- 7/9/2025
This episode of To The Point focusses on the Supreme Court's upcoming hearing on the challenge against the Election Commission's special intensive revision of the voter list in poll-bound Bihar.
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00:00Welcome, you're watching To The Point. I'm Preeti Chaudhuri.
00:03The spotlight on Thursday, where the Supreme Court will hear the challenge against the Election Commission's special intensive revision of the voter list in pole-bound Bihar.
00:15That is going to happen tomorrow, but the politics already peaking.
00:19Today, there was a march that was taken out by the Mahagat Bandhan, the likes of Tejasvi, Yadav, the likes of Rahul Gandhi, all coming together, marching with the copy of the Constitution to the Election Commission's office in Patna.
00:34Heavy drama.
00:35A show of strength by the Mahagat Bandhan in Bihar as elections loom.
00:50The opposition party staged protests across the state on Wednesday against the ongoing voter list revision by the Election Commission of India.
00:58At some places, the protests turned violent as RJD and Congress supporters blocked roads and disrupted train services.
01:09Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and RJD's Tejasvi Yadav led a march in Patna from the income tax roundabout to the EC office.
01:21Rahul Gandhi sharply criticized the EC, accusing it of acting under the BJP's influence.
01:28The R.J.
01:58has already alleged, the voter list revision process is anti-people.
02:04The election commission is now becoming a political party.
02:11The two people will do, who will vote for the Bihar voters, who will not vote for the election.
02:16In retaliation, the BJP accused the opposition of protecting infiltrators.
02:21The EC began the voter list revision in Bihar on the 25th of June.
02:39The poll body claims, the objective of the special intensive revision is purification of the electoral rolls.
02:48It is issuing daily updates and rebuttals to opposition charges.
02:52But the armadmi on the ground is worried they might lose out if unable to provide documents at short notice.
03:01Bureau Report, India Today.
03:02All right, joining me for more is Dr. Saeed Zafar Islam, National Spokesperson Bharatiya Janata Party, Rajeev Ranjan, Spokesperson JDU,
03:12Mritun Jay Tiwari, Spokesperson RJD, Sujata Paul, Spokesperson Congress, Amitabh Tiwari, Political Strategist.
03:18Before I cut across to our political panelists, I want to bring in Mr. Amitabh Tiwari for a larger perspective on what we are witnessing.
03:25Amitabh Tiwari, tomorrow is D-Day in court where various petitions are going to be heard on the roll revision where Bihar or even West Bengal is concerned.
03:35But the larger question, Amitabh Tiwari, is the opposition understands that it is an emotive issue
03:41because somewhere down the line it connects to, you know, the kind of, you know, the protest or the emotions we'd seen come up during the NRC controversy.
03:52All of that now surmounting the opposition trying to leverage it by a march to the EC today in Patna.
04:00Yeah, essentially the objectives of the opposition are manifold here.
04:04One is clearly that it wishes to put pressure on the ECI going into the hearings tomorrow in the Supreme Court, correct?
04:13Because the demand is that this SIR should be put off and if at all any SIR has to be held,
04:20it should be held on a national level and not only in Bihar to weed out the illegal citizens from the voter list.
04:27Second is clearly that this activity also charges up the CADR before any crucial election.
04:33The third is that the Mahagarbandan wants to show solidarity with its core support base of poors, Dalits, backwards minorities
04:42who allegedly fear that their names could be struck down from the rules because of this SIR exercise.
04:52And the fourth, of course, is that there have been a lot of issues and news regarding problems within the Mahagarbandan.
05:00So this gives an opportunity to the leaders of the Mahagarbandan to put up a united front before the voters of Bihar ahead of the crucial elections in Bihar.
05:11This is an emotive issue.
05:13We will have to see how the Supreme Court tomorrow listens to the various respondents and gives an order on this issue
05:22because this is eagerly awaited by the voters of Bihar.
05:25You know, fair point.
05:26You underlined a multitude of issues on how the Mahagarbandan is trying to capitalize on it and also, you know,
05:33get a bit of wind right before elections which are three months away.
05:36But Sujata Paul, the larger question that the BJP is asking, and it's a credible question,
05:41tomorrow the top court of the country is going to hear the petitions where it comes down to the special intensive revision
05:46of voter rolls in Bihar.
05:50Why the march today?
05:53Do you not have faith in the courts?
05:56It's not about faith in the courts.
05:59Why would we put in petitions in the court if we didn't have faith in the courts?
06:02But it is the people of the nation who are the main stakeholders of this democracy.
06:08They own this democracy.
06:10We say janta janardhan hai.
06:12And that is why we have gone to the people because people are also concerned about their votes.
06:17Out of eight crore voters, if almost three crore voters are going to be disenfranchised
06:22and these are going to be people from the marginalized society, the Dalits, the backward communities,
06:28the SCs, the ASTs, the OBCs, it is our duty to stand with them and take the fight onto the streets.
06:36And that is why we are doing it.
06:38Very important to understand that the BLO posts have not been filled
06:42and the election commission is saying that the BLOs are going to be giving in names to the ERO
06:49who will then decide.
06:50And look at the mockery of the ECI here when they say that the ERO is not going to be the final authority
06:59after he decides you can appeal.
07:01There are two levels of appeals.
07:03In 25 days, do you think this is going to be possible?
07:06In northern Bihar, there are floods.
07:08How are people going to be reached by these people?
07:13Of course, the EC is on the back foot.
07:15They are now saying that the 11 documents are not really required.
07:19But why did they not connect the voter list to the ration card, voter card, and the Aadhaar card?
07:26Everywhere you want people to be standing in line, this is not acceptable anymore.
07:30All right, fair point.
07:33Dr. Islam, to bring you in on this conversation, the fact is it's a highly emotive issue.
07:37We've seen on ground as well with our multiple reporters.
07:40It's a mammoth task, especially for the youth, because most of them only have as identity and Aadhaar.
07:46While the top court is going to hear the petitions tomorrow, the larger question prevails.
07:52And number one, it prevails from the fact that you are holding this mammoth revision exercise just three months away from an election during the monsoon season.
08:03Where is the chance of redressal?
08:05Something that has been echoed not just by political parties, but by former ECs and other administrative staff,
08:12which they understand the process of redressal is long drawn.
08:15So, if somebody is struck out of the list on the basis of not providing enough documents, he doesn't have a chance of redressal.
08:23The vote is over.
08:29First of all, let me correct you, because you said that you are spearheading this exercise.
08:36It is not us. It is not the political party.
08:38No, I'm not saying you are spearheading this exercise, but you are supporting the exercise.
08:41No, let me just come back to you, that I heard you.
08:48All I'm trying to tell you that it is the election commission, which is an independent body.
08:53They are conducting this exercise.
08:55They know exactly their job.
08:56They know they are very confident.
08:57And there is a consensus among all the voters across India, except the political parties who are being supported by illegal voters,
09:10that illegal voters should be thrown out.
09:13There should not be a single illegal voters voting for any candidate.
09:16Irrespective of whether they voted for BJP earlier or whether they voted for any other political party,
09:22we are absolutely clear that illegal voters should not be voting for any political party, be it any party.
09:29I'm not saying that illegal voters, if it is supposed to be, because we have won the election.
09:33Recently, we had won the election.
09:34But if there is some merit and if this exercise is being undertaken, then I'm sure that there is a possibility that there are some people who are illegal and this needs to be verified.
09:53Their credentials, their identity needs to be verified.
09:56And of course, once it is verified, if they are eligible voters, then they must vote.
10:01Dr. Islam, you are not understanding the question.
10:03Nobody is questioning.
10:05But Dr. Islam, one second.
10:07Before I bring in our other two spokespersons, I want to ask you this question again.
10:10Nobody is questioning today the legality of this exercise or why it's being conducted.
10:16Nobody wants illegal voters.
10:18But having said that, if somebody is left on the basis of not being able to provide enough documents in time,
10:26there is something called redressal in this country, which is mandated by the election commission as well.
10:31Is three months time enough for that redressal to take place?
10:35Many fear not.
10:40See, this fear is unfounded because first list will be available on 1st of August.
10:46There will be enough time.
10:48And election commission is a dynamic process.
10:52If there is something which needs to be done, election commission will do it.
10:55Because at the end of the day, election commission's intention is that all the bona fide voters should be voting.
11:03And they should exercise their franchise.
11:06But this kind of fear is being unnecessarily spread by opposition parties.
11:12Because there are parties, particularly I'm talking about RJD, they bank on illegal voters.
11:19And that's why they are overly concerned.
11:21Because otherwise there should not be any concern.
11:23Because XFIs is being undertaken by the election commission.
11:26One last thing, they have, they have, last thing, last thing.
11:33So all I'm trying to tell you that, that BLA, they have to appoint BLA.
11:38Their BLA will ensure that every single eligible voters are being acknowledged and their name are in the role of the list of the eligible voters.
11:48Ritun Jai Tivari, Dr. Islam, are you just saying that you are just like parties, which are the vote bank illegal?
11:54Ritun Jai Tivari, Dr. Islam, are you just saying that you are just like parties, which are the vote bank illegal?
12:01I'm sure that you are just asking, isn't it?
12:31Thank you very much.
13:01Thank you very much.
13:31Thank you very much.
14:01Thank you very much.
14:31Thank you very much.
17:29I'll bring him back into this conversation once again.
17:32Amitabh Tiwari, the fact is...
17:33Sir, I'll be right back.
17:36I'll be right back.
17:37One minute, DJ.
17:38Let's go to everyone.
17:38Then I'll be right back.
17:40Amitabh Tiwari, the fact is,
17:42the Mahagat Bandhan in Bihar,
17:44till now fragmented,
17:45has found a new rallying cause.
17:47Let's just hark back visuals
17:49that came in just about an hour and a half ago.
17:52You had Rahul Gandhi,
17:53who was leading this march
17:54to the EC office in Patna
17:56with a constitution copy in hand.
17:58Somewhere down the line,
17:59that visual had got a tad bit jaded.
18:01Because election after election,
18:03it wasn't quite working.
18:05The emotive angle of all of this
18:07has given an impetus to that.
18:09Would you reckon that's correct?
18:11Yeah, of course.
18:12It has become a rallying point
18:14for the Mahagat Bandhan.
18:17And surprisingly, earlier,
18:20we used to see that Tejasvi Yadav
18:22was the only face of the Mahagat Bandhan in Bihar.
18:25And now we see Tejasvi
18:27as well as Dipankar Vattacharya
18:29from the Communist Party,
18:32the Congress Party's new state president,
18:35D. Raja, etc.
18:36So it shows that
18:38Mahagat Bandhan also has a combined leadership,
18:41which it was lacking earlier.
18:42If you see in surveys,
18:44Tejasvi is leading in the CM ratings.
18:47But according to some surveys
18:49who are giving vote share projections,
18:53the NDA is ahead.
18:54It is primarily because of the fact
18:56that the NDA has a bigger bouquet,
18:58let's say, of leaders
19:00like Nitish, Chirak, Paswan,
19:02Samrat, Chaudhary,
19:03Mahanji,
19:04who cater to different sects
19:05and voting blocs
19:07and are adding those voting blocs.
19:09So that's one point
19:09which this controversy
19:12has helped the Mahagat Bandhan to unite.
19:14Now, the second point is that
19:16whenever such an issue is raised,
19:20it is fought in two courts.
19:22One is the Supreme Court,
19:23of course, the judiciary,
19:25and the other is the public court.
19:27And Rahul Gandhi has had this tendency
19:29of raising issues
19:31parallelly in public courts,
19:33be it a Chokidar Chorai,
19:35Ordi Rafal issue, etc.
19:37So while the Supreme Court
19:39may or may not give decision
19:41in favor of the Mahagat Bandhan,
19:44the Mahagat Bandhan
19:45would still continue
19:46to raise this as an issue
19:47as it has been raising the issue
19:49of the Maharashtra
19:50and the Haryana elections.
19:52And this has caused some confusion
19:54for the credibility of ECI.
19:57When the CSDS asked people in 2024,
20:01to what extent do you trust the ECI?
20:04In 2019,
20:0551% people trusted ECI
20:07to a great extent.
20:09That has fallen to 28% in 2024.
20:12So this is adding to the confusion
20:14and also creating doubts
20:17about the credibility of the ECI
20:19and the process.
20:21You know, I'll bring back
20:22Dr. Saeed Zafir Islam
20:23because Dr. Islam,
20:24it was something that,
20:25you know,
20:25Mr. Amitabh Diwari
20:26and I were also speaking of
20:27in the last debate
20:28on the same issue.
20:29You know,
20:30look at the dichotomy of it all,
20:31Dr. Islam.
20:33On the ECI website,
20:34if you want to register,
20:36you'll have to register
20:36from Form 6
20:38as a new voter.
20:39There are three,
20:40you know,
20:42boxes that you have to tick.
20:44Number one,
20:44that you have to,
20:45of course,
20:45be an adult,
20:4618 years of age.
20:47Number two,
20:47you have to give your proof
20:48of residence,
20:49preferably in the same constituency.
20:51And number three,
20:52that you need to be
20:53a citizen of this country.
20:54And you don't have to give
20:55any proof to be a citizen
20:57of this country.
20:57You have to provide
20:58only your Aadhaar
20:59for the earlier two
21:01tick boxes
21:02to check those.
21:04Now,
21:05if you understand
21:06the point that I'm trying
21:07to make,
21:07Dr. Islam,
21:08you keep adding new voters
21:09into this list,
21:10the same voter list
21:11where over,
21:12you know,
21:14innumerable
21:15lakhs of voters
21:16were added
21:16and I can give you
21:17the exact figure
21:18in the state of Maharashtra
21:20on the basis
21:21of exactly this protocol
21:23where only Aadhaar
21:24was needed.
21:25Till now,
21:25if I want to register
21:26as a new voter
21:27in this country,
21:27I fill in the Form 6
21:28and that is the prerequisite,
21:30just my Aadhaar.
21:31But suddenly,
21:32when it comes to
21:33voter revision in Bihar,
21:34you're changing
21:34the goalposts.
21:35How does it work?
21:41I think
21:42the Election Commission
21:44has a very solid
21:46and valid reason.
21:48Now,
21:48the matter is in the court.
21:49I'm sure that
21:50they will speak about it.
21:51But why Aadhaar card
21:53is not being
21:53taken as a proof
21:56of your identity
21:58or nationality
22:00or the validity
22:01or somebody
22:02can validate,
22:04revalidate
22:05you as a voter
22:07is something
22:08which is questionable
22:10as per ECI
22:12and based on
22:14their understanding
22:14and the concern
22:15they have.
22:16So,
22:18to ensure that
22:19nobody uses
22:22this means
22:24of showing
22:25only the Aadhaar card
22:26and get away with that.
22:27That's why
22:28that Aadhaar card
22:29instead of Aadhaar card
22:30the other document
22:30which is
22:31where primarily
22:32new voters
22:33continue to be registered
22:35on the basis
22:36of only
22:36those three
22:37prerequisites
22:38and for that
22:40the proof
22:40is only the Aadhaar.
22:41it's an irony
22:44if you see
22:45if you go on
22:46the EC website
22:47that's what
22:48you need to be
22:48a new voter
22:49but if you want
22:50to vote in Bihar
22:50you need
22:51these 11 documents.
22:56Priti ji
22:57that's what
22:57I'm saying
22:58that
22:58each
22:59state
23:01perhaps
23:02will have
23:03a unique
23:04situation
23:04like for instance
23:05Assam
23:06why sir
23:07illegal
23:07illegals
23:08are illegals
23:10whether they vote
23:11in Delhi
23:11whether they vote
23:12in Bihar
23:12whether they vote
23:13in Maharashtra
23:14Haryana
23:14I would think
23:15that's the benchmark
23:15no no I'm saying
23:16that
23:16exactly
23:18no no
23:19exactly
23:20that's what I'm saying
23:21I was coming to that
23:22so these exercise
23:23has been initiated
23:24now
23:24it will be done
23:25in
23:26Bengal
23:27Assam
23:28many other states
23:29and all the other
23:29states of the country
23:30so why there is a
23:31problem
23:32if the
23:32election commission
23:34which is the
23:35competent authority
23:36if they are doing
23:37some exercise
23:38to ensure that
23:39only the
23:39valid voters
23:41should be
23:41recognized
23:42and revalidated
23:43and their name
23:44should be in the
23:45role of voters
23:46but like I said
23:47I'll tell you
23:47why there is so much
23:48distrust
23:49and disaffection
23:50where revision
23:52of roles
23:53comes into play
23:53because
23:54on the basis
23:55of what we discussed
23:56only the three
23:57benchmarks
23:57over 35 lakh
23:59voters were added
24:00in Maharashtra
24:00which is of course
24:01another bone of
24:02contention
24:02which the opposition
24:03and the congress
24:04is fighting
24:04so there is
24:06a fair amount
24:06of distrust
24:07there
24:07now there is
24:08distrust
24:08where you are
24:09re-revising
24:10the roles
24:10in Bihar
24:10on a completely
24:11different benchmark
24:12so it doesn't
24:13quite add up
24:13that's what I'm
24:14saying
24:14perception wise
24:15so Jata Paul
24:16I want to bring
24:16you in
24:16the fact
24:17Jata Paul
24:18is
24:18I'll come back
24:19to you
24:20sir
24:20I'll circle back
24:20to you
24:2010 seconds
24:21on this
24:2110 seconds
24:22Priti
24:22on 10
24:24seconds only
24:25on Maharashtra
24:25since you mentioned
24:26about Maharashtra
24:27and I think
24:28you should do
24:28this back testing
24:29for all the
24:30other states
24:31then Maharashtra
24:32that number
24:32of new voters
24:34added in 2009
24:36post 2009
24:37general election
24:38and then
24:39between 2009
24:40general election
24:41and the state
24:41election
24:42likewise in 2014
24:43and the general
24:45election and the
24:45state election
24:46in 2019
24:47and you will realize
24:47the least voters
24:49have been added
24:49in 2000
24:50all right
24:52irrelevant sir
24:53nobody is talking
24:54about how many
24:55more or how many
24:55less
24:562014 and 2024
24:57it is less than
24:59three legs
24:59so this is the
25:00exercise
25:01like I said
25:01the perception
25:02the trust deficit
25:03this is a regular
25:04exercise
25:04nobody is saying
25:06it's an irregular
25:07exercise
25:08nobody is questioning
25:08the legality
25:09of this exercise
25:10but the fact
25:11there is a trust
25:13deficit
25:14not just by the
25:15opposition
25:15but also with
25:16the people
25:16in 2014
25:17you can add
25:18number of people
25:19in 2009
25:19you can add
25:20number of voters
25:20no no no
25:21sir
25:21why can't
25:22you can't
25:22let me move on
25:23like I said
25:25Dr. Islam
25:26let me move on
25:27the trust deficit
25:28unfortunately
25:29is not just
25:29because of the
25:30opposition
25:30it's also
25:31whether people
25:31are concerned
25:32and Mr. Tiwari
25:33which is Amitabh Tiwari
25:34quoted figures there
25:35where perception
25:36of the EC
25:36functioning
25:37has been lowered
25:38in the eyes
25:39of the people
25:39whether we like
25:40to admit it or not
25:40it's a fact
25:41data driven fact
25:42but Sujata Paula
25:43I want to bring you
25:44in the fact
25:44is it can't be
25:45a pick and choose
25:46game right
25:46if it's good
25:47for the gander
25:48it needs to be
25:48good for the goose
25:49why I say that
25:50role revision
25:52takes place
25:52in the state
25:53of Telangana
25:53I can go back
25:54I have those figures
25:55in the state
25:55of Karnataka
25:56more about
25:57a month or two
25:58here and there
25:59at the same
25:59point of time
26:00in both the states
26:02that wasn't
26:04questioned
26:04by the congress
26:05no but
26:06these are being
26:08questioned
26:08by the congress
26:09you have to
26:11understand
26:11that if
26:13an opposition
26:13rule state
26:14is there
26:15we will be
26:15very very
26:16vigilant
26:16and there are
26:17less chances
26:18of the EC
26:19doing things
26:20as they wish
26:21which they are
26:22doing under
26:23the pressure
26:23of the BJP
26:24very clearly
26:24why is it
26:25that the BJP
26:26is not asking
26:27the same questions
26:28that all of us
26:29are
26:29that if Aadhaar
26:31card was valid
26:31earlier
26:32how come it is
26:33not valid anymore
26:34why are they
26:35using this word
26:36illegal so lightly
26:37if you look
26:38at Assam
26:38in Assam
26:39the data
26:40says that
26:4019 lakh
26:41people under
26:42the NRC
26:43exercise
26:44were supposedly
26:47illegal according
26:48to the Assam
26:49government
26:49and what happened
26:50when the matters
26:51went to the
26:52various tribunals
26:53and the court
26:55then only 30,000
26:57were supposedly
26:58foreigners
26:59whether they
26:59deported them
27:00or what they
27:01did with them
27:01but let us
27:03now understand
27:03that when we
27:04are talking
27:04about the people
27:05of Bihar
27:06if they are
27:07out working
27:08during the
27:09monsoons
27:09are they
27:10are the BJP
27:12along with the EC
27:13expecting them
27:14to return
27:14to Bihar
27:15and stand in
27:16lines
27:16and the most
27:17important point
27:18remember
27:19that it is
27:20the state's
27:21responsibility
27:22the state's
27:23duty
27:23to prove
27:25that citizens
27:26are yours
27:27the pattern
27:27of proof
27:28here is being
27:29shifted from
27:29the state
27:30to the citizens
27:31to prove
27:32that they are
27:32citizens
27:32what kind
27:33of logic
27:34is that
27:34they need
27:35to explain
27:35and Mr.
27:36Zafar Islam
27:37has not
27:37answered
27:38about the
27:3820,000
27:39posts of
27:40BLOs
27:41which still
27:41lie vacant
27:42how is this
27:43exercise going
27:43to be done
27:44clearly
27:45a state
27:47where people
27:47are uneducated
27:49illiterate
27:50poor
27:50you expect
27:51them to
27:51stand in line
27:52get certificates
27:54made deliberately
27:55because you
27:56are against
27:56the marginal
27:57rise
27:57last point
27:58when you
27:59talk about
27:59those people
28:00who were
28:01you know
28:02whose names
28:04were
28:04okay no
28:04one second
28:05let me
28:07give you
28:07a figure
28:08last point
28:09last point
28:09last point
28:10there was
28:11a census
28:12carried out
28:12in 2001
28:13this time
28:14there have
28:15been no
28:15census
28:15and we are
28:16talking about
28:17an SIR
28:17let me ask
28:19you a question
28:19before I go
28:20to our other
28:21guests
28:21allow me to
28:21ask you
28:22this question
28:222023
28:23Karnataka
28:24elections
28:25that you won
28:25right
28:26the voter
28:26revision
28:27took place
28:28in January
28:29to December
28:30three months
28:31exactly the
28:32same time
28:32before
28:33elections
28:34in the state
28:35of Karnataka
28:36X number
28:37of new
28:37voters
28:38were added
28:39the EC
28:39website
28:39can be
28:40contended
28:40to
28:41gives a
28:41figure
28:41of 12
28:42lakhs
28:42plus
28:42new voters
28:44were added
28:44in 2023
28:45the Congress
28:46had absolutely
28:47no problem
28:47with it
28:48that it
28:49was taking
28:49place
28:49just three
28:50months
28:50like in
28:50this case
28:51and this
28:51was also
28:51a special
28:52revision
28:52that was
28:53because one
28:53had already
28:54happened
28:54earlier
28:54in the
28:55month of
28:56February
28:562022
28:57but because
28:58over a
28:58year had
28:59passed
28:59then a
29:00new
29:00revision
29:00took place
29:01from
29:01November
29:03up to
29:04January
29:041st
29:052023
29:06no problem
29:07the Congress
29:07had that
29:08time
29:08Sujata
29:08Paul
29:08tell me
29:10something
29:10did we
29:11shift from
29:12the
29:12Aadhaar
29:12card to
29:13these kind
29:14of documents
29:14look at
29:16what we are
29:16talking about
29:17you know
29:17if you are
29:18going to
29:18make the
29:19process
29:19more difficult
29:20we will
29:20question
29:21the EC
29:22and do
29:23not forget
29:23that when
29:24we are
29:24talking about
29:24the EC
29:25who are
29:25they to
29:26decide
29:26citizenship
29:27I just
29:27heard
29:27somebody
29:28say
29:28that
29:28they
29:28can
29:29always
29:29check
29:29the
29:29citizenship
29:30well
29:30it is
29:31your
29:31duty
29:31to
29:31get
29:32the
29:32citizenship
29:32checked
29:33before
29:33I
29:33buy
29:34another
29:34body
29:35which is
29:35called
29:36to check
29:36citizenship
29:37Raja
29:38Raja
29:38Raja
29:38Ranjan
29:38I want
29:39to go
29:39across
29:39to
29:40Rajiv
29:40Ranjan
29:40from
29:40the
29:40JDU
29:41Raja
29:42to
29:42Raja
29:43you can make it.
29:44But Rajiv Ranjan Ji, the question is that you don't think it is.
29:47What was the need of controversy?
29:49Your whole alliance was right.
29:52The surveys were right.
29:54It was a strong position.
29:56You created a new point.
30:00You gave a poll agenda.
30:03It was a maha-gad-band.
30:05As the visuals are coming,
30:07it's just that thing strengthening.
30:09What was the need of it?
30:10You can understand better.
30:13You can ask me this question.
30:16We've got 40-30 seats.
30:19We've got 4-4 seats.
30:23We've got 4 seats.
30:25We've talked about approval rating.
30:29We've talked about approval rating.
30:31We've talked about approval rating.
30:34It's not a comparison.
30:39We've got a lot of sports.
30:42We've looked at it.
30:44We've got the exact results.
30:46To ask the other questions,
30:48we've got a great agency.
30:50We've got a lot of information.
30:52We've got a lot of information.
30:56We've got some competitors.
30:58Thank you very much.
31:28Thank you very much.
31:58Thank you very much.
32:28I want to bring in Mritun Jay Tiwari from the RGD.
32:32Mritun Jay Tiwari ji,
32:33Thank you very much.
33:03Thank you very much.
33:33Thank you very much.
34:03Thank you very much.
34:33Thank you very much.
34:35Thank you very much.
34:37Thank you very much.
34:39Thank you very much.
34:41Thank you very much.
34:43Thank you very much.
34:45No, essentially,
34:47Thank you very much.
34:49Thank you very much.
34:51Thank you very much.
34:53Thank you very much.
34:55Thank you very much.
34:57Thank you very much.
34:59Thank you very much.
35:01Thank you very much.
35:03Thank you very much.
35:05Thank you very much.
35:07Thank you very much.
35:08Thank you very much.
35:10Thank you very much.
35:11Thank you very much.
35:12Thank you very much.
35:13Thank you very much.
35:14Thank you very much.
35:15Thank you very much.
35:16Thank you very much.
35:17Thank you very much.
35:18Thank you very much.
35:19Thank you very much.
35:20intensive review. And if the objective is illegal to weed out illegal immigrants, because that is
35:29the word most heard, then it is a nationwide issue. This cannot be confirmed just to be
35:35half. That is number one. It needs to be done nationwide. Secondly, at the time of enrollment
35:42of voters itself, the ECI needs to strengthen its procedures so that illegal voters do not become
35:51voters or are not enrolled in the list. Because if the ECI is today saying that there are a lot of
35:57illegal voters who have been added to the list, who has added those voters? It is the ECI itself,
36:04inadvertently because of documents, etc. Today, you can become a new voter just on the basis of
36:10Aadhaar in this country. You just need Aadhaar and you can become a voter. Correct. But then you
36:16cannot ask or should not be asking this list of 11 documents to prove that you are a voter.
36:22Because if you ask these 11 documents, perhaps 35 lakh voters in Maharashtra or any other state
36:29may not be added to the list at all. Correct. So this should be done at a pan-India level and the
36:35election commission should announce that this will be done before the state elections of each state
36:42in this five-year cycle. Otherwise, all the accusations by the opposition will be made and political
36:49reasons will be given to it. Dr. Syed Zafar Islam, I think Mr. Amitabh Tiwari summed it up quite well
36:56because otherwise, Dr. Islam, then this exercise looks discriminatory, sir, only where Bihar is concerned.
37:09I am sure that you are aware and Mr. Amitabh Tiwari is aware that it is not only made exception,
37:14Bihar has been made exception. It is not only for Bihar but all the other states and it will happen
37:19for all the other states of the country. Six states have already been announced and this exercise
37:25will be conducted in six states and later all the states of India will be going through this
37:32exercise as well. So it is unfair to make this kind of statement that it is discriminatory in process
37:38or in nature. But it is an exercise which I am sure that the election commission has thought through
37:44and why it is important to conduct and take such exercise purely because they want to eliminate
37:51illegal voters from the voter list and that is something which needs to be appreciated by
37:59every political party. The people of the state and the country as a whole are supporting this
38:05initiative because they all know that illegal, unauthorized, those who do not qualify to become
38:13a voter should not be voting and exercising the franchise.
38:16So Jatapal, one minute ma'am. Your time starts now. Make your point.
38:19Yes. I just heard the J.D.U. spokesperson say that this will be the last one. No, it will not
38:25be the last one. It will be the last one. It will be the last one. It will be the last one.
38:28And the government will be the last one. It will be the last one. It will be the last one.
38:32What is the question of the Constitution? You have not told us. And Rahul Gandhi
38:35is the last one. It will be the last one. It will be the last one. It will be the last of the
38:50foreign
39:20All right. Rajiv Ranjan ji, one minute, keep your point.
39:25Look, I didn't say this. I didn't say this. I didn't say this.
39:30I didn't say this. I didn't say this.
39:32I didn't say this. I didn't say this.
39:35I didn't say this.
39:37Can I just get Rajiv Ranjan ji?
39:40I'm allowed the same courtesy.
39:45Can I just get Rajiv Ranjan ji?
39:48I'm allowed the same courtesy that you were extended.
39:51Can I just get Rajiv Ranjan ji?
39:52Sir, make your point.
39:53I'm allowed the same courtesy.
40:00I'm allowed the same courtesy.
40:03I'm allowed the same courtesy of Rajiv Ranjan ji.
40:10I'm allowed the same courtesy of Rajiv Ranjan ji.
40:15All right. I want to bring in the RJD spokesperson.
40:28Mr. Tiwari, make your point, sir.
40:30Have you had the same courtesy of Rajiv Ranjan ji?
40:31This is a courtesy of Rajiv Ranjan ji.
40:33This is a courtesy of Rajiv Ranjan ji.
40:34Do you have the same courtesy of Rajiv Ranjan ji?
40:36I'm allowed to take a courtesy of Rajiv Ranjan ji.
40:37All right. I want to bring in the RJD spokesperson.
40:41Mr. Tiwari, make your point, sir.
40:43Have you had the same courtesy of Rajiv Ranjan ji?
40:45Do you see our first question?
40:48We should know that we should understand our own decisions,
40:53and we should know our decisions.
40:56We should also know our decisions.
40:58In 2020, we have already beat ourselves,
41:03but we should have 7 votes, 20 votes.
41:09There are no decisions.
41:13Jantantra chalega janta malik hai.
41:16Aur is Jantantra ko agar khatam karne ki mansa
41:19Kehindra ki Modi ji ki sarkar rakhti hai
41:22to unko khaamiyaja bhugatna padega.
41:26Bohat shukriya.
41:28Thank you for all for joining us this evening.
41:30We're going to let it be all eyes on the top court of the country.
41:34We will tomorrow know whether this exercise
41:38that is continuing as we speak by the Election Commission
41:41in Bihar of role revision will continue
41:43or will there be a stay on it.
41:46All eyes.
41:47The politics of course continues.
41:49Let's cut across to the state of Gujarat
41:51where a major tragedy was reported today
41:54where the Gambhira Bridge collapsed in Vadodara
41:57connecting Anand, sending vehicles plunging into the Mahisagar River.
42:02Multiple casualties, over 10 have been reported,
42:05three of her family.
42:06Major questions, glaring loopholes now being reported
42:10as this bridge was already declared unfit.
42:14A tanker dangled from the shattered edge.
42:22Frozen in that moment of collapse,
42:24a haunting image of the disaster that struck Gujarat.
42:29The Gambhira Bridge, a lifeline between Vadodara and Anand,
42:34crumbled into the Mahisagar River in Padra,
42:37taking with it human lives and shattering the hearts of their loved ones.
42:41Rescue teams from Vadodara Fire Services
42:45and the NDRF pulled survivors from the wreckage,
42:49but multiple casualties have been reported.
42:51It is a number of those two years ago.
42:55The MDRF, who is returning to this bridge,
42:56the NDRF has beenĂŒnkrening of the violence.
42:56The NDRF was since theïżœurs and the NDRF.
42:57The NDRF was told by the NDRF.
42:58But the NDRF has been returned to this bridge.
43:01The NDRF was told by the NDRF.
43:02It was told by the NDRF,
43:04but this is now in the NDRF,
43:05but it was not a big in fact
43:08that it was a big event of the NDRF,
43:09as well as the NDRF team.
43:10As shock and horror turned into anger, a predictable script of apathy and negligence emerged.
43:40The bridge was reportedly repaired just last year, and only three months ago, a Rs.212 crore replacement was greenlit by the chief minister.
43:49Clearly, it was too late to prevent this devastation.
44:03An investigation into this tragedy has also been ordered by the chief minister.
44:10The chief minister said that the chief minister just took place a hot seat and the report will be ordered by the chief minister.
44:20Prime Minister Modi called the incident deeply saddening,
44:23announcing Rs 2 lakh compensation for the families of the diseased
44:27and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
44:31A routine crossing turned into a nightmare.
44:34Now, while Gujarat mourns, it also waits for answers and hopefully accountability.
44:42With Digvijay Pathak in Vadodara, Bureau Report, India Today.
44:49From slaps to assault, political hooliganism is on the rise in the state of Maharashtra.
44:54Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwar was caught on camera thrashing a canteen staffer.
44:58But instead of apologizing, he justified his action, continues to justify his actions.
45:04Now, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed officials to take strict action.
45:09Take a look.
45:09Maharashtra's netas are not pulling their punches these days.
45:22Here you can see Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwarad assaulting the contractor of the Akashwani MLA canteen in Mumbai on Tuesday.
45:31The MLA claimed the food delivered to his room was substandard and he started feeling sick.
45:39He marched to the canteen downstairs right away to address the issue.
45:45According to the MLA, multiple complaints about food quality were ignored and he was simply serving the cause of justice.
45:52While no action was against the ruling party MLA, food safety officers were sent to raid the canteen on Wednesday.
46:14According to canteen staff, this isn't the first time.
46:44Such an incident has taken place.
46:56Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called the MLA Sanjay Gaikwarad's action unacceptable and directed Deputy CM Eknar Chinde to take action.
47:07The opposition demanded Gaikwarad's arrest.
47:10There has been a series of incidents involving politicians and party workers in Maharashtra,
47:39in recent times.
47:40In Vashim, MNS workers were caught on camera, vandalising a toll plaza on Tuesday.
47:47And on July 7th, the drunk son of an MNS leader was seen abusing and assaulting a woman influenza.
47:54Earlier on July 3rd, a street vendor in Thane was slapped by MNS workers just because he could not speak Marathi.
48:03In all these cases, what stands out is the lack of action by the Mahayuti government.
48:10The big question remains, how long will political hooliganism go unchecked in Maharashtra?
48:17With Vidya, Omkar Rable and Harshita Parab, EuroReport, India Today.
48:23All right, with that, it's a wrap on this edition of To The Point.
48:29We'll see you again tomorrow.
48:30We'll see you again tomorrow.
48:31Bye.
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