- 7/4/2025
Families of victims of the Air India AI 171 crash claim they are being coerced to disclose financial details to determine payouts, while Air India denies these allegations and assures that all compensations will adhere to protocol.
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00:00Good evening, hello and welcome. You're with the news today. This is your primetime destination news, newsmakers, talking points.
00:07Friday night, our big talking point, the Air India AI-171 crash compensation controversy.
00:16An India Today exclusive. We'll tell you why families of some of the passengers are disturbed over the compensation they are being offered.
00:25Also, the Marathi language war in Mumbai has intensified. Among my guests tonight, author and columnist Shobhadeh will be joining me.
00:36But first, as always, it's time for the Nine Headlines at 9.
00:41The families of Air India-171 crash victims allege compensation coercion.
00:47Say they are being forced to declare their financial details to determine a payout.
00:52Air India denies the claim. Says all compensations will take place as per protocol.
01:02Pakistan, China, Turkey. Tango during Ops Sindhu revealed by Indian Army.
01:10China reportedly shared live data on India assets with Pakistan. Turkey provided the drones.
01:16Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Patnavis issues a stern warning.
01:22Says won't tolerate hooliganism in the name of language slams.
01:27MNS and Sena UBT reminds them they aren't the only Maharashtrians in Maharashtra.
01:32Congress' padman campaign in Bihar triggers controversy.
01:41Rahul Gandhi's picture used on sanitary pad packets.
01:44NDA claims anti-women mindset.
01:47Congress hits back. Says BJP only wants Modi's picture everywhere.
01:52They had put his photo on sindoor boxes after May 7th.
01:56Cloudbursts, flash floods, kill 43 in Himachal Pradesh, 37 still missing.
02:05Former Himachal Chief Minister Jairam Thakur slams.
02:07Mundi MP Gangana Ranaut accuses her of neglecting her constituency.
02:12Government does not speak on matters of religion claims.
02:19MEA over Dalai Lama's succession plan.
02:22Earlier India snubbed Beijing's statement on picking next Tibetan spiritual leader.
02:29Actor-turned politician Vijay is TVK's official chief minister candidate for Tamil Nadu election.
02:37Party to fight solo won't ally with the BJP.
02:42House of Representatives narrowly passes Donald Trump's sweeping tax and spending package.
02:54One big beautiful bill clears the Congress.
03:00Russia pounds Kiev with largest drone attack hours after a Trump-Putin call.
03:05Ukraine President Zelensky dials Trump.
03:12But our top focus is an India Today exclusive.
03:20The controversy surrounding the Ahmedabad air crash compensation.
03:26India Today has accessed Air India's compensation forms for families of victims.
03:30The forms ask about the victims' employment status and their financial dependency of family members on the deceased.
03:39The families are raising questions about the fairness of this practice, even claiming that they are being coerced to sign the forms.
03:47Air India has denied the charges, claiming all compensation will be done as per established procedure.
03:54In a moment we'll have more on that story, but first take a look at just why the compensation claims for Air India 171 are generating this controversy.
04:04A tragedy that claimed at least 270 lives.
04:15And one that continues to haunt their loved ones even now.
04:24Families of Ahmedabad plane crash victims have alleged that they were pressurized to make financial disclosures.
04:31India Today has accessed the questionnaires sent by Air India to families of the Ahmedabad plane crash victims.
04:41The questionnaires sought information such as, was the deceased passenger employed?
04:47What was their occupation?
04:49Families were also asked to provide employer details of the deceased, like phone number and address.
04:55It also sought details of how many family members were financially dependent on the deceased.
05:02The form also mentioned that the final amount of the compensation would be dependent on the information shared by the families.
05:10The questions that are being asked, they're not explaining what the terms mean.
05:16You know, these are legally charged terms.
05:18Things like dependency is a legally charged term.
05:20It doesn't just mean, was somebody paying you money at the time of their death?
05:24I would expect that that range could be from a few hundred thousand pounds up to several million, maybe five million pounds under English law.
05:32The controversy erupted after a UK-based law firm, which is representing over 40 families, alleged that the airline had been coercing families into submitting financial disclosures.
05:47Air India, meanwhile, has denied the charges.
05:50It called the charges unsubstantiated and inaccurate.
05:53The Tata-owned airline also said that it had already paid interim relief to 47 families and that there was support staff deployed to assist families.
06:06In an exclusive conversation with India today, Peter Neenan, the lawyer from London who is representing these families, has called these actions of Air India outrageous,
06:16saying that Air India is trying to create hurdles for the families to get their compensation.
06:21Air India remains defiant, but it remains to be seen what happens in the coming days, once lawsuits are filed by these family members seeking enhanced compensation from Air India and also possibly Boeing.
06:33In New Delhi, this is Nalini Sharma for India Today.
06:37So how should we view this entire Air India compensation tangle?
06:42Joining me now, Jitendra Bhargava is former executive director at Air India.
06:46I'm joined by Sanjay Higde, senior advocate at the Supreme Court, also Tushar Kumar is advocate Supreme Court.
06:53But first, I want to turn to Nalini Sharma, a legal airfare editor, who has broken that story.
06:59Nalini, what exactly have you learned from speaking to various people, including the British lawyers who are handling some of these cases?
07:09What is their principal argument?
07:10Well, Rajthi, what they are saying, and first of all, they've said that they're advising over 40 families who've been impacted by this air crash.
07:19And what they're saying is that a lot of these families have told them that they're feeling pressurized and threatened by Air India because they're being made to sign these financial forms.
07:29Even though they asked for time to consult their lawyers, they weren't sure about some of the terms they needed some time, but they were feeling pressurized by Air India, where Air India was going to the extent of threatening them and saying that if they don't submit the forms, then they are not going to get the advance compensation.
07:45Now, the reason why they're scared is because these forms specifically asked them to disclose how many family members were financially dependent on the deceased who lost his life or her life in the AI-171 crash.
07:57They've also specifically asked about the employment details of the deceased person, including what his occupation was and the contact details of the place where they were employed.
08:09So they were unsure about whether or not to share these details with Air India, essentially because when it comes to aviation claims, there is an unlimited liability on the airline,
08:20which means that anybody who was impacted by it can ask for as much compensation as they think that they deserve and there is no cap on it that only this much amount can be given,
08:31which is why a lot of these families are looking to file these lawsuits because they're seeking enhanced compensation.
08:38The compensation that's already under the law, they don't feel like that's enough.
08:41They want an enhanced compensation, which is why they are seeking to file these lawsuits, which is also why they are apprehensive of sharing these details with Air India
08:50because eventually it will be against Air India that they will be facing in a court of law.
08:55Very quickly, this is about advance payments. Am I correct for now?
08:58Correct.
08:59Advance payment, the total amount that Air India had officially promised was Rs. 1.80 crores. Am I correct?
09:06Yes, so under the Montreal Convention, Air India is already obligated to pay a certain amount, which is determined through special drawing rights,
09:14which is coming out to be a calculation of Rs. 1.8 crore per life lost.
09:18But out of this Rs. 25 lakhs, Air India has promised as advance payments and it's for these advance payments to be processed is why Air India is asking for these details to be disclosed.
09:28Okay, let me come to you, Jitendra Bhargav. You worked with Air India for several years.
09:33I remember calling you up today on the story and you said, look, I think you're making, this is a storm in a teacup.
09:39Air India will do exactly what the Montreal Convention says. They will follow protocol.
09:44You want to then explain, as Nalini says, these concerns being voiced by families, are you saying they are misplaced?
09:52Rajdi, we need to understand why is Air India wanting a written documentation of this thing?
09:58There can be multiple claimants for compensation. How are you going to resolve the issues later? They're going to get it.
10:05The moot point that this lawyer is trying to make or the victims are trying to make is that Air India is attempting to slash compensation by getting their employer details and how much money they're earning, etc., etc.
10:17Now, there can't be a more ridiculous argument than this.
10:20One, Air India is going to be compensating, as your correspondent very rightly said, as per international conventions.
10:29They are obliged to provide. They can't deny it. That if we don't fill a form, we will not do it.
10:34They will do it, but after following the procedures.
10:36What have Tata's done? Over and above the compensation that Air India is offering, they are giving one crore each.
10:46And forget this one crore. Also, they have set up a corpus fund of 500 crores to ensure that it's on a sustained basis that the families of victims can be assisted.
10:57Now, I find this whole kind of argument, you know, there's a thing in America called the ambulance chasers.
11:04Perhaps you're getting on to the similar scenario where the lawyers get on and say, look, if we get you a high payment, this is my cut for it, etc.
11:12There are rules and regulations. Air India cannot simply wish them away.
11:17Everybody is involved in it. The lawyers, the insurance companies and everyone would be there.
11:22And there are protocols. And we all know about it, that there will be people who will be chasing money.
11:27What happens eventually? If somewhere India pays off without due diligence, some other claimants come and say, look, I also need it.
11:34This was my relationship with the victim. I was dependent on that victim. This is etc.
11:39So why are we making such abuse? And the reason why, when I spoke to you earlier, was primarily this,
11:44that this kind of an argument does not warrant any kind of evidence to be given by media or anybody else.
11:52Okay, you're claiming the media shouldn't give credence to it. But let me just try and dissect what is being said.
11:59And Tushar Kumar, as an advocate at the Supreme Court, why don't you come in?
12:02How is the liability of the airline to pay compensation determined in the first instance in aviation disaster cases,
12:11especially because these have transnational impact?
12:13Number of the families protesting are those whose relatives are British nationals, for example.
12:18And I know that I just heard Jitendra Bhargav say these could be ambulance chaser lawyers.
12:25But is there a formula which is set? The fact that these forms are being distributed, is that something that is surprising?
12:34Thank you, Rajdeep. So I would agree with Mr. Bhargav that the panic currently is pretty premature.
12:40So the liability in particularly this Air India case is squarely governed by the Montreal Convention of 1999.
12:47Indian law recognizes it. It is mandatory as per 17 and 21.
12:53So Article 17 and 21 give mandatory compensation of 1 lakh SDR, which is the special drawing rights.
13:00So, you know, be it the fault of the airlines or not, 1 lakh is a mandatory amount, 1 lakh SDR.
13:07So 1 SDR is about 123.5 rupees as on the current, I just checked, as of the current rate.
13:15So as far as this mandatory payment is concerned, I don't think there is any reason for panic
13:20because that is mandated by an international convention and it is enforceable across the borders.
13:28It is not limited to, you know, India or UK.
13:31Now, where perhaps some lawyers…
13:32But the element of coercion, the element of coercion, is someone obliged to disclose all the details?
13:39They claim this is coercion.
13:40No, no, no, no, no, no, no. As per the, as per the convention, they're not, they're not obliged.
13:46But it's very important to know that whether the correct claimant, whether the correct person is coming ahead
13:52and claiming the compensation.
13:53So it is not wrong on Air India's part to maybe, you know, seek some, some minor proof, you know, of kinship
14:00or, you know, of, you know, some, some sort of, you know, relation to the deceased.
14:06So, you know, otherwise, yeah, yeah.
14:08I take your point, Sanjay Hegde, the fact that you have these lawyers now who are acting on behalf of families
14:16claiming that these financial disclosure agreements, signing them amount to coercion
14:24that they are worried that they will not get the kind of advance payments based on either signing the documents
14:31or not signing them.
14:32Do you believe that these are ambulance chasers putting pressure on Air India?
14:37Do you believe Air India needs to handle this with greater empathy?
14:42Well, I don't know about ambulance chasers, but ambulance chasers are normally American lawyers.
14:47They, these lawyers appear to be British.
14:50America has a system of contingency fees.
14:53British lawyers operate on a fee system.
14:56So they, they can't technically be ambulance chasers.
14:59Be that as it may, there is an important prior case.
15:05I heard Mr. Bhargav and my friend say that 100,000 SDR is a given.
15:11In the Mangalore air crash case, which involved Indian airlines there,
15:19the airline took a specific stand that 100,000 was not a given.
15:24You had to prove that your, that your income merited a compensation of 100,000.
15:32The Kerala High Court ruled against the aviation company.
15:37The matter is still pending in the Supreme Court.
15:38So there are various legal issues.
15:43And I think Air India is currently, should be more empathetic to avoid public perceptions
15:52and creating a controversy.
15:56Yes, you may have valid reasons to find it, to say that, look, we want the correct people
16:01to, to come forward and claim compensation.
16:04But you cannot threaten that if you do not sign, I, you will, you will get nothing.
16:11Because the, there have been instances also where lawyers have got waivers of all liability
16:19on the pretext that whatever is the interim compensation is the final compensation.
16:25So yes, if people want to look at the documents, want to consult their lawyers by all means.
16:31Okay, Jitendra Bhargava, you know, that word I use, empathy.
16:37Obviously, the tragedy of Ahmedabad, air crash, families were destroyed.
16:42More than 200 families lost their lives in, you know, lost their loved ones to more than 240.
16:52Is there a greater need to ensure public perception is that the big, bad airlines versus hapless victims?
16:59That's a perceptional problem that Air India surely will have to deal with.
17:04And as has been mentioned in the past, one instance was given here by Sanjay in the Mangalore air crash.
17:09There's a sense that it's an unequal battle.
17:11If I'm a victim, a family member of a victim, I cannot run pillar to post,
17:17hoping that my compensation is given at the right time in the, for the right amount.
17:22No, Rajdeep, let's put it this way.
17:25Under no circumstances can an airline deny compensation.
17:30Let's be very clear about it.
17:32Having said the credentials, you will get your compensation.
17:35What is due?
17:36What is due?
17:36I'm again repeating it here.
17:38You don't accept the coercion argument.
17:41You don't, you don't, you don't accept this argument of coercion.
17:44No, no, hold it.
17:45No, no way.
17:45No way.
17:46You can't force anybody to do anything.
17:48I'm asking a straightforward question here.
17:51Mr. A or Miss A goes to Air India office and say, I am related to the victim.
17:56Please give me the advance payment.
17:59Can anybody give it and later face the legal consequences of not having done proper due diligence?
18:05Now, there is a system that could, Air India is not kind of fly by night operator or something.
18:09They will follow the regulation.
18:10And as I said earlier, if the intent was to save money, not deny compensation,
18:16why would have Tata has offered one crore of rupees per victim and then create a corpus of 500 crores?
18:23And let me explain on the empathy part of it.
18:25There is no way that one can do away if these kind of farcical, privileged controversies have to be raised,
18:32which have no leg to stand.
18:34And I must also put it, while we were all busy when the accident took place and the DNA was being conducted,
18:40300 volunteers of Air India were assisting all victims' families, transportation, accommodation.
18:47One can always say, yes, they were expected to do this.
18:50Then taking them to the families, to the place of state, helping them with the cremation of the victims and everything.
18:57Now, nobody has highlighted.
18:58So Air India has been empathetic.
19:00If these kind of disputes are raised, I don't think anybody can resolve this issue.
19:05But the only thing is, have faith in it.
19:07Air India, under Tata's, have the requisite empathy.
19:11They've announced compensation.
19:12It will be paid in due time.
19:14Why is this undue haste?
19:16Jumping to conclusion, it could be a possible human error.
19:19Therefore, the compensation can be unlimited.
19:22Why are you jumping the gun?
19:23Let the investigation get over.
19:25Okay, point taken.
19:26I want to ask you, therefore, Tushar, do you see this progressing with potential lawsuits
19:31that could be filed in the UK or the US for enhanced compensation?
19:36Could that happen in a case like this?
19:39Absolutely.
19:39And why just in the UK and the US?
19:41You know, even Indian courts are competent.
19:43So, as far as the minimum threshold as mandated by 17 and 21 is concerned,
19:49if, you know, a particular family of a deceased thinks, you know, that is not enough,
19:54you know, the compensation is way beyond.
19:56They can definitely ask for higher compensation, but and only but if they can prove that the
20:01liability was of Air India.
20:04So, you know, right now, as Mr. Bhagav pointed out, the investigation is pending.
20:08We do not know whether it's Boeing or Air India or any other third party, right?
20:12So, I don't know if, I mean, if I have to file a lawsuit on behalf of a deceased,
20:19who do I, I mean, until the time I don't have conclusive evidence, you know,
20:23because of whose fault this happened.
20:26How can, you know, so 17 and 21 are giving base compensation, which is mandatory for
20:32everyone.
20:32And it's, it's, it's very nice that even the Tatars have announced, but anything beyond
20:37that, anything beyond that has to be conclusively linked to the fault of the airlines.
20:42So, 17 and 21 are very clear.
20:45Yeah.
20:45You know, particularly if it seemed to be a mechanical failure, if the report blames
20:49Boeing, you could have more lawsuits being filed, possibly class action as well.
20:53Sanjay Hegde, is there a possibility in a case like this?
20:55Well, obviously, and then the matter would probably travel to the US because suing Boeing for a, for
21:04possibly information that they had, ignoring whistleblower warnings and deliberate negligence,
21:13that would be a whole different ballgame.
21:15No, but you would have to prove that.
21:16You would have to prove that there was negligence on part of Boeing or there was a mechanical
21:20failure for which Boeing will be blamed.
21:22That would be, that would be a matter of evidence after the investigation report comes out.
21:28That is, that's a different ballgame.
21:30Right now, we are talking about the liability of the airline and to both people on the panel,
21:36I'm telling you that there is a precedent where this very airline or its predecessor has
21:42not paid up.
21:43It has not paid up the hundred thousand SDRs.
21:46It has made GULF returnees go from pillar to post and they're still waiting in the Supreme
21:54Court to get the hundred thousand.
21:56Let me, let me leave it there.
21:58I think at the end of the day, we will judge Air India by the actions it takes.
22:03Lawyers may well have their grievances, families may have their grievances, but we will judge
22:08Air India in the weeks and months ahead by the action it takes, by the action that Tata's
22:13takes in the hope that empathy above all else, given the horrific nature of this crash, will
22:19ensure that the families of the victims get what is due to them without having to run from
22:25pillar to post.
22:26I appreciate my guests joining me on my top talking point.
22:30I want to turn from there to my big political story today, which comes from Maharashtra,
22:35where a shocking video has now sparked political chaos.
22:38Maharashtra Navnirman Sena of Raj Thakre, their workers were caught a few days ago assaulting
22:44a shopkeeper in a Mumbai suburb for not speaking Marathi.
22:48Now ministers have jumped in, some defending what's happened, others questioning why is
22:55the MNS being allowed to get away.
22:57Six days have passed without arrest.
22:59The big story though, is the return of language vigilantism, which has haunted Mumbai in the
23:08past.
23:08Take a look at this report on language wars resurfacing in Mumbai.
23:14Through the week, a shocked nation has watched and re-watched these disturbing visuals of linguistic
23:29violence in Maharashtra, where MNS workers were caught on camera, assaulting an elderly
23:34shopkeeper simply because he didn't speak Marathi.
23:37The victim tried to explain that all languages are spoken in his store, but that only seemed
23:43to aggravate the assault.
23:47But what's more shocking than their hooliganism is the defence from the party high command.
23:52Instead of condemning the violence, MNS leader Avinash Jadav has come out to defend the accused,
24:12calling them youngsters who just got into a fight.
24:15He dismissed the outrage, claiming that BJP agents were behind the protests and not the
24:21trader community.
24:21That's it.
24:50No remorse, no apology.
24:52But MNS isn't the only party pushing for language supremacy.
25:16Shifsten Aymale Yogesh Kadam has openly asserted that those living in Maharashtra should speak
25:22in Marathi.
25:23He must say to him, he will not speak Marathi.
25:29Probably not, he does not catch parties향y.
25:29He doesn't speak you that they are informant from Marathi.
25:33Come can tell.
25:33Speaking to myself, let us say this.
25:35But that does not mean that we are in Mr. Frank in Marathi.
25:37We don't have to maintain any language law to company other languages and want us to
25:39surface countries in Marathi.
25:40But in Marathi, in Marathi can feel рад for retirement at the razones in Marathi.
25:41If that wasn't enough, Minister Niteshra
26:00hit back with a communal spin on the controversy.
26:30What do you want to say to them?
26:37But while politics rages on, the business community is furious,
26:41demanding strict action and accountability.
26:44They want the accused, who have been identified as Karan Kanangira and Akshay Salvi,
26:49to be put behind bars.
26:51But despite the video evidence, not a single arrest has been made.
26:55Even six days later, they accused Rome free, emboldened and unrepentant.
27:01Bureau Report, India Today.
27:03So, how should we see the resurfacing of language wars now?
27:11Joining me now is author, columnist Shobha Deh,
27:15who occasionally likes to call herself a Maharashtran Mulgi,
27:18or a woman from Maharashtra.
27:20Shobha Deh, let's cut the chase.
27:21Do you believe that Marathi should be made mandatory for anyone who lives in Mumbai?
27:27Or should Hindi be imposed in any manner,
27:31as the MNS and the Shiv Sena are claiming?
27:37Rajseep, let me give you a quick backgrounder to who I am.
27:40I am not an occasional Maharashtran Mulgi.
27:42I am Maharashtran to the core, born into a Maharashtran family,
27:46proud to be a Maharashtran and very proud of speaking and knowing Marathi.
27:51But to go back a little to what you just asked,
27:54I went to a school which was founded in 1870.
28:02Surrounded by Marathi-speaking people, but it was a Protestant school.
28:06We were taught by British teachers.
28:08And we had five languages, including Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, Sanskrit, French, and English, of course.
28:16There was no dispute at that time at all about language being a political issue.
28:22It has been made into a political issue by warring cousins who are on shaky ground.
28:28They want to be relevant.
28:29They have an important election to fight.
28:32Suddenly they've discovered their love for the language.
28:35And forget all that.
28:36Maybe they truly do love the language.
28:39You cannot indulge in philogonism in the name of Marathi Manu's pride or Marathi language pride.
28:47You cannot do language dadagiri.
28:49It's just not on.
28:51The person that they slapped, that young Jodhpur Suites, the salesperson there,
28:57and also what the owner said after that,
29:00is far more wise, far more relevant to a city like Mumbai,
29:04when they pointed out that language is not something that should be imposed on anybody,
29:11that you must be able to speak Marathi.
29:13That guy very wisely said that we speak in all languages.
29:17That is the spirit of our city.
29:19We do not believe in Marathi chauvinism.
29:22At least I don't.
29:22So what does it change was intrinsically wrong.
29:27Shobhadeh, I think most viewers would completely agree with you, violence unacceptable.
29:34But how does one respond to those who say that learning Marathi,
29:39you know, learning Marathi, speaking Marathi is important
29:43because Mumbai is at the end of the day a Maharashtrian city.
29:46Therefore, this is not Marathi linguistic chauvinism,
29:49as much as just pride in your language.
29:53Capital city of Maharashtra,
29:54why should those who migrate from different parts and come to Mumbai
29:58not learn the language of the city, I Marathi?
30:02I'm not saying that for a moment.
30:04Of course, they should learn Marathi.
30:06It should be something they learn with respect and pride
30:09and not something that is thrust upon them in an aggressive manner.
30:15My only point is against using violence to impose this kind of a rule.
30:21Because if you remember, Rajdeep,
30:24Article 19 of our constitution reminds us
30:27in terms of freedom of expression and speech
30:30that we can speak in any language we choose to speak as citizens of India.
30:34No political party can appropriate a language
30:38and say that speak in this language or else.
30:41By all means learn Hindi.
30:43By all means learn Gujarati, Marathi, learn Punjabi,
30:48learn whichever language you choose to.
30:50You'll only be the richer for it.
30:52But to use it as a political tool,
30:54that is intrinsically wrong.
30:57And I'm glad that there are enough
30:58same people across Mumbai and Maharashtra
31:01who are saying the same thing.
31:02But what would you say to those who say,
31:06you know, I hear Maharashtrians who say
31:08that we are being reduced to a minority in Mumbai.
31:11There are only now about 37-40%
31:13original Marathi-speaking people in Maharashtra.
31:17The waves of North Indian migrants are coming in,
31:19changing the demography of the city.
31:23We've heard the same argument in Bengaluru
31:25where similar instances have happened.
31:28Kannadiga is saying, if you come to Karnataka,
31:30you must have all your signage in Kannada.
31:32You must speak in Kannada.
31:34So it seems that there is this constant sense of grievance
31:37that a section of locals feel against the so-called outsiders.
31:42And that's what's really playing out.
31:43Do you agree with that,
31:45be it in the context of a Mumbai or a Bengaluru,
31:48locals versus outsiders?
31:50You know, if it's happening in Karnataka,
31:53if it's happening in Maharashtra, it doesn't make it right.
31:56People who are agitating in this manner,
31:59I'm talking about outsiders and insiders,
32:02they're talking in a very narrow-minded way.
32:04Let's be far more progressive about it.
32:06I mean, we've faced this in Maharashtra and in Mumbai.
32:09I have gone through it, lived through it myself.
32:12When you remember when South Indians were targeted.
32:14And in any case, the signage across Maharashtra and Mumbai
32:18is in Marathi and in English.
32:21The script is the same, whether it's Marathi or Hindi,
32:23it's Devanagari.
32:24So what are we actually saying?
32:26That every single person you meet on the street
32:28should be fluent in Marathi?
32:30And if that person is not fluent,
32:33you're asking to be slapped?
32:34I mean, what kind of politics is that?
32:38All I'm saying is,
32:39if you're so concerned about education,
32:41make the quality of education across Mumbai
32:44and across Maharashtra,
32:46something that we can all be proud of.
32:48Focus on progressive,
32:50whatever policies you want to follow,
32:52no one's going to challenge those.
32:54But to use something suddenly to discover that,
32:57oh, we are under threat,
32:5837% only of Marathi-speaking people.
33:02We should ask ourselves why that has happened.
33:05Mumbai has always been a cauldron
33:07and also in many ways a melting pot.
33:11of people from across,
33:13through centuries came from all over India
33:15and made Mumbai what it is,
33:16the vibrant capital of,
33:18financial capital of India,
33:20in many ways the multicultural capital of India
33:24with a life and identity of its own.
33:27This simply will not work.
33:29Mumbai is what it is
33:30because of all the people who've come
33:32and contributed to Mumbai's richness.
33:35So to slap someone who is not in a position
33:38to retaliate is nothing but cowardly.
33:40And like I said,
33:42it is a cognizable offence.
33:44They're out on bail bonds,
33:45we're told.
33:46But actually any other person,
33:48if not belonging to a political party,
33:50would have faced arrest.
33:53Why should it not be any different
33:55for seven people or four people
33:57who belong to a particular,
33:59almost marginalized political party
34:02in our city and state?
34:04You know, I couldn't agree with you more.
34:06I'm also going to ask my producer
34:08to stop showing those pictures
34:09of that man getting slapped.
34:11I think that's gratuitous violence,
34:12unacceptable.
34:13But what I find interesting here
34:15is the Hindi factor in Mumbai.
34:18I mean, here is the city,
34:19Mumbai, which is the,
34:21identified with Hindi film industry
34:23or Bollywood.
34:24You've tracked Bollywood for years.
34:26Everyone wants to identify
34:27with Hindi film stars
34:28and their celebrities.
34:30Suddenly, where does the antipathy
34:32against Hindi come from?
34:34Is that what surprises you?
34:35You mentioned all those years ago,
34:37South Indians being bashed up
34:38for not learning Marathi.
34:40There was an element
34:41of job competition there.
34:43Now Hindi speakers being targeted.
34:45Do you see that as pure politics?
34:48Because this was seen as the city
34:50that encouraged Hindi film, cinema
34:54and indeed Hindi spoken
34:55as the street language of Mumbai.
34:58Well, I don't think it has anything
35:00to do essentially Rajdeep
35:01with Bollywood or Hindi speaking
35:04or the Bambaya Hindi
35:06that I so admire and use myself.
35:09It has everything to do
35:11with a certain threat posed
35:12by political parties
35:14who are equating Hindutva with Hindi.
35:16I mean, Raj Thapre's statement
35:18about I'm Hindu,
35:20but I'm not Hindi.
35:21It sounds very dramatic
35:23and wonderful,
35:24but does Hinduism come
35:25with a specific language?
35:29It does not.
35:30Hinduism belongs to whoever feels
35:32like a Hindu wants to identify
35:34as a Hindu.
35:35And in every single language
35:37across the world,
35:37even if you call yourself a Hindu
35:39and you believe you're a Hindu
35:40in French, it's equally valid.
35:43Some time ago,
35:43they tried imposing Marathi cinema
35:46at peak times
35:47at all the multiplexes,
35:50it backfired.
35:51So it's not something
35:52that is this new,
35:55sudden discovery of love
35:56for just Marathi
35:57and down with Hindi
35:58has everything to do
36:00with politics
36:00and nothing to do with,
36:02you know,
36:02the pride in Marathi.
36:05You know,
36:05if you're proud of Marathi,
36:07make sure that you enrich
36:08the awareness of Marathi
36:10in the right possible way,
36:11a hundred-year-old lady
36:13has shown us exactly that.
36:15Her name is Yasmin Sheik.
36:17She's a Marathi grammarian.
36:18The absolute authority
36:20on Marathi,
36:21how it should be spoken,
36:23the richness of Marathi.
36:24She said only recently
36:26that language
36:27does not recognize religion.
36:29She's proud to be
36:30a Marathi grammarian
36:31based out of Pune.
36:32Why don't you use her
36:33to make sure that Marathi
36:35deserves the kind of place
36:36that you wanted to,
36:38in schools and colleges
36:39and spoken Marathi
36:41is widely,
36:42in the best possible sense,
36:44shared with the people
36:45of the city
36:47and the state,
36:48not by indulging
36:50in a phooliganism.
36:51I'm completely opposed
36:52to that,
36:53Kanan Dadagiri,
36:54no matter where it comes from
36:55and who tries to justify it.
36:58You know,
36:58just one final question.
36:59What you're saying,
37:00therefore,
37:00is all of this
37:01has less to do
37:02with the demographic changes
37:03in Mumbai.
37:04The fact that so many
37:05North Indian migrants
37:06have been coming in,
37:08it's actually purely
37:09to do with politics,
37:10trying to find ways
37:11to capture political power
37:12by the Senas,
37:14especially ahead
37:14of the crucial
37:15BMC elections next year.
37:17It's all politics
37:18at the end of the day.
37:21Absolutely.
37:22It's exactly that.
37:23And the threat
37:24right now
37:25that the cousins
37:26are facing,
37:27we're seeing that
37:28how the BJP performed
37:31and possibly
37:32trying to preempt
37:35something
37:36that they fear
37:37in the elections
37:38which are tomorrow.
37:40But the Mumbaikar
37:41and the people
37:42of Maharashtra
37:42know better
37:44than to be divided
37:46on this
37:46flimsy basis alone.
37:49If they have
37:50something concrete
37:51to offer the cousins
37:52which will benefit
37:54the people
37:54of Mumbai
37:55and of Maharashtra,
37:56by all means,
37:57put that forward.
37:58But don't use language
38:00as to beat up
38:02everybody else
38:02because that's
38:03not going to work.
38:04The city is made
38:05what it is,
38:08so rich
38:09and so amazing
38:10for the rest of India
38:11because of the people
38:13who've come,
38:14the outsiders,
38:14the so-called outsiders
38:16and the migrants.
38:17Who does the work
38:18on all our building sites?
38:19Is it the Maharashtra boys
38:21or women?
38:22No.
38:23It's migrants
38:24from across India.
38:25Why are they here?
38:26Because they're getting
38:27that opportunity
38:28to work here.
38:29Are we stopping
38:29Maharashtra from going
38:30to other states
38:31and saying,
38:31no, no,
38:32you must not travel
38:33for work opportunities
38:34anywhere else?
38:35No.
38:36In a country like India,
38:39there's three
38:39people.
38:40You go where the jobs are.
38:42If they're coming
38:43to Mumbai
38:43because we're providing
38:45them an opportunity
38:46to better their lives,
38:47embrace them,
38:48welcome them
38:49and by all means,
38:51let them learn Marathi.
38:52It's a beautiful language.
38:54Couldn't agree with you
38:55more Shobhadeh on that.
38:56Thank you very much
38:57for joining us.
38:58I know in the past
38:59for your strong comments,
39:01the Shiv Sena
39:01has targeted you.
39:03So stay safe
39:04and thank you very much.
39:07Shobhadeh,
39:08speaking out there
39:09on language wars,
39:11hooliganism,
39:12completely unacceptable
39:14is the message
39:16loud and clear.
39:18The two Thakres,
39:19in fact,
39:19are coming together
39:20for a rally tomorrow
39:21in Mumbai.
39:22Let's turn from there
39:23to our ground report today.
39:24The Kavar Yatra
39:26is a journey,
39:27Kavar Yatra
39:28is a journey of devotion
39:29and deep-rooted faith.
39:31However,
39:31lately,
39:32the Kavar Yatra
39:33has become controversial
39:34and now is coming
39:35under the shadow
39:36of rising communal tensions
39:37in Uttar Pradesh
39:38from nameplates
39:40on eateries,
39:41identity checks
39:41to the selective targeting
39:43of roadside vendors
39:44based on their religion.
39:46What is this Kavar Yatra
39:48then all about?
39:49Has this become
39:50about division
39:50or is it not really
39:52about devotion?
39:53Take a look
39:54at this report
39:55from Ashutosh.
39:58The Kavar Yatra,
40:00an annual pilgrimage
40:01to Haridwar
40:02by Lord Shiva's devotees
40:03is mired in controversy.
40:06While the Yatra
40:07is set to start
40:07after more than a week,
40:08it has already
40:09hit headlines
40:10with allegations
40:11of identity checks,
40:13segregation
40:13and intolerance.
40:16A controversy
40:17erupted in Uttar Pradesh
40:19after a Muslim man
40:20named Tajamul
40:21was discovered
40:23working at a dhaba
40:24in Muzaffarnagar
40:25using the name Gopal.
40:28Tajamul claims
40:28the dhaba owner
40:29had advised him
40:30to take a Hindu name
40:31for protection
40:32from possible backlash.
40:34After protest,
40:49the dhaba
40:49was shut down.
40:52Now a campaign
40:53by Hindu group
40:53is underway
40:54to verify names,
40:56religions
40:56and identities
40:57of people
40:58working at shops
40:59and dhabas
41:00along the
41:00Kavar Yatra route.
41:02hotel
41:03dhabay
41:04chai
41:04ki
41:04dhabay
41:05ki
41:05dhabay
41:05ki dhabay
41:06jus ki dhaban
41:06hai
41:06maha
41:07par
41:07bhagwan
41:08warah
41:08ka chitr
41:09lagana
41:10aur
41:10bhagwa
41:11jhanda
41:12lagana
41:12yye
41:13hama
41:13ra
41:13vishe
41:14hai
41:14yadhi
41:14yadhi
41:14hama
41:15kai
41:15dhokay
41:15se
41:15chalé
41:16gay
41:16bhai
41:16yadhi
41:16shiv
41:17dhababa
41:18hai
41:18ganesh
41:19dhababa
41:19hai
41:20ram
41:20shiri
41:20kirsan
41:21dhababa
41:21hai
41:21yadhi
41:22yadhi
41:22yadhi
41:22yadhi
41:22chalé
41:22in muzaffarnagar
41:42people claiming to be shivsena workers
41:44took to streets
41:45and began scanning
41:47UPI apps of dhababa owners
41:49to confirm
41:50which religion
41:51they belong to
41:52the
42:14you
42:17елен
42:17yadhi
42:20As preparations pick up pace, Dhabha owners on the Delhi Haridwar route are repainting their shops, putting up rate cards, saffron flags and even their own photos declaring their identities.
42:36While some Kavadiyas say they prefer eating only at Hindu-owned shops that serve only Sattvic food, others say fate is very personal. As long as the food is good and vegetarian, the religion of the cook should not matter.
43:06On the ground, pressure is mounting. Muslim shopkeepers are preparing to shut down during the yatra. Year after year, they receive unofficial instructions to close or cover their signs.
43:26What follows is quiet compliance in the face of growing fear.
43:30What I'm being told by these workers, that administrative officials, the police, food and safety departments, often taking stock of the situation, taking visit, checking their supplies, ensuring hygiene for the pilgrims, but more importantly, also questioning the identities, the people, the workers who are working here, their identities are being checked.
43:53Is the Kavadiyatra being used to tear the social fabric of India?
43:56The Kavadiyatra, once a spiritual journey, is now becoming a reflection of the polarization in society.
44:06With Ashitosh, Miro Report, India Today.
44:13In my humble opinion, devotion should have no place, repeat, no place for division.
44:19Okay, let's turn from there to our top international story, the big, beautiful bill, as Donald Trump calls it.
44:27Well, the U.S. President signs it into law on 4th of July, America's Independence Day, that's today morning.
44:35The 900-page bill extends tax cuts, slashes welfare funds, and will raise fiscal deficit over the coming years, and many believe will be used by the Trump administration to act even more strongly against immigration.
44:49That Donald Trump managed to push through the bill, despite the divide within the Republicans, means he's in his most powerful face as a president.
44:57But what does this bill really mean for Americans, and dare I say, even those in India, who want to immigrate to America?
45:04Take a look.
45:05On this vote, the yeas are 218, the nays are 214.
45:10The motion is adopted.
45:11Press on for the American way of life.
45:16Press on for democracy.
45:18We're going to press on.
45:20Marathon debate sessions, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' record-breaking decision to filibuster and divide among Republicans,
45:29all this together could not thwart Donald Trump's mega, one, big, beautiful bill to come into force.
45:35In a matter of hours, the U.S. president will sign the bill into a law on 4th of July, the American Independence Day.
45:46There could be no better birthday present for America than the phenomenal victory we achieved just hours ago when Congress passed the one big, beautiful bill to make America great again.
45:59The yeas are 50.
46:00The nays are 50.
46:01After being narrowly approved by the Senate in a 50-50 vote that requires Vice President J.D. Vance to break a tie,
46:09the bill was approved by the House of Representatives in a 218 to 214 vote.
46:16In every aspect of our country, we're doing well, despite the fact that we inherited millions of people that shouldn't have been here.
46:23And I think we have crime stats that are coming out that are showing the lowest numbers we've had in many years.
46:29And that also, despite the fact that a lot of people are here that shouldn't have been let into our country.
46:35So they're going to be very proud tomorrow.
46:37So we're signing at about 5 o'clock.
46:40And at about 5 o'clock, we're going to have B-2s and F-22s and F-35s flying right over the White House.
46:47And the Speaker and I and John Thune, we're all there together with most, I think, most Republican senators in Congress, men and women.
46:56And it's going to be a great day.
46:57So we'll be signing with those beautiful planes flying right over our heads.
47:03The bill is an extension of Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
47:08With this bill becoming a law, spending on border security, defense and energy production will increase.
47:14Due to all this, there will be significant cuts to health care and nutrition programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.
47:24According to the Congressional Budget Office, the bill will add $3.4 trillion to federal deficits over the next 10 years, leaving millions without health insurance.
47:34Certain provisions have been removed from the bill, like the one which would have ordered the sale of public lands and another which would have paused state regulations on AI.
47:45President Trump is going to sign the bill into a law at a ceremony on July 4th.
47:50He has announced the signing ceremony on his Truth Social Handle.
47:54With Mahashweta Lala, Bureau Report, India Today.
47:57To get real India.
48:01When the system fails in this country, people sometimes rise.
48:06In Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district, that's what's happened.
48:09The residents of Kripalpur village went on to build a makeshift wooden bridge after multiple requests for a proper bridge to the authorities fell on deaf ears.
48:20Now, the district administration has been shamed into action and is promising the villagers to build a bridge after the monsoon.
48:29Take a look at Get Real India.
48:31With no solution in sight for a decades-old demand, the villagers of Kripalpur in Fatehpur district decided enough was enough.
48:55Repeated pleas for a small bridge over a seasonal river went unheard.
48:59So the villagers picked up wood and rope and started building one themselves.
49:07Frustrated by years of neglect, this makeshift wooden bridge was their only shot at ending daily connectivity woes.
49:29But the authorities didn't take kindly to the villagers' initiative and ordered them to dismantle the structure and instead offered a boat to ferry people across.
49:46Now, after the story grabbed attention, officials have assured the villagers that a permanent bridge will be built, but only after the monsoon.
50:15I have promised to the village that I have sufficient now that you will provide 2, 3, 4 or 4, but if you are living, we will not be able to release you.
50:28For decades, children have had to wade through water just to reach school.
50:30Letters to elected representatives went unanswered.
50:31For decades, children have had to wade through water just to reach school.
50:36Letters to elected representatives went unanswered.
50:41With Samaj Srivastava in Fatehpur, Bureau Report, India Today.
50:46Only in India, the kind of stories that you only get here on Prime Time on India Today.
50:58Let me leave you this Friday night ahead of the weekend with these images from Trinidad and Tobago where Prime Minister Modi's got another national award, the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
51:23Will the day come one day though when the PM can actually get the really big one, the Nobel?
51:29Till then, it's Trinidad and Tobago, an island with whom India has a long and cherished connect.
51:36Including, of course, cricket and also, of course, a Ram temple.
51:41A replica which the Prime Minister gave soon after getting that award to his counterpart in Trinidad.
51:48Port of Spain is our image of the day.
51:51Of the day.
51:52Thanks for watching.
51:53Stay well.
51:54Stay safe.
51:55Good night.
51:56Shubratri Jain.
51:57Namaskar.
51:58Have a good weekend.