Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Sahyog or Grok.

"A prominent Indian comedian is standing by his right to make jokes after an angry mob attacked a comedy club where he had made an onstage jibe at a right-wing politician." "In the video, Kamra does not explicitly name the politician but, in a song, refers to a 'goddar', or 'traitor' - taken to be a reference to Shinde's leadership of a rebellion in 2022 that cause the state's previous government to collapse." CNN. "Mumbai's Habitat studio, a popular venue for stand-up comedy shows, has decided to shut down after Shiv Sena workers vandalised the premises...to protest comic Kunal Kamra's jokes targeting party leader and Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde." ET. In an egregious and brutal misuse of power, "Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) workers resumed the demolition work of an illegal structure at  Mumbai's Habitat studio." "The civic body's action came after state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik reached out to BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani to demolish the studio, calling it illegal." HT. Highly mystifying. How did the transport minister suddenly conclude the structure was illegal, on what basis, and why was it demolished without proof or a court order? "India's IT ministry has unlawfully expanded censorship powers to allow the easier removal of online content and empowered 'countless' government officials to execute such orders, Elon Musk's X has alleged in a new lawsuit against new Delhi." "X later complied following public criticism by officials, but its legal challenge to the decision is continuing in Indian courts." Reuters. "Microblogging platform X's petition in the Karnataka High Court seeks an order restraining the respondents, including various government departments, from 'coercive or prejudicial action' against X Corp, its representatives and employees pertaining to content under any law other than Section 69A of the IT Act, read with procedure mandated by guidelines for blocking online information." "The petition labels the Sahyog portal set up by the Union govt as 'nothing but a censorship' tool." TOI. 'Sahyog' means 'collaboration'. Today's dictators "realize that in current conditions violence is not always necessary." "Instead...a skillful ruler can control them (citizens) by reshaping their beliefs about the world. In place of harsh repression, the new dictators manipulate information." carnegie.org. There is a' large population of "Bhakts", meaning 'disciples', with limited education, who worship Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and accept what they are told as absolute truth. That is why censorship, enforced by a mob of deranged thugs, is an absolute necessity. That is also why India has the proud record of the highest number of internet shutdowns in the world for six years running. India Today. Unfortunately, Musk has now released an AI chatbot named Grok which promises to speak the truth about Dear Leader. The Wire. Musk is a friend of President Donald Trump, at present, and "India and the US have begun bilateral trade negotiations (BBC) to try and avoid reciprocal tariffs on India. And Trump's term has just started. Maybe a long four years.    

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