The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution against the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill, uniting opposition parties.
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00:00Hello and welcome, you're with the news today, your primetime destination, news, newsmakers
00:06talking points.
00:07Among our talking points are two newsmakers joining us, Asaduddin Owaisi will join us
00:13as to why is the opposition now coming together on the Waqf bill that is planned to be introduced
00:19in parliament next week.
00:21Also Donald Trump has fired another salvo 25% auto tariff.
00:26What does that mean?
00:28We'll have our explainer segment and Kerala's top bureaucrat declares, black is beautiful.
00:35I'll be joined by her as she explains why.
00:39We'll have plenty on the show as always including something that's very special, Ghibli style.
00:45But first, the nine headlines at nine.
00:50Home Minister Amit Shah targets Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress, claims that the
00:58TMC is stopping the border security force from fencing borders.
01:03The Bengal TMC hits back, says it's an attempt to malign the state by the Home Minister.
01:13It's Speaker versus leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, that battle escalates day
01:18after claiming a gag.
01:20Rahul Gandhi reiterates charge, says they will never allow him to speak.
01:24Shah slams Rahul, claims his speeches are being written by NGOs.
01:31Tamil Nadu Assembly passes a resolution against the Waqf bill.
01:35TN Chief Minister M K Stalin claims the bill will harm the rights of the Muslim community.
01:44Justice Verma set to appear before a probe panel constituted by the Chief Justice.
01:49Sources tell India Today, judge to be confronted with forensic proof, Bar Association meets
01:55the CJI, demand judicial accountability.
02:00A Bengaluru court rejects Rania Rao's bail plea, Rania to stay in jail.
02:05Court outlines multiple serious concerns while rejecting her plea including evidence tampering.
02:13Karnataka hikes milk price by Rs 4 a litre, price hike to come into effect from 1st April.
02:19BJP hits out, calls it daylight robbery of common voters.
02:24In a major blow to separatists in Kashmir, two more Hurriyat groups shun the separatist
02:31grouping.
02:32Home Minister says valley trusts Bharat.
02:38Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit India soon, his first since start of the Ukraine
02:42war.
02:43Russian Foreign Minister says Putin has accepted Modi's invite.
02:50Donald Trump announces a 25% tariff on car imports to the US, auto tariffs trigger global
02:56shockwaves, industry could face major losses.
03:10Let's turn to the story that's breaking at the moment, a crackdown by security forces
03:15now on a terror attempt in Katwa in Jammu and Kashmir.
03:20According to the government, two terrorists have been eliminated in that encounter taking
03:25place in Katwa at the moment.
03:29Five security personnel have been injured in that ongoing encounter.
03:35It's army police joint operation that's taking place at the moment.
03:41Army police joint terror operation in Katwa in Jammu and Kashmir is taking place at the
03:48moment.
03:49And that's the story that we are breaking at the moment, live pictures have been coming
03:54in.
03:55But Sunil G Bhatt joins me.
03:56Sunil, this has been a long operation that started several hours ago.
04:02What's the latest that you can give us of this terror operation taking place?
04:07Rajdeep, I have spoken to my sources in the security establishment and as per them, two
04:17terrorists have been neutralized in this counter-terror operation.
04:20Five of our security personnel have received injuries, including a deputy superintendent
04:26of police rank, officer of Jammu and Kashmir police.
04:29The search operation is still on, but since it's dark now, so a proper cordon has been
04:35laid across the Juthana area of Katwa district of Jammu and Kashmir.
04:40And remember Rajdeep, it's not an easy area to operate in because this particular area
04:46in Katwa district of Jammu region is a hilly area, it's surrounded by dense forest.
04:51So it's going to take more time before this operation is called off.
04:56But so far, two terrorists have been successfully neutralized while five of our security personnel
05:02have received injuries.
05:04They have been taken to different hospitals and they are receiving treatment.
05:07But Rajdeep, it's a matter of huge concern for the security agencies because Jammu region
05:13has now become the focus area of Pakistan and Pakistani terrorists.
05:17And as per our sources in the security establishment, a large number of Pakistani terrorists,
05:23dreaded Pakistani terrorists who are highly trained, have been able to successfully infiltrate
05:30in Jammu and Kashmir.
05:31So it's a matter of huge concern for the security establishment.
05:35And that is why security has been beefed up all along the India-Pakistan international
05:39border, as well as along the line of control.
05:42Rajdeep, in the Kashmir valley, after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, there has
05:47been a major crackdown on terrorism, terror ecosystem and separatism.
05:51And the government has been able to contain the violence there.
05:54But Jammu has become a big challenge.
05:56And unlike Kashmir valley, the terrain in Jammu region is very difficult.
06:00Most of the districts here are hilly and they are surrounded by dense forest.
06:04There are far-flung areas which even don't have proper road connectivity.
06:08And that is why it becomes very difficult to carry out counter-terror operations in
06:13areas like these.
06:14Rajdeep.
06:15Okay.
06:16Sunilji, but giving us details.
06:17Remember, the locus of some of these terror groups has shifted to the Jammu region in
06:22recent times.
06:23And that is a cause for worry.
06:26From that news update, let's turn to someone who's making the news every day.
06:30U.S. President Donald Trump has once again escalated the tariff wars.
06:34Ahead of the April 2 deadline that he has put for reciprocal tariffs, he's gone ahead
06:39unilaterally and announced a new 25 percent tariff on all auto imports into the United
06:45States.
06:46Canada and the EU have slammed the latest tariffs, which have even spooked American
06:51companies.
06:52Take a look at our other big story.
06:54We're going to charge countries for doing business in our country and taking our jobs,
07:04taking our wealth, taking a lot of things that they've been taking over the years.
07:08They've taken so much out of our country.
07:10Friend and foe.
07:11And frankly, friend has been oftentimes much worse than foe.
07:17With those words, Donald Trump deployed his most aggressive trade weapon yet.
07:25Signing an executive order that triggers a seismic shift in the global manufacturing
07:30landscape.
07:34Global stock markets in the auto industry looked on in horror as Trump announced long-promised
07:39tariffs of up to 25 percent on automotive imports.
07:43Auto stocks in the United States, Asia and Europe fell as he said the tariffs would be
07:49permanent and will take effect on April 2, the same date as the reciprocal tariffs.
07:57This will continue to spur growth like you haven't seen.
08:02Before I was elected, we were losing all of our plants that were being built in Mexico
08:06and Canada and other places.
08:07Now those plants largely have stopped and they're moving them.
08:13While Trump insists the tariffs will boost domestic growth, analysts paint a more concerning picture.
08:22According to S&P Global, 46 percent of all light vehicles sold in the United States in
08:272024 were imported.
08:29Just 54 percent were manufactured domestically.
08:32Most of the imports came from its largest trading partners, Mexico, Canada and Japan.
08:39Canada has already signalled the possibility of retaliatory tariffs.
08:44Japan, facing a potential 20 basis point hit to its GDP, is equally concerned.
08:52We have put in place the mechanisms so that if it is appropriate for retaliatory tariffs
08:59and there's many considerations to be taken in those regards and I want to have the meeting
09:04of our cabinet, Canada-U.S. cabinet, other considerations, we need to see the details
09:10of the executive order.
09:12We believe that the broad scope of trade restrictions imposed by the U.S. government could have
09:17a significant impact on the U.S.-Japan trade relationship as well as the global economy
09:23and multilateral trade system as a whole.
09:27For India, the direct impact is largely limited, primarily affecting Tata Motors, which exports
09:33made in the United Kingdom JLR vehicles in the U.S.
09:38However, Indian auto part manufacturers could face broader consequences due to disruptions
09:43in the global supply chains.
09:48Bureau report, Business Today TV.
09:55So how could this play out in the days ahead?
09:57Are we heading for a tariff tsunami as some are suggesting?
10:01Chetan Bhutani from India Today, Business Today joins us.
10:04Chetan, the Indian auto sector, how is it looking at this and what could lie ahead?
10:11Is there a sense of apprehension as April 2 approaches, that deadline for reciprocal
10:16tariffs that Trump intends to introduce?
10:20Well, you're right, apprehensions are due coming up for the Indian automobile sector
10:24but much more lesser for the passenger car segment.
10:28The OEMs are still relaxed, but it's the auto component manufacturing industries that
10:32are really facing the heat due to 25% tariff on auto imports in the United States, which
10:38could potentially impact about $7 billion of auto component exports that India did in
10:45FY24.
10:46In fact, Indian manufacturers of powertrain engines and transmission parts may face higher
10:50costs, making exports less competitive and less lucrative.
10:54In fact, the industrial sources that I spoke to, top auto component manufacturers told
10:58me that Indian auto components are currently cheaper than the Chinese and the Eastern European
11:04suppliers, giving them a pricing edge nearly a difference of about 20 to 25% because India
11:09has a cheaper labour and of course, cheaper manufacturing costs.
11:13And if the US grants tariff exemptions to Mexico and China, it would further create
11:18an unlevel playing field and of course, give a competitive disadvantage to Indian manufacturers.
11:23And in fact, Chinese subsidies also remain a concern for the Indian industry.
11:27But the US is of course, watching it very closely because if China tries to opaquely
11:33disguise in any form of subsidy manufacturing level playing field, that would potentially
11:38create a problem.
11:39But yes, what my sources are also confirming to me is that the Indian government is keeping
11:43a very close track of the developments and it may push for a fairer trade agreements
11:47with the United States in the times to come.
11:50Well, the next few days that will be watched very closely.
11:53Chetan Bhutani, for giving us those details, I appreciate you joining me.
11:57Let me turn therefore to what's happening between India and Russia because Russia has
12:01now confirmed that President Vladimir Putin will visit India soon.
12:05Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow has accepted the invitation extended
12:11by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had visited Moscow last year.
12:14This would be the first visit to India by the Russian President since the war with Ukraine
12:18started in 2022.
12:20Foreign Minister Lavrov saying preparations are underway but didn't give any specific date.
12:25Remember, India has often told both Russia and Ukraine that this is not the era of war
12:31but has refrained from publicly targeting the Russian President.
12:34Geeta Mohan now, our Diplomatic Affairs Editor joins us.
12:38Geeta, are we expecting an early visit from Vladimir Putin given the rapidly evolving
12:44situation in Ukraine or is this a likely meeting in the near future?
12:50Well, four months ago, Rajdeep, when we were reporting this, Kremlin had confirmed
12:56that a visit will take place in the first half of this year.
13:01This is part of the annual summit that is a regular feature between India and Russia
13:07only paused for a brief while during the war and it did resume in many ways than one
13:14with Prime Minister Modi visiting Moscow not so long ago.
13:18And then right now what we're looking at, it is Russia's turn to visit India for the annual summit.
13:25So this is the annual summit that is going to take place in India.
13:32But we have no dates, correct?
13:36No dates for now.
13:38No dates, normally the annual summit would always take place in December
13:43but this time they have rescheduled it and are saying that it could be in the first half.
13:49Okay, Geeta Mohan on that, a likely summit between India and Russia in a few weeks
13:57or maybe months from now.
13:59Okay, let me turn from there to our top domestic political story
14:02and it comes from Tamil Nadu today where the assembly passed a resolution
14:06against the Waqf Amendment Bill that aims to change the way Waqf properties are managed in India.
14:12The bill has brought together India bloc parties almost for the first time
14:16since the Lok Sabha elections of 2024.
14:19In a moment I'll be joined by Asaduddin Owaisi who's leading the charge against the Waqf Bill
14:24but first take a look at this report.
14:26Connered and divided after three successive assembly election defeats in Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi
14:37the India bloc has finally got an issue to regroup.
14:41The rivals of the BJP are becoming vocal in their opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.
14:52The Tamil Nadu assembly on Thursday passed a resolution against the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act.
15:01I hereby announce that the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 is to be repealed
15:09by the United States of America.
15:17Chief Minister M.K. Stalin called the bill a direct threat to the rights of minorities and the powers of the Waqf Board.
15:27This is a threat to the rights of Muslims.
15:32This is a threat to the rights of Muslims.
15:42Even the AIADMK which is in alliance talks with the BJP backed the resolution.
15:48The BJP walked out of the assembly when the resolution was put to vote.
15:56DMK is rattled. CM is rattled.
16:01They want to divide the people in the name of language.
16:03They want to divide the people in the name of state.
16:06They want to divide the people in the name of religion.
16:08Many opposition parties have thrown their weight behind the protests being held by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.
16:17RJD leaders Lalu Yadav and Teja Sri Yadav attended the protest held by the Muslim body in Patna on Wednesday.
16:25We are trying to prevent this bill from being passed at any cost.
16:33If we fight together, God willing, we will win.
16:40The BJP called the protests an act of blackmail.
16:46We need to be careful about communal blackmailing in the name of Waqf.
16:52Some people have become accustomed to making the system of Waqf a heavenly book.
17:00They have said, touch me not.
17:02The bill of Waqf will be passed in the parliament. No one can stop it.
17:09They used to blackmail the government.
17:15They have taken all kinds of drastic decisions in the name of Waqf.
17:22Especially, the line that says Waqf is theirs will be considered theirs.
17:27Are we stupid? What kind of a country is this?
17:31The Waqf Amendment Bill seeks to amend the Waqf Act 1995 to change the way Waqf properties are managed in the country.
17:41With Pramod Madhav, Bureau Report, India Today.
17:52So as the Waqf Bill now unites the political opposition,
17:56joining me now is someone who has been leading the charge against the government's Waqf Bill.
18:02The Member of Parliament and AIMIM MP, Asaduddin Owaisi.
18:08Mr Owaisi, what explains this rising crescendo among Muslim groups who are hitting the street against the Waqf Bill?
18:17What are the leaders like yourselves so worried about?
18:20If there is nothing to hide, the government says, why should you be worried if the Waqf Boards are regulated?
18:26First, Rajdeep, you must understand that the 1995 Act which was passed in the parliament was supported by BJP.
18:36Unanimously supported. In 2013, an amendment was made. BJP openly supported it.
18:43Now what has happened is that because they subscribe to the ideology of Hindutva,
18:49which wants to make India a country, a theological country, they do not believe in diversity.
18:56Now what worries us is, number one, that you are interfering in the administration of the Waqf Board.
19:04Under Article 26 of our constitution, the fundamental right, the denominational rights of everyone,
19:09that I manage my own religious affairs, that is, Waqf Board. The government wants to have non-Muslims,
19:16and in fact they can appoint, now the elections are finished, the government will be appointing,
19:22and there can be a majority of non-Muslims, which is completely violation of Article 26.
19:26But Mr Owaisi, the fact is that there are governments that have a say, state governments have a say in the running of temples.
19:33You seem to suggest that the moment the government tries to put a regulatory framework against the Waqf Board,
19:39on the Waqf Board it's anti-constitution. But all these years there have been temple trusts where the state governments have had control.
19:47Please understand that even in the Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, any Hindu endowment board,
19:58which clearly says that the members and the staff and the officers have to be Hindu.
20:05They cannot be non-Hindus. Now, running the endowment board is different, having members over here.
20:14Now here the Waqf Board, please understand that the government appoints certain categories in the existing 94 Act,
20:21then you have elections for MLA, MPs and the Bar Council. Now that is against Article 26.
20:27Secondly, Rajdeep, you are saying that adverse possession will be applicable to Waqf Board,
20:33which will not be applicable to the Hindu endowment board or to Sikh Gurdwara committee or to Christian missionaries.
20:40So basically you want to reward the encroachers over there. Thirdly, you have given powers to collector and higher official
20:49who will decide what is a Waqf property. That is completely violation of principles of natural justice.
20:56You cannot be a judge in your own case.
20:59But you will concede, Mr. Ovesi, that there have been serious issues about encroachments of property,
21:04disputed ownership, ineffective surveys, the fact that there is an absence of judicial oversight on tribunal decisions
21:12taken over the Waqf. Do you accept that given this widespread litigation,
21:17there is reason to believe that if you have a regulator, as long as it's transparent, you should have nothing to worry about.
21:24Then whether that's the district collector or whether that's a judicial oversight, what is wrong with it?
21:29As long as it is transparently done, the government says they will be transparent.
21:34It's all hogwash. I'll revert all those allegations. Number one, this government had introduced in 2014,
21:43a bill called Eviction of Unauthorized Occupation Bill was introduced. In 2024 they withdrew this bill.
21:52Who stopped them? They should have taken forward. Secondly, in the name of encroachment,
21:59the existing Act says that if anyone unlawfully or fortunately alienates a property, it will be a non-bailable section.
22:09There will be a two-year sentence. What Mr. Modi has done, made it bailable and made it a simple sentence.
22:15So, where is the question of, and regulatory, what regulatory mechanism have you created?
22:19How can you take away my right and give it to a collector? That is not the case in any of the Hindu Endowment Boards
22:26or the Christian religious bodies or the Sikh Gurudwara or the committee. Where is the regulatory mechanism?
22:33There is a belief that the managements of the Waqf Board have been unaccountable so far.
22:40The government is saying what they are doing is through this regulation, hopefully facilitating the development of
22:45genuine educational and healthcare institutions or Waqf land, rather than allowing a small group of clergy
22:52in some instance or some individuals to capture this land. It becomes a huge land bank.
22:57It's completely false. You know, look at the budgetary documents. The amount allocated in the Ministry of Minority Affairs
23:06to develop Waqf properties, you have not released that amount at all. You have released a paltry sum.
23:13And where is the question of developing? You are not giving the amount to Waqf Boards.
23:16As compared to the Hindu Endowment Boards, the state government gives them a huge amount.
23:21And Rajdeep, this false propaganda of Waqf Board being the third largest land bank holder, completely false.
23:28I will revert this allegation. They take the example of Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh
23:33and 10 temple properties of Odisha. That takes it to 14 lakh acres. So where is the question of that?
23:40Sir, total number of immovable properties claimed by Waqf, 8,72,259.
23:45Management status of the properties not known is for about 4,13,849.
23:51There is no information available therefore on almost 50% of the properties.
23:55If this leads to greater information transparency, I come back to it, will you still see it as interference?
24:01Will you still see it as interference? No, no, no. Rajdeep, I am telling you, not a single amendment proposed by the government.
24:08The government is only verbally lying. Not a single amendment is there which will protect the properties.
24:16You remove eviction, you remove evacuate property section, why? Because you want to grab those evacuate properties in Punjab and Haryana.
24:25Why are you removing that evacuate property section which generates lot of revenue?
24:30Why is it that you are making it, you know, the judgment of the tribunal? You are saying go and appeal.
24:37The Hindu Endowment Board, Income Tax Tribunal, NGT Tribunal, Railways Claimant Tribunal, these are all review petitions.
24:44You are, every amendment that this government is bringing in is to destroy the Waqf board, to take away the Muslim management.
24:51How can we trust this government, which does not have a single Muslim MP, not a single Muslim minister,
24:58which does not give a ticket to Muslims, which has indulgence in ensuring using bulldozer by destroying everyone, house and everything.
25:06So, which amendment is there? I will give one example which will happen. Right opposite the parliament, there is a masjid.
25:14The Delhi government claims it is their property. The Waqf board claims it is their property.
25:19What will happen, God forbid, if the act is, if the bill is passed, the collector of that area will say, no, this is a government property.
25:26This is not a Waqf property. You are giving that kind of powers to the, in this bill to the collector.
25:33Yeah, but it would eventually then perhaps be settled in court. Of course, that would take, perhaps.
25:38No, no, no. What do you mean settle in court? You make a law to settle in court.
25:43No, you are making a law to deny me the right to run my affairs, which is against article 26.
25:51You do not make laws to go and settle in court. Why are you doing this?
25:55How much of this, how much of this though is fear mongering? What you mentioned at the moment, the lack of trust that you have in the government.
26:01Is that what it boils down to? We saw it even when the JPC was appointed on the Waqf board.
26:06The kind of debate that took place between the various members seemed to suggest that this is all divided now on party lines.
26:13And we are seeing that the opposition states are coming together. It almost seems, once again,
26:18it is the Modi government versus the opposition and stuck in the middle is the legislation.
26:23Rajdeep, we are seeing, I will give you an example of Sambhal Masjid.
26:281880 that case was decided. Suddenly something opens up.
26:32The only reason is to grab masjids, to grab Khabarastan, to open controversies,
26:39to create more divisions between Hindus and Muslims, so that all these social fabric is more weakened, more in our country.
26:46If you want to do anything for Waqf board, give them enough grants to develop those properties.
26:51If you want to protect Waqf properties, why did you withdraw this eviction of unauthorized occupants bill act?
26:56If you want to protect, why is it that you are removing elections to the category of MLAs, MPs and Bar Council?
27:02You want to nominate your own jokers so that you take that Waqf property in direct management for 5 years and you destroy everything.
27:09But are you very clear that if a Waqf property is encroached on land that is not meant for the Waqf property, action must be taken.
27:17You are clear on that and are you therefore saying that your only concern is excessive government control is what troubles you?
27:25Am I correct? You are not saying that action should not be taken against illegalities.
27:29If there are illegalities, action should be taken. The Waqf board itself cannot take action or the tribunal against its own.
27:36You are completely wrong. They are violating the constitution, fundamental rights of article 25, 26, 14 and 15.
27:44Now I will give you an example to understand your viewers.
27:48The 2013 Waqf Act. From 2013 to 2023, the Gujarat BJP government did not establish a Waqf board.
27:58Who stopped them from doing that? Please tell me. You will never form a Waqf board.
28:02By this act, if this bill becomes an act, you will take everything in direct management.
28:07No, no, but if properties are usurped in the name of Waqf, are you very clear?
28:12If there is proof of that, if it has been illegally acquired, action should be taken?
28:17Rajdeep, please understand that if tomorrow Rajdeep Sardesai as a Hindu, you can donate your property to Waqf board.
28:26You cannot do it directly. You write a letter to the Waqf board. The Waqf board sends you to the chief secretary.
28:31The chief secretary tells the survey commissioner to do a survey and issues a notice whether Mr. Sardesai is owner or not.
28:37After that survey, the survey commissioner says, yes, Mr. Sardesai is owner. He can give his property to Waqf board.
28:43After that, the state government issues a gazette notification that this property which Mr. Sardesai is donating is a Waqf property.
28:52Who will hold the Waqf board accountable? It's coming down to that.
28:58Who will hold the Waqf board accountable? It cannot be unaccountable.
29:02Rajdeep, you are making provisions more dangerous now.
29:06Tomorrow, I cannot even move a no confidence motion against the chairman of the Waqf board.
29:11I cannot even remove him. Do you know that? I can remove a prime minister in the parliament.
29:15I can remove the speaker in the parliament but I cannot remove a chairman of the Waqf board who becomes corrupt.
29:20And why did you withdrew this eviction of unauthorized occupant bill?
29:24Why is this government ensuring that the limitation act applies on Waqf board only?
29:30Because you want to reward those encroachers. That is what I am saying.
29:34The government is not interested in protecting the Waqf properties.
29:37Mr. Modi has assumed that a property which is given to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, the almighty, he says, no, it is not anymore.
29:45I will decide, hold and Rajdeep, a funny thing, if tomorrow as a Muslim, I can donate every property.
29:52What Mr. Modi is saying that if you are a Muslim, you must show that you are a Muslim for 5 years.
29:57Who the hell are you? I must demonstrate myself that till 5 years I can give my property to Hindu endowment board or mutt.
30:05But I cannot give it to my religion, to the Muslim cause, to charitable causes.
30:09This is what Bill is saying.
30:12Can I therefore ask you in conclusion, it seems the government will go ahead with it, likely to move it after Eid.
30:18The opposition doesn't have the numbers in parliament. How do you see this playing out now, a final answer?
30:24No, I am, this will be an unconstitutional act. This will lead to social fabric being weakened.
30:32This will lead to more, you know, Hindu-Muslim fight, God forbid.
30:37You can challenge it in the Supreme Court.
30:40Rajdeep, we have challenged CAA, we have challenged triple talaq.
30:45Where is it? The Supreme Court is yet to hear those matters.
30:48What will happen, see in that Bill there is a provision, if tomorrow I say that Mr. Rajdeep Sardesai's property is not buff,
30:55I give a complaint to the collector, the collector will order inquiry.
30:59Until the inquiry is completed, you will, that property will not be a buff property.
31:03The collector, there is no time limit for the collector to finish his inquiry.
31:08Where are we heading? You are saying put it on portal.
31:11Look at, you know Bombay Trust Act is there.
31:14In Bombay Trust Act those provisions are not there which are providing in this Bill.
31:19Put it on portal. If I don't put it on portal for six months, I lose my buff protection.
31:23You are seeing what the Delhi, sorry, UP CM has said.
31:28We have dug 54 places, they will start digging in every places.
31:31Oh no, this is not, and you think the collector will be independent?
31:35The collector will have to dance to the music of the BJP Chief Minister, he will say, oh yes, this is not a buff property.
31:41This is not a masjid, this is not a dargah, because you have passed a law.
31:45Okay, I am going to leave it there, Asaduddin Ovesi, you have given us why you believe
31:50you do not want this Waqf Bill to go ahead. We will wait and see what the government decides next week,
31:57when Parliament resumes post-Eid. But for now, I appreciate you joining me on the show today
32:04and Eid Mubarak in advance to you.
32:07Thank you, sir.
32:08Asaduddin Ovesi, on the Waqf Bill that promises to be the next political flashpoint,
32:14we will wait and see how that plays out. Let's turn to our newsmaker today.
32:20Kerala's Chief Secretary, Sarda Murlidharan, has sparked a debate on dark complexion and how society views it.
32:29What prompted her to write the post was a comment, she said, made by someone about her work,
32:34who told Murlidharan her stewardship as Chief Secretary is as black as her husband's was white.
32:41Her husband was the previous Chief Secretary of Kerala. After making it public, she quickly deleted the post,
32:47and then, when she saw the response to it, brought it back with a longer message
32:52on how she had learned to own her dark skin.
32:56Her comments have sparked a raging debate in Kerala and outside.
33:01Is black beautiful or not? Or is that simply political wokeism as it's described?
33:07I spoke earlier today to Sarda Murlidharan. Listen in.
33:17Joining me now is our newsmaker, Sarda Murlidharan, is the Kerala Chief Secretary
33:22who sparked off this debate over colour of the skin, about being black.
33:28Dare one say beautiful. Appreciate your joining me, Sarda Murlidharan.
33:32I want to ask you this. What prompted you, after all these years in public life, in public service,
33:38to suddenly put down your thoughts about being a woman and dark,
33:43and what it meant to be vilified because of the colour of your skin?
33:48Well, it was a very interesting comment, like I said.
33:53It's not often that you hear your administrative tenure being judged in terms of colour.
34:00So, it took me aback. It took my husband aback as well.
34:07And we were, you know, what actually is behind the comment of that nature?
34:13It was not the, you know, the person who made the comment thought he was making a joke.
34:18But for me, it was a conflation of both my skin colour with a sense of what black connotes for administration,
34:36which I thought was rather strange. And I needed to get it out of my system, first of all.
34:42But is this something you've been living with?
34:46Yeah, I mean, all my life.
34:49You say you wanted to get it out of your system, but is this something you've been living with for years?
34:54Being regarded as lesser, as a lesser being on account of colour,
35:02has been something that I have been living with almost ever since I remember.
35:07But do you believe it's still a form of discrimination? For example, in the civil service,
35:16you've ended up being the chief secretary of Kerala, one of the few women chief secretaries.
35:21So, does it really lead to any form of discrimination because of the colour of the skin?
35:26Does it lead to prejudice in your view, as you suggest in your Facebook post?
35:30Or is that much in the past?
35:33No, I mean, it's not. If it were in the past, then I wouldn't have heard a comment of that nature.
35:39Right. And so discrimination has many forms.
35:44It is it is not about it's not necessarily active and in your face discrimination.
35:51It can be very subtle. It could also be subconscious.
35:55It could not be it might be well intended to.
35:59I mean, I've had so many well intended people tell me, you know, whatever happened to you.
36:05Have you been out in the sun too much? You've gone so dark.
36:09And why are you wearing these kind of colours? They don't suit you.
36:12And these come from well wishes. And, you know, hearing this on a very regular basis can be quite demeaning.
36:21Each one of us of colour and who has some complex or the hidden up our sleeve,
36:29find ways and means of negotiating that complexity and coming to terms with people who don't know better.
36:36But sometimes, you know, and I mean, like I said, just something meant to be among friends.
36:43And then I realised that it was going way beyond my circle of friends, which is why I deleted in the first place.
36:50And yeah, so then but I brought it back precisely because I was I was told that it was important that somebody.
37:01But does it affect work? Does it affect work? No, it doesn't affect work.
37:07But does it affect my work here? Mrs. Murlidharan, does it affect your work or, you know, your promotions or your sense of how your colleagues see you?
37:16Do you really believe it affects that or are these subtle perceptions?
37:21No, I wouldn't say that my my skin tone has affected my work has affected.
37:27Generally, it has not affected the perception of what I do.
37:32It was but it was a I have had obviously comparisons made and I also had issues of of skin tone and beauty and all of that raised.
37:49But these two coming together. Has not been a common occurrence, no.
37:59But, you know, Mr. Murlidharan, Indian traditional beauty concepts have often revolved around fairness, matrimonial ads,
38:07fair and lovely creams, inventing matrimonial ads, inventing phrases like wheatish complexion.
38:16We can go back even to our mythological epics where, you know, usually the the villains will be seen as dark skinned in some form.
38:26Do you believe, therefore, that this is something that we have had to live with because of our social conditioning?
38:34And therefore, what you are trying to do is encourage a younger generation to break out of that.
38:40That's precisely the thing. It's a socio-cultural conditioning, very cultural, too.
38:45You know, it's it's it's been ingrained. It's been indoctrinated into us.
38:49And it's about breaking that indoctrination. And and how do you break that indoctrination is a question.
38:55So it really doesn't I mean, it's it's not just about I mean, does this does this very tangibly affect your career?
39:02No, that's not really the question. The question is, has this been something that has been interfering with your perception of self?
39:09Has this been something that has been bringing you down? Have you had to fight it just in order to just in order to be a normal breathing human being?
39:23You mentioned in your Facebook post how your children advised you and helped you bury this ghost.
39:29What exactly did your children tell you, Mr. Muralidharan?
39:34Well, you know, in the safety of the home, you generally wear your insecurities on your sleeve.
39:42And then when your children take those insecurities on on their head and turn it and try to get you to see them differently, it helps.
39:52That's one point of it. One one part of it. The other part is also to look at the world through their eyes, you know, because whether I like it or not,
40:02I have also, to a large extent, internalized this narrative and, you know, felt that that, you know, looked and seen beauty where I see fairness where and and not notice the beauty lying in dark places.
40:24So they have actually forced me to to see that. And then I find that you actually need to go in search of such beauty when somebody who when when a dark model walks the ramp, you need to stop and say, look at her.
40:42And what is it that she brings to the table? How is she different? And and and and enjoy the the fact that she brings her own definition of beauty.
40:55And we need to see it and appreciate it. So, yeah, that's what they did to me.
41:04Your how did your husband, who's also been the former chief secretary of Kerala, in fact, your predecessor, and you contrast his fair skin with yours.
41:15How did he react to you actually going public with this? How have your colleagues reacted, your juniors or your peers?
41:22Do they feel that this is a debate worth triggering or are you a bit of a lone ranger when you went out and and put yourself out there and spoke about
41:33being dark skin? OK, so the responses have been very interesting.
41:38Mostly I've had two sets of responses. One is that why are you allowing a petty comment get to you?
41:47That's been one that's been one series of comments. Another has been, you know, we know exactly what you're talking about because we've been through this.
41:57And I feel that the first comment actually comes from a place of privilege of not having gone through this.
42:04And the second and most everybody who's been dark skinned has come out with this, but not just everybody who's dark skinned.
42:10I've had people who who are bald and say, you know how that's affected their sense of self.
42:17So it's it's about body shaming as well. It's it's about complete narrative of where you feel inadequate and and how those inadequacies are
42:28are thrust upon you, reinforced by social conditioning, by people who are closest to you and who care for you.
42:37That also is part of the story because you just can't skip it. So so that's been that's been something that we've both talked about.
42:46And, you know, from the from what does this have to do with my husband, Venu? And how did he see this?
42:54I mean, I didn't ask him in a post when I put up the first post and he also felt that I really needed to just get it out of my system.
43:03So it is just a three line thing. So that is OK. But later on, when I withdrew it, we had this conversation as to maybe maybe the I could I could turn this around.
43:15Into something which is positive, something which positively talks about black as as beautiful as as claiming that space.
43:28And by virtue of the fact that I do it, there would be there would be a change.
43:33But so when you look at the when you look at my colleagues, there have been some colleagues who've been saying that, OK, you may be making too much of a deal out of something very small.
43:44And there have been some who've been saying. But most and particularly my female colleagues have all been saying, yes, I'm glad you spoke, spoke out.
43:57I'm glad you called this out. OK, in conclusion, let me ask you, do you believe anything will change as a result of people coming out?
44:10Now, you've said at the end, black is beautiful, black is gorgeousness, that I dig black.
44:16Do you believe that more and more people in Malayalee society, in Kerala itself and indeed across this country will realize that times have changed?
44:27Or do you believe you're fighting a bit of a losing battle, given that these prejudices have existed for centuries?
44:34The prejudices have existed, but also I find that the counter movements also exist.
44:40And these are pretty pretty evident now. You know, if you you've got a dark model walking the ramp, if you've got makeup for dark people to to, you know, highlight who you are and the luster of being dark.
44:55Then we are talking about the fact that another discourse is already there. And and let's just see if this might help to speed in that discourse.
45:08Well, I all I can say, Sardar Modi is someone who's often also been accused of being a dark skinned anchor.
45:16I'm more than happy to wear the color of my skin on my sleeve and be proud of the way I am, as I'm sure you are.
45:24And thank you for speaking out so loudly and clearly, I think.
45:28And I hope it will make at least some difference out there.
45:32Thank you. Thank you.
45:41Black is and always will be beautiful.
45:46So I believe in describing a scene in words and then seeing it dramatically turn into a stunning image or animation literally within seconds.
45:54Open eyes chat GPT can now do exactly that in the chat GPT four point or four point five version of image generation.
46:02People can create their own animated versions of pictures by simply uploading a normal picture.
46:08You are seeing lots of our India today. Architect anchors being converted by what we are calling Ghibli style,
46:16which refers to the distinctive animation and visual aesthetic inspired with Studio Ghibli.
46:22All those images coming in through this generation.
46:27Joining me now to explain what is Ghibli style and what it will do to the world of design is our group creative editor.
46:35Nilanjan joins me. Appreciate you joining us, Nilanjan. Thank you.
46:40Give us a sense of what is this Ghibli. Why has it become such a sensation overnight over the last 24 hours?
46:47So it has an interesting history behind it. It started in Tokyo by Studio Ghibli and it became a trending point in Japan.
46:55And then it crossed across US everywhere.
46:59So openly I did amazing stuff and they have been doing amazing stuff in AI for last so many years.
47:08And yesterday we saw something phenomenal happened in AI.
47:13We have been trying to create images which is near perfect.
47:16We are trying to create images on text, which was not possible in AI till date.
47:23But what openly I did is a remarkable thing.
47:26They have created this Ghibli, then they have created real, you can create real time images, you can create graphics.
47:31You can create an India Today cover with images, text, everything in one go with Ghibli.
47:38You are saying you could create an India Today cover in real time with Ghibli using all these AI tools.
47:48Using all these AI tools just on text. I put in the text and you will be able to create an image for an India Today cover.
47:54True, because see prompting has become engineering now. Earlier people used to call it captioning.
48:01But now the prompting has become so detailed and usually what prompting does is communicate visually and verbally with the AI.
48:10So whoever is very good in prompting, he or she becomes the AI prompt engineer.
48:16So what have you done, Nilanjan, as group creative editor at India Today in the last 24 hours
48:23to give us a sense of what Ghibli will do to the future of magazines and dare I say the future of TV as well?
48:30It is actually fascinating what's happening now. Last 24 hours I have been awake and crazy.
48:36This is like a new toy for me and it is so powerful visually.
48:40So designers, educators, advertising agencies will start doing stuff which was never thought before.
48:48So you are showing me one of those, that's how an India Today cover could look, right? Using Ghibli.
48:52Yes, Ghibli.
48:53And how long will that take you?
48:55It will take around 30 seconds.
48:57So what happens to your, are you worried that Ghibli will take over your life, will take over the human interaction or not?
49:04No, not at all.
49:05It will still require your expertise.
49:08It's a tool.
49:09It's a collaborator. Earlier it was tool, from yesterday it has become collaborator because it has evolved into a dynamic AI.
49:17Wow. So those are all images that you have just done in the last 24 hours and you can just keep churning them out presumably?
49:24Non-stop.
49:25It's a non-stop process and it's exciting. I want to show you, that's Prime Minister Modi with the Italian Prime Minister Meloni.
49:35Take a look at that. There's one of me which was just done a short while ago by our directors and that's Elon Musk, Donald Trump, they're all out there.
49:47We're going to play those images but just trying to understand, do you see this as the future?
49:55Have we seen today a glimpse of what the future will look like?
49:58No, the future is here. We are already living into it.
50:02Nilanjan is full of good one-liners. I love it. You're not just a creative editor, you're a good one-liner.
50:07The future is already here. Look at that image. Zelensky, Vance and Donald Trump at that meeting that went horribly wrong.
50:15All of this will be out there in a matter of minutes. Donald Trump is going to have a great time with this.
50:20If you know how to use it, Mr. Modi, the Trumps of the world will use it very well.
50:24Yeah, yeah. It can create anything and whatever you wish for.
50:27Wow. So I just have to wish, just put in the text and it will come?
50:30That's it.
50:31Interesting. Okay, I have a few wishes therefore. Do you have something for me which I can take home today?
50:40See, I know something about you. You really like cricket and music.
50:45So I have created something for you. Your favorite cricketer is, if I'm not mistaken, Sachin Tendulkar, right?
50:50One of my favorites, yes, but he's there, right at the top, yes.
50:54And singer Kishore Kumar. I think everybody loves Kishore Kumar. It must be Kishore Kumar.
50:59Absolutely, Kishore Kumar. Zindagi ek safar hai suhana.
51:04So what are you going to do for me which will give me...
51:06I've already created something for you. It's there.
51:10Wow. There you can see it. Kishore Kumar, Sachin Tendulkar and Rajdeep Sardesai, Ghibli style.
51:19I'm going to put it up in my house. It's going to be now a memory in Elanjan.
51:22So thank you very much for that.
51:23I'm going to frame it and give it to you.
51:25Okay, fantastic. Obviously, of course, there are other images that I'd like of some of the interviews I've done.
51:33So I have a question for you.
51:35Yeah.
51:36You have done so many interviews.
51:38Yes.
51:39Which one is the proudest one like you have done, which you really remember?
51:43You know, over 36, 37 years, like you've done all those decades, there are lots of them.
51:48But, you know, I thought given the mood of the country, I'm not going to select a politician today that will create more problems.
51:54So I actually think, Elanjan, you'll recall in 2020, I interviewed Rhea Chakraborty.
51:59Yeah.
52:00And I got a lot of flack for that, for interviewing her.
52:03She was being targeted, villainized, held responsible for Sushant Singh Rajput's death.
52:08She was vindicated last week. She's been cleared of all her charges.
52:12And frankly, I feel vindicated as should India Today Network that gave me the space to do that interview at a time when everyone else,
52:20every other network was going for Rhea Chakraborty.
52:23So I'm going to take that and celebrate that moment, Ghibli style.
52:28Can you do that for me, me and Rhea Chakraborty together?
52:31You're a good Bengali, right?
52:33Yeah, yeah.
52:34So Rhea Chakraborty, Elanjan style.
52:37As you were speaking, I just created it and have a look.
52:41You've created it while you were speaking?
52:43It can be done on a mobile phone.
52:44I was telling you about Rhea Chakraborty and you've already created it.
52:47It's on mobile phone.
52:48Wow.
52:49So you can do it on go actually.
52:50Wow.
52:51So all of you out there, as Elanjan has explained, this is going to transform the world of design,
52:56the world of creativity and is going to make a huge impact.
53:01It's already gone viral.
53:03Ghibli style is where we are going to end the show today.
53:07Elanjan, always good to have you on the show.
53:09We should get you more often.
53:10Thank you so much, Rajdeep.
53:12And thank you for watching.
53:14This is Rajdeep Sardesai, the real news anchor, not the Ghibli one.
53:21There's only one original, OG.
53:23Thanks for watching.
53:24Stay well, stay safe.
53:26Goodnight, Shubhratri, Jai Hind, Namaskar.