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  • Role of Parliamentary Committees

    Central idea: This article discusses the importance and functions of parliamentary committees in India.

    Why in news?

    • As little as 25% of the Bills introduced were referred to committees in the 16th Lok Sabha, as compared to 71% and 60% in the 15th and 14th Lok Sabha respectively.
    • This represents a declining trend of national legislation being subjected to expert scrutiny.

    What is a Parliamentary Committee?

    • A committee appointed or elected by the House or nominated by the Speaker that works under the direction of the Speaker and presents its report to the House or the Speaker.
    • Two kinds of committees: Standing Committees and Ad hoc Committees.

    (1) Standing Committees

    • Permanent and regular committees constituted from time to time in pursuance of the provisions of an Act of Parliament or Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.
    • The work of these Committees is of continuous nature.
    • Examples include the Financial Committees and DRSCs.

    (2) Ad hoc Committees

    • Appointed for a specific purpose and cease to exist when they finish the task assigned to them and submit a report.
    • The principal Ad hoc Committees are the Select and Joint Committees on Bills.
    • Examples include the Railway Convention Committee and Joint Committee on Food Management in Parliament House Complex.

    Why need Parliamentary Committee?

    • Parliament scrutinizes legislative proposals (Bills) in two ways: discussion on the floor of the two Houses and referring the Bill to a parliamentary committee.
    • Since Parliament meets for 70 to 80 days in a year, there is not enough time to discuss every Bill in detail on the floor of the House.

    Role of the committee in the passage of a Bill

    • The debate in the house is mostly political and does not go into the technical details of a legislative proposal.
    • Referring a Bill to a parliamentary committee takes care of the legislative infirmity of debate on the floor of the House.
    • However, referring Bills to parliamentary committees is not mandatory.

    What is a Select Committee?

    • India’s Parliament has multiple types of committees.
    • Departmentally related Standing Committees focus on the working of different ministries.
    • Each committee has 31 MPs, 21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha.
    • The main purpose is to ensure the accountability of Government to Parliament through a more detailed consideration of measures in these committees.

    When does a committee examine a Bill?

    • Bills can reach a committee through a recommendation by the minister piloting the Bill or the presiding officer of the House.

    What happens when a Bill goes to a Committee?

    • The committee undertakes a detailed examination of the Bill, inviting comments and suggestions from experts, stakeholders and citizens.
    • The government also appears before the committee to present its viewpoint.
    • The committee’s report makes suggestions for strengthening the Bill.
    • While the committee is deliberating on a Bill, there is a pause in its legislative journey.
    • The Bill can only progress in Parliament after the committee has submitted its report.

    What happens after the report?

    • The report of the committee is of a recommendatory nature.
    • The government can choose to accept or reject its recommendations.
    • Select Committees and JPCs have an added advantage of including their version of the Bill in the report.
    • The minister in charge of that particular Bill can move for the committee’s version of the Bill to be discussed and passed in the House.

    Importance of these Committees

    • Parliamentary committees analyze the impact that a specific piece of legislation may have on governance indicators.
    • It recommends the government to take an ‘Action Taken’ report for the House to judge the progress made on the suggestions of the committee.
    • Though committee reports aren’t binding on the government, it helps the legislature ensure oversight of the executive.

     

  • UGC releases National Credit Framework (NCrF)

    The University Grants Commission (UGC) released the National Credit Framework (NCrF), which will allow students to earn educational credits at all levels, irrespective of the mode of learning i.e. offline, online, or blended.

    What is National Credit Framework (NCrF)?

    • The NCrF is a meta-framework that integrates the credits earned through school education, higher education, and vocational and skill education.
    • It consists of three verticals:
    1. National School Education Qualification Framework (NSEQF)
    2. National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) and
    3. National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)
    • The NCrF provides a mechanism for the integration of general academic education and vocational and skill education, ensuring equivalence within and between these two education streams.
    • Institutions would be free to notify their detailed implementation guidelines with flexibility for catering to their academic requirements.

    Key features

    (1) Credit System

    • Under the NCrF, one credit corresponds to 30 notional learning hours in a year of two semesters.
    • A student is required to earn a minimum of 20 credits every semester.
    • A student can earn more than 40 credits in a year.
    • Maximum credits a student can earn during schooling period is 160.
    • A three-year bachelor’s degree course will result in a total of 120 credits earned.
    • A Ph.D. degree is at Level 8 and earns 320 credits upon completion.

    (2) Study of Vedas:  Students can obtain credits for their proficiency in diverse areas of the Indian knowledge system, including the Puranas, Vedas, and other related components.

    (3) Indian Knowledge System (IKS): UGC notified the final report, which includes the components of the IKS. The IKS comprises 18 theoretical disciplines called vidyas and 64 practical disciplines, including vocational areas and crafts. These disciplines were the foundation of the 18 sciences in ancient India, as per the report.

    (4) Educational Acceleration: The NCrF supports educational acceleration for students with gifted learning abilities. It provides scope for crediting national/international achievers in any field, including but not limited to sports, Indian knowledge system, music, heritage, traditional skills, performing & fine arts, master artisans, etc.

    (5) International Equivalence: The international equivalence and transfer of credits shall be enabled through various multilateral/bilateral agreements between respective regulators of the countries concerned. NCrF would lend credibility and authenticity to the credits being assigned and earned under various programs in India, making these credits more acceptable and transferable internationally.

     

     

  • What is Large Hadron Collider (LHC)?

    hadron

    Central idea: The article provides an overview of the LHC, its construction, how it works, and what it has discovered. It also discusses the future of the LHC, including plans to upgrade it and build a bigger version.

    Large Hadron Collider (LHC)

    • The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world’s largest science experiment built by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN).
    • It is a collider that smashes two beams of particles in opposite directions and these particles are hadrons.
    • The LHC is on the energy frontier of physics research, conducting experiments with highly energized particles.
    • Currently, the LHC is being warmed up for its third season of operations following upgrades that have made it more sensitive and accurate.

    How does the LHC work?

    • Hadrons are subatomic particles made up of smaller particles, and the LHC typically uses protons.
    • Protons are energized by accelerating them through a narrow circular pipe that is 27 km long.
    • The pipe encircles two D-shaped magnetic fields created by almost 9,600 magnets.
    • Protons are accelerated through the beam pipe by rapidly switching the direction of the magnetic field.
    • Eventually, protons move at 99.999999% of the speed of light, according to the special theory of relativity.

    What happens when particles are smashed?

    • When two antiparallel beams of energized protons collide head-on, the energy at the point of collision is equal to the sum of the energy carried by the two beams.
    • The highest centre-of-mass collision energy the LHC has achieved so far is 13.6 TeV.
    • At the moment of collision, there is chaos, and energy coalesces into different subatomic particles under the guidance of the fundamental forces of nature.
    • Different particles take shape depending on the amount and flavour of energy available.

    What has the LHC found so far?

    • The LHC consists of nine detectors, and they study particle interactions in different ways.
    • The ATLAS and CMS detectors discovered the Higgs boson in 2012 and confirmed their findings in 2013.
    • Using the data from collisions, scientists have tested the predictions of the Standard Model of particle physics, observed exotic particles, and pieced together information about extreme natural conditions.

    What is the LHC’s future?

    • The LHC has not been able to find ‘new physics’ that can explain the nature of dark matter or why gravity is such a weak force.
    • One way forward is to improve the LHC’s luminosity by 10x by 2027 through upgrades.
    • Another idea is to build a bigger and more powerful version of the LHC, based on the hypothesis that it can find ‘new physics’ at even higher energies.
    • Physicists are divided on whether to invest in building a bigger machine or less expensive experiments with guaranteed results.

    B2BASICS

    What is Hadron?

    • Hadron is any member of a class of subatomic particles that are built from quarks and thus react through the agency of the strong force. The hadrons embrace mesons, baryons (e.g., protons, neutrons, and sigma particles), and their many resonances.

    CERN

    • European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) is the world’s largest nuclear and particle physics laboratory.
    • CERN is based in Geneva on the French-Swiss border. It has 23 member states.
    • India in 2016 became an associate member of the CERN. Indian scientists have played a significant role in the ALICE experiment, which is a dedicated experiment for search and study of Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP).

    Try this MCQ

    Which of the following is a subatomic particle made up of smaller particles and is commonly used in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)?

    (a) Protons

    (b) Electrons

    (c) Neutrons

    (d) Photons

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”uv5cuojqwi” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

  • International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Program

    Central idea

    • The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the US has retained the “Category 1” status for India’s aviation safety oversight following a review.
    • The FAA uses the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program to determine whether a country’s oversight of its airlines that operate or wish to operate to the US or enter into codeshare partnerships.

    What is the IASA Program?

    • The International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program is conducted by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
    • The program evaluates the safety oversight of civil aviation authorities in countries worldwide.
    • It determines whether a country’s oversight of its airlines that operate or wish to operate to the U.S. or enter into codeshare partnerships with U.S. carriers comply with safety standards established by the UN International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
    • The IASA program focuses on three broad areas, including personnel licensing, operation of aircraft, and airworthiness of aircraft.
    • Countries are rated as Category 1 if they comply with international safety standards, or Category 2 if they do not comply with international safety standards.
    • The IASA program is conducted over a one-year period, which includes physical audits and a further review.

    India’s commitment to aviation safety

    • The assessment by the ICAO as well as the FAA is a testimony to India’s commitment of having an effective safety oversight for its civil aviation system.
    • In November 2021, the ICAO conducted an audit, and India scored an Effective Implementation (EI) of 85.65%, an improvement from the previous EI of 69.95%.

     

     

  • Teja Singh Sutantar: Remembering the revolutionary leader

    teja

    Punjab Chief Minister unveiled a statue of Teja Singh Sutantar, a former MP and revolutionary leader.

    Teja Singh Sutantar

    • Teja Singh was born as Samund Singh in 1901 in Aluna village of Gurdaspur district.
    • After completing his schooling, he joined Khalsa College in Amritsar.
    • Following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919, he joined the Akali Dal to participate in the movement to liberate gurdwaras from degenerate mahants.
    • However, in September 1921, he formed his own squad called the Sutantar Jatha, which successfully liberated a gurdwara in a village called Teja in Gurdaspur district from the mahants.
    • He later freed another gurdwara in Othian village from mahants.

    Early life and revolutionary activities

    • In early 1923, Teja Singh went to Kabul as a Sikh missionary and there he came into contact with a few leaders of the Ghadar Party, who were preparing for their second attempt to overthrow the British government.
    • They persuaded Teja Singh to undergo military training, so he joined the Turkish military academy in 1925 under the pseudonym Azad Beg.
    • He later moved to Berlin and then to Canada and the United States, where he addressed congregations of Indians, mainly Punjabi Sikh immigrants.

    Political Career

    • After visiting several countries, Teja Singh returned to India and became a prominent leader of the communist party (CPI).
    • He contributed revolutionary articles to the party journal, the Kirti, frequently writing about issues that plagued peasants.
    • In May 1937, he was elected unopposed to the Punjab Legislative Assembly as a nominee of the Indian National Congress while he was still in prison.
    • He continued to remain a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly till 1945.
    • He was also the secretary of the Communist Party (Punjab) from 1944 to 1947.

     

  • Exercise Cope India 23

    The Indian Air Force (IAF) fighters, including Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Rafale, SU-30MKI, and Jaguars, are set to participate in bilateral air Exercise Cope India 23 with US Air Force (USAF) F-15 fighters and B-1B long-range bombers.

    Exercise Cope India

    • Cope India began in 2004 as a fighter training exercise held at Air Station Gwalior.
    • The exercise has evolved to incorporate subject matter expert exchanges, air mobility training, airdrop training and large-force exercises, in addition to fighter-training exercises.
    • The exercise was last held in 2009.
    • The exercise showcases US and India’s efforts and commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    Highlights of the 2023 version

    • The exercise will be conducted in two phases, with the first phase practicing the air-mobility component involving transport aircraft of both countries.
    • The IAF element will include the Su-30MKI, Rafale, Tejas, and Jaguar fighter aircraft, while Japan is taking part in the exercise as an observer.
    • The second phase of the exercise will witness the participation of B-1B bombers of USAF, and F-15 fighter aircraft of the USAF will join the exercise subsequently, according to an IAF statement.
    • The exercise will be supported by aerial refuellers, Airborne Warning and Control System, and Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft of the IAF.

     

  • ESA to launch Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) Mission

    juice

    The European Space Agency (ESA) is all set to launch the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or Juice, mission from its spaceport in French Guiana on an Ariane 5 launcher.

    What is the Juice Mission?

    • Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission is a project by the European Space Agency (ESA) to explore the Solar System’s largest planet Jupiter and its three largest moons, Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa.
    • Juice is constructed by an industrial consortium led by Airbus Defence and Space and is planned to reach Jupiter in 2031 using remote sensing, geophysical, and in situ instruments.

    Goals of the Juice mission

    • Juice aims to create a detailed map of the surfaces of Jupiter’s moons and to look beneath them to probe their potential habitability by creating a comprehensive picture of Jupiter.
    • One of the primary goals of the Juice mission is to gain insight into how planetary systems form and evolve over time and how possibly habitable environments can arise in Jupiter-like systems around other stars.
    • Juice will also analyze the chemistry, structure, dynamics, weather, and climate of Jupiter and its ever-changing atmosphere.

    Ganymede: Focus of the Juice mission

    • Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System and the only one to generate its magnetic field.
    • Juice will move into Ganymede’s orbit after approximately four of arriving at Jupiter.
    • Juice will use its suite of ten sophisticated instruments to measure how Ganymede rotates, its gravity, its shape and interior structure, its magnetic field, its composition, and to penetrate its icy crust using radar down to a depth of about nine km.

    Can Juice detect life?

    • Juice is not equipped to detect life on Jupiter or its moons.
    • It is, however, capable of finding out whether there could be places around Jupiter, inside the icy moons, where the necessary conditions, such as water, biological essential elements, energy, and stability, to sustain life are present.
    • Scientists believe that there is a possibility that life is present on Jupiter’s moons, in the form of microbes or more advanced species, such as those found in deep-sea trenches and at hydrothermal vents on Earth.

     

  • The 17th Lok Sabha: A Short-Lived Parliament with Low Productivity

    17th Lok Sabha

    Central Idea

    • The 17th Lok Sabha is set to complete its five-year term in 2024. However, with only 230 sitting days so far, it is unlikely to surpass the 331 days of the shortest full-term Lok Sabha since 1952. The latest session, the Budget session, was marked by minimal legislative activity and continuous disruptions, with only one item, the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address, being discussed.

    Low Productivity of the 17th Lok Sabha

    • The Lok Sabha has functioned for only 33% of its scheduled time (46 hours) during the Budget session, with the Rajya Sabha working for 24% (32 hours).
    • The second part of the session was even more unproductive, with the Lok Sabha working for only 5% and the Rajya Sabha for 6% of their scheduled time.
    • The number of Bills introduced and passed has also declined significantly since the first session, with fewer than 10 Bills being introduced or passed in each of the last four sessions.
    • The latest Budget session was also one of the shortest since 1952, with the Lok Sabha spending only 18 hours on financial business, compared to an average of 55 hours in previous Budget sessions of the 17th Lok Sabha.
    Lok Sabha Term Total Sitting Days Bills Introduced Bills Passed Average Sitting Days per Year
    15th 2009-2014 357 244 181 71
    16th 2014-2019 331 247 156 66
    17th 2019-2024 Less than 331 (projected) 150 (as of April 2023) 131 (as of April 2023) 58 (projected)

    Lack of Debates and Discussions

    • Short-duration discussions: The Rules of Procedure of both Houses of Parliament provide for various devices that can be used to draw attention to matters of public importance and hold the government accountable. However, in the 17th Lok Sabha, only 11 short-duration discussions and one half-an-hour discussion have been held so far, and none were held during the latest session.
    • Question Hour: This is despite the fact that the latest session saw the least amount of time spent on questions in the current Lok Sabha. Question Hour functioned for only 19% of the scheduled time in the Lok Sabha and 9% of the scheduled time in the Rajya Sabha.

    Why the Lok Sabha’s productivity has been low?

    • Disruptions and Protests: The 17th Lok Sabha witnessed frequent disruptions and protests from opposition parties, leading to a significant loss of time and decreased productivity. Some of the major issues that led to disruptions include the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC), and farm laws.
    • Lack of Consensus: The ruling party enjoyed a clear majority in the Lok Sabha, but there was still a lack of consensus on many key issues, resulting in a delay in passing important bills and legislation.
    • COVID-19 Pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic also contributed to the low productivity of the Lok Sabha as many sessions were delayed or cancelled due to safety concerns.
    • Speaker’s Decision: The decision of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to disallow opposition MPs from raising certain issues also resulted in protests and disruptions, further reducing the productivity of the house.
    • Shorter Sessions: The 17th Lok Sabha had shorter sessions compared to previous Lok Sabhas, which also contributed to lower productivity. Many important bills and issues were left pending as there was not enough time to discuss and debate them thoroughly.

    Implications of low productivity of the Lok Sabha

    • Delay in passing important bills: When the Lok Sabha is unable to function effectively, it can lead to a delay in passing important bills, which may have an adverse impact on the economy and governance. For example, crucial bills related to taxation, infrastructure, and social welfare may get delayed, affecting the overall progress of the country.
    • Poor quality of legislation: When the Lok Sabha is unable to function effectively, it may lead to poor quality of legislation. There may be a lack of debate and discussion, leading to hasty decision-making and poor-quality laws that may have unintended consequences.
    • Damage to democratic institutions: When the Lok Sabha is unable to function effectively, it can damage the democratic institutions of the country. It can erode the trust of citizens in the democratic process and lead to a feeling of disenchantment and disengagement among the people.
    • Wastage of taxpayers’ money: When the Lok Sabha is unable to function effectively, it leads to wastage of taxpayers’ money. The salaries and allowances of Members of Parliament are paid from the public exchequer, and if they are not able to discharge their duties effectively, it amounts to a waste of taxpayers’ money.
    • Negative impact on investor confidence: When the Lok Sabha is unable to function effectively, it can have a negative impact on investor confidence. Investors may be hesitant to invest in the country, leading to a slowdown in economic growth and development.
    • Lack of accountability: When the Lok Sabha is unable to function effectively, it may lead to a lack of accountability. Members of Parliament may not be held accountable for their actions, and the executive may be able to push through decisions without proper scrutiny or oversight.

    17th Lok Sabha

    Conclusion

    • The 17th Lok Sabha has been marked by low productivity and a lack of debates and discussions, despite the availability of mechanisms to hold the government accountable. The upcoming year is unlikely to see a significant increase in the number of sitting days. This lack of productivity and accountability could undermine the role of Parliament in a democracy and the ability of the government to pass important legislation.

    Mains Question

    Q. What are the reasons for the low productivity of the 17th Lok Sabha? What are the implications of its low productivity, and how might it affect the country’s progress and democratic institutions?

  • India Must Take Khalistan Extremism Seriously and Address The Root Causes

    Central Idea

    • The resurgence of Sikh extremism in the form of the self-styled Sikh extremist preacher Amritpal Singh, modelling himself on Bhindranwale of yore, has raised concerns in areas with a significant Sikh diaspora. The real cause for concern is that the current security dispensation has not learnt from past mistakes and needs to take appropriate action before the situation spirals out of control.

    Background: Bhindranwale Phenomenon

    • The resemblance of the self-styled Sikh extremist preacher, Amritpal Singh, to Bhindranwale is limited to style and lacks substance.
    • However, the extremist fringe among Sikh youth, including the Sikh diaspora in Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US, seems to be galvanized by the imposter’s attempts to revive the Bhindranwale mystique.
    • The links have been established by this ‘core group’ with pro-Khalistan groups such as the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), the Babbar Khasla, and the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF).

    Lessons from the Past

    • Inadequate current security dispensation: The current security dispensation does not appear to have learnt the right lessons from past mistakes.
    • Operation Blue Star: The Bhindranwale phenomenon was not a sudden development, and if it were properly handled, it could have been checkmated well before 1984, and the subsequent violence leading to ‘Operation Blue Star’ and the damage caused to Akal Takht could have been avoided.

    What was the Khalistan movement?

    • Dates to pre-independence era: The Khalistan movement, which started in the 1940s during British rule, calls for establishing a separate nation for Sikhs. When India became independent and Punjab was partitioned, its leaders demanded a special status for the state. However, the Central Government did not pay attention to these demands, and Sikhs felt betrayed, leading to the idea of a separate nation growing substantially.
    • Rise of Bhindranwale: Many individuals and organizations contributed to the Sikh revivalist movement; however, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale emerged as a charismatic leader after becoming the head of Damdami Taksal on August 25, 1977.
    • Failure to fulfil regional demand: Punjabi political parties, such as the Sikh Akali Party, failed to fulfil the regional demands concerning river waters and the transfer of Chandigarh as a capital city to Punjab. The devolution of power gave rise to Bhindranwale’s image among the masses.
    • Finally Military Operation: The military mission, OBS, was carried out between June 1 to June 10, 1984, to take control of key gurdwaras, including the Golden Temple in Amritsar, from Bhindranwale’s supporters. Bhindranwale was killed during the operation; however, in recent times, his image remains alive and well.

    Why is it being revived?

    • Political instability: Punjab in recent years has witnessed a political crisis leading to a change in governments, ruling political parties and CM’s giving chance for radical outfits to grow.
    • Economic challenges: Punjab state has a high employment rate (According to data from the Centre’s Periodic Labour Force Survey 2019-20, Punjab’s unemployment rate is higher than the national average). Also, the year-long Farmers’ protest in 2021 and railways blockades have led to the creation of negative sentiments among investors about the state’s investment environment leading to decreasing investments in Punjab and rising unemployment.
    • Rising communalism: multiple events of blasphemy have taken place in the state which is flaming the fire of communalism among the people of the state.
    • Provocation from Pakistan: Investigations by security agencies suggest links between Khalistani groups and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) – further increasing the likelihood of feelings of separatism due to drug trafficking and networking through Sikh pilgrimages.
    • Feeling to of persecuted minority: images of the 1984 anti-sikh riots and the topic of the non-persecution of culprits of the riots are being used to suggest that Sikhs are persecuted minority and thus they must have their own land in form of Khalistan.

    Cause of concern

    • Threat to national security and integrity: the resurgence of the Khalistan movement is a threat to national security similar to the Kashmir and NE insurgency.
    • May darken Punjab’s future: a poor law and order situation may deter investors to invest in Punjab thus further deteriorating its economy and leading to spillover effects in social and political sectors.
    • Involvement of diaspora: The idea of forming a separate state for Sikhs has died down in Punjab; however, it has attracted the attention of a large audience in the diaspora who now have settled in other nations for long and thus have lost their affinity with India as their homeland.
    • Misuse of social media: which defies any international boundary, thus misused by separatists in Pakistan and other nations.
    • Bilateral relations may be harmed: the Khalistan issue has already harmed Indo- Canada relations and now straining Indo-UK due to the conduction of Referendum 2020 in these countries despite the Indian Government’s objection.

    Avoiding Misreading of Sentiments

    • Wider perspective: Treating all that is happening now as evidence of a foreign conspiracy instead of facing up to the reality that this may be more than a mere emotional outburst of the Sikh extremist fringe is a grave mistake.
    • Finding the real cause: Blaming the current violence on the drug mafia with links to Pakistan can at best be a proximate, but not the real cause.

    Confronting the Threat

    • Innovative ways: India needs to find ways and means to defeat the ‘siren call’ of radical extremists of every hue, whether they be Khalistanis or other kinds of extremists.
    • Ensure balance and sense of unity: It needs to steer between the extremes of the right and left and ensure a greater sense of unity within the country, according to individual dignity and human progress, and demonstrating leadership in the comity of nations.

    Way ahead

    • The resurgence of Sikh extremism and the growing insecurity among Sikh youth and discontent prevailing among the Sikh peasantry needs to be addressed to prevent a repeat of the violent events that took place in the late 1970s to the 1990s.
    • Intelligence analysis should be prioritized to detect the signs of growing insecurity and discontent.
    • There is need for good intelligence to deal with the situation.

    Conclusion

    • India should not yield to the temptation of resorting to hard measures without understanding the true causes and join the ranks of nations that solely believe in strong-arm methods. India needs to effectively confront the threat posed by radical extremists, such as the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), while respecting liberal values and ensuring unity within the country.

  • China’s Renaming Exercise Undermines International Law

    Central Idea

    • China’s recent move to rename 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh and standardise those names on the basis of a map is an exercise of the Chinese perspective of international law, which goes against the international law widely adhered to by most members of the United Nations.

    Historical Basis of China’s Claims

    • China’s claims over disputed territories, such as the South China Sea, are often based on historical records, maps, and cultural relics.
    • China argues that these territories had been its territory since the Song Dynasty and, therefore, should be considered part of its sovereign territory. However, this approach is not recognized under international law and undermines the basis of the international legal system.

    Chinese perspective of international law

    • Jurisdiction rights: The Chinese perspective of international law is based on its strong stress on the principle of sovereignty. According to this view, sovereign states have an inalienable right to exercise jurisdiction over their territories and their people without interference from other states.
    • Historic rights: China combines its vision of sovereignty with the historic right to exercise jurisdiction over those territories or maritime areas as well, which were once ruled by a Chinese dynasty in the mediaeval or ancient era.
    • Undermines international legal system: The historic right approach makes China undermine the basis of the international legal system grounded in the sovereign equality of states and the general rules of international law.

    Contravention of international courts and tribunals

    • Contravenes the decisions of international courts and tribunals: China’s attempt to rename 11 disputed locations on historical and administrative bases contravenes the decisions of international courts and tribunals.
    • No convincing proofs: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) considers direct evidence of possession and the actual exercise of sovereignty as more convincing proof of title to a territory than indirect presumption from events in history.
    • Against the principle of uti possidetis juris: China’s renaming exercise goes against the principle of uti possidetis juris, which is the principle that the boundaries of newly independent states should follow those of the previous colonies.
    • Help of cartographic materials: China tries to buttress its territorial and maritime claims with the support of maps, but cartographic materials do not have any legal value by themselves. They constitute extrinsic evidence of varying reliability that might, depending on the circumstances, be used together with other evidence to establish a fact.

    What is the principle of uti possidetis juris?

    • The principle of uti possidetis juris is a Latin phrase that means as you possess under law.
    • It is a principle of international law that was developed in the context of decolonization. The principle holds that newly independent states should inherit the territorial boundaries that existed at the time of their independence.
    • The idea is that the territorial integrity of a new state should be protected and that the boundaries of the state should not be subject to change without the consent of the state.
    • The principle of uti possidetis juris is meant to prevent disputes over territorial boundaries that could lead to instability or conflict.

    Implications of China’s actions

    • China’s actions in Arunachal Pradesh undermine the international legal system based on the sovereign equality of states and the general rules of international law.
    • China’s historic right approach to sovereignty over territories and maritime areas is a cause for concern for other countries with territorial disputes with China.
    • China’s use of maps to support its territorial and maritime claims is not a legally valid argument and undermines the legal basis for resolving territorial disputes.

    Conclusion

    • China’s attempt to rename disputed territories in Arunachal Pradesh goes against established principles of international law and undermines the sovereign equality of states. The use of historical claims and maps to support territorial and maritime claims is not recognized in international law. This renaming exercise is likely to further strain India-China relations and impact regional stability. It is essential to uphold the principles of international law to ensure the independence and stability of new states and prevent challenges to territorial boundaries.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is the principle of uti possidetis juris? How does China’s attempt to rename territories in Arunachal Pradesh contravene the decisions of international courts and tribunals?