National
Gujarat: Priyanka blasts BJP over paper leaks, unemployment crisis
Banaskantha, May 4 (IANS) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday lambasted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over paper leaks and the unemployment crisis, in Gujarat’s Banaskantha.
While addressing Nyay Sankalp Sabha, she targeted the BJP on issues of education, employment, and governance. Gandhi expressed concern over the state of education in Gujarat, particularly highlighting the prevalence of paper leaks in exams.
She stated, “In Gujarat, there are mostly private schools. Labourers and farmers want their children to have employment and they work and take loans to get their children educated. Eventually, when the child goes to take exams, papers are leaked. The children have to wait for years, and the future looks uncertain. Leak pe leak…in Gujarat. In 10 years of the BJP government, there have been more than 14 paper leaks. There are 30,000 vacancies in the central government.”
Addressing the pressing issue of unemployment, Gandhi criticised the lack of job creation under the current government. She said, “In 10 years, the government didn’t give employment, and that’s why today we are at the peak of unemployment. More than 17 crore youth do not have jobs. All policies are for the benefit of the rich people.” She outlined plans for an apprenticeship programme and financial support for youth post-education, emphasising the need to support small and medium enterprises.
Gandhi also voiced concerns over the erosion of democratic values and the prioritisation of divisive rhetoric over substantive issues. She remarked, “Today, our constitution stands for equality, and now it is in danger. Your rights are at risk. India’s poor only get a 5 kg ration, big events, and fake promises. I am asking them what they have done in 10 years. We built AMUL, IIT, IIM, PRL and a lot of other institutes. The election is in India and they just want to talk about Pakistan. Prime minister pehle sirf jhoot bolte the, aab phizul baatein bhi karte hain. Today’s people don’t want Hindu-Muslim politics; they need elections based on electricity, education, and employment. One reality you see on television, but businessmen now own every television. No one will ask about the rising prices of tomatoes or oil. There are no reports on this.”
Challenging the status quo, Gandhi called for leadership accountability and the return to a time when public scrutiny was valued. She urged, “Bring back the times when people ask questions to leaders, like in the times of Sardar Patel and Mahatma Gandhi.”
Banaskantha, a Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat, holds significant political importance. The Banaskantha Lok Sabha seat comprises seven Assembly seats — Vav, Tharad, Dhanera, Danta, Palanpur, Deesa, and Diyodar. With a population exceeding 31 lakh as per the 2011 census, the district boasts a population density of 290 people per square kilometre. The sex ratio is 938, with a literacy rate of 65.32 per cent. Among the population, men have a literacy rate of 78.15 per cent, while women stand at 51.75 per cent.
In the 2019 general elections, BJP’s Parbatbhai Patel won in this constituency with an impressive 6,79,108 votes. Congress’ Parthibhai Bhatol stood second with 3,10,812 votes, while Independent candidate Thakor Sardarji clinched the third position with 48,634 votes.
–IANS
janvi/uk
National
Defence Ministry: Year 2025 will be year of reforms
On Wednesday, the Defence Ministry announced that 2025 will be designated as the “Year of Reforms,” with a primary focus on establishing integrated theatre commands to enhance collaboration among the three branches of the military.
These reforms are aimed at transforming the armed forces into a technologically advanced, combat-ready force capable of executing multi-domain integrated operations, the ministry stated.
The initiative will emphasize emerging domains such as cyber and space, alongside cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, hypersonics, and robotics.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the “Year of Reforms” as a pivotal milestone in the modernization of the armed forces.
“It will set the stage for significant advancements in the nation’s defense capabilities, ensuring the security and sovereignty of India in the face of 21st-century challenges,” he said.
National
A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning
A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning, according to the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR).
The district administration reported no casualties or property damage following the quake.
The tremor occurred at 10:24 am, with its epicenter located 23 kilometers north-northeast (NNE) of Bhachau, as per the Gandhinagar-based ISR.
Last month, the region experienced four seismic events exceeding a magnitude of 3, including a 3.2 magnitude tremor just three days ago, with its epicenter also near Bhachau.
Earlier tremors in the area included a 3.7 magnitude earthquake on December 23 and a 3.2 magnitude event on December 7, according to ISR reports.
Kutch was also jolted by a 4.0 magnitude earthquake on November 18, 2024. On November 15, a 4.2 magnitude quake hit Patan in north Gujarat, based on ISR data.
Gujarat is considered a high-risk earthquake zone, having experienced nine major earthquakes over the past 200 years, according to the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA). The 2001 earthquake in Kutch, which occurred on January 26, was the third-largest and second-most destructive in India in the last two centuries, according to the GSDMA.
National
Diljit Dosanjh faces legal action over concert songs
Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh’s much-anticipated New Year’s Eve concert in Ludhiana faced legal hurdles after a complaint was filed by Punditrao Dharenavar, an assistant professor from Chandigarh.
Following the complaint, the Deputy Director of the Women and Child Department, Government of Punjab, issued a formal notice to Ludhiana’s District Commissioner, urging them to prohibit Dosanjh from performing specific songs during his live show on December 31, 2024.
The notice specifically targets songs accused of promoting alcohol, including Patiala Peg, 5 Tara Theke, and Case (Jeeb Vicho Feem Labbiya), even if the lyrics are slightly modified. The complaint points to previous warnings issued to Dosanjh by various commissions advising against performing these controversial tracks.
Despite these warnings, the singer allegedly continues to perform the songs with minor alterations. Dharenavar raised serious concerns about the influence of such music on young audiences, especially when minors are present at live events.
Adding to the controversy, Dharenavar referenced a 2019 Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling, which directed law enforcement to ensure that songs promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence are not played at public events, including concerts. This ruling underscores the legal basis for the complaint and has further intensified the scrutiny surrounding the event.
National
UP Minister’s convoy overturns, 5 person injured
Five people sustained injuries when a vehicle in the convoy of Uttar Pradesh Minister and Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad overturned into a ditch near Januan village in the Khejuri Police Station area of Ballia district late last night.
Sanjay Nishad shared details of the incident, stating that the accident injured five party workers, including four women.
“I was traveling with the convoy to participate in the Constitutional Rights Yatra organized by the party on Tuesday night. Near Januan village in the Khejuri area, one of the vehicles following the convoy lost control while trying to avoid an animal and overturned into a ditch,” Nishad explained.
The injured individuals have been identified as Rakesh Nishad, Ramrati, Usha, Geeta, and Iravati Nishad.
Senior police and administrative officials quickly arrived at the scene following the incident to oversee the situation.
National
Suchir Balaji’s mother alleges Murder
The mother of Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher found dead after accusing the company of copyright violations, has alleged that her son was “murdered” and called for a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe.
Poornima Rao, Suchir’s mother, claimed her son’s death was a “cold-blooded murder” that authorities wrongly ruled as suicide. She further disclosed that a private autopsy report conflicted with the findings of the initial police investigation.
Rao alleged that her son’s apartment had been “ransacked” and cited evidence of a struggle in the bathroom, including bloodstains that suggested he had been assaulted.
“We hired a private investigator and conducted a second autopsy to uncover the truth. The private autopsy does not confirm the cause of death stated by the police. Suchir’s apartment was ransacked, there were signs of a struggle in the bathroom, and it appears he was hit based on blood spots. This is a cold-blooded murder being misclassified as a suicide. Lobbying in San Francisco won’t deter us from seeking justice. We demand an FBI investigation,” Rao wrote on X.
Elon Musk reacted to Rao’s post, commenting, “This doesn’t seem like a suicide.”
Balaji was discovered dead in his San Francisco apartment months after accusing OpenAI of violating copyright laws during the development of ChatGPT, as reported by Fox News. Despite these claims, the San Francisco Police Department found no evidence of foul play and ruled the death a suicide.
On October 24, shortly before his death, Balaji voiced doubts about the “fair use” defense in generative artificial intelligence. “I recently participated in a NYT story about fair use and generative AI, and why I’m skeptical ‘fair use’ would be a plausible defense for a lot of generative AI products,” he wrote on X.
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