| 1. On terror attack anniversary, Parliament's security breached |  | What- In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack, two persons on Wednesday jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour and released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by MPs.
- Around the same time, at least four more persons, including a woman, sprayed coloured gas from canisters while shouting slogans 'tanashahi nahi chalegi' outside the Parliament premises.
5 arrested- By evening, five people, including the two who entered the Lok Sabha, were arrested by the police, and one was reportedly absconding. Police and agencies have yet not clarified on their motive or affiliation with any group.
- Two persons, involved in the Lok Sabha incident, have been identified as Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan. Sharma had come to the visitor's gallery as a guest of Mysuru Lok Sabha member Prathap Simha, reported PTI.
- Two involved in the canister incident have been identified as Neelam Devi and Amol Shinde. The fifth has been identified as Lalit Jha, at whose Gurgaon home the other five stayed, reported NDTV.
Any link to Khalistani threat?- With some members raising the issue of a recent threat to attack Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said: "What you are referring to, it is not that matter as per preliminary report."
- Khalistan activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is wanted by the NIA, had recently released a video threatening to attack Parliament on or before December 13. Pannun, who is associated with banned group 'Sikhs for Justice', has dual citizenship of US and Canada.
Eye witness- Members who overpowered the two persons inside the Lok Sabha chamber quoted one of the two identifying himself as a "patriot" and his act as a "protest".
- Several Lok Sabha members beat up the intruders before handing them over to security.
- JD(U) member Ramprit Mandal said the intruders had hidden the gas canisters in their shoes and sprayed yellow-coloured gas in the Lok Sabha chamber. Mandal, who was near the intruder, said RLP member Hanuman Beniwal and other members overpowered the person.
- "Suddenly there was a commotion in the House. One person was seen jumping from one bench to another. It was a very tense moment, anything could have happened. I thought, what if he has a bomb or fire equipment in his pocket? It is a serious security lapse," Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Trinamool Lok Sabha leader, said.
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| 2. How India shifted its stance on Israel-Hamas war |  | India supports ceasefire- India has voted in favour of a draft resolution in the UN General Assembly that demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and unconditional release of all hostages.
- In October, India had abstained in a UN General Assembly vote on a resolution that called for an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
- The change of position showcases India's evolving position and diplomatic considerations in addressing the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Egypt-backed resolution- Introduced by Egypt, the resolution called for an instant humanitarian ceasefire and insists on all parties adhering to international law, particularly humanitarian laws protecting civilians.
- It further demanded the immediate and unconditional release of hostages, emphasizing the need for humanitarian access.
Secretary-General's intervention- The UNGA resolution acknowledged a letter from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on December 6, wherein he invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter for the first time which states that "the Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security".
Global response- The resolution gained overwhelming support in the 193-member UN General Assembly, with 153 nations voting in favour.
- However, a notable opposition includes Austria, Israel, and the United States, underscoring the complexities and differing perspectives surrounding the conflict.
- Austria and the US proposed amendments aimed at explicitly referencing Hamas's involvement, but they failed to secure the required two-thirds majority.
- Additionally, 23 nations choose to abstain from the vote.
Israel's stance- Israel's Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan asserts that a ceasefire would only "benefit terrorists", framing it as a potential threat to the survival of both Israelis and Gazans.
Recent setback- The UNGA vote followed a recent setback in the 15-nation Security Council, where a resolution , proposed by the UAE calling for an urgent humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza was thwarted by a US veto.
Humanitarian impact- Over 1,200 lives, including 33 children, were lost on October 7 due to attacks by Hamas and at least 18,205 fatalities witnessed by GAZA, predominantly women and children, with around 49,645 reported injuries since the start of Israel's operation, according to UN estimates.
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| 3. 'Unstamped arbitration agreements inadmissible but not void' |  | What- In a landmark ruling, a seven-judge Constitution bench has declared that arbitration clauses in unstamped or insufficiently stamped agreements between parties are enforceable and such defects are curable and do not render the contract invalid.
Previous verdict- In 2020, the Supreme Court had observed that an arbitration clause in an agreement which is required to be duly stamped, if not sufficiently stamped, cannot be acted upon by the Court.
- In April, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court by 3:2 majority had held that arbitration agreement in unstamped contract is unenforceable.
Key ruling points- Overruling the previous verdict, the bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud delivered a unanimous verdict and held that non-stamping or insufficient stamping of an agreement has nothing to do with the validity of the document as it is a curable defect.
- The defect makes the agreement inadmissible in evidence but does not affect its validity or enforceability.
- Any objection related to stamping falls within the purview of the arbitral tribunal.
Significance- The ruling has significant implications for corporate and other agreements with arbitration clauses, to resolve disputes between contracting parties providing clarity on the enforceability of unstamped or insufficiently stamped agreements.
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| 4. In a first, a climate deal on fossil fuels |  | Historic deal- In a historic move during UN climate negotiations in the UAE, representatives from nearly 200 countries reached a landmark deal at COP28 in Dubai, signaling a transition away from fossil fuels to combat climate change.
- The deal struck in Dubai after two weeks of hard-fought negotiations signals a united global stance to transition away from fossil fuels, identified as a crucial step to combat climate change.
Fossil fuels transition- COP28's historic agreement outlines an eight-point plan, emphasising a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems.
- The deal calls for accelerated action this decade, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050.
Coal phasedown- The proposal urges countries to expedite the phase-down of unabated coal power, surpassing the 2021 Glasgow deal.
Swift emission reduction- The agreement urges a rapid and sustained reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in line with the 1.5°C pathway, accounting for diverse national circumstances and approaches.
Loopholes and concerns- The document omits references to oil, gas and fuels used by affluent countries and the absence suggests a lack of commitment to addressing emissions from these sources.
- Analysts note significant loopholes, particularly the exclusion of references to plastics and fertilizers in the move away from fossil fuels.
- Concerns arise about whether the transition is limited to the energy sector.
Reactions- COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber hails the agreement as a robust action plan, addressing emissions, adaptation, global finance, and loss and damage.
- India welcomed the outcome, emphasising the need for concrete means (finance, tech) for on-the-ground action. Environment Minister Yadav underscores the importance of aligning determination with practical implementation.
Criticism- Over 100 countries lobbied for strong language in the agreement to "phase out" oil, gas, and coal, facing opposition from the OPEC-led oil producer group, notably Saudi Arabia.
- Concerns are raised about the exclusion of means of implementation and finance for energy transition in developing countries.For more
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| 6. Mahadev app owner held, trouble for Baghel? |  | Arrested in Dubai- The Dubai police have arrested Ravi Uppal, one of the two main owners of the Mahadev online betting app, based on a red corner notice issued by Interpol at the behest of the ED.
- Uppal, 43, was held last week in the UAE and the ED officials are in touch with the Dubai authorities to get him deported to India.
- The ED is probing the businessman in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal betting through online apps apart from the Chhattisgarh and Mumbai Police crime branches.
The case- The ED has filed a money laundering chargesheet against Uppal and another promoter of the Internet-based platform, Sourabh Chandrakar, before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Chhattisgarh's Raipur in October.
- Subsequently, the court issued a non-bailable warrant and on the ED's request, Interpol issued a red notice against them.
- The ED's chargesheet says Uppal has taken a passport of Vanuatu, an island country in the Pacific Ocean, even as he has not renounced Indian citizenship.
- The ED has estimated that the proceeds of crime, in this case, is about Rs 6,000 crore, saying Uppal "generated and enjoyed proceeds of crime".
Trouble for Baghel?- The ED claimed in November, just before the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly polls, that questioning a 'cash courier' identified as Asim Das has revealed that Mahadev betting app promoters paid about Rs 508 crore to then-Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel.
- Later, during the election campaign, PM Modi said, "The Mahadev betting app scam is worth Rs 508 crore and investigating agencies have recovered loads of cash in this case. A close aide of the Chhattisgarh CM is also in jail...Congress should reveal how much money the CM received in this. How much money have the other leaders of the party received and how much money has reached Delhi?"
- Modi said that action would be taken against the corrupt in Chhattisgarh after the BJP came to power.
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| 7. Why Kerala governor is upset with CM |  | The latest- The ongoing tussle between Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan escalated further on Wednesday. Khan stepped up his attacks on Vijayan over nominations to the senate of certain universities and a statewide tour by the chief minister.
- This comes a day after Khan slammed Vijayan over the SFI students waylaying his convoy.
The current trigger- Three back-to-back issues cropped up this week. On Monday night, activists of the SFI, the CPI-M's student wing, attacked Khan's vehicle while he was on his way to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.
- Vijayan's ministers P Rajeev, AK Saseendran and PA Mohamed Riyas defended SFI and Khan responded by calling a minister "goonda".
- The second issue was nominating senate members in certain universities. While the Vijayan government objected to his choices, Khan insisted that it was within his power and he was free to use his discretion in the matter.
- Thirdly, an irate Khan questioned the motive behind Vijayan's mass outreach programme across the 140 assembly constituencies — the Nava Kerala Sadas campaign.
A history- Khan and Pinarayi have been at loggerheads for long. It escalated after the Supreme Court in November quashed the reappointment of Gopinath Ravindran as VC of Kannur University in November and berated the Vijayan government for its "unwarranted intervention" in the matter.
- Khan had reappointed Ravindran in November 2021 but later he called the decision illegal.
- In the same university, he stayed the appointment of Priya Verghese, the wife of Vijayan's private secretary KK Ragesh for violating rules.
A chequered past- Khan became Kerala governor in September 2019 and has locked horns with the Vijayan government over several issues since then.
- They fought over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) after Khan's speech at the Indian History Congress and the Kerala Assembly's resolution against it in 2019.
- In 2020, they sparred over the now withdrawn three farm reform laws of the Centre.
- In 2022, Khan refused to give consent to 11 Ordinances including on curtailing Lokayukta's power. His refusal to give consent to several Bills passed by the assembly was also argued in the Supreme Court this year.
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| X-PLAINED | | 8. The politics behind BJP's CM and deputy CM choices |  | The top BJP leadership surprised many by choosing relatively light-weight candidates to lead the governments in the three Hindi heartland states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. A generational shift- The BJP has replaced the old generation of state leaders with new faces. Veterans Raman Singh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Vasundhara Raje have been replaced by Vishnu Deo Sai, Mohan Yadav and Bhajan Lal Sharma.
Not the first- After 2014, the BJP has sprung similar surprises in Himachal Pradesh (Jairam Thakur replacing Prem Kumar Dhumal), Uttarakhand (from Trivendra Singh Rawat to Pushkar Singh Dhami getting preference over BC Khanduri, BS Koshiyari and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank), and also with Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh, Raghubar Das in Jharkhand, Biplab Deb in Tripura and Laxmikant Parsekar in Goa.
Caste calculus- The BJP has picked a tribal, an OBC Yadav and a Brahmin as its chief ministerial candidates. It has tried to balance the upper caste-backward caste balance in each of the states.
- In Chhattisgarh, deputy CMs are Arun Sao (OBC Teli) and Vijay Sharma (Brahmin).
- In Madhya Pradesh, Yadav (from an influential caste even in UP and Bihar) has two deputies from the Dalit (Jagdish Devda) and Brahmin (Rajendra Shukla) communities.
- And in Rajasthan, a Brahmin is the CM (Sharma), who has a deputy from the Dalit community (Premchand Bairwa) and another is a Rajput woman from an erstwhile royal family (Diya Kumari).
- So, the BJP has covered its community vote bank bases from the upper caste, OBC, Dalit and tribal communities.
With an eye on 2024- The BJP contested the assembly polls on collective leadership projecting PM Modi as its face, clearly indicating that the state stalwarts Singh, Chouhan and Raje were no longer the regional satraps.
- The polls projected a stronger image of Modi as a vote-puller, just five months before the Lok Sabha polls.
A message- Under the Modi-Shah leadership, a committed BJP worker can reach any political height in the party structure with the backing of the RSS.
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| 9. Do China and Vietnam really see a 'shared future'? |  | Strengthening ties- China and Vietnam agreed to step up co-operation on security matters in their move towards becoming a community with a "shared future", they said on Wednesday, as Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a visit to Hanoi.
A crucial visit- On Xi's two-day trip that ended Wednesday, the Communist-ruled neighbours, close in economic areas but at odds over boundaries in the South China Sea, signed dozens of co-operation pacts and agreed to set up more hotlines to defuse any emergencies in the contested waters.
- In a 16-page joint statement, the countries, which share a millennia-long history of conflict, vowed to work more closely to strengthen defence industry ties and intelligence exchanges.
What's a 'colour revolution'?- They said their aim was partly to avert the risk of what they called a "colour revolution" promoted by hostile forces, using a term for popular uprisings that have shaken former Communist nations.
- They "announced the establishment of a strategic China-Vietnam community of 'shared future' to promote the upgrading of China-Vietnam relations," Xi told the chairman of Vietnam's parliament, Vuong Dinh Hue, at a meeting earlier.
Strategic importance- China and the United States have been jostling for influence among Southeast Asian nations, including Vietnam, which elevated its ties with Washington to a comprehensive strategic partnership, putting its one-time enemy on par with Beijing and Moscow.
- Vietnam is also strategically important in the light of the tussle between US and China over dominance in the South China Sea.
- Under such circumstances, the pacts mark an achievement for Vietnam's "Bamboo" diplomacy, a term that's often used for Hanoi's multi-alignment foreign policy aiming for strong ties with all the major powers in the region, even though analysts and diplomats said the improvement in relations could be more symbolic than real.
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| Answer To NEWS IN CLUES |  | Australia. Usman Khawaja, opening batter for Australia, had the messages “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” written on his boots in the colours of the Palestinian flag in Tuesday’s training for the first test against Pakistan – which has triggered a controversy. Cricket Australia said on Wednesday they backed Usman Khawaja’s right to express his support for the people of Gaza but expected him to conform to International Cricket Council (ICC) rules banning displays on playing equipment. Khawaja has said that he believes the statements he wrote on his shoes in support of the people of Gaza were not political and said he would fight the ICC rules.
Courtesy : Times Top 10 |
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