Indira 'tallest leader', Modi 'authoritarian', says Congress
New Delhi, June 26 : The Congress on Tuesday slammed the BJP for comparing former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with Hitler and hit out at Union Minister Arun Jaitley for "distortion of history".
Congress leader Anand Sharma also attacked Narendra Modi and said India was now witnessing a systematic subversion of all institutions that uphold the Constitution and democracy under the watch of an "authoritarian Prime Minister and arrogant government".
"Indira Gandhi was the tallest leader of her times and a democratically elected popular Prime Minister. Jaitley's comparison of Indira with Hitler "is absurd, outrageous and a distortion of history", Sharma tweeted.
"Indira Gandhi's elected government was sought to be destabilised by unconstitutional and undemocratic methods. Emergency was an aberration and Indira Gandhi had herself expressed regret," Sharma added.
Sharma said Jaitley was suffering from selective loss of memory.
"Dictators do not hold elections. Let BJP be reminded that Indira Gandhi lifted Emergency to hold free and fair elections. She herself lost and she accepted defeat and the verdict with humility."
The Emergency came into force on June 25, 1975, leading to suspension of fundamental rights. It lasted till March 21, 1977. The Congress led by Indira Gandhi was voted out of power in the elections held then.
"Jaitley and BJP's obsession with Hitler is understandable. He comes from the RSS-BJP school who celebrate Hitler and eulogise fascism," Sharma added.
Sharma added that "the debate was decisively settled in 1980 when the people of India brought Indira Gandhi back with a thumping majority and dumped her tormentors and opponents in the dustbin of history".
Hitting out at Modi, Sharma said: "What India is witnessing today is a systematic subversion of all institutions that uphold our Constitution and democracy under the watch of an authoritarian Prime Minister and arrogant government, leading to centralisation of power."
"BJP-RSS cannot insult her memory or belittle her Martyrdom. People of India will remember her as a hero," he added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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.
