- 6/6/2025
The Bengaluru stampede during RCB victory celebrations has led to suspensions and arrests. Top police officials, including the Bengaluru Police Commissioner, have been suspended. RCB marketing head and event management officials have been arrested.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Good evening, you're watching To The Point. I'm Preeti Chaudhuri. Let me quickly take you through the headlines.
00:07Prime Minister Modi's big warning to Pakistan from Jammu and Kashmir says he will stand in the way of disruptions by Pakistan who doesn't want peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
00:30Prime Minister Modi to attend G7 summit. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Kane dials Prime Minister Modi, invites him G7 summit to be held in Canada on June 15th.
00:52Siddharamaya government knew about RCB victory bash. Karnataka cricket body wrote to state government seeking permission on June 3rd.
01:03Cops denied permission. Sad conduct parade on Sunday. This is an India Today exclusive.
01:09Cops hunt down RCB bash event organisers. Police arrest RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosaleh.
01:22Event management DNA staffer also detained.
01:31Trump versus Musk. The gloves are off. Bromance ends in insults and threats.
01:36Musk asserts will back impeachment against Trump. Claims Trump would have lost without him, alleges Trump named in Epstein's violence.
01:52Big boost to Elon Musk's Starlink as India's telecom ministry grants licence to the satellite internet service provider company to run commercial operations.
02:06Heads have started to roll in the Bengaluru stampede case.
02:24The Sid Ramayya government has suspended top police officers, including Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda, for negligence and acting irresponsibly.
02:36The police have arrested RCB marketing head Nikhil Sosaleh and detained three officials of event management firm DNA.
02:54Sosaleh was taken into custody at the Bengaluru airport when he was reportedly flying out to Dubai.
02:59Nikhil has now moved the high court against his arrest.
03:05Among the arrested is also the VP of the event management company DNA, Sunil Mathi.
03:11The accused were taken for medical examination.
03:14Our teams are going around and not only arresting, we are looking into the various angles because FIR has been registered in Common Park Police Station.
03:23Different teams are working at different stages, so I cannot comment on the details.
03:28But subsequently the case will go to CID.
03:33So we are progressing in that.
03:37Two office bearers of the Karnataka State Cricket Association are absconding.
03:42A search is on to nab them.
03:44The Karnataka cricket body has blamed the state government for the RCB victory celebrations that led to the stampede.
03:54In a petition filed in the High Court, the KSCA clarified the decision to hold the felicitation was taken by the government and an event was conducted at the Vidhana Souda.
04:04Distensing itself from the stampede, the KSCA stated it had no role in organizing the celebrations and held the government, RCB and event organizers responsible for the lapses.
04:18Meanwhile, politics has speaked over the incident with the CM and BJP taking on each other.
04:26To escape from court, that's why they suspended the commissioner.
04:30What is the fault in this incident commissioner?
04:34He is not a owner of the celebration.
04:38He is not requested the celebration.
04:41Requested by the government.
04:43Done by the government and RCB.
04:45This is illegal. I condemn this.
04:46Karnataka government has also shunted political secretary to chief minister Govind Raj, as well as commissioner, deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner.
05:04And police inspector of Caban Park Police Station.
05:20BJP calls that they have been made scapegoat and there should be ministers who should take onus and tender their resignation for this particular stampede.
05:29With your journalist Daniel Sagairas, reporting for India Today, Bengaluru.
05:32All right, so the big questions that we ask at the back of it.
05:38Face saving action, political leadership completely scot-free is the first question we ask this evening because what we really see in viewers is action against the cops, action against RCB officials, the event management company.
05:52But the top leadership of the Karnataka government completely scot-free goes unscathed.
05:59Stampede action, attempt to deviate from key questions that arise in terms of accountability.
06:06Bengaluru cops made scape goats in all of this.
06:10How is it that action has been taken against the top cop of Bengaluru despite it was the Bengaluru police who denied permission for an event in terms of a victory parade.
06:20Action before an inquiry.
06:24Does that send wrong messages?
06:26I want to cut across to our panelists this evening.
06:28Joining me, Pradeep Bhandari, national spokesperson, BJP Lavanya Banal, spokesperson Congress, Yashavardhan Azad, former top cop.
06:35Before we cut across to the political panel, I'd like to bring in Yashavardhan Azad for a larger perspective in all of this because Yashavardhan Azad, it seems, in terms of the action taken at the back of the stampede, the first collateral is the top cop of Bengaluru, the police commissioner.
06:52You know, police have been suspended.
06:55On the other hand, action taken against top RCB officials, including the event management company.
07:01Do you think, you know, in the first 24 hours before there is a proper probe which is being conducted, this is apt action that has been taken or is it the politicians once again distancing themselves from the culprits?
07:14Very important point you've raised. In fact, a few things are very clear, Preeti, right in the beginning.
07:21First is that after the celebrations, when the team won, when the match was held, not in Mohali or in Bangalore, but the match was held in Gujarat, by the way.
07:31This fast food cricket has its own style. That's the time when Virat Kohli said that we'll carry these celebrations to Bengaluru.
07:41Immediately at that particular time, the Bengaluru commissioner should have rung up the chief minister and told him that there's something huge is happening tomorrow.
07:49Please, are you going to allow it?
07:51Now, from record, it's very clear that the Bengaluru commissioner said that we should not have it and rightly so straight away, but have it on Sunday.
07:58In fact, he mentioned the day Sunday, like it had happened in Kolkata, Preeti, if you remember earlier occasion when it was won by the other team.
08:06Now, obviously, you're right when you say that this is a kind of shifting of responsibility and putting it on the police commissioner.
08:15The state government clearly at night itself should have decided because it's an event whether it's going to be a state function or whether it's going to be a private function.
08:25And secondly, because it involves law and order in a huge way, it has to take a decision whether it is going to permit or not.
08:33Now, you see, there's another point, Preeti, here, which is very important.
08:36The point is that they wanted to take credit also because the function took place at Vidhan Soda.
08:41Vidhan Soda is the assembly and there were one lakh people who were already there.
08:45What was the need for getting the CM involved with this trophy, with this fast food cricket, which is a private, which has nothing, not even an Anji Trophy, not even a World Cup.
08:55And then that gave enough time for the people to congregate at the stadium.
09:01There were two lakhs already there and another faux pas.
09:04Can you imagine? It was announced to the public that the tickets of the passes will be distributed near the stadium itself.
09:11It was a recipe for disaster in all respects.
09:14And finally, when the police came in, they were overwhelmed, they were outnumbered, they were outgunned, and some of the policemen were being played like football by the people over there in jubilation.
09:24You know, I want to, you know, stay with us, Mr. Razad, I'm going to come right back to you.
09:28But I want to bring in Lavanya Balal from the Congress.
09:30Lavanya Balal, it seems that you've actually axed those who raised a red flag, which is the cops.
09:37They seem to have been made the fall guy.
09:39While the administration, the Karnataka government is completely unscathed.
09:45It seems you've done your job, you've taken action, but the people who should actually be answerable have gotten away.
09:53Good evening, Preeti.
09:56At this point of time, police officers are suspended.
09:59There is a magistrate's investigation going on.
10:01There is a COD investigation going on.
10:03There is a one-man retired judge, Michael De Kunna's commission, which is investigating the matter.
10:09Having said that, while you and also CM's political secretary, who is the head of the Olympic Association, has been suspended.
10:16Now, while you keep talking about this letter in which the cop denied the permission, we would all love to see that letter.
10:23Because it is very clear, though he had suggested the top cop, Dayanat, who is an efficient policeman, there is no doubt about it.
10:32Then why was he removed, ma'am? I'm sorry, I'm coming in your time, but why was he removed?
10:36So, the thing is, when people talk about this letter where he denied permission, RCB and the Karnataka cricket…
10:43You just called somebody efficient, ma'am? If somebody is an efficient cop who has done his job, then why was he removed?
10:49Priti, if you would give me the courtesy to finish my sentence.
10:52Please, ma'am. Yes, I'm sorry I'm coming in, but go ahead.
10:54So, while there is the Cricket Association of Karnataka and RCB, which has asked him for permission to have celebrations,
11:03there is no denial of permission by the top cop in Bengaluru.
11:08Not only that, there is no formal rejection and also, he does not call for a meeting of all his officers.
11:15In the night when the celebration starts and the hysteria starts taking over after 12.30, there is no meeting.
11:22He has kept the Home Minister completely in the dark about the arrangements that is being made.
11:28While our top cop, Ashwa Vardhan, raises one issue about why celebration in Vidana Sauda, let me be very clear.
11:35The celebration in Vidana Sauda went on without a hitch, there was no issues, there were no problems at all.
11:42The RCB and the Cricket Association both had announced that there are passes, there are no passes, there are free passes,
11:50and the confusion started creating. When all of this confusion happened, there is not a single statement from Mr. Dayanand saying,
11:57please do not come here, there is no passes, nothing of the sort.
12:01Mr. Dayanand clearly has failed to set the record straight and after, let us talk about 6 am onwards.
12:08I am giving you 10 seconds extra because I interrupted, but go ahead, make your point.
12:13From 6 am onwards also that morning, there has been no comprehensive plan by the police department.
12:21So, you are blaming the police department squarely. Okay. But, Lavanya Valal, I don't think you understood the point that Ashwa Vardhan Azad was making there.
12:29Because these men that you were felicitating at the Vidana Sauda were not Ranji players, they didn't win it for the state per se.
12:38These are cricketing mercenaries who will go to the highest bidder. Let me also tell you, of the entire team, only one really comes in from Bangalore.
12:45You know, whose domicile is Bangalore. So, who you were celebrating was practically yourself.
12:51But I will come back to you. Allow me to bring in the BJP spokesperson. I will circle back to you.
12:56I want to bring in Pradeep Bhandari into this because what you have heard constantly as a refrain from the opposition BJP is that the Chief Minister Siddharamaya needs to step down.
13:07And ideally, Pradeep Bhandari, he needs to step down, but it would have made sense if it wasn't so rich coming in from the BJP.
13:14Why I say it's a little rich coming in from the BJP. 14th May was the stampede in Goa, which took place where six people were dead. Many, many were injured.
13:25An inquiry has been complete. An inquiry has been complete and submitted and allow me to read off that inquiry.
13:31A government appointed committee that investigated the stampede, I'm reading it from the government document, has been complete at the temple, which took place on, sorry, May 3rd, not May 13th.
13:41It concluded the tragedy was entirely preventable and stemmed from a combination of acute poor planning, lack of enforcement by the police knowingly so that there was going to be a big event, ignored directives and inadequate infrastructure.
13:56I'm just giving you one example which happened exactly, what, 20 days ago. Pradeep Bhandari, what has the Goa government and your Chief Minister Mr. Pramod Saman done? Absolutely nothing.
14:07The lowest common denominator in this, which is three policemen beat constable level policemen have been suspended, sir.
14:13Well, Preeti, I'll answer your question but let me just state the facts as it is. The criminality starts with Mr. Sidharmaiya and ends with Mr. Sidharmaiya.
14:22If it was purely a police event, we are not amateurs and we know that police does not act without taking into confidence the Deputy Chief Minister, the Chief Minister and the Home Minister in an event where the Deputy Chief Minister and the Home Minister are present themselves and the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Sidharmaiya,
14:40Shiv Kumar is so excited that he himself is positioning as if he has won the trophy. So that is point number one. Point number two, all written records suggest that it is the police which had denied the permission and which had in fact gone to the extent of saying that we cannot organize this event in 24 hours.
14:58As late as 1.08 p.m. there was a tweet which was deleted. So who pressurized the police? Definitely not. It has to be a political establishment.
15:07And because Bangalore, Mr. D.K. Shiv Kumar had personally gone to the airport, we are not amateurs to think that neither the Chief Minister was aware about the arrangements, neither the Deputy Chief Minister was aware, neither the Home Minister was aware.
15:18So the buck stops with the Chief Minister. Now let us come to the facts. A magisterial inquiry is a hogwash because a magisterial inquiry ultimately cannot name the Chief Minister.
15:28So that is point number one. Point number two, please look at the victims. It is the 13 year old Devanshi and everybody else is saying that the compensation will not get us back the love months.
15:36If the intent of the state was fine, they could have at least stopped the celebration. That is where the heights of insensitivity was reached, where they believe that okay, there are just few people who have lost their life.
15:46Let us continue with the celebrations. I would have given them the benefit of doubt if they would have stopped the celebration.
15:53If you would have seen Mr. D.K. Shiv Kumar not going from Vidhansaba to Chinnaswami Stadium first, but going to the injured victims first.
16:00But he did not do so. Point number three, which is a very important point. 21 gates were there. Only three gates were open for the public.
16:07Are you telling me that the chief minister and deputy chief minister and the home minister, they were not aware that the crowd was swelling?
16:14And was the crowd only swelling in the last three hours? It happened since the day before.
16:19Now let us come to your argument on Goa. I believe that even in case of Goa, it was not that we as chief ministers were celebrating or were not insensitive to it.
16:29So you can definitely question the quantum of impact. Time is up. Just 10 seconds. You can definitely question the quantum of the punishment or the quantum of the action.
16:39But you cannot question the intent. The issue here is the chief minister in an event who did not stop the event.
16:44Sir, your time is up. I will come back to you. I will tell you what. I will tell you what. Your time is up. I am going to get into a little bit of news break.
16:51But allow me to say this. You had me at the buck stops at the chief minister. If the buck had stopped at Yogi Adityanath during KUMH and the chief minister of Goa, Pramod Samant during the Goa stampede, one would have believed you.
17:04But right now, all your claims sound hollow. Let me cut across the news break. Allow me a rebuttal on that. I will. Of course I will.
17:09Of course I will. Allow me to get into the latest news break that's coming.
17:12Karnataka deputy chief minister has made a big revelation. Big revelation from the stampede. Let's see what he has to say.
17:18DK Shipkumar says, Bengaluru police commissioner told me it was a small incident.
17:23Says the Karnataka Cricket Association was given only 10 minutes time. DK slams BJP for politicizing issue. BJP born for playing dirty politics.
17:35But in midst of all of this, and I want to bring in Yashavarda Nazar because right on.
17:40Alright, let's listen in to DK Shipkumar and we'll go across to Yashavarda Nazar.
17:45Did you inform them that there were no permissions given?
17:49No. Permission was not been given. They wanted to travel in an open air.
17:57I said it is not there, you have to cooperate. They agreed, that's all.
18:00And did KCA tell that there was only 10 minutes only time that was given to them?
18:07Of course, of course, we had informed them.
18:10Police commissioner came and met me, asked me to just see that it concludes within 10 minutes.
18:16Some small incident has happened. I did not know what was the fact.
18:21There was a huge crowd.
18:24But still, I asked them to just finish within 10 minutes.
18:28So what do you have to say about these dirty politics being played by opposition, sir?
18:32They are there to play dirty politics. They are born for it.
18:37I want to bring in Yashavarda Nazar because Yashavarda Nazar, you know, one could turn around and say that he's the deputy chief minister and one must believe him.
18:45But what it seemingly is that he's practically throwing the then Bengaluru police commissioner under the bus.
18:51Absolutely.
18:52By saying he said it was a small incident.
18:54Yeah, it's literally under the bus because, you know, Priti, I'm in Bangalore. I was there.
18:59In fact, I took a diversionary route in the afternoon from that particular area.
19:04All my friends have been calling me and the whole night we could not sleep because of the celebrations.
19:09The entire police was on the job till 6 a.m.
19:12And you are expecting the same police to give another performance in the afternoon.
19:17My point is very simple.
19:19Number one is that if the deputy chief minister goes to the airport, if you have a function in Vidhan Sabha, you've already given it the credibility of a state function.
19:29And by the time you're having that function in Vidhan Sabha, you're getting you're giving people adequate reasons and the mayhem to sort of increase at the stadium where they were piling on that they were looking for those free passes or the entry.
19:43Now, once this has happened and the police commissioner has already said we cannot hold it, we should hold it on Sunday.
19:49There is no reason to hold it, whether it's the challengers or whether it's the intruders or whatever.
19:55And as you rightly said, there was not a single player except one of domicile of Karnataka.
20:00And the match also didn't take place either in Mohadi or here.
20:04What kind of a fast food cricket is this where the state CMs and the deputy CMs are getting involved with this?
20:11Fair point, you have a fair point.
20:14And I want to go to Lavanya Balal on that.
20:16Once again, you know, Ms. Balal, the big question is, what was the Karnataka government doing in terms of the Vidhan Soda celebratory function, your deputy CM at the Chinnaswami Stadium along with the team?
20:31What was the intent of all of it?
20:33And the bigger question in all of this, Ms. Balal, I would think you would have asked it if it was the other way round, that it was a little dystopian, wasn't it?
20:40There were people dying outside while the celebrations continued inside.
20:43And the RCB knew because they said we knew that's why we curtailed it.
20:48Yes.
20:49May I, please?
20:52So, Preeti, first of all, when you keep talking about this letter where the commissioner Dayanand, the then commissioner Dayanand said there is no permission to celebrate, no one has been producing that letter.
21:03Everybody keeps claiming there is a letter.
21:04I would love to see that letter.
21:06All the news channels, when you're saying there was a letter where he denied permission explicitly saying there has to be no celebrations, we would love to see that letter.
21:14Because there has been no letter denied, denial letter for the RCB, for the Cricket Association or with the government.
21:21Correct?
21:22And the other question that you asked me is, Yashar Varadhanji was making a point about, oh, the same cops have to be on duty the next day.
21:29That is exactly where our question comes in. When they saw the hysteria building up, what was the police doing?
21:35What was the police action? What was the police meeting? Or was there a police meeting?
21:39And the cost of coming in, Ms. Balal, allow me to ask you a simple question.
21:42Who does the state police report to?
21:46I hardly get 30 seconds.
21:48I will give you more time, madam. Who does the police report to?
21:54It's a question I ask you.
21:55Do you want me to continue?
21:56Yes, please. We've stopped your watch.
21:58Your watch is stopped. Go ahead. Make your plan.
22:00So here is what I was telling you earlier also.
22:03In the previous time when you asked me the question, the Home Minister was kept completely in the dark by the Commissioner.
22:09And the Home Minister has gone on record.
22:11The intelligence head, Mr. Nimbalkar, also has been suspended for the lack of intelligence reports that he was supposed to submit or the failure to, you know, in his duties.
22:22Okay. And also you heard the deputy CM saying it was Mr. Dayanath who told the deputy CM when he was in the stadium that there is a small incident outside.
22:32So, of course, he will be held responsible.
22:34Now, you keep talking about, oh, we do not trust, BJP says we do not trust the magistrate's action.
22:39I will display all the tweets and the statements made by all BJP leaders on all social media and media platforms demanding a victory parade in Bengaluru on the same day.
22:50They have no rights to now come back and say, oh, we did not say this.
22:54Oh, you shouldn't have done that.
22:55And this is by a party which has been legendary in ignoring all kinds of stampede that happens in their nation.
23:01We regret, we regret that this has happened.
23:03We are very upset.
23:04We have done everything possible.
23:06We have met the victims.
23:07We have ensured that, you know, we have given them free treatment, whoever the victims are, the survivors are.
23:13We have also given them compensation.
23:16We understand compensation does not bring back loved ones, but we are taking action immediately.
23:23We are not hiding any information.
23:25All those people who are injured.
23:26I'm your time is up.
23:27I'll come back to you.
23:28I'll give you another chance for a rebuttal.
23:30I'll come back to you.
23:31But I would think right now, Miss Balal, you'd have us believe that everything was a ploy.
23:36The police, Bengaluru police, hid everything from the home minister, you know, didn't share anything at all, that they projected the picture that all was well.
23:46There was somehow the deputy chief minister of Karnataka was lured to go to the airport to receive the RCB like they were representing the state of Karnataka.
23:58From there, they were taken, from there, they went to the Vidhan Soda where the chief minister himself felicitated the players.
24:07And then you had the deputy CM himself at the Chinnaswami Stadium.
24:11There was absolutely, it was done at the behest of somebody else and there was not.
24:14I would love to stop you here.
24:16Please do.
24:17You are misconstruing what I'm saying.
24:19You are misconstruing what I'm saying.
24:20Ma'am, I'm not.
24:21And you are.
24:22You are.
24:23I never said he was lured.
24:24Did I say he was lured?
24:25Why are you...
24:26I'm asking...
24:27The projection seems to be...
24:28Ma'am, this is...
24:29The interpretation seems to be this.
24:32Because it just seems that there is...
24:34It just seems...
24:35Lavanya Balal, is there a little fault that you think that the Karnataka government should take in this?
24:41A little accountability.
24:42We have.
24:43We have taken responsibility, Preeti, and you are seeing us taking action.
24:46We have taken responsibility.
24:48We are not running away from any kind of responsibility.
24:51We are taking action.
24:52By sacking everybody else, but no action where the political class is concerned.
24:56I'll come back to you.
24:57Lavanya Balal, I'll come back to you.
24:58No, no.
24:59I want to bring in...
25:00Allow me to bring in the BJP counter...
25:01Your BJP counterpart.
25:03Pradeep Bhandari, you said you're going to answer on the questions on what happened in Goa.
25:07Let me give you another example.
25:09You just said that a judicial inquiry that has been ordered in this particular case will come down to nothing.
25:14Allow me to quote the judicial inquiry that was ordered during the Kumbh stampede by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath.
25:21That judicial inquiry which was ordered, so clearly if this will not come down to anything, even that shouldn't come down to anything.
25:27And you're right.
25:28Because Pradeep Bhandari, that hasn't come down to anything.
25:31That judicial inquiry is still going on.
25:34Kumbh has come.
25:35Kumbh has gone.
25:36We still don't know who's responsible.
25:37We still have zero accountability of what went down in Kumbh.
25:40Over to you, sir.
25:41On Goa, it was a temple stampede.
25:44The Chief Minister was not there celebrating.
25:47In Mahakum, around 1 o'clock is when we got to know about the stampede.
25:50Immediately the ambulances were rushed.
25:5250 ambulances were rushed.
25:53NSG was rushed.
25:54The Prime Minister called the Chief Minister thrice.
25:56The Chief Minister was not celebrating.
25:58Chief Minister halted everything and was on that.
26:00There is a difference in the intent on how we acted and the intent on how the Karnataka government is acting.
26:06The fake news spread here is, this is the tweet by the Bangalore city police, which was at 1.08pm.
26:13And this was deleted exactly two hours, in fact an hour after, because the RCB tweeted that the victory parade and the celebrations will go on.
26:22So this is an official tweet by the city police.
26:24Please tell me who presides over the policing.
26:28It is the Chief Minister, Home Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister.
26:32Are you telling me when the RCB won the event, everybody knew that there will be a victory parade and the celebration.
26:38When the police officially said that we cannot do it in 24 hours, despite that it happened, the Chief Minister was not aware what the arrangements was.
26:45And the Chief Minister went to an event where he was absolutely unaware how the arrangements was.
26:49The Deputy Chief Minister went to the airport felicitating and holding the cup, absolutely being aware on how it was.
26:55We have seen how Mr. DK Shivkumar was holding the flag and, you know, parading on the streets of Bengaluru.
27:00So was he blind not seeing how the crowds were swelling?
27:03And when the crowds were swelling, did it happen immediately?
27:05No, it did not happen immediately.
27:07The lie of the KSCA giving permission was also caught.
27:10KSCA have said that they have not given the permission.
27:12I have a very simple point.
27:13When the grandson of the Chief Minister goes there and clicks selfies, when you have the entire family of ministers going VVIP treatment given to Zameer Ahmed's son,
27:22why were common people not given adequate treatment along with that adequate facilities?
27:27And on the larger part of it, when the Chief Minister was aware that innocent people were dying, when the Deputy Chief Minister was aware that innocent people were dying,
27:34why did they not stop the celebration? They could have at least done two minutes of silence for them.
27:39That is where the culpability lies directly with the Chief Minister because he was more interested in gathering credit for certain votes rather than that.
27:45Sir, your time is over. Allow me before I am going to take in 30 seconds interjections by all. I will ask you two questions.
27:50Tell me one head that has rolled. One head post the Kumbh Stampede. One.
27:56Preeti, was the Chief Minister present there at the Kumbh Stampede?
28:00That means accountability should not be fixed?
28:02The accountability has to be fixed by the individuals who are responsible.
28:06Who is responsible? Because your probe is still going on. Till now we don't know who is responsible.
28:11We will find that out. There is a difference.
28:14One head that is rolled at the Goa Stampede.
28:17The Goa Stampede, you have the officials already been taken into account.
28:20They have not. They have not. They have not.
28:22No, they have the Chief Minister. I will tell you what.
28:24They have. They have been given a show cause notice, Pradeep Bhandari.
28:27Yes, after that the inquiry will happen. When six lives are gone.
28:30So show cause notice is the first step after that the inquiry will happen.
28:33And one head that is rolled after the Kumbh Stampede nun.
28:36So everything that you are saying today, you are raising great questions, Pradeep Bhandari.
28:41I respect your anger. I respect.
28:43But those questions are hollow because you haven't followed it in your own states.
28:47Please tell me a simple point. It was a pure political event.
28:50Kumbh was not a political event. The temple stampede was not a political event.
28:53The community has one head rolled, has more than 65 floor people reached there.
28:57There has been zero accountability. That has been fixed.
28:59Sir, it cannot. It doesn't work like that.
29:01I want to take in final comments, 30 seconds.
29:03I want to come across to Yashwarda Nazath.
29:05Use the time when I come to you.
29:07accountability that has been fixed. Sir, it cannot, it doesn't work like that. I want to take a final comment, 30 seconds. I want to come across to Yashavardhan Azad, use the time when I come to you. Yashavardhan, use the time when I come to you, sir. 30 seconds, Yashavardhan Azad, closing comment, sir, go ahead.
29:24My closing comment is that this is a complete breakdown of the system. I'm not interested in the political blame and things like that. What I'm going to say is that for such an important event, a police commissioner talks directly to the CM and that is how things are done.
29:40Our CBN cannot claim just because a letter didn't come that we had this main thing. I have handled this so many times in various places where these cricket officials are virtually sitting in your room or hanging around outside and asking you whether the permission has been given or not.
29:55And the Bangalore police commissioner had made it very, very clear that we cannot do it and we should have it on Sunday. Unfortunately, Siddharth Amaya, who's supposed to be a good administrator, fell for this trap.
30:06We haven't heard the home minister. And everyone was associated, the state government, which means that one of them should take the fall because the fault, a responsibility does lie with them.
30:19I agree, sir. And I will bring in Labanya Balal in all of this. Let me go back, Ms. Balal. I'd like to remind you and I'd like to point out on why every accusation that today you lay at the step of the BJP sound hollow.
30:30Because at the back of the kumbhs, I'll tell you why, ma'am. You can shake your head, but I'll tell you why.
30:35Because at the back of the kumbh tragedy, we had everyday spokespersons in our studio who wanted Yogi Aditya Nath to resign. Right?
30:44We had your spokespersons coming into the studio asking for the resignation of the chief minister.
30:49What happens now, Ms. Balal? It's got a tad bit uncomfortable, isn't it?
30:52Absolutely not, Preeti. We are not uncomfortable. We are here to take tough decisions and we are walking the talk.
30:59All of you might claim that the CM and the deputy CM went on with the program after the stampede started, which is contrary to the fact.
31:07The stampede started after the program at Vidana Sauda. And we have on record our deputy CM saying, Dayanand claimed that it was a very small incident that happened outside the stadium.
31:18So we have consistently been seeing.
31:20Ma'am, your time is up. 30 seconds. It's all too interesting. These are supposed to be the CM, the deputy CM.
31:28And what it seems like is you're throwing everybody else under the bus but yourself. But that's fine. Your government, you run it the way you want to.
31:3530 seconds, Pradeep Bhandari, make your point.
31:37It is extremely unfortunate that we cannot even spare 48 hours to speak just about Divyanshi and those innocent we've lost life.
31:44And we're speaking about others. It is fine.
31:46But I remember, Preeti, you running shows on Mahakum for, you know, till eternity. And here in 24 hours, we're speaking about Mahakum. That is fine.
31:54This is a pure political event where the CM was involved, the deputy CM was present. In Mahakum and in Goa's stampede, can you please tell me whether the CM was present at the spot, whether the CM in Goa was present at the spot?
32:05No, in both the cases, the CM was not present at the spot. This is an event which was directed by Sidhara Mahiyah, orchestrated by Sidhara Mahiyah, planned by Sidhara Mahiyah and DK Shivkumar.
32:15This is why the buck stops with them.
32:16Alright, I'm going to leave it at that. I'm going to let our viewers decide. You know, what an anchor feels in studios is very, very different. It's what the people should feel.
32:24Should the top boss in this take responsibility? One would think yes. Should the top boss in other states should have taken responsibility? One would feel yes. Because this one will think, because that one got away, so will I.
32:39One political jibe. And one massive political face-off. Congress now doubling down on the Narendra surrender jibe at the Prime Minister.
32:54A press conference by Congress stressing on the 11 times the President of America spoke of mediating the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, followed by Rahul Gandhi in Bihar hammering the same charge.
33:11All this on a day when the Prime Minister made his first visit to Jammu in Kashmir post the Pehalgaam attack, where the PM took on Pakistan's propaganda and Pakistan agenda.
33:27The battle between the BJP and the Congress raging on.
33:47The Lok Sabha LOP Rahul Gandhi was first to launch a sharp attack on Prime Minister Modi, alleging that the Prime Minister succumbed to US pressure for a ceasefire with Pakistan, following a call from President Trump.
34:03Adding to the criticism, the Congress posted a meme on X, mocking Prime Minister's interaction with Trump, accusing BJP of buckling under foreign pressure.
34:16The BJP then launched a scathing counter-attack with J.P. Nadea, BJP Party President, calling Rahul Gandhi's comments treason and grave insult to the armed forces.
34:28The BJP, the President, calling the President of the President of the United States.
34:58While the jury is out on whether Surrender Narender Jaib will track or backfire,
35:09the stage for the monsoon session in late July is already set.
35:15Top focus on To The Point this evening.
35:21So the big questions for our political face-off,
35:23will the Narender Surrender Jaib track or backfire for the Congress party?
35:27Has the Congress party completely got it wrong by hyphenating the Prime Minister of India with the word Surrender?
35:34Should the government now make a stronger statement on mediation charged by Trump?
35:40Let's take these questions to our panelists.
35:42Pradeep Bhandari, National Spokesperson, BJP continues to be with us.
35:45Advocate Arshadeep Khadial, National Spokesperson, Congress also there.
35:49I want to begin with Arshadeep Khadial.
35:51Arshadeep Khadial, questions are fine, charges are fine.
35:55But the minute you hyphenate the Prime Minister of India who represents each one of us in the country
36:00with the word Surrender at a time of an ongoing conflict with our neighbor,
36:05aren't you doing the biggest disservice to the country?
36:09See, I'd like to start by thanking Mr. Modi.
36:12It was his third visit in the last five years.
36:15So what if he should have gone there sooner?
36:18So what if he should have met the families of the grief, the families that have lost a person?
36:23So what if there's been a delay of one month?
36:25So what if he skipped the all-party meeting and went for a campaign to be done in Bihar?
36:30So what if he did not call for a special parliament session?
36:33So what if Mr. Modi surrendered to Donald Trump?
36:35So what if he did not rebut the ceasefire remark when Donald Trump said,
36:40I categorically told them, either you do a ceasefire, then there will be trade.
36:45If you do not do a ceasefire, then there will be no trade.
36:47So what if Mr. Modi in the last 11 years has not done a single press conference,
36:52but he should have done it now?
36:53So what?
36:53So what if the Bhatia Janta Party lied to the people of India on jets being downed?
36:59When the CDS told it categorically that jets have been downed,
37:02they don't lead a subramanian swami.
37:04Or the Bhatia Janta Party said, five jets have been downed and Pakistan use Chinese aircraft.
37:09So what?
37:10When the Bhatia Janta Party gave an advance advice to Pakistan where we are going to be striking
37:15and said, we have given a good advice to Pakistan.
37:18At the start of the operation, we told them we are going to be striking at the terror basis.
37:21So what if the Bhatia Janta Party has still not expelled Vijay Shah despite his remarks,
37:27obnoxious remarks against our very own army officer serving Colonel Qureshi,
37:32wherein he said she's a sister of terrorists?
37:35So what if they haven't expelled him from the cabinet?
37:37So what if they haven't expelled him from the party membership?
37:39So what?
37:40But Mr. Modi should have today spoken.
37:43He should have told the people of India as to why did US first announce ceasefire,
37:48then did we announce as to why US is mediating between Pakistan and India,
37:53as to why US is giving us dictates.
37:55We are having to follow it.
37:57And they are even submitting it in a federal court in Britain.
38:00And the Bhatia Janta Party ought to tell us about the visit that Mr. Modi back in the day made
38:05to Pakistan, where in he, at Kashmiri Chai, at Baryani, attended the granddaughter's wedding of Nawal Sharif,
38:12sat in the chopper of Mr. Sharif against all protocols.
38:16You also want to know, Talib Hussein Shah, Tariq Ahmed, Balram Singh, Dhruv Saktena.
38:20These were leaders of the Bhatia Janta Party.
38:22Your time is up, sir.
38:23Your trader is going to be down.
38:25But Arshdeep Khadiyar, when I circle back to you, so what?
38:27Because your own party personnel, Mr. Shashi Tharoor, in America,
38:31said that trade was never a mediation factor.
38:36So what, right?
38:37But coming back to you on that.
38:38I want to bring in Pradeep Bhandari, and I want to bring in Pradeep Bhandari,
38:41the latest charge that has come not from America, but from Russia.
38:46Because after the conversation between the President of America, Donald Trump, and Mr. Putin,
38:52it is an official statement by the Kremlin, which seems to state that it was indeed Donald Trump
38:58that mediated for ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
39:02So the larger question is, you can say that American can keep talking.
39:06Now our alleged friend, Russia, is also stating the same.
39:09Should India come out with a stronger statement against now what has been mediation
39:14of what the President of America has mentioned 12 times?
39:19Well, Preethi, before answering that, you know, it is extremely ironical that lectures
39:24are given by a party which is called as the Congress Party, which is the B-team of Pakistan,
39:29which has given POK to Pakistan and Aksai Chin to China.
39:33It is lectures that are coming from a party which did not do a single surgical strike after 26-11,
39:38and it is Dr. Manmohan Singh who is proudly saying that he is happy that he did not do a single surgical strike.
39:43It is extremely ironical that lectures are coming from a party that after 26-11,
39:48absolved Pakistan and was calling it RSS ki Sajish.
39:51It is extremely ironical that lectures are coming from a party which was called by Hafiz
39:55Saeed Turu Guftugu.
39:56It is extremely ironical that Rahul Gandhi's spokesperson is there,
40:00who is not once but multiple times being quoted by Khwaja Hasif and various other Pakistani leaders.
40:05It is extremely ironical that lectures are coming from a party which did goodwill gesture in 2010,
40:10where it freed 25 terrorists.
40:11It is extremely ironical that lectures are coming from a party that in 2006 wanted to give
40:16Siachen Glacier away from India to Pakistan.
40:18It is extremely ironical that lectures are coming from a party which did a secret MOU with China,
40:22the details we are not aware of.
40:24It is extremely ironical that lectures are coming from a party which was busy doing
40:27chori chori chhipke chhipke with the Chinese ambassador when India was thrashing Doklam
40:31and Rahul Gandhi said that China had thrashed Doklam.
40:33It is extremely ironical that the lectures are coming from a Congress party which was speaking
40:38about nuclear disarmament. It is extremely ironical that lectures are coming from a leader which was
40:43busy partying after 26.11 as per news report.
40:45It is extremely ironical that lectures today are coming from a party which in 2010 could not
40:50even have a provision where Indians could furl the national flag on Lal Chowk.
40:54It is extremely ironical that lectures are coming from a party where Indra Gandhi had signed the
40:58Shimla agreement by giving off all the land back to Pakistan and all the prisoners of war back to Pakistan.
41:04It is extremely ironical that lectures are coming from a party whose Rajiv Gandhi was speaking about
41:08nuclear disarmament.
41:09Well, a party which only believes in Pakistan, China and third country will never understand
41:13what the Indian stand is. Not once but multiple times India has said that there is no third country
41:17involved and Pakistan would have used a third country that is separate.
41:20But the reality is Pakistan called us and begged us.
41:23Alright, but it is also ironic with Pradeep Bhandari that it is also coming in, not just from America
41:27but Russia as well. But hold that thought. I want to cut across back two minutes each, final
41:31two minutes. Arshadeep Khadyal who completely avoided the question I asked you Mr. Khadyal and that was
41:38a very simple question. Why hyphenate? Because it is not Narendra Modi, it is the Prime Minister
41:43of India. And to hyphenate the Prime Minister of India with surrender at a time of an ongoing
41:47operation is the biggest disservice to our forces. You don't think that?
41:52See, number one, criticism of the Bhatniyanta Party is not the criticism of our forces, is not the
41:58criticism of our country. Let's have that clear number one. Number two. See, when the Bhatniyanta Party
42:02was speaking just now, it is extremely unfortunate that he was trying to, and the Bhatniyanta Party
42:08was trying to lower down the morale of our forces, was questioning our forces, was questioning our
42:13army when he was talking about the history. When he was talking about, you didn't do any surgical strikes.
42:18Six surgical strikes have been carried out, and when you say you did not do it, you are questioning our
42:24forces, you are putting a question mark on our forces, and you should be ashamed of it for trying to
42:28lower down the morale of our forces. Number two. Mr. Modi in eight days did nine rallies in six states.
42:34Eight days, nine rallies in six states did not once rebutt what Donald Trump said. And Donald Trump in 21 days has made 11 mentions. He is telling it to the world that he intervened. He was the big brother. He was the one who resorted, who basically had two countries resolve a matter. I want to ask it from the Bhatniyanta Party. Why did Mr. Modi not rebut this? What is the reason behind that? And number two. It is not
42:36is the reason behind that. And number two. It is extremely unfortunate when the
42:55I want to ask it from the Bhatria Jinta Party, why did Mr. Modi not rebut this?
43:01What is the reason behind that?
43:02And number two, it is extremely unfortunate when, you know, they say that we are doing a great job at diplomacy, but are failing at it.
43:11You see, with Pakistan, Russia has signed a billion dollar deal and Arab countries are signing deals with Pakistan,
43:17where, on the other hand, not a single country has come to support us on operations in Dood.
43:22No country has come out openly in our support.
43:25I want to ask the Bhatria Jinta Party, why are you failing us at our own diplomacy?
43:29And number two, when he was talking about Dr. Tharoor, I would like for him to apologize for Mr. Modi's remarks.
43:34What is his girlfriend? 50 crore.
43:36And second, when he was referring to Dr. Tharoor, he could read his paradoxical prime minister,
43:41wherein he has said that Bhatria Jinta Party used the surgical strikes as an election campaign tool.
43:47When the Bhatria Jinta Party used the Myanmar action that he carried out as an election tool.
43:52Okay, last two minutes.
43:53All right, sir, last two minutes to the BJP counterpart.
43:56But let me remind you, Taiwan, Japan and Israel have all spoken up for India, number one.
44:01Number two, I wasn't speaking of Dr. Tharoor in any context, but only one context,
44:05in which he spoke on American soil, where he said that trade was not a leverage for mediation.
44:12That's it.
44:12But two minutes, I want to go across to the BJP spokesperson.
44:15And the question I ask you the same.
44:16Why can't we come out with a stronger reply to the mediation claim?
44:20Because it's not just America echoing it.
44:22It's also Russia now.
44:24Well, first of all, there is a fake news which is spread by the Congress spokesperson.
44:28This is the DGMO which is saying that there was no surgical strike before 2014.
44:33So if Congress party can lie, they can lie enough.
44:36In fact, their tweet, their party which only spreads fake news.
44:39They should read the book of their foreign secretary.
44:42In fact, NSA Shivshankar Menon who said that the Congress party had a proposal to go as deep
44:47as the headquarter, but Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi did not want it.
44:52Now, let us come to the larger argument.
44:54Is it nationalists to ask about how how the number of our jahaz, no.
45:00No patriotic Indian will ask that question.
45:02Rahul Gandhi wants to ask that question.
45:04Is it nationalists to call our external affairs minister as Jhaichan?
45:07No patriotic Indian will believe that.
45:09It is only and only Rahul Gandhi who will say that statement.
45:13Now, let us come to the moot point.
45:15In a conflict which happens, have you seen anybody except Pakistan, China and to an extent
45:21Turkey and Azerbaijan, any country coming out against India?
45:25Majority of the country, whether it is the European Union which is issuing a statement
45:29in favor, this is the embassy of Russia which gave complete support to India for its actions
45:34against Pergaan.
45:35Now, let me come to the moot point.
45:37July 2019, recall Kreeti.
45:39There was a joint press conference by Mr. Donald Trump and Imran Khan.
45:42They spoke about a third party mediation in Jammu and Kashmir.
45:46In 15 days, we abrogated article 370.
45:49In diplomacy, you can give an official statement and we have rebutted this claim multiple times.
45:54So, our stand is very clear.
45:56Now, it is unfortunate that Congress party wants to believe in a stand of a third country.
46:01It is understandable because the Congress party is not a patriotic party.
46:04This is why it will pick up what Pakistan will say, its statements will be quoted by Pakistan.
46:09So, even if we give 100 statements, the Congress party will not believe in it.
46:13The truth of the matter is, India has hit Pakistan deep inside, 100 kilometers inside.
46:18And for the first time, India has gone not just across LOC or international border,
46:23but deep inside Pakistan and POK.
46:25Okay, all right, the time is up, but I just got a small correction there.
46:29Russia expressed solidarity at post the Pahalgam terror strike, not after Operation Sindhur.
46:35There were only three countries, which I just named.
46:37I just want to, nobody has come up against us other than the countries that you named.
46:41But, okay, I want to close the debate.
46:43That's all the time that we have for now.