Will pose questions to Rahul Gandhi in LS: Nishikant Dubey on BJP's allegations against US
New Delhi (PTI): Notwithstanding the US' dismissal of BJP's allegations that it is backing attempts to destabilise India, party MP Nishikant Dubey on Sunday said he will ask Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi 10 questions in the Lok Sabha on the issue.
In a post on X, Dubey alleged that media portal Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Hungarian-American businessman George Soros have colluded with the opposition to ruin India's economy and defame the Modi government.
The US on Saturday rejected BJP's allegations that organisations funded by its State Department and elements in the American "deep state" were behind attempts to destabilise India through targeted attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business tycoon Gautam Adani.
A spokesperson at the US embassy described the allegations as "disappointing" and asserted that the US government has been a champion of media freedom around the world.
Reacting to the US embassy's statement, Dubey said, "Yesterday I read the statement of the US embassy officials again and again. They admitted that the US government funds OCCRP, and Soros' foundation also funds it."
The job of OCCRP and Soros is to ruin India's economy and defame the Modi government in connivance with opposition leaders, he said in his post in Hindi.
"After yesterday's statement, I will have to ask Rahul Gandhi my 10 questions in the Lok Sabha. The opposition is trying to suppress my voice in Parliament. Lok Sabha Rule 357 gives me the right to ask questions. Waiting for tomorrow," the MP said.
The BJP alleged on Thursday that the US "deep state" colluded with OCCRP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to "damage" India's image.
The BJP has cited Gandhi's use of OCCRP reports to attack the Adani Group and accuse it of having closeness with the government.
"It's disappointing that the ruling party in India would make these kinds of accusations," the US embassy spokesperson said on Saturday.
"The US government works with independent organisations on programming that supports professional development and capacity building training for journalists. This programming does not influence the editorial decisions or direction of these organisations," the official said.
The OCCRP, headquartered in Amsterdam, is a media platform that largely focuses on stories relating to crime and corruption.
Last month, US prosecutors charged Gautam Adani, 62, his nephew Sagar and other defendants for paying over USD 250 million in bribes between 2020 and 2024 to Indian government officials to win solar energy contracts on terms that could potentially bring in more than USD 2 billion in profit. The Adani Group has dismissed the charges as "baseless".
The opposition Congress has accused the government of shielding the businessman and it is pressing for setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee for a thorough investigation into the allegations.
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Bengaluru jail introduces biometric tracking system for prisoners
Bengaluru: In a bid to curb misconduct and illegal activities inside Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, prison authorities have introduced a new ‘Prisoners Tracking Movement System’ under which inmates will have to undergo biometric verification while entering every barrack.
According to jail officials, biometric systems have been installed across all major sections of the prison, including barracks, visitor rooms, hospital, canteen, kitchen, library, playground, handicraft units and bakery sections. Staff members have also been deployed at these locations.
Officials said inmates visiting the visitors’ room must now obtain a digital token after biometric verification. Details such as the prisoner’s name, identification number and entry time will be updated in the prison software system. This will help authorities maintain a complete digital record of inmates visiting and returning from meeting rooms.
Similar systems have also been introduced at entry points of the hospital, library and other barracks accessed for work-related purposes. Officials said the system will help identify prisoners involved in suspicious or illegal activities with other inmates and enable authorities to track how much time a prisoner spends at different locations inside the prison.
Authorities stated that AI-powered cameras were already being used inside the prison to monitor inmates as well as prison staff. Along with this, digital tracking of prisoner phone calls and a digital token system for visitor meetings have now been added to strengthen surveillance over inmate movement. Officials said the project has been implemented at a cost of around Rs 2.25 crore.
The prison department has also introduced a canteen usage tracking system to monitor prisoners’ spending patterns. Instead of direct cash payments, inmates can purchase bakery items and snacks using wallets or coupons issued within the prison system.
Officials said the digital system will record details including the buyer’s name, items purchased, quantity, date, time and remaining wallet balance. This will allow prison authorities to maintain complete expenditure records of inmates.
