- 13 minutes ago
Opposition parties staged nationwide demonstrations in Delhi, Srinagar, Patna, Ranchi and Jaipur, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. In Delhi, security personnel used water cannons as protesters attempted to march towards the Election Commission headquarters. The Congress accused the Election Commission of deleting voters' names and manipulating portal data, while the BJP defended the revision, citing Supreme Court oversight and describing the allegations as part of a "toolkit campaign". Meanwhile, tensions within the INDIA bloc deepened as Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav skipped an all-party meeting amid seat-sharing differences with the Congress ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The disagreement also triggered exchanges between leaders Imran Masood and Shivpal Singh Yadav. In Delhi, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of concerns over the safety of women and children in public spaces. Former police officer Dr Kiran Bedi suggested measures including parental accountability and electronic GPS anklet monitoring for people released on bail.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Good evening, you're watching To The Point. I am Preeti Chaudhary.
00:04Lots happening where news is concerned across the country.
00:07We roll live out of Kochi in Kerala where India Today gets all set for its South India Edition,
00:16our conclave where the magazine is concerned.
00:18We're going to get you the latest over the course of the next 48 days right here from Kochi, Kerala.
00:24But first up, we dive in to our big news story of the day.
00:28And that is the political war over not just SIR but the position of the CEC post a story in
00:39the Indian Express.
00:40All of that coming up. First, allow me to take you through the headlines.
00:52Opposition protests break out against CEC ouster.
00:55Demand protests in Delhi, Srinagar, Patna, Rachi and Jaipur.
00:59Cops use water cannons to disperse protesters.
01:06Tensions flare up in MPs Ujjain.
01:08After two groups clash with cops over demolition of Shahi Mosque,
01:12cops fire tear gas shells to disperse crowds.
01:15Mosque being demolished for road widening in Ujjain.
01:22LPU violence CCTV access, miscreant scene, vandalizing stones,
01:27pelted multiple vehicles set ablaze over alleged rape case on campus.
01:32LPU dean alleges involvement of anti-social elements.
01:36We get you what's really going on at the lovely university in Jalandhar.
01:43Delhi slapgate war of words intensifies.
01:47Arvind Kejriwal protests slams Delhi minister over poor quality roads in Delhi.
01:52Parvesh Verma claims Ahmadine party workers hurled abusers.
01:56Rahul Gandhi jumps in slamming BJP says government is arrogant,
02:00goes around slapping citizens.
02:07The top court of the country has refused to stay.
02:10Centre's order on UPI fee for merchants says not inclined to grant any interim relief.
02:16Issues notice to centre seeking a detailed affidavit.
02:24Tamil Nadu chief minister launches gold ring scheme for new bonds.
02:28Vijay presents gold ring to 25 new bonds.
02:31The scheme aims to encourage institutional deliveries
02:34and strengthen confidence in government maternity care.
02:49All right viewers, let's quickly get you up to speed
02:52where all the protests, the political protests
02:55that have taken place across the country
02:57over the demand of the opposition
03:00that the chief election commissioner stepped down
03:02as his position as per the opposition
03:04is now untenable
03:06post the latest revelations in news reports.
03:09The Congress leading from the front
03:11multiple protests across the country.
03:14This is how the day panned out.
03:22Delhi, Jaipur, Srinagar, Hyderabad and many others.
03:35The opposition on Monday hit the streets in different parts of the country
03:40over the already raging controversy
03:43over the special intensive revision of the electoral rolls
03:47or the SIR process
03:49which has put the chief election commissioner
03:51Gyanesh Kumar in the opposition's crosshairs.
03:58The protesters clashed with the police
04:00in NDA-ruled states
04:02and demanded the removal of the CEC.
04:07Heavy barricading has been done
04:09by the Delhi police and the paramilitary forces
04:10to stop the Congress workers
04:12to march towards the election commission headquarters.
04:15But here in the visuals
04:16clearly you can see that
04:17IYC workers are holding
04:19placards in their hand.
04:21They are trying to march
04:22towards the election commission office.
04:24They are holding posters in their hand.
04:26Vote Chori treason.
04:27So clearly they are targeting
04:28chief election commissioner.
04:45You can see pictures here
04:47that how the entire area
04:49has been heavily barricaded
04:51and a short while back
04:53a water cannon was also
04:54used to control the situation.
04:57But you can see here
04:58how the barricading's have been
05:00in fact damaged here
05:01by the protesters.
05:16The government is unwilling
05:20to budge an inch
05:22and launched a scathing
05:24counter-attack on the opposition
05:26which hit back
05:27measure for measure.
05:46particularly this issue is
05:48concern to the entire country
05:53and also
05:54our existence
05:57of our democracy.
05:59the people who made
06:00the government
06:00the people who tried
06:01to ejaculate
06:01and say
06:02no
06:03to the people
06:06of their
06:07life and the people
06:11of the
06:13who
06:13are
06:14in the
06:15way.
06:15So
06:38Meanwhile, the Kokrut Janta Party reiterated its ultimatum and targeted Gyanesh Kumar.
06:59The controversy has now snowballed into one of the biggest political controversies of the year and is threatening to escalate
07:08even further.
07:09The Election Commission has given a point-by-point rebuttal to all charges and has denied any division in its
07:18ranks.
07:20But amidst the opposition attacks in the government defence, all eyes now are firmly on the CEC and his next
07:27course of action.
07:30With Anmol Bali, Sharad Kumar, Rohit Singh and Satyajit Kumar, Bureau Report, India Today.
07:58What one doesn't understand is, and correct me if I'm wrong, because the BJP and its various social media handles
08:07are constantly now speaking for the Election Commission of India.
08:10Why is the principal party in this country defending a constitutional body like the ECI?
08:19We are not defending the constitutional body.
08:22We are trying to say what are the facts.
08:25Because all the allegations which are raised are not just against the Election Commission.
08:30They are saying that we are running the Election Commission.
08:32They are saying that we are the ones who are asking the Election Commission to follow this process of SIR.
08:38So this is a kind of deception which they are trying to create, and they are masters in doing that,
08:43we have seen in the past.
08:45But those working in some U.S. restaurants and now coming and trying to play a major role in the
08:51politics in India,
08:52forget to understand that by just blaming, you cannot prove things which are not fact.
08:58See, last week they were on the issue that Sukhbir Singh and Vivek Joshi had raised certain objections,
09:06and those objections were there on the SIR electoral process and what happened.
09:11But there was a full stop after that.
09:13They failed to understand that there is an entire framework behind this SIR.
09:18There is a process which safeguards.
09:21And thereafter, this SIR was implemented in various states, like West Bengal also.
09:27That too, on a hearing which took place at the Supreme Court,
09:31the Supreme Court judgment that settled the core legal issue behind this entire SIR thing.
09:36But they are not speaking about all this.
09:38They want to come on the streets.
09:39They want to say we will not allow this.
09:41Today you asked him to rely on this.
09:42One second, Mr. Briwal, allow me to hold you.
09:43Allow me to come in.
09:45And the reason, Mr. Briwal, I'm coming in is because you say you are not,
09:50your party is not speaking for the Election Commission of India.
09:53But that's not quite true.
09:54Your party's social media handle has taken out multiple videos where it's the BJP that is fact-checking a newspaper
10:02report on multiple accounts.
10:04This is speaking for the ECI.
10:05Technically, this is something that the ECI needs to do and not the Bharatiya Janata Party.
10:10No, again I will tell you, because the allegation is not just on the ECI.
10:15They are directly saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party is doing all this behind the election committee.
10:21You're saying the newspaper report was directly saying that the BJP...
10:26So you're saying, Mr. Briwal, that the newspaper has alleged that the BJP is behind the ECI moves?
10:34Because it's nowhere mentioned in the story.
10:36Yet, the BJP social media handle has taken on the newspaper where you are rebutting the newspaper's report.
10:44No, whatever was there in the report, that report was again brought by some scientists like Rahul Gandhi,
10:53you know, who said that he brought hydrogen gas after announcing hydrogen bomb.
10:58So scientists like Rahul Gandhi, they were the ones who blamed and alleged everything against us.
11:03So we are responding to what they are saying.
11:05And each and every right in a political battle we have to defend ourselves.
11:15Okay, so, but that wasn't quite the case.
11:18Because, like I said, there were detailed reports which fact-checked, apparently, a news report, not any political party.
11:25Having said that, I want to bring in the Congress spokesperson, and I'm going to come back to Mr. Briwal,
11:29but I want to bring in the Congress spokesperson, Dr. Nishant Anand, into this conversation.
11:33Dr. Anand, the Congress is trying to ride on a report, trying to milk it politically,
11:40trying to put the ECI on the mat, and that is the charge by the ruling party today.
11:48Good evening to all.
11:49See, first, I'll start by saying the ECI is Election Commission of India,
11:53not Establishment of Citizens of India.
11:55The Election Commission boastful claims have been completely exposed.
11:59The Election Commission itself is deleting the votes of young people.
12:04The Election Commission itself is manipulating the data inside its own portal.
12:09The Election Commission itself is stripping away the powers of SDMs and Tehsildas,
12:13who serve as electoral registration officers.
12:16The Election Commission itself is violating the law of the country.
12:20So now, in an interview of the leading newspaper that we were mentioning here,
12:23published this morning again, Justice Sudanshu Dhulia,
12:27who retired from the Supreme Court last year,
12:30has re-affirmed categorically that it is not the ECI's job
12:33or constitutional responsibility to define the SIR.
12:37Citizenship is designed under the 1955 Citizen Act.
12:41An amendment has to be done by the Parliament.
12:44So the question is, they are clearly violating the Constitution.
12:50Illegally amending Form 6 to de-franchised Gen Z voters in 1960 rules
12:55cannot be changed without being amended in Parliament.
12:58The biggest point of difference between Sudanshu Joshi and Ganesh Kumar was this,
13:03that did we receive the answer today?
13:04We have not received the answer.
13:06The entire SIR is based on a Form 6.
13:09That was changed illegally.
13:11The SIR that aroused from that illegal form has also been illegal,
13:16has become illegal.
13:17This is what we are trying to say.
13:18The elections held in Bengal and Bihar,
13:21based on that illegal SIR,
13:23has also become illegal.
13:26Rahul Gandhi-ji held a press conference in July 2025
13:29on irregularities in the voter list.
13:33The quick election commissioner jumped into it
13:36and he gave us the ultimatum of 48 hours to apologize.
13:39How dare he?
13:40Today he is hiding since last five days.
13:43The election commission officer is acting like a dictator for the BJP.
13:47Narendra Modi and Amish Chah.
13:49They are taking this decision without consulting his fellow commissioners
13:52or considering the views.
13:55Ganesh Kumar does not have any moral authority to continue as a chief election officer.
14:02One second, I am going to come back.
14:03One second, Dr. Anand, just hold your horses.
14:06Hold your thought.
14:08Mr. Ibrahwal, what were you saying?
14:11I said, I hope you got the answer as to why we are responding.
14:14In his last statement, what did he again say?
14:16That it is Amish Chah, it is the BJP who is behind election commission.
14:21So that is why we are speaking for ourselves.
14:23Now, when he was talking about form 6 and alteration,
14:26I will say that this is nothing but trying to deceive people.
14:31The election commission...
14:32Okay, one second.
14:34I want to keep the politics out of it.
14:36One second.
14:36Can I just get Ms. Ibrahwal back into this conversation?
14:40Ms. Ibrahwal, keep the politics out of it.
14:43The fact is, once again, the rebuttals that have come from your party have come on a news report.
14:48I will go back now to what...
14:50You know, politics is part and parcel of the game
14:52and you have every right to go behind your political opponents, which is the principal opposition here and answer them
14:58in whichever way you deem fit.
14:59But I will come back to the news report and I will come back to the issues that were raised
15:03in the news report, which your party has tried to rebut, fact by fact, where they think that they are
15:08rebutting the news report and they have fact-checked it.
15:11I will come back to some of the issues instead of getting into rhetorics that were raised in the report,
15:16Mr. Ibrahwal.
15:17The EC, just two days ago, has come out and pretty much accepted a couple of issues that were raised
15:23in that news report where they have now said that they will go back to the Form 6.
15:26You and I both know that Form 6 is sacrosanct and can only be changed by changing a regulation of
15:331960, which happens by the government and cannot be done by the EC.
15:37So therefore, the EC somewhere down the line has admitted that they did change Form 6, that they did change
15:43Form 6 and now they are going back.
15:45Let me ask you a question, Mr. Ibrahwal, because you come from the state of West Bengal, where your party
15:50has won from a massive landslide and it's a historic verdict.
15:55One of the issues that has been raised and still has no answer to is the sheer fact of the
16:0016.1 lakh voters on which there have been appeals that have been filed by the EC that they should
16:06be removed.
16:06The EC in itself has no idea who filed these appeals and the EC Mr. Sandhu has gone on record
16:14to say that the EC, he has no idea who has filed these reports.
16:19Yet it is filed by the EC and there is no answer coming in from the Election Commission of India
16:23on that.
16:24Now again, this question which you are asking me, you are supposed to ask the Election Commission, that why they
16:29have no idea on that.
16:31This is a direct question to the Election Commission and not to me. How would I know?
16:34Now, again, coming back to the Form 6 which you were saying.
16:38Ma'am, because your party has been fact-checking that news report. That's why I am asking you.
16:48So, you can't, you know, just blame me for certain things and then keep the other side.
16:54Either you blame me completely.
16:57You are saying that I am not supposed to answer or speak about the Election Commission.
17:01Ma'am, what am I, I'm not blaming you at all.
17:04Mr. Brewal, I'm not blaming you at all.
17:07All I'm saying is there have been certain issues that have been raised in that news report which your party
17:12is fact-checking online.
17:13So, therefore, I'm asking you the question because this particular question has not been addressed by a political party.
17:19Yet, you have, in the EC itself, two days ago, has admitted that now they will go back to the
17:25old Form 6, which is pretty much admitting to what the news report was.
17:29Election Commission is supposed to answer this because the entire proceeding is also before the Supreme Court.
17:34So, do you agree that, Ma'am, do you agree then, then, Mr. Brewal, do you agree that Prima Faisai,
17:41the news report, raises questions that the Election Commission needs to answer?
17:45Do you agree on that account?
17:47See, Election Commission, that's a press conference, answers the questions or they do not wish to answer the questions.
17:54It is completely their prerogative and we are not supposed to ask them or guide them to do anything.
18:00But when questions and fingers will be raised on us, we will answer that.
18:05But as the principal party in power, would you not recommend, because you yourself said that this question that I
18:13just raised, the Election Commission needs to answer.
18:15But the Election Commission hasn't answered.
18:17So, a party that is in power, do you think it's responsible for the BJP to ask the Election Commission
18:22to answer this question, Ma'am?
18:25As a principal party, when I am answering the allegations which are, I mean, directly upon us, then you are
18:31saying that we are talking about the Election Commission, we are speaking on behalf of the Election Commission.
18:36Right, so how can I guide the Election Commission what to do and what not to do?
18:39Again, I would say, if there is any fault, it is the Supreme Court who is supposed to guide them
18:43and not we.
18:46He is saying that district magistrates and others were used and they are not supposed to be used.
18:50Again, I will say, in Bengal, under Supreme Court's guidance, district magistrates were asked to do certain jobs, which they
18:56did.
18:58We or the Election Commission didn't ask them to do.
19:00That was ordered by the Supreme Court.
19:07Madam, that still doesn't answer the question that I asked you, but now you are saying it's for the EC2
19:11answer, yet your party has gone online to fact-check this very report.
19:15I just want to bring in the Congress spokesperson in midst of all of this, Dr. Ranand.
19:18Why shouldn't it be charged that your party is only trying to create more chaos than seek answers by trying
19:25to milk it politically?
19:51Dr. Ranand, can I ask you a question at the back of it?
19:55Yes, please.
19:55If your leader is so sure that successive elections have been compromised under the Election Commission of India, this is
20:04a charge that you are making.
20:05And if you are so sure of it, then why do you participate in the process of this election?
20:10Then put your money where your mouth is, boycott the elections.
20:14You wouldn't do that.
20:15Yet you will continue to criticize the process.
20:19Priti, we are a political party.
20:20Priti, we need to understand if now we are living in Delhi with an AQI of 400 or 500, we
20:27can't stop bothering because tomorrow BJP will say, if you can't breathe, leave the country.
20:31Priti, we have to fight with this corrupt government.
20:34See, I have to make four points.
20:35Please allow me.
20:36Gyanesh Kumar does not have any moral authority to continue as the Chief Election Commissioner.
20:41Point number one, 13 crore voters have been removed under the SIR.
20:45The BJP mentioned on their Twitter today, 2.8 crores were deceased voters.
20:50Okay, fair enough.
20:51What about the remaining 10 crore voters?
20:53And if 2.8 crore dead people are still on the rolls, what are the annual summary revisions since 2014?
21:00Should it have completed it?
21:02Is the BJP admitting that it has failed for years to maintain electoral rolls properly?
21:09If not, where did the other 10.2 crore names go?
21:13He should resign without any delay.
21:15The ECI has shot itself in the foot.
21:18I need to close the debate.
21:19I want to bring in Mr. Tibriwal back into this conversation.
21:21Mr. Tibriwal, for...
21:24When there was rigging, when there were elections...
21:27Madam, you are right in raising every question from the past.
21:30Then the Election Commission was doing a proper job.
21:32No, Mr. Tibriwal, you have every right to raise the questions that you are raising.
21:36But...
21:39No, Madam, the question is very clear.
21:41Once again, keep the politics out of it.
21:43As a citizen of this country, as somebody who represents the ruling party,
21:46I want to ask you once again a very clear question.
21:48Should the EC not come out and answer the questions which you yourself are having doubts answering?
21:56Shouldn't the EC come out and clear the air?
21:59Now again, I will again say that what the Election Commission is supposed to do, I will not tell them.
22:04But then again, if the Congress is so sure about what is happening, they should give the entire allegation in
22:13writing to the Election Commission, not just that.
22:15They should write everything before the Supreme Court and ask for a reply before the Supreme Court.
22:20Let the Election Commission go and reply in the court.
22:26All right.
22:27Okay, we are going to leave it at that.
22:29Right now, you know, I think there's a glaring news report that beckons answers.
22:33Until now, the Election Commission of India has pretty much dodged answering any of those questions.
22:38A few of them, yes, they were addressed in a detailed press release by the Election Commission of India with
22:45a picture of both the CEC and the other two ECs.
22:48Yet there are certain answers that still remain unanswered.
22:53I appreciate both panelists for joining me because politics is going to continue.
22:57But as citizens of this country, viewers, we deserve answers.
23:01With that, I want to quickly cut across to the other news that we are tracking.
23:05And this is political completely in nature.
23:08The Uttar Pradesh elections, viewers, are around the corner.
23:13In other six months, UP goes to vote.
23:15Once again, what we've seen very often happen in the past, the friction between alliance partners before they actually forge
23:24an alliance.
23:24This time, it is between the Samajwadi party and the Congress party.
23:29There is an all-party meet, especially at the back of what is the news report that has come on
23:36the Election Commission of India.
23:38The all-party meeting, Akhilesh Yadav, from the Samajwadi party, will skip.
23:44He says his party will be represented, but he will skip.
23:47Now, all of this is in the backdrop of massive issues between two allies where seat sharing is concerned, going
23:55into elections in UP.
23:57Where the Samajwadi party feels that the Congress party is asking way more seats than what it actually deserves.
24:05The Congress says that we've proven ourselves, especially in 2024, Lok Sabha elections, and this time around, we will not
24:14compromise.
24:14In the give and take, will the two parties meet middle ground and form an alliance?
24:21Well, time will tell.
24:23But right now, the pulls and tugs of seat sharing, often seen before an election, are pretty much evident.
24:40The North Kingdom of India is a great situation.
24:44The President of the National Council is a great situation which has taken a role in the country.
24:49He has been given to us the fact that men will eat in the country.
24:54The government of India is a great situation.
24:56The President of the National Council has been decided toingly sing the world of the state of the State.
24:57The President of the National Council is in the United States.
24:57We are not aware of this.
24:58We are not aware of this.
24:59We are not aware of this.
24:59We are aware of this.
25:01All the parties are together.
25:03Do you think the U.P.
25:04is your opinion that seat sharing is being a little late?
25:08How do you think?
25:09I think that this is a very early time.
25:13I think that the time is now.
25:16It will soon come back.
25:18This is the October month.
25:21There will be a lot of things in front of us.
25:23The India Alliance has not come back.
25:29It has been an important meeting.
25:32But it seems that the U.P. has been asked for questions.
25:37Is there any other questions in the U.P.?
25:39If you are not aware of this, you will be afraid of it.
25:43If you are not aware of it, you will be afraid of it.
25:46If you are not aware of it, you will be afraid of it.
25:51If you are not aware of it, you will be afraid of it.
25:53I have no idea of it.
25:55At this time, India will be afraid of it.
26:01The election commission is happening in all of the open elections.
26:07If you are not aware of it, you will be afraid of it.
26:11If you are not aware of it, you will be afraid of it.
26:21You will be afraid of it.
26:21See, the scandal—
26:46India Alliance
27:20India Alliance
27:22India Alliance
27:28India Alliance
27:39India Alliance
27:41India Alliance
27:42He says that we are Vipashths.
27:44Now you are Vipashths.
27:45But it is also important that this country
27:49there are 4 national parties,
27:516 national parties,
27:5360 regional parties,
27:552000 parties,
27:59registered parties.
28:01And every party has its own
28:02and its own
28:04and its own
28:04and its own
28:04and its own.
28:07Now you say that the Congress is Vipashths.
28:12It is Vipashths.
28:14Congress says that Vipashths.
28:18How many Vipashths are with you?
28:20I want to cut across right now
28:22to my colleague Samarth
28:23as well as Moshmi.
28:25Both of them joining us, giving us both sides
28:27of the story on where stands
28:29the Samajwadi party and where stands
28:31the Congress party. Samarth,
28:33would you want to go first? Because the Samajwadi
28:36party pretty upset
28:38with the statements
28:40coming in from the likes of Mr.
28:42Masood who represent the Congress
28:44and all of this also
28:46plays out in the backdrop of a
28:48personal feud that is playing
28:50between Imran Masood as well
28:52as Ikra Hasan from the Samajwadi party.
28:59Well, exactly Preeti. Not just between
29:00Ikra Hasan and Imran Masood, I must say
29:02Ashu Malik is also the one face
29:04we have seen in that particular Disha meeting that happened
29:06in the Western Uttar Pradesh. So one thing is
29:08very clear, Samajwadi party seems to be quite
29:10hurt with the statements of Imran Masood.
29:13It's not happening on any day one,
29:14day two or day three. It is happening since
29:16last two to three months when Imran Masood
29:18every morning comes with another salvo
29:20against the Akhilesh Yadav and the Samajwadi party.
29:23As today morning, he even claimed
29:24that if Akhilesh Yadav is upset
29:26it's his problem. He is going to suffer that.
29:28But the bigger thing is that Samajwadi
29:30party chief Akhilesh Yadav is
29:32skipping the meeting of India alliance that is happening
29:34on 30th. Though he said that he has
29:36already conveyed his message to Malika Arjun
29:38Kharge regarding his absence
29:40as he has some already pre-scheduled programs.
29:42But whether, is it true or not?
29:44Because many people are judging
29:46this particular statement of Akhilesh Yadav,
29:48especially at a time when seat sharing
29:50is already on the tables
29:52and Congress party leaders are stressing
29:54to do the seat sharing as soon as possible.
29:56While the Samajwadi party wants
29:58to make the things go much longer
30:00even after Navratra.
30:02As Akhilesh Yadav today claimed that
30:03the party functions will be announced after Navratra.
30:06So, it's going to be worse seen because
30:07at one end from reporting from Lucknow,
30:10it seems that Samajwadi party wants seat sharing
30:11after some time. But Congress leaders
30:14seem to be much excited and wants
30:16the seat sharing earlier.
30:18So, that's the bigger thing.
30:19Now, it's going to be worse with a war of words happening
30:21because at one end, when Imran Masud is speaking
30:24this language, then Shripal Singh Yadav is also
30:26attacking the Congress party.
30:27We saw how Ajay Rai said that they will also
30:29take that particular Rath Yadav to Itaba and Manpuri.
30:33Then Shripal Singh Yadav hit back
30:34and clearly said they won't get a single vote right there.
30:36So, that's the war of words that is happening.
30:38Though, the bigger part and the good news
30:40for the India Alliance is that both Rahul Gandhi
30:42and Achilles Shadav are not speaking any such language
30:44or joining any war of words,
30:47it's all happening either between
30:48the MLA's spokesperson or the MPs
30:50of both the parties. So, it's going to be worth seeing
30:52how this seat sharing concept goes on
30:54because if you talk about the assembly elections,
30:56the Samajwadi party believes that
30:58it is going to be the big brother
31:00situation in the assembly elections
31:02because Congress party just backed two seats
31:04in the previous 2022 elections
31:05and that's what Samajwadi party feels
31:07that Congress party must remain happy
31:10in whatever seat Samajwadi party will offer.
31:12Back to you.
31:14Okay.
31:15Alright, so the Samajwadi party is looking at
31:17the 2022 elections figure.
31:19The Congress wants to look at the 2024 election results
31:22and in midst of it,
31:24there will be an alliance.
31:25Is it just usual ranker, Moshmi?
31:28It always happens, if you remember,
31:29it happened before 22, it happened before 24
31:32general elections.
31:33A bit of a tug,
31:35a bit of a push.
31:36This side is angry, that side is angry
31:38and ultimately they will sit across the table
31:40and find middle ground.
31:43I am not overstating
31:45but I preempted that question
31:47and that's how I know you
31:48and you know me
31:50that you know what is going to really be
31:53up the sleeves and perhaps
31:54that equation being shared
31:57by the Samajwadi party
31:58and the Congress as well.
32:00that this is preempted.
32:03It is a binding tactic.
32:05Seed sharing on the cards by October.
32:08I do believe they would like to seal it
32:10by October end
32:11so that the candidates have two, three months
32:14on the cards.
32:15Either side is doing the muscle flexing.
32:18Imran Masood acting perhaps
32:20at the behest of
32:21you know
32:22the higher command
32:25or the senior leaders.
32:27Because there is always one leader
32:29who is given the reins to
32:31you know, do that bargaining
32:33by giving statements
32:35and you know the counters
32:37coming in from Ikras
32:38the likes of Ikras.
32:40So the portfolio actually starting from Western UP
32:43which is quite interesting
32:45and I think that these are bargaining tactics.
32:47The only thing that we need to look out for
32:50is whether they will be able to
32:51rein in these motor mouth leaders
32:54at the right time.
32:56And they won't do the behind
32:58between the debacle
33:01and the friendly fights won't happen.
33:04Only that thing needs to be watched out.
33:09All right, so and we're going to be closely watching all of that.
33:12Thank you Moshmi and Samarth for joining us
33:14and getting us the very latest.
33:16Right now it's pretty much political posturing
33:18as Moshmi pointed out.
33:20But how far will both parties allow political posturing to go?
33:24Because between the RGD and the Congress
33:26like Moshmi rightly pointed out
33:27it didn't go down very well
33:30where the state of Bihar is concerned.
33:32Let's quickly hop back to the news coming in
33:34from the National Capital Viewers.
33:35Five rapes in five weeks.
33:38And now the Supreme Court has taken
33:40sewer motor cognizance
33:42slamming the law and order situation
33:44in the National Capital.
33:50Five rape cases in five weeks
33:52in the National Capital.
33:56And now the Supreme Court has stepped in
33:59taking sewer motor cognizance
34:01of the recent Delhi rape cases.
34:03The Apex Court has made a scathing observation
34:07on the failure of law enforcement.
34:11The Supreme Court said,
34:13living without fear is a fundamental right
34:15and public spaces cannot become high risk zones.
34:19The court also flagged lax patrolling.
34:22And said the recent cases point to a failure of law enforcement
34:27and administration.
34:29The court also made a painful parallel
34:31to the Nirbhaya case.
34:35In one of the latest cases,
34:37a 17-year-old was allegedly gang raped
34:40inside a moving vehicle.
34:43A chilling reminder of that crime
34:45that shook the capital more than a decade ago.
34:48But the horror does not stop there.
34:53Four minors were raped in just 12 days across the capital.
34:5716-year-old was gang raped and murdered in Delhi's Swaroop Nagar.
35:0211-year-old girl was raped by a 56-year-old tailor in Sadar Bazar.
35:076-year-old raped in Deshpandu Gupta Road.
35:1117-year-old gang raped by three men in Kalkaji.
35:16The Supreme Court has now asked the administration and police
35:20to answer the most basic question.
35:22Are Delhi's women and children safe in the capital?
35:27Bureau Report, India Today.
35:33Joining me right now is Dr. Kiran Bedi.
35:37Thank you ma'am for taking the time out and joining us this evening.
35:40I just want to get an understanding from you
35:42because there's been a fair amount of politics at the back of it.
35:46But will there be tangible change in the national capital?
35:49You have a gang rape at the back of it.
35:52The top university of women in Delhi decides to go offline.
35:57Go online.
35:58I just want to get an understanding.
36:00The Supreme Court stepping in.
36:02How much of a difference will it make?
36:03Or once again will this be just lip service?
36:07I've been saying this again and again
36:09that we're not addressing the root cause.
36:12And root cause is the loss of family control.
36:17Because every family is a small unit.
36:20And these boys and these men are coming from these homes.
36:25It's a failure of the home.
36:27I'm not excluding police.
36:29I'll come to the police later.
36:30But I think if you're seized of the matter,
36:33it's a matter of social failure.
36:35It's a home failure.
36:37It's a failure of parenting.
36:39I think we need to address the social issue up front.
36:42Up front.
36:43That what's happening in the homes.
36:46Who's creating these villains and these goons?
36:50There's somebody's sons.
36:51There's somebody's brother.
36:52And somebody's husband.
36:54What kind of control?
36:55Because the crime is happening before the police is arriving.
36:59So you are only reacting.
37:02I'm looking at crime prevention also.
37:03But I think we need to understand that
37:05damage has already been done
37:08till the police arrives.
37:10Now let's work it backwards.
37:12While we're looking at total family collapse.
37:15I think we need to somewhere fix it
37:17and bring the family control
37:18and family responsibility.
37:21Account for and hold the parents responsible
37:24for what they're creating in the society.
37:27But they continue to generate these.
37:28So I think this is one area.
37:31If the Honorable Supreme Court is into it,
37:34I think let's address the root cause of the problem
37:37because these men are not born rapists.
37:40They've become rapists out of lack of parenting control.
37:44So parental responsibility should be fixed.
37:47And somewhere by law or otherwise I do not know.
37:50But so far I don't address this issue at all.
37:53And when you go back to some of these parents, they say,
37:56we don't have a bus.
37:57This was already running.
37:59So if it's running, then we don't have control.
38:01So we need to bring in what comes between the police and this decontrol.
38:05So I think we need to address this.
38:07Right.
38:07What we do is very important.
38:09Rest is crime prevention.
38:11Now in this crime prevention…
38:12Dr. Bedhi, I want to ask you…
38:16Dr. Bedhi, the question I'd like to ask you is what you suggest is something
38:20that has been echoing across this country, but this is generational.
38:24You know, changing conditioning will take generations.
38:27How do you fill the gap in?
38:28You know, there have been certain tangible, you know, options that many people are speaking
38:34of and loudly at that.
38:36Chemical castration is one such option which is followed in even, you know, countries which
38:41look at humane laws.
38:43Should India seriously look at an option of chemical castration?
38:47On the other hand, there has been a petition which has been lying with the Delhi police as
38:53well as the courts of women police officers in civil clothes, especially in areas where,
39:00you know, public areas as well as colleges and schools where girls are concerned.
39:06I would say that a mass movement of verification of past criminals and past sex offenders
39:12and past such like delinquents, mass constant beat verification of people on past records
39:20and particularly those on bail for these offences.
39:24These bails need to be reconsidered.
39:27So bails, that means a mass verification of all past records of all these deviants who
39:33come on record.
39:34Third is anybody on bail for sex offence should become the electronic ankling.
39:40Electronic ankling means that you are on bail with an electronic GPS ankle,
39:46which means after this, your mobility is now under watch so that we know where else.
39:52Because how much will you, how many policemen will you be having in how many parks?
39:57It needs a massive mobilization.
40:00So remember, that need not, that could be on the angle.
40:04But I think anybody, anybody on sex offence after this and past can be brought under GPS related ankling,
40:15which is available, which is done in many democratic countries of the world,
40:18is electronic ankling on the ankle so that hereafter the movement is coming under GPS.
40:28But Dr. Bedi, you know, what about naming and shaming?
40:32We have so many sexual offenders in this country.
40:34Once we start plastering their pictures all across, we've spoken about this before,
40:39but it is never really, you know, implemented in many cases.
40:45Third is the same elected local representatives at all levels,
40:51Panchayat, corporate, MLA and MPs.
40:54I think they need to have these Mohalla meetings and going down.
40:58They need to speak out about these family controls.
41:01They need to talk about these ankle controls.
41:04I don't see any one of them speaking out for the women.
41:09I don't see them.
41:11See, service will not do.
41:12They need to go house to house and start talking about family and home responsibility
41:17and also about ankling, also verification of past criminals.
41:23And also, police need to strengthen its beach system.
41:25It needs to strengthen its beach system, which verifies house to house past criminal records.
41:31And anybody who's out on bail, verify.
41:34And maybe the court could say, mark attendance.
41:36Mark attendance with the police once a week.
41:39So anklet and better crime control.
41:41And of course, expeditious trial is an option, but that is not in our hands.
41:46I would say these are community linked and leadership linked, electronically linked.
41:53I think these are very, and of course, family responsibility is critical now.
41:57House to house, and that could go back to the local representatives
42:01who could really go house to house to say, this is not acceptable.
42:08Fair point.
42:09Thank you, Dr. Bedi, for taking the time out and joining us.
42:11As usual, thank you for making strong points and points that we really need to not just ponder
42:17and possibly implement.
42:19With that, viewers, I want to shift focus now from the national capital to Jalandhar in Punjab.
42:24And the lovely professional university.
42:26In the last 24 hours, what has played out in Punjab, Jalandhar at the lovely professional university is astounding, stunning.
42:34There are charges that there was sexual assault on campus, which followed a suicide.
42:39The university denies all charges.
42:44The students have taken to vandalism, arson, blocking the highway.
42:49A full eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation between Punjab police and the students of lovely professional university.
42:56But what really happened? Do we have any answers? Here's more.
43:08A university campus turns into a battlefield.
43:12Students on the streets.
43:13Vehicles vandalized and torched.
43:16Stones pelted and a lathe charge after police personnel were attacked.
43:21The trigger, an allegation of sexual assault at the lovely professional university in Faghwara,
43:26which the institution has denied.
43:31After the protests on Sunday, the campus is now virtually deserted.
43:36Students are heading home.
43:37The university has suspended regular classes for 10 days.
43:40And midterm examinations are postponed.
43:43Mobile internet is suspended in the area.
43:47The situation is worse.
43:48Now we are going home.
43:50Because last night, the current situation is so threatened.
43:54Every police deployment remains in place.
44:06As the administration insists, the situation is now under control.
44:10Where there are children's hostels, we have also the force is still there.
44:15Our children is still safe.
44:17Our children are still safe.
44:17We have some people who identify people and have no weapon to be found who are not to be found.
44:23This state andanter, which we have been to now here.
44:27We have to take their search.
44:28There are a detailed investigation incident.
44:31A little elements that came to be broke in terms of the system,
44:34We are doing this scientifically and technically analysing the CCTV footage.
44:38We will put the law in our hands and we will put it in action.
44:42Thirdly, I will request everyone not to pay heed to unfounded rumours.
44:48Many questions remain unanswered.
44:51What triggered the anger in the first place?
44:53At the heart of the unrest is an allegation of rape of a female student.
44:58Police say an FIR has been registered and the allegation is being investigated.
45:03Police and university officials have now met student representatives sharing details of the FIR
45:08and the special investigation team constituted to probe the matter.
45:13The university administration disputes the allegation, dismissing the claims as rumours.
45:19The university alleges the involvement of outsiders.
45:36The campus crisis has now spilled into politics.
45:39Congress, Akali Dal and BJP have targeted the Bhagavatman government.
45:44The people who are the people who are the ones who are the ones who have been doing the job.
45:50Who has been sent? How did they come?
45:53The government is in the country or the Punjab government.
45:56They both have failed and they have a responsibility to do the job in order to continue to do the
46:03job.
46:06For now, the campus may be quiet, but the controversy is far from over.
46:11Students are leaving, the probe is on, and politics is heating up
46:15as questions over the allegations remain unanswered.
46:19With Kamaljeet Sandhu in Fakwara, Bureau Report, India Today.
46:25All right, joining me right now is my colleague Kamaljeet Sandhu,
46:28our Bureau Chief from Punjab in Haryana,
46:30who's keeping a close eye on all developments.
46:32Kamal, I want to get an understanding, and so do our viewers.
46:35What really happened at lovely professional university?
46:39The administration would want us to believe that there was nothing.
46:42It was zuma-mongering, there was no sexual assault, there was no suicide.
46:47What is the police saying? The police says there is no case.
46:50But what really happened? Would you give us an insider account on what happened?
46:54Was there sexual assault? Was there a suicide?
47:01Well, the story is more about rumors, rampage, and a blame game,
47:05if I can shortly put out at that.
47:07Now, in the past 48 hours, what we could tell you is
47:10that there was a viral video, especially
47:14these kind of inflammatory materials are passed on via WhatsApp,
47:18on Instagram Reels, and the perpetrated charge was that there were allegations of sexual assault
47:23or rape, if you can say so, against a female student.
47:26And this is where they said an outsider had done this job.
47:29This is where several women protesters and candidates came out.
47:35But meanwhile, it's also the men who gathered in strength.
47:39It moved from Girls Hostel No. 3504.
47:44And that is where the protesters gathered seemed demanding answers.
47:49Now, on its own part, the LPU issued a statement calling it fake news.
47:54Meanwhile, it was the students who went on a rampage,
47:57not believing the LPU administration.
48:00Now, many, especially in the police establishment,
48:02believe that there's a massive trust deficit
48:04because a statement is given, but the students are failing to believe it.
48:09Many said this is a pressure cooker sort of a situation
48:11because in the past, in a private university,
48:13there have been instances of sexual allegations
48:16as well as not just the assault cases,
48:19but also several suicides which took place.
48:21And many said that they were being brushed under the carpet
48:24as being told by several of the protesters to India today.
48:26And that is why the protesters actually walked on
48:31and marched towards the national highway
48:34where there was a city in Dharna.
48:36Now, the police tried to negotiate with the protesters.
48:39They said there's no rape which has taken place again.
48:42They said there was no written complaint.
48:44So, the protesters gave a written complaint
48:45demanding an FIRE.
48:47Eventually, police caved in.
48:49An SIT was formed against.
48:51Students were not satisfied.
48:52So, the goalposts kept moving
48:54and then they said they wanted a British insurance
48:56from Mrs. Rashmi Mittal
48:57who's the Chancellor of LPU.
49:01Again, situation went on a boil,
49:04especially when Pajah police resorted to light lati charge.
49:08This is after some of the students actually threatened
49:13to go on rampage once again.
49:15And that is where the outnumbered policemen
49:18were not only chased.
49:20So, Kamal, there was no rape,
49:21there was no suicide.
49:23This is all rumor mongering
49:25and WhatsApp hysteria?
49:32Well, yes, so does the authorities say.
49:35So, both LPU and Punjab police is one
49:37and that is why they say
49:38they don't know, do not believe in rumors.
49:40But it seems that the students
49:41do not believe in that particular theory.
49:44They say there is a student
49:45but meanwhile police says
49:47where's the victim?
49:48And if there's no victim,
49:49where is the accused?
49:50So, this is where
49:51there are different sides of the story.
49:54Meanwhile, students are not buying
49:56what LPU or Punjab police has to say.
49:58Under pressure,
49:59they have caved in to the request
50:01or lodged in a fire
50:02against unknown victim,
50:03an unknown perpetrator.
50:05Meanwhile,
50:06they have also launched investigation
50:07into mass vandalization.
50:10There's writing which has taken place.
50:12Items have been stolen.
50:13Kamal, have the students
50:14been able to identify the victim?
50:16And now there is also a blimp.
50:21Well, there's no particular name to it.
50:23In fact, the girl hostel number
50:25three and the room 504,
50:27those girls came out and said
50:29those three were roommates.
50:31They said nobody had entered.
50:32There was no incident
50:33which had taken place.
50:34But there are back and forth
50:35because remember,
50:36the students continue
50:37to maintain pressure.
50:38But that has been let off now
50:40with the classes being suspended
50:42for the next 10 days.
50:43So, the hostels have been vacated.
50:45Most of the students have left.
50:46Now, it is for Punjab police
50:48to really probe the matter.
50:49But they say it's more
50:50about the communication gap.
50:51And the past instances
50:53have actually created
50:54a trust deficit.
50:55And that is why
50:55no matter what LPU says,
50:57the students are not
50:58willing to buy that.
50:59Now, we've seen that happen
51:00in Chitkara University,
51:02another private university,
51:03where instances of ghosts
51:04and missing two girls.
51:05A couple of years ago,
51:07Chandigarh University
51:08saw a similar protest
51:09by students.
51:10So, private universities
51:11have seen that sort of a trend.
51:13But obviously,
51:13it points to not just policing,
51:15but also a communication gap
51:16between students
51:17and the administration.
51:21Fair point.
51:21Thank you, Kamal,
51:22for laying it bare for us.
51:23Because right now,
51:24it does seem, viewers,
51:25and we are not just
51:25getting ahead of ourselves,
51:26because with what our reporters
51:27on the ground
51:28have been able to identify,
51:29it does seem
51:30that this is WhatsApp hysteria.
51:32But it's not based
51:34on just what the students
51:37feel has happened right now,
51:38which it seems hasn't happened.
51:40There has been no rape.
51:41It's WhatsApp hysteria.
51:42But their students say
51:43there have been enough
51:44past incidents
51:45of sexual assault
51:47which have been brushed
51:47under the carpet.
51:49So, all of the hysteria
51:50stems from that.
51:52We are going to keep
51:53a keen eye
51:53on all developments.
51:55Thank you, Kamaljeet Sandhu,
51:56for joining us.