Begusarai/Khagaria (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not only "scared" of US President Donald Trump, but was also "remote controlled" by big business.
Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, made the stinging attack in poll-bound Bihar, where he addressed back-to-back rallies in Begusarai and Khagaria districts.
"Having a huge chest does not make you strong. Just look at Mahatma Gandhi, who had a frail build but took on the British, who were the superpowers of the time," he said.
"On the other hand, we have Narendra Modi with his boast of a 56-inch chest, who got a panic attack when Trump called him during Operation Sindoor, and the military conflict with Pakistan ended in two days. He is not just scared of Trump, but is also being remote-controlled by Ambani and Adani," he alleged.
The Congress leader said that in 1971, then PM Indira Gandhi was threatened by the US, but she didn't get "scared and did what needed to be done".
"But when Trump told Modi to stop Operation Sindoor, he halted it," he claimed.
Gandhi claimed that all the major decisions of the Modi government, like GST and demonetisation, were "aimed at destroying small businesses and benefiting the big ones".
"Our approach is different. We want to promote small businesses. We want to replace made in China labels on your phones and T-shirts with made in Bihar tags," he said.
Claiming that the PM can do anything for votes, Gandhi said, "Tell him to do yoga, he will do a few asanas."
"He will even dance on stage for votes. Whatever you say until election day, Modi will do that. Because after the elections, he will only work for his favourite corporations," he alleged.
Gandhi said if the INDIA bloc is voted to power in the state, it will form a government for every section, not for any particular caste.
He alleged that the PM was asking youths to watch reels as he wants to divert their attention so that they do not raise questions on real issues, such as unemployment.
"Modi says that the BJP has given you cheap internet so that you can watch reels and make reels. But when you watch reels on Instagram and Facebook, the money goes to Ambani," he alleged.
He also alleged that the BJP and RSS "completely stole" the elections in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh.
"The Election Commission has removed names of Mahagathbandhan supporters from the voters' list in Bihar. We have provided proof of this before, and we will provide it again," he claimed.
Gandhi was accompanied, at the rallies, by INDIA bloc partner Mukesh Sahni, who has been promised the deputy CM's post though his Vikassheel Insan Party had no MLA in the outgoing assembly.
Pointing towards Sahni, the Congress leader said, "There is a thought behind intending to make him the deputy CM. We want to form a government that represents all sections of society."
Sahni belongs to the extremely backward Nishad caste, which is traditionally a community of fishermen.
Highlighting his priorities, Gandhi said, "If I am invited to a wedding by a poor farmer, I go there. But I turn down such invitations from people who own big businesses."
Gandhi also alleged that the NDA government in Bihar, headed by JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, was "in fact controlled from Delhi, with the help of three-four bureaucrats in the state".
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New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
