Month: January 2025

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sudhanshu Trivedi on Wednesday launched a scathing on the AAP and its convenor Arvind Kejriwal and pointed out 10 issues which Kejriwal had promised to change, but he did things contrary to his promise.

Addressing a press conference, Trivedi stated that in today’s politics most challenging thing was a “crisis of credibility” and the Aam Aadmi Party came with the vision to bring in new politics, but in Delhi, he actually did things contrary to his promises.

Trivedi cited 10 examples, including the issue of live wires, 24*7 clean water, a world-class education system, women’s safety, improved medical treatment, pollution-free Delhi, providing basic amenities to the unauthorised colonies, cleaning garbage heap, homes for slum dwellers and Yamuna cleaning, where “Kejriwal instead of solving the problem, did nothing.”

The BJP MP stated that BJP and NDA under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi established authenticity in the politics whereas AAP streams opposite of this vision.

“Before anything happens in this English New Year, I want to remind that Aam Aadmi Party came with the vision to bring in the new politics. In today’s politics, the most challenging thing was “crisis of credibility.” There is a thinking among the public that leaders don’t do anything which they say, but this narrative was changed by BJP and NDA under the leadership of PM Modi. We established authenticity in the politics and AAP is the opposite stream of this vision. They never do what they say. Today I want to count 10 points which AAP and Kejriwal said and what they actually did,” Trivedi said.

“Kejriwal said that he would free us from the live wires. The condition is that a 26-year-old man lost his life because of this live wires on July 26, 2024. He had promised for 24*7 clean water, but when summer arrived, people saw the outcry in the north-western and outer parts of Delhi. If somehow water was supplied, then it had smell in it. He promised to give world-class education system but the High Court has reprimanded the flawed education system and the court has expressed displeasure for several things in it, which meant, the claim and result is different,” he added.

Lashing out at the AAP for the alleged assault on AAP MP Swati Maliwal, Trivedi stated that in the history of India, it happened for the first time that a woman who belonged to the same party (Swati Maliwal), was “physically assaulted” on the residence of the Chief Minister by the OSD of the CM.”

“Next was that he promised to make Delhi safe for women. But in the history of India, a woman who belonged to the same party, was physically assaulted on the residence of the Chief Minister by the OSD of the CM. No one can find such example in India… They did it with the woman who belonged to same party… When asked, there was no CCTV footages,” he said.

The BJP MP also highlighted the deteriorating condition of the Yamuna river. He stated that Kejriwal had promised to provide the basic amenities to the unauthorised colonies and homes to the slum dweller, but has failed to do so.

Trivedi said, “Next he has promised to provide the basic amenities to the unauthorised colonies but what we saw in Sangam Vihar was different from what he said. He had promised to give homes to the people living in the slums, but today, under central governments scheme 3024 flats have been provided to the slum dwellers. Yamuna cleaning was one of the topics, he had promised to bath in it, but the situation is that he can’t even stand near the river. There are images of toxic foam in the Yamuna river.”

Trivedi took a dig at the AAP promise of providing improved medical treatment to the residents of Delhi, saying that there was an outcry among public during the Covid-19 and instead of bringing their attention to the outcry, they focused on advertisements.

Sudhanshu Trivedi also hit out at the Delhi government for increasing pollution and garbage in the territory.

BJP MP stated, “He promised to improve medical treatment, but there was an outcry during the Covid-19. Instead of bringing their attention on the outcry, they focused on advertisements. You may remember the level of corruption in Mohalla Clinic came to light during the Covid 19. In one day, around 500 people were treated in a single. Mohalla Clinic is opened from 9 am to 1 pm, it meant that doctor assessed 539 people in 240 minutes, meaning a single person was medicated, assessed and their slip was made in just 20 seconds… which Mohalla Clinic has capacity to collect 539 people at a time. He promised to make Delhi pollution-free, but everyone knows what the situation is. There is nothing to tell about. The air of Delhi has become poor. He promised to clear the heap of garbage. But as per some media reports, currently its height has been increased to 8 metres.”

The assembly elections in Delhi is likely to be held in February 2025 however, the Election Commission of India is yet to announce the dates. Congress, which was in power in Delhi for 15 successive years, has performed poorly in the past two assembly polls, failing to win any seat. AAP won 62 out of the 70 seats in the 2020 assembly elections and BJP secured eighth seats. (ANI)

Calling India an “important neighbour”, Bangladesh’s Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman said that Dhaka is dependent on New Delhi in many ways. He said that many people from Bangladesh visit India for treatment and lot of goods are imported from India, Prothom Alo reported.

In an interview with Prothom Alo, General Waker-Uz-Zaman said that India and Bangladesh have a “give and take relationship” and added that the relations must be based on fairness. He stated that Bangladesh has to maintain good ties based on equality.

On being asked about talks being held between India and Bangladesh on some unresolved issues, General Waker-Uz-Zaman said, “India is an important neighbour. We are dependent on India in many ways. And India is getting facilities from us too. A large number of their people are working in Bangladesh, formally and informally. Many people go for medical treatment to India from here. We buy a lot of goods from them. So India has a lot of interests in Bangladesh’s stability. This is a give-and-take relationship.”

“This must be based on fairness. Any country will want to get benefits from the other. There is nothing wrong in that. If we want extract our benefits, then we are to blame too. We must look into these matters. We have to maintain good relations based on equality. The people in no way should feel India is dominating over us, which goes against our interests. People should not feel this in any way,” he added.

In an interview with Prothom Alo, General Zaman said that Bangladesh will not do anything that goes against the strategic interests of India and vice versa. He said that both India and Bangladesh will look after their interests with equal importance.

When asked about India seeking Bangladesh’s cooperation in ensuring security in their northeast region, he responded, “See, the thing is that we will not do anything with our neighbour that goes against their strategic interests. At the same time, we will expect that our neighbour does nothing that is contrary to our interests. When we look after their interests, they will look after our interests with equal importance.”

“Unrest will not be created in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The stability along the Myanmar border will not be disrupted either. They will not kill our people along the borders. We will get our fair share of water. There is no problem with this. Let the relations be on equal footing,” he added.

Earlier in December, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Bangladesh. This was the first high-level visit from India to Bangladesh since Sheikh Hasina was deposed as Prime Minister in August this year and since the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, assumed office.

During his visit to Dhaka, Misri said India is keen to work closely with the authorities of the Interim Government of Bangladesh under the Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and addressing concerns related to the safety and welfare of minorities, including Hindus, in Bangladesh.

While addressing a press conference after his meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain in Dhaka, Misri referred to recent incidents involving attacks on cultural, religious, and diplomatic properties and called for a constructive approach by the Bangladesh authorities to address these issues and ensure the safety and security of all communities.

“I have underlined today India’s desire to work closely with the Interim Government of Bangladesh authorities. At the same time, we also had the opportunity to discuss certain recent developments and issues, and I conveyed our concerns, including those related to the safety and welfare of minorities. We also discussed some regrettable incidents of attacks on cultural, religious, and diplomatic properties,” he said.

The Foreign Secretary noted that India and Bangladesh have long shared a people-centred relationship, driven by collaboration in areas such as trade, commerce, connectivity, power, water, and energy, and mentioned the wide-ranging areas of engagement between the two countries, including development cooperation, consular services, and cultural exchanges. (ANI)

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has declared 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms.’ With this declaration, the MoD aims to transform the Armed Forces into a technologically advanced, combat-ready force capable of integrated multi-domain operations.

“Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting with all the Secretaries of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on the eve of the New Year to review the progress on various schemes, projects, reforms and the way ahead. In order to give impetus to the ongoing and future reforms, it was unanimously decided to observe 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’ in the MoD. This would aim at transforming the Armed Forces into a technologically advanced combat-ready force capable of multi-domain integrated operations,” as per a Ministry of Defence release.

During the meeting, it was decided that the MoD would focus that reforms should further bolster Jointness & Integration initiatives, facilitating the establishment of Integrated Theatre Commands. Additionally, it was also emphasised that reforms should focus on new domains such as Cyber and Space, and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Hypersonics and Robotics. Associated Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures necessary to win future wars should also be developed.

In the meeting, it was also decided that the MoD would focus on developing a shared understanding of operational requirements and joint operational capabilities through inter-service cooperation & training. It was noted that procedures need to be made simpler and time-sensitive to facilitate swifter and robust capability development.

It was also decided that MoD would focus on collaboration across various stakeholders in the defence ecosystem. Breaking silos. Effective civil-military coordination should aim to eliminate inefficiencies and optimise resources. Position India as a credible exporter of defence products, fostering R&D and partnerships between Indian industries and foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers for knowledge sharing & resource integration, as per the release.

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that the ‘Year of Reforms’ would be a momentous step in the modernisation journey of the Armed Forces. He stated, “It will lay the foundation for unprecedented advancements in the country’s defence preparedness, thus preparing to ensure the security and sovereignty of the nation amidst the challenges of the 21st century.” (ANI)

Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh’s highly anticipated New Year’s Eve concert in Ludhiana was marred by legal controversy following a complaint filed by Punditrao Dharenavar, an assistant professor from Chandigarh.

The complaint prompted the Deputy Director of the Women and Child Department, Government of Punjab, to issue a formal notice to Ludhiana’s District Commissioner, urging them to prevent the singer from performing certain songs during his live show on December 31, 2024.

The notice, which was addressed to the local authorities in Ludhiana, specifically calls for a ban on songs that have been accused of promoting alcohol, such as ‘Patiala Pegg’, ‘5 Tara Theke’, and ‘Case (Jeeb Vicho Feem Labbiya)’, even if modified with altered lyrics.

The complaint references prior warnings issued to Diljit Dosanjh by various commissions, where he was advised against performing these controversial tracks.

Despite these advisories, the singer has allegedly continued to perform them with slight alterations to the lyrics.

Panditrao Dharenavar, who filed the complaint, expressed strong concerns over the impact of such songs, particularly on young audiences, especially when underage children are in the audience.

Further complicating the situation, Dharenavar cited a ruling from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which in 2019 directed the police to ensure that no songs promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence are played at public events, including live concerts.

According to the court’s decision, songs that glorify substances like alcohol or drugs have a detrimental impact on impressionable children.

Panditrao has also made it clear that he is prepared to escalate the matter to the Punjab and Haryana High Court if the concert proceeds with these tracks.

He further criticized Dosanjh for performing such songs while wearing a pagadi, a traditional headgear that he believes should not be associated with promoting negative values.

The Ludhiana concert, which was added as a last-minute stop on Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati India Tour, marked the grand finale of his three-month nationwide performance schedule.

Initially, the tour was set to conclude in Guwahati, but the Ludhiana show was announced on December 23 and sold out within minutes of ticket sales opening.

In the days leading up to the Ludhiana performance, Diljit Dosanjh had already faced scrutiny in other cities for similar reasons.

During his concert in Hyderabad in November, he received a legal notice from the Telangana government, which cited a complaint about his performance of alcohol and violence-promoting songs.

Additionally, during his Indore show, the singer addressed the issue of black market ticket sales, defending himself against accusations that his tickets were being resold for inflated prices.

The controversy surrounding Diljit Dosanjh’s song lyrics isn’t new. Earlier in the year, the singer made headlines for his comments on alcohol in his music.

During a performance in Ahmedabad, he promised that he would cease making songs about alcohol if the Indian government enacted a nationwide ban on liquor. “If all the states declare themselves as dry states, I promise I won’t sing about alcohol ever again,” Dosanjh stated.

Despite these ongoing legal challenges, Dosanjh’s Dil-Luminati tour has been a major success, with tickets selling out quickly at every stop. (ANI)

Elon Musk backed the allegation of foul play in the death of 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher Suchir Balaji, who was found dead after accusing OpenAI of violating copyright laws.

Poornima Rao, the mother of the OpenAI researcher, raised concerns about the investigation conducted by the San Francisco Police Department, which ruled her son’s death a suicide. She alleged that her son was murdered and demanded an FBI investigation.

In response to Poornima Rao’s post on X, Elon Musk stated, “This doesn’t seem like a suicide.”

Rao’s post on X stated that her son’s death was a “cold-blooded murder declared by authorities as suicide.”

She revealed that a private autopsy report differed from the initial report by the police. She also noted that Balaji’s apartment appeared to have been “ransacked” and that signs of a struggle in the bathroom suggested he had been hit.

“We hired private investigator and did second autopsy to throw light on cause of death. Private autopsy doesn’t confirm the cause of death stated by police. Suchir’s apartment was ransacked, sign of struggle in the bathroom and looks like some one hit him in bathroom based on blood spots. It’s a cold blooded mudr declared by authorities as suicide. Lobbying in San Francisco city doesn’t stop us from getting justices. We demand FBi investigation.” Poornima Rao wrote on X.

Suchir Balaji was found dead in his apartment in San Francisco months after accusing OpenAI of violating copyright laws while developing ChatGPT. The San Francisco Police Department ruled Balaji’s death a suicide, stating no evidence of ‘foul play’.

On October 24, before his death, Suchir Balaji expressed skepticism about the “fair use” of generative artificial intelligence products, stating, “I recently participated in a NYT story about fair use and generative AI, and why I’m skeptical ‘fair use’ would be a plausible defence for many generative AI products.”

He added, “To give some context: I was at OpenAI for nearly 4 years and worked on ChatGPT for the last 1.5 of them. I initially didn’t know much about copyright, fair use, etc. but became curious after seeing all the lawsuits filed against GenAI companies.”

When I tried to understand the issue better, I eventually came to the conclusion that fair use seems like a pretty implausible defense for a lot of generative AI products, for the basic reason that they can create substitutes that compete with the data they’re trained on. I’ve written up the more detailed reasons for why I believe this in my post. Obviously, I’m not a lawyer, but I still feel like it’s important for even non-lawyers to understand the law — both the letter of it, and also why it’s actually there in the first place,” he wrote. (ANI)