Epstein Files: CPI(M) demands Hardeep Singh Puri's removal from Union cabinet
New Delhi (PTI): The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday slammed the government for not taking action against the Indians named in the Epstein Files and demanded the removal of Minister Hardeep Singh Puri from the Union cabinet.
In a statement, the CPI(M) also slammed the government for not allowing discussion on the Epstein Files in Parliament.
The party's general secretary M A Baby accused Puri, the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, of "lying" in his press conference.
"Despite clear evidence of Hardeep Singh Puri's involvement in Epstein Files, the Union government is not allowing a discussion in Parliament," Baby said on X.
"The minister has even lied in his own press conference. He has brought disgrace to our nation. PM Narendra Modi should sack him right away!" Baby said.
The CPI(M), in its statement, said extremely "repulsive and abhorrent" content of the Epstein Files is unravelling daily and "despite the attempts of the US Department of Justice and the Trump Administration at a grand cover-up, the facts are coming out".
The Left party said there is "no iota of doubt" about the aggressive criminal nature and impunity of the network involving the power elite comprising politicians, financial overlords, tech giants and celebrities, who were part of this "criminal network of which Epstein was the chief facilitator".
Several countries are initiating concrete legal and punitive actions, the party said, citing the example of Prince Andrew being stripped of his titles and arrested in the UK.
"Several others have been forced to resign from their positions in their respective nations," it said, adding that despite clear evidence of the involvement of Puri and industrialist Anil Ambani, there was no attempt by the Union government to force an explanation and ensure accountability.
"In the face of available evidence, Hardeep Singh Puri has been caught lying in his own press conference. Yet, instead of being sacked, he is being protected by all devious means," it said.
The CPI(M) Polit Bureau categorically demanded that the Prime Minister remove Puri from the Union cabinet to "redeem national embarrassment and shame".
The Epstein Files are thousands of pages of documents related to two criminal investigations into sex trafficking by financier Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, including travel logs, recordings and emails that have been a topic of conversation since Epstein died in custody in 2019.
Puri has figured in the publicly released documents, with references largely linked to his earlier diplomatic tenure and association with the International Peace Institute in New York.
The Union petroleum minister has stated that his interaction with Epstein was limited to a few professional meetings and email exchanges in the context of multilateral and institutional work. He said he had met Epstein on a "few occasions" but his interactions had nothing to do with the crimes the convicted sex offender was involved in.
Despite clear evidence of Hardeep Singh Puri's involvement in Epstein Files, the Union Government is not allowing a discussion in Parliament.
— M A Baby (@MABABYCPIM) February 20, 2026
The minister has even lied in his own press conference. He has brought disgrace to our nation. PM Narendra Modi should sack him right… https://t.co/HLT4hCmpap
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Andhra to be developed as knowledge, creator economy hub: CM Naidu
New Delhi/Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state is taking steps to transform itself into a knowledge and creator economy hub with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
He noted that Andhra Pradesh has abundant tech-driven youth and the government is formulating plans to train them in futuristic technologies with support from global technology firms.
"Our goal is to transform Andhra Pradesh into a knowledge hub by focusing on AI, quantum computing, data centres, drone cities and space cities. The youth will remain our biggest asset over the next 25 years, and we seek global partnerships to scale up the creator economy," said Naidu during his interactions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi.
Naidu, who participated in the summit in the national capital, also held meetings with several global technology leaders and industrialists to explore collaborations in artificial intelligence, clean energy and innovation ecosystems.
He met Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Autodesk AI Head Mike Haley, Aramco India Director Abdul Rehman AiThukair, LEGO Education Vice President Tom Hall, Aadhaar Founder and CTO Srikanth Nadhamuni, Khosla Ventures Managing Partner Vinod Khosla and others at the AP Pavilion.
The chief minister also held discussions with Saudi Aramco representatives on clean energy projects, including solar initiatives, and invited the company to expand operations in Andhra Pradesh, stating that the state is highly suitable for green energy production.
He sought support from NVIDIA Vice President Callista Redmond for establishing AI Living Labs and proposed partnerships through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub to promote youth innovation, including collaborations with IIT Tirupati and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati under the Andhra Pradesh Future Innovation and Research for Science and Technology (AP FIRST) initiative.
Naidu urged Autodesk leadership to support the development of Global Capability Centres in design engineering and requested the establishment of an Innovation Academy in Amaravati aligned with quantum technology, besides proposing AI and robotics learning labs in partnership with LEGO Education.
He also discussed AI-driven smart governance solutions with Quantela Inc Chairman Sridhar Gadhi, while World Bank Group Digital AI Regional Director Mahesh Uttamchandani met Naidu on the sidelines of the summit.
Following the meetings, Naidu visited various exhibition stalls at the summit, including those of NVIDIA, Tata, Intel and Microsoft, and reviewed AI applications across agriculture, healthcare and industry.
