The second half of the Times Now Summit 2025, co-presented by Dream Sports and Powered by Pernod Ricard India featured insightful discussions with leaders across various fields. In a heated debate on political polarization, BJP’s Sudhanshu Trivedi outlined a ‘chronology’ of events leading to the Aurangzeb controversy. Countering him, AIMIM’s Waris Pathan accused the BJP of fuelling communal politics, to which Trivedi responded by blaming Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi for sparking the controversy, with the Congress later joining in. “It was Abu Azmi of the Samajwadi Party who raked up the issue of Aurangzeb, followed by Mr. Rashid Alvi of the Congress Party and then Imran Masood,” Trivedi asserted. Pathan, however, hit back, accusing the BJP of deliberate divisiveness. “Everyone knows who has mastered and holds a PhD in polarisation—it’s the BJP. For the last 10 years, we have seen BJP-driven polarisation across the country. The party has completely lost focus on its priorities,” he remarked.
Waris Pathan also questioned the government’s stance on Waqf protections, arguing that while Hindu endowment boards do not permit Muslim entry, non-Muslims are being allowed to interfere in Waqf courts. “What message do you want to send? What was the need to bring the Waqf Amendment Bill? We know BJP’s intention is to take over our land. The BJP wants to usurp our Waqf land just to polarise the situation. Why do they want to spread hatred” Trivedi defended and added, “The Waqf Board claimed 120 properties in Delhi, and the Congress handed them over by 2014. The move was necessary to protect government assets.”
Speaking about the advancement of the Indian securities market, Sundararaman Ramamurthy, MD & CEO, BSE, who joined the Times Now Summit 2025 virtually, said, “The theme of Keeping India Ahead aligns very well with India’s vision of Viksit Bharat, a developed nation by 2047, led by our Prime Minister, Hon. Narendra Modi. The Indian economy is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, driven by growth, consumption, and exports, while maintaining an average 7% growth rate. Currently at $4.5 trillion, the nation is on track to reach $5 trillion soon, with projections of $30–35 trillion by 2047, potentially reaching $50 trillion.”
Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Minister of New and Renewable Energy, highlighted India’s push for renewable energy, with over ₹20,000 crore allocated to the initiative. He further mentioned, “India is currently the third-largest producer of renewable energy globally.”
Union Cabinet Minister of Jal Shakti, Chandrakant Raghunath Patil, highlighted the government’s efforts to tackle the country’s water crisis, emphasizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision behind the Catch the Rain initiative. Speaking on the issue of water pollution, he acknowledged its growing impact, particularly due to agricultural practices. Patil mentioned, “Chemicals like urea used in farming often get washed into rivers during rainfall, contributing to pollution.” He stressed the importance of efficient water management, stating, “If agricultural water is used specifically for agriculture, this problem can be addressed.”
He further added, “The government is now running a special campaign for the cleanliness and rejuvenation of six major rivers in the country, including the Ganga.”
The event is supported by State Partners, including the Governments of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, and Haryana, along with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham as Knowledge Partner, Ekam as Associate Partner, Da Milano as Luxury Partner, Bennett University as Education Partner, and Times OOH as Outdoor Partner.
The Times Now Summit 2025 continues with more key sessions and thought-provoking discussions shaping India’s future.
For more details, visit – https://www.timesnowsummit.com/