- 48 minutes ago
Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das said the Mumbai protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process reflected strong public support. Speaking to India Today, Das said Shivaji Park was “full” and “overflowing with people” and announced plans for demonstrations in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal before returning to Delhi. He said the party would continue raising questions over voting rights and criticised restrictions on protest venues. Meanwhile, similar demonstrations in Delhi saw over 1,000 detentions, while the Election Commission announced a special voter enrolment drive.
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NewsTranscript
00:01Good evening, you're watching News Today at 9pm. I'm Preeti Chaudhary. Let me quickly take you
00:06through the big talking points this evening. Well, coming off Shivaji Park in Mumbai,
00:12the cockroach is clearly declaring war on CEC. Gyanesh Kumar now in the line of fire.
00:19We'll also get you the conversation between the Prime Minister and a hero, Pilot Smith.
00:25It couldn't let everybody die is what Captain Smith told the Prime Minister. And also,
00:32a short exclusive conversation between Rajdeep Sargasai and Ramchandra Guha on why Gandhi
00:40still matters. All of that coming up first. Allow me to take you through the headlines.
00:47Historic gold medal for India at the Asian Games. Women's hockey team beats China,
00:52now wins gold medal Asian Games after 44 years. 2028 LA Olympic sport scene.
01:06Nadi Shakti on display at the Asian Games. Indian women's recurve archery team wins gold medal.
01:12Birthday girl, Lavlina Bourgain also clinches gold in 75 kg boxing category.
01:23Prime Minister Modi speaks to Captain Smith on video call, lauds his valour. Smith breaks down
01:29while recalling the cockpit horror. Prime Minister wishes Smith a speedy recovery.
01:38The first statement by Fly Dubai over mid-air incidents says there are many questions and a full
01:44investigation is underway. Israeli officials also expected to grill the attacker pilot.
01:54Chaos outside Shivaji Park Police Station after two groups clash with each other.
01:59CJP demonstrators claim they were assaulted by another group.
02:04Shiv Senai UBT MLA calls it a pre-planned attack on protesters.
02:11High drama at Delhi's Jantar Mantar Congress, NSUI and Aam Admi party agitate in Delhi against CEC
02:18Gyanesh Kumar along with left leaders and students. Around 1100 protesters detained.
02:25Cops claim some police personnel also injured.
02:30Another rape horror rocks the national capital region. Minor girl allegedly gang raped in Faridabad.
02:37Her minor friend, male, also sexually assaulted. All three accused have been arrested.
02:46In Tamil Nadu, the bipolar battle heats up. DMK Chief MK Stalin rains fire on TN Chief Minister.
02:52Vijay alleges rise in power cuts. Sickle attack after Vijay takes over.
02:57Stalin also calls TBK government corporate mafia.
03:03And Russian President Putin hails Prime Minister Modi's peace push.
03:08Says Modi has desire to end conflict. Home Minister Shah says Putin's praise for Prime Minister makes every Indian proud.
03:22Our top focus today comes in from Mumbai.
03:26The heat on CEC Gyanesh Kumar is rising.
03:29The Kokoro Janata Party, the political pressure group, today held protests in Mumbai demanding the resignation of the CEC.
03:37Opposition parties and civil society groups also protested in the national capital.
03:43And the protests are not ending.
03:45The opposition planning to take these protests nationwide.
03:48And the CGP now will look for the next city to take its protest from Shivaji Park in Mumbai.
03:56Here's the full report.
04:03Two months after its stir over exam paper leaks, the Kokoro Janata Party has kicked off its agitation over the
04:10special intensive revision of electoral rolls.
04:14Hundreds reached the Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Gandhi Jainti in response to the call made by CGP founder Abhijit
04:22Dipke.
04:22Demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
04:27Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi and Vishal Dadlani were among those who attended the protest.
04:36The Shiv Sena UBT and MNs have announced their support to CGP's agitation.
04:41If he doesn't sack Gyanesh Kumar, because after all he is the one who appointed him.
04:45He was appointed by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.
04:49Am I right?
04:50So they have the rights to sack him and they should better sack him because if they don't sack Gyanesh
04:55Kumar,
04:56the anger against Gyanesh Kumar would turn towards the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.
05:03In Delhi, the All India Students Association and several civil society groups led the protest.
05:11AAP, Left Parties and RJD joined the demonstrations.
05:18The Congress Students Wing and SUI also held protest.
05:25Over 1,000 people were detained.
05:44The BGP claimed the Congress is objecting to Gyanesh Kumar as Rahul Gandhi is looking for an excuse to defend
05:51his party's protest.
05:52election losses.
05:54There is a family rift also that is going on.
05:57Because of that family rift, he wants to prove a point which is actually not there.
06:02He wants to prove that point which doesn't exist at all.
06:06That I am not responsible for this defeat.
06:12Responsible is EBM.
06:13Responsible is Commissioner.
06:18Amid the rising anger over SIR, which has excluded over 13 crore names from the voter list since the exercise
06:26began,
06:26the Election Commission has announced it will hold a special drive for enrollment of voters left out.
06:34The opposition, however, is in no mood to relent.
06:39They have planned nationwide protests against the CEC over coming days.
06:45Bureau Report, India Today.
06:51All right, let's cut across to Mr. Saurav Das, Chief Spokesperson, Cockroach Janata Party.
06:57Well, it seems, Saurav, that your protest at Shivaji Park has now ended.
07:03You were allowed to hold the protest.
07:05Would you reckon the crowds that showed up today were adequate to suggest that the cause has struck a chord
07:12with the people of this country?
07:13Or do you think you lacked support?
07:16Because the jury is out on the number of crowds that came in.
07:21Jury will always be out, Preeti, when it comes to protests.
07:25So, I think the people of Mumbai showed us what the Mumbai spirit is.
07:33Thousands and thousands of people flogged to Shivaji Park today.
07:37You saw the videos, you saw the pictures that we have put out.
07:41Shivaji Park was full.
07:42It was overflowing with people.
07:44People did not want to leave.
07:46They wanted more.
07:47And that is the kind of energy, that is the kind of wave that we'll be riding on.
07:51And that wave will lead straight to Delhi and on to Gyanesh Kumar's head very soon.
07:57Because people are demanding answers.
08:00People know that their future has been stolen from them.
08:04And the right to vote, which allows them to cast a vote and change their destinies forever,
08:09that has been stolen from them, Preeti.
08:12And they are seeking answers.
08:14Well, what is the CJP seeking now?
08:17You've held a protest in Mumbai.
08:19This, you said, is going to be different than what Jantar Mantar looked like,
08:23which was a continuous protest.
08:26From Mumbai, where does the CJP take this protest?
08:31Preeti, we'll be taking the protests nationwide.
08:33We have already announced our plans.
08:35We'll be going to different cities like Bangalore.
08:37We'll be going to UP.
08:38We'll be going to Bengal.
08:40And ultimately, we will come to Delhi again with all the people and all the energy and support.
08:46And we'll be holding protests there until Gyanesh Kumar is held accountable.
08:51And all our other demands, which are very, very important to undo all the damage that Gyanesh has done
08:59on the directions of the government and to ensure that no more Gyanesh Kumar come into the system,
09:05those demands will have to be met as well.
09:08So, until that happens, we will continue our protests.
09:11Saurav, where's the next location?
09:13And when is the protest?
09:15We will be putting out exact dates in maybe next couple of days.
09:20But we'll be going to Goa, we'll be going to Bangalore, and we'll be going to other states as well.
09:27The question everyone wants to ask, Saurav, is how are you going to keep the pressure on?
09:33Because Jantar Mantar, you had someone like Sonam Wangchuk who was on a fast.
09:38The government or the police picking him up led to a trigger, which led to a flood of emotion and
09:45people joining you.
09:47How are you going to keep the momentum going when you're going to hop from one city to the other?
09:52Because your ultimate aim is a resignation.
09:54How are you going to sustain momentum?
09:58Preeti, I think when we started off, it was our very first protest.
10:02Some people might have had some doubts or some skepticism about us.
10:07But we proved our mettle.
10:09We proved that the young generation of this country is true to its words and will show resilience in the
10:16face of great adversity.
10:17And therefore, today, when we start off this protest in Mumbai, you saw thousands and thousands of people flock to
10:27Shivaji Park.
10:28And we expect the same number and more in the upcoming protests.
10:33So, when we reach Delhi and when we give that call for Jantar Mantar, Preeti,
10:37we are very confident that thousands and thousands and maybe lakhs of people are going to show up and demand
10:45answers from Gyanesh Kumar and this establishment.
10:47So, ultimately, your protests across the country will lead to a continuous protest in Delhi Jantar Mantar.
10:53That's the game plan?
10:54Absolutely.
10:55See, Preeti, I've said this before also, I'm telling this again, that Jantar Mantar is an idea, it's a symbol
11:02of dissent.
11:03But you need not, you know, the Delhi police has locked Jantar Mantar as though there is some great treasure
11:09inside that people are in search for.
11:11Today, Jantar Mantar represents hope, it represents courage, it represents broken dreams of people, it represents victory.
11:19And therefore, Delhi police has closed Jantar Mantar from the outside.
11:23But like I've said before, whenever people gather and wherever people are stopped, if they stop them there and they
11:30sit down there, that will be called Jantar Mantar.
11:33So, we need not need Jantar Mantar as a physical location.
11:36Every place where a person demands accountability will be called Jantar Mantar.
11:41No, just one very quick question. Do you give credit to the Mumbai police today?
11:46No, we absolutely do give credit to the Mumbai police.
11:49The Mumbai police should teach a thing or two to the Delhi police because today our friends, the younger generation
11:56that was demanding answers in Delhi, were brutally detained by the Delhi police all over again.
12:02So, the Delhi police should not be more loyal to the king, but loyal to the constitution, to the rule
12:07of law and to the people of this country who they serve.
12:10So, they must learn from the Mumbai police.
12:12And we really thank the Mumbai police for cooperating in the manner they did today.
12:18All right, Mr. Das, thank you for joining us this evening.
12:21And let's see where you go next and the kind of momentum, whether you can withhold it and carry on.
12:26Appreciate the time.
12:27All right, so the big questions that we asked this evening before we go on to our guests.
12:31Can opposition keep the pressure on?
12:33Will CEC Gyanesh Kumar hold his ground?
12:36Is this citizens' fight or pure politics?
12:41Taking these questions to our panelists this evening, Amisha Thakur, spokesperson, Congress, joins us.
12:46Dr. Syed Zafar Islam, national spokesperson, BJP, former MP Rajya Sabha.
12:50Mr. Rajat Sethi, political analyst.
12:52Sanjay Jha, political analyst.
12:54Might we begin with Dr. Islam.
12:57Dr. Islam, the BJP has constantly made very strong defense of the election commission.
13:05Do you not find it interesting that in the last one week, after the report of Indian Express,
13:13you've had a press release by the election commission where they've practically admitted to a lot of those charges
13:19and seemingly suggested ways in which they were going to counter them and rectify that.
13:26The sheer fact today, the announcement by the election commission that has stunned many,
13:31that even though SIR process is complete, the election commission is now going to take out a drive
13:37to enroll those voters who have been left out of the SIR process.
13:42One doesn't, how does it all add up?
13:49Well, Priti, first of all, you have to understand, we are not involved in functioning of election commission.
13:56We are not defending, we are not the spokesperson of election commission.
13:59We, election commission is a constitutional body, this institution which is run based on the constitution
14:05and they are responsible for answering about their work.
14:09Having said that, we are defending one concept.
14:13The concept is the SIR, the cleaning of electoral roll free from all the bogus voters.
14:21Only the bona fide, the citizen of this country should be part of the electoral roll
14:28and nobody who is not the resident or not the resident of the country, not the national, international
14:35should be part of that electoral roll.
14:38I think if anybody has this, has problem with this SIR exercise, we will continue to question them,
14:45we will continue to criticize them because this is one concept which everybody wants, wanted earlier.
14:51Manu Sangvi of Congress Party, five-time Raj Sabha MP, he had spoken about it earlier.
15:00Congress doesn't even want to see the interview of Dr. Manu Sangvi where he had very clearly
15:08articulated and advocated that all the bogus voters from the electoral list must go and such
15:15exercise should be done by the election commission.
15:17When the election commission has started that exercise, they have problem.
15:21But they are seemingly walking back on the same exercise note, Dr. Aslam.
15:26The sheer fact that today now you have a notice by the election commission where
15:30there is going to be a special drive to enroll those voters who have been left out of the SIR.
15:35So there is admittance by the election commission that the SIR was maybe conducted in a hurry.
15:39Something that was a charge which was always made.
15:42Nobody called the SIR illegal.
15:45It is legal, but was it fair was the question.
15:50Was it done in a hurry is a question.
15:52The sheer fact that today a drive is taken out to enroll those who have been left out of
15:56the circle while the SIR was being conducted.
16:00It's admitting that it was done in a haphazard quick manner.
16:03Should have been given more time.
16:06Not at all, not at all.
16:09See, we have always said, and I am repeating it, I am repeating it again many times I have
16:14said on your program and on many other programs that we are, we only think we want that bona fide
16:22nationals of this country who are eligible voters should be enrolled and bogus voters should be
16:29out of the doubt.
16:30That is the only submission and something which we have advocated and we will continue to advocate.
16:35All right, allow me to bring in Amisha Thakur, spokesperson of the Congress.
16:38We have not involved in or commented about the access process because that is not our job.
16:42Fair point.
16:43Okay, sir, allow me to bring in the Congress spokesperson.
16:46Amisha Thakur, there are multiple protests that are taking place.
16:49One with the CJP now from Mumbai, they're going to be moving to another state, be it
16:53Goa, Bangalore, or there are the ones which has taken place this morning.
16:57These protests in silos, do you think they'll be able to add up and, you know, put enough
17:03pressure on the CEC to step down?
17:08Thank you, Preeti.
17:09And I would like to say that, you know, this case has moved far from the domain of, you
17:14know, merely political assertion to the domain of institutional scrutiny right now.
17:20And a court is asking, you know, a second state is confirming the commission is reversing
17:26itself without explanation.
17:27And the opposition, you know, six parties and not one, has published a calendar that is
17:32where we are today.
17:33And let me begin with a very, you know, procedural observation because I think it's essential
17:39to how we understand the last 72 hours.
17:42And, you know, the Congress Working Committee on the 29th of September passed a resolution
17:47with four specific demands.
17:49And within, you know, 48 hours on the 30th, the India Block met and converted those demands
17:54into a six point program.
17:56And by 1st October, that is yesterday, you know, the program had become a published
18:00calendar of actions.
18:02And, you know, it is like a very scheduled on the calendar.
18:06A district level saved democracy markets.
18:07So that's the point, Amisha Thakur, it's a schedule on the calendar.
18:11Ultimately, will it gain momentum?
18:13Will it come together where one protest being taken out by a party, one by the Aam Admi party,
18:18there's a pressure group working on its own.
18:21Do you think all of these protests will tie in together to gain momentum, to ultimately
18:26get the CEC to step down?
18:29That's the question, ma'am.
18:32See, I think it's a very constitutional observation.
18:35If you look at the Election Commission, it's not a department of government and if every party
18:40is coming together.
18:41So, you know, it's questioning the constitutional authority and trust it with the custody of
18:45the electoral rule.
18:46But you're not just questioning the constitutional authority, are you?
18:49You're asking for the resignation of the Prime Minister and as well as the Home Minister.
18:54It's not just, you're not limiting.
18:56You're not limiting yourself just to question the constitutional body.
19:00All right, allow me to bring in our other guests into this conversation.
19:03Rajat Sethi, political analyst and Sanjay Jha, both with us.
19:06Rajat, I want to bring you in on this.
19:07Because what's really happening is, while these multiple protests from political parties
19:11across the country are taking place, the Election Commission and the functioning of
19:16it is peculiar.
19:17Because, no, we haven't seen a press conference yet.
19:20We have seen press notes which seemingly are admitting that there have been lapses and then
19:26there is an attempt to correct them.
19:29The sheer fact of the drive that was launched today to include voters who were left out of
19:33the SIR process.
19:35The main aim was to exclude these voters.
19:37And then, of the press release a week ago, where multiple issues and lapses that were
19:43raised by the Indian Express report, the EC seemingly admitted and said that they were
19:49trying to cause correct, at least with what was in that press release.
19:55So, Preeti Ji, please allow me to step outside of, you know, the din of politics and take a
20:01more nuanced view on this.
20:03I know in debates like this, there is hardly a place for nuances.
20:07But, you know, it's a question worth pondering as to how do constitutional bodies respond
20:14to popular unrest on the streets.
20:17It is not a popular government which is facing an unrest or protest on the street.
20:21It is a constitutional body which has very well methods and mechanisms laid out in the
20:27very same constitution that if there is, you know, trust deficit in that institution, there are ways
20:34in which you can go ahead and impeach a constitutional head or the members of a constitutional body.
20:39They are not answerable to the people on the streets.
20:43It is a quasi-judicial body and time and again, the Supreme Court has observed that election commission being a
20:50quasi-judicial body has a reservoir of power.
20:53This was in the MSK 1978 judgment.
20:56The residual powers and whole host of powers reside with this.
21:00People might, certain section of the people might have distrust with this institution.
21:04But the only way to address that is through the elected representatives, through methods that have been enshrined in the
21:11constitution.
21:12Any kind of ultra means, ultra-wires means of trying to pressurize a constitutional body is not good, should not
21:20be approved of, and should not be supported.
21:22The case is going on on the bona fides of the decision-making of this body, which is the only
21:28platform in which whether the decisions that were made were done through proper procedures or not,
21:35or whether they can be called ab initio void, that has to be taken care of by the Supreme Court.
21:41Today, these protesters are going to protest, these cockroaches are going to protest against the election commission.
21:46Tomorrow, they'll be like, okay, I don't like a judgment of the Supreme Court.
21:49Let me start protesting against the justices of the Supreme Court itself, and we will ask resignation of the chiefs,
21:54justices, and the justices.
21:56Where does this stop?
21:58You need to understand that constitutional bodies are not answerable directly to the people who are trying to protest.
22:05Okay.
22:05You can only ask your representatives to go out and ensure that those legal methods that are adopted...
22:11But Rajat, constitutional bodies also have...
22:13I would like to list that on this...
22:14No, one second.
22:14Madam, one second.
22:16Madam, one second.
22:17Hold your piece.
22:18But Rajat, constitutional bodies also have constitutional morality, and especially in the case of the election commission.
22:25It's not that the EC is answerable to a pressure group like the CJP or even the Congress.
22:31Of course they're not answerable.
22:32But if, Rajat, pertinent points have been made in a bona fide news report, then it is the responsibility of
22:40the election commission to come out and maybe hold a press conference and point by point rebut those claims.
22:46Because you are a constitutional body.
22:48It's, you know, by that fact, Cesar's wife needs to be above suspicion.
22:52But when it comes to a constitutional body, Rajat, like the EC, then Cesar's neighbor also needs to be above
22:59suspicion.
22:59Every point had to be rebutted, which wasn't.
23:03Go ahead, sir.
23:04Cesar was elected head of the region where he was ruling or the king of that region.
23:11This is why the suspicion of people surrounding him have to be above.
23:15There are methods in a constitutional democracy.
23:18Or you can tear aside, you know, tear apart the entire constitution and say that we are going to run
23:22a street justice approach.
23:24We will be the judge, jury, executioner and we will execute Gyanesh.
23:28But, but, but, but, Rajat, where, where did it come from?
23:30The constitution of this country.
23:32Do not hold constitution on one side.
23:34Okay, I just want to, I want to extend, I want to include the others in the debate as well.
23:37But where did it come from?
23:38No, allow me last minute here.
23:39Preeti Ji, assertion has been made a very serious one.
23:42And Preeti Ji, at repeated, repeated interventions at your shows, I have said that yes, the press conference should have
23:48been made.
23:48But also keep in mind that this entire matter is now subjudice.
23:52The Supreme Court is exactly looking into those very allegations that, point by point, were these decisions that were made
23:59ab initio void because it did not have the majority of the three election commissioners or not.
24:05That process is currently under scrutiny.
24:08And why do you want to come out on the streets and try and create a parallel court out there?
24:11No, but the fact is, because I'll tell you why.
24:13I'm going to bring in Sanjay Jha into this conversation.
24:16I'm not making a political position on this.
24:18No, I hear you.
24:19But, you know, all I'm just saying is, Rajat, I'm going to get in Sanjay Jha into this conversation.
24:22But the fact also tantamounts to that if the Election Commission of India can give out a one-way communication
24:28through press releases, then it can definitely hold a press conference and rebut point by point.
24:34A constitutional body also has constitutional morality.
24:37That's all I limit my argument to.
24:39And it's got nothing to do with the CJP or any political outfit.
24:42It has everything to do with owning and explanation to the voter of this country.
24:47Sanjay Jha, I want to bring you in and I just want you to, for a moment, reflect on these
24:52multiple protests that are taking place.
24:54Because somewhere down the line, every political party in its own political space is holding a protest.
25:00Do you see all of it cohesively coming together and mount pressure?
25:07Preeti, since a number of issues have been discussed by the previous three speakers, I will try and answer you
25:13on bullet points, because there are many issues that need to be talked about.
25:17I'll be as quick as possible.
25:19As far as the courts are concerned, let me address that up front.
25:22Let's quote the Bombay High Court on this great constitutional body.
25:27It has to tell the Election Commission, show us the law.
25:32You can imagine the state of the Election Commission, where the courts have to tell the Election Commission, show us
25:38the law.
25:39I also quote to you the Goa High Court on the existing six voters who were suddenly deleted.
25:46What empowers you to delete voters without hearing them?
25:49In fact, both the courts are telling the Election Commission, which I think is the most incompetent, corrupt organization on
25:56the face of any democracy in the world,
25:59that instead of adding voters or facilitating voters who are perhaps on the borderline, they are in a hurry to
26:06delete voters.
26:07Why?
26:07Link it to what's happening in Karnataka.
26:10And let's kind of bite the bullet, Preeti, here.
26:12It's about time we stopped, you know, discussing things at the periphery.
26:15Why are Muslim voters being deleted?
26:18And this is a Hindu report.
26:20They have put out data out there in black and white in Karnataka.
26:24And it all looks very deliberate.
26:26Look at West Bengal.
26:28Sixteen lakh voters who the government wants, somebody in the Election Commission wants them to be removed from the rolls
26:37when the judicial officers included them.
26:39All at the click of one button.
26:41Remarkable. Extraordinary.
26:42Now let's look at the core points, which are highly political.
26:46This is political.
26:47So to pretend that it's not political is living in a fool's paradise.
26:51Look at the truth.
26:52This is not about the government or rather the Election Commission against Rahul Gandhi or the Congress.
26:58What did the Indian Express tell you?
27:00It told you it's Election Commission versus the Election Commission.
27:04And Preeti, this is a point that needs to be articulated.
27:08If there were decisions taken that were not unanimous or by majority, then they were unconstitutional, they were illegal.
27:15Those points, Mr. Jha, has been raised.
27:17You know, the fact is I need to quickly, I know this requires a lot more time and we should
27:22have debated it more.
27:23But I have Rajdeep Sardasai on the other side with a guess and he's going to kill me if I
27:27continue to ask any more questions.
27:29So I thank all four of you.