- 3 weeks ago
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay launched the ‘Thaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam’ at Rajaji Government Hospital in Madurai, fulfilling an electoral promise of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Under the scheme, eligible newborns delivered at state-run healthcare institutions will receive a one-gram, 22-carat gold ring. The initiative has an annual allocation of more than Rs 755 crore and has triggered political debate over funding, procurement and its rollout ahead of assembly by-elections. Meanwhile, a special POCSO court in Chennai rejected a police closure report in a child sexual abuse case linked to Gem Granites founder Veeramani and ordered a fresh, detailed investigation. The probe subsequently led to four arrests. The Tamil Nadu government has also withdrawn an order seeking to exempt the Law and Order department from the Right to Information Act. The developments come amid an intensifying political contest between the DMK and TVK in Madurai North and Dharapuram.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome. Good evening. You're watching Super 6 here on India Today.
00:03I'm Akshita Nanda Gopal. Over the next one hour, we round up the day's top stories
00:07with our focus, particularly on what's happening in the southern states.
00:11So what have we got lined up for you this evening on Super 6?
00:14We'll be beginning with the launch of Chief Minister Vijay's gold scheme.
00:20Gold rings to mothers of newborn babies.
00:23The scheme was launched, kicked off in Madurai of Tamil Nadu
00:27with images that have quickly gone viral of the Chief Minister interacting with newborn babies.
00:31But there's a larger question to ask here.
00:34Everyone's been speaking about the welfarism push in Tamil Nadu
00:38and what these kind of schemes actually cost the state.
00:41Can Tamil Nadu afford to have more and more such schemes or will it hit dent the economy?
00:45We'll be focusing on that as we get you the highlights of that visit
00:49but also coming up on the show here on India Today,
00:52we're not taking the focus away from what's happening in the Veeramani case
00:56and the investigation.
00:57We've accessed the closure report as you see on your screens there.
01:02What were the circumstances on which the Veeramani Poxo case was closed months ago?
01:07What did the court say about it?
01:09Well, all of these details are out on India Today and it's prompted a big political fight.
01:14We'll get you details of that as well as a newsmaker on the story.
01:18Like I said, here on India Today, we're continuing to follow up closely on that story.
01:22But as promised, our top story this evening is on Chief Minister Vijay's Madurai visit
01:28and launching what's being referred to as a golden scheme for newborns.
01:33What is it?
01:34A gold ring, one gram of gold essentially,
01:37being handed over to the mothers of newborn babies in government hospitals.
01:41The opposition is questioning the government, saying that one,
01:45it's misplaced priorities.
01:46Second, where's the money coming from?
01:48Now, Tamil Nadu's economy has been dented because of the fact that one political party
01:54after another is focused a great deal on welfarism.
01:57So in such a circumstance, can we really afford to have more schemes that dent the economy further?
02:03We'll talk about that.
02:04But first, let's get you some of the highlights of the launch
02:07when Chief Minister Vijay interacted with these mothers and their newborn babies,
02:11gifting each of them a gold ring.
02:28It was a key pole promise of TVK.
02:32Now, it has been delivered.
02:34Chief Minister Vijay rolled out the TTMT, the Maternal Uncle Gold Ring Scheme,
02:41at an event in Rajaji Government Hospital in Madurai on Monday.
02:45The scheme takes its name from Tamil tradition, the maternal uncle's gift to a newborn.
02:53The Chief Minister arrived in traditional attire and handed over rings to mothers of newborns.
02:59Vijay held the babies, cuddled them, whispered in their ear and gave the gold rings.
03:04He also clicked selfies with the newborns and their mothers.
03:09Under the scheme, eligible babies born in government hospitals will receive 1 gram 22 carat gold ring.
03:17Each gold ring will have a unique pseudo-lumber and will be given in tamper-proof packaging.
03:25The scheme applies to babies born on or after June 22, 2026.
03:33The state government says the scheme is aimed at honouring motherhood,
03:37promoting women's health and encouraging institutional births
03:40by attracting more families to public health care,
03:43but the opposition has dismissed it as publicity.
04:02The purpose of this gold ring scheme for the newborn babies,
04:06the TVK government seems to be confused,
04:09because they themselves don't know what the purpose
04:13and what the scheme intent to achieve in the health care system.
04:17Are they going to increase the standards of the government-run hospitals
04:22or are they going to make government-run hospitals the preferred choice of mothers?
04:29The state has prepared 1.28 lakh rings for the first phase
04:34with an annual allocation of over 755 crore rupees.
04:39Bureau Report, India Today.
04:46Joining us on this broadcast is Mr. Satya Kumar, national spokesperson of the TVK.
04:51We've also got Sanjeevi Sadagopan as well as Sushil Rajkumar, political analyst with us.
04:55Manakam, good evening to all of you.
04:57Mr. Satya Kumar, I'd like to begin with you.
04:59We've seen all of the images that have come in
05:01of Chief Minister Vijay's interaction with these newborn babies
05:04makes for great optics, sir.
05:05But the question that will come up is whether Tamil Nadu
05:08can afford to have more of this kind of welfarism schemes
05:11that cost the exchequer more money
05:13when already we've seen the burden of that on the economy.
05:18Akshita, if you look at the scheme launched by the Honorable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,
05:22Talabadi Vijay, this was part of our election promises.
05:26I would like to present you a very important fact.
05:29I was part of the election manifesto committee team, a core team, 12-member team,
05:33where I had an opportunity to interact with the Honorable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,
05:37Talabadi Vijay.
05:38Wherein, when we discussed about this scheme, with respect to revenue augmentation
05:43to provide the funds for this scheme, the Honorable Chief Minister said very clearly,
05:50let us look at this scheme as a social security program.
05:53What we are giving to the kids are the asset.
05:56Gold is an asset.
05:57So, what happens over a period of time is an appreciation.
06:01Today, one gram gold ring that we are providing,
06:04over a period of time, it will have a compounding effect.
06:07And it is a social security for them.
06:09This is a very little contribution by the state.
06:11So, as such, the idea of the TVK government is to provide a social welfare schemes.
06:20I understand there are financial constraints.
06:22And these financial constraints are created by about 15 lakh crore debt that Tamil Nadu has.
06:26It is 15 lakh crore.
06:2710 lakh crore direct debt and 5 lakh crore indirect debt through public sector undertaking.
06:31It is all because of the Dravidian Party's rules.
06:33Wherein, the corruption is a major cost.
06:35And now we are looking at how to bring revenue augmentation in the first phase.
06:41And second is to see to that the social welfare programs are funded.
06:45And for example, Akshita, if you look at Tamil Nadu,
06:48the pink buses were all supposed to be sent to the,
06:52which was lying in garage without use, that was being used.
06:55Now we are renewing the buses as well.
06:57The social welfare schemes alone can create a social capital.
07:00Because of that, the human capital will grow.
07:02And because of that, we can get an economic capital.
07:04Tamil Nadu is solely to develop the human capital through social justice
07:08and also by developing the economic capital of every household.
07:13So there are constraints, but we will ensure that the revenue comes to this program.
07:20And by the way, the people who won the tender
07:23has actually won the tender without any profit.
07:26They don't make any profit out of this program.
07:28So that's the kind of people who are also coming and talking.
07:31Besides, of course, the making charges and the gold charges as well.
07:34Which is why everyone spoke about the smart auction.
07:37But the question that will come up, sir, is the timing of this.
07:40Was there a need to immediately bring it in?
07:41Because the chief minister himself had conceded that,
07:43look, the economy is a mess.
07:45Give me time to bring in these schemes.
07:46It would have been appreciated if you had taken the time to bring in the revenue first
07:50and say, look, now we're in a position to bring in these schemes.
07:53But Mr. Sushil Rajkumar, what do you think, sir, of this launch?
07:56Many thought it was a game changer, really, for the TVK ahead of the Bibles.
08:04They are trying to create that.
08:06It is a game changer in the ensuing Bibles to the two assembly segments in Tamil Nadu.
08:13Actually, after the taking over of the TVK,
08:19where all the big business houses are voluntarily coming to help Mr. Vijay
08:24to do all these things, it's just a show-off, Mr. Vijay has slowly revealing his colors,
08:31that he is being backed up by big corporate houses.
08:34After Mr. Vijay's government has written a letter to the central government,
08:39asking the central government to cancel the airport authorities' license
08:43of maintaining the airport in Chennai, and let it be privatized.
08:49It was a letter written by Mr. Vijay, and it was not revealed to the public in Tamil Nadu.
08:54It only came out in open after the Hindu newspaper reported in its front page.
09:00So Mr. Vijay is slowly revealing his colors.
09:02Yesterday he has withdrawn a JIVO,
09:04which was supposed to suppress information about the land order.
09:09In police stations, we cannot get information on certain things.
09:13When there are 10 honor killings have happened,
09:17and almost 8 documented casual deaths have happened,
09:21Mr. Vijay is trying to hide all the drawbacks
09:25which his government is revealing his inability to manage the affairs in the state.
09:30So he is trying to create a picture that he is doing some welfare measures.
09:34No, but sir, this was a scheme that was promised by them.
09:37This was a scheme that was promised.
09:38Because they are delivering on that promise.
09:40So how can it be a diversionary tactic then?
09:43No, actually, I...
09:46No, no, actually Mr. Vijay is traveling to Madurai, India, independent flight.
09:51He is not traveling with the public.
09:53He is spending a lot of money.
09:55For 5 kilometers, when he went to Meitu to open the Meitu Dam,
10:00he almost spent 5 to 6 crores of public money just to travel through the way.
10:07No, no, so Mr. Satyakumar, is that public money being used by the chief minister?
10:12No, no, Akshita.
10:14There are travel expenses which is actually borne by the chief minister himself from the personal expenses.
10:20So accordingly, he is not spending the money to...
10:23No, no, no, this is the baton, lie in front of the media.
10:26One second, one second, one second.
10:28Sushil, if you really, you are very, very knowledgeable, respected supporter of the DMK,
10:32I would request you to file an RTI, seek the information and provide the information to the media houses.
10:38No problem.
10:38You will be appreciated by your own leader, Mr. M.K. Stalin.
10:41No, no, actually, your government is denied...
10:43No, I have filed an RTI.
10:45No, for your information, I have filed an RTI asking the government to reveal what are the task markshaft which
10:53was closed.
10:54I get a reply from your government that you ask the district and they will give you the information.
10:59So you are hiding all the information from the public.
11:02Mr. Sushil, I have a lot of respect for you.
11:05Do not divulge the topic.
11:06You asked about the travel expenses.
11:08I have explained about the travel expenses.
11:10He is incurring from his own personal expenses without giving to the government ex-checker.
11:13So I made the statement.
11:15You can very well take up the RTI methods and then seek the information.
11:20The public will be aware of it.
11:21He is saying that he has also tried that and has not worked in some other instances.
11:26Yeah, I understand.
11:27But in this instance, you file and get it.
11:29I will also help you if you may want.
11:31I have no problem.
11:32This is the personal expenses of the chief minister, which he is incurring for the welfare of the state.
11:36He is not incurring from the ex-checker of the government.
11:39No, no, no.
11:40Okay.
11:41Let me...
11:42You tell all these stories in front of the 5,000 people who come to your...
11:47No, no, no.
11:47You show the proof.
11:49Don't tell in front of the media.
11:50Once again.
11:51Don't tell the blatant lie in front of the media.
11:53No, no, no.
11:53It's not a lie.
11:53It cannot be possible.
11:54It's not a lie like Mr. K. Nehru.
11:56It's not a lie like Mr. Sindhil Palaji.
11:57It's not a lie like the officers of the BNK government.
12:01It's a Mr. Vijay's true lies.
12:03No, no, no, no.
12:04So, no.
12:05So, one second.
12:06I totally disagree with your views.
12:07Okay.
12:07Let me bring in...
12:08Because Mr. Vijay is not a person who can spend from his pocket.
12:10He's not a person who can spend from his pocket.
12:12Sanjeevi is also with us on this broadcast.
12:14He's been waiting very patiently.
12:15Sanjeevi, what do you make of, you know, these images?
12:18They've gone viral.
12:19The chief minister handing over gold rings is a promise he made.
12:23So, there's two ways to look at it.
12:24One is that this is him delivering on a promise to the people, to the women of the state who
12:28did vote for him in large numbers.
12:30Or whether, you know, prudently he should have looked at the situation fiscally and said
12:34this is not the time for the scheme.
12:36What do you think is the right approach?
12:38See, as Satya Kumar mentioned, this is the thing which they already promised, right?
12:43It's not something new that is coming up, popping up right now.
12:45So, if you see the finances, the overall budget of the health department during the last interim
12:50budget was 23,570 crore to the extreker.
12:56So, the overall money that's been put on the scheme is just 755 crores, which is just 3%
13:02of the overall health budget.
13:04This scheme is actually funded by the Social Welfare Department, but I'm just comparing
13:10the overall maths, right?
13:11So, it is just almost 3 to 3.5%.
13:13No, but the problem is every drop makes an ocean.
13:15Every drop makes an ocean.
13:17If we have an ocean of welfarism already in Tamil Nadu.
13:22This is not new, something new to Tamil Nadu, right?
13:24We have been seeing this kind of schemes, which people call as free-based, but these are
13:28social-inclusive schemes, right?
13:30Like, we have seen Ravidin Party showing that the DMK government gave a TV,
13:34when there was no power cut, right?
13:35From 2006 to 2011, the DMK government spent almost 3,800 crores.
13:41They gave 1.62 crores TV.
13:44And the state was reeling under an extreme level of power cut, because of which the entire
13:48DMK government lost the power cut, lost the power at all.
13:51See, post that, we have seen the government giving laptops and, you know, cycles for the
13:56students, which is actually a very good scheme, right?
13:58Because we have seen people selling that the very next day.
14:03So, right?
14:03So, even, we don't know whether this ring is going to land in a panchop tomorrow, but it
14:08is a common duty to do it, right?
14:09Like, there are lots of people, lots of mothers who cannot afford a ring to the newborn.
14:16So, as Sachikuma told, they are doing it, it's kind of a social-infused scheme, like, they
14:21can have the ring and sell it after 10 years, right?
14:23Where they get lump sum and they can use for the Chinese education in the future.
14:27No, so, Mr.
14:28So, there are multiple things for it.
14:29Sure.
14:29Okay.
14:29So, you're suggesting that it is very beneficial to the people of Tamil Nadu and we've seen
14:33that.
14:33There are schemes as much as you know.
14:35No, no.
14:35I'm saying, I'm saying, if the schemes have been given by DMK and EDMK are beneficiary, if they are
14:40good, this is what I'm saying.
14:41Okay.
14:42So, you're saying, if you compare the two, then the TVK is also doing exactly what the
14:45other parties have done.
14:46But the question is also, Mr. Satya Kumar, on this particular scheme, the opposition is
14:51questioning whether it's timed to the bipoles, whether this launch was done on purpose just
14:56before a bipole in two seats.
15:00It's not with that intent, because when we proposed the scheme, it was during the election,
15:05general elections that happened in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections happened, that's when
15:09we proposed the scheme.
15:10And Honorable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Talbadi Vijay, wanted to bring the scheme on
15:14the first day of him taking charge as a CM.
15:17But unfortunately, we didn't have money in the exchequer.
15:20We didn't know, there is no white paper to show what is the financial, what are the finances
15:25of Tamil Nadu government.
15:26So, he wanted to understand, bring the scheme only at the right time.
15:33It is not for the purpose of bipoles.
15:34In fact, the bipoles dates are not fixed by the Tamil Nadu government or neither by the
15:39chief minister.
15:39It was fixed by the election commission.
15:40And we actually scheduled this launch one day in the month of September.
15:45And last time, he went to London to bring in investments.
15:47So now, as the date got pushed, it eventually fell during the bipole time.
15:54And by the way, it is nothing unlawful because ECI has not restricted it.
15:58And the launch of the schemes are perfectly legal, perfectly constitutional, perfectly on
16:04a time that is proposed by the Honorable Chief Minister.
16:07So, Shil, sir, your response that, you know, this is what the DMK and the IADMK did.
16:11What's wrong if the TVK does it now?
16:16No, no, actually, from what Mr. Satya Kumar has said, these dates were not fixed by the
16:21election commission.
16:22But we are having a chief secretary who was fixed by the election commission.
16:26And Mr. Vijay is going on with him only.
16:28And one more thing is, Joy Alukas is a company where Mr. Vijay promoted their products before
16:36becoming chief minister.
16:37And Joy Alukas is facing serious ED charges.
16:40And 305.84 crore properties worth of the owner of Joy Alukas was attached with the ED.
16:48These things should be taken into consideration when giving contract to this Joy Alukas.
16:53Because they are claiming that they are making the ring in one place only.
16:59These, all these things which were hidden from the public will reveal in time.
17:03No, are you suggesting it's a scam, sir?
17:05Then we will discuss about these things.
17:07You're suggesting this is a scam?
17:13No, no, no.
17:14There is strong suspicions being raised why this contract was given to Joy Alukas.
17:19Because they are claiming they are making, they are claiming that they are making this
17:23ring in only one place.
17:24How it is possible?
17:25So, slowly, Mr. Vijay is revealing his colors.
17:29And we are going to see who are the corporate houses who are backing Mr. Vijay in becoming
17:35chief minister and who are backing Mr. Vijay in running this government.
17:38Because he is doing all the things in favor of some corporate houses only.
17:43For example, the letter which was written by Mr. Vijay to cancel the AIA.
17:48AIA from Chennai airport.
17:50These things are revealing his colors.
17:52He will, it will one day, it will come out.
17:54I am not having any proof because I am only raising suspicions.
17:59Because we have a chief minister who is a very costly chief minister.
18:02He is spending lavishly but claims that there is no money in the state extreker.
18:07It is not to be believed.
18:08What Mr. Vijay says is not to be believed.
18:10He is slowly revealing his colors.
18:12Mr. Satya Kumar, your response?
18:14See, the suspicions don't amount to…
18:17Agree.
18:18Suspicions doesn't have a proof.
18:19And by the way, there is no court order against Joy Lacoste to say they should not participate
18:24in any tender.
18:25They may participate in any state's tender.
18:27And they come through the tendering process.
18:29There is no favoritism.
18:31They participate.
18:32And they don't make that much profit.
18:34They also redeem the making charges and every other charges so that the gold ring comes to
18:39the poor people for whom the scheme is launched.
18:43And by the way, this is a very important scheme close to the heart of the leader.
18:47Because even before he actually started a party, through his fan clubs, he has been giving this
18:54Taimaman, Tangamotra, Thittam, wherein he started this program in Egmore, where he was born.
18:59So, through that, the fan clubs were providing all these rings.
19:02So, this scheme is close to the leader.
19:05Every leader has a scheme which are very close to them.
19:07Some flagship schemes.
19:08And accordingly, it is leading to a social welfare scheme.
19:11And I think DNK, when they gave a television, we have to go and check who gave the television,
19:16why they gave the television, whose agenda they were advancing.
19:20Maybe their own relative agenda they were advancing.
19:22I don't want to name the television channel because I don't want to advertise them here.
19:26So, let us keep a decorum of political thing.
19:29Again, all this based on suspicion, I will highlight that on both sides.
19:34Both sides, it's suspicion that's being put forth.
19:36But Sanjeevi, looking at this particular move, you know, you have said that social
19:40welfarism has been a part and parcel of Tamil Nadu politics and it's continuing,
19:44essentially, in that direction.
19:45Do you deem this to be a game-changer scheme, really, for the TVK?
19:51We had to wait and see, right?
19:52It is a long-term investment for the party, right?
19:56Because it doesn't change in a single day.
19:58He's trying to build that emotional connection with people using the scheme's name
20:02and using his own branding, right?
20:03Like, how Amma did, how the word Amma works, Amma Pettagam, Kurandagal Dalasitam.
20:09So, that kind of, Anand kind of branding is trying to do, right?
20:13Like, we have seen many people doing this kind of branding in many states.
20:19But Vijay, who is primarily, you know, depends upon the women's vote, especially he's targeting
20:24the women.
20:24So, you've seen that this Anand Thangashi sentiment everywhere.
20:28Even in the by-election campaign, two, three days ago, we saw that Anand Thangashi sentiment.
20:33So, he's trying to build that Anand kind of brand for a long term.
20:37What he calls, he says Vijay Mama.
20:40Yeah, he says Vijay Mama.
20:41We have seen this happening in Ansara also.
20:43Jagan Bound really tried to do it, calling Menna Mama.
20:46But Stalin also did the Appa one, but it failed miserably.
20:54People did not agree with that.
20:56So, we have a DV in politics in Senghor that worked for 15 years.
21:01So, Vijay is trying to build that kind of Anand image.
21:04Through that, he's investing for a long term listing in it.
21:08And he's also going to target children tomorrow.
21:11It's not about the mothers.
21:12Right?
21:12It's going to be a long term one.
21:13The next generation already with newborns.
21:16But Mr. Satyakumar, final word.
21:18You had a point to make.
21:19So, he's already considered as Anand by all the people who voted him.
21:22So, that's how it is nothing to do.
21:24Consciously, they're not branding.
21:25Everybody calls him Anna.
21:26In fact, when I meet him also, I always call Anna only.
21:28So, I don't call him Sir.
21:30So, every leader has their own way of being addressed.
21:34But one thing is very important.
21:35Sushir Rajkumar must understand.
21:36The last year or one or a half years before, Mr. Stalin purposefully made their cadres to call him as
21:41Appa.
21:41And that Appa never took care of the women in the state, never took care of the children in the
21:45state.
21:46And that is very clearly visible in the cases that is surfacing now.
21:49And Mr. Sushir Kumar knows.
21:50Those kind of brandings are never an unusual thing for a DMK.
21:54Be it Mr. Kalanj's name, whom we revere.
21:58And be it a…
21:58For example, even ADMK consciously brought in a brand of Amma.
22:03And nothing wrong.
22:04These sentiments are very, very important for politics.
22:06But with respect to TVK, it is natural.
22:11It is natural.
22:12We didn't brand it.
22:13It happened automatically.
22:14But ultimately, Sushir, sir, and last question.
22:17Is the image of Vijay Mama working and creating a connect with people in Tamil Nadu?
22:22And that could further dent the DMK.
22:28No, Mr. Vijay Mama is making all the noises.
22:31I am not denying that.
22:32But let him walk the talk also.
22:34He is just talking and talking and talking, creating narratives and setting narratives.
22:37And he is not walking in the narrative which he is fixing.
22:41Because we have seen it in Karur.
22:43When children were dead, Vijay Mama ran away from there.
22:46So Vijay Mama let him do the talking, only doing the talking also.
22:50Let him walk the talk.
22:51Okay.
22:51That's what we can say.
22:52Okay.
22:53Okay.
22:53I will leave it at that.
22:54Thank you very much, Sanjeevi, Mr. Satya Kumar, as well as Mr. Sushir for joining us on this broadcast.
22:59Tamil Nadu is a state that's seen many such game-changer schemes come to the fore.
23:04It's changed the well-being of the people.
23:06It's what shaped politics in the state.
23:09The DMK has done it.
23:10The AIA-DMK has done it.
23:11New political force, the TVK, doing it too, in their own style, with these gold rings for the mothers of
23:17newborn babies.
23:21Now, over the weekend, one of the big talking points in Tamil Nadu was the TVK government's U-turn.
23:28Initially, an order came through exempting the Law and Order Department from the Right to Information Act, from the RTI
23:34Act,
23:35which meant essentially any information sought on orders passed as far as Law and Order is concerned, can't get details
23:41off.
23:41After the Gazette notification was issued, referring to it as an intelligence and security organization,
23:48there was widespread outrage and allegations against the TVK government of not being fully transparent.
23:55Right after that, a U-turn.
23:57The government withdrew the notification.
23:59And while there's been no specific reason given for either issuing or withdrawing the exemption,
24:05there were a lot of questions asked by the opposition.
24:08Here's a look at what happened.
24:12The Tamil Nadu government is once again in the midst of a controversy.
24:17On September 21st, the Vijay government temporarily classified the Public Law and Order Department
24:22as an intelligence and security organization, exempting it from the RTI Act.
24:29Following widespread criticism, just six days later, the order was revoked on Sunday.
24:35The Tamil Nadu government had defended the RTI exemption,
24:38claiming it would not create any hurdle to freeze speech.
25:01TVK's own ally, the Congress argued that the exemption set a poor precedent for democratic accountability and transparency.
25:08Congress MP Karthi Chidambaram said crucial information could be shielded from the public
25:14and argued that the RTI Act must be expanded, not restricted.
25:19The principal opposition party, DMK, slammed the TVK government for restricting RTI.
25:25The timing at which this government notification invoking the Section 24 RTI on intelligence has raised serious suspicion.
25:36Is the government working full-time to safeguard those corrupt police officers in the sensational Jem Viramuni case?
25:42The Vijay government did not publicly give a specific reason for first issuing the RTI exemption or later withdrawing it.
25:50But it is evident the TVK government rolled back its decision after facing criticism from even its coalition partners.
25:58With Pramod Madhav in Chennai, Bureau Report, India Today.
26:04Over the course of the last 10 days here on India Today, we've been tracking every twist and turn in
26:09the Viramuni case.
26:10And consciously so, because this is a story we're going to follow up right till the end
26:14to identify all the villains in this case and those who are part of the cover-up.
26:19A crucial piece of that puzzle is the closure report.
26:23A four-page report that says police found no evidence linking Viramuni to these crimes.
26:29How could they have said this when in the last three weeks there's been an abundance of evidence coming out?
26:35In this particular report, there's a recommendation saying further action dropped.
26:41Then you had the special POXO court stepping in.
26:43Justice S. Padma, who refused to accept that closure report, ordered a detailed investigation,
26:47and that's led to the sequence of events that we've seen playing out in the last few weeks.
26:52But it's important to highlight what's mentioned in that closure report
26:55because it gives you a sense of exactly how there was such a brazen cover-up
27:00that even basic evidence the police claimed they didn't have.
27:07The child abuse probe against Granite Barron, Viramuni, is expanding.
27:15Chennai police have registered another POXO case against Viramuni following a fresh complaint.
27:22The industrialist allegedly sexually harassed the complainant's daughter.
27:29With the investigation intensifying, it is still not clear why the police dropped the case earlier.
27:37India Today has now accessed the four-page closure report filed by the police in February this year.
27:46A case was filed over a video allegedly showing the sexual assault of a minor.
27:51Police said the video appeared to be from the year 2019.
27:56According to the report, the original recording could not be recovered.
28:00The report also said Viramuni denied being the man seen in the video.
28:04The house owner Shanti also denied knowing the minor or recognizing the location shown in the video.
28:11The police said they could not establish the identity of the alleged victim.
28:15The report concluded further action dropped, subject to fresh evidence.
28:21But the closure report was not accepted by the special POXO court.
28:26Justice S. Padma ordered further probe, which subsequently led to the arrest of four people and the identification of victims.
28:35Politics is also escalating around the case.
28:38After TVK questioned the closure report, the DMK has now questioned the ruling party over the alleged three-month delay
28:46in Viramuni's arrest.
28:49The court has said investigation has to be done in a proper manner and this should not be a media
28:57trial.
28:58But with regard to the allegations made by Mr. Ranjan Kumar, the only one simple question.
29:03He is not someone who doesn't know the media.
29:09Why has he kept quiet so long?
29:11I should congratulate the judge because she did not want closure of the case.
29:18And this government also should take forward without any political pressure.
29:23That is my view.
29:24And this government should more intensify the inquiry so that nobody should escape.
29:31DMK leader TR Balu has filed a complaint with the SIT demanding that Chief Minister Vijay and Ministers Adhavarjuna and
29:38CTR Nirmal Kumar
29:39be summoned for questioning over what he calls false allegations against the DMK.
29:47And as Viramuni's sex assault investigation widens, more questions are emerging.
29:51The most important one, was there a cover-up bit?
29:55If there was, who tried to shield Viramuni?
30:00With Pramod Madhav, Bureau Report, India Today.
30:06Okay, let me hand this across now to Pramod Madhav, who accessed that closure report for us exclusively here on
30:12India Today.
30:13And he kind of decodes what the big takeaways are of that closure report.
30:18Absolutely. This is one of the important parts of this investigation, and this is the FAD report, Further Action Dropped
30:24report, the closure report.
30:26And it actually says on the top, you could see Citadel Civil Code, and on the bottom, it says true
30:30copy.
30:30This four-page report has all the details about what kind of investigation was done.
30:34Once the pen drive was received on 6th of October, a case was filed on 7th of October,
30:39from which the police team says that they went ahead, tried to find out the contents of the pen drive,
30:45tried to certify it with a kind of a cyber expert, who was a certified cyber expert.
30:49But apparently, the pen drive's contents were from 2019.
30:52They then claimed they went ahead, investigated, questioned Viramani and Shanti.
30:57Both claimed that they did not know the person resembling a girl child in that particular pen drive.
31:02And the police team also says they went to the crime spot.
31:04They could not find any evidence connecting the suspect to the particular crimes.
31:09And they also claimed that the cyber expert could not actually find the original content or the original recording from
31:15the DVR,
31:15which was retrieved from that particular house.
31:19And all this has been recorded in this one.
31:20And they claimed and asked, they could not also ascertain the person resembling a girl child.
31:25This is a word that is being used.
31:26And then that's the reason they have decided to go ahead and file this Further Action Dropped report
31:32for after almost five months of investigation.
31:35This is a report the special Poxford judge denied to accept.
31:39And she actually went ahead and stated, he ordered the team to go ahead and investigate it further.
31:43And this is a report that actually kicked the storm by which right now,
31:47four people arrested and they are inside prison.
31:51And joining us on this broadcast, even as there are so many unanswered questions on the Viramani case,
31:56is Dr. Tamirisai Soundar Rajan, Tamil Nadu BJP leader and former governor of Telangana as well as Pudu Sherry.
32:03Thank you, ma'am, for joining us here on India Today.
32:06I know all of us are still shocked by the revelations that are coming to fore in this particular case.
32:12Do you believe, first of all, ma'am, that there is any sort of political pressure,
32:16political cover-up that led to Viramani getting away for so long?
32:21Yeah, without any doubt, sure, because it's been clearly evident that after knowing about the case,
32:33digging the facts, it clearly, retrospectively, when we assess the incidents and the complaints given,
32:43and how it was not taken forward and how it was favoured by the police officials.
32:52So these all, when we see it, it's definitely a political coverage,
33:00protection given to a criminal has been clearly evident.
33:05When you heard about this case, ma'am, were you shocked that something like this was happening
33:10for so many years in Chennai, and yet there was no action taken?
33:14Were you shocked, or is this unfortunately the norm in Tamil Nadu,
33:17that anyone with influence and power can get away with crimes?
33:22Shock means no words to express, severe shock, unable to believe such things happened in Tamil Nadu
33:35for decades, for decades.
33:39And being a women leader, the young girls has been spoiled in this manner.
33:47Now, it is, first it was unable to believe it, but when we heard that it happened,
33:57we were ashamed, ashamed to be a politician in Tamil Nadu,
34:02because such things are happening in Tamil Nadu,
34:05and we were unable to save that small girl's buds of this society.
34:11You used very strong words, ma'am.
34:13You're saying we are ashamed as politicians today
34:15that something like this was allowed to happen.
34:18There have been a lot of questions asked of the police in this case
34:20in the manner in which they hushed it up.
34:22You know, the closure report is with us,
34:24and it's very clear that, you know,
34:26Veera Mani was let off, saying lack of evidence.
34:29The last few weeks, we've seen all of this evidence pile up.
34:32Do you think that who was in government mattered, ma'am?
34:36That previously, there's a contrast here
34:39in how the case was investigated previously versus now.
34:42Do you think that's because of a change in government and administration?
34:46No, first of all, this is possible because of change in administration government,
34:51but that credit should not go only to Vijay's government,
34:55because it was the judge.
34:57She has ordered part.
35:00She refused to close the case.
35:02And one thing I want to express here,
35:06they were hiding the case during their tenure.
35:10But recently, the former minister, Raghu Bhadi,
35:14met the press, and he told that was very shady.
35:19And we closed the case because we are unable to disclose who was the person.
35:24But the NGO person who submitted the evidence,
35:30he got from somebody a note and the evidence and pen drive.
35:36And after knowing the Veera Mani,
35:40the NGO leader clearly says,
35:43it was Veera Mani,
35:44because previously I didn't know about Veera Mani.
35:47So I thought an elderly man is manhandling,
35:51spoiling a young girl.
35:53That was evident.
35:54But because I didn't know Veera Mani,
35:56I could not spot it was Veera Mani.
35:58But when we knew it is Veera Mani,
36:01very clearly it is evident Veera Mani.
36:03But the former minister,
36:04even before 10 days,
36:06he is telling it was very shady.
36:08We were unable to...
36:09So, okay, it was shady.
36:11Then you would have intensified your search.
36:14Who was the person?
36:16Something happened.
36:18Even you didn't have that mind
36:20to find out who was the person.
36:22That without any humanitarian mindset,
36:27you wanted to close the case.
36:29It is unpardonable and unexcusable, I have to say.
36:33There's an investigation now, ma'am,
36:35to identify all those people who were involved in this case.
36:38And equally important, as you have highlighted,
36:41is the investigation into the cover-up here.
36:43Do you ultimately think,
36:45because clearly these are extremely influential people,
36:48these are extremely powerful people,
36:50who managed to get away with this for decades,
36:52by burying things and ensuring nothing,
36:55no names emerged.
36:56Do you think ultimately,
36:57now we will see justice,
36:59we will see everyone who is involved in that cover-up being named,
37:02or, you know, there's no hope anymore?
37:05No, that is highly suspicious.
37:08Only BJP has demanded for CBI inquiry,
37:12because the state government has appointed
37:16a special task investigation team, SIT team.
37:20But recently, knowing about Veeramani,
37:23and some of the ministers, TVK ministers,
37:28has attended a program with Veeramani.
37:31So knowing that he is now after the FIR,
37:35after the suspicion,
37:37so there should not be any coverage,
37:40so there should not be any political pressure
37:42for this government, to this government also.
37:44So there should be a free and fair investigation.
37:48The culprit should be punished.
37:51Whoever may be background,
37:54at the background,
37:54not only Veeramani,
37:55who made him to escape,
37:57who helped him to do this crime.
37:59So the investigation should extend,
38:01should extend its horizon,
38:03so that each and everyone facilitating him,
38:07hiding the crime,
38:08should be punished.
38:09So the law should take its course in that way.
38:13Nobody should be let away from the case,
38:18let escape from the case.
38:19So the law should be in that manner.
38:22That is my concern.
38:24No, ma'am.
38:24So when you're saying that you want a CBI investigation,
38:27and not the SIT that's currently probing it,
38:29are you saying that you don't have 100% faith
38:32in the current administration
38:33in getting to the bottom of what this cover-up is?
38:36Yeah, definitely.
38:37Because they are fighting,
38:38we don't know what will be the pressure,
38:40because as you said,
38:42that person is a highly influential person,
38:45able to get away from this crime for decades.
38:49Even the previous,
38:51they have submitted the pen drive.
38:54A police officer has been dealing with that,
38:56and that police officer,
38:58Magesh Kumar,
38:59in spite of his transfer,
39:01he did not go to the transport place,
39:03and he was dealing with that,
39:05and they tried to close it.
39:07And the police officials,
39:08ADGP,
39:09in the history of Tamil Nadu,
39:12the ADGP of that cadre
39:15has been involved,
39:17and he has been now
39:18kept away from the investigation,
39:20as well as his duty.
39:21So, these are very scary.
39:24And we don't know,
39:26this pressure also should not be on this government also.
39:29So, the girls should get the justice,
39:32and the culprit should not escape.
39:34So, the law should take it the way,
39:37how it should be,
39:39with iron hands.
39:40That is my own.
39:41Do you think, ma'am,
39:43and the reason I'm asking this is because
39:44the DNK in the last few days
39:45has accused the TVK
39:47of politicizing this case,
39:49of using it for political brownie points
39:51ahead of the bipoles,
39:52in two seats.
39:53Do you think that's the case?
39:55That it's being misused
39:56for political needs?
39:57Because Chief Minister also,
40:00during his campaign,
40:02has mentioned about this.
40:03So, they may take some credit for this,
40:06and they may use for getting some votes.
40:09It cannot be...
40:12But they should intensify the investigation,
40:17and they should not allow anybody to escape,
40:19and there should not be any biased activity,
40:22whether it is pro-TVK or anti-DMK.
40:25So, there should be an unbiased investigation,
40:30an unbiased punishment to each and every one.
40:33Nobody, whether helping the culprit
40:35or hiding the culprit,
40:37should not be escaped.
40:39That is my view.
40:41Well, we certainly hope so.
40:42We hope that whoever is involved
40:44in the cover-up is named,
40:46is shamed,
40:46because they deserve to be exposed
40:48for the crimes that were committed
40:50and for covering up such a serious crime.
40:52Thank you, Tamarisa Isandar Rajan,
40:54for joining us.
40:54The BJP, they're demanding
40:56that there be a CBI investigation,
40:58suggesting that this is much larger
41:00than what anyone anticipated or saw.
41:05Let's get you the latest updates
41:06on the by-poll action in Tamil Nadu.
41:08Remember, by-elections to Madhura Andakam
41:10and Dharapuram will take place next week,
41:13on October 6th.
41:14Ahead of the by-elections,
41:15TVK and the DMK have locked ons.
41:18You're seeing all-out campaigns taking place,
41:20and Tamil Nadu Minister Adhavarjuna
41:22launched a sharp attack on the DMK,
41:24claiming that the party
41:25had underestimated DVK
41:28and was now on a weak footing
41:30in the Madhura Andakam constituency.
41:32This is the same constituency
41:33where you had Chief Minister Vijay
41:35just last week campaigning.
41:37Adhavarjuna has also challenged
41:38the DMK leadership,
41:39saying he would resign
41:40if the DMK secured
41:42even one more vote
41:44than they did just months ago
41:46in Madhura Andakam.
41:47And that's not all.
41:49He's also suggested
41:50that there is no way
41:51they'll even retain
41:52the election deposit.
41:53It's in this particular constituency
41:55that you're seeing
41:56in all our political fights,
41:58so much so
41:58that Rudeiniti Stalin
41:59also over the weekend
42:01while he's been
42:02in this particular constituency
42:03last started Vijay
42:05with an under-the-belt remark.
42:15Thank you very much.
42:54about a news from Karnataka
42:56where the BJP
42:57versus Congress battle
42:58has turned downright
42:59personal and ugly.
43:01You've got the Karnataka
43:02Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka
43:04as well as the Leader of Opposition
43:05of the Karnataka Legislative Council,
43:07Chalavadi Narayana Swami,
43:09both together
43:09launching an attack
43:11on Rahul Gandhi
43:12and then taking it too far.
43:14What do I mean?
43:15While referring to
43:16all of the political attacks
43:17that we've been seeing
43:18over the Election Commission,
43:20Narayana Swami
43:20has called Rahul Gandhi
43:22mad,
43:23called him a joker,
43:24and said that
43:25the only way
43:26to cure his madness
43:27was to get Rahul Gandhi
43:28married.
43:29Listen in.
43:58Sonia Gandhi
44:06This is very very unfortunate principally opposition parties in the state of Karnataka are behaving like this and making such
44:17idiotic statements which is not acceptable.
44:20Rahul Gandhi is the principal opposition leader and LOP in the government of India and he has raised very valid
44:27questions in the parliament and outside the parliament.
44:29Instead of answering the questions raised by Rahul Gandhi with the documentation or with the facts and figures of the
44:36allegations made, they should prove it and say that Rahul Gandhi is not correct.
44:39Instead of that, they are calling him mad and they are calling him all sorts of names. It is not
44:44acceptable to a principal party like BJP.
44:46That's all we have time for in this edition of Super 6. Thanks very much for tuning in. I'll see
44:50you same time tomorrow.
44:51And a reminder to join us here on India Today for the India Today South Conclave.
44:56Two days where we get the biggest voices, faces of the South coming together this time.
45:01The India Today South Conclave taking place in Cochin.
45:03So we'll get you some very very interesting conversations over the course of the next two days right here on
45:09India Today.