Tag: Latest Affairs

NATIONAL NEWS 

Experts in India urge caution as new coronavirus variant emerges in South Africa 

With a new coronavirus variant detected in South Africa, scientists and health experts in India have said that new waves of infection are anticipated and unless we act quickly and efficiently, the country will possibly see repeat waves.  India has better tools in hand now compared to two years ago, said Vinod Scaria, scientist at CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB). He added the country, however, had to improve its vaccination drive, public health measures, health infrastructure and genomic surveillance to be better prepared.  We have to use our precious time to vaccinate all eligible people with two doses at least. Closing the gap in the unvaccinated and second dose in the 45+ age group could provide a unique opportunity to minimise COVID-19 deaths, he said.  Dr. Scaria added that boosters would not help when a larger proportion of the world has not got even one dose.  According to experts, the new variant from South Africa is important because it has a large number of mutations, including around 32 in spike protein, some of which are independently associated with immune escape as well as increased transmissibility.  Stating that the latest development is particularly concerning for a country such as India, which is densely populated, he said transmission among the susceptible population can occur at a greater pace.  

India will permit international flights from all countries from December 15  

India will permit international flights from all countries from December 15, but there will be restrictions on the number of flights from a country depending on its health risk status.  The competent authority has decided to resume the scheduled commercial international passenger services to/from India with effect from 15th December, 2021, Ministry of Civil Aviation said in an order issued today.  Due to prevailing COVID-19 situation, the capacity entitlements shall be as per the category of countries based on enlistment of countries as at-risk from time to time by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, it adds.  Countries excluded from the Health Ministry’s list of at risk nations will be allowed 100% of pre-COVID 19 flights. These include countries like the U.S., UAE, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand.  Countries that are in the at risk list but with whom India has an air bubble arrangement will be allowed 75% of pre-COVID-19 capacity. These include countries like U.K., France, Germany, Netherlands, Singapore.  Countries that are in the at risk list but with whom India doesn’t have an air bubble will be allowed only 50% of pre-COVID flights. These include South Africa, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Israel.   

CBI gets sanction to prosecute retired Allahabad High Court judge  

The CBI has received the sanction to prosecute retired Allahabad High Court Judge S.N. Shukla in connection with a case alleging that a private medical college was favoured in his orders.  The agency had sought the High Court’s approval to prosecute the retired judge earlier this year. Following the grant of sanction, it can now file a charge sheet for further legal proceedings.  Besides Justice (now retired) Shukla, who was with the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, retired judge of the orissa High Court I.M. Quddusi has also been named in the First Information Report.  The other accused were Bhawana Pandey of Prasad Education Trust; Bhagwan Prasad Yadav, chairman of the Prasad Institute of Medical Sciences; his son Palash; and Sudhir Giri of Venketashwara Medical College (Meerut).  The case was registered in December 2019 on the basis of a preliminary enquiry initiated by the CBI on September 8, 2017, into the alleged commission of gross misconduct by Justice Shukla and others.  As alleged, the Medical Council of India (MCI) had barred the Prasad Institute of Medical Sciences in May 2017 from admitting students for two years due to sub-standard facilities and non-fulfillment of the requisite criteria. Similar action had been taken against 46 other medical institutions.  The Trust challenged the order in the Supreme Court. Subsequently, it is alleged, a conspiracy was hatched and the petition withdrawn with the Court’s permission. Then, another petition was filed before a Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court in Lucknow on August 24, 2017.  The next day, Quddusi and the institute’s chairman met Justice Shukla at his residence and delivered illegal gratification. According to the CBI, the petition was heard later that day by the Division Bench comprising Justice Shukla and a favourable order was passed.  The MCI challenged the order in the Supreme Court. During the hearing, the Trust did not claim any benefit from the High Court order, but requested that its bank guarantee not be encashed, which was permitted. The agency alleged that the institute’s chief then attempted to get back the illegal gratification from Justice Shukla and a part of it was returned.  In September 2017, in another case, the agency had arrested Quddusi and five others for allegedly conspiring to get the case of the Lucknow-based institute settled in the Supreme Court. The institute’s chief, his son Palash, Pandey, alleged middleman Vishwanath Agarwala and hawala operator Ramdev Saraswat were also arrested.  The CBI did not need sanction to prosecute Quddusi as he had retired at the time of the alleged offence.   

Sibal urges urgent SC hearing over ‘mayhem’ in Tripura  

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal on Friday made an urgent mentioning in the Supreme Court, alleging mayhem in Tripura where the municipal elections are underway.  The senior lawyer urged a Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud to hear the case in the course of the day.  The request came just 24 hours after the court ordered additional deployment of central armed police forces to be moved across the State to protect the electoral process. It had also directed the State and the police to not hinder the media from reporting on the elections.  No two battalions of CAPF… Media was to be given unhindered access. It is mayhem there, Sibal submitted.  He claimed to have electronic evidence to show that the apex court orders were not being followed.  However, Justice Chandrachud, who was heading a different Bench from the one he was heading on November 25, expressed doubts about hearing the matter on the same day.  The November 25 order of the apex court was based on petitions, including one filed by All India Trinamool Congress party, alleging intimidation and violence in Tripura in the build-up to the elections.  The Communist Party of India (Marxist) had also intervened in the court, alleging attacks on their party workers.  

 

Farmers in hundreds descend at protest sites to mark anniversary  

Hundreds of tractors bedecked with lights and posters rolled through the Singhu border protest site as loud Punjabi and Haryanvi songs filled the air on Friday to mark one year of the protest against the three farm laws that the government is set to formally withdraw.  Farmers flaunting colourful turbans, sunshades, long beards and twirling moustaches danced on tractors, distributed sweets and hugged each other to mark the occasion that seemed like a festival.  Thousands of them have flocked to the site over the last few days, buoyed by the government’s announcement to repeal the farms laws, to mark the completion of one year of a dogged protest that saw a long dusty patch of the Delhi-Karnal road between Delhi and Sonepat turn into a makeshift town with bamboo huts and all the basic amenities one could think of.  Children and elderly, men and women, carried flags of their farmer unions and raised slogans of victory, ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ and ‘Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Zindabad’ amid passionate non-stop beating of drums.  Farmers gather at the Singhu border protest site in New Delhi on November 26, 2021 as they mark one year of their agitation against the Centre’s farm laws.   The assembly area near the centrestage saw a large gathering resembling the early days of the protest. The attendees included businessmen, lawyers and teachers among others, who belonged to families of farmers.  Hundreds of farmers in tractors arrived at Ghazipur on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border.  Many of them brought along vegetables, sacks of flour and lentils, spices and cooking oil on their tractor-trollies, saying they have come prepared for a long haul.  Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU), an influential farmers’ union from western Uttar Pradesh, has been leading the charge at the Ghazipur border since November last year. The BKU is part of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a farmers’ collective, which is spearheading the protest for withdrawal of three contentious farm laws and for legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) of crops.  

 

Constitution Day: ‘Right to choose Government is a right to disagree with present Government’  

Justice Gautam Patel of the Bombay High Court spoke about dissent on the Constitution Day and said, There is a need to do away with terms like ruling party, as we are governed and not ruled.  In a virtual discussion titled Undermining the Idea of India: The Way Forward, Justice Patel said, It is time we get rid of this colonial linguistic baggage. The right to choose a Government is a right to disagree with the present Government. It is a right to dissent. Because the Constitution compels us to choose every five years, it then becomes a duty and not just a right, so we must do away with terms like ‘ruling party’.  The talk was hosted by The Leaflet, a legal news website, where Justice Patel spoke about dissent. He said, The first self-preserving strategy is to criminalise dissent. Another attempt to muzzle dissent is coming from a different quarter — a civil servant has recently said the fourth front of war is coming from ‘Civil Society’. As critics have pointed out what is ‘Civil Society’? Is it in contrast to an uncivil society? Does it includee journalists, lawyers, bureaucrats, judges? Are judges a threat to the Government? Ideas are dangerous and ideas are also bulletproof. So is the Constitution of India.  He went on to say, A bulwark comes from technology — specifically the Internet. It makes impossible the kind of territorial censorship we used to see. Therefore, it does not matter if someone in America speaks about the idea of two or three Indias. The idea will somehow get through. There is nothing as too much democracy and too much dissent. Governments will come and Governments will go but the Idea of India must live on forever.  Retired Justice Madan B Lokur of the Supreme Court said dissent is the essence of freedom of speech, democracy and good governance. He said, Wanton arrests, search and seizure are undermining life and liberty and are troubling on the human rights front. An independent judiciary is a must for the ‘Idea of India’. Unless we have a judiciary that stands up and speaks up, the Constitution will become a piece of document which we discuss on every 26th of November.  

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

India-Germany launches first of its kind program for lateral entry for women researchers in joint R&D projects

Indo-German Science and Technology Centre has launched first of its kind programme that aims at promoting women in the field of research and development through lateral entry. The programme is called Women’s Involvement in Science and Engineering Research. The programme launched for the projects between India and Germany will also encourage women’s involvement in various joint research projects.

WHO designates new COVID-19 strain as ‘Variant of Concern’; names it Omicron

The World Health Organisation has named the new COVID-19 strain detected in South Africa as the ‘Variant of Concern’. The global health body has also given it a name- Omicron. B.1.1.529 variant is likely to spread more quickly than other forms of Coronavirus strains. The preliminary evidence has also suggested that there is an increased risk of reinfection. 

NATIONAL NEWS 

NEET: Centre informs SC it would revisit ₹8 lakh annual income limit for EWS category 

The Government on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that it has taken a considered decision to revisit the criteria for determining Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) to provide them reservation.  The Union Government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, said it would take four weeks for the exercise. The submission follows rounds of grilling from the court during past hearings to reveal the logic and study before zeroing in on the exact figure of ₹8 lakh as the annual income limit to identify the EWS.  The Union Government has taken a considered decision to revisit the criteria for determining the economically weaker sections in terms of the provisions of the Explanation to Article 15 of the Constitution inserted by the Constitution (103rd Amendment) Act 2019, a Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud recorded in its order.  The court was hearing a case filed by NEET aspirants challenging a July 29 notification announcing 27% quota to OBCs and 10% reservation to EWS in the All-India Quota (AIQ) category.  The Government assured the court that the NEET counselling would be deferred for four weeks till a decision was taken on the EWS quota. The Solicitor General states that a period of four weeks would be required for this exercise [revisiting EWS criteria] and pending its conclusion, the date for counselling shall stand postponed… the court order said.      The Bench scheduled the case next on January 6.  Mehta, appearing for the Government along with Additional Solicitor General K.M. Natraj, said they have been instructed to submit that a committee would be set up to review the criteria to identify the EWS category.  The EWS quota was meant for persons who earned less than ₹8 lakh annually and did not benefit from any other existing reservation. In a previous hearing, the apex court had expressed its annoyance at the Government for not filing an affidavit explaining how it reached the ₹8 lakh figure to identify the EWS category.  The court had insisted on the affidavit though Natraj urged it to leave the larger issue of what led to income criterion of ₹8 lakh for the Constitution Bench to examine. The Supreme Court had earlier raised several questions about this criterion and made a prima facie observation that it appeared to be arbitrary, while hearing a batch of petitions related to NEET-AIQ.   

 

Family health survey suggests more women than men in India

The fifth edition of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) confirmed signs of a demographic shift in India. For the first time since the NFHS began in 1992, the proportion of women exceeded men: there were 1,020 women for 1,000 men. In the last edition of the survey in 2015-16, there were 991 women for every 1,000 men.  Only the decadal census is considered the official marker of population trends in India and have a wider surveillance programme. The NFHS surveys are smaller but are conducted at the district level and are a pointer to the future.  However, sex ratio at birth for children born in the last five years only improved from 919 per 1,000 males in 2015-16 to 929 per 1,000, underscoring that boy, on average, continued to have better odds of survival than girls.  Most States and Union Territories (UTs) had more women than men, the NFHS-5 shows. States that had fewer women than men included Gujarat, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Union territories such as Jammu & Kashmir, Chandigarh, Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Ladakh.  All of these States and UTs, however, showed improvements in the population increase of women. A State-wise breakup of the NFHS data also shows that India is on its way to stabilising its population, with most States and UTs having a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of less than two. A TFR of less than 2.1, or a woman on average bearing two children over a lifetime, suggests that an existing generation of a people will be exactly replaced.  Anything less than two suggests an eventual decline in population over time. Only six States: Bihar, Meghalaya, Manipur, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh have a TFR above two. Bihar has a TFR of three which, however, is an improvement from the 3.4 of the NFHS-4. Again, much like the broader trend towards feminisation, the TFR in all States has improved in the last five years.  India is still poised to be the most populous country in the world with the current projection by the United Nations population division forecasting that India’s population will peak around 1.6 to 1.8 billion from 2040-2050.  The recent National Family Health Survey confirms signs of a demographic shift in India.   A Government report last year projected that India would overtake China as the world’s most populous country around 2031 — almost a decade later than the United Nations projection of 2022.  A notable exception is Kerala, a State with among the highest ratios of women to men at 1,121 — an improvement over the 1,049 recorded in the NFHS-4. However, the TFR in Kerala has increased to 1.8 from 1.6. The State has also reported a decline in the sex ratio of children born in the last five years. There are 1,047 females per 1,000 males in 2015-16, which has now declined to 951 per 1,000 males.  The NFHS-5 survey work has been conducted in around 6.1 lakh sample households from 707 districts (as on March, 2017) of the country; covering 724,115 women and 101,839 men to provide disaggregated estimates up to district level.   

 

Supreme Court for medical panel to aid Arumughaswamy probe

The Supreme Court on Thursday orally said it will safeguard the interests of Apollo Hospital and favoured constituting a medical board of experts from AIIMS to buttress Justice A. Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry’s efforts to gather facts on the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa at the hospital in 2016.  A Bench of Justices S. Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari asked the hospital, represented by senior advocate Aryama Sundaram and advocate Rohini Musa, to prepare a memo detailing what it wanted during the inquiry. The court said it would examine the memo and pass orders. The court asked the hospital to share a copy of its memo with the Commission of Inquiry by Monday. It listed the case next on Tuesday.  Apollo had moved the apex court accusing the Commission of bias, violation of the principles of natural justice and conducting the fact-finding exercise outside its jurisdiction. The Commission, represented by senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, had denied the allegation of bias, saying it was rhetorically made without providing any perspective of the matter.  Sundaram had contended that the reputation of the premier Chennai hospital was blighted overnight by the Commission, which took a tangent which was unbelievable. The senior lawyer said the path followed by the Commission was straight out of the fairy tale Alice in Wonderland.  The hospital had urged the Supreme Court to direct the Commission to share records and permit it to participate in the examination of witnesses in the inquiry process.  The hospital had also stressed on the Commission adhering to act within the ambit of the inquiry and follow procedure, as earlier noted by the Madras High Court.  Sundaram had submitted how the Commission had even got about to ask for the medical records concerning the hospitalisation of another former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.G. Ramachandran, 37 years ago and his shifting to the Brooklyn hospital in the United States. The CoI had written to Apollo chairperson, Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, for the information.  The court orally advised the Tamil Nadu government to provide the Commission with a larger room for the hearings in order to accommodate the media and members of the prospective medical board.  The State had appointed the inquiry commission headed by Justice Arumughaswamy, a retired Madras High Court judge, on September 25, 2017. The Commission’s reference was to examine the circumstances which led to the hospitalisation of Jayalalithaa on September 22, 2016 and the nature of treatment given in order to determine the cause of hospitalisation.   

 

Kejriwal announced the creation of the Yamuna Cleaning Cell

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on November 25, 2021, announced the creation of the Yamuna Cleaning Cell for expediting inter-departmental coordination and execution of projects for cleaning the heavily polluted Yamuna River. The Yamuna cleaning cell will be presided by Delhi Jal Board and comprise representatives from different departments including Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development (DSIIDC), Irrigation Flood Control Department to monitor sewerage of JJ Clusters and Industrial Clusters, Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETPs). The Yamuna cleaning cell will oversee the management of sewerage systems of Jhuggi-Jhopdi clusters (JJ clusters), Industrial Clusters, CETPs, construction of new STSP/DSTPs, laying of sewerage network in 1,799 unauthorized colonies, septage management, ensure untreated water does not get discharged into the Yamuna among several other responsibilities. CM Kejriwal on November 25, 2021, had convened a high-level review meeting for the management of wastewater from JJ clusters and industrial areas in regard to Yamuna cleaning. A week ago, he announced to declare a 6-point action plan to clean the Yamuna by February 2025.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

China lodges protest over Gen. Rawat comments on ‘security threat’ 

China’s military said on Thursday it had lodged solemn representations with India and expressed its firm opposition to Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat’s comments earlier this month on China being the biggest security threat to India and mutual suspicion rising between the two sides.  People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Senior Colonel Wu Qian, who is spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, described Gen. Rawat’s comments as irresponsible and dangerous, speaking at the Ministry’s monthly press conference in Beijing.  Indian officials speculate on the so-called ‘Chinese military threat’ for no reason, which is a serious violation of the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries that China and India do not constitute a threat to each other, he said, adding that the remarks incite geopolitical confrontation and were irresponsible and dangerous. He did not say where and how China had made solemn representations over the remarks.  While the Chinese military’s spokesperson termed the comments a violation and inciting confrontation, Indian officials have said on many occasions over the past few months that the Chinese military’s actions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) starting last summer — mobilisation of two divisions, deployment of troops in forward areas and multiple transgressions to unilaterally redraw the LAC — had not only violated bilateral understandings but also brought ties to their lowest point in years.  Last week, diplomats from the two sides agreed to restart talks between military commanders at an early date, with the 13th round of talks in October ending with an acrimonious exchange with each side blaming the other for the stalemate. At last week’s meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, both agreed to also ensure a stable ground situation and avoid any untoward incident until the situation is resolved.   

EU regulator authorises Pfizer’s COVID vaccine for kids 5-11  

The European Union’s drug regulator on Thursday authorised Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine for use on children from 5 to 11 years old, clearing the way for shots to be administered to millions of elementary school pupils amid a new wave of infections sweeping across the continent.  It is the first time the European Medicines Agency has cleared a COVID-19 vaccine for use in young children. The agency said it recommended granting an extension of indication for the COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty to include use in children aged 5 to 11.  At least one country facing spiking infections didn’t wait for the EMA approval. Authorities in the Austrian capital, Vienna, already have begun vaccinating the 5 to 11 age group. Europe is currently at the epicenter of the pandemic and the World Health Organisation has warned the continent could see deaths top 2 million by the spring unless urgent measures are taken.  The EMA green light for the vaccine developed by Pfizer and German company BioNTech has to be rubber-stamped by the EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, before health authorities in member states can begin administering shots.  Earlier this week, Germany’s health minister Jens Spahn said shipping of vaccines for younger children in the EU would begin on Dec. 20.  The United States signed off on Pfizer’s kids-sized shots earlier this month, followed by other countries, including Canada.  Pfizer tested a dose that is a third of the amount given to adults for elementary school-age children. Even with the smaller shot, children who are 5 to 11 years old developed coronavirus-fighting antibody levels just as strong as teenagers and young adults getting the regular-strength shots, Dr. Bill Gruber, a Pfizer senior vice president, told The Associated Press in September.  Although children mostly only get mild symptoms of COVID-19, some public health experts believe immunising them should be a priority to reduce the virus’ continued spread, which could theoretically lead to the emergence of a dangerous new variant.  Researchers disagree on how much kids have influenced the course of the pandemic. Early research suggested they didn’t contribute much to viral spread. But some experts say children played a significant role this year spreading contagious variants such as alpha and delta.  

Saudi Arabia to lift ban on entry from 6 countries including India

Saudi Arabia on November 26, 2021, announced that it will be lifting a travel ban on expats from six countries including India and Pakistan. The ban was in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Interior Minister of Saudi Arabia issued the directive stating the changes will be implemented from December 1, 2021, from 1 am onwards. After the lifting of the ban, fully vaccinated persons will be able to get direct entry without the need for a 14-days quarantine. In February 2021, a ban on direct entry to Saudi Arabia was placed amid the global spike in COVID-19 cases. The ban was applied to India, UAE, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, Britain, the US, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Brazil, Pakistan, Argentina, South Africa, Japan, and Indonesia.

 NATIONAL NEWS 

Do not disturb federal structure, Mamata to Modi

The Centre must not disturb the federal structure, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reportedly told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday at a meeting in Delhi, flagging the expansion of the BSF’s jurisdiction in the border States. Banerjee has demanded that the amendment to the BSF Act be withdrawn immediately.  The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), through a notification published on October 11, amended the BSF Act of 1968 expanding the BSF jurisdiction from 15 km to 50 km in border States. Though the BSF does not have policing powers, it can apprehend a suspect and conduct preliminary questioning. The seized consignment or a suspect has to be handed over to the local police within 24 hours.  West Bengal has 2,216 km border with Bangladesh and TMC contends that the extension of jurisdiction will effectively bring nearly one-third of the State’s territory under the BSF’s control. Out of 23 districts in the State, nearly 10 districts will be affected. This would have an impact on 21 of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies which could have larger political implications.  Banerjee, sources said, told the PM that if the law and order is solely a State subject and if this equilibrium is changed then it will lead to an obvious confrontation.  While Banerjee did not meet the Congress chief, she is headed to Mumbai on November 30. During the three-day tour, she said she will be meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and NCP Chief Sharad Pawar. She also said that she will be meeting actor Shahrukh Khan during her visit. 

Cabinet approves Farm Laws Repeal Bill  

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Bill to repeal the three farm laws, which had triggered protests at Delhi borders by thousands of farmers.  The Cabinet has approved repeal of farm laws, said Union Minister Anurag Thakur after the cabinet meet. The repeal bill will be given priority in the winter session, he added.  The Cabinet also approved extension of free ration scheme till March 2022.  The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 has been approved days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to repeal the three central farm laws. The new bill will now be introduced in the Lok Sabha for passage in the upcoming Winter session of Parliament beginning November 29.  The repeal of these three legislations has been one of the key demands of around 40 farmer unions protesting against these reforms for nearly a year now.  On November 19, Modi in his address to the nation had announced the withdrawal of the three farm laws saying the government could not convince protesting farmers the benefits of these reforms. The three laws to be repealed are: Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act.  

Supreme Court raps U.P. over lack of courts to try cases against lawmakers  

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said States across the country have a large number of criminal cases pending against former and sitting legislators, and poll-bound Uttar Pradesh may host the largest.  There are a large number of cases… the largest is in your State, Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana addressed the counsel appearing for the Allahabad High Court.  The lawyer for the High Court said there were more than 1,300 criminal cases in Uttar Pradesh against legislators. Sixty-three Special Courts have been constituted to hear these cases. There are 74 districts of the State.  Are these Special Courts constituted for this purpose [the trial of criminal cases against former and sitting MPs/MLAs] exclusively? the CJI asked the lawyer. Justice Surya Kant, on the Special Bench, said the total pendency of such cases in the State was 1,374.  You have not established a single court exclusively for this purpose, Justice Kant said, adding that existing courts have been labelled Special Courts.  Is it your intention to drag on these cases, Chief Justice Ramana asked. The court is considering the delay in complying with a Supreme Court decision to have High Courts constitute Special Sessions and Magisterial Courts to quicken the pace of long-pending criminal cases against legislators across the country.  Justice D.Y. Chandrachud referred to a December 4, 2018 order which had requested each High Court to assign/allocate criminal cases involving former and sitting legislators to as many Sessions Courts and Magisterial Courts as each High Court may consider proper, fit and expedient. 

‘Act of God’ contributed to dip in Delhi pollution, but for how long, asks Supreme Court 

The credit for loosening the smog’s choke on Delhi in the past few days largely goes to the wind, an act of God, but the wind may die by the end of the day to leave the Capital again at the mercy of pollution, Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana told the Government on Wednesday.  We are saved because of the wind, the Chief Justice Ramana addressed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the Centre.  It is what we call in law an ‘act of God’, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud noted. Mehta began by painting an optimistic picture about the dip in the pollution levels from 403 points on November 16 to 280 on Wednesday.  But the Meteorological Department says by evening things will become serious again. The wind speed now is two or three km, by evening it will become zero, Chief Justice Ramana reacted.  Later in the hearing, the CJI said the court had checked again, and the pollution level had gone up to 381 points at a wind level of three km. The court clarified it had no intention to dispose of the case or stop monitoring the pollution graph. If necessary, it would hear the case almost every day, the Bench underscored.  Anti-smog gun being used against the dust and air pollution at Delhi University on a smoggy morning, as very poor air quality in Delhi as winds slow down , in New Delhi on November 24, 2021.   Justice Chandrachud, who is part of the Special Bench comprising Justice Surya Kant, criticised how the Government waited for pollution to take a turn for the worse before scurrying to impose pollution control measures.  This is the National Capital! Imagine the message you are sending across the globe. The Bench said the thousands of crores lying in the construction workers’ welfare fund with the States could be released to pay the labourers. It said interior works in buildings under construction, which did not throw up dust or leave debris, could be allowed.  The court said bureaucrats could go to the farmers, to their fields, and find a solution to stubble-burning.  The court urged the Government to continue with anti-pollution measures for another three days. It listed the case on Monday.  

After farm laws, trade unions push for rollback of labour codes

Over a year since Parliament passed four labour codes, the Centre is still in the process of notifying the rules to implement the laws and has not set a date for the roll-out. Trade unions, however, have planned to intensify their agitation this week against the codes in the wake of the government’s decision to repeal the three farm laws.  A senior functionary of the Union Labour and Employment Ministry said the notification of rules was in process. The codes — on wages, social security, occupational safety and industrial relations — were passed in 2019 and 2020. Labour and Employment Minister Bhupender Yadav is likely to make a statement on the matter to Parliament in the upcoming Winter Session, the functionary said.  Speaking to The Hindu on October 28, Yadav had said that 90% of the States had drafted their rules and that the Centre would complete the process at the appropriate time.  Following a year of protests by farmers against three agriculture Bills, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on November 19 that the Bills would be repealed, led to renewed calls from trade unions for repeal of the labour codes too.  Amarjeet Kaur, the general secretary of the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), said the joint platform of 10 Central trade unions that AITUC is a part of, would meet on Thursday and then also meet the leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha to plan their course of action during the Winter Session.  We will intensify our protests to demand the repeal of the labour codes. The government is only looking at elections. They had the political compulsion from the farmers’ protest. For the labour codes, they have failed to get the support of States and have the compulsion of the upcoming Assembly polls so they keep postponing the rollout, Kaur said.  The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) was also not optimistic about the implementation of the codes soon. BMS general secretary Binoy Kumar Sinha said the government did not have the intention and political will to implement the codes right now.  Our demand remains that the two codes we accepted — on wages and social security — be implemented immediately and the two to which we had objections — industrial relations and occupational safety — be reviewed, Sinha said.  

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Pakistan allows transportation of 50,000 MT of wheat, medicines to Afghanistan

Pakistan’s government has decided to allow the transportation of 50,000 metric tonnes (MT) of wheat and lifesaving medicines from India to Afghanistan through the Wagah Border for humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people. India has provided 50,000 metric tonnes (MT) of wheat and lifesaving medicines as humanitarian assistance. The shipment will need to go through Pakistan.

NASA launches first of its kind DART Mission

NASA launched the first of its kind DART Mission (also known as Double Asteroid Redirection Test) on November 24, 2021, aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 1.21 am EST from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. NASA’s DART Mission is the world’s first mission to test asteroid-deflecting technology. The DART Mission is expected to crash into the moonlet Dimorphos at 15,000 mph (24,100 km/h) during the fall of 2022 between September 26 and October 1 to deflect the asteroid by a fraction. The DART payload was released from the booster minutes after the launch to embark on its 10-month long journey into deep space at about 6.8 million miles (11 million kms) away from Earth.  The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission directed by NASA is the first demonstration of the kinetic impactor technique to change the motion of an asteroid in space. The target of the DART Mission is the binary near-Earth asteroid (65803) Didymos and its moonlet. The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) has been built and developed the DART Mission’s spacecraft. The DART Mission is $330 million worth. The DART spacecraft was launched on November 24, 2021. After a year since the launch, the spacecraft is expected to cross the Didymos moonlet in around late September 2022 during which the Didymos asteroid system will be within 11 million kms of Earth.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Govt likely to table cryptocurrency bill in winter session of Parliament 

The central government is likely to introduce a bill on cryptocurrencies during the winter session of Parliament beginning November 29, amid concerns over such currencies being allegedly used for luring investors with misleading claims and for funding terror activities, PTI reported.  Currently, there are no particular regulations or any ban on use of crypto currencies in the country. Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, held a meeting on crypto currencies with senior officials and indications are that strong regulatory steps could be taken to deal with the issue.  According to sources, the proposed bill would focus on investor protection as crypto currencies come under a complex asset class category. Once cleared by the Union Cabinet, the government plans to introduce the bill on crypto currencies in the first week of the winter session.  In August, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said she was awaiting an approval from the Cabinet on the crypto currency bill. Both the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have raised concerns about crypto currencies in recent months. The three-week long winter session is scheduled to be held from November 29 to December 23.  On Monday, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance discussed the pros and cons of crypto finance with various stakeholders, and several members were in favour of regulating crypto currency exchanges rather than an outright ban on such currencies, according to sources.  Photo used for representation purpose only. File   At the meeting convened by the prime minister on Saturday, it was strongly felt that attempts to mislead the youth through over-promising and non-transparent advertising of crypto currencies should be stopped.  An inter-ministerial panel on crypto currency under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Economic Affairs) had recommended that all currencies except those issued by the state should be banned.   

Supreme Court refuses Trinamool plea to postpone Tripura civic polls  

The Supreme Court did not accede on Tuesday to a plea by the Trinamool Congress to postpone the conduct of municipal elections in Tripura, saying such step was a last and extreme recourse.  A Bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Vikram Nath, however, directed the Director General Police of Tripura and Inspector General (Law and Order) to meet with the State Election Commission on November 24 to assess the number of CRPF required to ensure the peaceful conduct of elections. The officers should then requisition the CRPF or the Ministry of Home Affairs for the forces. Voting for civic body elections is scheduled on November 25. The DGP and IGP shall take all steps to ensure that election process is conducted in a peaceful manner, particularly on November 25, leading up to the counting of ballots on November 28, the court directed.  The court said that while we are not inclined to accede to the prayer for postponement of elections, it would be the duty of the DGP, IGP and the Home Secretary to assuage any misgivings about fairness in the electoral process in Tripura.  Noting that the law enforcement agencies in the State have to act in an even-handed, non-partisan manner, the court cautioned the DGP to scrupulously abide by the court’s directions to obviate the need for it to take coercive action.  The court directed the State to provide a tabulated statement of the complaints lodged, FIRs registered, action taken, arrests made, to be filed along with a compliance affidavit on November 25, the next day of hearing of the case.  During the hearing, the Trinamool Congress accused the State and the police of being mute spectators while goons roamed the street, indulging in wanton violence against its candidates.

Kirti Azad, Ashok Tanwar, Pavan Varma join Trinamool Congress  

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday welcomed former BJP MP Kirti Azad and former Congress leader Ashok Tanwar, along with former JD(U) MP Pavan Varma, into the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Delhi.  Since its victory in the West Bengal Assembly elections, for the third consecutive time, trumping the BJP, the TMC is keen to occupy the national stage.  Tanwar, once considered close to senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, was an MP from Sirsa during 2009-2014 and also the president of the party’s Haryana unit. He quit the Congress days before the Haryana Assembly elections in October 2019 after he was replaced by Kumari Selja and denied a ticket for the Assembly elections. In February this year he launched his own party, Apna Bharat Morcha.  Banerjee said the TMC would start working soon in Haryana and hinted that the party could even contest the next Assembly elections in the State. The TMC family is complete. Ashok Tanwar is not alone. I have told him to begin work and he will visit both Kolkata and Goa. He will go to Haryana and travel the State. We have to all work together, Banerjee told reporters.  Azad, who briefly worked with the Congress, too joined the TMC. A member of the 1983 cricket World Cup-winning squad, Azad was suspended from the BJP for openly targeting the then Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over alleged irregularities and corruption in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) in December 2015. He joined the Congress in February 2019 just ahead of the general elections. The Congress fielded him from the Darbhanga Lok Sabha constituency which the party has won thrice, but he lost the election to the BJP candidate.

Jayalalithaa death, treatment must be probed in ‘eminent public interest’  

The Tamil Nadu Government in the Supreme Court on Tuesday described former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa as undoubtedly one of the tallest leaders of the State whose 75-day treatment, and finally death, at the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai need to be inquired into in eminent public interest.  Appearing before a Bench of Justices S. Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari, senior advocate Dushyant Dave, for the State, said all the Government wants is an inquiry.  The State narrated a series of events which showed the seriousness of her death. Her estate was burgled within days. A guard there was murdered. Another person’s wife and daughter were killed. A third person manning the computer died… All this shows the seriousness of her death, Dave submitted.  He said the investigation into these cases was on. The State was replying to a petition filed by the Apollo Hospitals alleging bias on the part of the Government-appointed Justice A. Arumughaswamy Commission of Inquiry into the former Chief Minister’s death.  During the hearing, the court asked whether the Commission can be reconstituted. To this, Dave referred to precedents of the apex court which held that the Executive, once it has constituted a Commission of Inquiry, cannot interfere in its functioning or usurp its powers. He said the Commission was merely a fact-finding body. Its report would be purely recommendatory in nature. No prejudice would be caused to anybody, he noted.  The proceedings before the Commission were stayed by the Supreme Court in April 2019 on the basis of a plea by Apollo Hospitals that the inquiry panel’s functioning was replete with bias.  Apollo Hospitals submitted that the Commission, instead of conducting an impartial probe, had filed a pleading alleging criminal intent on the part of the hospital and its doctors.   

Complaint lodged against director and producers of Suriya-starrer Jai Bhim in Chidambaram court  

Vanniyar Sangam president, Pu. Tha. Arulmozhi, on Tuesday lodged a private complaint before the Judicial Magistrate II in Chidambaram against the producers and director of the acclaimed film Jai Bhim and Amazon.in, which released the movie on its OTT platform.  The complaint accused 2D Entertainment Private Limited, producers Suriya and Jyothika, director T.J. Gnanavel and Amazon.in of distorting facts and portraying the Vanniyar community in bad light in the movie, with a view to creating communal disharmony.  Arulmozhi claimed the filmmakers had wantonly, willfully and intentionally portrayed the character of the Sub-Inspector of Police, who is guilty of committing custodial death in the film, as belonging to the Vanniyar community. The symbolic representations in various sequences in the movie Jai Bhim is per se defamatory and intentional act and targeted to defame and cause greater disrepute to the community, the complaint alleged.  A poster of the film Jai Bhim   Arulmozhi claimed that writer Kanmani Gunasekaran, who helped in providing local language words for the movie, had said that facts were suppressed and the Vanniyar community was defamed. Gunasekaran had returned his remuneration of ₹50,000 to the producers 2D Entertainment Private Limited.  The plea sought a direction for initiating action against Suriya, Jyothika, Gnanavel and Amazon under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and sections 499, 500, 503, 504 and 505.  

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Bangavax, first native COVID vaccine of Bangladesh receives approval for human trials

Bangladesh’s first homegrown COVID-19 vaccine Bangavax has received approval from the Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) for human trials. Bangavax was previously known as Bancovid. The Senior Manager for Quality and Regulation at Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) stated that Bangavax’s manufacturer Globe Biotech is all set to send the human trial protocol to DGDA. Globe Biotech will begin human trials after it receives approval for clinical trials from DGDA for its single-dose COVID vaccine Bangavax.  Globe Biotech on October 5, 2020, had revealed promising results of its first vaccine candidate during pre-clinical trials on mice.

 

Sweden’s first female Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson resigns on day 1 after coalition collapses

  first female Prime Minister of Sweden Magdalena Andersson resigned on November 24, 2021, after less than 12 hours as the PM. Andersson’s resignation came after the Green Party quit her coalition, sending the nordic country into political uncertainty. However, leader of the Social Democrats Magdalena Andersson said that she had informed the speaker of the Parliament that she hoped to be appointed Prime Minister of Sweden again as the head of a single-party government. Sweden’s Parliament on November 24, 2021, had elected Magdalena Andersson, Social Democratic Party leader and Finance Minister, as the first female Prime Minister of Sweden. The decision came after Andersson clinched a last-minute deal securing the key support. The Green Party of Sweden has decided to quit after the Parliament rejected the coalition’s budget bill. Andersson had previously received the support of the Social Democrats’ coalition partner the Green Party, as well as the Centre Party. Andersson was facing setbacks even before her election on November 24. The announcement was made by the Centre Party that while it will not oppose Andersson in the vote for PM, it will withdraw its support for the government’s budget to be voted later on November 24, because of the concessions made to the Left.

 

Trilateral exercise ‘Dosti’ between India, Maldives, Sri Lanka being held from November 20 to 24

The 15th edition of India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka biennial Trilateral Exercise ‘Dosti’ is being held in the Maldives from November 20 to 24, 2021. This marks 30 years since the initiation of the exercise. Indian Coast Guard vessels ICGS Vajra, ICGS Apoorva, and Sri Lanka Coast Guard vessels SLCGS Suraksha have arrived in the Maldives for the trilateral exercise Dosti. The aim of India-Maldives-Sri Lanka Trilateral Exercise DOSTI is to strengthen the friendship, enhance the mutual cooperation capability, exercise interoperability, and build cooperation between the Coast Guards of India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. For the past ten years, the exercises conducted were focused on drills on providing assistance in sea accidents, eliminating sea pollution, laying out procedures for the Coast Guards during situations like oil spills. Exercise Dosti started in 1991 between Indian and Maldives Coast Guards. Sri Lanka joined the exercise Dosti in 2012. 

Israeli government votes in favour of bill setting term limit of PM upto 8 years

The Israeli government on November 21, 2021, has voted in favour of a bill that sets the term limit of a Prime Minister upto a maximum of 8 years. Lawmakers voted 66-48 in favour of the bill. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s cabinet supported the proposed legislation in a vote by telephone following the approval by a ministerial committee to the bill last week. The bill has been introduced as a reaction to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who was ousted by the new government coalition after 12 consecutive years of Netanyahu as PM. In total, Netanyahu served as Israel’s Prime Minister for 15 years. He is termed has the longest-serving leader in Israel.

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

Supreme Court protects Param Bir Singh from arrest 

The Supreme Court on November 22 granted former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh protection from arrest and directed him to join the investigation against him after he said he was very much in the country and not fled abroad.  Singh said he was fighting the might of a draconian State and its police, which has hounded him for having the courage to expose the alleged doings of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, who is facing money laundering charges.  Singh, who is accused of corruption and extortion, portrayed himself as a whistle-blower who does not want to give the impression that I am afraid of anything.  Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh leaving National Investigation Agency office after recording his statement in connection with explosive laden SUV found near Mukesh Ambani’s house, in Mumbai, in April   Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, leading a Bench with Justice M.M. Sundaresh, remarked, the matter has become curiouser and curiouser in the battle between the former Home Minister and the Police Commissioner.  Senior advocate Puneet Bali, for Singh, observed that his client does not want to leave the country. He was willing to cooperate, except for the imminent threat against him. What faith will I have in the police now? he argued.  Justice Kaul remarked, we find this picture very disturbing… If the former Police Commissioner says he faces threats and has lack of faith in the police, what would be the fate of the common man?  Bali submitted that his client had recorded and handed over transcripts of WhatsApp communications with a senior police officer, who advised him to back off or face serious cases that would be mounted against him as a retaliation for complaining against Deshmukh.  He said I cannot fight the State… That officer does not deny anything. With this, what expectations can I have from the State? All hell broke loose after I made the complaint, he said.  Six cases were registered against Singh by bookies, extortionists and people against whom I had taken action against, he stated.  If every person I had taken action against, that too, way back in 2015, files cases against me, how will I function as a police officer? How will my colleague’s function? he contended.  Both the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court had found the charges levelled by Singh against Deshmukh very serious. The apex court said in April the charges should be probed into by an independent investigative agency, he pointed out. The court, in its order, directed Singh to cooperate with the probe against him but said he shall not be arrested.   

 

Bombay High Court refuses to refrain Nawab Malik from making comments against Wankhede 

The Bombay High Court on Monday refused to restrain Maharashtra Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik from making comments on social media against Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede and his family.  A single Bench of Justice Madhav Jamdar was hearing a defamation suit filed by Wankhede’s father, Dhyandev, who sought ₹1.25 crore in damages for making defamatory statements. The petition mentioned that Malik had leaked a purported birth certificate of his son on Twitter that allegedly stated that he was a Muslim.  The court said, although plaintiff [Mr. Wankhede] has right to privacy, the defendant [Mr. Malik] has right to freedom of speech and expression, there has to be balancing of fundamental rights. Whether the tweets made contain allegations pertaining to discharge of official functions? Whether the publications prove to be false? Whether there was reasonable verification of facts? These aspects show that defendants have not taken due care, and serious allegations are made against Wankhede, the court noted.  The court added, right to privacy is implicit in the right to life and liberty. Public have right to comment on the life of public officer, but that has to be done with reasonable verification. These are only prima facie observations. The defendants have raised pertinent issues against the plaintiff. At prima facie stage, it cannot be said that allegations are totally false.  It appeared that Malik’s statements were actuated by malice and animosity. However, relief cannot be granted at this stage, but then the defendant should conduct sufficient verification of documents before publishing documents henceforth, the court concluded.   

 

Trinamool holds Tripura CM responsible for attacks on party leaders 

Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday held Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb responsible for a series of attacks on party leaders and workers. He condemned the violence at the East Agartala women police station on Sunday after West Bengal Trinamool Youth Congress chief Saayoni Ghosh was detained on the attempt to murder charge.  BJP goons attacked our leaders and workers inside the police station. They did not even spare journalists, police officers and personnel, Banerjee said.  The Trinamool general secretary spoke to newsmen after authorities denied permission to his road show to campaign for the polls to the Agartala Municipal Corporation and 12 municipal bodies due for November 25.  Banerjee said violence in Tripura had been continuing and the police remained silent spectators despite a Supreme Court order which directed the Government to ensure peace and security to ranks of all political parties during the municipal polls.  The Trinamool on Monday moved a contempt petition in the apex court and warned that the party would drag all erring officials to the court. Banerjee alleged that total anarchy and lawlessness prevailed in Tripura, and the reason for the violence was to stop the Trinamool, which was ‘fast gaining a support base in the State’.  If Saayoni Ghosh can be arrested for uttering two words ‘Khela Hobe’ [Will Play] from her car then top central BJP leaders should also be arrested for raising the same slogan during the West Bengal Assembly elections, Banerjee stated.  Meanwhile, Chief Minister Deb slammed the Trinamool for allegedly attempting to malign the State’s image by making false allegations. Scam-tainted and corrupt leaders from a State [Bengal] are spreading canard about Tripura. They are creating a law-and-order situation, but we will not allow them to disturb peace in the State, Deb told an election rally at Ambassa in Dhalai district.  The West Tripura Chief Judicial Magistrate on Monday granted bail to Ghosh.  We argued and sought bail for her under sub-section 1 of IPC Section 437. Police have demanded her remand for two days which has been rejected, Ghosh’s lawyer Shankar Lodh told newsmen.  TMC’s Rajya Sabha Member Sushmita Dev hailed the release of Ghosh. She alleged that the case against the actress-turned-politician was politically motivated.  Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress MPs staged a protest at the Ministry of Home Affairs in North Block, Delhi, on Monday after they were allegedly denied an appointment with Home Minister Amit Shah, whom they wanted to meet to flag the reported violence against its party workers in Tripura. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is also likely to reach Delhi by evening.   

 

Mamata to meet Modi on Wednesday to discuss BSF jurisdiction, funds due to State 

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday left for a four-day visit to the national capital. This is the second visit of Trinamool chairperson to Delhi after the West Bengal Assembly polls in which her party had registered a thumping victory over the Bharatiya Janata Party. She is also likely to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.  I am going to Delhi today [Monday] because day after tomorrow, I have an appointment with the Prime Minister on the BSF issue and other development issues related to West Bengal, she told journalists before leaving for Delhi. She accused the Union Government of using Central forces for the benefit of the BJP.  West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. File   The BSF is not my enemy. But the BJP thinks that the BSF is BJP. Law and order are a state subject and apart from the State police, there are so many agencies and all have their respective jurisdiction.  The recent notification by the Union Home Ministry extending the BSF’s jurisdiction from 15 km to 50 km along the border has become a flashpoint between the Centre and the State Government. The Trinamool Government passed a resolution in the Assembly urging the Centre to withdraw the notification.  The other issue which Banerjee is likely to discuss is the State’s pending funds with the Centre. The Chief Minister has blamed the Centre for not making enough funds available to the State, particularly after West Bengal bore the burnt of the natural calamities like cyclones and floods.  The Chief Minister said she will meet her party MPs who have been protesting outside the office of Union Home Ministry since Monday morning.  I will not join the dharna but I am going to meet the MPs to express solidarity to their protest. I don’t know why the horror is going on in Tripura. Since yesterday [Sunday], the MPs have been seeking an appointment with the home minister and so far, they have been denied that, Banerjee said. She said even mediapersons are not allowed to work freely in Tripura.  Banerjee’s visit comes ahead of the winter session of Parliament and she is likely to meet the leaders of the Opposition parties. After her earlier visit in the last week of July, the TMC has made inroads into Tripura and Goa.  One of the highlights of the visit in July was the meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi. In the past few months, a number of leaders of the Congress, including former Mahila Morcha president Sushmita Dev and former Goa Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro, have joined the TMC. It will be interesting to watch whether the Congress leadership will reach out to Banerjee or she will reach out to senior Congress leaders.  The visit also comes days after the Prime Minister announced the repeal of the three farm laws. Banerjee had extended support to the protesting farmers and sent several delegations of party MPs to meet the farmers. The TMC chairperson, who rose to power in West Bengal championing the cause of farmers protesting against forcible land acquisition, may also meet a few leaders of the farmers’ movement.  Moreover, two visits to the national capital in less than six months also indicate the growing ambitions of the TMC as it is keen on presenting itself as a pan-Indian party.   

 

‘Three capitals’ for A.P.: Will bring a ‘comprehensive, complete and better’ bill, says Jagan 

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on November 22 passed a Bill to repeal the controversial A.P. Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020, that was intended to establish three capitals for the State.  Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, however, told the Assembly his government would bring a comprehensive, complete and better Decentralisation Bill.  The 2020 Act was being repealed to protect the larger interests of people. Our intention of a decentralised development of the State has been twisted, distorted and a misinformation launched. Also, legal hurdles were created and court cases filed, the Chief Minister alleged.  Without referring to the farmers of Amaravati region, who had been fighting the three capitals decision for more than 700 days now, Jagan said the government would explain our genuine intention and the need for decentralisation to all concerned and incorporate necessary changes in the new Bill.  The government had earlier hinted A.P. could have three capitals — Executive capital in Visakhapatnam and the Legislative capital in Amaravati and Judiciary capital in Kurnool.  

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

China launches Gaofen 11-03 high resolution satellite 

China launched its 3rd Gaofen 11 reconnaissance satellite on November 19, 2021, on a Long March 4B rocket (also known as Chang Zheng 4B) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China. The Gaofen 11 (03) satellite with an optical resolution comparable to top US spy satellites is an addition to China’s set of classified satellites. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) announced the success of the launch after the successful insertion of the Gaofen-11 (03) satellite into a 247 by 694-km altitude orbit inclined by 97.5 degrees. The launch marked the 44th launch by China in 2021 and the 387th mission of the Long March series carrier rockets. The Gaofen 11 (03) is the third in a series of high-resolution optical imaging Gaofen 11 satellites. The first in the series of Gaofen 11 namely Gaofen 11 (01) was launched in July 2016 followed by Gaofen 11 (02) in September 2020. The Gaofen 11 (03) satellite will operate in sun-synchronous orbits. It will be primarily used for land surveys, land rights confirmation, road network design, city planning, crop yield estimation, and disaster prevention and mitigation. Gaofen is operated by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The CASC has developed the Gaofen-11 (03) reconnaissance satellite and its data transmission and relay subsystems. 

 

Pakistan to allow India’s humanitarian assistance package for Afghanistan to pass through

Pakistan has decided to allow the 50,000 MT of wheat offered by India to Afghanistan as humanitarian assistance to go through Pakistan. This will be allowed as soon as modalities are finalized with the Indian side, informed Pakistan Prime Minister’s office.  Pakistani PM Imran Khan also announced that the nation will facilitate return of Afghan patients who had gone to India for treatment and are stuck there. 

 

US- India Trade policy Forum relaunched 

The US-India Trade Policy Forum was relaunched after four years on November 23, 2021 in the presence of US Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai and Union Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal. Tai is in New Delhi for two days, November 22- 23 to hold a discussion over trade ties between the two countries. Both Ambassador Tai & Goyal welcomed the re-launch of the trade policy forum after 4 yrs and agreed that revitalized TPF will contribute to deepening bilateral trade relations by establishing regular contact aimed at resolving trade obstacles. 

NATIONAL  NEWS

Rajasthan Cabinet expanded; 15 Ministers sworn in 

As part of the much-awaited Cabinet expansion and reshuffle in Rajasthan, 15 Ministers were sworn in on Sunday, taking the strength of the Council of Ministers to the maximum permissible limit of 30. Eleven of the legislators who took oath were inducted as Cabinet Ministers and four as Ministers of State.  Governor Kalraj Mishra administered the oath of office to the new ministers on the Raj Bhawan lawns here. The 11 Cabinet Ministers included Mamta Bhupesh, Bhajan Lal Jatav and Tikaram Jully, who were elevated from Minister of State.  Two former ministers, Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena, who were sacked along with then Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot after his rebellion in July 2020, made a triumphant comeback to the State Cabinet. Others inducted as Cabinet Ministers were Hemaram Choudhary, Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, Ramlal Jat, Mahesh Joshi, Govind Ram Meghwal and Shakuntla Rawat.  The new Ministers of State sworn in at the ceremony were two-time Kaman MLA Zahida Khan, Jhunjhunu MLA Brijendra Singh Ola, Dausa MLA Murari Lal Meena and Udaipurwati MLA Rajendra Singh Gudha, who was elected on the Bahujan Samaj Party ticket and had later joined the Congress.  The expanded Cabinet has three women and four Dalit members. None of the independent MLAs, who had extended support to the Congress government during the political crisis last year, was inducted as a Minister. This was the first Cabinet reshuffle of the Congress government since it came to power in 2018.  Following the expansion, the Council of Ministers now has 19 Cabinet Ministers and 10 Ministers of State, besides Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.  Though Gehlot had collected resignation letters from all the Ministers on Saturday ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, he handed over the papers of only three of them to the Governor for acceptance. The three Ministers — Govind Singh Dotasra, Harish Chaudhary and Raghu Sharma — were dropped in accordance with the one man, one post formula in the Congress; the three hold official positions in the party.  Gehlot told reporters after the swearing-in ceremony that while an attempt had been made to give representation to all sections in the Cabinet, the portfolios would be allocated keeping in mind the preparations for the 2023 State Assembly election.  Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra pose with new Cabinet Ministers after the swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhawan in Jaipur, Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021.   Tonk MLA Sachin Pilot, whose rebellion had threatened the Congress government’s stability, said at a press conference that the Cabinet reshuffle had sent across a positive message and denied that there was any factionalism in the party. He said the issues raised by him, such as an adequate representation to Dalits, had been addressed with a comprehensive approach in the Cabinet expansion.   

SKM to raise pending demands of farmers in open letter to PM Modi  

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) said on Sunday it would write an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioning the pending demands of farmers and wait for the withdrawal of the farm laws in Parliament.  The farmers will continue with their pre-decided programme till November 29, the first day of the winter session of Parliament. It was decided that they would showcase their strength at the Lucknow mahapanchayat on Monday. It will be the first public meeting of the umbrella body of the farmer unions after the Prime Minister’s announcement.  Addressing the media after the meeting of the core committee at the Singhu border, farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said, We will write an open letter to the PM where we will seek clarification on the committee that is to be formed on granting statutory status to MSP.  He said the Prime Minister in his Friday address was not clear about the rights, duties and time-frame of the committee. Besides, we will also seek withdrawal of cases lodged against farmers during the agitation, compensation to farmers who had lost their lives, discussion on the Electricity Bill 2020, and sacking of Ajay Mishra, Minister Of State in the Home Ministry, said Rajewal.  Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal addresses the media at Singhu border in New Delhi on November 21, 2021.   The next meeting of the farmers’ body is scheduled for November 27 where a decision will be taken on the future course, Rajewal said.  

Union Cabinet to approve farm laws repeal on November 24 

The Union Cabinet, in its next meeting on November 24, will take up for approval the repeal of the three farm laws announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 20. The proposal to repeal will then be taken up by Parliament at the start of the Winter Session of Parliament on November 29.  Government confirmed to The Hindu that the Union Cabinet’s agenda reflected the same. The repeal of the three farm laws — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 — will be taken up for approval in the Union Cabinet meeting to be held on Wednesday, said the source.  This comes after a Friday morning announcement by Prime Minister Modi that his government would be repealing the three laws even as the protests by farmers groups against them was heading to the first anniversary mark. The move by the government is expected to deflate some of the aggression of the Opposition’s campaign against the BJP as states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab go into Assembly polls in 2022.   

Hyderpora operation: Mehbooba protests near Raj Bhavan, seeks apology from L-G Manoj Sinha  

Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday led a rally from her residence in Gupkar Road to the Raj Bhavan in Srinagar in protest against the alleged killings of civilians during an operation by the security forces in the capital’s Hyderpora area on November 15.  Her supporters were seen raising slogans and demanding an end to the bloodshed of innocents.  The bloodshed should be brought to an end in J&K, especially the valley. Justice should be delivered to the victims’ families. Amir’s body should also be handed over back to the family, Mufti said. Amir Magray was working as an office boy in the building where the operation was carried out. His family hails from Jammu’s Ramban area. Where is the body of the militant? Where is the picture of the dead militant? Mufti asked, saying it seemed as if no militant had been killed.  Mufi also demanded an apology from Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha over the incident. PDP leaders accompanying Mufti also demanded justice for the three civilians allegedly found dead at the encounter site.  So far, the police have handed over the bodies of two civilians to their families for burial in Srinagar. Earlier this week, Mufti claimed that she had been placed under house arrest when she decided to join the protesting families. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the Hyderpora incident by the Government.   

TMC leader Sayani Ghosh detained for questioning in Tripura

Tripura police on Sunday detained West Bengal Trinamool Congress leader Sayani Ghosh for questioning following a complaint by the ruling BJP worker that she had disturbed a street corner meeting of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Saturday night, according to an official.  Ghosh, the youth unit secretary of TMC West Bengal, was detained a day before a planned visit by the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee after being called in for questioning in a police station.  A police official, who did not want to be named, said a BJP worker lodged a complaint that when a street corner gathering was being addressed by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Saturday night, Ghosh reached there and shouted Khela hobey (game will happen) and claimed that there were not even 50 people in the gathering.  Khela hobey is a slogan used by the TMC during the assembly election in West Bengal held in March-April this year.  TMC leaders alleged that their workers were also roughed up by BJP supporters outside the East Agartala Women’s police station, a charge denied by the saffron party.  Abhishek Banerjee in a tweet accused the BJP government in the North-eastern State of disregarding Supreme Court orders on the rights of political parties to hold peaceful programmes.  @BjpBiplab has become so UNABASHEDLY BRAZEN that now even SUPREME COURT ORDERS DOESN’T SEEM TO BOTHER HIM. He has repeatedly sent goons to attack our supporters & our female candidates instead of ensuring their safety! DEMOCRACY BEING MOCKED under @BJP4Tripura, Banerjee said in the Twitter post, attaching a video of the alleged attack of Sunday morning.  The Supreme Court recently directed Tripura police to ensure that no political party is prevented from exercising their rights in accordance with the law for campaigning in a peaceful manner.  Police said some unidentified miscreants attacked a group of people who gathered near the police station during the questioning of Ghosh, but no one was injured.  The TMC is contesting the Tripura civic polls to be held on November 25. The ruling BJP has already won 112 out of 334 seats uncontested across 20 urban local bodies including Agartala Municipal Corporation. This will be the first civic election that the BJP will face after coming to power in 2018.  The Mamata Banerjee-led party is trying to gain a foothold in the State ahead of the 2023 assembly elections. TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev claimed that BJP-sheltered goons attacked the leaders and workers of the party on the premises of the police station after Ghosh reached there.  Our candidates were beaten up; their houses vandalised and though complaints were filed, no action was taken. Police here are acting in a one-sided manner, she told reporters.  TMC West Bengal secretary Kunal Ghosh said if this is what is democracy in Tripura, We would recommend to our leaders to do the same thing (to the BJP) in West Bengal.  Tripura BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya denied the allegation, saying the saffron party workers did not ever attack anyone of the TMC as the party does not consider it as a political opponent to reckon with.   

Five MPs to move dissent notes in Personal Data Bill panel  

At least five of the 30 members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill are moving dissent notes. Sources said that at least three of these are directed at the controversial clause that allows the Union Government to exempt any agency under its purview from the law.  According to informed sources, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Manish Tewari and Gaurav Gogoi; Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’ Brien; and Biju Janata Dal MP Amar Patnaik will be moving the dissent notes. Sources said that more members could join this list. The panel is meeting on Monday to adopt the long-pending report on the law. The panel has been studying the Bill since 2019.  Clause 35, in the name of sovereignty, friendly relations with foreign states’ and security of the state allows any agency under the Union Government exemption from all or any provisions of the law. This clause assumes importance in the backdrop of recent revelations in the Pegasus spyware case, where both private and public citizens were allegedly snooped upon by the government.  The panel reached a middle path on the clause by agreeing that the Government has to record in writing the reasons to give exemption to any agency. Demands that this clause be suitably amended to also include the provision to seek approval from Parliament for seeking such exemptions was not accepted.  Ramesh was one of the members who argued that the government should table the recorded reasons in Parliament for providing exemption to any government agency to bring in greater transparency and accountability.  In his dissent note against Clause 35, Ramesh said the design of the PDP 2019 Bill assumes that the Constitutional right to privacy arises only where operations and activities of private companies are concerned. Governments and government agencies are treated as a separate privileged class whose operations and activities are always in the public interest and individual privacy considerations are secondary, he wrote.  He added that the idea that the August 2017 Puttaswamy (privacy) judgment of the Supreme Court is relevant only for a very, very, very tiny section of the Indian population and is in my view deeply flawed and troubling.  

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