Lotus will bloom everywhere in Telangana: Modi
Hyderabad (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took apparent potshots at the ruling TRS in Telangana, saying it has 'betrayed' the people and asserted the 'Lotus will bloom' everywhere in the state.
The PM's statement comes ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections in the state, where the BJP is seeking to challenge the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led TRS.
The political party on which Telangana had a lot of faith has betrayed the people, Modi said without naming the TRS and added signals are indicating that Lotus will bloom in the state.
Modi landed here this afternoon to dedicate to the nation a fertilizer plant at Ramagundam in the state, besides inaugurating and laying foundation stone for multiple development projects.
"In the recent times, whatever bypolls were held, the message is loud and clear that the sunrise is not far. Darkness will vanish. Lotus will bloom everywhere in Telangana," Modi said.
"The party on which the Telangana people had a lot of faith, the same party betrayed Telangana. But friends, when the darkness looms large from all four sides, Lotus will start to bloom, he said, alluding to the BJP's symbol.
"Now Telangana people want a government that works for all the families of Telangana instead of a single family," Modi said indirectly referring to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
"They want a BJP government," Modi said.
He said he could see the lotus blooming in Telangana, referring to his party's recent prospects in various bypolls. The party had won two Assembly by-polls in the last two years, besides putting up a good show in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections earlier.
Superstitions are being practiced in the city, known for its information technology presence, he said and opined that superstitions decide the governance, in what seemed to a veiled reference at the Chief Minister.
He further said the state government and its leaders here keep doing injustice to Telangana's capacity and its people's talent.
Referring to the recent Munugode bypoll, Modi said the BJP workers together forced the entire state administration to focus on a single election. The ruling party won the seat by a little over 10,000 votes.
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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.
