India First
This special broadcast of India First, anchored by Gaurav Sawant, covers key national developments across politics, law and order, and business.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi met the parents of Ankita Bhandari alongside activist Yogita Bhayana during a protest at India Gate, where the family demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry and questioned the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Gautam as Governor of Sikkim.
The Kerala Congress deleted a social media post demanding Chief Justice of India Surya Kant's resignation after he declined to meet Opposition leaders over a sub judice matter. The Supreme Court Bar Association condemned the remarks, saying such posts undermined the judiciary and interfered with the administration of justice. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and the BJP also criticised the Congress, accusing it of attempting to undermine constitutional institutions. The post was removed following widespread criticism from the bar association and political leaders.
A 10-member INDIA bloc delegation met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday, submitting a memorandum seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll irregularities.
In this India Today broadcast anchored by Gaurav Sawant, the programme reviews the completion of 25 years of Narendra Modi in public governance, encompassing 13 years as Chief Minister of Gujarat and 12 years as Prime Minister of India.
Delhi Police detained Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, Congress MP Praniti Shinde, and several INDIA bloc leaders following a protest march and a sit-in outside Akashvani Bhavan in New Delhi.
An India Today special report on 'India First' examines the foiled mid-air attack aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 bound for Tel Aviv. Details from interrogation reports reveal that Omani co-pilot Fiam Al-Hammami planned a Nine Eleven-style attack targeting Ben Gurion International Airport or skyscrapers in Tel Aviv. UAE authorities have officially termed the incident an act of terror. The transcript features testimony from Captain Smith Machchhar, who recounted being struck from behind while the co-pilot was supposedly praying. Despite severe head injuries and blurred vision, Machchhar opened the cockpit door, allowing crew and passengers to overpower the attacker. Experts Wing Commander Sharad Panicker and Dr. Wael Awad analyze severe security oversight, questioning how Oman Air's prior derostering of Hammami for radical ideology was not flagged by Flydubai or Israeli intelligence. Aviation experts highlight transponder squawk codes and insider threat mitigation frameworks to prevent future cockpit hijackings.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Captain Smit Machchhar, the injured pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073, during a video call from his hospital bed in Abu Dhabi. Machchhar told Modi that reciting the Hanuman Chalisa gave him strength during the cockpit attack, as he worked to prevent the aircraft from crashing. Modi praised his courage and quick decision-making, saying his actions saved lives. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that those behind the September 30 incident would face a "heavy price". He said the attacker had undergone Islamist radicalisation and intended to crash the plane.
An expert discussion examined the September 30 Flydubai FZ1073 cockpit attack in which Omani co-pilot stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar during the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight. The aircraft reportedly went into a rapid descent before Machchhar, despite sustaining serious injuries, activated the cockpit door release. Passengers and crew then restrained the co-pilot, while two off-duty pilots helped stabilise the aircraft. The plane, carrying 174 people, was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia and landed safely despite reported damage. Experts discussed the sequence of events, the captain's actions and how the crisis was brought under control.
Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency diversion to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Majahar and attempted to seize control of the aircraft, which descended 14,000 feet and issued distress codes 7700 and 7500 before passengers and crew restrained the assailant. In New Delhi, leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc met to launch nationwide demonstrations seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the withdrawal of the SIR exercise, amid ongoing seat-sharing disputes between Congress and the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the conclusion of the BJP Nashamukt Punjab Yatra in Jalandhar, pledging to eliminate narcotics in Punjab by December 31, 2029, as political leaders and former law enforcement officials debated governance, de-addiction infrastructure, and narcotics seizure data ahead of state elections.
The Congress held protests across India seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and arrest amid reports of dissent within the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision. The show also examines the default bail granted to an American and six Ukrainians accused in a drone-training case, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's remarks at the UN.
Former Vice President Hamid Ansari has triggered a political row after citing an observation attributed to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru during the A.G. Noorani Memorial Lecture. Quoting from a book, Ansari referred to Nehru's reported view that Hindu right-wing communalism posed a greater threat to India than communism. The remarks drew criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party, while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath described them as an insult to Sanatan traditions. Cleric Umar Ahmed Ilyasi also criticised Ansari. His supporters highlighted his career as a diplomat and scholar.
Punjab's law-and-order situation has emerged as a major political issue ahead of the Assembly elections, with attacks on police personnel and political leaders drawing scrutiny. The Opposition has stepped up its criticism of the Bhagwant Mann government, accusing it of failing to curb violence and ensure public safety.
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