GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

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Growing Threats of Extremism in India

Communal and Ideological Strife:

• Escalation of Extremism in India: Growing threat with historical incidents like the 2001 Parliament attack, indicating a persistent challenge of terrorism, reflecting an evolving and enduring threat landscape in the country.
• Rise of Hindu Extremism: Focus on violence against dissenting views signifies the emergence of Hindu extremism, fostering an atmosphere of fear and intolerance, highlighting an ideological shift impacting societal harmony.
• Challenges to Freedom of Expression:Targeting dissenters raises concerns about shrinking freedom of expression, emphasizing the complex interplay between extremism, ideology, and democratic principles in India's socio-political landscape.

ISIS Influence in Southern India:

• Influence in Southern India: Allegations of ISIS extending reach in states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, as evidenced by NIA's investigations into training centers and the suspected role of Kovai Arabic College.
• Counterterrorism Measures: Efforts by NIA to counter ISIS influence, including the ban on Popular Front of India (PFI), reflect the government's proactive stance against potential radicalization and recruitment activities.
• ISIS Strategic Moves: Delayed claims by ISIS on Coimbatore and Mangaluru bombings suggest a strategic attempt to establish a southern India presence, posing challenges related to radicalization and regional security concerns.

Religious Minorities Under Threat

• Rising Attacks Against Christians: Increase in incidents against Christians, reaching a peak in 2022, with reports of violence and church destruction, particularly in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• Historical Harmony in Kerala: While Kerala historically fostered cultural symbiosis, concerns are raised about the encroachment of religious considerations in politics, termed as "religious landlordism" by the author.
• Call for Political Secularism: Amidst growing communal tensions, the need for political parties in Kerala to embrace secular perspectives is emphasized, urging a departure from religio-communal viewpoints for sustainable harmony.

Context:

There needs to be proper parliamentary scrutiny of the new Bills replacing the IPC, the CrPC and the IEA to ensure a fair, just and efficient criminal justice system.

Legislative Overhaul for Core Laws

• Legislative Overhaul: The government presents three bills as a comprehensive replacement for core criminal justice laws—IPC, CrPC, and IEA. This move hints at a significant transformation in the legal foundation.
• Parliamentary Scrutiny: Under examination by the Parliamentary Standing Committee, these bills undergo thorough review. This reflects a meticulous legislative process, ensuring comprehensive scrutiny and potential improvements.
• Shaping Legal Landscape: The bills, once enacted, hold the promise of shaping a new legal landscape. Their potential to influence and redefine the criminal justice system underscores their significance in legal governance.

Challenges in Modernizing Jurisprudence

• Legal Scope and Approach: Key questions surface regarding the bills' treatment of civil law, signaling a potential shift from punitive to reformative justice. The impact on diverse legal aspects demands scrutiny.
• Balancing Public Order: Challenges emerge in reconciling maintenance of public order within the criminal prosecution framework. The bills retain structures, necessitating a delicate balance for effective governance.
• Modernization and Consistency: Critical issues encompass age provisions, gender-related offenses, and consistent penalty implementation. The bills should navigate modern norms, aligning with Supreme Court directions and ensuring uniformity in sentencing.

Duplication and Drafting Concerns

• Mental Health Alignment: The IPC replacement aligns with the Mental Healthcare Act, providing exceptions for mental illness. This addresses a crucial aspect of criminal justice by acknowledging mental health considerations.
• Challenges of Duplications and Inconsistencies: Persistent challenges involve duplications and inconsistencies across laws, risking confusion and legal conflicts. Overlooking special laws and retaining obsolete illustrations further complicates the legal landscape.
• Call for Meticulous Parliamentary Examination: Parliamentary examination to ensure these bills create a fair, just, and efficient criminal justice system, avoiding potential pitfalls.

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The Supreme Court (SC) bench has come down heavily on the adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Air Quality Crisis and Urgent Measures

• Supreme Court Directive: The Supreme Court mandates an immediate halt to stubble burning, instructing states to find lasting solutions. It suggests local Station House Officers (SHOs) oversee implementation, highlighting a judicial push for urgent action.
• Stubble Burning and Air Pollution: Stubble burning, particularly in states like Punjab, significantly contributes to Delhi's air pollution, constituting 37.85% of the problem. In contrast, transport and construction play a minor role. Addressing stubble burning is deemed crucial.
• Emphasis on Regional Cooperation: Need of effective regional cooperation in combating stubble burning. As the practice transcends state boundaries, collaborative efforts are essential to control pollution and safeguard public health.

Impact on Public Health and Solutions

• Health Impact and Stubble Burning Measures: Delhi's severe air pollution, primarily from stubble burning, may reduce residents' lives by 11.9 years, as per the Air Quality Life Index. Proposed solutions include uprooting stubble, using smart machines, and mulching.
• Punjab's Unique Challenges: Punjab faces distinct challenges due to subsidized paddy cultivation, contributing to environmental harm. Shifting farmers from paddy involves subsidies for alternative crops, incentivizing ethanol production, and reducing paddy procurement from stubble-burning areas.
• Comprehensive Strategies: To combat stubble burning, a multifaceted approach is suggested, including subsidies for alternative crops, private-sector incentives for ethanol, and strategic reduction in paddy procurement. These strategies aim for environmental sustainability and health improvement.

Comprehensive Strategies for Environmental Health

Agricultural Transformation: Comprehensive strategies include subsidies for non-paddy crops, reducing PDS reliance on rice and wheat, and establishing nutrition hubs. These aim at diversifying crops and enhancing environmental sustainability.

Consumer Choice and Pollution Mitigation:Promoting consumer choice through food vouchers, transitioning to electric vehicles, and introducing ethanol-blended fuels address Delhi's pollution. These measures contribute to a diversified market and pollution reduction.

Urgent National-Level Action: Air pollution is a national issue and there is need for immediate and concerted national-level efforts. Policymakers are urged to recognize the urgency and implement effective measures.