Suspended Cong leader Roshan Baig says he will soon resign as MLA
Bengaluru, Jul 8: In fresh trouble for the coalition government hit by a flurry of resignations by MLAs, disgruntled Congress legislator R Roshan Baig, who was suspended last month for his "anti-party" activities, Monday said he would also resign from the State assembly shortly.
The sulking MLA said he would skip the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting Tuesday.
"I have made up my mind almost. I am boycotting the party meeting tomorrow since I have been suspended," Baig told PTI when asked whether he would quit the Congress.
He clarified that he has not made up his mind yet to join the BJP.
"No, no... still not decided (to join BJP).I am still a Congressman but this is final that I am going to resign as MLA," the former minister said.
While 13 MLAs from ruling coalition Congress and the JD(S) resigned earlier including 12 on Saturday, two independent MLAs H Nagesh (Mulbagal constituency) and R Shankar (Ranebennur) withdrew their support to the government Monday.
Baig said he would not resign Tuesday as he has to arrange four flights for Haj pilgrims.
"I am the chairman of the State Haj Committee.
Tomorrow there are four flights (to attend). Hence, I am not going to Mumbai or other places. But I have mentally decided to resign from the assembly," Baig said.
Commenting on the political developments, Baig said such things should not have happened.
"I am punished because I spoke truth. People who have rebelled against the party, no disciplinary action was taken against them. This party is being run at the whims and fancies of a few leaders.
I am selectively targeted," Baig rued.
Hitting out at Congress leaders for the party's performance in the Lok Sabha polls, Baig had recently held CLP leader Siddaramaiah's "arrogance" and KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao's "immaturity" responsible for the "flop show".
He had also called AICC general secretary K C Venugopal a "buffoon."
IMA group founder, Mohammad Mansoor Khan, who is absconding, had recently accused Baig of taking Rs 400 crore from him and not returning it.
Baig has categorically rejected the charge, saying the issue surfaced because of his fallout with some of his political adversaries.
The Enforcement Directorate has filed a money laundering case against the IMA group of companies and Mohammed Mansoor Khan after reports emerged that he has gone underground fearing investments worth crores of about 40,000 investors have tanked.
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FM Sitharaman launches 'VijAIpatha' labs in govt schools in Karnataka
Hampi (PTI): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday launched Cyient AI Labs (CyAILS) -- 'VijAIpatha', aimed at democratising access to Artificial Intelligence, STEM and Robotics education in government schools here.
In a series of posts on 'X', the minister's office shared pictures of the initiative launched at a girl's government school in Hosapete taluk and said that under the pilot phase, five world-class AI, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and Robotics laboratories are being established in government schools.
Each lab will be equipped with high-performance computers, AI-ready software, robotics kits, IoT devices, sensors and secure broadband connectivity.
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"Aligned with NEP 2020, Digital India and Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodi's mission of Viksit Bharat 2047, the programme integrates CBSE's AI curriculum and strengthens technology-enabled learning in public education," it said.
Focusing on rural and semi-urban India, the initiative introduces future technologies at the school level, helping build early digital fluency, computational thinking and innovation capacity among students, the minister's office said.
"Benefiting over 2,000 students and training more than 200 teachers, 'VijAIpatha' is a scalable CSR model fostering innovation, career readiness and grassroots digital empowerment," it added.
According to the office, the initiative has been designed as a scalable, replicable and sustainable model that can be adopted across districts and states in collaboration with government education departments, positioning it as a benchmark CSR model for a national AI education rollout.
