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  • Streak Daily Initiative: Question Hour – Day 13

    Questions for the Day:

    Try these Mains Questions :

    Q: Discuss the meaning of “breakdown of constitutional machinery”. What are its effects? (10)

    Q: What are the essentials of true federation? Analyze the nature of the Indian federation? (15)

    Try these Prelims Questions :

    Q1. Under the doctrine of Original Jurisdiction, the Supreme Court decides the disputes between different units of Indian Federation. Which of the following are covered under the said jurisdiction?

    1. Dispute between the Centre and Union Territories

    2. Dispute between the Centre and States

    Select the correct answer using the code given below

    A 1 only

    B 2 only

    C Both 1 and 2

    D None of them 

    Q2.  Which of the following statements are correct regarding 7th schedule?
    1.Where there is a conflict between the Concurrent List and the State List, it is the former that should prevail.
    2.In case of a conflict between the Central law and the state law on a subject enumerated in the Concurrent List, the Central law prevails over the state law.
    3.If the state law has been reserved for the consideration of the president and has received his assent, then the state law prevails in that state.

    4. If a subject lies in none of the list of 7th schedule, both Union and state are free to make laws over it.

    Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

    A 1, 2 and 3 only

    B 2, 3 and 4only

    C 1,3 and 4only

    D All of them 

    Q3. The Parliament can make any law for whole or any part of India for implementing international treaties

    (a) with the consent of all the States

    (b) with the consent of the majority of States

    (c) with the consent of the States concerned

    (d) without the consent of any State

    Q4. Consider the following statements with reference to Zonal Councils:

    1. They were formed on the recommendation of Sarkaria Commission for better coordination between states.
    2. Chief Ministers occupy the position of Vice Chairperson on rotation basis.

    Which of the statements mentioned above is/are correct?

    A 1 only

    B 2 only

    C Both 1 and 2

    D Neither 1 nor 2

    Q5. Which of the following statements regarding Inter-State Council is/are correct?

    1. The Parliament defines the nature of duties to be performed by the Council.
    2. It can deal with any controversy whether legal or non-legal.
    3. Its function is advisory in nature.

    Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

    A 1 only

    B 2 and 3 only

    C 1 and 3 only

    D 1, 2 and 3

    Q6. With reference to Financial Emergency in India, which of the following statements is/are correct?

    1. Under Article 360 Parliament is empowered to proclaim a financial emergency when the financial stability or credit of India or any part of its territory is threatened
    2. During Financial Emergency, the President may issue directions for the reduction of salaries and allowances the judges of Supreme Court while the Governor can do the same for judges of High Court.

    Select the correct answer from the code given below:

    A 1 only

    B 2 only

    C Both 1 and 2

    D Neither 1 nor 2

    Sukanya madam’s video would be out at 7:00 PM and Santosh sir would provide the video at 9:00 PM.

    Watch this space for more updates exclusively for you.

  • Political Party in pre-independence India

    09th Aug, 2021
     

    Political Party in pre-independence India

    Political associations before the Indian National Congress

    • The Indian National Congress was not the first political organization in India.
    • However, most of the political associations in the early half of the nineteenth century were dominated by wealthy and aristocratic elements. They were local or regional in character.
    • Through long petitions to the British Parliament most of them demanded:
      • administrative reforms,
      • association of Indians with the administration, and
      • spread of education.
    • The political associations of the second half of the nineteenth century came to be increasingly dominated by the educated middle class and they had a wider perspective and a larger agenda.

    Political Associations in Bengal

    (1) The Bangabhasha Prakasika Sabha

    • It was formed in 1836 by associates of Raja Rammohan Roy.

    (2) The Zamindari Association,

    • More popularly known as the ‘Landholders’ Society’, was founded to safeguard the interests of the landlords.
    • Although limited in its objectives, the Landholders’ Society marked the beginning of an organized political activity and use of methods of constitutional agitation for the redressal of grievances.

    (3) The Bengal British India Society

    • It was founded in 1843.
    • Objective: the collection and dissemination of information relating to the actual condition of the people and to employ such other means of peaceful and lawful character as may appear calculated to secure the welfare, extend the just rights and advance the interests of all classes of our fellow subjects
    • In 1851, both the Landholders’ Society and the Bengal British India Society merged into the British Indian Association.
    • It sent a petition to the British Parliament demanding –
      • establishment of a separate legislature of a popular character;
      • separation of executive from judicial functions;
      • reduction in salaries of higher officers; and
      • abolition of salt duty, abkari and stamp duties.
    • These were partially accepted when the Charter Act of 1853 provided for the addition of six members to the governor-general’s council for legislative purposes.

    (4) The East India Association

    • It was organised by Dadabhai Naoroji in 1866 in London.
    • Objective: to discuss the Indian question and influence public men in England to promote Indian welfare.
    • Later, branches of the association were started in prominent Indian cities.

    (5) The Indian League

    • It was started in 1875 by Sisir Kumar Ghosh.
    • Objective: stimulating the sense of nationalism amongst the people and of encouraging political education.

    (6) The Indian Association of Calcutta

    • It is also known as the Indian National Association superseded the Indian League.
    • It was founded in 1876 by younger nationalists of Bengal led by Surendranath Banerjea and Ananda Mohan Bose, who were getting discontented with the conservative and pro-landlord policies of the British Indian Association.
    • The Indian Association was the most important of pre-Congress associations.
    • Objective: to “promote by every legitimate means the political, intellectual and material advancement of the people.”
    • It set out to
    1. create a strong public opinion on political questions, and
    2. unify Indian people in a common political programme.
    • It protested against the reduction of age limit in 1877 for candidates of the Indian Civil Service examination.
    • The association demanded simultaneous holding of civil service examination in England and India and Indianisation of higher administrative posts.
    • It led a campaign against the repressive arms act and the vernacular press act. Branches of the association were opened in other towns and cities of Bengal and even outside Bengal.
    • The association sponsored an all India conference which first took place in Calcutta on December 28 to 30, 1883. It later merged with the Indian National Congress in 1886.

    Political Associations in Bombay

    (1) The Poona Sarvajanik Sabha

    • It was founded in 1867 by Mahadeo Govind Ranade and others, with the object of serving as a bridge between the government and the people.

    (2) The Bombay Presidency Association

    • It was started by Badruddin Tyabji, Pherozshah Mehta and K.T. Telang in 1885.

    Political Associations in Madras

    The Madras Mahajan Sabha was founded in 1884 by M. Viraraghavachari, B. Subramaniya Aiyer and P. Anandacharlu.

    Pre-congress campaigns

    These campaigns were –

    (i) for the imposition of import duty on cotton (1875)

    (ii) for Indianisation of government service (1878-79)

    (iii) against Lytton’s Afghan adventure

    (iv) against Arms Act (1878)

    (v) against Vernacular Press Act (1878)

    (vi) for the right to join volunteer corps

    (vii) against plantation labour and against Inland Emigration Act

    (viii) in support of Ilbert Bill

    (ix) for an All India Fund for Political Agitation

    (x) campaign in Britain to vote for the pro-India party

    (xi) against reduction in maximum age for appearing in

    Indian national congress

    Foundation of Indian National Congress

    • First session held in 1885 (Bombay).
    • Indian National Union, formed by A.O. Hume, became Indian National Congress.
    • Foundational theories of INC and prominent believers:

    a. Safety Valve Theory —Lala Lajpat Rai

    b. Conspiracy Theory—R.P. Dutt

    c. Lightning conductor Theory—G.K. Gokhale

    Important leaders of Moderate Phase

    • Dadabhai Naoroji, Badruddin Tyabji, Pherozeshah Mehta, P.Ananda Charlu, Surendranath Banerjea, Romesh Chandra Dutt, Ananda Mohan Bose, G.K. Gokhale, etc.

    Early Nationalist Methodology

    • Constitutional agitation within four walls of law
    • Create public opinion in India and campaign for support to Indian demands in England
    • Political education of people
    • Political connections with Britain in India’s interests at that stage
    • Time not ripe for direct challenge to colonial rule

    Contributions of Moderate Nationalists

    • Economic critique of British imperialism
    • Constitutional reforms and propaganda in legislature
    • Campaign for general administrative reforms
    • Defense of civil rights

    All-India Muslim League

    Background:

    • The communal idea that the Muslims are a separate nation was sown into the Indian political ethos first by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, a philosopher and Muslim reformist.
    • He had founded the Muhammadan Educational Conference in 1886 but this organization stayed away from politics and desisted from even discussing it as per its own code.
    • On 30 December 1906, around 3000 delegates attended a conference of the Muhammadan Educational Conference at Dhaka in which the ban on politics was removed and a motion was moved to form the AIML.
    • The AIML was the first Muslim political party of India.
    • The idea was that the Congress Party was only catering to the needs of the Hindus.
    • Founders: Khwaja Salimullah, Vikar-ul-Mulk, Syed Amir Ali, Syed Nabiullah, Khan Bahadur Ghulam and Mustafa Chowdhury.
    • The first Honorary President of the League was Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah (Aga Khan III).
    • Objective: to promote and secure civil rights for Muslims. It espoused loyalty to the British government as a means to achieve more political and civil rights.
    • Muhammad Ali Jinnah joined the league in 1913.
    • They provided the government with a tool to fight the growing nationalism in the country. Even though partition of the country was not on the minds of Indian Muslims in the early years of the league, it came into the picture after 1930.
    • Leaders of the league began the propaganda that Hindus and Muslims are not one nation and have separate cultures and identities although they have been cohabiting for centuries.
    • In 1940, Jinnah gave a speech in Lahore in which he talked of the impossibility of living as one nation nad formulated the Two-Nation Theory.

    Other important political parties in the Pre-independence era

    (1) Communist Party of India 1925

    • It was formed on 26 December 1925 at the first Party Conference in Kanpur. S.V. Ghate was the first General Secretary of CPI.
    • There were many communist groups formed by Indians with the help of foreigners in different parts of the world.
    • Tashkent group of Contacts were made with Anushilan and Jugantar the groups in Bengal, and small communist groups were formed in Bombay (led by S.A. Dange), Madras (led by Singaravelu Chettiar), United Provinces (led by Shaukat Usmani), Punjab, Sindh (led by Ghulam Hussain) and Bengal (led by Muzaffar Ahmed).

    (2) All India Forward Bloc 1939

    • In April 1939, Subhash Chandra Bose left Congress and on 3 May 1939, he established the “Forward Bloc” of the Indian National Congress.
    • He started publishing a newspaper titled Forward Bloc.

    (3) Ghadar Party 1913-1919

    • The Ghadar Party, initially the Pacific Coast Hindustan Association, was formed in 1913 in the United States.
    • It was founded by Sohan Singh Bhakna and Lala Hardayal. Its aim was to get rid of the colonial super-power by means of an armed struggle and to set up a national democratic government on the sub-continent.

    (4) Swaraj Party 1923-1935

    • After the Chauri Chaura incident, Mahatma Gandhi withdrew the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922. This was met with a lot of disagreements among leaders of the Congress Party.
    • While some wanted to continue non-cooperation, others wanted to end the legislature boycott and contest elections. The former were called no-changers and such leaders included Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, C Rajagopalachari, etc.
    • The others who wanted to enter the legislative council and obstruct the British government from within were called the pro-changers. These leaders included C R Das, Motilal Nehru, Srinivasa Iyengar, etc.
    • In 1922, in the Gaya session of the Congress, C R Das (who was presiding over the session) moved a proposal to enter the legislatures but it was defeated.
    • Das and other leaders broke away from the Congress and formed the Swaraj Party. C R Das was the President and the Secretary was Motilal Nehru.
    • Prominent leaders: N C Kelkar, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and Subhas Chandra Bose.

    (5) Hindustan Socialist Republican Association 1928-1936

    • Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) was a revolutionary organization, previously it was known as the Hindustan Republican Army.
    • Founded by: Ram Prasad Bismil, Sachindra Nath Bakshi, Sachindranath Sanyal and Jogesh Chandra Chatterjee.
    • A manifesto for the party was written by Sanyal titled ‘Revolutionary’. It contained incendiary material asking the youth of the country to join the party and take part in the freedom struggle.
    • It did not approve of the methods used by Gandhi and criticized them. The manifesto stated that it sought to achieve a ‘Federal Republic of the United States of India’ after overthrowing British rule.
    • It also demanded universal suffrage. The material espoused a socialist society for India.
    • In 1924 – 25, many young people joined the party, prominent among them being Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Chandrasekhar Azad.

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  • Retiring Old Coal Power Plants

    Context

    As part of the Union Budget address for 2020-21, the Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, said that the shutting down of old coal power plants, which are major contributors to emissions, will aid the achievement of India’s Nationally Determined Contributions.

    Advantages of shutting down old coal power plants

    • The availability of under-utilized newer and presumably more efficient coal-based capacity means that shutting down older inefficient plants would lead to improved efficiencies, reduced coal usage, and hence, cost savings.
    • It would be uneconomical for old plants to install pollution control equipment required to meet the emission standards announced by the Environment Ministry, and hence it would be better to retire them.

    Why the decision needs finer scrutiny?

    • Some old plants are cost-effective: There are also several old plants, which generate at lower costs, such as plants at Rihand, Singrauli, and Vidhyanchal (Madhya Pradesh).
    • Locational advantage: This may be due to locational advantage rather than efficiency, as older plants are likely to be located closer to the coal source, reducing coal transport costs.
    • Not cost-effective: Savings in generation cost from shutting down plants older than 25 years would be less than ₹5,000 crore annually, which is just 2% of the total power generation cost.
    • Not effective in reducing coal consumption: Savings in coal consumption by replacing generation from plants older than 25 years with newer coal plants are also likely to be only in the 1%-2% range.
    • Economical even after installing pollution control equipment: There are some old plants that may continue to be economically viable even if they install pollution control equipment as their current fixed costs are very low.

    Important roles played by old thermal power plants

    • A significant part of power supply: Plants older than 25 years makeup around 20% of the total installed thermal capacity in the country and play a significant role in the country’s power supply.
    • Supporting renewable: To support the growing intermittent renewable generation in the sector, there is an increasing need for capacity that can provide flexibility, balancing, and ancillary services.
    • Old thermal capacity, with lower fixed costs, is a prime candidate to play this role until other technologies (such as storage) can replace them at scale.
    • Political economy risk: There is also a political economy risk, as aggressive early retirement of coal-based capacity, without detailed analyses, could result in real or perceived electricity shortage in some States, leading to calls for investments in coal-based base-load capacity by State-owned entities.

    Way forward

    • Nuanced analysis needed: Instead of using age as the only criteria, a more disaggregated and nuanced analysis needs to be used.
    • Constraint related to renewable and increasing demand: We also need to take into account aspects such as intermittency of renewables, growing demand, and the need to meet emission norms, to make retirement-related decisions.

    Conclusion

    It may be prudent to let old capacity fade away in due course while focusing on such detailed analysis and weeding out the needless capacity in the pipeline, to derive long-term economic and environmental benefits.

  • 9th August 2021| Daily Answer Writing Enhancement(AWE)

    Topics for Today’s questions:

    GS-1  The Freedom Struggle – its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.

    GS-2  Functions and Responsibilities of the Union and the States, Issues and Challenges Pertaining to the Federal Structure, Devolution of Powers and Finances up to Local Levels and Challenges Therein.

    GS-3  Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment.

    GS-4  Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance

    Questions:

    Question 1)

    Q.1 Highlight the importance of new objective that got added to the vision of Indian independence since the twenties of the last century. (10 Marks)

    Question 2)

    Q.2 Interstate border disputes have regional, national and international repercussions. In light of this, examine the implication of recent Assam-Mizoram border dispute and suggest measures to settle such conflict in India. (10 Marks)

    Question 3)

    Q.3 The government is amending the Income Tax Act to do away with retrospective taxation. Examine the advantages of this decision. (10 Marks)

    Question 4)  

    Q.4 How will you apply emotional intelligence in administrative practices? (10 Marks)

    HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?

    1. Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.

    2. A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.

    3. You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.

    4.  Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.

    5. Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.

    6. If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 1st August is uploaded on 1st August then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis

    7. If you are writing answers late, for example, 1st August is uploaded on 3rd August, then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.

    8. We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.

    *In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. 

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  • 60 Days Intensive Plan for Focused Revision 2021 || Target 130 + || Overall Guidance by Santosh Sir

    60 Days Intensive Revision Plan To Score 130+ In Prelims

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  • IPCC’s Climate Assessment Report

    The Geneva-based Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will release the first part of its Sixth Assessment Report, the periodic status check that has now become the most widely accepted scientific view of the state of the Earth’s climate.

    What is IPCC?

    • The IPCC, an intergovernmental body was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
    • It was later endorsed by the UN General Assembly. Membership is open to all members of the WMO and UN.
    • The IPCC produces reports that contribute to the work of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the main international treaty on climate change.
    • The objective of the UNFCCC is to “stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human-induced) interference with the climate system.”
    • The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report was a critical scientific input into the UNFCCC’s Paris Agreement in 2015.

    What are IPCC reports?

    • IPCC reports cover the scientific, technical and socioeconomic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation.
    • The IPCC does not carry out original research, nor does it monitor climate or related phenomena itself.
    • Rather, it assesses published literature, including peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed sources.
    • However, the IPCC can be said to stimulate research in climate science.

    The Assessment Reports

    • The five previous assessment reports that have come out since the IPCC was established in 1988 have formed the basis of international climate change negotiations, and the actions of the governments.
    • Their value has been globally acknowledged, and the fourth assessment report, which came out in 2007, won the IPCC the Nobel Peace Prize.
    • Each of these voluminous reports, the last couple of them running into thousands of pages, have built upon the previous ones with updated knowledge and understanding of the climate system.
    • The reports have presented projections for temperature rise till 2100 under different scenarios and the kind of impacts that can be expected under each of these pathways.

    Key projections of the 6th Report

    Apart from incorporating the latest available scientific evidence, the Sixth Assessment Report is also attempting to provide more actionable information to help governments take policy decisions.

    • REGIONAL FOCUS: It is expected that this report would likely state what the scenarios for sea-level rise in the Bay of Bengal region is, not just what the average sea-level rise across the world is likely to be.
    • EXTREME EVENTS: There is expected to be bigger focus on extreme weather events, like the ones we have seen in the last few weeks.
    • CITIES: Densely populated mega-cities are supposed to be among the most vulnerable to impacts of climate change. The report is expected to present specific scenarios the climate change impacts on cities and large urban populations, and also implications for key infrastructure.
    • SYNERGIES: IPCC is expected to present a more integrated understanding of the situation, cross-link evidence and discuss trade-offs between different options or pathways, and also likely to cover social implications of climate change action by countries.

    Why it matters?

    • The IPCC assessment reports have been extremely influential in directing the dialogue and action on climate change.
    • The First Assessment Report led to the setting up of the UNFCCC, the umbrella agreement under which international negotiations on climate change take place every year.
    • The Second Assessment Report was the basis for the 1997 Kyoto Protocol that ran till last year, and the Fifth Assessment Report, which came out in 2014, guided the Paris Agreement.
    • The global climate architecture is now governed by the Paris Agreement, which replaced the Kyoto Protocol from this year.
    • There have been enough indications to suggest that global action was far below what was needed to keep the temperatures below 2°C, as mandated under the Paris Agreement.
    • In the immediate future, the IPCC report could serve as the most important warning towards the rapidly closing window of opportunity.

    Try this PYQ now:

    Q.The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international treaty drawn at:

    (a) United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm,1972

    (b) UN Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 1992

    (c) World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, 2002

    (d) UN Climate Change Conference, Copenhagen, 2009

    Post your answers here:

    Back2Basics: UNFCCC

    • The UNFCCC established an international environmental treaty to combat “dangerous human interference with the climate system”, in part by stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
    • It was signed by 154 states at the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992.

  • [pib] Quit India Movement

    The Prime Minister has greeted the nation on the eve of the anniversary of Quit India Movement Day.

    Before proceeding, answer this PYQ:

    Q. Quit India Movement was launched in response to:

    (a) Cabinet Mission Plan

    (b) Cripps Proposals

    (c) Simon Commission Report

    (d) Wavell Plan

    Post your answers here:

    About the day

    • The Quit India Movement is also known as the Bharat Chhodo Andolan was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942, at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).
    • The movement demanded an end to British rule in India.
    • Since the protest was held in August, it also went on to be known as August Kranti or August Movement.
    • The ‘Do or Die’ speech was etched in the hearts of Indians, and many faced the consequences of the movement.
    • Every year, the day is celebrated by paying tribute to freedom fighters who laid their lives for the country.

    Quit India Movement

    • The movement began on August 8, 1942, with its foundations being laid back in 1939 when the Governor-general of India was Lord Lilingthow.
    • In 1942, Staford Cripps was sent to India by the British Establishment to negotiate with the leaders of the All India Congress Committee for gaining their support in exchange for their freedom.
    • July 1942- The Quit India Movement Resolution was passed at the Wardha Conference of All India Congress Committee.

    Series of events

    • Mahatma Gandhi delivered his speech at Mumbai’s Gowalia Tank Maidan, also called August Kranti Maidan, on 08th August 1942.
    • Gandhi Ji was arrested and jailed at Pune’s Aga Khan Palace and his wife Kasturba Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu and secretary Mahadev Desai.
    • Many other senior members of the Indian National Congress were also arrested, including Jawaharlal Nehru and Abul Kalam Azad, and were kept in the Yerwada Jail.
    • The British Government banned the Congress Committee declaring it an unlawful association.
    • Aruna Asaf Ali, popularly known as the ‘Grand Old Lady’ of the Independence Movement, hoisted the National Flag at Mumbai’s Gowalia Tank Maidan.
    • This event was followed by an uproar among the people and the emergence of several young leaders such as Ram Manohar Lohia, JP Narayan, SM Joshi, and others who continued to fuel the fire of the movement throughout India during the period of World War II.

    Causes of the Movement

    • Involvement of India in World War II without prior consultation with the leaders: The Indian Nationalists were disgruntled with the Governor-General of India, Lord Linlithgow, as he brought India to the verge of World War II without consulting them.
    • Failure of Cripps Mission: The British sent Stafford Cripps to India to gain the cooperation of India, which failed because the Cripps Mission offered India not complete freedom but the Dominion Status to India, along with the partition. After the failure of Cripps Mission, the Indian Nationalist Leaders knew that the Britishers were in no mood to amend the Constitution before the end of World War II.
    • Shortage of essential commodities: There was widespread discontent due to the shortage of essential commodities and rising prices of salt, rice, etc., and commandeering of boats in Bengal and Orissa. There were fears that the Britishers would follow a scorched earth policy in Assam, Bengal, and Orissa in reaction to the advancement of the Japanese. The Economy also shattered as a result of World War II.
    • Prevalence of anti-British sentiment: The sentiments were widely anti-British, and the masses were demanding complete independence from the British Government.
    • Centralization of many small movements: The Ground for the movement was already prepared by various associated and affiliated bodies of the Congress, like Forward Bloc, All India Kisan Sabha, and others. They were leading the mass movements on a much more radical level for more than two decades. The also channelized many militant outbursts, which were happening at several places in the country.

    Phases of Quit India Movement

    The Quit India Movement can be viewed in three phases from its inception to end. The phases are as follows:

    1. First phase: The first phase or the inception of the movement had no violence. It began with civil disobedience, boycotts, strikes that the British Government quickly suppressed. Almost all members of the Congress Committee, including Gandhiji, were arrested and kept in Jail till 1945 without any trial.
    2. Second phase: In its second phase, the movement shifted to the countryside. The second phase of the movement took a violent and aggressive turn. Any building or offices which were the symbol of the colonial authority was attacked and distracted. Communication systems, railway stations & tracks, telegraph poles and wires were also targeted.
    3. Third and last phase: In the last phase of the movement, there was the formation of many independent national or parallel governments in the isolated pockets of the country, such as Ballia, Satara, Tamluk, etc.

    Successes

    • Women empowerment: Aruna Asif Ali hoisted the national flag on the Gowalia tank maidan; Usha Mehta, on the other hand, helped set up the underground radio station to spread awareness about the movement.
    • Rise of future leaders : This movement also gave some future prominent leaders such as Biku Patnaik, Aruna Asif Ali, Ram Manohar Lohia, Sucheta Kriplani, J.P. Narayan, etc. These leaders were helping the movement through underground activities.
    • Rise of nationalism: A greater sense of unity and brotherhood emerged due to the Quit India Movement. Many students dropped out of schools and colleges, people gave up their jobs and withdrew money from the banks.

    Failure of the movement

    The movement did not have the support of many organizations of the country itself.

    • The Britishers were supported by the Princely States, British Indian Army, Indian Civil Services, Viceroy’s Council (which had Indians in the majority), All India Muslim League, Indian Imperial Police.
    • The Hindu Mahasabha, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) & Muslim League also opposed the Quit India Movement.
    • Many Congress members like C Rajagopalachari resigned from the provincial legislature as they did not favor Mahatma Gandhi’s idea.

  • [pib] National Commission for Women

    The Central Government has nominated Smt. Rekha Sharma, as Chairperson of the National Commission for Women for another term of three years.

    National Commission for Women

    • The NCW is the statutory body generally concerned with advising the government on all policy matters affecting women.
    • It was established on 31 January 1992 under the provisions of the Indian Constitution as defined in the 1990 National Commission for Women Act.
    • The first head of the commission was Jayanti Patnaik.

    Constitutional provision

    • The Indian Constitution doesn’t contain any provision specifically made to favor women intrinsically.
    • Article 15 (3), Article 14 and Article 21 protect and safeguard women. They are more gender-neutral.

    Objectives

    • The objective of the NCW is to represent the rights of women in India and to provide a voice for their issues and concerns.
    • The subjects of their campaigns have included dowry, politics, religion, equal representation for women in jobs, and the exploitation of women for labor.
    • They have also discussed police abuses against women.

    Composition of National Commission for Women

    The Commission shall consist of:

    • A Chairperson, committed to the cause of women, to be nominated by the Central Government.
    • five Members to be nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons of ability, integrity and standing who have had experience in law or legislation, trade unionism, management of an industry potential of women, women’s voluntary organizations (including women activist), administration, economic development, health, education or social welfare;
    • Provided that at least one Member each shall be from amongst persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes respectively;

    Powers of NCW

    • Provide consultation on all major policy matters that affect women.
    • Issuing summons for the examination of documents and the witnesses.
    • It has the power to make any public record.
    • Receiving evidence on affidavits
    • Discovery and production of documents
    • Summoning and enforcement

    Functions of the NCW

    • Presentation of reports: Table reports should be submitted to the Central Government every year. When the commission feels it’s appropriate. The reports upon the functioning and working of the safeguards.
    • Investigation and Examination: There should be proper investigation and examination made under the Constitution and other laws. This is related to the protection of the rights of women.
    • Review of laws: Constantly all laws are reviewed and scrutinized. And necessary amendments and alterations are made to meet the needs of the current world.
    • Cases of Violation: Ensure there is no violation against women and taking due care of such cases.
    • Suo Motu Notice: It takes care of complaints and also suo motu matters about the deprivation of rights of women. Implementation of laws favoring the welfare of women.
    • Evaluation: Assessing the development and the progress of the women community under the Center and State level.
    • Special studies and investigation: To understand the limitations in the system and curb it with strategic plans and mechanisms.

    Powers of the NCW

    • Not concrete powers: The NCW is only recommendatory and has no power to enforce its decisions. Often it takes action only if the issues are brought to light.
    • Legal powers: Commission lacks constitutional status, and thus has no legal powers to summon police officers or witnesses.
    • Less funding: NCW’s functions are dependent on the grants offered by the central government. Financial assistance provided to the Commission is very less to cater to its needs.
    • Political interference: It does not have the power to choose its own members.

  • Who was Major Dhyan Chand?

    The PM has announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award will now be named after Major Dhyan Chand.

    Despite being a trillion population, what ails India’s limted success (not failure) at the Olympics in your opinion?

    Spark the debate!

    Who was Dhyan Chand?

    • Quite simply, he was the first superstar of hockey, considered a wizard or magician of the game.
    • He was the chief protagonist as India won three consecutive Olympic hockey gold medals — Amsterdam 1928, Los Angeles 1932, and Berlin 1936.
    • He is said to have wowed the watching public with his sublime skills, intricate dribbling and gluttonous scoring ability.
    • During those tournaments, there was no team that could compete with India — and most of the matches saw huge victory margins.
    • India beat hosts the Netherlands 3-0 in the 1928 final, the US were thrashed by a scarcely-believable margin of 24-1 in the 1932 gold medal match, while Germany went down 8-1 in the 1936 decider.
    • In all, Dhyan Chand played 12 Olympic matches, scoring 33 goals.

    Legends associated with Dhyan Chand

    • It is said that once his sublime skill and close control of the ball aroused such suspicion that his stick was broken to see whether there was a magnet inside.
    • During the 1936 Berlin Games, Adolf Hitler offered him German citizenship and the post of Colonel in his country’s Army, a proposition the Indian ace refused.

    Why does the name evoke such emotion?

    • Dhyan Chand played during India’s pre-independence years, when the local population was subjugated and made to feel inferior by the ruling British.
    • Hence, seeing an Indian dominating the Europeans in a sport invented by them evoked a lot of pride in them.
    • There has been a long-running campaign arguing that Dhyan Chand be posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest honour.
    • Before Independence and for some years after that, hockey was the only sport in which India consistently excelled at the international and Olympic stage.
    • In fact, starting from Amsterdam 1928, India won seven of the eight hockey gold medals at the Games.
    • Apart from K D Jadhav’s wrestling bronze at Helsinki 1952, India had to wait until Atlanta 1996 and tennis player Leander Paes for an Olympic medal in a sport other than hockey.

    Why is the renaming of the award significant?

    • The eight gold medals in hockey have often been termed as the millstone around the necks of the subsequent generation of players.
    • The modern game is an altogether different sport from the one played in Dhyan Chand’s era.
    • The Europeans and Australians have become much more proficient over the decades, while the change of surface has put a premium on fitness, speed, stamina, and physical strength.
    • India had not managed to get into the top four at the Olympics since the boycott-affected Moscow Games in 1980.
    • The later generations may have felt out of touch with the golden years, about which one could only read in books or listen to in tales of the protagonists and those who witnessed the heroics.

  • Honour of the National Flag

    Ahead of Independence Day, the Centre has urged all citizens not to use a national flag made up of plastic and asked states and Union Territories to ensure strict compliance with the flag code.

    Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act

    • The law, enacted on December 23, 1971, penalizes the desecration of or insult to Indian national symbols, such as the National Flag, the Constitution, the National Anthem, and the Indian map, as well as contempt of the Constitution of India.
    • Section 2 of the Act deals with insults to the Indian National Flag and the Constitution of India.

    Do you know?

    Article 51 ‘A’ contained in Part IV A i.e. Fundamental Duties asks:

    To abide by the constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem in clause (a).

    Other provisions

    • Section 3.22 of The Flag Code of India, 2002 deals with laws, practices and conventions that apply to the display of the national flag.
    • Section 3.58 says: On occasions of State/Military/Central Paramilitary Forces funerals, the flag shall be draped over the bier or coffin with the saffron towards the head of the bier or coffin.
    • The Flag shall not be lowered into the grave or burnt in the pyre.

    Try this

    Q.The national motto of India, ‘Satyameva Jayate’ inscribed below the Emblem of India is taken from:

    (a) Katha Upanishad

    (b) Chandogya Upanishad

    (c) Aitareya Upanishad

    (d) Mundaka Upanishad

    Answer this PYQ here:

    Use of flag in funerals

    • The flag can only be used during a funeral if it is accorded the status of a state funeral.
    • Apart from police and armed forces, state funerals are held when people who are holding or have held the office of President, Vice-President, PM, Cabinet Minister, or state CM pass away.
    • The status of a state funeral can be accorded in case of death of people not belonging to the armed forces, police or the above-mentioned categories by the state government.
    • Then too, the national flag can be used.

    Disposing of the national flag

    • A/c to the Flag Code, such paper flags are not to be discarded or thrown on the ground after the event.
    • Such flags are to be disposed of, in private, consistent with the dignity of the flag.

    Back2Basics:

    Story of our National Flag

     

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