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News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Bengaluru RCB Event Vs Mahakumbh Stampede: When Victims Become Political Props
Last Updated: There is no major difference between the two stampedes except that the RCB event happened in a Congress-ruled state while the Mahakumbh one in a BJP-ruled state Eighteen years is a long time. Even after tasting consecutive defeats at the Indian Premier League (IPL), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fans stood like a rock behind Team Virat Kohli, gifting a phrase 'loyal as RCB fans" to the urban dictionary. So when the team tasted its maiden victory on June 3, emotions were bound to run high. But the stampede that unfolded later during the celebration at the Bengaluru stadium, killing 11 and injuring 47, showed a clear absence of communication and apparent abdication of duty, almost to the extent of criminality, which the club has now been accused of in the First Information Report (FIR). THE RCB BASH A video of a man lying breathless, another man slapping him, while the accompanying women trying cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has gone viral. Visuals of a private security guard carrying a man on his shoulder or five volunteers carrying another person in haste as he was still breathing will haunt the nation. In a video, just before the stampede, loud cheering fans are seen gate crashing the stadium as the contingent of police personnel looks overwhelmed. To be fair, how can one expect police to man two-three lakh dopamine-charged fans crashing into a stadium that has the capacity of 35,000? #WATCH | Bengaluru stampede | 'Such incidents happened in many places; I am not going to defend it by comparing them and saying that it happened here and there… 50-60 people died in Kumbh Mela. I did not criticise. If Congress criticises, then that is a different matter. Did I… — ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2025 clean chit. Then Siddaramaiah added, probably remembering Congress's harsh critique back then, 'If Congress criticises, then that is a different matter. Did I or the Karnataka government criticise?" At one go, eleven lives became a political prop. But should the CM alone share the burden of dragging politics into tragedy? Even before the clock hit 6pm, the Karnataka BJP shared four viral videos claiming the CM and the Deputy CM were 'busy shooting reels & hogging limelight with cricketers" while fans died. A post on the handle said, 'Blood is on the hands of the Congress govt". Union Minister from Karnataka, Prahlad Joshi, was precise in his charge, 'The Government is responsible for this and accountability needs to be fixed." Meanwhile, a day later, the Bengaluru police have registered an FIR against RCB, DNA Networks, Karnataka State Cricket Association and others over the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede. THE MAHAKUMBH STAMPEDE On June 4, one visual stayed with me for a long time after the stampede was over. A small replica of the IPL trophy lay trampled amid hundreds of slippers in mud. A youngster, probably someone who idolises Kohli, came clutching it, sitting on top of his father's shoulder. But had to leave it in time to flee. Similarly, I remember a photo of a broken spectacle of a youngster left behind, trampled in mud on the night of January 30 this year at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. On the Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days for the holy dip at the Triveni Sangam, a massive crowd swell between 1 am and 2.30 am resulted in at least 30 deaths and over 60 injuries. The stampede was triggered by an estimated 80-100 million devotees converging at the Sangam Nose, exacerbated by broken barricades and restricted access routes, leading to chaos and suffocation. Eyewitnesses reported devotees climbing over barricades and pushing, causing people to collapse. Just like the RCB event, the Maha Kumbh stampede too raised concerns about mismanagement, inadequate infrastructure, and prioritisation of VIP movements, with calls for better crowd control measures like pre-registration and staggered timings. Both tragedies are as real as it could get. They also bring out the exact same personal loss to which the political discourse remains largely unaffected. In Prayagraj, Karnataka's Saroja witnessed the death of four members of her family; Babita, a resident of Shivkuti in Prayagraj, barely evaded death by minutes after jumping off the barricades. There is no major difference between the two stampedes except that the first happened in a Congress-ruled state where Rajeev Shukla rushed to safeguard the government and the latter was in a BJP-ruled state where Ravi Shankar Prasad could smell a 'conspiracy", as he said in a Lok Sabha discussion on the issue on February 3. Sanjay Nishad, the Uttar Pradesh Fisheries Minister, had described the stampede as a 'minor incident". #WATCH | BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad says '…Investigation is underway on the incident that took place in Maha Kumbh. We are getting the smell of a conspiracy from the investigation. When the entire investigation is done, the people who were behind the incident will have to bow… — ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2025 However, like Siddaramaiah, the BJP government in UP alone should not bear the burden of the Mahakumbh stampede. In what was seen as a highly irresponsible statement, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge claimed during a parliamentary debate on February 3 that 'thousands" had died in the Mahakumbh stampede. Days after the stampede, Jairam Ramesh accused the Uttar Pradesh government of hiding the true death toll. In India, lives are compensated with an amount the administration deems fit. On February 16, in the national capital, 18 people died in an overcrowded New Delhi Railway Station during a stampede. On July 2, 2024, 121 died at a stampede at a Satsang in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras. On the first day of the year in 2022, in Vaishno Devi, 12 people died due to a heavy influx of devotees that resulted in a stampede. Most of these victims are forgotten and reduced to just statistics. Their significance is limited to the tragedy, but their usage depends upon which political outfit is ruling the state. Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : bengaluru Indian Premier League (IPL) Maha Kumbh 2025 news18 specials RCB saffron scoop Siddaramaiah stampede Virat Kohli Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 06, 2025, 13:21 IST News politics Bengaluru RCB Event Vs Mahakumbh Stampede: When Victims Become Political Props
Time of India
29-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
E-commerce platforms must comply with guidelines on 'dark patterns': Food Minister Pralhad Joshi
HighlightsUnion Minister of Consumer Affairs Prahlad Joshi emphasized the need for e-commerce platforms to comply with government guidelines on 'dark patterns' to protect consumer interests. The Central Consumer Protection Authority identified 13 deceptive practices categorized as 'dark patterns' that manipulate consumer choices, including False Urgency and Subscription Trap. A joint working group will be established to ensure effective implementation of the dark pattern guidelines, with over 50 major e-commerce players participating in discussions on the matter. Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday asked all major e-commerce platform to follow the government's guidelines on ' dark patterns ', else actions will be taken to protect consumers' interest. The minister said the e-commerce players have also been told to conduct internal audits to examine the presence of 'dark patterns', defined as deceptive user interface designs that mislead or manipulate consumers into making unintended choices. E-commerce players need to submit an audit report to the department of consumer affairs. He said a joint working group will also be set up for effective implementation of the guidelines and curb this unfair trade practice. In November 2023, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, issued Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, to curb 'dark patterns' on digital and offline platforms. On Wednesday, Joshi held discussions with stakeholders to discuss consumer concerns over 'dark patterns' and explore more effective solutions to tackle the issue. "Representatives of More than 50 e-commerce players participated in the meeting which was organised to sensitise all stakeholders. We have asked for full compliance with dark pattern guidelines," Joshi told reporters. He said the government has identified 13 dark patterns. These are False Urgency, Basket Sneaking, Confirm Shaming, Forced action, Subscription trap, Interface interference, Bait and Switch, Drip Pricing, Disguised advertisement, Nagging, Trick question, Saas Billing, and Rogue Malwares. "Consumer interest is paramount," Joshi said, adding that the e-commerce players have promised to abide by these guidelines. The minister stressed on the need that digital marketplaces are governed by fairness, transparency, and accountability. In case they do not follow guidelines, action will be taken as per the law, Joshi said. On 'advance tipping' by cab aggregators, the minister said the notices have been given to ride-hailing operators. Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said the CCPA has issued 11 notices under dark patterns. Overall, she said more than 400 notices have been issued for unfair trade practices . She said the government will also look into dark patterns by quick-commerce platforms. The secretary asserted that the CCPA will take actions against unfair trade practices in any sector after proper investigation. According to the guidelines, dark patterns have been defined as any practice or deceptive design pattern using user interface or user experience interactions on any platform that is designed to mislead or trick users to do something they originally did not intend or want to do, by subverting or impairing the consumer autonomy, decision making or choice. All major e-commerce platforms, working in the food, travel, cosmetics, pharmacy, retail, clothing and electronics sectors participated in the meeting. Some of the key stakeholders present in the meeting were Amazon, Flipkart, Apple, BigBasket, Meesho, Meta, MakeMyTrip, Paytm , Ola, Reliance Retail Limited, Swiggy , Zomato , Yatra, Uber, Tata, EaseMyTrip, Clear Trip, IndiaMart , IndiGo Airlines, ixigo, JUSTDIAL, Medika Bazaar, Netmeds, ONDC, Thomas Cook , and WhatsApp. Key industry organisations, including Voluntary Consumer Organizations (VCOs) and leading National Law Universities (NLUs), also participated in this meeting. PTI
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Naidu meets Union ministers in New Delhi
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu met Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Jal Sakthi Minister C. R. Patil, and New & Renewable Energy Minister Prahlad Joshi at New Delhi on Friday. In a series of messages on X, Mr. Naidu said that, in a meeting with Mr. Rajnanth Singh, he discussed a comprehensive roadmap for Andhra Pradesh to emerge as a cornerstone of India's defence and aerospace future. With proposals ranging from thematic defence hubs and DRDO-linked Centres of Excellence to strategic infrastructure and policy innovations, Andhra Pradesh is fully geared to contribute to Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Grateful for his encouraging response and assurance of full support, he said. In another meeting with Mr. Patil effective measures to enhance water security in drought-affected areas of Andhra Pradesh were discussed. The Polavaram-Banakacherla initiative focuses on sustainable solutions to support irrigation, drinking water, and regional growth, also featured in the discussions. A.P. sought the Centre's full support to take this forward under our long-term vision for Swarnandhra 2047, the Chief Minister said. Had a fruitful meeting with Mr. Prahlad Joshi to seek rooftop solar capacity allocation for Andhra Pradesh under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. Andhra Pradesh aims to achieve free rooftop solar for 20 lakh SC/ST households, subsidised access for BC consumers, and 10,000 rooftop units in every Assembly constituency. 'With the Centre's support, we will reduce energy costs, empower our people, and lead India's clean energy transition,' he said in another post.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
ETtech Explainer: Why Uber is in hot water over ‘advance tipping'
In a post on X, union minister for consumer affairs Prahlad Joshi wrote, "The practice of 'Advance Tip' is deeply concerning. Forcing or nudging users to pay a tip in advance, for faster service is unethical and exploitative. Such actions fall under unfair trade practices. Tip is given as a token of appreciation not as a matter of right, after the service". Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Ride-hailing company Uber faced pushback from the government this week for its advanced tipping feature , with union minister Pralhad Joshi terming it 'unethical'.Let's take a look at the has introduced an "Advance Tip" feature in its app, which allows users to tip drivers before booking a ride, with the suggestion that doing so may lead to faster service. The app prompts users to add a tip of Rs 50, Rs 75, or Rs 100 during the booking process, stating, "Add a tip for faster pickup. A driver may be more likely to accept this ride if you add a tip."The app also mentions that 100% of the tip goes to the driver, and once added, it cannot be watchdog Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued a notice to Uber regarding this feature, labelling it as an unethical and unfair trade practice. Consumer affairs minister Joshi took to X to criticise the practice, stating that tipping should be a voluntary gesture of appreciation after the service, not a precondition for receiving timely service."Taking cognisance of this, I had asked CCPA to look into it and today CCPA has issued a notice to Uber in this regard, seeking explanation from the platform. Fairness, transparency and accountability must be upheld in all customer interactions," Joshi said in the tip move has also created a controversy on social media, with Uber trending on X. One user wrote, "This whole 'advance tip' scam started with Bengaluru autos and was pushed by Namma Yatri. Now it's spread like a virus — even Uber and Rapido have picked it up."Replying to the minister's post, another user wrote, "Not just that, now Uber has stopped showing fare. It asks us to "continue without seeing fare". Fare shows only after driver is matched. How can this be allowed?"Users also pointed out that this "unethical" practice was spreading to other apps like Ola Cabs and food delivery companies Swiggy and Zomato In January 2025, Uber was under the lens of the CCPA over allegations of differential pricing based on users' mobile operating systems. Reports and social media posts suggested that fares for identical rides were higher when booked through iPhones compared to Android devices. The CCPA had issued notices to both Uber and its competitor Ola, seeking explanations for the alleged pricing disparities.
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Business Standard
21-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
CCPA issues notice to Uber over unethical 'advance tip' feature
Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi says tipping must be voluntary and post-service; Uber's advance tip feature nudges users to pay before ride begins Udisha Srivastav New Delhi The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Wednesday issued a notice to ride-hailing platform Uber seeking an explanation over its 'advance tip' feature, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs Prahlad Joshi said in a post on X. The minister referred to the feature as unethical and exploitative, stating that such actions fall under unfair trade practices. Stating that tipping is a voluntary gesture offered after the service rather than a pre-service expectation, the minister wrote: 'The practice of 'advance tip' is deeply concerning. Forcing or nudging users to pay a tip in advance, for faster service, is unethical and exploitative. Such actions fall under unfair trade practices. Tip is given as a token of appreciation, not as a matter of right, after the service.' The 'advance tip' feature nudges users to pay an additional amount prior to the journey for faster ride confirmations and pickups. The minister added that he had earlier directed the concerned authority to look into the issue. 'Taking cognisance of this, I had asked CCPA to look into it, and today, CCPA has issued a notice to Uber in this regard, seeking explanation from the platform,' he said. Uber did not immediately respond to queries sent via email. This is not the first time a notice has been sent to Uber by the consumer protection authority. In January this year, the CCPA issued notices to cab aggregators Uber and Ola for allegedly charging different rates to consumers for identical routes based on their mobile phone operating systems. Both platforms, however, denied the allegation, stating that they follow a uniform pricing policy and do not differentiate between consumers using iPhones or Android phones.
