The Taliban have pledged that women in Afghanistan will have rights “within the bounds of Islamic law,” or Shariah, under their newly established rule.
What is Shariah?
Shariah is based on the Quran, stories of the Prophet Muhammad’s life, and the rulings of religious scholars, forming the moral and legal framework of Islam.
The Quran details a path to a moral life, but not a specific set of laws.
Interpreting Shariah
The interpretations of Shariah are a matter of debate across the Muslim world, and all groups and governments that base their legal systems on Shariah have done so differently.
One interpretation of Shariah could afford women extensive rights, while another could leave women with few.
Critics have said that some of the Taliban restrictions on women under the guise of Islamic law actually went beyond the bounds of Shariah.
When the Taliban say they are instituting Shariah law, that does not mean they are doing so in ways that Islamic scholars or other Islamic authorities would agree with.
What does Shariah prescribe?
Shariah lists some specific crimes, such as theft and adultery, and punishments if accusations meet a standard of proof.
It also offers moral and spiritual guidance, such as when and how to pray, or how to marry and divorce.
It does not forbid women to leave home without a male escort or bar them from working in most jobs.
How has the Taliban previously interpreted Shariah?
When the Taliban controlled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, they banned television and most musical instruments.
They established a department for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice based on a Saudi model.
Restrictions imposed on Women
Restrictions on behavior, dress, and movement were enforced by morality police officers, who drove around in pickup trucks, publicly humiliating and whipping women who did not adhere to their rules.
In 1996, a woman in Kabul, Afghanistan, had the end of her thumb cut off for wearing nail polish, according to Amnesty International.
Other restrictions include a ban on schooling for girls, and publicly bashing people who violated the group’s morality code.
This August 20, marked the centenary of the Malabar rebellion, which is also known as the Moplah riots.
Try this question from CSP 2020:
Q. With reference to the history of India, “Ulgulan” or the Great Tumult is the description of which of the following event?
(a) The Revolt of 1857
(b) The Mappila Rebellion of 1921
(c) The Indigo Revolt of 1859-60
(d) Birsa Munda’s Revolt of 1899-1900
Sign-in to post your answers here.
Malabar Rebellion
The Malabar Rebellion in 1921 started as resistance against the British colonial rule and the feudal system in southern Malabar but ended in communal violence between Hindus and Muslims.
There were a series of clashes between Mappila peasantry and their landlords, supported by the British, throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries.
It began as a reaction against a heavy-handed crackdown on the Khilafat Movement, a campaign in defence of the Ottoman Caliphate by the British authorities in the Eranad and Valluvanad taluks of Malabar.
The Mappilas attacked and took control of police stations, British government offices, courts and government treasuries.
Who was Variyankunna Kunjahammed Haji?
He was one of the leaders of the Malabar Rebellion of 1921.
He raised 75000 natives, seized control of large territory from the British rule and set up a parallel government.
In January 1922, under the guise of a treaty, the British betrayed Haji through his close friend Unyan Musaliyar, arresting him from his hideout and producing him before a British judge.
He was sentenced to death along with his compatriots.
Recently the summit of Greenland received rain and not snow. This has sparked fear as scientists are pointing to it as evidence that Greenland is warming rapidly.
About Greenland
Greenland is the world’s largest island located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
It is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe (specifically Norway and Denmark, the colonial powers).
The majority of its residents are Inuit, whose ancestors migrated from Alaska through Northern Canada, gradually settling across the island by the 13th century.
It has three-quarters of its surface covered with a permanent ice sheet, which is increasingly coming under threat because of climate change.
Rain at Greenland: The rarest phenomenon
At the highest point on Greenland’s ice sheet, the US maintains a Summit Station, a research facility that observes changes occurring over the island as well as in Arctic weather.
Researchers observed rain at the normally frigid summit, with the precipitation extending up to Greenland’s southeast coast.
The rain, coupled with warm conditions, caused a major melting event at the summit.
This led to rapid ice melting running off into the ocean in volumes, thus accelerating global sea-level rise.
A cause of worry
Greenland, which is two-thirds the size of India, already witnessed one of its most severe melting events.
It has lost 8.5 billion tons of surface mass in one day– the third such extreme event in the past decade.
The UN’s “code red” climate report released last week concluded that the burning of fossil fuels led to Greenland melting in the last 20 years.
The rapid melting is also threatening polar bears, which now have to make their way hundreds of kilometers towards Greenland’s interior from the coasts, where they usually find enough food.
Even with a similar syllabus and similar study materials, most candidates fall in one of the following four categories when it comes to their Prelims score:
1) Prelims score 0-40: They need to work on improving their knowledge and learn answering tricks 2) Prelims score 50-70: They have decent knowledge and decent answering tricks. 3) Prelims score 80-100: They have good knowledge but they need to develop answering tricks. 4) Prelims score 120+: They have excellent knowledge and know all the answering tricks.
So, what to do? Clearing Prelims is all about Knowledge + Answering Tricks (Tikdams). And while you are studying hard to improve your knowledge, Sajal sir will help you improve your answering techniques, for absolutely FREE!
Let’s look at a few examples. Sajal sir will explain how you can answer these questions with smart techniques, even if you DON’T know the answer.
A) With reference to ‘fuel cells’ in which hydrogen-rich fuel and oxygen are used to generate electricity, consider the following statements :(UPSC 2016)
If pure hydrogen is used as a fuel, the fuel cell emits heat and water as by-products.
Fuel cells can be used for powering buildings and not for small devices like laptop computers.
Fuel cells produce electricity in the form of Alternating Current (AC).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
B) In India, under cyber insurances for individuals, which of the following benefits are generally covered, in addition to payment for the loss of funds and other benefits? (UPSC 2020)
1. Cost of restoration of the computer system in case of malware disrupting access to one’s computer.
2. Cost of a new computer if some miscreant willfully damages it, if proved so.
3. Cost of hiring a specialized consultant to minimize the loss in case of cyber extortion.
4. Cost of defense in the court of law if any third party files a suit.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2, and 4 only
(b) 1,3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
You can solve these questions with the help of techniques that Sajal sir will teach you in the webinar.
This is your opportunity to learn the tricks that can help you score 120+ in your Prelims. Join Sajal sir for a free webinar and this is what you can learn:
1. 10 Different types of elimination/intelligent guess techniques like (hard to verify facts, For this and NOT for this) through Solving Previous year UPSC questions.
2. How to master the Elimination techniques, used by toppers.
3. Ideal strategy for the Last 50 days for UPSC prelims 2021.
4. How to prepare for 2022 Prelims.
5. Which Topics to focus more upon while preparing for UPSC prelims (eg: Map should be given utmost importance while studying geography for prelims)
6.Open Q&A with Sajal sir
7.The art of Tikdam booklet by Dr V (Rank 20)
We are inviting all the serious aspirants to grab this FREE opportunity to learn the tricks that toppers use to score more than everyone else.
There are limited slots available so we request you to enroll now!
The Government has recently issued a Request for Proposal (RPF) to the two selected Indian Strategic Partners (SP) – for building six conventional submarines indigenously under Project 75 India or P-75I.
A backgrounder
Project 75 India is a part of India’s thirty-year-old submarine building plan by which all the six submarines which are under the project should already be sailing and it should have been followed by the submarines now for which the RFP has been issued.
It is a long-awaited and long-overdue project.
This should have happened way back but it got delayed because it was difficult to find a strategic partnership model.
What is Project-75I?
The Project 75I-class submarine is a follow-on of the Project 75 Kalvari-class submarine for the Indian Navy.
In the late 1990s, around the time of Kargil war, a three-decade plan took shape for indigenous construction of submarines.
It was known to have two separate series of submarine building lines – codenamed Project 75 and Project 75I — in collaboration with foreign entities.
Under this project, the Indian Navy intends to acquire six diesel-electric submarines, which will also feature advanced air-independent propulsion systems.
This is for enabling them to stay submerged for longer duration and substantially increase their operational range.
Air-independent propulsion (AIP)
AIP has the fuel cell technology which permits the batteries of the submarines to continue functioning even after it gets discharged.
It also reduces the chances of detection because the moment it comes closer to the surface, submarines are very prone to detection and after that, it becomes very difficult for a submarine to hide because it cannot move quickly under the water.
Hence, AIP gives longer endurance to submarines than what a conventional battery submarine can offer.
AIP is required on an urgent basis for the Indian Navy subs in view of the growing presence of the Chinese in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Strategic importance of submarines development
Ageing arsenal: Currently, India has less number of submarines than what is required with some more of those from both types being at various stages of construction. India currently operates one submarine each in nuclear-powered Classes of Chakra and Arihant and in addition to 14 submarines belonging to three classes of Diesel Electric category — Kalvari, Shishumar and Sindhughosh, some of which are ageing.
Combat roles in near future: The nuclear powered and diesel-electric submarines have their designated roles in the Carrier Battle Groups, which are formations of ships and submarines with Aircraft Carriers at the lead role.
Strategic deterrence: As per the basic principles of submarine deployment and the minimum requirement for India to create a strategic deterrence, there is a specific number of submarines of both types that India needs to have in active service.
Significance of Project 75 India
‘Make in India’ Projects: It will serve to facilitate faster and more significant absorption of technology and create a tiered industrial ecosystem for submarine construction in India.
Self-Reliance: From a strategic perspective, this will help reduce current dependence on imports and gradually ensure greater self-reliance and dependability of supplies from indigenous sources.
Securing Indo-Pacific: China is increasing its presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and this is creating pressure on the Indian Navy in sprucing up the submarine arm.
The Taliban has sent hundreds of its fighters to the Panjshir Valley, one of the few parts of Afghanistan not yet controlled by the group.
Panjshir Valley
Located 150 km north of Kabul, the Valley is near the Hindu Kush Mountain range.
It’s divided by the Panjshir river and ringed by the Panjshir mountains in the north and the Kuhestan mountains in the south.
The mountain tops are covered by snow throughout the year.
This difficult terrain makes the Valley a nightmare for invaders.
Why is it significant?
The Valley has repeatedly played a decisive role in Afghanistan’s military history, as its geographical position almost completely closes it off from the rest of the country.
The only access point to the region is through a narrow passage created by the Panjshir River, which can be easily defended militarily.
Famed for its natural defenses, the region tucked into the Hindu Kush mountains never fell to the Taliban during the civil war of the 1990s, nor was it conquered by the Soviets a decade earlier.
Panjshir Valley was among the safest regions in the country during the time of the NATO-backed government from 2001 to 2021.
The valley is also known for its emeralds, which were used in the past to finance the resistance movements against those in power.
Answer this PYQ:
Consider the following pairs
Towns: Country in news
Aleppo: Syria
Kirkuk: Yemen
Mosul: Palestine
Mazar-i-sharif: Afghanistan
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched? (CSP 2018)
Maintaining consistency is one of the biggest issues faced by IAS Aspirants. Streak’s initiative is to help Aspirants in their day-to-day preparation. You can follow the monthly, weekly, and daily timetables and continue this streak until you find yourself on the final list.
II. CSAT for UPSC Prelims || Free CSAT Sessions by Civilsdaily
III. UPSC PRELIMS-2021: Economy Current Affairs Most Probable Questions
Q1) Consider the following statements about Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
1. It is a short-term debt financing facility.
2. Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) are beneficiaries of this fund.
3. The final authority to sanction loans under the fund is with the banks after checking details and viability of the projects.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
a. 1 and 2 only
b. 2 and 3 only
c. 1 and 3 only
d. All of the above
Q2) Consider the following statements with respect to Employees’ State Insurance Corporation of India (ESIC)
1. It is a statutory corporate body established under an Act of Parliament.
2. It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
Q3) Consider the following statements about the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020:
1. A farming agreement cannot be entered for sale, lease or raising of any permanent structure in the land of the farmer.
2. If a farmer fails to honour his commitment as per the farming agreement, recovery can be initiated against the land of the farmer.
3. The Block Development Officer will function as a Sub-Divisional Authority for deciding the disputes under the farming agreements.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q4) Consider the following statements about the Code on Social Security, 2020:
1. The inter-state migrant workers have been defined under the Act as only the workers who are working in another state and have been recruited through a contractor.
2. It creates a statutory body, called the National Social Security Board, to be headed by the Prime Minister.
3. The aggregators will contribute between 1-2% of their annual turnover towards a social security fund for the gig economy workers.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Q5) Consider the following statements with respect to India Energy Exchange (IEX)
1. It is a virtual exchange used to trade carbon footprints of Industries and discoms.
2. It is launched by Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate change.
3.Energy saving certificates and Renewable Energy Certificates are products of IEX.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
a. 1 only
b. 1 and 2 only
c. 1 and 3 only
d. 3 only
IV. UPSC PRELIMS-2021: Most Probable Questions for UPSC Prelims 2021
Q1) Which of the following statements regarding Imported Inflation is/are correct?
1. When the general price level rises in a country because of the rise in prices of imported commodities it is known as imported inflation.
2. The weakening of the domestic currency may lead to imported inflation in the country.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q2) Which of the following given below is/are part of the current account in the Balance of Payments (BOP)?
1. Balance of trade
2. Balance of services and remittances
3. Investment and borrowing
Which of above statements are true?
1 and 3
2 and 3
1 and 2
All of them
Q3) Consider the following statements about Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status in context of international trade
1. It denotes equality of one country towards another nation in trade.
2. WTO members cannot violate the MFN clause in any conditions
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q4) Which of the statements given below is/are correct?
1. India’s tax system is progressive with heavy dependence on direct tax.
2. Direct tax-to-GDP ratio remains consistently higher than that of indirect tax-to-GDP.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q5) Consider the following statements about Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT)
1. It is aimed to facilitate the taxation of ‘zero tax companies‘ i.e., those companies which show zero or negligible income to avoid tax.
2. It is calculated on book profits of a company.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
V. Daily Dose: Complete Snapshots of Everyday News
On July 15, the Centre issued a notification moving power tillers (PT) and their components from the “free” to “restricted” category indicating a clear intent to provide protection to the domestic industry.
How heterodox opening policies affects farming
Heterodox opening policies, being open on the export side while being closed on the import side, have long-term unintended consequences.
Productivity loss: One impact of heterodox policies is subpar mechanisation and productivity loss in agriculture.
India’s mechanisation coverage is around 40-45 per cent, compared to 90 per cent in developed countries.
At present, only Punjab, Haryana and western UP have mechanisation rates between 70 and 80 per cent whereas in eastern and southern states it is between 35 and 45 per cent, with even smaller coverage in North-Eastern states.
Comparatively high tariffs on agricultural machinery, placement under restricted trade hits the cog in the wheel of mechanisation.
Uncertainty and lower trade: A shift to restricted category and frequently changing tariffs engenders uncertainty and lowers trade.
Disincentivise innovation: Such policies also disincentivises domestic machine manufacturers to invest and innovate — the perils of protection.
What India can learn from Bangladesh on farm mechanisation
Starting lower, Bangladesh overtook India in mechanisation by 2006.
A perfect example of orthodox opening in the late 1980s, Bangladesh removed import bans on Power Tiller and other machinery like diesel engines.
By 1995, PT were made duty free and credit support was provided for purchases.
Studies have credited PT in increasing the rice yield in Bangladeh, which grew 2.1 per cent annually from 1990, compared to 1.6 per cent between 1960 and 1989.
Way forward
If productivity in agriculture and incomes of farmers were to go up significantly, Indian agriculture must hit the mechanisation frontier.
Liberal and Stable trade policies: Liberal and stable trade policies will increase access, competition will expand varieties and bring down the prices.
New trade economics teaches us that farmers would be successful in trading or accessing markets only when highly productive, which beckons large scale and intensive mechanisation.
Credit support: Bangladesh also shows the role of complementary policies such as credit support.
Once the farmers achieve sufficiently high productivity, they can access markets and even integrate with global value chains (GVC) if allowed by policy as intended in the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020.
Conclusion
Liberal trade in machinery presents an opportunity to access distant and international markets. The key is to be both ways open.
Even with a similar syllabus and similar study materials, most candidates fall in one of the following four categories when it comes to their Prelims score:
1) Prelims score 0-40: They need to work on improving their knowledge and learn answering tricks 2) Prelims score 50-70: They have decent knowledge and decent answering tricks. 3) Prelims score 80-100: They have good knowledge but they need to develop answering tricks. 4) Prelims score 120+: They have excellent knowledge and know all the answering tricks.
So, what to do? Clearing Prelims is all about Knowledge + Answering Tricks (Tikdams). And while you are studying hard to improve your knowledge, Sajal sir will help you improve your answering techniques, for absolutely FREE!
Let’s look at a few examples. Sajal sir will explain how you can answer these questions with smart techniques, even if you DON’T know the answer.
A) With reference to ‘fuel cells’ in which hydrogen-rich fuel and oxygen are used to generate electricity, consider the following statements :(UPSC 2016)
If pure hydrogen is used as a fuel, the fuel cell emits heat and water as by-products.
Fuel cells can be used for powering buildings and not for small devices like laptop computers.
Fuel cells produce electricity in the form of Alternating Current (AC).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
B) In India, under cyber insurances for individuals, which of the following benefits are generally covered, in addition to payment for the loss of funds and other benefits? (UPSC 2020)
1. Cost of restoration of the computer system in case of malware disrupting access to one’s computer.
2. Cost of a new computer if some miscreant willfully damages it, if proved so.
3. Cost of hiring a specialized consultant to minimize the loss in case of cyber extortion.
4. Cost of defense in the court of law if any third party files a suit.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2, and 4 only
(b) 1,3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
You can solve these questions with the help of techniques that Sajal sir will teach you in the webinar.
This is your opportunity to learn the tricks that can help you score 120+ in your Prelims. Join Sajal sir for a free webinar and this is what you can learn:
1. 10 Different types of elimination/intelligent guess techniques like (hard to verify facts, For this and NOT for this) through Solving Previous year UPSC questions.
2. How to master the Elimination techniques, used by toppers.
3. Ideal strategy for the Last 50 days for UPSC prelims 2021.
4. How to prepare for 2022 Prelims.
5. Which Topics to focus more upon while preparing for UPSC prelims (eg: Map should be given utmost importance while studying geography for prelims)
6.Open Q&A with Sajal sir
7.The art of Tikdam booklet by Dr V (Rank 20)
We are inviting all the serious aspirants to grab this FREE opportunity to learn the tricks that toppers use to score more than everyone else.
There are limited slots available so we request you to enroll now!
