Rahul Gandhi launched a 14-day padayatra in Bihar against unemployment and inflation, while political tensions rise in Tamil Nadu over delimitation. Both Congress and DMK sharpen campaigns as elections near in Bihar and Tamil Nadu.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Good evening, you're watching To The Point, I'm Preeti Chaudhary.
00:03We have two debates lined up for you.
00:05One comes in from the state that's going into election next, the state of Bihar.
00:09Before we get on to that, let's quickly dive into the headlines.
00:16Waqf law warships to Supreme Court.
00:18Around 12 anti-waqf pleas in top court.
00:21SDPI, IUML, Congress, AI, MIM, Jamaat-e-Challenge Law, RJD, DMK likely to follow suit.
00:31Mamata Banerjee backs Bengal teachers who lost jobs as she has plans to accommodate them.
00:37BJP's Mamta Chor placards on streets of Kolkata, several BJP netas detained.
00:48Nubbing video of Bengaluru molestation four days on.
00:51Accused still on the run, Karnataka Minister Jee Parameswara's shocking remarks as such things happen in big cities.
01:01A manhunt in Madhya Pradesh for fake UK doctor who caused seven deaths after bogus heart surgeries.
01:09Hospital hit deaths from cops charged hefty sums for these surgeries.
01:16Telangana government likely to take action against Diya Mirza for allegedly sharing AI images on Hyderabad tree cutting.
01:23Diya Mirza calls allegations fake.
01:31Government increases excise duty on petrol, diesel by Rs 2 per litre.
01:35Oil companies to absorb hike, no impact on consumers.
01:42Black Monday rattles Dalal Street.
01:4419 lakh crore wealth wiped out.
01:47Nifty drops 1000 points.
01:50Sensex at 10 months low plummets 2800 points.
01:54Palayan Roko Naukri Do Padhyatra.
02:02Rahul Gandhi launches the white t-shirt yatra in Bihar.
02:07Pole plank unemployment and inflation.
02:11Asking supporters to wear a white t-shirt to register protest.
02:16Rahul Gandhi joined the campaign that was led by youth congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar as an outreach to address the unemployment in the state.
02:30Rahul in a point-blank attack said that Ambedkar fought for the poor and Dalits claiming Ambedkar fought for the truth.
02:39Claiming that there are some politicians who avoid the truth.
02:44The truth that was spoken by Ambedkar.
02:47Adding that he and the congress party have the same blood as Ambedkar which speaks truth for the people.
02:54Rahul Gandhi also criticised the NDA.
02:57Accusing them of treating marginalised communities as second class citizens.
03:03The whole country knows that this is the truth.
03:07And the biggest politicians remain silent.
03:10Mocking Rahul's visit BJP retorted that Rahul is anti-saffron.
03:16Which is why he chose white as the campaign colour.
03:19Mocking congress's alliance in the Bihar polls as well.
03:23They hate the colour Bhagwa.
03:26That's why they have chosen white.
03:30If Rahul Gandhi is a party leader then he should fulfil his responsibilities.
03:35RJD pitched in questioning Nitish's role in the NDA alliance and stating that BJP should be the last to comment on them.
03:44Claiming BJP is scared of the Rahul Tejaswi alliance.
03:50Less than six months to go, it's game on.
03:54The Bihar battleground is now open.
03:58Bureau report India Today.
04:28We are seemingly now witnessing once again political plank.
04:33Especially of the India alliance focused on unemployment.
04:37Like in 2020 will unemployment be once again the X factor in this election.
04:42One thing that one sees very clearly.
04:46That has the congress realised that without UP and Bihar resurgence of party impossible.
04:52Why do we say that there seems to be a realisation of the congress.
04:56That they need to go all in in states like Bihar and UP.
05:00If you remember viewers hark back to the Bharat Jodo Yatra at that point of time.
05:05During the Bharat Jodo Yatra Rahul Gandhi didn't really pass or spend much time in Bihar.
05:10That is changed. Why?
05:12Prompts us to the other angle to this story.
05:15The congress going all in.
05:17Congress's big Bihar push.
05:19Rahul Gandhi is there on a 14 day Padi Yatra.
05:2314 day Padi Yatra along with Kanhaiya Kumar in the state of Bihar.
05:30Where the main plank is unemployment and of course migration.
05:35Inflation as well.
05:37This is the 3rd visit in 3 months by Rahul Gandhi where Bihar is concerned.
05:42And you are still 6 months away from election.
05:45So you can see what we usually witness.
05:48Lackadaisical congress coming in together just a month or two before elections.
05:52Going all in.
05:53Already Rahul Gandhi in 3 months has gone to Bihar thrice over.
05:57The other reason to suggest that the congress is very very serious is the muscle flex.
06:04It's showing the RJD on seat sharing.
06:07Saying that they will not accept anything short of what they feel is a respectable seat sharing formula.
06:14Rahul Gandhi now being positioned as a poster boy against unemployment.
06:18What's also interesting in all of this is viewers that in 2020 if unemployment was agenda pole plank.
06:28On which they just we ran with this time around Rahul Gandhi looking at being that person.
06:34Where the voter associates the agenda of unemployment with it.
06:39Because unemployment clearly seems to be one of the main issues where the voters of Bihar is concerned.
06:45Lastly the congress clearly making structural changes in the party with the eye on the EBC.
06:51Extremely backward cast vote bank which comprises about 36%.
06:55Alright let's cut across to our panelist this evening.
06:58Pradeep Bhandari national spokesperson joins me in the studio.
07:01I have Neeraj Mishra spokesperson congress.
07:04Anupriya spokesperson JDU.
07:05Priyanka Bharti national spokesperson RJD.
07:08I begin with the congress and I'll cut across to Pradeep Bhandari in the studio with me.
07:13Neeraj Mishra there seems to be a clear calculation by the congress.
07:17Or at least acceptance by the congress Neeraj Mishra.
07:19That they need to once again do well in Bihar and UP.
07:25If the party needs to come up with a resurgence of sort and put its lot together.
07:29The Bharat Joro Yatra didn't quite pass through as much in Bihar.
07:33It of course touched a few points.
07:35But this Padiyatra 14 days.
07:38It's been 3 months already Rahul Gandhi has been in Bihar thrice over.
07:42And we are still 6 months away from election.
07:45You are going all in where Bihar is concerned.
07:47Yes Preeti ji.
07:49We are trying to learn from whatever mistakes we have done in the past.
07:53And it is very true that during the Bharat Joro Yatra.
07:57Though it has been a constant movement.
08:00Because it never came to an end.
08:02Because Rahul Gandhi ji has been meeting a lot of people from different societies.
08:07And in continuation with that.
08:09A Yatra which is being organized by the youth of Bihar.
08:13And for the youth of Bihar.
08:15Though under the banner of Youth Congress and NSUI.
08:18Rahul Gandhi ji as honourable leader of opposition.
08:21Showed his solidarity with the same cause.
08:23And as we all know.
08:25That for last 20 years.
08:27This mass migration of people from Bihar.
08:31Has been in the forefront of all these issues.
08:34And today the youth in Bihar.
08:36Is just asking that we have lost almost 2 decades.
08:39An entire generation of youth.
08:41Has lost opportunities.
08:43Because there has been no credible policy.
08:47Which has taken up in last 20-25 years.
08:50For the people.
08:52And this white t-shirt Yatra movement.
08:54Preeti ji what we have inferred.
08:56Is basically the white collar job opportunities.
08:59Which were there.
09:01And Bihar has been demeaned.
09:03And Bihar was made a state.
09:05Where only blue collar job opportunities were there.
09:07People from Bihar.
09:09When they went out.
09:11They became policy makers.
09:13And also they became the executants.
09:15And they have built other cities.
09:17They have built other states.
09:19And today the youth of Bihar.
09:21Is demanding that now it's time.
09:23That Bihar is again redeveloped.
09:25And the equitable space.
09:27That all the states have.
09:29That should be given to the youth of Bihar.
09:31And also Preeti ji.
09:33We have made this very sure.
09:35That this year.
09:37Is our Sangatan Srijan year.
09:39So we are trying to redevelop our organization.
09:41And all these activities.
09:43Because Rahul ji.
09:45Participated in 3 programs.
09:47One was this Yatra.
09:49Where he met the youth of Bihar.
09:51And the second program.
09:53That Constitutional Symposium.
09:55Okay your time is up.
09:57Meeraj Mishra your time is up.
09:59Each panelist gets 2 minutes to put their point forward.
10:01Pradeep Bhandari the question.
10:03Or rather with what the Congress panelist say.
10:05There is acceptance.
10:07There is clear acceptance that the party.
10:09Did not do very well earlier.
10:11Now they have started in time.
10:13They have learnt from their mistakes.
10:15They are going all in where Bihar is concerned.
10:17Like I pointed out earlier.
10:19Third visit in 3 months.
10:21They have changed their structure.
10:23There is a clear agenda.
10:25Where the EBC vote is concerned.
10:27Unemployment once again raking it up.
10:29It is a sensitive issue.
10:31Where the youth of Bihar is concerned.
10:33All of this putting together.
10:35You do see a very different Congress.
10:37In the poll fray this time.
10:39Well Preeti.
10:41The last time I remembered about this commentary.
10:43Was in Uttar Pradesh elections 2017.
10:45When the regional alliance partner.
10:47Was Akhilesh Yadav.
10:49And the narrative was that.
10:51Priyanka Wadhra.
10:53Getting into the Uttar Pradesh campaign.
10:55In 2022.
10:57With Ladki Hoon Lad Sakthi Hoon.
10:59And you know that the Congress party.
11:01Lost deposit in 90% of the seats.
11:03Well we thank Rahul Gandhi.
11:05For another Padyatra.
11:07First of all he only travelled for 1 km.
11:09He had to cancel his Nukkad Sabha.
11:11Right you see the NH31 stretch.
11:13Where Rahul Gandhi had done a Padyatra.
11:15It is a 6 lane road made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
11:17At the time of Lalu Prasad Yadav.
11:19It was a 2 lane road.
11:21So yes like Rahul Gandhi.
11:23When he travelled in Jammu and Kashmir.
11:25And was playing with his sister.
11:27It showed the work developmental work.
11:29Of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
11:31The more Rahul Gandhi will travel in Bihar.
11:33It will show our developmental work.
11:35Now let me come to daytime facts.
11:37As per the latest data of November 2024.
11:39The last 12 years have seen the least.
11:41Amount of migration in Bihar in 2024.
11:43Amongst the youth.
11:45If you are speaking about employment.
11:47We have given more than 7 lakh.
11:49Government employment jobs.
11:51Now let us come to data point on.
11:53Why we believe that Bihar we will win.
11:55Because at this moment Bihar is progressing.
11:57As the top 5 growth rate.
11:59Its growth rate is 14% which is more than the national average.
12:01Overall investment in Bihar.
12:03Has in fact the GDP of Bihar.
12:05During the time of 2004.
12:07Was 78,500 crore.
12:09It has gone up to 8,54,429 crore.
12:11You are speaking about the state of the Congress party.
12:13There is an Indian Express editorial.
12:15Which suggests that the Congress party.
12:17Did not even have a PCC meeting for the last 8 years.
12:19In the earlier PCC president in Bihar.
12:21Now let us come to the data point.
12:23Of the two gentlemen who are walking.
12:25Kanhaiya Kumar when he last fought the election.
12:27In Begusarai lost by 4 lakh votes.
12:29Then he went to Delhi.
12:31And then he lost by another 60,000 to 70,000 votes.
12:33So he has been rejected by the people.
12:35And Rahul Gandhi has been rejected 3rd time.
12:37So we are very confident.
12:39That RJD has to worry.
12:41Not the Bharatiya Janata Party.
12:43He has to worry.
12:45He has to worry.
12:47He has to worry.
12:49He has to worry.
12:51He has to worry.
12:53He has to worry.
12:55He has to worry.
12:57He has to worry.
12:59He has to worry.
13:01He has to worry.
13:03He has to worry.
13:05He has to worry.
13:07He has to worry.
13:09He has to worry.
13:11He has to worry.
13:13He has to worry.
13:15He has to worry.
13:17He has to worry.
13:19He has to worry.
13:21He has to worry.
13:23He has to worry.
13:25He has to worry.
13:27He has to worry.
13:29He has to worry.
13:31He has to worry.
13:33He has to worry.
13:35He has to worry.
13:37He has to worry.
13:39He has to worry.
13:41He has to worry.
13:43He has to worry.
13:45He has to worry.
13:47He has to worry.
13:49He has to worry.
13:51He has to worry.
13:53He has to worry.
13:55He has to worry.
13:57He has to worry.
13:59He has to worry.
14:01He has to worry.
14:03He has to worry.
14:05He has to worry.
14:07He has to worry.
14:09He has to worry.
14:11He has to worry.
14:13He has to worry.
14:15He has to worry.
14:17He has to worry.
14:19He has to worry.
14:21He has to worry.
14:23He has to worry.
14:25He has to worry.
14:27He has to worry.
14:29He has to worry.
14:31He has to worry.
14:33He has to worry.
14:35He has to worry.
14:37He has to worry.
14:39He has to worry.
14:41He has to worry.
14:43He has to worry.
14:45He has to worry.
14:47He has to worry.
14:49He has to worry.
14:51He has to worry.
14:53He has to worry.
14:55He has to worry.
14:57He has to worry.
14:59He has to worry.
15:01He has to worry.
15:03He has to worry.
15:05He has to worry.
15:07He has to worry.
15:09He has to worry.
15:11He has to worry.
15:13He has to worry.
15:15He has to worry.
15:17He has to worry.
15:19He has to worry.
15:21He has to worry.
15:23He has to worry.
15:25He has to worry.
15:27He has to worry.
15:29He has to worry.
15:31He has to worry.
15:33He has to worry.
15:35He has to worry.
15:37He has to worry.
15:39He has to worry.
15:41He has to worry.
15:43He has to worry.
15:45He has to worry.
15:47He has to worry.
15:49He has to worry.
15:51He has to worry.
15:53He has to worry.
15:55He has to worry.
15:57He has to worry.
15:59He has to worry.
16:01He has to worry.
16:03He has to worry.
16:05He has to worry.
16:07He has to worry.
16:09He has to worry.
16:11He has to worry.
16:13He has to worry.
16:15He has to worry.
16:17He has to worry.
16:19He has to worry.
16:21He has to worry.
16:23He has to worry.
16:25He has to worry.
16:27He has to worry.
16:29He has to worry.
16:31He has to worry.
16:33He has to worry.
16:35He has to worry.
16:37He has to worry.
16:39He has to worry.
16:41He has to worry.
16:43He has to worry.
16:45He has to worry.
16:47He has to worry.
16:49He has to worry.
16:51He has to worry.
16:53He has to worry.
16:55He has to worry.
16:57He has to worry.
16:59He has to worry.
17:01He has to worry.
17:03He has to worry.
17:05He has to worry.
17:07He has to worry.
17:09He has to worry.
17:11He has to worry.
17:13He has to worry.
17:15He has to worry.
17:17He has to worry.
17:19He has to worry.
17:21He has to worry.
17:23He has to worry.
17:25He has to worry.
17:27He has to worry.
17:29He has to worry.
17:31He has to worry.
17:33He has to worry.
17:35He has to worry.
17:37He has to worry.
17:39He has to worry.
17:41He has to worry.
17:43He has to worry.
17:45He has to worry.
17:47He has to worry.
17:49He has to worry.
17:51He has to worry.
17:53He has to worry.
17:55He has to worry.
17:57He has to worry.
17:59He has to worry.
18:01He has to worry.
18:03He has to worry.
18:05He has to worry.
18:07He has to worry.
18:09He has to worry.
18:11He has to worry.
18:13He has to worry.
18:15He has to worry.
18:17He has to worry.
18:19He has to worry.
18:21He has to worry.
18:23He has to worry.
18:25He has to worry.
18:27He has to worry.
18:29He has to worry.
18:31He has to worry.
18:33He has to worry.
18:35He has to worry.
18:37He has to worry.
18:39He has to worry.
18:41He has to worry.
18:43He has to worry.
18:45He has to worry.
18:47He has
18:49He has to worry.
18:51He has to worry.
18:53He has to worry.
18:55He has to worry.
18:57He has to worry.
18:59M M M S.
19:01Everyone has been
19:03in power.
19:05That's how
19:11in the state of Bihar, you understand the importance of rebuilding your party,
19:15where clearly you've gone through structural changes, you know, with the eye on the EBC
19:19vote, where you've got Dalit netas coming in. Why Kanhaiya Kumar has been on this longest
19:25padiyatra, which Rahul Gandhi has joined now? Why? You want respectable seats where it comes
19:31down with your alliance with RJD? Preeti ji, there's another answer to what you have asked.
19:39You just try and understand what has been the state of Bihar's population for last 2025 years.
19:46You just imagine that a state which has 9.2% of total population of this country,
19:54its per capita income is the lowest, almost 30% of what the national average for per capita income
20:02is. The state of Bihar, which used to be an industrial state, has now turned into a labour
20:09force supplier. So, all these issues, when they are there, so a party like Congress,
20:14an alliance like India, it's our moral and conscious duty that we put in front to the
20:21people of this nation that all these issues have been there because we have not been in
20:26power for such a long time and a continuity of governance for BJP and JDU has happened.
20:32But the ultimate outcome has been a net zero. If continuity of governance had given them an
20:38advantage, you could have seen what we did in Delhi. In 15 years of Sheela ji's time,
20:43we rebuilt the entire state. Same thing happened in Odisha, though we were not part of that
20:47government. But what Naveen babu was doing was he was trying to rebuild a state. But when it
20:52came to Bihar, continuity of governance for the last 20 years, Nitish Kumar could not deliver.
20:58A state like Bihar is power deficit at this point. The national average is 1200 megawatts per hour
21:06and now the Bihar is getting only 567 kilowatts per hour. So, these differences in the data points,
21:13when it comes to that multi-dimensional development of the state, it has gone to a
21:18toss. Now, when Congress party brings this to the forefront, it is the voice of the people,
21:24which the honourable leader of opposition is bringing. And yes, a stronger Congress
21:29means a stronger India and in both in terms of the alliance and both in terms of country.
21:35All right, but you know, Mr. Mishra, I'm sure you'd also realize that
21:38the charge of continuity of government, the Congress has had the most opportunity and
21:42shots at that. So, I would think that's a tad bit rich to come in and suggest that because we've
21:47not had continuity of government because you've had a lot of opportunity in the past,
21:51including the state of Bihar, where the continuity of government is concerned,
21:54or you were in governance in Bihar with your allies. I want to bring in the BJP spokesperson,
21:58Mr. Bhandari, back into this conversation. Mr. Bhandari, the fact is, what is seemingly,
22:04at least for the opposition, the X factor in this election and that's unemployment. You might
22:08suggest that or read out, you know, data point by point suggesting that the government of Bihar has
22:13offered enough employment. Clearly, that is not translating to the ground. Why I say that is
22:18because the opposition is sensing blood. 2020, unemployment was the X factor of that election,
22:24and I think I'm sure you will agree. 2025, do you think the same could happen? And if so,
22:30that's not good news. Well, Preeti, the opposition was sensing blood in Delhi elections,
22:35in Haryana elections and in Maharashtra elections. And all these three elections,
22:40the Bharatiya Janata Party and the NDA could come back. And in fact, in 2020, also the Bharatiya
22:45Janata Party and JDU together could form the government. Now, let us first of all, Preeti,
22:51you said that Mr. Amit Shah said that not in the name of Nitish Kumar, I disagree.
22:55No, he didn't. No, no, no. One second. I didn't say. I'm coming into your time,
22:59but I will give you 30 seconds because you're quoting me. I didn't say not in the name of
23:02Nitish Kumar. Give your vote in the name of Prime Minister. He did not name Nitish Kumar.
23:06I just allow me to read this quote and tweet on the birthday of Mr. Nitish Kumar.
23:10Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar wishes you a very happy birthday.
23:14In your leadership, the NDA has become the backbone of water,
23:17agriculture and administration in Bihar and this auspicious work will continue.
23:22That's the birthday. It's not one of the three rallies. Can I tell you what he said in one of
23:26the three rallies? You make your point. I'm going to give you 25 seconds extra and I will read out
23:31each of those three rallies. Go ahead. Okay, Preeti, just a fact check on that.
23:35If you can see any state where the Bharatiya Janata Party has contested with our NDA alliance,
23:39we've always asked the name in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There is no difference.
23:43Nitish Kumar is our face in Bihar and this is as simple as it can get. There is no difference of
23:47opinion on it. So now let me come to another point, which my dear friend from the Congress
23:52Party said. The argument taken forward by the Congress and the RJD was that Bihar is a state
23:58which is driven by the youth of Bihar. Now, if Bihar is a state driven by the youth of Bihar and
24:02for last 20 years, if the NDA is coming to power, which means that the youth of Bihar supports the
24:07NDA. Now, why we are confident again, I will reiterate another data point. In Bihar, the per
24:13capita income of Bihar earlier was 8,000 rupees. It has gone up to 66,000 rupees. Now, this means
24:20it has also benefited the youth of Bihar. He was speaking about the industries in Bihar. Bihar
24:27investment received was more than one lakh crore. The growth rate of Bihar is top five compared to
24:33any other state in the country. It is growing at 14 percentage. So if the youth is the majority
24:39beneficiary of this growth rate, even in infrastructure development, it has doubled
24:43vis-a-vis what it was five years back. So this is what we will be taking forward to Bihar.
24:48And the people of Bihar, in particular the youth of Bihar, know that if Nitish Kumar
24:53and Bharatiya Janata Party do not come in power, just a 10 second point, they will take him back to
24:57Jungle Raj. You get 20 more seconds. 20 seconds. Okay, fine. So the RJD said that Tejasvi Yadav is
25:03their leader. Can the Congress Party on your panel declare Tejasvi Yadav as the chief ministerial
25:08face of Mahagatbandhan? I can give it to you writing that he cannot openly declare it. This
25:13is the irony in the alliance. They are not united on the ground. The RJD is fighting the Congress
25:18Party. Your time is now up. Pradeep Bhandari, the comment that I made was, number one,
25:24I'll give you an example. His rally in Gopalganj. You had the Home Minister who directly said,
25:29give your vote. Think of Narendra Modi when you give your vote. I'm just paraphrasing it in English.
25:36He did not say Nitish Kumar. That's all I'm saying. And that was what I was answering. That's
25:41all I was answering in terms of the RJD spokesperson. All right, I want to cut across
25:46back to the JDU spokesperson, Anupriya. Anupriya ji, if you look at how things are going right
25:53now, you also have a Jan Swaraj who's eyeing for the youth vote, upper caste vote, lots of
25:58inferences there. And then now you have the combine of the RJD and the Congress. Clearly,
26:03their agenda is set. Inflation, unemployment, number one. They're talking about migration.
26:08They're talking about inflation. And their biggest target audience is the youth. If the youth speaks,
26:15are we looking at a 2020 election?
28:15All right, I just, you know, because there are lots of figures that are being floated about. Now,
28:29this is a government figure again. Let me quote that migration from Bihar to the other parts of
28:34India is the biggest phenomena with a high interstate migration of 15.8% more than the
28:41current national average, just giving out the basic figure, which is again, government data.
28:46I want to cut across to Priyanka Bharti. Priyanka Bharti, there's a point that the BJP
28:49spokesperson made, where the trouble in your alliance is concerned. Do you think you'd be
28:54able to A, get over the tensions where the seat sharing is concerned, where your partner has come
29:01out and said that they want a respectable seat share? Already, we don't know where the alliance
29:06stands in its current context. See, Preeti ji, we like, we are not like anacondas who digest
29:13directly their alliance partners, unlike BJP. So let's not go into that. Let's go into facts and
29:19figures because Bhandari ji right now quoted that there is 66,000 per capita income of the Biharis,
29:25which would be like, if you divide by 12 months, it would be 5500. If I compare it with Gujarat,
29:30it's 3,09,332, which divided by 12, it's 32,444. You see the difference between the per capita
29:38income of Biharis and Gujaratis. So that is, I am quoting, I'm doing this parallel analysis to
29:44show you where Biharis are standing right now. They just lie. They brazenly lie. In parliament,
29:49they lie. They said, J.P. Nadda ji said, there are 156, 57 medical colleges in Bihar.
29:53Madam, one second, where's your timer? I think,
29:56Are there only 12 medical colleges, government colleges in Bihar? He just brazenly lied. This
30:01is what BJP does. We are here. We are in Bihar. We have always been in Bihar and we have done work
30:06for progress. And that is what we will do. Because you see, I have told you that Bihar is with
30:11highest population of youth. How can youth population accept ministers, which are 75 plus,
30:17who cannot do anything? Miss Bhati, your two minutes are over. I have just timed. All of you
30:21will now get one minute each. One minute each to make your point, your submissions. I will call in
30:26the Congress spokesperson first. Make your submission, sir. One minute. Preeti ji, there
30:33are a lot of points for rebuttal. Just one thing is there about the industrial thing which Pradeep
30:38Bhandari was quoting. He should tell the nation that till 2021-22, which data is available,
30:45Bihar only added total of 300 industries for the last 20 years. And when it came to Gujarat,
30:52Gujarat added 30.7% more industries of the figure which they earlier had. Maharashtra added 18.3%,
31:00Andhra added 10.3%. So the development which was happening compared to other states,
31:05Bihar has just lost the plot. For Anupriya, I tell her that I was in Bihar just two days back
31:11because I am from one such migrant family which came to Delhi and have made their mark now. And
31:17because I keep a bird's eye view of what is happening in Bihar, I understand that Anupriya
31:22ji's party, every leader, son or daughter, they stay either in Bihar or either in Delhi,
31:27either in Bombay or maybe in London. So nobody of their political class is there in Bihar to
31:32take care of the people in Bihar. All right, sir. Your one minute is over. But you know,
31:35it's interesting because you quote the last 20 years' data. How much is the BJP blame for it
31:40and how much the other parties? I'm sure you know the math better than I. I want to go to
31:43Pradeep Bhandari. Pradeep Bhandari, one minute submission. Sir, your time starts now.
31:47Well, the fight in Bihar is between development, which the NDA promises under PM Narendra Modi
31:53and Nitish Kumar versus Jangal Raj and Gunda Raj of RJD and the Congress party. When Lalu
31:58Prasad Yadav was in power in Bihar, in one year, the road construction was mere 6.8 kilometers.
32:05Today, per day in this country, 37 kilometers is the road construction which is happening.
32:09When Lalu Prasad Yadav was in Bihar, the average in a year, the total kidnapping was more than
32:153,000. When Lalu Prasad Yadav was in Bihar, the per capita income was mere 8,000 a year. We've
32:21taken it to 66,000 and we'll take it further to more than 1 lakh. Ours is an organic alliance.
32:26The Congress party is an eight, nine percentage food share party. The RJD and the Congress are
32:30not together. We are fighting in an organic battle. And let me just quote another data point.
32:35In 10 years, the Congress party to Bihar could only give 2,80,000 crore.
32:39Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bihar has given 9,23,000 crore. The youth of Bihar has supported
32:45us in 2024-19 and the assembly elections. We are confident to win with a higher majority
32:50in the upcoming assembly elections on the plank of development.
32:53All right, JDU spokesperson, Anupriya, you have one minute to answer all the rebuttals. Go ahead,
32:57ma'am.
33:35How is the development in Bihar? How are the youth able to stay here? Because I'm from Bihar
33:39too and I'm providing the same education that I studied in Vrindavan. So you'll be happy to know
33:45that there are a lot of youth in Bihar who are able to feel more secure working here.
33:51Because there was a time when neither were the businessmen safe, nor were the doctors safe,
33:57nor were the teachers safe, and nor were the common people safe. So it's a different story.
34:03Ma'am, your time is up. Priyanka Bharti, your one minute starts now to make your submissions. Go
34:08ahead. She was talking about the businessmen. I would just remind her of a video just latest today.
34:15In Patna, there were criminals who entered home of a person calling Pranam Chacha.
34:25We also saw what happened in Ara, in jewellery shop. And if I quote about NCRB data,
34:32there were 60,000 murders in Bihar in 20 years. There were 25,000 rapes in 20 years. Who was there
34:40in Bihar for 20 years? It was not us. It was them. That's why the people in Bihar are asking
34:44questions from there. Where is employment? Why has poverty not been removed till now?
34:51Why are women not in leading positions in Bihar? It was only RJD who made a women
34:58chief minister in Bihar. From that time till now, we haven't had any single
35:03female chief minister in Bihar, that too from OBC community. Why will youngsters from Bihar
35:09take Nitish Kumarji, who does inappropriate touches with a woman, who makes remarks on
35:15ex-chief minister of Bihar, Ravi Devi? Your time is up. Ma'am, but not very long ago,
35:21and the RJD were in bed together where Bihar was concerned. So we tend to forget a bit of that. But
35:26having said that, politics is full of hypocrisy. But away from all the submissions, viewers,
35:31it's game on where Bihar is concerned. Will this work when it comes down to the youth of Bihar?
35:37Pradeep is holding some photo of some bridge. I don't know what that is.
35:41I'm holding a picture of the New Pakman Bridge because Kanhaiya Kumar does not want...
35:44Okay, now the political tug-of-war in Tamil Nadu only intensifies with Prime Minister Modi
35:49taking aim at Chief Minister M. K. Stalin's stance on funding language policy and delimitation.
35:55Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin pushing for Prime Minister to promise Tamil Nadu that the
36:00upcoming delimitation will not affect the seat sharing, the state's seat representation in Lok
36:06Sabha. Take a look. It is the battle for hearts and minds of Tamil Nadu. Amid an escalating war
36:17over three-language policy and possible delimitation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
36:22fact-checked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin for habitually crying denial of funds to the state.
36:52The Prime Minister asked Stalin why Stalin is yet to introduce MPBS course in Tamil language.
37:22The Prime Minister also wondered if Stalin's push for Tamil is genuine.
37:53Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Stalin skipped Modi's Pamban Bridge unveiling defying protocol
38:06and sent a fair delimitation demand instead.
38:53The ruling DMK has claimed Hindi imposition in Tamil Nadu by Centre, a charge rejected by BJP.
39:03Former Finance Minister Chidambaram claimed Modi government's larger grant
39:08for Tamil Nadu is due to India's much larger GDP numbers now compared to UPA years.
39:14Will Modi's big counter help BJP win the battle of perceptions in Tamil Nadu?
39:20With Pramod Madhav in Rameswaram, Bureau Report, India Today.
39:50Perception-wise, yes. But on the ground, no.
39:52When it comes down to the elections coming in next year yet,
39:55we are seeing so much commentary around it. Why?
39:59I think Mr. Stalin is playing to his party's strengths.
40:04The DMK has always gone with the theory that the Centre is out to discriminate against Tamil
40:10Nadu and they've played the victim card very successfully.
40:13Whether it be in terms of Hindi imposition, whether it be in terms of funds being sanctioned
40:17from the Centre to the state. So they've played this card very successfully and
40:23electorally it has given them great dividends.
40:25So Mr. Stalin now needs an issue to take on the BJP and pit this as a BJP vs DMK kind of a battle
40:33because there is a general underlying sentiment against the BJP in the state,
40:37which he wants to capitalise on.
40:38Having said that, I felt a little sad Preeti, the Prime Minister,
40:43you know, does not seem to think very highly of the intelligence of the Tamil people.
40:47To say that in the UPA era, less funds were being given and now more funds are being given.
40:54I mean, the GDP has grown significantly over the last 15, 12, 15 years.
41:00So obviously, every state in the country has received more funds in the last 10 years than
41:04they received before that. So what is he trying to say? He is not trying to show
41:09the proportion or percentage of funds. And as far as delimitation is concerned,
41:14there is no clarity provided. So far, the government has not come out with a categorical
41:19assurance saying your proportionate representation will not be affected.
41:24They are being very clever with words. They are saying the number of seats you have will
41:29not be impacted. You will not lose any number of seats. To say that Tamil Nadu,
41:36which has 39 seats, will go up to 47, but UP will go up from 75 to 150 is absurd.
41:43We are still not losing the number of seats. From 39, we are going up to 47.
41:48So nobody, neither the Prime Minister nor Mr. Amit Shah, have categorically given an assurance on
41:55how, what formula will be used for delimitation. I think Mr. Stalin is playing it very smart here.
42:01These are issues that have some resonance and he is trying to go to town,
42:06taking those issues in the run-up to the elections in 2026.
42:10Shikharia, one fails to understand because we understand why Stalin is doing it, keeping in
42:14mind the current political context, because you have different alignments also coming in together
42:18where actor, you know, there are other, you know, AIDMK, Actor Vijay, all of that coming in. But
42:24Shikharia, why is the BJP also doubling down where the language war is concerned,
42:29delimitation is concerned?
42:34No, I think the Prime Minister could have been much more harder, but he didn't do that.
42:39In fact, I think just it's a signaling to the Tamil Nadu people at large that there has been
42:48no discrimination against Tamil Nadu, whether it comes to central projects, infrastructure projects.
42:54You know, Preeti, the first time Stalin and Modi were together on a platform that was in Chennai,
43:03when Prime Minister had gone, that's at the beginning of the term,
43:07where that turned out to be a kind of a Stalin one-sided attack on Modi, saying that you have
43:13not done this for Tamil Nadu. That was at the beginning of the term. And after that, you know,
43:18Stalin tried to be, then there were no direct attacks on Prime Minister and during when the
43:24DMK was in the opposition, they had even run a campaign, Go Back Modi. But then after coming
43:30to power, they started meeting and even Stalin sent Udayanidhi to meet the Prime Minister to
43:36invite him for that national games in Chennai. You know, there has been blow hot, blow cold kind of
43:40thing from the DMK side. Now, with the elections approaching, for instance, even a subject like
43:45delimitation. Now, nothing has happened on this yet, because the delimitation is to follow a
43:50census. The census has not yet been signalled, people expect to take place in 2026. And that
43:57is going to take a year long, then those figures will be collated. Then subsequent to that, that
44:02may be sometime in 2027, mid of 2027, then a delimitation commission will be set up, that
44:09commission will go around. No statement from the centre officially has come when the census would
44:15take place or on the delimitation. All that Amit Shah had said in response to Stalin's charge that
44:21the number of seats, Lok Sabha seats of Tamil Nadu will go down from 39 to 31. To that, Amit Shah
44:28had said, no, that is, that will never happen. Subsequent to that, DMK has been organising
44:33meeting of chief ministers from the south. Yes, there is a good argument why the delimitation
44:42population alone should not be the basis for reorganising the Lok Sabha seats. That's a
44:48different subject. But Stalin wants to use this because he hopes, just as Dr. Sumanth Raman said,
44:55Hindi has been a very convenient tool and it has given dividend in several elections to DMK
45:00right from 67 and they want to use it now again. Because the problem for the DMK this time,
45:06despite, you know, there is a division in the opposition and there is no,
45:10any united move against the DMK, there are still doubts because of high anti-incumbency factors,
45:16particularly on the issue of corruption. Right. You know, Sumanth Raman, I want to bring you in
45:22on this again, because there also seems to be a certain amount of desperation from the DMK where
45:26the current political context is concerned, because you have an actor Vijay who is making
45:30all the right, you know, noises when it comes down to the youth. There clearly is a connect.
45:34All of that in perspective could be the very reason why we see this hyper bully.
45:40I think the DMK is playing it smart. At the moment, they've got their alliance rock solid,
45:46intact. The alliance which got 45-46% of the vote in the Lok Sabha elections last year.
45:52The problem is, why is the BJP going so hard on all these issues now?
45:58It is completely inexplicable. It hurts their alliance partner, the AADMK and the DMK have
46:04very similar points of view on delimitation, on the language issue, on need, on so many issues
46:11there, they have identical standpoints, both the Dravidian parties. So by actually going hard,
46:17that is why Preeti, again and again, there is this suspicion that the BJP is playing some kind
46:24of a game. It makes zero sense for them to go so hard against... But what is that game, Mr. Abad?
46:31The game potentially is to maybe even engineer a defeat in 2026 for the alliance, and then
46:41cannibalize the AADMK and become the principal opposition party in the state. That is the
46:47suspicion within the AADMK, which is getting strengthened by all this. There is no action
46:52being taken against... All right. Shekhar, I don't have that much time, but... One quick point.
46:57Make your point, sir. Make your point. Yes, make it.
46:59Have you heard of a scam called, alleged scam called the 2G scam? Do you know who the prosecuting
47:06agency is? Do you know what progress has happened in the last five years since the judgment has come?
47:11Why? So all of this is making people increasingly suspicious. The prosecuting agency is the CBI.
47:18Who does the CBI come under for all practical purposes? And it's moving... I won't say it's
47:25snails, because even a snail will have some movement. All right, fair point. But Shekhar,
47:31do you concur with the conspiracy theory of Sumansi Raman that one possibility that many
47:36are actually exploring is... Because it's... The question that I asked you, Shekhar, it's
47:41inexplicable on why the BJP is doubling down on these issues, because they are putting their
47:46potential partner, AADMK, in a tight spot. The PMK has already spoken out against them.
47:51Why are they making a noise about the likes of delimitation, language wars,
47:55when they don't really need to? No, actually, they are on a campaign. I mean,
48:00there are several conspiracy theories, Preeti. There are several conspiracy theories. I can go
48:04on naming at least six theories, which are in operation in Tamil Nadu today. But the point is,
48:09the BJP has been making it right from the beginning since Namalai undertook an aggressive
48:14campaign from 2021 election onwards. Or even earlier also, the BJP's approach is to...
48:22Eventually emerges an alternative political ideology compared to the Dravidian ideology.
48:27So this is going to be a long drawn affair. But at the moment, BJP is more concerned about
48:33ensuring consolidation of opposition votes. That is why all these move about, you know,
48:38trying to reach out to AADMK and trying to have a seat arrangement and all that.
48:42But when it comes to ideology, the BJP cannot signal that they are somehow scared of the
48:47Dravidian parties. Okay. All right, fair point. You know,
48:51we're going to have you both in days to come, but very, very interesting. We're still about a year
48:55away from elections in Tamil Nadu, but you're discussing them with the same fervour as we are
49:00the Bihar elections. Appreciate both of you for joining us. With that viewers, we've got an extra
49:04point, a story that we're going to focus on. It comes in from the South, was very disturbing when
49:07it happened and now it's all turned political. Protests at Hyderabad University over Gacchi
49:16Bauli deforestation have taken a political turn. Bollywood actor Dea Mirza has taken on the Telangana
49:22Chief Minister for falsely accusing her of using AI generated images and videos to support
49:28protesting students. Dea Mirza took to social media to refute these allegations.
49:51Kancha Gacchi Bauli deforestation takes a new turn.
49:55If the battle was earlier between students and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, now it has blown
50:00up into a face-off between the Reddy government and film actors and influencers. Chief Minister
50:07Reddy is seeking a probe against celebrities who allegedly used AI images to target his government.
50:15Bollywood actor and environmental activist Dea Mirza, who supported Hyderabad University
50:20students, has accused Telangana's Chief Minister of making false allegations against her. She
50:29claims that Chief Minister Reddy accused her of sharing AI-generated fake videos of tree-felling
50:35in Gacchi Bauli. Dea Mirza urged the Chief Minister to verify the facts before making
50:42such accusations. Apart from Dea Mirza, YouTuber Dhruv Rathi also criticised the government last
50:49week. Their tweets received a flood of comments from netizens. The Congress has defended the
51:20AI images. In fact, one popular actress and who is an activist also, Dea Mirza also has tweeted,
51:27Congress government is indulging in hiring social media influencers to make reels
51:34for 20,000 rupees to attack the University of Hyderabad student movement.
51:40The Hyderabad University students have been opposing the state government's proposal
51:45to auction a 400-acre plot of ecologically sensitive land next to the university.
51:53The land is being considered for development of an IT park and urban infrastructure.
51:59Several petitions have been filed to stop the proposed IT park development.
52:03The Supreme Court has stayed felling of trees in Kancha Gacchi Bauli for now.
52:08With Abdul Basheer, Bureau Report, India Today.