- 1 day ago
This News Today edition covers the 25th day of Sonam Wangchuk's hunger fast over examination paper leaks. Speaking from Medanta Hospital, his wife confirmed an 11-kilo weight loss, stating the fast will continue until demands, including the Union Education Minister’s resignation and education reforms, are met. The government agreed to parliamentary discussions but refused the resignation.
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00:00Nabi Nanda then saying that all discussions will take place only inside parliament and that the
00:07government is ready to discuss all issues concerning paper leaks which he says have
00:12involved this government and previous governments including UPA governments. We'll wait and see
00:18how that plays out but now in a moment I'll be back with the top news on the news today.
00:25Just in a moment. We'll be back in exactly 30 seconds. Good evening. Hello and welcome.
00:35You're with the news today. Your prime time destination. In a moment I'm coming back with
00:42all the top headlines of the day and plenty more. Okay. My talking points tonight. I'll
00:50be on ground zero. I've spent the day at Jantar Mantar. What did I see? I'll tell you more
00:55on that. Also a mood check from the cockroach protest epicenter. That's my report that's
01:03coming up today. The voices of the students and we have a big exclusive. Sonam Wangchuk's
01:07wife will be joining us from inside Medanta Hospital. Will the activist end his fast now
01:14or not. Geetanjali Angmo will join me on the show tonight. So we have a special coming up
01:20in a moment. But first as always it's time for the nine headlines at nine. On day 25 of his
01:28hunger
01:29fast Sonam Wangchuk issues a video statement says he's ready to end his fast tonight itself. If the
01:36government is ready to implement the assurances they've made to him. Lok Sabha LOP Rahul Gandhi
01:45reiterates his demand for education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation. Claims zero
01:50convictions have happened despite 152 paper leaks over the last 10 years. Government says
01:57they are ready to debate. Neat inside the parliament will expose the opposition's claims.
02:05Supreme Court refuses to hear a plea on police action on the protest. Chief Justice of India
02:11says don't have time to watch videos. Says don't waste your and our time. He gets a lot
02:18of flack on social media for making those remarks.
02:23Dina Mool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee suspended from the Lok Sabha for using unparliamentary
02:29language against women members of the house. Banerjee had a heated exchange with former
02:34colleagues after Lok Sabha adjournment. He claims he's being unfairly targeted.
02:44Jammu and Kashmir policemen on patrol shot dead in Anantnaag. Lashkar proxy claims responsibility.
02:51A bike born Miskrin opened fire later fled the spot.
03:01The Tamil Nadu government issues an order renaming the chief minister's breakfast scheme after former
03:08chief minister K Kamraj launched by Stalin government in September 2022. Congress welcomes the move.
03:18After 16 years former IPL chairman Lalit Modi eyes in India return. Lalit Modi cleared in the 2009
03:26IPL South Africa FEMA case by an appellate tribunal.
03:36Iran-U.S. conflict continues. U.S. President Donald Trump warns that the U.S. will strike
03:44Iranian bridges and power plants every time Tehran attacks a ship at the state of Harvard.
03:53Iran. And heavy rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir has increased water inflow into the Chenab River.
04:03All gates of the Salal Dam have been opened.
04:20But the story that's breaking at the moment. Hours after penning a letter to union minister J.P.
04:26Nanda and Jitendra Singh on the impasse over the student protest. Sonam Vangchuk, the face of the
04:32protest has just issued a video message a short while ago from Medanta hospital. Just like in his
04:38letter Vangchuk says he's ready to end his fast provided legal action is not taken against the
04:44protesting students. He has warned the government if they do not comply with his demand that he claims
04:50also includes consideration of the resignation of the minister Darmendra Pradhan. He will continue with
04:57his past indefinitely. Meanwhile, J.P. Nanda, who spoke a short while ago, the BJP leader has confirmed
05:03receiving Vangchuk's letter and said that he will respond to them after studying the report.
05:10Let's listen in first to what Sonam Vangchuk said a short while ago.
05:17I am so grateful to them that they will not be able to do such a strong and strong
05:26force for the children's support. And the second thing, the R.O.P. and F.I.R.
05:35which I can't do to get into jail or police.
05:41I don't care why I want my own responsibility.
05:46If you need to get into jail,
05:50I will be able to get out of that.
06:00If I'll be able to get into jail,
06:01I will continue to die.
06:01But if there is no chance to come, then I will have to keep this action ready.
06:11Jai Hind!
06:33Let's get it clear. Is the government still unwilling to even put that on the table?
06:37Because Sonam Vangchuk has said in the letter, considering the government should consider the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan.
06:45Is that a no-no for the government? No question of considering the resignation?
06:53Well, Rajdeep, it seems like at the moment, because in all the conversations that have happened over the past 24
06:58hours,
06:59first the conversation that actually happened with those people who went to J.P. Nadda's house,
07:04the representatives of the Kokru Janata Party, they were the ones who in fact in the first round of meeting,
07:08had just spoken to J.P. Nadda, verbally J.P. Nadda had asked them to give him in writing what
07:14their demands were.
07:14So that is one demand that is lying on the table of the government.
07:17The second demand is of what they spoke with Sonam Vangchuk when they went to the hospital to speak with
07:22him.
07:23But yes, the government has been speaking about the fact that the opposition is asking for discussion.
07:27We are ready for that in both the houses.
07:29But when you speak about the resignation of the education minister at the moment,
07:33it seems a little far-fetched because that is something that the government is keeping mum on.
07:37The government, however, is saying that we do have the things that they are asking.
07:42All those letters are on our table. We will look at what we need to do.
07:46We will also look at the ways in which discussion can actually happen.
07:49We will tell the opposition everything that we have done so far.
07:52But yes, the elephant in the room still remains. Will we see a resignation?
07:56At the moment, it seems a little too far-fetched, Rajdeep.
07:59Okay, thanks very much, Aishwarya. Let's go then straight across to my newsmaker of the day.
08:06Okay, let's then go to our big exclusive today, our newsmaker of the day.
08:12Someone who has been closest of all to Sonam Wangchuk, who's become the face in many ways of this protest.
08:19I'm joined by Sonam Wangchuk's wife, co-founder at the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Education.
08:27Gitanjali Agmo is joining me now from Medanta Hospital,
08:30where Sonam Wangchuk is being treated even as he enters the 25th day of his fast.
08:38Thank you so much, Gitanjali, for joining us.
08:41Just first of all, how is Sonam Wangchuk's health?
08:48He is holding up very well. His vitals are okay. Electrolytes and blood sugars and everything.
08:56But since this is the 25th day of his fast, he has lost 11 kilos of weight and his muscle
09:02mass is reducing.
09:04So that's a point of concern.
09:06But I must ask you this because we just had a video that Sonam has issued saying he's ready to
09:13end his fast,
09:14provided the government reach out to the students, provided they ensure there are no FIRs filed against the students
09:22for protests by the Delhi police or anyone is jailed for alleged violence during the protests.
09:27He no longer is referring, at least in the video, to Dharmendra Pradhan, the education minister's resignation.
09:33What are we to understand? Does Sonam Wangchuk still insist on Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation?
09:40No, no.
09:40Because that's what the students of the Kokhrut Janata Party, who I speak to, are insisting.
09:44They are saying we won't stop our protests till the minister resigns.
09:50No, no. Those demands are on. This is in addition to those.
09:56Those demands are on about justice to the families of the diseased students,
10:04the resignations of ministers who are responsible for the fiasco,
10:10the memorandum of reforms that has to be discussed with the government going forward.
10:15All that is on.
10:18In addition to that, we heard rumours or news or this today that the government is planning to have a
10:29big crackdown on the students on every front.
10:33You might have seen that the Connaught Place and those areas have been cordoned off.
10:38The internet has been jammed once again.
10:41There are barricades.
10:43The metro has been shut.
10:45There's more CRPF and other ITBP forces at Jantar Mantar.
10:51And there are also rumours that they are planning to file FIRs on the protesters who were there.
11:00So this is his additional demand that the very stakeholders for whom this movement was started should not become casualties
11:09while demanding justice.
11:11So he has, because he saw firsthand, I saw firsthand how on the day of Sunset Chalo, the students did
11:23a remarkable job of having an absolutely peaceful, you know, event.
11:30But there were these people, miscreants, who were not the students, who were planted there with stones and all of
11:39that, and who were trying to create a stampede so that, you know, the movement goes haywire, the protest is
11:45termed violent.
11:46But I am very ashamed to say that BJP calls itself a Hindu nationalist party, because there's nothing about them
11:54that is Hindu, and there's nothing about them that is nationalistic.
11:58Why does nothing Hindu?
12:00Because Hinduism is an all-inclusive thing, which we saw on the day of the protest.
12:06There were people from all religions, there were women, children, men, boys, girls of all age groups, from all parts
12:16of the country.
12:17Nobody was even referring to all those demographic profiles, you know, everybody was there for a cause and for a
12:23purpose.
12:24And that purpose was the noble purpose of education, which is the foundation on which India becomes a visual guru.
12:32So that was demonstration of what is Hinduism, okay?
12:36So, and the party that was trying to disrupt it, calling themselves a Hindu, I feel ashamed, because I am
12:44a practicing Hindu, and I am a student and a teacher of the Vedas and Upanishads and the Gita.
12:49And nowhere do our scriptures, you know, describe what this party is up to, and I am saying this, the
12:58ethos is from lived experience of what I am going through on a day-to-day basis.
13:02You know, obstruction of justice, obstruction of freedom of an independent democratic nation, obstruction to protest, which is a constitutional
13:13right, obstruction for the youth to come out and tell what are their pain points, for heaven's sake, and terming
13:19them as anti-nationals and all of that.
13:21But this is not nationalism.
13:23So, I would first of all request BJP to not, you know, ashamed Hinduism in the world by calling themselves
13:31a Hindu nationalist party, because I am a follower of Hinduism as what, this is not Sri Aurobindo Hinduism and
13:39this is not the Hinduism of the religions.
13:41Okay, I have listened to you. I want, therefore, patiently, I want two points emerging from what you have just
13:46said.
13:47Am I to understand, therefore, that Sonam Wangchuk, who is on the 25th day of his fast, is not going
13:52to end the fast unless, as per his lines today in the letter to J.P. Nanda,
13:59there is a meaningful discussion in parliament to ensure accountability, including consideration of the resignation of the Honourable Education Minister.
14:07Is that still a core demand for him to break his fast, consideration of the resignation of the minister? Is
14:15that still a core demand?
14:19Yes, that is, because that is the first sign of a mature democracy where a minister owns up and gracefully
14:29steps down.
14:30If you look at what this government does, it goes and does ED rates and CBI rates before us allowing
14:36anybody to prove and puts them in jail.
14:39They took Sonam and put them in jail under NSA on flimsy grounds and then we have to fight it
14:44out, you know, for six months, even when there was no case against him.
14:48And in this case, there is a blatant not leak. Paper leak is a symptom.
14:54The whole education system is in shambles, okay? And if the symptom has happened again and again, need is just
15:02one.
15:03There have been many such. It is, yes, the people who are responsible to it have to show maturity and
15:10a good governance step down.
15:12So, that remains. So, if the minister doesn't resign or the government says, no, that's not acceptable, this is blackmail,
15:21you can't blackmail us like this.
15:23What, Sonam will continue with this fast? Because a lot of the MPs have met him today asking him to
15:28call off the fast.
15:29You are telling me, unless the minister resigns, the fast will carry on?
15:38The MPs have given him an assurance that they will hold everybody accountable, there will be reforms, there will be
15:48justice served to people, and this would be discussed.
15:52Not just opposition MPs, Mr. Nanda and Mr. Ajitendra Singh Ji, they both have promised Sonam yesterday that this will
16:01become the main agenda in the monsoon parliamentary session.
16:06Yeah, but there is a difference, there is a difference between saying, man.
16:08He is willing to resign, but he…
16:10There is a difference between saying, consideration of the resignation and demanding the resignation.
16:15Kaukrut Janata Party is demanding the resignation.
16:18Sonam Wangchuk Ji is saying, consideration of the resignation and a discussion in parliament, which the government is ready for
16:24a discussion.
16:29Rajdeep, I would not like to get into the semantics of things, but into the spirit of what Sonam is
16:34asking.
16:35We are not, you know, here witch hunting or trying to go after one individual or the other.
16:42Our aim is a revolution in the education system of this country, and that starts with the stepping down of
16:50the person who could not do this during his tenure,
16:54and therefore has to just give way to a more capable person who can do this.
16:58Okay. The second part from what you had said to me earlier is that the protests that took place on
17:04Monday,
17:04you believe innocent students were targeted by the police brutally.
17:08Now, the police puts out videos also of how there was stone throwing and how there were those who were
17:15targeting police vehicles.
17:18Do you believe or do you fear, does Sonam fear that this movement could be taken over by some anti
17:24-social elements?
17:25Is that a fear?
17:27No, no, no. Rajdeep, this movement is absolutely pure.
17:33The kids who started this movement, I have done it from my heart, and that is why Sonam decided to
17:41lend his mentorship and support this movement,
17:43because we have been in the field of education, and we know what state it is in.
17:48So it is not the students. I was personally present during that.
17:53There was Abhijit handling the crowds on one side, from one side of the truck.
17:57I was on the other side. We were singing songs. We were, you know, discussing things.
18:04I was telling them about patience, about how, you know, we have to wait.
18:08It's a long haul, about peaceful. Everything was full.
18:11There has never been such empathy. People were sharing bottles, because these people, they had not made any arrangements.
18:19A protest is a constitutional right. So the government should have kept tankers for water.
18:24There was no water there. And when students went out, they were not allowed to come in.
18:28So whatever little water was there, people were sharing with each other.
18:32It was, it is something the world can learn from.
18:35And to taint it as violence by students is doing gross injustice to them.
18:41And whatever, whatever, we have ample number of videos that police are seen hitting innocent youth for nothing.
18:49And whoever was pelting stones were the implants of the government themselves.
18:54You know, the goons that the government had planted to disrupt the movement.
18:59They were also trying to create a stampede by sending tear gas, you know, in the midst of the crowd,
19:05send ambulances.
19:06But the resilience, the resilience which the youth of India has shown, you know, is a role model for the
19:14behavior of Gen Zs in the whole world.
19:16And this is possible because the wisdom of our sages may have been forgotten by our mind, but still lives
19:23in our soul and in our hearts.
19:25And that was it.
19:27Right. I want to understand from you, though, the relationship with these political parties.
19:33Opposition MPs came this afternoon to issue you. Now another delegation has come.
19:37Is Sonam now being, does he seem, identify himself with the opposition, with these opposition MPs, Rahul Gandhi protesting outside
19:45the Prime Minister's residence yesterday.
19:47Is Sonam seeing himself in a way as a face of the opposition?
19:51I understand your question. I understand your question.
19:55I would like this movement to be about politics.
19:59OK, for us, there's no opposition.
20:03There is no government for us.
20:04The parliament is the highest house, the highest institution that we respect.
20:10And we want it to look at education as the fundamental issue if we have to go somewhere in this
20:19country.
20:19And we are, we have, I've said many times, we are apolitical.
20:25We welcome everybody who is on the stage, who comes to us, but with the purity of heart.
20:30And whoever has, comes with their own agendas will fall by the wayside because this movement is out of sincerity
20:38and purity.
20:39So you don't see that these politicians now exploiting Sonam Wangchuk, his reputation, his name in a way,
20:46and thereby using it for their political ends, whether they are from the opposition or whichever party they happen to
20:51be.
20:52You're very clear, you are not aligned to any political party.
20:58No, we are aligned with the future of the nation.
21:01And we are aligned with every political party, every well-meaning individual that wants to take India to the next
21:08level.
21:09And as was evident from the protest outside PM's house yesterday, that everybody knows that it lacks sincerity.
21:16You know, it could, it would have been more sincere if it had been done by joining hands at Jantar
21:22Mantar.
21:23So the, the, the public cannot be fooled anymore, Rajdeep.
21:28This is an awakened India.
21:31Awakened India's movement has shown us and shown every political leader that they have to now walk the talk.
21:38They cannot, you know, uh, gaslight anymore.
21:43They can't be insincere anymore.
21:46They have to be sincere and they will be thrown out by this young generation that has understood what they
21:53have to do and who is, what is, they have to stand for.
21:56Has this movement though gone beyond the CJP and Sonam Wangchuk acquired a life of its own?
22:01Sonam and will it, in your view, perhaps turn out to be a political party one day?
22:09Sonam, it was never about or the CJP.
22:14Sonam was just that spark that the nation needed for its conscience to be ignited, which it was ignited, but
22:25there was this fear.
22:26Okay, Sonam was that spark which led to this fearless expression of the inner conscience that this nation is known
22:36for.
22:37So, whether Sonam is there or not, whether CJP is there or not, the, the nation has awakened.
22:44It has stirred the conscience of every student, parent, well-meaning individual and it has taken a life of its
22:50own.
22:51So, whether it manifests as a movement which will bring a change or a political party or anything, it's for
22:59the grace of the divine to decide.
23:01And we as its instruments will abide by and follow what is best for the country.
23:07At the end, are you telling me therefore, as of now, no question of Sonam ending is fast until all
23:13his demands are met.
23:15I am reiterating that so that all confusion ends.
23:21Yes, it is true, he is still on a fast, even as I speak right now, which is, you know,
23:279.20, Wednesday, the 20, what is it, 20, I have lost track of time.
23:34But aren't you worried about his health?
23:36As of today, he is…
23:37I mean, aren't you worried that his health will further deteriorate?
23:40Isn't it better to end the fast and go back to Jantar Mantar and be with the people there?
23:47Rajiv, Rajiv, there are two things.
23:49One is, I am born in a Jain family.
23:52I am a Jain and I have seen my mothers, my grandmothers, my family members fast for 31, 41, 51
23:59days.
23:59So, I have seen that and that gives me strength.
24:02And secondly, I am on the top of his medical reports, I am getting it checked twice a day by
24:10our own family doctor.
24:12And therefore, yes, I am worried he is losing his mask.
24:17Who would like to see somebody just lying and be so weak that he cannot even speak?
24:22You saw in his video today.
24:23No, I am very, you know, it concerns me.
24:27But in the interest of the nation and for the larger good, you know, if we have started something, then
24:35we cannot give it up, you know, even at the cost of our lives.
24:39And it is to me a matter of fortune and grace that if you are an individual that has found
24:48a cause there for, then you have already found a meaningful life.
24:53People who sell out just because they have jobs for which they are getting paid or out of fear or
24:59out of some greed, they are dead in any case because their conscience is dead.
25:04So, it does not have your conscience alive even though your body dies than otherwise.
25:10So, you are feeling actually stronger today than you were 25 days ago.
25:14You are telling me you and Sonam feel even stronger.
25:17How has this entire last 25?
25:19What does it, very quickly, what does it mean for the two of you to have been part of this?
25:23Because there have been a lot of criticism.
25:24Sonam is a deep state agent.
25:26He is a Chinese agent, anti-national.
25:28He has just been to jail for six months under NSA.
25:31What has this period been like?
25:32Have you become stronger as a result of this?
25:38What doesn't kill you obviously makes you stronger.
25:41And this government has failed in its trolls despite, you know what, Rajdeep, I want to say that beyond the
25:53optics, okay, beyond the cultivated image, which this government has mastered, you know, beyond the media that it manages, beyond
26:04the trolls that it has cultivated.
26:06This movement was organic, you know, it was not because as all the political parties pay, you know, for their
26:16rallies, for people to come and join, you know, everybody came because they wanted to.
26:21And even after we dispersed the other day, today is the third day after that, there is a swelling crowd
26:26every day.
26:27And not just in Delhi, in the entire country, and even in some parts of the world.
26:33What will you tell those though, Gita Anjali, who say, listening to you, oh, she's anti-Modi, she wants the
26:40BJP out, therefore, this is a movement which, whether she likes, calls it apolitical, but it is designed to put
26:49the Modi government on the mat.
26:51Rajdeep, to me, to me, consequential, ministers come and go, India is eternal, okay, I and Sonam Vangchuk stand for
27:02India and for humanity and for the world, and for every child that deserves an education that is right, and
27:08we will keep fighting for it, okay.
27:10Mr. Modi and Dharmendra Pradhan can come and go, okay, they are right now an obstacle, and they are dealing
27:17with it, but they cannot determine the destiny of this country, where avatars like Krishna, Buddha, and Sri Aurobindo have
27:26descended, okay.
27:27This country has lasted 10,000 years, and it will last 10,000 more, with or without Modi and Dharmendra
27:33Pradhan of this world.
27:36I'm going to leave it there, Gitanji, you know, you're speaking to me from Medanta Hospital at a time when
27:41your husband is on a 25-day fast, lost 11 kgs.
27:45I wish him well. As I said, I've seen the remarkable work that Sonam Vangchuk and you have done at
27:53the Himalayan Institute, and I hope that work continues.
27:55And for now, for sending out what you believe is your message to the people of this country, and clearing
28:05doubts on various issues that I've raised, thank you very much for joining me.
28:10And thank you, Rajdeep, for always being with us and standing up for us. Thank you so much.
28:16Thank you very much.
28:19Okay, Gitanjali Angmo, they're joining us from Medanta Hospital.
28:24Well, in a way, all the action, remember, that's happening is on the ground, ground zero at the moment.
28:31The ground zero is where I was today.
28:35This is where, remember, Jantar Mantar is where really what's happening at the moment is.
28:43In a moment, I want to go to that special that I have.
28:47I spent this afternoon in Jantar Mantar to find out what was happening on the ground.
28:54These are voices of young students, voices that you should listen, and voices that I believe are important for the
29:03people of this country to get a sense of.
29:06Is this a spontaneous movement, or is this now politically orchestrated?
29:11Listen in to my special report from Jantar Mantar.
29:16It was two days ago that clashes broke out here in the heart of Central Delhi, in and around Jantar
29:23Mantar.
29:23Clashes between the youth protesters marching towards parliament and the security personnel.
29:30Clashes that have shaken the nation in and outside parliament.
29:34Clashes that have seen students being injured and policemen.
29:38Two days later, there is an eerie silence of sorts here, even as the protesters have come back to Jantar
29:46Mantar for their sit-in.
29:48The question is, what really is driving this protest?
29:53That's what I want to try and find out.
29:55Come with me on this Ground Zero report.
30:10How do you get here?
30:12What's your name?
30:14Sonu Yadav, sir.
30:17How did you get the injury?
30:18What happened?
30:18foreign
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32:25So is this about the resignation of a minister or is it about the wider crisis of education?
32:30The wider crisis of education for sure and the education minister's resignation is the first step towards that.
32:35Is this now a political moment? Has it been hijacked by political parties?
32:39Everything is political Rajdeep.
32:40Yes, what do you want to say?
32:42We are not associated with any political party.
32:44CJP just happens to be a medium by which we can raise an issue which has been happening since years
32:49and through that bring to light other issues which this government has been creating.
32:53It's not associated with any person.
32:56You have named Bhim.
32:57Yes, exactly.
32:57Bhim se Buddhiman Gandhi se Ahimsa.
33:00Bhagat sa Inkalab Juman Par Ram Ram.
33:03Yes, sir. See, there is a very unique thing about this generation, this Gen Z,
33:07because we have this Bhim se Buddhimani.
33:09We are the student of university. We are not associated with any association or organization.
33:14We are Gandhi like Ahimsa, which we seen on the 20th July that we were non-violent.
33:19We were like Bhagat Singh's revolutionary.
33:21We had this Juman Par Ram Ram.
33:24As we were seeing that at night we were doing Teertan of Radha Rani and like God Ram Ram.
33:31So this is very unique thing about Gen Z, which has not happened before.
33:35Are you not scared by the fact that there was violence here a few days ago?
33:39Students got injured. That has not...
33:42Is the government not scared of so many students here? Why are they not giving us an answer? We demand
33:48a reply.
33:49So you are not scared of Teer Gas and Baitens and all?
33:52They say, no one will hurt anyone so much that their dairy will end up.
33:55Now we don't have dairy. What are we going to do?
33:56We will kill four dundas, we will break the bread.
33:58He will go again. We will sit here until they don't resign.
34:01Is this a rule or do you have to come here? We have to come here from our own?
34:07We have to come here from our own. This is a rule.
34:10Sir, you are a political. Do they have to divert anything?
34:14No, they will do anything. They will do anything.
34:16They will never say that they are not a state.
34:18They are not a student. They are not a student.
34:20They have to keep the bread.
34:22Today we have a peaceful protest.
34:23But some young people have also thrown the bread.
34:26Sir, there is a video from here.
34:28He says, throw them out.
34:29Now sir, you can't tell anyone who is here.
34:32They are all here. The bread is all here.
34:34The bread is all here.
34:53Now one of the more interesting aspects of the andolan taking place here at Jantar Mantar by the Kokrut Janta
34:59Party is suddenly a lot of politicians are arriving here.
35:02Particularly from Maharashtra, the home state of the founder of the CJP, Abhijit Dipke.
35:07One of them, Manoj Zarange Patil, who led the Maratha reservation agitation is with us.
35:12Manoj ji, Namaskar.
35:28Namaskar.
35:28I don't know about the change of our country.
35:31Many people are there for the matter.
35:36But we have to keep now.
35:38I look at what the group you can't tell your children.
35:42Where are you?
35:43The group of protesters are coming from the young people.
35:47You have to keep our country in the old manae.
35:48They have to keep the village down there.
35:50You have to keep the village down there.
35:53We have to keep that village down there.
36:06I don't know if you have any questions.
36:49Why have you come here?
36:53When people the same age as us have committed suicide
36:56because of the incompetence of a fascist government
36:58I think it's fair that we come here and protest it
37:01So you want to raise your voices
37:02but what do you want to see?
37:04We want to see dialogue with the government
37:05We want to see accountability from the government
37:07for the lives of the students
37:08for all the exams that have been leaked
37:10for the papers that have been leaked
37:11and for everything that is going on
37:13the police violence that is going on over here
37:14the police brutality that is going on
37:16Are you a student?
37:17Yes, I am
37:18We have come here to break the government
37:22The government that is in the government
37:23We have come here to work on the police
37:26We want to answer the government
37:26We don't need to try to do this
37:30We want to answer theizoners
37:30The government to answer theijas
37:32We should accept the children
37:34We should support our children
37:35We should support our youth
37:37We should support them
37:37and if they don't want to demand them
37:39foreign
37:43foreign
37:44foreign
37:55foreign
37:56foreign
38:15foreign
38:29foreign
38:30foreign
38:33foreign
38:40foreign
39:11We are Indian.
39:41We are Indian.
39:51A lasting and enduring image for me here at Jantar Mantar is this spot where the shoes
39:58and slippers of all those who lost them during the protests when they happened on Monday
40:04and the students were tear gassed and lathe charged.
40:08They are a reminder in a way of the undaunted spirit of these students and also of the
40:13happenings of Monday.
40:15Let's be honest, like any other protest over time, this is part organic but also increasingly
40:23political.
40:24But what one cannot deny is an element of spontaneity in the fact that in this hot and humid weather,
40:31students and youth from across the country have assembled here.
40:35And for whatever reason, in that sense, the issues being raised have struck a chord among
40:42the young.
40:42And that perhaps is one good reason why the government should be reaching out to the protesters here.
40:50This is Rajdeep Sardesai at Jantar Mantar for India Today.
41:02Okay, now more breaking news coming in.
41:05Some protesters have pelted stones at a police party on Tolstoy Mark, not too far away from
41:10Jantar Mantar, injuring some police personnel.
41:12According to the police, the crowd gathered at Jantar Mantar, moved a short distance to
41:16Tolstoy Mark, resorted to stone pelting and throwing bottles.
41:19Police and RAF teams are bringing the situation under control and are attempting to reason
41:24with the protesters.
41:26So those are some troubling images coming in today.
41:29Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition, has come out in support of the
41:36protesters.
41:36Today, he held a press conference targeting the Delhi police for alleged atrocities against
41:41the students.
41:42The police have released more footage of violence by the protesters.
41:46The Supreme Court, meanwhile, refused urgent listing of the PIL seeking action against
41:51the police.
41:52The Chief Justice finding himself once again in a controversy after saying the court did
41:57not have the time to watch the videos of the crackdown.
42:00Take a look.
42:19The Congress puts the Delhi police in the dog for its crackdown on protests against paper
42:24leaks.
42:27A day after his dharna outside the Prime Minister's residence, the leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi
42:32on Wednesday declared his support for the demands made by protesters led by the Cockroach
42:37Janta Party.
42:39He demanded action against security personnel who allegedly committed atrocities.
42:47Every single person who raised a finger on our students, and it doesn't matter who he
42:58is, the people who ordered it and the people who executed it, should be made accountable.
43:08The security forces are being accused of using excessive force on students during their march towards
43:15Parliament on Monday.
43:17A 21-year-old woman injured in the crackdown is now off the ventilator.
43:23A statement by the Ram Manohar Loya hospital said she is conscious her scanned reports are novel.
43:33Meanwhile, more videos of violence by protesters are emerging.
43:38And Rapid Action Force Javan was assaulted on Tuesday.
43:46Newly released CCTV footage from the day of the protest also shows vandalism by some protesters.
44:13The CJP has blamed the police for the flare-up.
44:39A plea alleging police brutality against CJP protesters has been filed in the Supreme Court.
44:46But the court refused its urgent listing.
44:51The petitioner wanted the court to look at videos of the crackdown.
44:55But the Chief Justice said the judges had no time to watch the videos.
45:01Incidentally, the Cockroach Janta Party takes its name from an observation made by Chief Justice
45:07Surya Kand earlier this year.
45:09Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has issued notices to the central government and Delhi police
45:15on two public interest litigations alleging police excesses.
45:19With Sushant Jha, Bureau Report, India Today.
45:26Crackdown, therefore, on the protesters.
45:29Is it under the lens?
45:31Did Delhi police really use excessive force as is being alleged?
45:35Was force essential as police claim to ensure peace and that the protesters could not march
45:41on to parliament?
45:42Joining me now on my face-off, Colin Gonsalves, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court, Nirmal Kaur,
45:47former DGP and IPS officer.
45:50Appreciate both of you joining us.
45:53Colin Gonsalves, the court says we have no time.
45:56The CJI says we have no time to look at these videos.
45:59How do you respond?
46:01Do you believe the court should intervene?
46:03Or should it be allowed to the police to order an internal inquiry,
46:06whether there was excessive force or not?
46:09I am completely shocked.
46:11In 30 years of practice, I have never seen such an insensitive Chief Justice of India.
46:20And the statements that he makes and the vehemence with which he speaks,
46:25I am totally ashamed of the judiciary of which I am a part.
46:30There are many good people.
46:32So what, according to you, could the Chief Justice have done and said,
46:35what would you have liked the Chief Justice to do?
46:38Immediately entertain the petitioners.
46:40Immediately give a half-day, one-day hearing of all those who were injured.
46:45Take all the videos and look at the, you know, the havoc caused.
46:50The excessive nature of beatings.
46:53The totally violent attack by the police.
46:56Uncalled for.
46:57And condemn the police for that violence.
47:00You must be seen.
47:01Our judiciary must be seen.
47:03On the right side of history.
47:06This is creating history.
47:07These groups are creating history.
47:09They are changing India.
47:11This is not just Dharamendra Pradhaar.
47:13They are changing the entire political setup.
47:16No, but should he not see, should he not see, before I go to Nirmal Kaur,
47:20should, if at all, you want the Chief Justice to condemn what happened?
47:23Surely, the Chief Justice needs to, at best, insist on a court-monitored investigation.
47:29What else can he do?
47:30I would do.
47:32If I was the Chief Justice of India, I would get down from my high seat.
47:36I would immediately go with a skimpy security convoy.
47:41I would go to Jadar Mantar and go right into the middle of it.
47:45And I would ask people, what happened to you?
47:47What happened to you?
47:48What happened to you?
47:49He must show courage.
47:51He must show love.
47:52He must show inspiration.
47:54These people are inspiring us, Rajdeep.
47:57But he's not inspired by anything.
47:59I don't even want to see the photo.
48:01He should get there.
48:02Why can't he do that?
48:04Why can't he do that?
48:06Let me take that to me.
48:08Very poor leadership, Rajdeep.
48:09Very poor leadership in our judiciary.
48:11And we will suffer for this.
48:13Let me bring in Nirmal Kaur.
48:15Nirmal Kaur, do you believe that there should be a full, transparent inquiry on alleged police
48:19excesses?
48:20Or do you believe the police has a case that they were targeted, they couldn't allow such
48:24a group to go into parliament?
48:26Did the police get it wrong?
48:28Were they ham-handed in the way they handled this?
48:30These are young students, after all.
48:33Definitely.
48:34I think the duty, basic duty of the police, you know, primary duty is crime and law and
48:40order.
48:41This mob kind of situation is a law and order situation.
48:44And that this police primarily work to deal with the mobs.
48:48So, you know, this kind of, and you know, mob mentality is very different.
48:51Mob is a very technical subject, you know, handling mob.
48:54It's not like handling individuals, you know, like, individual mentalities are totally lost.
48:59Deep personification takes place.
49:01Mob has a personality of its own.
49:03You know, it's a very complicated thing.
49:05The normal citizen may not understand it.
49:07The way the mob works is totally different from both an individual or a group of individual
49:12or a group of rational individual works.
49:15No, no.
49:15But with due regard, ma'am, the police surely needs to make a distinction between peaceful
49:20protesters and someone maybe who is resorting to violence.
49:24And there's a belief that that didn't happen that day.
49:27Definitely, I mean, peaceful protest is a different thing.
49:30But as we see in the videos, I mean, we've seen a lot of violence from the administrators.
49:36They are provoking people to violence.
49:38They are indulging in violence.
49:39They are hitting, you know, they are sending, throwing missiles on the police.
49:44So, I would say the police, I'm only going by the media videos.
49:49No, there are two, ma'am, with due regard.
49:51There are both sides.
49:53There are videos of young teenagers who seemingly are defenseless being targeted by the police.
49:59And there are videos of stone pelting.
50:01There are two sides of this story.
50:03I mean, my point to you, therefore, is, should there not be a proper investigation, at the
50:07very least, instead of the Supreme Court Chief Justice saying, I have no time to watch the
50:11videos.
50:12If you don't have time, then for God's sake, who has time then?
50:15Or should the police put out a transparent inquiry, at least?
50:20Police, definitely, you know, with the kind of dimensions the case has taken, police will
50:24be inquiring into the matter.
50:26In a fair, you know, every video will be, you know, sized up and investigated into.
50:32And, you know, the results will come out.
50:35As we see in the media, and I've seen lots of media in the media, and otherwise, videos
50:41being sent around, it is not that the demonstrators have been totally, very, very, you know, innocent
50:46or anything.
50:48Police had to take the action, which it has taken.
50:50You're saying police had no option but to take action?
50:53Is that what you're saying?
50:54In a mob, what do you do?
50:55If you are, I mean, you are a cop and you're asked to handle, it is your basic duty, primary
50:59duty to handle the mob.
51:01What do you do?
51:02You have to handle the mob.
51:03Even if one or two or even one percent or five people, five mischief mongers are there
51:09in the mob, you know, pretending to be genuine demonstrators, that can put the whole thing
51:13into, you know, that can provide the spark which puts the town on fire.
51:17So police are nothing.
51:19Let Colin, let Colin Gonzalez, you're laughing, but here is a police officer, seasoned officer.
51:27Sir, you know, they also look at it from a policing perspective.
51:31You cannot allow people to enter parliament.
51:35I tell you one thing, Rajdeep.
51:37If Nirmal Kaur was living during the period of the Quit India Movement, she would unleash
51:43a lati charge on Mahatma Gandhi.
51:46I tell you, this is the mentality, even in the face of such clear purity, like Gitanjali
51:53spoke, purity of people.
51:55I walked in the march, Rajdeep, school children in their school uniforms were beaten mercifully
52:03in front of me.
52:04What are you saying, Nirmal Kaur?
52:06What are you saying?
52:08Your old paradigm is over.
52:10Your old understanding is over.
52:10No, no, no.
52:11So what happens to those?
52:12No, no.
52:12What happens to the…
52:13No, no.
52:14Is the police not entitled to also raise the questions of videos that show…
52:18Videos that show stone pelting?
52:21Colin?
52:21My professional opinion.
52:22I'm not familiar with the…
52:23Ma'am, one minute.
52:24One minute.
52:25Based on the media reports, based on the videos I've seen.
52:28One minute.
52:29One minute.
52:29Yes.
52:30Yes.
52:31Go ahead.
52:31In every motion, in every agitation, I tell you one thing.
52:35Police send in people who will create trouble, who will burn vehicles, take videos and then
52:41malign the movement.
52:42But one must answer a simple question.
52:45What was the general nature of the people participating?
52:49And I think the answer is this.
52:52That overwhelming 99% of the people were pure in their souls.
52:58Pure in their understanding.
53:00And not doing violence.
53:02Okay.
53:03Now the police have to grow up.
53:04They don't know how to grow up.
53:06They're still in the colonial age.
53:08Still in the colonial age.
53:09Okay.
53:10You made your…
53:11You are saying the police need to grow up.
53:13They're in the colonial age.
53:14Final quick word, Dirbal Kaur.
53:15Is there a sense that the police still believe that Dunda is the only way out?
53:21No way.
53:21No way.
53:22I think it is totally mistaken.
53:24The colonial mentality is that of the public.
53:26Which view police still as colonial police.
53:28Police no more is colonial police.
53:30Now where is the colonial…
53:31With due regard ma'am.
53:32Are you telling me the students have a colonial mentality ma'am?
53:35Please.
53:36That's a good you know.
53:38Are you telling me the students have a colonial mentality?
53:41Are you telling me these young students have a colonial mentality?
53:44I mean people like…
53:44Some people are implementing colonial mentality to police.
53:47Because they themselves are kind of living in the past.
53:51Okay.
53:52I'm going to leave it there.
53:53I've heard two sides of the story.
53:54I wish we had more time.
53:55Maybe one of these days.
53:57Maybe we'll have more time to listen to these debates.
54:00I want to leave you with my take.
54:02Don't forget.
54:03It took the Chief Justice of India Surya Khan's reference to the word cockroach.
54:08To finally trigger these youth protests.
54:11Now when videos of students being beaten or dragged were cited.
54:16The court says it has no time to watch them.
54:19Makes you wonder.
54:20What does our justice system choose to prioritize?
54:24Yes there are visuals also of stone pelting.
54:27Please investigate those too.
54:28But at a moment when young Indians are demanding answers.
54:34The focus should be on safeguarding their constitutional right to peaceful protest.
54:40Not using language that risks trivializing their concerns.
54:44Courts are the ultimate guardians of civil liberties.
54:47Especially when the executive is accused of overreach.
54:50Students don't need lectures or labels.
54:53They need to know that the constitution, the samvidhan protects their right to dissent.
54:58In a democracy that judiciary must inspire confidence.
55:01Not by appearing dismissive but by standing unequivocally with the rule of law and fundamental freedoms.
55:08I hope Chief Justice Surya Khan is listening to my take.
55:13I am after all only a humble citizen.
55:17But I too have every right as any other citizen to say my piece.
55:23And to you the viewers.
55:24That's about all the time that we could pack in today.
55:27Thanks for watching.
55:29Stay well.
55:30Stay safe.
55:31Good night.
55:32Shubhraatri.
55:33Jai Hind.
55:34Jai Hind.
55:34Jai Hind.
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