Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is facing a storm of criticism after tabling a caste census report that has been slammed as "outdated" and "unscientific" by opposition leaders and community heads.
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00:00Hello and welcome. Good evening. You're watching Super 6 here on India Today.
00:04I'm Akshita Nandakopala with the next 60 minutes, the top six stories of the day coming your way.
00:09Let's begin by giving you a quick teaser of what to expect over the next one hour.
00:13Story number one, our top focus here on Super 6 is the Karnataka caste census showdown.
00:19Tomorrow is the state cabinet meet and Chief Minister Sidra Maya finds himself in a real pickle
00:24as you've got several Congress leaders, senior ministers all revolting openly at that
00:30against the plans of a caste census. What really will this mean for the Congress?
00:34How will they douse this fire? We'll be talking all about that.
00:38Also coming up on Super 6 this evening at 6.30pm, we'll be talking about the fight between the Congress and the ED
00:45with the Enforcement Directorate charge sheeting Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald case.
00:51You've got the Congress hitting the streets of the National Captive Planning, Pan-India protests.
00:57Their crime political conspiracy will get you all of those reactions and a detailed ground report.
01:02And speaking of political conspiracy, story number three on Super 6 is on Robert Wadra.
01:08Robert Wadra has been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for a second time today.
01:12And this time, Priyanka Gandhi stood symbolically by her husband,
01:15giving him a hug as he entered the ED office and as he exited for lunch as well.
01:21Money laundering charge against the Gandhis, money laundering charge against Robert Wadra.
01:27Story number four on Super 6 is on the Tamil Nadu game of thrones.
01:33With the AIA, DMK and the BJP sealing the deal, confirming there's an alliance,
01:37EPS seems to have thrown a spanner in the works, claiming that there will be no coalition government to aim Tamil Nadu.
01:43But what really does that mean? Was that part of the deal that BJP agreed to?
01:48Story number five on Super 6, we'll be talking about the big BlueSmart controversy.
01:53Yes, the very popular cab service, the promoters of the same are in trouble
01:57as the Jaggi brothers have been accused of a bank loot,
02:00taking a loan for the company but spending it for personal use.
02:05We'll break down those details for you.
02:07And finally, on Super 6, our daily report on what's really happening in the Indian Premier League.
02:14So all of the cricketing action coming your way, as always, at 6.45pm here on Super 6.
02:23Alright, so let's get started with the Karnataka caste conundrum that Chief Minister Sidra Maya faces.
02:30An announcement was made, a big bang one, by Chief Minister Sidra Maya that he's going to go ahead with a caste census.
02:37It's one of the promises, of course, and one of the biggest talking points for the Congress,
02:40not just at Karnataka, but across the nation.
02:43But clearly, Sidra Maya didn't expect the backlash that is playing out right now.
02:49And he's firefighting an all-out revolt and rebellion.
02:53You've got senior Congress Ministers, one after another, speaking out right now,
02:57questioning what is the need for this caste census,
03:00questioning details of the report that have been leaked about the numbers of the Vokaligas,
03:05the Lingayats, or for that matter, the proposed quota break-up right now.
03:09So this is a fire that Sidra Maya is battling, along with D.K. Shrivkumar,
03:13who's facing now a flak from his own community, from the Vokaligas.
03:17We'll break that down for you, bit by bit, as to why these communities are upset.
03:23Let's begin with one of those communities, the influential Lingayat community.
03:28Why are they miffed? Why are they upset?
03:30Listen in to this.
03:30The
03:53As the people who are living in this country,
04:00I am a part of this,
04:06and I am a part of this,
04:12I am a part of this,
04:18So the Lingayats, hugely influential community in Karnataka, clearly upset.
04:36And they're saying that this is going to backfire on the Congress.
04:39Then you have the Vokal Ligas, the same caste group that D.K. Shiv Kumar belongs to has revolted.
04:44And how D.K. Shiv Kumar met with some Vokal Liga MLAs to kind of reach out, reassure the community.
04:51So far, it's not working.
05:14So the Vokal Ligas, the Vokal Ligas, the same caste group that D.K. Shiv Kumar met with some Vokal Ligas, the same as the Vokal Ligas.
05:21So the Vokal Ligas, the same as the Vokal Ligas, the same as the Vokal Ligas.
05:27So the Vokal Ligas, the same as the Vokal Ligas, the same as the Vokal Ligas.
05:48So the Vokal Ligas gives إلى the Vokal Ligas.
05:54Open revolt by caste communities, and these are very influential groups.
06:20Their seers are very influential. Again, when they speak against a party, it spells bad news for the political party.
06:27And if this isn't bad enough, now there are also Congress leaders openly speaking out against the caste census
06:32and saying it plain and simple, that this will spell doom for the Congress.
06:38Senior-most leaders speaking out one after another, clearly miffed by Chief Minister Sidra Maya's idea. Listen in.
06:44JDS and BJP people, they are asking for re-survey, and Mr. Vijayendra, yesterday or day before yesterday,
07:00he suggested to throw that to dustbin.
07:04See, last four years, from 19 to 23, who ruled this state?
07:14Who nominated? Kantaraju, nominated by Congress government, and Mr. Hegde, nominated by BJP government.
07:23What they were doing four years, and one year, Polynesian government, totally five years, JDS, BJP.
07:35What were they doing?
07:39Why they have not gone through all these things?
07:41Why they have not gone through all these things?
08:11They didn't know who the government.
08:12So, in the cabinet, I support all these things.
08:14So, what we have not gone through all these things?
08:19We need to use this.
08:21We need to use this, if we need to use thisation, we need to use this.
08:24You can use this.
08:25We need to use this as a teacher, to use this as a teacher.
08:29So, this is the one thing I'm going through to use this.
08:34When I was talking about this, I would like to talk about that.
08:41Do you have any research on the cabinet?
08:45I don't know if I was talking about the cabinet.
08:52The cabinet is a secret confidential meeting.
08:57The cabinet is a gaupiah.
09:00I don't know if I was talking about the cabinet.
09:04If I was talking about the cabinet,
09:07I would like to talk about it.
09:09I would like to talk about it.
09:13So why are these two communities, the Vokkaligas and Lingayats,
09:16so angry over the caste census?
09:18What do they stand to lose?
09:20Let's break down for you what's shown in the leaked report
09:22that's got the Vokkaligas upset.
09:24First, the Vokkaligas.
09:25What's shown in the report is that they represent 12.2%
09:29of the population.
09:31So the current quota that the Vokkaligas enjoy as an SC group is 4%.
09:36The proposed quota as per the report is 7%.
09:39So when the quota is going up from 4% to 7%,
09:42why is the community miffed?
09:44They have a problem with their mention in the report of 12.2%.
09:48They're saying our numbers are much higher than that.
09:50So they feel that they've been underrepresented essentially.
09:54And it's exactly the same grouse that the Lingayats have.
09:57What's shown in the report for the Lingayats is that they represent 13.6% of the population.
10:02The Lingayat community believes that their number is much, much higher than that.
10:06Currently, they have a quota of 5%.
10:08And much like the Vokkaligas, for them too, the proposed quota in the report is going up from 5%.
10:13It goes up by 3% to 8%, which means you'd think that the Lingayats are celebrating.
10:19But again, their grouse is this.
10:21They feel that their numbers are being hugely underrepresented in the report.
10:25They're saying we're much higher than just 13.6% of the population.
10:29Remember that the Lingayats and the Vokkaligas were the most dominant caste group in Karnataka.
10:34Based on this report, they no longer are the most dominant caste group, which is why they are upset.
10:39Let me bring in Sagaraj. He's joining us live from Bengaluru with the latest updates on this.
10:45Sagaraj, tomorrow is the Karnataka cabinet meet.
10:47The Karnataka Congress seems to be firefighting a revolt within, outside and whatnot.
10:52So what's the strategy of Chief Minister Sidramaya?
10:54How is he going to respond to all of this criticism?
10:57If he goes ahead with the caste census, it's going to be an absolute storm that he'll face
11:01because this is just based on a report that there's so much outrage.
11:05One of the positive things which will work for Chief Sidramaya is that he is identified as a crusader
11:13or a person from backward class community and leader, mass leader from backward class community.
11:19And two, he has also promised the manifesto that once the Congress comes back to power,
11:24they will try and implement the socio-economic survey.
11:29And three, the High Command will support Sidramaya.
11:33Remember, all this decision of bringing in the cabinet, presenting in the cabinet,
11:38came only after the Gujarat Congress Convention meeting.
11:42So the High Command have asked Sidramaya to go ahead with that.
11:45And subsequently, Sidramaya, who came from Gujarat, immediately started to implement.
11:50And one of the setbacks that he's going to face, top leaders from D.K. Shukumar to Lingai leaders,
11:56everybody are unhappy where they are alleging that this particular survey which was being done was unscientific.
12:03The data which has been collected is irrational.
12:06They feel that many of the people who have done this particular survey have not come to their house
12:12and they have not collected the data.
12:14And the BJP, on the other side, alleged that the Karnataka Congress government is doing to appease one particular community by increasing the number.
12:23And they are targeting Muslim communities, stating that this Karnataka Congress government,
12:28they want to show Muslims as one of the majority communities along with the backward class.
12:33And that is the reason they are going ahead with this particular survey.
12:38And they have also demanded that if at all, if you go according to the socio-economic survey,
12:43you should go ahead and give minority tag to Lingaiets.
12:46So the Lingaiets are now unhappy, saying that it will change the political dynamics in the state.
12:51Even the Lokal Liga leaders are also on the same page of Lingai.
12:54And let's just talk about the Vokal Liga community.
12:57Sagai, just stay with me.
12:58Why is it that the Congress, this could spell bad news for the Congress,
13:02is because the Vokal Ligas matter for the party.
13:05And here's why.
13:06It's a dominant political group that holds a huge sway on which way really the election can go in Karnataka,
13:12particularly the SC votes and even otherwise.
13:15The Vokal Ligas will essentially decide, and it's not an exaggeration to say that,
13:19they decide which way an election goes.
13:21They account for 10% of the population in Karnataka at this point.
13:26And of course, with further census, you'll know whether those numbers have actually increased or not.
13:31Vokal Liga votes.
13:32There's an active race between the Congress and the JDS.
13:34For long, it was the JDS bastion.
13:36The Congress has made inroads in the Vokal Liga vote bank.
13:39And so they want to keep that going.
13:41Something like this, something like a caste census could dent them.
13:45And it will mean advantage JDS then.
13:47The Vokal Liga group is dominant in South Karnataka.
13:51And you've got, of course, leaders like DK Shriv Kumar, one of the most prominent Vokal Liga leaders of the Congress.
13:57And in 2023, in the last assembly elections in Karnataka, the Vokal Ligas actually voted in favour of the Congress.
14:03Like I said, switching over from the JDS to the Congress.
14:06And so the Congress could lose out on this crucial vote bank if they continue along this road of a caste census, particularly when several representatives of the community have spoken out against it, have opposed it.
14:19Let's just run you through, again, when we talk about why Vokal Liga matters, the influence that they hold on seats in Karnataka.
14:26Of the two 24 legislative seats in Karnataka, in 44, the Vokal Liga has a huge say.
14:33And just look at those numbers.
14:34This is what I was talking about with the JDS Congress swing.
14:37From 11 in 2018, a 25% vote share.
14:41That number went subsequently up for the Congress to 29 in 2023.
14:45So 66% is how it jumped up.
14:49That's huge for the Congress.
14:50One of the deciding factors of what ensured their massive win in the 2023 elections.
14:55And it was at the cost of the JDS.
14:57Because the JDS from 24 jumped down to 10.
15:00From 55% of the vote share of Vokal Ligas to 23.
15:04The BJP has never really had much of an influence.
15:06But from 8, they went down to 4.
15:08So it's about that number.
15:10Imagine that 29 seats of, in fact, the Vokal Liga influenced dominated areas went to the Congress in 2023.
15:18And this is the very community that they could now be going ahead and upsetting with this caste census.
15:25Besides that, let's also talk about the representation that we're looking at as far as Lingayats go.
15:30And I highlighted for you how Lingayats also are currently opposing the caste census.
15:35Lingayats matter in 70 out of the two 24 seats.
15:39And if you look at really the breakdown there of the Lingayat influence seats, a comparison directly of 2018 and 2023.
15:45This is again a community that voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Congress.
15:50Again, compare what happened previously in 2018 to 2023.
15:53From 21, it became 44.
15:56The JDS jumped down.
15:58The BJP was cut by half from 10 to 5.
16:01And the Lingayats, of course, can sway any way, which is why the Congress will want to hold on to this vote bank.
16:07Very difficult now with a caste census that's not got the Lingayat community happy.
16:12So these are two communities that chose the Congress in 2023, but could pose a challenge now post this.
16:18But let's also talk about representation of really these communities and how these castes voted in Karnataka.
16:26When you look at the vote share itself.
16:28Now 27% as far as Vokal Ligas go voted for Congress in 2018.
16:33That went up to 49%.
16:35A direct comparison there shows you how the largest number has been to the Congress as far as Vokal Ligas go.
16:41And then the BJP at 24%.
16:43And finally, the JDS, which is a big fall for them because they were once considered to be the favorite of the Vokal Ligas.
16:50Similarly, for Lingayats, you'll see a similar trend.
16:5318% to 29% for the Congress overwhelmingly in their favor.
16:57The BJP went down 61% to 56%.
17:01And this was a big setback for the BJP because they always aim for this vote bank, for this community.
17:06The JDS also dropped from 11% to 9%.
17:09The BJP will look at increasing that figure.
17:12And how?
17:13At the cost of the Congress.
17:14So if this 29% shifts away from the Congress and comes to the BJP, it could spell trouble for the Congress.
17:21And they will be looking at ensuring that that doesn't happen.
17:24One big factor in that will be how they respond to this cast census.
17:28Representation matters for the Congress.
17:30The fact that you're seeing an open revolt right now is because of the numbers.
17:35The number of representatives that they have from the Vokal Ligar community as well as the Lingayat community.
17:41And just look at that.
17:42This is just the Congress numbers, by the way.
17:44Where you've got Vokal Ligars having 17% representation in their MLA list.
17:49Lingayat's at 25%.
17:51And then you see the rest of the breakdown.
17:53Those two communities right on top.
17:55You see that there's been a subsequent increase in the numbers.
17:58And despite that, you've got now all of this churn happening.
18:03Perhaps because of the fact that they have a huge representation of these two communities.
18:07You've got more and more Congress leaders speaking out right now against any talk of a cast census.
18:14Saying it is hugely, hugely unfair.
18:16So these are the numbers really that matter as far as both the parties go.
18:21And the cast-wise Karnataka MLAs, if we were to break that down for you as well.
18:25You can see for the BJP, the representation is largely from the Vokal Ligar community.
18:31From 8% it jumped up to 17% after the 2023 election.
18:35So they will be looking at growth in the Vokal Ligar vote bank, the vote base as well.
18:40Lingayat's, it's come down.
18:42And remember that the Lingayat's was one of the core voter base for the BJP.
18:47So they will be looking at kind of making the most of all this anger over the caste census here too.
18:52Let me bring in Sagay on this.
18:54Sagay, you look at these numbers of why there's a revolt within the Congress.
18:58It's clear because of the kind of representation they have of the Lingayat's and the Vokal Ligars.
19:02Having said that, Sagay, I'm sure Chief Minister Sidramaya would have seen this coming.
19:07So why did he suddenly make this push for a caste census out of the blue after so many years?
19:12As I told you earlier that this particular decision from Karnataka Chief Minister Sidramaya
19:19to go ahead with the social economic survey or largely known as caste census
19:24came up only after the Gujarat Convention.
19:26Immediately after that, he started to make moves.
19:29And much before that, it was in the shell.
19:31The Congress was elected to take this forward.
19:33But immediately after he got a green signal from the high command, he was all pumped up.
19:38Remember, he's been considered as a mass leader among backward class.
19:42And he wants to show that he's one of those past leaders who want to implement this social economic survey
19:48as a social economic survey.
19:50Definitely showing the positive signs as also OVC, which has an upper hand in this entire survey.
19:56So he wants to implement that.
19:58Yes, there is opposition from Worker Ligas and Lingayat Li Residences.
20:01There are some reports that suggest that there's a Telangana factor.
20:08There's a Revant Reddy factor.
20:10And there was pressure from the high command because Sidramaya felt that, you know,
20:14Revant Reddy was being praised for having implemented the caste census in neighbouring Telangana.
20:19Was it that pressure that essentially weighed on him?
20:23Absolutely.
20:24Even that pressure as well as the high command which has insisted on him saying that
20:28we are the people who are working for backward class.
20:30Why are you not even trying to implement?
20:31Why there is a roadblock for you?
20:33So these were the issues.
20:34Because the high command has given a free hand to him.
20:37And that is the reason he's putting this forward in the state of Kandataka.
20:42Alright.
20:43Sagai, thanks very much for joining us with those details.
20:45Tomorrow is the state cabinet meet.
20:47So let's see what really plays out.
20:49Will the government backtrack?
20:50Will they manage to kind of reassure all these groups that are discontent?
20:54Let's just run you through the proposed quota region.
20:56If the cabinet okays the report on really the caste census and the changes in quota,
21:01what will it look like?
21:03For backward classes, the current quota is 4%.
21:05The report has suggested that that be increased to 6%, 2% increase there.
21:10For OBCs, other backward classes from 15% to 22%.
21:13This also includes, by the way, an introduction of a new category, a subcategory.
21:18So overall 22%.
21:20Muslims identified by the panel as the largest community in Karnataka.
21:25And therefore from 4%, they've suggested that the quota increase to 8%, double it essentially for Muslims.
21:32Let's talk about Vokaligas.
21:33Like I told you, for the Vokaligas too, there is an increase proposed by the panel from 4% to 7%.
21:39Similarly, for Lingayat also, the panel has proposed that the number goes up from 5% to 8%.
21:46Despite that, there's anger because they say that our numbers haven't been adequately represented.
21:50So what that means is the total current quota for BCs and OBCs is at 32%.
21:56If the panel report is accepted, the revised quota for OBCs and backward classes will stand at 51%.
22:04What this change means is that overall reservation in Karnataka will go up to 85%.
22:11Then, of course, there's a question of whether it will stand the scrutiny of the codes.
22:16Karnataka is the latest in a long list of states that have gone ahead and actually implemented the caste census.
22:22Karnataka, they still talk about whether it will happen in Bihar.
22:25A caste survey has already been completed.
22:28It happened a few years ago.
22:29Telangana, it's ongoing.
22:31The Revant government has got the wheels moving on that, even approving this census.
22:36So step further than Karnataka.
22:38Andhra Pradesh, years ago, was already approved.
22:40So we'll have to see how really it goes forward under Chandra Babu Naidu.
22:43In Karnataka now, as we told you, the Cabinet will be discussing the same tomorrow
22:48with the panel report already with the government.
22:54The EDs filed a charge sheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi,
22:58referring to Sonia Gandhi as accused number one and Rahul Gandhi as A2,
23:02accused number two in the National Herald case.
23:04It snowballed, obviously, into a massive controversy,
23:07with the Congress calling it an example of vendetta politics.
23:11The BJP terming Sonia and Rahul Gandhi as the biggest looters.
23:15Our next report tells you about all the reactions that have come in
23:17and the protests staged by the Congress today.
23:19Congress workers hit the streets across the nation in protest against the charge sheet
23:34filed against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald takeover case.
23:39In the national capital, protesters breached barricades, shouting slogans against the central agency,
23:54and confronted the police.
23:57Many were detained by the police.
23:59Many Congress leaders, including Sachin Pilot, joined the party workers in the protest on Venesty.
24:05In the whole process, there was no transaction, no lend-in, no money, no money, no money, no money, no money, no money.
24:13Congress leadership had done this a hundred years before, and the Congress party's
24:18is a whole process.
24:19In this case, it is a non-profit entity.
24:22In this case, there is no money, no money, no money, no money, no money.
24:27So, where is the money laundering?
24:28This is a politically motivated case which agencies want to prove it.
24:33The ED in his charge sheet has named Sonia Gandhi as accused number one and Rahul Gandhi as accused number two.
24:41Gandhi family loyalists Sam Petroda and Suman Dubey are also accused in the case.
24:46The ED has accused the Gandhis of money laundering, tax evasion and financial irregularities
24:52in the takeover of Associated Journals Limited by the Young Indian.
24:57The private firm controlled by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
25:01We are working to do this every day.
25:05There is no need to do this every day.
25:08What they have put in this approach is a very dangerous approach.
25:14We are doing all areas, we are doing all those types.
25:17We have to raise the pressure on the people,
25:19but we have to raise the pressure on the people who are responsible for them.
25:22This is a small case.
25:24It is not a terrible case.
25:25There is no doubt.
25:26The question was already done for 3-4 days.
25:30Sonia Gandhi is on the belt of Rahul Gandhi.
25:32He has made the entire work.
25:33He has left the entire government for the high court Supreme Court,
25:37and no road.
25:39BGP supporters put up posters in Mumbai demanding bulldozer action against properties linked to the National Herald case.
26:04With Shivani Sharma, Anmol Bali, Rahul Gautam, Bureau Report, India Today.
26:39At this point, he's just left the ED office.
26:42Interestingly, today, you had Priyanka Gandhi Vajra dropping off her husband at the ED office.
26:47And we also saw that moment when she gave him a quick hug, almost as a message of solidarity.
26:53An important symbolism, essentially, from Priyanka Gandhi there, sending out a message that she stands by her husband, even as he faces charges of money laundering.
27:02Interestingly, it's the same charge of money laundering against the Gandhi through the National Herald case, the same charge of money laundering against Robert Vajra.
27:09Two different cases, however.
27:11While the Gandhi's is a National Herald case, here is a 2008 land deal case where Robert Vajra bought a 3.5 acre piece of land in Gurgaon, sold it in a matter of five months with a 700% increase.
27:24He bought the land for 7 crores, sold it for 58 crores.
27:28All of this in a matter of five months.
27:31And so there were questions about whether this was an attempt at laundering money, which is what Robert Vajra has been questioned over.
27:38The second day of questioning, again, the ED grilling largely lasting for about six hours.
27:45Let me bring in Arvind Oja for the latest updates.
27:49Arvind, Robert Vajra's day two of questioning.
27:52What is your knowledge about questioning?
27:53Arvind, Robert Vajra's day two of questioning.
28:23The second day of questioning is the same.
28:53And in the morning, Priyanka Gandhi-Wadra is with us.
29:23But as expected, all right, the breaking news that's just coming in is that Robert Wadra has been summoned yet again.
29:31He's been asked to appear before the ED tomorrow as well.
29:34So a third day of questioning awaits Robert Wadra tomorrow.
29:39He's so far been cooperative with the agency saying, I will ensure that I turn up when I'm summoned.
29:44And so this is the third time that he is being asked to appear before the ED tomorrow.
29:49Two days of non-stop questioning, each lasting about five plus hours.
29:54And again, Robert Wadra being questioned tomorrow by the Enforcement Directorate.
30:05All right.
30:06So we will get you a reaction from Robert Wadra when he chooses to speak.
30:11He's maintained, remember, that all of this is nothing but a political conspiracy,
30:14that this is vendetta and by the BJP being orchestrated using these agencies.
30:21So Robert Wadra, defiant in the face of these allegations, remember today when he turned up at the Enforcement Directorate office,
30:28he was accompanied by his wife, Priyanka Gandhi-Wadra.
30:31But we've got that confirmation that Robert Wadra tomorrow again has been asked to appear before the Enforcement Directorate.
30:37And listen in to what Wadra said early this morning, just as he was applauded to appear before the Enforcement Directorate.
30:43We've got this question.
31:13We've got this question.
31:14We've got this question.
31:16We've got this question.
31:18We've got this question.
31:20so target or target is because we are relevant
31:24we keep talking about people
31:26we don't worry about anyone
31:27we always fight for people
31:30and maybe Rahul will stop me
31:32or I will stop outside
31:34we will fight for truth
31:36and we will fight for people
31:38so we are definitely target
31:40but we are not soft target
31:41we are hard target
31:42and we are harder
31:42let's get you a news break
31:51coming in from Tamil Nadu
31:52days after the AIA-DMK and BJP
31:55sealing the deal
31:56confirming an alliance
31:57Edipati Parniswamy has sent across
31:59a very cryptic message
32:01saying that at no point
32:03the AIA-DMK talk about a coalition government
32:06EPA is very clearly saying
32:07that the AIA-DMK and BJP
32:09will form the government together
32:10but I am the leader in Tamil Nadu
32:12I will be leading this alliance
32:14in the state
32:15now sources in the AIA-DMK
32:18have said that the decision
32:19of the cabinet will be made
32:20after the alliance wins
32:23they are expressing confidence
32:24of course that they win next year
32:25in the Tamil Nadu elections
32:27but EBS meanwhile maintaining
32:29that there will be no coalition government
32:31the question that's being asked
32:32is about whether the BJP
32:34is also on board with such a move
32:36or was this something
32:38that Edipati Parniswamy
32:39has reiterated just now
32:41listening to what Amit Shah
32:43had said last week
32:44when asked about the alliance
32:47he said the two parties
32:48would form the government together
32:49the U.S.
32:51ADMK and the other parties
32:57will be made
32:58because of the alliance
32:58we will be and will be
33:03the other party
33:05we will fight
33:06if we won
33:08we will all agree
33:08the other party
33:10in general
33:10Let's bring in Pramod Madhav, he's joining us live from Chennai with more details on this.
33:27Pramod, how does one really read into those comments from EPS?
33:31Is this going to be, you know, somewhat of a surprise for the BJP when he says there will be no coalition government?
33:40Akshita, we're not sure if we can use the word prodigy, prodigal son because what happened is that the moment EPS went and went with Amit Shah,
33:47whatever EPS want he started getting right now because the first and foremost thing is that we cannot call it as a coincidence or sort,
33:54but the BJP state president has been changed, the new president is Naina Nagendran and at the same event when Amit Shah was speaking about all this,
34:01we did put forward these questions about what is going to be the role of AIDMK, will there be a coalition government?
34:07But since in Tamil Nadu, since 1967, there has been no coalition government at all.
34:11Alliance, yes, but no power sharing, that is a big issue, but for which also Amit Shah gave a cryptic answer saying that first they will win the elections
34:19and then they will go ahead and decide on those matters and he said that he does not want to leave any kind of confusion for DMK.
34:25The same thing was reiterated once again by EPS today because both Dravidian parties, be it DMK or AIDMK, they have not been in favour of coalition.
34:35Will AIDMK, in case wins, will it change this particular formula is what we put forward as question,
34:41for which EPS also very clearly mentioned that all Amit Shah said is that when it comes to NDA,
34:46in the national level, PM Modi will lead it and when it comes to Tamil Nadu, it will be EPS and that way he ended his answer, Akshita.
34:52All right, Pramod, thanks very much for getting us those details.
34:56Let's see how the BJP chooses to respond to this.
34:59It's been essentially the BJP high command, Amit Shah, who's been directly conversing with Edapadi Paraniswamy.
35:05So even the state unit right now will be raising questions about what EPS was talking about.
35:11Let's move on to a story that shocked us as a country, a disturbing, disturbing case of a sexual assault
35:18that took place in a private hospital in Gurugram.
35:22A 46-year-old air hostess was allegedly sexually assaulted by hospital staff.
35:27This is why she was admitted in the ICU on a ventilator.
35:31According to the survivor's statement, she'd come to Gurugram for some work.
35:37She fell ill, was admitted to a private hospital for treatment.
35:40She was placed on a ventilator because of her condition.
35:43Now, the survivor alleges that during that period, while she was unconscious, unable to speak,
35:48she was sexually assaulted by members of the hospital staff.
35:52She realized that she was being sexually assaulted, but she couldn't say a word because she was on ventilator support.
35:59She also said that she remained silent out of fear and because of her inability to communicate at the time.
36:04Upon her discharge from the hospital, she informed her husband about the assault.
36:08A complaint was filed and F.I.R. has been registered with the police.
36:11The investigation is on, at this point, who are the hospital staff members who have done this?
36:17We don't know.
36:18But the hospital in question has issued a statement saying it's fully cooperating with the authorities.
36:25The National Commission for Women has taken sumo to cognizance of the case
36:28and has demanded a detailed report within three days.
36:31But this is a story, really, that shocks every single one of us,
36:35that a woman isn't safe even in a hospital.
36:38She was on ventilator in the ICU and some monster in that hospital decided to exploit her in that situation.
37:08I want to take this across to Shreya Chatterjee for the latest updates on the investigation.
37:14Shreya, have the police officials been able to identify who were these hospital staffers
37:28who sexually assaulted this woman while she was in the ICU were sexually assaulted this woman while she was in the ICU?
37:45As of now, no, Akshita.
37:48But we do know that the CCTV and the other electronic evidence is actually being looked into
37:53by the police officers of Sadar Police Station Gurugram, where the F.I.R. was registered.
37:59The woman in concern was in this private hospital between the timeline of 5th of April to the 13th of April.
38:05In between, she was actually sexually assaulted while she was in the ventilator.
38:10As for her complaint, this was a ward boy in concern.
38:12The shocking detail, Akshita, suggests that there were two nurses who were also present while this incident happened with her
38:19and they did not intervene.
38:20So, clearly shocking details coming in.
38:22The hospital in concern, however, suggests that as of now, the allegations haven't been substantiated.
38:28This woman in concern was an air hostess trainee.
38:31She was undergoing a training session where she drowned in a swimming pool
38:34and subsequently she was admitted in the hospital on the 5th of April.
38:38She was discharged on the 13th of April, followed by which she actually made this entire thing before her husband
38:44and then they filed a complaint and now that is being looked after by the Gurugram police.
38:50And imagine that, Shreya, what you're telling us is that there were nurses actually in the room when this happened
38:54did nothing to stop the sexual assault.
38:58Horrifying, really, TV and imagine that something like this happened in a private hospital.
39:02And like I said, it raises so many questions on whether women are safe in any place at all in the country.
39:08Thanks very much, Shreya, for joining us with those details.
39:10This is a story that we will track very closely and get you the updates on.
39:15Let's move on also to all of the talk and chatter over BlueSmart.
39:20Now, a 978 crore rupees green energy loan meant to electrify India's roads,
39:27and we've all heard of the BlueSmart cab service,
39:30ended up fueling essentially personal luxuries and corporate deception.
39:33Now, SEBI's crackdown on Gensol Engineering has exposed a stunning trail of alleged financial misuse
39:40by promoters on Mool Singh Jaggi and Puneet Singh Jaggi who own BlueSmart.
39:43At the core of the scam is a diversion of 262 crores meant to buy 6,400 EVs, electric vehicles, for BlueSmart.
39:54It is an EV cab aggregator service, very popular in some of the metro cities.
40:00So, what was done with that money?
40:016,400 EVs were meant to be bought.
40:03Only 4,704 EVs were actually acquired.
40:07The rest of the money allegedly rerouted for personal and family gain.
40:10And look at the kind of details these diverted funds were funneled into luxury real estate,
40:16into personal travel, high-end goods, into family accounts, even spent 26 lakhs on a golf set.
40:22And these are the kind of expenses that were done using money that was set aside,
40:27that was granted for buying electric vehicles for BlueSmart.
40:31Over 10 crores went to Gensol Ventures, 6.2 crores to Anmol's mother, 3 crores to his wife.
40:37I can go on and on with that list because of the sheer amount of money that we're talking about.
40:43Money was also spent on foreign currency, on golf equipment, or personal credit card bills,
40:47on luxury retail, 3 lakhs just for personal travel.
40:51This investigation has also revealed a web of circular font flows between related entities.
40:57GoAuto, Gensol, EV, Lease, GoSolar, BlueSmart.
41:01All of this now is under the scan and this has raised questions on the future of BlueSmart,
41:07the poster boys of India's EV push.
41:10All right, let's move on now and talk about the Indian Premier League.
41:20Our daily roundup of what's really happening in the cricketing world,
41:24the Delhi Capitals will play host to the Rajasthan Royals at the Arunjitli Stadium,
41:29while Rajasthan Royals are looking to snap their two-match losing streak.
41:32Delhi too are looking to get back to winning ways after suffering their first defeat of the season on Sunday.
41:38Here's how the two teams line up.
41:41Both teams head into the contest having different priorities.
41:47For Delhi, it's about stamping their authority and returning to the top of the table.
41:55The Royals, on the other hand, haven't inspired much confidence with the bat
41:59and will be eyeing a convincing performance.
42:02While Delhi seem to have most bases covered, the form of Jake Fraser McGurg could be a worry.
42:11It's an unhappy outing once again for this young man from Australia.
42:15Besides that, there is still some uncertainty around the fitness of Farf Du Plessis.
42:21In contrast, Arunjitli have problems aplenty in both the departments.
42:29The batters have lacked consistency and the bowlers haven't been able to penetrate.
42:35Expect plenty of runs as two teams collide at a venue that has seen teams batting first for scores in excess of 200 each time in the last seven matches.
42:50Sports Bureau, India Today.
42:53And as I wrap up this edition of Super 6 on India Today,
43:00we're giving you a quick glimpse into a story that we've been working here closely on India Today.
43:05On Kerala's rampant drug crisis, it's the biggest talking point in the state and yet finds no mention on the national media.
43:13But India Today is putting the spotlight on this drug crisis.
43:16What's being done by the authorities to tackle it?
43:19Ashman and Shibimol with the special report which is coming your way very, very soon.
43:23Here's a glimpse in the meanwhile.
43:28The main thing is curiosity.
43:30So let me tell you that the issue is not drugs allowed.
43:35Very complicated question.
43:36So whatever animal instinct is there in your mind,
43:39it gets manifest in the worst possible way.
43:43The problem with this kind of crime is it leads to other crimes.
43:46This is our number one priority.
43:49Are we a little late to wake up to the crisis?
43:52So good question is that you're asking that is there even a plan?
43:57Come to terms with the reality.
43:59There is no point in denying it anymore.
44:04Narcotics is a dirty business.