viewSC notice puts Advani, top BJP leaders in a fix (Page 1) a) National. b) Polity. ... 9. Core sector reports marginal growth (Page 13) a) Economy

Current Affairs from The Hindu DATE:01-04-15

S.NO. NEWS ITEM SYLLUBUS ESSENCE OF THE ARTICLE1. China ready to

work on trilateral cooperation (Pages 1 and 9)

a) I.R a) Chinese Ambassador to India said that China would like to address the issue of trade imbalance and is willing to provide greater opportunities to India for exports.

2. India begins evacuating citizens (Page 11)

a) International a) After a delay in beginning the evacuation of Indians stranded in Yemen due to intensified fighting in Aden, India received permission to dock its vessel at the port of Aden to evacuate Indians to Djibouti.

3. The West and its flawed anti-IS strategy (Page 8)

a) International a) If the West genuinely wants to fight terror and promote a peaceful future in troubled West Asia region, it will have to confront its silence and dual standard on serious challenges that threaten the region today.

4. Japan could join AIIB by June (Page 12)

a) International a) Japan could join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in the next few months, deserting the US.

5. Progress on n-deal: Iran (Page 12)

a) International a) Iran and six world powers increased the pace in negotiations over a preliminary deal on Tehrans nuclear programme, while officials cautioned that any agreement would likely be fragile and incomplete.

6. SC notice puts Advani, top BJP leaders in a fix (Page 1)

a) National

b) Polity

a) The Supreme Court sought the responses of BJP leader L.K. Advani and 19 others on a petition that sought their trial on charges of conspiracy to demolish the Babri Masjid in 1992.

7. Land ordinance on track (Page 1)

a) National

b) Polity

a) The Union Cabinet discussed re-promulgation of the Land Acquisition Ordinance but refrained from making an official announcement on the decision taken.

8. Gujarat anti-terror Bill passed finally (Pages 1 and 10)

a) National

b) Polity

a) The Gujarat Assembly passed the landmark Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Bill 2015.

9. Core sector reports marginal growth (Page 13)

a) Economy a) Reflecting stagnation in the infrastructure space, the eight core sectors showed a marginal growth of 1.4 percent in February.

10. Nendran Banana gets GI tag (Page 7)

a) National

b) Geography

a) Keralas Nendran Banana and Karnatakas Bangalore Rose Onion have got Geographical Indication (GI Tag).

1


S.NO. NEWS ITEM SYLLUBUS BACKGROUND IMPORTANT POINTS1. China ready to

work on trilateral cooperation (Pages 1 and 9)

a) I.R a) India – China relations

b) Trade ties

c) Boundary disputes

d) Silk Road Economic Belt

e) Maritime Silk Road (MSR) project

f) Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)

g) BCIM Economic Corridor

a) Chinese Ambassador in New Delhi Le Yucheng said that China would like to address the issue of trade imbalance and is willing to provide greater opportunities to India for exports.

b) Asserting that China was willing to work with India to conduct trilateral cooperation involving other South Asian nations, he said there was no basis to the fear that India would be encircled by China.

c) The Ambassador identified several areas, which he suggested present new avenues for cooperation between India and China. These include infrastructure development and regional security apart from already expanding ties.

d) On the boundary issues, he said the two sides reviewed the positive progress achieved at the previous Special Representatives Meetings over the past years and stressed the progress of the framework negotiation along the right track on the basis of the realised results and consensus, while taking the big picture of bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples into consideration.

e) Both sides restated the need to properly manage and control conflicts and join

2


efforts to maintain peace and calm in the boundary area before the boundary question is finally settled.

f) On the Maritime Silk Route and Silk Road initiatives, he said said the Belt and Road initiatives put forward by China aims at achieving development and prosperity for the various countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century MSR by linking the past with the present, landmass with seas, and development strategies of various countries.

g) He said the initiative will create four billion people from more than 60 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa into a community of common destiny and interests.

h) He said the founding of the AIIB has not only been welcomed by Asian countries but developed countries, including France, Germany, Britain, Canada have also expressed willingness to join it.

i) India enjoys a unique geographical location, was a significant country along the ancient silk roads and spice route and is situated at the crossing point of contemporary Belt and Road.

j) India is Chinas natural and significant partner in promoting

3


the Belt and Road initiatives. Last year, India became one of the first prospective founding members of the AIIB. In the second half of this year, India will also host the third meeting of BCIM Economic Corridor Joint Working Group.

k) He said China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with India to link the Belt and Road initiatives with Indias Spice Route and Mausam projects and bring real benefits to the peoples in our two countries and throughout the region.

l) He also said that China takes the Indian concern of trade imbalance very seriously. Although the main reason for our trade imbalance lies in objective factors such as the differences in industrial structures of our two countries, we are willing to provide opportunities to increase Indias exports to China.

2. India begins evacuating citizens (Page 11)

a) International a) Yemen conflict

b) Operation Raahat

c) INS Sumitra

d) INS Mumbai

e) INS Tarkash

f) Houthi rebel group

a) After a delay in beginning the evacuation of Indians stranded in Yemen due to intensified fighting in Aden, India received permission to dock its vessel at the port of Aden to evacuate Indians to Djibouti.

b) Naval Ship INS Sumitra which was diverted from anti-piracy duty in the Gulf of Aden and anchored just off the

4


Yemen coast has entered Aden to assist evacuation operation that has been officially named Operation Raahat.

c) There has been increased urgency for evacuation with increasing fears of a ground invasion by Saudi-led forces into Yemen to fight back the Houthi rebels in control.

3. The West and its flawed anti-IS strategy (Page 8)

a) International a) Yemen conflict

b) West strategy

c) Houthi rebels

d) Islamic State (IS)

e) Al-Qaeda

a) Leaders in Washington, London, Paris and Berlin have not appealed to the UN nor have they asked for an end to the bombing of civilians in an effort to stop the advance of rebels in Yemen. Despite the question of sovereignty there has been not one word of censure from them.

b) In fact, Washington is supporting the strikes, France and the UK are giving them all possible technical help and Egypt, Turkey and even Pakistan plan to help with the ground offensive to back the Yemeni President Mansour Hadi, against Houthi rebels.

c) The rank duality in dealing with the situation in Yemen is not just the subject of some concern; it is the single largest reason why the war against IS and even its successor organisations will be unwinnable for these countries.

d) Despite 3000 air strikes by a US-led coalition of 62

5


countries that began operations last August to counter IS, IS continues to control more than an estimated 55,000 sqkms of area in Iraq and Syria. That IS is an evil terror group displaying unprecedented brutality is undoubtable.

e) That it is a threat to every country in the world should be obvious from the way the group has targeted every nationality -beheading American, British, Japanese and Egyptian citizens alike, burning alive a Jordanian national and broadcasting its terror worldwide in the most cruel way.

f) Even if the US and its coalition are able to strengthen Iraqi armed forces to conduct ground operations, it is meaningless until they are also able to enlist Syrian armed forces to launch a pincer-like action on the group that holds both countries. Without the ground forces, all victories over IS territory are worthwhile.

g) The Wests preoccupation with the removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the funding and arming of the groups that opposed him since 2011 led to complete surprise at the rapidity with which IS fighters have taken over Syrian and Iraqi towns.

h) The other fault with the Wests strategy is the action of

6


regime change, focussed on one leader as the single purpose of its wars in West Asia. Recent history should have taught the US, the UK and others that the removal of Saddam Hussein and Muammar Qadhafi have not been the end of the conflict; they have only marked the beginning of a more unpleasant and deadly version of conflict.

i) Another blunder has been the misreading of Arab Spring by the West. While many of the crowds that moved into Arab capitals (from Tunis to Damascus and Sanaa), demanded democracy and positive change, many just wanted regime change.

j) Interestingly, the countries in the West that delight at the thought of democracy in the countries of the so-called Spring missed the most significant point - all countries that saw their leadership change (Egypt, Syria, Libya, Yemen) were republics, whereas none of 8 monarchies (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, the Emirates, Jordan and Morocco) were destabilised.

k) Finally, there is a need for introspection inside Europe, the US, and even Australia, which have seen growing numbers of their citizens get through Turkey to join IS.

l) If the West genuinely

7


wants to fight terror and promote a peaceful future for the region, it will also have to confront its selective silence and dual standard on the serious challenges that threaten the region today.

4. Japan could join AIIB by June (Page 12)

a) International a) Japan – China relations

b) Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)

c) East China Sea

a) Sources said that Japan could join the China-led AIIB in the next few months, deserting the US - Japans foremost post-war ally.

b) But Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary informed that it is not true that Ambassador made such remarks forecasting Japans participation.

c) Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said that Japan was welcome to join the bank but it would have to take call.

d) The Japanese industrial houses see participation as beneficial, as the AIIB will be at the heart of building infrastructure in the region, offering substantial business opportunities. Besides, collaboration with the Chinese could help repair disputed ties between Beijing and Tokyo, highlighted by a dispute on a group of islands in the East China Sea.

e) Analysts say that over time, the US could change its position towards the new bank. However, visiting US Treasury Secretary said in Beijing that Washington still had its

8


concerns about the standards that the AIIB would maintain.

5. Progress on n-deal: Iran (Page 12)

a) International a) Irans nuclear programme

b) US – Iran nuclear deal

c) P5+1 group

a) Iran and six world powers increased pace in negotiations over a preliminary deal on Tehrans nuclear programme, while officials cautioned that any agreement would likely be fragile and incomplete.

b) For nearly a week, the US, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China have been trying to break the deadlock in the talks, which are aimed at stopping Iran from gaining the capacity to develop a nuclear bomb in exchange for easing international sanctions that are breaking its economy.

c) But disagreements on enrichment research and the pace of lifting sanctions threatened to destroy a deal that could end a 12-year deadlock between Iran and the West over Tehrans nuclear ambitions and reduce the risk of another Middle East war.

d) Iranian official said the two sticking points are the duration and the lifting of sanctions.

e) Officials said they were hoping to agree on some kind of declaration, while any actual preliminary understanding that is agreed might remain confidential.

6. SC notice puts Advani, top BJP

a) National a) Demolition of the a) Supreme Court sought the responses of BJP leader Advani

9


leaders in a fix (Page 1) b) Polity

Babri Masjid in 1992

b) CBI

c) Supreme Court

d) High Court

and 19 others on a petition that sought their trial on charges of conspiracy to demolish the Babri Masjid in 1992.

b) The CBI that investigated the case had accused them all but a trial court discharged them in a decision upheld by Allahabad High Court in 2010.

c) The apex court intervention following a petition could revive the latent but inconclusive questions about the role of the senior leaders of the ruling party in the demolition that caused violence across country and polarised it.

d) The Supreme Court also asked the CBI to explain why it unduly delayed the appeal against the HC order.

7. Land ordinance on track (Page 1)

a) National

b) Polity

a) Land Acquisition Ordinance

b) Parliament

c) Lok Sabha

d) Rajya Sabha

a) Union Cabinet discussed re-promulgation of the Land Acquisition Ordinance but refrained from making an official announcement on the decision taken.

b) Senior Cabinet sources said that the govt is determined to re-issue the ordinance in its changed form following amendments to the Bill introduced in the Lower House. Senior govt source highlighted that the process to enact an ordinance that will include the amendments passed by the Lok Sabha is under way.

c) The Rajya Sabha has been discontinued the session by

10


President Pranab, setting in motion the process for re-promulgation of ordinance which will lapse by April 5.

d) A new ordinance will have to be issued before Parliament re-convenes after recess on April 20.

8. Gujarat anti-terror Bill passed finally (Pages 1 and 10)

a) National

b) Polity

a) Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Bill 2015

b) Gujarat Control of Organised Crime Bill (GUJCOC) 2003

c) Cross-border terrorism

d) Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act

e) Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA)

a) Revisiting the disputed anti-terror legislation brought in by former CM Modi, Gujarat Assembly passed the landmark Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Bill 2015.

b) The new Bill is a re-worked version of the GUJCOC 2003, which was earlier rejected twice by the President due to some of its contentious provisions.

c) Citing past terror attacks in Gujarat, Minister of State Home raised concerns over Pakistans attempts at cross-border terrorism, Gujarats vulnerable coastline and the proliferation of criminal gangs, while underscoring the need for a strong law.

d) GUJCOC was respectively returned twice to the State legislature in 2004 and 2008 by then Presidents Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil. However, Gujarat again passed the same Bill in 2009 for the third time, which is now pending with the President. The new Bill of 2015 retains the same provisions of GUJCOC.

11


e) Several provisions of the Gujarat law are a replay of draconian anti-terror laws starting with the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act enacted in 1985.

f) Under the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Bill, the power given to investigating agencies to hold the suspect in custody for 30 days is a faithful echo of provisions of earlier laws like the POTA, which was repealed in 2004 by the UPA govt.

9. Core sector reports marginal growth (Page 13)

a) Economy a) Core sector growth a) Reflecting stagnation in the infrastructure space, the eight core sectors showed a marginal growth of 1.4 percent in February. There has been a continuous decline in this growth rate since December. Contraction in the output of 5 of 8 industries (steel, fertilizers and refinery products) dragged down the growth in February.

b) The core infrastructure industries of coal, crude oil, oil refining, natural gas, steel, cement, electricity and fertilisers account for 37.9 percent of the industrial output.

10. Nendran Banana gets GI tag (Page 7)

a) National

b) Geography

a) Geographical Indication (GI Tag)

b) Nendran Banana

c) Bangalore Rose

a) Keralas Nendran Banana and Karnatakas Bangalore Rose Onion have got GI Tag registrations from Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai.

b) Chengazhikodan Nendran Banana (also known Chengazhikode Banana) is

12


among most popular traditional fruits cultivated in Thrissur district, Kerala. This variety of Nendran Banana is famed for its characteristic taste, bunch shape and fruit colour.

c) The crop is mainly cultivated in organic mode and crop duration is 13-14 months.

d) The Bangalore Rose Onion grown in Bangalore and its surrounding areas is famous for its high pungency compared to other varieties.

e) GI refers to any indication that identifies the goods as originating from a particular place, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the goods is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.

f) Among GI tag recipients are the Naga Tree Tomato, Arunachal Orange, Sikkim Large Cardamom, Mizo Chilli, Assam Karbi Anglong Ginger, Tripura Queen Pineapple, Tezpur Litchi, Khasi Mandarin and Kachai Lemon, handicraft items such as Khurja Pottery, Banaras Gulabi Meenakari Craft, Varanasi Wooden Lacquer Wear and Toys and foods such as Ratlami Sev of Madhya Pradesh, Joynagarer Moa from West Bengal and Rajasthans Makrana Marble.

13

Documents

viewSC notice puts Advani, top BJP leaders in a fix (Page 1) a) National. b) Polity. ... 9. Core sector reports marginal growth (Page 13) a) Economy