12 September 2022

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

1 – Naxalism in India: GS III – Internal Security of India

Indian Naxal Movement:

• The movement had strong ideological roots in its early phases and was guided by figures like Charu Majumdar, Kondapalli Seetharamaiah, Nagabhushan Patnaik, and others.
• The movement’s course and personality changed with time, becoming more vicious and sanguinary.
• It nonetheless kept up the appearance that it truly stood by the impoverished and the oppressed, particularly the tribal people.
• Maoism still has resonance with some of the more ideologically oriented sections in universities and colleges, albeit it did lose some of the backing of the urban intellectuals.
• Dantewada, Bastar, Bijapur, and Sukma are now the primary Maoist activity hotspots in Chhattisgarh.
• The taxonomy of Naxalism has undergone significant alterations between the initial phase (1967–1972) and the current Maoist movement.
• Today, it has changed into a very regimented, militaristic movement that now prioritises terrorising populations over advancing their ideas.
• In a joint operation run by the Special Operations Group of Odisha and the Greyhounds of Andhra Pradesh, the Communist Party of India (Maoist) lost about 30 of its cadres.
• Many feel that it signalled the beginning of the Naxalite movement’s decline in the nation.

Causes:

Political variables:

• One of the main causes of such revolutions was the nature of tribal peoples and the political system’s indifference to them.
• lack of political power in India to give the underprivileged groups of society in the impacted states opportunities for structural uplift.
• Lack of tribal community participation in politics

Economic variables:

• Underdevelopment, economic inequality, and poverty in the areas afflicted by Naxal.
• Mining firms’ entry into tribal lands and forests poses a threat to the tribes’ way of life.
• Indigenous tribal population torn from their traditional means of subsistence and robbed of their lands
• The advantages of resource exploitation are not distributed to the native people.

Environmental Damage:

• Due to mining and industrial activities, there is environmental degradation in the form of the depletion of land and water resources.

Lack of essential infrastructure:

• Lack of essential services including food, freedom, education, and sanitization.
• Due to inequality, illiteracy, and a lack of opportunities, the socially backward tribals make up the majority of the Naxalites’ support base.

Reasons for the CRPF’s defeats in the fight against the Naxals:

• States do not share a common strategy
• Insufficient communication between the Central forces and the state police.
• Inadequate combat readiness and training for forces in Maoist-affected states.
• Between governments and regions, there is a lack of formalised intelligence sharing.
• Naxalites have a strong advantage in armed conflict due to their familiarity with the area.

Government’s strategy:

• In the naxal-affected districts, there was a significant deployment of security personnel as part of Operation Green Hunt, which began in 2010. In nine years, the number of districts afflicted by naxalism has decreased from 223 in 2010 to 90 now.

Program for Aspirational Districts:

• The government’s strategy is to address left wing extremism holistically, with a focus on security, development, protecting local populations’ rights and entitlements, better governance, and public perception management.
• Since “Police” and “Public Order” are State issues, state governments are primarily responsible for maintaining law and order.
• Repairing severe infrastructure gaps in states afflicted by left-wing extremism under the Scheme for Special Infrastructure.
• Through the Ministry of Defense, assistance is provided for training State Police.
• Support for community policing and civic engagement initiatives.
• To end the threat as quickly as possible, there is a “National Policy and Action Plan to Address Left Wing Extremism.”
• Enhancing the deployment of central forces in the state’s Naxal-infested areas is the goal of anti-left-wing extremism (LWE) policy.

Alternatives to Naxalism in India:

Good leadership:

• The presence of Naxals in the nation also highlights the gaps in the legal system, which has failed to stop the threat.
• To eradicate Naxalism, the central government must put in place a comprehensive national strategy.

Dialogue:

• Talks between Naxal leaders and government representatives may help to find a solution.
• The administration ought to start a real conversation with the Naxalites.

Improve wages while creating more jobs:

• The inhabitants in the area have no choice but to join the Naxals due to unstable work and living conditions.
• In order to effectively combat Naxalism, we must first offer the local population legitimate work options that pay well.

Rehabilitative services and relocation:

• The lack of any plans for the resettlement of the displaced people caused by the presence of mining grounds, irrigation areas, industries, etc. in the region has only made things worse for the poor.
• Rehabilitation of the afflicted population needs to receive more attention.

Stop environmental deterioration:

• Degradation of the environment in the form of the depletion of land and water resources as a result of industrial and mining activities
• The villagers’ life are disrupted, which has a negative impact on tourism

Stop political marginalisation of less powerful groups:

• The ruling class continues to discriminate against the lower classes, schedule castes, and schedule tribes.
• These marginalised groups don’t participate equally in political elections and campaigns, making them easy prey for Naxals.

Eliminate disparity:

• Economic inequality and the widening gap between the rich and the poor are two of the major issues that have fueled the rise of naxalism.
• To combat Naxalism, this gap must be closed in a hurry to some extent.

Ensure that common people have access to necessities:

• The exploitation of tribal lands and forests for industrial interests is one of the main causes of instability.
• The loss of land and the absence of necessities like food, sanitation, freedom, and education

Act to improve the welfare of the tribal people:

• Because of inequality, ignorance, and a lack of opportunities, the socially backward tribal people make up the majority of the Naxalites’ support base.
• It’s critical to keep these individuals from falling victim to the Naxal trap.

Update law enforcement organisations:

• The state governments are in charge of the bulk of the law enforcement.
• The Union Ministry of Home Affairs is in charge of a number of federal agencies.
• The central government must make inroads into these troubled states with its agencies equipped with cutting-edge artillery and support the frequently under-resourced state authorities.

As of Now:

• The administration, the security establishment, as well as the federal and state governments, must understand that the movement cannot be treated just from a law and order perspective.
• If the movement is to be successfully stopped, it is obvious that the process of enhancing the lives of the underprivileged and tribal people must be accelerated.
• The counterinsurgency strategy’s fundamental goal will be to win over the hearts and minds of the tribal population and other marginalised groups.
• Infrastructure improvements for the road and rail system will not only promote economic development but also aid in stymieing Maoist propaganda.
• The efficacy of the security forces in conducting operations will also increase as a result of the increased road connectivity.
• Offering rewards and alternative life support systems to persons who have been turned in

Source The Indian Express

 2 – Gaganyaan Mission: GS III – Space Technology

About:

• The Indian Space Research Organization’s Gaganyaan mission (ISRO).
• The Gaganyaan timetable calls for the launch of three trips into orbit.
• There will be one manned space voyage and two unmanned ones.
• Three Indian astronauts, one of them is a woman, will go aboard the Gaganyaan system module, known as the Orbital Module.
• It will spend 5-7 days in a low-Earth orbit around the planet at an altitude of 300–400 km.

Payloads:

• The crew module, a spacecraft carrying people, will make up the payload.
• powered by two liquid-propellant engines in a service module.
• It will have emergency escape and mission abort features.
• Launch: The three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle GSLV Mk III, also known as the LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3), will be used to launch Gaganyaan because it has the required payload capacity.

Russian training:

• A contract for the training, which includes Russian assistance in the choice of applicants, their medical inspection, and their space training, was signed in June 2019 between the Human Space Flight Centre of the ISRO and the Russian government-owned Glavkosmos.
• The Soyuz manned spacecraft’s systems will be thoroughly studied by the applicants, and they will also receive training in short-term weightlessness aboard the Il-76MDK aircraft.
• Russians built the Soyuz spacecraft. People and supplies are transported to and from the space station by the Soyuz.
• A military transport aircraft called the Il-76MDK was created specifically for parabolic flights of aspiring astronauts and space tourists.
• Importance: It will raise the nation’s level of science and technology and encourage young people.
• Numerous departments, agencies, laboratories, fields of study, and companies will participate in Gaganyaan.
• It will assist in enhancing industrial growth.
• As part of changes to boost commercial participation in the space sector, the government recently created a new organisation, IN-SPACe.
• It will contribute to the advancement of technology for social good.
• It will aid in enhancing global cooperation.
• It might not be enough to have just one International Space Station (ISS) built by several nations. There will be a need for local ecosystems, and Gaganyaan will concentrate on local requirements for food, water, and energy security.

Source The Hindu

3 – Leader of Opposition: GS II – Indian Parliament

Where did the term “leader of opposition” come from?

• G V Mavalankar served as the Lok Sabha’s first Speaker. The rule that Mavalankar created to identify the opposition leader in the house has gained notoriety.
• According to Mavalankar’s regulations, the leader of the main opposition party must hold at least 55 seats, or 10% of the total number of seats in the House, in order to be named Leader of Opposition.
• A National Political Party recently declared that, due to a lack of members, it will not contest for the position of Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
• The second-largest party in parliament after the majority has only 52 members, falling three shy of the necessary number.

The Leader of the Opposition is responsible for the following tasks:

• Presiding over sessions where the opposition reviews bills and discusses policy options, choosing opposition members to serve as shadow ministers, serving as the main spokesperson for the opposition, and organising the opposition during a federal election.

What Does Being the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Mean?

• The leader of the opposition is allegedly referred to as the “Shadow Prime Minister.” If the government is forced to dissolve due to an unforeseen event, the Leader should be prepared to take over.
• The absence of such a Leader of the Opposition will weaken India since the opposition will be unable to present a united front in opposition to the ruling party.
• The opposition’s leader is crucial in ensuring that the group works cohesively and effectively on legislative and policy matters.
• Additionally, it aids in ensuring impartiality in the selection of officials for institutions that promote accountability and transparency, such as the CVC, CBI, Lokpal, and CIC.
• The opposition leader’s other responsibility is to keep an eye out for minority’ rights abuses. They can also ask for discussions on these important topics if the government is attempting to evade parliamentary scrutiny.
• The Public Accounts Committee, whose chairperson is the leader of the opposition, is in place to oversee the spending of the governing party.

What is the process for choosing the opposition leader?

• The process for identifying the opposition leader is clearly laid out.
• Upon request from the opposition party with the highest numerical representation, the designated leader of that party shall be acknowledged as the opposition leader.
• The speaker or chairperson acknowledges the requester after her or his secretariat has reviewed it.

Conclusion:

• The Leader of an Opposition has highly specific responsibilities to the Parliament and the state under India’s practically unique system of government. The Leader of the Opposition plays a crucial function in the current Government in situations like foreign danger or also in issues impacting the security and safety of the realms. He must in a way be a supporter and even a buttress of the government he opposes while he continues to be a critic. He must faithfully carry out this dual task.

Source The Indian Express

4 – Cheetah Reintroduction in India: Prelims Specific Topic

About Reintroduction Plan:

• Reintroducing a species simply means releasing it in a habitat that will support it.
• Reintroducing large carnivores has gained more acceptance as a method for protecting endangered species and reestablishing ecosystem services.
• The only large carnivore that has gone extinct is the cheetah, primarily due to historical overhunting in India.
• Much like Project Tiger has done for forests and all the species that have witnessed an increase in numbers, the protection of the cheetah will revitalise grasslands and their biomes and habitat.

Reasons behind the Extinction:

• The cat was extinct in India because to hunting, habitat loss, and a lack of sufficient prey, including black buck, gazelle, and hare (1952).
• These issues have only gotten worse as a result of the onset of climate change and expanding human populations.
• Reintroduction Action Plan: The ministry will relocate about 8 to 12 cheetahs from South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana with assistance from the Wildlife Institute of India and the Wildlife Trust of India.
• The largest populations of the animal are found in these nations.
• Due to its ideal environment and sufficient prey base, Kuno Palpur National Park (Madhya Pradesh) would be home to the big cats.

Details of the Cheetah:

• With ancestors that date back more than five million years to the Miocene era, the cheetah is one of the oldest big cat species.
• The cheetah, which may be found in Africa and Asia, is also the fastest terrestrial mammal in the world.

Source The Down To Earth Magazine