions is truly listening to its students.
32:27When a student is struggling, who is listening?
32:30And when students say they raise the alarm, who will be held accountable?
32:36With Anmol Bali, Bureau Report, India Today.
32:48All right, viewers, news break coming in on this.
32:50IIT Delhi has now issued a press release over the student suicide.
32:54IIT Delhi says Rishikesh examined by the institute doctor.
32:57He was examined by the institute doctor and Rishikesh withdrew with parents' consent.
33:04IIT Delhi setting up an external probe panel into the death.
33:08All of this after students have now taken into a mass protest asking for sweeping changes,
33:15especially where the student, where the teacher's body is concerned, where IIT Delhi is concerned.
33:23I want to quickly cut across to my colleague Anmol Bali, who is joining me on the phone line with
33:28Moor.
33:28Anmol, what more can you add?
33:31We have just seen that IIT has issued a press statement, and yesterday we have also seen an IIT director
33:36has tried to communicate with the protesting students,
33:40and even there that they have formed an external committee, they have also seen a F.T.G. Kothra Khan,
33:46as well as a psychiatrist from the IMF,
33:49and on the other hand, students are thinking that they are not happy with the actions of Indian Institute of
33:54Technology,
33:55and they have clearly said they won't be pushing from their protest until their main demand suspension of the deal
34:01with those who are kind of alleged
34:02for the harassment of Rishikesh, will be shutted out from the institute, and even one crore compensation for the victim's
34:11family.
34:11IIT, who clearly accused IIT administration, was not helping Rishikesh, and he was in grave need of help, grave need
34:20of coordination inside the campus.
34:23So now this has snowballed into a major controversy for IIT, one of the premier technology institutions around India,
34:31which has now had its deadline, because this is eight deaths, which is concerning last 20 months, eight students have
34:38lost their life inside campus.
34:43Anmol, with whatever the IIT Delhi, where the administration has put out in terms of this constituting this external body
34:53to investigate,
34:55will the students be happy? Can you take us once again, what are their key demands?
35:00Students are clearly demanding one crore compensation for the victim's family, they are also demanding
35:07at the station already.
35:14Okay, we seem to have lost Anmol Bali, we're going to try and connect to him, but I want to
35:19cut across right now to our guest this evening.
35:22Joining me is Professor Anita Rampal, Professor and former Dean, Faculty of Education, Delhi University, retired.
35:28I am also joined by Sudhir Sangwan, the newly minted national spokesperson of the Cockroach Janata Party.
35:35I'd like to begin with you, Professor Rampal.
35:38Eight suicides in three years, the numbers are stunning.
35:43Where IIT Delhi is concerned, ma'am.
35:50Ma'am, there's a problem with your audio, there is a problem with your audio, we're going to try and
36:00fix your audio.
36:02I'm going to just take you through with the very latest that is coming in.
36:05IIT Delhi have of course constituted an external body which will now look into and investigate the case,
36:13but the students who have been protesting on ground are refusing to accept anything other than what their key demands
36:21are,
36:21which is one that they are looking for one crore compensation for young Rishikesh's family.
36:28They want certain suspensions and removal of certain administrative personnel.
36:33They want two or three key changes, especially on how students are being handled by the administration where IIT Delhi
36:44is concerned.
36:46Can we once again connect to our guest?
36:48Do we have Professor Anita Rampal back with us?
36:50All right, we don't have her. Do we have Sudhir Sangwan, National Spokesperson CJP?
36:56All right, we don't seem to be having any of our guests, so we're going to quickly move on in
36:59the bulletin, viewers.
37:01We just got you up to speed with the very latest that has come in from IIT Delhi.
37:06But I want to take you now from IIT Delhi to Bihar.
37:10In Bihar's Patna, the BPSC aspirants have once again taken to the streets,
37:14turning their anger against the Bihar government over alleged irregularities in the examination and recruitment process.
37:21Hundreds of students marched from the Gandhi Maidan towards Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhuri's residents,
37:27turning their demands into a direct confrontation with the administration.
37:31At the heart of the agitation is the 70th BPSC examination.
37:36Hark back to what happened in Jharkhand.
37:39Jharkhand was JPSC, the Jharkhand Public Service Commission.
37:44This protest is in Bihar for the BPSC, the Bihar Public Service Commission.
37:50The aspirants here are demanding its cancellation, much like in Jharkhand, and reconduct,
37:55citing alleged irregularities and seeking a process they say is transparent and credible.
38:02This is a report filed by my colleague Rohit Singh.
38:08Well, see, let me clarify.
38:10There are two protests that are going on at this point of time.
38:13One protest and the movement is going on at the Dharna site in Gardani Bagh in Patna,
38:20where the aspirants of TRE-4 are sitting on a Dharna with their demand.
38:25And they are demanding that the examination that will be taking place from here on,
38:30only a single examination should be taken and not two examinations,
38:35that is the prelims and the mains examination.
38:37And they are also protesting against the negative marking that is right now going on,
38:43as far as the examination of TRE-4 is concerned.
38:47But those aspirants of TRE-4, they are not part of the protest march that is going on today.
38:53Those TRE-4 aspirants are sitting at the Gardani Bagh in Dharna site.
38:58But this is a different protest that is going on.
39:00These students, these aspirants, are demanding that the 70th BPSC examination that was conducted between 2024 and 2025,
39:08and the final results of which, in fact, was declared in June 2026 in a couple of months back.
39:15And more than 2,000 candidates have been selected.
39:17They are claiming that the entire exercise, the entire examination process was rigged and paper leak happened.
39:24And they are claiming, and that is why they are demanding that the entire examination should be cancelled.
39:29But the BPSC, which had conducted that examination,
39:33has clearly stated that there is no question of cancelling the 70th BPSC examination that has taken place.
39:39And that is why, with this demand, these protestors are on the streets of Patna today.
39:44Back to you.
39:46Alright, so that is in Bihar, Patna.
39:50I want to now shift focus to another controversy that is now brewing unnecessarily over an advertisement.
39:56Actress Kriti Sanan has hit back at online trolls which included Kangana Ranaut
40:01following intense criticism over her latest Raksha Bandhan advertisement.
40:06The commercial drew sharp backlash from social media users and actor-politician Kangana Ranaut
40:11for Kriti's modern choice of attire.
40:14Take a look.
40:19Kriti Sanan's newly launched Raki campaign has triggered a new controversy about how a woman should be styled.
40:27Why?
40:28Because in the ad, she wears a contemporary Indo-Western fusion outfit,
40:32an elegant bra-led style blouse paired with a cape and a draped skirt.
40:42And just like that, the trolls have aggressively flooded the comment sections,
40:46calling the outfit shameful and demanding to know who dresses like this in front of her brother.
40:55Fuel was added to these aggressive comments when actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut decided to pile on.
41:03Taking a dig on Instagram, Kangana labeled the concept intentionally creepy.
41:08She aggressively questioned why anyone would choose to celebrate Raki in what she described as bikinis or undergarments when traditional
41:17options exist.
41:21But Kriti Sanan hit back with a stinging reply.
41:24Defending the campaign, Kriti directly asked when society will finally stop telling women what to wear.
41:30Firing a direct shot at her critics, she stated that culture and traditions live in the heart and not in
41:37a neckline.
41:40A festive about celebrating the sacred bond between siblings has seemingly become another toxic excuse to launch a relentless attack
41:49on a women's wardrobe.
41:51Bureau report, India Today.
41:59Meanwhile, a viral video that sparked days of trolling has now led to clarification from the women at its centre.
42:08Vinosha Ravi, a worker in Malaysia who was mistaken for Tamil Nadu Minister Eskirtana says she was filmed without consent
42:16and has filed a police complaint.
42:17She says the trolling pushed her into depression.
42:21While Kirthana has also clarified that the woman in the video is not her.
42:25And what if she was and was wearing the clothes that this woman was wearing?
42:30What is wrong with it?
42:31Take a look.
42:33The Kirthana has become a big barrier.
42:44Three days after a viral video sparked a social media storm, the woman, who was mistaken for Tamil Nadu Minister
42:52Eskirtana, has finally broken her silence.
42:55The woman at the centre of the controversy is Vinosha Ravi, a worker in Malaysia.
43:03After being heavily trolled and wrongly identified as Kirthana, Vinosha has now filed a police complaint alleging that she was
43:10filmed without her consent.
43:13She says the relentless trolling pushed her into depression.
43:16But her family stood by her, assuring her that there was nothing wrong with wearing a short dress.
43:24Vinosha also made a large appeal, saying no woman should be attacked or bullied, whether it is her or Minister
43:31Kirthana.
43:33But let me show you something.
43:34It did not break me.
43:36I went down already.
43:36Yes, I was depressed.
43:39I was very worried about this video.
43:44How did this video go viral?
43:45If you put this video on the video, you raised a question.
43:49If I put it on the other side, I will still put it on the video.
43:53Because they were meant to me.
43:56They were meant to me.
43:56I was meant to me.
43:58I was meant to me.
44:00If you look at me, you see me.
44:01I was meant to me.
44:02I was meant to me.
44:03I was meant to me.
44:03Because they were meant to me.
44:04I was meant to me.
44:07The controversy began after several social media users shared a video of a woman in a short dress, questioning whether
44:15she was Industries Minister Keerthana.
44:18The speculation soon snowballed into heavy trolling.
44:23But Keerthana later stepped in, defended the woman and made it clear.
44:28The person in the viral video was not her.
44:33Bureau Report, India Today.
44:40We was up next.
44:41Our visuals we wished we did not have to put out into the point this evening.
44:46These are visuals that the entire to-the-point team could not unsee.
44:51These are visuals of a father's desperation, a parent's indelible love that has left an indelible mark on at least
45:02our psyche.
45:03These visuals come in from Jasola, where nearly four days ago, after 15-year-old Nithun fell into an open
45:11drain in Delhi's Jasola while flying a kite.
45:14The boy's body was found on Tuesday, today.
45:19Shortly before the body was found, for days his distraught father, Avudesh Kumar, was seen clearing trash accumulated in the
45:28drain with his hands, saying that if this garbage is removed, my son will be found.
45:33The heartbreaking footage surfaced as a multi-agency rescue operation was underway since the August 22nd incident to trace 15
45:44-year-old Nithun, the little boy on your television screens.
45:48The visuals that you see is a desperation of a parent hoping against hope, constantly saying that if he removes
45:56the trash from this drain, his young son would be found.
46:00Mithun fell into this train flying a kite.
46:04And for four days, his father looked for him through trash.
46:10Today, his body was found.
46:13We, on to the point, hope that the father can somehow get out of that grief and manage to move
46:22on.
46:22And young Mithun, rest in peace.
46:25A major new H-1B shock is brewing in the United States and Indian workers and students could be amongst
46:31the biggest hit.
46:32The Trump administration has proposed a $1,3265 H-1B fee, potentially applying to new applications as well as renewals.
46:45If cleared, the new rule could raise hiring costs for American companies, reshape recruitment in the tech sector,
46:51and put fresh pressure on Indian IT professionals and students seeking to stay and work in the U.S.
46:57Business Today reports.
47:07In June, a federal judge struck down Donald Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee, calling it an unlawful tax
47:15that the U.S. Congress had never authorized.
47:19Two months later, the Trump administration is back with an even bigger H-1B fee proposal,
47:24this time using the formal regulatory process rather than relying on the presidential proclamation that ran into trouble in court.
47:34The new proposal is far more draconian, starting with a higher $103,265 fee.
47:42The fees is to be paid for all H-1B visa applications and not just by those applying from overseas
47:48in the earlier routes.
47:50This means renewals for those already working in the U.S. or studying in colleges will also be hit.
47:56The new rules are permanent, unlike the earlier, which were only in place for a year and would have phased
48:01out in September 2026.
48:03Importantly, the new levy follows an established federal process, unlike the older ruling which was signed by Trump and successfully
48:11opposed in court.
48:14The new filing on Monday by the Department of Homeland Security will not kick in immediately.
48:20It remains open for 30 days' comments and may not come into effect soon because of the possibility of fresh
48:26court cases.
48:28But if finalized, the new proposal would place a significant new burden on the technology and finance sectors,
48:35which rely on the H-1B visa to hire top international graduates from U.S. universities.
48:41For India, which supplies by far the largest share of H-1B professionals, the stakes are especially high.
48:48Data shows that 70% of H-1B visas in 2025 were allotted to Indians.
48:54And in 2026, Indian IT companies like TCS and Infosys remain among major users of the program,
49:00alongside American giants including Amazon, Apple and Microsoft.
49:04For India's IT service companies, the calculation could therefore shift towards hiring more Americans locally,
49:11moving more work offshore to India or reserving H-1Bs for only the highest value specialist roles.
49:20Indian students in the United States will be at a disadvantage as well.
49:24Currently, students on Optional Practical Training or OPT in the U.S. can apply for an H-1B visa without
49:31a cap or fees.
49:33Under the new proposal, this changes.
49:35Any H-1B petition would carry the six-figure additional fee,
49:39and it's the employer who files and pays the fee who may now look for cheaper local options.
49:45And Washington is making little attempt to hide the political objective.
49:49Vice President J.D. Vance sharing news of the rule on X made his intentions clear.
49:55Hire more Americans.
49:57The Trump administration gives another justification.
50:00It estimates that charging the fee could raise about $8.8 billion every year.
50:05Money, it says, would help pay for immigration processing and other costs.
50:09But H-1B is only one front in a much wider immigration crackdown.
50:15The Trump administration is also preparing what could become the largest mass visa revocation in American history,
50:23potentially cancelling the B-1 business and B-2 tourist visas of up to 200,000 foreigners
50:28who entered the United States as temporary visitors and subsequently applied for asylum.
50:34Bureau Report, Business Today TV.
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