Siddaramaiah will lead Congress in next elections, says D.K. Suresh
Bengaluru: Rejecting speculation over a change in leadership, former Bangalore Rural MP and BAMUL president D.K. Suresh on Wednesday reaffirmed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will continue to lead the Congress in all upcoming elections.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Suresh said, “Siddaramaiah is our leader. There is no question of leadership change or transfer of power. All such discussions are mere speculation. The Congress party has not taken up any such issue. Siddaramaiah is not too old, and every future election in Karnataka will be fought under his leadership.”
Suresh also clarified that Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s visit to Delhi was unrelated to any political developments. “He has gone to discuss legal strategy with officials and lawyers ahead of tomorrow’s hearing on the Mekedatu project in the court. His visits to the Congress headquarters are routine whenever he is in Delhi,” he explained.
On the issue of cabinet reshuffle, Suresh said the matter rests entirely with the Chief Minister and the party high command. “The Congress is not dependent on one or two leaders. It has been built collectively by senior leaders like M.B. Patil, Dr. Parameshwara, Satish Jarkiholi, and Dr. Mahadevappa,” he added.
Responding to speculation that supporters of D.K. Shivakumar want him to be Chief Minister, Suresh said such aspirations are natural in politics. “There is nothing wrong if followers want their leader to become Chief Minister. Some want Kumaraswamy, others want Vijayendra, Parameshwara, or Satish Jarkiholi to take the post, this is a normal process in democracy,” he said.
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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.
