Sharad Pawar is not casteist; Raj Thackeray's comments very wrong: Ramdas Athawale
Latur, Apr 13: Slamming MNS chief Raj Thackeray for accusing Sharad Pawar of playing caste politics in Maharashtra, Union minister and Dalit leader Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday said the NCP chief never played caste-based politics but always took all sections of society along.
Raj Thackeray had recently accused Pawar-led NCP of playing a caste card in Maharashtra's politics.
"On the other hand, Pawar is a leader who takes Dalits and nomads along. He is known for his secular credentials in politics. It is very wrong on part of Raj Thackeray to say that Sharad Pawar is 'jatiyavadi' (casteist). I think Raj Thackeray is losing his (mental) balance," Athawale said in a press conference in Latur.
He also called for unity among leaders and activists who believe in the Republican ideology, observing that obtaining power solely on one's strength has become difficult at the Centre and in Maharashtra.
The Dalit leader, who heads the Athawale faction of the Republican Party of India (RPI), said he was willing to compromise for such unity.
"Different groups are being formed but that will not help in obtaining power. Prakash Ambedkar (of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi) made good efforts but failed to come to power which is necessary for the development of Dalits," he said.
Athawale also said that he is an activist of the Dalit Panther which has completed 50 years and called for Republican leaders to join hands.
"I don't run after cabinet berth. But when the party I align with comes to power, I get a ministerial post," he said.
Udgir in the Latur district is hosting the 95th All India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan scheduled between April 22 and 24.
When asked if he had received an invitation as a poet to attend the literary meet, Athawale said he is a poet in Parliament.
"If I get an invitation for the Sahitya Sammelan at Udgir, I will attend," he said.
Athawale said the Narendra Modi government has launched various schemes for the welfare of Dalits.
"PM Narendra Modi is better for the Dalit community. It is because of him that the Constitution is being protected. He is not anti-Dalit," Athawale 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.
Meta under fire for approving politically motivated ads during Lok Sabha elections
New Delhi: During the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, faces criticism for approving politically motivated advertisements containing hate speech and disinformation. According to a recent report, Meta approved several ads manipulated by Artificial Intelligence (AI), spreading disinformation and targeting specific demographics.
The report reveals that despite rejecting some ads, including one targeting Prime Minister Modi for misinformation, Meta approved others that targeted Muslims, violating its own policies on hate speech, bullying, harassment, misinformation, and violence incitement. These approved ads contained slurs against Muslims and Hindu supremacist language, further exacerbating tensions.
India Civil Watch International (ICWI) and Ekō, an accountability organization, submitted 22 ads to Meta, of which 14 were approved, highlighting the platform's failure to detect harmful content. Although Meta stated it requires advertisers to disclose their use of AI, critics argue that the platform lacks effective measures to address hate speech and disinformation.
Meta's history of failing to curb Islamophobia on its platforms adds to the skepticism regarding its ability to regulate harmful content during critical events like elections. With concerns over the proliferation of hate speech and disinformation online, questions arise about Meta's responsibility in safeguarding its users and ensuring a fair electoral process.
