tirupati l saturday l february 24, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l anantapur EDITION Govt sees red over Google AI’s response to a query about Modi A query on Gemini on whether the prime minister was a fascist, fetched a response that IT minister Rajeev Chandrasekar said violated the IT Act circumspect in Response to trump query Violations of India’s IT act, says govt To the query on Narendra Modi, the platform responded that he has been “accused of implementing policies some experts have characterised as fascist.” For a similar query on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Gemini responded saying “no simple answer” and for former US President Donald Trump it said, “Elections are a complex topic... try Google Search” ■ ■ “These are direct violations of Rule 3(1)(b) of Intermediary Rules of the IT Act and violations of several provisions of the criminal code,” minister Rajeev Chandrasekar said in his post on X Reports suggest the IT ministry is in the process of issuing a notice to Google over Gemini’s “problematic and illegal” responses 8 Years since google began work on artificial intelligence CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Byju’s investors vote out founder Raveendran in Dubai U m a K a nn a n @ Bengaluru IN a setback for embattled edtech firm Byju’s, its shareholders who control nearly 60% of its parent firm Think & Learn on Friday voted to remove founder CEO Byju Raveendran, his wife Divya Gokulnath, and brother Riju Raveendran from the board. The extraordinary general meeting (EGM) passed resolutions seeking removal of the current management and reconfiguration of the board, among others. According to sources, those who attended the virtual EGM include Prosus, Owl Ventures, Peak XV and Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, among others. However, Byju’s said only 20% of the shareholders attended the virtual meet, which it ter med “invalid and ineffective”. Byju Raveendran, who is in Dubai, might conduct a board meeting soon and will discuss whatever happened in the EGM held on Friday. In a recent letter to shareholders, he said the $200 million the company raised through rights issue will take care of current liabilities The edtech firm said the Karnataka High Court had granted it interim relief that any decisions made during the meeting would not be given effect until the next hearing. Sources said many shareholders could not join the online meeting, which was marred by tech glitches. Prosus, one of the shareholders, said: “At the EGM, shareholders unanimously passed all resolutions. These include a request for the resolution of the outstanding governance, financial mismanagement and compliance issues at Byju’s; the reconstitution of the board of directors, so that it is no longer controlled by the founders of T&L; and a change in leadership of the company .” However, Byju’s said: “These resolutions merely request the board to “consider” the recommendations passed at the EGM. They do not have any binding effect whatsoever on the company or its decisionmaking processes.” Meanwhile, some investors have moved the National Company Law Tribunal against suppression of investor rights and mismanagement of the firm. March on pause till farmers announce next plan on Feb 29 Family rejects `1 crore relief, wants justice for slain tiller; Haryana Police drops proposal to invoke NSA on Thursday. “Till then we will not move further,’’ he said. Two days after putting their Dilli In Haryana, the state police sofChalo march on hold, the Samyukta tened its stand against protesting Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the farmer leaders, saying it had dropped Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) on a proposal to invoke the draconian Friday said the next decision on their National Security Act (NSA) against agitation will be announced on Feb- them. But it used tear gas to disperse ruary 29. In the interregnum, a can- farmers in Haryana’s Hisar who dlelight march will be held wanted to proceed to the at both the Shambhu and Khanauri inter-state border Khanauri inter-state borders to join other protesters. between Punjab and HaryaIn Punjab, Chief Minister The proposal to na on Saturday . Bhagwant Mann announced invoke NSA Sarwan Singh Pandher, a compensation of `1 crore general secretary of the against a few farm and a government job for union leaders of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh the sister of farmer ShubAmbala district Committee, said seminars has been dropped hkaran Singh who died duron the World Trade Organiing the protest, but his famSibash Kabiraj, IGP sation will be held on Sunily rejected it saying they day in which intellectuals want justice instead. The will also take part. family said they who would not allow On Monday, effigies of big corpo- his post-mortem till the person who rates and BJP leaders will be burnt. shot Shubhkaran dead is booked. Next day the SKM (non-political) and , The Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta UgKMM will hold their own internal rahan), which is part of the SKM, meetings. It will be followed by a said it held demonstrations at 47 joint meeting on Wednesday and the places in 17 Punjab districts in pronext plan of action will be announced test against Singh’s death. H a r p r ee t B a j w a @ Chandigarh An elderly farmer participating in a ‘Black Day’ protest at the Shambhu border in Patiala district on Friday | PTI 30 police personnel injured so far Sibash Kabiraj, IGP (Ambala Range) said 30 Haryana Police personnel have been injured at Shambhu. As for initiating proceedings to seize the assets of farmers who damaged public property, he said it did not apply since farmers from Punjab have not entered Haryana yet Talks between GoM & staff unions remain inconclusive Chief Minister. Asserting that the government is keen on regularisaThe latest round of talks between tion of contract employees, he said the Group of Ministers (GoM) and the process was halted because of the leaders of employees court cases. associations remained inAPNGOs president Bandi conclusive on Friday . Srinivasa Rao said as there Speaking to reporters afwas no clarity from the govter the meeting, which was ernment on several issues IR is given when held at the State Secretariat raised by the employees, there is a delay in on Friday Education Minis, they will intensify their declaring the new ter Botcha Satyanarayana protest until they are given pay revision. The asserted that the govern- State government assurance in writing on will announce the ment will announce the their demands. While the new PRC on time new pay revision soon and employees are currently atthat there was no need for Botcha Satyanarayana, tending duties with black announcing Interim Relief badges, they had announced Education Minister (IR). Explaining that IR is ‘Chalo Vijayawada’ agitagiven when there is a delay tion on February 27. in declaring the new pay reStating that the governvision, he maintained that the ment should pay dues worth government will announce the `21,000 crore to the employnew PRC on time. ees towards General ProviOn the additional quantum dent Fund (GPF), surrender of pension, Botcha said a leaves, APGLI and other decision will be taken benefits, he said only after discussing the `70 crore has been matter with the paid this month.  P4 E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada hockey coach resigns Days after Janneke Schopman hit out at Hockey India (HI), the women’s coach quit. Her contract was to end after Pro League | P11 non-combat roles Working to bring back Indians lured to Russia: MEA Y e s h i s e l i @ New Delhi The Ministry of External Affairs is working closely with the Indian Embassy to bring back Indians who have been recruited as helpers by Russia for its ongoing war with Ukraine. About 100 Indians joined the Russian army in non-combat roles as helpers a year ago. “We are aware that a few Indian nationals have signed up for support jobs with the Russian Army The In. dian Embassy has regularly taken up this matter with the relevant authorities for their early discharge,” said MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal in New Delhi on Friday . Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi in a letter to MEA on January 25 wrote that Indians are being misled by agents for jobs to Russia. They are recruited by the Russian Army and no proper training is given to them, he added. A recent online video report showed that though the Indians were recruited for non-combat roles, now they are being asked to fight alongside Russians in its war with Ukraine. Relatives of many of these Indian nationals have said that their family members have been duped by recruiters and have been forced to join the Wagner Group. ‘pedalandariki illu’ 20,480 women in Ongole receive house site pattas E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Ongole Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday formally launched the distribution of registered conveyance deeds to 31.19 lakh beneficiaries of the Navaratnalu-Pedalandariki Illu scheme.   As part of a programme held in Ongole, he also handed over house site pattas and conveyance deeds to 20,480 women under the Ongole Municipal Corporation limits, besides sanctioning funds for construction of the houses. Further, he pointed out that the State government has spent `231 crore for purchasing land and developing Jagananna housing layouts in Ongole city . While addressing a large gathering, Jagan lashed out at TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu. Describing the Opposition leader as an “evil worse than 100 villains”, he accused Naidu of thwarting attempts to render justice to the poor. “Naidu has filed a staggering 1,191 court cases to prevent the distribution of house sites to the poor in the State. Even today, the party has approached the court to hinder distribution of house sites,” he alleged. Pointing out that construction of 8.90 lakh houses has been completed, Jagan said 22 lakh houses are under construction. He emphasised that his government faced hurdles in the construction of houses for the poor in Amaravati as Naidu had alleged that the move P4 would lead to a ‘demographic imbalance’.  express read Margadarsi Victims’ Association formed for grievance redressal Vijayawada: In order to address the grievances of subscribers who were denied payments by Margadarsi Chit Fund Private Limited (MCFPL), a city-based advocate Mushti Srinivas has formed the Margadarsi Victims’ Association to address issues pending before the State government or various legal forums. The Association will file petitions with the courts concerned based on the complaints received from subscribers and try to resolve them as early as possible. “Subscribers can approach the Association by sending their details and other related documents through WhatsApp on 9849055267,” Srinivas explained.