IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Analysis

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains

Focus)- 04th December 2018

(PRELIMS + MAINS FOCUS)

Cow vigilantism: Cop and villager killed in Bulandshahr clashes

Part of: GS Mains II – National; Issues affecting secular character and integrity

In news:

Protesters, including members of right-wing groups, clashed with security men and set their vehicles and a police post on fire in the three-hour rampage after reports of cow slaughter at UP’s Bulandshahr.
Cow slaughter is banned in many Indian states, including Uttar Pradesh, because Hindus consider it a sacred animal.
There have been multiple cases of lynchings over alleged cow slaughter and illegal cow transportation reported over the past few years from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and other parts of North India.
Over the past two years or so we have seen a rising tide of violence, mainly in northern India, against Dalits and Muslims. This has revolved around the treatment of the cow. Indians have been physically attacked by rampaging mobs accusing them of storing beef or transporting cows for slaughter.

Issues:

From last two years, incidents of mob justice have come to light time and again.
The state response has been conspicuously lacking more often than not. The situation is deplorable both for the cumulative effect on the moral life of the nation. It sends a troubling message about the state’s abilities and prerogatives.
The majoritarian nature of many of the lynchings, perpetrated by self-styled gau rakshaks. Cow protection has been a symbol in these incidents—a means of acting against the victims for reasons that have to do either with religion or caste. Muslims and Dalits have been targeted repeatedly on the flimsiest of pretexts.

Do you know?

Rule 3 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Establishment & Regulation of Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Rules, 2001, empowers “civil society groups” to protect animals.
According to Rule 3(5) of PCA Rules, 2001 – a State can confer powers upon “any society” in district to prevent cruelty against animals.
Rule 3 is providing State accreditation to cow vigilantism.
Rule also providing police powers to civil society groups to stop vehicles, search premises and seize animals.
Supreme Court has expressed shock over this Rule.

Qatar to quit OPEC

Part of: Prelims and Mains II – International

In news:

Qatar will leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) next month in order to focus on gas production.
Qatar has been a member of OPEC since 1961, and the decision to pull out after all these decades comes at a turbulent time in Gulf politics, with Doha under a boycott by former neighbouring allies, including Saudi Arabia, for 18 months.

About OPEC

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded in Baghdad, Iraq, with the signing of an agreement in September 1960 by five countries namely Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. They were to become the Founder Members of the Organization.

These countries were later joined by Qatar (1961), Indonesia (1962), Libya (1962), the United Arab Emirates (1967), Algeria (1969), Nigeria (1971), Ecuador (1973), Gabon (1975), Angola (2007), Equatorial Guinea (2017) and Congo (2018).

‘No Road No Vote Central Committee’ (NRNCC)

Part of: GS Mains – Role of Pressure Groups

In news:

More than 4,000 people in 24 remote villages in Arunachal Pradesh would get a proper road connectivity for the first time.
Thanks to ‘No Road No Vote Central Committee’ (NRNCC) – an organisation which is spearheading the campaign for the construction of the road.
Not a single vote was cast at five of the nine polling stations
After the locals threatened to launch a civil disobedience movement to surrender their voter identity cards to the State government if their demand was not met, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister assured to look into the grievances.
The road has been sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

ISRO’s 5.8-tonne GSAT-11 ready for launch

Part of: GS Prelims and Mains III – Science and Technology

In news:

GSAT-11, heaviest Indian communication satellite, to take off from French Guiana (South America)
The 5,854 kg satellite, almost double the biggest one built or launched by ISRO to date, will ride up on European launch vehicle Ariane 5 ECA.
GSAT-11 is part of ISRO’s new family of high-throughput communication satellite (HTS) fleet that will drive the country’s Internet broadband from space to untouched areas; the broadband domain is now ruled by underground fibre and covers partial and convenient locations.

Do you know?

Two high-throughput communication satellite (HTS) are already up in space – GSAT-29 (November 14) and GSAT-19 (June 2017)
They are all to provide high-speed Internet data services at the rate of 100 Gbps (Gigabits per second) to Indian users.
The HTSs will also be the backbone of pan-India digital or easy Internet-based programmes and services — such as Digital India, Bharat Net for rural e-governance, and commercial and public sector VSAT Net service providers.

Pic: https://d39gegkjaqduz9.cloudfront.net/TH/2018/12/04/DEL/Delhi/TH/5_07/47720869_2571067_101_mr.jpg

India and Bhutan Ties

Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – India and its neighbours; International Relations

In news:

Bhutan’s Prime Minister Lotay Tshering is expected to visit India.
He reiterated that India remains the cornerstone of Bhutan’s foreign policy.
Bhutan aims to graduate from an LDC (least developed country) to a middle-income country by 2023.

Area of focus will be –

India’s revised policy on cross-border trade of electricity (CBTE) – which is expected to impact Bhutan’s ability to sell power to India.
Revising BBIN (Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal) Motor Vehicles Agreement – which was opposed by Bhutanese Parliament.
Bhutan’s new Foreign Minister reiterated the country’s policy of not having full relations with any permanent member of the UN Security Council, including China.

Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (PCCoSC)

Part of: GS Mains III – Defence and Security

In news:

The three services – Army, Navy and Air Force – are taking steps to improve ‘jointmanship’ and have agreed on the appointment of a Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.
The PCCoSC is envisaged as a single-point military adviser to the government.

Do you know?

The permanent chairman, CoSC will be a four-star officer, who will be equivalent to chiefs of army, airforce and navy.
He would look into joint issues of the services like training of troops, acquisition of weapon systems and joint operations of the services.
The officer would also be in-charge of the tri-services command at Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the strategic command of nuclear weapons along with the upcoming cyber and space command.
The Naresh Chandra Task Force, formed in May 2011 to review the national security management system, recommended the creation of permanent post of chairman, chiefs of staff committee (CoSC).

(MAINS FOCUS)

WORLD HISTORY/INTERNATIONAL

TOPIC:General studies 1 and 2

World History

Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Symbol of a lost order: On George H.W. Bush

Introduction

The passing of George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States, from 1989 to 1993, is an occasion to contextualise the current turbulence in the world, especially in liberal democracies.

America’s pursuit of global dominance

It was his (H. W. Bush’s) predecessor, Ronald Reagan, who gave a rhetorical flourish to America’s pursuit of global dominance in the 1980s with his depiction of the Soviet Union as the “evil empire”, and his call to “break that wall”.
W Bush was his Vice President and then successor. One phrase he coined, a “new world order”, turned out to be defining, initially for its triumph, and now for its decline.

Do you know; what is new World Order?

It refers to any period in history which experiences a dramatic change in balance of power and global governance.
Such changes occurred after World War II with the formation of United Nations and such other events.

New World order from 1989 onwards

There was a formation of a New World Order from 1989 onwards with respect to changes in international world. Those changes were –

Cause of breakup of USSR
Effect of US hegemony
First Gulf War
Fall of Berlin Wall

Conclusion

Bush lived to see the unravelling of the world order and the concomitant turmoil. It is no coincidence that nationalists such as President Donald Trump define their politics as a rejection of the order that led their societies for the “last 30 years”.
The new Trade war and rise of multi-polar world marks the decline of 1980’s New World Order and beginning of yet another.

Connecting the dots:

A New World Order which was established in late 1980s is now declining. Do you agree?

(Note: For more on US hegemony, read the Third Chapter from Class XII NCERT: Contemporary world politics)

INTERNATIONAL

TOPIC:General studies 2

India and its neighbourhood

Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Neighbourhood First: Foreign policy shift in 2018

Introduction

The current year, 2018, has marked a year of reaching out in the region by the current government in general, with a view to dialling down disagreements that otherwise marked ties with major powers such as Russia and China.
But while “Wuhan summit” with Chinese President and the “Sochi retreat” with Russian President merited much attention, it is important to take stock of attempts at rapprochement in the immediate neighbourhood.

Recent events of change in posture by Indian government to neighbours:

Maldives

PM Narendra Modi recently made his first visit to Maldives during the swearing in ceremony of the newly elected President Ibrahim Solih. The visit acted as means of support and acceptance of the new government of Maldives after having a conflicted relationship with the previous government of President Yameen.

China

PM Modi indulged in the ‘Wuhan Summit’ with Chinese President Xi Jingping that led to the process of consultation for a peaceful resolution of boundary dispute, after having been in cross-fire over the Doklam issue in 2017.

Nepal

India government was accused of fuelling the blockade of Nepal in 2015, apart from opposing the earlier government of K.P. Oli in Nepal.
However, the re- election of K.P. Oli as PM of Nepal in 2018 led to the Indian government continuously engaging with the new government through multiple visits.

Afghanistan

Indian government refused to share a common regional platform with the ousted Taliban government of Afghanistan after 9/11.
However, the Moscow Format held by Russia became the first regional platform that India has shared in an un-official manner with the Taliban.

Pakistan

India had refused to engage with the government of Pakistan after the Uri attack in 2016 and refused to also engage with the new government under Imran Khan that was elected in 2018.
However, during the recent opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, India was represented by two Central Ministers in Pakistan.

Bangladesh, Bhutan & Sri Lanka

Indian official have always shown an inclination in support of the Sheikh Hasina political party Awami League in Bangladeshi elections as being pro- India, in comparison to the pro-Pakistan party of Khaleda Zia.
However in the up-coming election in Bangladesh in December 2018, India has maintained a silenced role.
Similarly with elections in Bhutan as well as the ongoing political crisis in Sri Lanka, India has chosen to make no public political statement that could be construed as interference or preference for one side over the other.

Speculated causes of this Change:

Sustained backlash from government in Nepal especially with support of Nepalese electorate led to a need to follow an accommodative policy.
Positive changes in circumstances such as the new President in Maldives or opening of Kartarpur corridor needed to be positively accommodated rather than dismissed
Pursuing both competition and cooperation with neighbours based on national interest such as seen with China.
India’s aggression under the Big Brother policy enhanced the attractiveness of China as a balancer in South Asia and therefore a change in posture was necessary.

Conclusion

A retreat to the original policy imperative of the current government; Neighbourhood First, whereby a balanced approach of both aggression and accommodation will be followed with neighbours.
However, it is yet to be seen whether the change in posture is a temporary foreign policy imperative or a permanent fixture.

Connecting the dots:

Critically analyse the shift in India’s foreign policy with regard to neighbouring countries over last few years.

(TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE)

Model questions: (You can now post your answers in comment section)

Note:

Featured Comments and comments Up-voted by IASbaba are the “correct answers”.
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Q.1) Consider the following statements about Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

It is an intergovernmental organisation of Central and Western Asian Countries
The OPEC Secretariat is located in Vienna
World Oil Outlook (WOO) is published by OPEC

Select the correct code:

1 and 2
2 and 3
1 and 3
2 Only

Q.2) Consider the following statements with respect to Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

All the founding members were from Asia
It is headquartered in Baghdad

Select the correct statement(s)

Only 1
Only 2
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2

Q.3) Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an example of

Monopoly
Oligopoly
Perfect Competition
None of the above

Q.4) Consider the following statements about GSAT-11

It is a communication satellite operated by INSAT system
It will be launched from Sriharikota by PSLV C34
It will be India’s heaviest satellite till date

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

Only 1
1 and 3
1 and 2
All of the above

Q.5) Consider the following statements about Andaman and Nicobar Command

It is India’s only operational tri-services command
It was created in 2001 to safeguard India’s strategic interests in Southeast Asia and the Strait of Malacca

Select the correct statements