Summary of The Hindu 13th August 2024

Cloud over SEBI chief : BJP rejects JPC probe

The Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) and Congress continued to spar over the Hindenburg report on alienation against SEBI chief Madhavi Puri Buch .

Congress  is demanding  a Joint Parliamentary Committee ( JPC ) probe into the allegations .

BJP on Monday refused Congress demand of JPC . The BJP alleged that congress was part of “ wider conspiracy “ involving Hindenburg research and “ a tool kit “ gang to destabilise the Indian economy , crash the economic market and to create economic anarchy in the country .

However , investors had seen through the plot as the markets remained stable , BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar prasaad said in a press conference .

Mr Prasad said that billionaire “george Soros “ is an investor in Hindenburg and is known to be “  running a propaganda against the government led by PM Narendra Modi  “ .

Stock market remains calm

Opening the first Hindenburg report alleging SEBI chief to be involved in corruption , the stock market remained stable on Monday .

The BSE index closed at a minor loss of 57 points ( .07 % ) at 79,649 points . While NSE’s NIfty 50 closed with a loss of 20.50 points (. 08% ) at 24,347 .

Adani group’s stock was burnt and lost an estimated 13.4 billion dollars in  value . Eight of 10 Adani group stocks closed with losses .

The losses were between ( .65 % to 4.14% ) .

In January 2023 , when the Hindenburg report was published , its stocks had crashed more than 10 % each . The group had lost 104 billion dollars in Market value .

Statistical effect pulled inflation to 59 month low of 3.54 % in July

Inflation in July came to a 59 month low to 3.54% . In June it was 5.1% .

The food price inflation moderated to a 13 month low to 5.4% from earlier 9.4% .

Core inflation rose from 3.1% in June to 3.4% in July .

Urban inflation dropped just below 3% in July from 4.4% in June .

Rural inflation came down to 4.1% in July from 5.7% in July .

This marks the first time after a long time that inflation has come below 4% .

India’s Monetary policy aims to keep inflation near 4%.

Headline inflation = Inflation = Energy + Food + Other

Core inflation = inflation not including inflation in Food and Energy  .

Anti terror operations continue in Kishtwar , Anantnag , Udhampur

Anti terrorist operations in Anantnag , Kishtwar and Udhampur continued for a third day on Monday .

In Anantnag the terrorists are using topography and Jungles in the region to hide.

Currently there are three to four terrorists still hidden in the area . Earlier two security personnel and one civilian had died in exchange of fire .

The terrorists are still hiding and have not been cracked up yet in Udhampur and Kishtwar as well . At both places two to three terrorists and one civilian died .

Take steps to reopen Shambhu border , SC tells Punjab , Haryana

The Supreme Court on Monday urged the Punjab and Haryana government to work together towards a phased opening of the Shambhu  border .

Shambhu border is at Punjab Haryana border .

A bench led by Justice Suryakant Misra orally approved the two states suggestion of names to fill a ‘ neutral ‘ panel to open negotiation with

agitating farmers . The court agreed to pass a judicial order about the panel .

The border has been blockaded by Kisan Protesters since February  .  In February farmers were given a call to mobilise in Delhi by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha ( KMM ) and  Samyukta Kisan. morcha ( SKM ) . This was about farmers demand of legal guarantee of MSP and waiver in farm loans .

 Haryana police blocked them at Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana.  Farmers parked their vehicles, blocked the highway and started living in tents .

Earlier Punjab and Haryana High court had ordered to remove police barricades within a week.  The Haryana government moved to the Supreme Court ( SC ) against this order .

SC on Monday noted that “ highways are not parking spaces “ for tractors and heavy duty vehicles . And it was essential  to at least partially open the main highway to facilitate the movement of medical emergency vehicles , local people travelling .

Their right to free movement had to be protected .

SC declines petition for against decision for fresh UGC NET exam

 A three judge bench of the Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea against the Education ministry’s decision to conduct UGC NET examination on August 21 .

The ministry has cancelled the June 18 exam after finding that the exam was compromised .

The Home Ministry cyber cell had said that question papers were leaked on the darknet .  A CBI enquiry was ordered by the Ministry of education .

Cancelling the 47  field , SC said that it did not want to introduce chaos and uncertainty by passing any order against the government in this case .

NCERT finds several shortfalls in functioning of Kasturba Balika Vidyalaya

NCERT submitted its report on the functioning of Kasaturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya ( KGBVs ) to the ministry of education on Monday.

254 KGBVs were covered during evaluation .

Lack of transparency  in the utilisation of funds , weak infrastructure, shortage of teachers , low salary of teachers and concerns about safety of teachers are among challenges identified in the evaluation .

Of the 5639 approved KGBVs , 4260 are fully functional , 799 partially functional and 580 are completely non-functional as of June 30 , 2023 according to the report .

A greater percentage of non-functional KGBVs are in Bihar ( 132 ) followed by Andhra Pradesh ( 88 ) , Jammu and Kashmir ( 84 ) , UP ( 78 ) .

In all 6 ,88,013 girls are enrolled from classes 6 to 12 in 5035 KGBVs .

KGBVs provide residential school facilities for girls of weaker sections . 75 % of the admission has been reserved for SCs , STs , OBCs and girls from weaker sections. 25% seats are reserved for  girls below the poverty line .

 The class covered under this is from class 6 to 12.

Seven killed in stampede at temple Bihar’s Jehanabad

At least seven persons were killed and 16 others injured in a stampede at Baba Siddheshwar Nath temple in Jehanabad district of Bihar.

The number of deaths is expected to increase .

The temple was full of devotees on Monday , as it is Srawan month , and devotees gather more in number on Monday .

World

Iran could launch ‘ significant ‘ attack on Israel this week : US

Iran could launch a “ significant “ attack on Israel later this week , the white House said on Monday .

“ We have to be prepared , what could be a significant set of attacks “, National Security Advisor spokesperson John Kirby told reporters..

He further informed that Joe Biden has called leaders of France ,Germany , Italy and Britain on Monday to discuss growing tension .

Iran had vowed to avenge the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh .

Russia evacuated two border regions as it fights Ukrainian forces

Russia has ordered the evacuation of two other border districts near Kursk .

This has come after last week’s incursion by Ukrainian forces in Kursk . Fight between the two forces is still going on in Kursk .

Around 18,000 people from the border areas of Kursk have already been evacuated .

Border areas of Belovsky and Krasnoyarzhsky have been ordered fresh evacuation orders .

This  will account for around 76,000 people being ordered for evacuation .

Bangladesh is experiencing a student led revolution : Yunus

Bangladesh’s new  interim leader Mohammad Yunus on Sunday in a media briefing said that the country was “ experiencing a student-led revolution “ .

“ This is a revolution , a student-led revolution. “

“ There is no doubt about ( that ) because the business of whole government has collapsed “

I said ,’ I respect you , I admire you . What you have done is absolutely unparalleled “ .

said Mr Yunus .

Students and young people have played pivotal roles around  the world that have brought down governments and forced change in government policies .

The March 2022 uprising in Sri Lanka that saw participation by young people over price rise and economic crisis led to the fall of president Gotabaya Rajpaksha .

Student protests in Greece led to the fall of military rule  in 1973 .

Split of Czechoslovakia in 1992 was also led by protests in which young people participated in large numbers leading to regime change and formation of Slovakia as a new country .

The  fuel behind the protest however can differ . Speculation that there were foreign hands in the Bangladesh protest can not be totally rejected .

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