Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress on Saturday raised concern over use of casteist slur in a skit performed at a college fest here.
“There is a video containing abusive and objectionable content on Dr B.R. Ambedkar and Dalit communities being exhibited in a programme organised at Jain college in Bengaluru,” it stated in its social media handle.
Demanding an action by the City Police Commissioner and Bengaluru police in this regard, the party said, “The police should take cognisance of the incident and initiate legal action.”
The incident during a college skit recently in Bengaluru has triggered a row with a police complaint being registered.
‘The Delroys Boys’, who performed the skit, have tendered an unconditional apology for the same. However, the debate over the issue is gaining traction.
On Thursday evening a group of students published an online petition on Jhatkaa.org bringing the incident to light. The petition stated the college contingent from Jain University’s Centre for Management Studies (CMS) staged an incredibly casteist and insensitive skit at the event.
The anonymous petitioners objected to the normalisation of caste discrimination in the pretext of humour. The skit was performed as part of ‘MadAds,’ a segment at the fest where the participants had to advertise imaginary products along lines of humour.
‘The Delroys Boys’, the theatre group from CMS, who are in the thick of controversy, in their skit, exhibited a man belonging to the lower caste attempting to date an upper caste woman. The skit turned B.R. Ambedkar as Beer Ambedkar. The phase of why be Dalit, when you can be D-Lit.
Akshay Bansode, State Member of the Vanchit Bahujan Yuva Aghadi has filed a police complaint in Maharashtra under provisions of the Atrocity Act and IPC. The complainant had urged the police to treat the complaint as FIR and initiate action against the performers and University.
The complainant had urged the police to treat the complaint as an FIR and initiate action against the performers and University.
Sources explain that the controversial skit was performed at other platforms. The Delroys Boys maintained that they apologise to everyone they have spoken badly about.
It was a speech that underscored the stark dividing lines that have come to define this presidency, in which pleas for partisan differences to be set aside often clash against the realities of modern politics.
“That’s always been my vision for our country: to restore the soul of the nation, to rebuild the backbone of America, the middle class, to unite the country,” Biden said. “We’ve been sent here to finish the job.”
As he spoke, a symbol of the new fault lines in Washington appeared just over Biden’s left shoulder. He delivered last year’s State of the Union, and 2021’s address to Congress, with Nancy Pelosi seated behind him in her role as House speaker. On Tuesday, Republican Kevin McCarthy was in that perch, with his party having vowed to investigate Biden and his family and block much of his agenda.
Despite the looming gridlock, Biden struck an optimistic tone and pointed to his robust slate of accomplishments from his first two years in office. He cited the nation’s “progress and resilience” on its path or recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and the Jan. 6 insurrection, declaring that while the nation “was bruised, our democracy remains unbowed and unbroken.”
“The story of America is a story of progress and resilience,” Biden said. “We are the only country that has emerged from every crisis stronger than when we entered it. That is what we are doing again.”
He repeatedly urged the GOP lawmakers to help him “finish the job” – he used the phrase 12 times in total – in passing a series of bills popular with the American people.
“To my Republican friends, if we could work together in the last Congress, there is no reason we can’t work together in this new Congress,” Biden said.
Even before speaking, Biden nodded across the aisle, singling out Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and needling McCarthy. “I don’t want to ruin your reputation but I look forward to working with you,” he said to the speaker.
Biden painted himself as the adult in the room, a no-drama president who tried to reach across the aisle and restored a sense of normalcy to a Washington left reeling from four tumultuous years of Donald Trump. He made a renewed push on pieces of legislation — including an assault weapons ban, police reform and protections for abortion rights — that polling suggestions are broadly popular with the American people, including the independent and swing voters who usually decide elections.
And while those are items Republicans are likely to oppose in the months ahead, aides felt confident in the approach. It was, they noted, a “unity agenda” similar to the approach that Biden took during his 2020 campaign, where he tried to avoid the daily political firestorms engulfing Trump, pledged to make politics less omnipresent in everyday life, all while allowing his Republican opponent to self-immolate.
The updated version of that strategy — until the Republicans pick their 2024 standard bearer — is predicated on the ascendance of newly prominent faces in the Republican party, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.). Another headline-grabbing Republican, Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who faces a House Ethics probe and has been accused of lying about his entire resume, was seen milling about near the aisle.
A year ago, Taylor Greene and Boebert heckled Biden during his speech, and photographs of their angry shouting went viral. Ahead of the speech, McCarthy urged his caucus to avoid repeating such a spectacle. But after Biden suggested that some Republicans wanted to gut Social Security and Medicare, GOP lawmakers erupted in protest. Taylor Greene was spotted standing and shouting at the president again. Later, other Republicans interrupted Biden to shout about the southern border.
Biden has not yet declared his candidacy for re-election, but the State of the Union doubled as a soft launch for it. McCarthy also looms as a political foil. Though some of his criticisms of the GOP were implicit, Biden made direct calls in his speech for partisan politics to be set aside for two important priorities: lifting the federal debt ceiling and continuing to fund Ukraine in its defense against Russia. The new Speaker has already delivered his objections on both, setting up standoffs on issues that Biden has declared essential to the future of democracy at home and abroad.
Biden spoke quickly and forcefully, though stumbling on occasion, as he delivered the 73-minute speech. He touted the bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill and saluted the Republicans who supported it. For those in the GOP who didn’t, he zinged: “We’ll still fund your projects. And I’ll see you at the ground-breaking.”
There are challenges on the horizon for Biden, including the war in Europe and a special counsel appointed to investigate his handling of classified documents. And Republicans have spent recent days savaging the Biden administration’s response to the Chinese spy balloon that floated in U.S. airspace and gearing up for a year of partisan investigations.
Biden talked tough on China but made only a passing mention of the spy balloon that has dominated the national political discourse for a week, declaring, “As we made clear last week, if China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. And we did.”
Any State of the Union is of the moment, reflecting a nation’s internal strife. A year ago, in the wake of a surge of violent crime, Biden emphatically declared, “We should all agree the answer is not to defund the police. It’s to fund the police. Fund them.”
But on Tuesday, in the midst of a homeless crisis and the killing of a Black man at the hands of Memphis police, Biden’s tone shifted, calling for “more resources to reduce violent crime and gun crime; more community intervention programs; more investments in housing, education, and job training.”
Biden vowed to veto any efforts to raise the price of prescription drugs, which his Inflation Reduction Act lowered for Medicare beneficiaries. He presented evidence of progress that’s been made in the last year on combating the opioid epidemic, lowering inflation, prioritizing mental health, aiding veterans and reviving his cancer “moonshot.” He pointed to the overwhelming bipartisan support last year for the PACT Act, which directs more healthcare resources to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits in combat.
He also pledged to utilize new technology to better track fentanyl smuggling at the southern border, singling out a New Hampshire father in the audience who lost his high school daughter to drug addiction. But that brought another uproar from Republicans, including a shout at Biden of “it’s your fault” about the fentanyl death.
The State of the Union has been home to many lines intertwined with the identity of their speakers: Franklin D. Roosevelt’s defense of “four freedoms” ahead of World War II, Bill Clinton declaring “the era of big government is over” and George W. Bush condemning “the axis of evil” after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. It is unclear if Biden will reach those rhetorical heights, as hovering over the address will be something he won’t discuss at all: his possible 2024 re-election bid.
The 80-year-old president has said he intends to stand for another term, though his official decision may still be more than a month away. He’ll hit the road this week for a post-speech barnstorming tour — with stops in Wisconsin and Florida — and will consider his political future by making more rounds of calls to his longtime allies, talking through themes and timing, pushed by a belief that he remains the one Democrat who could defeat Trump.
Most close to Biden believe that, soon enough, an official campaign will begin in earnest.
Eli Stokols contributed to this report.
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )
New Delhi: Power Minister R.K. Singh on Sunday called upon G20 member countries to join together in countering the challenges posed by global warming and climate change.
Delivering the keynote address at the first Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG) meeting in Bengaluru, he said that India now stands committed to reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 45 percent by 2030 from 2005 level.
He said that the country also aims to achieve close to 50 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.
Noting that India has been ranked amongst the top five performing countries in the Climate Change Performance Index, the Power Minister said that the country’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions are far below the world average of 6.3 tCO2e in 2020.
Various energy saving schemes of the government have led to 267.9 million tonnes of CO2 reduction per year, resulting in an estimated cost savings of $18.5 billion, he added.
Amaravati: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order an enquiry into the alleged tapping of phones of leaders of opposition parties, lawyers, journalists and activists by the YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh.
The former Andhra Pradesh chief minister appealed to the Prime Minister to order an enquiry by a competent body of the Central government to check phone tapping.
He alleged that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government was violating fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
“Ever since the YSRCP came to power, there has been a systematic and concerted attack on the democratic institutions in the state. Initially, the process of governance was completely derailed by attacking the investors and policies of previous regimes. This was followed by attacks on institutions like the State Election Commission and the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC). Concomitantly, the ruling YSRCP has been attacking and threatening leaders of opposition parties, advocates, media persons, and social activists, among others, through various deceitful means. One such modus operandi that the ruling party has chosen is by illegally and unlawfully tapping the phones,” reads the letter.
“It appears that the YSRCP-led government has been tapping phones illegally for its own political gains. Further, we are afraid it is being done through illegal software and unlawfully. This is all the more dangerous as in the long run it could pose a direct threat to national security. With such sophisticated technology in the hands of miscreants will not only violate the right to privacy of individuals, but also would lead to compromise of people in high places by bringing them under blackmail threats,” Naidu wrote.
The TDP chief alleged that apparently the YSRCP has now even targeted the judiciary, the third pillar of democracy, as it is facing hurdles from the judiciary.
“It appears that private persons are also illegally tapping phones using cutting edge technology and tools. We are afraid that if such illegal phone tapping goes unchecked, it would pose a serious threat to the integrity and security of the nation. Such illegal and unlawful practices by governments or private persons, if unrestrained, would lead to destruction of institutions that were built painstakingly over a period of time. In the long run, such nefarious activities would result in the breakdown of democratic values and freedom of speech, leading to jungle raj. In this backdrop, we appeal to you to initiate immediate and stern action in order to check any further unlawful activities (phone tapping) by the ruling party and private persons in Andhra Pradesh,” he added.
Naidu had written to the Prime Minister on the backdrop of allegations by two MLAs of YSRCP that their phones were being tapped.
Athens: Nicos Anastasiades, outgoing President of Cyprus, urged a functional and viable solution to the Cyprus problem during his visit here on Wednesday.
Anastasiades, who is not a candidate in the presidential elections this Sunday, thanked Greece for its steady support to efforts to resolve the long-standing problem.
“I think we have adequately shielded Cyprus, so that it can negotiate a solution that is functional and viable,” he said during his meeting with Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the country’s national news agency AMNA reported.
Nicosia sought a solution that would be beneficial to both the Greek and the Turkish Cypriot communities, “thus contributing to peace prevailing,” he said.
Cyprus was partitioned when Turkey sent troops to intervene in the island’s northern part in 1974 in response to a coup staged by the military rulers of Greece at the time, Xinhua news agency reported.
Several UN-led efforts to negotiate an agreement for the divided island have been inconclusive to date.
The two leaders also visited Mati, a coastal resort near Athens that was scorched by a wildfire in July 2018, which left more than 100 dead and hundreds homeless.
Cyprus has donated 10 million euros ($10.91 million) for the construction of some 100 apartments, as well as the creation of a park. Works are still underway there.
“Working closely together in solidarity we support each other,” Anastasiades said.
Mitsotakis thanked him “for this gesture, which contributes to efforts to heal the wounds caused by this huge catastrophe”. (1 euro = $1.09)
Bengaluru: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has submitted a complaint to the State Election Commission of Karnataka, seeking “severe punishment” against political parties that are enticing voters with incentives such as cookers, sarees, bangles, and silver Ganesha idols.
“It is challenging to identify when and where corrupt politicians distribute items such as cookers and sarees to voters,” AAP’s Karnataka unit working president Mohan Dasari said while addressing the media on Friday.
“Our honest volunteers were able to investigate and uncover such instances. Despite the difficulties, we were able to convince voters to return the items and bring them to light. It’s concerning that politicians are giving away items like silver Ganesha idols, leading to questions about the fairness of the election. The Election Commission needs to take immediate action against these practices,” he added.
“The BJP, Congress, and the JD-S are undermining the principles of democracy by offering gifts to voters,” Dasari said.
Stating that voters should make their decisions based on the background, ideology, accomplishments, and promises of politicians, not by the gifts they receive, the AAP leader said: “These politicians are using the tax money of the public, which they have looted during their tenure, to bribe voters. The public should not be swayed by such tactics and instead vote for honesty and integrity.”
“Politicians are taking advantage of the fact that the model code of conduct is only enforced once the election process begins. They are offering bribes even before the code of conduct is in place.
“To ensure a fair election, the Election Commission should take action to stop these bribes before the model code of conduct comes into effect. There should be an investigation to reveal the source of the funds used to make these lavish offers,” he added.
Hyderabad: In view of the sharp rise in cases of sudden heart attacks reported in recent times, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan has urged that every citizen must learn the technique of performing CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
Tamilisai participated in the free community hands only-CPR programme at Gandhi Medical College on Friday which emphasized that more people be trained in administering CPR correctly.
“Emphasised timely CPR as FIRST AID on the spot within a time frame called GOLDEN HOUR’S will be life-saving. Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation must become a social movement. Everyone should learn it.”, stated the Governor in her tweet.
Addressed the Event to train common people in CPR at Gandhi Med College #Hyderabad. Emphasised timely CPR as FIRST AID on the spot within time frame called GOLDEN HOUR’S will be life saving.Cardio pulmonary resuscitation must become a social movement.Every one should learn it . pic.twitter.com/u8u89iSdkk
The workshop will be held for another two days at the medical college’s Alumni Association Building, Gandhi Hospital, Musheerabad.
It saw the participation of over 300 people including students, teachers, policemen and the general public attending day 1 of the free workshop.
Trainer and volunteer from the American Heart Association, Dennis McCauley gave a demonstration to the audience on how to handle a person who has suddenly collapsed before initiating CPR.
Giving a step-by-step demonstration, he said that the first thing to do is to move the suffering person to a safe place followed by checking the person for response (breathing) and lastly initiating CPR immediately if the person does not respond.
Compression during the CPR process is the crucial part, remarked the trainers, adding, “It has to be two fingers above the chest bone and that can be in the middle of the chest. Also, the compressions should be two inches deep and they should be at the rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.”
The programme was able to render useful information that many participants were unaware of, including those with medical backgrounds.
Performing CPR on an intoxicated person, CPR while the person is still breathing, etc were a few of the doubts the audience raised during the session.
Meanwhile, the alumni association has planned to put up Automated External Defibrillators (AED) at several locations across the city.
Helsinki: Finland has been urged to boost the sustainability of its public finances in a new report published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF, in its annual assessment, also urged Finland to reduce its debt ratio in the medium-term to prepare for an ageing population, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Finnish economy recovered quickly from the Covid-19 pandemic, supported by government measures, the IMF said. However, the Ukraine crisis has weakened the country’s economic outlook, and increased pressure on public finances.
Economic activity is expected to stall in 2023, the IMF said. Further contraction in private demand due to inflation is expected, and this can be only partially offset by higher public spending.
In 2024, the country’s growth is projected to return to a subdued trend rate of around 1.25 per cent, reflecting adverse demographics and low productivity growth.
Therefore, IMF said that in 2023, Finland should tighten fiscal policy by better targeting support measures related to energy prices, in order to curb inflationary pressures.
Finland is three months away from a general election, with the Finnish political scene split along classic left-right lines on taxation and labour policy.
Hyderabad: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has demanded a ban on the upcoming movie on Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse.
The Hyderabad MP asked the Union government if it will ban the movie on Godse like it banned the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Stating that nobody in India can be greater than Mahatma Gandhi and Dr B R. Ambedkar, Owaisi said this country can never allow portrayal of a terrorist as a hero.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president was addressing a public meeting in the old city of Hyderabad on Sunday night.
He demanded the Centre to ban the movie and ensure that it is not released in any theatre.
Owaisi was apparently referring to the movie ‘Gandhi Godse: Ek Yudh’ of Rajkumar Santoshi, scheduled for release on January 26.
Recalling that in 2013 a film on Bhindranwale was also banned by the government, he asked why a film on Godse can’t be banned.
“Why do you have so much love for Godse. How long will you continue to chant the name of Gandhi but love Godse in your heart?” he asked.
Terming Godse as the biggest terrorist of independent India, Owaisi wanted to know the opinion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the assassin of Gandhiji.
Referring to the ban on BBC documentary in India, he asked if the Prime Minister would also ban the movie on Godse.
The Hyderabad MP also asked the RSS to speak about Godse. He pointed out that Godse and Savarkar had a close relationship. He alleged that the ruling party was trying to portray the murderer of Gandhiji as a hero.
The AIMIM chief also slammed the union government for its attempts to interfere in the judiciary.
Stating that the judiciary is independent under the Indian Constitution, he alleged that the Modi government wants to appoint judges who agree with its ideology.
He said the government recommended a BJP Mahila Morcha leader in Tamil Nadu who had declared herself a ‘chowkidar’ on her Twitter account, for the post of judge.
He said that would create a domino effect, leading other nations in Europe to send Leopard 2 tanks as well. “Even saying we’re going to put Abrams tanks in, I think would be enough for Germany to unleash,” McCaul told host Martha Raddatz.
While much of Europe has been consistently supportive of Ukraine in its 11-month-old war with Russia, the question has been how much help to provide, particularly when it comes to weaponry. There are a variety of practical concerns involved, including the need to train Ukrainian forces to operate and maintain what is sent to them. And there is the possibility that Russian President Vladimir Putin could expand the war if he were to feel threatened by the West.
Germany on Friday said it had yet to decide whether to send tanks to Ukraine. Poland on Sunday accused Germany of dragging its feet on providing assistance to Ukraine and suggested it would be be willing to create its own coalition of countries to assist Zelenskyy’s forces. “We will not passively watch Ukraine bleed to death,” Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said.
Russia, for its part, has threatened the West with reprisals should Ukraine be supplied with more lethal weaponry. “With their decisions, Washington and Brussels are leading the world to a terrible war,” Vyacheslav Volodin, chair of Russia’s lower house, said Sunday.
Beyond tanks, McCaul also said Ukraine needs long-range artillery. Ukraine has said it needs more help because it expects Russia to launch new offensives, which McCaul expects to happen soon.
“The two main things that Zelenskyy is talking about, and everybody I’ve talked to, they need the tanks for the winter offensive that the Russians are going to perpetrate, and they need the longer-range artillery,” McCaul said.
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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )
