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As the final five phases of polls draw closer, rift among <keyword id="20101713" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="INDIA-bloc-partners" source="keywords">INDIA bloc partners</keyword>, <keyword id="21533469" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress-Left-combine" source="keywords">Congress-Left combine</keyword> and the <keyword id="19942089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TMC" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="TMC" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="TMC">TMC</keyword>, which are fighting separately has intensified, triggering a fierce contest across half of the remaining 36 constituencies in West Bengal driven by local issues such as <keyword id="20074422" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sandeshkhali" source="keywords">Sandeshkhali</keyword> and the SSC scam. TMC's decision to contest independently in the state, rather than as part of the bloc, has led to a three-way contest, with the other contenders being the BJP and the Congress-Left alliance. Nevertheless, both TMC and Congress have asserted that they are part of the INDIA bloc at the national level and are authentic representatives of the opposition front in Bengal. Political analysts suggest that without a dominant national narrative like national security after the 2019 Pulwama attacks, local concerns such as corruption allegations, the cancellation of School Service Commission (SSC) jobs, incidents in Sandeshkhali and implementation of the <keyword id="19965573" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Citizenship-Amendment-Act" source="keywords">Citizenship Amendment Act</keyword> (CAA) are altering election dynamics. Maidul Islam, a political scientist at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, remarked, "Till a few months ago, it seemed the elections in Bengal will be a bipolar contest between the TMC and BJP. But with issues like corruption and Sandeshkhali gaining prominence, the Left-Congress alliance is fast gaining traction in several seats and turning the polls into a three-cornered contest in at least 18-20 LS segments." He said besides the two and three seats in Malda and Murshidabad districts, where TMC and Congress secured two each and the BJP one in 2019, there are 13 seats spread across South Bengal, where the TMC and the Left-Congress alliance are engaging in intense competition. "It's not that the Left-Congress will win many seats, but in segments where their vote share is above 10 per cent, there is a likelihood that they might influence the outcome, to the disadvantage of either the TMC or the BJP, if they manage to secure two per cent more votes," Islam added. According to sources in TMC and CPI(M), the electoral battleground extends beyond Malda and Murshidabad, encompassing Lok Sabha segments like Dum Dum, Srerampore, Arambagh, Hooghly, Howrah, Barrackpore, Bardhaman-Purba, Bardhaman-Durgapur, Bankura, Purulia, Tamluk, Kolkata North, and Jadavpur, all poised for a three-cornered fight. Notably, eight of these seats were won by TMC and the remaining by BJP in the 2019 parliamentary polls. "The shift in dynamics presents the Congress-Left alliance as a significant player, and its emergence complicates the electoral narrative, transcending the conventional TMC versus BJP dichotomy," political analyst Subhomoy Moitra said. While the Left Front is contesting 30 seats, the Congress has fielded candidates in 12 out of 42 seats. "We wanted an alliance with the Congress, but they were delaying the seat-sharing arrangements, so we decided to go alone. Now the Left-Congress alliance is helping the BJP by trying to eat into our votes," remarked TMC leader Santanu Sen. According to TMC leaders, the breakup of INDIA alliance in Bengal has both electoral advantages and disadvantages. "After the Left and Congress alliance fell apart in West Bengal in 2019, it had led to a four-cornered contest with BJP bagging the entire chunk of the anti-TMC votes in the state," they said. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP bagged 18 seats and its vote share rose from 17 to 40 per cent. Meanwhile, despite a 3 per cent rise in vote share, the TMC lost 12 seats, dropping from 34 to 22. The Left drew a blank with a vote share decline from 24 per cent to 6 per cent, and the Congress lost two seats, shrinking its vote share from 9.5 per cent to 5 per cent and bagging just two seats. "Local issues such as corruption and SSC scam are helping the Left-Congress in the state as there is anger among a section of people against the TMC and also against the BJP over the perception of a tacit understanding," a TMC leader said. Analysts observe that <keyword id="43868" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="mamata-banerjee" source="Orion">Mamata Banerjee</keyword>'s intensified criticism of Left and Congress, accusing them of aiding BJP, and the ensuing sharp responses from CPI(M) and Congress, alleging a secret pact between TMC and BJP, as indicative of the growing significance of Left-Congress alliance. Data from various local elections and by-polls conducted after 2021 assembly elections indicate a shift in anti-TMC votes as there has been a resurgence of Left-Congress combine. Incidentally, the BJP had witnessed a decline in its vote share as compared to the 2019 Lok Sabha and 38 per cent in 2021 assembly polls. In 2023, violence scarred panchayat polls which covered nearly 70 per cent of the state's electorate, the TMC had bagged 51 per cent of votes whereas the BJP had bagged 22 per cent. The Left-Congress-ISF alliance had, however, bagged 23 per cent votes. The ISF this time, however, has decided to contest alone in 17 seats. Congress leader Suvankar Sarkar emphasized, "People are disenchanted with the TMC and the BJP, as they are both sides of the same coin. People are coming out in large numbers to support the Left-Congress candidates." CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty expressed confidence in the Left-Congress alliance's potential to deliver surprising results in the elections, claiming initial success in breaking bipolar politics in Bengal. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar downplayed the significance of the rift in opposition alliance and the three-cornered fight in various seats. "People know that BJP is only fighting TMC's misrule in Bengal. Those who want to vote against TMC, will vote for us only just like in the 2019 and 2021 polls," he said. Political scientist Biswanath Chakraborty suggested that TMC stands to gain the most from the three-cornered contest. In minority pockets, the Left-Congress alliance could dent TMC's vote base, potentially aiding BJP's prospects, he noted.

West Bengal Elections: Rift among INDIA bloc partners triggers three-cornered intense contests

A bill seeking to provide for four nominees by a bank account holder was introduced in the <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Lok Sabha" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Lok Sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword> on Friday to ensure better protection of depositors and enhance customer convenience. Introduced by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary in the Lower House, the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, has a provision for simultaneous and successive nominations to bank accounts, lockers, etc. As per the provision of the bill, a bank account holder can nominate up to four persons. The bill also seeks to transfer of unclaimed dividends, shares, and interest or redemption of bonds to the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF), allowing individuals to claim transfers or refunds from the fund, and thus safeguarding investors' interests. As the banking sector has evolved over the years, and with a view to improving bank governance and investor protection, it has become necessary to make certain amendments to five Acts, according to Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill. The Bill, which was approved by the <keyword id="19916620" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Cabinet" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Union Cabinet" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Union Cabinet">Union Cabinet</keyword> last week, proposes to amend the <keyword id="20824389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank-of-India-Act" source="keywords">Reserve Bank of India Act</keyword>, 1934, the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the State Bank of India Act, 1955, the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970, and the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980. The proposed bill seeks to improve governance standards, provide consistency in reporting by banks to the Reserve Bank of India, ensure better protection for depositors and investors, improve audit quality in public sector banks, bring customer convenience in respect of nominations, and to provide for increase in the tenure of the directors in co-operative banks. Another proposed change relates to redefining 'substantial interest' for directorships, which could increase to Rs 2 crore instead of the current limit of Rs 5 lakh, which was fixed almost six decades ago. Congress member Manish Tewari opposed the introduction of the bill, saying the power to legislate with regard to cooperatives vests with state governments. RSP member N K Premachandran opposed amending five legislations through one bill, while TMC member Saugata Roy termed the bill "superfluous", saying the the amendments proposed in the bill could have been done through administrative decisions. Responding to opposition's remarks, <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> Nirmala Sitharaman said the various amendments done in Banking Regulations Act with respect to <keyword id="20814377" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cooperative-banks" source="keywords">cooperative banks</keyword> are not just one or two but several. "Simple understanding is we are not touching any aspect of the cooperatives other than that which claims under the name of banking...the sections which have been brought in for amendments, as also the court verdicts, have repeatedly reinforced the point that Banking Regulation Act and the Cooperative Banks do have this relationship and therefore it has to be taken through this route," she said. Otherwise, there is no attempt to undermine the cooperatives, particularly cooperatives dealing with everything other than banks, she said defending the Bill. The bill proposes to increase the tenure of directors (excluding the chairman and whole-time director) in cooperative banks from 8 years to 10 years, so as to align with the Constitution (Ninety-Seventh Amendment) Act, 2011. Once passed, the bill would allow a director of a Central Cooperative Bank to serve on the board of a State Cooperative Bank. The bill also seeks to give greater freedom to banks in deciding the remuneration to be paid to statutory auditors. It also seeks to redefine the reporting dates for banks for regulatory compliance to the 15th and last day of every month, instead of the second and fourth Fridays. "What's the rationale behind it? The current reporting Friday system has several limitations that impact the accuracy and effectiveness of the reporting of data. "These limitations are incomplete coverage of monthly data, seasonal fluctuations in banking activity which lead to inconsistent reporting, and the need for adjustment every 11th year which introduces complications and inconsistencies. That is why, in order to address the issue, it is proposed to amend the legislation," she said. The announcement about amendments to the Banking Regulation Act was made by the Finance Minister in the 2023-24 Budget speech. "To improve bank governance and enhance <keyword id="22728161" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investors-protection" source="keywords">investors' protection</keyword>, certain amendments to the Banking Regulation Act, the Banking Companies Act and the Reserve Bank of India Act are proposed," she had said.

Bill to provide up to four nominees to a bank account introduced in Lok Sabha

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Born in San Francisco, Wong Kim Ark was detained trying to return to the US after visiting family in China.</li><li>His legal team argued that the "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" clause in the <keyword id="13821197" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fourteenth-amendment" source="Orion">Fourteenth Amendment</keyword> extended to children born on US soil. </li></ul>In 1898, a Chinese American cook by the name of Wong Kim Ark challenged the Fourteenth Amendment, thereby forever changing who is entitled to <keyword id="12065709" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="citizenship" source="Orion">citizenship</keyword> in the United States.The case Wong Kim Ark v. the United States made its way to the Supreme Court in March 1897, where Wong, who was born in San Francisco, challenged the substance of the Fourteenth Amendment.The amendment was passed in 1868 after the Civil War to extend citizenship to newly emancipated Black people. Ark's legal team argued that the amendment applied to all children born on US soil, not just emancipated Black people.In March 1898, the Supreme Court voted 6-2 in Ark's favor resulting in birthright citizenship in the US today.<div type="image" title="Wong Kim Ark, document" height="796" width="1062" msid="91329204" hostid="261"></div><h2>Wong Kim Ark was born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants </h2>Wong, a Chinese American born in San Francisco, had left the US in 1894 to visit his parents, who moved back to China. His parents were Chinese citizens living in the US, but they could not become US citizens because of the <a href="https://aadha.binghamton.edu/items/show/199#?c=0&amp;m=0&amp;s=0&amp;cv=0">Naturalization Act of 1802</a>, which limited naturalization to "free white" immigrants only. Upon returning to the US in 1895, Ark was detained at the Port of San Francisco for months before the Chinese Six Companies, a Chinese American business advocacy group, picked up the case. From there, it went to the US District Court. At the time, the US Appeals Court had just ruled in favor of Look Tin Eli in the case of <a href="https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&amp;d=DAC18840928.2.3&amp;e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1">Look Tin Sing</a>. Similarly to Wong, Look Tin Eli was born in the US and denied entry back into the country after visiting China. This was in 1884, two years after the passage of the <a href="https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/chinese-exclusion-act">Chinese Exclusion Act</a> which placed a 10-year ban on Chinese laborers immigrating to the US. This was the first major law restricting immigration in American history. Because of these new restrictions, Look was told he was required to carry a "necessary certificate of citizenship," which he lacked. He won his case in 1884, with Justice Stephen Field declaring that children born in the US are citizens regardless of ancestry. The case of Look Tin Eli became an important decision that was cited in Wong Kim Ark's case in front of the Supreme Court four years later.<div type="image" title="Wong Kim Ark" height="816" width="1089" msid="91329205" hostid="261"></div>According to the book "<a href="https://uncpress.org/book/9780807845301/laws-harsh-as-tigers/">Laws Harsh as Tigers: Chinese Immigrants and the Shaping of Modern Immigration Law</a>," by Lucy E. Salyer, attorneys like <a href="http://libraryweb.uchastings.edu/library/research/special-collections/wong-kim-ark/case.htm">George Collins,</a> who believed that people born of "alien parents" should not be considered citizens, were looking to bring a Chinese birthright citizen case to the Supreme Court. In the American Law Review in 1895, Collins criticized the Look Tin Sing ruling and the federal government's unwillingness to challenge it.A few years later, Ark's counsel argued that the clause in Section One of the Fourteenth Amendment that reads, the "[a]ll persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof" are citizens should also apply to children born in the US to parents who are not citizens. As argued, the amendment is written broadly and does not specify any race or ethnicity, with one jarring exception: <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ751642">Section Two</a> of the amendment includes a clause that reads, "excluding Indians not taxed." Indigenous people who lived on tribal lands were therefore denied citizenship until the Indian Citizenship Act was passed in 1924.Following the Wong Kim Ark case, the Supreme Court ruled that any child born on US soil is a US citizen unless they are born on a public ship, their parents are foreign diplomats, or are citizens of an enemy nation trying to take over the US. Attorneys have said it was one of the most critical cases in US <keyword id="13821198" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="constitutional-law" source="Orion">Constitutional law</keyword>. As far as what happened to Wong, his citizenship was still questioned after that case in 1898. He would frequently go back and forth to China, eventually getting married and having children. However, every time he returned to the US, he'd have to show extra documentation to prove his US citizenship, even having to show <a href="https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/10/31/birthright-citizenship-wong-kim-ark-222098/">signatures</a> of white citizens affirming his citizenship, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/10/31/birthright-citizenship-wong-kim-ark-222098/">Politico</a>. It is <a href="https://www.npr.org/2015/10/02/445346769/he-famously-fought-for-his-u-s-citizenship-where-are-his-descendants-now">believed</a> that Wong returned to China where he eventually died.

The Chinese American cook whose Supreme Court case changed who gets to be a citizen

<ul><li>The Indian government has been shutting down internet services in select parts of the country amid protests against the <keyword id="6564012" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="citizenship-amendment-act">Citizenship Amendment Act</keyword> (CAA).</li><li>The internet shutdowns have led an outcry from human activists that such measures aren’t coming down through the ‘right channels’.</li><li>The accelerated pace and expanse of the internet shutdowns also has China citing India as ‘setting an example’.</li><li>Businesses aren’t immune to the effects either as many online retailers rescheduled orders or reported a dip in sales.</li></ul>Amid the protests, violence and discord over India’s newly formed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), authorities have been shutting down access to the internet in selected areas to control the situation. When the internet isn’t being shut down, it’s at least being slowed down — known as throttling. Human rights activists claim that the order did not come down the ‘right channels’ making the entire exercise ‘illegal’. 
 <div type="image" title="protest2_edited" msid="72931875" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Throngs of anti-CAA protests outside the Red Fort in New Delhi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 It can only be ordered by a competent authority like Union home secretary or state home secretary, but this order was not issued by them," technology lawyer Mishi Choudhary told <a href="https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/delhi-internet-shutdown-did-not-come-via-right-channel-digital-right-activists/72897911">ET</a>. And, this is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/internet-shutdowns-in-india-have-skyrocketed-but-now-the-indian-government-wants-that-to-stop/articleshow/67178243.cms">not the first time</a> that the government is being accused of using <keyword id="991379" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Internet-shutdown">internet shutdown</keyword> as a ‘quick fix’ solution for ‘potentially’ volatile situations. 
 <div type="image" title="protest6_edited" msid="72931857" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Phone with postpaid connections finally get network access in Kashmir on 14 October 2019 after 71 days of an internet shutdown&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 In fact, India has turned so infamous for it during the last few months that China — known for its strict surveillance of online activity — is citing India as an example. India’s internet shutdown shows normal practice for sovereign countries," said an editorial by Qing Qiu in <a href="http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/1217/c90000-9641267.html">People’s Daily</a> — China’s largest newspaper and a controlled entity of the country’s ruling party. Internet shutdown capital of the world The government is allowed to sanction an internet shutdown in the case of a public emergency under the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017. The problem is that internet shutdowns have become so common in India that it now has a reputation for being the ‘<a href="https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/inside-the-internet-shutdown-capital-of-the-world-11575644823381.html">internet shutdown capital of the world</a>’. Kashmiris had to endure a four-month-long shutdown while the networks in Assam and parts of West Bengal were sporadically cut and activated. 
 <div type="image" title="protest7_edited" msid="72931888" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Parts of Kashmir remain under curfew and internet black out&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 Since 2012, the internet has been shut down in India a total of 375 times and most of them have occurred during the last two years — 134 in 2018 and 103 in 2019. It means that shutting down the internet in a state of emergency should be standard practice for sovereign countries," according to the <a href="http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/1217/c90000-9641267.html">People’s Daily</a> editorial. Impact of internet shutdowns The damage of an internet shutdown isn’t restricted to missing messages on WhatsApp or an update on Instagram either. Although, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did ironically try and send out a tweet his ‘brothers and sisters in Assam’ when it was under an internet blackout. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="Narendra Modi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1134082549041393672/QbihPzrL_normal.png" favoritecount="77241" retweetcount="15350" status="I want to assure my brothers and sisters of Assam that they have nothing to worry after the passing of #CAB. I wa… https://t.co/VPsj5t5opd" createdat="1576124902000" id="1204981291730341888"></div>



 Internet shutdowns are affecting businesses as well. Between 2012 to 2017, they cost the economy nearly $3 billion, according to an estimate by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (<a href="https://www.newindianexpress.com/business/2018/apr/26/internet-shutdown-cost-indian-economy-usd-3-billion-from-2012-17-study-1806393.html">ICRIER</a>). This time around, food delivery apps like Zomato, Uber Eats and Swiggy saw their <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/cabs-to-food-e-biz-hit-by-internet-shutdown/articleshow/72920805.cms">volumes dip by 10 to 20%</a> in Delhi. Grofers, an online grocery delivery service, had to reschedule 20,000 to 25,000 of its orders in Lucknow. 
 <div type="image" title="protest1_edited" msid="72931915" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Traffic comes to half as roads get blocked by anti-CAA protestors in New Delhi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 In addition the effect on businesses, this might not be the best time for the Indian government to be exercising its power in such a way with the Personal Data Protection Bill underway. The bill is currently under discussion by a joint committee after being tabled in the Parliament in its last session. There are concerns that it has too many loopholes that will give the government access to user data in the name of ‘national security’ or a ‘public emergency’ — the very same reason used to justify the many internet shutdowns across the country. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/internet-shutdowns-in-india-have-skyrocketed-but-now-the-indian-government-wants-that-to-stop/articleshow/67178243.cms">Internet shutdowns in India have skyrocketed — but now the Indian government wants that to stop</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/All-the-countries-where-someone-managed-to-shut-down-the-entire-internet-160and-why-they-did-it/articleshow/70009168.cms">All the countries where someone managed to shut down the entire internet - and why they did it</a> <a href="http://businessinsider.in/india-accounted-for-most-number-of-intentional-internet-shutdowns-in-south-asia-2017-18-unesco/articleshow/64189016.cms">India accounted for most number of intentional internet shutdowns in South Asia 2017-18: UNESCO</a>

Indian government shut off the Internet over a 100 times in 2019 — and China is lovin' it

<ul><li><keyword id="276564" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Satya-Nadella">Satya Nadella</keyword> was reportedly calling India’s new citizenship law ‘bad’ and ‘sad’ but soon issued a more diplomatic official statement on Twitter.</li><li>Nadella flip-flop on the issue could owe to the fact that one of Microsoft’s primary contenders, Amazon CEO <keyword id="191583" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jeff-Bezos">Jeff Bezos</keyword>, is scheduled to meet India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow.</li><li>India’s importance for Microsoft is also growing as it hit the $1 billion mark in revenue last year and expanding collaborations with the government.</li></ul>Within hours of calling the <keyword id="6564012" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="citizenship-amendment-act">Citizenship Amendment Act</keyword> <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/en-in/microsoft-digital-governance-tech-tour-accelerate-digital-india/">‘bad’ and ‘sad’</a>, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella decided to take a more diplomatic approach. Aside from the big bucks at stake in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, Nadella may have to rethink his critique of the Indian government’s policies given his rival, Amazon’s top boss Jeff Bezos, is headed to India to meet none other than the country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="MicrosoftIndia" handlename="Microsoft India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/884640054622040064/D-yhyh7L_normal.jpg" favoritecount="12558" retweetcount="5159" status="Statement from Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft https://t.co/lzsqAUHu3I" createdat="1578940526000" id="1216790874639589376"></div>





 Since his initial statements, some followers of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Twitter have been calling for a boycott of Microsoft products. Considering India’s importance for Microsoft, it’s understandable that he chose to flip-flop on his statement. 
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="BuzzFeedBen" handlename="Ben Smith" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1154905038755700737/GnV1kdPz_normal.jpg" favoritecount="19277" retweetcount="7967" status="Asked Microsoft CEO @satyanadella about India's new Citizenship Act. &quot;I think what is happening is sad... It's just… https://t.co/TWkoEW8egt" createdat="1578931068000" id="1216751208037261312"></div>





 India’s importance for Microsoft Last year, <keyword id="28250" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Microsoft-India">Microsoft India</keyword> reported more than $1 billion in revenue, according to business intelligence platform <a href="https://www.tofler.in/microsoft-corporation-india-pvt-ltd/company/U74899DL1988PTC032549">Tofler</a>. However, Microsoft’s billion-dollar business in India also faces intense competition. The company grew 13% last year but just a year earlier, the revenue had clocked a 12% drop. According to analysts, a lot of the company’s growth comes from enterprise solutions — the like expansion of its cloud business, Azure, and Office 365. Even <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/cloud-revenue-is-now-50-of-microsoft-india-revenue/articleshow/67567328.cms">Anant Maheshwari</a>, president of Microsoft India, admits that more than 50% of the company’s revenue comes from cloud and cloud-based services. However, the company has roughly a third of India’s estimated <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2019-11-05-gartner-says-end-user-spending-on-public-cloud-servic">$3 billion cloud market</a> despite being an early mover ⁠— Microsoft set up its first data centres in India in 2015 a year before Amazon Web Services. The day before Bezos meets Modi Nadella’s appraisal of India’s Citizenship Amendment Act also came a day before his rival Bezos is set to meet the country’s Prime Minister. Indian government has repeatedly said that it is looking to make big investments in digital infrastructure and that would be a big opportunity for the likes of Microsoft, Amazon, Google and the likes. Politicians are a sensitive lot, particularly in India. Nadella’s criticism at this juncture may allow the government to take a more charitable view of Microsoft’s rival Amazon for future opportunities. In the US, an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/enterprise/mobile/someone-is-spreading-an-amazon-smear-campaign-as-cloud-giants-compete-for-a-10-billion-defense-cloud-contract/articleshow/67185920.cms">anti-Amazon smear campaign</a> was spread around Washington D.C. that reportedly was one of the primary reasons why the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/news/microsoft-just-scored-a-huge-upset-over-amazon-by-winning-the-fierce-battle-over-the-10-billion-jedi-contract/articleshow/71768668.cms">Bezos-owned cloud service lost</a> the Joint Enterprise Defence Infrastructure (<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/ceo-satya-nadella-says-microsoft-beat-amazon-for-the-10-billion-jedi-cloud-contract-because-of-its-leadership-in-connecting-data-centers-to-the-cloud/amp_articleshow/73236458.cms">JEDI</a>) contract to Microsoft. Microsoft’s other engagements with the Indian government Last year, Microsoft <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/en-in/microsoft-digital-governance-tech-tour-accelerate-digital-india/">announced</a> the ‘Digital Governance Tech Tour’ to help skill government officials in charge of IT services across the country. “Microsoft’s first-of-its-kind Digital Governance Tech Tour for government officials reiterates our commitment to be a trusted partner to the government by enabling and empowering officials to do more with technology in service of the citizens,” said Maheshwari at the time. In a collaboration between the Indian government and the French government, Microsoft and other global tech giants — like Google, Facebook and Amazon — have helped set up the PaRis Artificial Intelligence Research (PRAIRIE) institute. In education, Microsoft is also helping the state government of Andhra Pradesh lower the rate of dropouts by trying to determine predictive patterns — the reasons behind why students leave school without completing their degree. Microsoft also has its fingers dipped in water management and urban planning when it comes to setting up smart cities, like Surat in Gujarat. It’s is also working with <a href="https://niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/document_publication/NationalStrategy-for-AI-Discussion-Paper.pdf">NITI Aayog</a> on a pilot project for the early detection of diabetic retinopathy as well as with ICRISAT to develop an ‘AI sowing app’ to help farmers determine the best time to plant their crops. With so much at stake, it’s understandable why Satya Nadella decided to take a more centred stand on the issue of CAA rather than weigh heavy one side. Microsoft’s other investments beyond core business The American tech giant’s also partnered with Reliance Jio. <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/data-centres-may-prove-to-be-the-next-big-opportunity-in-india-/articleshow/71714171.cms">Reliance</a> said it would offer Microsoft cloud services to small and medium enterprises through its telecommunications network, Jio. In addition, it would set up data centres that would run Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform. The American tech giant is also giving Indian startups a push. Last year, it announced a new venture fund, M12 to invest to help emerging business ideas grow. “Microsoft has been playing a vital role in shaping and nurturing the startup community in India and across the world... We remain excited about India’s entrepreneurial startup potential and will continue to accelerate it as a growth engine for the economy,” explained <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/en-in/microsoft-digital-governance-tech-tour-accelerate-digital-india/">Maheshwari</a>. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/jeff-bezos-likely-to-attend-amazon-smbhav-event/articleshow/73239043.cms?src=hp_ts">There are 20 million reasons for Jeff Bezos’ likely personal appearance at Amazon’s mega event in India tomorrow</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/satya-nadella-answers-call-to-speak-on-caa-i-think-whats-happening-is-sad-its-just-bad-/articleshow/73237638.cms?src=hp_wh">Satya Nadella answers call to speak on CAA, 'I think what’s happening is sad. It’s just bad.'</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/thousands-of-angry-indians-are-planning-to-disrupt-a-visit-from-jeff-bezos-by-staging-mass-protests-over-amazons-disruption-of-retail/articleshow/73241576.cms">Thousands of angry Indians are planning to disrupt a visit from Jeff Bezos by staging mass protests over Amazon's disruption of retail</a>

Bezos’ India visit and a billion-dollar business ⁠— many reasons why Microsoft may have had to retract Satya Nadella’s statement on India’s new citizenship law

<ul><li>India’s Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> will host the year’s first <keyword id="245371" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Council-of-Ministers">Council of Ministers</keyword> today evening in the national capital. </li><li>Allies of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) are hoping that Modi will expand his cabinet to accommodate ‘respectable’ representation. </li><li>The council will also have to address the issues of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the <keyword id="36141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="economic-slowdown">economic slowdown</keyword>. </li></ul>India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to kick off the new year with his first Council of Ministers today evening. Not only is it the first meeting of the year, but it may also be important with rumours of Modi wanting to reshuffle and expand his cabinet. <a href="https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/pm-narendra-modi-to-review-ministerial-work-in-years-first-council-of-ministers-meet-today/535060">Times Now</a> reports that Modi will be returning to Delhi to hold the Council of Ministers at 5:30 pm today after returning from the Indian Science Congress (ISC) in Karnataka. Allies of the <keyword id="58687" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP) — like <keyword id="6358821" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="shiv-sena">Shiv Sena</keyword> and the <keyword id="123462" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Janata-Dal">Janata Dal</keyword> — have been asking for ‘respectable’ representation sources told <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/cabinet-expansion-reshuffle-on-the-cards-amid-demands-from-bjp-allies-119110400024_1.html">Business Standard</a>. That’s not surprising since there are currently 72 ministers on Modis’ Council of Ministers — not one from BJP’s allies. Slots are still up for grabs since the council can accommodate a total of 81 ministers, excluding Modi — 15% of the total number of members in the lower house of Parliament, the Lok Sabha. Addressing the issues While the political elements may be more interested in getting a seat at the table, there are other pressing issues on the docket as well. Multiple reports of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/caa-internet-shutdowns-make-india-example-for-china/articleshow/72931761.cms">clashes between protestors and the authorities</a> have been coming in over the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/indian-citizenship-bill-challenged-by-iuml-in-supreme-court-one-day-after-passing-rajya-sabha/articleshow/72487481.cms">Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)</a>. In addition, the global economic slowdown has the Indian economy on the edge. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/imf-calls-out-indias-growth-rate-which-did-not-translate-into-jobs/articleshow/72947797.cms">India’s ‘growth rate’</a> which did not translate into jobs was recently called out by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Modi held the last Council of Ministers on the 21 December, four days before Christmas. Today’s council will the first major hurdle of 2020. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/caa-internet-shutdowns-make-india-example-for-china/articleshow/72931761.cms">Indian government shut off the Internet over a 100 times in 2019 — and China is lovin' it</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/5g-data-privacy-surveillance-ai-digital-tax-and-e-commerce-to-drive-tech-debate-in-india-in-2020/articleshow/73054149.cms">5G, AI, data privacy and mass surveillance — 12 biggest tech policy challenges India will have to face in 2020</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/8-charts-that-show-that-corruption-is-still-a-way-of-life-in-india/articleshow/72260521.cms">8 charts that show that corruption is still a way of life in India</a>

Narendra Modi to lead the first Council of Ministers of the year today— cabinet expansion may be on the cards

<ul><li>Digital activists have issued a legal notice to the <keyword id="6358992" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-Police">Delhi Police</keyword> against the use of the Automated Facial Recognition Software (AFRS).</li><li>They assert that such mass surveillance is 'completely illegal' and 'unconstitutional'.</li><li>Even though AFRS is being used to monitor crowds in Delhi, its original intent was to help the police track down lost children.</li></ul>The Delhi Police has come under the scanner for using camera <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/delhi-police-using-drones-to-track-down-protestors/articleshow/72902707.cms">drones to track demonstrators</a> during protests against the <keyword id="6564012" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="citizenship-amendment-act">Citizenship Amendment Act</keyword> (CAA). 
 <div type="image" title="afrs7_edited" msid="73052603" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Drone spotted flying over Delhi during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 However, they've also been using <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-plans-for-facial-recognition-without-law-in-place-to-regulate/articleshow/70201128.cms">facial surveillance</a> to monitor crowds even when there are no signs of non-cooperation. A report by <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/police-film-protests-run-its-images-through-face-recognition-software-to-screen-crowd-6188246/">The Indian Express</a> states that Delhi Police used the Automated Facial Recognition System (AFRS) to screen the crowd during Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>'s Ramlila Maidan Rally on 22 December. 
 <div type="image" title="afrs4_edited" msid="73052609" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Crowd gathered for Prime Minister Narendra Modi&amp;#39;s rally at Ramlila Maidan on 22 December&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 That kind of mass surveillance, according to digital rights activists at the Internet Freedom Foundation (<a href="https://internetfreedom.in/we-demand-the-delhi-police-stop-its-facial-recognition-system/">IFF</a>), is "completely illegal". "From building an underlying database of people from public protests to running it on crowds of people attending rallies. This directly impairs the rights of ordinary Indians from assembly, speech and political participation," it said in an <a href="https://internetfreedom.in/we-demand-the-delhi-police-stop-its-facial-recognition-system/">open letter</a> to the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Commissioner of Delhi Police. 
 <div type="image" title="afrs8_edited" msid="73052612" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Supporters of the Citizenship Amendment Act at Prime Minister Narendra Modi&amp;#39;s rally at Ramlila Maidan on 22 December&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 It was supposed to find lost children The original intent of AFRS, however, was to find lost children. But even then, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-plans-for-facial-recognition-without-law-in-place-to-regulate/articleshow/70201128.cms">success rate fell far short of expectations</a>. The High Court called out its inefficiency on at least three occasions. "Since this High Court case contains no clear direction for the use of facial recognition software, even for instances of locating missing children a question arises - What is the legal authority under which this facial recognition system is being implemented," said the IFF. 
 <div type="image" title="afrs_edited" msid="73052614" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Telangana Director General of Police M Mahender Reddy along with senior officials launch &amp;#8216;Facial Recognition System&amp;#8217; integrated with the TSCOP mobile app to aid investigators in identification of criminals in Hyderabad &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 The danger of mass facial surveillance Sources told the Indian Express that the Delhi Police has over 1.5 lakh 'history-sheeters' in its photo dataset so far. It's already being used in day-to-day crime investigations. When it comes to public events, a smaller, secondary dataset made up of 2,000 images of terror suspects is used. A third database of 'rabble-rousers and miscreants' has only recently been added to their arsenal. 
 <div type="image" title="afrs5_edited" msid="73052618" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;AFRS was also reportedly used to monitor the crowds during India&amp;#39;s Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 "We submit that the use of the AFRS for profiling and surveillance at public congregations is illegal and unconstitutional," said IFF's <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-GA-LlcVlnm0Ln4nuA_E_gLBMr6zeWzn/view">legal notice</a> to the Delhi Police. Since there are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-plans-for-facial-recognition-without-law-in-place-to-regulate/articleshow/70201128.cms">no guidelines for the use of AFRS</a>, there are no guidelines for the formulation of the databases. Thus, there is no checklist for the list of people including or excluded from the databases. AFRS — a system without a purpose Even if AFRS is to be used, it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-plans-for-facial-recognition-without-law-in-place-to-regulate/articleshow/70201128.cms">needs to have a legitimate aim and purpose</a>. Its application should not be random and as per arbitrary rules. "The use of AFRS for surveillance must clearly define the legitimate aim and purpose of such use, even if legality is presumed," said the IFF. This is extremely important because while the authorities may see the AFRS as a way to make their jobs easier, the system needs to be balanced against fundamental civil rights — like the <keyword id="515140" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="right-to-privacy">right to privacy</keyword> and freedom of speech. 
 <div type="image" title="afrs3_edited" msid="73052619" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Citizenship Amendment Act protestor being hauled off by the Delhi Police&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 "There is no material/references available that state what legitimate aim would be achieved by the use of AFRS in political rally or protest given even at such spaces voicing dissent or assembly is an exercise of the fundamental right of a person," the IFF points out. As for the 'trinity of databases', the collection of data can't be a blanket exercise. It needs to be specific and targeted while also preventing bias. "If the goal is to identify a specific instance of wrong-doing or prevent crime (in policing), the State cannot achieve that by blanket and indiscriminate data collection, that fails to distinguish between those against whom there is probable cause of suspicion, and against whom there is not," said the IFF. If checks and balances aren't put in place, it will be easy for misuse to seep through the cracks and take advantage of the lack of oversight and accountability. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/delhi-police-using-drones-to-track-down-protestors/articleshow/72902707.cms">Police using drones to identify key protestors⁠— and it may lead to harassment in the future</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/indias-new-data-protection-is-in-the-works-and-companies-will-only-have-to-pay-2-million-for-violations/articleshow/72381112.cms">India's new data protection law is in the works and companies will only have to pay $2 million for violations</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-plans-for-facial-recognition-without-law-in-place-to-regulate/articleshow/70201128.cms">India is all set to deploy facial recognition but there is no law in place to keep a check</a>

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