Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said the 'wholesale attack on the democratic system' currently underway in India is the single biggest risk the country is facing, and asserted that allowing different traditions to thrive is very important as 'we cannot do what China does, which is to run an authoritarian system'. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: / Rediff.com Speaking at a seminar titled 'The Future is Today' at the EIA University in Medellin, Colombia, Gandhi also alleged that there are 'huge amounts of corruption at a centralised level' in India now. "In India, we have huge amounts of corruption now at a very centralised level. So, three or four businesses taking over the whole economy, having a direct relationship with the prime minister, is rampant in India," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said. "But I believe decentralising power, making things more transparent, bringing people into conversations, and bringing people into processes is the best way forward," Gandhi said while addressing the seminar on Wednesday. Hitting back at the Congress leader for his remarks, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday accused Gandhi of insulting and degrading India on foreign soil. Posting a video clip of Gandhi's speech on X, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, 'Rahul Gandhi does it again, degrades India on foreign soil. From defaming our democracy in London, to mocking our institutions in the US, now in Colombia he spares no chance to insult Bharat globally.' 'This isn't dissent. It's disgrace to the fake Gandhi. Criticising BJP may be your right but dare you malign Mother India for your cheap and petty politics,' Bhatia said. Speaking at the seminar, Gandhi said India has a much more complex system as compared to China and its strengths are very different from that of the neighbouring country. India also has a very old spiritual tradition and a thought system with profound ideas that are useful in today's world, he said, adding that there is a lot that the country can offer in terms of tradition and way of thinking. "I am very optimistic about India, but at the same time, there are fault lines within the Indian structure. There are risks that India has to overcome. The single-biggest risk is the attack on democracy that is taking place in India," the Leader of Opposition said. "India has multiple religions, traditions and languages. India is actually a conversation between all its people. Different ideas, religions and traditions require space. The best method for creating that space is the democratic system," he said. "Currently, there is a wholesale attack on the democratic system in India, so that is a risk. The other big risk is different conceptions -- some 16-17 different languages, different religions... So, allowing these different traditions to thrive, and giving them space to express themselves is very important for a country like India.
'...so cases that arose under the existing Act will be adjudicated under the old provisions.' 'Care has been taken to ensure that the new I-T Act does not give rise to interpretational issues.'
'India may never fully participate in the AI hype cycle, but we can position ourselves to benefit from its inevitable disenchantment and the cycle of disillusionment,' alerts Akash Prakash.
The Supreme Court told actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut that she had "added spice" to a retweet during the 2020-21 farmers' protest, leading her to withdraw her plea for quashing a defamation complaint.
S L Bhyrappa, who passed into the ages last week, remains an enigma, with his clear and unwavering voice resonating through his writings. Standing apart from the literary trends over the course of the last fifty years, he succeeded in establishing his own style, sensibility and creative tradition, points out Shridhar C R.
The Indian armed forces will conduct an exercise to test the capabilities of its drones and counter-drone systems. The exercise, named 'Cold Start', will involve all three services and will take place in Madhya Pradesh.
'Every parent should rethink their decisions to send their children to the US.'
In the slot of rural poor, there are those who struggle to pull themselves out of crumbling hovels, and there are the Jamtara-like bunch who turn to crime. Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound is about the former, whose quest for respect and dignity is thwarted because they are underprivileged, notes Deepa Gahlot.
The colour red never goes out of fashion, as film folk know how to make it look extra hot.
If implemented in India, the service will allow passengers book security screening slots in advance, helping cut down wait times in long queues.
The Supreme Court will also hear similar pleas related to permanent commission from the Indian Navy, followed by the Indian Air Force and Coast Guard.
Social media feeds and immigration forums lit up with questions from workers and families who feared they might be stranded abroad, unable to return to their jobs or reunite with loved ones.
Use these loans to meet emergency needs, and not to fund holidays or luxury purchases.
'They are clueless about the man on the currency notes.' 'They have been fed with WhatsApp forwards, so either Gandhi is vilified or deified. There's nothing in between.'
14% of Indians over 45 may already have obstructive lung disease.
MI6 launches a dark web portal, 'Silent Courier,' to recruit spies globally, targeting Russia and other regions. The initiative aims to enhance UK's intelligence capabilities against growing threats.
The Centre on Monday decided to extend the ban imposed on the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang [NSCN-K)] along with all its factions, wings and front organisations for five more years due to its involvement in activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India.
'... Rahul Gandhi's name came to my mind at that time.'
Contradictory statements from officials have surfaced regarding the post mortem examination in the case of two infants who died after being bitten by rats at a government-run hospital in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The incident has triggered investigations and disciplinary actions.
'The scale and depth of talent here plays a central role in core software product engineering for some of the biggest brands in tech.'
If the visit had taken place, then it would have been the first ministerial visit from Kabul to India after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
Sourav Ganguly, who previously served as BCCI president from 2019 to 2022, replaced his elder brother Snehasish Ganguly.
Nasscom on Monday said the US clarification that the H-1B visa fee hike will not affect current visa holders and will apply as a one-time fee only to fresh petitions has helped address the immediate ambiguity surrounding eligibility and timelines.
Do home prices really never fall? Ramalingam Kalirajan begs to differ.
'The kids are already used to this place. We go back and that's a different environment.' 'So, mentally, emotionally we are stressed.'
'No one anticipated magical solutions or miraculous interventions.' 'However, people across the entire spectrum -- whether residing in the valley or the hills -- expected the prime minister to dedicate at least five to ten minutes to genuinely listening to the voice of the people.'
New business premiums of life insurance companies dropped 5.2 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in August to Rs 30,959 crore, owing to a double-digit decline reported by state-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), data from the Life Insurance Council showed. LIC recorded a 17 per cent YoY fall in new business premiums to Rs 16,023 crore during the month, while private life insurers reported a 12 per cent YoY increase to Rs 14,936 crore.
'Returning Indians can leverage their international skills and the strong funding environment for start-ups here.'
Experts believe it would be far-fetched to believe that Riyadh would support Pakistan militarily in any conflict with India, which has robust strategic and economic relations with Saudi Arabia.
The Supreme Court refused to stay a provision barring the declaration of tribal lands as waqf properties, upholding key provisions of the Amended Waqf Act.
The proposal, expected to be worth over Rs 2 lakh crore, including the indigenous content of more than 60 percent, is expected to be taken up for discussion by the Defence Procurement Board headed by the defence secretary in the next few weeks.
'I want to request the central government that they should not target someone just for the sake of targeting him if he has not done anything wrong.'
United States President Donald Trump has demanded an investigation into three 'sinister events' at the United Nations headquarters, including an escalator breaking down while he and First Lady Melania Trump were on it, describing them as 'triple sabotage'.
'The Bhashini Mission has delivered a working technology at large scale, which is as good as or better than the one with MNC tech giants.'
Kerala is facing an outbreak of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare and deadly brain infection caused by the 'brain-eating amoeba' Naegleria fowleri. Health officials are working to raise awareness and improve diagnostic capabilities.
India's top-tier football league can no longer be owned or operated by private players as per the AIFF's new Constitution approved by the Supreme Court, which mandated the sport's apex body to take sole ownership of the product.
Daily essentials and food products will be cheaper from Monday, as leading FMCG companies have slashed prices, extending GST cut benefits to consumers.
The cheeky young man who once gave me one-word answers grew into a philosophical, detached star yet remained simple and humble, never letting stardom steal his heart, notes Rediff's Shobha Warrier who first interviewed the Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner in 1987.
The Supreme Court on Friday said a 'blanket direction' to pick up stray dogs in Delhi-NCR and place them in shelters without evaluating the existing infrastructure might lead to a 'catch-22 situation' as the directive might be impossible to comply with.
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