- 5 weeks ago
This edition of '5 Live' broadcast focusses on the impact of ethanol-blended petrol in India, analysing the transition to E20 and the speculation over E25 fuel.
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00:00Hello and welcome, I'm Sonal Mayrothra Kapoor, this is 5 Live.
00:03On the programme today, we've got a couple of stories for you that really matter.
00:08Number one, we continue to follow up on the ethanol story.
00:13Now, ethanol is up, so far we've been getting E20.
00:16The government has now proposed more ethanol mix in your petrol going up to E25,
00:22in certain cases E30 as well.
00:24But while there are a lot of opinions coming on this one,
00:28and one question that we raise on the programme is this.
00:30If ethanol in your petrol is going up in its mix in quantity,
00:36why haven't the petrol prices changed?
00:38Why haven't they crashed not very long ago?
00:41The minister himself promised.
00:43In fact, in one of the soundbites Anitin Katkari had given a couple of months ago,
00:47he said petrol will cost as much as just 15 rupees a litre.
00:50We are any way but that.
00:53So what exactly is happening on ethanol?
00:55Very silently, what are the complaints that are erupting online as well?
01:00We've got a ground report for you.
01:02And then the next story that really matters.
01:04This one is about this massive falling of trees that is taking place in Mumbai.
01:11Over 500 trees have fallen in just the first few days of the monsoon showers fell in Mumbai.
01:19Why is that?
01:20Is it only climate change?
01:21Or is the question of concretisation, of construction, of roadsides, etc.,
01:27that has been happening under the BJP government really to be questioned as well?
01:32Both these stories we'll look at, but first up, as always, a look at the top headlines at this hour.
01:40The Ayodhya Chandachori scandal is now exposing what investigators describe as deep institutional failures.
01:47Preliminary findings of the SIT probe point to glaring lapses in supervision,
01:52with CCTV footage allegedly showing staff exploiting blind spots and weak, frisking procedures to steal donation money.
02:00The probe has also flagged alleged nepotism in appointments,
02:04claiming counting staff were chosen on the recommendation of the trust officials instead of independent process.
02:14Even as Centre dismisses the rumours of an immediate E25 rollout,
02:19the roadmap for higher ethanol blending is already taking shape.
02:23Sources tell India today that the government is evaluating a phased transition
02:28with E21 by 27 and 25 by 2029,
02:34giving automata makers at the moment time to prepare engines.
02:38But what about the cars that already exist?
02:40Because you're not getting plain petrol anymore in any of the petrol pumps.
02:44Supply chains and infrastructure, all of that have to be looked at
02:47amidst constant questions coming in from the people.
02:54Mumbai's Wonsul misery is far from over.
02:57After days of relentless rain, the city and its suburbs remain on alert,
03:01with the IMD showing an orange alert for heavy rainfall and gusty winds there.
03:06Also, from flooded streets to waterlogged railway tracks,
03:10normal life continues to be disrupted as people wade through knee-deep water with more rain forecast.
03:15Authorities have now shut government and private and civic schools and colleges as well across Mumbai for the day,
03:22as the city braces for another spell of intense monsoon shower.
03:28The Supreme Court has dealt a setback to DMK's attempt to stop Chief Minister Vijay's visit to Karoor.
03:35Refusing to entertain the plea, the top court observed that the Chief Minister is not accused in the Karoor stampede
03:42case
03:42and has even every right to visit the district.
03:46The court also made it clear that it is not political forum, cannot regulate a Chief Minister's movements
03:51and cannot silence political opponents as well during the ongoing CBI probe.
03:56DMK, however, says it respects the court's observation and maintains that the order ultimately supports its stand.
04:02They are the ones who are taking the case to court.
04:05From the national capital, another dowry death shocker.
04:09This time from a family that lives on Lodi Road.
04:12Now, just months after her marriage, 28-year-old Akriti Suter died after falling from the NDMC residential complex in
04:21Delhi's Lodi Colony.
04:23Now, while her family alleges months of abuse, dowry demands and relentless harassment leading to her death,
04:29Delhi police say the investigation is still underway.
04:31The CCTV footage found by the cops, Akriti's digital train and Google searches made hours before the incident
04:40are now central to the probe, even as a husband has been arrested.
04:46The 11-month-old girl reported fall from the bed in Bengaluru has turned into a murder case
04:52after post-mortem findings and witness statements raised suspicion.
04:56The probe has so far revealed that the father allegedly threw the child in anger during a domestic quarrel
05:05and the autopsy has revealed serious injuries on the baby's chest and legs.
05:12Controversy over Dilji, Dosanj, meanwhile, on his movie Sutlij is escalating.
05:17Days after quietly premiering on Z5, the film has now been taken down following a government directive.
05:24Sources say that the centre cited national security concerns,
05:27while officials in the Information Broadcasting Ministry maintain that film does not have the certification required
05:34for theatrical release. Remember, they have no say on OTT.
05:37But the takedown has reignited the debate over creative freedom, regulatory oversight and the rules governing films on OTT.
05:45The centre had proposed over 100 cuts in the movie and the filmmakers then released it on OTT instead.
05:54The showdown between the government and the WhatsApp over its proposed username feature is far from over.
05:59Meta-owned WhatsApp has now been granted three more days to respond to centre's concerns.
06:04Sources say that the platform has assured the government that the feature will not be rolled out in India
06:10until consultations with all stakeholders are complete.
06:14This afternoon, centre issued concerns over impersonation, cybercrime, user safety,
06:19with the proposed features remaining under close scrutiny.
06:26Prime Minister Narendra Modi has deepened India's strategic partnership with Indonesia on the second day of his visit,
06:32addressing the Indonesian parliament.
06:34The Prime Minister and the President of Indonesia oversaw the signing of several key agreements,
06:39including the landmark deal on BrahMos missiles in a major boost to digital connectivity.
06:43Prime Minister also announced the integration of India's UPI with Indonesia's payment system,
06:50further strengthening economic strategic ties between the two nations.
06:58Back-to-back blasts have rocked Damascus.
07:02The blast occurred while French President Macron was visiting the Syrian capital of the border.
07:06A series of explosive devices detonated near a hotel while Macron is staying in Damascus.
07:12Macron was, you know, however unharmed and is currently at the Syrian presidential's palace alongside the President.
07:26Alright, ethanol-blended petrol is back in the spotlight.
07:31Not just because of the rumours around E25, but because of the bigger debate that refuses to die.
07:37Has ethanol really delivered what it promised the common consumer?
07:41The centre has now stepped in to dismiss speculation over E25, that is 25% ethanol for, you know, in
07:52petrol.
07:53But the question surrounding E20 remains, or ethanol mix remains.
07:57The government's first clarification is that there is no green signal for E25 just yet.
08:02Officials say the 25% blend is still under scientific evaluation.
08:06Multiple vehicle manufacturers are testing engine compatibility, durability and long-term performance.
08:12So according to the government, there is no final report, no policy decision, no rollout date yet.
08:19Government sources insist that reports of an eminent E25 rollout are misleading.
08:26Now, their position is that any move beyond E20 will happen only after scientific validation, not social media speculation.
08:37But what exactly is happening here?
08:38Because the centre is also defending the current E20 programme.
08:42Officials say that it has been a nationwide use for over two years now, following extensive testing, with no widespread
08:51technical concerns.
08:52That's what the government claims, the message that there is no reason for consumers to panic.
08:57And the numbers, according to the government, show how widespread the transition has really become.
09:01Nearly 20 crore two-wheelers, some 20 lakh petrol cars as well are already running on ethanol blended fuel.
09:08For the government, E20 is a success story.
09:11But it dramatically changes the minute it becomes about you and me, the minute it becomes about consumers.
09:21The story is not as straightforward for us.
09:24Because when the ethanol mission was launched, the biggest selling point wasn't just cleaner fuel, it was cheaper fuel.
09:32In 2023, Union Minister Nitin Gadgari spoke of turning farmers into urja data, reducing India's massive crude oil import bill
09:43and even envisioning petrol at just 15 rupees a litre under a higher ethanol-based energy mix.
09:51But three years later?
09:53In fact, even before the deadline of E20 was to be imposed, India has already achieved that target.
10:01The promise of lower fuel bills, however, that's nowhere to be seen.
10:07Consumers are paying virtually the same price at the pump, despite filling a fuel that contains a significant share of
10:14domestically produced ethanol.
10:18So, the obvious question is, if ethanol is cheaper than imported petrol, as claimed by the Minister himself,
10:24if blending has gone up, if implementation has already been in place for one or two years now,
10:30if imports are supposed to come down, why haven't the savings reached the consumer?
10:36Why hasn't the benefit of that 20% ethanol mix made petrol for you and me cheaper?
10:45Well, that's a question we haven't heard an answer to.
10:49But if you pull back a little bit and look at the big picture, India is certainly not alone in
10:54this ethanol mix.
10:56The United States has a mix of ethanol, Brazil has it, Canada has it, Germany, parts of China have all
11:02adopted ethanol-blended fuels.
11:04The technology is established.
11:05The policy direction, and let me state it very, very clear, the policy direction is there.
11:12There is precedence.
11:13But in India, what is the problem?
11:16That the success of ethanol will be judged, not just by achieving its blending targets or even percentages,
11:24but by understanding, have we managed to migrate our cars to accommodated E20 just yet?
11:35It will be judged by one simple number, remember, the price displayed at the petrol pump,
11:42the mileage that you and I are facing, and until that changes,
11:46the promise of affordable, homegrown fuel will continue to invite some tough questions,
11:53some troubling experiences from consumers.
12:02Aishwarya Patil joins us for more on the story.
12:04Aishwarya, we have had a day of back and forth, right?
12:08We earlier heard some news that the government was looking to escalate the share of ethanol brand in our petrol.
12:14Then the government came out with a clarification, all in just 24 hours,
12:18that no, no, we are not going to E30, we are only talking about E25.
12:23But the question is pretty simple.
12:25If we are looking at higher ethanol share, and I'm trying to overlook whether or not our cars can really
12:33take it for a minute,
12:34why haven't the prices come down?
12:38Well, we have been asking the same questions to all the oil marketing companies as well.
12:45But time and again, repeatedly, the answer to this has been that at the current rates,
12:52if you look at the petrol that you are receiving at your fuel stations in the markets right now,
12:59the crude has been bought at higher pricing.
13:02So the 20% share may have reduced our forex in terms of crude, that 20% may have reduced.
13:09But the rest of the 80% is still your crude oil, which is bought at higher prices during the
13:17West Asia crisis.
13:18If you saw WTI and Brent, some of the benchmark indices were trading anywhere between 100 to 120 rupees.
13:27And the caverns that we have, the storage that we have currently of petrol, of crude,
13:33is at higher rates is what oil marketing companies and officials have said in the past.
13:38And until August, that is in the next three months, till we trade for lower priced crude,
13:45they will still be selling crude, petrol and diesel at higher costs,
13:51is what in the defense of oil marketing companies, officials have said time and again.
13:57So that's their defense so far.
14:00Yeah, but Ashwarya, the West Asia war is about six months old.
14:03Ethanol has been in our petrol for over two years, according to the government.
14:08The prices didn't crash before the war as well.
14:11That did not happen.
14:15Yes, so oil marketing companies trade in terms of, you know, short term contracts as well as long term contracts.
14:24And those, the trading metrics of how much crude was bought at what cost is something that is extremely confidential.
14:30If you ask any oil marketing company, how much crude was bought at what rate,
14:36all of that is kept confidential and they're not really required to make that public as well.
14:42So it's hard to define there how much of the crude in the country right now was bought at what
14:48cost,
14:49$60 per barrel or $120 per barrel.
14:53To decode that, the best person would be a trading desk at an oil marketing company.
14:59So hard to decode at what costs, how much of the crude that we have in the country right now
15:07was bought at cheaper prices.
15:09And could that be passed on to the consumers as well?
15:13All right.
15:14So a lot of unanswered questions there.
15:16Thanks, Ashwarya, for joining us with the very latest on that.
15:18The government saying that, see, it's a West Asia war.
15:21We try to balance it out.
15:22And that's where the bulk of the savings from ethanol mix have gone.
15:27But is that really the case?
15:28Because like I said, the timeline doesn't really tell us that story.
15:31But even as a debate over E-20 grows louder, the government is now taking on what it calls misinformation
15:38surrounding ethanol blended fuel.
15:40From claims that E-20 damages the engines to fears of sharp fall in mileage,
15:44the concerns that most vehicles have aren't compatible is what the government is saying.
15:50The Incentre, in fact, went ahead to issue a point-by-point fact check on the story.
15:54It insists that extensive testing shows no adverse impact on engine durability,
16:00only a marginal drop in mileage.
16:02And it says that millions of E-20 compatible vehicles are already on Indian's road.
16:07But on the ground, the conversation is very different
16:12and tends to debunk every claim made by the Indian government.
16:17Many motorists claim that they are spending more at the fuel pump, despite the mix.
16:22Some say their vehicles aren't delivering the same mileage they once did.
16:27Others aren't even aware they are filling E-20 petrol.
16:30So is ethanol really making your fuel bill heavier?
16:34Or is perception overtaking the science or the promise that was sold to us two years ago?
16:41My colleague Ashutosh Mishra travelled across Delhi
16:44to separate consumer experience from the official claims.
16:49Here's our ground report.
16:51Here's our fact check for the government.
17:02Your vehicle may be running on E-20 petrol.
17:05But is it also burning a bigger hole in your pocket?
17:09A heated debate is raging.
17:11Not over fuel prices, but over fuel performance.
17:17Some claim mileage has dropped since E-20 became the norm.
17:22Others complain of engine, vibrations and sluggish pickup.
17:44For two-wheeler riders, especially delivery workers, daily commuters and gig economy workers,
17:51even a small drop in mileage means higher monthly fuel bills.
18:21Do you sleep in Delhi or if you sleep in Delhi?
18:22Do you sleep in Delhi?
18:23Do you sleep?
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19:06but is e20 petrol actually responsible or is there more to the story
19:15Toyota says ethanol blending does reduce fuel efficiency but only marginally
19:22I don't have to worry about it. The migration of the E20 is very calibrated and testing and everything has
19:35been seen
19:36because ethanol has less energy density in the patrol so there is a little bit of a mileage drop
19:43and this will be around 3-5% depending on model to model and manufacturer to manufacturer.
19:51The government too has pushed back against growing speculation alleging false propaganda is being spread online
20:00The Henry Ford was the owner of Ford Motor Company
20:03in that time he ran the car with biofuels, kerosene, fossil fuels.
20:09If you come to India, the first government made the first Yojana.
20:12The government made the Congress. I remember that when I was in Brazil, I was talking about 2006-2008
20:19in that time, Sharat Pawar was the Agriculture Minister probably before or after.
20:24and our target was 5% of biofuel blending in 10 states and the Union Territory.
20:32Interestingly, many two-wheeler riders we spoke to did not even know they were filling E20 petrol.
20:55The government says E20 is safe.
20:59Automakers say 3-5% mileage will drop depending on the car models.
21:06If I talk about experience of the vehicle owners in the national capital, the car owners say there is a
21:12significant impact on the mileage.
21:15Many of them even complaining about a little disturbance that they are facing with their vehicles for last few weeks
21:21or few months.
21:22Two wheelers at last say it is affecting their pockets because now the petrol consumption has gone up because of
21:29drop in the mileage.
21:30However, we do not find anyone substantially saying that there is literally breakdown or the damage to the engine.
21:39However, there have been complaints of such. Many have been frequently visiting to the service centres.
21:45The debate is no longer just about ethanol. It's about trust and transparency.
21:52Vedash Shetosh Mishra, Bureau Report, India Today.
22:00Alright, so that's the ethanol story at least so far.
22:0320% mix now going to only escalate over time.
22:06While the government refuses to answer on when the prices will fall.
22:11Are our older vehicles even compatible with it? All those questions not answered.
22:16But talking about unanswered questions, let's turn the lens to Mumbai.
22:20Mumbai, which calls itself maximum city, but every monsoon, what happens there? It becomes a city of maximum fear.
22:28To drive to work, to walk to school or simply standing at a traffic signal can turn deadly in seconds.
22:34Because in Mumbai today, it's not just the rain that's falling, it's the trees.
22:38In just 24 hours, Mumbai recorded 523 tree fall incidents. In just one day, 523 trees.
22:52The highest spike, this monsoon.
22:56Every fallen tree raises the same uncomfortable question.
23:00Is this just nature's fury? Or is this administrative failure?
23:06Remember not very long ago, in fact last week, an 11 year old child died because of the tree falling
23:12on a school bus?
23:14We continue to hear of these cases.
23:17And now it turns out the problem is of concretization.
23:22What do I mean by that?
23:24BMC, according to them, there is an explanation.
23:27The BMC says that wind speed touches 72 to 79 km per hour, more than three times the normal monsoon
23:34average.
23:34And it is because of heavy rain, because of extreme weather and powerful gusty winds, that the primary, that is
23:43the primary reason for trees coming crashing down.
23:46In short, the civic authority there says weather is the problem.
23:53But when you speak to experts, they tell you the whole story.
23:57Because across Mumbai, a massive road concretization project has transformed the city's streets.
24:04And with it, many trees now stand imprisoned in concrete.
24:10And you know what happens when you mess with that.
24:13Experts warn that when roots are sealed beneath the cement, they lose access to soil and water.
24:21And the shape then, the entire space needed to anchor themselves, is falling apart.
24:30The result? Trees that may appear healthy above the ground are dangerously getting weak below it.
24:38But who will answer for this?
24:41Whose explanation really holds?
24:43The government's claim that this is just the weather or the experts saying no, you caused it?
24:48The BMC says blame the winds and rain and natural decay.
24:52Experts disagree.
24:53They argue it's the concrete that is weakening the root system.
24:57Unscientific pruning of leaves and trees, that is what is causing this instability.
25:01And poor urban planning is turning every heavy shower into a safety hazard.
25:10At the moment, it has become what the government said, blaming the previous government, all of that.
25:17But nobody's talking about negligence.
25:19And the numbers, if you look at them, they only deepen the concern.
25:24Because look at that.
25:25In 2023, whole of the year, 687 tree fall incidents were reported.
25:33In 2024, it became 653.
25:38And cut to 25, that's when the concretisation had already begun, 855.
25:46And now, 26.
25:48Just in 24 hours, 523 trees.
25:55This is no longer an isolated incident.
25:58This is a pattern.
26:00The pattern that is becoming deadlier with every passing monsoon.
26:04Every year as well.
26:04Mumbai prepares for the rain.
26:06Storm, heavy.
26:08You know, water drains are desilted.
26:11Control rooms are activated.
26:12Alerts are issued.
26:14But are the city's trees being prepared for the same agency?
26:18And who gave this order without understanding how these trees really function?
26:24Yes, the rain may be natural.
26:26But the weakening of the roots?
26:28That's not.
26:29That is human-made.
26:32A man-made problem.
26:35That is poor planning.
26:37Also, unchecked concretisation are making disasters even worse.
26:43Then, this is no longer just a monsoon story.
26:46And the government needs to stop hiding behind it.
26:49They need to understand who sanctioned this.
26:51And they need to fix accountability.
26:57Mustafa Sheikh joins us for more details on this story.
27:00Mustafa, this is unprecedented.
27:01Over 500 trees in one day.
27:04That's an unheard of number.
27:06And we just looked at the comparison of the past couple of years.
27:10Could you take us through who actually sanctioned which department under which chief minister of which party actually sanctioned this
27:18concretisation without any thought?
27:20Well, yes.
27:21In seven days, the number is much more than 1,500 trees.
27:26And it was during Eknat Singh Day, who was the chief minister of Maharashtra.
27:31He passed this concrete plan for Mumbai saying that because there is every year potholes and the butumin roads are
27:37not helping and hence the concretisation started.
27:39Okay.
27:40The urban planning is something which we get to see in Mumbai because there was no consideration for trees which
27:46are nearby the roads and what will happen to them.
27:49And now, after the concretisation and the trees are following the post mode of BMC is whether they can, what
27:57can they do, whether a scientific survey should be ordered, how utilities should be laid under the roots of the
28:03trees.
28:04And we have a lot of surveys which are happening around Mumbai suggesting that most of the trees are in
28:10a decay condition.
28:11So they will have to be brought down.
28:12They are in a irreparable condition.
28:14They are a liability which can anytime fall on road and injure or kill somebody.
28:18So that's something which...
28:24Alright.
28:24It's because of the bonsoon probably there.
28:26We are losing that signal with Mustafa as well.
28:28But look at that.
28:29This is not a natural disaster.
28:31This does not in any way any expert you speak to speaks of something that has happened naturally.
28:37They are saying this is man-made.
28:38This entire concretisation of the roads has led to this problem where over 500 trees fell in just one day
28:47and over a thousand in just seven days.
28:51And that's the issue.
28:53It's not just about Mumbai alone.
28:55The situation across the country remains grim following incessant rainfall.
28:59Let's take a look at that.
29:02Now, the fresh landslide that has triggered a panic in Kerala's Vaina.
29:06Reviving memories of last year's landslide that occurred near the Menakshi Bridge in Kaladi.
29:13Close to the under-construction twin tunnel road project and not far from Mundakyai.
29:18Which witnessed the catastrophic 2024 landslide as well.
29:22Three people have been killed and officials say five to seven workers are feared to be still trapped as rescue
29:28operations continue with emergency teams racing to reach those caught under the debris.
29:33Year after year, story just not changing.
29:37And it's not just Maharashtra.
29:39Let's turn our focus to the Hindi heartland.
29:42Let's turn our focus to Jaipur as well.
29:46Jaipur.
29:46In Jaipur, monsoon has just begun and roads are already caving in.
29:52In the latest incident, the parked car plunged into the massive sinkhole that opened up overnight.
29:56Fortunately, no one was inside the vehicle and no injuries were reported.
30:00The cave incomes just days after a similar incident happened in Tong.
30:04Raising fresh concerns over quality of civic infrastructure and monsoon preparedness again.
30:13Then, relentless railfall has been reported and has left parts of Rajasthan's Pali district submerged completely, exposing the region's fragile
30:22civic infrastructure.
30:23Floodwaters entered homes, shops, leaving residents scrambling to save belongings as several streets remained waterlogged.
30:30The heavy rain has also brought the spotlight back on the area's poor drainage system, with locals questioning why even
30:37the first spell of monsoon is enough to bring normal life to a standstill.
30:44And back in Mumbai, relentless rain continues to cripple life.
30:48A three-kilometer-long traffic jam brought Mumbai Ahmedabad Highway to a crawling halt after heavy rainfall triggered severe congestion
30:56on the stretch leading into the city.
30:58Thousands of commuters were left stranded for hours as vehicles inched forward bumper-to-bumper, adding to the monsoon chaos
31:05that has already disrupted roads.
31:11In Sikkim, the story remains the same.
31:14Heavy rainfall continues to lash parts of Sikkim, triggering landslides and disrupting normal life.
31:19A major landslide blocked National Highway 10, cutting off the key road link as well between Siniguri and Sikkim.
31:26The slide brought down boulders, mud and uprooted trees, forcing authorities to shut the highway until further notice.
31:32The Sikkim administration has advised commuters to avoid National Highway 10.
31:44In other news now, the Ram Mandir donation theft Rao has triggered a major shake-up within the Sri Ram
31:50Janmabhumi Trust.
31:51Top office bearers have been removed as SIT probe uncovers alleged institutional failures.
31:57And what we are hearing is crazy because they have alleged that there was CCTV evidence of repeated cash thefts
32:06and questions over appointments within the trust.
32:10The SIT details also reveal that how some of the officials there were hiding or trying very poorly to hide
32:16behind the CCTV camera to block it and filling up their pockets with cash, as literally as that.
32:24Take a look at this report for more.
32:38A major shake-up at the Sri Ram Janmabhumi Teert Shetra Trust.
32:43General Secretary Champath Rai and trustee Anil Mishra have been removed.
32:47Special invitee Gopal Rao has also been shown the door.
32:52Trustee and whistleblower Krishna Mohan has taken charge as the interim General Secretary and the hunt for a new CEO
32:59of the trust is on.
33:01The Yogi government appointed SIT has intensified its probe into the theft of donation money.
33:07Preliminary findings point to serious institutional failures and lack of proper supervision.
33:15CCTV revealed how staff exploited gaps in camera coverage and weak frisking systems to siphon off cash donations.
33:23Nearly 70 instances of theft between April 27th to June 5th have been revealed in SIT probe.
33:31The CCTV footage has made it clear that the donation money was stolen by the staff.
33:36Now Lenz is on nepotism in appointments.
33:39The accounting staff was appointed based on the personal recommendations of trust officials rather than an independent process.
33:48SIT is also scrutinizing the balance sheet of the Temple Trust to find out if any other funds were siphoned
33:54off during the major events that took place since the Pranpratishtha.
33:59In other words, SIT is now in an important mode.
34:04And now, in the last two years, a large hydrogen,
34:08i.e. Ramlala's birth of the trust of the Ramlala,
34:10Dhaja Samaroh,
34:12and in some other hydrogen,
34:14a large hydrogen,
34:14which has been spent 124 million dollars,
34:17has been spent on its own knowledge of SIT.
34:23Ram Mandir Trust has clarified that the resignations
34:26were accepted to ensure a fair and impartial investigation.
34:31When Mrdosh said that Mrdosh,
34:34Mrdosh does not have a decision of any kind.
34:37He does not have a solution.
34:39He does not have a solution for corruption.
34:44Opposition has rejected the move as mere eyewash
34:48and is demanding a court-monitored trobe into the entire episode.
34:53UPCM yogi lashed out at opposition
34:55and reminded that the same people branded Ram fictional.
34:59Hang on in.
35:01He is on the other side.
35:05He is of the Voluntary так.
35:06His interests are going to the other side.
35:11He is actually in return.
35:35Gloves are off and daggers are drawn.
35:38With U.P. Assembly elections next year,
35:40Chandachori issue doesn't seem to die down soon.
35:45With Samad Shrivastav, Bureau Report, India Today.
35:53On to the other big story we are tracking.
35:55It took four years to reach audiences.
35:57It survived delays and controversies.
36:00But within 48 hours of finally streaming,
36:03Sutlej has gone off the OTT.
36:08And the timeline, that is just extraordinary.
36:12Sutlej premiered on an OTT platform just last Friday.
36:16And within two days, it was taken down.
36:20The platform says the film is unavailable until further notice.
36:24That's E5, on which it had premiered.
36:26But that was not always the first chosen destination for the movie.
36:31Government sources say that the removal was directed at the moment
36:34after authorities became aware of the release.
36:38Because the dispute, if you see the timeline, goes back to 2022.
36:43The film was then titled Punjab 95 and was submitted to the CBFC.
36:50According to the government, the board then proposed 127 cuts in the movie.
36:56That's a lot of cuts and a nightmare for any filmmaker.
37:01The makers obviously did not agree.
37:03And they eventually released it on OTT under a new title.
37:09Remember, OTT does not need CBFC certification.
37:13Now, the government says the action was taken because of security concerns
37:17and the need to follow established legal norms.
37:21Now, two sharply different narratives have emerged ever since the ban.
37:27Or the takedown, really.
37:29The makers say they spent years receiving no explanation, no dialogue.
37:34A complete silence over what exactly was objectionable.
37:38The government, on the other hand, maintains the issue is procedural.
37:42It stands in that the film was released without certification
37:46after rejecting the proposed cuts.
37:48And that security considerations cannot be ignored.
37:51The divide, however, remember, isn't just over one film.
37:56It's over how sensitive stories should be handled.
38:01The controversy has also raised an important question.
38:04How are OTT platforms really regulated?
38:06Remember, unlike theatrical releases,
38:09OTT does not need a certification from CBFC.
38:12Instead, it falls under the Information Technology Rules of 2021.
38:16Platforms are expected to follow the digital media code of ethics.
38:22Comply with existing laws as well.
38:25And also operating under a three-tier oversight mechanism.
38:29So what exactly happened?
38:32Let's try and get an answer to that with my colleague Aashwarya Paliwal joining us.
38:37Aashwarya, technically, if the CBFC says do not release,
38:42technically, legally, they did the right thing.
38:45Or technically, under the law, they can still release it on OTT.
38:49What I'm trying to understand now is that where did the objection come from?
38:54And if you're to believe the filmmakers,
38:58if something has been pending from 22,
39:01for four years they've been struggling with this,
39:04there should have been a better explanation from the government?
39:12One of the things that the government sources have actually told India today
39:15is that keeping Punjab elections in mind,
39:17and that's the reason why we are seeing it being removed now.
39:20The government believes that certain things that have been spoken about in the film,
39:24yes, they are true,
39:25but they also fan a certain kind of sentiment.
39:27See, Punjab elections will take place next year,
39:30which means that we will see some kind of elements once again coming to the fore,
39:35once again speaking of the entire thing that has happened in Punjab.
39:39And this is what the government at the moment is very keenly looking at.
39:42National security,
39:43those were some of the concerns that were being raised within the government,
39:46not just from one place,
39:47but from multiple places.
39:48And that is exactly the reason
39:49why the government has now decided that they will take it off.
39:52But let me tell you,
39:53they will be watching the film from what I understand at the moment.
39:56Once again,
39:57the film will be watched not by one people,
39:59but by an entire panel.
40:00And if they believe that there are certain areas,
40:02certain points that still need to be trimmed off,
40:04that is something that will be told to the makers,
40:06that they will need to either change certain things,
40:09delete certain things,
40:10or trim certain things.
40:11So those are some of the things that we can see happening
40:14in the next couple of days.
40:16And then I think the government will finally give a nod
40:18for Satlaj to be released on the OTT once again.
40:21But Aishwarya,
40:22if the makers did not intend to release it before Punjab elections,
40:25the four-year delay is not from them,
40:27it's from the government.
40:28So the timing is not, you know,
40:30intentional from the filmmaker's side.
40:31The government has to really answer
40:32what exactly are security hazards
40:34under which, you know,
40:35we continue to ban movies.
40:36And like you're saying,
40:38there is nothing wrong.
40:39Historically, it's correct,
40:40but they're not letting them come out with the story,
40:43which is what we need more concrete answers
40:45from on the government.
40:46But we leave it there for the moment
40:47and see how the story progresses.
40:48Thanks, Aishwarya, for joining us.
40:53Now, just weeks after the Thwisha case shocked the nation,
40:56Delhi is now witnessing another tragic death.
40:59This time, a 28-year-old Akriti Suter died
41:02after falling from an MDMC residential complex
41:06just 73 days after her marriage.
41:09As probe continues,
41:11her family has alleged abuse.
41:13They're calling it dowry death.
41:15All of this in Delhi's Lodhi colony.
41:27Another newlywed.
41:30Another mysterious death.
41:35Another family alleging dowry harassment.
41:38Just weeks after the nation was shaken by the death of Thwisha,
41:44Delhi is now confronting another case,
41:46raising hauntingly familiar case.
41:49Akriti was just 28.
41:52The eldest daughter.
41:54The family's strongest pillar after her father's death.
41:57On April 24,
42:00Akriti tied the knot with Arasthu Sikka in a love marriage.
42:0573 days later,
42:08she fell from an MDMC residential complex
42:10in Delhi's Lodhi colony.
42:12Police are investigating every possible angle.
42:15But for Akriti's family,
42:18there is no mystery.
42:20They believe their daughter was driven to death.
42:44The family alleges Akriti was repeatedly pressured
42:49to bring 20 lakh rupees and a car as dowry.
42:53Her sister-in-law was involved.
42:56Abuse started one month after the marriage.
42:59Akriti was physically assaulted and verbally abused.
43:03And she was even forced to quit her job.
43:08When she married,
43:10she informed me that she had taken my hand
43:15and took my hand to take my hand.
43:16So my mother told her husband
43:19that she didn't do this.
43:21She was wrong.
43:22After that,
43:23she took her hands and took her hands
43:24and took her hands
43:25and took her hands
43:25and took her hands
43:26and then took her down.
43:29So my mother told her
43:31last day before.
43:34Delhi police says
43:35CCTV footage shows
43:37Akriti entered the residential complex alone.
43:41Investigators have also recovered
43:43Google searches.
43:44Allegedly made from her account about death
43:47just hours before the incident.
43:50Her digital footprint is now under scrutiny.
43:54But the family disputes that narrative.
43:57Akriti's brother claims
43:58her husband constantly monitored her phone,
44:01changed passwords,
44:02and had complete access to her accounts.
44:32The investigation is on.
44:34The answers will come from the evidence.
44:39But Akriti's family says
44:40they want just one thing.
44:43Justice.
44:46With Imanashiv Mishra and Arvind Oja,
44:48Bureau Report, India Today.
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