- 16 minutes ago
This special news report covers major political developments across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. In Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's planned visit to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on 12 December sparks a debate ahead of state assembly elections.
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NewsTranscript
00:01Good evening, you're watching To The Point. I am Priti Chaudhary. We have two debates lined up for you. Before
00:06we get to them, allow me to take you through the headlines.
00:13Terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgaon district. Bike-borne terrorists open fire at CRPF checkpost. Three jawans injured, currently
00:21out of danger. Search operations on.
00:30DU student leader Anas Khan suspended over allegations of offering cash to lure female students for NRI clients. BJP rains
00:39fire on Congress. NSUI claims Khan was suspended from party during DUSU polls.
00:47Law and order under Vijay in shambles. As three more murders in Tamil Nadu in last 24 hours, Vijay Chairs
00:55meet with TVK MLAs.
00:56Center seeks governor's assessment on crimes. Congress split over Vijay's policing in state.
01:11Well, it is a thumbs up for Modi-nomics. Moody's has raised India's financial year 27 growth forecast to 7
01:18% from 6.5%.
01:20Agency points to India's strong economic momentum and ability to absorb energy supply shock.
01:33And India's first-ever farmer roundtable on India Today platform, Union Minister Chirag Paswan inaugurates roundtable.
01:41Says India now ensures global food security calls India a global food basket.
02:06All right, in lieu of the rising pollution in the NCR region, the latest measure that has been taken.
02:14I just want to take our viewers through the latest news break that is coming in.
02:18Hybrid classes will now be made mandatory for students up to Class 5 in Noida and Greater Noida, future rising
02:24pollution.
02:25Schools directed to offer both online and offline learning under GRAP 3.
02:31Hybrid mode of instructions made mandatory for students up to Class 5 in Noida and Greater Noida.
02:37The order has been issued by the district's basic education officer following the implementation of GRAP 3.
02:42The directive applies to all council-run government-aided and recognised schools in the district.
02:48School principals and managers have been instructed to ensure 100% compliance with the order.
02:54Warning issued. Action will be taken against any school that fails to comply or show negligence.
02:59The order was issued by district basic education officer Rahul Panwar.
03:04All right, so viewers, this is once again a measure that has been taken risked by Noida and Greater Noida
03:10in regard to the rising pollution levels in the Delhi NCR regions,
03:15which is not just attributed to Delhi alone, but to Noida and Greater Noida.
03:20Anmol Wali, my colleague, who is joining me for more on this.
03:24Anmol, can you give us the details of this order, please?
03:33Anmol, can you hear me? Can you give us the details of this order?
03:37Preeti, as you know, the classes have been now shifted on the hybrid mode because we are seeing
03:42that pollution is escalating in the national capital, not only in the national capital,
03:45but in joining cities like Guru Gram, Noida, Ghaziabad and Greater Noida are also seeing worsening
03:50equi. We have seen that last week, we have seen that CAQM has imposed GRAP 3.
03:56And under the GRAP 3, we see that classes till 5th class have been asked to shift to the hybrid
04:02mode.
04:02We have seen the same kind of pattern being followed by the Delhi government.
04:05And now, Noida and Greater Noida authorities have also asked schools to shift students
04:09till class 5 on the online or hybrid mode to keep students away from the worsening AQI situation
04:15in the national capital because various places we are seeing that are noting AQI and pollution levels
04:21above 300 and 400 miles.
04:24All right, Anmol, thank you for joining us for that quick update.
04:27So that would mean that till class 5, a hybrid model is now being introduced, at least till the time
04:34the pollution levels in the NCR region climb down.
04:38We're going to keep a keen eye on developments on that front.
04:41Thank you, Anmol, for joining us.
04:42Let's quickly now dip into our big political debate this evening, which is Akhilesh Yadam's
04:47December 12th Ram Mandir visit.
04:49Well, Akhilesh Yadam, the primary contender or challenger to Yogi Adityanath in the upcoming
04:56Uttar Pradesh elections, had made a claim that he will be going to Ayodhya on the 12th of December.
05:03Well, all of that has now triggered a big political showdown in Uttar Pradesh politics.
05:09The BJP is demanding an apology for the 1990 firing on Karsevaks.
05:13Akhilesh was hit back, giving a fresh spin to his PDF formula.
05:17In the midst of all of this, in jumps a Saduddin Ovesi and has joined the attack,
05:22questioning the SP's Muslim MPs and MLAs over their support to Akhilesh's Ayodhya visit.
05:28With the big election in UP approaching, Ayodhya is clearly the battleground.
05:40The countdown to December 12th has begun.
05:43But even before Akhilesh Yadam's proposed visit to the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya,
05:49the political battle is heating up.
05:52The BJP has questioned the Samajwadi Party chief's sudden religious outreach
05:56and demanded that he apologizes for his party's past actions against Ram devotees.
06:26Akhilesh, however, is refusing to be drawn into the BJP's attack.
06:30Instead, he has given a fresh political spin on PDA, his poll formula.
06:45A new expansion of the Samajwadi Party's political acronym.
06:49Earlier, PDA stood for Pichde, Dalit, Alp Sankhyaq, the backward classes, Dalits and minorities.
06:58Akhilesh has now added a religious twist, using the same acronym to say,
07:03first Darshan, then Blessings.
07:05But the attack is not coming from the BJP alone.
07:08AIMIM chief Asad Uddin Oesi has also targeted Akhilesh and the Samajwadi Party.
07:14AIMIM chief Asad Uddin Oesi has also targeted Akhilesh and the Samajwadi Party's Muslim MPs and MLAs,
07:22whose parents were jailed in the Babri temple,
07:26they will do what they will do.
07:32AIMIM chief Asad Uddin Oesi has also targeted Akhilesh.
07:36AIMIM chief Asad Uddin Oesi has also targeted Akhilesh.
07:40AIMIM chief Asad Uddin Oesi has also targeted Akhilesh.
07:43AIMIM chief Asad Uddin Oesi has also targeted Akhilesh.
07:58Ayodhya is no longer just the destination.
08:01It has become the battleground.
08:02With 2027 fast approaching,
08:06the Ram Mandir has once again become a political test of faith,
08:09optics and electoral strategy.
08:12Bureau Report, India Today.
08:18Alright, so in midst of all of this,
08:20the statement of Akhilesh Adam wanting to go to Ayodhya on the 12th of December
08:25has now garnered a response from no one else
08:27but the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
08:30Yogi Adityanath, listen in.
08:34Asad Uddin Oesi has also been given to this privateời.
08:36If he does the supra is an Ayodhya,
08:38he can just give it to him.
08:39If he can give it the request of the Qamarani,
08:41he will give it the rams to his father.
08:44That's a great part of the debate of Ayodhya.
08:44Asad Uddin Oesi,
08:50what is his next 40th of May?
08:51foreign
09:01foreign
09:01foreign
09:05foreign
09:07foreign
09:08foreign
09:09foreign
09:09foreign
09:18foreign
09:18foreign
09:19foreign
09:48This is all in Ramajanam Bhoomiparishar, and this is not in Ramajanam Bhoomiparishar.
09:55In Ramajanam Bhoomiparishar, there are also the one who is the first one in Ramayana.
10:02This is our Kretagyata. This is Ramabhakti's Kretagyata.
10:06This is all in Ramajanam Bhoomiparishar, which is the first one in Ramayana.
10:13But in Ayodhya, there is no one in Ramajanam Bhoomiparishar, and there is no one in Ramajanam Bhoomiparishar.
10:26So, if there is no one in Ramajanam Bhoomiparishar, then why do they come to Ramajanam Bhoomiparishar?
10:30I would like to ask this.
10:33Alright, so is Ayodhya emerging as the battleground as we move into the big Uttar Pradesh elections?
10:39Well, one thing is for sure, Akhilesh Yadav's new clarion call of transforming Ayodhya into an epicentre of pilgrimage internationally,
10:48and his impending visit now on the 12th of December has basically annoyed or unfurled a few feathers.
10:56Let's cut across right now to our panelists this evening.
11:00Joining me, Rakesh Sina, former BJP, Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Jha, political analyst, Khansham Tiwari, Samajwadi Party national spokesperson,
11:09and Sanju Verma, BJP national spokesperson.
11:12I would like to begin with Mr. Rakesh Sina, who is with us.
11:16Mr. Sina, one thing is clear, that the run-up to the election, the entire debate, the entire commentary is
11:27now building around Ayodhya.
11:29But a lot has changed in Ayodhya since the 24 elections, sir.
11:34If you look at it, you might say general elections are different, but Samajwadi Party did win the seat of
11:40Ayodhya.
11:41So, for the Samajwadi Party, they know that they can come back and politically challenge the BJP once again in
11:49Ayodhya,
11:49which is the nerve center of at least the BJP's politics in UP.
11:57You know, anybody visiting the Rama temple should be welcomed.
12:02But Akhleesh Radha's visit to the Rama temple raises few important and vital questions,
12:08not only for the political parties, beyond the political spectrum.
12:12If it is genuine change of heart, nobody would be happier than the people in the Sangha Paribar.
12:22Because we consider that Indian polity, whatever it might be,
12:27Indian polity is shifting towards Hindu political consciousness,
12:33which we wanted since 1925.
12:37It was the Somnath temple when Jawaharlal Nehru opposed that.
12:43And his own party MPs, ministers, even the president of India supported Somnath's reconstruction.
12:51Now, at this structure we find, because Akhleesh Radha's visit is very important,
12:56he belongs to the party and the political clan,
13:00whose tooth and nail oppose the construction of Rang temple.
13:04They discredited the BJP and RSS and branded the temple movement as anti-minority, anti-Muslim.
13:13Many panelists who joined your debates, you must remember Priti,
13:19they were calling this movement names, that is a communal movement.
13:24It is a threat to the Muslim identity and destruction of the disputed structure,
13:30was a direct attack on the Muslims.
13:33Now, Akhleesh Radha raises one more question.
13:37Is it not a challenge to the political assertion of Mulaim Singh Radha,
13:41who said he could have killed more car sevaks to safeguard the structure?
13:50Secondly, Nehru is defeated.
13:52Now I am coming to the other thing.
13:55The political contribution in this movement by Congress...
13:58Mr. Sina, we have a two-minute timer. I will just circle around our guests
14:02and I will come right back to you and you may complete your point right then.
14:04Just allow our other guests to come in and I will come right back.
14:07And I want to bring in Ghansham Tiwari because there is a point, Ghansham Tiwari,
14:11that the likes of Rakesh Sina has made right at the top.
14:13You know, it's understandable that you might have won general elections 2024,
14:18because that is, you know, an election which doesn't go down to the micro unit.
14:22It's a different kind of election.
14:25But how do you expect the people of Ayodhya who are voting for a state election
14:29to forget the role of your party?
14:31That's what the BJP claims during a firing at the car sevaks
14:35and then opposing the Ram Mandir.
14:39Good evening, Priti, to you, the viewers and the fellow co-panelists.
14:43Let me start with the laughable national narrative that BJP is building first,
14:47that our National President Akhilesh Shadavji should seek forgiveness.
14:51By the standards of RSS and BJP, by this standard for participating with the British,
14:59being their armchairs in the freedom struggle,
15:03RSS and BJP should seek forgiveness from the nation every day,
15:07morning, afternoon, evening.
15:09The greatest battle that our great nation has faced is against the British Empire.
15:14RSS colluded with the British.
15:17So clearly this laughable claim fires back at RSS, point number one.
15:21Point number two, that people of Ayodhya have given their verdict.
15:26In 2024, more than 50% of people of Ayodhya voted for Samajwadi party.
15:32People don't hold us against the idea of constitution.
15:36What was done in 1992 was on the record, was on the basis of Supreme Court direction,
15:44on the basis of ensuring joint order.
15:47But to hold that against the movement of today, when we want to communicate two important things.
15:53One, that for nearly 4500 days of Modi government, every day, Priti, you have seen BJP, RSS,
16:01some anchors have given us the certificate of Hinduism,
16:04whose bigger Hindu, smaller Hindu, certificate of nationalism.
16:08Our visit to Ayodhya is the final attempt to ensure that this fake certificate authority of BJP and RSS
16:15has to give certificates of Hinduism and nationalism goes away from them forever.
16:19That's point number one.
16:20Point number two, somebody has to raise the question that a prime minister who made Ayodhya
16:24his marketing plank in 2024, a chief minister who visited Ayodhya,
16:27they go with hundreds of cameras, their CCTV installed.
16:31When they put their own people there, how did 4545 crore Sraddhalu,
16:36faithful devotees, lose their chadhawa, their donations?
16:40That question will be raised.
16:42All right, Mr. Tiwari, your two minutes time is up.
16:44I'll come back, you know, to your argument.
16:46I just want to bring in Sanju Verma into this conversation.
16:48Sanju Verma, back to the question that I had also asked earlier to the other BJP panelists.
16:53I want to come back to that same question,
16:55which is a lot of water has flown down the Saru ever since 2024,
16:59when in January, which was the Udghartan of the Ram Mandir and Pran Pratishta of the Ram Mandir,
17:06and then elections happened four months down and we know what the result was.
17:09The Samajwadi party has a strong political argument.
17:13They've won that seat in 2024.
17:16And now, the Chandachori that has come in from the Ram Mandir Trust
17:20doesn't paint a good picture for the incumbent government.
17:24So, it's a political argument. They are going all out for it.
17:29Okay. So, Preeti, let me get one thing very clear.
17:32You know, the Samajwadi party spokesperson said,
17:35You know, BJP is not the Thakadar of Hindus, blah, blah, blah.
17:39BJP is not the Thakadar of Hindus? Are you really kidding me?
17:43At the Mahakumbh, when more than 65 crore people took part in the Amritsan,
17:49what did Akhile Shadav say?
17:51Akhile Shadav mocked the Mahakumbh.
17:53Akhile Shadav mocked Hindus by saying,
17:56You know, tribunalizing our devis and devtas is the basic core DNA of the Samajwadi party.
18:04I'm not even getting into the fact that Mulaim Singh Yadav shot the Kothari brothers way back in the 90s.
18:11That is besides the point. Look at the scenario today.
18:14Swami Prasad Maharyav was with the BJP and immediately after he joined the Samajwadi party,
18:19he was there in Samajwadi party from 2022 to about 2024.
18:23What did he say? He said,
18:27He mocked Ram Charit Manas.
18:29Akhile Shadav consumed favicol in wholesale.
18:32Akhile Shadav has been hobnobbing, you know, on and off with DNK's M.K. Stalin.
18:37And N.K. Stalin's younger son, his, you know, heir apparent, Udyaniti Stalin had the audacity to say,
18:44Sanatan Dharma is equal to dengue, malaria, rabies, covid, blah, blah, blah.
18:48Akhile Shadav consumed favicol then.
18:50Akhile Shadav has been condemned for one time.
18:54No.
18:55Lalu Prasad Yadav then questioned about, you know, the Mahakumbh last year.
18:59He said,
18:59Hey, these are all false things.
19:01Nothing happens from this.
19:03Did Akhile Shadav condemn Lalu Prasad Yadav?
19:05Because they are part of the dot-dot alliance, the indie bloc, so to speak.
19:09And let's not forget that one of Akhile Shadav's closest confidants, Yadunandan Lal.
19:15Yadunandan Lal made a mockery of Mata Kaushalya.
19:19Even then Akhile Shadav consumed favicol.
19:22So when Yogi Aditya Nath says,
19:24Batenge toh katenge, ek hai toh safe rhenenge,
19:27it is obviously very, you know, apparent that the BJP is going to play on the consolidation.
19:35Okay.
19:36All right. Okay. But, you know, Sanjay Guam, I'll circle back to you.
19:38Because Batenge toh katenge and 80-20 didn't quite work in 2024.
19:42And you might have an argument after that successive elections have proven otherwise.
19:47But allow me to bring in Sanjay Jha into this conversation.
19:50Sanjay Jha, it's not the first time that there has been an attempt by the opposition
19:54to try and, you know, get into the very comfortable political space of the BJP,
20:02which is its core vote on what it relies on, committed ideological cadre and Hindu consolidation.
20:10Do you think this will work this time when it hasn't worked earlier?
20:15Preeti, let my time click on, but I need to say this at the very beginning.
20:20And this is not related to your question.
20:23There is a panelist on your program who invariably makes a lot of personal attacks on me.
20:28And if that happens on today's show, I will just disconnect.
20:32I therefore actually don't participate in debates where this individual is present.
20:37This is an exception. Your guest relations probably overlooked it.
20:40I don't mind consuming some of my two minutes of my time making this statement.
20:45But if I find anything unpleasantness said to me, I would just disconnect and leave the program.
20:50Now, let me answer you very quickly.
20:52My friend Ghansham Tiwari is absolutely right.
20:56That if anybody needs to give an apology, it is the BJP or the RSS and the Sang Paribar ecosystem.
21:02RSS did not even unfurl the national tricolors for 50 years.
21:06So let's cut out the hypocrisy.
21:08The other points are very simple actually, Preeti.
21:11Do you think this country needs to be told by the BJP as to when you should go to a
21:17temple?
21:18Why you should go to a temple?
21:20At what time should you go to a temple?
21:22Who are they?
21:23My question is, who is the RSS and the BJP to sit on a judgment on Rahul Gandhi, Achilles Yadav,
21:30Ghansham or me or anybody as to when do we go?
21:33Why do we go? Where do we go? We'll go when we want to.
21:36And by the way, nobody needs a certificate of Hinduism from the BJP and the RSS.
21:41The truth is very straightforward.
21:43That today if the economy is in shambles, this company, this country has become corrupt.
21:48There is no governance.
21:49The people who suffered the most actually are the majority population of Hindus.
21:54They have been let down by this government.
21:56And one thing that they cannot run away from anymore.
21:59When you use religion for politics, that was the reason why they thought Char Sopar will happen.
22:05They got a verdict in Ayodhya.
22:07And then you allow theft in the Ram temple.
22:09Can there be a worse level of sacrilege?
22:12I have nothing more to say.
22:14All right. I just request all of our panelists.
22:17Let's maintain decorum. Let's stay clear of personal attacks.
22:20We're having a fabulous debate. Let's just continue with this.
22:23So I just want to move back now.
22:25And I want to bring in Mr. Rakesh Sina back into this conversation.
22:28And Mr. Sina, you know, I know you wanted to make your complete your point earlier.
22:32I'll allow you to do so.
22:33But like I said, the political play field has changed a bit.
22:37And the sheer fact, leave alone what happened in 24, sir.
22:41Let's call it history.
22:42The BJP calls it an aberration.
22:45Let's buy that point of view.
22:47From where we stand today.
22:49The sheer fact of Chandachori at the Ram Mandir hasn't quite helped the BJP's cause.
22:58Priti, why are we discussing today?
23:01The reason is Achilles Yadu is visiting temple.
23:04It is not because he is visiting temple.
23:07He visits so many temples, but it is not a point of discussion.
23:11Ayodhya is a point of discussion because it's not merely a temple.
23:15After hundreds of years struggle, this temple has been reconstructed.
23:19In this reconstruction, BJP RSS played vital role in mobilizing the people since 1989.
23:26Before 1989, we were not directly part of the temple movement.
23:31In 1989, BJP took a conscious decision in the Palampur plenary session,
23:36and then we became part of that.
23:38Now, the contribution of Achilles Yadu, Sonia Gandhiji and others are
23:43demobilizing the masses against the temple,
23:47branding it anti-minority.
23:49That's why when they are coming to this temple,
23:52that becomes a point of discussion.
23:54But unfortunately, both the panelists,
23:56whom I respect, they are very educated and politically conscious people.
24:00They do well in any discussion,
24:02but today they are answering the physics question with the chemistry content.
24:07What RSS played a role in freedom movement or tricolor?
24:11That is a different subject.
24:13Here, the direct question is that,
24:14how do we look at Achilles Yadu's visit to the temple?
24:18Throughout the last three and four decades, they were opposed to it.
24:23Second important thing that,
24:24I assert here that, this is the centenary year of the RSS.
24:28We have entered 101 years.
24:30We consider it our victory on Nehruvian politics, Nehruvian idea of India.
24:36Because we convince the people, people like Karl Nemi, whom Yogi Ji called Karl Nemi,
24:43because when you use religion as an instrument for your image makeover,
24:48for political purposes, religion should not be used for politics.
24:51By anyone, any political party, any political leader,
24:54when you are using religion and caste in politics,
24:57that is detrimental for the evolution of the critical idea.
25:02Right. So, your timer itself is gone. It's two minutes.
25:05I will try and give you one minute later to conclude your point.
25:08And I want to bring in Ghansham Tiwari into this conversation.
25:11Because Ghansham Tiwari, Mr. Rakesh Sina had a very clear point.
25:14You know, that there is political history attached to the Samajwadi party.
25:20And suddenly, the core vote of the BJP,
25:23because ideologically, the BJP hasn't quite shifted.
25:26Yes, there could be an aberration where Chanda Chori has happened at Ayodhya.
25:32And the trust is dealing with that and action is being taken on that front.
25:37How does the Samajwadi party suddenly explain the new-found love for temples,
25:42is what the BJP says, especially Ayodhya,
25:45the sheer temple around which the Karsevaks,
25:49you know, your party and your government at that time opened fire on.
25:54It's a good question, Priti.
25:56When Yogi Atitnath openly admitting the scam of SIR,
26:00the scam of faith that BJP propagates,
26:04is the final leg on which this government stands.
26:06The Modi magic is gone.
26:08Everybody knows that he's a man who's just acting.
26:11He doesn't know much.
26:12The Hindu-Muslim divide is gone.
26:15People have seen on the protests.
26:16The SIR scam is in front of everybody.
26:19So the last leg that BJP stands on is,
26:22that they have this, what Sanjay Verma here said,
26:24they are the thekedas of Hindu religion.
26:27Not one viewer.
26:28I challenge any viewer to call me,
26:30my number is publicly available,
26:32to call me and say that,
26:33yes, they believe that Mr. Atitnath,
26:35Mr. Modi, Mr. Amit Shah,
26:37Mr. Bhagwat are the thekedas of religion
26:40and they will dictate when their family will pray to which God,
26:42which temple would they visit.
26:46This arrogance of BJP is their propaganda,
26:49that they dictate how we 150 crore Indians have to live our faith.
26:53That's point number one.
26:54It's very important to break that.
26:56And on the day Akhirashi visits,
26:58that arrogance of BJP will be broken,
27:01like Raman's arrogance was broken,
27:03when Lanka Dhan happened.
27:04Point number two,
27:06with respect to what Rakesh Sinha Ji said,
27:08these are not relevant,
27:09not irrelevant points.
27:11When you say that in 1989 or 83,
27:15when you joined the Ram Mandir movement,
27:17and since then you say that now this is your movement of victory,
27:20we're talking about 50 years,
27:21less than that probably.
27:23And the freedom struggle is over 300 years.
27:26So when every Indian felt that we were victorious,
27:30when India became an independent nation,
27:33and RSS was sulking,
27:35sighing,
27:35was rejected,
27:37even in depression,
27:38that British are living.
27:39They did celebrate when Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated
27:41and there were conspirators named in the court.
27:43But this is what they think.
27:46They think that Akhilesh Yadavji's visit to Ayodhya
27:49is their moment of glory.
27:51What a shame.
27:52India has had many moments of glory.
27:55An organization that is quoting hundreds of history
27:57cannot find one.
27:59Okay.
28:00Sir, your time is up.
28:01I want to bring in Sanju Verma back into this conversation.
28:03Sanju Verma, you wanted to conclude your point.
28:05This is a chance to do so.
28:06But,
28:07there's a fair point that even Ghansham Tiwari is making
28:09and seeming to suggest
28:11that you've got to move beyond with just labels
28:14of being the custodians of a particular religion.
28:16What do you offer to the people who are following that religion?
28:20And, Preeti, before I start, I also want to make a point here.
28:25There's a panelist on your show
28:26who abuses the Prime Minister.
28:28This suspended congressee abuses the Home Minister.
28:33He abuses the government day in and day out.
28:36But he cannot even handle the fact that he's not suspended.
28:37Madam, can we steer clear of any personal attacks?
28:40You understand you're using your time just unnecessarily.
28:44Preeti, I did not start.
28:45Yes, please come to the point.
28:46Yes, I'm coming to the point.
28:48A suspended leader will be called suspended.
28:50If you can't take the heat, don't enter the kitchen.
28:52Now, let me come to the moot point.
28:54And if you abuse the Prime Minister,
28:56you better be prepared to get a rebuttal from Sanju Verma.
28:59So, this suspended leader has no business, you know,
29:02trying to take pot shots or jibes at any other panelist on your show.
29:05And I love doing your shows.
29:06Now, let me come to the moot point.
29:08The moot point is this.
29:09Is the BJP thekedar of Hindus who built the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor,
29:14who rejuvenated the Somnath Mandir,
29:17who ensured that, you know, today, Ayodhya, Kashi, Prayagraj,
29:21these are tourism hubs.
29:23I was shocked to know that more than 27 crore people
29:26have already visited Ayodhya, Varanasi and Prayagraj
29:30in the last two years alone, which is a 361% jump over 2023.
29:36And who ensured that the Ram Mandir was built?
29:39You can say the Supreme Court ordered and the BJP simply executed it.
29:43But thank God for Narendra Modi,
29:45a 500-year-old civilizational battle came to fruition.
29:49People who say,
29:49Arre, BJP nai aur toh kuch nahi kiya.
29:52Let me say one thing.
29:53Today, beat the Purwanchal Expressway,
29:55the Gorakhpur Link Road,
29:57the Delhi Mirat RRTS,
29:59the Delhi Varanasi Bullet Rail Corridor,
30:02which has been proposed, the Noida International Airport,
30:06making Kanpur, Agra, you know, IT and industrial hubs.
30:10Who have done this?
30:10It is the double-engine Sarkar.
30:13Today, the economy of Uttar Pradesh is what?
30:15It is 41 lakh crore.
30:17What is the per capita GSDP of Uttar Pradesh?
30:201 lakh 58 thousand.
30:22Yogi Adityanath's government spends 8 and a half lakh crore
30:26every single year on capital expenditure in Uttar Pradesh.
30:29Ma'am, your fader's gone down.
30:30It's your two minutes time is up.
30:33I want to, you know,
30:34it's interesting because most of us thought
30:35that maybe Sanjay Jha was talking about
30:37Ghansham Tiwari on that other panelist.
30:39So, well, you've just made your point clear there,
30:43that it wasn't Ghansham Tiwari.
30:45I'd like to also bring in, you know,
30:47our AIMIM spokesperson, Varis Pathan.
30:50But Mr. Pathan, allow me to come to you
30:51because I need to give two minutes to Sanjay Jha to conclude
30:54and we'll get you back in just two minutes.
30:56Sanjay Jha, once again, it hasn't happened earlier.
30:59It hasn't happened where multiple times
31:01we saw in Gujarat elections,
31:03Rahul Gandhi do the rounds of temples.
31:05This is a core constituency that the opposition
31:07finds very difficult to break,
31:09which the BJP owns.
31:12Yeah, Preeti, first and foremost,
31:14I'm a very proud Hindu.
31:16And I want to tell all the viewers
31:18who are watching the program,
31:20those who are Hindus in particular,
31:21you don't need any green lighting
31:24or any certificate from this organization
31:28called the Sangh Pariwar.
31:30They have no local standard.
31:32They have no morality.
31:33They have no principles.
31:35They only use the majority community of India
31:37for both bank politics.
31:39India doesn't see minority appeasement.
31:41It is seeing majority appeasement
31:43under this absolutely vile and malicious government.
31:46Point number two.
31:48They are the self-appointed guardians of Hindus.
31:52Hindus haven't appointed them as guardians at all.
31:55The truth is that the Congress has won the majority
31:58of general elections since it started in the 1950.
32:02And ever since, you think only the Muslims
32:04have voted for the Congress.
32:06It's a ridiculous propaganda for the BJP
32:08that needs to be exposed day in and night out.
32:11Point number three.
32:12The whole approach of this government,
32:16which has been a disaster.
32:17I think Narendra Modi had repeated,
32:19and I will say so.
32:20This is not an abuse.
32:21This is called a performance appraisal.
32:24He is a non-performing asset
32:26or a performing liability.
32:28Choose whatever you like.
32:29Dr. Manmohan Singh was right.
32:31Mr. Modi is the most disastrous prime minister
32:33in our political history.
32:35I think the problem with the BJP
32:38is the way it has weaponized hate against the minorities
32:42and kind of literally demonized them.
32:44And you know, here is the truth
32:46on the Babri Masjid demolition synergy
32:48that you should know.
32:50Even the Supreme Court's statements
32:51of the demolition are on record.
32:53Read it again.
32:54But the Liberian Commission was extremely clear.
32:57Manmohan Singh Liberian Commission report.
33:00It said it was not a spontaneous mob violence.
33:03It was a criminal conspiracy.
33:04It blamed the Sampadibar, the RSS and the BJP including.
33:08And it named LK Advani and Munli Manohan Singh.
33:12Sir, your point time is up.
33:14I just want to take quick questions with Varis Pathan
33:16and then we'll quickly shift our focus.
33:19Varis Pathan, you know, for the AIM,
33:21till about a month ago,
33:23you wanted an alliance with the Samajwadi Party
33:25and now coming out openly and castigating Samajwadi Party.
33:28How does that add up?
33:31Well, I would like to ask this question to the
33:35MLAs and the MPs and the leaders of the Samajwadi Party.
33:38What is their take on Achilles visiting Ayodhya?
33:42You would like to hear from them.
33:44There are Muslim MLAs, Muslim MPs
33:45who call themselves champions of the minority.
33:48Let them come and say before your channel or before the nation.
33:51What do they have to say?
33:53They are silent.
33:54That's why, see, we have been saying it that for us,
33:57the BJP and the so-called secular parties,
33:59whether the SP or the Congress,
34:01they are the two sides of the same coin.
34:03The BJP always plays the hard Hindutva politics
34:07and the so-called secular parties,
34:09they are playing the soft Hindutva politics.
34:11But nobody cares to bother about the Muslims.
34:14Muslims have been judged by the vote bank.
34:16Muslims have been giving them votes since so long.
34:17But Mr. Pathan, you wanted to align with the same Congress
34:20and the Samajwadi Party where in an open letter,
34:24your leader, Mr. Rovesi, had said that
34:26we would like to align with you for the coming elections.
34:31Of course, yes.
34:32The same thing we did in Bihar.
34:34They blame us.
34:36We come there to contest
34:37and because of us, they lose their seats.
34:39And that's why we said, okay, let's come together.
34:41We are also a political party.
34:43The constitution is given as equal right to contest elections
34:45as given to them.
34:46In Bihar also we made the same thing.
34:48Akhtar Riman went there to Tejasu's place and asked them,
34:50okay, give us six seats.
34:52We will contest on that.
34:53Together we will fight and defeat the BJP.
34:55They did not adhere to us.
34:57So no problem.
34:57We won five seats.
34:59Here also we are saying the same thing.
35:00Our intention and the motive is to ensure
35:02that the BJP is defeated and they don't come to power
35:05for the third time.
35:06This is why we are contesting them.
35:07We go there to contest political empowerment
35:10to so many people who have been lost,
35:14who don't have any say in the matter
35:17in the political scenario of the UP.
35:19We said, okay, come together,
35:20shoulder to shoulder, we will contest together
35:22and ensure the BJP is defeated.
35:24And you think the way of doing that is coming together
35:28and the way to defeat BJP in Uttar Pradesh
35:30you think is a third front.
35:32Because that's what your leader said today.
35:34See, whether we form a third front
35:36with whom we are going to form a third front,
35:38what will be the conditions,
35:39how many seats will be contesting.
35:40Okay.
35:41Then everything will be decided by our party president
35:43Asad Ovesi and you will be getting the note.
35:45In a day or two I think he will be coming before the media
35:48and he will make it.
35:49So I don't have anything about that.
35:51But the question here is,
35:52why is Akinesh so much worried
35:53he's putting on tweets after tweets?
35:55Okay, sir.
35:56That's all the time we have for this debate.
35:58We've also got you late.
35:59I thank all our panelists.
36:00Thank you for the patience and, you know,
36:03still being connected with us.
36:04I appreciate it.
36:05Thank you so much.
36:06We'll see you on another debate.
36:08Let's quickly move on.
36:08There's a fair amount of buzz in the state of Maharashtra.
36:11Is there a possible merger coming in with the two NCP factions?
36:14Speculation began when Praful Patel met Sharad Pawar at the hospital
36:19while leaders called in for a courtesy visit.
36:21It's all set off a fresh round of merger talks since then.
36:25A series of meetings between leaders from both camps
36:28have kept the speculation alive.
36:30Sources say the road to a merger may not be smooth.
36:33Supriya Suley reportedly opposed to the move,
36:35given that Ajit Pawar-led NCP is an NDA ally.
36:38But there's more.
36:39Because today, Sunitra Pawar, the widow of Ajit Pawar,
36:43was asked about the merger and she said,
36:45time will tell.
36:46So, once again, speculations rife.
36:49Listen in and we'll bring in our consulting editor,
36:51Rajdeep Sardasai, for more.
37:20So, if it's politics, especially Maharashtra.
37:24Who better than Rajdeep Sardasai in the studio with us?
37:27So, Rajdeep, what's really going on in Maharashtra?
37:30Well, what is going on is what can be best described as pressure power or pressure power politics.
37:39The merger is frankly pretty a red herring being used by those within the NCP Ajit Pawar
37:48to put pressure on Sunitra Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra
37:53and her son Parth Pawar to become, to be more accommodative in their leadership style.
38:00You see, there is a rebellion brewing within the NCP Ajit Pawar senior leaders like Praful Patel,
38:07who you saw a short while ago speaking to Sharath Pawar in hospital, Sunil Tatkare and others.
38:12They feel that Ajit Pawar's son Parth Pawar, ever since Ajit Pawar passed away,
38:18has been trying to take control of the party and he is in no position to actually do so.
38:24They don't believe he is qualified to do so and therefore are using the merger card to put pressure on
38:35Sunitra
38:35and Parth Pawar to accommodate them. That's all that's going on.
38:39All these visuals that are coming out of Praful Patel going to meet Sharath Pawar,
38:44the buzz that there is going to be a merger is frankly only designed to put pressure
38:48because it's very clear Supriya Sule, Preeti has made it clear more than once.
38:54NCP Sharath Pawar is not joining hands with the NDA.
38:57The NCP Ajit Pawar is desperate to stay within the NDA.
39:00So where is the question of a merger?
39:02This is a power play or power play taking place in Maharashtra
39:06and a jockeying for positioning within the NCP Ajit Pawar at the moment primarily.
39:12I'm not saying that there are not, there are leaders within the NCP Sharath Pawar who also want to switch
39:17and join hands with the NDA. So far Supriya Sule and Sharath Pawar have managed to control the rebellion within
39:25and they've used someone close to the Prime Minister to ensure that that happens.
39:31But whether they will be able to retain their flock, we'll have to wait and see.
39:37What explains Rajdeep? Then Sunetra Pawar coming out, she had an option of completely bearing the question
39:42but says time will tell. We'll know in time whether there's a merger or not.
39:47You see unfortunately in Maharashtra you have to read between the lines.
39:51Time will tell is all very well. Sunetra Pawar and her son are desperate to retain control of the NCP
39:57Ajit Pawar.
39:57Sunetra Pawar is deputy chief minister and therefore she knows that if tomorrow the parties were to merge,
40:07she would perhaps lose the deputy chief ministership or she will be subservient then to a Sharath Pawar or a
40:13Supriya Sule from the other side.
40:15So she's desperate to retain her flock and she's hoping that the BJP will also back her because the BJP
40:24is in two minds.
40:25The central BJP particularly Prime Minister Modi scheme that Sharath Pawar joined the fold, the NDA fold.
40:31But the state unit of the BJP doesn't want to have anything to do with a merged entity like the
40:37NCP
40:37because they fear that will diminish their hold particularly in western Maharashtra.
40:42So it's complicated. But at the same time, as I said, a lot of it is, you know, smoke with
40:51very little fire.
40:52Is there also a sense that all's not well between the Congress and the NCP Sharath Pawar especially after the
40:58MLC elections?
41:00Not really. I mean, maybe in Maharashtra, yes, to an extent. I think the NCP feels that the Congress has
41:07not got its act together.
41:09They do not see the Congress leadership as effective enough in Maharashtra.
41:13But at the center, it was interesting that all the visuals, if you saw during the Ram Leela Maidan rally,
41:20other road shows against SIR, Supriya Sule was right there next to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.
41:26So she has clearly hitched her bandwagon in a way to the India Alliance.
41:31Her own party men, particularly in Maharashtra, would prefer a number of them would prefer to go with the NDA
41:38because that's where power is.
41:40So, yes, in that sense, you could argue that the NCP Sharath Pawar is in two minds.
41:48Delhi thinks differently. Mumbai thinks differently.
41:51But until Sharath Pawar himself, when you saw his frail condition out there, gives a nod to this merger, it's
41:59not going to happen.
42:00And from my sources at the moment, it isn't likely to happen in the immediate future.
42:06I won't even say time will tell. I'm saying it's not going to happen in the immediate future.
42:10But Rajdeep, one final question, because if there is a state that is known to throw up the unlikeliest alliances,
42:17it's the state of Maharashtra.
42:18And it's happened one time too many. So, yes, Sharath Pawar has never really aligned with the BJP, but can
42:25be really never say never.
42:27You can never say never in politics, given you're absolutely right, what has happened in Maharashtra over the last few
42:32years.
42:34And there is this power play that takes place between Amit Shah at the center and Sharath Pawar in Maharashtra.
42:40And it's been going on for a while, ever since in 2019, Sharath Pawar at the last moment decided to
42:46go with the India Alliance and not with the NDA.
42:49So there is all that power play going on. But I still don't see a merger taking place right away,
42:57because both the factions of the NCP are still trying to protect their own flock first.
43:04The rebellion within the NCP Ajit Pawar of the senior leaders against Sunetra's leadership on the one side and those
43:10within the NCP Sharath Pawar who want to join hands with the NDA, they're both trying to jostle for space
43:17at this moment.
43:18So I don't see any major step towards a merger happening in the near future.
43:24Well, thank you, Rajdeep, for joining us and giving us all that gyan. With it, I'm going to leave you
43:28with a little bit more of politics.
43:30This time coming in from the state of Karnataka, we leave you with the story where a fresh political face
43:35off brewing in the state over rising prices.
43:38BJP is taken to the street, accusing the Congress government of squeezing the common man's pocket.
43:43Here's more. And thank you for watching.
43:51And amid prize hikes across multiple sectors in Karnataka, the BJP on Wednesday staged a protest at Freedom Park, accusing
43:59the DK Shiva Kumar government of burdening the common people.
44:03Karnataka BJP has organized a massive protest at Freedom Park and led by state BJP president B.Y. Vijedra, former
44:10chief minister B.S. Edurapa and leader of opposition from both legislative assembly and council are part of this particular
44:19protest.
44:19It will be a day long protest at the Freedom Park where they are demanding that the Karnataka government should
44:26revoke the prize hike on the milk products.
44:31The protest was held under the leadership of BJP state president B.Y. Vijedra, leader of the opposition R. Ashoka
44:38and leader of the opposition in the legislative council, Chalavadi Narana Swami.
44:44Before the election, they told, we are not rising any prize hike. We will give freebies. Now they are telling
44:53every prize, everything. Milk, ghee, curd, bus price, all are high.
45:02They are rising about 10 total rupees. Common man suffered a lot. Not only milk, even bus charge also they
45:13are rising. It shows that this government not all bothered about the common man.
45:19But the Congress stuck back saying the BJP should instead protest against the central government over the prize rise under
45:26its watch.
45:28If at all they want to do the protest, let them do the protest against the central government. There are
45:33no morality to protest against the state government. Simply for public publicity, they are doing protest against the state Congress
45:41government.
45:43Prize rise has become a bone of contention in Karnataka. While the BJP, which has been floundering, has found a
45:50topic to connect with the masses, the Congress believes its guarantee schemes will weather the political storm over prize rise.
45:58Bureau report, India today.