CJP Wants Regime Change? BJP Hits Back, Brands Protesters 'Anarchists' In A Massive Political Row

Good evening and a very warm welcome. You're watching Mirror Now. I'm Pratibha Chandran. On Urban Debate today, we ask, are these organic protests that we've been seeing against the Election Commission seeking a cleaner electoral roll to strengthen the elections? Or is it a call for civil unrest with the end goal of a government change? And if this is about India's elections, why is the inspiration coming from across the border? Why are US and UK voices weighing in? That's our debate tonight. Let's begin with the protests against the CEC, Gyanesh Kumar and SIR that are escalating by the day. Accountability and voter trust is an absolute must in a democracy. There's no doubt about that. But today there are dangerous parallels that have been drawn. A cleaner electoral roll, no doubt, is a win for every voter in the country. But let's tell you why we are discussing this or asking these questions. There is a video that shows Neha Bora, one of the faces of the protest, praising the Gen Z stir in Bangladesh. And it has armed the BJP with a fresh line of attack. Neha Bora, remember, is the ISA president. She has been one of the most prominent faces of the anti-CEC protests in Delhi. She also accompanied Rahul Gandhi recently, both at the Congress Party's protest march and also the larger India bloc press briefing. Her words in a video message to the Bangladesh Socialist Students Front praising the country's Gen Z movement have triggered a fresh face off. The question is, are we fighting for an electoral role, a cleaner electoral process in the country or are we wishing for civil unrest in the country? And do we in India need an imported chaos or destruction model for regime change? So the BJP's argument is that Rahul Gandhi gave Neha Bora a prominent platform during the opposition's anti-CC protest and that her subsequent remarks about Bangladesh raised some serious questions about the political message being projected from that stage. So, is regime change the end goal for Rahul Gandhi and Congress? The BJP's charge is that yes, that is what the protest is about. It cited the remarks of the opposition wanting to stoke anarchy in the country. Listen in to voices from within the BJP and allies. The right to vote is known on the basis of our constitution and the democratic system is made in this country by using it properly. that what they have been speaking about is a change through democratic means. I don't know anything about this Bangladesh-related controversial statement. We fight for the removal of Mr. Gyanesh Kumar. We fight for this country. And for us, the source of inspiration is India's freedom movement. We have many sources of inspiration in our country. Our student youth federations, you know, were always rebellious against government. They always fought against, you know, anti-people policies. There is no need of copying from Bangladesh or Nepal or any other country. We have our own path, our own tradition. But that wasn't the only global flashpoint in the political stir because the U.S. singer Mary Miliband, a vocal supporter of Prime Minister Modi, also spoke out and there was a tiff that broke out on social media between her and the Congress party founder Abhijit Dipke. Miliband has urged India's youth to rise up in a peaceful counter-movement, alleging that U.S. donors opposed to Modi are funding Dipke and the CJP. Now, she claims that these donors target conservative leaders and back disruptive movements calling on young Indians to stand up for democracy and freedom. And then Abhijit Dipke hit back, questioning why Modi is seeking American support to discredit his own countrymen, questioning the U.S. singer's local standout on the issue. Also dragging in actor Imran Khan, who's been asked to leave after he was detained at the anti-CEC protest. So questions have been raised on that, especially considering that Imran Khan had also been protesting here. So there are questions that are rising on that. But apart from that, let's talk about what happened in the Supreme Court today, because the protests are breaking out on the streets. Yes, but finally, it will all be decided by the top court. And when the issue came up in the Supreme Court today, the court issued multiple notices on the batch of petitions that it took up. But it also made a mention of Rahul Gandhi and his protest march towards the Supreme Court going on to say no one can intimidate the Supreme Court. These are futile attempts and that we are aware of the kind of things that are told outside the court. We don't live in an imaginary world. That's the kind of statement that was made by the top court on the leader of opposition. But let's open this up and talk about what next and where is this really coming from? Joining us on the broadcast today is Dr. Kaushal Kant Mishra, spokesperson of the BJP, Pratim Ranjan Bose, a senior journalist and columnist. We have Bhavna Sharma Jain, spokesperson of the Congress Party with us and also Rajiv Chaudhary, spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party and Shresht Singh Khera, spokesperson of the CJP. I want to begin with Bhavna Sharma Jain on the charge by the BJP first, because they have directly questioned Rahul Gandhi, saying he is one of the biggest faces of the entire movement and he platformed Neha Bora as well. And then you have Neha Bora coming out to quite openly say that my inspiration is Bangladesh. What I would like to say is that we stand by the statement of our Leader of Opposition, which says that all protests are the same. And as I would like to go ahead and say, the BJP needs to first answer the question on Gyanesh Kumar and the carte blanche that has been given to Gyanesh Kumar to do whatever he wants in the election procedures across the country, totally built to favor only one party, which is the BJP, and kept to keep BJP in power for years and years and years to come. So totally destroying the democratic processes of this country. That is the question that BJP needs to answer first. Why are they protecting Ganesh Kumar? When will the election commission become neutral, impartial, and conduct free and fair elections in the country. When will 13 crore, 30 lakh voters whose names have been deleted through the SIR process, who have been denied the right to vote, which is granted to every citizen of this country, when will their vote be given back? When will SIR be scrapped? These are the questions that BJP needs to answer. From the start of this protest, we have also debated on that multiple times. My question to you today, quite simply, is this. Does the Congress Party stand for this statement? Neha Bora was seen with Rahul Gandhi. She says that she is inspired by the Bangladesh movement. Do you stand for this or not? I would like to draw your attention to the fact, Pratibha, that she said that she is fighting for democratic values of this country. She is fighting for against the religious fundamentalism in this country. That's what the youth is inspired by to fight against the religious intolerance that has been spread across this country. The hate that has been spread across this country. That is what the youth is inspired by. And the fact that one party seems to be controlling the election commission and all the constitutional bodies of this country to deny a common citizen their right to vote. So and also the right to protest, which we have seen on the streets of Delhi. That is what the youth is inspired by. So it's very easy to take only part of her statement. Remember, it's not part of the statement. We can play out the entire statement. And these are her own words when she says that we are inspired by the movement. And, you know, we've said it time and again. But what is she fighting for? A cleaner electoral roll is in the interest of the entire nation, irrespective of which party is in power. A cleaner electoral roll is in the interest of the entire nation and of every voter. But by what means is it coming? That's the question. And Rajiv Chaudhary, we know very clearly the cost that Bangladesh has had to pay for this Gen Z movement. And India does not need parallels with Bangladesh, don't you think? We have a vibrant democracy and you can say that this is a fight for that democracy. My only point is when you draw parallels with Bangladesh, you're actually discrediting this very movement that's taking place. See, Pratibhaji, this is an old ploy which BJP has been playing again and again. whosoever stands up to question the government or the policies of the government they try to label them as Pakistani traitors gaddar and all that, we all remember when the Punjab farmers they came to Delhi they were all labeled as uh Khalistani we all know that when the pehlwans of uh Haryana they sat on dharna against the uh minister over there they were termed as traitors wrestlers who got medals for this country they were termed as traitors this is an old ploy of BJP which which is being now exposed in front of the entire country no one would come into this trap now now there's a straight question which is being asked to the government why is the government so uncomfortable when the questions are being asked to the Election Commission now the thing to understand over here is if the government and the BJP is going to this extent to save Gyanesh Kumar. Just imagine to what extent Gyanesh Kumar would have gone to make their government. So these are all baseless things. Okay. Is this a baseless allegation? Is it the same, you know, toolkit, so to speak, to discredit any protest? We've seen that with the farmer protest. We've seen that multiple times during different protests. Is it just a way to discredit any voice against the government? It is very easy to say this thing. But is it the statement of the Bharatiya Janata Party that Neha is taking support or taking inspiration from Bangladesh? It is her own statement. Before this statement, this is not in the picture. This statement now in public media, Neha Vohra clearly saying that he is taking inspiration from Bangladeshi Gen Z movement. This is one. Two, if you see her protest, when she was with Rahul Gandhi in the protest, under the umbrella of so-called Rahul Gandhi, what she was wearing, she was wearing a t-shirt. Am I audible, please? Yes, you are. If you focus on the t-shirt, what she was wearing, she was wearing a t-shirt over which the skull and a hat was there. It is a symbol of all those Genji movement which has turned down the governments in their own country. Okay, we seem to be facing technical difficulties. I'll come back to you in just a moment. We, you know, before we proceed further and I go across to the CJP spokesperson as well, just to put things on record, we want to play out what Neha Vohra has said. Now it's open for interpretation on what kind of inspiration this is. But the reason why questions are being asked is because of this particular quote. Let's listen in. Absolutely. And we know that the Gen Z movement that we are seeing everywhere in this country first started in Bangladesh. And congratulations to you for showing us the way, for showing us and extending solidarity to the young people of this country. We know that the movement that began in Bangladesh was for democratic and voter rights. Today, the movement that the young people are participating in and leading is also a movement for democratic and voting rights. We know that the fight that you fight against religious fundamentalism in your country is also a fight that the Gen Z and the young people of this country fight today. Absolute. And we know that the Gen Z movement that we are seeing everywhere in this country first started in Bangladesh. And so, Shrestha Sinkhela, my question to you is, you know, the fight when you say it's for the Election Commission to have free and fair polls in the country, you will have the support of every person in the country, irrespective of what their political affiliations are, because we all want to create a voter roll. But when there are statements such as this that are made, my question is, does it discredit the movement, a movement that has mass support? Do you discredit it when you say that the end goal is what happened in Bangladesh? Pratibha, you have already played Neha's video. First, we should understand in what context she is saying. She is comparing India's movement for saving democracy with Bangladesh's movement. She is saying that how students raised voice in Bangladesh, she didn't say that we will go to that end result only. First thing. second who is creating a this type of narrative in this country who is following the path of police brutality in this country Neha Bora is a victim of police brutality on the streets of Delhi daily she is facing a lot of assaults on her body a lot of hate from a right right wings extremist we should focus on that and one thing i want to make it clear Congress Janata Party and youth of this country is following path of Mahatma Gandhi, following path of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, following path of B.R. Ambedkar. We do not support violence. We do not promote violence. We are peaceful protesters and I believe Neha's statement is to just say that how students were gathered and that in Bangladesh the dictatorship ended. So dictatorship will be ended in this country as well with peaceful protest not with violence, what I believe. OK, because, you know, we have a very thriving democracy and the truth is we've seen that play out. Now, you can say that the SIR process has a few flaws and the court should look at it. The Election Commission should revisit it. But to say or romanticize such a mass uprising, I'm not sure what it does to the cause. Let me bring in Mr. Pratim Ranjan Bose as well on this, because on one hand, you have this romanticization of this civil uprising that we've seen in other countries. and the result has not been very good. And India does not need that because our democracy is thriving. But on one hand, if you have this, then on the other hand, there's also the counter argument that anytime there's a protest against the government, it's discredited as coming from outside the country. And, you know, you have a tweet or a support that is coming in from Mary Milliband, who is, again, a US citizen. If it was another US citizen who had come out in support of this protest, it would have been the BJP citing that as proof that funding is coming from outside. Now, when a singer from the United States comes out in support or calls out the CJP, doesn't the BJP face the same question? Why are we having outsiders commenting on the issues in the country? Pratim, I was listening carefully and was waiting for all this through. So I need two and a half minutes to just speak out. Number one is it's BJP's responsibility to respond to why they are, you know, supporting these or not supporting that. Let me just cut the chase through. Number one, in Bangladesh, there was no, I mean, in capital, there was no movement for democracy. That was all facade. That was some students were at the front. It was used. And all those people are actually Islamists. These are hardcore Islamists who have broke open seven jails, looted 450 police stations, looted arms, and they established they are for establishing the caliphate. There is no democracy. There was if earlier there was a bad democracy, then what happened afterwards was even worse. So let us not romanticize about it. And we all know about the foreign hand, both in Bangladesh as well as in Nepal. A lot has been written. Some reports have come up. You can check out. Second thing is about the Indian situation. Now, if George Soros can say that I'm going to replace him and this and that. So if some singer says it's OK to me, I mean, I'm not here. I have no comments to that. Third point is about this CJP protest. They are taking the nationalist nationalism and all this. Please understand, all these pathos were used in Bangladesh. When during that movement, when the initial days and it was all singing nationalist songs and later on, they just tore apart everything that was nationalist and established Islamism. So, I mean, that doesn't signify anything. whether you are flying the national flag or not now it doesn't signify anything second please please please I was listening to everyone you must listen to this go on if someone has the right to shout let them shout on the street but not here hardly is 13 crore 13 crore people drop come to West Bengal I am telling you these all are happening for couple cup cup in fact i can uh see the BJP spokesperson also with the national flag but my question being you know national flag can't become your defense for when there is a violation of law when a site is denotified that question will come in as well but dr dr kaushal kanfesh i want to ask you on the question that is now bouncing back on the BJP on whether every protest gets discredited by funding by charge of funding from outside because you know when you have a U.S. singer who openly calls out the BJP or asks for a counter protest to take place imagine if it was the other way around imagine if it was a U.S. citizen saying that people should come out in support of the BJP then wouldn't it be the very same BJP that would say that this is proof of outside funding please speak to your studio but i because i am not getting your voice i am getting voice of my spokesperson, Gaurav Bhatiaji. I am not able to listen to you, anything. Okay, I'll try and fix that line. Can you hear me now? Hello? Dr. Kaushal Kampesha, can you hear me? Yes, Pratibha. Now I am able to hear you. I want to ask you on the tweets that are coming from the United States saying or asking for people to stand up against the CJP. Does the BJP really need support from outside the country? I was asking you if You know, if the tables were turned and if a U.S. citizen had asked for people to come out in support of the CJP, your party would have cited it as proof, as funding coming from outside. Pratibha, we don't want support of anybody, anybody from all over the world. Our democracy is strong enough to take care of all these petty things what they are doing. Mr. Rahul Gandhi said all the protests are same. It is a statement of Mr. Rahul Gandhi. Yes. and what all protests are going on in the country, there are two, three different types of protests. One is Islamist protest, one is leftist protest and one is political protest. They are calling that all the protests are same because the political protest means leader of opposition is unable to do himself anything. That is why they are trying to gather all the protests whatsoever happening. It is anti-national or national. He doesn't care about that because he knows that he is going to lose in 2029. This is clear because the way he is moving, because the way he is doing the thing, 100%, will look. No, but his call for unity was against the election commission. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. He said there are no parallel protests against the election commission. We are all fighting for the same cause. Okay, then why Neha Vohra spoke about this Bengal protest? And I am quoting the Washington Post today's statement. It is a headline of that. Is this a beginning of end of Indian democracy? It is the headline of Washington Post. And whom that Washington Post interviewed? Mr. Yoginder Yadav. Who was Yoginder Yadav? Yoginder Yadav was Congress Advisory Committee Council member of Right to Education and member of UGC. Till the time Congress. Then he left Congress and he joined Aam Aadmi Party. Then he left Aam Aadmi Party. Then he fought elections. And he got no vote. So what is happening? Whether it is Neha Vohra. Whether it is Prashant Bhushan. Whether it is Yogendra Yadav, what they are? They are anti-national. Okay, let Bhavna respond to that. Their one standard line the BJP has for anybody who speaks against the government is anti-national. That is their standard line. It is very strange, the very fact that Mr. Kaushal Mishraji has really given the proof. Elections, that itself is murder of democracy. You are not talking about that they will go and fight the election. let us see how the election is conducted. The whole process is fixed. The whole process is fixed. Pratibha, he himself, your BJP spokesperson has admitted on this television that they know that they are winning the election. Okay, so Dr. Kartikant, was it an admission or are you saying it based on other things? Do you want to respond to that? Pratibha, it is the way how the political leader says about their political member. And it is the statement of Congress party, Telangana. They are saying they will rule for 20 years. They have ruled in many states for many years. Because Rajeev Chaudhary, the question that comes in every time is, and you know, this becomes central to the entire question on the election commission, that when you raise questions on the results where you lose, there are also going to be questions on the states that you win. You know, there are opposition rule states in the country, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana. There are so many examples. So how does the EC bias become biased in one state while being unbiased in another? Before election, the Lok Sabha election is the first one that is in question. It is very clear since Gyanesh Kumar has come into power. It is very clear. Every election is is questionable. because the EVM is fixed, because the bias is there is proof, see it is very clear that the faith of the people, when election commission loses the faith of the people, that's where democracy crumbles, that's where democracy crumbles, the voters, why are they cutting the voters, 13 crore 30 lakh voters have been denied the right to vote in this country, they mean to say call all of them ghuspaiya that means their government has failed to stop the ghuspaiya from entering this country how many ghuspaiyas have they caught first answer that question how many guzpatias have they caught and deported in this country okay that is it's it okay i'll get a response from the BJP on that but Mr. Khera Pratiba I just want to ask Dr. Kaushal as well He just mentioned in his previous statements about Neha Bora and foreign support and all. Mr. Kaushal can clarify why Mr. Modi, if they say that they do not take support from any foreign countries, why do Mr. Modi support foreign parties? He went in US in 2020, during 2022, if I'm not wrong. He said, maybe it's 2019, if I'm not wrong, in 22nd of July or September. Why do you support foreign parties there? Also, one more thing, before questioning Neha, before making allegations on her, first focus what police brutality is going on in India since 2014. All the false FIRs are being placed on opposition. Even I am facing a lot of calls from different agencies and tracking of social media accounts. What's going on? First focus on that. Then make allegation on someone. Neha already told in every protest that she follows path of Mahatma Gandhi. She follows Savitribai Phule. And oh, she already mentioned who she follows. Why just taking one clip and just making a strong allegation that she is a follower of violence? Okay, Mr. Rajiv Chaudhary. I would just like to comment on the audacity of the BJP party and the spokesperson, how dare they term the Gen Z of this country as anti-national? Look at their audacity. But who has called them anti-national? They are saying that they have linked with and they are motivated from the foreign nationals. They are saying that they have got foreign funding. That is not BJP saying it. He was citing what Neha Bora has said. She said that they are inspired by Bangladesh. When the agitation to take the resign of, resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan happened didn't the allegation came out from BJP people that they are getting foreign funding and who is teaching the lesson people who did not always try color at their office for 52 years they are trying to teach us a lesson on nationality the people who did not participated in the freedom movement of this country they are trying to teach us the nationality or patriotism lessons. What are they trying to say that we can't voice? Okay, Dr. Kaushal, respond to that. Pratibha, I need little bit time. I am quoting the statement of Mr. Rahul Gandhi, inverted commas. We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian state itself, 19th January 2025. It is a statement by Mr. Rahul Gandhi. I have quoted the date also. Now, I am responding to Ms. Congress I could not get the name, sorry what she was saying that after Gyanesh Kumar when was Gyanesh Kumar appointed it is after 2025 and before that Mr. Rahul Gandhi and Congress lost more than 98 elections in the country, second when the SIR was started after 2024 after 2024 notification by PBI can be checked Before that, Congress has lost more than 90 elections. Majority of the elections lost by Congress party in last, since 2014 till today, is before 2024. Okay. So, what they want to say? Okay, all right. If they are unable to lead the country, if they are unable to... We are coming to a close on this discussion. So, Dr. Kaushal, you know, we have heard the charge from every party here on the broadcast with us. But I want to, as we come to a close, ask you one simple question. You know, the fight is for a cleaner electoral roll, to have a fair and free election in the country. It can't be something that is questionable. When the question of credibility comes on the Election Commission, you know, irrespective of every party, don't you think there should be a support of that? Why is it that you are being accused of being part of or, you know, even when you are contesting the elections as well, Wouldn't you as well want free and fair elections? Why is it that the BJP is being seen as on the other side of the fence? Pratibha, we are the largest democracy on the globe. And what is a democratic process? If there is any doubt, if there is any problem, we have got mechanism and a strong mechanism. Now, all the cases, even SIR was before Bihar election, it was in the court. Today also, whatever the allegation made by Mr. Rahul Gandhi, whatever the allegation made by all of my friends. It is all in the Supreme Court. Then why Neha Bora is citing that Genji of India, but you know what You can raise questions on why the political parties didn't approach the court before. The question can also be asked when their questions are on credibility. Why can't the election commission come and address or allay these fears? Because these are finally the political parties they are very much part of the Indian democratic process and their voices should be heard and maybe it would not have come to an agitation like this. The matter continues in the Supreme Court and we'll continue discussing it, I'm sure, over the next few days as well, because it's not going to end here. But for the moment, we'll have to leave it there. My apologies, Dr. Kaushik, as well as Pratim Ranjan Bose, Bhavna Sharma Jain, Rajiv Chaudhary and Shreshti Singh Thera for joining us on the broadcast. Thank you.