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Daily Briefing

- Daily Briefing: Modi and Zelenskyy’s conversation on war and peace; Angry Young Men review; and more

Daily Briefing: Modi and Zelenskyy’s conversation on war and peace; Angry Young Men review; and more

In today's edition: Modi and Zelenskyy’s conversation on war and peace; Kamala Harris's speech at the Democratic National Convention; Angry Young Men review; and more

Written by Aradhana Kalia

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 08:54 IST

Top news on August 24, 2024.

Good morning!

From Modi and Zelenskyy’s conversation on war and peace, to Kamala Harris’s speech at the Democratic National Convention, and a nostalgic look back at Bollywood’s Angry Young Man era of the 1970s—today’s newsletter covers it all.

Let’s begin..

🚨Big Story

➡️ It took a tragic and globally disruptive war to bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kyiv, marking the first visit by an Indian leader since Ukraine regained independence with the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991. By lending a shoulder to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy India has signaled three key shifts: integrating India into Europe’s peace efforts, expanding Delhi’s strategic options amid global geopolitical changes, and restoring post-Soviet ties with Kyiv.

➡️ Modi’s visit to Moscow on July 8-9 and subsequent trip to Kyiv six weeks later places him uniquely to facilitate direct communication between the leaders of the warring sides. As India distances itself from the US-led sanctions on Russia and refrains from participating in the conflict, the Indian Express analyses the country’s commitment to a “dialogue and diplomacy” approach.

➡️ Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian airspace has been closed, making trains essential for moving people and aid across the country. World leaders like US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and recently Prime Minister Modi have all traveled to Ukraine by train. We take a closer look at how Rail Force One has been instrumental in getting these leaders to the war-torn nation.

📰 Express Opinion

In our Opinion section, we review Kamala Harris’s speech at the Democratic National Convention, where she was nominated for President. Though she promised to put the country before party, her strong focus on Donald Trump, whom she called an “unserious man,” and her warnings about his potential return could have unintended consequences. By criticizing Trump so harshly, she risks turning away his supporters—whom she needs to win over.

⚡Must Read

Could this be the turning point for football in Manipur? Two rival clubs, relegated by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for their poor performance in the 2023-24 season, have taken their case to the Delhi High Court. They argue that ongoing ethnic strife, which started on May 3, 2023, led to curfews and disrupted their season with canceled practices and logistical issues. Will the court reverse the AIFF’s decision, or will the clubs face the consequences of a season marred by chaos?

👉 Big Picture

When a temple pavilion in Hampi collapsed amid the rains, it sparked concerns about the potential neglect of one of India’s largest World Heritage Sites. Known for its grandeur as the Vijayanagara Empire’s capital, Hampi was once praised by foreign travelers as “as large and beautiful as Rome.” Indian Express’ Adrija Roychowdhury dives into the story of Hampi, exploring its rediscovery and the implications of its World Heritage status. Could this prestigious tag be both a blessing and a burden for the site’s preservation?

🍿 Web Series Review

‘Kitnay aadmi thay? Sirf do’.

This week, Indian Express’ Shubra Gupta reviews Amazon Prime’s latest release, Angry Young Men, a compelling exploration of the era defined by the legendary writing duo Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. The documentary delves into their early struggles and the creation of the iconic hero Vijay- personified by Amitabh Bachchan – whose burning rage and no-holds-barred response to oppression transformed Hindi cinema and left an indelible mark.

Until next time,

Aradhana Kalia

Business As Usual by Unny

Front Page

- In Unified Pension Scheme, extra burden, but no pushing back of the reform needle

- Adani, Birla keen to tap Mongolian copper, but face logistics challenge

- Delhi flags to Dhaka: Mob had vandalised, set ablaze India culture centre on Aug 5-6

- Increasing its share, govt rolls out new plan, guarantees 50% of salary as pension

- After year in enclosures, Kuno cheetahs set to be freed into the wild

- Jet engines to munitions: Rajnath Singh meets US NSA Jake Sullivan, India and US to speed up co-production

- Assam rape accused dies in custody, cops say jumped into pond

- Sit with Putin to find way out of crisis, India ready to help: Modi to Zelenskyy

- India, US sign key defence supply pact as Rajnath Singh begins 4-day visit

In Unified Pension Scheme, extra burden, but no pushing back of the reform needle

The government also estimates an additional expenditure of Rs 800 crore towards arrears of already retired employees since the introduction of NPS in 2004.

Written by Aanchal Magazine

New Delhi | Updated: August 25, 2024 07:42 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a delegation from Joint Consultative machinery for central government employees, at his residence in New Delhi. (PTI)

With young government employees staring at the prospects of lower than 50% salary as pension, the Centre has now tweaked its existing scheme with a new Unified Pension Scheme (UPS). A defined assured pension, family pension and a minimum pension for those with less than the mandatory service for full pension are its key features.

In formulating the UPS, the TV Somanathan committee set up in April 2023 hasn’t quite jettisoned the basic reform characteristics of the National Pension System that was implemented for those joining government service from January 2004. It has sought to address the grievances of employees — the most important being stability of income and security to family — by raising the government’s contribution to the pension scheme to 18.5 per cent of the basic pay from 14 per cent now; the employee contribution remains 10 per cent of the basic pay as on date. This will definitely cost the government more money — around Rs 6,250 crore in the first year. But this is more in the nature of filling the gap between the assured 50 per cent salary as pension and what the corpus (combined contraction of the employee and the government) would have earned during the years of service when invested in the default scheme by the pension fund manager.

The government also estimates an additional expenditure of Rs 800 crore towards arrears of already retired employees since the introduction of NPS in 2004.

Clearly, the UPS is a political response to the festering grouse among government employees, who form a vocal political constituency. The outcome of the general election and the prospects of a big challenge from the Opposition in the Assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand in the coming months may have also forced the government to open its purse strings a bit.

Also, the new UPS will close the route for states to revert to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) as some of them did earlier. Most states are expected to adopt the new UPS structure for their employees; they may be willing to bear the extra cost given the fact that the Centre itself has done it. This is bound to strain the finances of the state governments.

Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan, however, said the UPS is “definitely fiscally more prudent”. “It remains within the same architecture of contributory funded scheme. That is the critical difference. The OPS (old pension scheme) is an unfunded, non-contributory scheme, this is a funded, contributory scheme. The only difference in the changes made today (Saturday) is to give an assurance and not leave things to vagaries of market forces. But otherwise the structure of UPS has the best elements of both (OPS and NPS),” he said.

Under the OPS, government employees used to get defined benefits post retirement – 50 per cent of their last drawn salary as monthly pension. Under the NPS, which covers employees who joined service post January 2004, contributions are defined but benefits depend on the market. Last year, states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh had reverted to the OPS from NPS.

The new UPS has included features of an assured pension from the OPS as well as defined contributions from the NPS. UPS has features similar to OPS in the form of an assured pension, inflation indexation, family pension and minimum pension. From the NPS, the UPS has included the feature of contributory, fully funded scheme.

With assured pension expected to benefit over 23 lakh central government employees, states are also expected to join under the UPS. However, the additional strain on state government finances would require caution.

In January 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had flagged concerns about strain on government finances for states opting to revert to OPS last year. The central bank had said that the OPS, instead of the NPS, will lead to the accumulation of liabilities which can become a major risk in the future.

As per the Budget estimates for 2022-23, states were expected to incur a 16 per cent rise in pension expenditure at Rs 4,63,436 crore in 2022-23 as against Rs 3,99,813 crore in the previous year, the RBI had said. The RBI had said that the pension outgo under the OPS is projected to touch over Rs 17 lakh crore under the OPS as against Rs 4 lakh crore under the NPS.

Aanchal Magazine

Aanchal Magazine is Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express and reports on the macro economy and fiscal policy, with a special focus on economic science, labour trends, taxation and revenue metrics. With over 12 years of newsroom experience, she has also reported in detail on macroeconomic data such as trends and policy actions related to inflation, GDP growth and fiscal arithmetic. Interested in the history of her homeland, Kashmir, she likes to read about its culture and tradition in her spare time, along with trying to map the journeys of displacement from there.   ... Read More

Adani, Birla keen to tap Mongolian copper, but face logistics challenge

Govt suggests visit, trial order to understand trade dynamics

Written by Aggam Walia

New Delhi | Updated: August 25, 2024 08:30 IST

Mongolia exported copper ore worth $2.7 billion in 2022 and was the world’s 10th largest exporter of the commodity. Much of its exports go exclusively to China.

Two large companies Adani Enterprises Ltd and Aditya Birla group-owned Hindalco Industries Ltd are keen to source raw material from copper-rich Mongolia, but are concerned about the logistics of transporting copper concentrate from the landlocked Central Asian country to India.

Copper concentrates is a key input for refined copper, and India relies on imports for nearly 90 per cent of its supply due to limited domestic mining of this critical mineral. India imports its requirements almost entirely from Indonesia, Chile and Australia.

Mongolia exported copper ore worth $2.7 billion in 2022 and was the world’s 10th largest exporter of the commodity. Much of its exports go exclusively to China.

In a meeting in New Delhi with officials from the Union Ministry of Mines and India’s mission in Mongolia early July, representatives from Adani-owned Kutch Copper Ltd and Hindalco-owned Birla Copper Ltd sought more information on transportation facilities to evacuate copper concentrate out of Mongolia.

The company executives noted that the current arrangement, where Mongolian suppliers are responsible for transportation costs and logistics, posed “a hindrance in till-date trading” between the two countries, The Indian Express has learnt.

Officials in the Indian mission in Mongolia are learnt to have suggested that the companies should visit the Central Asian country to understand the trade dynamics and intricacies of logistics. They also recommended that the companies can then make a start by placing trial orders to get some practical experience of the opportunities and technical challenges that may arise during transporting copper ore and concentrates from Mongolia to India.

The officials listed the ports of Tianjin in China and Vladivostok in Russia as potential routes for Indian smelters to source copper concentrate shipments from Mongolia. Officials said the companies may visit Mongolia in October to explore opportunities of importing copper.

At present, there are only two possible options for evacuating shipments out of Mongolia– transporting them by rail to Tianjin or exploring the possibility of a combined road and rail route to Vladivostok, according to a person familiar with the development. Notably, the distance from major copper mines in Mongolia to Tianjin is only around 1,000 km, while the distance to Vladivostok exceeds 4,000 km.

Mongolia’s copper mining industry is dominated by two major producers — Oyu Tolgoi, majority-owned by global mining giant Rio Tinto, and Erdenet Mining Corporation, a state-owned company.

According to ICRA, demand for copper in India is expected to grow by 11 per cent in 2024-25. Given copper’s widespread industrial use, its demand is often seen as a barometer of economic activity. Refined copper is essential for the production of electrical equipment such as wiring and motors, consumer electronics, and construction. It is also heavily used in electric vehicle batteries and wind turbines.

India’s bilateral trade with Mongolia is heavily tilted towards exports. Last fiscal, India imported goods worth Rs 8.5 crore, mostly wool yarn and fabric, inorganic chemicals, and leather, and exported goods worth Rs 275 crore.

As far as copper concentrates is concerned, India’s imports in the first quarter of 2024-25 totalled Rs 6,788 crore, and were Rs 25,951 crore in 2023-24, almost entirely from Indonesia, Chile and Australia.

Delhi flags to Dhaka: Mob had vandalised, set ablaze India culture centre on Aug 5-6

Indira Gandhi Centre was hub of Indian art, music, dance

Written by Shubhajit Roy

New Delhi | Updated: August 25, 2024 07:43 IST

After the arson at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, run by the ICCR, in Dhaka. (Shubhajit Roy)

When Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma met Chief Advisor in the interim government Prof Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka this Thursday, one of the key issues he flagged was the security of Indian diplomatic personnel and their premises. This included the violent attack and arson at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC), the hub of Indian cultural activity in the Bangladeshi capital for over five decades.

In the aftermath of the regime change on August 5 — when Sheikh Hasina fled to India after more than 16 years in power — policemen abandoned their posts fearing the wrath of protestors. This led to attacks against leaders and activists of Awami League regime, police officials, intellectuals, including journalists and civil society activists aligned with the previous government and minorities including Hindus.

The protesters’ anger also found an echo in a strong anti-India sentiment on the street. Indeed, on August 5 itself, the Indian government-run cultural centre in Dhaka came under an unprecedented attack from a mob which vandalised the premises and torched several sections of the centre.

This prompted the Indian High Commission in Dhaka to enter into a “complete lockdown-mode” — akin to what the Indian embassy in Kabul did in August 2021, when Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled and his government collapsed, followed by a take-over by the Taliban. This mode means that if they would have had to vacate the entire mission, it would have meant shutting down the High Commission.

BNP activists blocking access to the Mujib memorial on August 15 (Express photo by Shubhajit Roy)

The IGCC at Dhanmondi, a plush neighbourhood in Dhaka, is a centre of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations of India. It’s located where the Indian High Commission used to be before 2010.

With a library of over 21,000 titles on Indian art, culture, politics, economics and fiction, the two-storey centre has been a hub in Dhaka for cultural programmes, seminars and workshops on Yoga, Hindi, Indian classical music and dances such as Kathak and Manipuri.

The mob, sources said, attacked the centre; looted books, stationery and computers and set sections on fire.  The attack continued for hours, from the evening of August 5 to August 6. There were no Indian staff present, and the security is said to have abandoned their posts once the mob came.

Close to the centre is Sheikh Mujib’s museum, the house where he was assassinated with his family. That was also vandalised and set ablaze along with a trove of Mujib’s personal items, including papers.

The IGCC was formally inaugurated on March 11, 2010 by Karan Singh, then President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, along with Abul Kalam Azad, then Minister for Information and Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh.

It promoted bilateral cultural linkages through programmes, seminars, workshops and training. It engaged top professionals from Bangladesh trained by Indian Gurus or in Indian universities. It had three teachers in the streams of Vocal (Indian Classical Music), Hindi and Yoga.

A demonstrator throws an object as protesters clash with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the police outside the state-owned Bangladesh Television as violence erupted across the country after anti-quota protests by students, in Dhaka, Bangladesh earlier. (Reuters)

“After it was vandalised and set ablaze (on August 5), a week later, a group of students came and cleaned up the place. It will take a while before the institution begins functioning again,” a source said.

On the evening of August 5, alarmed at the worsening security situation, the Indian High Commission called all its officials, staff and their families inside the Commission premises in Dhaka. With the collapse of the Hasina government, mobs of protesters, including members of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh activists and “opportunists,” ruled the streets.

When the Indian High Commission reached out to the Bangladesh Army for security, armed forces sent in their troops to the outer perimeter but their message was clear — if the crowds come, they won’t fire at them. This was also the Army’s approach when people had stormed the Prime Minister’s residence, the Gana Bhaban, and had vandalised and looted many items — later, many items were returned as well.

Next to the diplomatic zone, was the office of a prominent pro-Awami League TV channel, Ekattor TV, which was also destroyed. That was the closest the mob got to the Indian High Commission premises in Baridhara.

Sources said the Indian High Commission, packed with officials and their families, spent a “sleepless couple of nights.” On August 7, a worried New Delhi decided to pull out all non-essential staff and families of the diplomats. Over 100 people left, with less than about three dozen Indian diplomats and officials left behind. These 30-odd people were there to ensure that India had a functional High Commission and could evacuate at short notice, if needed. They were asked to stay on the premises till the situation permitted them to go back to their residences outside the Indian High Commission.

Bangladesh Army officials told The Indian Express that they gave protection to the India’s missions in Sylhet, Rajshahi, Khulna and Chittagong.

The Indian Express has learnt that the vandalising and burning of the cultural centre was also raised through diplomatic channels by the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi as the attack was in violation of Vienna Convention that guarantees the protection of diplomatic premises by the host country.

Sources in Delhi said that they are considering the return of “non-essential staff and families” from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka early next month.

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Increasing its share, govt rolls out new plan, guarantees 50% of salary as pension

Announcing the decisions taken by the Cabinet, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said there would be five pillars to the UPS.

Written by Aanchal Magazine

New Delhi | Updated: August 25, 2024 08:00 IST

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav briefs the media on Cabinet decisions, in New Delhi. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

The Union Cabinet on Saturday approved a new Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) for Central government employees which assures 50 per cent of the average salary drawn over the last 12 months of their service as pension.

To ensure this, the government has decided to raise its contribution towards the pension corpus to 18.5 per cent of the basic pay and dearness allowance of employees from 14 per cent now. This is estimated to entail an additional cost of Rs 6,250 crore in the first year. The employees’ contribution will, however, remain unchanged at 10 per cent of basic pay plus dearness allowance.

To be effective April 1, 2025, the UPS will be available to all those who have completed 25 years of service in the government. It’s other key features include a family pension to the spouse equal to 60 per cent of an employee’s pension income after death, a minimum pension of Rs 10,000 for those who have completed a minimum 10 years of service, inflation indexation to take care of price rise of goods and services, and a facility to withdraw a lump sum amount at retirement.

The Cabinet announcement comes more than a year after the government had announced the formation of a four-member committee under the then Finance Secretary and now Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan in April 2023 to review the pension system for government employees.

Unified Pension Scheme

Assured Pension

50% of the average basic pay drawn over the last 12 months prior to superannuation for a minimum qualifying service of 25 years
Proportionate for lesser service period up to a minimum of 10 years of service

Assured Family Pension

60% of the pension of the employee immediately before her/his demise

Assured Minimum Pension

10, 000 per month on superannuation after a minimum of 10 years of service

Inflation Indexation

On assured pension, on assured family pension and assured minimum pension Dearness Relief based on All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (AICPI-IW) as in case of serving employees

Other features

Lump-sum payment at superannuation in addition to gratuity
* 1/10th of monthly emolument (pay + DA) as on the date of superannuation for every completed six months of service

* This payment will not reduce the quantum of assured pension

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the UPS will ensure dignity and financial security for the government employees. “We are proud of the hard work of all government employees who contribute significantly to national progress. The Unified Pension Scheme ensures dignity and financial security for government employees, aligning with our commitment to their well-being and a secure future,” he posted on social media platform X.

Under UPS, the pension corpus would be divided into two parts and separately invested. The first part equal to 10 per cent of the contribution of the employee and the government towards the corpus will be invested as per the choice of investment made by the individual employee. The second part equal to 8.5 per cent of the government’s contribution towards the pension will be pooled and invested separately.

The assured pension will be based on the ‘default mode’ of investment pattern notified by the pension regulator and considering full annuitisation of individual pension corpus. In case, the benchmark annuity is lower than the assured annuity, the shortfall will be made good. In case the individual employee corpus generates higher than assured annuity (based on investment choice exercised by the employee), the employee will be entitled to such higher annuity. In case however, the annuity generated is lower than the default mode, the top up provided by government through UPS will be limited to the benchmark annuity.

Announcing the decisions taken by the Cabinet, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the UPS stood on five pillars. The first pillar deals with an assured amount to employees after having applied actuarial projections. An assured pension of 50 per cent will be given to employees which would be linked to the average basic pay given in the last 12 months of service before superannuation of the employee. “The qualifying service would be 25 years of service. If it’s less than 25 years but more than 10 years of service, then it would be provided on a pro-rata basis,” Vaishnaw said.

Pillar two deals with assured family pension in case of death of an employee. If some employee dies, then 60 per cent of the pension given just before his or her death would be provided to the deceased employee’s family after his or her death, the minister said.

Other features of the UPS include minimum pension of Rs 10,000 to employees whose service tenure is less and sufficient amount would not be there for pension for central government employees or those associated with the existing National Pension System (NPS). An assured minimum pension of Rs 10,000 per month would be given on superannuation after minimum 10 years of service to employees, an official statement said.

Inflation indexation would be done for assured pension, assured family pension and assured minimum pension. The Dearness Relief will be based on All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (AICPI-IW) as in the case of service employees, the statement said.

Also, a lumpsum payment would be made to employees at the time of superannuation in addition to gratuity. This amount would be collected every six months of service and would be 10 per cent of monthly emoluments, that is, pay and dearness allowance combined together. This payment will not reduce the quantum of assured pension, the statement said.

Vaishnaw said this is expected to benefit 23 lakh employees and the new UPS would be optional for existing Central government employees enrolled under the NPS. Additionally, he said, states can use this UPS architecture. “If state employees also join this, then this is expected to benefit 90 lakh employees,” he said.

Aanchal Magazine

Aanchal Magazine is Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express and reports on the macro economy and fiscal policy, with a special focus on economic science, labour trends, taxation and revenue metrics. With over 12 years of newsroom experience, she has also reported in detail on macroeconomic data such as trends and policy actions related to inflation, GDP growth and fiscal arithmetic. Interested in the history of her homeland, Kashmir, she likes to read about its culture and tradition in her spare time, along with trying to map the journeys of displacement from there.   ... Read More

After year in enclosures, Kuno cheetahs set to be freed into the wild

Currently, there are 25 cheetahs at Kuno — 13 adults and 12 cubs, born at the national park.

Written by Anand Mohan J

Bhopal | Updated: August 25, 2024 09:54 IST

The first batch of eight cheetahs from Namibia was introduced in India in September 2022, and the second batch of 12 cheetahs was flown in from South Africa last February. (File Photo)

After spending a year inside enclosures, the African cheetahs brought to India as part of the world’s first intercontinental translocation of the wild cats will soon be released into the wild again at Kuno national park.

The cheetahs were brought to the enclosures on August 13, 2023 after three adult cheetahs “died due to septicaemia after wounds beneath their dense winter coat on the back and neck regions became infested with maggots” in July. It was a major setback to the translocation project that began in September 2022.

Head of the Cheetah Steering Committee, Dr Rajesh Gopal, told The Indian Express the release will be done in a phased manner. “I was at the meeting with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) officials where we arrived at the decision to release the Cheetahs into the wild. This will be undertaken in a phased manner as the monsoons come to an end,” he said.

In Madhya Pradesh, the monsoon usually withdraws from most parts by the beginning of October.

Currently, there are 25 cheetahs at Kuno — 13 adults and 12 cubs, born at the national park. Under the translocation project, 20 cheetahs were brought to India in two batches — eight from Namibia in September 2022 and 12 from South Africa last February — of which seven have died until this January. The adult cheetahs gave birth to 17 cubs, of which 12 survived.

All the cheetahs are doing well, officials said, adding the animals are able to hunt chitals (spotted deer) inside their enclosures and have been designated “fit for release”. Kuno officials will also be sending a compilation of the best practices learnt over the year to the NTCA for further post-release strategies, they said.

Giving details of the sequence of the phase-wise release, Dr Gopal said the coalitions (group that lives together) will be released first followed by individual cheetahs and then, at last, the mothers with their cubs. The oldest of the cubs is around 8 months old and has begun climbing trees and following its mother on a hunt.

Said Dr Gupta: “The cheetah cubs and their mothers will be released in the last week of December. By this time the cubs will reach a stage in their life where they will be able to hunt for themselves.”

The only exceptions could be two elderly cheetahs and an orphaned cub abandoned by its mother. While the old cheetahs are not expected to be released at all, Kuno officials said the cub may not be released until it is “rewilded”.

After the male coalitions are released, Dr Gopal said their behaviour will be studied before the others are set into the wild. “We anticipate some unpredictable circumstances may arise. They may not immediately leave their enclosures or strat far away. We will study their behaviour and see if they are able to localise and release the other cheetahs,” he said.

Explaining some challenges facing the cubs, a senior Kuno official said, “The cubs will also go through a growth spurt and we need special collars for that. We may also need to keep replacing them. There are challenges in darting them and reuniting them with their mothers. We are thinking of possible strategies to address this.”

There are also challenges in the form of co-predators, such as leopards who stalk the landscape and the prey base of the chitals. However, a senior Kuno official dismissed these factors.

“Even when they spent months inside a soft release enclosure they were able to hunt chitals and survive leopards. We think they will be able to survive the wild. The latest estimate of prey base for chitals stands at 18 per sq Km. But they have found other prey like chinkara (Indian Gazelle) which was previously not found in some of these locations,” the officer said.

To fight the septicemia infection, which broke out last year, the veterinarians have already carried out prophylactic vaccination of the cheetahs. They have now begun preparing for preventive vaccinations for other diseases that may afflict the animals.

On the dense winter coats, Dr Gopal believes that in their third or fourth generation, the cheetahs born in India would finally be able to acclimatise to Indian conditions. “The Cheetahs from the African continent belonged to a different circadian rhythm. We hope that in two years their coat patterns may be synchronised,” he said.

Inside the enclosures, the cheetahs are currently monitored by dedicated teams, with around 15 people in all and comprising a forest watcher, forest guard and researchers. The tracking teams relay the information to the Control Room at Palpur, a remote location in the centre of Kuno which serves as the central hub for monitoring and controlling all activities related to the wild cats.

Senior officers at KNP are yet to receive orders from the steering committee. Said a senior KNP official, “We expect our teams to do the job of tracking and monitoring the cheetahs (after the release). It is a labour intensive job and we managed to successfully track the cheetahs last time as well. They have got enough training experience.”

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Jet engines to munitions: Rajnath Singh meets US NSA Jake Sullivan, India and US to speed up co-production

The discussion was held after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met his US counterpart Lloyd Austin in Pentagon.

Written by Amrita Nayak Dutta

New Delhi | Updated: August 25, 2024 07:26 IST

As per a Defence Ministry statement issued after the meeting, Singh highlighted co-development and co-production opportunities in India in areas identified in the India-US Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap adopted last year. (PTI)

Moving to deepen their defence ties, India and the United States have agreed to advance priority co-production projects, including jet engines, unmanned platforms, munitions and ground mobility systems, under the US-India Roadmap for Defence Industrial Cooperation.

This announcement by the Pentagon came hours after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is visiting the US, held bilateral talks with his counterpart, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin, at the Pentagon Friday.

The US government also approved Friday the proposed sale of $52.8-million anti-submarine warfare (ASW) sonobuoys and related equipment to India for the multi-role MH-60R Seahawk helicopters being inducted by the Indian Navy to hunt submarines.

Sonobuoys help naval ASW forces to track hostile submarines and subsequently hunt them with air-launched weapons. The ASW helicopters usually drop sonobuoys, which transmit information back via radio link, to track the locations of hostile submarines.

According to the Pentagon statement, Singh and Austin discussed ongoing efforts to deepen the ‘Major Defense Partnership’ between the US and India in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

The discussions to advance key co-production projects are significant given that India is negotiating a series of big-ticket defence deals with the US.

Discussions have been ongoing on the pact between General Electric (GE) Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to manufacture GE F-414 jet engines in India to power the LCA MK 2 fighter jets and the procurement of 31 MQ-9B High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) UAVs. Officials have confirmed that negotiations on various aspects of the deals are currently underway.

Deliveries of the GE-F404 jet engines, which power the LCA Tejas Mark-1A fighter, have been delayed, affecting the delivery schedule of the indigenously-made fighter jets to the IAF.

Co-production of the Stryker infantry combat vehicles and the Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) — on which India and the US have begun talks recently — were to feature in the discussions during Singh’s visit. The development of infantry combat vehicles for India is part of the defence industry cooperation roadmap between the two countries.

On Thursday, India and the US signed two key pacts: a non-binding Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement regarding Assignment of Liaison Officers. These two key bilateral defence initiatives were welcomed by Singh and Austin during their meeting.

The US Department of Defense has been working on negotiating and concluding a new Reciprocal Defence Procurement (RDP) Agreement with India.

Also Friday, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the certification notifying Congress of the possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of ASW sonobuoys and related equipment to India for the US-made multi-role MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.

A statement in this regard said the Indian government has requested to buy AN/SSQ-53G high-altitude ASW sonobuoys, AN/SSQ-62F HAASW sonobuoys and AN/SSQ-36 sonobuoys as well as engineering, technical and logistics support.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the United States-India strategic relationship and improving the security of a major defense partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia regions,” it said.

It said the proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing its capacity to conduct anti-submarine warfare operations from its MH-60R helicopters.

“India will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces,” it stated, adding that the proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

In March this year, the Indian Navy commissioned the first squadron of six MH-60R Seahawk helicopters at INS Garuda in Kochi. The helicopters were part of a 24-helicopter deal with the US that was inked in February 2020. The other squadrons are likely to be inducted by next year.

The MH-60R Seahawk, equipped with a range of advanced combat systems, would be used by the Navy to hunt enemy submarines in the Indian Ocean Region. The anti-submarine choppers would be equipped with Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, Mark 54 anti-submarine torpedoes, advanced sensors and radars. They will also have anti-surface warfare capabilities.

According to MH-60 manufacturer Lockheed Martin, the platforms are deployed by the US Navy as its primary anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface weapons system for open ocean and littoral zones.

On Friday, Singh and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed ongoing defence industrial collaboration projects and potential areas where the industries of the two countries could work together.

In the meeting that took place at the White House in Washington DC, they also discussed the evolving geopolitical situation and other key regional security issues.

A statement released Saturday by the Ministry of Defence stated that Singh also interacted with the senior leaders of the US defence industry at a round-table organised by US India Strategic Partnership Forum in Washington DC. The round-table was attended by several US defence and technology companies.

According to the statement, Singh highlighted that India welcomes US investment and technology collaboration, and is ready with a skilled human resource base, robust pro-FDI and pro-business ecosystem, and large domestic market.

“India looks forward to closely working with the US across the domains of defence for capability building and for an abiding technology and industrial partnership which can address emerging challenges,” he said.

He also met a delegation from the US-India Business Council.

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Assam rape accused dies in custody, cops say jumped into pond

The police claimed that he had been taken to the crime scene late in the night when he attempted to escape and jump into a lake in the area.

Written by Sukrita Baruah

Guwahati | Updated: August 25, 2024 01:42 IST

Locals protest against the alleged gangrape of a 14-year-old, in Nagaon district on Friday. (Photo: PTI)

The man arrested in connection with the gang rape of a teenage girl in Assam’s Nagaon district died on Saturday, with police claiming he had jumped into a pond in an escape bid when he was taken to the crime scene late at night.

Tafazul Islam (24), who was arrested on Friday, was one of three accused in the rape of a 14-year-old, who was returning home from tuition classes on Thursday evening. Two others are absconding.

Police claim that following his interrogation, Islam was taken to the crime scene around 3 am on Saturday, when he jumped into a pond while still handcuffed.

“We cordoned the area and called the State Disaster Relief Force, which recovered the body. A constable who was holding his handcuffs suffered an injury to his hand,” Superintendent of Police, Nagaon, Swapnaneel Deka said.

When The Indian Express asked why the accused was taken to the crime scene at that hour, Deka said this was because the town had been “paralysed” by protests through all of Friday.

Following the rape, the town has seen hundreds of locals come out on the streets demanding punishment against the perpetrators.

“The whole town had been paralysed by protests all day long. The police station itself had been blocked by protesters till 11:30 pm. We anticipated that there would be protests on Saturday too, so the night was the appropriate time to take the accused to identify and raid the houses of the co-accused. We also wanted to observe his familiarity with the crime scene,” said Deka.

The teen is still in hospital, where she was taken after being found in a semi-conscious state by local boys on Thursday evening.

The area where she was found is by the main road leading to her village, surrounded by paddy fields. There are no lights there.

The girl lives with grandparents and her aunt since her father works in the state capital, and her mother passed away when she was a toddler. Her grandmother said she had been concerned on Friday when the girl did not return from tuition classes in another village, around 6 kilometres away, which is also where she goes to school.

“She goes there in the afternoon for tuition thrice a week and is usually dropped off and picked up in a car by her uncle. But that day, she had gone on cycle. When she wasn’t home by 6 pm, I called her friend, who also goes to the same class, and was told that she had left some time back,” she said, adding that they had not given the teen a mobile phone.

One of her cousins said she goes to study in another village because it is an English-medium school. “She is the only girl from our village who goes there. The others study in the state board school here. We got her admitted there so she can get a good education and do well in life. We will think about whether she will continue there later. For now, we only want her to come back and to support her mentally through this experience,” she said.

Her father rushed back from Guwahati on Thursday night. “When I met her, she couldn’t even talk… Everyone in our village is in fear. We want the other two accused to be caught and punished. Otherwise people will continue to live in fear that something like this can happen to their girls too,” he said.

The accused’s home is in the village near the teenager’s, and on Saturday, police were deployed at various points there. According to an officer at the local police station, the station’s force of around 30 personnel has been supplemented with 50 police commandos, another 35 police personnel, and 20 CRPF personnel, with the district on alert in anticipation of a flare-up of tensions.

Speaking to the media on Friday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said, “I always say that in places like Lower Assam, Central Assam and Barak, our indigenous people live in fear… All the places where indigenous people are in the minority, in those areas, our people are always living with troubles.”

The girl’s cousin said “it is inevitable that some doubts have started coming to people’s minds about the other community after this incident”, but added that “people of all communities in all 24 villages here are supporting us”.

To allay tensions, residents of Islam’s village have declared that they will “socially boycott” his family.

“We had a meeting on Saturday and collectively decided that we will not allow his body to be buried in our village’s graveyard. We have also decided to isolate and boycott their homes. We have always lived together with the people of different communities and have taken this firm decision so that we can continue living this way,” said Saqlin Mustaq Ahmed, a resident of the accused’s village.

At Islam’s home, his father asked why his son would jump into a pond with handcuffs on. “If he did something, the matter has to go to the courts, not like this,” he said.

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Sit with Putin to find way out of crisis, India ready to help: Modi to Zelenskyy

Modi, who reached the war-torn Ukrainian capital on an overnight train from Warsaw in Poland, said he told Putin last month that “solutions can’t be found on the battlefield”.

Written by Shubhajit Roy

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 07:31 IST

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomes India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Reuters)

Marking a historic milestone in India’s diplomacy in Europe which has been roiled by the Russia-Ukraine war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv Friday and asked him to sit with Russian President Vladimir Putin to find a way out of the crisis.

Modi, who reached the war-torn Ukrainian capital on an overnight train from Warsaw in Poland, said he told Putin last month that “solutions can’t be found on the battlefield”.

He told Zelenskyy at the Mariinsky Palace that “the road to resolution can only be found through dialogue and diplomacy” and “we should move in that direction without wasting any time”.

“Both sides should sit together to find a way out of this crisis,” Modi said, assuring the President that India, and he personally, are willing to contribute in all possible ways to facilitate early return of peace.

“We have stayed away from the war, but we are not neutral, we are in favour of peace. We come from the land of Buddha and (Mahatma) Gandhi with a message of peace. I had told President Putin on his face that this is not the era of war. I told him last month that solutions can’t be found on the battlefield.”

“I want to assure you that India is ready to play an active role in any effort towards peace. If I can play any role in this personally, I will do that. I want to assure you as a friend,” he said, adding that he hoped to see the “rising sun of peace”.

In a post later, Zelenskyy said, “Today, history was made. The Prime Minister of India @narendramodi made his first visit to Ukraine since our country’s independence, on the eve of our Independence Day.”

“India supports Ukraine’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity. And this is critical because everyone in the world must equally respect the UN Charter,” he said.

A joint statement, in a section titled ‘Ensuring a Comprehensive, Just, and Lasting Peace’, said Modi and Zelenskyy “reiterated their readiness for further cooperation in upholding principles of international law, including the UN Charter, such as respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. They agreed on the desirability of closer bilateral dialogue in this regard.”

It said “Prime Minister Modi reiterated the need for sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders to develop innovative solutions that will have broad acceptability and contribute towards early restoration of peace. He reiterated India’s willingness to contribute in all possible ways to facilitate an early return of peace”.

Accompanied by Zelenskyy, Modi visited the multimedia Martyrologist Exposition on children at the National Museum of History of Ukraine in Kyiv.

Modi said it was “heartbreaking” to see that “innocent children are the first casualty in a war”. He said “such incidents cannot be acceptable to any person who believes in human values and in any civilised society”.

A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said that the Prime Minister was “deeply touched by the poignant exposition set up in memory of children who have lost their lives in the conflict. He expressed his sorrow at the tragic loss of young lives and as a mark of respect placed a toy in their memory”.

Zelenskyy said, Modi and he “honoured the memory of the children whose lives were taken by Russian aggression. Children in every country deserve to live in safety. We must make this possible.”

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who briefed on the discussions between the two leaders, said that much of the conversation was about the conflict.

Calling it a “perfectly convivial conversation” and “constructive”, Jaishankar said, “I think there was a lot that we said which he (Zelenskyy) heard with a great deal of attention. He knows that we mean well by Ukraine. He knows that we are very keen that this conflict should come to an end. And essentially, what the message from our side to him is that if there is anything that we can do in any way, in sort of upfront or behind or supporting somebody… It’s the objective that we are interested in, rather than the process. We are willing to do whatever we can, because we do think that the continuation of this conflict is terrible for Ukraine itself and for the world as well.”

Calling it a “fairly long and very detailed” discussion, Jaishankar said Modi sought Zelenskyy’s assessment of both the ground situation and the diplomatic scenario. In this context, without mentioning inroads by the Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region of Russia, he said that the “recent developments” were discussed.

He said the discussions revolved around “the military situation”, “concerns like food and energy” and and most of all, on “conceivable pathways to peace and conflict resolution”.

Jaishankar said the Ukrainian side also clearly wants “continued involvement of India with the global peace summit… There was also a discussion about what could be effective ways of taking these discussions forward, not necessarily within the format of the summit. There are obviously multiple possibilities here, and multiple views about those possibilities.”

“I want to emphasise that the Prime Minister and the President reiterated the readiness to further cooperation in upholding principles of international law, such as respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states,” he said.

On India’s energy trade with Russia, he said it came up during the discussions and it was explained to the Ukrainian side about the “tight energy market”.

“India is a big oil consumer. It’s a big oil importer because we don’t produce oil. So, it’s not like there is a political strategy to buy oil. There is an oil strategy to buy oil. There’s a market strategy to buy oil… The fact that the market is tight, that today big suppliers like Iran and Venezuela, who used to supply India, are constrained from operating freely in the markets… This factor needs to be taken into account,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pay their respects to the children killed amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, at Martyrologist Exposition in Kyiv. (Reuters)

Responding to a question on Modi’s embrace of Putin last month in Moscow, Jaishankar said, “In our part of the world, when people meet people, they are given to embracing each other. It may not be part of your culture, but I assure you, it’s part of ours. So in fact, today, I think I saw the Prime Minister also embrace President Zelenskyy, and I have seen him do it with a number of other leaders in a number of other places. So I think perhaps we have a slight cultural gap here in terms of what these courtesies mean.”

According to the joint statement, “The Indian side reiterated its principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, as a part of which, India has attended the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, in June 2024. The Ukrainian side welcomed such participation by India and highlighted the importance of high-level Indian participation in the next Peace Summit.”

“The Ukrainian side conveyed that the Joint Communiqué on a Peace Framework, adopted at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, could serve as a basis for further efforts to promote just peace based on dialogue, diplomacy, and international law.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during presentation of BHISHM cube to Ukraine, in Kyiv. (PTI Photo)

It said that the leaders appreciated various efforts to ensure global food security, including the Ukrainian humanitarian grain initiative. The importance of uninterrupted and unhindered supply of agricultural products to global markets, especially in Asia and Africa, was emphasised.

After the bilateral talks, Modi presented four BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes to the Government of Ukraine. Zelenskyy thanked the Prime Minister for the humanitarian assistance.

“The Cubes will help in expeditious treatment of the injured and contribute to saving precious lives. Each BHISHM Cube consists of medicines and equipment for the first line of care for all kinds of injuries and medical situations. It also includes surgical equipment for a basic Operation Room that can manage 10-15 basic surgeries per day.

The Cube has the capacity to handle about 200 cases of diverse nature in emergency situations such as trauma, bleeding, burns, fractures, etc. It can also generate its own power and oxygen in limited amounts. A team of experts from India has been deployed to provide initial training to the Ukrainian side to operate the Cube,” the statement said.

Zelenskyy, in a post, said, “Today, we reached an agreement on four documents between Ukraine and India, covering the medical field, agricultural cooperation, humanitarian relations, and culture. Following the visit, we also agreed on a joint statement focusing on the development of a strategic partnership, bilateral trade, and continued military-technical cooperation.”

The two leaders witnessed the signing of four agreements. These include agreement on Cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Food Industry; MoU on Cooperation in the field of Medical Products Regulation; MoU on Indian Humanitarian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects; and Programme for Cultural Cooperation for 2024-2028.

Modi also invited Zelenskyy to visit India as per his convenience.

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India, US sign key defence supply pact as Rajnath Singh begins 4-day visit

India is the eighteenth SOSA partner of the US; the SOSA will mandate the 2 countries to provide reciprocal priority support for goods and services that promote national defence.

Written by Amrita Nayak Dutta

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 07:30 IST

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington on Friday. (PTI)

As Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reached Washington DC on a four-day official visit, India and US on Thursday signed two key pacts — a non-binding Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement regarding Assignment of Liaison Officers.

The SOSA will mandate the US and India to provide reciprocal priority support for goods and services that promote national defence.

“The arrangement will enable both countries to acquire the industrial resources they need from one another to resolve unanticipated supply chain disruptions to meet national security needs,” said a statement issued by the US Department of Defence.

The two pacts were signed ahead of Singh’s meeting with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in the Pentagon on Friday. At the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction over the conclusion of the SOSA between India and the US, a Defence Ministry statement said Friday night. “The SOSA signed yesterday in Washington DC encourages the defence industrial ecosystems of both countries to work together, and enhances the supply chain resilience,” it said.

India is the 18th SOSA partner of the US after Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.

According to the US Department of Defence statement, the SOSA was signed between Dr Vic Ramdass, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Industrial Base Policy, on behalf of the US, and Samir Kumar Sinha, Additional Secretary and Director General (Acquisitions), from India.

It quoted Dr Ramdass as stating that the SOSA represents a pivotal moment in the US-India major defence partner relationship and will be a key factor in strengthening the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) between the two countries.

“I look forward to OUSD (A&S) hosting the next DTTI meeting this fall to deepen cooperation between our respective defense industrial bases and pursue bilateral co-development, co-production, and co-sustainment initiatives,” he said.

Under the Arrangement, the US and India have committed to support one another’s priority delivery requests for procurement of critical national defence resources, the statement said.

It said the US will provide India assurances under the US Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS), with programme determinations by DoD and rating authorisation by the Department of Commerce (DoC).

India will in turn establish a government-industry Code of Conduct with its industrial base, where Indian firms will voluntarily agree to make every reasonable effort to provide the US priority support.

The statement said that with an expanding global supply chain for DoD, SOSAs are an important mechanism to strengthen interoperability with US defence trade partners. “The Arrangements institute working groups, establish communication mechanisms, streamline DoD processes, and proactively act to allay anticipated supply chain issues in peacetime, emergency, and armed conflict,” it said, adding that they are also a useful tool in developing investment strategies to ensure redundancy and security.

The US industrial base policy states that the SOSA is conducted under overarching Declarations of Principles for Enhanced Cooperation in matters of defence equipment and industry that have been signed with select nations. It says that SOSA implements the “Meeting National Defence Requirements” section of these documents, which recognises the potential for a certain degree of mutual interdependence of supplies needed for national security, and calls for the parties to explore solutions for achieving assurance of supply.

Dr Swasti Rao, Associate Fellow, Europe and Eurasia Centre, MP-IDSA told The Indian Express that India and the US defence cooperation has been achieving new heights since 2016 with the signing of the foundational agreements and SOSA is the latest in that order.

“SOSA is not a game-changer by itself but is an important element of the defence ecosystem that India has developed with the US,” she said.

“SOSA will make it easier for Indian companies to get priority supplies from the US and revitalise the defence industry cooperation between the two countries, especially at a time the US has emerged to be one of the biggest procurers of India’s growing defence exports,” she said.

However, she clarified that SOSA, despite being an important agreement, is not legally binding and is not sanction proofed. “Once the Reciprocal Defence Procurement Agreement (RDP) which is the second level is signed, it will be legally binding and, in my opinion, that would also be signed soon,” she said.

Defence Minister Singh during his meeting with Austin also highlighted the various co-development and co-production opportunities in India in areas identified in the India-US Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap, adopted last year, the defence ministry said in its statement. Both leaders held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral defence cooperation, industrial collaboration, regional security and other international issues, it said.

They also appreciated the progress made in operationalising the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness, a Quad initiative, and praised the ongoing efforts by India to enhance the Maritime Domain Awareness for the partners in the Indian Ocean Region.

The statement said Singh and Austin also welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between India and US regarding the deployment of Liaison Officers.

The Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Assignment of Liaison Officers progresses on an earlier decision between the two sides to increase sharing of information between India and the US and will entail posting of Indian armed forces officers in key strategic US Commands. India would deploy the first Liaison Officer to the Headquarters Special Operations Command in Florida, US.

In a post on X, Singh termed the signing of the two agreements as “pathbreaking developments”, and added that he and Austin reviewed the existing defence cooperation activities and discussed ways to deepen it further at their meeting.

Earlier in the day, Singh participated in a wreath laying ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery. He also interacted with the Indian diaspora in Washington where he said India and US together are a formidable force which can ensure peace, prosperity and stability in the world.

During his stay, Singh is slated to meet US Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Jake Sullivan. In addition, he will chair a round-table meeting with the US defence industry on the ongoing and future defence collaborations.

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India

- Malayalam director Ranjith quits as head of Kerala Chalachitra Academy, days after being accused of ‘misbehaviour’ by actor

- Day after being accused of rape, senior Malayalam actor Siddique quits AMMA post

- How a stray remark and an estranged daughter’s curiosity blew the lid off a murder disguised as a hit-and-run

- In Goa for competition, 3 shooters forced to use airgun to get out of fight over parking

- Uttarakhand tourism minister under fire after son is shortlisted for lake cruise project, says will ask him to withdraw

- Waqf Bill: AIMPLB delegation shares objections with House panel chief

- Highway passing via Gir gets speed monitoring system to save lions

- Kerala actor accuses artiste of rape, day after Bengali actor alleged ‘misbehaviour’ by Ranjith

- Army Chief in Manipur: ‘Great synergy between security agencies’

- 3 months after TMC’s allegation, NIA sends new SP to West Bengal

- Encrypted messages, better weapons, narcotics: Common factors in recent J&K attacks

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- New RSS office awaits Delhi Urban Arts panel nod over ‘incomplete documentation’

- ‘Visit to Karachi represents pinnacle of tailing’: First Indian woman diplomat in Islamabad recalls stint in her new book

- Nepal bus accident: Air Force plane brings back 25 bodies

- Ahead of PM’s visit, 4 Union ministers to attend key dialogue in Singapore

- Hyderabad police asks CBI to help issue red corner notice against accused in phone tapping case

- Caste census aims to give 90% people rightful due: Rahul Gandhi

- Ruthless strategy to deal final blow, will end Naxalism by March 2026: Amit Shah

- Assam has zero-tolerance policy in dealing with crimes against women: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

- ‘When I met her, she couldn’t even talk’: Father of Assam teen whose rape rocked the state

- Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi leaves Manipur, cancels visit to Kangpokpi owing to bad weather

- Selja rules out alliance with AAP, says Cong will fight on its own in Haryana

- Will extend complete support to Congress-NC alliance if it accepts PDP agenda: Mehbooba Mufti

Malayalam director Ranjith quits as head of Kerala Chalachitra Academy, days after being accused of ‘misbehaviour’ by actor

Speaking to the media on Friday, Sreelekha said that the incident had taken place when Ranjith’s film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha was under production.

Written by Shaju Philip

Thiruvananthapuram | Updated: August 25, 2024 10:08 IST

Ranjith, a well-known script writer and filmmaker over the last four decades, was made the academy chairman by the CPIM government in 2021. (File)

Ace Malayalam director Ranjith quit as the chairman of the state-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy on Sunday, days after Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra accused him of misbehaving with her in 2009.

This comes on a day when senior Malayalam actor Siddique resigned as the general secretary of Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes after a fellow actor had alleged that she was raped by him at a young age.

Speaking to the media on Friday, Sreelekha said that the incident had taken place when Ranjith’s film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha was under production.

The allegations come up against the backdrop of the release of the Hema Committee report, which exposed rampant sexual abuse in the film industry. The report has stated that a culture of sexual harassment pervades the Malayalam film industry. The Committee reported the existence of casting couch (wherein powerful men demand sexual favours from women in return for opportunities in films), frequent suggestive and vulgar comments made by men at the workplace, and drunk male co-actors forcing themselves into rooms of women, among other things.

Ranjith, a well-known script writer and filmmaker over the last four decades, was made the academy chairman by the CPIM government in 2021.

Following the allegations, state Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian had said: “No action can be taken against him based on an allegation. We are for the cause of women. There should be a written complaint for any action. It is up to the party [CPI(M)] to take a decision on whether Ranjith should be removed as the chairman of the academy. Ranjith has responded to the allegation,’’ the minister had said.

However, despite the statement, the Congress had been protesting and calling for Ranjith’s resignation.

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Day after being accused of rape, senior Malayalam actor Siddique quits AMMA post

Confirming the news, AMMA vice president Jayan Cherthala told the media Siddique cannot hold the post when such allegations have come up against him.

Written by Shaju Philip

Thiruvananthapuram | Updated: August 25, 2024 09:28 IST

Senior Malayalam actor Siddique has resigned as the general secretary of Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA). (Photo: Instagram/actor.sidhique)

Senior Malayalam actor Siddique resigned as the general secretary of Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) on Sunday, a day after a fellow prominent actor had alleged that she was raped by him at a young age.

Confirming the news, AMMA vice president Jayan Cherthala told the media Siddique cannot hold the post when such allegations have come up against him.

On Saturday, raising the allegations, the young actor had said: “I had dreamed big when I came into the film sector. He invited me to a hotel room on the pretext of discussing a film project. I had only a professional approach. But I was trapped and he sexually abused me. It was rape… He slapped and kicked me. I had to run away from there. He is a number one criminal. Some of my friends too had similar experiences with him. I was kept away from the industry on account of this incident. He has a different face today. These people lie towards themselves. If he stands before a mirror, he can see a criminal.”

She said her friends had faced bad experiences from several high profile people in the industry. “We look forward to the Hema Committee report. What is important is the next step. We hope the government will give priority to this,’’ she said.

The allegations come up against the backdrop of the release of the Hema Committee report, which exposed rampant sexual abuse in the film industry. The report has stated that a culture of sexual harassment pervades the Malayalam film industry. The Committee reported the existence of casting couch (wherein powerful men demand sexual favours from women in return for opportunities in films), frequent suggestive and vulgar comments made by men at the workplace, and drunk male co-actors forcing themselves into rooms of women, among other things.

On Friday, Bengali actor Sreelekha put ace Malayalam film director and chairman of government-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy Ranjith on the dock accusing him of misbehaving with her in 2009.

Talking to the media, Sreelekha narrated an incident in connection with Ranjith’s film ‘Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha’ in 2009.

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How a stray remark and an estranged daughter’s curiosity blew the lid off a murder disguised as a hit-and-run

Hit by a car in Kerala in May, an 82-year-old cyclist died a day after the incident. The driver surrendered and was later released on bail. However, the case was not as straightforward as it initially seemed...

Written by Shaju Philip

Thiruvananthapuram | August 25, 2024 07:30 IST

Pappachan was riding his bicycle on a deserted stretch in Kollam on May 23, when he was hit by a car. He died in the hospital the next day

It should have been an open-and-shut case: an 82-year-old cyclist is hit by a car in Kerala in May, the driver goes into hiding, the cyclist dies a day after the accident, the driver surrenders before the police a few days later and is then released on bail.

And that’s what it was — an open-and-shut case — till a stray remark by one of C Pappachan’s acquaintances on discrepancies in his local deposit account left the victim’s estranged daughter curious since her father was extremely well off but did not spend money on anything, not even on a vehicle to commute across Kollam city.

Her curiosity not only blew the lid off the plot to disguise Pappachan’s murder as a hit-and-run case, but also led to the arrest of a banking professional three months later in August. Saritha, 45, allegedly hired a gang to kill Pappachan, a retired assistant general manager with BSNL, to hide all traces of her embezzlement from his Rs 76-lakh deposit at her financial institution.

Estranged from his family, Pappachan lived all alone in Kollam. His wife, a retired school teacher, lived almost 100 km away in Kottayam, while his son is in the Middle East and daughter in Uttar Pradesh.

Pappachan was riding his bicycle on a deserted stretch in Kollam on May 23, when he was hit by a car. He died in the hospital the next day. A hit-and-run case was registered and the police managed to track down the car by examining footage from several CCTV cameras along the route. Days later, car driver Animon, 44, surrendered before the police but was released on bail.

After the mourning period ended, Pappachan’s daughter visited the branch of Muthoottu Mini Nidhi Limited in Kollam where her father had an account to enquire about the alleged discrepancies in his finances. However, she did not receive a satisfactory response from branch manager Saritha.

“A branch employee hinted at misappropriation of Pappachan’s funds. Realising that a huge chunk of her father’s deposit was missing, the daughter filed a complaint over her concerns on his May 23 accident. We decided to reopen the case,” Kollam Assistant Police Commissioner (ACP) S Shereef, who led the probe in the case, told The Indian Express.

The police started by looking into the call detail records (CDR) of accused driver Animon, who was a history-sheeter. “Animon was in constant touch with one number since the second week of May. That number belonged to Saritha, the manager of the branch where Pappachan had a deposit. That got us wondering what business could a banking official possibly have with a history-sheeter,” says the officer.

Even as the police were investigating the link between Saritha and Animon, Pappachan’s family filed a complaint with the financial firm over “unexplained” transactions in his deposit account. A probe by the company revealed that Saritha had misappropriated Rs 25 lakh from Pappachan’s deposit account. Though she returned the amount immediately, she and branch executive K P Anoop, 37, were fired by the company on June 25.

Meanwhile the police discovered the link between Saritha and Animon. Saritha worked with another financial firm in Kollam five years ago and that firm had engaged Animon to help repossess vehicles from owners who had defaulted on loans. Saritha, who knew Animon since then, got in touch with him in May 2024.

According to the police, Pappachan was wealthy but “chose to live like a miser”. “Besides the deposit of Rs 76 lakh, he had also invested in the share market. Spending money did not bring him the happiness that building up his savings did. He lived like a miser. Instead of a vehicle, he chose to move around the city on a bicycle. At the time of his death, Pappachan was using a rope as a belt,’’ says a police officer.

Despite his sizable deposit at Sarita’s branch, which grew to Rs 76 lakh by early 2024, Pappachan suddenly realised that he was not earning any interest. Following his enquiry, a branch employee informed Pappachan that Saritha had taken four loans against his account. Despite her denials, Pappachan kept calling Saritha on the office landline and demanding answers regarding the discrepancy of nearly Rs 48 lakh in his deposit account.

Realising that Pappachan was in no mood to relent, Saritha decided to get rid of him. “She and the others at the firm were aware that Pappachan was estranged from his family. She assumed that his family was in the dark regarding his wealth and simply wanted to pocket his desposit. She never expected his daughter to turn up with questions on discrepancies in his deposit account,’’ says ACP Shereef.

According to the police, Saritha contacted Animon, a contract killer, in May, claiming that “Pappachan’s son” wanted to kill his father over a property dispute. The next day, Saritha introduced her branch executive Anoop as “Pappachan’s son” to Animon. A deal was struck for Rs 2 lakh and Animon was given an advance payment of Rs 20,000.

The meeting was followed by a few failed attempts by Animon’s gang to hit Pappachan’s cycle with an autorickshaw. Back at the branch, Saritha was under immense pressure from Pappachan, who was growing increasingly agitated over his missing funds. Police say she got so furious with Animon over his failed murder attempts that she reportedly told him “she had smart people at her disposal if he was incapable of executing the murder”.

To carry out the hit successfully, Animon borrowed a car from an acquaintance. At noon on May 23, branch executive Anoop called Pappachan on the phone and asked him to meet Saritha at a new location so they could discuss his financial issues over a cup of tea. As soon as Pappachan left on his bicycle, Anoop started tailing him on his motorcycle. Anoop also shared Pappachan’s location with Animon, who was waiting in the car. As soon as Pappachan reached a lonely stretch, Animon hit his bicycle from behind and ran him over before fleeing the spot.

One of Animon’s gang members was deputed as a lookout at the accident site. According to the plan, he rushed towards Pappachan as soon as he saw other locals run towards him. The gang member allegedly delayed first aid to Pappachan by insisting that only an ambulance should shift him to a hospital. He died in the hospital the next day, on May 24.

For Saritha, Pappachan’s death was just the beginning of more troubles. Laying low in Kochi, around 130 km from Kollam, after the murder, Animon and his gang started blackmailing Saritha. Instead of Rs 2 lakh for killing the octogenarian, the gang managed to extract nearly Rs 18 lakh from Saritha. Threatening to reveal the accident plot to the police, the man who had lent his car to Animon forced Saritha to pay him Rs 3 lakh in exchange for his silence.

After the investigation confirmed that Pappachan was killed under the guise of a hit-and-run, the police on August 8 arrested Saritha, her former colleague Anoop, Animon and two of his associates. All five accused belong to Kollam.

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In Goa for competition, 3 shooters forced to use airgun to get out of fight over parking

In the police complaint, Shokeen said the accused hurled abuses at them and insulted him by calling him handicapped and also wrongfully restrained them. One of the victims suffers from a physical disability, said police.

Written by Pavneet Singh Chadha

Panaji | August 25, 2024 07:20 IST

“In the situation, the victims panicked and fired in the air from their sports pistol because they felt threatened. No weapon was used and hence no one was injured. On the basis of the complaint, we have registered a case and arrested one accused,” SP Kaushal said.

The Goa Police Saturday arrested a man for allegedly threatening three Delhi-based shooters after an alleged altercation over parking in North Goa’s Mapusa. Police said the shooters, who were in Goa to participate in a shooting championship, “used their sports gun to make a fire sound” in panic after allegedly being chased by the accused.

According to the police, the incident took place on Friday night around 11.45 pm when Vishal Shokeen (22), who runs a shooting academy in Delhi, and his two students – a minor and a first-year student of Delhi University – were returning to their hotel after visiting Baga beach following the shooting event.

Police said the trio were in a rented car and stopped near Karaswada for dinner, where they had a verbal altercation with two men. Police said the two accused – Shailesh Gadar and Saurabh – allegedly damaged their car with a brick and threatened them. After the initial argument, the accused allegedly chased the victims for a few kilometres, police said.

In the police complaint, Shokeen said the accused hurled abuses at them and insulted him by calling him handicapped and also wrongfully restrained them. One of the victims suffers from a physical disability, said police.

SP North Goa Akshat Kaushal said the three shooters, who claim to be preparing for Nationals, had come to Goa to participate in a shooting competition.

“In the situation, the victims panicked and fired in the air from their sports pistol because they felt threatened. No weapon was used and hence no one was injured. On the basis of the complaint, we have registered a case and arrested one accused,” SP Kaushal said.

Police said the arrested accused Shailesh is a history sheeter and has seven prior cases, including two cases of attempt to murder, registered against him.

Shokeen told the media: “After dinner, as we were leaving, the accused parked their scooter behind the car and blocked the way. I rolled down the windows and requested them to give us the way, but the accused seemed drunk and suddenly hit the car bonnet and threatened to hit us with a brick. When I got out of the car, one of the accused slapped me.”

Shokeen said the accused hurled abuses and made disparaging remarks about their disability. “The accused followed us for 4-5 km and we were scared. When the accused cornered our car, we had to fire a blank from the air gun to create a loud noise for safety reasons. Later we reached the hotel and informed the police,” he added.

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Uttarakhand tourism minister under fire after son is shortlisted for lake cruise project, says will ask him to withdraw

The Opposition Congress accused Maharaj and the ruling BJP of “breaking the rules”.

Written by Avaneesh Mishra

Dehradun | Updated: August 25, 2024 07:57 IST

Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj

Amid growing Opposition calls for his resignation, Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said Saturday that he would ask his son to withdraw his application to operate a cruise on Tehri Lake. The statement came after his son Suyesh Rawat was shortlisted for operating the cruise, sparking a row over the government’s tender process for the initiative.

The row pertains to the Tehri Special Area Tourism Development Authority (TADA)’s tourism initiative to operate cruises and houseboats in Tehri Lake. Of 25 applicants, six — including Rawat — were shortlisted. Also on the shortlist was Raghunath Singh Sajwan, husband of Tehri Zila Panchayat chairperson Sona Sajwan.

TADA falls under the state tourism department. The shortlisted candidates are scheduled to make a presentation at the District Magistrate’s office on August 28.

The Opposition Congress accused Maharaj and the ruling BJP of “breaking the rules”.

“In case of a block pramukh, it’s mandated that no family members work at the block level. Similar rules exist for Nagar Palika or Nagar Nigam chairpersons. Why doesn’t this apply to ministers?” Bhuwan Chandra Kapri, an MLA from Khatima and deputy leader of the Congress Legislative Party, said.

Congress state president Karan Mahara described the situation as “Andher Nagri, Chaupat Raja (lawless land)”, and criticised the BJP for “abandoning all values and morality”.

“Satpal Maharaj is also a religious leader and has held several important state and central positions. It’s not possible that he doesn’t know. Both he and the zila panchayat chairman should resign from their positions, and a thorough investigation should be conducted,” he said.

Maharaj said the process was “completely transparent”, although he said he would ask his son to withdraw to “avoid any further controversy”. But he also said that the row was “unwarranted”, adding that the process for the cruise was at the application stage and approvals were still pending.

“We believe PM Narendra Modi to be our ideal and draw inspiration from him… Keeping in mind transparency in politics, and because I’m the minister in that department, I’ll request my son. Even though everything has been according to the law and there was transparency, I’ll still request my son to withdraw his application so no one can point a finger at me,” he said.

The BJP too came to the minister’s defence. “There are many entrepreneurs in Uttarakhand who adhere to the guidelines and therefore have the right to apply. If one of those entrepreneurs happens to be someone’s son, this should not be automatically viewed with suspicion,” BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt said.

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Waqf Bill: AIMPLB delegation shares objections with House panel chief

The next meeting of the committee is scheduled on August 30. The agenda of the meeting is to hear views and suggestions of various stakeholders including All India Sunni Jamiyatul Ulama and Mumbai and Indian Muslims for Civil Rights (IMCR), New Delhi.

By: Express News Service

New Delhi | August 25, 2024 04:11 IST

The Board had sought an appointment to meet Jagdambika Pal, who had invited the delegation Friday. (File Photo)

A delegation of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) met the Chairperson of a joint Parliamentary committee (JPC) on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, Jagdambika Pal Friday evening and apprised him of their objections.

In a statement Saturday, the Board said, “The Chairman of the Committee listened to everything seriously and said that we will give full opportunity to the Board and other Milli organisations to present their position in detail in the JPC.”

The next meeting of the committee is scheduled on August 30. The agenda of the meeting is to hear views and suggestions of various stakeholders including All India Sunni Jamiyatul Ulama and Mumbai and Indian Muslims for Civil Rights (IMCR), New Delhi.

The committee, in another meeting the same day. will also take oral evidence from the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board and Rajasthan Board of Muslim Waqf on the Bill.

On Saturday, the AIMPLB statement said that the delegation — led by its general secretary Maulana Muhammad Fazlur Rahim Mujaddidi — lodged its objections to each amendment in detail in the Bill.

The delegation said the Bill has not only “reduced the powers of the Waqf Board but has also handed over the authority of all important decisions to the Collector.” Demanding that the government immediately withdraw the Bill, the delegation said that by “removing the clause of Waqf-by-User, the path of occupying mosques, cemeteries and dargahs has been simplified.”

The Board had sought an appointment to meet Pal, who had invited the delegation Friday. The Board received the communication for meeting hours after its leaders said in a press conference that the Central government has “kept the doors closed for dialogues with Muslims for the past 10 years.”

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Highway passing via Gir gets speed monitoring system to save lions

Forest officers said that the objective is to address the menace speeding vehicles pose to the safety of wildlife and humans.

Written by Gopal B Kateshiya

Rajkot | Updated: August 25, 2024 07:34 IST

The system is controlled by a control unit integrated with the Gir Hi-Tech Monitoring Unit at Sasan – the headquarters of GNPWLS around 10 km away – through a dedicated network of cables, the forest department said in a statement on Saturday. (File Photo)

To prevent death of wild animals and ensure safety of humans taking the roads criss-crossing Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (GNPWLS), the habitat of Asiatic lions, the Gujarat forest department has installed high-tech speed monitoring system as well as thermal and optical cameras along a 1-km stretch of state highway 26.

As part of a pilot project, the department has installed 54 cameras and 20 LED display units along the 1-km stretch, extending towards the forest from Vavaniya Ness forest check-post on the western periphery of GNPWLS. The cameras include 16 thermal and optical cameras, eight pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras and four automatic-number-plate-recognition (ANPR) cameras. Called Gir Speed Monitoring System (GSMS), the system also includes four speed guns, four strobe lights.

The system is controlled by a control unit integrated with the Gir Hi-Tech Monitoring Unit at Sasan – the headquarters of GNPWLS around 10 km away – through a dedicated network of cables, the forest department said in a statement on Saturday.

A sub-adult lion was run over by a truck near Goradka village in Amreli district’s Savarkundla on Savarkundla-Mahuva highway in Gir (East) Wildlife Division in November 2021. In March 2021, a lioness was run over by a truck in the parking bay of Pipavav port near Rajula in Amreli when the port fell in the jurisdiction of Amreli Social Forestry Division. In January this year, a lioness had died after being hit by a car near Amreli’s Bagasara town in Amreli Social Forestry Division.

Forest officers said that thermal and optical cameras are capable of detecting thermal signatures of any animal, bird or vehicle. If the cameras detect presence of any wild animals or birds on or along the highway, with the help of the system, the department will be able to alert vehicle drivers about the same and instruct them to slow down.

The speed guns will display on LED units the speed of moving vehicles passing on the stretch while ANPR cameras will be able to capture details of vehicle registration plates.

Forest officers said that the objective is to address the menace speeding vehicles pose to the safety of wildlife and humans. The department has been testing the pilot project, which has cost around Rs 1 crore, for the last two months.

GNPWLS, which falls in the Junagadh Wildlife Circle, as well as other protected areas spread across Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar districts are the world’s only natural habitat of Asiatic lions. However, GNPWLS — spread over 1,153 sq km — is criss-crossed by state highways 26, 33, 98 and 104.

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Kerala actor accuses artiste of rape, day after Bengali actor alleged ‘misbehaviour’ by Ranjith

Cong seeks Ranjith’s resignation from Kerala Chalachitra Academy, minister says CPM has to take call

Written by Shaju Philip

Thiruvananthapuram | Updated: August 25, 2024 07:53 IST

The prominent actor said her friends had faced bad experiences from several high profile people in the industry. (Representational image/File)

A day after Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra accused eminent Malayalam film director and chairman of government-run Kerala Chalachitra Academy Ranjith of allegedly misbehaving with her in 2009, a prominent actor on Saturday alleged that she was raped by senior artiste at a young age.

“I had dreamed big when I came into the film sector. He invited me to a hotel room on the pretext of discussing a film project. I had only a professional approach. But I was trapped and he sexually abused me. It was rape… He slapped and kicked me. I had to run away from there. He is a number one criminal. Some of my friends too had similar experiences with him. I was kept away from the industry on account of this incident. He has a different face today. These people lie towards themselves. If he stands before a mirror, he can see a criminal,’’ the actor said.

She said her friends had faced bad experiences from several high profile people in the industry. “We look forward to the Hema Committee report. What is important is the next step. We hope the government will give priority to this,’’ she said.

Narrating the incident to the media on Friday, Sreelekha had alleged that the incident took place in 2009 when Ranjith’s film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha was under production.

Referring to a meeting with Ranjith at an apartment, Sreelekha said, “He was on a phone call. There were a lot of people. He was on the phone with the cinematographer with whom I had worked. Asking me whether I want to talk to him (the cinematographer), he (Ranjith) called me to another room… the bedroom was dark. When I talked to the cinematographer over the phone, he (Ranjith) was playing with my bangles and touching my skin. We women have the sixth sense. I felt uncomfortable, but I was trying to give him the benefit of doubt. I thought I was overthinking and thought he wanted to see my bangles. I was not feeling ok with him. After realising that I was not reacting or taking back my hand, he tried to play with my neck and hair. Then, I excused myself and got out of the room. This was not shocking. I know how the film industry works by and large. There are good and bad people.’’

Denying the allegation, Ranjith said she had come for an audition and not for acting. “Filmmaker Shankar Ramakrishnan and others were present. The alleged incident did not take place. Her performance was not satisfactory and it was communicated to her. There is an ulterior agenda behind raising this controversy at this moment. If she takes any legal step, it would be countered in the same manner,’’ he told mediapersons.

After the Congress-led Opposition sought Ranjith’s resignation from the Kerala Chalachitra Academy, Culture Affairs Minister Saji Cherian Saturday told mediapersons, “No action can be taken against him based on an allegation. We are for the cause of women. There should be a written complaint for any action. It is up to the party [CPI(M)] to take a decision on whether Ranjith should be removed as the chairman of the academy. Ranjith has responded to the allegation,’’ the minister said.

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Army Chief in Manipur: ‘Great synergy between security agencies’

In addition, he also met Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Friday to discuss the internal security situation and role of Indian Army and Assam Rifles in ensuring early return of peace and Stability in the state.

By: Express News Service

Imphal | August 25, 2024 03:45 IST

General Dwivedi said his main objective of visiting the state was to review the security situation and eventually work towards a forward ensuring trust, peace and tranquillity. (Image source: X/ adgpi)

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, who visited Manipur to review the situation Saturday expressed contentment over the ‘great’ coordination between security agencies.

During his stay, General Dwivedi was briefed on operational preparedness by commanders on the ground. He also held a discussion with heads of various security agencies in the state wherein, he expressed his appreciation for the insights shared by them, an official of the Assam Rifles said.

In addition, he also met Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Friday to discuss the internal security situation and role of Indian Army and Assam Rifles in ensuring early return of peace and Stability in the state. General Dwivedi said his main objective of visiting the state was to review the security situation and eventually work towards a forward ensuring trust, peace and tranquillity.

“I had a detailed frank discussion and many kinds of lines of effort have come on how we should take this journey ahead and the main aim is to ensure that there is trust, peace and tranquillity in this state. I was lucky to meet the CM since he was in the station and it was a very great meeting, very encouraging meeting where we could discuss a lot of issues and we were looking for the way forward where we can bring peace in the state and also how to get all the communities together,” he said.

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3 months after TMC’s allegation, NIA sends new SP to West Bengal

Had alleged BJP leader visited earlier SP’s house with cash

Written by Mahender Singh Manral

New Delhi | August 25, 2024 03:32 IST

“If it is proved that we held any such meeting, then I will leave politics. Feeling the pressure, the TMC is trying to brand the NIA raid as a political conspiracy. According to the laws of our country, they (TMC) should prove the allegations against me. Apologise if you can’t prove it, or I will file a defamation case within seven days,” Tiwari said at that time.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has appointed a new Superintendent of Police in West Bengal – three months after the agency had called their SP rank officer at Delhi headquarters following the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) allegation that a BJP leader visited his house carrying cash in an envelope.

In April, the TMC alleged in a memorandum to the Election Commission (EC), that the BJP was misusing the NIA to target its political opponents. The party alleged that BJP member Jitendra Tiwari met an NIA SP rank officer at his residence on March 26. Along with its memorandum, the TMC submitted a copy of the visitor’s register at the SP’s residence with an entry allegedly showing Tiwari’s visit. The TMC claimed that Tiwari was seen entering with a packet in his hand and when he left an hour later, he was empty-handed.

A source said that a few days ago, the Director General of NIA, Sadanand Date, had decided to appoint P H Mahesh Narain, a 2012-batch Manipur cadre IPS officer as SP Kolkata.

In April, they first had called their SP rank officer at Delhi headquarters where senior officers met him and questioned him about all the allegations levelled by the TMC. After a month, he was asked to resume his duty and till that time, a DIG-rank officer, was also sent to West Bengal from Patna to supervise all the work/cases.

“He was asked to resume his duty after it was found that his conduct was not malafide, but he was handling the charge of Kolkata as ‘additional charge’ and his main charge is related with the human trafficking unit in Delhi. He came to NIA from the BSF on deputation in 2014 and is also looking after the additional charge of the human trafficking unit in Delhi,” the source said.

In April, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, accompanied by Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, told a press conference that while entering a housing complex where the SP lives, Tiwari was carrying a white envelope containing money. The TMC alleged that he met the NIA SP for 52 minutes on March 26, and two TMC workers were arrested from Bhupatinagar on April 6 in connection with a 2022 blast case. Tiwari rejected the charge and demanded an apology from the TMC.

“If it is proved that we held any such meeting, then I will leave politics. Feeling the pressure, the TMC is trying to brand the NIA raid as a political conspiracy. According to the laws of our country, they (TMC) should prove the allegations against me. Apologise if you can’t prove it, or I will file a defamation case within seven days,” Tiwari  said at that time.

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Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

Encrypted messages, better weapons, narcotics: Common factors in recent J&K attacks

The attacks — a majority of which take place in areas south of the Pir Panjal range — have increased in intensity and frequency in the recent months.

Written by Amrita Nayak Dutta

New Delhi | Updated: August 25, 2024 08:00 IST

On Monday, a CRPF inspector was killed in a gunfight after militants opened fire on a joint security team in Dudu area of Udhampur district — the second such attack in Jammu region over the past five days.

The common factors in the spate of terror attacks in J&K over the last few months are better communications equipment to send out encrypted messages, use of modern rifles, better psychological and physical training of militants, and an exponential rise in narcotics use, security officials told The Indian Express.

On Monday, a CRPF inspector was killed in a gunfight after militants opened fire on a joint security team in Dudu area of Udhampur district — the second such attack in Jammu region over the past five days. On August 14, an Army Captain was killed and a civilian injured in a gunfight in Doda district’s Akar forests adjoining the Patnitop hill station.

The attacks — a majority of which take place in areas south of the Pir Panjal range — have increased in intensity and frequency in the recent months.

As per officials, terrorists use Ultra sets — a basic radio set connected to a mobile set without a SIM card — to send out encrypted messages to their handlers across the Line of Control (LoC). A multimedia application is installed in the mobile phone and it is connected to radio set via wireless. Any message is first encrypted and then transmitted through Ultra High Frequency (UHF).

During an attack, militants on the ground do not use the equipment for communication among themselves. All messages are transmitted to the control across the LoC, and relayed back to the other persons concerned to do the needful, ensuring that contact is maintained only between the control and the militants. Radio sets are switched off immediately after the message is sent out, officials said, adding when security forces track down the location, the message sent cannot be accessed.

The terrorists are trained physically and mentally to stay away from the local populace, and in use of modern weapons, according to officials. Operating from higher reaches allows the militants to disappear into mountains and forests after carrying out an attack.

Officials pointed out that compared to the past, militants now use better weapons — for instance, they have been using the US-developed M4 rifles with night sights, among others. “This gives them advantage of range and earlier detection of troop movement during an operation, enabling them to cause first casualty of security forces before disappearing into the forests,” an official said. To generate funds for the attacks, an official said, “A number of narcotics are being sent from across the LoC using both drones and human couriers. That is because it is easier to ferry a small package of narcotics instead of a large amount of cash.”

The funds generated are given to on-ground workers (OGWs) and are disbursed for local procurement of any kind of stores, including weapons. Officials in know of the matter stated while religious motivation has always been a key factor, additional funds doled out to their families in recent time also pushes them to carry out attacks. “With increased monetary benefits and reduced or no direct contact with terrorists, some OGWs also feel safer to assist them,” another official said.

Militant killed by CRPF troops in J&K

Srinagar: A militant was killed during an exchange of fire with CRPF personnel deployed at an EC-directed check post in Baramulla district Saturday, officials said. The incident took place near a veterinary hospital in Watergam area of Sopore in the said district. Officials said a CRPF party drawn from 92nd battalion was deployed at a ‘naka’ (check post) when a militant fired shots at them using a pistol. The troops at the check post retaliated leading to the killing of the militant, they said. J&K Police posted on X, “Exchange of fire at Watergam area of Sopore. Alert security forces retaliated.” PTI

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Top Jharkhand BJP leaders booked for provocative speech

Police say party workers were prepared for stone pelting outside CM residence

Written by Abhishek Angad

Ranchi | August 25, 2024 03:06 IST

Police said that the statements by the BJP leader ‘angered’ the youth gathered and the protestors, around 10,000, moved towards the police outpost gate and broke the drop gate. The crowd was asked several times via the loudspeakers to stop, but in vain.

Stating that the workers of the BJP carried stones in their pockets for stone pelting and vandalising the barricades, the Jharkhand Police Friday registered an FIR against several workers, including BJP Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), Minister for State Defence Sanjay Seth for giving provocative speeches in a bid to gherao the Chief Minister’s residence.

Jharkhand BJP Friday had geared up for a protest rally against the JMM-led government in the state, however, police barricaded the venue for the protests – the Morabadi ground in Ranchi – and did not allow protesters to march to the CM residence citing prohibitory orders. A ruckus ensued leading to stone pelting by the protestors and in return the use of water cannons, tear gas by the police.

The FIR was registered on the statement of Executive Magistrate Sanjay Kumar in Ranchi under several sections of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita. The FIR named Seth, BJP state chief Babulal Marandi, Former Minister Arjun Munda, MLAs Neelkanth Munda among others stating that they had provoked the crowd gathered in the Morabadi ground to march to the CM’s house despite several barricades.

“Baari baari se is karyakaram mein shamil yuvaaon ko bhadkaate hue bhashan de rahe the ki yeh aakrosh rally ka karyakaram hai. Aaj kisi bhi paristhithi mein mukkhyamantri awaas ka gheraav karna hai (One by one these people were provoking the youth participating in the rally to gherao the CM’s residence at any cost),” stated the FIR.

Police said that the statements by the BJP leader ‘angered’ the youth gathered and the protestors, around 10,000, moved towards the police outpost gate and broke the drop gate. The crowd was asked several times via the loudspeakers to stop, but in vain.

Police said that during that time, speeches were being given repeatedly from the stage by Shri Amar Bauri and other senior leaders of BJP to break the barricading imposed by the police and cut the barbed wire. “From the security point of view, water cannons were used by the police force to disperse the crowd in self-defence. Even after the use of water cannons, people again pelted stones and broke two layers of barricading by cutting the barbed wire with wire cutters…the police (then) used tear gas…Then the youth workers of the BJP ran away. It was also seen that BJP workers were attacking by taking out stones from the pockets of their pants pockets,” the FIR said.

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New RSS office awaits Delhi Urban Arts panel nod over ‘incomplete documentation’

The DUAC asked the project’s architect to submit the side-by-side photos of 3D view of the project at the time it was approved and current actual built construction.

Written by Damini Nath , Deeptiman Tiwary

New Delhi | August 25, 2024 01:56 IST

The under-construction RSS office in New Delhi.

Ahead of RSS’s centenary next year, its new multi-storied offices in Jhandewalan are almost ready, but the Delhi Urban Arts Commission earlier this month decided not to give the project its completion nod due to lack of documentation.

During its meeting on August 1, DUAC observed the project was at “completion stage” while considering Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s proposal for granting a no-objection certificate for completion for Keshav Kunj project. As per minutes of meeting, the NOC was not granted as the required documentation had not been completed. According to sources, the Commission did not find any major issues with the building.

“The Commission noted that although the proposal is at the completion stage, there is a lack of adequate uncut photographs of the built structure (Tower-1 and Tower-2). Clear and uncut photographs of each tower (Tower-1 and Tower-2) from all sides, including the terrace, internal roads, landscaping, signage, main gate, boundary wall, and other elements essential for the building’s functionality, should be provided with appropriate labelling and delineation to substantiate the actual work completed on site,” the minutes of the meeting stated.

The DUAC asked the project’s architect to submit the side-by-side photos of 3D view of the project at the time it was approved and current actual built construction.

It also asked for a superimposed view of the plans over actual structures on the site “to understand extent of deviations made internally as well as external changes made with respect to the sanctioned plan, if any.”

“The proposal received at the completion stage (part-completion for tower 1 and 2) lacks adequate documentation, including all side uncut actual photographs of the built construction. The architect is advised to adhere to all above observations given by the Commission and furnish pointwise incorporation & reply,” the minutes said.

While RSS did not officially provide a comment on the issue, a senior RSS functionary said, “This is a standard procedure in building construction, where regulatory agencies raise queries, and responses are provided to ensure compliance with relevant rules and regulations.” DUAC had approved the building plan for two towers in July 2015 and then the revised plans in July 2018. The project was given environmental clearance by Union Ministry of Environment on May 30, 2018.

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Damini Nath

Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. ... Read More

‘Visit to Karachi represents pinnacle of tailing’: First Indian woman diplomat in Islamabad recalls stint in her new book

Explaining the ties between India and Pakistan, she said, “The ties operate at two different levels.

Written by Divya A

New Delhi | Updated: August 25, 2024 07:36 IST

An Indian Woman in Islamabad 1997-2000 by former diplomat Ruchi Ghanashyam is published by Penguin Random House India

Ruchi Ghanashyam – the first Indian woman diplomat to be stationed in Islamabad – was heading towards the home of former Pakistani diplomat and author Husain Haqqani, when she realised her car was being tailed.

Recalling one of several such incidents in her new book, ‘An Indian Woman in Islamabad 1997-2000’ (Penguin Random House India), Ghanashyam — who had served in Syria, Nepal, South Africa, and the UK during her distinguished career of 38 years — remembers telling Haqqani, “… I was a more expensive guest than he had bargained for, ‘I brought seven guests, apart from myself!’.”

The experience of being constantly shadowed and particularly during her drive to Haqqani’s home by “five of them in a car and two on a motorcycle”, is delineated in the chapter “The Constant Shadows”. “It was a visit to Karachi that probably represents the pinnacle of tailing,” Ghanashyam writes. “As he received me, Husain instructed his staff to offer tea to the agents who had accompanied me,” she said in her book.

She also says in the book that “the presence of agents came in handy at times”. One evening, while going to a new pizza outlet in Lahore with her family without a GPS, it was the agents following them who came up to them and asked them where they wanted to go. They followed the agents to the restaurant. “Normally, whenever we went somewhere, they (Pakistani agents) would wait outside, and when we would finish our work, they would follow again. They would have listened to your conversation, so they would have known whom you met,” Ghanashyam, 64, who retired in 2020, tells The Indian Express.

Ghanashyam, along with her husband AR Ghanashyam, was posted at the Indian High Commission during the Kargil conflict. “Pakistani briefings initially described the infiltration as a limited probe, meaning a small-scale incursion to learn about occupied/unoccupied areas. Even as intrusions in Kargil were far too extensive to be described as a limited probe,” she says in the chapter ‘LoC heats up conflict in Kargil.’

When IC 814 flight was hijacked in 1999, AR Ghanashyam, then commercial counsellor at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, was sent to Kandahar to establish direct contact with the hijackers. In the chapter “IC 814 hijacking: The perspective from Islamabad’, she writes about how the Pakistani establishment was peeved at her husband’s deputation to Kandahar, even claiming that he belonged to the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW).

Later, as a Pakistani “friend” cornered her one evening, asking her if her husband was “the station chief” in Islamabad, she reveals in the book how she shut that person up with: “When it comes to Pakistan, we have a billion agents in India. All of us are R&AW agents!” That, she says in the book, was the end of the probing.

The author was working on the Pakistan desk in South Block when the 2001 Parliament attack took place. “When it happened, we decided to cut down the strength of the Mission. The families came back. Similarly, the Pakistan High Commission strength in Delhi was also cut down,” she tells The Indian Express.

“But when our High Commissioner’s wife came back from Islamabad, she told me she had a packet for me — it was a gift from my tailor in Islamabad,” she recalls, adding how the tailor even made a trunk call from Islamabad to ask if she liked it or not.

Explaining the ties between India and Pakistan, she said, “The ties operate at two different levels. It’s as if the official relationship is one world in which you live, but at the same time the personal level, that’s another world in which you are living.”

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Divya A

Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More

Nepal bus accident: Air Force plane brings back 25 bodies

The Indians were killed in a tragic bus accident on Friday in Tanahun district of Nepal, around 115 kilometres from Kathmandu.

Written by Vallabh Ozarkar , Yubaraj Ghimire

Jalgaon, Kathmandu | Updated: August 25, 2024 03:15 IST

Bharatpur: Indian Air Force's (IAF) C-130J aircraft being used to transport the mortal remains of Indian citizens who tragically lost their lives in Nepal's bus accident. The mortal remains will be taken from Bharatpur (Nepal) to Jalgaon (Maharashtra). (PTI Photo)

The bodies of 25 pilgrims, who died in a bus accident in Nepal’s Tanahun, were brought to Jalgaon on Saturday evening by a special Indian Air Force plane. The bodies were handed over to their family members to perform their final rites.

While 25 out of 27 deceased were brought to Maharashtra, the bodies of the other two — driver and cleaner of the bus — were sent to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh via road.

Minister of state for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, was present at Bharatpur airport, some 150-km away from Kathmandu, to receive the bodies.

Bhesh Bahadur Rijal, police officer on duty, said the postmortem of all the 27 victims was conducted at Bharatpur government Hospital by noon Saturday. While 26 people had been declared ‘brought dead’ by Abukhareni Hospital, one person was sent to Chitwan Hospital, some 40-KM away, in a critical condition.

The minister visited the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital where 16 people are undergoing treatment and wished them a speedy recovery.

As many as 27 pilgrims from Maharashtra were killed and more than a dozen injured when the bus in which they were travelling skidded off the road and fell 250 metres into the swollen Marsyangdi River in Tanahun district of Nepal, around 115 km from Kathmandu, on Friday.

The bus, bearing an UP registration number, was heading towards Kathmandu from the resort town of Pokhara, carrying 43 people, including the driver. The passengers were from Bhusawal Tehsil of Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district.  They were among 80 people from four villages — Varangaon, Talvel, Aachegaon and Pimpalgaon — who had left on a pilgrimage to Ayodhya, Prayagraj and Nepal on August 16 and were scheduled to return on August 28.

As the news about the death of 25 people from their villages broke out, the shops remained shut and streets were  deserted on Saturday in Varangaon and neighbouring villages to pay homage to the members of their villages.

Among the dead were two former corporators of Varangaon — Sudhakar Gawade and his wife Rohini — and five of their relatives.

Sudhakar’s son Shubham who was in tears since he got to know about the tragic incident.

Shubham said that he had spoken to his father on Thursday when he reached Pokhara and his father had told him that he would go to Kathmandu on Friday morning for darshan of Pashupatinath. Shubham said he could not talk to mother as she was away and there was a network network.

Shubham said that all of them reached Nepal two days ago after visiting Ayodhya, Banaras and Prayagraj.  “After reaching the hotel in Pokhara he said that he would go for darshan of Pashupatinath on Friday morning. We were going to call him, but before that we got information that the bus had met with an accident,” Shubham said.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000.

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Ahead of PM’s visit, 4 Union ministers to attend key dialogue in Singapore

The ministers will attend the second round of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) along with their Singaporean counterparts on Monday, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

By: PTI

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 22:30 IST

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will travel to Singapore (File Photo)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will travel to Singapore to attend a key dialogue focusing on ramping up the overall bilateral ties in key sectors.

The ministers will attend the second round of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) along with their Singaporean counterparts on Monday, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The roundtable is expected to prepare grounds for a likely visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Singapore next month.

The ISMR is a unique mechanism established to set a new agenda for India-Singapore bilateral relations.

Its inaugural meeting was held in New Delhi in September 2022.

The upcoming meeting will enable both sides to review various aspects of their strategic partnership and identify new avenues to further elevate and broaden it, the MEA said on Saturday.

“During their visit, the ministers will interact with their counterparts and will also call on the Singaporean leadership,” it said.

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Hyderabad police asks CBI to help issue red corner notice against accused in phone tapping case

A suspended DSP of the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), two Additional Superintendents of Police and a former Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), were arrested by Hyderabad Police on March 13 for allegedly erasing the intelligence information from various electronic gadgets as well as for alleged phone tapping during the previous BRS regime.

By: PTI

Hyderabad | Updated: August 24, 2024 21:26 IST

Hyderabad Police Commissioner K Sreenivasa Reddy on Saturday said he had recently met the CBI Director and requested him to expedite the Red Corner Notice (against the two absconding accused). (File)

The Hyderabad Police has approached the CBI for issuing a Red Corner Notice against two accused including the former chief of Special Intelligence Bureau in Telangana T Prabhakar Rao, a key accused in the phone-tapping case, police said on Saturday.

A suspended DSP of the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), two Additional Superintendents of Police and a former Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), were arrested by Hyderabad Police on March 13 for allegedly erasing the intelligence information from various electronic gadgets as well as for alleged phone tapping during the previous BRS regime.

The former SIB chief and another accused in the case are absconding and are suspected to be in the US.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner K Sreenivasa Reddy on Saturday said he had recently met the CBI Director and requested him to expedite the Red Corner Notice (against the two absconding accused).

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the nodal agency for the Interpol in India and a request for the worldwide alert has to be routed through the agency.

“The case will go ahead once the main people are arrested and they are now absconding. We have written to the US Consul General also that they (the accused) are misusing the other country’s visas. We are hopeful in the coming days…,” the Hyderabad Police chief told reporters.

He said it (red corner notice) is under process and “we want to expedite it.” The case is going on and the other accused in the case, who are in jail, despite their best efforts are not getting bail because this is a serious crime which involved invasion into the private lives of the people, the senior police official said.

Reacting to a query if the police were contemplating issuing notices to political leaders as part of investigation into the case, the Commissioner said “as the case progresses…definitely.” Prabhakar Rao has been accused of forming a “Special Operations Team” under the suspended DSP within the SIB for carrying out certain specific tasks related to political surveillance to benefit the then ruling political party and its leaders.

The retired police officer, who is in the US for “medical treatment”, had recently denied the allegations made against him and termed them as “wild and false”.

The suspended DSP and his team developed profiles of hundreds of people, intercepted hundreds of phone calls of several persons, police had said.

The arrested accused along with others have been accused of developing profiles of several persons in an unauthorised manner and monitoring them clandestinely and illegally in SIB and using them in a partisan manner to favour a political party at the behest of some persons and also conspiracy in destroying the records to cause disappearance of evidence of their crimes, police earlier said.

Meanwhile, a release from Hyderabad Police said seven teams of Cyber Crimes Police Station of Hyderabad participated in a special drive in Gujarat and caught 36 accused including a chartered accountant and seven key accused persons of India and detected 20 cases of cyber crimes here.

The accused were wanted in 983 cases across India including the cases of Telangana, it said.

The arrested accused who were involved in 15 cases of online trading–cum-investment fraud and investment fraud and four ‘online parcel’ scams and one KYC fraud were arrested following complaints from people (victims) in Hyderabad that they were cheated by the accused who collected amounts from them either by luring or threatening them, police said.

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Caste census aims to give 90% people rightful due: Rahul Gandhi

"Just like our Constitution, which is a guide in a way and it is being attacked every day, a caste census, a socio-economic survey, an institutional survey will be our second guide," Rahul Gandhi said.

By: Express News Service

Lucknow | Updated: August 25, 2024 01:43 IST

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi holds a copy of the Constitution in Prayagraj on Saturday. (Express Photo)

LEADER OF the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said Saturday a caste census, which he has been advocating, was “directly linked to protecting the Constitution.” Gandhi emphasized that the caste census is his “mission” and he is prepared to even pay a “political price” for it.

Gandhi was addressing a ‘Samvidaan Samaan Sammelan’ in Prayagraj.

A statement issued said that Gandhi pointed out that a caste census aims at providing “rightful due” to nearly 90% of the country’s population. He said if this much of the population does not get its due, the Constitution could not be preserved or protected.

The Congress MP claimed that even 70 years since the adoption of the Constitution, 90% of country’s population remains “marginalised, with little to no representation in the corporate world, media and even in the judiciary.”

Gandhi emphasised that such a census would form a key policy framework for the Congress. His other aims include socio-economic and institutional survey in the country, Gandhi said.

Gandhi said that his vision was that wealth should be properly distributed among the people and not just among five or 10% people. He stresses the importance of ensuring that Dalits, Backward Classes and Adivasis have equal participation, a voice in the country’s affairs, and control over its resources.

Gandhi said, it was important for the country’s progress that everyone is taken along. Citing the example of cylinders in an engine of a vehicle, he said, “I want all the 10 engines and not just one, to work.” He also reiterated that the 50% bar on reservations was “not acceptable” to him, suggesting that representation and participation should be on basis of the proportion and percentage of the population. He alleged the BJP government was trying to “do away” with reservation by way of lateral entry.

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Ruthless strategy to deal final blow, will end Naxalism by March 2026: Amit Shah

Urging Naxals to shun violence, Shah announced that the Chhattisgarh government would announce a "new look" surrender policy in 1-2 months.

By: Express News Service

Raipur | Updated: August 25, 2024 01:37 IST

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai during a meeting in Raipur, Saturday. (PTI Photo)

Declaring that the last fight with Maoists is near and it will be “ruthless”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the country will be free of the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) by March 2026.

He was addressing a press conference after chairing a meeting in Raipur with senior officials of Chhattisgarh and adjoining states to chalk out a strategy to wipe out extremists.

Shah said his two-day visit to Chhattisgarh is aimed at reviewing the implementation of all Central and state government-funded schemes and projects in LWE- affected areas and find out ways to deal with the obstructions coming in the way.

“I believe that time has come to deal with LWE with one strong strategy… ruthless strategy to deliver the last blow… We all believe LWE is the biggest challenge to our country’s democratic process. I believe this fight is in the last stage. By March 2026, we will end the Naxal issue in our country. In 2010, Naxal incidents were being reported from 107 districts…now this figure has come down to 42,” Shah said.

Shah said nearly 17,000 people, including Maoists, security forces and civilians, have died in LWE-related incidents in the country. Shah compared the 10-year (2014-2024) rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the previous 10 years (2004-2014) when the Congress-led UPA was in power, saying there was a 53% decline in Maoist-related cases and 70% drop in deaths due to LWE violence.

“The entire financial ecosystem of LWE suffered a crushing blow at the hands of Central agencies, and the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) also played a big role in this,” Shah said.

He also highlighted how the Home ministry’s Air wing was strengthened for operations in LWE-affected areas. “This year, till August, we have shown the best performance against LWE… 189 Maoists were killed, 559 were arrested, and 540 surrendered… 46 new police camps were set up which have filled a major security vacuum,” he said.

Shah said a special drive will be carried out in LWE-affected areas to make all people literate, regardless of their age. He also said a new surrender policy will be brought in Chhattisgarh very soon and appealed to the youth to quit violence and take the path of development.

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Assam has zero-tolerance policy in dealing with crimes against women: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

He also said the state's police force is “setting an example” with its prompt action in cases of crimes against women.

By: PTI

Silchar | Updated: August 24, 2024 21:27 IST

“Immediately after the Lok Sabha polls, there were more cases. But, cases have come down now and will decrease further,” he said. (File Photo)

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday asserted that his government has a policy of zero-tolerance in dealing with crimes against women and “drastic action” is taken against the culprits in such cases.

He also said the state’s police force is “setting an example” with its prompt action in cases of crimes against women.

“When an incident (like rape) happens in Assam, police take quick action. No compromise is made. When it comes to matters of crimes against women, we have a zero-tolerance policy,” Sarma told reporters.

Referring to the gangrape of a 14-year-old girl in Dhing, the main accused who died while purportedly trying to escape from police custody, Sarma said, “The incident happened two days back. The police arrested the accused, he tried to escape by jumping into the water and died in the process.”

In another case in which a person accused of molesting a girl was injured in police firing while reportedly trying to flee in Tezpur, the CM said, “He tried to escape and was shot.” Sarma also claimed that cases of rape and attempt to rape have increased after the Lok Sabha elections.

“Immediately after the Lok Sabha polls, there were more cases. But, cases have come down now and will decrease further,” he said.

“We have taken action and will continue to take action. In militant or terror attacks, there can be prior knowledge. But there is no intelligence available in cases like rape. When such incidents happen, we have to take drastic action so that others fear that they, too, will have to face the law if they try anything like that,” Sarma said.

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‘When I met her, she couldn’t even talk’: Father of Assam teen whose rape rocked the state

Hours after arrest, accused dies in police custody, cops say he jumped into a pond while handcuffed.

Written by Sukrita Baruah

Nagaon | Updated: August 24, 2024 21:42 IST

When The Indian Express asked why the accused was taken to the crime scene at 3 am, Deka said this was because the town had been “paralysed” by protests through all of Friday. (PTI Photo)

The man arrested in connection with the gang rape of a teenage girl in Assam’s Nagaon district died on Saturday, with police claiming he had jumped into a pond in an escape bid when he was taken to the crime scene late at night.

Tafazul Islam (24), who was arrested on Friday, was one of three accused in the rape of a 14-year-old, who was returning home from tuition classes on Thursday evening. Two others are absconding.

Police claim that following his interrogation, Islam was taken to the crime scene around 3 am on Saturday, when he jumped into a pond while still handcuffed.

“We cordoned the area and called the State Disaster Relief Force, which recovered the body. A constable who was holding his handcuffs suffered an injury to his hand,” Superintendent of Police, Nagaon, Swapnaneel Deka said.

When The Indian Express asked why the accused was taken to the crime scene at that hour, Deka said this was because the town had been “paralysed” by protests through all of Friday. Following the rape, the town has seen hundreds of locals come out on the streets demanding punishment against the perpetrators.

“The whole town had been paralysed by protests all day long. The police station itself had been blocked by protesters till 11:30 pm. We anticipated that there would be protests on Saturday too, so the night was the appropriate time to take the accused to identify and raid the houses of the co-accused. We also wanted to observe his familiarity with the crime scene,” said Deka.

The teen is still admitted at the Nagaon Medical College and Hospital, where she was taken after being found in a semi-conscious state by local boys on Thursday evening.

The area where she was found is by the main road leading to her village, surrounded by paddy fields. There are no lights there.

The girl lives with grandparents and her aunt since her father works in the state capital, and her mother passed away when she was a toddler. Her grandmother said she had been concerned on Friday when the girl did not return from tuition classes in another village, around 6 kilometres away, which is also where she goes to school.

“She goes there in the afternoon for tuition thrice a week and is usually dropped off and picked up in a car by her uncle. But that day, she had gone on cycle. When she wasn’t home by 6 pm, I called her friend, who also goes to the same class, and was told that she had left some time back,” she said, adding that they had not given the teen a mobile phone.

One of her cousins said she goes to study in another village because it is an English-medium school. “She is the only girl from our village who goes there. The others study in the state board school here. We got her admitted there so she can get a good education and do well in life. We will think about whether she will continue to go there later. For now, we only want her to come back and to support her mentally through this experience,” she said.

Her father rushed back from Guwahati on Thursday night. “When I met her, she couldn’t even talk… Everyone in our village is in fear. We want the other two accused to be caught and punished. Otherwise people will continue to live in fear that something like this can happen to their girls too,” he said.

The accused’s home is in the village adjoining the teenager’s, and on Saturday, police were deployed at various points there. According to an officer at the local police station, the station’s force of around 30 personnel has been supplemented with 50 police commandos, another 35 police personnel, and 20 CRPF personnel, with the district on alert in anticipation of a flare-up of tensions.

Speaking to the media on Friday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said, “I always say that in places like Lower Assam, Central Assam and Barak, our indigenous people live in fear… All the places where indigenous people are in the minority, in those areas, our people are always living with troubles.”

The girl’s cousin said “it is inevitable that some doubts have started coming to people’s minds about the other community after this incident”, but added that “people of all communities in all 24 villages here are supporting us”.

To allay tensions, residents of Islam’s village have declared that they will “socially boycott” his family.

“We had a meeting on Saturday and collectively decided that we will not allow his body to be buried in our village’s graveyard. We have also decided to isolate and boycott their homes. We have always lived together with the people of different communities and we have taken this firm decision so that we can continue living this way,” said Saqlin Mustaq Ahmed, a resident of the accused’s village.

At Islam’s home, his father asked why his son would jump into a pond with handcuffs on. “If he did something, the matter has to go to the courts, not like this,” he said.

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Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi leaves Manipur, cancels visit to Kangpokpi owing to bad weather

Before leaving Imphal, General Dwivedi held a meeting with the heads of various security agencies in the state

By: Express News Service

Imphal | Updated: August 24, 2024 21:27 IST

The Army General, however, cut short his visit to the state, after cancelling his proposed visit to Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, and Moreh owing to bad weather. (X/ adgpi)

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi expressed satisfaction with the ‘great coordination’ among security agencies during his visit to Manipur on Saturday.

The Army General, however, cut short his visit to the state, after cancelling his proposed visit to Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, and Moreh owing to bad weather.

Before leaving Imphal, General Dwivedi held a meeting with the heads of various security agencies in the state. He was briefed on operational preparedness by commanders on the ground.

The Army chief had met Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday to discuss the internal security situation and the role of the Indian Army and the Assam Rifles in ensuring the return of peace in the northeastern state.

General Dwivedi said, “My main aim to come here was to review the security situation as of today in Manipur and I was happy to see the great coordination between the security agencies. I had a detailed frank discussion… and the main aim is to ensure that there is trust, peace, and tranquillity in this state. I was lucky to meet the chief minister… and it was a very great meeting, very encouraging meeting where we could discuss a lot of issues and we were looking for the way forward where we can bring peace to the state and also… get all the communities together so that there is an enhanced harmonious relationship amongst them.”

Notably, Manipur has witnessed sporadic ethnic violence between Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities since May last year.

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Selja rules out alliance with AAP, says Cong will fight on its own in Haryana

Selja also asserted that the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) has lost a lot of ground in Haryana as it is "breaking up" and does not have a chance in the upcoming polls.

By: PTI

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 21:27 IST

Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Selja Kumari. (PTI Photo)

Ruling out the possibility of an alliance with the AAP for the Haryana Assembly polls, senior Congress leader Kumari Selja has said her party is strong in the state and will fight the elections on its own.

In an interaction with PTI editors at the news agency’s headquarters here, the Lok Sabha MP and the party’s prominent Dalit face also dismissed the possibility of a hung assembly, asserting that the Congress would secure an “excellent majority” in the 90-member House.

Selja also asserted that the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) has lost a lot of ground in Haryana as it is “breaking up” and does not have a chance in the upcoming polls.

“The JJP has lost ground. This time you will not find many takers for the JJP. Even last time, most of the candidates who won were from the Congress. Today, it is already breaking up. Most of their MLAs have already left them. I don’t see much of a chance for the JJP in this election,” the AICC general secretary and former Haryana Congress chief said.

She also dismissed the INLD-BSP alliance, pointing out that both parties had lost a lot of ground in the state.

“I don’t think so (they will cut into our votes). The (Indian National) Lok Dal’s performance was abysmal in the Lok Sabha polls. The BSP has also lost a lot of ground. So, this alliance may have been forged in whatever way but when the results come out, you will see that this alliance will also come a cropper,” Selja said.

Asked whether there was a possibility of the Congress forging an alliance in Haryana with its INDIA bloc partner Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Selja said, “We are partners (at the national level) but if you remember, it was decided that in every state, they (partners) can decide on their own. The AAP has gone on record first (to say) that they will not have an alliance in the Vidhan Sabha polls.” “I do think that the Congress is strong on its own and we will fight on our own,” she asserted.

Exuding confidence of a big Congress win in the upcoming assembly polls, Selja claimed the people of the state are “totally against” the BJP.

“We are fighting on 90 seats and for us, every seat is important. We can go as high as possible,” she said when asked to predict the number of seats the Congress would get.

After 10 years of the BJP in Haryana, people definitely want change, she added.

“The BJP pan-Haryana did not have much support on ground. I don’t like to get personal but I don’t think their chief minister had

political experience so that also went against them.

“Even within their party (BJP), there were a lot of pulls and pressures, there is a total disconnect and they are going to pay for that,” Selja said.

Asked about lateral entry in bureaucracy and the Congress’ opposition to it despite having backed it when it was in power, Selja said, “It has to evolve over time. Today it is an issue, so we will speak about it.

“How can you say (that) 17 years ago, 20 years ago what happened and because ‘you did it then we are going to do it’. Today it is an issue and we are raising our voice over it.” She asserted that in all recruitments, reservation has to be followed.

The whole policy needs a relook to include reservations, Selja said about the lateral entry issue.

Talking about the election issues in Haryana, Selja said a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) and withdrawal of the Agnipath military recruitment scheme are major demands in the state.

She said the Congress has categorically stated that it would ensure a legal guarantee for MSP and is also demanding the withdrawal of the Agnipath scheme as it discriminates even among martyrs.

She said unemployment is one of the biggest issues in Haryana.

“Unemployment is a huge issue in Haryana. Then there have been scams, there have been paper leaks. There is a lot of backlog in vacancies. If we come down to a few issues it would be unemployment, inflation, decisions of the government such as the Parivar Pehchan Patra that has proven to be such a scam, and education,” she said.

She also asserted that corruption was a major issue in Haryana.

Selja also ruled out the possibility of MLAs switching sides post-polls, asserting that people are choosing the Congress this time.

On talk of wrestler Vinesh Phogat being fielded in the polls, Selja said she could not comment on it at this moment.

“But yes I do feel strongly about what has happened to Vinesh. She was so close (to winning an Olympic medal) and there are a lot of unanswered questions –? how it happened, what happened, who was incharge. You cannot blame the poor girl. What were the nutritionists, who were supposed to watch over, doing? These questions are not being answered,” the Congress leader said.

Women wrestlers were dragged on the roads and look at the determination and grit of this woman, Selja said, lauding Phogat for her performance at the Olympics.

Phogat had become the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the Olympic finals but was disqualified for being 100 gm overweight in her 50 kg category.

Asked about khap panchayats, Selja said, “Let me put the record straight. Khap panchayats are not bad. These are social groups. Sometimes one small thing gets blown out of proportion but many times and most of the time, they sit and resolve social issues.” So khap panchayat is not a bad thing as it also encourages brotherhood in society, she said.

Elections to the 90-member Haryana Assembly will be held on October 1 and the results will be declared on October 4. The Congress is looking to unseat the BJP and return to power after 10 years in the opposition.

After the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP formed a coalition government with the JJP. However, the coalition broke after disagreements over seat sharing in the Lok Sabha elections. Later, the BJP saved its government with the support of Independent MLAs.

In the Lok Sabha elections held a few months ago, the BJP and the Congress won five seats each in Haryana.

Talking about her life’s journey, Selja said life’s trajectory is full of ups and downs.

“Coming from a political family gave me the first break. After that, I really had to claw my way up. I started out very early but not in very happy circumstances because my father had passed away and a byelection came up and he was the sitting MP from Sirsa, Haryana,” she said.

“Rajiv ji asked me to contest. We did and at that time the whole environment was against the Congress… It was an experience which helped me greatly because I feel adversity always strengthens you,” she further said and added that she eventually went on to win in 1991 with the highest margin in Haryana.

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Will extend complete support to Congress-NC alliance if it accepts PDP agenda: Mehbooba Mufti

Mehbooba also ruled out an alliance with the BJP, with which the People's Democratic Party (PDP) had earlier run a coalition government.

By: PTI

Srinagar | Updated: August 24, 2024 21:27 IST

Mehbooba, the PDP president, said the dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, which "was being trampled on", was important for her party. (PTI)

The PDP will extend complete support to the Congress-NC alliance and leave all seats in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections to the coalition if it is ready to accept the party’s agenda, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said on Saturday.

Mehbooba also ruled out an alliance with the BJP, with which the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had earlier run a coalition government.

“Forget about alliance and seat-sharing, if the Congress and the National Conference (NC) are ready to accept our agenda — that resolution of the Kashmir issue is necessary and on opening of routes — we will tell them to contest on all the seats and we will follow you,” she said.

“Because, for me, the resolution of the Kashmir problem is much more important than anything else,” she added when asked if the Congress had approached the PDP for an alliance.

Mehbooba was talking to reporters following the release of the PDP’s manifesto for the assembly elections.

NC chief Farooq Abdullah has announced a pre-poll alliance with the Congress for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which is going to the polls for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

Polls to the 90-member assembly will be held in three phases — September 18, September 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will be held on October 4.

Mehbooba, the PDP president, said the dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, which “was being trampled on”, was important for her party.

“Whether you give me three or four seats, it does not mean anything to me. When we entered into an alliance with either the Congress or the BJP, it was on our agenda. The NC and the Congress have not entered into an alliance on any agenda but for seat-sharing and we will not talk of such an alliance, which only talks about seat-sharing,” she said.

“Our alliance should be based on an agenda and our agenda is to find the resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir issue… No doubt within the Constitution of this country but a resolution,” she added.

Asked if there could be a post-poll alliance between the PDP and the BJP, Mehbooba said, “There is nothing like that. We had joined hands with the BJP government and not the party and we had put a condition that they would not touch Article 370.” The PDP in its manifesto promised to pursue the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and advocate for diplomatic initiatives between India and Pakistan.

It also aims to establish full connectivity across the Line of Control for trade and social exchange.

The manifesto also talks about striving for the revocation of the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) as well as its commitment to revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were last held in November 2014, resulting in the PDP and the BJP forming a coalition government led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.

His death in 2016 led to his daughter Mehbooba taking up the mantle of leadership as chief minister of the coalition government.

The BJP pulled out of the government in June 2018 and the state was put under governor’s rule.

On August 5, 2019, the BJP-led Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and reorganised the erstwhile state into two Union territories — Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.

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Delhi Confidential

Opinion

- The myth of the A-team

- 50 years ago, a nurse was attacked in a Mumbai hospital. What changed, what didn’t

- Inside Track by Coomi Kapoor: Family Friction

- Tavleen Singh writes: Rape as a political weapon

- P Chidambaram writes: Vision or division

- In Bangladesh press, a question: Should students be allowed to protest?

- After PM Modi’s historic visit to Ukraine, a question: Do Kyiv, the West really want India to play a role in mediating with Russia?

- Express View on Modi-Zelenskyy meet: Momentous in Kyiv

- Kolkata rape case: From Pakistan to India, the same misogyny

- Why RBI’s attempts to control the Rupee can have adverse consequences

- Why J&K assembly elections could end the domination of family-run parties

- How not to tax multi-national corporations

- Time to reset the GST system

- Lateral entry scheme puts competence above quota politics

- What a penguin’s death tells us about love and loss

- In Kamala Harris’ speech, an American story — and a missing link

- Application for cancellation of former CM A R Antulay’s bail rejected

- I adopted my daughter. Recent changes in law could help others get the same happiness

- My house is a Starbucks

- Kamala Harris reaches out across the aisle — but points a finger at Trump voter

The myth of the A-team

It’s debatable if all this painstaking effort at improvement has dramatically improved user experience, or skewered the competition. Like most people, Netflix too, falls somewhere in the middle.

Written by Leher Kala

August 25, 2024 07:15 IST

A bewildering stream of newbies constantly flooding the office is entirely in keeping with this generation’s frustrating obsession with optimisation and FOBO (Fear of Better Options). It’s the stuff of fantasy, to try and weed out every under-performer in a team in favour of some untested superhero.

In his 2020 book No Rules Rules, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings articulates the company’s philosophy, some of it wildly original and some controversially harsh. The craftily designed ‘Keeper Test’ they apply to hiring — If X wanted to leave, would I fight to keep him — asks employees to rate their subordinates regularly. When the answer is no, the response is brutal. Netflix gives four months’ severance and a replacement is found. Hastings appears to have contempt for the idea that companies can be run like large, happy families, and likens the Netflix process to the way sports teams are run; everyone’s on tenterhooks wondering if they’ll make the cut or be cast out. To their credit, there’s complete freedom for those deemed worthy after surviving the ‘Keeper Test’. No questions about clock-ins, long vacations or maternity leave (though one wonders who has the guts to avail of these privileges since anybody can be let go, at any time).

Recently, Netflix overhauled this famous culture memo with a disclaimer, “In reality, we encourage everyone to speak to their managers about what’s going well and what’s not.” The message, essentially, remains the same: slave away to success, or you’re toast. If this is the future of work, I can only shudder in gratitude that I’ll be retired long before this kind of reorganising becomes commonplace. Note to self: to encourage my kids to pursue entrepreneurship and save themselves from the toxicity of this kind of pressure cooker atmosphere. Perhaps, it’s an outdated idea to innocently believe creativity requires being relaxed and happy, not living in perpetual fear of being fired. It’s hard to imagine how employees get things done if they have to worry about their colleagues critiquing them. Or is it that market forces deem this Darwinian approach necessary to stay ahead of the game?

The most sought after jobs, in finance, consulting and tech companies reveal an uncomfortable truth about humanity — we may be able to create sophisticated systems to conquer space and eradicate polio, but morally, we’re not very different from the hunter gatherers of our ancient past. Throughout history, the achievement of an ambition has involved power struggles and backstabbing. Rome had their gladiatorial games and Japan their aristocratic warriors, the samurais who rose to rule by proving themselves against the Mongols. That savagery is, in a sense, a default setting for Homo sapiens feels depressingly real in the dystopian world of The Hunger Games, where boys and girls are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle till death. In the modern context of careers, survival of the fittest doesn’t mean the strongest physically, but the canniest, intellectually. Lusty scenes of blood and gore may be missing but self preservation at Netflix means thinking of everyone else in the office as disposable.

A bewildering stream of newbies constantly flooding the office is entirely in keeping with this generation’s frustrating obsession with optimisation and FOBO (Fear of Better Options). It’s the stuff of fantasy, to try and weed out every under-performer in a team in favour of some untested superhero. Chasing perfection is a foolhardy enterprise, destined to fail. Tinder, only by virtue of sheer, available numbers, manages to be convincing that someone sexier is one swipe away. It may still work in romance, but writing off people work-wise so quickly doesn’t acknowledge the fact that even the most brilliant among us are mediocre a lot of the time. Every painting Van Gogh made wasn’t as fabulous as Starry Starry Night. Nobody remembers the U2 albums before Joshua Tree. An individual’s performance in an organisation depends on so many other factors than their efforts alone, like where the company’s at, and the overall marketplace.

It’s debatable if all this painstaking effort at improvement has dramatically improved user experience, or skewered the competition. Like most people, Netflix too, falls somewhere in the middle.

The writer is director, Hutkay Films

50 years ago, a nurse was attacked in a Mumbai hospital. What changed, what didn’t

Over 50 years after Aruna was assaulted, women continue to face violence at their workplaces or in the course of their work. In 1992, Bhanwari Devi, an employee of the Rajasthan Women and Child Development department, was gangraped by upper caste men for trying to stop a child marriage.

Written by Sadaf Modak

August 25, 2024 07:10 IST

Aruna Shanbaug remained confined to a single room in a ward at Mumbai’s KEM Hospital for over four decades since her 1973 attack. Archive/Mukesh Parpiani

IN A basement at Mumbai’s King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Parel, 25-year-old nurse Aruna Shanbaug was found lying in a pool of blood early on November 28, 1973. Rushed to the casualty ward by her colleagues, she had suffered multiple injuries including contusion to the brain stem and a cervical cord injury. The investigation that followed revealed that a day before she was found, Aruna had been on duty at the hospital’s Cardiovascular Thoracic Centre, which had an experimental cardiovascular dog surgery laboratory.

Alone in the basement, she was changing out of her uniform before she left for the day when her colleague Sohanlal Walmiki, a contract sweeper, sexually assaulted her. Medical examination revealed that a dog chain was tied around her neck during the attack and twisted, which led to oxygen supply being stopped to her brain. Aruna was found over 12 hours after the attack, when the next shift reported for duty in the morning. Since the assault had led to severe brain damage, doctors treating the nurse soon realised that she would never talk or walk again – the damage to her brain had put her in a vegetative state with no scope for improvement.

The recent rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata has led many to draw parallels with Aruna — on how little has changed for women, including the safety and security of women health workers in public hospitals. During a recent suo motu hearing on the Kolkata incident, Supreme Court Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud made a reference to the Aruna Shanbaug incident when he said, “Due to ingrained patriarchal biases, the relatives of patients are more likely to attack the women doctors and they are more susceptible to sexual violence too… the Aruna Shanbaug case is a case in point.”

Sohanlal Walmiki, a contract sweeper, was convicted for assaulting and robbing nurse Aruna Shanbaug in the basement of Mumbai’s King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in November 1973. File/Gajendra Yadav

Aruna used to live with her sister and niece in Worli in 1973, trying to save on the cost of rent and food to be paid for the staff quarters at the hospital. When she did not return home on November 27, 1973, her sister, used to her irregular work timings, did not worry. The next day, she received a call from the hospital informing her that Aruna had been assaulted.

At the time of the incident, Aruna was engaged to a doctor at the hospital. Perhaps the stigma associated with sexual assault then — which she was tested for but Walmiki was never charged for — prevented those around her from filing a complaint on those charges

When Walmiki was arrested by the police a few days later, he was charged only on two counts — Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 397 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code, since he was found to have stolen some of Aruna’s belongings, including a watch and a chain, after the assault. During the trial in a Mumbai sessions court, Walmiki was found guilty on both counts and sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment (the maximum under the two charges). After completing his term, Walmiki was released. All this while, for over four decades since 1973, Aruna remained confined to a single room in a ward for general internal medicine patients.

In 2011, the nurse was at the centre of a discussion on euthanasia. Given her condition, journalist-writer Pinki Virani filed a petition seeking euthanasia for Aruna. The Supreme Court was to decide on the guidelines to permit passive euthanasia (termination of life) by withdrawal of life support measures to terminally ill patients. KEM Hospital’s staff opposed Virani’s plea before the court, stating that she meant a lot to them and that they had no problem looking after her. The court said while Aruna met most of the criteria for being in a permanent vegetative state, the staff’s decision to not withdraw life-sustaining treatments to her should be respected.

The Supreme Court’s verdict in the cases states, “On 2.3.2011, the matter was listed again before us and we first saw the screening of the CD submitted by the team of doctors along with their report. We had arranged for the screening of the CD in the Courtroom, so that all present in Court could see the condition of Aruna Shanbaug. For doing so, we have relied on the precedent of the Nuremberg trials in which a screening was done in the Courtroom of some of the Nazi atrocities during the Second World War.”

Aruna remained at the hospital till she passed away in 2015 at the age of 66 due to pneumonia. She remained under the care of the nurses, including some who had worked with her, for 42 years. For all those years, Aruna and the assault she had faced remained in public memory. From time to time, her health and her status as one of the longest surviving patients with her medical condition ensured that she was not forgotten.

After Aruna’s death, journalists traced Walmiki to a village in Uttar Pradesh. While speaking about the incident, Walmiki denied that he had sexually assaulted Aruna. After her death, demands were made to enhance his punishment, but it was not legally possible since he had already faced trial and completed his sentence on the charges he faced.

After the assault in 1973, nurses and other staffers at the hospital went on strike, demanding better working conditions and additional security. In 2022, during an online event, healthcare workers discussed how not much had changed for women medicos — be it at public hospitals or healthcare centres in urban or rural areas. One doctor was quoted as saying that locations of changing rooms, access to bathrooms and the lack of security continue to be matters of concern. Another said hospitals were big structures “like a maze”, with many areas being poorly lit and unsafe for women.

Over 50 years after Aruna was assaulted, women continue to face violence at their workplaces or in the course of their work. In 1992, Bhanwari Devi, an employee of the Rajasthan Women and Child Development department, was gangraped by upper caste men for trying to stop a child marriage. The concerns raised then led to the Supreme Court framing the Vishaka Guidelines on sexual harassment at workplace. In 2013, after the gangrape of a photojournalist on an assignment in Mumbai’s Shakti Mills, then state Home Minister R R Patil had recommended police protection for women journalists — a proposal rightly criticised as “impractical” for all working women whose jobs require fieldwork. Instead of better accountability from existing systems, including making access to justice easier, women’s groups say short-term reactions like these continue to keep women at work at risk.

Inside Track by Coomi Kapoor: Family Friction

The brutal rape and murder at R G Kar Medical College, Kolkata, has exposed the rift between Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and her designated successor, nephew Abhishek Banerjee.

Written by Coomi Kapoor

August 25, 2024 07:08 IST

Mamata’s detractors claim that she went out of the way to protect the tainted former principal of R G Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh, and initially allowed policemen to cover up and destroy evidence because the principal is allegedly in the know of a mafia dealing in medicines and equipment that operates in Kolkata medical colleges.

The brutal rape and murder at R G Kar Medical College, Kolkata, has exposed the rift between Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and her designated successor, nephew Abhishek Banerjee. Immediately after the crime, Abhishek had talked of capital punishment for the accused while his close associates Santanu Sen, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Pratima Mondol took part in protests and dharnas. A furious Mamata accused Sen of spearheading the rallies, even though the striking medical fraternity has emphasised that it is an apolitical movement. Roy was served a notice by the police. Mamata’s detractors claim that she went out of the way to protect the tainted former principal of R G Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh, and initially allowed policemen to cover up and destroy evidence because the principal is allegedly in the know of a mafia dealing in medicines and equipment that operates in Kolkata medical colleges. After his statement demanding action against the principal, Sen was removed as spokesperson for the party. In fact, Mamata’s publicity team and the usually outspoken women MPs have been muted or defensive about the horrendous crime. Incidentally, even before the incident, on July 27, when Mamata came to Delhi for the NITI Aayog meet, journalists noticed that the chair reserved for Abhishek at her press conference in the Capital was vacant.

Brits Back Out

When Sheikh Hasina fled to the Hindon Air Force base in a Bangladesh air force jet on August 5, what the Indian government did not bargain for was that the former Bangladesh premier would be stuck in India for a protracted period. The Bangladesh air force jet remained on standby at Hindon after her arrival on the assumption that Hasina would be flying onwards to the UK, where she was to be granted asylum. After all, Khaleeda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman, against whom a murder charge is pending, was allowed sanctuary in the UK.

However, when the British High Commission in New Delhi contacted London for instructions, it was asked to wait as the new PM, Keir Starmer, would be personally taking a call. Unfortunately for Hasina, the UK was hit by Right-wing race riots against immigrants and Starmer decided he did not want to take any action which could further inflame passions. India has perforce to look for another place of asylum, most likely the UAE. Bangladesh is demanding Hasina’s extradition and India does not want to further harm relations with the new regime.

Unhappy Example

NSA Ajit Doval and the R&AW have come under flak for failing to alert the Indian government of the precariousness of Sheikh Hasina’s position after the violent demonstrations against her first escalated, even though India has an embassy and four consulates in Bangladesh. Hasina’s ouster after days of protests has badly shaken Mamata in neighbouring West Bengal. Many attribute Mamata’s strident statements on the medical intern’s rape an overreaction, with the police serving notices against a TMC MP and senior doctors, to fears of a repeat of the events in Bangladesh. Incidentally, 49 years ago, Indira Gandhi had been similarly rattled by the massacre of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family on August 15, 1975 and had feared parallel events taking place in India, where she had recently imposed an Emergency. Gandhi told her friend Pupul Jayakar that she apprehended that she was the next target. Security precautions that Independence Day were unprecedented. But R&AW was not caught napping then, R&AW chief R N Kao had warned Mujib repeatedly of a possible uprising.

Sporting Chances

Elections of presidents of sports bodies usually reflect the political climate in a state. Last month, Sharad Pawar’s candidate Ajinkya Naik convincingly defeated Sanjay Naik, backed by BJP state president Ashish Shelar, for presidency of the Mumbai Cricket Association, which was interpreted as an indication of the MVA’s rising political graph in Maharashtra. The former MCA president Amol Kale, who passed away this June, was backed by Devendra Fadnavis when the BJP was riding high in the state. Meanwhile, Congress leader Deepender Hooda was prominent in wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s tumultuous victory procession through Haryana on her return from the Olympics. The Congress hopes to cash in on Phogat’s popularity in the upcoming Haryana assembly polls.

Incidentally, Home Minister Amit Shah’s son Jay is likely to make waves soon in the international cricket world by securing the post of chairperson of the International Cricket Council (ICC) which falls vacant in November. Both the Australian and the British cricket bodies have assured their backing to the Indian candidate. Jay has twice been elected secretary of the BCCI, but his term ends next May and the court ruling specifies a cooling-off period after two terms in office. At 35, Jay will be the youngest chairperson of the ICC. He already heads the ICC’s finance committee.

Tavleen Singh writes: Rape as a political weapon

It shames us all that India is sometimes described as the rape capital of the world. It shames me personally when I must warn female foreign visitors to India to be careful not to become too friendly with strangers.

Written by Tavleen Singh

Updated: August 25, 2024 07:07 IST

Junior doctors protest against the alleged rape and killing of a trainee doctor, at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, Saturday, Aug 10, 2024. (PTI Photo)

A sentence that turns my stomach every time I hear it is when a woman is brutally raped and our political leaders say, “Do not politicise this”. It is a sentence that we have heard often since the brutal, horrifying rape and murder of the young doctor in Kolkata. Every time politicians talk about ‘politicisation’, they accidentally convey that they feel neither shame, empathy nor horror, only concern that they are worried about being hurt by political consequences. What talking about politicisation also reveals is the reason why nearly a hundred women, some of them little girls and babies, are raped in India every day. It is because our political leaders do not care enough about crimes against women. They like to believe that crimes like rape are because of social factors like patriarchy.

What is more worrying is that our political leaders have taken to choosing the rapes that they want to make a noise about and ignoring those that are problematic for them to discuss. If this is not playing politics, then what is? So the horror of what happened in that Kolkata hospital is being fully exploited politically by BJP politicians and party spokespersons because they wish to embarrass Mamata Banerjee. But they choose to forget what happened in Kathua to the eight-year-old Muslim girl who was confined in a Hindu temple, and drugged, starved and raped for days. When the little girl became a liability, she was killed by smashing her head with a rock. Hindutva organisations came out in support of the rapists. And then proceeded to spread insane conspiracy theories.

More recently in Hathras, upper caste Hindu groups also came out in support of the men who raped and murdered a Dalit teenager. She was raped in a sugarcane field and strangled so violently that her back was broken. She survived for two weeks and, before dying in hospital, named her rapists. But justice will never be fully done because her broken, battered body was burned in the dead of night by the police so no DNA testing was possible.

This happened on the watch of Yogi Adityanath, who ranks second in the ranking of Hindutva heroes. He ruthlessly squashed all attempts to tell the story. Journalists who tried to tell it were jailed and charged with sedition. That time, the political leaders who tried to ‘politicise’ the story came from the Opposition, but those same leaders have been mysteriously silent about the Kolkata horror because they do not wish to embarrass a Chief Minister who is an ally. Much noise has been made of the incompetence of the West Bengal government by those who want to do the ‘politicisation’ this time.

This time, doctors went on strike across the country and there was so much anger in the streets that the Supreme Court decided to intervene. This is good, but will it make a difference? Unlikely. Days after the Kolkata horror, two four-year-old girls were raped in a kindergarten in a Mumbai suburb. Enraged protestors took to the streets and sat in protest on railway tracks. This caused the Bombay High Court to intervene and to declare correctly that “if the school is not a safe place, then what is the use of speaking about the right to education?”. Fine words, but will they make enough of a difference? Will our courts now deal more urgently with rape cases? They can sometimes take decades to be decided.

What hope is there for things to really change when the men who raped Bilkis Bano and killed her three-year-old baby daughter have managed to escape serving full life sentences because the Gujarat government decided to free them. When they came out of jail, they were greeted with garlands and sweets, and posed for pictures as if they were heroes and not convicted rapists and murderers. When a senior BJP politician was asked about the undeserved reprieve, he said that they were “sanskari Brahmins” who could thereby do nothing bad.

What hope is there for real change when someone as important as the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, can say that rapes occur only in urban parts of India because of Western influence. Does he not know that it is in rural India where rape is weaponised regularly? Sometimes to settle personal scores and sometimes for political reasons. In our big cities, there are at least journalists around to tell the victim’s story, in villages, the stories remain untold and justice is almost never done.

So what can be done to bring real change? It will come only when we in the media tell every story we possibly can. But in the end, it is in the hands of our political leaders to ensure that the police do their job sincerely and that justice is done by enforcing the laws that already exist. For this to happen, they would need to fulfil their duty as political leaders instead of playing politics by choosing to view these horrific crimes against women through a narrow political prism.

It shames us all that India is sometimes described as the rape capital of the world. It shames me personally when I must warn female foreign visitors to India to be careful not to become too friendly with strangers. If our political leaders truly want to make India a country in which women are safe, they must stop playing petty political games.

P Chidambaram writes: Vision or division

If we had thought certain issues would be put on the backburner following the reduction of the BJP to 240 seats, we were wrong. Apparently, the PM still swears by the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and the idea of One Nation, One Election (ONOE). He mentioned both in his Independence Day speech

Written by P Chidambaram

August 25, 2024 07:00 IST

The sobering election verdict has not restrained the PM, but the fear of losing power has made his government backtrack on several issues: the indexation benefit for capital gains has been restored, the Wakf Bill has been referred to a Select Committee, the Broadcasting Bill has been withdrawn, and the scheme of lateral entry into central government posts has been shelved.

It was the prime minister’s 11th successive speech on Independence Day, a record of sorts. It was the longest speech that Mr Narendra Modi had delivered from the ramparts of Red Fort (98 minutes). It was at the start of his third term and it was expected that the PM would lay out his vision for the government for the next five years.

The BJP leaders called the speech the unfolding of a bold new vision. If it was, I am afraid it was a vision that targeted a section of the people. The PM said,

“We are marching ahead with resolve, we are going far, but there is another truth – that there are some people who cannot digest India’s progress. Some people cannot visualise good things for India. Because their own vested interests are not served, they don’t like anybody’s progress. There is no dearth of people having such a perverse mindset. The nation must be wary of such people.”

Disdain for democracy

Who are the “some people”? I know of no one who is not proud of India’s progress in agriculture, information technology, nuclear energy, space, etc. Was the PM alluding to the 262 million voters who voted against him and the NDA? Or to the youth who criticise him for the raging unemployment? Or to the homemakers who complain about the burden of rising inflation? Or to the soldiers and ex-servicemen who are perplexed by India’s quiet retreat in the face of China’s brazen occupation of Indian territory? In a speech intended to rally the people around a vision for India, the PM actually aggravated the divisions among the people caused by the wrong policies of his government. To call the opponents of his government “perverse” shows disdain for the democratic verdict.

If we had thought certain issues would be put on the backburner following the reduction of the BJP to 240 seats, we were wrong. Apparently, the PM still swears by the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and the idea of One Nation, One Election (ONOE). He mentioned both in his Independence Day speech. He labeled the current personal law codes as ‘communal civil codes” and said,

“There is no place in a modern society for laws which divide the nation on religious lines and become a basis for class discrimination. I would say, and this is the need of the hour, that there should be a secular civil code in the country. We have spent 75 years under a communal civil code. Now we will have to move towards a secular civil code. Only then will we get relief from the rift due to laws that lead to discrimination on the basis of religion.”

That statement was a mixture of error, poor understanding and bias. Every personal law code is based on religion, including the Hindu codes, but that will not make the code communal. There is a secular code on marriage, namely, the Special Marriage Act, but it is not popular among the people of India. The common man (Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh or Parsi) does not feel ‘discriminated’ because his neighbour is governed by another code. It would be wonderful if all the religious groups and communities can agree on a Uniform Civil Code, but that is easier said than done.

Divisive rhetoric

The very idea of UCC or ONOE rings alarm bells and it is first necessary to allay the fears. I had explained the hidden agenda of UCC and ONOE in a previous column (Cult Worship and Consequences, Indian Express, April 21, 2024). For UCC, it is necessary to hold extensive consultations with all religious groups and communities. For ONOE, it is necessary to make amendments to several Articles of the Constitution. A speech by the PM is not the start or the end of the debate on the issues. On the contrary, it will mean that divisive issues are sought to be raised and legislation pushed through Parliament which may divide the people further.

The LS elections witnessed a lot of divisive rhetoric. Attacking the Congress’ Manifesto 2024, Mr Modi said,

- Congress will distribute the people’s land, gold and other valuables among Muslims;

- Congress will take away your mangalsutra and streedhan and give it to people who have more children.

Mr Amit Shah said, ‘Congress will seize temple properties and distribute them’. Mr Rajnath Singh said, ‘Congress will grab the assets of the people and re-distribute them to infiltrators’. The head-spinner was when Mr Modi warned the people of the coming of an inheritance tax on buffaloes. No one in the media called for a stop to the madness.

The sobering election verdict has not restrained the PM, but the fear of losing power has made his government backtrack on several issues: the indexation benefit for capital gains has been restored, the Wakf Bill has been referred to a Select Committee, the Broadcasting Bill has been withdrawn, and the scheme of lateral entry into central government posts has been shelved. The fear of more divisive ideas will cease only when CAA, UCC and ONOE are withdrawn finally.

A vision can emerge only when BJP’s playbook of division is junked.

In Bangladesh press, a question: Should students be allowed to protest?

View from the neighbourhood: A survey on dissent in educational institutions and unprecedented floods in the eastern parts of the country

Written by Adya Goyal

Updated: August 24, 2024 18:10 IST

Volunteers take a motor boat to rescue people stranded in flooded residential areas in Feni, a coastal district in southeast Bangladesh. (AP Photo)

Student protest survey

Protests in Bangladesh began in July triggered by the apex court’s decision for 30 per cent reservation for freedom fighters’ descendants in government jobs. In response, the court scaled down reservation to 5 per cent. Even so, the protests continued unabated, spearheaded by students. In this context, Prothom Alo – among the country’s leading news organisations – carried out a survey asking whether protests should be allowed in educational institutions.

About 3.27 lakh people voted, of which 93 per cent believe that student politics should be stopped in institutions. The Daily Star comments on this result saying it “reflects widespread frustration and disillusionment with the current culture of student politics in Bangladesh.” But the editorial also believes that this mistrust stems from a “faulty premise”: “The simplistic manner in which such surveys are framed misses the critical point that it’s not student politics per se — but rather party-based student politics — that is problematic.”

Dhaka Tribune (August 19), however, calls this movement “a watershed moment in the history of Bangladesh, proving once again that it is the youth that can lead to genuine change.”

The Daily Star (August 16) editor Mahfuz Anam concurs with this perspective adding, “The student-mass uprising has… opened the door for all of us to dream again. Freedom is in the air and our right to free speech seems to have been regained. What the students have taught us is to never lose hope.”

Floods in the eastern region

Several districts in eastern Bangladesh were hit by floods earlier this week. So far, nearly 8,00,000 people have been rendered homeless and at least 13 have died. On the other side of the border in India, the northeastern state of Tripura is also battling heavy floods that started on August 19. There have been claims that the Bangladesh floods may have been triggered by the opening of the Dumbur dam in Tripura. But these reports were rejected by the Government of India. The Bangladeshi press and columnists discuss the situation in the country and India’s involvement.

The Government of India denies opening the reservoir gates, saying that the water flowing into Bangladesh is the excess overflowing after crossing the 94-m mark which is the dam’s full capacity. Dhaka Tribune columnist Sultan Mohammed Zakaria (August 23) disagrees, saying the flooding would have been “on a significantly smaller scale” if this was the case.

The Daily Star (August 22) also believes that some part of the blame lies with India: “Although India’s ministry of external affairs refuted claims of causing the flooding on our eastern borders, Bangladesh’s information adviser has categorically blamed it for opening the dam without any prior warning, depriving Bangladesh of the chance to prepare accordingly.”

Prothom Alo (August 24) makes no mention of India’s role. The editorial, instead, focuses on rehabilitation for those affected and relief efforts saying, “the thing that gives us hope is the active initiative of people from different classes and professions… The government should focus on assessing the number of casualties and the extent of damage when the water recedes.”

adya.goyal@expressindia.com

After PM Modi’s historic visit to Ukraine, a question: Do Kyiv, the West really want India to play a role in mediating with Russia?

The fact is that on the Ukraine issue, the US and its allies on the one side and China and Russia on the other have locked horns. Ultimately it is they that have to unlock them. There is nothing to suggest that they want India and others to do anything but condemn Russian action and apply economic pressure

Written by Vivek Katju

Updated: August 24, 2024 22:06 IST

The dichotomy between PM Modi’s desire for peace and justice in Ukraine and the compulsions of India’s deep interests in Russia has been witnessed since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (PTI)

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on the train journey from Warsaw to Kyiv, the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount perhaps best captured his noble venture. Jesus said, “Blessed are the Peacemakers: for they will be called the children of God”. (Matthew 5.9) Modi is one of the few international leaders to have visited both Moscow and Kyiv. He has constantly advocated the path of diplomacy and dialogue to end Russia’s Ukraine war. Indeed, Modi told Putin, in a face-to-face meeting in Uzbekistan, in September 2022, that this was not an era of war. This was as unequivocal, though indirect, expression of disapproval of the Russian action as possible; especially, as it came from a leader who has to look to his country’s interests even as he wishes for peace and upholding international law.

The dichotomy between PM Modi’s desire for peace and justice in Ukraine and the compulsions of India’s deep interests in Russia has been witnessed since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These constraints can be once again be seen in the India-Ukraine Joint Statement on his visit to Kyiv.

Consider: In the section entitled “Ensuring a Comprehensive, Just and Lasting Peace”, paragraph 6 notes “Prime Minister Modi and President Zelenskyy reiterated their readiness for further cooperation in upholding principles of international law, including the UN Charter, such as respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of states. They agreed on the desirability of closer bilateral dialogue in this regard”. Paragraph 7 reinforces India’s commitment to international law. It states “The Indian side reiterated its principled position and focus on peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, as a part of which, India has attended the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, in June 2024”. These are formal and “de-jure” positions held by India.

Modi clearly abandons these de-jure formulations and the quest for “Comprehensive, Just and Lasting Peace” when he goes for the possible and practical to end the war in paragraph 11: “ Prime Minister Modi reiterated the need for sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders to develop innovative solutions that will have broad acceptability and contribute towards early restoration of peace. He reiterated India’s willingness to contribute in all possible ways to facilitate an early return of peace”.

The last sentence of paragraph 11 is a clear indication of India’s willingness to get involved in a search for peace in Ukraine. It is here that the Indian foreign policy establishment needs to make a realistic assessment if Ukraine and its Western partners want India to go beyond effectively pressing Russia to reverse its aggression.

They obviously want India, as Zelenskyy said, to stop buying Russian oil so that it feels economic pain. It is doubtful if External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s articulations of reasons which have led India to purchase Russian oil cut any ice in Kyiv. It clearly believes that India can do more to impress upon Putin to reverse the steps he undertook in February 2022.

There is a historical parallel going back four decades to what the West and Ukraine want of India at this stage. That parallel lies in the situation which arose in Afghanistan following the Soviet intrusion in that country on Christmas Eve of 1979. India was deeply unhappy with the Russian action but like now, then too, it did not publicly criticise Russia. By the mid-1980s, as India’s ties warmed up with the US and as it became clear that Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev wanted to withdraw from a “bleeding ulcer”, the US urged Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to use his influence on Russia to hold firm to its intention to withdraw. However, when India wanted a say in a post-Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, it virtually told India to lay off.

The Ukraine war has impacted the Global South adversely and it has international geopolitical implications involving the US and China. However, at its core, it is a European war. It has upset the European security architecture. While there is no doubt that the present era is fundamentally different from that of the Cold War and that India too has fundamentally changed economically and in terms of power projection, the question is whether the Western powers and Ukraine want a meaningful Indian intervention or initiative in seeking peace. Some Indian analysts appear to think that this may be so. However, Zelenskyy’s public observations do not offer any such indication.

The fact is that on the Ukraine issue, the US and its allies on the one side and China and Russia on the other have locked horns. Ultimately it is they that have to unlock them. Do they see a role for other powers, including India? There is nothing to suggest that they want India and others to do anything but condemn Russian action and apply economic pressure.

Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Ukraine. The fact is that Indian-Ukraine relations got off to a bad start. It is now perhaps forgotten that Ukraine supplied Pakistan with over 300 T-80 battle tanks over India’s strenuous objections. Ukraine was also one of the few countries to have used the word “condemned” for India’s nuclear tests of 1998. Naturally, this cast a long shadow over the relationship. It can be argued that these should not have been allowed to have a long-term negative impact on bilateral ties but then India’s response to Russia’s Crimea action also inhibited an effective growth in ties.

The writer is a former diplomat

Express View on Modi-Zelenskyy meet: Momentous in Kyiv

PM Modi’s visit is an important and welcome step towards rebalancing Delhi’s ties with Moscow and Kyiv and de-hyphenating India’s engagement with Russia and Central Europe

By: Editorial

Updated: August 24, 2024 15:32 IST

Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to travel to Poland since 1979.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Kyiv must be seen as the beginning of a long overdue rebalancing in India’s relations with Russia and Ukraine. Quite clearly, India is no longer self-deterred by a presumed “Russian veto” in expanding engagement with Ukraine. That no Indian Prime Minister travelled to post-Soviet Ukraine, the second-largest nation in Europe, underlines Delhi’s self-imposed restraint in engaging Kyiv. The political deference to Russian sensitivities also played a role in limiting India’s engagement with former members of the Warsaw Pact. Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to travel to Poland since 1979.

That no Indian PM has travelled to the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia since the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact in 1991 underlines the long and regrettable political neglect of these countries. In contrast, India’s high-level engagement with these nations was impressive during the Soviet era. Delhi’s political emphasis on sustaining the Moscow links and preventing Russia from engaging with Pakistan at the highest level since the turn of the 1990s may provide some context for this neglect. But it does not absolve its decision to abandon high-level engagement with Central Europe even as the region’s global salience grew after it broke away from Soviet Russia and drew closer to the European Union and the United States.

Even more important is the main outcome from Modi’s visit to Kyiv — the beginning of a long-overdue correction to India’s approach to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Delhi’s hesitation in criticising the Russian invasion reflected a familiar pattern of staying silent on Russia’s unacceptable actions, even when they challenged the core principles of India’s worldview — the sanctity of national sovereignty and territorial integrity. This was true of the Soviet invasion of Hungary (1956) Czechoslovakia (1968), Afghanistan (1979), and Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula (2014).

The political costs of this reflexive silence on Russian aggressions had been mounting and it was a matter of time before Delhi fine-tuned its formal position. There was no better way than the Prime Minister travelling to Kyiv, expressing empathy for victims of the war, listening to President Zelenskyy’s concerns, underlining Delhi’s strong commitment to the principle of territorial sovereignty, exchanging views on potential pathways to peace, and rebooting the bilateral relationship to elevate it eventually to a “strategic partnership”.

Delhi’s rebalancing does not mean a downsizing of India’s relationship with Moscow, which will remain a major power in the neighbourhood and an important partner, but an elevation of its engagement with Ukraine and Central Europe. In pursuing its interests with both sides, Delhi will no longer need to look over its shoulder. Rebalancing Delhi’s ties with Moscow and Kyiv and de-hyphenating India’s engagement with Russia and Central Europe has involved cultivating greater sensitivity to the complex history of geopolitical contestation, economic interdependence, and competing national narratives at the heart of Europe. India’s rebalancing sends a clear signal that Delhi will no longer let the ideological inhibitions inherited from the 20th century guide its European policy in the 21st.

Kolkata rape case: From Pakistan to India, the same misogyny

Having faced similar conditions and equally fed up with official and institutional apathy on the issue of women’s security, Pakistani women stand with Indian women as they take to the streets, stage sit-ins, and make social media content drawing attention to the dangerous conditions faced by women, doctors and otherwise in their workplaces

Written by Rafia Zakaria

Updated: August 24, 2024 13:50 IST

Kolkata: People take part in a protest march demanding justice for the postgraduate trainee doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Kolkata, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (PTI Photo)

It is difficult to be anything but aghast and stunned at the grotesque facts of the rape and murder of the young trainee doctor at Kolkata’s R G Kar College and Hospital. What took place after she had been killed is equally blood-curdling: The condition of her body, the alleged attempt at a cover-up, the parents having to wait three hours to see their child, the hurried autopsy and cremation. Since then, Indian doctors and Indian people, women in particular, have taken to protests and marches to ensure that some semblance of justice can be delivered to the victim’s family. They have also brought attention to the deplorable conditions faced by female doctors and other medical staff who serve in extremely difficult conditions in under-resourced government hospitals and are denied any guarantee of safety. The inspiring Reclaim The Night movement is calling attention to how patriarchal systems of thought and society routinely deny women safe conditions in their workplaces. Many have asked the pertinent and vexing question: Is it the absence of laws or the persistent patriarchal and misogynist mindset that is to blame here?

Across the border, in Pakistan, the ground reality is the same. As it is in India, getting one of a small number of slots in medical schools is a chance at a better life for a student and his/her entire family. Increasingly, girls are outperforming boys in admission tests for medical schools. When these medical students graduate, they have to work at large government hospitals with few facilities and no safety mechanisms to protect them. In May 2022, a woman doctor was assaulted by a patient’s attendant at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (one of the government hospitals in Karachi). This is a common occurrence as patients come in with scores of attendants who routinely threaten and intimidate the lone doctors who are trying to provide care for many patients. This case had a similar story.

One month ago, a medical student at Avicenna Medical College was found dead under mysterious circumstances. The administration of the medical college said it was a case of suicide. However, protestors at the college alleged that a professor named Masood Nizam Tabassum had been harassing the girl in the weeks before her death and she was under extreme mental duress. They also accused the chairman of the college, retired army officer Abdul Waheed Sheikh of abusive tactics including making women medical students sit on the floor in “a very odd manner”. Despite the protests, nothing has been done to investigate the death or bring the perpetrators to justice.

Women patients as young as five years old are not safe in hospitals. This was underscored by a case that occurred just this week at Lahore’s Ganga Ram hospital where a young five-year-old girl was raped by a sanitation worker at the hospital. Doctors at the hospital have been protesting the lack of safe conditions at the hospital all week to little avail.

Having faced similar conditions and equally fed up with official and institutional apathy on the issue of women’s security, Pakistani women stand with Indian women as they take to the streets, stage sit-ins, and make social media content drawing attention to the dangerous conditions faced by women, doctors and otherwise in their workplaces. Both India and Pakistan have laws that criminalise rape and sexual assault. However, in both countries, these incidents continue to occur with impunity. The vast majority are not reported because families feel ashamed to admit that such an attack occurred. When they are reported, there may be initial actions against the accused but consequences rarely follow.

This must stop. It is true that rapes occur everywhere in the world and that it is notoriously difficult to prosecute these cases. In the United States and the like too, this is true — defence lawyers routinely try to discredit and shame survivors by revealing their private sexual history. However, the fact that men are predators everywhere is not an excuse for the larger misogynistic mindset that fuels such crimes. All cultures and all societies can produce a world that is safe for both men and women. However, such an outcome can only occur if there is an open and public debate about why men in India and Pakistan think that women, particularly those who work in public spaces, are targets to harass, intimidate and exploit. The root cause of rape is not sexual desire; it is power: The male desire to teach a woman who does not obey or submit a lesson. This, in turn, stems from a deep-seated hatred of women that many South Asian men seem to carry within them.

If a world that is safe for South Asian women is ever to be realised, the men must look at the darkness that lies within them, that sees women with ambition, women in workplaces, women with their own views as an attack on their self-esteem. Women are not going to back down. Men may deny them justice, but they will not be able to deny them strength. For every Abhaya that perishes, millions of others are finding their voices and they will not stop on this side of the border or that one — until they are heard and understood.

The writer is an attorney and columnist at Dawn

Why RBI’s attempts to control the Rupee can have adverse consequences

Changing rules of the game can have a damaging effect on the cost of doing business

Written by Rajeswari Sengupta , Bhargavi Zaveri Shah

Updated: August 24, 2024 10:47 IST

Notwithstanding the debate on the costs and benefits of a “managed” currency for an emerging economy like India, the RBI must not seek to manage the rupee’s volatility through an indiscriminate expansion of its regulatory powers.

The Indian rupee follows a managed floating exchange rate regime. This means that the central bank intervenes in the foreign exchange market to buy or sell dollars in order to stabilise the value of the rupee. In recent times, however, the RBI seems to be using its regulatory powers to gain greater control over the rupee. We argue that currency management must not entail the use of regulations. The purpose of regulations is to address market failures. Currency volatility is not a market failure — it is the fluctuation of the currency in response to demand and supply forces. The use of regulatory powers for currency management introduces uncertainty in the central bank’s currency policy, and also increases the cost of doing business in RBI-regulated sectors. We discuss three such regulatory measures and the problems associated with them.

First, prohibiting speculative trades on exchanges. This exacerbates the difficulties of taking rupee exposure in India. In 2008, the RBI allowed Indian exchanges to launch a currency derivatives segment. At that time, the RBI’s guidelines on currency Futures and Options allowed Indian residents to participate in this market “to hedge an exposure to foreign exchange rate risk or otherwise”. While the RBI continued to prescribe the product design, position limits, and trading hours, the general trend was towards opening up this market. The idea was that as India became more globally integrated, the demand for such instruments and for liquidity in the derivatives market would increase. At some point, the 2008 guidelines were overtaken by several circulars, with the last version issued in 2016 having been amended at least 11 times. These regulations explicitly allowed taking positions in rupee-linked currency derivatives up to $100 million across all exchanges, “without having to establish existence of underlying exposure”.

Earlier this year, however, the RBI explicitly mandated exchanges to inform users that they “should be in a position to establish the existence of a valid underlying contracted exposure, if required”. This warning compelled the bulk of retail traders to wind up their positions as a result of which trading volumes collapsed by about 80 per cent across all exchanges. This regulatory measure essentially restricts speculators from trading in the onshore rupee market. It overlooks the fact that a liquid market requires all kinds of traders, including speculators, who act as de facto market makers. This move is an irreversible blow to a reasonably liquid market, which allowed hedgers to take positions on the rupee at low costs. It is likely to drive away volumes to the offshore currency derivatives market.

Second, regulating offshore trading platforms. The RBI proposed to regulate offshore electronic trading platforms (ETPs), which facilitate rupee-linked derivative transactions. Published on its website in April 2024, this proposal seeks to empower the RBI to oversee the offshore currency forwards market, commonly called the non-deliverable forwards (NDF) market. The NDF market allows people to trade in the rupee without undertaking any physical delivery of the currency, thereby reducing the cost of trading. In the last few years, the rupee NDF market has grown substantially in size, and is now reported to be almost thrice as large as the onshore market. This has led to concerns in the RBI that the offshore market, over which it has no direct oversight or control, could be playing a significant role in determining the rupee’s value. The recent regulatory proposal requires ETPs to register themselves with the RBI, and confers fairly extensive powers on the central bank, such as the power to refuse registration, seek information, specify “eligible instruments” that Indian residents may trade in, and impose additional terms and conditions.

Legally, the RBI can restrict Indian entities’ rights to deal with non-residents or to transact in foreign currencies, but it is a jurisdictional leap to regulate offshore platforms on which Indian residents trade. This is akin to Sebi asking the New York Stock Exchange to register with itself, simply because Indian residents trade at these venues. Instead of expanding its regulatory powers, the RBI must make it easier for people to trade the rupee in India. This will help bring back rupee linked trading volumes and allied businesses onshore.

Third, the RBI’s instructions to banks. Earlier this month, when the rupee-dollar exchange rate depreciated close to the 84 mark in the spot market, the RBI is reported to have orally instructed some large commercial banks to not add to their existing trading positions against the rupee. This step seems to have been taken to stem further rupee depreciation. On August 16, the RBI similarly instructed banks that handle trade with the United Arab Emirates to partially settle their trade payments using rupee instead of the dollar. This means that banks should directly convert rupees into dirhams and vice versa without first converting them into dollars. One objective of this move seems to be to reduce dollar dependence in international trade. But settling trade in rupee also helps insulate the currency from the impact of dollar outflows, that is, lower the extent of rupee depreciation against the dollar. In other words, this is yet another regulatory measure that helps to manage the currency.

Notwithstanding the debate on the costs and benefits of a “managed” currency for an emerging economy like India, the RBI must not seek to manage the rupee’s volatility through an indiscriminate expansion of its regulatory powers. Regulations are the rules of the game. Unlike market operations that involve central banks buying or selling the currency in the foreign exchange markets, changes to the rules of the game can have a more permanent, damaging effect on the incentives and the costs of doing business in the country.

Sengupta is associate professor of Economics, IGIDR and Shah is a doctoral researcher at the National University of Singapore

Why J&K assembly elections could end the domination of family-run parties

The polls will continue PM Modi’s vision of freeing the people from family politics and ushering in true democracy. It was this vision that resulted in the Kashmir Valley sending a Sunni, a Shia and a Gujjar to Parliament for the first time

Written by Ram Madhav

Updated: August 24, 2024 10:46 IST

The elections will continue Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of freeing the people from family politics and ushering in true democracy through free and fair elections.

It is going to be a battle royale in Jammu and Kashmir. The Union Territory, carved out from the erstwhile state of J&K in 2019, will be holding its first-ever elections in September. The Election Commission has announced polling in three phases to the 90 assembly segments of the UT legislature.

After the abrogation of Article 370 and the creation of J&K as a UT, certain administrative measures were to be completed before starting the electoral process. While the J&K region in the erstwhile state had 83 assembly segments, that number has been increased to 90 under the reorganisation act, thus necessitating a delimitation exercise. The delimitation commission was established in March 2020 under Justice Ranjana Desai, a former Supreme Court judge. The Commission completed the process by the middle of 2022, despite regional political parties like the National Conference, PDP and People’s Conference coming together to form a short-lived alliance, the “Gupkar Alliance”, and challenging the exercise in courts.

The main players in the elections will be national parties like the BJP and Congress and regional parties like the NC and PDP. There will be several other smaller parties that have emerged in the Kashmir Valley, like the People’s Conference led by Sajjad Lone and JK Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari. A new surprise in the Valley politics is the rise of a pro-separatist outfit called the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), led by a mercurial separatist leader Sheik Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid. Rashid shocked observers of J&K politics earlier this year by winning the North Kashmir Lok Sabha seat of Baramulla, defeating Omar Abdullah, the NC strongman and a towering leader in the Valley’s politics. Since then, speculation is rife that Rashid’s party would emerge as a strong force in the Valley politics through the legislative elections, not good news for the region and the nation.

The BJP, with its stronghold over the Jammu region, will continue to be a formidable force. It has a strong organisational and political presence in almost all the 43 assembly segments in the Jammu region, including Muslim-dominated areas like the Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley. Several prominent Muslim leaders have joined the party in the last few months enhancing its winning chances in 10-odd seats in the region, even in areas where the Muslim votes matter.

The NC is hoping to make a comeback by winning a majority of the seats in the Kashmir Valley. But the party’s ambition was dampened by the defeat of its leader Omar Abdullah in the Lok Sabha elections from a constituency that sends 16 legislators to the assembly. In a desperate bid, the Abdullahs decided to join hands with the Congress, hoping that the INDI Alliance would help them stem the BJP’s surge in Jammu. However, after the departure of Ghulam Nabi Azad in August 2022, the Congress Party has been a lacklustre force in the region. Several of its other leaders have migrated to parties like the BJP.

Far from benefiting by joining hands with the NC, the Congress will have to face the wrath of the people of Jammu and the nationalist elements in Kashmir, besides the people of the country, for this opportunistic alliance. Just a few days before the election, the NC came out with its election manifesto which categorically stated that the party’s first demand would be for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35 A in the Indian Constitution. “The first order of business of the elected assembly should be to make it known not just to the rest of India but to the world at large that the people of J&K don’t agree with what happened to us on August 5, 2019. Then we start undoing what was done to us”, Omar Abdullah said a week ago.

The party’s manifesto smacks of a soft separatist mindset, Kashmiri domination and scant respect for the people of Jammu, especially the SCs and STs. Sheikh Abdullah, its founder, was the champion of the idea of “autonomy” of Kashmir, a dangerous slogan that forced Jawaharlal Nehru to send him to jail in 1953. Again, it was Farooq Abdullah’s government in J&K, that brought the infamous “autonomy resolution” in 2000, trying to stoke separatism in the state.

The Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government in Delhi had snubbed Farooq Abdullah by rejecting the resolution in Parliament. It is saddening that after two decades the NC manifesto once again talks about autonomy and Article 370. The manifesto also talks about releasing prisoners who were jailed for pro-terrorist and anti-national activities and refers to the famous Shankaracharya Hill in Srinagar as Takht-i-Sulaiman and the adjoining Hari Parvat Fort as Koh-e-Maran.

The Modi government has introduced Scheduled Tribe reservation in the state to provide social justice to Gujjars, Pahadis and other tribes. The NC manifesto wants to “review” all the reservation in the state. It betrays NC’s anti-Jammu streak and throws a challenge at the marginalised sections of the Jammu society like Hindu SCs and Pahadis and Muslim Gujjars and Bakarwals. The Congress Party leadership has to answer if it shares the NC’s soft-separatist and anti-SC/ST political agenda.

The elections will continue Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of freeing the people from family politics and ushering in true democracy through free and fair elections. It was this vision that resulted in the Kashmir Valley sending a Sunni, a Shia and a Gujjar to Parliament for the first time from its three seats, truly representing the rich diversity of the Valley and rejecting the politics of scions. With the BJP continuing to be a strong force in the UT, this election will witness historic results and free people from the stranglehold of Gupkaris.

The writer, president, India Foundation, is with the BJP. Views are personal

How not to tax multi-national corporations

The UN is poised to assume prominence in international tax negotiations. However, two critical aspects will determine its fate

Written by Suranjali Tandon

Updated: August 24, 2024 10:45 IST

Questions were raised about where large tech companies should be paying taxes — the country of residence (predominantly US) or markets such as India? To forge consensus, the OECD kept going back to the drawing board to only come up with more complex solutions.

The inexplicably low rates of tax paid by multinationals stirred a row after the global financial crisis. In response, the G20 mobilised the OECD’s technical wherewithal to address some of the concerns. The last decade was dedicated to the cause and the OECD anchored the work of creating a profit-shifting programme. Fifteen action points to ensure transparency in cross-border income reporting and anti-avoidance measures were recommended. The organisation opened its gates to low-income countries to participate on an “equal footing” with its developed peers at the Inclusive Framework (IF). The seat at the table was made available not only because the world was changing and markets mattered, but also because tax competition among developed countries had intensified. They competed to offer low tax hubs while bilaterally negotiating treaties with preferential terms with developing countries.

The bonhomie lasted until countries ran into a messier terrain of redistribution of taxing rights. Questions were raised about where large tech companies should be paying taxes — the country of residence (predominantly US) or markets such as India? To forge consensus, the OECD kept going back to the drawing board to only come up with more complex solutions. More efforts were made to live up to the ideal of inclusivity, officials from developing countries such as Jamaica co-chaired the IF and many, including from India, voiced their concerns. Yet, this anonymised process of consensus building began to tire members. Disillusioned countries and regional groups demanded a shift. They proposed it was time for an intergovernmental tax body at the UN.

In a momentous move, 125 countries, including India, voted in favour of a UN global tax convention in 2023. However, 48 countries, including the UK and US, rejected the proposal. Despite resistance from developed countries, the UN proceeded to work on the terms of reference. The final version, released on August 15, was rejected by only eight countries but still included the US and UK. EU countries that initially opposed and remained divided on the agenda, abstained from voting on the final draft of terms of reference.

There is no doubt that the UN is poised to assume prominence in international tax negotiations. However, two aspects will determine its fate. First, time and money have been invested in building institutional frameworks at the OECD that have ensured exchange of information, quick adoption of anti-abuse measures in treaties and cross-country information sharing. Would it be wise to duplicate this work unless the current system is riddled with flaws — an issue that EU countries have raised? The convention also acknowledges this overlap and recommends that the committee consider synergies. It remains to be seen how this is managed. Second, economic interests between and within groups of countries will continue to diverge. Forging consensus on cross-border matters can be difficult, especially if the sovereignty of countries in tax policy-making is to be preserved. The iterative revisions to the UN tax convention are material for scope. For example, the language was revised in specific aspects — a shift of focus to tax avoidance and evasion by high-net-worth individuals. It also emphasises sovereignty, while committing to fair allocation of taxing rights and meeting SDGs. The recognition of fair allocation of taxing rights is a shift in international tax thinking, although the concept of fairness remains undefined.

The UN breaks away from the practice at IF by establishing formal processes including that of election of members of the negotiating committee on an equitable basis. Public information on country votes also lends transparency. It allows experts and civil society to identify and engage with the naysayers. A pragmatic approach will include cross border services including digital services and illicit financial flows. The challenge will be to get acceptance from countries such as the US and UK. It is doubtful that they would adopt the protocols  especially since countries will have the flexibility to sign.

The writer is associate professor, NIPFP

Time to reset the GST system

Simplification of the current slabs will also promote economic activity, particularly consumption, that would ultimately lead to higher tax revenues

By: Editorial

August 24, 2024 07:07 IST

Most states may be averse to rate rationalisation, fearing loss of revenue. But a simplification of the current slabs will also promote economic activity, particularly consumption, that would ultimately lead to higher tax revenues.

Most states don’t seem to be in favour of changes to the existing five main goods and services tax (GST) rate slabs: 0, 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. The general argument being advanced is that since gross GST revenues have been growing — from a monthly average of Rs 94,734 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 1,23,608 crore in 2021-22, Rs 1,50,640 crore in 2022-23, Rs 1,68,187 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 1,84,724 crore in April-July 2024-25 — and the rate structure has “stabilised”, why disturb it? It should actually be the other way round. When GST collections are robust, thanks to improved compliance and plugging leakages through measures such as making e-invoicing mandatory for firms with turnover exceeding Rs 5 crore and use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, that is precisely the time for embarking on rate rationalisation. That includes both reducing the number of slabs from five to not more than three, and also reviewing the list of items under each slab.

The incongruity and, probably unfairness, of the GST rates applicable on several items are well known. Why should GST on cement, a basic construction material, be 28 per cent? The same goes for the 18 per cent GST payable on medical and life insurance policy premium, which, in Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s own words, amounts to taxing individuals seeking to purchase cover against “life’s uncertainties”. There’s similarly no logic to milk not attracting any GST, but skimmed milk powder being taxed at 5 per cent and butter and ghee at 12 per cent. So while dairies pay no tax on milk procured from farmers, they have to shell out GST on both powder and fat used for reconstitution into milk. A 12 per cent GST on milk fat is also an anomaly when vegetable fat (edible oil) is taxed at 5 per cent. Multiple slabs are clearly a recipe for confusion, adding to the complexity of doing business.

Most states may be averse to rate rationalisation, fearing loss of revenue. But a simplification of the current slabs will also promote economic activity, particularly consumption, that would ultimately lead to higher tax revenues. States should, moreover, explore raising more non-tax revenues through revision of user charges on water, electricity and other utility services, besides resetting stamp duty rates and registration fees along with guidance values on property for better compliance. The Indian economy today needs a fiscal stimulus, in the form of lower indirect taxes, rather than higher government spending.

Lateral entry scheme puts competence above quota politics

For India to overcome developmental challenges, efficient, responsive and results-oriented governance is crucial. Which caste or religion public servants belong to is immaterial

Written by Sudheendra Kulkarni

Updated: August 24, 2024 15:34 IST

Challenges in development and governance are becoming highly complex in the modern world. Therefore, higher echelons of administration require professionals with deep domain knowledge and expertise, rather than generalists like most job-secure IAS officers who hop from one domain to another in relatively short stints with little people-monitored accountability.

A confused BJP that lacks a majority in Parliament, a weakened Prime Minister who lacks the courage of conviction, and a Congress-led Opposition that lacks a long-term plan for India’s inclusive development but only seeks short-term electoral gains have combined to kill a key administrative reform. The lateral entry scheme meant to revitalise a moribund babudom is dead. It will be long before a strong and visionary PM arrives on the scene with a resolve to infuse life into it.

Privately, many forward-looking leaders across party lines admit that the country’s administrative machinery needs radical reforms, and that the lateral entry scheme is one of them. They will also tell you that to be meaningful, the scheme should be free from the provision of quotas. But the election-winning priorities of parties are so heavily influenced by the warped debate on “social justice” that there are hardly any prominent voices defending a scheme the Modi government introduced only to withdraw it at lightning speed.

The sorry predicament of Modi 3.0 is obvious even before it has completed 100 days. The feeblest dissent from coalition partners is enough for it to reverse its steps. The Congress’s hypocrisy is also out in the open. In its eagerness to embrace caste politics and a caste-based development model, and a hurried bid to recover lost support base, especially in north India, it is trying to outdo even Kanshi Ram and Chandrashekhar Azad (Raavan). See how stiffly it opposed the lateral entry scheme. Rahul Gandhi slammed it by calling it “privatisation of IAS”, forgetting that his own father, grandmother and great-grandfather also invited external non-IAS, non-quota talent into their governments. Bizarrely, his party supported the Bharat Bandh on August 21, which denounced the recent Supreme Court verdict on sub-categorisation of SC/ST quotas. His colleague Siddaramaiah, Karnataka chief minister, has welcomed the verdict as “historic”.

Why does India need a certain number of external professionals to join the administration, especially at the middle and senior levels? And why is it necessary to exempt such lateral entry from the provision of reservation? The answer is obvious to all who know the glaring shortcomings in our system of governance at the Centre and in states and municipal corporations. For India to overcome the gigantic challenges in development and meet the rising aspirations of its 1.45 billion people, especially those belonging to poor and neglected communities, nothing is more crucial than efficient, responsive and results-oriented governance. Which caste or religion public servants belong to is immaterial. What should matter is whether they are competent, pro-people and can deliver outcomes that benefit the nation as a whole and, particularly, the disadvantaged citizenry.

For example, officers in education, healthcare or any of the employment-promoting departments, regardless of their caste or community identity, will contribute more to the cause of social and economic justice if they are highly competent and dedicated. Competence and commitment, which are caste-agnostic, are also imperative in other fields of governance — from justice delivery to scientific research, from rural development to women’s empowerment — since everything cumulatively promotes or hinders the holistic development of society, especially those left behind.

There is also a second compelling reason. Challenges in development and governance are becoming highly complex in the modern world. Therefore, higher echelons of administration require professionals with deep domain knowledge and expertise, rather than generalists like most job-secure IAS officers who hop from one domain to another in relatively short stints with little people-monitored accountability. The traditional public service system does not produce enough of such specialists. In contrast, India’s burgeoning private sector companies, top-notch universities, research laboratories, think tanks, cultural industries, media and other civil society institutions have many professionals both competent and eager to offer their services to nation-building. Why should the nation be deprived of this precious resource? Why should public service remain a monopoly of IAS or IFS officers, who, quite often, become an elite “caste” unto themselves and fiercely resist the entry of external talent?

Some may argue: Let there be lateral entry, but with strict adherence to reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs. This defeats the very raison d’être of the reform. Rahul Gandhi recently posed the wrong question in Parliament by wanting to know how many officers from quota categories were among secretaries to the Government of India. The question to be debated is different. What contributes more to social and economic justice for SCs, STs, OBCs and other marginalised communities? Is it a small number of elite quota beneficiaries in the higher levels of government service or competent, efficient, accountable and high-quality governance that can benefit millions of people from the very same communities? Sadly, the debate on the lateral entry scheme has been hijacked by quota “Brahmins” at the expense of multitudes who remain victims of poor governance. Their opposition to the creamy-layer concept also shows their exclusionary touch-me-not mindset.

Another question: Should India remain blind to international experience? All rich countries, and many developing countries, offer public service opportunities to highly competent and interested professionals. In the US and China, it is routine for specialists in universities and private sector companies to be called upon to work in government departments, including in foreign service.

No sane person who is wedded to social justice, economic democracy and other constitutional values can be indifferent to the need to ensure a fair reflection of diversity in India’s governance structure. But indifference bordering on disrespect for competence and commitment in public service is detrimental to the realisation of these very lofty values.

How can we make lateral entry socially representative without mandatory quotas? We must accelerate efforts to build needed competencies in professionals from less represented sections of society. This requires major and long-neglected reforms in government-run universities, whose low standards are hurting the poor among SCs, STs, OBCs and all other communities. Private sector companies too must come forward to provide ample growth opportunities to talented human resources in these communities.

Above all, government service demands a paramount virtue from all who wish to enter its portals through regular or lateral channels. At work, they must “annihilate” their own caste and religious identities, and embrace only one “jaati” — of public servants — and only one dharma (duty): Service of India and all Indians without any discrimination.

The writer was a close aide to former

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

What a penguin’s death tells us about love and loss

At Sydney’s Sea Life Aquarium, when Magic, Sphen’s younger partner, was brought to say his final goodbye, he sang his grief

By: Editorial

Updated: August 24, 2024 07:32 IST

Dealing with the shock of the untimely death of her father, writer and naturalist Helen McDonald channels her anger and hurt into becoming a falconer.

In The Year of Magical Thinking’ (2005), Joan Didion writes of the year loss came home to her with the deaths of her husband and daughter: “Grief turns out to be a place none of us know until we reach it.” In the gut wrench of bereavement, she tells herself how wild things do not suffer such heartbreaks and seeks comfort in that. Only, it turns out, that they do. At Sydney’s Sea Life Aquarium, when Sphen, the gentoo penguin known for his devotion to his same-sex partner, died last week, grief became a song. When Magic, Sphen’s younger partner, with whom he had raised two chicks, was brought to say his final goodbye, he broke out in what could only be described as a dirge.

Sphen and Magic had spent six years together but grief seems to be an emotion that transcends sentience. Elephants have been known to grieve the loss of their partners, parents and cubs; bald eagles and black vultures mate for life; dogs remain emblematic of a rare kind of fealty to their owners — for nine years until his own death, Hachiko, a Japanese Akita dog, waited at a railway station every evening for his master to return from work. He had never gotten over the loss of his owner, an academic at Tokyo Imperial University. But if grief is pervasive across species, there are also lessons in resilience from the animal kingdom.

Dealing with the shock of the untimely death of her father, writer and naturalist Helen McDonald channels her anger and hurt into becoming a falconer. In H is for Hawk (2014), she writes of the lesson that the fierce and unyielding goshawk teaches her that grief would not allow her to see: “You see that life will become a thing made of holes. Absences. Losses. Things that were there and are no longer. And you realise, too, that you have to grow around and between the gaps, though you can put your hand out to where things were and feel that tense, shining dullness of the space where the memories are.”

In Kamala Harris’ speech, an American story — and a missing link

With her personal story and arc, Democratic presidential nominee has enthused party, energised base. She needs to reach out, and across, more and take a leaf out of running mate Tim Walz’s playbook

By: Editorial

Updated: August 24, 2024 06:53 IST

Harris’s Indian-Jamaican-American story will compete with Trump’s, whose pitch has been protectionist globally and revanchist in terms of diversity and immigration.

It’s a distinctly American story.” Maya Harris’s words captured a multi-generational journey that culminated on August 22 with her sister becoming only the second woman presidential candidate in the US, and the first person of Indian origin to rise to that level. As she accepted the nomination and spoke on the final day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Kamala Harris spoke of her mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris, of how, as a 19-year-old Indian student, she came to America, married Kamala’s Jamaican father and instilled in her daughter the values that have marked an incredibly successful — and for many, inspirational — career in public life. Through her story, Vice President Harris framed that elusive notion that draws so many to the US — the American dream. She sought to frame her background and her identity in a way that reflects a diverse nation. Her achievement is certainly a milestone for the Indian diaspora — when Harris was coming of age, a half-Indian woman president would have been difficult to imagine. She spoke of choosing unity over divisiveness and sought to reach out to the White working middle-class — a chunk of this vote is now thought to be rallying behind Donald Trump: “I want you to know, I promise to be a president for all Americans. You can always trust me to put country above party and self.”

There is little doubt that Harris has enthused the Democratic party, and energised its base, more deeply perhaps than at any time since Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns. Only five weeks ago, when President Joe Biden was the presumptive nominee, it seemed that the Democrats were flailing as they tried to present an ageing incumbent as a serious challenger to Trump. Opinion polls now have Harris and Trump neck-and-neck, with some giving a slight edge to the VP. Harris’s attacks on Trump at the DNC, however, undercut her attempts to reach across the aisle. The well-rehearsed demonising of Trump with familiar rhetoric was predictably well-received among Democrats. But for those who voted for him and those who still support him, there was little that was persuasive, with one exception: On reproductive rights, Harris was clear about the dangers posed to women — physical, emotional and mental — by the overturning of Roe v Wade. It is an issue that affects voters across class divides, race and even politics. The Republicans’ and US Supreme Court’s curbing of women’s bodily autonomy is widely seen as one of the major reasons for the Republicans’ poor performance in the mid-terms.

Kamala Harris has a little over two months to convince “undecided” Americans. Her campaign will now enter what her running mate Tim Walz — a former American football high school coach and public school teacher — called the “fourth quarter… with the ball in our hand on offence”. Harris’s Indian-Jamaican-American story will compete with Trump’s, whose pitch has been protectionist globally and revanchist in terms of diversity and immigration. But Trump, too, appeals to those who feel left behind. Walz, in his speech, sought to reach out to a larger audience by framing freedom as standing together as citizens, even with those you disagree with. Going forward, Harris will need to build on his theme.

Application for cancellation of former CM A R Antulay’s bail rejected

The prosecution application for cancellation of the former Maharashtra chief minister, A R Antulay’s bail was rejected by Justice S N Khatri at the Bombay High Court.

By: Editorial

Updated: August 24, 2024 07:16 IST

Giving his ruling, Justice Khatri said it could not be conclusively said that the accused had indulged in tampering with the government files relating to cement transactions during his tenure as chief minister.

Provincial Councils

The government was willing to consider provincial councils as units of devolution for the entire country, Sri Lankan President Jayewardene said. The district councils in existence will remain intact, but soon, provincial councils will be conceived. The President saw the formation of provincial councils as an organic part of the second chamber concept spelt out by him to the all-party conference called to consider the problem of Sri Lanka Tamils.

Cong Poll Planning

About half a dozen cabinet ministers of Bihar will be told to quit for taking up oganisational work as part of the Congress (I) high command’s plans to strengthen the party before the forthcoming elections. This became obvious after Bihar Chief Minister Chandra Shekhar Singh and his predecessor, Jagannath Mishra, had talks with the central leaders.

Antulay’s Bail Plea

The prosecution application for cancellation of the former Maharashtra chief minister, A R Antulay’s bail was rejected by Justice S N Khatri at the Bombay High Court. Giving his ruling, Justice Khatri said it could not be conclusively said that the accused had indulged in tampering with the government files relating to cement transactions during his tenure as chief minister.

NTR’s Disillusionment

The battle of Andhra Pradesh must be won before any further talks of opposition party unity at the national level N T Rama Rao, the Telugu Desam party leader told ENS just before emplaning for Hyderabad. Rama Rao’s health seems to have improved much since his arrival in Delhi. He, however, appeared to be disillusioned about the Centre and did not expect either the recall of the Governor or the dismissal of the Bhaskara Rao Ministry.

I adopted my daughter. Recent changes in law could help others get the same happiness

I feel a deep respect for biological moms. But I am also relieved to have not gone through the trials and tribulations of one

Updated: August 24, 2024 15:09 IST

With recent changes to India’s adoption laws that have expanded eligibility to fostering as a gateway to adoption, I hope many prospective parents find adoption an increasingly viable and appealing option. (Representative/ Express file photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Written by Smita Pranav Kothari

It’s 9:48 pm. As I put my eight-month-old to bed, my lower back and frozen shoulders sigh: One more day down. I wonder why everyone says, “They grow up too fast!”.

I go over my mental to-do list for the day to gauge how I fared with the baby:

Protein: Check

Fruits and vegetables: Check

Supplements: Check

Learning and development through toys and activities: Check

Exposure to nature and socialising through stroller walk: Check

Exposure to music by playing baby Mozart and Indian devotional songs: Check

Diaper-free time: Check

However, there’s always room to learn, and do more and better when it comes to a baby. So, I open a moms’ group on WhatsApp meant for discussions about newborn to about six-month-old babies. On this group, I have found recommendations for the best wet wipe, inquired about others’ experiences in dealing with their children’s constipation, got educated about products like steriliser bags which I didn’t know about, and more. This group (and others on social media) consists of moms. Period. They could be mothers through the biological route or adoption or surrogacy. There is no mention as to which mom is an adoptive parent and hence no way to know otherwise. Moms are moms. Except that I learnt our trials and tribulations are very different.

I underwent IVF cycles which were torturous on my mind and body both. My friends and relatives who have carried babies in their womb tell me that the dreamy baby-bump photoshoots are a fraud. The reality is nausea, back pain, and an unwieldy body.

In the adoptive-parent community, we guesstimate when our bundle will arrive based on when our peers with similar dates of registration and choices, like the age bracket of the child, received theirs. My “pregnancy” was so smooth that I didn’t even realise when I was in my first trimester, second trimester, third trimester or had already popped the baby as the child matched with us could be of any age within the chosen two-year bracket.

If the birthing complications, labour pain, and physical recovery from a C-section were not enough, I learnt from the Whatsapp group about the complications in breastfeeding. On one hand were the full-spectrum issues on the demand (baby) side from hard latch to breast refusal whereas on the supply side were problems ranging from low to excess milk production (leading to a serious medical condition called mastitis). And then there was the pumping and correct storing of milk to match the demand and supply. I was happy I didn’t have to put my mind into buying the right breast-pump or consulting a lactation expert. I would gleefully skim through the majority of the messages, mentally checking them off as non-applicable. However, I wondered if our greatest pain-point in life was justified: Getting up once in the middle of the night, reaching for the Dr Brown’s bottle on the bedside table, pouring lukewarm water in it from a thermos, downing pre-measured formula into it, shaking the bottle, and dunking it in the baby’s mouth.

One avenue for respite for the mother could be savouring food and beverages that she enjoys but apparently the baby’s colic doesn’t like the exact same menu. A breastfeeding mom shared on the group that she detected that wheat and coffee made her baby cry incessantly and so she had to eliminate those from her diet. Interestingly, colic bids farewell at about three months of age and that is the earliest that a child becomes legally free for adoption: It takes a couple of months for the child to be registered in the adoption system after ensuring there is no claim from his/her family. We were blessed with our daughter when she was a quarter of a year old and we both have lived happily ever after: She is relishing her formula milk and I have enjoyed not having to follow any formula. I continue to devour my papdi chaat (a tangy and spicy snack) and masala chai guilt-free. To each her own (gas).

Adoption may entail a long wait to get the baby in your arms, but I thought it’s a shortcut to all of the above. So whenever I feel like I’m dealing with a lot, I surf the Whatsapp group and sleep peacefully: Feeling a deep respect for biological moms and gratitude that I’m not one.

With recent changes to India’s adoption laws that have expanded eligibility to fostering as a gateway to adoption, I hope many prospective parents find adoption an increasingly viable and appealing option.

Kothari is a writer and communications manager

My house is a Starbucks

I feel a nervous energy in me whenever I see it. My hands want to push the door open. My feet want to barge inside. But I no longer belong there

Written by Vaishali Shroff

Updated: August 24, 2024 17:31 IST

Change can be hard to accept. Especially a change in things we hold dearest to our heart. (Express illustration by C R Sasikumar)

I’m the third generation of my family that was born and raised in Bombay (Mumbai much later). My children are the fourth generation. There’s a Mumbai we all know that’s unique only to us. Whether it’s the houses, the schools, the colleges, hospitals, shops, or the local paanwala. Whether it’s the trees and the beach and the streets. Or some heritage structures we may not even notice as we go about our lives.

In the last few decades, the city around us has changed in a thousand different ways. So much so, it’s hard to recognise certain nooks and corners if we have been away for a while. Yet, the smells, the sounds, the vibe, don’t change.

Our home, though old, is more precious than anything else because that’s where we have grown to understand the world around us. But what happens when this home changes beyond recognition?

I’ve never felt so strange walking into any Starbucks anywhere in this world but this one. I feel a nervous energy inside me whenever I see it. I almost don’t like it at all. The modern glass façade, the shiny white window frames, the crowd, the chatter, the faint music wafting from the door every time it opens, all seem so unnecessary to me. So odd and unfair in a way.

My hands want to push the door open, for this door never remained closed. My feet want to barge inside, to simply run around like they used to on the mosaic tiles where they first learnt to crawl, stand, walk, and run.

But now the doors are shut. They swing open every now and then when people walk in and out of it. The floor now belongs to the hundreds of strangers who walk all over it daily.

The house where I grew up is now a brand-new Starbucks. The giant gulmohar and peepal trees right outside the house have now been replaced by concrete pillars for a Metro station, which we will hopefully see in this lifetime. I am unable to get past the fact that the house where my grandparents moved in after having their first born over half a century ago, the house where my parents met and got married, where my sisters, my cousins, and I were born, is an unrecognisable concrete tower with a Starbucks exactly where I lived!

I feel lost. My brain is incapable of connecting with the place. As I enter this Starbucks, I am unable to see it for what it is. The menu stuck behind the counter used to be a wood-carving painting of a shikara my grandfather bought in Kashmir. The chairs and tables to the left used to be our dining table — where we ate, studied, and even played ping pong using steel glasses and a long broom for a net. The green Starbucks mermaid perches herself on the glass window where I used to sit with my legs dangling outside the window — sometimes throwing paper boats in puddles, sometimes shooing crows, and sometimes just watching the world go by.

I have vivid memories of the neighbours who walked into our house like it was their own, the vendors who would drop by to say saheb ji to my Baa sitting on the sofa overlooking the road — her only window to the outside world.

But this is perhaps just my world. The memories I have built and stored into the deep recesses of my mind. I may forget what I had for breakfast today but not the sounds of playing lagori and saakli and luka-chhuppi with my friends; of neighbours walking in with freshly cooked meals and walking back with goodies from our kitchen; of climbing trees and walls to cross over to the neighbour’s house, still echo around the glass façade of this swanky new Starbucks that has replaced it.

When I tell my children how much I miss the old house, they agree that I must feel strange. They have accompanied me to my childhood home many times. They have heard stories about how we could see the coastline from the house. Of how my dad, their Nanu, used to play cricket with his friends on the main road. But the coastline seems distant now, thanks to the rampant construction in the area. And the roads are no longer safe to play cricket on. It’s when my first born tells me, “Just imagine how your Baa and Dadaji must have felt when they saw buildings where there were only open spaces before. Or how Nanu must have felt seeing there’s barely any space to walk on, let alone play cricket on,” that it really hit home.

Change can be hard to accept. Especially a change in things we hold dearest to our heart. This change could mean significant alterations to the way we have to lead the rest of our lives. Sometimes, we’re not ready to accept them. Sometimes, we have no choice but to move on.

The Metro construction in our neighbourhood has been going on for nearly a decade. An entire generation of children has been born and raised watching the construction of humongous pillars that resemble rockets. Sometimes I’m glad they don’t know any better. At least they won’t keep comparing the old times and the new.

Will I ever get a “chai latte” from this Starbucks? I don’t know. Maybe I should — just sit there with a cuppa and look at everything more closely. Feel closer to those days and times.

The rest of my family don’t think too much about it. But it has affected me at a deeper level. Is home just an idea? A figment of our imagination? Is it, after all, just an emotion, which moves with us wherever we settle with our loved ones?

If walls and floors and ceilings could think and talk, these ones would be telling me stories of the past that now only live in my memory.

I’m walking in.

Shroff is a children’s author, most recently of 10 Indian Scientists Whose Extraordinary Work You May Not Know

Kamala Harris reaches out across the aisle — but points a finger at Trump voter

She called for an end to bitterness and divisiveness and promised to be a leader for all Americans. But by demonising the former President, she runs the danger of demonising his supporters who she was reaching out to.

Written by Vamsee Juluri

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 15:34 IST

Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, her husband Doug Emhoff, Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and his wife Gwen stand onstage on Day 4 of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 22, 2024. (REUTERS)

Kamala Harris’s selection as the Democratic candidate for US President has brought joy to a part of America that deserves it. For four long years, many Americans have lived through the self-contradictory strain of saying things are great under President Joe Biden while also saying things are not great at all because former President Trump is still around. They waited patiently for President Biden to rise to the occasion again, but then decided finally that it would be better to thank him for his service and confront their fearsome nemesis with a new arsenal instead.

And what spectacular energy has ensued from that arsenal since the Democratic National Convention (DNC) began!

Harris has been consistently described as an amazingly competent and compassionate human being by colleagues, family, and friends for the past few days. Personal testimonies have poured forth from people who knew her from the beginnings of her public life as San Francisco District Attorney, California Attorney General, Senator, and recently, as the US Vice President. It would not be out of place to describe the mood at the DNC as one of religious fervour, and of course, faith, in a much-needed saviour.

Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett’s speech summed up this mood perfectly. When she met VP Harris, she was very emotional, she said, and then, “the most powerful woman in the world wiped my tears and listened to me.” Confronted with tales of such empathy, what else can human beings do but believe?

Even the hip cartoonists at the New Yorker couldn’t resist representing the metaphysics of hope emanating from Chicago. One cartoon shows passengers in a plane shaking in their seats while the captain warns them of “moderate turbulence” from the “energy field pulsing up from the Democratic National Convention.”

Naturally, this mystical energy field has pulsed its way all the way up to an ecstatic climax with the breathlessly awaited appearance of the final speaker at the DNC – Harris herself. To start with, her speech was consistent with the description of her as someone capable of wiping away tears from the face of suffering Americans. She called for an end to bitterness and divisiveness. She noted that people with all political views were watching, and promised to be a leader for all Americans — “country over party,” as the saying goes. That was a much-needed gesture. Whatever the differences in positions and proposed policies of the two parties, the fact that she did so when no one expected her opponent to make generous “reaching across the aisle” moves was indeed welcome. But then, that promise was ephemeral.

Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice President Kamala Harris waves after speaking on Day 4 of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 22, 2024. (REUTERS)

Her attention then turned promptly to Donald Trump, whom she called an “unserious man”. She turned to issue grave warnings about what his return might do to America. It was an unexpected grasp at a gratuitous rhetorical crutch after all the lofty presidential image-building exercises at the convention. The “bogeyman” trope about Trump was perhaps par for the course when other speakers used it (“vindictive, vile, villain” was one of the more colourful phrases), but a step backwards when heard from someone working diligently towards greater gravitas in a darkly cacophonous time of political history. When you demonise an opponent who is still incredibly popular with many Americans, you run the risk of being seen as demonising those Americans you just promised to be a President for as well. On that count, despite all his obvious communication tics, tick-offs, and tactics (including his latest physical gag of mocking his advisers who tell him to talk about policies and avoid personal attacks on opponents), Trump still has some references to a familiar everyday American reality in his rhetorical arsenal that the Democratic campaign has failed to offer a persuasive alternative to.

The Democrats may chant “USA!” like Trump fans, but then the sight of American flags and monuments being desecrated in protests and riots these past few years under Democrats — slogans such as White Supremacy and Palestine — will not be forgotten by many people, across race, religions, and cultures, for whom “country” still symbolises an honourable form of association and identity. More importantly, it is quite apparent that the Democrats are also attempting to turn some of the unignorable social concerns highlighted by Trump such as crime and safety, and prices, into wins for them by highlighting Harris’s prosecutorial record, and the Republicans’ proximity to wealth, respectively. There are empty spaces in both houses.

The convention has come to an end, and so has an incredible experience in the meaning of politics to some in this, supposedly post-religious, age. “After the ecstasy”, as the title of a famous book goes, is the laundry. That it will get dirty is obvious. But much more than we know will be at stake if we are unable to avert our eyes from the spin and see it all for what it is.

The writer is professor of Media Studies, University of San Francisco

UPSC-CSE Key

- UPSC Key | PM’s visit to Ukraine, Hampi, Chandrayaan-4 and more

- UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | August 18 to August 24, 2024

- National Space Day: All you need to know for UPSC Prelims and Mains

- UPSC Issue at a Glance | Mpox and Public Health Emergency: 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

- UPSC Essentials | Expert talk : Is lateral entry a disadvantage for Civil Services?

- UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : History, Culture and Social Issues MCQs on Cripps Mission, Panchamasali Lingayats (Week 72)

- UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 3 : Questions on Distributed Denial of Service and role of nuclear techniques in food safety (Week 65)

- Akshay Urja Day 2024: India making strides in advancing renewable energy

- UPSC Essentials : Daily subject-wise quiz | Polity and Governance MCQs on Deputy Chairman, DPSP and more (Week 72)

UPSC Key | PM’s visit to Ukraine, Hampi, Chandrayaan-4 and more

Exclusive for Subscribers Daily: How are the PM's visit to Ukraine and Chandrayaan-4 relevant to the UPSC Exam? What significance do topics like the India-US defence supply pact and Hampi have for the preliminary and main exams? You can learn more by reading the Indian Express UPSC Key for August 24, 2024.

Written by Manas Srivastava , Nitendra Pal Singh

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 22:07 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pay their respects to the children killed amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, at Martyrologist Exposition in Kyiv. Know more in our UPSC Key today. (Reuters)

🚨 Attention: UPSC Key is now all 7 Days a Week!🚨

Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for August 24, 2024. If you missed the August 23rd, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here.

🚨 The Indian Express UPSC Essentials brings to you the August edition of its monthly magazine. Click Here to read. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨

FRONT PAGE

India lends Ukraine a shoulder

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: International Relations

What’s the ongoing story- Marking a historic milestone in India’s diplomacy in Europe which has been roiled by the Russia-Ukraine war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv Friday and asked him to sit with Russian President Vladimir Putin to find a way out of the crisis.

Prerequisites:

— What is the Russia-Ukraine war all about and what have been the key events?

— How was Ukraine created?

— Map work: Important places in news with reference to Russia and Ukraine

— How has been the global support for Ukraine and what peace efforts have been made so far.

Key takeaways:

— PM Modi: “We have stayed away from the war, but we are not neutral, we are in favour of peace. We come from the land of Buddha and (Mahatma) Gandhi with a message of peace. I had told President Putin on his face that this is not the era of war. I told him last month that solutions can’t be found on the battlefield.”

— Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy : In a post later, Zelenskyy said, “Today, history was made. The Prime Minister of India @narendramodi made his first visit to Ukraine since our country’s independence, on the eve of our Independence Day.” “India supports Ukraine’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity. And this is critical because everyone in the world must equally respect the UN Charter,” he said.

— External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on India’s energy trade with Russia: He said it came up during the discussions and it was explained to the Ukrainian side about the “tight energy market”. “India is a big oil consumer. It’s a big oil importer because we don’t produce oil. So, it’s not like there is a political strategy to buy oil. There is an oil strategy to buy oil. There’s a market strategy to buy oil… The fact that the market is tight, that today big suppliers like Iran and Venezuela, who used to supply India, are constrained from operating freely in the markets… This factor needs to be taken into account,” he said.

— India on Friday took a remarkable step to proactively offer New Delhi’s help — at the highest level by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself — to any “active role” that will help end the Russia-Ukraine war.

— This is the first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since it became independent in December 1991, and diplomatic ties were established between the two countries in January 1992.

— The fact that Modi visited Moscow on July 8-9 to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and followed it up six weeks later with a visit to Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — puts him in an unique position of developing direct contact between the leaders of the two warring sides.

— India chose to distance itself from the US-led Western bloc’s position of imposing sanctions on Russia, but it also expressed “heartbreaking” concern at the killing of innocent children. Modi conveyed to the Russian President Putin that “this is not the era of war”.

— New Delhi has stayed away from contributing to the war efforts on both sides directly, and instead, sent humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

— The Indian position of abstaining from the UN resolutions over the past two-and-half years, and making it clear that “dialogue and diplomacy” is the way forward projects Delhi as a player working towards peace.

— The important element of India asking Putin and Zelenskyy to sit together — means that Delhi is ready to nudge both to have a direct conversation, instead of peace summits which are unrepresented by one side — Russia was not part of the Ukraine summit in Switzerland’s Burgenstock in June this year.

— India has been part of several multilateral summits  which have talked about the process to resolve the conflict, but there has not been any headway so far.

— Soon after reaching the Ukrainian capital here from Poland, Modi was greeted by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the multimedia Martyrologist Exposition on children at the National Museum of History of Ukraine here.

— After watching the multimedia presentations — that gave information about scores of children who died during the conflict — as part of the Exposition, Modi and Zelenskyy both stood in front of a wall-like structure, which already had a lot of toys placed in the memory of the children and honoured the memory of the fallen young Ukrainians with a moment of silence. The multimedia project ‘Children’ was created in June 2022 on the Day of Remembrance of Children Killed by Russia’s Armed Aggression against Ukraine, the statement from Zelenskyy’s office said.

— In May 2024, UNICEF said that nearly 2,000 children have been killed since the beginning of the Ukraine-Russia war.

MUST-READ:

Raja Mohan writes: “It took the tragic and a globally disruptive war to bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kyiv, the first such visit since Ukraine re-established itself as an independent nation amid the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.

But by showing up in Ukraine and lending a shoulder to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is leading a badly battered nation to defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty, Modi has initiated three important processes: insert India into Europe’s quest for peace; expand Delhi’s room for manoeuvre in the global geopolitical churn triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine; and reclaim Delhi’s lost bonds with Kyiv in the post-Soviet era.”

For Your Information:

Assessing Ukraine’s deep incursion in Russia from Explained page

—President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said Ukrainian troops continue to capture territory and Russian soldiers in Russia’s Kursk Oblast since the launch of Ukraine’s surprise incursion into the region more than two weeks ago.

— Russia on its part said that it had foiled a Ukrainian attempt to seize land in the neighbouring Bryansk Oblast, about 240 km away from the site of the incursion into Kursk.

— Ukraine’s attack in Kursk, which began early on August 6, came after months of steady gains by Russia on the battlefield.

—  Many experts see the incursion as a major moment in the war that is now in its third year — a success that has helped Kyiv change the narrative that had taken root following its losses and setbacks suffered elsewhere.

—  Observers have listed three probable objectives of the incursion:

A BARGAINING CHIP: Ukraine wants to use the captured territory as a bargaining chip for any future negotiation with Russia. If Donald Trump returns to the White House early next year, he could force Kyiv to negotiate by withdrawing American military-technical assistance.

TO BOOST MORALE: It has been suggested that Ukraine wanted to boost the morale of its people and troops after failing to stop the Russian advance in the east. Ukraine also wanted to display to the West that helping it with arms and funds is not yet a lost cause.

BATTLEFIELD TACTIC: The incursion could be a tactic to force Russia to divert its forces from the hottest battlefields in eastern Ukraine, where they are coming close to fulfilling their goal of capturing all of the Donetsk region.

BHISHM from GOVT & POLITICS Page

— After his bilateral talks with President Volodymr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted four BHISHM cubes — compact, mobile medical units aimed at providing emergency care — to his government.

— Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri (BHISHM) cubes have been developed under the government’s Project Aarogya Maitri, a programme to provide essential medical supplies to developing countries as humanitarian assistance.

Points to Ponder:

— Delhi firmly believes Moscow and Kyiv need to talk to each other, and not talk at each other — to put an end to the war. That’s easier said than done. Discuss.

— Has Ukraine may have made a mistake in going deep into Kursk?

— What has been India’s stand on the Russia-Ukraine war?

Post Read Question:

1. With reference to PM Modi’s recent visit to Ukraine, consider the following statements:

1. India gifted four BHISHM cubes to Ukraine which have been developed under the government’s Project Ayushman Bharat.

2. This was the first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since it became independent.

Which of the following statements is not true?

(a) Only 1

(b) Only 2

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Two years on, global support for Ukraine won’t falter

Why Modi’s visit to Ukraine marks three new roads: India in Europe, diplomatic space, and Delhi-Kyiv revival

Why Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ukraine is significant

Ukraine: A short history of its creation

India, US sign key defence supply pact as Rajnath begins 4-day visit

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II: International relations

What’s the ongoing story- As Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reached Washington DC on a four-day official visit, India and US on Thursday signed two key pacts — a non-binding Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement regarding Assignment of Liaison Officers.

Prerequisites:

Bilateral relations between India-US

What are the 4 Defence agreements between India and the United States?

Key takeaways:

— The Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) will mandate the US and India to provide reciprocal priority support for goods and services that promote national defence.

— “The arrangement will enable both countries to acquire the industrial resources they need from one another to resolve unanticipated supply chain disruptions to meet national security needs,” said a statement issued by the US Department of Defence.

— The SOSA signed in Washington DC encourages the defence industrial ecosystems of both countries to work together, and enhances the supply chain resilience.

— India is the 18th SOSA partner of the US after Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.

For Your Information:

— The SOSA represents a pivotal moment in the US-India major defence partner relationship and will be a key factor in strengthening the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) between the two countries.

— Under the Arrangement, the US and India have committed to support one another’s priority delivery requests for procurement of critical national defence resources, the statement said.

— It said the US will provide India assurances under the US Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS), with programme determinations by DoD and rating authorisation by the Department of Commerce (DoC).

— India will in turn establish a government-industry Code of Conduct with its industrial base, where Indian firms will voluntarily agree to make every reasonable effort to provide the US priority support.

— The US industrial base policy states that the SOSA is conducted under overarching Declarations of Principles for Enhanced Cooperation in matters of defence equipment and industry that have been signed with select nations.

Points to Ponder:

— Which other countries are involved in SOSA with the United States?

— Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement

— Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement

Post Read Question:

2. Consider the following:

1. Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET)

2. Global semiconductor supply chains

3. Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement

On how many of the above does India have signed Memorandum of Agreement with the United States?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

India-US together can ensure global peace, prosperity, stability: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

Govt & politics

Insult an offence under SC/ST Act only if based on caste: SC

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance

Mains Examination: GS-II: Indian polity and governance

What’s the ongoing story- The Supreme Court on Friday reiterated that “insults or intimidations” of a member of Scheduled Castes (SC) or Scheduled Tribes (ST) are not an offence under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, unless it is on the ground that the victim belongs to an SC or ST.

Prerequisites:

— Read about SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

— Read constitutional provisions for Scheduled Castes (SC) or Scheduled Tribes (ST)

Key takeaways:

— In its ruling, a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also said that Section 18 of the Act does not impose an absolute fetter on the power of the courts to examine whether a prima facie case attracting the provisions of the 1989 Act is made out or not.

— “The courts should not shy away from conducting a preliminary inquiry to determine if the narration of facts in the complaint/FIR in fact discloses the essential ingredients required to constitute an offence under the Act, 1989,” the bench said.

— The court’s ruling came as it granted anticipatory bail to Shajan Skaria, the editor of the Malayalam YouTube news channel ‘Marunadan Malayalee’ who was booked by Kerala Police for making alleged derogatory remarks against CPI(M) MLA PV Sreenijan.

For Your Information:

— The court said that the phrase “intent to humiliate” under the Act’s Section 3(1)(r) (intentional insult or intimidation with intent to humiliate a member of a SC/ST within public view) is “closely linked to the caste identity of the person subjected to intentional insult or intimidation”.

— “It is not the purport of the Act, 1989 that every act of intentional insult or intimidation meted by a person who is not a member of a SC or ST to a person who belongs to a SC or ST would attract Section 3(1)(r) of the Act, 1989 merely because it is committed against a person who happens to be a member of a SC or ST. On the contrary, Section 3(1)(r) of the Act, 1989 is attracted where the reason for the intentional insult or intimidation is that the person who is subjected to it belongs to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe,” the court said.

— However, the judgement said, “if the necessary ingredients to constitute the offence under the Act, 1989 are not disclosed on the prima facie reading of the allegations levelled in the complaint or FIR, then in such circumstances, as per the consistent exposition by various decisions of this court, the bar of Section 18 would not apply and the courts would not be absolutely precluded from granting pre-arrest bail to the accused persons”.

Points to Ponder:

— Section 18 of the Act, 1989

— Section 438 of CrPC

Post Read Question:

Mains

Discuss the Supreme Court’s recent clarification on the applicability of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, in the context of the intention to humiliate and the necessity of proof.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Explained: Supreme Court’s verdict on sub-classification of SCs and STs

Express Network

ISRO: Chandrayaan-4 design final, samples from Moon by 2027

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance

Mains Examination: GS-III: Science and Technology

What’s the ongoing story- The designs of India’s next mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan-4 — which will bring rock and soil samples back to the Earth — has been finalised, and will most likely happen in 2027, said ISRO chairman S Somanath said on Friday on the occasion of National Space Day.

Prerequisites:

— Read about Chandrayaan-3 and its recent findings

— What is the key difference between Chandrayaan-3 and Chandrayaan-4?

Key takeaways:

— The Chandrayaan-4 spacecraft will have five separate modules, officials said. The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, which made a historic landing near the South Pole of the Moon, had three modules — the propulsion module (or the engine), a lander and a rover.

— The Chandrayaan-4 sample return mission would be a complex mission involving several stages. After getting into lunar orbit, two of the modules will detach from the main spacecraft and make a landing on the Moon. They will help each other in collecting samples from the lunar surface. One of the modules will launch itself from the Moon’s surface and travel back to the main spacecraft in the lunar orbit. The samples will be transferred, and then flown back to an Earth re-entry vehicle that will be launched separately from the ground. The samples will be transferred again, and it is this re-entry vehicle that will bring them back to the Earth.

— ISRO has also finalised designs for the next Moon mission, Chandrayaan-5, but did not specify the objective or timeline of the mission.

— Chandrayaan-4 would involve docking of space modules twice during the Mission — when the modules fly back from the Moon to unite with the main spacecraft, and when the samples are transferred to the re-entry vehicle. ISRO has never docked spacecraft earlier. This capability will be demonstrated for the first time later this year, with the Spadex mission. Docking is a process where two spacecraft moving at extremely high speeds are aligned in a precise orbit and joined together.

For Your Information:

— On the occasion of National Space Day on Friday, President Droupadi Murmu appreciated India for its commitment to conduct debris-free space missions by 2030. Speaking at the celebration of the maiden National Space Day celebrations to mark the first anniversary of the landing of India’s Chandrayaan-3 project, Murmu said that research conducted to solve issues during space exploration accelerates the development of Science and improves human life, with sectors like health, transportation, security, energy, environment and information technology — all benefiting from it.

— According to senior ISRO scientists, two key capabilities required for the Chandrayaan-4 success had been demonstrated during the Chandrayaan-3 mission. “The hop experiment that was performed on the last day of Chandrayaan-3 mission (lander of Chandrayaan-3 was made to jump about 40 cm from the lunar surface and land 30-40 cm away) was done to understand whether we can lift off from the lunar soil. There were concerns about the legs of the lander getting deep inside the lunar surface, which would have made the ‘hop’ difficult to execute. But Chandrayaan-3 did that exceedingly well. There were no problems, and the results were according to our expectations.”

Points to Ponder:

— Read about recent ISRO missions

— Read about SSLVs

— What is the difference between lunar orbit and halo orbit?

Post Read Question:

3. Consider the following pairs:

1. Shiv Shakti Point – The point where the Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down on the lunar surface.

2. Jawahar Sthal – The point where Chandrayaan-2 crashed in 2019.

3. Tiranga – The point where the Probe strikes the lunar surface during India’s first lunar orbiter mission Chandrayaan-1

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Chandrayaan-4 parts to be sent in 2 launches, assembled in space: ISRO chief

Editorial Page

Where to tax a company

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination:

What’s the ongoing story- Suranjali Tandon writes: “The inexplicably low rates of tax paid by multinationals stirred a row after the global financial crisis. In response, the G20 mobilised the OECD’s technical wherewithal to address some of the concerns. The last decade was dedicated to the cause and the OECD anchored the work of creating a profit-shifting programme. Fifteen action points to ensure transparency in cross-border income reporting and anti-avoidance measures were recommended. The organisation opened its gates to low-income countries to participate on an “equal footing” with its developed peers at the Inclusive Framework (IF). The seat at the table was made available not only because the world was changing and markets mattered, but also because tax competition among developed countries had intensified. They competed to offer low tax hubs while bilaterally negotiating treaties with preferential terms with developing countries.”

Prerequisites:

— What are OECD and Inclusive Framework (IF)?

Key takeaways: International Oragnaisations, Economy

— Redistribution of taxing rights: “ Questions were raised about where large tech companies should be paying taxes — the country of residence (predominantly US) or markets such as India? To forge consensus, the OECD kept going back to the drawing board to only come up with more complex solutions. More efforts were made to live up to the ideal of inclusivity, officials from developing countries such as Jamaica co-chaired the IF and many, including from India, voiced their concerns. Yet, this anonymised process of consensus building began to tire members. Disillusioned countries and regional groups demanded a shift. They proposed it was time for an intergovernmental tax body at the UN.”

— UN global tax convention in 2023: “In a momentous move, 125 countries, including India, voted in favour of a UN global tax convention in 2023. However, 48 countries, including the UK and US, rejected the proposal. Despite resistance from developed countries, the UN proceeded to work on the terms of reference. The final version, released on August 15, was rejected by only eight countries but still included the US and UK. EU countries that initially opposed and remained divided on the agenda, abstained from voting on the final draft of terms of reference.”

— Fate of UN’s prominence in international tax negotiations: “There is no doubt that the UN is poised to assume prominence in international tax negotiations. However, two aspects will determine its fate. First, time and money have been invested in building institutional frameworks at the OECD that have ensured exchange of information, quick adoption of anti-abuse measures in treaties and cross-country information sharing. Would it be wise to duplicate this work unless the current system is riddled with flaws — an issue that EU countries have raised? The convention also acknowledges this overlap and recommends that the committee consider synergies. It remains to be seen how this is managed. Second, economic interests between and within groups of countries will continue to diverge. Forging consensus on cross-border matters can be difficult, especially if the sovereignty of countries in tax policy-making is to be preserved.”

Points to Ponder:

— The UN is poised to assume prominence in international tax negotiations. Which critical aspects will determine its fate?

Death of a reform

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and governance

Mains Examination: Governance and social justice

What’s the ongoing story- Sudheendra Kulkarni writes “A confused BJP that lacks a majority in Parliament, a weakened Prime Minister who lacks the courage of conviction, and a Congress-led Opposition that lacks a long-term plan for India’s inclusive development but only seeks short-term electoral gains have combined to kill a key administrative reform. The lateral entry scheme meant to revitalise a moribund babudom is dead. It will be long before a strong and visionary PM arrives on the scene with a resolve to infuse life into it.”

Prerequisites:

— What do we understand by the term ‘social justice’?

— What is lateral entry and what are the major debates revolving around it?

— What is the process for the recruitment of a civil servant?

— What is the scheme for the appointment of lateral entry?

Key takeaways:

— “Why does India need a certain number of external professionals to join the administration, especially at the middle and senior levels? And why is it necessary to exempt such lateral entry from the provision of reservation? The answer is obvious to all who know the glaring shortcomings in our system of governance at the Centre and in states and municipal corporations. For India to overcome the gigantic challenges in development and meet the rising aspirations of its 1.45 billion people, especially those belonging to poor and neglected communities, nothing is more crucial than efficient, responsive and results-oriented governance. Which caste or religion public servants belong to is immaterial. What should matter is whether they are competent, pro-people and can deliver outcomes that benefit the nation as a whole and, particularly, the disadvantaged citizenry.”

— “There is also a second compelling reason. Challenges in development and governance are becoming highly complex in the modern world. Therefore, higher echelons of administration require professionals with deep domain knowledge and expertise, rather than generalists like most job-secure IAS officers who hop from one domain to another in relatively short stints with little people-monitored accountability. The traditional public service system does not produce enough of such specialists.”

—“Should India remain blind to international experience? All rich countries, and many developing countries, offer public service opportunities to highly competent and interested professionals. In the US and China, it is routine for specialists in universities and private sector companies to be called upon to work in government departments, including in foreign service.

Post Read Question

“Institutional quality is a crucial driver of economic performance”. In this context suggest reforms in the Civil Service for strengthening democracy. (UPSC CSE 2020)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

UPSC Essentials | Expert talk : Is lateral entry a disadvantage for Civil Services?

Ideas Page

Don’t control rupee

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance

Mains Examination: GS-III: Indian Economy

What’s the ongoing story- The Indian rupee follows a managed floating exchange rate regime. This means that the central bank intervenes in the foreign exchange market to buy or sell dollars in order to stabilise the value of the rupee. In recent times, however, the RBI seems to be using its regulatory powers to gain greater control over the rupee. We argue that currency management must not entail the use of regulations.

Prerequisites:

— Read about RBI

— What is a floating exchange rate regime?

— Functions and responsibilities of RBI

Key takeaways:

— The purpose of regulations is to address market failures. Currency volatility is not a market failure — it is the fluctuation of the currency in response to demand and supply forces.

— The use of regulatory powers for currency management introduces uncertainty in the central bank’s currency policy, and also increases the cost of doing business in RBI-regulated sectors.

— Rajeswari Sengupta and Bhargavi Zaveri Shah discuss three such regulatory measures and the problems associated with them:

(i) Prohibiting speculative trades on exchanges: This exacerbates the difficulties of taking rupee exposure in India. In 2008, the RBI allowed Indian exchanges to launch a currency derivatives segment. At that time, the RBI’s guidelines on currency Futures and Options allowed Indian residents to participate in this market “to hedge an exposure to foreign exchange rate risk or otherwise”.

— However, the RBI explicitly mandated exchanges to inform users that they “should be in a position to establish the existence of a valid underlying contracted exposure, if required”. This warning compelled the bulk of retail traders to wind up their positions as a result of which trading volumes collapsed by about 80 per cent across all exchanges.

— This move is an irreversible blow to a reasonably liquid market, which allowed hedgers to take positions on the rupee at low costs. It is likely to drive away volumes to the offshore currency derivatives market.

(ii) Regulating offshore trading platforms: The RBI proposed to regulate offshore electronic trading platforms (ETPs), which facilitate rupee-linked derivative transactions. Published on its website in April 2024, this proposal seeks to empower the RBI to oversee the offshore currency forwards market, commonly called the non-deliverable forwards (NDF) market.

— The NDF market allows people to trade in the rupee without undertaking any physical delivery of the currency, thereby reducing the cost of trading.

(iii) The RBI’s instructions to banks: Earlier this month, when the rupee-dollar exchange rate depreciated close to the 84 mark in the spot market, the RBI is reported to have orally instructed some large commercial banks to not add to their existing trading positions against the rupee. This step seems to have been taken to stem further rupee depreciation.

For Your Information:

— The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which was established on April 1, 1935, is responsible for monetary stability, currency management, inflation targeting, regulating the banking system, and setting interest rates.

— The first Governor of the RBI was the Australian Sir Osborne Arkell Smith, one of the two managing governors of the Imperial Bank of India. Sir C D Deshmukh was the first Indian to become Governor.

Points to Ponder:

— What are the advantages of using own currency for international transactions?

— What is IMF’s SDR (special drawing rights)?

— India’s foreign exchange reserves

Post Read Question:

Mains

Discuss the potential adverse consequences of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) interventions in controlling the value of the Indian rupee.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Express View on internationalisation of Indian currency: The rupee challenge

RBI’s attempt to manage currency could prove to be a costly mistake

Explained

Signals from US Fed chief

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: International Relations, Economy

What’s the ongoing story- Jerome Powell, the head of the US central bank, on Friday said that “the time has come for [monetary] policy to adjust”, setting the stage for interest rate cuts in the near future.

— In his keynote address at the annual Economic Policy Symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Powell said “the direction of travel is clear,…timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks”.

Prerequisites:

— Who is Jerome Powell?

— Link between Federal bank and RBI

— What is the Jackson Hole symposium?

Key takeaways:

— The impacts of Powell’s observation will not be limited to the US alone, and it can be expected that stock markets around the world will jump when they open next.

What is the Jackson Hole symposium?

— Every year since 1978, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City has hosted a symposium to explore a specific issue confronting the US and global economy.

— The symposium brings together central bankers, finance ministers, researchers, and financial market participants from all around the world to examine economic issues, consequences, and policy alternatives related to the year’s theme. Symposium proceedings consist of papers, commentary, and discussions.

— Since 1982, the symposium has been held at the Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

— The symposium, particularly the comments made by the Federal Reserve’s chairman, are closely monitored by policymakers and market participants throughout the world because they provide insight into what is going on in the global economy and where things might go.

— “Reassessing the Effectiveness and Transmission of Monetary Policy” is the theme for this year. According to the website for the symposium: “This year’s theme will explore lessons learnt from the response of monetary policy to both the pandemic and the subsequent surge in inflation.”

— The theme also includes the term “effectiveness,” which relates to how successful monetary policy has been in managing inflation.

For Your Information:

Does the statement find an echo in RBI?

— There are several points of divergence between the US Fed and RBI:

(i) The target inflation rate is 2% for the US and 4% for India.

(ii) In the last few years, the quantum of increase in the policy interest rate in the US has been almost double that of India, partly because US interest rates were close to zero before the rate cycle.

(iii) In terms of percentage points, inflation has fallen more in the US than in India.

— The RBI hasn’t cut rates yet but as the minutes of the latest Monetary Policy Committee show, there is a growing sense among members that interest rates may be too high. At least two out of the six members of the MPC voted for a cut.

Points to Ponder:

— India’s Monetary Policy

— What are the different types of rates?

— Monetary Policy Committee

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

RBI targets inflation at 4% for sustainable economic growth

BIG PICTURE

Keeping an empire alive

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: Indian History and culture

What’s the ongoing story- Earlier this year, when the saalu mantapa, a pavilion at the Virupaksha temple in Hampi, collapsed in torrential rainfall, questions were raised about the alleged neglect of the World Heritage Site. Monuments are everywhere in Hampi. Some stand tall and elegant against the backdrop of giant granite boulders, others lie low and truncated. There are sculptures of elephants with missing trunks, court musicians with an amputated limb or nose – reminding the visitor of the devastation caused by a 16th century war to this once thriving metropolis that was at the centre of the Vijayanagara Empire. Then there are the other monuments – those that peek out from behind thick foliage and debris, waiting to be rescued through the exploration and conservation efforts that have been on since the 18th century.

Prerequisites:

— Map work: Hampi, Tungabhadra river and some important sites monuments like Virupaksha temple, Vitthala temple

— What was the Hampi National Project in 1976?

Key takeaways:

— A variegated list of around 1,600 monuments, spread across an area of 250 square kilometres, makes Hampi one of the largest such sites in India to receive a UNESCO World Heritage tag.

— Known to be the last great Hindu medieval kingdom, the Vijayanagara empire was established in 1336 by brothers Harihara-I and Bukka Raya-I of the Sangama dynasty. At its peak, the empire is known to have extended across almost all of southern India.

— The spectacular city of Vijayanagara — or what we today know as Hampi — was the empire’s capital. Its magnificence was noted by several foreign travellers visiting the region, among them Portuguese Domingo Paes, who visited Vijayanagara in 1520 and wrote about the city that was “as large and beautiful as Rome”.

— The glorious days of Vijayanagara, though, came to an end in 1565 when the combined armies of the Deccan Sultanates are said to have ransacked the capital after defeating Rama Raya, the de facto ruler of the empire then.

— Although historians say that the nature and scale of destruction carried out at Hampi after the Battle of Talikota is debatable, everyone agrees that the site was practically untouched and largely forgotten till the end of the 18th century when the British first began exploring it.

— The British antiquarian Colin Mackenzie, who went on to become the first surveyor-general of India, made the first map of Hampi in 1799. He also produced a number of watercolour paintings of the monuments in the city.

— It is only in the 1970s, though, that the first concentrated effort to excavate and conserve Hampi began under the directions of Saiyid Nurul Hasan, then Union minister of state of education, social welfare and culture. What followed was the Hampi National Project in 1976, which threw up some of the most extraordinary remnants of the 14th century metropolis that had hitherto been hidden under thick piles of debris and vegetation.

For Your Information:

— An immediate impact of the 1986 World Heritage tag for Hampi was that both the ASI and the State Department of Archaeology intensified their conservation efforts.

— A part of the conservation was directed at repairing the destruction caused by the war centuries ago. The chariot at the centre of the Vitthala temple, for instance, shows remnants of a pair of horse sculptures that was in all probability destroyed. Ali informs that the ASI replaced the horses with two elephants plucked out from some other part of the monument.

— With Hampi’s UNESCO tag bringing in tourists, the inhabitants of the 30 villages that constitute the heritage site saw opportunities for themselves. The economy and infrastructure of the region improved as visitors streamed into the site, bedazzled by the monuments. Last year, Hampi attracted more than 83,000 Indian tourists and over 20,000 foreigners. “At present, there are 175 tourist guides approved by the Department of Tourism in Hampi and about 300 autorickshaws that run in the World Heritage area,” says Das.

— But in 1999, Hampi had a scare when UNESCO put the site on the ‘World Heritage in Danger List’. The whip had followed the Karnataka government’s attempt to construct a bridge across the Tungabhadra, a violation of UNESCO’s policies for a protected archaeological area. Consequently, the government halted work on the bridge and set up an overarching body, the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority (HWHAMA), tasked with providing an integrated solution to the protection of Hampi.

Points to Ponder:

— What does it take to conserve one of India’s largest World Heritage sites: Hampi?

— How is the restoration of collapsed monuments done and why is it important to be restored?

— What is the Virupaksha temple’s historical significance?

Post Read Question:

4. Which of the following temples is not situated at Hampi?

(a) Virupaksha temple

(b) Airavatesvara Temple

(c) Vitthla temple

(d) Pattabhirama temple

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Portion of Hampi’s Virupaksha temple collapses: What is its history and the threats it faces today?

ALSO IN NEWS

CAG report subject to Parliament scrutiny: Supreme Court

Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) are “subject to scrutiny by Parliament and the Government can always offer its views on the said report”, the Supreme Court said on Friday while setting aside a Delhi court order framing charges against a Karnataka-based private firm accused of facilitating illegal sale of coal rejects.
The court referred to Article 151(1), which says that the reports of the CAG are required to be submitted to the President, who shall cause them to be laid before each House of Parliament, and Article 151(2), which says that in the case of states, the reports are submitted to the Governor, who shall cause them to be laid before the legislature of the state.

India takes up issue of seized copies of Sikh scripture with Qatar

India has taken up the issue of reported seizure of the two Swaroops (copies) of Holy Guru Granth Sahib with Qatar on high priority. The two copies were taken by Qatar authorities from two individuals, accused of running a religious establishment without approval of the government.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen reports regarding the Guru Granth Sahib seized by the Qatari authorities and the demand for their release by the Sikh community. The government has already taken up the matter with the Qatar side and our Embassy in Doha has kept the Sikh community abreast of developments in this regard.”

Answer Key

1. (a)   2. (c)   3. (a)   4. (b)

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Manas Srivastava

Manas Srivastava is currently working as Senior Copy Editor with The Indian Express (digital) and leads a unique initiative of IE - UPSC Essentials. He majorly writes on UPSC, other competitive exams and education-related projects. In the past, Manas has represented India at the G-20 Youth Summit in Mexico. He is a former member of the Youth Council, GOI. A two-time topper/gold medallist in History (both in graduation and post-graduation) from Delhi University, he has mentored and taught UPSC aspirants for more than four years. His diverse role in The Indian Express consists of writing, editing, anchoring/ hosting, interviewing experts, and curating and simplifying news for the benefit of students. He hosts the YouTube talk show called ‘Art and Culture with Devdutt Pattanaik’ and a LIVE series on Instagram and YouTube called ‘You Ask We Answer’.His talks on ‘How to read a newspaper’ focus on newspaper reading as an essential habit for students. His articles and videos aim at finding solutions to the general queries of students and hence he believes in being students' editor, preparing them not just for any exam but helping them to become informed citizens. This is where he makes his teaching profession meet journalism. He is also the editor of UPSC Essentials' monthly magazine for the aspirants. He is a recipient of the Dip Chand Memorial Award, the Lala Ram Mohan Prize and Prof. Papiya Ghosh Memorial Prize for academic excellence. He was also awarded the University’s Post-Graduate Scholarship for pursuing M.A. in History where he chose to specialise in Ancient India due to his keen interest in Archaeology. He has also successfully completed a Certificate course on Women’s Studies by the Women’s Studies Development Centre, DU. As a part of N.S.S in the past, Manas has worked with national and international organisations and has shown keen interest and active participation in Social Service. He has led and been a part of projects involving areas such as gender sensitisation, persons with disability, helping slum dwellers, environment, adopting our heritage programme. He has also presented a case study on ‘Psychological stress among students’ at ICSQCC- Sri Lanka. As a compere for seminars and other events he likes to keep his orating hobby alive. His interests also lie in International Relations, Governance, Social issues, Essays and poetry. ... Read More

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | August 18 to August 24, 2024

Brush up your current affairs knowledge with this week's top 15 questions and consolidate your UPSC-CSE preparation. Find answers along with explanations at the end of the quiz.

Written by Manas Srivastava , Nitendra Pal Singh

New Delhi | August 24, 2024 17:12 IST

Tamil Nadu has the maximum number of Ramsar sites (18), followed by Uttar Pradesh (10). Find a question on news Ramsar sites in India in today's quiz. (Source: Twitter/Supriya Sahu IAS)

UPSC Weekly Quiz is a current affairs-based quiz on relevant topics from the past week, curated for the aspirants of competitive examinations. Attempt the weekly quiz every Saturday and find answers to the MCQs with explanations.

🚨 The Indian Express UPSC Essentials brings to you the August edition of its monthly magazine. Click Here to read. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨

QUESTION 1

Which of the following statements are not correct about mpox?

1. It is spread primarily through close skin-to-skin contact with infected people.

2. It causes visible skin lesions.

3. It spreads faster than coronavirus.

4. There are no vaccines and treatments available for mpox.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 and 4 only

(d) 2 and 4 only

Explanation

— The World Health Organization has declared the ongoing outbreaks of mpox in Congo and elsewhere in Africa to be a global emergency, requiring urgent action to curb the virus’ transmission.

— Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is spread primarily through close skin-to-skin contact with infected people or their soiled clothes or bedsheets. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It often causes visible skin lesions that could make people less likely to be in close contact with others. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Mpox spreads very slowly unlike the coronavirus. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— There are vaccines and treatments available for mpox unlike in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the vaccine-derived polio infection, consider the following statements:

1. It is a strain related to the weakened version of the live poliovirus contained in the oral polio vaccine.

2. No cases of vaccine-derived polio infection have been reported in India.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— A two-year-old child from Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district reportedly tested positive for polio — a highly infectious, debilitating, and possibly fatal viral disease that once afflicted millions but now has largely been consigned to the history books due to the development of an effective vaccine. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— A vaccine-derived poliovirus is a strain related to the weakened version of the live poliovirus contained in the oral polio vaccine (OPV). Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— ‘Polio drops’ are by and large safe — they have led to the successful eradication of the infection in most countries — but on rare occasions can trigger the disease in children with weak immune systems.

— The OPV is extremely effective in preventing the spread of poliovirus from one individual to another. Moreover, the ease of administering the oral drops, led to the OPV becoming the mainstay of the global polio eradication programme. That said, one of its drawbacks is that in rare cases it can not only trigger the infection, but can also lead to its spread to others.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Consider the following pairs:

Ramsar site

Location

Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary

Gujarat

Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

Tawa Reservoir

Maharashtra

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) All three pairs

(d) None of the above pairs

Explanation

— Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced three new Ramsar sites in Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh, taking the total of such sites in India to 85.

— The new additions are the Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and the Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, and the Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.

What are wetlands?

— According to the convention, wetlands are defined as “areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres”.

Ramsar site

Location

Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary

Tamil Nadu

Tawa Reservoir

Madhya Pradesh

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Which of the following is/are the findings of the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS), a payload of the Chandrayan-3?

1. The terrain around Chandrayaan 3’s landing sight is uniform.

2. The Moon’s crust was formed layer by layer.

3. The topsoil around the lunar south pole has a lesser-than-expected sprinkling of minerals.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— Almost a year after Chandrayaan 3 landed on the Moon, Indian scientists have disclosed the results of a study conducted by one of the rover module’s equipment.

— The findings are the first to examine the composition of topsoil in the Moon’s southern latitudes, and they support the widely accepted idea that the lunar surface was covered by a sea of molten material shortly after the Moon formed.

— The data gathered by the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) also offer fresh information about the lunar surface’s elemental makeup, which can aid in understanding the Moon’s evolution.

— Scientists have reported three key findings:

(i) The terrain around Chandrayaan 3’s landing sight is fairly uniform; Hence, statement 1 is correct.

(ii) The Moon’s crust was formed layer by layer, which adds weight to the lunar magma ocean (LMO) hypothesis; and Hence, statement 2 is correct.

(iii) The topsoil around the lunar south pole has a greater-than-expected sprinkling of minerals which compose the lower layers of the lunar crust. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

The Malacca Strait lies in the territorial waters of:

1. Philippines

2. Malaysia

3. Singapore

4. Thailand

5. Indonesia

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 2, 3 and 4 only

(b) 1, 2, 4 and 5 only

(c) 1, 3 and 5 only

(d) 2, 3 and 5 only

Explanation

— The South China Sea sits between southern China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia.

— About a third of global maritime trade passes through the 3.5 million square kilometre (1.4 million square mile) seaway annually, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

— The South China Sea is a vital crossroads for both intra-Asian trade as well as for commerce with the rest of the world, especially Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

— The South China Sea is estimated to hold about 5.38 trillion cubic metres (190 trillion cubic feet) of proven and probable natural gas and 11 billion barrels of oil reserves, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

— The main current tensions are between China, the Philippines and Taiwan, the real threat to trade in the South China Sea could come in the Malacca Strait, which lies further south between Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

— The Malacca Strait is just 64 kilometres wide at its narrowest point and is already vulnerable to congestion and collisions. Over the years, the waterway has seen many incidents of robbery and piracy.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 6

With reference to the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA), consider the following statements:

1. It is signed between India and Ukraine.

2. It is a binding agreement.

3. The arrangement will enable both countries to acquire the industrial resources to meet national security needs.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— As Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reached Washington DC on a four-day official visit, India and US on Thursday signed two key pacts — a non-binding Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement regarding Assignment of Liaison Officers. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The SOSA will mandate the US and India to provide reciprocal priority support for goods and services that promote national defence. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— “The arrangement will enable both countries to acquire the industrial resources they need from one another to resolve unanticipated supply chain disruptions to meet national security needs,” said a statement issued by the US Department of Defence. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The SOSA arrangement encourages the defence industrial ecosystems of both countries to work together, and enhances the supply chain resilience.

— India is the 18th SOSA partner of the US after Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 7

Which of the following medicines comes under the fixed-dose combinations (FDC) medicines category?

1. Anti-allergic medicines with nasal decongestant

2. Painkillers

3. Combination of burn medicine silver sulfadiazine with an antiseptic agent

4. Combination of migraine medicine

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 1, 3 and 4 only

(c) 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

— The Union Health Ministry has banned 156 “irrational” fixed dose combinations (FDC) drugs, including commonly used antibiotics, painkillers, and multivitamins used to treat fever, cough, and infections, with immediate effect.

— According to a gazette notice filed under Section 26 A of the products and Cosmetics Act 1940, the Ministry has forbidden the production, marketing, and distribution of these products due to associated health hazards.

— An expert committee constituted by the central government and the DTAB looked into the situation, and both agencies concluded that the chemicals in the FDCs have no clinical purpose.

— Fixed-dose combinations (FDCs), also called ‘cocktail’ drugs, are medicines that combine more than one drug in a single pill.

— The 156 restricted drugs include common combinations of anti-allergic medications with nasal decongestants, mucus-breaking syrups, and paracetamol. The list also contains antibiotics combined with acne cream and iodine solution. Some of the banned combinations include combining migraine medicine with one to reduce nausea, combining supplements such as menthol with aloe vera, and combining burn medicine silver sulfadiazine with an antiseptic agent, aloe extract, and vitamin.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 8

With reference to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, consider the following statements:

1. The act was enacted as a special legislation to address incidents of sexual abuse of children.

2. The Act gives the well-being of the child paramount importance at every stage.

3. The Act makes it obligatory for anyone who has an apprehension that a child is being abused, to report the matter to the authorities.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-olds at a private school in Badlapur, Mumbai Metropolitan Region, has named the school management in the first information report (FIR) for failing to report the incident, as required by the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

— The two children were abused on August 12 and 13, allegedly by a member of the school’s janitorial staff. According to investigators, the father of one of the children contacted school officials after the youngster confided in her parents, but the school did not notify the police.

— The POCSO Act was enacted as a unique piece of legislation to combat child sexual abuse cases. The Act expanded the definition of abuse beyond the provisions provided under criminal law, which applied equally to adults and children. The Act prioritises the child’s well-being at all stages in its wording and substance. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

— The Act, therefore, makes it obligatory for anyone who has an apprehension that a child is being abused, to report the matter to the authorities. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The Act includes a provision outlining the procedure for reporting cases. Anyone who believes an offence has been committed against a child must report it to the Special Juvenile Police Unit or the local police.

— Section 21(1) states that “any person who fails to report the commission of an offence” or who “fails to record such offence…shall be punished with imprisonment of either description which may extend to six months or with fine or with both”.

— Section 21(2) prescribes a punishment of up to one year in jail, with fine, for “any person, being in-charge of any company or an institution (by whatever name called) who fails to report the commission of an offence…in respect of a subordinate under his control”.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 9

Which of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

(Person in news)

(Field)

Paetongtarn Shinawatra

Politics

Jerome Powell

Entertainment

Barry Wilmore

Space exploration

Shakib- Al-Hasan

Sports

Explanation

— At the annual Jackson Hole symposium, Jerome Powell said the ‘time has come’ to lower interest rates. While he did not furnish further details, the impacts of Powell’s observations will be felt the world over.

— Jerome Powell, the head of the US central bank, on Friday said that “the time has come for [monetary] policy to adjust”, setting the stage for interest rate cuts in the near future.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 10

With reference to Van Allen Belts, consider the following statements:

1. They consist of charged particles locked in place by Earth’s magnetosphere, which includes its magnetic field.

2. They are considered dangerous for humans.

3. “Challenger” mission will be the first non-government mission to perform a spacewalk and orbit Earth through these regions.

Which of the above statements given above is/are not corrcet?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

Explanation

Why are the Van Allen Belts dangerous for humans?

— The Van Allen Belts consist of charged particles locked in place by Earth’s magnetosphere, which includes its magnetic field. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Earth’s magnetosphere traps high-energy radiation particles and protects our planet from solar storms and other threats to daily life from space. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— While the outer belt holds high-energy particles from the sun, the inner belt is formed by cosmic rays that interact with Earth’s atmosphere.

— They were discovered by American physicist James Van Allen in 1958.

— The Van Allen Belts range from about 680 kilometres above Earth’s surface to what some estimates suggest is about 40,000 kilometres from the surface of the planet. And there’s a gap between the first and second belt.

— The inner “proton” zone is centred at about 3,000 kilometres from Earth’s surface and the outer “electron” zone is centred about 15-20,000 kilometres from Earth’s surface.

Polaris Dawn

— If it succeeds, Polaris Dawn will be the first non-government mission to perform a spacewalk. But not only that — it’ll do that about 700 kilometres (435 miles) above Earth. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— To compare: the International Space Station (ISS) orbits Earth at about 400 kilometres, where the radiation is less intense.

— It will also orbit Earth through regions of a highly-charged belt of radiation. There are two of these “Van Allen Belts”, an inner and an outer one.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 11

‘Hayflick limit’ is related to:

(a) cognitive theory

(b) boundaries of galaxy

(c) understanding of aging

(d) periodic warming of the ocean waters

Explanation

— Biomedical researcher Leonard Hayflick, who discovered that normal somatic cells can divide (and thus reproduce) only a certain number of times, died on August 1 at the age of 98. Hayflick’s discovery fundamentally changed the understanding of aging — especially the thesis that cells are capable of being immortal, and aging is simply a factor of externalities such as disease, diet, and solar radiation.

What is the Hayflick limit?

— In the early 1960s, Hayflick, at the time a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, discovered that cell division in somatic (non-reproductive) cells stopped after roughly 40-60 times. This cessation in cell division is what Hayflick posited causes aging — as senescent cells (those that have stopped dividing) accumulate, one’s body begins to age and decline.

— This means that there is an in-built cellular clock in the human body (and that of other organisms) which determines how long one can live. This “ultimate Hayflick limit”, as scientists have termed it, is around 125 years for humans, beyond which no amount of diet, exercise, or even genetic tweaking against diseases can extend the human lifespan.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 12

Who are Dhangars, recently seen in news?

(a) they are a community of shepherds with populations in several states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka.

(b) they belong to Meghalaya and follow a matrilineal system where lineage and inheritance are traced through women.

(c) they are tribes of Tamil Nadu recognised by barrel-shaped huts.

(d) they live primarily in the Raipur and Rewa districts of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and mostly earn their living by making bamboo handicrafts.

Explanation

— A large group of Dhangars recently marched to the office of the sub divisional officer in Khamgaon of Maharashtra’s Buldhana district, demanding a “grazing corridor” for their sheep and goats.

What is the Dhangar community?

— The Dhangars are a community of shepherds with populations in several states. Besides Maharashtra, they live in Gujarat, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, as well, and are known by other names such as Golla and Kuruba elsewhere.

— The Dhangars are on Maharashtra’s list of Vimukta Jati and Nomadic Tribes (VJNT), but have been demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for decades. According to Dhangar leaders, the community is identified as “Dhangad” elsewhere in the country, and gets reservation as an ST.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 13

‘BlackGEM’ recently seen in news is related to:

(a) AI Piracy

(b) Carbonado or ‘black diamond’

(c) Black Hole

(d) Black Sea

Explanation

— The Dutch Black Hole Consortium, a group of scientists working on finding new black holes, recently unveiled a new app called Black Hole Finder that lets you aid astronomers identify new black holes.

— The app is free-to-use and is available on Android and iOS and can also be accessed from a web browser. According to the Black Hole Finder’s Google Play Store listing, the app lets you “explore the universe and learn more about these mysterious and fascinating objects” by using real data from telescopes and other astronomical sources to help scientists identify potential black holes.

— Black Hole Finder shows you images captured by the Chilean telescope array BlackGEM that is tasked with searching the skies for cosmic events called ‘kilonovas’.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 14

With reference to ‘Tanager-1’, consider the following statements:

1. It is a satellite developed by a coalition of companies and organisations, including NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

2. It can detect major emitters of carbon dioxide and methane.

3. It will measure hundreds of wavelengths of light that are reflected by Earth’s surface.

Which of the above given statement/s is are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— Last week, a satellite developed by a coalition of companies and organisations, including NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Tanager-1, the satellite can detect major emitters of carbon dioxide and methane. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Notably, the launch has come just months after MethaneSAT — a satellite which tracks and measures methane emissions — was launched in March.

How will the Tanager-1 satellite track emissions?

— The satellite will use imaging spectrometer technology developed at Jet Propulsion Laboratory to track methane and carbon dioxide emissions. It will do so by measuring hundreds of wavelengths of light that are reflected by Earth’s surface. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 15

Which of the following committee’s report provides a damning indictment of the discrimination and exploitation faced by women in the Malayalam film industry?

(a) Kadiyam Srihari Committee

(b) Pam Rajput Committee

(c) Justice Verma Committee

(d) Justice Hema Committee

Explanation

— Acting upon a PIL, the Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the government to furnish before it in a sealed cover the full, unredacted report of the Justice Hema Committee, which looked into the problems faced by women working in the Malayalam film industry.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

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Manas Srivastava

Manas Srivastava is currently working as Senior Copy Editor with The Indian Express (digital) and leads a unique initiative of IE - UPSC Essentials. He majorly writes on UPSC, other competitive exams and education-related projects. In the past, Manas has represented India at the G-20 Youth Summit in Mexico. He is a former member of the Youth Council, GOI. A two-time topper/gold medallist in History (both in graduation and post-graduation) from Delhi University, he has mentored and taught UPSC aspirants for more than four years. His diverse role in The Indian Express consists of writing, editing, anchoring/ hosting, interviewing experts, and curating and simplifying news for the benefit of students. He hosts the YouTube talk show called ‘Art and Culture with Devdutt Pattanaik’ and a LIVE series on Instagram and YouTube called ‘You Ask We Answer’.His talks on ‘How to read a newspaper’ focus on newspaper reading as an essential habit for students. His articles and videos aim at finding solutions to the general queries of students and hence he believes in being students' editor, preparing them not just for any exam but helping them to become informed citizens. This is where he makes his teaching profession meet journalism. He is also the editor of UPSC Essentials' monthly magazine for the aspirants. He is a recipient of the Dip Chand Memorial Award, the Lala Ram Mohan Prize and Prof. Papiya Ghosh Memorial Prize for academic excellence. He was also awarded the University’s Post-Graduate Scholarship for pursuing M.A. in History where he chose to specialise in Ancient India due to his keen interest in Archaeology. He has also successfully completed a Certificate course on Women’s Studies by the Women’s Studies Development Centre, DU. As a part of N.S.S in the past, Manas has worked with national and international organisations and has shown keen interest and active participation in Social Service. He has led and been a part of projects involving areas such as gender sensitisation, persons with disability, helping slum dwellers, environment, adopting our heritage programme. He has also presented a case study on ‘Psychological stress among students’ at ICSQCC- Sri Lanka. As a compere for seminars and other events he likes to keep his orating hobby alive. His interests also lie in International Relations, Governance, Social issues, Essays and poetry. ... Read More

National Space Day: All you need to know for UPSC Prelims and Mains

What is the significance of the Chandrayaan-3 Mission? After a successful moonshot, what are the other important space missions of ISRO?

Written by Roshni Yadav

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 11:22 IST

India's first National Space Day theme is "Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India's Space Saga." (Source: ISRO/X)

National Space Day commemorates the groundbreaking success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which achieved the safe landing of the Vikram Lander on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023. With this achievement, India proudly became the fourth country to successfully land on the moon, making history as the first to land near the southern polar region. India’s first National Space Day theme is “Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga.”

(Source: ISRO)

National Science Day

On February 28th every year, we celebrate National Science Day to honour the remarkable discovery of the “Raman Effect” by Bharat Ratna Dr. C.V. Raman in 1928. On this day, Dr C V Raman announced the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’ for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 1930.

Chandrayaan-3 Mission

The Chandrayaan-3 mission was India’s third lunar mission and second attempt to make a soft landing on the surface of the Moon. It was launched by Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3).

The propulsion module carried the lander and rover configuration to a 100 km lunar orbit. The propulsion module had a Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.

Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM3)

LVM3 is India’s heaviest rocket, with a gross lift-off weight of 640 tonnes, an overall length of 43.5m and 5m-diameter payload fairing (nose-shaped equipment to protect the rocket from aerodynamic forces). The launch vehicle can carry up to 8 tonnes of payload to the lower earth orbit (LEO), which is about 200 km from the Earth’s surface. But when it comes to the geostationary transfer orbits (GTO), which lie much further ahead, up to about 35,000 km from the Earth, it can carry much less, only about four tonnes. LVM3 made its first journey into space in 2014 and also carried the Chandrayaan-2 in 2019.

According to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Chandrayaan-3 mission’s three objectives were to demonstrate a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, to demonstrate a Rover roving on the Moon and to conduct in-situ scientific experiments.

Characteristics of Chandrayaan-3

Chandrayaan-3 consisted of an Indigenous Lander module (LM), Propulsion module (PM) and a Rover to develop and demonstrate new technologies required for Interplanetary missions.

Payloads of Chandrayaan-3 and their objectives

Lander Payloads

1. Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE): To measure the thermal properties of lunar surface near polar region.

2. Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA): For measuring the seismicity around the landing site and delineating the structure of the lunar crust and mantle.

3. Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA): To estimate the plasma density and its variations.

4. Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA): A passive experiment to understand the dynamics of Moon system.

Rover Payloads

1. Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS): To determine the elemental composition of Lunar soil and rocks around the lunar landing site.

2. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS): For deriving the elemental composition in the vicinity of the landing site.

Propulsion Module Payload

Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth (SHAPE): Future discoveries of smaller planets in reflected light would allow us to probe into a variety of Exo-planets that would qualify for habitability (or for presence of life).

What makes the Moon’s Polar Regions Special?

The polar regions of the Moon are distinct, as they are completely dark without sunlight, and temperatures can drop below 230 degrees Celsius, making equipment operation challenging. As a result, the Moon’s polar regions have remained untouched. Notably, the Chandrayaan-2 mission of India intended to land in this region in 2019, but it was unable to achieve a smooth landing and lost contact after impacting the surface.

Significance of Chandrayaan-3 Mission

The success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission is of great significance to India, as it established India’s reputation as a serious player in planetary exploration. It consolidated India’s position as a space power.

Compared to other countries, India has a comparatively low-budget aero-space programme. But the efficiency and cost-effectiveness with which ISRO carries out its projects have helped in building a formidable brand name for the space agency. Chandrayaan-3 was accomplished at a cost of Rs 615 crore (a fraction of the cost of an Airbus).

Amitabh Sinha writes—

“It is a landmark event, no doubt. But if you look beyond the event, it gives us a very important capability. It gives us physical access to another planetary body. The fact that we are only among a handful of countries with this capability means we are at the forefront of this technology. And therefore, we will be part of all decision-making related to future planetary explorations and even extraction of resources from space. We are naturally part of the club that formulates these policies.

Space capabilities will occupy a central place in deciding the equations between countries in the 21st century, and the influence they have in the international community. The important thing is that we should be able to participate and contribute on equal terms. And we should be able to play a more decisive role in space-related international decision-making processes. Chandrayaan-3 gives us that confidence and capability.”

Findings of Chandrayaan-3 Mission

After one year since Chandrayaan-3 landed on the lunar surface, Indian scientists have revealed the findings from studies carried out by one of the rover module’s instruments.

Sohini Ghosh writes—

“The findings comprise the first analysis of the composition of the topsoil in the Moon’s southern latitudes, and support the widely-accepted hypothesis that the lunar surface in the immediate aftermath of the Moon’s formation was covered by a sea of molten material.

The data collected by the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) also contain new information about the elemental composition of the lunar surface that can help to better understand the evolution of the Moon. The findings were published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. Scientists have reported three key findings.

1. The terrain around Chandrayaan 3’s landing sight is fairly uniform;

2. The Moon’s crust was formed layer by layer, which adds weight to the lunar magma ocean (LMO) hypothesis; and

3. The topsoil around the lunar south pole has a greater-than-expected sprinkling of minerals which compose the lower layers of the lunar crust.”

Artemis Accords

India is now a signatory to the Artemis Accords, an agreement with the other leading Space Agencies of the world – NASA (US), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan) and the CSA (Canada) — for moon exploration.

What are the Chandrayaan missions?

India’s Chandrayaan missions are aimed at lunar exploration.

Chandrayaan-1

Launched on October 22, 2008, Chandrayaan-1 was India’s first Lunar mission that took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The Chandrayaan-1 gave a major fillip to the Indian space program as it was the country’s indigenously developed technology to explore the Moon.

A huge victory was achieved on November 14, 2008, when the MIP (Moon Impact Probe) was separated and it struck the lunar South Pole in a controlled manner. And with that, India became the fourth country in the world to hoist its national flag on the lunar surface. Chandrayaan-1’s biggest discovery was to find traces of water on the Moon, which was in itself a path-breaking achievement in international space science. This discovery gave the ISRO renewed interest in pursuing the Chandrayaan-2 for the mission to Moon. Besides this, the spacecraft also found water ice in the North polar region of the Moon as well as detected Magnesium, Aluminium and Silicon on its surface.

Why don’t some parts of the lunar polar regions receive any sunlight?

Unlike the Earth, whose spin axis is tilted with respect to the plane of the Earth’s solar orbit by 23.5 degrees, the Moon’s axis tilts only 1.5 degrees. Because of this unique geometry, sunlight never shines on the floors of a number of craters near the lunar north and south poles. These areas are known as Permanently Shadowed Regions, or PSRs.

Chandrayaan-2

Chandrayaan-2 consisted of an Orbiter (to orbit the planetary body), a Lander (intended to land on the Moon’s surface), and a Rover (designed to move on the Moon’s surface). The mission aimed to explore the south pole of the Moon. Launched in July 2019, the mission was only partially successful, as its lander, Vikram, and rover, Pragyaan, crashed on the Moon’s surface on September 7 of the same year.

After a successful moonshot, ISRO aimed for the Sun Through Aditya-L1

It was launched with the mission of observing and helping us better understand the Sun. Aditya-L1 is placed outside of the Earth’s atmosphere, and its instruments can study ultraviolet radiation from the corona, allowing scientists to better understand how it works.  Aditya-L1 consists of seven instruments to observe all radiation and charged particles. Its location is 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth, towards the Sun.

ISRO’s Next Goal: Gaganyaan

Announced in 2018, Gaganyaan is one of India’s most ambitious space programmes. Gaganyaan project aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capability by sending a crew of 3 members to a 400 km orbit for a 3-day mission and safely returning them to Earth by landing in the Indian sea waters. Just three countries – the United States, Russia and China – have executed human spaceflight missions till now.

The task of sending humans into the vast unknown and bringing them back safely is more expensive and challenging than the Mars and Moon missions. A successful execution would put India in the company of the US, Russia and China.

As stated on the ISRO website, the short-term goal of Gaganyaan is to demonstrate human spaceflight to Low Earth Orbit, while the long-term goal is to lay the foundation for a “sustained Indian human space exploration programme”. Success in its ultimate objective — proving that India is capable of indigenously developing this complex technology — would be a huge boost for ISRO.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hands over wings to astronauts-designate Shubanshu Shukla, Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Angad Prathap and Ajit Krishnan who have been selected to be the astronauts on India’s first crewed mission to space ‘Gaganyaan Mission’, at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), in Thiruvananthapuram. (PTI Photo)

The names of the four Air Force officers selected for the Gaganyaan Mission were revealed in March. ISRO has targeted to launch the first mission of the ambitious Gaganyaan project by December, a top official said.

POST READ QUESTIONS

(1) With reference to the following lines, answer the question below:

It is India’s heaviest rocket, with a gross lift-off weight of 640 tonnes, an overall length of 43.5m and 5m-diameter payload fairing (nose-shaped equipment to protect the rocket from aerodynamic forces). It made its first journey into space in 2014 and also carried the Chandrayaan-2 in 2019. Most recently, in March this year, it placed 36 OneWeb satellites, weighing about 6,000kg, in LEO, showing its capabilities to deliver multiple satellites into space. This was the second time that it made a commercial launch — the first one came in October 2022 when it delivered the OneWeb India-1 mission.

It refers to:

(a) LVM3

(b) GSLV

(c) PSLV

(d) None of the above

(2) With reference to the LVM-3, consider the following statements:

1. It is capable of placing the 4 tonne class satellites of the GSAT series into Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits.

2. It is a two stage launch vehicle.

3. It uses only solid propellant.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Mains

What is the significance of the Gaganyaan Mission? Discuss about the Test Vehicle Abort Mission-1 (TV-D1).

Prelims Answer Key

1. (a)   2. (a)

(Sources: isro.gov.in, Chandrayaan-1, What Chandrayaan-3 means for India as a space exploration player,  Chandrayaan-3 Mission , What the first findings from ISRO’s Chandrayaan 3 mission tell us about the Moon,Important Space Mission)

For your queries and suggestions write at roshni.yadav@indianexpress.com

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UPSC Issue at a Glance | Mpox and Public Health Emergency: 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

Recently, the World Health Organization declared Mpox a global health emergency. With the increasing cases of various viral diseases, it becomes crucial to understand Mpox and the significance of WHO’s declaration of a public health emergency.

Written by Roshni Yadav

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 11:24 IST

A nurse tends to a child suspected of having contracted mpox in DRC. (Reuters)

UPSC Issue at a Glance is a new initiative of UPSC Essentials to focus your prelims and mains exam preparation on an issue that has been in the news. Every Thursday, cover a new topic in Q&A format and don’t miss MCQs, Points to Ponder and key takeaways. Also, don’t forget to check the answers of MCQs towards the end of the article. This week’s topic is Mpox and Public Health Emergency. Let’s get started!

If you missed the UPSC Issue at a Glance | Bangladesh Crisis and India: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains from the Indian Express, read it here.

What is the issue?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has once again classified Mpox as a global public health emergency, following a surge in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the spread of the virus to neighboring countries. With the growing cases of viral diseases and the threats presented by them to mankind, it becomes crucial to understand Mpox and the significance of a public health emergency from a broader perspective.

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance; General Science

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government policies and interventions, Health, Science and Technology

Other areas of relevance:  UPSC Aspirants will find it useful in Essays, and Current affairs for their Personality tests.

What will you learn from this article?

1. What is Mpox and how is it transmitted?

2. What is the history of Mpox outbreaks?

3. How is Mpox different from COVID-19?

4. What does the WHO’s declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) mean?

5. Which diseases have been declared PHEICS by WHO?

Question 1: What is Mpox and how is it transmitted?

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a self-limiting viral infection caused by mpox virus (MPXV). The most common symptoms of mpox include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes, along with pox-like rashes that last for two to three weeks. It is a self-limiting disease but can lead to death, especially among children and those with weak immune systems.

Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus. Two different clades exist: clade I and clade II. (Source: WHO)

What are the different virus clades of Mpox and how do they differ in impact?

According to WHO, there are two broad clades of the Mpox virus: clade I and II. Clade I leads to more severe disease and death than clade II in the populations where it is endemic. Clade II was behind the global mpox outbreak that began in 2022. At least 99,176 cases and 208 deaths due to monkeypox have been reported from 116 countries since 2022, according to WHO data.

In 2022–2023 a global outbreak of mpox was caused by a strain known as clade IIb. (Source: WHO)

A new offshoot of clade I virus, called clade Ib, was first reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2023, and has been spreading through sex and other types of close contact.

How mpox is transmitted?

From person to person: Mpox spreads from person to person mainly through close contact with someone who has mpox. Close contact includes skin-to-skin and mouth-to-mouth, or mouth-to-skin contact, and can also include being face-to-face with someone who has mpox (such as talking or breathing close to one another, which can generate infectious respiratory particles).

It is also possible for the virus to persist for some time on clothing, bedding, towels, objects, electronics and surfaces that a person with mpox has touched. Someone else who touches these items may become infected. The virus can also spread during pregnancy to the fetus, during or after birth through skin-to-skin contact, or from a parent with mpox to an infant or child during close contact.

From animals to humans: Someone who comes into physical contact with an animal that carries the virus, such as some species of monkeys or a terrestrial rodent (such as the tree squirrel) may also develop mpox.

From humans to animal: According to WHO, Since many species of animals are known to be susceptible to the virus, there is the potential for spillback of the virus from humans to animals in different settings. People who have confirmed or suspected mpox should avoid close physical contact with animals, including pets (such as cats, dogs, hamsters, gerbils), livestock and wildlife.

Symptoms of mpox

Points to Ponder:

— Why does stigma related to Mpox matter?

Question 2:  What is the history of Mpox outbreaks?

On 14th August WHO declared Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern but this is not the first time we have seen the mpox outbreak. The history of mpox outbreaks dates back to the 1970s.

According to the WHO,

Caused by an Orthopoxvirus, mpox was first detected in humans in 1970, in the DRC. The disease is considered endemic to countries in central and west Africa.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that mpox has occurred sporadically in Central and East Africa (clade I) and West Africa (clade II) since 1970. In 2003, an outbreak in the United States of America was linked to imported wild animals (clade II). Since 2005, thousands of suspected cases have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) every year.

In 2017, mpox re-emerged in Nigeria and has since spread within the country and to other destinations. In May 2022, an outbreak of mpox appeared suddenly and rapidly spread across Europe, the Americas, and then all six WHO regions. In 2022, outbreaks of mpox due to Clade I MPXV occurred in refugee camps in the Republic of the Sudan. A zoonotic origin has not been found.

Do you know?

This is the second time that mpox has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The global outbreak of mpox was first declared a PHEIC on July 23, 2022. However, the current threat is more severe. The number of cases has skyrocketed this year, with the Democratic Republic of Congo alone reporting over 14,000 mpox cases and 524 deaths.

Question 3: How is Mpox different from COVID-19?

With the WHO declaration of Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), concerns have emerged regarding the severity of the disease. In this context, understanding the differences between Mpox and COVID-19 is crucial for better preparedness in controlling the viral infection.

Maria Cheng writes—

“Mpox spreads very slowly unlike the coronavirus. Shortly after the coronavirus was identified in China, the number of cases jumped exponentially from several hundred to several thousand; in a single week in January, the case count increased more than tenfold.

By March 2020, when WHO described COVID-19 as a pandemic, there were more than 126,000 infections and 4,600 deaths — about three months after the coronavirus was first identified.

In contrast, it’s taken since 2022 for mpox cases to hit nearly 100,000 infections globally, with about 200 deaths, according to WHO.

Are there vaccines for Mpox?

There are at least two vaccines currently in use for mpox, which have been recommended by the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization.
Last week, an Emergency Use Listing for mpox vaccines was triggered by the WHO, which will accelerate vaccine access for lower-income countries which have not yet issued their own national regulatory approval. This listing also enables bodies such as GAVI and UNICEF to procure vaccines for distribution in these countries.

There are vaccines and treatments available for mpox unlike in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have what we need to stop mpox,” said Dr. Chris Beyrer, director of Duke University’s Global Health Institute. “This is not the same situation we faced during COVID when there was no vaccine and no antivirals.”

Points to Ponder:

— What is the difference between Pandemic, Epidemic, and Endemic?

Question 4: What does the WHO’s declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) mean?

The WHO’s declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is its highest level of alert. A PHEIC is defined in the  International Health Regulations(IHR) (2005) as, “an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response”. This definition implies a situation that is serious, sudden, unusual or unexpected; carries implications for public health beyond the affected State’s national border; and may require immediate international action.

Under the IHR — a legally-binding agreement that commits governments to certain actions when responding to the international spread of disease — the declaration of a PHEIC permits the WHO to issue temporary recommendations to national governments to support a coordinated and effective global response to such events.

By designating a disease outbreak as a PHEIC, the WHO can expedite research, funding, and global public health efforts to control and contain the disease.

Points to Ponder:

— Is PHEIC only confined to infectious diseases and may it cover events caused by chemical agents or radioactive materials?

— What are the criteria for declaring PHEIC?

Question 5: Which diseases have been declared PHEICS by WHO?

Since the IHR took effect in 2007, the following diseases have been declared PHEICS:  H1N1,  Ebola, Polio,  a second Ebola outbreak, Zika,  COVID-19, Mpox (Declared PHEICS twice . i.e., 2022 and 2024)

1. H1N1 Influenza: According to WHO, before the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, the influenza A(H1N1) virus had never been identified as a cause of infections in people. Genetic analyses of this virus have shown that it originated from animal influenza viruses and is unrelated to the human seasonal H1N1 viruses that have been in general circulation among people since 1977. The H1N1 (2009) virus continues to circulate as a seasonal virus and is included in the vaccines against seasonal influenza.

2. Ebola: It is a virus that can spread quickly and can be fatal in up to 90% of cases. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pain and at times internal and external bleeding and can start to occur between two and 21 days from infection, according to WHO.  The virus is most often spread by close contact with bodily fluids of people exhibiting symptoms and with contaminated objects such as sheets.

3. Polio: According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Polio is a crippling and potentially deadly disease that affects the nervous system… Because the virus lives in the faeces (poop) of an infected person, people infected with the disease can spread it to others when they do not wash their hands well after defecating (pooping). People can also be infected if they drink water or eat food contaminated with infected feces.

The virus multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and can cause paralysis. Once that happens, the patient is crippled for life because there is no treatment for the affliction. Polio infection, however, can be easily prevented by a vaccine.

4. Zika: A mosquito-borne disease—Zika virus—has gained global attention in recent years due to its potential to cause serious health complications, particularly in pregnant women and their unborn children. It mainly occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, the Americas, Southern Asia, and the Western Pacific.

It is infected by Aedes species mosquitoes, which are the same ones that spread dengue and chikungunya viruses, and bite during the first week of infection. It is primarily transmitted through mosquito bites, sex, and breastfeeding.

5. COVID-19: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever chills, sore throat.

POST READ QUESTIONS

Prelims

(1) With reference to the Mpox, consider the following statements:

1. It was first discovered in humans in Nigeria.

2. It is not transmitted from animals to humans.

3. The vaccines developed for smallpox are up to 80% effective against mpox.

4. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified mpox as a global public health emergency.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

(2) Among the following, which were frequently mentioned in the news for the outbreak of Ebola virus recently? (UPSC CSE 2015)

(a) Syria and Jordan

(b) Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia

(c) Philippines and Papua New Guinea

(d) Jamaica, Haiti and Surinam

(3) H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases? (UPSC CSE 2015)

(a) AIDS

(b) Bird flu

(c) Dengue

(d) Swine flu

Mains

(1) COVID-19 pandemic accelerated class inequalities and poverty in India. Comment. (UPSC CSE 2020)

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (b)   2. (b)   3. (d)

(Source: http://www.who.int, Why WHO has called the latest mpox outbreak an ‘emergency of international concern’,  WHO declares Mpox a global health emergency again, Mpox declared a global health emergency: will it trigger another pandemic?)

PREVIOUS UPSC ISSUE AT A GLANCE

UPSC Issue at a Glance | Landslides : 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

UPSC Issue at a Glance | Economic Survey 2023-24: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

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UPSC Essentials | Expert talk : Is lateral entry a disadvantage for Civil Services?

The debate around lateral entry often shifts from questions about expertise to concerns about bypassing the reservation system. Is lateral entry discouraging UPSC aspirants who want to climb higher up the ladder after clearing the exam? Here's what our expert has to say.

Written by Manas Srivastava

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 12:51 IST

"Lateral entrants, often appointed for shorter tenures, may lack the long-term commitment and loyalty that permanent civil servants develop", says Ravi Kapoor.

The Central government directed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Tuesday (August 20) to withdraw its advertisement issued three days ago, seeking applications for lateral recruitment to senior bureaucratic posts at the Centre. Opposition party leaders had criticised the policy for not having reservations for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates. Some of the NDA’s allies also opposed the move. But the question in the minds of many civil services aspirants who reach out to UPSC Essentials of The Indian Express remains the same: Is lateral entry a disadvantage for Civil Services or UPSC aspirants?

Manas Srivastava talks to Ravi Kapoor, our expert, who answers some of these queries and highlights some key points to note about the lateral entry debate. Here are the answers to your queries.

About our Expert: Ravi Kapoor (Ex-IRS) offers free quality mentorship to UPSC aspirants, drawing upon his ten years of experience to create customised and productive curriculum. Through a free mentorship programme, he integrates tailored educational materials, psychological principles, visual learning techniques, and a strong emphasis on mental well-being into his teaching skills granting aspirants a chance to learn from his expertise.

JUST FYI: What is ‘lateral entry’ into government?

NITI Aayog, in its three-year Action Agenda, and the Sectoral Group of Secretaries (SGoS) on Governance in its report submitted in February 2017, recommended the induction of personnel at middle and senior management levels in the central government. These ‘lateral entrants’ would be part of the central secretariat which in the normal course has only career bureaucrats from the All India Services/ Central Civil Services.

A Joint Secretary, appointed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), has the third highest rank (after Secretary and Additional Secretary) in a Department, and functions as administrative head of a wing in the Department. Directors are a rank below that of Joint Secretary.

Q. Why or why not lateral entry disadvantageous/discouraging for aspirants who want to clear the exam and go to higher ranks?

Lateral entry into government positions is not a disadvantage for UPSC aspirants aiming for higher ranks. Firstly, lateral entry is based on specific requisitions from various ministries, and it does not affect the number of seats available for direct recruitment through UPSC.

Moreover, promotions for UPSC recruits are batch-based, ensuring no direct competition with lateral entrants. The purpose of lateral entry is to bring in specialized expertise, often requiring specific technical qualifications and extensive experience. This initiative enhances governance by filling niche roles that demand deep subject matter knowledge, complementing rather than competing with the traditional UPSC route.

Anyone who has read the qualification criteria for lateral entrants in the recent UPSC advertisement will see that the level of expertise required is very high and only the brightest and best in their fields will meet it. That criterion also means no generalist officer is likely to have the experience required for that specific role thereby making lateral entries for those positions not only a good but an imperative idea.

Q. What do you think of ‘lateral entry’ as the core of debate: expertise vs generalist or specialty vs lack of public service experience?

Lateral entry into civil services should be encouraged, especially given the growing need for specialization in government roles. Currently, top posts are predominantly held by generalist officers, but UPSC lateral entry, as seen in the advertisement few days back, targeted specific technical positions that require specialized knowledge. This approach complements the existing career-based direct entry system, rather than replacing it, addressing the need for expertise in fields that are becoming increasingly complex.

However, the debate around lateral entry often shifts from expertise vs. lack of public service experience to concerns about bypassing the reservation system.

The recent recall of the government’s lateral entry advertisement appears to be driven by political interests under the guise of social justice, rather than a genuine assessment of the policy’s merit.

The fundamental logic of lateral entry is sound—when considering roles like pilots or surgeons, the focus is on technical skill and expertise, not reservation status.

There are, however, valid counterarguments. Lateral entrants, often appointed for shorter tenures, may lack the long-term commitment and loyalty that permanent civil servants develop. Moreover, potential conflicts of interest between public service and private sector backgrounds could influence decision-making. To mitigate these risks, the selection process by UPSC must be transparent, and contractual clauses should address conflicts of interest, enforce non-disclosure agreements, and ensure accountability.

In conclusion, lateral entry for specialist positions should prioritize efficiency over equity. An efficient bureaucracy is ultimately more effective in delivering social justice than reserving specialized jobs for particular categories. The focus should remain on bringing in the best talent to serve the public interest effectively.

Q. Should we not think of strengthening the bureaucracy rather than hiring the ‘outsiders’?

Strengthening the bureaucracy can actually be achieved by bringing in ‘outsiders,’ especially those with technical specializations. For instance, when dealing with policy matters related to genetically modified seeds, the input of a microbiologist is invaluable. Diversity in perspectives is crucial. Research consistently shows that diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones in problem-solving and innovation. Lateral entrants, particularly those from the private sector, can infuse the bureaucracy with fresh ideas and innovative approaches, which are often lacking in government institutions.

Moreover, countries like Japan have successfully integrated lateral entry into their bureaucratic systems, demonstrating that such a model can work effectively.

The private sector’s emphasis on efficiency and innovation is something the public sector can benefit from, and lateral entrants bring that much-needed perspective.

A permanent bureaucracy, on the other hand, can often lead to red tape, entitlement, and entrenched corruption—a legacy of the colonial era. Moving away from this rigid structure and embracing lateral entry can help modernize our bureaucracy, making it more dynamic, responsive, and efficient. Therefore, hiring ‘outsiders’ is not a threat to the bureaucracy but a means to strengthen it by introducing new expertise, fostering innovation, and breaking the cycle of bureaucratic stagnation.

Q. What is needed to make civil services efficient other than lateral entry?

The question has been extensively addressed by the Administrative Reforms Commission, Finance Commission, and various expert committees. What is needed is to implement these suggestions effectively not just in letter but also in spirit. Political will and bureaucratic competence should go hand in hand to make civil services robust. Constant evaluation of the system is essential and bringing changes which suits the time is necessary not just for the good of civil services but ultimately for the good of India. This should be the vision of everyone, including Civil Services Aspirants.

🚨 The Indian Express UPSC Essentials brings to you the August edition of its monthly magazine. Click Here to read. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨

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For your queries and suggestions write at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com.

Manas Srivastava

Manas Srivastava is currently working as Senior Copy Editor with The Indian Express (digital) and leads a unique initiative of IE - UPSC Essentials. He majorly writes on UPSC, other competitive exams and education-related projects. In the past, Manas has represented India at the G-20 Youth Summit in Mexico. He is a former member of the Youth Council, GOI. A two-time topper/gold medallist in History (both in graduation and post-graduation) from Delhi University, he has mentored and taught UPSC aspirants for more than four years. His diverse role in The Indian Express consists of writing, editing, anchoring/ hosting, interviewing experts, and curating and simplifying news for the benefit of students. He hosts the YouTube talk show called ‘Art and Culture with Devdutt Pattanaik’ and a LIVE series on Instagram and YouTube called ‘You Ask We Answer’.His talks on ‘How to read a newspaper’ focus on newspaper reading as an essential habit for students. His articles and videos aim at finding solutions to the general queries of students and hence he believes in being students' editor, preparing them not just for any exam but helping them to become informed citizens. This is where he makes his teaching profession meet journalism. He is also the editor of UPSC Essentials' monthly magazine for the aspirants. He is a recipient of the Dip Chand Memorial Award, the Lala Ram Mohan Prize and Prof. Papiya Ghosh Memorial Prize for academic excellence. He was also awarded the University’s Post-Graduate Scholarship for pursuing M.A. in History where he chose to specialise in Ancient India due to his keen interest in Archaeology. He has also successfully completed a Certificate course on Women’s Studies by the Women’s Studies Development Centre, DU. As a part of N.S.S in the past, Manas has worked with national and international organisations and has shown keen interest and active participation in Social Service. He has led and been a part of projects involving areas such as gender sensitisation, persons with disability, helping slum dwellers, environment, adopting our heritage programme. He has also presented a case study on ‘Psychological stress among students’ at ICSQCC- Sri Lanka. As a compere for seminars and other events he likes to keep his orating hobby alive. His interests also lie in International Relations, Governance, Social issues, Essays and poetry. ... Read More

UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : History, Culture and Social Issues MCQs on Cripps Mission, Panchamasali Lingayats (Week 72)

Are you preparing for UPSC CSE Prelims 2025? Check your progress and revise your topics through this quiz on History and Culture.

Written by Nitendra Pal Singh

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 10:37 IST

Huiyen Lallong continues to be practiced and celebrated as a cultural treasure. Find a question on Huiyen Lallong in today's quiz. (Source: Freepik)

UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of daily subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus.  Attempt today’s subject quiz on History, Culture and Social Issues to check your progress. Come back tomorrow to solve the Environment, Geography, Science and Technology MCQs. Don’t miss checking the answers and explanations.

🚨 The Indian Express UPSC Essentials brings to you the August edition of its monthly magazine. Click Here to read. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨

QUESTION 1

With reference to the Cripps Mission, consider the following statements:

1. It offered post-war dominion status but with conditions that included the possibility of provinces seceding from a future Indian union.

2. B.R. Ambedkar quipped this mission as a ‘post dated cheque on a bank largely failing’.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— In 1942, the Cripps Mission was dispatched to India, pledging post-war self-determination (dominion status) but with the potential of provinces seceding from a future Indian union, indirectly acknowledging the Muslim League’s desire for Pakistan. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Congress rejected the offer, resulting in a complete collapse in relations between British and Indian leaders. As the war progressed, Japan’s victories in Southeast Asia weakened British reputation even further.

— The Cripps Mission’s only goal was to persuade India to back the British war effort by providing resources, specifically men. It guaranteed India a Dominion status following the war, but it was ambiguous and had no set duration. When the Mission declared that the British would have total control over Indian affairs in the interim, Indian leaders felt duped.

— In early 1942, the Mission led by Sir Stafford Cripps offered what Gandhi described as a ‘post-dated cheque on a bank mainly collapsing’. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

Huiyen Lallong, is an ancient martial art form deeply rooted in the vibrant culture of:

(a) Tripura

(b) Sikkim

(c) Manipur

(d) Kerala

Explanation

— Manu Bhaker achieved history by capturing two medals in a single Olympics edition.

— Bhaker’s remarkable shooting performance comes from a variety of sources. Her practice of Huiyen Lallong, an ancient martial art from Manipur, India, plays an important role.

— This atypical pursuit improves her attention and compliments her shooting abilities. Beyond the range, Bhaker stays fit with equestrianism and regular yoga practice, exhibiting a comprehensive commitment to her physical growth.

— Huiyen Lallong, or Huyen Langlon, is an ancient martial art form deeply rooted in the vibrant culture of Manipur, a state in northeastern India. With a history dating back centuries, it’s not merely a fighting style but a way of life, embodying the region’s warrior spirit and cultural values.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Consider the following provinces:

1. Madras

2. Orissa

3. Sindh

4. Punjab

5. Central provinces

Which of the above provinces have seen Congress’s absolute majority in the 1937 provincial elections?

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2, 3, 4 and 5 only

(c) 1, 2 and 5 only

(d) 3, 4 and 5 only

Explanation

— Congress performed well in the 1937 provincial elections, which were conducted under the authority of the Government of India Act of 1935.

— It won 711 of 1,585 provincial assembly seats, including outright majorities in five of the 11 provinces (Madras, Bihar, Orissa, Central Provinces, and United Provinces) and a near-majority in Bombay (86 out of 175). Congress ministries were established in each of these provinces. Some time later, the Congress established governments in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Assam.

— Non-Congress governments were created in the remaining three provinces: Sindh, Punjab, and Bengal.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Panchamasali Lingayats, consider the following statements:

1. They are the followers of Basavanna, a 12th century philosopher-saint.

2. The Panchamasali Lingayats constitute the largest population among other Lingayat populations.

3. This community is based in Odisha.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— Panchamasali Lingayats, a sub-caste of Karnataka’s major Lingayat clan, have been requesting inclusion in Category 2A of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) for over three years. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— This will allow them to take advantage of the 15% quota in government jobs and college admissions reserved for this group, as opposed to the 5% quota that the Lingayat community now has under group 3B of Karnataka’s OBC quota matrix.

— The Lingayats (officially known as the Hindu sub-caste ‘Veerashaiva Lingayats’) are followers of Basavanna, a 12th-century philosopher-saint who founded a radical anti-caste movement that rejected orthodox ritualistic Hindu practices in favour of a more personal, affective relationship with God, specifically Lord Shiva. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The agriculturalist Panchamasalis are the largest sub-caste, comprising about 70% of the Lingayat population. They claim to number around 85 lakh, accounting for about 14% of Karnataka’s population of approximately six crore. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Who is the author of “The Great Divide: Britain, India, Pakistan”?

(a) Viceroy Wavell

(b) James Mill

(c) David Gilmour

(d) Henry Vincent Hodson

Explanation

— The Muslim League and the Indian National Congress’s relationship was irreparably damaged by August 1946. Muhammad Ali Jinnah had called for “direct action” on August 16 following the rejection of the Cabinet Mission Plan of May 1946, which had suggested a loose federal framework for post-colonial India.

— According to H V Hodson, who was Viceroy Wavell’s adviser at the time, “on that day, meetings would be held all over the country to explain the League’s resolution [for a separate Muslim state]” (1969). With one major and sad exception, he said, “These meetings and processions passed off… without more than commonplace and limited disturbances.”

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 72)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 71)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 71)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 71)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 71)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.

UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 3 : Questions on Distributed Denial of Service and role of nuclear techniques in food safety (Week 65)

Are you preparing for UPSC CSE 2024 or CSE 2025? Here are questions from GS paper 3 for this week with essential points as the fodder for your answers. Do not miss points to ponder and answer in the comment box below. Try them out.

Written by Nitendra Pal Singh

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 10:36 IST

Multiple Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) and content providers were subjected to significant attacks from a botnet dubbed ‘WireX’. Attempt question on Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks and its impact in today's answer writing practice. (File Photo)

UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative for the practice of Mains answer writing. It covers essential topics of static and dynamic parts of the UPSC Civil Services syllabus covered under various GS papers. This answer-writing practice is designed to help you as a value addition to your UPSC CSE Mains. Attempt today’s answer writing on questions related to topics of GS-3 to check your progress.

🚨 The Indian Express UPSC Essentials brings to you the August edition of its monthly magazine. Click Here to read. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨

QUESTION 1

Discuss the role of nuclear techniques in establishing science-based global food standards. How can these techniques contribute to food safety and security?

QUESTION 2

Evaluate the implications of cyber-attacks, such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, on the functioning of online platforms and their broader impact on public discourse.

General points on the structure of the answers

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

QUESTION 1: Discuss the role of nuclear techniques in establishing science-based global food standards. How can these techniques contribute to food safety and security?

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— Nuclear technologies are valuable instruments for assessing, maintaining, and controlling food safety, and they complement the One Health concept.

— QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), stated that “the consequences of food and energy price spikes, natural and man-made disasters, the climate crisis, as well as ongoing conflicts, are significantly affecting food availability, accessibility, and affordability globally.”

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in the body of your answer:

— The Symposium (27-31 May 2024), themed “Safe Food for a Better Life,” aims to highlight the important role of nuclear techniques in improving food safety and agricultural productivity, as well as facilitate information exchange among researchers, officials, and other key partners from both developed and developing countries.

— Nuclear technologies provide competitive and frequently distinctive ways to fight hunger, lower the rate of malnutrition, improve environmental sustainability, and guarantee the authenticity and safety of food.

— A strategic cooperation exists between FAO and the IAEA to support member nations in the safe and efficient application of these technologies. Utilising nuclear technologies to address important challenges including soil fertility, water management, pest control, and food safety has been made possible in large part by the joint FAO/IAEA Centre.

— Numerous innovations have come about as a result of this collaboration, such as better crop types, more successful pest management techniques, and improved food safety procedures.

Conclusion:

— The case for nuclear energy as a viable alternative to fossil fuels, at least for power generation, is not without merit. It is a clean source of energy with a low carbon footprint.

— FAO is committed to improving collaboration with nuclear sciences and technologies to assist all member nations in achieving the “four betters”: better productivity, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better living for all.

— India, which presently has 23 active nuclear reactors, recognises the significance of nuclear energy in its decarbonisation strategy and plans to rapidly expand in the next few years.

(Source: The push for nuclear energy as climate solution, http://www.fao.org)

Points to Ponder

Role of nuclear energy in electricity generation

IAEA

Related Previous Year Questions

What are the present challenges before crop diversification? How do emerging technologies provide an opportunity for crop diversification? (2021)

With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy? (2018)

QUESTION 2: Evaluate the implications of cyber-attacks, such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, on the functioning of online platforms and their broader impact on public discourse.

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— A Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack occurs when a website or other online service is rendered inaccessible due to attacks launched by a hostile actor.

— According to the US government’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, this targeting is accomplished by simultaneously directing a large number of users to a certain web server in order to “flood” it.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in the body of your answer:

How do DoS and DDoS attacks work?

— There are different ways of carrying out DOS attacks:

— Botnets: These are networks of compromised devices, which can be deployed by potential attackers.

— Smurf Attack: The attacker sends Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) broadcast packets to several hosts. The ICMP can be normally used to communicate data transmission errors to systems, but in this case, attackers send it maliciously.

While communicating, attackers employ a fake source IP address that corresponds to the target machine. As the target machines respond, they flood their own servers, causing a DDoS attack.

— SYN flood: It happens when an attacker submits a request to connect to the target server but does not complete the process. Normally, the request source initiates the connection, and the recipient responds by sending an acknowledgement. Finally, the request source completes the connection.

In this example, the attacker makes a request, obtains an acknowledgement, but does not complete the connection. Multiple, targeted unfinished connections overload the server, making it impossible to complete valid connections smoothly.

Impacts of these attacks for online platforms and public discourse

— DoS attacks can cause widespread interruption, lasting ranging from a few hours to several days. In 2016, a DDoS attack caused major websites such as Spotify, Twitter, and Amazon to be unavailable for many hours.

— Prior to the Paris Olympics, France’s state agencies were targeted in a massive cyberattack. “Several hacker groups claimed responsibility for the attacks on Telegram, a messaging app, including one calling itself Anonymous Sudan which said it had launched a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack on French government network infrastructure” , according to an AFP report.

Conclusion:

— Slow internet speed and inability to access online services are indicators of a DoS assault.

— However, firewalls and online security systems are the greatest sources for checking this because a variety of circumstances can cause internet problems.

(Source: Trump-Musk interview on X reportedly hit by DDoS attack: What it means)

Points to Ponder

Recent example of Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack

What is the blue screen of death?

Related Previous Year Questions

Discuss the types of organised crimes. Describe the linkages between terrorists and organised crime that exist at the national and transnational levels. (2022)

What are the different elements of cyber security? Keeping in view the challenges in cyber security, examine the extent to which India has successfully developed a comprehensive National Cyber Security Strategy. (2022)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 63)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 64)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 64)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 63)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 63)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 64)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.

Akshay Urja Day 2024: India making strides in advancing renewable energy

Akshay Urja Day provides an opportunity to showcase India’s commitment to renewable energy transition. But how does the government envisage achieving 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel by 2030?

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 10:35 IST

In the last decade, the installed renewable energy capacity of India increased 165 per cent from 76.38 GW in 2014 to 203.1 GW in 2024. (Representational/file pic)

— Amit Kumar

(The Indian Express has launched a new series of articles for UPSC aspirants written by seasoned writers and erudite scholars on issues and concepts spanning History, Polity, International Relations, Art, Culture and Heritage, Environment, Geography, Science and Technology, and so on. Read and reflect with subject experts and boost your chance of cracking the much-coveted UPSC CSE. In the following article, Amit Kumar reiterates the significance of renewable energy on the occasion of Akshay Urja Day, which is celebrated annually on August 20.)

Every year on August 20, Akshay Urja Day is celebrated to underscore the significance of renewable energy sources and to highlight the strides India has made in advancing the same. In the last decade, for instance, the installed renewable energy capacity of India increased 165 per cent from 76.38 GW in 2014 to 203.1 GW in 2024.

Initiated in 2004 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the observance provides an opportunity to showcase India’s commitment to renewable energy transition as it aims at achieving 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel by 2030.

The date also marked the birth anniversary of India’s former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who played a pivotal role in promoting and supporting sustainable development and renewable energy initiatives.

Significance and objectives

The word ‘Akshay’ is derived from Sanskrit, which means “eternal”, “indestructible” or “imperishable”. Hence Akshay Urja stands for “eternal energy”, which is synonymous with Renewable Energy, symbolising the endless and sustainable nature of such energy sources.

India’s rapid industrialisation and growing population have significantly increased energy demand, leading to a heavy reliance on fossil fuels. But these resources are finite and their consumption is damaging the environment irreparably.

Renewable energy sources such as solar power, hydroelectric power, and wind power can be harnessed repeatedly without depleting natural resources, making them essential to a sustainable future. Therefore, expanding the scope and uses of renewable energy sources is critical to reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and combating climate change.

In addition, the shift to renewable energy sources, which has gained critical priority not just in India but also worldwide, will stimulate economic growth by creating sustainable jobs and lowering long-term energy costs.

Resultantly, major objectives of the Akshay Urja Day include: a) underlining the importance of renewable energy resources in India’s energy planning, b) raising awareness about renewable energy’s benefits in reducing dependency on traditional fossil fuels, and c) transitioning to renewable energy to combat climate change.

Types of Renewable Energy

1. Solar Energy: Solar energy is harnessed from the sun’s radiation. It can be transformed into electricity using solar panels (photovoltaic cells) or alternatively can be utilised to produce heat through solar thermal systems. Due to its abundance, solar power stands out as one of the most widely available renewable energy sources. China, the US, India and Japan are among the world’s leading producers of solar power.

2. Wind Energy: It is generated by converting the kinetic energy of wind into electricity using wind turbines. Onshore and offshore wind farms have become a significant contributor to the renewable energy mix in many countries like China (342 GW) and the US (139 GW).

3. Hydropower: It is created by harnessing the kinetic energy of flowing water in rivers, dams, waterfalls, etc. It is one of the oldest and most widely used forms of renewable energy. China, Brazil, and Canada are the largest consumers of hydropower across the globe.

4. Biomass Energy: Biomass is produced from organic materials such as plant residues, animal waste, and wood. It can be heated or converted to liquid or gaseous fuels for consumption. Its usage includes heating, electricity generation, or biofuels for transportation. It is considered renewable because the materials used can be regrown or replenished.

5. Geothermal Energy: This form of energy is derived from the Earth’s internal heat. These can be naturally occurring hot water reservoirs or can be man-made. Occurring at various depths and varying temperatures below the earth’s surface, these geothermal resources can be used for electricity generation and direct heating applications. Geothermal power plants which produce electricity, typically utilise steam or hot water from underground reservoirs. The US, Indonesia, and the Philippines are the leading producers of geothermal energy.

6. Tidal and Wave Energy: It harnesses the movement of ocean water to generate electricity. Tidal energy relies on the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun, whereas wave energy captures the energy of surface waves. South Korea, France, and the UK are the leading consumers of tidal energy.

Progress of India in Akshay Urja

On October 2, 2015, India submitted its first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It became a signatory to the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement – an international treaty adopted in 2015, which operates on a five-year cycle of increasingly ambitious climate action plans known as NDC.

India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) initially included two main goals: First, to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35 per cent by 2030 from 2005 level, and second, to achieve about 40 per cent of its total installed electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel energy resources by 2030.

In August 2022, India updated these targets: The goal for reducing the emissions intensity of GDP was increased to 45 per cent by 2030 from 2005 level, and the target for non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity was raised to 50 per cent by 2030.

In addition, India has set itself a target of achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by the year 2030 (as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the COP26 summit in Glasgow, UK). Furthermore, India is potentially aiming for 1 TW (form 500 GW) by 2035. India has also set a target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.

India has made significant progress in renewable energy and achieved an installed renewable energy capacity of 191 GW (38.2% of target) as of May 2024. This capacity includes solar power (around 85 GW), wind power (around 46 GW), large hydropower (around 45 GW), Biomass (around 10 GW), small hydropower (around 4.5 GW), and Waste-to-Energy (0.5 GW).

Key schemes to achieve renewable energy targets

India has implemented various schemes to achieve its renewable energy targets. Some of the key schemes that have contributed to this include:

— Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan scheme (PM-KUSUM): This scheme promotes the installation of small grid-connected solar power plants, standalone solar pumps, and solarisation of existing grid-connected pumps in rural areas.

— Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules: This initiative aims to establish large-scale manufacturing of high-efficiency solar PV modules in India,  reducing dependence on imports and enhancing domestic production capacity.

— Grid Connected Rooftop Solar program (Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana): Under this scheme, solar PV panels are installed on the roof of a building to meet the electricity needs of the building. Surplus solar power units generated from the rooftop solar plant can also be exported to the grid.

— Development of Solar Parks and Ultra Mega Solar Power: Initiated in December 2014, this programme aims to facilitate solar project developers in setting up projects expeditiously. This initiative helps in establishing “transmission infrastructure, road, water, drainage, communication network etc., with all statutory clearances” for the rapid development of solar energy projects.

— Green Energy Corridor Scheme: The series of infrastructure projects under this scheme aimed at synchronising the power generated from renewable energy sources with the national grid of India.

— National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM): The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) implemented the NGHM with a target to achieve a production capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum of Green Hydrogen by 2030. This will support an addition of about 125 GW of renewable energy capacity in our country.

— National Bioenergy Programme (NBP): Under this initiative, the use of bioenergy is promoted. It aims to enhance the energy security of India through the Waste to Energy Programme, Biomass Programme, and Biogas Programme.

— Permitting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in renewable energy: The government permits FDI up to 100 percent under the automatic route, allowing foreign investors to invest without prior approval. This streamlines the investment process and encourages foreign participation in the renewable energy sector.

Post Read Question

Discuss in detail the steps taken by the government to harness the immense potential India has for solar energy.

Assess the viability of domestic solar module manufacturing and its impact on power tariffs.

Evaluate the current status of the targets to be achieved in total renewable energy capacity addition.

Discuss the benefits of India’s renewable energy transition.

(Amit Kumar is a doctoral candidate at IIT Delhi.)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

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Share your thoughts and ideas on UPSC Special articles with ashiya.parveen@indianexpress.com.

UPSC Essentials : Daily subject-wise quiz | Polity and Governance MCQs on Deputy Chairman, DPSP and more (Week 72)

Are you preparing for UPSC CSE Prelims 2025? Check your progress and revise your topics through this quiz on Polity and Governance.

Written by Nitendra Pal Singh

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 10:34 IST

The new Rajya Sabha is based on the theme of a lotus. Find a question on the deputy chairman of the Council of States. (Source: centralvista.gov.in)

UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of daily subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today’s subject quiz on Polity and Governance to check your progress. Come back tomorrow to solve the History, Culture, and Social Issues MCQs. Don’t miss checking the answers and explanations.

🚨 The Indian Express UPSC Essentials brings to you the August edition of its monthly magazine. Click Here to read. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨

QUESTION 1

Consider the following statements about the Supreme Court:

1. The Supreme Court shall have power to review any judgement pronounced or order made by it.

2. The law declared by the Supreme Court shall be binding on all courts within the territory of India.

3. All authorities, civil and judicial, in the territory of India shall act in aid of the Supreme Court.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— There shall be a Supreme Court of India consisting of a Chief Justice of India and, until Parliament by law prescribes a larger number, of not more than seven other Judges.

— The law declared by the Supreme Court shall be binding on all courts within the territory of India. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The Supreme Court shall have the power to review any judgement pronounced or order made by it. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— All authorities, civil and judicial, in the territory of India, shall act in aid of the Supreme Court. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: Constitution of India)

QUESTION 2

Under the Directive Principles of State Policy, the State shall endeavour to:

1. Organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines.

2. Take steps for preserving and improving the breeds.

3. Prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 1 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— Article 48 of the Constitution of India reads “The State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter, of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.”

— It features in the Directive Principles of State Policy. These are seen as high ideals or broad guidelines that governments should bear in mind while framing policy.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Consider the following languages:

1. Manipuri

2. Bodo

3. Kashmiri

What is the correct chronological order of these languages as they were included in the eighth schedule of the Constitution of India?

(a) 3—2—1

(b) 1—2—3

(c) 2—1—3

(d) 3—1—2

Explanation

— Articles 344(1) and 351 of the Constitution contain provisions relating to the Eighth Schedule.

— The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution includes the following 22 languages:- (1) Assamese, (2) Bengali. (3) Gujarati. (4) Hindi. (5) Kannada; (6) Kashmiri; (7) Konkani; (8) Malayalam; (9) Manipuri; 10) Marathi; (11) Nepali; (12) Oriya; (13) Punjabi, (14 ) Sanskrit, (15) Sindhi, (16) Tamil, (17) Telugu, (18 )Urdu, (19) Bodo; (20) Santhali; (21) Maithili; and (22) Dogri.

— Of these languages, 14 were first incorporated into the Constitution. The Sindhi language was added in 1967. Three additional languages, Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali, were added in 1992. Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali were introduced in 2004.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: http://www.mha.gov.in)

QUESTION 4

A member holding office as Deputy Chairman of the Council of States —

1. shall not vacate his office if he ceases to be a member of the Council.

2. may at any time resign from the office, by writing under his hand addressed to the President of India.

3. may be removed from his office by a resolution of the Council passed by a majority of all the then members of the Council.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 2 and 3 only

Explanation

— Article 90 of the Constitution of India provides for the vacation and resignation of, and removal from, the office of Deputy Chairman.

— A member holding office as Deputy Chairman of the Council of States—

(a) shall vacate his office if he ceases to be a member of the Council; Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

(b) may at any time, by writing under his hand addressed to the Chairman, resign his office; and Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

(c) may be removed from his office by a resolution of the Council passed by a majority of all the then members of the Council. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— Provided that no resolution for the purpose of clause (c) shall be moved unless at least fourteen days’ notice has been given of the intention to move the resolution.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: Constitution of India)

QUESTION 5

Which of the following articles of the Constitution of India provides for a Uniform civil code for the citizens?

(a) Article 42

(b) Article 43

(c) Article 44

(d) Article 45

Explanation

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a “secular civil code” for the country, in place of the existing “communal civil code”, during his Independence Day speech.

— PM Modi’s reiteration of one of the Sangh Parivar’s core ideological issues – rechristened as “ secular civil code” instead of “Uniform Civil Code (UCC)” – and especially during his Independence Day speech.

— Article 44 of the Constitution of India provides for the Uniform civil code for the citizens.

— The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: Constitution of India)

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 71)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 71)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 71)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 71)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 71)

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Explained

- Chile’s Atacama salt flat sinking due to lithium mining: What a new study says

- Centre announces Unified Pension Scheme: How will UPS differ from OPS, NPS?

- Why do doctors want a central law to protect themselves from attacks and violence?

- When Ukraine declared independence

- Remembering Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451: why his pioneering critique of censorship remains relevant today

- India adds 3 new Ramsar sites: What are wetlands, why do they matter for the environment?

- Tanager-1: Why NASA has launched a satellite to track methane emissions

- Mandatory reporting under POCSO Act: Why FIR has named Badlapur school under Section 21 of the law to protect children

- How polio vaccine triggered the infection in a child in Meghalaya

- Assessing Ukraine’s deep incursion into Russia’s Kursk oblast: why, what happens now

- Were Bangladesh floods caused by India releasing water from dam? GoI says no

- What US Fed Chief’s speech in Jackson Hole symposium signals

- Getting India into power play, Modi tries to bring Kyiv, Moscow to table

- Why Modi’s visit to Ukraine marks three new roads: India in Europe, diplomatic space, and Delhi-Kyiv revival

Chile’s Atacama salt flat sinking due to lithium mining: What a new study says

Lithium, also known as 'white gold', is one of the most sought-after metals on Earth. However, over the years, research has shown that lithium mining has had severe environmental fallouts, especially in countries such as Chile which are the leading producers of the metal

By: Explained Desk

New Delhi | August 25, 2024 08:00 IST

A brine pool reflects clouds at a lithium mine in the Atacama salt flat, close to San Pedro de Atacama area, Antofagasta region, Chile May 4, 2023. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado

According to a new study, Chile’s Atacama salt flat is sinking at a rate of 1 to 2 centimetres per year due to lithium brine extraction — a process in which salt-rich water is pumped to the surface and into a series of evaporation ponds to eventually obtain lithium.

The study, which was published in the journal IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing last week, was carried out by researchers at the University of Chile.

In an interview with Reuters, Francisco Delgado, the lead author of the analysis, said that the sinking area is in the southwest part of the salt flat where lithium miners operate.

Lithium, also known as “white gold”, is one of the most sought-after metals on Earth. It is used in rechargeable batteries, which power not only laptops and mobile phones but also electric vehicles — a crucial part of the world’s plan to tackle climate change. However, over the years, research has shown that lithium mining has had severe environmental fallouts, especially in countries such as Chile which are the leading producers of the metal.

Here is a look at the findings of the new study and the impact of lithium mining on Chile’s biodiversity.

What does the new study say?

For their study, the researchers at the University of Chile analysed the satellite data collected between 2020 and 2023 to see deformations in the Earth’s crust of Atacama salt flat — one of the largest sources of lithium in the world.

The researchers noted that the worst affected areas are those where mining companies are doing most of their pumping of lithium-rich brine.

That is happening because the pumping takes place at a faster rate than the recharge of aquifers, leading to subsidence, or the downward vertical movement of the Earth’s surface, Delgado told Reuters.

The affected area measures approximately 8 km north to south and 5 km east to west, according to the study.

What are the fallouts of lithium mining?

The brine evaporation method used to produce lithium requires massive quantities of fresh water, which is already scarce, especially in the Atacama Desert. In the Atacama, it takes 2,000 tons of water to produce one ton of lithium, according to a 2020 study by Ingrid Garcés, a scientist at Chile’s University of Antofagasta. This leaves indigenous communities and wildlife living in the region parched.

Chemicals such as sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide that are used for lithium extraction contaminate soil and water, poisoning ecosystems and endangering species.

A 2022 study found that lithium mining has led to a decline in the number of flamingos in the area — due to a drop in water levels in the Atacama, fewer flamingos are reproducing.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Centre announces Unified Pension Scheme: How will UPS differ from OPS, NPS?

Former Finance Secretary T V Somanathan, who led the committee which came up with the UPS, said that the latest pension scheme incorporates the best elements of both the NPS and the OPS. Here is how it will work

Written by Harikishan Sharma

New Delhi | Updated: August 25, 2024 07:32 IST

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw briefs the media on the Cabinet's decision to introduce UPS. (Express Photo By Amit Mehra)

The Union Cabinet on Saturday (August 24) approved the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) which will provide government employees with assured pension post retirement. The scheme will be effective from April 1, 2025, according to the government announcement.

This development comes amid significant backlash from government employees to the New Pension Scheme (NPS), which the Opposition has tapped into for political gains. Opposition-ruled states like Himachal Pradesh (in 2023), Rajasthan (in 2022), Chhattisgarh (in 2022), and Punjab (in 2022) have reverted to the Old Pensions Scheme (OPS).

Thus, ahead of the upcoming round of Assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand (the schedules for the latter two have not yet been announced), the Centre’s announcement of a novel pension scheme is a major political development.

Here is all you need to know about the UPS, and the context in which it is being implemented.

What does the UPS entail?

Crucially, the UPS promises retirees a fixed pension amount unlike the NPS. This was one of the major criticisms of the NPS by government employees.

According to the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the UPS has five key features:

Assured pension: This would amount to 50 per cent of an employee’s average basic pay, drawn over the last 12 months before superannuation for a minimum qualifying service of 25 years. The amount would proportionately go down for a lesser service period, upto a minimum of 10 years of service.

Assured minimum pension: In the case of superannuation after a minimum 10 years of service, the UPS has a provision of an assured minimum pension of Rs 10,000 per month.

Assured family pension: Upon a retiree’s death, the employee’s immediate family would be eligible for 60% of the pension last drawn by him/her.

Inflation indexation: There would be dearness relief to the above three mentioned pensions, which will be calculated based on the All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers, as is the case with serving employees.

Lumpsum payment at superannuation: This would be in addition to gratuity, and be calculated as 1/10th of monthly emoulment (pay+ dearness allowance) as on the date of superannuation for every six months of service completed.

Why was the NPS introduced in 2004?

The NPS replaced the OPS on January 1, 2004 as a part of the Centre’s effort to reform India’s pension policies. Those joining government service after the date were slotted under the NPS.

Under the OPS, pension to government employees (both at the Centre and the states) was fixed at 50 per cent of the last drawn basic pay (like it is in the UPS). In addition, there would be a DA — calculated as a percentage of the basic salary — to adjust for the steady increase in the cost of living.

The NPS was introduced by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government because of a fundamental problem with the OPS — that it was unfunded i.e. there was no corpus specifically for pension. In time, this led the government’s pension liability to balloon to fiscally unhealthy, if not unsustainable levels. With better health facilities leading to longer average lifespans, the OPS was simply unsustainable in the long run.

Data show that over the last three decades, pension liabilities for the Centre and states have jumped manifold. In 1990-91, the Centre’s pension bill was Rs 3,272 crore, and the outgo for all states put together was Rs 3,131 crore. By 2020-21, the Centre’s bill had jumped 58 times to Rs 1,90,886 crore; for states, it had shot up 125 times to Rs 3,86,001 crore.

What was the NPS? What was the basis of the opposition to it?

The NPS was fundamentally different in two ways. First, it did away with an assured pension. Second, it would be funded by the employee himself/herself along with a matching contribution by the government. The defined contribution comprised 10 per cent (increased to 14 per cent in 2019 of the basic salary and dearness allowance by the employee and a matching contribution by the government. Individuals under NPS can choose from a range of schemes from low risk to high risk, and pension fund managers promoted by public sector banks and financial institutions, as well as private companies.

Schemes under the NPS are offered by nine pension fund managers — sponsored by SBI, LIC, UTI, HDFC, ICICI, Kotak Mahindra, Adita Birla, Tata, and Max. The risk profiles of various schemes offered by these players vary from ‘low’ to ‘very high’. The 10-year return for the NPS Scheme-Central Government floated by SBI, LIC, and UTI stood at 9.22 per cent; the 5-year return at 7.99 per cent, and the 1-year return at 2.34 per cent. Returns on high-risk schemes could be as high as 15 per cent.

For government employees, the NPS not only gave lower assured returns, it also implied employee-contributions which was not the case with the OPS. This was what drove the opposition to the NPS.

In the wake of these demands, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan (then Finance Secretary) in 2023. This committee held more than 100 meetings with different organisations and states. The recommendations of this committee have now resulted in the announcement of the UPS.

Who can avail the UPS?

The UPS will come into effect from April 1, 2025 but will be applicable to all those who have retired under the NPS from 2004 onwards, Somanathan said. “In their case (NPS retirees), they will get arrears adjusted with whatever they have already drawn under the NPS,” he said.

Somanathan added, “I think in over 99 per cent of cases it will be better to go into the UPS [rather than the NPS]… to the best of my knowledge, almost nobody will want to remain in the NPS, but if there is somebody we are leaving options with them”. This means that although employees can opt to remain under the NPS, it is unlikely to be beneficial to them.

Currently, the scheme announced is for Centre government employees, but states can adopt it as well, Somanathan said.

What is the difference between UPS and OPS?

Somanathan said that the expenditure for the arrears will be Rs 800 crore and in the first year of its implementation, and in the first year of its implementation, it would cost the exchequer roughly Rs 6,250 crores.

That said, Somanathan said that the UPS is still more fiscally prudent. “One, it remains in the same architecture of a contributory funded scheme. That is the critical difference. The OPS is an unfunded non-contributory scheme. This (the UPS) is a funded contributory scheme,” he said. In fact, employee contributions are set to be hiked to 18.5 per cent.

“The only difference in the changes that are made today is to give an assurance and not leave things to vagaries of market forces. The structure of UPS has the best elements of both [OPS and NPS],” Somanathan said.

Harikishan Sharma

Harikishan Sharma, Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express' National Bureau, specializes in reporting on governance, policy, and data. He covers the Prime Minister’s Office and pivotal central ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Rural Development, and Ministry of Jal Shakti. His work primarily revolves around reporting and policy analysis. In addition to this, he authors a weekly column titled "STATE-ISTICALLY SPEAKING," which is prominently featured on The Indian Express website. In this column, he immerses readers in narratives deeply rooted in socio-economic, political, and electoral data, providing insightful perspectives on these critical aspects of governance and society. ... Read More

Why do doctors want a central law to protect themselves from attacks and violence?

Doctors have long demanded a separate law to protect healthcare professionals, and a draft law was prepared in 2019 after a nationwide protest

Written by Anonna Dutt

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 22:09 IST

Doctors protest against the sexual assault and killing of a Kolkata based post-graduate trainee doctor, at RML Hospital New Delhi on August 13. (Express photo by Amit Mehra)

A key demand of the doctors who protested for almost two weeks after the rape-murder of a 31-year-old junior resident at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata was the enactment of a central law with stringent punishments for violence against healthcare professionals on duty.

While the doctors at AIIMS Delhi called off their protest after the Supreme Court asked them to return to work on August 22, there is deep disquiet in the community, and some doctors in Kolkata are continuing with the agitation.

Doctors have long demanded a separate law to protect healthcare professionals, and a draft law was prepared in 2019 after a nationwide protest. In the context of the recent agitation, however, officials from the Union Health Ministry have said that new central legislation is unlikely to be useful in a situation where already existing versions of similar state laws in as many as 26 states and Union Territories have failed to effectively deter attacks against doctors.

Why have the doctors been demanding a central Act?

Incidents of violence against healthcare workers are reported frequently from around the country, and doctors say that a tough Act could be a deterrent.

Existing laws do have provisions to punish violence, whether against healthcare professionals or others — however, doctors want a separate, targeted law with longer prison sentences and larger fines.

A report by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy has listed at least 56 incidents of violence against healthcare professionals between January 2018 and September 2019, when the central Bill was drafted.

Lending their support to the demands of the protesting doctors, 70 Padma awardee doctors wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 18, saying that a central law was urgently needed.

One of the signatories, Dr Harsh Mahajan, said: “There is a need for a separate law for doctors because the conditions they face are different from other professions. Many a times doctors have to work for 36 hours at a time and yet they may not have access to a duty room to sleep. They may live in hostels far away, and have to walk in the dark. Just count the number of incidents we have seen in the last five years, something needs to be done.”

One of the reasons why the doctors were adamant on continuing with their recent strike, despite the government promising to set up a committee and the Supreme Court setting one up later, was that the demand has not been met for long.

What is the Centre’s stance on the issue?

Health Ministry officials have argued that the RG Kar incident cannot be linked to the absence of a central law of the kind the doctors have been demanding, because it was a rape-murder to which existing provisions of criminal law will be applicable. Any law for the protection of healthcare workers can only cover violence in hospitals by, say, relatives of patients.

The officials said that several of the 26 state laws on this issue make the offence cognizable and non-bailable — yet the problem continues. There is a need, rather, to address systemic issues such as removing dark spots, ensuring that hospitals are not permeable by random people, and providing adequate security personnel and CCTV camera coverage, they said.

What were the provisions in the 2019 draft law?

The Bill was drafted after a nationwide protest following violence against doctors in another medical college in West Bengal. A committee was set up at the time with representatives of resident doctors’ associations, the Indian Medical Association, and the Health Ministry. Officials from the Law and Finance Ministries were also part of the process.

The Bill reportedly said violence against healthcare personnel and damage of property would be punishable with imprisonment between six months and five years, and a fine between Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh.

In case of “grievous hurt”, the punishment will be three-10 years in jail, and Rs 2-10 lakh fine.

The draft bill reportedly also said that the compensation would be twice the fair market value of the damaged property and loss caused.

What happened to that draft from 2019?

The draft law was rejected during consultations with the Home Ministry. “We were informed that it is being rejected because many of the provisions are already in the penal code, there was insufficient stakeholder consultation, and there was a concern over federal structure,” said Dr Amrinder Singh Malhi, who was then the head of the resident doctors’ association of AIIMS, and one of the members of the drafting committee.

The draft Bill was never put in the public domain for consultations.

Private MPs have tried to introduce variations of this Bill at least thrice — in 2019, 2022, and 2023.

A Bill proposed by Shrikant Eknath Shinde in 2019 had provisions of imprisonment up to five years and fine up to Rs 5 lakh, but not for compensation.

A Bill proposed by DNV Senthil Kumar in 2022 had provisions of up to 10 years imprisonment and up to Rs 10 lakh fine.

A Bill proposed by Shashi Tharoor in 2023 had a provision for imprisonment up to seven years and fine up to Rs 10 lakh.

Importantly, after several instances of violence were reported during the Covid-19 pandemic, the government brought an Ordinance in 2020 that amended the Epidemic Diseases Act, with provisions for imprisonment up to seven years and fine up to Rs 5 lakh.

What do the state laws say?

Dr Malhi said that the 2019 draft had tougher provisions than in any state law.

“During the drafting phase, we went through the laws in several states and took the parts that were good and left out the parts that weren’t. The important thing is that the punishment in all the state laws is less than what is there in the draft Bill. In most states, the highest punishment offered is three years of imprisonment, with Kerala having the highest of up to seven years for grievous injury.

How common are incidents of violence against doctors?

More than 75% of doctors and health personnel in India have faced some form of violence, with 12% being physical attack, says the Vidhi report, quoting a survey done by the Indian Medical Association.

The study found that attendants of patients caused the violence in 70% of the cases. Almost 50% of violent incidents occurred in ICUs or after surgery.

Quoting another study, the Vidhi report says that factors such as poor communication skills, poor conflict resolution, and drug addiction were the reasons behind the violence.

Anonna Dutt

Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country’s space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University’s Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More

When Ukraine declared independence

Mykola Porovskyi was one of the parliamentarians who officially declared Ukrainian independence on August 24, 1991. He gives a glimpse of what went on behind the scenes on that historic occasion

By: Deutsche Welle

August 24, 2024 14:40 IST

Ukraine declared independence in 1992. (Wikimedia Commons)

(Written by Iryna Ukhina)

On August 24, 1991, Mykola Porovskyi, along with other members of the Ukrainian Parliament, carried a big blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag into the parliamentary chamber. It replaced the red-and-blue flag of the Ukrainian Soviet Republic, and it is still kept in the building. On that day, the people’s representatives of what was then the Ukrainian Soviet Republic declared independence from Moscow and proclaimed the state of Ukraine.

Porovskyi had fought for this. He was one of the founders and leaders of the People’s Movement party (“Rukh”), which formed part of the opposition to the Communist Party and campaigned for national independence. Over the years, Porovskyi served in Parliament for a total of three terms. Today, he leads the small Republican Christian Party, which is not represented in Parliament. On the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of Ukrainian independence, Porovskyi recalls the events in an interview with DW.

‘A unique political opportunity, which we seized’

In August 1991, an attempted coup took place in the Soviet Union: A self-proclaimed “State Committee on the State of Emergency” in the capital, Moscow, tried to depose the then-Soviet president, Mikhail Gorbachev. After the coup failed, democratic forces in Kyiv decided they would declare Ukraine’s independence “come what may,” says Porovskyi.

The democratic opposition had entered Parliament in the first free elections in 1990, and its faction was known as the “People’s Council.” It requested a special session on August 23 and tasked two of its deputies, Levko Lukyanenko and Leontiy Sandulyak, with drafting a declaration of independence. “It was a unique political opportunity, which we seized,” Porovskyi says.

Agreement between the opposition and the Communists

The communist majority consisted of 239 deputies and was therefore known as the “Group of 239.” As Porovskyi recalls, “It would have been impossible to declare independence without their votes.” He explains that Ihor Yukhnovskyi, the chairman of the opposition People’s Council, was also aware of this, so he set out to “convince the Communists.”

“You must know that the democratic forces that have come to power in Moscow will bring criminal prosecutions against many of you. We therefore propose to declare the independence of the state of Ukraine, to break away from Moscow and declare ourselves an independent country,” Yukhnovskyi said at the time, addressing a gathering of the Group of 239 in a movie theater.

“In an independent Ukraine, where we are not controlled from Moscow like puppets, it will be easier for us to agree among ourselves,” Porovskyi added. However, he recalls the Communists making demands. They wanted guarantees that there would be no persecution of Communists, that they would not be removed from public office, and that all their years of work would count towards their pensions. Their demands were accepted, and the Parliament proceeded to vote.

‘Ukraine has risen!’

“When we declared the independence of the state, there was a demonstration taking place near the parliament building, with between 10,000 and 12,000 people shouting ‘Independence!'” Porovskyi recalls. Carrying that big blue-and-yellow flag, the demonstrators marched through downtown Kyiv to the parliament, where members of the People’s Council were waiting for them.

Porovskyi remembers this moment in particular. “The deputy Dmytro Pavlychko shouted, ‘People, get down on your knees, pray, Ukraine has risen! We have declared state independence!’ Some cried, others raised their hands to the sky, others prayed. It was a moment of great joy.”

The flag was then carried into the parliamentary chamber, says Porovskyi, visibly moved by the memory. At the front, it was held by the long-time Soviet dissident and then-deputy Vyacheslav Chornovil, along with the deputy Ivan Sayets. Right behind him was Porovskyi, also helping to carry in the flag. “These moments still move me when I think of them today,” he says.

‘We were confident of victory’

At the time, there were around 900,000 members of the Soviet armed forces stationed in Ukraine, including special units with 60,000 men. Porovskyi comments that this was a “terrible, gigantic force that could have crushed millions of people to dust” and was “ready to annihilate every shoot of Ukrainian national, patriotic, and state rebirth upon command.” But, he says, “We believed in a good future, that the entire Ukrainian people would rise up and follow us. We had no fear of armed forces, of resistance, because we were confident of victory.”

Just a few days after Ukraine declared independence, a delegation from Moscow led by the vice president of the Russian Federation, Alexander Rutskoy, arrived in Kyiv. They wanted to enforce a new union treaty for the former Soviet republics and proposed establishing a confederation, Porovskyi explains.

Following an appeal on the radio, almost 60,000 Kyiv residents gathered outside the parliament. Porovskyi recalls an interesting moment. He had asked the Russian politician Anatoly Sobchak to address the people. It was all going well, he says, until Sobchak, who worked closely with the then-unknown KGB officer Vladimir Putin, started talking about a renewed Soviet Union. “The people shouted ‘Ukraine without Moscow!’ and ‘Independence!'” Porovskyi remembers. Three days later, Sobchak stood at the microphone in the Ukrainian Parliament and said, “All of Ukraine is for independence; I saw it with my own eyes.”

This article was originally written in Ukrainian. It was translated into English from German.

Remembering Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451: why his pioneering critique of censorship remains relevant today

In the birth anniversary week of Ray Bradbury, a look at what his Farenheit 451 was all about, and why it remains relevant, 71 years after its publication.

By: Explained Desk

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 14:27 IST

Ray Bradbury(1920-2012) wrote Farenheit 451 in 1953. (Wikimedia Commons)

This was the birth anniversary week of the American writer Ray Bradbury, the author of Fahrenheit 451 which, 71 years after it was published, remains one of the most iconic critiques of censorship and mass conformity ever written.

Censorship too, has survived and thrived — and 104 years after Bradbury was born — on August 22, 1920 — remains a very powerful weapon in the hands of regimes around the world to stifle independent thought and free expression using a range of old and new justifications.

Fahrenheit 451 itself faced censorship, editing, and criticism for a variety of reasons from “dirty, vulgar talk” about drugs and portraying a Bible being burned to supposedly defaming firefighters.

Here’s what the book was about, and why it is more relevant than ever today.

The novel, Fahrenheit 451

The novel, published in 1953 at the height of the “McCarthy era” of political repression and persecution of left-wing individuals and ideas in the United States, describes a dystopian society where books are banned, and “firemen” like the protagonist Guy Montag, are hired to burn them.

When Montag’s wife, Mildred, attempts suicide and fails, she forgets the whole act by the next morning — because she is transfixed by the four television-covered walls of her room.

This event, and others such as meeting someone who asks him if he’s happy, watching a woman choose to die with her books, and hearing frivolous chatter about war, catalyse Montag to rethink his job. He plans to read books he had stashed in a closet, but he must brave many obstacles in his daily life to begin doing so.

Bradbury, who was widely considered as an author of science fiction, himself saw only Fahrenheit 451 as fitting the genre. “I use a scientific idea as a platform to leap into the air and never come back,” he once said.

The burning of books

“A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon,” says Captain Beatty, Montag’s boss in the book. “We’re the Happiness Boys,” Beatty tells Montag. “Don’t let the torrent of melancholy and drear philosophy drown our world,” he says. Books cause constant unrest, he says, because they incite people to “think for themselves”.

The burning of books, often as a public spectacle, has long been used by authoritarian regimes to send out similar signals. The best known example is that of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich when, beginning May 1933, Nazi student groups lit massive bonfires of books that they declared “un-German”. Among the books they targeted were those by the socialist philosophers Bertolt Brecht, August Bebel, and Karl Marx, and the authors Thomas Mann and Ernest Hemingway.

But the dark history of ritual book burning, also known as biblioclasm or libricide, goes as far back as the destruction of Maya and Aztec codices in the 15th and 16th centuries, the razing of the House of Wisdom library in Baghdad by the Mongol armies of Hulegu Khan in the mid 13th century, and even the burning of Confucian texts by the order of Emperor Shin Huang of the Qin dynasty in late third century BCE China.

Book bans in today’s world

Book burnings these days are mainly isolated acts by individuals or vigilante groups who often claim to act in retaliation for a perceived offence caused to their religious or cultural beliefs, or as an expression of contempt for the contents of the book or its author. However, many books, films, and works of art face a range of official and unofficial restrictions of varying severity in countries around the world.

Prominent victims of such direct or indirect censorship for a wide range of reasons — including allegations of profanity, hurting religious sentiments, and defamation — in India and abroad include the authors D H Lawrence (Lady Chatterley’s Lover), Salman Rushdie (The Satanic Verses), and Taslima Nasrin (Dwikhondito, Amar Meyebela, Lajja, etc.).

According to a 2024 report by PEN America, a rights group that documents such restrictions yearly, “There were over 4,000 instances of book bans in the first half of this school year — more than all of the last school year as a whole” in the US. The authors everywhere have always defended their right to individual expression and freedom to critique, especially in opposition to majoritarian ideas.

Continuing relevance of Fahrenheit 451

The ideas of freedom of thought and expression that lie at the heart of Bradbury’s book are under threat around the world. A corollary of the regimentation of thought and the closure of minds has been the rapid spread of misinformation on the Internet, which poses serious threats to peace, harmony, and the rule of law. Intolerance of a range of opinions has increased the levels of polarisation in society, and a shrinking of the middle ground that is critical especially in democracies.

In an interview given during his lifetime, Bradbury pointed out that “If people can’t read, if your educational system fails and people can’t read or write, then they’re at the beck and call of everyone with a flimsy idea.”

Critically, throughout Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury never identified any minority by name. While the bulk of the book focused on critiquing the government’s powers, Bradbury presciently acknowledged that it could equally apply to the “political correctness” that he said had emerged within certain social groups.

India adds 3 new Ramsar sites: What are wetlands, why do they matter for the environment?

Ramsar sites, also known as wetlands of international importance, are vitally important for the eco-system. Here is all you need to know about them, and the threats facing them

New Delhi | August 24, 2024 10:28 IST

Tamil Nadu added Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary, and Madhya Pradesh added Tawa Reservoir, to the list of India's Ramsar sites. (X/@byadavbjp)

(Written by Manasvi Kalra)

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced three new Ramsar sites in Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh earlier this month, taking the total of such sites in India to 85. The new additions are the Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and the Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, and the Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.

Ramsar sites are also known as wetlands of international importance. The Ramsar convention, which led to their establishment, has been a landmark in raising awareness around this key ecosystem.

What are wetlands, and why are they important?

According to the convention, wetlands are defined as “areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres”.

Triple joy!

As the Nation gears up to celebrate its Independence Day, thrilled to share that we have added three Ramsar sites to our network. This takes our tally to 85 Ramsar sites, covering an area of 1358068 ha in India.

The achievement reflects the emphasis PM Shri… pic.twitter.com/GiSK6uREhV

— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) August 14, 2024

This definition includes all lakes, rivers, underground aquifers, swamps, marshes, and other major water bodies. Wetlands help regulate climate conditions through carbon sequestration, that is the storage of carbon from the atmosphere, and purifying water by removing pollutants from the shallow waters.

What are Ramsar sites?

The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. It encourages the protection and conservation of wetlands worldwide by designating them as such.

The selection of Ramsar sites is based on various criteria defined under the convention. For example, “A wetland should be considered internationally important if it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions.” It also looks at the sites’ capacity to support fishes and waterbirds.

Organisations like the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the World Wide Fund for Nature, and other environmental agencies are associated with the treaty.

It also has 172 signatory countries. They are obligated to create wetland reserves and promote the wise use of wetland habitats. India joined it in 1982, initially designating the Chilika Lake in Orissa and Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan. Today, the country has among the highest number of Ramsar sites in Asia.

The Sundarbans is one of the most renowned wetlands in India. Cold desert ecosystems also have wetlands, like the Tso Moriri and Pangong Tso in Ladakh, which include rare and endangered species such as the black-necked crane.

What are the new Ramsar sites?

The Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu is located on the banks of river Noyyal. Originally a water reservoir for irrigation use, it has since become a significant ecosystem, supporting a varied range of avifauna.

Home to species like the Eurasian coot, spot-billed duck and many types of herons, the wetland also serves various migratory birds flying along the Central Asian Highway, establishing itself as a biodiversity hotspot. It also contributes to the locals’ livelihood through fishing.

The Kazhuveli Sanctuary on the Coromandel Coast is one of the largest brackish water wetlands in south India. The ecosystem’s mix of salt marshes, mudflats and shallow waters make it a home to many globally endangered species, like the black-headed ibis and greater flamingo. It is also a stopover for migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. In storing water, Kazhuveli also helps with flood control and groundwater recharge, helping maintain the region’s water table.

The Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh is also integral in regional water management. Created by damming the Tawa River, the reservoir became a massive wintering ground for migratory birds. Tawa provides irrigation water to farmlands, drinking water to local communities, and sustains the nearby fisheries.

What are the threats to wetlands?

Wetlands protect the environment from floods and storms by absorbing the excess rainfall and serving as a buffer against the impact of extreme weather events. This is all the more important, as climate change has begun impacting the severity of such incidents.

With the world in critical need of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, wetlands play a role in carbon storage. The Indian government has launched a series of policies and initiatives to protect wetlands, like the National Wetland Conservation Programme of 1986 and the 2015 National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Wetlands. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also identified over 2,200 wetlands for conservation schemes.

However, wetlands continue to face major threats. According to the Ramsar Convention’s Global Wetland Outlook (2018), 35% of global wetlands were lost between 1970 and 2015, with human activities contributing to their destruction.

Reports published by the MoEFCC show the degradation and shrinking of wetlands in India because of encroachment, pollution and rapid urbanisation. Agricultural and industrial run-off into water bodies significantly damages wetlands’ health, worsening the water quality.

The author is an intern with The Indian Express.

Tanager-1: Why NASA has launched a satellite to track methane emissions

The satellite will use imaging spectrometer technology developed at Jet Propulsion Laboratory to track methane and carbon dioxide emissions

By: Explained Desk

New Delhi | August 24, 2024 10:00 IST

Tanager-1 will use imaging spectrometer technology developed at JPL to measure greenhouse gas point-source emissions. (Illustration: Planet Labs PBC)

Last week, a satellite developed by a coalition of companies and organisations, including NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Known as Tanager-1, the satellite can detect major emitters of carbon dioxide and methane.

Notably, the launch has come just months after MethaneSAT — a satellite which tracks and measures methane emissions — was launched in March.

Here is a look at the Tanager-1 satellite and why researchers want to track methane emissions.

How will the Tanager-1 satellite track emissions?

The satellite will use imaging spectrometer technology developed at Jet Propulsion Laboratory to track methane and carbon dioxide emissions. It will do so by measuring hundreds of wavelengths of light that are reflected by Earth’s surface.

“Different compounds in the planet’s atmosphere — including methane and carbon dioxide — absorb different wavelengths of light, leaving spectral “fingerprints” that the imaging spectrometer can identify. These infrared fingerprints can enable researchers to pinpoint and quantify strong greenhouse gas emissions, potentially accelerating mitigation efforts,” according to a report by NASA.

Tanager-1 will be able to measure point-source emission, down to the level of individual facilities and equipment, on a global scale, the report said. It will scan 130,000 square kilometres of Earth’s surface per day. “[S]cientists will analyse data from Tanager-1 to identify gas plumes with the unique spectral signatures of methane and carbon dioxide — and pinpoint their sources. Plume data will be publicly available online,” the NASA report added.

Why do researchers want to track methane emissions?

Methane is an invisible but strong greenhouse gas, and the second largest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide, responsible for 30 per cent of global heating since the Industrial Revolution. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, over a period of 20 years, methane is 80 times more potent at warming than carbon dioxide.

The gas also contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone — a colourless and highly irritating gas that forms just above the Earth’s surface. According to a 2022 report, exposure to ground-level ozone could be contributing to one million premature deaths every year.

Therefore, it is crucial to cut methane emissions. The main culprit is fossil fuel operations, which account for about 40 per cent of all human-caused methane emissions.

Mandatory reporting under POCSO Act: Why FIR has named Badlapur school under Section 21 of the law to protect children

The police added Section 21 of the POCSO Act in the FIR against school authorities for failing to report the alleged sexual assault. Here is how this works

Written by Sadaf Modak

Mumbai | August 24, 2024 09:11 IST

The incident took place in a private school in Badlapur in the in Badlapur in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. (File)

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged sexual assault on two four-year-olds in a private school in Badlapur in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region has named the school management in the first information report (FIR) for not reporting the incident, which is required under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

The two children were assaulted on August 12 and 13, allegedly by a member of the cleaning staff of the school. According to police, the father of one of the children informed school authorities after the child confided in her parents, but the school did not tell police.

The FIR was registered only on August 16, and the accused was arrested on August 17.

The Bombay High Court, which took suo motu cognizance of news reports, noted that a perusal of the FIR shows that the school authorities were aware of the incident but had failed to report it to police.

Based on these facts, police added Section 21 of the POCSO Act in the FIR against school authorities for failing to report the alleged sexual assault.

The Act and Section

The POCSO Act was enacted as a special legislation to address incidents of sexual abuse of children. The Act enhanced the scope of what constitutes abuse beyond the provisions available under criminal law, which was the same for adults and children. In its language and in the substance of its provisions, the Act gives the well-being of the child paramount importance at every stage.

The Act has a section on the procedure for reporting of cases. Anyone who has an apprehension that an offence has been committed against a child is required to provide information to the Special Juvenile Police Unit or the local police.

Section 21(1) states that “any person who fails to report the commission of an offence” or who “fails to record such offence…shall be punished with imprisonment of either description which may extend to six months or with fine or with both”.

Section 21(2) prescribes a punishment of up to one year in jail, with fine, for “any person, being in-charge of any company or an institution (by whatever name called) who fails to report the commission of an offence…in respect of a subordinate under his control”.

It is a bailable offence.

Debate over provision

In many instances, children face abuse by persons known to them, in domestic spaces, their schools, or neighbourhoods. In many cases, children may be unable to protect themselves or to inform anyone if a close family member is involved, and the abuse may continue unnoticed. The Act, therefore, makes it obligatory for anyone who has an apprehension that a child is being abused, to report the matter to the authorities.

During the discussion on the mandatory reporting provision, child rights activists had expressed concern that it could lead to hesitation among parents and children about seeking medical assistance or counselling, fearing stigma. The Report of the Standing Committee on the POCSO Bill in 2011 had suggested that mandatory reporting could be confined to designated authorities such as a child care custodian. The Act, however, retained the provision and the punishment.

This provision has been invoked in the past against in-charges of educational institutions or parents who failed to report sexual abuse by a family member. Many court orders have taken a stern view of the failure to report such offences.

In 2022, an issue regarding the balance between mandatory reporting under the POCSO Act and the confidentiality provision under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, (MTP Act) came up before the Supreme Court.

The court said that for the limited purposes of medical termination of pregnancy under the MTP Act, the registered medical practitioner, only on the request of the minor and guardians, can be exempt from disclosing the minor’s identity and personal details.

How polio vaccine triggered the infection in a child in Meghalaya

While the last case of wild polio was reported in 2015, India has periodically reported cases of vaccine-derived polio. Here is what causes it, and how it can be prevented.

Written by Anonna Dutt

New Delhi | August 24, 2024 08:00 IST

A health worker administers polio vaccine drops to a child in a hospital during a special vaccination drive, called "POLIO SUNDAY" at Agartala. (Express photo by Abhisek Saha/File)

A two-year-old child from Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district reportedly tested positive for polio — a highly infectious, debilitating, and possibly fatal viral disease that once afflicted millions but now has largely been consigned to the history books due to the development of an effective vaccine.

Officials from the Union health ministry said that the case was “vaccine-derived”, and does not jeopardise India’s polio free status. Nonetheless, officials are on high alert to ensure that the infection does not spread.

What is a vaccine-derived polio infection?

A vaccine-derived poliovirus is a strain related to the weakened version of the live poliovirus contained in the oral polio vaccine (OPV). ‘Polio drops’ are by and large safe — they have led to the successful eradication of the infection in most countries — but on rare occasions can trigger the disease in children with weak immune systems.

Dr T Jacob John, former professor of virology at the Christian Medical College Vellore said that the OPV can lead to vaccine-derived infections in one of two ways.

- In some cases, the weakened virus can continue circulating from child to child, gaining back its ability to transmit quickly, and then cause severe infection every time it spreads.

- The virus in the vaccine can also cause chronic infection in children with weakened immune systems, replicating in their gut for years and slowly gaining its ability to cause severe infection. This is what seems to have happened in the Meghalaya case.

“It is easier to control further spread of such vaccine derived variants because the other children in the area are likely fully immunised,” Dr John said, adding that “one in every 150,000 children given the OPV in India is infected by it”. Even if children in an area where such a case is reported are completely vaccinated, health workers have to immunise them once again as a preventive measure, he said.

Have vaccine-derived polio cases been detected in India?

India’s last reported case of wild poliovirus (i.e. the infection caused by the naturally occurring version of the virus) was detected in West Bengal’s Howrah district in 2011. India was declared polio-free in 2014 after successfully preventing any wild polio infections for three years.

However, during this period vaccine derived polio cases have continued to be reported. An eleven-month old immunodeficient child from Maharashtra’s Beed district succumbed to vaccine derived polio in 2013. Multiple other cases of vaccine-derived polio have been reported from across the country, with the most recent case (prior to the one in Meghalaya) being reported in Kerala last month.

These cases do not affect India’s polio-free status — only the detection of the wild poliovirus will change that.

How can vaccine-derived polio be prevented?

The OPV is extremely effective in preventing the spread of poliovirus from one individual to another. Moreover, the ease of administering the oral drops, led to the OPV becoming the mainstay of the global polio eradication programme. That said, one of its drawbacks is that in rare cases it can not only trigger the infection, but can also lead to its spread to others.

This is why some experts have recommended switching to the injectable polio vaccine (IPV). But this too comes with its drawbacks. Not only does the IPV require trained personnel to administer the shot, which may adversely impact immunisation rates, it can also not prevent the spread of the infection from one person to the other. To prevent future outbreaks, high levels of immunisation must be maintained. Moreover, the IPV can only extend the protection to the immunised individual, and since it does not contain any live virus, there is no possibility of vaccine-derived polio.

Countries like Canada and the US have already switched completely to the IPV. India still uses both — IPV is administered to children during routine immunisation while oral polio vaccine is given to children up to the age of five years during Pulse Polio Days, the mainstay of the government’s universal polio vaccination campaign.

According to Dr John, India is currently using IPVs “sub-optimally”, giving only one IPV shot, as against three shots and one booster in countries that have switched completely to the injectable vaccine. This is why, “we still continue to give the oral vaccine multiple times to the children to maintain the immunity level,” Dr John said.

Anonna Dutt

Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country’s space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University’s Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More

Assessing Ukraine’s deep incursion into Russia’s Kursk oblast: why, what happens now

Russia on its part said that it had foiled a Ukrainian attempt to seize land in the neighbouring Bryansk Oblast, about 240 km away from the site of the incursion into Kursk.

Written by Alind Chauhan

New Delhi | August 24, 2024 07:45 IST

Ukraine’s attack in Kursk, which began early on August 6, came after months of steady gains by Russia on the battlefield. (AP Photo)

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said Ukrainian troops continue to capture territory and Russian soldiers in Russia’s Kursk Oblast since the launch of Ukraine’s surprise incursion into the region more than two weeks ago.

Russia on its part said that it had foiled a Ukrainian attempt to seize land in the neighbouring Bryansk Oblast, about 240 km away from the site of the incursion into Kursk.

Ukraine’s attack in Kursk, which began early on August 6, came after months of steady gains by Russia on the battlefield. Many experts see the incursion as a major moment in the war that is now in its third year — a success that has helped Kyiv change the narrative that had taken root following its losses and setbacks suffered elsewhere.

The Ukrainian objective

President Zelenskyy and the commander-in-chief of Ukrainian forces Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi have not explained their reasons for going deep inside Russia. However, observers have listed three probable objectives of the incursion.

A BARGAINING CHIP: Ukraine wants to use the captured territory as a bargaining chip for any future negotiation with Russia. If Donald Trump returns to the White House early next year, he could force Kyiv to negotiate by withdrawing American military-technical assistance.

“The Ukrainian government wants to make sure that if it has to enter that process, it has things that Russia wants to trade for concessions,” Jack Watling, a senior research fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute, London, wrote in The Guardian.

TO BOOST MORALE: It has been suggested that Ukraine wanted to boost the morale of its people and troops after failing to stop the Russian advance in the east. The operation was intended to signal that even with its dwindling resources, the Ukrainian military can carry out a successful offensive. Ukraine also wanted to display to the West that helping it with arms and funds is not yet a lost cause.

BATTLEFIELD TACTIC: The incursion could be a tactic to force Russia to divert its forces from the hottest battlefields in eastern Ukraine, where they are coming close to fulfilling their goal of capturing all of the Donetsk region.

Michael Kofman, a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Foreign Policy, “Ukraine likely holds that, at a bare minimum, this operation will force the Russian military to deploy a much larger force to counter their offensive, thereby sapping their operations in Donetsk.”

Status of the incursion

The attack, which has resulted in one of the biggest exchanges of territory since the first month of the war in 2022, caught President Vladimir Putin off-guard. On August 20, Col Gen Syrskyi claimed that Ukraine has taken control of almost 1,300 sq km of Russian territory. If accurate, this would mean Ukraine has already captured more land since the beginning of the attack on August 6 than Russia has captured in Ukraine over the last eight months.

The operation has forced Russia to evacuate nearly 200,000 people from the region. Ukraine has reportedly captured hundreds of Russian conscripts, and has destroyed several bridges over the Seym river, cutting off a key Russian logistics base in Glushkovo from the frontline forces.

Lt Gen Ben Hodges, who led US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, told Britain’s Times Radio that Ukraine’s ability to “neutralise Russian drones by creating…some sort of a counter-drone bubble” had helped.

What happens now

It is too early to predict if Ukraine will be able to hold on its gains. The Ukrainian army is suffering from a shortage of manpower, and it pulled reserve troops from other battle frontlines such as in Donetsk and Kharkiv to commit them to the new axis. In the coming weeks, its troops in Kursk could find themselves overextended, and be forced to retreat.

Also, Russia has not so far diverted its forces from the Donetsk region. On August 19, Russian forces captured nearly all of the town of Niu-York, entered nearby Toretsk, and encroached on the logistics hub of Pokrovsk, according to a report by the Financial Times.

Konrad Muzyka, director of Rochan Consulting, a Poland-based group that tracks the war, told the Financial Times that with most of its reserve forces committed to Kursk, Ukraine would struggle to fill defensive gaps and counter various Russian threats.

An Indian strategic affairs expert on Russia told The Indian Express that Ukraine may have made a mistake in going deep into Kursk. If Russia does not come to the negotiation table soon, and if Western allies fail to supply more arms and ammunition to Ukraine, the incursion could turn out to be “military suicide”, the expert said.

Were Bangladesh floods caused by India releasing water from dam? GoI says no

Nearly 18 lakh people belonging to 1.9 lakh families were marooned in 43 upazilas of the districts of Comilla, Feni, Chattogram, Khagrachhari, Noakhali, and Moulvibazar

Written by Debraj Deb

Agartala | August 24, 2024 07:20 IST

At least 24 people are feared dead in the rain and floods. Some 1.28 lakh people have been sheltered in 558 relief camps since August 19. (PTI Photo)

The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday clarified that the floods that have hit several districts in eastern Bangladesh were not triggered by release of water from Dumbur dam in Tripura, as has been claimed by some social media accounts.

Nearly 18 lakh people belonging to 1.9 lakh families were marooned in 43 upazilas of the districts of Comilla, Feni, Chattogram, Khagrachhari, Noakhali, and Moulvibazar, according to the Department of Disaster Management and Relief of Bangladesh, The Daily Star reported. Five of these districts share borders with Tripura.

Rumour and denial

Following heavy rain in Tripura from August 19 onward, unsubstantiated claims appeared on social media about the opening of the Gumti hydro-electric project floodgates. Some Bangladeshi handles alleged without evidence an Indian “conspiracy” to “punish” the country’s post-Hasina rulers.

Tripura Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath clarified on Wednesday that no flood gates had been opened; instead, excess water from the Gumti reservoir had automatically escaped through the spillway after crossing the 94-m mark, which is the reservoir’s full capacity.

On Thursday, the MEA reiterated that claims about the “opening of the Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti River in Tripura” were “factually not correct”. The statement explained that “the catchment areas of Gumti river that flows through India and Bangladesh have witnessed heaviest rains of this year over the last few days” and “the flood in Bangladesh is primarily due to waters from these large catchments downstream of the dam”.

The MEA also explained that Dumbur is a low dam (about 30 m) that is located more than 120 km upstream of the border, and generates power that feeds into a grid from which Bangladesh draws 40 MW. Also on Thursday, India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh called on the Chief Adviser to the Interim Government Dr Muhammad Yunus, and reiterated New Delhi’s commitment to work with Dhaka.

Rivers and the dam

Rivers like Manu in Dhalai district; Deo at Kumarghat; Kakri and Juri in North Tripura; Feni, which is spanned by the Indo-Bangla Maitri Setu in South Tripura; Muhuri, Lawgang, and Khowai; Gomati in Udaipur of Gomati district; Howrah in Agartala, all rose unnaturally following heavy rain earlier this week. The Gomati continues to flow above the danger mark.

The Gumti project, which was commissioned in 1976 and has an installed capacity of 15 MW, is the only hydroelectric power project in the state. The river on which the Dumbur dam stands is formed at the confluence of the smaller Raima and Sarma rivers, and is Tripura’s most significant river. After flowing into Bangladesh, the river merges with the Meghna.

Rainfall in Tripura

On August 19, South Tripura district received 288.8 mm of rain in a single day. The capital, Agartala city, recorded 233 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours from Wednesday morning to Thursday morning. The heavy rain, among the highest the state has ever received, has had the worst impact in Khowai, West Tripura, Sepahijala, Gomati, and South Tripura.

At least 24 people are feared dead in the rain and floods. Some 1.28 lakh people have been sheltered in 558 relief camps since August 19.

What US Fed Chief’s speech in Jackson Hole symposium signals

At the annual Jackson Hole symposium, Jerome Powell said the ‘time has come’ to lower interest rates. While he did not furnish further details, the impacts of Powell’s observations will be felt the world over

Written by Udit Misra

Updated: August 24, 2024 14:11 IST

The impacts of Powell’s observation will not be limited to the US alone, and it can be expected that stock markets around the world will jump when they open next. (Reuters photo)

Jerome Powell, the head of the US central bank, on Friday said that “the time has come for [monetary] policy to adjust”, setting the stage for interest rate cuts in the near future.

In his keynote address at the annual Economic Policy Symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Powell said “the direction of travel is clear,…timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks”. The Federal Reserve does not “seek or welcome further cooling in labour market conditions”, he said.

Despite Powell not furnishing further details, these are significant observations. Almost immediately, bond yields of all tenures — 2-year, 10-year and 30 year — fell sharply, even as the US dollar weakened and stock market indices — S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, Russell 2000 — registered sharp gains.

The impacts of Powell’s observation will not be limited to the US alone, and it can be expected that stock markets around the world will jump when they open next.

What is the Jackson Hole symposium?

Every year since 1978, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City has sponsored a symposium to discuss a particular issue faced by the US and world economies.

Central bankers, finance ministers, academics, and financial market participants from around the world participate in the symposium to discuss the economic issues, implications, and policy options pertaining to the theme of that year. Symposium proceedings include papers, commentary, and discussions.

Since 1982, the symposium has been hosted at the Jackson Lake Lodge at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

Why does the symposium matter?

The symposium, and especially the comment by the head of the Federal Reserve, are watched by policymakers and market participants globally because they provide clues to what is happening in the world economy, and where things may go.

For instance, in 2007, just before the world plunged into the Global Financial Crisis after the US housing market unravelled, the theme at Jackson Hole was “Housing, Housing Finance, and Monetary Policy”. In 2021, as the world had started to make sense of the effects of the global pandemic that had literally shut down all economies, the theme was “Macroeconomic Policy in an Uneven Economy”.

This year’s theme is “Reassessing the Effectiveness and Transmission of Monetary Policy”. According to the official website: “This year’s theme will explore lessons learned from the response of monetary policy to both the pandemic and the subsequent surge in inflation.”

What does monetary policy refer to? Why is it important?

At the heart of the discussions in Jackson Hole is monetary policy, which is essentially about tweaking the availability of money for loans and the price at which these loans are given in any economy (the ‘interest rate’).

Typically, the main responsibility of all central banks is to maintain price stability in the economy. This means ensuring that money maintains its value over time — or the same quantity of money buys roughly the same amount of goods and services tomorrow as it does today.

Often, like in the US, there is a dual mandate — the central bank has to ensure price stability while maintaining low levels of unemployment. The key challenge before a central bank is inflation, or the rate at which prices rise from one year to another. When inflation rises, central banks raise interest rates so as to depress economic activity, and thus bring down prices of goods and services. But as soon as they succeed in this goal, they are faced with the problem of slower growth and rising unemployment as a result of economic activity faltering.

A central bank is judged for the timing of its policy actions — both in containing rising inflation as well as preventing a sharp rise in unemployment or a sharp fall in economic growth. Timing of monetary policy action is a tricky subject because it often takes time for the monetary policy decisions of the central bank to affect the economy. This is the “transmission” that this year’s theme refers to.

The theme also refers to “effectiveness” i.e., whether or how far monetary policy has been successful in containing inflation. If inflation has spiked purely because of sudden supply constraints — for instance, lower levels of food items being produced because of deficient rainfall — then higher interest rates may not be effective in bringing down prices.

Over the past five years, central banks have been buffeted by macroeconomic shocks that have pulled policy in different directions. The pandemic lockdowns destroyed economic activity and led to a sharp rise in unemployment. In response, all central banks resorted to easy monetary policy — even as the governments resorted to expansive fiscal policies (pumping money into the economy). The net result of these two factors as well as supply disruptions was a rise in inflation. This happened all over the world but more so in the US. The Russia-Ukraine war made matters worse, and sent inflation rates skyrocketing to historic highs.

As a result, central banks around the world had to sharply raise interest rates.

As things stand now, most developed economies have lost momentum as a result of the “tight” monetary policies of central banks. There are perpetual worries about recession.

Why is Powell’s statement significant?

For some time now, stock markets and global investors have been waiting for a clear signal about the Fed’s policy cycle. Powell saying that “the time has come for policy to adjust” essentially means that the Fed is now more bothered about containing the unemployment rate than the inflation rate. Put differently, it means there will be no more hikes of interest rates — in fact, signals are that a rate-cutting cycle is about to start.

Lower interest rates imply a boost to economic activity because it will become cheaper to borrow money, whether it is to buy a car or invest in building a new factory. That is why stock markets are rising — market participants see a period of economic activity sustained by progressively lower interest rates.

Does the statement find an echo in RBI?

There are several points of divergence between the US Fed and RBI. First, the target inflation rate is 2% for the US and 4% for India. Second, in the last few years, the quantum of increase in the policy interest rate in the US has been almost double that of India, partly because US interest rates were close to zero before the rate cycle. Third, in terms of percentage points, inflation has fallen more in the US than in India.

Powell’s signal towards the start of the interest rate-cutting cycle is something that finds resonance in many countries. The European Central Bank has already cut its deposit rate once (by 25 basis points) in June.

The RBI hasn’t cut rates yet but as the minutes of the latest Monetary Policy Committee show, there is a growing sense among members that interest rates may be too high. At least two out of the six members of the MPC voted for a cut. The dominant RBI view, however, is still to be watchful of inflation.

RBI’s reluctance to cut also has to do with the fact that, unlike the US (where recession fears abound), India is clocking world-beating GDP growth rates at the moment. As such, there is less pressure on RBI to cut rates and more pressure to ensure inflation doesn’t resurface again.

Udit Misra

Udit Misra is Deputy Associate Editor. Follow him on Twitter @ieuditmisra ... Read More

Getting India into power play, Modi tries to bring Kyiv, Moscow to table

On a seven-hour historic visit to war-torn Ukraine before its Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi discusses ground situation with President Zelenskyy, pays tribute to children killed in the war with Russia, meets the Indian diaspora

Written by Shubhajit Roy

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 15:51 IST

The fact that Modi visited Moscow on July 8-9 to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and followed it up six weeks later with a visit to Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — puts him in an unique position of developing direct contact between the leaders of the two warring sides. (Photo: X/Narendra Modi)

EXACTLY TWO-AND-A-HALF years into the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, India on Friday took a remarkable step to proactively offer New Delhi’s help — at the highest level by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself — to any “active role” that will help end the Russia-Ukraine war.

This is the most clear and categorical statement that has come from New Delhi, in the first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ukraine since it became independent in December 1991, and diplomatic ties were established between the two countries in January 1992.

The fact that Modi visited Moscow on July 8-9 to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and followed it up six weeks later with a visit to Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — puts him in an unique position of developing direct contact between the leaders of the two warring sides.

India chose to distance itself from the US-led Western bloc’s position of imposing sanctions on Russia, but it also expressed “heartbreaking” concern at the killing of innocent children. Modi conveyed to the Russian President Putin that “this is not the era of war”. This signalled that New Delhi doesn’t turn a blind eye to Russian actions and that didn’t go unnoticed by the Western bloc.

New Delhi has stayed away from contributing to the war efforts on both sides directly, and instead, sent humanitarian assistance to Ukraine;17 consignments so far, and another consignment of medical devices on Friday, highlighting Delhi’s humanitarian-focused and people-centric approach towards the situation.

The Indian position of abstaining from the UN resolutions over the past two-and-half years, and making it clear that “dialogue and diplomacy” is the way forward projects Delhi as a player working towards peace.

And finally, the important element of India asking Putin and Zelenskyy to sit together — means that Delhi is ready to nudge both to have a direct conversation, instead of peace summits which are unrepresented by one side — Russia was not part of the Ukraine summit in Switzerland’s Burgenstock in June this year.

India has been part of several multilateral summits, starting from Copenhagen, Jeddah, Riyadh, Davos and Burgenstock, which have talked about the process to resolve the conflict, but there has not been any headway so far.

Delhi firmly believes Moscow and Kyiv need to talk to each other, and not talk at each other — to put an end to the war. That’s easier said than done, especially with Russia having the upper hand all these months, since end 2023; the two sides are not yet ready to blink even in the backdrop of the Kursk push by Ukraine, which some view as a game-changer.

And, with the US elections due in November, the Joe Biden administration is too distracted towards its domestic political front. In this context, besides China, India is another player to play a role in the global geopolitics power play.

It may not be enough, but New Delhi believes it has more leverage with the Western bloc, than Beijing. Ultimately, the war will be resolved once the US, Europe and Russia come together, but a conversation between Ukraine and Russia can be a start. PM Modi’s visit is part of India’s effort to bring the two warring sides to the table directly, and Delhi can be the facilitator.

Why Modi’s visit to Ukraine marks three new roads: India in Europe, diplomatic space, and Delhi-Kyiv revival

By showing up in Ukraine and lending a shoulder to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated three important processes. Here is a look at them

Written by C. Raja Mohan

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 07:26 IST

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kyiv, Ukraine August 23, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

It took the tragic and a globally disruptive war to bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kyiv, the first such visit since Ukraine re-established itself as an independent nation amid the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.

But by showing up in Ukraine and lending a shoulder to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is leading a badly battered nation to defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty, Modi has initiated three important processes: insert India into Europe’s quest for peace; expand Delhi’s room for manoeuvre in the global geopolitical churn triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine; and reclaim Delhi’s lost bonds with Kyiv in the post-Soviet era.

1. 01
India in Europe

First, on the question of ending the war in Ukraine, Modi had no spectacular peace plan to unveil. That Modi took a long train ride from Warsaw to Ukraine to engage Zelenskyy in a long and intense conversation on war and peace was an important moment in itself.

What Kyiv needed was not yet another peace plan but Modi’s understanding of Ukraine’s concerns about survival as a nation that did not get sufficient resonance in India and the so-called Global South.

Zelenskyy hopes that Modi’s willingness to hear Ukraine’s case and contribute to the peace efforts will help turn the political tide in the Global South that has stood apart from the war, despite its massive economic consequences.

2. 02
Diplomatic space

Second, as the geopolitical consequences of the war in Ukraine unfold, Modi’s visit to Kyiv is a signal that Delhi will no longer be a passive by-stander in a conflict that is reshaping the world. For five centuries, India was an adjunct to European wars. Modi’s visit to Ukraine underlines India’s determination to actively shape the major European and global war of the times.

India is not the only Asian power trying to alter the European balance of power. That the Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang was winding up his visit in Moscow when Modi was travelling from Warsaw to Kyiv is a reminder of China’s growing role in shaping the contours of the war in Ukraine. Ukraine is not only about renewed contest between Russia and the West but also about the role of Delhi and Beijing in Europe.

As Modi arrived in Kyiv, Kamala Harris, in a thundering speech accepting the nomination of the Democratic Party to be the next President of the United States, declared her deep commitment to defend Ukraine and strengthen NATO.

The enthusiastic reception to Harris’s candidacy and her strong stance on Ukraine will test the widespread assessment that the US is a “weary titan” waiting to retreat from Europe. The Republican idea of pivoting away from Europe is now being challenged by Democrats. The outcome of that debate will have major consequences for India’s security policy.

If the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Washington this week underlines India’s expanding strategic ties with the US, Modi’s engagement with President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy in quick succession underline India’s determination to protect its interests amidst the tremors from the reordering of great power relations.

3. 03
Delhi-Kyiv revival

Finally, Modi’s visit is also about re-establishing the lost bonds between India and Ukraine. Although India had privileged access to Ukraine in the Soviet era, Kyiv did not inherit its share of India’s political affections for the USSR.

The extraordinary goodwill for India in Ukraine was reflected in the warm welcome extended to Modi in Kyiv. The commitment by Modi and Zelensky to elevate their relationship into a “strategic partnership”, reboot their economic and defence ties, and revitalise their cultural ties marks the end of the prolonged neglect of India’s ties with Ukraine.

Above all, Modi's visit should help bring greater nuance and sophistication to India's debate on the war in Ukraine that has been subject too long to political prejudice and ignorance about Central European history.

(C. Raja Mohan is a visiting research professor at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore and a contributing editor on international affairs for The Indian Express)

Business

- Electrical machinery, parts boost India’s imports from Vietnam by 17% in January-July

- To boost research, Cabinet clears Vigyan Dhara, biotech initiatives

- US Fed chief Powell greenlights Sept rate cut: 3 takeaways on inflation, jobs and recessionary fears

- Inflation will gradually glide towards 4% target, but this would take several quarters: MPC member Jayanth R Varma

Electrical machinery, parts boost India’s imports from Vietnam by 17% in January-July

The Economic Survey 2023-24 noted that the rise in trade through countries such as Mexico and Vietnam is a “result of Chinese firms re-routing their supply through these countries.”

Written by Ravi Dutta Mishra

New Delhi | Updated: August 25, 2024 07:58 IST

Making a case for attracting Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI), the survey stated that East Asian economies are boosting their exports by focusing on FDI from China.

Driven primarily by electrical machinery and parts, India’s imports from Vietnam are on an upward trajectory, with a 17 percent increase to $5.8 billion between January and July this year, compared to the same period last year, according to an analysis of Ministry of Commerce and Industry data. Latest available data also showed that imports of electrical machinery and parts from Vietnam jumped 43 percent between January and May 2024, compared to the same period last year.

The Economic Survey 2023-24 noted that the rise in trade through countries such as Mexico and Vietnam is a “result of Chinese firms re-routing their supply through these countries.” Making a case for attracting Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI), the survey stated that East Asian economies are boosting their exports by focusing on FDI from China. This comes in the wake of the Indian Steel Association (ISA) calling for an investigation into imports of hot-rolled flat products originating from Vietnam, stating that these imports are negatively impacting domestic steel prices. On August 16, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of “hot-rolled flat products of alloy or non-alloy steel, not clad, not plated or coated, of a thickness up to 25 mm and width up to 2100 mm” originating from Vietnam.

According to a Crisil report, India turned a net importer of steel in FY24, with an overall steel trade deficit of 1.1 million tonnes, marking a shift from its status as a net exporter since fiscal 2017. The top exporters were China, South Korea, and Japan, but Vietnam has now become a new entrant to the list. In a sign that imports from Vietnam could continue to grow, trade data showed that imports in July almost doubled to $1 billion compared to $520 million in July 2021.

‘China setting up units in Vietnam’

“Indian Customs have flagged cases where a few ASEAN firms made minor changes to products mainly made in China and then exported them as ‘made in ASEAN’ to India, benefiting from zero-duty access under FTAs. Set-top boxes are one such product. Vietnamese firms use FTAs to enter markets in India, the US, and the EU. In many cases, Chinese companies have set up manufacturing to bypass tariffs imposed by the US and the EU on Chinese goods. In response, the US recently imposed high tariffs on solar panels made by Chinese firms in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The same fate may await the goods produced by Chinese firms in India,” said Ajay Srivastava, former Indian Trade Service officer and head of the economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).

Srivastava said that India must closely monitor such imports under the India-ASEAN FTA to ensure compliance, and effective monitoring requires clear tracking of production processes and trade linkages. “The presence of Chinese firms in ASEAN has also led to increased imports into ASEAN from China. For example, when Chinese electric vehicle (EV) companies started production in Thailand, local auto parts orders dropped by 40 percent, forcing many manufacturers to cut back. India, with similar EV policies, could face similar challenges when Chinese firms begin operations,” Srivastava said.

The possible re-routing of goods from Free Trade Agreement (FTA) nations comes amid efforts to check imports from China through Quality Control Orders (QCOs) on a range of products such as steel wires, aluminum and aluminum alloy products, household and similar electrical appliances, and ceiling fan regulators. Despite several efforts to curb imports and investments from China, the neighboring country continues to surge. Imports from China have already crossed $60 billion during the first seven months of 2024, which is 10 percent higher than the $55 billion recorded during the same period last year. Imports from China in FY24 exceeded $100 billion.

Decoupling from China challenging

The Economic Survey noted that decoupling from China is challenging for the world, as Beijing dominates the supply of several critical minerals used in the manufacturing industry, and its control over various product categories creates a risk of “economic coercion.”

“Research by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) shows that despite its policies, the US remains reliant on Chinese inputs. In fact, the rise in trade through Mexico and Vietnam is a result of Chinese firms re-routing their supply through these countries (or by locating themselves in these countries),” the survey said.

The survey also pointed out that as Global Value Chains (GVCs) are designed to minimize costs, countries like Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan have focused on lowering their trade costs over time. This is one reason why these countries are benefiting from the ‘China Plus One’ phenomenon. “Over 90 percent of manufacturers in North America surveyed by the Boston Consulting Group in 2023 moved some or all of their production to other countries like Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam, suggesting a shift away from China,” the survey noted.

Vietnam benefiting from Chinese FDI

Vietnam’s goods exports surged by 14 percent to $190 billion during the first half of the year, and its trade surplus rose to $11.63 billion, according to Vietnam’s General Statistics Office (GSO). This follows the Economic Survey’s indication that Vietnam might be benefiting from Chinese FDI amid a reconfiguration in global trade patterns.

“Vietnam’s trade with China and the US has recently increased. US imports from Vietnam more than doubled from $46 billion in 2017 to $114 billion in 2023. During the same period, Vietnam’s imports from China rose from $58 billion to $111 billion,” the survey stated. Moreover, Vietnam is seeking closer trade ties with China, as Vietnam’s newly appointed President, To Lam, is on a visit to China seeking economic cooperation and rail links. According to reports, the two countries are discussing plans for constructing high-speed railway lines connecting China to Vietnam by 2030.

A query emailed to the Commerce and Industry Ministry remained unanswered until press time.

To boost research, Cabinet clears Vigyan Dhara, biotech initiatives

The scheme has three broad components -- science and technology institutional and human capacity building; research and development; and innovation, technology development and deployment.

By: Express News Service

New Delhi | Updated: August 25, 2024 07:38 IST

The Union Cabinet decided to merge several existing science promotion programmes being run by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under a new initiative called Vigyan Dhara. (Express Photo by Amit Mehra)

The Centre Saturday approved two key science initiatives to strengthen the research base and accelerate search for science and technology solutions to some of the country’s pressing needs in sectors like clean energy.

The Union Cabinet decided to merge several existing science promotion programmes being run by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under a new initiative called Vigyan Dhara that, it hopes, would result in better fund utilisation, and improve efficiency. It also approved a biotechnology initiative that will push for research and development, industrialisation and manufacturing in the biotechnology sector.

Official sources said the overall objective of initiatives was to focus scientific energies on some specific areas that were key to India’s sustainable growth and development in the coming decades.

Vigyan Dhara, for example, merges several existing DST schemes including the INSPIRE programme that works to attract young talent to science research.

“Vigyan Dhara has three broad components — human and institutional capacity building, research and development, innovation and technology development, and also deployment. Existing schemes would fall under one of these components. There are two big benefits of Vigyan Dhara. DST gets the flexibility to reorient schemes within the broad framework of achieving the three objectives. This can include reallocation of funds as well… The second thing is the ANRF (Anusandhan National Research Foundation, a newly created institution) is creating its own programmes. It is important to avoid duplication of work and energy. The flexibility of the DST to refashion its existing programmes helps in this as well,” DST Secretary Abhay Karandikar said.

On biotechnology side, the new initiative aims to support innovation-driven research and development across six thematic areas. The first will focus on bio-chemicals, bio-enzymes, and bio-polymers, which will mainly have industrial, consumer, and scientific applications.

The second pillar will focus on smart proteins and functional foods. Union I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw — while briefing reporters on Cabinet decisions — said one of the critical challenges that India faces is feeding its 140 crore people. The second pillar will focus on developing functional foods that can complement land-based food production, thereby reducing pressure on land resources.

The third will focus on bio-therapeutics. Targeted therapy is emerging as the cutting-edge treatment for several genetic conditions and cancers.

The fourth will focus on agriculture, supporting development of bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides. Vaishnaw said this will help make agriculture resilient and also reduce levels of chemicals in foods. The fifth will focus on developing bio-fuels and bio-chemicals, especially those that are developed from captured carbon emissions. This will help in creating a circular economy, said Vaishnaw. And, last area was marine and space application to focus on developing products from marine ecosystems.

“Just like the industrial revolution and IT revolution, there will be a bio-revolution in the coming days. All fields related to biotechnology and bio-sciences will create a big economy,” he said.

US Fed chief Powell greenlights Sept rate cut: 3 takeaways on inflation, jobs and recessionary fears

Like other central banks such as the RBI, as the US Fed conducts monetary policy, it influences employment and inflation primarily by using policy tools to control the availability and cost of credit in the economy.

Written by Anil Sasi

August 24, 2024 11:15 IST

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks during a press conference following a two-day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee on interest rate policy in Washington, U.S., July 31, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo

The US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell’s speech at a closely-watched economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming came closer than any of his earlier remarks to the American central bank’s declaration of a victory over the inflationary surge that set in after the Covid-19 pandemic. In his speech, Powell finally said out loud what Wall Street has been predicting for quite a while now.

Three key signals – inflation, employment and recession

While the speech made it all but certain that the Fed would cut rates by at least 0.25 percentage points at its meeting in September, the quantum of the cut could be even more depending on incoming economic data between the Jackson Hole conference and the Fed meeting on September 17-18. The lack of any guidance is perhaps indicative of Powell’s intent to keep his options open at this point in time.

What was being closely tracked is the other crucial factor in the Fed’s dual mandate alongside that of keeping prices stable – the objective of ensuring maximum employment. Powell indicated that his worries were now tilting towards that side. “The upside risks to inflation have diminished. And the downside risks to employment have increased,” he said, clearly marking a crucial pivot in the Fed’s outlook on the employment versus jobs tradeoff. “The time has come for policy to adjust,” Powell said, clearly signalling the start of a new battle for the Fed after more than two years focused on controlling the post-pandemic stimulus-induced runaway prices. The Fed has kept its key lending rate at a two-decade high of 5.3 per cent since July last year, holding off on cuts that other central banks have already commenced.

It needs to be noted that the US has seen a recession – or a significant cooling of economic activity – after almost every time the Fed hiked interest rates in a sustained manner to control inflation. This time could be different, with the possibility of a ‘soft landing’ – or the possibility of sustained high levels of inflation being brought down through monetary tools without setting off a recession – looks highly achievable. In his speech, Powell took note of the sharp slowdown in the American job market, saying the Fed did not “seek or welcome further cooling”. This came as the US unemployment rate rose for the fourth straight month to a still-low 4.3 per cent in July.

Powell shrugged off concerns about another recession in the near future, arguing that the rise in unemployment was consistent with a slowdown in hiring, not a sudden spike in job cuts. “There is good reason to think that the economy will get back to 2% inflation while maintaining a strong labour market,” he said

The impact

Like other central banks such as the RBI, as the US Fed conducts monetary policy, it influences employment and inflation primarily by using policy tools to control the availability and cost of credit in the economy. The Fed’s primary tool of monetary policy is the federal funds rate, changes in which influence other interest rates — which in turn influence borrowing costs for households and businesses, as well as broader financial conditions.

When interest rates go down in an economy, it becomes cheaper to borrow; so households are more inclined to buy more goods and services, and businesses have an incentive to borrow funds to expand operations, buy equipment or to invest in new projects. Improved demand for goods and services ends up pushing up wages, and helps rekindle the growth cycle. Even though the linkages of monetary policy to inflation and employment are not direct or immediate, monetary policy is a key factor in curbing runaway prices or stoking the growth impetus.

Market reactions

A cut in rates in the US could have a three-pronged impact. When the Fed cuts its policy rates, the difference between the interest rates of the two countries could widen, thus making countries such as India more attractive for the currency carry trade. The lower the rate in the US, the higher the arbitrage opportunity, till the time that the rate cut cycle starts in other economies as well.

A lower rate signal by the Fed would also mean a higher impetus to growth in the US, which could be yet positive news for global growth, especially when China is reeling under the impact of a real estate crisis and showing signs of slowing down. Lower returns in the US debt markets could also trigger a churn in emerging market equities, improving foreign investor enthusiasm. There is also a potential impact on currency markets, stemming from inflows of funds.

For the RBI, like other central banks, the likelihood of a future rate cut is somewhat predicated on the Fed’s decision to cut rates. The RBI last cut the repo rate by 40 basis points to 4 per cent in May 2020 when the Covid pandemic raged across the country affecting the entire economy, leading to slowdown in demand, production cuts and job losses. Since then, the RBI has hiked the repo rate by 250 points to 6.5 per cent in order to tackle runaway inflation. The central bank has a mandate to keep inflation at 4 per cent, with a cushion of 2 per cent on either side.

Stock markets in the US rose after Powell’s comments, which sent the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all up more than 0.5 per cent, while bond yields tumbled. It is all but certain that the Indian stocks would see a rally when they open on Monday.

Inflation will gradually glide towards 4% target, but this would take several quarters: MPC member Jayanth R Varma

Varma, Professor in the Finance and Accounting at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, said that growth in 2024-25 and 2025-26 would be in the ballpark range of around 7 per cent, which is below the potential growth rate of the economy.

Written by George Mathew , Hitesh Vyas

Mumbai | Updated: August 24, 2024 07:38 IST

“Restrictive monetary policy controls inflation by suppressing demand, and until companies see robust demand growth, they may be reluctant to invest despite reasonably high capacity utilisation,” he said.

JAYANTH R VARMA, one of the three external members of the Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), believes that inflation will gradually move towards the 4 per cent target, but it would take several quarters.

In an interaction with GEORGE MATHEW and HITESH VYAS, Varma, Professor in the Finance and Accounting at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, said that growth in 2024-25 and 2025-26 would be in the ballpark range of around 7 per cent, which is below the potential growth rate of the economy.

He said that a reduction in the current excessive real interest rate would help in reviving private capital investment. “Restrictive monetary policy controls inflation by suppressing demand, and until companies see robust demand growth, they may be reluctant to invest despite reasonably high capacity utilisation,” he said. Edited excerpts:

Retail inflation has fallen to 3.5 per cent in July. Do you expect inflation to be benign in the coming months? Is the 4 per cent level sacrosanct?

I expect inflation to trend down in coming quarters, with transient spikes in between, primarily due to food inflation. As far as the MPC is concerned, the 4 per cent target is a statutory mandate and therefore sacrosanct. I am confident that inflation will gradually glide towards the 4 per cent target, but this process would take several quarters.

What’s your opinion on the proposal in the Economic Survey for exclusion of food inflation from CPI inflation?

I do not wish to comment on this as an MPC member. The MPC has a statutory mandate set by the government, and our task is to conform to that target. It is up to the government to change the target if it considers it desirable to do so. It would not be appropriate for the MPC to suggest changing the goal post when high food inflation is making it difficult to reach the target.

There is a view that since Indian inflation is not well measured, and could be over or under-estimated, too much precision with regard to a target is unproductive. What is your view on this?

The tolerance band of 2 per cent on either side of the target takes care of these measurement errors as well as the well-known difficulties in forecasting future inflation and the uncertain lags in the effect of monetary policy.

You said a reduction of over 50 basis points in the repo rate is needed within a short span of time. When do you think this should happen?

I voted for a cut of 25 basis points in the August meeting itself. The subsequent cut would be based on the inflation and growth outcomes over the next couple of months.

There is a view that the US Federal Reserve may cut interest rate in September. Will it have a bearing on MPC’s decision on reducing the repo rate?

I think India has sufficient monetary autonomy to formulate its monetary policy based on domestic macroeconomic considerations. India’s current account deficit is quite modest, and can be readily financed even if lower interest rates lead to lower capital inflows into our debt markets.

You have mentioned about the unacceptable growth sacrifice induced by a monetary policy that is excessively restrictive. Do you see GDP growth for FY25 to be lower than the projected 7.2 per cent? ICRA has projected growth to fall to 6 per cent in Q1 from 7.8 per cent projected earlier…

It is difficult to forecast growth rates to a decimal point of accuracy. My view is that growth in 2024-25 and 2025-26 would be in the ballpark range of around 7 per cent and this is well below the potential growth rate of the economy.

What are the three key factors that can help India in achieving the potential growth rate of at least 8 per cent?

First, multiple policy measures during the last few years including digitalization, tax reforms, and a step up in infrastructure investment are key enablers of rapid growth. Second, the demographic transition that is under way is bringing a large number of new workers into the labour force, and this also creates the conditions for non-inflationary growth. Third, a reduction in real interest rates can accelerate private sector capital investment and spur growth.

India witnessed a transient lull in the investment activity, especially govt capex, in Q1 FY2025. What are the reasons for private capital investment not picking up?

A major reason is probably demand uncertainty. Restrictive monetary policy controls inflation by suppressing demand, and until companies see robust demand growth, they may be reluctant to invest despite reasonably high capacity utilization. I remain hopeful that private capital investment will revive, but a reduction in the current excessive real interest rate would help.

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What makes an 80-year-old remain young forever and feeling fulsome even when alone

There is a lesson to be learned about being selfless and moving towards a goal that unites us with the Creator, who drives all life, shape and form in this world

Written by Suvir Saran

August 25, 2024 07:00 IST

The more isolated the mood of our nation gets, the more Swami Prabuddanand’s discourses are about inclusion (Source: Freepik)

My mother was peeved that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) website wasn’t allowing her to pay her house tax online. Almost 80, Mom oversees her life and is never wanting for anyone’s help. It bothered her that the collector’s office hadn’t fixed the glitch and that her calendar would now have this unexpected and most avoidable intrusion. My plea to her for using the good auspices of Mr Seth, the able gentleman who handles such issues for my brother and me, fell on deaf ears. Just as she will not allow me to accompany her to the doctor, she was very firm in not needing help. She has been single for over a dozen years since my dad’s passing, and each of these days has shown the world the unshakable foundation of strength that my mother is and the common sense laced with fortitude, farsightedness, grit, grace, courage, compassion, selflessness and sensitivity that keeps her happily occupied and deeply fulfilled, hopeful and smiling, and never lonely even when mostly alone.

It wasn’t a luncheon with friends and family, an outing at the cinemas, a planned shopping spree, or a ladies’ gathering she would be missing that irked her about this MCD website hiccup. Mum was lamenting missing out on attending one of her Upanishad classes taught by Swami Prabuddanand at the Ramana Kendra in Delhi.

Forty years or so ago, Mom started taking Gita classes. This was that period when Dadi, my paternal grandmother, ran our house, and Mom managed to keep her, my father, the staff, and us siblings, three of the most boisterous and rambunctious kids, happy and together. How Mum got away for two hours each week was a miracle then, and, perhaps, that much needed salve that gave her a couple of hours to breathe and see herself as an individual and to find time to fuel her own soul with what was most elusive for her — a chance to be able to do something, anything that didn’t include my grandmother and our nuclear family unit and the extended relatives. This weekly outing in the morning for a couple of hours didn’t raise my grandma’s eyebrows and wasn’t noticed by us kids, as we were at school. The only other time my mum had alone was after tucking us into bed, when she would record books on to tapes for the library at the Blind School.

These days when Swami ji is in town giving classes, Mom is busy sometimes three or four mornings every week. There are mornings when she takes a class on the Gita and another on the Upanishad or the Vedas. When in town and at home in Delhi, I know I mustn’t be lazy about heading to Mom’s floor for breakfast, as she is out sooner than later. My brother and I might still be in our night garb, but Mum is attired in a crisp handloom sari, ready to start her day. Her eyes have a hungry sparkle and her smile a radiance which is mirroring the hungry anticipation with which she is waiting to be at class. These lessons on Vedanta – this yearning to learn the art of living without fuss or muss, with a total abandoning of all that arrests our minds and thus ails our bodies and souls – are keeping Mom youthful and energetic, radiant and exemplary, independent and daring, self-reliant and never lonely.

I find Mom often sitting with a stack of notebooks, some more frayed than others, full of jottings. Many times I see her radiating an inspired smile, and I have been compelled to ask her what is it that captivates her that moment, and she will read me a line or two from a lesson. As deeply as I have loved and studied the Gita myself, it gives me comfort to listen to her, and through her find a very modern approach to living, loving, sharing and caring. What Dadi and our family chef, Pandit ji taught me from a young age comes alive in the explanations given to Mom by Swami ji. These exchanges with her also bring alive my incredibly brilliant nana, my maternal grandfather Chaman Lal Bhardwaj. He was a man of the world, and the world was lucky to have had such a man walk on its lap.

When I find Mom checking the same verse in two or three notebooks, she shares with me the evolution of Swami ji as both a human and a scholar of Vedanta. Through his elasticity in grasping a verse with greater humility and appreciation as his world expanded its own human horizons, Swami ji shows Mom and others the key to living a life well lived. Pedantic knowledge is anathema to a Vedantic approach to life, learning and spirituality, and so it is most strange to see such passionate and blind ritualistic following by a people whose religion has no prescription for the following of rituals. Unlike ecclesiastical laws that have been in existence for centuries, the dogma that is gripping Hinduism is very new in comparison. Mom loves spending time on Swami ji’s interpretation of one verse and then examining how that translation changed with the political and cultural ethos of any given time, and how natural calamities, social moods and currents affect and influence how he reacts to a book, verse or word. I have found Mom marvelling at his growth, as a teacher, scholar and citizen, of India and the world. The more isolated a time might make the mood of our nation or the pulse of the world, the more Mom has found Swami ji’s discourses become all about inclusion and the oneness of all life.

The wind beneath my mother’s wings is the power of having learned the lesson about being selfless and moving toward that goal that unites us with the one that is the creator and that driving engine of all who have life, shape and form. Mum was disappointed that the website of a governmental agency would be poorly managed, but she was happy to take care of the issue at hand herself. Where I am satisfied to delegate and use another, Mom, who is much older, is happy to take charge. She unshackles herself from baldly ugly materialism and a world lived most carelessly and without a connection to self and our fellow humans. Her approach through a lifetime lost to Vedanta has made her compassionate and gracious enough to save another from having to tackle what she herself is loathe to. Unafraid to work and totally not wallowing in self-pity, Mom finds youth and spring in her step by not wanting to be a burden on another and robbing them of time they ought to spend on their own journeys. She takes on the vagaries and burdens of others, knits and stitches, gardens and takes music lessons, cares for my siblings, nephew, relatives and me, and in doing so, remains forever young, deeply connected to us, and guiding us to be busy in a way that makes us feel fulfilled and fulsome even when all alone.

How Tarun Tahiliani and JJ Valaya are now clothing young Indians and are staying on top of their game

India’s fashion ramp is studded with mavericks and outliers. In reinventing themselves and democratising design, these fashion designers have brought the world to our door. This is that story

Written by Rinku Ghosh

Updated: August 25, 2024 08:07 IST

Tarun Tahiliani and JJ Valaya

In the late 1980s, when socialist India was getting impatient and bubbling with ‘yeh dil maange more’ aspiration, and it had not embraced liberalisation yet, two young men took to painting and art. One was a Wharton School of Business graduate and the other a chartered accountant (CA). They rebelled against their family expectations and decided that India’s art heritage needed a market and an identity. So, they made the people around them their canvas, dressing them up with much more colour and poise than the neighbourhood darzi, cancelling the austere and staid Nehru jacket and sari with the opulence of royalty. They wanted to put up an Indian design label as a standout statement on the global ramp.

That business graduate was Tarun Tahiliani, now 62, and the CA was JJ Valaya, 56. They went back to fashion school and birthed Indian designer wear and labels as we know it today, adapting Western couture and adorning it with Indian sensibility and craftsmanship. Tahiliani opened one of India’s first multi-brand designer stores, Ensemble, in 1987, in Mumbai, and Valaya his eponymous store, in 1992, in Sultanpur, Delhi. Now, nearly three decades later, they are still at the top, surviving newer waves of talent and on the cusp of another change. This time, they are democratising fashion — Tahiliani with OTT, a label of ‘wearable, simple silhouettes’, and Valaya with JJV Kapurthala, a bridge-to-luxury wear, priced under Rs 50,000.

Back in the day, Tahiliani gathered his like-minded friends — Rohit Khosla, who had apprenticed with designers in New York; Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, who had styled costumes for films like Umrao Jaan (1981); Anuradha Mafatlal, descendant of a textile baron; fellow designers Anita Shivdasani and Sunita Kapoor and New York designer Neil Bieff. “We chose a colonial building at Lion’s Gate, Mumbai, got as many weavers and embroiderers from Mohammed Ali Road and, initially, relied on high society for endorsement. We started with about 80 outfits in the open space on December 12, 1987. Our work was more like art pieces, each distinct in its own way. As women sipped on champagne and nibbled on hors d’oeuvres, models in pencil skirts and jackets went around in silk topis, sheer anarkalis, inspired by Mughal miniatures, in silk, jamawar, layered tissue, organza and lamé. A week later, we were feted like French designers as socialites came to buy our clothes. The topi sold for Rs 300. We never sent out invites, these were closed-door events for people who would buy these boutique pieces. They were like the neo-royalty and redefined luxury for the aspirant Indian,” says Tahiliani, who was guided by textile revivalist Martand Singh to study the costumes of India’s royals and the weaves they patronised.

Valaya, who had many firsts to his credit — a first-batch student of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi, one of the founding members of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), which was formed in 1998; and among the first to show at the Paris Haute Couture Week (2001) — recalls the heady days. “We had our first solo show in Delhi, in the early 1990s, then took it to Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and London, where we sold out. By 1996, we had a luxury store that went beyond womenswear, menswear and showcased home decor, furnishings and artefacts. It also had an art gallery and a fine-dining restaurant,” says Valaya.

Cut to India Couture Week 2024. Tahiliani broke the elitism of privilege by doing a repeat show for guests who had missed his show in the overcrowded hall. During the final bow, he stepped back, letting his young apprentices dance to the applause. “If you want longevity for your brand, you have to prepare these kids to feel and live up to people’s expectations,” says the designer, who is waiting to take a dip in the Kumbh. “That’s where I unmade myself, was born again,” he tells us. It is the quotidian moments there and the pilgrims’ drapes that have inspired his line for Gen Z.

Meanwhile, in a quiet anteroom in Delhi, we catch Valaya resting on his bolsters, animatedly lolling about the couch, laughing with his young team — unbridled and un-turbaned. “However, in fashion, there’s no room for resting,” says the man who decidedly went off the map between 2017 and 2019. It was about moulting and shedding everything he knew. Valaya is now far more self-critical on his comeback trail. “A brand has to evolve. At a point, I was stagnating, there was a certain sameness and boredom that set in. Perhaps, I was spread too thin. I had to do a hard reset, re-align my imagination with what the business needed, what the market wanted,” he says of giving up his self-indulgent ways. “It is a bigger challenge to pare down what you fall in love with into something that more people will love and understand.”

Tahiliani, likewise, saw the need to make the shift from a time when fashion was elitist and seen as a curated luxury. “Fashion today can’t be just sold to the super rich. It also has to find a younger voice. We have to provide Indian answers and Indian solutions,” he says. He is now experimenting with dhoti-saris, pairing it with button-down, collared cotton shirts. Fashion labels now need a wider market to be sustainable and can no longer be an effete and insular pursuit.

A throwback photo from the heady old days of the young Turks (Express Archive)

Then & Now

In the ’90s, designers had little or no references to go by, and as India was waiting to exhale on the back of liberalisation, they gave full rein to their imagination with billowing excesses of an exotic India. Tahiliani recalls how fashion designer and entrepreneur Bina Ramani did her first show with cow heads on sequined dresses. “It was insane, genuine, original and stunning. Then, fashion was more about spectacle, frivolity and playfulness. It was heady and new. People came to the show themselves; we didn’t want the world. But to become an industry, you cannot be just a culture club. Today, you cannot be flippant but proficient and be connected to the market.”

When Valaya started out, menswear had hardly progressed beyond the bandhgala, sherwani and churidar. Yet, over the last three decades, people have gone beyond wedding wear. Now, there is room for more ready-to-wear and accessories. Sensing new winds, designers choose technology for better cuts, fits, silhouettes and creating mixed fabrics and weaves. But except the body confidence that it has given young people, Tahiliani thinks technology has also homogenised the look. “Youngsters are guided by Instagram and imprinted images rather than developing their original style. It’s dulling their sensibilities. You see a sameness at airports around the world, you can’t make out which city you are in,” he says. That’s why he is breaking out of his own designs that have been cloned too often.

Tahiliani’s Kumbh-inspired design, the multi-layered look reminiscent of pilgrim drapes (Source: Tarun Tahiliani)

Change in design philosophy

The Kumbh, which Tahiliani plans to attend at the end of this year, has become his fountainhead of new ideas. “I grew up in south Bombay, went to boarding school, spoke in English, imbibed Western culture and inherited the coloniser’s mindset. The sadhus and the mass of pilgrims were an alien world. I was deracinated by my Western upbringing. Yet, I found that this was a democratic confluence of ideas and people. Strangers shared food and the monks let you in their tents, engaging in dialogue and discourse, not out-shouting you. I had the barriers, they didn’t. And I realised that I didn’t give India a chance. For two whole days, I moved with the sadhus and my camera,” says Tahiliani.

Kumbh shaped his fashion philosophy. He studied how each pilgrim draped themselves with the dhoti and the sari chaddar, how the Naga sadhus garlanded themselves with the rudraksh beads. “I am still documenting these draping styles and making structured and pre-pleated contemporary-looking garments for young people. You can just slip on, zip up and wear them like a trouser, a sari or a skirt. This way, we can preserve our clothing heritage that was actually geared for our climate and comfort. The best part at the Kumbh is the million ways the monks folded their cloth. In their sameness, they were fiercely different. It was the opposite of cloning,” says Tahiliani.

He owes the tone-on-tone palate to villagers in Kutch. And his commitment to weaves was inspired by a weaver family, who covered their sheep with warm clothes so that the animal could stay healthy and grow a thick coat of fur. They would then trim it for weaves. “No designer can be this crazy,” he says.

On the other hand, Valaya has distilled a new global idiom from his many travels along the old Silk Route. His latest collection is influenced by the three capitals of Islamic art: Isfahan (Iran), Istanbul (Turkey) and Delhi (India). So there’s Ottoman architectural motifs from Istanbul, florals from Persian carpets, mosaic and calligraphy from Isfahan and the Mughal miniatures and inlay work from Delhi. “They co-exist, layering each other up, a combined heritage of three civilisations. That’s how rich and relevant we are,” says Valaya. He has even contemporised the geometry of Art Deco with chevron patterns on nomadic skirts, shirt pleats, the dhoti and the turban.

The new Valaya is minimal, controlled and subtle, a spillover of his collaboration with Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth Carter for styling the character of Queen Ramonda (played by Actor Angela Bassett) in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). It won the Oscars last year for best costume. Bassett made a statement in a structured and pearl-encrusted ivory gown, a fitted purple dress with gold embellishments and a flowing red dress with a cape. With this project, Valaya had found that balance between tradition and modernity. “You cannot bastardise design but you have to blend it to the language of the day,” he says. Tahiliani’s latest line of art nouveau gowns with embroidered crystal corset tops attached to draping wings, one of which was worn by Jahnvi Kapoor to the Ambani wedding, is as much 1930s and present-day Paris as it is about tradition and modernity. “My grammar has changed as everybody wants to wear a statement piece that’s light, minimal, yet classical and can last beyond the event day,” says Tahiliani.

JJ Valaya’s latest couture collection with Silk Road influences (Source: JJ Valaya)

Corporate tie-ups

Both agree that corporate tie-ups are a good way of scaling up and staying relevant. Tahiliani admits his value systems have changed while riding out the trough of Covid years and seeing the plight of his karigars. He has now moved his workshops to their villages, so that they do not have to migrate or live in urban slums. He’s tied up with the Aditya Birla group for a menswear line Tasva that swears by ease and comfort. He has had record sales and believes he can never have the managerial expertise of growing the business. “I can focus on designs better. Remember Karl Lagerfeld had his own signature despite working for various brands. Alexander Mc Queen wouldn’t have become bigger without Gucci,” he argues. Valaya also believes corporatisation can give what designers cannot get on their own: scale and sustainability in a fickle industry. Neither can it take away individual talent.

“Everybody talks about Dior, Fendi, Givenchy, Marc Jacobs and Stella Mc Cartney, does anybody know they are owned by LVMH? Besides, we have barely scratched the surface of our retail market: luxury, pret, ready-to-wear, mass. That’s enough to validate us and keep us going,” he says. Tahiliani, who hasn’t taken a Sunday off for the last eight months, has never been happier. “I am an old geyser who is trusted and still runs,” he says. Both do not use showstoppers, confident that their story will have takers, both on and off the ramp.

How conceptual artist Vibha Galhotra merges art, environment and community through her work

Vibha Galhotra, 46, on exploring ecological themes and giving new meanings to familiar objects

Written by Vandana Kalra

Updated: August 24, 2024 12:39 IST

Artist Vibha Galhotra (Credit: Gajendra Yadav)

Conceptual artist Vibha Galhotra’s multimedia practice addresses pertinent issues related to the environment and the fragile relationship between human beings and their ecosystem. Often requiring intense research and fieldwork, the Delhi-based artist’s compelling oeuvre has addressed multitude of concerns, from the critical state of the Yamuna river to sharing of natural resources and anthropogenic climate change. Excerpts from an interview

You were recently in Ladakh for the ‘sa Ladakh’ land art festival. You began practising land art when you were still pursuing your Masters in Santiniketan in the late ’90s. Could you talk about that.

The ‘sa Ladakh’ festival aligns perfectly with my practice, merging art, environment, and community. Last year, I created You Don’t Own Me! using discarded clothes sourced from Local Futures (an NPO) and local residents. This work was an exploration of ownership, waste, and the human footprint on our environment. This year, I served as an advisor, contributing to the festival’s broader vision.

Land art has always allowed me to engage deeply with a site, to create something that resonates with the space, and then to let it go — a process that feels liberating for someone like me, who naturally resists the idea of hoarding or permanence.

My introduction to land art was rooted in Santiniketan’s expansive landscape, where the environment seemed to evolve with every season. The cultural richness of Baul music and Tagore’s poetry, along with influences from artists like Christo, Jeanne-Claude, and Andy Goldsworthy, shaped my early artistic exploration. KG Subramanyan’s guidance encouraged me to explore diverse forms, leading to personal experiments in printmaking, sculpture, installation, and land art. My 2006 exhibition, titled after Gauguin’s painting, “Where do We Come From? What are We? Where Are We Going?” marked the evolution of my multifaceted approach to art, which began in Santiniketan’s open spaces.

You Dont Own Me! 18 x 65 feet, Site Specific, Found Material, Sa Ladakh, Ladakh, 2023

Your ongoing exhibition “Climacteric Whispers” at Goodman Gallery in London has works inspired by Somnath Hore’s iconic “Wound” series. Could you talk about revisiting the series?

The exhibition spans 15 years of work, focusing on my environmental concerns. The Wounded series, inspired by Somnath Hore’s and somewhere Lucio Fontana’s work, is a key part of the exhibition. My connection to Hore’s work is deep and personal. I first met him while researching my dissertation on Indian printmakers. His white-on-white series, capturing the human misery of his time, resonated with me for its raw, yet sublime, portrayal of suffering. Hore generously taught me his technique, which I initially used in a piece called “Whirlpool” during my time in Santiniketan. After a period of exploring other mediums, I revisited this technique in 2019 while working on “Beyond the Blue,” which explores this absurd idea of interplanetary life, creating another race of inequality. Hore’s abstraction gave me a way to express the Earth’s scars — marks left by continuous environmental abuse.

Sediment and other untitled. Sediment from River Yamuna on Board- 60 x 48 in 2012

Several of your works draw attention to the plight of the Yamuna river, from Sediment (2012), which featured sludge from the river, to Majnu Ka Tila (2015) that depicts the city adjoining its filthy shores. When did you first consider discussing the predicament of the Yamuna through your work?

My engagement with the Yamuna began with an invitation to participate in a project aimed at cleaning the river. Though I had seen the Yamuna in passing, my first close encounter with its toxic reality was overwhelming. The river, once sacred, was now a symbol of environmental decay. This experience left an indelible mark on me, compelling me to create a dialogue through my art. Between 2009 and 2011, I spent a great deal of time documenting the river, speaking with the locals, and researching the interplay between politics, pollution, and spirituality.

The turning point came one Sunday morning when I witnessed a couple performing a ritual for their ancestors on the riverbanks, oblivious to the filth surrounding them. This moment crystallised the tension between belief and reality — a theme that runs through my work. The series “Sediments” (2011-12) emerged from this experience, where I used the black sludge from the river as a medium to confront the viewer with the stark truth of its condition. My work 365 Days (2015), which features water samples collected over a year alongside diary-like texts, further reflects on the evolving state of the Yamuna and our shifting relationship with it.

Majnu Ka Tila, Nickel coated ghungroos, fabric, wood, PU, 52 x 178 x 2 in, Absur-City-Pity – Jackshainman Gallery, New York

Another recurring constant in your work has been the medium of ghungroos. What first attracted you to these?

My introduction to ghungroos was almost accidental. In 2007, while searching for a material that could capture the essence of urban chaos for my work Beehive, I stumbled upon ghungroos during a visit to a musical instrument store. At the time, I was also working with seeds, but their fragility posed challenges and a gallerist said it’s not commercially viable so we cannot show these works. Ghungroos, which I learned are inspired by the forms of seeds, offered a resilient alternative while still connecting to the natural world.

Over time, ghungroos became more than just a material; they transformed into a metaphor within my work. In pieces like Veils, Flow (2015), Colony Collapse Disorder (2012), ghungroos function as pixels in a larger tapestry, each one contributing to a greater image. The process of working entails the ‘de-construction’ of an image drawn, followed by a ‘constructed’ drawing, and further ‘re-construction’ by my studio assistants sewing ghungroos into intricate patterns. These take the form of pixels that come together to create an image.

Who owns the water? Multidisciplinary Performative Participatory Dinner Project, New York 2019- Commissioned by Asia Society, New York

Your ongoing performative series Who Owns The Water? involves bringing together experts to highlight climate change with emphasis on water. If you could talk about its conceptualisation and iterations?

“Who Owns The Water?” was conceived during a Rockefeller residency at Bellagio in 2016. Surrounded by thinkers from diverse fields, I felt compelled to create a platform where these conversations could unfold in a visual and experiential/immersive manner. The concept was to curate a participatory dinner ceremony that would not only highlight the absurdity of our times but also encourage meaningful dialogue around water — a resource that is both essential and contested.

In New York, the dinner table was shaped like the Hudson River, with table mats that highlighted global water issues and a seating arrangement that fostered discussions on local concerns. Each dish served was a tribute to water, underscoring its role as a vital ingredient in our lives. The event was recorded to create a lasting documentation of the discussions.

In Jerusalem, the table design was inspired by the Jordan River, and the food was prepared by a Rescue Kitchen using local produce, once again turning the focus to the politics and distribution of water. Though we planned a similar event in Delhi, it was unfortunately postponed due to COVID. However, the land art project in 2017, where the words “Who Owns The Water?” were floated in the Yamuna, continuing to raise this critical question.

You were close to nature as a child. Did that also impact the direction of your art?

My father was in a transferable job and we were always in transit. He was a big nature lover and every weekend we would travel to a tranquil location depending on where he was posted. For instance, we would drive down to Rishikesh, Ponta sahib, and Hathnikund dam from Yamuna Nagar-Ambala to enjoy the farms around. We often organised picnics, where he would teach us about plants, flowering, pollination and much more. Those outings were definitely a starting point from where my love for nature developed as I look back now.

Why singer-songwriter Sheherazaad’s debut album Qasr connects with our collective sense of identity

American-Indian singer-songwriter Sheherazaad on collaborating with Arooj Aftab on her debut album Qasr, which deals with questions of displacement and everything in between

Written by Suanshu Khurana

August 24, 2024 10:00 IST

Singer-songwriter Sheherazaad (Credit: Zayira Ray)

Growing up in an Indian home in Silicon Valley, singer and songwriter Sheherazaad, like numerous South Asians around her, was not untouched by questions of identity, sense of belonging and one’s place in the world. Living among those in the Bay area neighbourhood who were “model minorities” – brilliant at academics and were either doctors or engineers – Sheherazaad was the girl who sang at local western pop singing competitions. Unlike most from her community at the time, she could copy numbers by Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey and had sort of ingested and learned to mimic accurately, the American classic repertoire in singing competitions: ones that were all about ‘who has the biggest voice’.

“But soon it started to feel funky and a bit circus-y. I realised that the voice was ultimately coming from me – this brown-skinned girl. I psychologically wasn’t predisposed to or conditioned to think that my face could go along with that. I started to think of them as two different entities and stopped singing,” she says.

It was only a few years later, when Sheherazaad started college in New York and began to study race theory, Asian-American history, literature, art and music and discovered the British underground movement of the ’70s and ’80s that she allowed herself to let go of English and western music as her language of expression and imbibed Hindi and Urdu, to connect to the language of her ancestors. The result is Qasr (Erased Records), her debut mini-album that was released earlier this year to much appreciation. And the word does not mean deficiency as it does in Hindustani. This is teh Arabic use of the word which means a fortress

A Covid project, produced by Grammy-winning Pakistani singer and producer Arooj Aftab, the album opens with the Mashhoor, a haunting single with minimal accompaniment (strings mainly) that speaks of what fame means in today’s world and is centred around the South-Asian immigrant story. It goes into other tracks such as Dhoond lo mujhe and Lehja, all dealing with the turmoil within, a sort of back and forth to preserve history of oneself.

“I never thought that someone who looks like me was going to make an album. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed girls that I grew up with, they were going to get signed to a record label and make albums. I thought I’ll probably go to Stanford and maybe become a doctor or an engineer,” says Sheherazaad, who was taken aback by the critical acclaim she received for the album, “a sort of paralysis… which came from this internalisation from childhood”.

She goes by a different name in her day-to-day life and took up the artistic name, meaning “free city” to accentuate her musical aesthetic. In Middle-Eastern folk tales, Sheherazaad is a revolutionary character, a storyteller, whose genius and skill in telling stories saves numerous lives. The layers in the album, created in the privacy of a little studio, were also her way to “channel personal feelings about the Trump era descending on America, and the loss of an elderly ancestor”.

Sheherazaad grew up with music at home. While her grandmother Prabha Gopal is a cultural impresario in the Bay area and for many years has been known to set up shows for Indian classical artistes including Pt Ravi Shankar, Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma and Ustad Zakir Hussain on the West Coast, Sheherazaad’s own parents had eclectic tastes in music which ranged from Lata Mangeshkar to RD Burman and The Carpenters. “My mom and dad were hippies and I don’t use that term lightly because in 1970s, they were in Berkley, the incubation ground for the world-wide hippie movement. They were both weed-smoking, disco-going hippies who heard a lot of classics. They are pretty weird in a great way. But never put culture down my throat like a lot of the parents did. Which is why I couldn’t relate to other kids around me. It’s interesting how I find most South Asian kids my age to be so American and myself more Indian,” says Sheherazaad.

She came across Aftab in New York while she was in college at NYU and found out about an underground South-Asian concert put together by actor and musician Riz Ahmad, “who wasn’t so well-known then”. The curated list of bands came with big sounds, but Sheherazaad was taken by Aftab’s bass voice. “I was just really consumed by her artistry. What I liked was, there were these big bands with big sounds and then there was just her voice in the lower register, not the kind of voice to suit the male register, and that someone was doing these ancient things on the stage. It was so imperfectly perfect,” says Sheherazaad, who began working on the album way before the Grammys.

In her quest to find herself, Sheherazaad has also been training in Hindustani classical music besides learning Arabic as there were no proper Hindi classes around. “When I went to this tiny community college, the language was being taught by the head of Arabic at Stanford. I was the only non-Arab kid in the class. But there was such a seamless, homely feeling. I picked it up very easily,” says Sheherazaad, whose music lies in the in-betweenness of her identity, the space which is also her comfort zone. “It’s a beautiful space to be in. It gives you a lot of empathy and the ability to connect with other immigrant experiences.”

What makes Stree 2 actor Shraddha Kapoor an Instagram sensation

After Stree 2's success, Shraddha has become the third most-followed Indian on Instagram. Unpacking her soaring popularity on social media.

Written by Alaka Sahani

Mumbai | August 24, 2024 07:00 IST

Shraddha Kapoor is currently basking in the success of Stree 2.

With her riveting performance as the mysterious spirit with a magical braid, actor Shraddha Kapoor ensured Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank’s impressive box-office collection gives the Hindi film industry a reason to celebrate. A week after its release, she became the third most-followed Indian personality on Instagram, surpassing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with many attributing this to the actor’s ‘relatable’ presence on social media and her ‘unpretentious’ posts. These major accomplishments revealed two different facets of Shraddha’s personality — that of a star and a girl-next-door.

When The Indian Express spoke to Kapoor last year and asked her to spill the beans about her social media popularity, she credited this to “the love she receives from her fans and followers”. The 37-year-old actor, by her own admission, is not at all hooked to her phone set. “I keep it as far away from me as possible. I don’t even like to check my WhatsApp. I am active on social media because of the love I receive there,” says the actor, who made her film debut in 2010 with Teen Patti.

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With successful films such as Aashiqui 2 (2013), OK Jaanu (2017) and Chhichhore (2019) to her credit, Shraddha is counted as one of India’s top stars. Yet, her public image is that of a simple and unassuming person. She often posts photos of eating ghar ka khana; enjoying a vada-pao, lazing at home in pyjamas; playing with her dog Shylo, and glimpses of celebrations at home. She makes public appearances without make-up; in jeans and tee or comfy salwar-kameez; and even seen travelling in an auto. Barring some rare occasions, nothing about her appearances points at ‘luxe’ or ‘couture’.

Though it’s unclear if the Stree actor consciously created this image or chose to stick to it after it proved to be effective, it has definitely helped her win legion of fans. Unpacking her social media popularity, a Mumbai-based publicity and branding expert who didn’t wish to be named, says: “Everything about her is relatable — from the clothes she wears to the brands she carries.”

Also Read | How Rajkummar Rao-Shraddha Kapoor’s Stree 2 success launched a PR war for credit: Whose Stree is it anyway?

Over the years, she has acquired a loyal fandom. “That has traditionally been the privilege of male stars since fans of female stars are known to admire more than one person,” the expert says. What has contributed to this fandom is Shraddha’s fun, interactive posts as well as her light-hearted response to fans’ comments. Unlike other stars, she is known for going through direct messages and responding to them, at times.

Shraddha seems to have established a bond with them, albeit digitally. When Shraddha bought a red Lamborghini and videos of her doing puja of the new vehicle went viral last year, many criticised her for splurging and showing off but her fans came to her defence. Their argument was that she was afterall a prominent star and has every right to indulge in something she fancies.

While determining the film she would do next, Shraddha keeps the audience as well as her choice in mind. During our conversation, the actor expressed her wish to be “part of great stories and play memorable characters”. For her, the story comes first. She says: “It starts with the question if the character would inspire and entertain me. Rest of the criteria follows after that.” Coming from a film family — her father is Shakti Kapoor and mother Shivangi Kolhapure — she feels blessed to be part of Indian cinema. “I have the privilege of entertaining people and putting a smile on people’s faces. It has been absolutely amazing,” says the actor, who has been making all her public appearances in red keeping her Stree 2 character in mind.

Even though she has been called a “bankable star” by people in the industry, she is more keen on knowing what the audience wants. “The audience has become picky. That will push us to make better and more entertaining films. People are not going to theatres only to see stars. They want gripping stories too,” she says.

Also Read | Stree 2 movie review: Shraddha Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao film dumbs down a sharp premise

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Though Shraddha was recently seen driving co-star Varun Dhawan to Stree 2’s success party in her Lamborghini, she is rarely seen in parties. Is she more of a homebody? “I do attend parties but I try to stick to my bedtime. I also love spending time with Shylo; reading a book; and having haldi ka doodh before going off to sleep. I love waking up early and having chai with my family,” says the actor, who believes that “these simple things make life amazing”.

The ecosystem around Goa rains

When there are no visits to beaches, one can still spot owls, bats, caterpillars, spiders and magpies

Written by Ranjit Lal

Updated: August 25, 2024 07:29 IST

A jumping spider (Credit: Ranjit Lal)

It’s been a week since I got here and I cannot believe I haven’t been to any beach even once. Yes, Goa is emerald green at this time and very, very rainy. Rice fields that were normally straw-brown are now gorgeously green, velvety moss grows everywhere and leaves glisten as silver raindrops slide off them. And there have been happy surprises too. A lovely mushroom-coloured barn owl, which we had met early last year snoozing under a balcony awning over a couple of evenings, now seems to have, like so many Gurugramis, made that awning its permanent abode. He or she meditates there quietly all day and as evening approaches, checks and spruces up its plumage and flight feathers readying for the night’s hunt ahead. If it is not raining, it will take off silently: the big fruit bats that also fly around at this time emit hideous screeches as they flap around on leathery wings. Barn owls too are reputed for producing banshee-like screeches but our neighbour never has. Of course, complete silence will be maintained while it is actively hunting and the special fluff feathering on the leading edges of its wings will ensure the rat it has targeted knows nothing until the claws dig into its back. Barn owls, found the world over (and even on Gurugram high-rises), apparently have to dine on at least one owl or small rodents a night (three or four for a family). Rats incidentally may consume up to 20 per cent of our grain stocks so the owls perform a sterling pest control service. In return, in many parts of the country, they are killed and shredded and various body parts are used for mumbo-jumbo tantric rituals. So far, I haven’t heard the soft calls of the Scops owl — another regular during past visits. The white-throated kingfisher occasionally lets out its ringing cackle as it whizzes around. But again, I haven’t seen it perched on any prominent post declaiming its territory. Nesting should have been done and dusted by now for it – because the sandy tunnel nurseries it digs for its babies would have been washed away.

As for the fruit bats, they are truly enormous and I think hang out during the day on a nearby jackfruit tree. As yet, I haven’t seen them attack the guavas on the tree just outside the balcony. But their dark flapping shapes are amazing to behold and with a little imagination, can remind you of Count Dracula. They’ve earned a bit of notoriety for the unpleasant viruses they may spread (rabies and Nipah among them), but fruit bats are indispensable if you like your bananas, mangoes and dates.

There were other smaller surprises: on a curry patta plant, four fat green caterpillars, one of which had begun curling itself up (somewhat like prawns while being stir-fried), prior to forming a chrysalis. We took it and left the other three to complete their demolition of the curry patta tree. Sure enough, the caterpillar turned into a pupa and is now reposing on the top of a jar, as the magical metamorphosis goes on inside. It will (if not stricken by any virus) emerge as a splendid swallowtail of some kind I suspect. It’s astonishing to think of what’s probably going on inside that little hammock-like cocoon: orders being given for the fat caterpillar cells to self-destruct into a smoothie-like soup, orders for the dormant butterfly cells to proceed pronto towards developing into various parts of the insect, sustaining themselves on the readily available and nourishing soup. I again visited the curry patta tree to check on its sumo-wrestler companions — but they were gone! Probably, some tailor-bird or bulbul or magpie robin family has been feasting and is now dosing on Digene!

Last evening, I watched a small pale cream spider weave: working in a clockwise direction she went round and round, letting virtually invisible silk out behind her. Without binoculars, you couldn’t see the fine strands, but through the bins, they looked beautifully symmetrical. Finished, she settled herself in the centre of the web and waited. And before long, there was what looked like a tiny white cross (her husband?) spreadeagled in the middle of the web, on whom she pounced and that I guess was that. She was repairing her web this morning and swings happily in it as the breeze wafts it back and forth.

Another tiny gorgeous peppermint and green jumping spider hitched a lift on my jeans and got off on the floor — leapt and promptly vanished. As for my ant friends around the pool, this time there was a team of just two that hauled a huge dead black ant, all of 25 feet (I measured the distance), and then up two and a half feet to the entrance of their colony at top speed. They negotiated crevices with aplomb and occasionally one would take a break, run around madly and then dash back to help their partner.

As for birds, the magpie robin isn’t quite as disciplined as it used to be; it does sing and call as do the red-whiskered bulbuls but with less rigour. But I was happy to (briefly) glimpse the purple-rumped sunbird fleetingly visit the heliconia just beneath the balcony. The pair of black-rumped flamebacks (nee golden-backed woodpeckers) were back on the palm tree with their ringing clarion laughs, and the crow-pheasants continued to whoop ghoulishly from deep within the foliage.

Now, awaiting a break in the rain to see what the beaches have to offer…

Tech Review

- Vivo V40 Pro review: An all-weather smartphone with flagship cameras

Vivo V40 Pro review: An all-weather smartphone with flagship cameras

I tried the Vivo V40 Pro, which has built on its predecessor the V30 Pro with some notable improvements.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Rs. 49,999

Written by Bijin Jose

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 09:51 IST

The Ganges Blue Vivo V40 Pro glistening under a canopy of trees on a cloudy day in New Delhi. (Image: Bijin Jose/The Indian Express)

Along with being functional, a modern-day smartphone must survive rain, hail, and storms. I have been toying with numerous phones in the past year, but I haven’t come across a device that packs almost everything — a stellar camera, sturdy build, and a refreshing design.

For the last two weeks, I have been using the Vivo V40 Pro, which the brand claims stands out in an ocean of smartphones with its focus on superior imaging capabilities. In this review, I will explore what sets the smartphone, launched earlier in August, apart from its competitors and help you make an informed decision.

Slim and sleek

The first thing that caught my attention was the slim profile, and I feel housing a large battery makes it an engineering marvel. More so, I feel Vivo has done a great job, especially at reaching out to the segment of users who are averse to bulkier smartphones. With the V40 Pro, Vivo has managed to come out with a slim device despite packing a 5500 mAh battery. It is 7.58 mm thick, has a great design, and does not compromise on the battery life.

The Vivo V40 Pro’s camera island is huge. However, it is in no way obstructing the design element of the device. (Image: Bijin Jose/The Indian Express)

The review device I got was in the Ganges Blue shade, which the brand claims to pay homage to the holy river. The glass back is iridescent and under direct light, gives the illusion of the wavy movements of the river. The device comes with an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, which should come as peace of mind for many users.

Another striking aspect is the comprehensive cushioning structure that enhances the drop resistance of the device. The Vivo V 40 Pro sports a high-performance Schlott glass for the screen. Overall, I feel that this is an ideal device for someone who is on the move and is more likely to drop their phones.

What a display

Essentially, the Vivo V 40 Pro builds on its predecessor the V30 Pro — a device that I thoroughly enjoyed using. However, there are some notable improvements. At the heart of all this is the 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display with minimal bezels. The screen offers a resolution of 2800 x 1260 pixels and a super smooth 120 Hz refresh rate.

The 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display on the Vivo V40 Pro offers the best viewing even on a bright sunny day. (Image: Bijin Jose/The Indian Express)

Besides, it supports HDR10+, making it ideal for your Netflix binge sessions. The standout feature here is the claimed peak brightness of 4500 nits, and during my usage I found the device to be significantly visible even on bright sunny days. I liked the vibrant colours and sharp details that the display showcased, especially while watching the 4K content.

Lights, camera, action

The camera system on the device is its main highlight. On the rear, it sports triple 50 MP cameras with the main featuring a Sony IMX921 sensor with Optical Image Stabilisation. Another highlight is the 50 MP ZEISS Telephoto Portrait Camera which offers 2x optical and 50x digital zoom, with OIS support. This lens is tailored for portrait photography, featuring the ZEISS Multifocal Portrait function, which provides multiple focal lengths (24 mm to 100 mm) with corresponding ZEISS lens effects, allowing for some cool artistic portraits.

Colours pop out in natural lighting. (Image: Bijin Jose/The Indian Express)

With the Vivo V40 Pro almost any setting can be a wallpaper-worthy click (Image: Bijin Jose/The Indian Express)

The camera module on the Vivo V40 Pro can be a delight for amature photographers. I am a novice, yet I could see the possibilities this device has to offer. (Image: Bijin Jose/The Indian Express)

Perhaps, the most interesting aspect of the cameras is how efficiently it captures the details. (Image: Bijin Jose/The Indian Express)

A towering building under the sprawling sky. (Image: Bijin Jose/The Indian Express)

The Vivo V40 Pro can be your perfect travel companion. (Image: Bijin Jose/The Indian Express)

The phone excels in portrait photography, offering multiple focal length options for versatile shots. Video capabilities are impressive too, with 4K recording at 60 fps available on both the rear and front cameras. Low-light performance is commendable, though some motion blur can occur in challenging conditions. Moreover, the ZEISS Style Bokeh features seven background blur styles, essentially mimicking high-end cameras. For selfies, the 50 MP front camera supports wide-angle shots with a 92° field of view, making it ideal for group selfies.

Performance

When it comes to performance, the Vivo V40 Pro is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 9200+ chipset paired with 12 GB of RAM. I found it to excel at both everyday tasks and some demanding games. While this cannot be called a gaming smartphone, one can easily play most games like Call of Duty, PubG, or racing games. The phone comes with a vapour chamber cooling system which helps it to manage heat during intensive use. During the review period, I never experienced any heating issues with the device.

The Vivo V40 Pro runs on Android 14 with Vivo’s FunTouch OS. While this may not appeal to all, I must tell you that it comes with an array of customisations. The device comes with three years of OS upgrades and four years of security updates, and this should keep the device running smoothly for a good long time.

Verdict on Vivo V40 Pro

The Vivo V40 Pro comes with some noticeable improvements over its predecessor, particularly in terms of performance and battery life. The versatile camera system makes it a solid choice among its peers. The device is the most durable in the segment, even though some may find the plastic frame uninspiring. Despite these minor issues, the Vivo V40 Pro can be a worthy investment.

Bijin Jose

Bijin Jose, an Assistant Editor at Indian Express Online in New Delhi, is a technology journalist with a portfolio spanning various prestigious publications. Starting as a citizen journalist with The Times of India in 2013, he transitioned through roles at India Today Digital and The Economic Times, before finding his niche at The Indian Express. With a BA in English from Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara, and an MA in English Literature, Bijin's expertise extends from crime reporting to cultural features. With a keen interest in closely covering developments in artificial intelligence, Bijin provides nuanced perspectives on its implications for society and beyond. ... Read More

Science

- Musk’s SpaceX testing breakthrough tech in risky spacewalk

- SpaceX to return Boeing’s Starliner astronauts from space next year, NASA says

- Elon Musk’s SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission to be one of the most dangerous spacewalks in history

- NASA to give update on Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore’s return today: How to watch it live

- NASA is monitoring 5 asteroids speeding towards Earth next week

Musk’s SpaceX testing breakthrough tech in risky spacewalk

This risky mission will see a billionaire entrepreneur, a retired military fighter pilot, and two SpaceX employees embarking on a 20-minute spacewalk 434 miles above Earth.

By: Reuters

August 25, 2024 09:34 IST

Anna Menon, Scott Poteet, commander Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis, crew members of Polaris Dawn, a private human spaceflight mission, attend a press conference at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S. August 19, 2024. REUTERS/Joe Skipper/ File Photo

SpaceX’s attempt at the first ever private spacewalk next week will be a test of trailblazing equipment, including slim spacesuits and a cabin with no airlock, in one of the riskiest missions yet for Elon Musk’s space company.

A billionaire entrepreneur, a retired military fighter pilot and two SpaceX employees are poised to launch on Tuesday aboard a modified Crew Dragon craft, before embarking on a 20-minute spacewalk 434 miles (700 km) into space two days later.

Until now, walking into the empty expanse of space has only been attempted by government astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS), 250 miles (400 km) above Earth.

SpaceX’s five-day mission – dubbed Polaris Dawn – will swing in an oval-shaped orbit, passing as close to Earth as 190 km (118 miles) and as far as 1,400 km (870 miles), the farthest any humans will have ventured since the end of the United States’ Apollo moon program in 1972.

Crew members, including billionaire Jared Isaacman, will don SpaceX’s new, slimline spacesuits in a Crew Dragon vehicle that was modified so it can open its hatch door in the vacuum of space – an unusual process that removes the need for an airlock.

“They’re pushing the envelope in multiple ways,” retired NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman said in an interview. “They’re also going to a much higher altitude, with a more severe radiation environment than we’ve been to since Apollo.”

The mission has been bankrolled by Isaacman, the founder of electronic payment company Shift4. He has declined to say how much he has spent, but it is estimated to be over $100 million.

Joining him will be mission pilot Scott Poteet, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, and SpaceX employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, both senior engineers at the company.

For SpaceX, which has pioneered cheap, reusable rockets and expensive private spaceflight, the mission is an opportunity to advance technologies that could be used on the moon and Mars.

Far outside the protective bubble of Earth’s atmosphere, the electronics and shielding on Crew Dragon and spacesuits will be tested as they pass through parts of the Van Allen belt, an area where charged particles streaming mainly from the sun can disrupt satellites’ electronics and affect human health.

“That’s an additional risk that you don’t face when you just stay in low-Earth orbit and go up to the ISS,” Reisman said.

NOT A NORMAL SPACEWALK

The Polaris spacewalk will take place on the mission’s third day, but preparation will begin about 45 hours in advance.

The gumdrop-shaped Crew Dragon’s entire cabin will be depressurized and exposed to the vacuum of space. While only two of the astronauts will float outside, tethered by an oxygen line, the whole crew will depend on their spacesuits for life support.

Days before the spacewalk, the crew will begin a “pre-breathe” process to fill the cabin with pure oxygen and remove any nitrogen from the air.

Nitrogen, if present in astronauts’ bloodstreams in space, could form bubbles, block blood flow and lead to decompression sickness, known as “the bends,” as with scuba divers who return too quickly to the water’s surface.

The crew will use an ultrasound device to monitor any bubble formation, one of many tools to be used in the mission to inform dozens of scientific experiments, providing researchers a rare peek into how astronauts might fare on the moon’s surface or elsewhere in deep space.

“It gives us a very unique opportunity to test these vehicles in such a very unique environment,” said Emmanuel Urquieta, vice chair for aerospace medicine at the University of Central Florida’s internal medicine department.

While astronaut safety on NASA missions is rigorously overseen by the agency, there are no such U.S. standards or laws for spaceflight safety in private missions like Polaris.

SpaceX officials and the Polaris crew said during a Monday news conference they have planned for an array of contingency scenarios if something during the mission goes wrong, such as an oxygen leak or failure to reseal the hatch door, but they did not detail what those were.

Reisman said he knows the Polaris crew and believes they are prepared to handle any unexpected mishaps.

“But there’s not a lot of room for error,” he said.

SpaceX to return Boeing’s Starliner astronauts from space next year, NASA says

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, currently aboard the International Space Station due to glitches with Boeing's Starliner capsule, will return to Earth on a SpaceX Crew Dragon in February 2025.

By: Reuters

August 25, 2024 09:26 IST

Sunita Williams and her peer Barry Wilmore were to return on June 14, however, the faulty Starliner capsule has indefinitely delayed their return. (Express Image: Nasa)

Two NASA astronauts who flew to the International Space Station in June aboard Boeing’s faulty Starliner capsule will need to return to Earth on a SpaceX vehicle early next year, NASA officials said on Saturday, deeming issues with Starliner’s propulsion system too risky to carry its first crew home as planned.

Veteran NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, both former military test pilots, became the first crew to ride Starliner on June 5 when they were launched to the ISS for what was expected to be an eight-day test mission.

But Starliner’s propulsion system suffered a series of glitches in the first 24 hours of its flight to the ISS that has so far kept the astronauts on the station for 79 days as Boeing scrambled to investigate the issues.

NASA officials told reporters during a news conference in Houston that Wilmore and Williams, both former military test pilots, are safe and prepared to stay even longer. They will use their extra time to conduct science experiments alongside the station’s other seven astronauts, NASA said.

In a rare reshuffling of NASA’s astronaut operations, the two astronauts are now expected to return in February 2025 on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft due to launch next month as part of a routine astronaut rotation mission. Two of the Crew Dragon’s four astronaut seats will be kept empty for Wilmore and Williams.

The agency’s decision, tapping Boeing’s top space rival to return the astronauts, is one of NASA’s most consequential in years. Boeing had hoped its Starliner test mission would redeem the troubled program after years of development problems and over $1.6 billion in budget overruns since 2016.

Five of Starliner’s 28 thrusters failed during flight and it sprang several leaks of helium, which is used to pressurize the thrusters. It was still able to dock with the station, a football field-sized laboratory that has housed rotating crews of astronauts for over two decades.

NASA said in a statement Starliner will undock from the ISS without a crew in “early September.” The spacecraft will attempt to return to Earth autonomously, forgoing a core test objective of having a crew present and in control for the return trip.

“I know this is not the decision we had hoped for, but we stand ready to carry out the action’s necessary to support NASA’s decision,” Boeing’s Starliner chief Mark Nappi told employees in an email.

“The focus remains first and foremost on ensuring the safety of the crew and spacecraft,” Nappi said.

Several senior NASA officials and Boeing representatives made the decision during a Saturday morning meeting in Houston.

NASA’s space operations chief Ken Bowersox said agency officials unanimously voted for Crew Dragon to bring the astronauts home. Boeing voted for Starliner, which it said was safe.

Nelson told reporters at a news conference in Houston that he discussed the agency’s decision with Boeing’s new CEO Kelly Ortberg and was confident Boeing would continue its Starliner program. Nelson said he was “100 percent” certain the spacecraft would fly another crew in the future.

“He expressed to me an intention that they will continue to work the problems once Starliner is back safely,” Nelson said of Ortberg.

Boeing struggled for years to develop Starliner, a gumdrop-shaped capsule designed to compete with Crew Dragon as a second U.S. option for sending astronaut crews to and from Earth’s orbit. The company is also struggling with quality issues on production of commercial planes, its most important products.

Starliner failed a 2019 test to launch to the ISS uncrewed, but mostly succeeded in a 2022 do-over attempt where it also encountered thruster problems. Its June mission with its first crew was required before NASA can certify the capsule for routine flights, but now Starliner’s crew certification path is uncertain.

The drawn-out mission has cost Boeing $125 million, securities filings show. The company arranged tests and simulations on Earth to gather data that it has used to try and convince NASA officials that Starliner is safe to fly the crew back home.

But results from that testing raised more difficult engineering questions and ultimately failed to quell NASA officials’ concerns about Starliner’s thrusters and its ability to make a crewed return trip, the most daunting and complex part of the test mission.

“There was just too much uncertainty in the prediction of the thrusters,” NASA’s commercial crew program chief Steve Stich told reporters.

Starliner’s now-uncertain path to receiving a long-sought NASA certification will add to the crises faced by Ortberg, who started this month with the goal to rebuild the planemaker’s reputation after a door panel dramatically blew off a 737 MAX passenger jet in midair in January.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission to be one of the most dangerous spacewalks in history

The five day mission will put SpaceX astronauts' in a radiation zone 434 miles above Earth.

By: Science Desk

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 16:22 IST

SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission will commence on August 27. (Image Source: SpaceX)

SpaceX is all set to commence its Polaris Dawn mission, which will launch US billionaire Jared Isaacman and three others into space. This will be the company’s attempt at the world’s first private spacewalk.

US billionaire Jared Isaacman will serve as the mission commander, while retired US Air Force Lt. Col. Scott “Kid” Poteet will take on the role of pilot. Sarah Gillis from SpaceX will assume multiple critical roles, including lead space operations engineer for crew operations development, mission specialist, and medical officer.

Scheduled for August 27 at 3:38 AM PDT (4:08 PM IST), the mission will lift off with a four-hour launch window aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule, Resilience.

The five-day mission is set to be one of SpaceX’s most daring endeavours yet, featuring slim spacesuits and a cabin without an airlock, significantly increasing the mission’s risk factor.

The 20-minute spacewalk, scheduled for the third day of the mission, will take place 434 miles (700 km) above Earth, and will be the farthest any human has ventured into space. Days before the spacewalk, the crew will begin a “pre-breathe” process that will fill the cabin with pure oxygen and remove any traces of nitrogen. For the uninitiated, if Nitrogen finds its way in astronauts’ bloodstream when they are in space, they might block the blood flow and even lead to decompression sickness.

During the mission, the crew will follow an orbital path that places them within a radiation belt. At this point, they will open the spacecraft’s hatch, exposing themselves to the harsh environment of space.

Earlier this week, SpaceX held a news conference during which the company said it has already planned some contingency measures in case things go sideways.

NASA to give update on Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore’s return today: How to watch it live

Nasa will hold a press conference later today to give a key update related to the return of Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, members of the Starliner mission stranded on ISS.

By: Science Desk

New Delhi | Updated: August 24, 2024 15:52 IST

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, left, and Butch Wilmore. (AP photo)

With Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore stuck in space for over two months, the world is awaiting an official confirmation about their return to Earth. The duo, who were part of the first crewed Starliner mission by Boeing, were meant to be in space for eight days. However, now they are closing in on the 80-day mark.

Today, August 24, leaders from Nasa are expected to announce a crucial update related to the safe return of the astronauts. Nasa in its announcement is expected to share its plan of action on the safe return of the Starliner’s crew to Earth.

The press conference by Nasa is scheduled for 1 pm EDT, which is 10:30 pm IST. The conference will include Nasa Administrator Bill Nelson and other leaders who are currently deliberating on the return of Boeing Starliner.

What happened to Starliner?

Boeing’s Starliner marked a massive leap for private players in the US. Williams and Wilmore were launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 5 for a sojourn lasting eight days. However, owing to helium leaks and failures of multiple thrusters on the spacecraft, the duo’s return was indefinitely delayed.

Both Nasa and Boeing have gathered data from space and ground regarding the Spacecraft’s propulsion and helium systems to understand the technical glitches. The review slated for later today will include a mission status update, review of technical data, and closeout actions, as well as certifying flight rationale to proceed with undocking and return from the space station, as per the official statement.

Reportedly, Bill Nelson and Nasa leaders will discuss flight rationale with an internal Agency Test Flight Readiness Review to be held at Johnson Space Centre in Houston ahead of the press conference.

Ever since the astronauts have been stranded in ISS, Nasa has been considering various options for their safe return. Last week it was reported that Nasa was considering using Starliner as planned or bringing them back aboard SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft. Back then, Nasa leaders said that a final decision would likely be made towards the end of month.

NASA is monitoring 5 asteroids speeding towards Earth next week

At least five asteroids are on their way to cross paths with Earth. Although none of them pose any threat, this is a great opportunity for scientific observation.

By: Science Desk

New Delhi | Updated: August 25, 2024 09:03 IST

All asteroids approaching Earth vary in size and present a unique opportunity for astronomers to study their movement in the universe. (Illustration: Pixabay/Izhar Ahamed)

Between August 27 and September 1, at least five asteroids––which do not pose any immediate threat––are expected to fly by Earth. Asteroids, each time they cross Earth, offer significant opportunities for astronomers and researchers to closely study their components. Such closer examinations can lead to vital clues about the origin story of the Universe.

Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory actively tracks asteroids and shares vital information with the world. The laboratory has given some details about the asteroids that are approaching Earth.

Asteroid 2020 RL

The first asteroid named 2020 RL is expected to make its closest approach to Earth on August 27 by coming within a distance of 46.8 lakh km. This 110-feet asteroid is as big as a modern-day aeroplane. Nasa monitors such asteroids in its efforts to track near-Earth objects helping scientists assess the potential impacts and understand the dynamics of objects within the solar system.

Asteroid 2021 RA10

The 2021 RA10 asteroid is 92 feet and is also as big as an aircraft. This asteroid is expected to make its closest approach––within a range of 26.1 lakh km––on August 28. Objects of this size are commonplace and astronomers track their orbits to assess future risks. This kind of flybys allow scientists to study the characteristics and behaviour of asteroids, and help implement planet defence strategies.

Asteroid 2012 SX49

This asteroid is roughly the size of a house and has a 64-feet diameter. The 2012 SX49 will make its closest approach to Earth at 42.9 lakh km on August 29. Similar to other asteroids, this space rock will pass at a safe distance. Monitoring asteroids help scientists refine their predictions about future approaches and ensure that potential threats are identified well in advance.

Asteroid 2016 RJ20

It is 210 feet in size and will be as close as 69.9 lakh km to Earth on August 30. There is no risk associated with this asteroid which also is roughly the size of an aeroplane. Asteroids of this size and magnitude are fairly common.

Asteroid 2021 JT

This is perhaps the smallest asteroid approaching Earth at this point of time. The 2021 JT Asteroid will pass by at a safe distance of 63.6 lakh km. Scientists keep a track on this too, despite its small stature.

Can asteroids destroy Earth?

The damage caused by an asteroid is mainly dependent on its size. It needs to be noted that only an asteroid as big as Earth can destroy us. There have been no known dangerous impacts so far. However, small meteors keep crossing Earth on a daily basis. The Planetary Science Institute says that an asteroid needs to be at least 16 feet wide to land on Earth. Also, based on statistics, most asteroids have a high chance of falling into the ocean or areas of Earth that are largely uninhabited.

Table of Contents

Indian Express

Daily Briefing

Daily Briefing: Modi and Zelenskyy’s conversation on war and peace; Angry Young Men review; and more

Front Page

In Unified Pension Scheme, extra burden, but no pushing back of the reform needle

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Delhi flags to Dhaka: Mob had vandalised, set ablaze India culture centre on Aug 5-6

Increasing its share, govt rolls out new plan, guarantees 50% of salary as pension

After year in enclosures, Kuno cheetahs set to be freed into the wild

Jet engines to munitions: Rajnath Singh meets US NSA Jake Sullivan, India and US to speed up co-production

Assam rape accused dies in custody, cops say jumped into pond

Sit with Putin to find way out of crisis, India ready to help: Modi to Zelenskyy

India, US sign key defence supply pact as Rajnath Singh begins 4-day visit

India

Malayalam director Ranjith quits as head of Kerala Chalachitra Academy, days after being accused of ‘misbehaviour’ by actor

Day after being accused of rape, senior Malayalam actor Siddique quits AMMA post

How a stray remark and an estranged daughter’s curiosity blew the lid off a murder disguised as a hit-and-run

In Goa for competition, 3 shooters forced to use airgun to get out of fight over parking

Uttarakhand tourism minister under fire after son is shortlisted for lake cruise project, says will ask him to withdraw

Waqf Bill: AIMPLB delegation shares objections with House panel chief

Highway passing via Gir gets speed monitoring system to save lions

Kerala actor accuses artiste of rape, day after Bengali actor alleged ‘misbehaviour’ by Ranjith

Army Chief in Manipur: ‘Great synergy between security agencies’

3 months after TMC’s allegation, NIA sends new SP to West Bengal

Encrypted messages, better weapons, narcotics: Common factors in recent J&K attacks

Top Jharkhand BJP leaders booked for provocative speech

New RSS office awaits Delhi Urban Arts panel nod over ‘incomplete documentation’

‘Visit to Karachi represents pinnacle of tailing’: First Indian woman diplomat in Islamabad recalls stint in her new book

Nepal bus accident: Air Force plane brings back 25 bodies

Ahead of PM’s visit, 4 Union ministers to attend key dialogue in Singapore

Hyderabad police asks CBI to help issue red corner notice against accused in phone tapping case

Caste census aims to give 90% people rightful due: Rahul Gandhi

Ruthless strategy to deal final blow, will end Naxalism by March 2026: Amit Shah

Assam has zero-tolerance policy in dealing with crimes against women: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

‘When I met her, she couldn’t even talk’: Father of Assam teen whose rape rocked the state

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi leaves Manipur, cancels visit to Kangpokpi owing to bad weather

Selja rules out alliance with AAP, says Cong will fight on its own in Haryana

Will extend complete support to Congress-NC alliance if it accepts PDP agenda: Mehbooba Mufti

Opinion

The myth of the A-team

50 years ago, a nurse was attacked in a Mumbai hospital. What changed, what didn’t

Inside Track by Coomi Kapoor: Family Friction

Tavleen Singh writes: Rape as a political weapon

P Chidambaram writes: Vision or division

In Bangladesh press, a question: Should students be allowed to protest?

After PM Modi’s historic visit to Ukraine, a question: Do Kyiv, the West really want India to play a role in mediating with Russia?

Express View on Modi-Zelenskyy meet: Momentous in Kyiv

Kolkata rape case: From Pakistan to India, the same misogyny

Why RBI’s attempts to control the Rupee can have adverse consequences

Why J&K assembly elections could end the domination of family-run parties

How not to tax multi-national corporations

Time to reset the GST system

Lateral entry scheme puts competence above quota politics

What a penguin’s death tells us about love and loss

In Kamala Harris’ speech, an American story — and a missing link

Application for cancellation of former CM A R Antulay’s bail rejected

I adopted my daughter. Recent changes in law could help others get the same happiness

My house is a Starbucks

Kamala Harris reaches out across the aisle — but points a finger at Trump voter

UPSC-CSE Key

UPSC Key | PM’s visit to Ukraine, Hampi, Chandrayaan-4 and more

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | August 18 to August 24, 2024

National Space Day: All you need to know for UPSC Prelims and Mains

UPSC Issue at a Glance | Mpox and Public Health Emergency: 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

UPSC Essentials | Expert talk : Is lateral entry a disadvantage for Civil Services?

UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : History, Culture and Social Issues MCQs on Cripps Mission, Panchamasali Lingayats (Week 72)

UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 3 : Questions on Distributed Denial of Service and role of nuclear techniques in food safety (Week 65)

Akshay Urja Day 2024: India making strides in advancing renewable energy

UPSC Essentials : Daily subject-wise quiz | Polity and Governance MCQs on Deputy Chairman, DPSP and more (Week 72)

Explained

Chile’s Atacama salt flat sinking due to lithium mining: What a new study says

Centre announces Unified Pension Scheme: How will UPS differ from OPS, NPS?

Why do doctors want a central law to protect themselves from attacks and violence?

When Ukraine declared independence

Remembering Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451: why his pioneering critique of censorship remains relevant today

India adds 3 new Ramsar sites: What are wetlands, why do they matter for the environment?

Tanager-1: Why NASA has launched a satellite to track methane emissions

Mandatory reporting under POCSO Act: Why FIR has named Badlapur school under Section 21 of the law to protect children

How polio vaccine triggered the infection in a child in Meghalaya

Assessing Ukraine’s deep incursion into Russia’s Kursk oblast: why, what happens now

Were Bangladesh floods caused by India releasing water from dam? GoI says no

What US Fed Chief’s speech in Jackson Hole symposium signals

Getting India into power play, Modi tries to bring Kyiv, Moscow to table

Why Modi’s visit to Ukraine marks three new roads: India in Europe, diplomatic space, and Delhi-Kyiv revival

Business

Electrical machinery, parts boost India’s imports from Vietnam by 17% in January-July

To boost research, Cabinet clears Vigyan Dhara, biotech initiatives

US Fed chief Powell greenlights Sept rate cut: 3 takeaways on inflation, jobs and recessionary fears

Inflation will gradually glide towards 4% target, but this would take several quarters: MPC member Jayanth R Varma

Sunday Eye

What makes an 80-year-old remain young forever and feeling fulsome even when alone

How Tarun Tahiliani and JJ Valaya are now clothing young Indians and are staying on top of their game

How conceptual artist Vibha Galhotra merges art, environment and community through her work

Why singer-songwriter Sheherazaad’s debut album Qasr connects with our collective sense of identity

What makes Stree 2 actor Shraddha Kapoor an Instagram sensation

The ecosystem around Goa rains

Tech Review

Vivo V40 Pro review: An all-weather smartphone with flagship cameras

Science

Musk’s SpaceX testing breakthrough tech in risky spacewalk

SpaceX to return Boeing’s Starliner astronauts from space next year, NASA says

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission to be one of the most dangerous spacewalks in history

NASA to give update on Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore’s return today: How to watch it live

NASA is monitoring 5 asteroids speeding towards Earth next week