The Hindu  – 25/07/23

Headline : Govt , is ready for discussion on Manipur , Shah tells Manipur .

Union Home minister said on Monday in Loka Sabha that govt was ready to discuss Manipur situation in House as country needs to know the ” truth about sensitive situation in the  state ” . Mr Shah spoke as the opposition was demanding PM modi’s statement in the house.

                LS speaker too insisted opposition that Govt is ready to discuss the issue , and it will be by Home minister but opposition were rigid on their demand for PM to speak on Manipur .“The whole House is ready for the discussion and the government will reply to the debate too. But you will not decide who will reply to the debate,” Mr. Birla said.

                At noon govt introduced three bills in lok Sabha  the National Dental Commission bill 2023 , the Nursing and Midwifery ; and the Constitution ) scheduled castes ) Order ( Amendment ) bill , 2023 .It withdrew DNA Technology ( Use and Application ) Regulation bill , 2019

.When the houses started at 2:30 opposition didn’t relent despite appeals from speaker as well as Home minister to start the Manipur discussion .

Headline : AAP leader suspended for session

AAP Rajya Sabha member and floor leader Sanjay Singh was suspended for rest of the Monsoon session in Monday . He was repeatedly demading PM Modi to speak on Manipur in parliament while question hour was going on .

SC stays ASI scientific survey of Gyanvapi Mosque till tomorrow evening :

SC on Monday ordered to maintain status quo till 5 PM Wednesday over Gyanvapi Mosque Scientific survey . The ” scientific survey ” was ordered by a Varanasi court to ascertain whether there were a temple structure before the mosque was built at the same place .

                           SC in an order earlier had sealed the Wazukhana part of the premises where the  shiv linga was found . Earlier Allahabad High court had denied survey of survey . The petitioner was telling that the session courts order was against SC and HC orders . But the Hindu side told that the survey was ” non evasive ” and not in life any excavation .

Headline : Govt approves 8.15 % interest rate for PF deposit in 2022-23

Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the EMployees Provident Fund of India (EPFO ) had recommended govt to increase interest rate from 8.10% to 8.15%.

Headline : Manipur asks Assam Rifles to push back 718 refugees from Myanmar .

The Manipur government on Monday asked the Assam Rifles to immediately “push back” 718 Myanmar nationals, including 301 children, who entered the State illegally on July 22 and 23. The State government also sought a detailed report from the border guarding force on how the “refugees” were allowed to “enter illegally”

                               The Assam Rifles had informed the Deputy Commissioner of Chandel district that due to “ongoing clashes” at Khampat in Chin State of Myanmar, a total of 718 fresh refugees had entered the New Lajang area in Chandel on July 22 and 23.

                  Since military coup in Mayanmar in fabruary 2021 , 40,000 refugees from Myanmar has taken shelter .

 Chandel district throuh which Naga got emigrated

Headline : In a first train carrying essential items reaches state .

North Frontier Railway operated first goods train on carrying essential goods like Potato , sugar. , Onion and other FMCG goods in the Jiribam Imphal new rail line  project .

             Since Manipur didn’t have freight connectivity yet the valley depended on NH2 connecting from Dimapur in Nagaland to Imphal . NH2 was blocked by kukis for over 60 days affecting supplies in Valley regions of Imphal .

Jirbam Imphal new line

Headline :SC rejects Bengal plea into NIA probe RamNavami violence .

SC on Friday refused to interfere Calcautra HC order upholding  NIA probe . SC said it is up to center to decide where to use NIA .

                 NIA generally investigates matters related to terrorist activities .

Headline : No award without undertaking from candidates : panel .

Parliamnetary standing committee on tourism , transport and culture in its report submitted to the Rajya Sabha on Monday has suggested that awards by various literary and cultural body under ministry of culture need to take an undertaking that the awardee will not return the award due to any political reasons , and in case he returns he will not be liable to rect any such award in future .

                    The committee observed that the award given by culture ministry such as Sahitya Academy   were apolitical in nature.    “There is no place for politics. The committee, therefore, suggests that whenever an award is given, the consent of the recipient must be taken, so that he or she does not return it because of political reasons; as it is disgraceful to the country”.

There has been incidences when many were returning their awards .

Headline:House Panel Expresses concern over slow pace of documentation of antiquities .

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture noted in its report submitted in the Rajya Sabha on Monday that the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA), which is mandated with documenting the country’s monuments and antiquities, has only been able to document 16.8 lakh antiquities out of a total of 58 lakh.

NMMA was launched in 2007 to document countries monuments and antiquities .later in 2017 it was merged with ASI .

                 Theft , smuggling of antiquities is a big problem . Last week the US handed over 105 trafficted antiquities to India .

Headline : Social security for Gig workers in Rajasthan .

Rajasthan Assembly on Monday passed a bill extending social security to Gig workers . The bill was passed without any difficulty .

The Rajsthan Platform Based Gig Workers ( Registration and Welfare ) Bill 2023 has following major points :

●     A Welfare board for Gig workers will be established . It will comprise 13 members .4 from Gig workers , 4 from Aggregators and 3 from state govt .

●     Gig workers and Aggregators will be registered . A Welfare fund will be established , the fund will charge aggregators a percentage of fee as welfare fee for Gig workers . The fund will help in social security schemes for Gig workers .

●     A effective dispute resolution mechanism between gig workers and platforms .

●     Penalties clause : The bill allows for penalties of the aggregator violates any clause a fine between ₹5 lakh and ₹ 50 lakh can be imposed on aggregators .

 Gig workers are those who provides services connecting with online apps .

Examples are food delivery  boys from Zomato and Swiggy . Ola , Uber , Rapido drivers , Urban clap and similar service provides .

  Headline : ISRO to launch C 56  carrying Singapore’s new imaging satellite .

The  C56 will be launched in July 30 . It carries six satellites . The most important amongst is Singapore’s DS SAR , a 360 kg satellite will be launched to equatorial orbit at 535 km altitude .The synthetic Radar Aperture in satellite provides all whether day and night coverege .

              DS SAR has been jointky developed by partnership of Govt of Singapore and ST engineering .

                                                            World

Headline : Israel controversial Judicial reforms bill gets parliament nod .

Israel parliament on Monday approved judicial reform bill . The 120 member knesset voted 64 in favour of bill . Despite protest from opposition parties in knesset bill was passed .

Israel has seen massive protest in recent months from its people against this bill . Passing of this may even worsen the situation further .  Opposition leader Yair Lapid said that the country was hearing ” towards a disaster ” .

                        The Judicial reform bill , now a law restricts judicial review of governments decision and laws . One of the major contentious issue in this bill .

Headline ; Inconclusive vote prompts political uncertainty in Spain .

100percent vote has been counted in Spain general elections .

 The  results shows hunf parliament . With 350 seats in total , 176 is required to form govt . People party coaliton with Vox forms only 169 seats while coalition of socialist party and Sumar forms only 156 . Several regional parties with less than 10 seats will play important role in formation of govt . it is unclear which way they will   learn ,but the prospect for People’s  Party looks higher .

Headline : Moscow and Crimea hit by drones ; Russia bombards ports in Ukraine South .

Two Ukrainian drones hit  buildings in Moscow near defense headquarters , confirmed Moscow Mayor . On the other hand Russia launched a barrage of missiles on port area near river Danube .destroying hangar and another cargo facility .

                                                                         Editorial 1
                                                                    Still Incomplete

India’s ties with Srilanka is bound by the Tamil question .

 About the editorial :

The editorial talks about Srilanka s President recent visit to India in which  several important agreements were signed . The editorial talks that despite these some contentious issues remained as it is .

Agreements signed :

Srilanka’s president Ranil Wickramshinghewas on  India’s visit last week .The joint statement named ” India Srilanka Economic Partnership Vision : Promoting connectivity , Catalysing Prosperity ” talks about vision in five areas : maritime , air , energy , trade and people to people contact .”

Maritime and air connectivity : It will involve development .of ports and airport in Srilanka , resuming ferry services and air connectivity of Tamil Nadu and Srilanka’s nothern and eastern provinces .

Energy : Developing solar and wind parks in Srilanka .

Trade : To introduce UPI payment system in Srilanka . And work for making Rupee as trade currency

People to people contact :  Increasing tourism , cultural.and religious travel and educational collaboration .

What is lacking  :

 The joint statement didn’t talk about contentious issues like situation of Tamils , and for this implementation of Article 13 A which talks about local elections in Srilanka .The issues of fisherman who were in Srilankan jails has not been resolved .

Though PM modi in its statement talked about 13 A . Wickramshinghe talked of none of these .

Amicable resolution of these issue is essential to make the relationship more smooth

                                                                    Editorial 2

                                                               Never Ending Saga

Another round of legal tussle awaits the perpetual dispute over governing Delhi .

 About the editorial :

The editorial talks of new court tussle related to NCT Delhi . SC recently sent Delhi Ordinance case by AAP to a five judge constitution Bench . The editorial talks about what favours each side .

 About NCT Delhi :

It  is. 3 Rd constitutional bench in recently years that will be hearing the Delhi case .

Special status of Delhi  ( Article 239 ) has given Land , public order and Police subjects of state list under center’s control .

Subject 41 in state list is State Public services which should be in in Delhi’s govt control . As ” services ” has not been exempted from states power in Delhi’s case . Supreme court in its recent judegemt cited that as ” services” comes under state list so it will be under Delhi govt .

                     Center by Ordinance brought the ” services ” under control of lieutenant governor agian . SC will examine whether bringing of Ordinance amends Constitution . AAP govt has cited that it is constitutional amendment , how ever Article 239AA  read it any law made by Union will not be assumed to be a constitutional amendment .          

                       It will be interesting to see what the constitutional bench looks into these and what it’s verdict will be .