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5th December 2023 (9 Topics)

5th December 2023

QUIZ - 5th December 2023

5 Questions

7 Minutes

Editorials

Context:

Transgender people are legally guaranteed equal access to healthcare.

The Historical Struggle

  • Historical Discrimination: Transgender individuals faced marginalization and conversion therapy, reflecting society's discriminatory practices.
  • Legal Recognition: NALSA vs. Union of India (2014) granted legal recognition, emphasizing fundamental rights and healthcare for transgender people.
  • Legislative Steps: The Transgender Persons Act (2019) and Rules (2020) mandated holistic healthcare, sensitization, and equal opportunities in healthcare institutions.

Challenges in Implementation and a Step Forward

  • Existing Barriers: Structural issues impede healthcare access, with a lack of trained professionals and exclusionary infrastructure.
  • Private Initiatives: Some private providers offer gender-affirming services, but government hospitals, including AIIMS, have been largely hesitant.
  • AIIMS Initiative: The plan for a Centre of Excellence at AIIMS-Delhi is a positive step, addressing some needs but not a complete solution.

Moving Beyond Tertiary Care and Legal Imperatives

  • Misplaced Focus: The Transgender Act's insistence on surgery contradicts the NALSA judgment, leading to a misplaced focus on tertiary care.
  • Legal Recognition Concerns: Legal requirements for surgery hinder the broader goal of recognizing diverse gender identities without coercion.
  • Call for Inclusive Healthcare: Instead of a singular center, all government medical institutions should provide gender-affirming services, emphasizing inclusivity at grassroots levels
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Editorials

Context:

Caste census is relevant and necessary for any well-designed policy to reduce social inequality.

The Need for Caste Census

  • Prima Facie Condition: Caste is acknowledged as a societal issue, demanding investigation for eradication and equality.
  • Multi-Dimensional Insight: A caste census provides a comprehensive socio-economic profile crucial for informed policymaking.
  • Legal Imperative: The absence of caste-based data contradicts affirmative action, hindering effective review of reservation policies.

Feasibility and Potential Benefits

  • Bihar's Example: Bihar's successful caste census demonstrates feasibility and challenges the perceived difficulty.
  • Minimal Additional Cost: Integrating caste enumeration with the general census incurs a negligible cost, as Bihar exemplifies.
  • Side Effects Consideration: While concerns about heightened caste consciousness exist, potential benefits outweigh limited side effects.

Concerns

  • Multi-Dimensional Social Justice: Present caste census as part of a broader ideology, encompassing gender, class, and location considerations.
  • Cross-Party Consensus: Seek bipartisan support to depoliticize the caste census issue for effective implementation.
  • Addressing Caste Cleavages: Articulate the demand quietly, emphasizing benefits and mitigating potential side effects to ensure societal cohesion.
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Editorials

Context:

The way India handles the American indictment against an Indian will shape its global image and long-term consequences.

Espionage, Covert Operations, and Public Image

  • Unwritten Rule: In espionage, avoiding detection is key; in public diplomacy, avoiding lies is crucial. Recent events pose challenges.
  • Allegations' Impact: U.S. indictment against an Indian for targeting Khalistani separatists raises credibility questions for India in covert and public spheres.
  • Legal and Diplomatic Concerns: The allegations test India's credibility in covert capacities and public messaging, demanding a thorough response.

Trust Deficit in Intelligence Sharing

  • Legal Challenges: Recent intelligence operations, legal challenges in friendly countries, and the U.S. indictment indicate trust deficits.
  • Incomplete Information: U.S. caution to India without full disclosure hints at gaps in intelligence sharing and bilateral cooperation.
  • Broader Implications: Trust issues in intelligence-sharing impact not just India-U.S. relations but raise questions about India's actions among western allies.

Diplomatic Strategy and Global Image

  • Double Standards: India's varied responses to allegations from Canada and the U.S. reflect double standards, impacting its global image.
  • Neighbourhood Impact: The case's repercussions on South Asian nations demand strategic reassurance to address concerns about Indian agencies' activities.
  • Image Projection: The lasting impact depends on whether India presents itself as a "hard power" or adherent to international law and diplomacy.
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