Important News - 2025-07-04
04 July 2025
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Economy (1)
IndiaAI Mission and Centres of Excellence to Drive India’s Technological Sovereignty
Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, emphasized the critical role of technology in India’s journey to becoming a global power during his convocation address at Visvesvaraya Technological University. He highlighted the importance of achieving technological sovereignty, particularly in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), to reduce dependency on foreign technologies and ensure that Indian languages, cultures, and ethical values are embedded in future digital systems. Mr. Sood pointed to global AI models like OpenAI’s GPT, Google’s Gemini, and China’s DeepSeek as examples of foundational technologies shaping economies and geopolitics. He also discussed the IndiaAI Mission, a government initiative to develop indigenous AI models tailored to India’s needs, spearheaded by start-ups like Soket AI, Sarvam AI, Gnani.ai, and Gan.ai. Additionally, the Department of Higher Education has established four Centres of Excellence (CoEs) focusing on AI applications in healthcare, agriculture, and sustainable cities. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot urged young engineering graduates to contribute to nation-building through innovation and environmental protection. The university conferred honorary doctorates on V. Narayanan (ISRO Chairman), Prashant Prakash (Excel India founder), and C.S. Sunder Raju (Atria University Chancellor).
Politics (5)
Bandi Sanjay Kumar Accuses Congress of Injustice to Backward Classes
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar accused the Congress party of denying Backward Classes (BCs) their rightful share in political and other vital spheres, thereby committing grave injustice. Speaking at Marrimadla village in Rajanna Sircilla district on Friday, Kumar highlighted that the Congress, during its nearly half-century rule, never appointed a BC leader as Prime Minister or Chief Minister. He also laid the foundation stone for staff quarters and a compound wall at the Ekalavya Model Residential School, costing ₹5 crore. Kumar criticized the Congress for organizing a meeting titled 'Samajika Nyaya Samara Bheri' in Hyderabad, suggesting it should have been named 'Samajika Anyaya Samara Bheri' given the party's alleged injustices. He emphasized the BJP's track record of empowering BCs and weaker sections by appointing them to key constitutional posts and ensuring their representation in the Union Cabinet. Additionally, Kumar addressed the urea issue, stating that the Centre had allocated 12 lakh metric tonnes of urea to Telangana against a requirement of 9 lakh metric tonnes in the last season and is prepared to provide adequate quantities in the current season.
BRS Criticizes Congress Over Arrests of Youth and Unfulfilled Job Promises
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has strongly criticized the Congress party for its alleged disregard of constitutional principles during the visit of All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge to Hyderabad on Friday. The BRS accused the Congress government of arresting unemployed youth and Osmania University students ahead of Kharge’s visit, which the party described as a violation of democratic rights. BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao questioned the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, about the unfulfilled job promises made during the Assembly elections. He highlighted that the Congress government had only completed the recruitment process for 60,000 jobs, notifications for which were issued during the previous BRS rule. Additionally, senior BRS leaders Koppula Eshwar, S. Niranjan Reddy, and S. Madhusudana Chary condemned the arrests and criticized the Congress government for failing to implement promises related to social justice and reservations for backward classes.
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy Predicts Congress Victory in 2028 Elections
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed confidence that the Congress party would return to power in the 2028 Assembly elections by winning 100 seats and contributing 15 Parliament seats to the party at the Centre. Speaking at the ‘Social Justice Samarabheri Sabha’ in Hyderabad’s LB Stadium, he highlighted the Congress’s victory by overcoming the BRS and the KCR family’s dominance. He emphasized the government’s success in implementing welfare and development programs, making Telangana a model for the nation. Reddy also assured party workers of a secure future, mentioning the expansion of Assembly seats to 150 and the emergence of 60 women MLAs due to the women’s reservation policy. He highlighted key achievements, including filling 60,000 government jobs, waiving Rs 21,000 crore in farmers’ loans, and increasing Rythu Bharosa benefits. Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka criticized the previous BRS government for corruption and accused the BJP of neglecting Telangana, while TPCC president Mahesh Goud praised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s leadership and political experience.
Rajnath Singh Highlights Modi Govt’s Tribal Empowerment Through Draupadi Murmu’s Presidency
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while addressing the 128th birth anniversary celebrations of revolutionary leader Alluri Sitarama Raju in Hyderabad, stated that the Modi Government has followed Sitarama Raju’s ideals by appointing Draupadi Murmu, a tribal woman, as the President of India. He emphasized that Sitarama Raju fought for tribal empowerment, self-sufficiency, and unity among castes during the British era, using guerrilla warfare despite lacking modern weapons. Singh expressed hope that Telangana and Andhra Pradesh would also set an example by empowering tribal communities. Union Ministers G. Kishan Reddy and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, along with former Union Minister P. Ashok Gajapati Raju and NCC chairman A.V.S. Raju, paid tribute to Sitarama Raju and other freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
State Government Rebuts Opposition Claims Over Kottayam Hospital Building Collapse
The State government has countered the Opposition’s claims that a delayed emergency response led to the death of Bindu, 52, during the partial collapse of a building on the Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) campus on July 11. Cooperation Minister V.N. Vasavan, who visited Bindu’s family, stated that the post-mortem report confirmed she died instantly from a fatal head injury caused by falling debris. He dismissed the Congress’s allegations of a prolonged death due to government negligence as misleading. The government also announced that Apollo Hospital would provide free treatment to Bindu’s daughter, Veena, and temporary employment to her son. The Cabinet is set to declare compensation for the family based on a report from the Kottayam Collector. Vasavan emphasized that emergency responders faced challenges due to the absence of a separate pathway, requiring them to cut through an iron barricade to access the site. The administration evacuated 360 patients and ensured the injured received critical care. Vasavan accused the Congress and BJP of politicizing the tragedy and criticized their alleged attempts to tarnish the hospital’s reputation, known for its organ transplants and cardiothoracic surgeries. He also defended hospital superintendent Dr. T.K. Jayakumar, a recipient of Kerala Shree and the State’s best doctor award, who has conducted over 2,000 heart surgeries and is leading a ₹526-crore hospital development project.
Miscellaneous (6)
Yellow Line Metro Launch Delayed Again, Sparks Public Protest in Bengaluru
Public frustration has reached its peak as the much-anticipated Yellow Line of Namma Metro, connecting R.V. Road to Bommasandra via Electronics City, faces yet another delay. Despite the completion of civil work, the line remains unopened due to insufficient trains and pending safety clearances. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has repeatedly missed deadlines, eroding public trust. The delay stems from a 2019 contract with Chinese firm CRRC, which failed to deliver 216 coaches and establish a manufacturing unit in India as agreed. CRRC later partnered with Kolkata-based Titagarh Rail Systems Limited to resume deliveries, but only two train sets are available for trial runs as of March 7, 2024. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya has called for a public protest on March 9, 2024, urging residents to demand the immediate opening of the Yellow Line. The corridor is crucial for thousands of IT professionals commuting to Electronics City, where traffic congestion remains a major issue.
Kerala Health Department Tracks 345 Contacts Amid Nipah Virus Outbreak
In response to the Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala, 345 individuals have been identified and placed on a contact list. This includes 211 people in Malappuram, 91 in Palakkad, and 43 in Kozhikode, with all in Kozhikode being healthcare workers. Two suspected cases from Palakkad and Malappuram tested positive after preliminary examinations, with one confirmed by the National Institute of Virology in Pune. The Health Department has implemented control measures, including the release of a route map for the Nipah-positive individual in Palakkad and the establishment of containment zones in Palakkad and Malappuram. State and district control rooms have been set up, along with 26 committees in each of the three affected districts. Health workers are collecting field information from the three weeks preceding the onset of symptoms on June 25 and 26, focusing on potential pneumonia or encephalitis deaths. The public has been advised to avoid disturbing roosting bats and to wear masks in public places. The high-level meeting, led by Health Minister Veena George, included officials from various departments to coordinate the response.
Three Forest Officers Suspended Over Negligence in Tiger Deaths at M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary
Environment Minister Eshwar B. Khandre has recommended the suspension of three forest officers for negligence in the case of the unnatural death of five tigers in the M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka. The incident occurred on June 26, 2023, and involved a mother tiger and her four cubs. The suspended officers include Deputy Conservator of Forests Chakrapani Y., Assistant Conservator of Forests Gajanana Hegde, and Range Forest Officer-cum-Surveyor Madesh. A high-level inquiry committee, led by Additional Chief Principal Conservator of Forests Kumar Pushkar, submitted a preliminary report citing dereliction of duty, particularly the non-payment of salaries to frontline staff, which hampered patrolling efforts. The preliminary investigation revealed that the tigers died due to a chemical compound sprayed on a cow carcass. The Forest Department has arrested three individuals allegedly involved in the incident. Minister Khandre has also ordered a departmental inquiry and directed the final report to be submitted by July 10, 2023.
Bank Employee Found Dead in Willingdon Island Backwaters
The body of Ratheesh Babu, a 43-year-old bank employee from Gandhi Nagar, was recovered from the backwaters near the Embarkation Jetty on Willingdon Island on July 4, 2025. Babu had been missing since July 2, 2025, after leaving for work at a private bank in Palarivattom. His family filed a missing person complaint with the Kadavanthra police on July 3, 2025. Police found his two-wheeler near the Kumbalam Bridge and have initiated an investigation to determine the cause of death. Helpline numbers for distress and suicidal tendencies were also provided in the report.
Sree Sankaracharya University Staff Back New Disciplinary Rules Amid Protests
The teaching and non-teaching staff of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady have expressed their support for the new disciplinary rules implemented on the main campus. On July 4, 2025, the university authorities emphasized that the decisions were final and aimed at maintaining order and ensuring student safety. Vice-Chancellor K.K. Geethakumary and Syndicate subcommittee convenor K.S. Arunkumar held discussions with the staff to explain the necessity of these rules, which include restrictions on the entry of outsiders into the campus and hostels. Despite protests by the Students Federation of India, the staff acknowledged the need for discipline but urged the Syndicate to engage with the agitating students. They stressed that the new restrictions should not infringe on individual and academic freedoms. The staff also called for measures to make the campus drug-free and to limit outsider access while ensuring that the rules are not perceived as excessive. The university has committed to considering practical suggestions from the staff but remains firm on upholding its image and transforming into a center of excellence in higher education.
District Collector Investigates Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital Building Collapse
Following the collapse of a building at the Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital, which resulted in one fatality, the District Collector initiated an investigation into the incident on Friday. The collapsed structure was a bathroom complex connected to the hospital's main building. The Collector visited the site for a preliminary assessment and is expected to submit a detailed report to the government within a week. Hospital authorities had temporarily allowed patients and visitors to use these washrooms to avoid long-distance travel for basic needs. The Health Minister, Veena George, stated that the Public Works Department (PWD) had declared the building unsafe in 2013, but some hospital employees claimed the PWD later deemed it safe. The Collector has sought clarification on this discrepancy. The government has directed the District Collector to investigate the incident amid widespread protests. The inspection team included the Medical College Hospital Superintendent, Principal, hospital authorities, and officials from the Revenue and PWD departments.
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