CURRENT AFFAIRS - 15.12.2023

 

1. Suspension spree after security breach Suspension of MPs As many as fourteen Opposition MPs were suspended for disrupting the two houses of Parliament, a day after breach of security in the Lok Sabha chamber. While TMC's Derek O'Brien was suspended from the Rajya Sabha, others belonged to the Lok Sabha. When O'Brien refused to leave the house, his conduct was referred to the Privileges Committee of the Rajya Sabha. Nine of the suspended MPs are from the Congress, two each from the CPI-M and the DMK and one from the CPI. Mistaken identity The Lok Sabha revoked the suspension of DMK member SR Parthiban, clarifying that it was a case of mistaken identity. Parthiban was absent from the house when disruptions happened. Opposition vs government The Opposition members demanded a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the security breach that happened on Wednesday — protesting a statement by Deputy Leader of the Lok Sabha and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The government, however, urged the Opposition not to "politicise" the "grave national issue". High-level inquiry PM Modi held a meeting with senior ministers over security breach following which the home ministry announced a high-level inquiry into security breaches in Parliament, identify lapses, and provide recommendations for improved security. A terror case The five individuals arrested for the Parliament security breach will face the law under the anti-terror law UAPA and the relevant IPC provisions. Lalit Jha, the suspected main conspirator who was absconding, was arrested on Thursday night in Delhi. Security personnel suspended Eight security personnel on deputation for Parliament security from various agencies were suspended over security breach. Not a first On April 11, 1974, one person shouted slogans from the visitors' gallery, besides carrying two pistols, one object looking like a bomb and some pamphlets, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said. He said that on July 26, 1974, a person was caught with a dagger trying to enter the visitors' gallery. On November 26, 1974, a person carried an explosive and a dagger to the visitors' gallery, he pointed out. On January 9 and 10, 1999, two people jumped from the public gallery to the Lok Sabha chamber, Joshi said. More updates here 2. What left CJI fuming in court What CJI said "It is very easy to fling allegations and letters," an anguished Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said on Thursday as he clarified why AAP leader Satyendar Jain's bail plea was listed before a different bench than the originally scheduled one. Justice Chandrachud's remark came after two senior lawyers Dushyant Dave and Prashant Bhushan wrote separate letters to him alleging "certain happenings" in the listing of cases and their reallocation to different benches. The contention The case relates to Jain's bail plea in a money laundering case that was re-listed before a bench headed by Justice Bela M Trivedi as the original judge, Justice AS Bopanna, was unavailable due to illness. CJI's anguish Earlier in the day, the CJI rejected a plea by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Jain, to adjourn the hearing of the former Delhi minister's petition by Justice Trivedi's bench. CJI Chandrachud said, "It is very easy to fling allegations and letters. There is a communication from the office of Justice Bopanna. Due to medical reasons, he did not resume duties after Diwali. He stated that all matters which were heard by him should not be kept as part-heard. Therefore this matter was assigned to Justice Trivedi who had last heard the matter." Justice Chandrachud said it was strange on the part of a member of the bar to say that "I want this particular judge". The case Jain, who had moved the top court for bail, is currently on interim bail on health grounds — now extended till January 8. He fractured his leg on December 9. The top court had on May 26 granted Jain interim bail on medical grounds for six weeks and it is being extended from time to time. The ED had arrested Jain in May 2022 on the charge of money laundering through four companies allegedly linked to him. It had arrested Jain based on a CBI FIR registered against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. 3. A Gyanvapi-like survey ordered in Mathura What The Allahabad High Court on Thursday allowed a plea to appoint a court-mandated commission to survey Mathura's Shahi Idgah mosque adjoining the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple. The court said three advocate commissioners would be appointed to conduct the survey. The court fixed December 18 as the date for finalising the modalities. Earlier, the court had directed a similar survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex adjoining the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. On November 16, Justice Mayank Kumar Jain had reserved the order on the application after hearing the parties concerned. The petition The application was filed in the pending suit before the high court concerning the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah mosque dispute. The petition was filed by the deity (Bhagwan Sri Krishna Virajman) and seven others through advocates Hari Shankar Jain, Vishnu Shankar Jain, Prabhash Pandey and Devki Nandan, claiming that Lord Sri Krishna's birthplace lies beneath the mosque and that there are many signs which establish that the mosque was once a Hindu temple. The claim Petitioner-advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain says there exists a lotus-shaped pillar which is characteristic of Hindu temples and that an image of 'Sheshnaag', one of the Hindu deities who protected Lord Krishna on the night of his birth, is also present there. The petition says that at the base of the pillar of the mosque, Hindu religious symbols and engravings were also visible. The case Multiple petitions, praying for various reliefs pertaining to the Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah mosque dispute, were originally filed in a Mathura court. In May this year, the high court transferred to itself all the suits pending before the Mathura court. The applicants sought a survey commission with specific directions to submit its report within a stipulated time. A further direction was sought for photography and videography of the entire proceedings. 4. From deflation to inflation in 7 months In positive zone Wholesale price-based inflation rose to an eight-month high of 0.26% in November, driven by a sharp jump in food prices, especially onion and vegetables. The WPI inflation had earlier been in the negative or deflationary zone for seven months since April. It stood at (-)0.52% in October. The last positive WPI inflation was recorded in March at 1.41%. How "Positive rate of inflation in November 2023 is primarily due to increase in prices of food articles, minerals, machinery & equipment, computer, electronics & optical products, motor vehicles, other transport equipment and other manufacturing etc," the commerce and industry ministry said in a statement. Food inflation spiked to 8.18% in November, from 2.53% in October. The onion move Inflation in onion zoomed 101.24% in November, from 62.60% in the previous month. The government last week banned exports of this kitchen staple till March next year in a bid to increase domestic availability and contain prices, which skyrocketed to Rs 80/kg in the retail market. It expects prices to cool to Rs 40/kg by January. Inflation in vegetables was 10.44%, as against (-)21.04% in October. In paddy and fruits, inflation was 10.44% and 8.37% respectively. Inflation in potatoes remained low at (-)27.22% in November. During the month, inflation in manufactured products stood at (-)0.64%, fuel and power (-)4.61% and non-food articles (-)3.20%. What about retail prices? Retail or consumer price-based inflation also rose at its fastest pace in three months at 5.55% in November, driven by a spike in food prices, data released earlier this week showed. The RBI has projected retail inflation to average 5.4% this fiscal. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in its December outlook released on Wednesday said India's inflation forecasts for 2023 and 2024 are in line with recent data and are still within expectations. It predicted retail inflation to be 5.5% for this fiscal. NEWS IN CLUES 5. Can you identify this city? Clue 1: It was known as Saket in ancient times Clue 2: An Indonesian and a Thai city are named after it Clue 3: It is situated on the bank of River Saryu Scroll below for answer 6. Money and muscle in poll victories Crorepati winners A report by the National Election Watch and Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) revealed that 88% of the 678 winning candidates are crorepatis. They analysed the assets of the newly elected MLAs in five state assemblies — Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana — to report 594 of them as crorepatis. BJP dominates crorepati MLAs Out of the 342 winning MLAs of the BJP, 298 are crorepatis. The Congress has 235 MLAs — 209 of them are crorepati. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has 38 crorepati MLAs out of the 39 elected in the polls. The Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) has 22 crorepati MLAs out of 27 legislators. State-wise crorepatis In Telangana, 114 out of 119 winning candidates are crorepatis, and in Chhattisgarh, 72 out of 90 winning candidates belong to this category. In Mizoram, 34 out of 40 winning MLAs are crorepatis. Criminal cases The report revealed that 253 out of 678 winning candidates, or 37%, have declared criminal cases against themselves. Among these, 146 candidates or 22% face serious criminal charges. Congress leads criminal cases The Congress party leads with 114 winning members facing criminal cases out of the 235 analyzed, while 66 face serious charges. Meanwhile, the BJP has 105 winning candidates with criminal cases, including 51 with serious charges. 7. Why is Russia still fighting in Ukraine? Putin says... A victory pledge Russian President Vladimir Putin has said peace with Ukraine will only be possible "when we achieve our objectives". He expressed confidence in achieving victory in Ukraine, emphasising that Russian forces were making improvement along the line of contact. Putin, who announced his intention to seek another six-year presidential term in March, was addressing his year-end press conference. He also played down the impact of nearly two years of international sanctions on Russia's economy and morale. Unchanged goals Putin said Russia's goals in Ukraine include "demilitarisation" and "denazification" along with that country's neutrality in its equations with the West. He said these objectives remain unchanged since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Taking aim at West Putin criticised the Western support for Ukraine, claiming that enthusiasm for military and financial aid was waning. He blamed Nato's eastward expansion, including Ukraine's desire to join the alliance, for the conflict, while the West attributes the conflict to Russia. Military mobilisation Addressing concerns about another military draft, Putin assured there was no need for a new mobilisation, saying some 617,000 Russian personnel were active in the conflict zone. The statement follows protests and mass exodus triggered by a September 2022 draft. Conditions for restoring relations Putin suggested that fundamental changes, such as the US respecting others and seeking compromise instead of sanctions and military intervention, would be necessary for fully restoring relations with Russia. Putin's view on Gaza Putin drew a distinction between Russia's military actions in Ukraine and Israel's bombardment of Gaza, stating that the situations were different and referenced the UN Secretary-General's characterization of Gaza as the "biggest graveyard of children in the world" and noted the objective assessment. 8. A vote for impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden A vote The Republican-led US House of Representatives has voted to authorise impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden in a 221-212 vote along party lines. Judiciary committee chairman Jim Jordan emphasised the constitutional duty of oversight and expressed hopes that the vote would help secure witnesses. A political game Republicans aim to use the impeachment inquiry vote to strengthen their legal standing for holding President Biden's son, Hunter Biden, in contempt of Congress if he refuses to appear. Hunter Biden, facing criminal charges, offered to testify in a public hearing but declined a closed-door deposition. Where's the evidence? Despite ethical concerns about the international business dealings of the Biden family, no substantiated evidence has emerged to prove that President Biden engaged in the misuse of his position or accepted illicit payments during his current or past official capacities. The timing The Republican move comes less than a year to go for the 2024 presidential election, in which Biden may be facing his predecessor Donald Trump, the Republican Party leader, even as Hunter Biden grapples with tax and gun-related cases. The likelihood of a Senate acquittal, given its Democratic control, adds a layer of complexity to the political outcome of the move. A case of declining popularity Biden's popularity has declined, with factors like inflation and the Israel-Palestine conflict contributing to public discontent. An NBC News poll reported the lowest popularity for him during his presidency, with a majority of voters viewing him negatively. What Biden said Biden criticised the impeachment effort, saying Congress should focus on urgent national and global priorities instead of engaging in what he called a baseless political stunt. He cited the lack of factual support acknowledged even by some Republicans in Congress. 9. A first in Indian women's cricket history A record The first day of the one-off Test against England in Mumbai became memorable for Indian cricket, with the women's team making their way into record books, becoming the second team to score over 400 runs in a single day. It was the first time in 88 years that a women's Test team scored more than 400 runs in a single day. The second team The overall record is held by England, who scored 431 runs against New Zealand in 1935 at Lancaster Park in Christchurch. India's score of 410/7 at the stumps came on the back of scintillating half-centuries by four players and three big partnerships. India took 94 overs to score 410 runs on the first day. Deepti Sharma (60) and Pooja Vastrakar (4) were unbeaten at the crease at the end of the day's play. A brilliant show With a stunning batting display, India also topped their previous highest total at home. The team moved past the earlier record of 400/9 against South Africa in 2014. After openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma fell early, Jemimah Rodrigues and Shubha Satheesh stitched up a 115-run partnership to helm the Indian innings on both sides of the lunch break. Sophie Ecclestone got the crucial breakthrough by dismissing Satheesh who was on 69 (76 balls). At tea, India were 261/4 with Harmanpreet Kaur and Yastika Bhatia unbeaten on 25 (41 balls) and 15(18) respectively. While Kaur fell one short of her fifty, Yastika delivered some spectacular drives as the duo took India past the 300-run barrier with the loss of four wickets. After they departed in quick succession, Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana built a tenacious partnership of over 90 runs, confounding the English bowlers. Rana's innings soon came to an end, bowled by Nat Sciver-Brunt. 10. You share your b'day with... Source: Various Answer To NEWS IN CLUES Ayodhya. The Imam of Mecca is set to lay the foundation stone for the Mohammad Bin Abdullah Mosque in Ayodhya, on the site given by UP government, following a Supreme Court order. Mumbai-based Haji Arafat Shaikh, appointed as the chairman of the committee overseeing the mosque's construction, said the mosque would showcase the world's largest copy of Quran as an exhibit and a sizable fish aquarium, aiming to attract non-Muslim visitors. The construction of the mosque, designed in Indo-Islamic, Turkish and Persian architectural styles, is poised to begin soon, said Shaikh, who has visited Ayodhya couple of times since the construction of the mosque was announced. COURTESY : TIMES TOP 10