Uttar Pradesh Schools to Honor Vajpayee Instead of Christmas
Schools in Uttar Pradesh to Remain Open on Christmas
In Uttar Pradesh, schools will not close for Christmas on December 25, as they will instead celebrate the birth centenary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The Basic Education Department of the state has mandated that students must attend school on this day.
The department has instructed schools to conduct speeches, cultural events, and remembrance activities to pay tribute to Vajpayee. This directive is applicable to both government primary and upper primary institutions across the state.
This decision reportedly follows requests from the Hindutva group Bajrang Dal in Saharanpur district, advocating for December 25 to be recognized as 'Bal Gaurav [Child Pride] and Good Governance Day' rather than Christmas.
Meta Limits Access to AI-Generated Videos
Meta has restricted access for Indian users to two AI-generated videos released by the Congress party featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gautam Adani, the chairperson of the Adani Group. This action was taken after the Delhi Police issued takedown notices, as disclosed by the company to a Harvard University project.
Although Meta stated that the videos did not breach its community guidelines, it expressed concerns about potential legal repercussions and risks to its local staff if it did not comply with the notices.
Failure to adhere to these notices could result in the loss of safe harbor protections, making the platform legally accountable for the content in question.
The police indicated that the videos violated sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act related to forgery and identity theft.
Protest Against Bail Granted to Unnao Rape Case Convict
Security forces intervened to prevent the complainant in the Unnao rape case and her family from protesting in Delhi against the High Court's decision to grant bail to Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a former Bharatiya Janata Party leader convicted in the case. Reports indicate that they were forcibly removed from India Gate on Tuesday.
On the same day, the High Court suspended Sengar's life sentence, ordering him to maintain a distance of five kilometers from the complainant's residence.
Following the ruling, the complainant, along with her mother and activist Yogita Bhayana, attempted to stage a protest at India Gate but were forcibly removed, as shown in videos shared on social media.
The complainant's mother later claimed that the Central Reserve Police Force obstructed them from protesting at Mandi House.
Report Highlights Free Speech Violations in India
A report from a civil society organization revealed that India experienced 14,875 incidents of free speech violations in 2025, including the murders of eight journalists and one social media influencer. The Free Speech Collective documented cases of censorship, court gag orders, and restrictions on academic freedom over the past year.
The report noted that 117 individuals were arrested in connection with free speech violations, with 33 of the 40 attacks targeting journalists.
The fatalities included eight journalists, with two killed in Uttar Pradesh and one each in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha, and Uttarakhand. Additionally, a social media influencer was murdered in Punjab.
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