Congress MP raises concern over social media impact on mental health of adolescents

Congress's Rajya Sabha MP Jebi Mather Hisham on Wednesday expressed concern over the rising mental health crisis among adolescents due to social media, saying the "youth are not able to identify the reality and the fantasy world".

Referring to the recent alleged suicide of a 16-year-old girl in Kerala, the MP said the teen's teachers shared concerns about how social media is influencing youth and adolescents.

"They share the concern that the children, these adolescents, youth are not able to identify the reality and the fantasy world. They'll create a virtual world, influenced by social media, and especially they share the concern of this Korean content, online games, and pop that is available in the country now," Hisham said.



 

DMK member urges govt to grant constitutional status to Minorities Commission

Rajya Sabha DMK member P Wilson on Wednesday asked the government to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Minorities, strengthen its investigative and enforcement powers to protect the interest of minority communities.

"In recent years, India has witnessed a disturbing escalation in targeted violence against minority communities. Mob lynching, attacks on pastors, priests, the systematic vandalism of churches and mosques," he said, and cited data in support of his argument.

Since 2020, he said nearly 400 cases have been registered under anti-conversion laws leading to the arrest of 1,200 individuals.

"They strike at the very heart of a constitutional promise of equality, secularism, and religious freedom. And at a time when minorities need institutional protection the most, the National Commission for Minorities, the body meant to act as a sentinel of justice, has been reduced to an empty office building," he said.