Bengaluru Violence: Impartial Inquiry Needed
It is said that the pen is mightier than the sword. Those who use this sword must have the wisdom, discretion, and must be pro-people. In the hands of immature people, this sword can very well become dangerous. It is because of the might of the pen that even if newspapers make the slightest mistake or write with pre-conceived notions, they can fan fires of controversies that might even lead to deaths and extensive destruction. Usually, in the print media, sub-editors first read articles, understand the nuances, and then publish them based on their judgment. But this changed with the advent of Facebook and social media when ‘the pen’ went astray and lost its sense of direction. The might of the pen in the hands of immature people who believe that it can be brandished whenever and however they please has done more damage to society than benefitting it. The trend of people abusing caste, religion, party, and individuals by using fake accounts has increased. Anti-social elements are using social media effectively to disturb the peace and order in the society. Ironically, the interest shown by social media to curb writers with social commitment is not shown towards those who want to disturb peace. The cyber-crime cells of the police department set up to prevent such crimes have been turning a blind eye to these incidents. There is no doubt then that the violence that took place in Bangalore on Tuesday night is a result of all these developments.
A relative of Pulakeshi Nagar MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy had made certain derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad in a Facebook post. Such distorted writings against a great soul reflects the personality of the writer and does not in any way affect the image of the great man. Many evil minds have spun webs of lies not only against Prophet Mohammad but also against noble men such as Jesus, Gandhi, and Ambedkar. But such rowdy elements have themselves become irrelevant over time whereas noble men have only grown in their stature and have become role models to the world. If anyone is deeply hurt by the writings against the Prophet Mohamad in Facebook, there are several options available in a democratic set up to take action against the writer. Cases can be filed against him in many police stations in the state and protests can be held to demand action against him. Moreover, attempts can be made to change the writer’s thinking and perspective by ensuring that the teachings of Prophet Mohammad reach him. But what happened in Bangalore is just the opposite with a group of people attacking the residence of the legislator. They also attached police and set vehicles on fire. Eventually, three people died in police firing. But what did the protestors achieve by causing the deaths of people, injuring several others, and leaving behind a trail of destruction of property? The loss of precious lives and the destruction in the arson and violence have created misleading impression on the teachings of the Prophet and not succeeded in achieving anything. Ultimately, a situation has emerged in which those hurt by the criticism against the Prophet are now forced to stand as accused.
It is being suspected that a few political leaders are behind Tuesday’s sudden and unexpected violence. How could so many people assemble in such large numbers in such a short time? It is difficult to believe that the Facebook post by a miscreant would result in a gathering of such a large number of people. There is no doubt that on the pretext of protesting, miscreants deliberately set fire on the MLA’s house and destroyed public property. It is clear that the protest was organized due to political malice so that protestors could indulge in such misconduct. Therefore, the police should identify the political forces responsible for this instead of arresting innocents on whom they can lay their hands. The names of a few senior politicians who are now sidelined are being thrown around for having caused the violence and the veracity of these rumours can be established only through a serious inquiry. Conspiracies are being hatched within the BJP to unseat the Yediyurappa government in the state. Recently, on the Facebook page of BJP leader Murugesh Nirani, derogatory statements were written against Vedic Gods, but the episode was closed with his apology. Subsequently, BJP leader K.S.Eshwarappa issued inflammatory statements in the media by referring to ‘Kashi and Mathura’. Now, a relative of Congress legislator has abused Prophet Mohammad and a few people have misused the situation and have resorted to violence. That this happened despite the clarification issued by MLA Srinivasa Murthy and apologizing shows that it was pre-planned. It is therefore important that an independent agency investigate the abusive remarks against the Prophet and the subsequent developments.
About 1500 years ago, the Prophet was responsible for introducing several revolutionary changes in society. The Prophet dreamt of an egalitarian society, opposed social discrimination, and provided land rights to women. He encouraged widow remarriage and banned the practice of levying interests. He announced compulsory Zakath for the rich and prohibited liquor. The Prophet’s views on religion, economy, and society changed the entire world. This being the case, a miscreant abusing the Prophet does not have any impact on the Prophet, rather it only reveals the personality of the writer. Those who took to the street for justice and caused destruction and losses protesting against the humiliation caused to the Prophet are those who have shown the greatest disrespect to the teachings of the Prophet.
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
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.
