Click here to Download 9 PM Daily Brief PDF (14th Oct. 2016)
NATIONAL
[1]. We are frustrated with Pak., says Hasina
Context
According to Sheikh Hasina “Bangladesh had its own reasons for pulling out of SAARC and was not influenced by India”.
Reasons stated by prime minister of Bangladesh are
- Export of terror from paakistan to every corner of the world
- Pakistan’s loud criticism of the war crimes tribunal process in Bangladesh.
The International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh) (ICT of Bangladesh) is a domestic war crimes tribunal in Bangladesh set up in 2009 to investigate and prosecute suspects for the genocide committed in 1971 by the Pakistan army and their local collaborators, during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
- The government set up the tribunal after the Awami League won the general election in December 2008.The War Crimes Fact Finding Committee, tasked to investigate and find evidence, later on completion of the investigations, several leaders were convicted of charges of war crimes and sentenced.
- Since the beginning of the trials several human rights organisations and international legal figures have raised objections to the court proceedings. Pakistan also showed its strident opposition of the war crime tribunal process.
On being asked about India’s decision to launch cross-LoC strikes after the Uri terrorist attack Ms. Hasina said, she feels “Both the countries should maintain the sanctity of the LoC and that can bring peace.
[2].Muslim groups reject law panel move on civil code
Context
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has opposed the Law Commission’s questionnaire on the possibility of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
Questionnaire boycotted
Almost a week after the Law Commission, by means of a questionnaire, asked the public for a response on the sensitive issues of Uniform Civil Code and triple Talaq, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) in a press conference said they would boycott the questionnaire.
- The Board suggested the Centre’s affidavit in the Supreme Court rejecting the validity of the triple talaq is a means to impose a UCC in India.
Pluralistic fabric under threat
Muslim organisations along with board accused the present government of threatening the pluralistic fabric of India. According to the Board the UCC will bring to an end country’s pluralism and paint all in “one colour”.
[3]. Are Chief Ministers ‘public servants?’
Context
On October 24, SC will hear a pending petition on whether Chief Ministers or Ministers of government can actually be treated as ‘public servants’ on a par with government functionaries performing public duties.
Petition
The petition primarily asked whether it was repugnant to treat Chief Ministers and Ministers on a par with other public servants on government roll, especially when no statute passed by the legislature had ever specifically defined them as public servants.
- SC tagged this petition with the disproportionate assets case in 2015. It should be noted that throughout the disproportionate assets case prosecution treated Tamilnadu CM as a public servant even though she was both the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the general secretary of the AIADMK during 1991-1996, the period under consideration
- So, SC’s decision in the above case might impact the outcome of the disproportionate assets case.
Note: In the disproportionate assets case Tamilnadu CM was acquitted by Karnataka High Court but petitions against her acquittal were admitted by the SC.
SC’s interpretation
The Supreme Court, on February 20, 1979, in its judgment in M. Karunanidhi versus Union of India held that the post of Chief Minister was that of a ‘public servant’.
Interpreting the term ‘public servant’, the apex court had taken recourse to Section 21(12)(a) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, which defines a public servant as “every person in the service or pay of the government or remunerated by fees or commission for the performance of any public duty by the government”. The Prevention of Corruption Act also defines a public servant in a manner similar to the IPC
[4]. Voices rise against proposal to amend Citizenship Act
Context
Present government’s proposed amendment to the Citizenship Act, 1955, proposed in july 2016, which aims at providing citizenship to religious minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, is facing stiff opposition from Assam, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Proposed amendment: To change the definition of “illegal migrants”
- By changing the definition of the term “illegal migrants” will enable it to grant citizenship to minorities, mostly Hindus from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who fled their country fearing religious persecution.
- The Bill creates an exception for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and plans to reduce the requirement of 11 years of continuous stay to six years to obtain citizenship by naturalization.
Panel hears NGOs
A joint parliamentary panel, which is examining the Bill, heard petitions from several NGOs
- One of the NGOs from Assam demanded that the requirement of 11 years of continuous stay should be waived for all Hindus and they should be immediately included in the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which is being updated.
- The NRC is being updated in Assam to weed out illegal migrants who came to Assam after the 1971 war
- The cut-off date for the NRC is midnight March 24, 1971 and all those who migrated to Assam from Bangladesh before this period would get Indian citizenship as per the Assam Accord signed in 1985
Opposition’s criticism
Opposition, has accused the government of granting citizenship to oppressed minorities from neighbouring countries on “religious lines” and to get the favour of the majority Hindu community.
[5]. SC says jails are overcrowded by 150%, laments plight of inmates
Context
SC judgment on a suomotu PIL on conditions of inmates in Indian prisons
SC: It is not only tragic but also pathetic to find that prisons in the national capital, along with half a dozen States across the country, are overcrowded by over 150%
- Blamed Delhi for paying little or no attention to the fundamental rights of under trials and convicts
- Fundamental rights and human rights of people, cannot be ignored only because of their adverse circumstances
- It has been noticed that instead of drawing a “viable” plan of action to de-congest jails, prison authorities are following other ad-hoc proposals like the construction of additional barracks or jails without having time limits for implementation
- The SC directed the government to prepare a viable Plan of Action within the next six months and hand it over to the apex court by March 31, 2017
INTERNATIONAL
[1]. Putin says India ‘privileged strategic partner’, to ink weapon deal
Context
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia remains one of India’s leading suppliers of advanced weapons and defence technology as “India is Russia’s especially privileged strategic partner”
Expected agreement
India & Russia may sign an agreement on the delivery of S-400 ‘Triumph’ anti-missile defence systems and other deals during the BRICS Summit in Goa
- The S-400 anti-missile system can track some 300 targets and shoot down around three dozen simultaneously over a range of several hundred kilometres.
A history of success
The construction of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the development of a new, fifth generation fighter aircraft are among the successful joint projects
[2]. India to ban release of potent greenhouse gas
Context
India has said that it will no longer permit the release of HFC-23, a family of potent greenhouse gases, released when local companies produce the refrigerant HCFC-22.
Kigali, Rwanda
Above view was expressed by India at Kigali in Rwanda on the occasion of a meeting to amend Montreal protocol
What is the latest amendment about?
The latest amendment is to discuss the phasing out of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs, of which HFC-23 is one), only beginning to be used in India and still used in the developed countries and once a replacement for the ozone-destroying gases
- The Kigali talks will also discuss the years by which the developing and the developed countries will cap HFC emissions and switch to a new suite of gases that cause less global warming and become the mainstay of home and car air-conditioners and industrial cooling solutions
- Indian companies will not be compensated for the costs involved in ensuring that these gases are not released.
HFC usage in India
Production and consumption of HFCs in India are only around 2.32 and 1.89 per cent of world production and consumption. But HFCs are expected to grow exponentially in India, as the housing and the transport sectors expand.
- Rich countries, which are already using these gases, have been pushing for a while for a transition out of HFCs for themselves and move to cleaner options by developing countries.
ECONOMY
[1]. India focused on offshore rupee bonds
Context
India is focusing on offshore rupee bonds to finance its long-term infrastructure projects rather than green bonds, Xian Zhu, Vice President & Chief Operations Officer, New Development Bank (NDB)
NDB open to non-BRICS countries
NDB, commonly referred to as the BRICS Bank, was actively trying to be different from the established regional and global banks like the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank and was open to widening its membership to non-BRICS countries as well.
The idea is to issue bonds in each country’s local currency to finance long-term infrastructure projects.
The NDB is open to finance non-BRICS member countries as well which are members in the United Nations
[2]. Centre backs low GST rate, EU FTA to spur textiles jobs
Context
With an eye on job creation, the government is going all out to make the textile sector more competitive by pursuing a lower Goods and Services Tax rate and is even willing to allow automobile and wine imports from the European Union in return for market access for Indian apparel.
Other contenders
Conceding that Bangladesh is poised to overtake India on garment exports and others like Vietnam, Kenya and Ethiopia are catching up, the government is seeking to nullify the competitive disadvantage that arises due to these countries getting duty-free access to the EU and U.S. Indian products attract a 9.5 per cent duty in the EU
- There is a proposal to offset above disadvantage: To trade-off access to automobiles and wine imports under an India-EU FTA in return for access to Indian textiles. If trade-off is not done we will lose jobs in textile sector
Job-creation potential
A one crore rupees investment in most sectors creates ten to twelve jobs, but in textiles it creates 100 jobs.
- The government realises the need to incentivise the sector for its job-generation potential, especially for women who form 70-80 per cent of its workforce
GST will improve things
Upcoming GST regime will make Indian textiles more competitive. It will solve many problems,
- The tax on tax will go away
- Input tax credits will be given
- The differential tax rate on man-made fibres could be fixed in line with the long-standing demand for fibre neutrality.
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