(Current Affairs) National Events | June: 2016

National Events

India’s bid to Nuclear Security Group may be opposed by China

  • The U.S. has reiterated its support for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in the face of opposition from China.
  • The 48-member NSG that regulates trade in nuclear technology and material will have its plenary next month in New York where it is expected to consider India’s admission into the exclusive club.
  • China, acting in concert with Pakistan, has thrown a spanner in the works for India, by linking New Delhi’s candidacy to Islamabad’s. NSG operates by consensus and all its current members are signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
  • “Not only India, many other non-NPT members have voiced their aspirations to join the NSG.”said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman.
  • Pakistan had earlier said it was coordinating with China to block India from the NSG. Bruised by the successful Indian diplomacy that recently stalled the U.S. sale of F-16 fighter planes to it, Pakistan has found an opportunity to hit back.

Due to malpractices in election poll dates in T. N. Deferred

  • The Election Commission of India late decided to defer the polls in the Aravakurichi Assembly constituency, in Karur district, following widespread seizure of cash and complaints of voters being bribed.
  • Separately, the EC issued notices to the AIADMK and the DMK, asking them to explain the rationale behind the promises made in their election manifestos and indicate how they would meet the financial outlays (for freebies).
  • Polling in Aravakurichi will now be held on May 23, and the results declared on May 25, a week after the results are announced in the remaining 233 constituencies where voting will take place on May 16.
  • In a release, the EC said over Rs. 6.75 crore had been seized in the constituency, including from the house of one Anbunathan.
  • In addition, 429 litres of liquor had been seized and 33 complaints of money distribution had been received, while seven FIRs have been registered.

Defence minister wants $2 billion defence exports in two years

  • The Union government has set a target of $2 billion in defence exports in the next two years, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said.
  • The Ministry had noted the concerns expressed over the issue of strategic partners in manufacturing and would hold discussions with the industry.
  • The government intends to identify major private companies eligible to take the lead in critical defence projects so as to boost domestic manufacturing.
  • From a meagre $140-150 million, this year I think we have crossed $330-odd million. I have set a target for myself, in the next two years, why not touch $2 billion. It is not an impossible target.” Said the Defence Minister
  • Mr. Parrikar said offsets were an area where “exports and expertise can come.” During 2014 and 2015, offset obligations brought in $990 million, and this was likely to touch $2 billion in the next two years as major deals for fighter aircraft and helicopters were expected to be signed.
  • As part of the offset requirements, foreign companies are required to invest a part of the contract value back in the country.

Space-based information system from ISRO for rural development

  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is working on a space-based information system for decentralised planning to help rural development.
  • Though there are scores of rural development programmes and welfare measures launched in the country, there is little planning at the local level owing to lack of information.
  • The space-based information system will reach out to the villages to enable them to plan and improve their economy.
  • The system is expected to optimise the benefits of various welfare programmes to a maximum number of people in the areas of health, sanitation, infrastructure, etc. besides monitoring their benefits and impacts in the villages.

Apex court upheld pre-constitutional law criminalising defamation

  • In a judgment that holds far-reaching implications for political dissent and a free press, the Supreme Court upheld a colonial and pre-Constitutional law criminalising defamation.
  • The verdict dismissed apprehensions, raised by personalities across the political spectrum and media organisations championing the fundamental right under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution.
  • Apprehension was that criminal defamation may have a chilling effect on the freedom to circulate one’s independent view and “not to join in a chorus or sing the same song.”
  • The judgment came on a batch of petitions filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and media associations, among others.
  • The court refused exhortations that penalisation of defamation is past its time, and the nation now risks the danger of being reduced to a “frozen democracy.”
  • A Bench of Justices said the reputation of an individual was an equally important right and stood on the same pedestal as free speech.
  • The court said it would be a stretch to say that upholding criminal defamation in modern times would amount to imposition of silence.
  • “Mutual respect is the fulcrum of fraternity that assures dignity. It does not mean that there cannot be dissent. One has a right to freedom of speech and expression. One is also required to maintain the idea of fraternity that assures the dignity of the individual,” said Justice Misra.
  • The court held that criminalisation of defamation to protect individual dignity of life and reputation is a “reasonable restriction” on the fundamental right of free speech and expression.
  • “The right to reputation is a constituent of Article 21 of the Constitution. It is an individual’s fundamental right,” Justice Misra observed.

Govt announced the new IPR policy

  • The NDA government announced the long-pending, “all-encompassing” National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy.
  • The Policy aims to push IPRs as a marketable financial asset and , promote innovation, while protecting public interest including ensuring the availability of essential drugs at affordable prices.
  • Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, “Our approach balances consideration of inventability, innovation and public health consideration.”
  • Though the U.S. concerns include the “rejections” of patent applications for innovative pharmaceutical products due to “unpredictable” application of Section 3(d) of the (Indian) Patents Act, Mr. Jaitley clarified that the policy will ensure that no changes are made in that Section.

SC directed Centre and States for better implementation of MGNREGA

  • Directing the Centre and the States to make all efforts to encourage needy persons to come forward and take advantage of the MGNREGA scheme.
  • The Apex Court slammed the government for not giving compensation to workers for delayed payment of wages under MGNREGA even during the current drought.
  • A Bench of Justices Madan said the government had no provision for providing compensation to the workers. “A success rate below 50 per cent is nothing to be proud of,” the Bench observed.
  • The court said it was also regrettable that the government cleared the pending wage bill for 2015-16 only during the pendency of this case and underlined that “The Government of India must shape up in this regard”.
  • “A worker is entitled to compensation at the rate of 0.05 per cent per day for delayed payment of the wages due,” the court said.

SC said free press can't cause injury to an individual’s precious reputation

  • The Supreme Court said a free press is the heart and soul of political intercourse and is a public educator, but this freedom is not absolute and cannot be used by the media to cause injury to an individual’s precious reputation.

  • In its judgment upholding the constitutional validity of criminal defamation, a Bench of Justice Dipak Misra and P.C. Pant revisited the apex court’s judgments on the importance of media’s freedom of speech and expression in a vibrant democracy.

  • It even calls the media a “public educator”, making formal and non-formal education possible at a large-scale, particularly in the developing world.

  • But the court held that the press has to also observe “reasonable restrictions” and its purpose is to “advance the public interest by publishing facts and opinions without which a democratic electorate cannot make responsible judgments.”

  • While in one breath saying that “freedom of speech and expression is regarded as the first condition of liberty,” the court in the next reins in this liberty by cautioning that free speech is not an “absolute value under our Constitution.”

  • The court agrees that the voice of dissent or disagreement has to be respected and regarded and not to be scuttled as “unpalatable criticism.”

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