06 July 2023

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

1 – Hul Diwas: GS I – Indian Culture
Context:

• The sacrifices made by Adivasis throughout their conflict with British colonial authorities, as well as Hul Diwas, were mentioned in a tweet by the Indian Prime Minister.

With regards to the Hul revolution:

• The Santhals’ “Hul,” or uprising.
• The Santhals organised a battle against colonialism as a means of retaliation against the various forms of tyranny the British had subjected them to.
• Its leaders were two brothers named Sidhu and Kanhu.
• The rebellion took place in the Damin-i-Koh neighbourhood, which name translates to “skirts of the hills.”
• This location is in the Rajmahal Hills neighbourhood of eastern Jharkhand’s Sahibganj district.
• Jharkhand now commemorates June 30 as “Hul Diwas,” marking the beginning of the revolt.

In relation to Santhals:

• The Santhal tribe did not always live in the area now known as Santhal Pargana.
• They had migrated from the Birbhum and Manbhum regions (modern-day Bengal) starting in the late 18th century because of the Bengali famine of 1770.
• When the Permanent Settlement Act of 1790 was implemented, the East India Company was keen to colonise and farm a rapidly expanding region that was under its authority.
• Thus, they made the decision to settle in the heavily forested Damin-i-Koh region in order to provide a reliable source of income and drive out the native Pahariya community that depended on the forest.
• The Santhal community is currently the third-largest tribal group in India and may be found in Jharkhand-Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal.

Source – The Hindu

2 – Gravitational waves: GS I – Geography-related issues
Context:

• The universe is reportedly awash in low-frequency gravitational waves, according to researchers.

Regarding the detection of low-frequency gravitational waves:

• The researchers used six large radio telescopes around the world, including the one in Pune, to investigate pulsar-related items.
• Pulsars are distant neutron stars that rotate swiftly and emit brief radiation bursts that are visible to the human eye as brilliant flashes of light from Earth.
• Astronomers refer to pulsars as “cosmic clocks” because these bursts happen at remarkably regular periods.
• After 15 years and 25 pulsars, it was found that some of these neutron star signals arrived a little early and others a little late.
• The variations were measured in millionths of seconds.
• The discovered anomalies, according to scientific theory, were caused by gravity waves warping spacetime.

What are gravitational waves?

• A gravitational wave is a ripple in space-time that can be produced by a catastrophic occurrence anywhere in the universe.
• General relativity, developed by Albert Einstein, predicted them in 1916.
• General Relativity also predicted that moving objects will produce gravitational waves in spacetime, similar to how a moving boat makes waves in the ocean.
• Because gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime, when they interact with a body, they have the effect of temporarily distorting it.
• This phenomenon resembles a ball being gently compressed along either of its dimensions.
• When pressure is applied, the ball bulges out in the opposite direction while kind of flattening in the direction of the pressure.
• For instance, the Earth bulges in the opposite direction and feels a similar squeezing as a gravitational wave passes by.
• Because gravity is the weakest natural force, its deforming influence is quite minor.
• It took 100 years for general relativity to be scientifically verified as a result, despite many other predictions being regularly checked throughout this time.

Impact of gravitational waves:

• These electromagnetic waves, which also include visible light, frequently include information that is particular to the sources from which they are coming.
• By capturing gravitational waves produced by two merging black holes on September 14, 2015, scientists were able to validate their hypothesis. This proved that black holes, which are invisible, exist.
• Gravitational waves, in essence, give us the ability to “see” portions of the cosmos that are currently “invisible” to us.

About spacetime:

• In his Special Theory of Relativity, Albert Einstein postulated that space and time are not separate concepts.
• He developed spacetime, a four-dimensional continuum that combines the one dimension of time with the three dimensions of space (height, width, and depth).
• A decade later, in his General Theory of Relativity, the physicist asserted that spacetime was not just a transparent, inert, static, or fixed background to all happenings in the cosmos.
• In contrast, spacetime is malleable and fluid; it interacts with matter, is impacted by it, and in turn, is impacted by the events that take place there.
• It was likened to a supple fabric that responds to a heavy object by deforming when it is placed on it.

Source – The Hindu
 
3 – Planet Halla: GS III – Science and Technology
In relation to the planet:

• In 2015, Korean astronomers found the gas planet 8 UMi b, which they named Halla.
• Halla, the tallest peak in South Korea, is regarded as a holy place.
• The exoplanet orbits the giant star Baekdu, also referred to as the “Little Bear,” which is larger than the sun.
• Due to how closely Halla orbits its star, it is classified as a “hot Jupiter,” an exoplanet with temperatures higher than Jupiter’s.

Source – The Hindu

4 – Deep Sea Mining Permits: GS III – Infrastructure-related issues
Context:

• The International bottom Authority is preparing to resume talks that might allow for the mining of the world’s bottom, even for materials required for the switch to green energy.

What Is Deep Sea Mining?

• The process of removing metals and mineral deposits from the ocean’s seafloor is known as deep sea mining.
• There are three types of this mining:
• extracting from the ocean floor polymetallic nodules containing deposits,
• substantial seafloor sulphide deposits and
• removing cobalt crusts from rocks.
• These nodules, deposits, and crusts contain a variety of materials, including nickel, rare earths, and cobalt.
• They are necessary for the production of batteries, other renewable energy materials, as well as everyday devices like computers and phones.

Which laws now govern deep sea mining?

• The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea governs the high seas and the whole ocean floor, but each country is in charge of defining its own maritime borders and exclusive economic zones.
• Whether or whether they have ratified it or signed it, states are seen as being subject to it.
• According to the pact, the seafloor and its natural riches are regarded as a part of the “common heritage of mankind.”
• These must be managed in a way that promotes scientific research, distributes financial advantages, and protects marine ecosystems while also serving the needs of humanity.

Environmental Concerns:
Ecosystems are being destroyed:

• Mining could disrupt ecosystems, according to environmentalists, especially in the lack of any environmental controls.
• Mining can have a negative impact on noise, vibration, and light pollution, and there is a danger that fuels and other chemicals used in the mining process will leak or spill.

Accumulative plumes:

• A significant issue is the discharge of sediment during several mining activities.
• Following the removal of valuable commodities, slurry sediment plumes are occasionally dumped back into the ocean.
• That might disrupt filter-feeding animals like corals and sponges by suffocating or otherwise interfering with some creatures.

Loss of biodiversity:

• A loss of biodiversity is unavoidable and may possibly be permanent, according to scientists.

The International Seabed Authority is concerned:

• It was established by the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
• The ISA’s dual goals are to authorise and oversee the expansion of operations related to mining on the international seabed while also protecting the environment of the seabed, ocean floor, and subsoil in “The Area” outside of state jurisdiction.
• The international deep sea, or the waters below 200 metres (656 feet), is where photosynthesis is most difficult due to a lack of light, and the ISA’s goal is to safeguard it.
• With a separate Assembly, Council, and Secretariat, the Authority operates as a distinct international body.

Source – The Hindu

5 – Criminalisation of politics:
GS II
Election-related issues
Context:

• The Election Commission was requested by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) to take action against parties who ignore orders from the Supreme Court and the poll panel to provide information about candidates’ criminal history.

Important details:

• Political parties that have defaulted but have taken part in the 2023 Assembly elections are being targeted harshly, according to ADR.
• Activists and independent election watchdogs like ADR have criticised politicians for fielding candidates with criminal records.
• After the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, 43% of the newly elected MPs had current criminal cases pending against them, according to ADR.

Regarding the policing of politics:

• It makes reference to the smuggling of dishonest individuals and criminals into the political system.
• They then use their power and influence to further their own agendas at the expense of the country and its citizens.

Consequences:
It has an impact on law and order:

• Criminal politicians abuse their position of authority to protect themselves and their allies, dismantling the legal system in the process.
• The increasing frequency with which well-known politicians avoid punishment for their misdeeds serves as evidence of this.

Corruption:

• Politicians with criminal past are more prone to take bribes and steal from the government, among other corrupt behaviours.
• Both the national economy and the social fabric of society are harmed by this.
• It has resulted in ineffectiveness, a lack of accountability, and poor decision-making, all of which have impeded the nation’s advancement.

Politics being made illegal because:
Muscular power:

• The justification for using force is that, if one side is unable to gain the trust of society, then terror and violence may aid them in doing so.
• The most dangerous elements of society emerge when criminals and political parties coexist.

Cash flow:

• Dark money and mafia funding are significant contributors to the criminalization of politics.
• Money obtained illegally is one of the key causes of the increase in political crime.

Corruption:

• When lawlessness and the criminality of politics combine, corrupt practises begin to emerge.
• Politics becoming more criminalised is ultimately a result of rising corruption.

The political system in India is fragmented:

• The Indian political system is based on the distinctions that exist in the country’s existing society.
• By taking advantage of this rift, criminals enter politics.
• Candidate selection is frequently influenced by a candidate’s caste, race, religion, community, and linguistic origin.

Politicians in India can retire at any age:

• Some members of the Lok Sabha never leave office because there is no retirement plan for them.
• Family fiefdom is a significant issue that puts the careers of aspiring lawyers and politicians in grave danger.

Challenges:
Democracy is in danger:

• The criminalization of politics poses a threat to democratic institutions and the rule of law.
• When in office, politicians with criminal records have the power to corrupt the justice system and promote an atmosphere of impunity.

Governmental Issues:

• When in government, politicians with criminal histories are more prone to put their own demands ahead of the needs of the public.
• This can lead to ineffective management and a failure to address the country’s current pressing issues.

Corruption:

• Corruption frequently goes hand in hand with making politics unlawful.
• Politicians who have a history of crime are more likely to use their positions of power for personal gain, which can lead to widespread corruption.

Criminalization of political parties:

• The criminalization of politics may result in political parties becoming criminalised, with criminal elements seizing control and utilising the parties for their own gain.
• The rule of law and democratic institutions may be further undermined as a result.

Public perception:

• The public’s trust in the democratic system may be harmed when criminals gain elected office.
• As a result, people may lose hope in democratic institutions and the rule of law and grow cynical and demoralised.
• Solutions:

Public awareness:

• The first step in finding a remedy is raising awareness of the issue among the general public.
• This can be assisted by the media, civil society organisations, and educational institutions.

Transparency:

• Increasing the political system’s transparency is the second stage.

This can be accomplished by implementing regulations like:

• The disclosure of a candidate’s criminal history.
• Stricter regulations for campaign financing.
• Increased campaign-related surveillance.

Enhancing the justice system:

• to ensure that politicians who have a criminal record are held accountable for their actions.
• This can be done by strengthening the laws against political corruption and the penalties associated with it, as well as by guaranteeing the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.
• People with criminal past shouldn’t be allowed to run for office or hold public posts, hence legislation should be created to prevent this.
• Criminal elements may be kept out of the political system as a result.

Rapid-fire courts:

• Fast-track courts can ensure swift justice and prevent politicians from abusing their power to sway the legal system.

Election Reforms:

• One of the most significant measures may be the need that political parties disclose the criminal records of their candidates.
• This might promote political transparency and accountability.

Political Will:

• In order to stop the criminalization of politics, political will is necessary.
• Politicians should lead by setting an example for the public by only allowing respectable and law-abiding individuals to hold public office.
• This might aid in the growth of a moral and responsible political culture.

Moving forward:
Maintaining the rule of law:

• Criminalising politics jeopardises democracy’s fundamental principles and erodes popular support for it.
• By maintaining a pure and free of criminal elements political system, we can ensure that the rule of law is followed and that justice is carried out.

Promoting honesty and openness:

• Transparency and accountability are essential to good governance.
• When politics is pure and free of criminal elements, it is easier to hold politicians accountable for their actions and to encourage transparency in governmental matters.
• This encourages effective government and deters corruption as a result.

Ensuring fair and free elections:

• Free and fair elections are the cornerstone upon which democracies are erected.
• When politics are made illegal, the electoral process is tainted.
• This undermines the core tenets of democracy.

Promoting social and economic advancement:

• A clean and law-abiding political climate is necessary to advance social and economic growth.
• Eliminating criminal elements from politics makes it easier to attract investment, promote economic growth, and provide job opportunities.
• In turn, this promotes social progress and frees individuals from poverty.

Protecting human rights:

• Criminalising politics can frequently lead to human rights breaches.
• Politicians who commit crimes may misuse their position of power by stifling dissent, intimidating rivals, and abusing citizens’ rights.
• A clean and crime-free political atmosphere is essential for sustaining social fairness and defending human rights.

Source – The Hindu