Hello and welcome to the show. Im stymied. Say that its a matter of us on the taking with nearly a 1000000000 people eligible to vote. India is holding. Its paul, them entry election as Prime Minister and there and remove the 6 of the consecutive tub. Well, the 1st of 7 phases began on friday and well last into june. So the election will be quick, but will it be free and fair bodies . Opponents and Rights Groups have accused him of cracking down on descent. Navigation is b. J. P denies law. Scott guest about this shortly and how important this is for india and for the rest of the world. Before we start, i want to mention the Indian Government has failed to give phases to al, just serious correspondence, the cause of the story. So why covering the election from outside the country image in canada has this report of nearly a 1000000000 indians voting and National Pulse with thousands of candidates buying for seats and call them and 4 minutes to render moody from the governing b. J. P. Seeking a 3rd time in office the opposition or the cover they should have different policies led by the once powerful National Congress policy. The b j. P says it success is built on Economic Growth, welfare skis and moodys past due picking r t. But his opponent say it comes to the cost of democracy and say the elections and neither for you know, 5, theres no democracy, you didnt get to the guy you do. Other india is the Worlds Largest brokerage that delights complete life. 20 percent. The window votes for us and were not able to beat bes, put anything right. And if theres been a go straight to the cooper lesson, that actually the accusations of funny rejected by the b j. P. Yeah. Whats that mean public in moodys hard work and diligence being a truthful person and with the support of god and serving people makes them not only the head of the country that a respected leader in the world today when get back to moody has been accused of promoting him do nationalism in a country that supposed to be a 2nd. A state. Im Just International reported last month. That across dime, budget, jp, a peaceful descent and a position has reached a crisis point. It says a range of financial intel arisen news have been used to press the political position, media activists and human rights defenders. A john, lets say the one story of us media landscape has been suppressed. Thought of the tradition, the media was a voice of the opposition. Something now the media is glorifying that government is something im making fake news for that. And what if i do, or the National Congress party had been in power for more than 50 years. But moody accuses den, standing for corruption and nepotism. Opinion polls suggest the b j. P family in the need. That is a long road ahead. Huge selection will take 6 weeks to complete, and during the 1st of june, with the results expected a few days later, imaging kinda out 0, the inside story. Well, before we get into the discussion, lets take a closer look at the mechanics of the election. Well, as we mentioned, 91000000000 people are registered to vote. So it is will cost that balance in 7. 00 phases as a 1000000 totaling stations until early june. There are 543 seats in deluxe top hot or low, a house of parliament. A policy needs a simple majority of 272 states to govern. India is 28. 00 states who will decide whether to extend the rule of Prime Minister and the render moodys b. J. P committee was 1st elected 10 years ago. It was re elected in 2019 after the highest votes had to announce in indias history, the b j ps main challenge. It is the indian National Congress. The policy is going for much of the 77 years since independence. Moody is accused of silencing his critics and cracking down on independence media. India has full and 21 places in the annual World Press Freedom index. And india is 200000000. Most of them say theyve been persecuted to the beach, a piece into nationalist policies. The beach i pay denies it, discriminates against muslims, and not the minorities the a whole lot spring. And i guess the old joining us from india today we have joining us from bank, lulu mohan, christian Spokes Person for the governing. But how do i see a general policy . Youll be j. P in 10, the god ice cream cut, the al spokesperson for the opposition indian National Congress. And then you deli survosity. The scope to are upholstered for the why, who specializes in in the, in politics a little more control of you. If i could start with survosity, 1st of all, the new data, can the election be accurate . Its kind of represent the will of the people in an environment where weve seen all position figures arrested and the congress bodies even had its Bank Accounts frozen. Thats right. Though these elections are deacon, please. So in, in what some would see unprecedented circumstances of the scene over the last few months, opposition needed . Spin, chief minister happened oh, thats did one from the state of childcare and another from the national average. It knew that each id been gives you as vetted as human suiting and as the, as mentioned. So outcomes of the main office. Ocean foggy, the phone respond to have also been rules and, and the have said that the have its on possible for them to fight to the elections with the same sprint without the access to the funds. Now whats that is that, is that feel free and fair then survosity or so yes, questions are being raised, whether the of these elections will be 3 and says that the on this is eventually on the Election Commission of and del, which is still up for the body in india and the one would think that they would use their independence intact doors incident. Incidence would make one question whether the idaho acting in the interest of democracy. But one would hope that with the largest democracy when integral elections at the moment, the Election Commission read a showed that these elections are said. But of course, in order for us to be these on the election collisions rule as well. Because as we ne and t, one of the Election Commission doug resigned in it without giving any reason then to what the Election Commission as board appointed me to tell you on the eve of the election starting of youve had of you since youve had 5 minutes to the end of all the very clearly invoking religion in all the speeches which is a violation of the martin code of conduct of the Election Commission of india. And constitutes a corrupt practice under the represent the addition of the peoples act which governs elections in india. Would be not to code anything from the Election Commission on that strand. So you would think that in the final exercise, a building that is on duty that the Election Commission will afford its monday to be fed by. Okay. Fost christy didnt meet us and this is the question. All right, let me take some of those points to mol, home from the b, j, p. So as survosity mentioned, some of the criticisms about changes in the election and last minute appointments. And the Election Commission being allegations the b j p as well, manipulating states institutions like the tax department, the enforcement direct, sort of even the Central Bureau of investigations. This all add up to a b, j. P attempt to sub to elections. The little one thing i hired very efficiently, the senior journalist speaking about indias life today, let me ask a simple question, was it the government which has removed the commissioner . No, he desired. Im on the eve of the not on the heap activity now the demo because he did a position on the some of the governor, the some of the journalist by of genovius this beat in such a language that democracy is not that mr. Moore, the hung up on parameters of the country, not in the movie, has made a constitutionality has made a change. I mean, i mean, much has been made for the appointment, the Production Commission opposing certainly that has been a comedy to appoint the election. Gonna be said, which was not there. Youre not going to be that youve done the gothenburg, such as theyve gone to the governments. Here. They appointed Election Commission, got 2 bedrooms and be sure to date is not happening, but it may not be not, no big organizations which comes under the has to be the be appointed without the functions of the big opposition, greater than by the democracy to the government. Of india and the Prime Minister for the has made a lot of changes. The colonial lots have been replaced with the new dr. Richmond. So for the next, under the mr. Not in the movie has had it brings up on one thing to be in the system of bought. It bought it. Theres that spring and the opposition that spring and ashley ben does more harm. Have a point when he says, the opposition also has a long history of election manipulation, and corruption scandals. Number one does not do that, but these government or in this thing has been against democracy, have be against constitution. Im the undermining the on the supreme court. I give examples of how they have been. Ready number, why youre the member that you want. Events will be good. Have said that the committee, thats the next, the election goes up and shall include the jeep justice up in day and night. But im happy to stop by the broader law and this comment and the rest will be good. My question is the idea is what the possible problem to do . Habit to see that being a part of that community. So that credibility equality, drafted, mc responsibility. Good. I mean enjoying all right, youve made that point. I really have to move on. Ive been trying to bring it in survosity back into the discussion. What, what is the term for moody mean for Civil Liberties for human rights, and its 2022 report freedom house, the Prime Minister movie, and the b. J. P. Head presided over a quote, rise in persecution affecting the most and population harassment of journalists and non governmental organizations, all the rights. So an interesting find all small unfortunately, i just mentioned just decides that weve learned from reports. So a wonderful addition, i just need, i chose that they did not, were just working on its own in dices, of, of, of, of, on, of these things, for instance, freedom of speech and democracy, then kings and all of that. So what have, so there wouldnt be an effort by the new government without owning it, and keep getting. So some back to these design things that are without globally, again, it can be questioned in some form and it has so the government has undo primary stability has put as due to all these things that have been put forward by International Organizations. Whether its the vida and report of or the the awards press the dom ranking, which ends in the 162. 00 out to fall. 180 countries of incident has been an effort from the government to see that these of these big goals and these in dices on north. So i put putting out a very function image of what it is and there has been known and for the image as part of the month to the martin wants to see all this government as we have seen out. So we might see going ahead in the next 5 years that gov, if its out once the gods, but it would show it in the light that the one to but the fact is that we have seen of crushed the decision to be crushed in the car. And see in the past few years and we have seen the are joining this, b, g is we have c, l o n g was having the funding card. And because of the patients under the f c r e, which are regularly itself orient funding, all these things have been happening. Uh press freedom is also on do a trade in india, right. But um yeah, i just wanna cause time is getting. So im gonna give a chance to month to come back in on some of these criticisms that coming from internationally recognized institutions about how to like the Amnesty International report of january 24th 2024, which condemned what it called the impunity of indian authorities, indiscriminate free demolitions of most of the properties. The government also called the attention of the you and Human Rights Office, which condemned the 2019 citizenship Amendment Act was fundamentally discriminatory. Your response to that. What reason im left, he has got to be in india, they have belated with the congress goldman. I brought in the last 2014 finest without paying the taxes. Because following the law of the land india, india law. Right now that theyre talking about the, the one likes in the country. Whats a good, you know . Yeah, well how with all due respect, i think what International Organizations are criticizing, including the un is discriminatory measures, but target what they see is targeting minorities over the him do majority all saying, but they all, theyve got that all wrong. Like the answer to that you, when has this question on the days by be this going to matter . Been days may park is done really. Im sending you the word was to date the i didnt get the big motor in the great it the you and Human Rights Office in the united by pocky still on all you know, suggesting that you and Human Rights Office is being manipulated by pockets. Donahue, im telling you this question thats been raised by the package diamond got that. Its not me. Its not including countries. You havent been able to do a we have a very Good Relationship with view a. Id be happy to start it. All right, thank you. Mohammed, lets move on to economics. Whats at stake for the economy . Survosity . The b j. P has seen great Economic Growth and transformation and the economy has the i was looking at some figures between 20142022 india is g d p per capita, rose by roughly 40 percent tonight. Yes. Is that whats driving . Its popularity. I wouldnt dont see that we need to approach these figures. Little bit of question because of my experiences reporting on the ground across the country has shown that there is huge resentment among the youth of the country due to unemployment and height and station. But this is not to see that movie spots and everything is decreased in any way. I would like to you today if thats the somehow for the people movie is separate from the issues that they are facing. The movies, popularity remains intact, and the end of the issues ive gone out of government fields, but that is not connected to moving anybody. So wherever you going with us, the people, oh, what are the issues that you are facing . What are the issues that parties should be addressing in the selection needs of the 1st thing that b, w is unemployment and information. When, if you ask them the most of what do you again, do you see . Yes, perhaps . Yes, his popularity has not seen the dent im in large part of this, of course is the reason is that the bill of a drum beating that has been done around the city. Good all the for i am and is still, and people ive been know quite to quite and the more that would see by his achievement, whether the i deem that humans or whether the i are extraordinarily achievement, whether it is. So i just give you an example of hosting the g, 350. 00 presidency in indiana, which happens a rotation to every country. But that has been portrayed in such a manner that the common man in the country to be things that its, its an unprecedented feet. And the, during the more he has the increase in the actual international in the nationally as well. But unemployment and inclusion and of the couldnt. So on all the police would you need food and definitely fruit went to government jobs, which the bgp has also promised. And its manifest, do, in fact, in the previous parliament, they shouldnt be brought to no law to stop the police. And in, in the cutting election, manifest would be a problem is implemented. So there is some kind of acknowledgment that Government Movement is the problem in the congress minds as to this unemployment, right . Even though the patient is address the have a problem is to provide to do that government jobs. But this is, this is a huge problem. That is it, facing the economy is something that people are talking about. So the indian you find them, you may not ruin, but we know that from 2019 the and this is a detail which is the job done that was released just before the elections. And then after a few months after that, the government said that a, it is this, this detecting onto the lights on. So itd be a, just compare to all of this, whats happening on the ground, what people are seeing. Okay, so the right people are facing distrust i think you made that point. I a ma hand. I know you got your hand up but mine had his hand out my hand. Ill give you a quick opportunity to come back on some of those points which survosity is making. The unemployment is still an issue. And i think some of the sexes, like agriculture, a suffering to go ahead mohan this mindset. The 2nd people cannot be changed. The movies and the and at least in the blood dancing and deputy go, leslie go away. 6. 00, the 7 percent in the next 5 years next year at least no Economic Growth if they are like that, which number they may be rely on. I cannot understand brought me to the point of deployment. Yes. Based on employment is not because of what do you have come to vote in las vegas . Yes. You did it before the way they have not addressed. But that the reason that you did in india, they use our business has become very good for the people coming. I mean, lifting a media in the okay, come again the top one. Okay. The, let me see the thought, the movie, let me give out for you to come in on that. Yeah, us free does more kind of a point when he says, actually the method is predicting india is economy will grow at 6. 5 percent in 2024. Why with indians one to the risk of that and bank on this all physician the lines to but it has nothing to do with them. I do by these comments, hadnt been the good to come this friday is what i mean, not 10 percent. It would i be united live in person, back into the system and once they used to leave the country, uh, the best of the country is, is a big the guy thats able to climb difficult, preparing for time the, but its still gonna be the stop. Lets wait, find me and maybe uh, number one, lets number what i understand. That was the business, the 11 thing was leading the country. Uh, the one with the comic as it was, but it was in yeah, that did not have to worry about that because the United States and once they west went out to be one of the best leaders. Thatd be out of the woods. But what id be the best to call them is we added the what and number 2, i wouldnt be the one with the ideas. These would be the best. So i was expecting that was nice when people these very best store because everything and everything and ready for the very best i got mean by then the last the, the job on deliver it on got the problem was incorrect, wendy, to on that under the new surprises right . The loop need not the numbers. Okay. I the pressing the assuming, you know, a number of 542. Im really sorry, but weve got to allow a little time to discuss some global issues of where india stands. I want to give that question to survosity and say it has to be g. P also presided over a shift in india is Foreign Policy. You know away from it, sort of historical, non aligned traditional stones towards a closer alliance with the us. And with israel, as i think we have seen of quite a shift in india as Foreign Policy in the last 5 years. So more than a deputy mcdaniels, but in the last 5 years for shaw, if you see in the stands during the you know, gosh award. If you see how india has been deemed, um, so its, its position doing uh is there and, and find the signs and fees and everything has been and the genocide on going to the site in gaza. It. So it had and it was also the fact that of trying not spawns patients in india have been a wind contention for the opposition. And questions has been disease on that. But in terms of Priority Issues with docusign and yet has taken a very aggressive approach and, and even been there, tons of patients with china happened in the dock in june in june 2020. All right, and its simple. The give out to the voice of message, seeing that nobody has into it, i can see and nobodys been but he to of course we found out that many of us who just died. But the, i would see the in volume and evolution of india as Foreign Policy under 5 minutes, different movie has become more effective, more nationalistic, and reaches in line with his domestic politics as well. All kinds of action is also being seen in his International Politics and how engaged, all right, globally in yes, on want to be seen as be clocks no anymore. And no ones Ta Associates wife, which is in a week of the woods, domestic. All it is to show that i make that point let, let me bring in my head for a quick opportunity to come back on some of that. Do you agree with those . The opposite cool forces within india like the c p i. M, which, which of cold india is some of india sconces on the international stage, visit the, the war on goals are a shameful. Do you agree that theres been a major transformation . A, c, c, b a m, communist but the has vanished throughout the water. Now that data is get to be use their, their media in some parts of the board. But they might certainly not change. We cannot do anything the funding policies. If you talk about the last 10 years, i can give it simple exact, but if any bodys happening in the great debate which the indians have been brought down back to india, whats good and that goes makes the website on. So you think you could name is ray usa, youll do you think uh joe money, youll get a country for the funding including you really have a really beautiful im in a relationship with that. You really also to do . How is it possible it is because of our approach . Okay, give me the jump to go so far the policy was wrong. All right, let me bring in ash freight. You made that point, let me bring and ask for it. And also this question has the Opposition Alliance . God, its unit limits. The all new one, its vision for Foreign Policy is because when you look at the congress pa, the manifesto, big focus on china. Congress lead is over the is of avoid it. Being very critical of the woman ties with the us. When you look at the position and the manifesto of some of the congress policy allies like the c p i. M, they focus on the opposite. They focus on what they call us imperialism and calls to when Security Ministry ties with israel is the consensus within the Opposition Alliances to Foreign Policy. Theres a be a consensus when it comes to a funding policy and we definitely wouldnt be doing blunders like the present government or about them. But the ask, you know, how you in his office this week, i mean, kind of a sports person was talking about the sign, you know, how it has the but on the other hand, the payment is the mr. Movie, a raid to be with the hispanic diploma. Payments, and especially by this time, which was a part of this appraisal, was a, at this meeting saying that had been needed. And then, and then the, uh, you know, meet your done on this time. So i, i would suggest the find, it least go up in the condo and just to be, i know exactly whats the number to the, by the government has dining. When again, uh, be you know, or has not been able to predict the lights of the people have been to the see the government, it, itd be literally just all of these videos and just what do you not be on the team . Is the m s, these are do you and either leave the gotta be to the following up and, and ill do begin to plan has does need to not be limited. The youre right that point all straight. Im afraid we all, we all running out of time and are you ready . Sorry, im really sorry, but we all, we all are out of time. And before we go, i do want to pose one final question to mr. Mohan and that is, will be j. P. Live golf from an allow, ill just see a june list give out. Is there a journalist visas to come cover the elections in india . That depends on how to approach the country under diplomats through diplomats. And so for the non gibbon john street, anybody say from the beginning of the independence. Now if you ask about a special one, that law has to be on monday. I think i think this election, it is, it may not be positive, but from the next election before as soon as the government comes to but just remotely takes over at the pregnant is the fact that you can approach that if you want me to throw diplomatic be and take a solution to this. All right, thank you very much. So i think its time to find ca guess. Well, its been a very spirited discussion. Well, im christian, a r street cut the out on survosity the scope to and thank you for watching to you can see the show again any time if you head over to our website, l g 0, dont com. And for further discussion, of course, you can go to our facebook page, let me give you the address facebook dot com forward slash a j inside story. Lets not forget, you can join the conversation to on x. L handle is at a j inside story. From me, sammy say that as a whole team here and also now is good by the the latest news, as it breaks, the doctors will say the witness, the killings knew exactly where to with detailed coverage. Everyone is telling us they do not recognize their houses. They do not recognize their areas from the hall to the story. These attacks are taking place also was had a city and are on the roads, making it very dangerous for them to commute from one place to another. Theres a deliberate mission of health in western and it needs to be question. This is not the time to, to mr. Kind of way. Examining the effect that News Coverage can have on democracies everywhere. Here at the listing past, the, im sammys a down in dall housy. They look at the headlines here now just the are now Palestinian Emergency Services have uncovered a mass grave and the fun eunice. At least a 180 bodies have been found so far buried inside the cities and also the medical complex. The palestinian Civil Defense says is searching for the remains of more people. Much of the city is now in ruins of the month. So relentless is really bumming and heavy fighting honey. My mood has more from the grave sites and con eunice