Chinese products showcased at AI Summit; irreparable damage caused to country's image: Cong
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday dubbed the ongoing AI Summit a "disorganised PR spectacle" and alleged that Chinese products are being showcased there.
Gandhi's remarks came amid a controversy over Galgotias University allegedly showcasing a robotic dog labelled "Orion" at the AI Summit Expo that critics said was actually a Chinese-made Unitree Go2 and not an in-house innovation.
"Instead of leveraging India's talent and data, the AI summit is a disorganised PR spectacle - Indian data up for sale, Chinese products showcased," the former Congress president said in a post on X.
According to sources, Galgotias University has been asked to vacate its stall at the AI Summit Expo immediately.
Gandhi also tagged a post of the Congress which alleged, "The Modi government has made a laughing stock of India globally, with regard to AI."
"In the ongoing AI Summit, Chinese robots are being displayed as our own," he charged.
The Congress claimed that the Chinese media has mocked India.
"This is truly embarrassing for India. What is even more shameful is the fact that Modi's minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is indulging in the same falsehood, promoting China's robots at the Indian summit," it said.
"The Modi Government has caused irreparable damage to the image of the country - they have reduced AI to a joke - a field in which we could be world leaders given our data power. Brazenly shameless," the party said on X.
Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said in a post on X, "Ashwini Vaishnaw has proved that in India AI means 'Ashwini is Incompetent'."
"As for the 'Pradhan (Tamasha) Mantri' - every event is a 'Jhappi-pappi' fest. This was supposed to be an AI Summit - a platform for innovation and exchange of ideas. BJP reduced it to a cheap China Bazaar," Khera said in his post, adding that the Gen Z of the country would not forgive them.
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Marxism will remain relevant despite Left electoral's losses, says general secretary M A Baby
New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Thursday asserted that the Left movement would remain relevant despite not being in power in any state, saying the ideology would continue to endure as long as social and economic inequalities persist.
Hitting back at BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his reported remarks that Marxism had become irrelevant, Baby, in an interview with PTI Videos, said, "So long as there is division in society, so long as there is exploitation of the majority of workers, peasants and ordinary masses by a handful of billionaires, Marxism will remain relevant."
"That perhaps Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar may not be able to understand, but this is the fact of the matter," he said.
Baby acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led Left was currently without an elected government in any state, but maintained that electoral setbacks would not diminish the movement's role.
"We may not have an elected government in any state. There were occasions when we didn't have a government. But the red flag and the commitment to organise and struggle for the rights of the dispossessed, marginalised and exploited will always be upheld by CPI(M) and the Left movement," he said.
He said the Left continued to enjoy support among workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, youth, students and women, and argued that the movement remained necessary because "oppression and assault" continued in society.
"So long as such problems exist in society, the red flag and the working class movement will continue to work among the masses," the Left leader said.
Exuding confidence on the Left's revival, Baby said the party would reflect on the reasons behind its electoral loss.
"We may be rejected in one election, but we will stage our comeback by understanding what went wrong with us," he said, adding, "We will listen to people and we will come back with higher strength."
Baby also criticised the Congress over reported factional tensions in Kerala after the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the state.
"The way they are behaving is being watched by the people of Kerala," he said, referring to infighting within the Congress.
"Those who have given a massive majority to Congress and UDF would be watching all this," he added, while urging party leaders to "settle the problem in an amicable, democratic manner".
Referring to West Bengal, Baby alleged that violence had escalated following the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls.
"It is quite unfortunate that the moment BJP snatched a massive victory in West Bengal, violence has also started on a big scale," he said.
He also accused the Trinamool Congress of being "notorious for violent activities" and alleged that the "RSS-controlled BJP" had "unleashed violence in many places" after the election results.
"This is not good for Bengal, not good for the country. We wish and hope that normalcy would be restored as soon as possible," he said.
Baby said the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal would continue efforts to "pacify people" and avoid violence and confrontation.
Asked about former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan not reacting publicly to the election results, Baby said Vijayan would respond "at an appropriate time".
