ISLAMOPHOBIA IS RISING IN INDIA: OIC
Why in news? Calling on the Indian government to take steps to protect Muslim minorities who are being “negatively profiled,” facing “discrimination and violence” amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has criticised what it called “growing Islamophobia” in India. Recently the Ministry of External Affairs had reacted sharply to two […]
GRANT OF CONSULAR SERVICES, EXTENDED SUSPENSION OF EXISTING VISAS
Why in news? Union Ministry for Home Affairs (MHA), on 28.03.2020, had granted consular services on gratis basis to foreign nationals, presently residing in India due to travel restrictions in the context of COVID-19 outbreak, till 30th April, 2020. After considering the matter, it has been decided to extend the period of providing the following […]
PUNE ZILLA PARISHAD PLANS TOUGH ACTION TO CHECK DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Why in news? To counter the increasing cases of domestic violence during the current COVID-19 lockdown, the Pune Zilla Parishad has borrowed a leaf from the virus prevention handbook. Abusive husbands and wife-beaters across Pune district now face institutional quarantine if there is a complaint of domestic violence. Surge in cases Globally, there has been […]
FOR A NEW GENERATION OF HEROES IN COURT
A primer It is because of their righteous conduct and commitment to the Constitution that some judges stand out. The travails of judicial life have been well catalogued, particularly withdrawal from society and the financial handicaps that accrue, but there are several who have sacrificed thriving litigation practices in order to offer their services to […]
FOR A FLOOR TEST FIRST: ON MADHYA PRADESH CRISIS
Why in news? Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh has to prove its majority on the floor of the legislature at the earliest. Delaying tactics by Mr. Nath goes against democratic principles. Also, the Governor’s position that the government will be presumed to have lost the majority unless it takes a floor test immediately […]
FOR A UNIVERSAL STATUS OF PERSONHOOD: FOREIGNERS ACT
Why in news? A series of judgments delivered by the Gauhati High Court over the course of the last few weeks has brought into sharp focus the utter brutality of the regime governing the Foreigners’ Tribunals in Assam. Difficulty in Proving These verdicts entrench the establishment of an unreasonable burden on people declared as deemed […]
A HEALTH SCHEME SANS CLOUT
Why in news? Mainstreaming transformative technologies in the healthcare ecosystem and boosting innovation in delivery are a major focus under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) — with the three intentions of containing costs, improving care quality, and bridging existing gaps in service provision. The PMJAY – Capability and Scope The unremitting sluggishness […]
MISSING AT BIRTH
Why in news? Recent case of infanticide in Tamil Nadu’s Usilampatti, historically notorious for its crude methods of killing female babies, sent a chill down the spine of the country. Years after it was believed that awareness generation and targeted behaviour change communication had led to people giving up the inhuman practice of feeding female […]
MAKING THE ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE FOR JUSTICE
Why in news? Some of the areas affected by the recent riots in Delhi resemble a battlefield — and more than 50 people have died. Judiciary’s moral authority The role of the judiciary in riot situations is extremely important, in that it could prevent a slide into chaos. The judiciary does not wield a sword […]
DISABLED AND EXTREMELY POOR
Why in news? Using the two rounds of the India Human Development Survey (IHDS) data for 2005 and 2012, the analysis shows there is a link between disability, loss of employment and impoverishment in rural India. Patterns of disability The prevalence of disability was 9.70% in the rural population in 2012. Of the disabled, more […]