Weekly Current Affairs (1st to 7th July 2023) Part - 2 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

SCO Summit 2023

Context: Recently, India has chaired the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) virtual Summit, leaders called for the formation of a “more representative” and multipolar world order in the global interest.

• During this 23rd Summit, Iran officially joined the SCO as the Ninth Member Country.
• The theme of India's chairpersonship of SCO is 'Towards a SECURE SCO’, which is derived from the acronym coined by the Indian PM at the 2018 SCO Qingadao Summit.
• It stands for: S: Security, E: Economic development, C: Connectivity, U: Unity, R: Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, E: Environmental protection.

Note: India, which was admitted as a full member of the SCO at the Astana Summit in 2017, holds the rotating presidency of the grouping for the first time in 2023. The SCO grouping now comprises China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

What are the Key Highlights of the 23rd SCO Summit?

New Delhi Declaration:

• The New Delhi Declaration was signed by the member nations, which states that the international community must come together to "counter the activities of terrorist, separatist and extremist groups, paying special attention to preventing the spread of religious intolerance, aggressive nationalism, ethnic and racial discrimination, xenophobia, ideas of fascism and chauvinism."

Joint Statements:

• The leaders adopted two thematic joint statements - one on cooperation in countering the radicalisation leading to separatism, extremism, and terrorism & the second one cooperation in the field of digital transformation.

New Pillars of Cooperation:

• India has created five new pillars and focus area for cooperation in the SCO, which include,
  • Startups and Innovation
  • Traditional Medicine
  • Youth Empowerment
  • Digital Inclusion
  • Shared Buddhist Heritage

India's Reservations on BRI:

• India refused to be part of the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) of the SCO members’ economic strategy statement, mentioning “interested member states’.
• India's opposition to the BRI stems from its inclusion of projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), which India considers a violation of its sovereignty.

Indian Prime Minister’s Address:

• The Indian PM highlighted the significance of connectivity for enhancing mutual trade and trust among SCO member states.
• However, he stressed the need to uphold the fundamental principles of the SCO charter, specifically respecting member states' sovereignty and regional integrity.

Other Perspectives:

• The Indian PM criticized countries that employ Cross-Border Terrorism as an instrument of their policies and provide shelter to terrorists, urging the SCO not to hesitate in condemning such nations and emphasized the importance of consistency in addressing these critical issues.
• The Chinese President, while celebrating the ten-year anniversary of the BRI, mentioned his new Global Security Initiative (GSI), calling for political resolutions to international and regional conflicts to establish a solid security shield in the region.
• He urged SCO members to formulate foreign policies independently and remain vigilant against external attempts to instigate a new Cold War or camp-based confrontation.
• The Russian President, attending his first multilateral gathering since the failed rebellion by the Wagner Group, indirectly attributed Ukraine's anti-Russian sentiment to external forces supplying weapons to the country.
• He emphasized Russia's resilience against external pressures, sanctions, and provocations, citing the unity of Russian political circles and society against attempted armed rebellions.

What is Shanghai Cooperation Organization?

About:

• SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organization.
• It’s a political, economic and military organization aiming to maintain peace, security and stability in the region.
• It was created in 2001.
• The SCO Charter was signed in 2002 and entered into force in 2003.

Objectives:

• Strengthening mutual trust and neighborliness among the member states.
• Promoting effective cooperation in -politics, trade & economy, research & technology and culture.
• Enhancing ties in education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection, etc.
• Maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region.
• Establishment of a democratic, fair and rational new international political & economic order.

Structure:

• Heads of State Council: The supreme SCO body which decides its internal functioning and its interaction with other States & international organisations, and considers international issues.
• Heads of Government Council: Approves the budget, considers and decides upon issues related to economic spheres of interaction within SCO.
• Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs: Considers issues related to day-to-day activities.
• Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS): Established to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.

SCO Secretariat:

• Based in Beijing to provide informational, analytical & organizational support.

Official language:

• The official working language of the SCO Secretariat is Russian and Chinese.

Scheme to Support Pregnant Minor Victims of Sexual Assault

Context: The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India has unveiled a new scheme aimed at providing critical care and support to pregnant minor victims of sexual assault who lack family support.

• The scheme, with an outlay of Rs 74.10 crore, will offer shelter, food, legal aid, and other necessary assistance to these victims across the country.

What are the Major Provisions of the Scheme?

About:

• The scheme seeks to assist minor girls who have been abandoned by their families due to forced pregnancies resulting from rape or gang rape.
• It acknowledges the physical and emotional trauma experienced by minor victims of rape and aggravated assault, especially in cases where they become pregnant.

Eligibility Criteria and Documentation:

• Victims below the age of 18, who become pregnant due to rape or assault as per the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and are either orphans or abandoned by their families, will be covered under the scheme.
• It is not mandatory for victims to possess a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) to avail the benefits provided by the scheme.

Provisions:

• It aims to provide medical, financial, and infrastructural support to such victims under the Nirbhaya Fund.
• The funds will be utilized to set up shelters dedicated to these victims, either as standalone shelters or designated wards within existing child care institutions (CCIs).
• In the case of wards within CCIs, separate safe spaces will be provided for minor rape victims to cater to their specific needs.
• The integrated support under the scheme aims to provide immediate and non-emergency access to various services, including education, police assistance, healthcare, and legal support.
• Insurance coverage will also be provided for the minor victim and her newborn, ensuring access to justice and rehabilitation.

Implementation:

• The scheme will leverage the administrative structure of Mission Vatsalya in collaboration with State governments and CCIs to actualise this support to minor victims.
• Also, 415 POCSO fast-track courts are already established across India to expedite justice for minor victims of rape.

Need:

• According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data from 2021, 51,863 cases were reported under the POCSO Act.
• Out of these cases, 64% were reported under sections 3 and 5 of the Act, which pertain to penetrative sexual assault and aggravated penetrative sexual assault, respectively.
• The majority of the victims were girls, and many of them became pregnant, exacerbating their physical and mental health concerns when disowned or abandoned by their families.

Note:

Nirbhaya Fund:

• The Nirbhaya Fund established in 2013, provides for a non-lapsable corpus fund for safety and security of women.
• It is administered by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) of the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
• Also, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) is the nodal Ministry to appraise/recommend proposals and schemes to be funded under Nirbhaya Fund.

Mission Vatsalya:

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to provide a roadmap to achieve development and child protection priorities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Child Care Institutions:

• They are defined under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015 as Children Home, Open Shelter, Observation Home, Special Home, Place of Safety, Specialised Adoption Agency and a Fit Facility for providing care and protection to children who are in need of such services.

National Crime Records Bureau:

• NCRB, headquartered in New Delhi, was set-up in 1986 under the Ministry of Home Affairs to function as a repository of information on crime and criminals so as to assist the investigators in linking crime to the perpetrators.
• It was set up based on the recommendations of the National Police Commission (1977-1981) and the MHA’s Task Force (1985).
• The Bureau has been entrusted to maintain National Database of Sexual Offenders (NDSO) and share it with the States/UTs on regular basis.

What are Some Other Schemes or Initiatives for Supporting Victims of Sexual Assault?

• Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF): It provides financial assistance to victims of various crimes including rape/gang rape under Section 357A of CrPC.
• One Stop Centers (OSCs): It provide integrated services such as medical aid, police assistance, legal aid/counselling, psycho-social counselling and temporary shelter to women affected by violence under any circumstances.
  • Usha Mehra Commission recommended the establishment of a one-stop centre.
• Mahila Police Volunteer (MPV): It facilitates public-police interface at the grassroots level through women volunteers who act as a link between police and community and help women in distress.

Rehabilitation Scheme for Victims of Trafficking

Context: The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, has approved a scheme that aims to provide financial assistance to states and Union Territories to establish protection and rehabilitation homes for victims of trafficking, particularly in states with international borders.

What are the Major Provisions of the Scheme?

• Financial Assistance for Protection and Rehabilitation Homes: The scheme aims to provide financial aid to states and Union Territories in order to establish protection and rehabilitation homes for victims of trafficking.
  • These homes will cater to the specific needs of victims, particularly minors and young women, by providing shelter, food, clothing, counseling, primary health facilities, and other essential daily needs.
• Strengthening Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs): In addition to the establishment of protection and rehabilitation homes, the government has allocated funds from the Nirbhaya Fund to support the strengthening of anti-human trafficking units in every district across all states and Union Territories.
  • The funding has been extended to all states and Union Territories, including AHTUS in Border Guarding Forces like the BSF (Border Security Force) and SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal).
  • Presently, there are 788 functional AHTUs, including 30 within Border Guarding Forces, across the country.

What is the Status of Human Trafficking in India?

About:

• Human trafficking is a global issue that affects numerous countries, and India is no exception.
• With its large population, economic disparities, and complex social dynamics, India has become a hotspot for various forms of human trafficking.

Statistics:

• According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, 2,189 cases of human trafficking were filed in 2022, involving 6,533 victims.
• Among these victims, 4,062 were female, and 2,471 were male. Notably, 2,877 victims were minors.
• While more underage boys (1,570) were trafficked in 2021 than girls (1,307), the trend was reversed when considering adult victims, with women outnumbering men.
• Certain states have reported higher numbers of human trafficking cases, as indicated by AHTUs:
• Telangana, Maharashtra, and Assam had the highest number of cases registered in their respective AHTUs in 2021.
• These states, due to their geographical locations and other factors, are particularly vulnerable to cross-border trafficking and require special attention and resources.
• India’s neighboring countries often serve as sources for traffickers who exploit women and girls by offering false promises of employment or a better standard of living.

Various Forms of Human Trafficking:

• Forced Labor: Victims are coerced or deceived into working under exploitative conditions, including industries like agriculture, construction, domestic work, and manufacturing.
• Sexual Exploitation: Individuals, particularly women and children, are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation, including prostitution and pornography.
• Child Trafficking: Children are trafficked for various purposes, including child labor, forced begging, child marriage, adoption scams, and sexual exploitation.
• Bonded Labor: People are trapped in a cycle of debt bondage, where they are forced to work to repay a debt that often continues to increase due to exploitative practices.
• Organ Trafficking: Trafficking of organs involves the illegal trade of organs like kidneys, liver, and corneas for transplantation purposes.

Relevant Laws in India and International Conventions:

• Article 23 and 24 of the Constitution of India.
• Article 23 prohibits human trafficking and begar (forced labour without payment).
• Article 24 forbids employment of children below the age of 14 years in dangerous jobs like factories and mines.

Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section:

• Section 370 and 370A of IPC provide for comprehensive measures to counter the menace of human trafficking including trafficking of children for exploitation in any form including physical exploitation or any form of sexual exploitation, slavery, servitude, or the forced removal of organs.
• Sections 372 and 373 dealing with selling and buying of girls for the purpose of prostitution.

Other Legislations:

• The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (ITPA) is the premier legislation for prevention of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.
• There are other specific legislations enacted relating to trafficking in women and children - Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994,
• Protection of Children from Sexual offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, is a special law to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

International Convention:

• United Nations Convention on Transnational Organised Crime (UNCTOC) has a Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children( India has ratified ).
• SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution( India has ratified ).

What are the Major Causes and Impacts of Human Trafficking?

Causes:

• Socioeconomic Factors: Poverty, unemployment, and lack of economic opportunities create vulnerability, pushing individuals into desperate situations where they are more likely to be trafficked.
• Gender Inequality and Discrimination: Deep-rooted gender inequalities, discrimination, and violence against women and girls increase their susceptibility to trafficking.
• This includes issues such as dowry-related violence, child marriage, and lack of access to education.
• Political Instability and Conflict: Regions affected by political instability, armed conflict, and displacement provide fertile ground for trafficking, as people are displaced and left vulnerable without protection.
• Corruption and Organized Crime: Widespread corruption within law enforcement agencies, immigration authorities, and judicial systems enables traffickers to operate with impunity, making it difficult to identify, investigate, and prosecute cases effectively.

Impacts:

• Physical and Psychological Trauma: Trafficking victims endure physical and psychological abuse, violence, and trauma.
  • They often suffer from injuries, sexually transmitted infections, malnutrition, and physical exhaustion.
  • Moreover, the psychological impact includes anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a loss of trust in others.
• Violation of Human Rights: Human trafficking fundamentally violates the victims' human rights. It deprives them of their freedom, dignity, and security.
• Economic Exploitation: Trafficked individuals are subjected to harsh working conditions, long hours, and little or no pay.
  • In many cases, victims become trapped in debt bondage, where they are forced to work to repay an ever-increasing debt, making escape from exploitation extremely difficult.
• Disruption of Social Fabric: Human trafficking disrupts the social fabric of communities and families.
  • It tears apart families as individuals are forcibly separated from their loved ones. This disruption leads to loss of social support networks, and strained relationships within communities.

Way Forward

• Strengthen Legislation and Law Enforcement: There is a need to enact and enforce robust anti-trafficking laws that criminalize all forms of human trafficking and provide adequate penalties for offenders.
  • Also, there is a need to enhance training programs for law enforcement agencies, judiciary, and border control officers to identify and respond to trafficking cases effectively.
• Technological Solutions: There is a need to develop advanced data analytics tools and artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze big data sets, identify trafficking trends, and predict potential hotspots.
  • Blockchain technology can also be utilised to enhance transparency in supply chains and prevent the use of forced labor in industries prone to trafficking, such as agriculture and garment manufacturing.
• International Collaboration: India can facilitate international collaboration and knowledge exchange platforms to share innovative approaches, best practices, and success stories in combating human trafficking.
  • There is also a need to foster partnerships between countries, NGOs, academia, and private sectors to jointly develop and implement innovative solutions.

Governor’s Powers in Dismissing a Minister

Context: The recent decision of dismissal and suspension of a Minister in Tamil Nadu by the Governor has sparked a Constitutional Controversy. The Governor reversed his decision later and suspended the dismissal order.

What are the Governor’s Powers to Dismiss Ministers?

Article 164:

• Under Article 164 of the Constitution, the Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor without any advice from anyone. But he appoints the individual Ministers only on the advice of the Chief Minister.
• The Article implies that the Governor cannot appoint an individual Minister according to his discretion. Therefore, the Governor can dismiss a Minister only on the advice of the Chief Minister.

Reference to the Government of India Act, 1935:

• From Section 51(1) and 51(5) of the Government of India Act, 1935, which governed the colonial rule, the Governor had absolute discretion to choose and dismiss Ministers.
• However, after India gained independence, the Governor's role transformed into that of a constitutional head, acting solely on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister.

Constitutional Limitations on Governor's Discretion:

• The power to choose or dismiss a Minister lies with the Chief Minister, who represents the will of the people.
• B.R. Ambedkar, during the Constituent Assembly debates, unequivocally stated that the Governor has no independent executive functions under the Constitution.
• The inclusion of the "pleasure of the Governor" in Article 164 of the Constitution refers only to the formal act of issuing dismissal orders upon the advice of the Chief Minister.
• Note: The pleasure doctrine has been brought into the Constitution of India from the Government of India Act, 1935. Section 51 of the Government of India Act, 1935 confers on the Governor the discretion to choose as well as dismiss the Ministers. But when Article 164 of the Constitution was drafted, the words “chosen”, “dismissal” and “discretion” were omitted. It was a significant omission which makes it abundantly clear that the Constitution did not confer any discretion on the Governor to either choose or dismiss an individual Minister.

What are the Judicial Clarification on Governors Powers?

In Shamsher Singh and Anr vs State Of Punjab (1974):

• The SC declared that the President and Governor, who hold executive powers under the Constitution, should exercise their formal constitutional powers only with the advice of their Ministers, except in a few exceptional situations.

Nabam Rebia vs Deputy Speaker (2015):

• The SC has ruled that Governors cannot cause the downfall of elected governments. It reaffirmed the previous ruling in Shamsher Singh and emphasized that the Governor's discretionary powers are limited to the provisions of Article 163(1).
• Article 163(1) states that there shall be a council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of his functions, except in so far as he is by or under this constitution required to exercise his functions or any of them in his discretion.

What are the Concerns Related to the Issue of Dismissal of Minister?

Constitutional Misadventure:

• Removing a Minister is a matter of moral judgment, not a legal requirement. The Governor's decision to dismiss a Minister without the Chief Minister's recommendation is a constitutional misadventure.

Sets Wrong Precedent:

• This unprecedented and deliberately provocative act of dismissing a Minister of a government without the recommendation of the Chief Minister of the State, may set a precedent and has the potential to destabilise State governments putting the federal system in Jeopardy.

Collapse of Constitutional System:

• If Governors are allowed to exercise the power of dismissal of individual Ministers without the knowledge and recommendation of the Chief Minister, the whole constitutional system will collapse.

Conclusion

• A legislature should establish clear guidelines for the exercise of powers by the Governor.
• In India, as a parliamentary democracy, the authority of Parliament should be respected, just as the democratically elected State Legislature should have a similar role and importance.

Time Dilation in Early Universe

Context: A recent study has utilized observations of Quasars, intense black holes to demonstrate time dilation in the early universe.

• The researchers examined the brightness of 190 quasars across the universe, dating back approximately 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang. By comparing the brightness of these ancient quasars to those existing today, they discovered that certain fluctuations that occur in a specific duration today occurred five times more slowly in the earliest quasars.

What are the Key Highlights of the Study?

Slower Passage of Time in the Past:

• The continual expansion of the universe accounts for the slower passage of time in the past compared to the present.
• The time passed approximately one-fifth as quickly as it does today. The observations stretch back to about 12.3 billion years ago, when the universe was roughly a tenth its present age.
• According to Einstein's general theory of relativity, time and space are interconnected, and since the Big Bang, the universe has been expanding in all directions.

Previous Observations:

• Scientists had previously documented time dilation dating back around 7 billion years based on observations of supernovas, stellar explosions.
• By studying these explosions from the past, they found that events unfolded more slowly from the perspective of our present time due to the known time it takes for today's supernovas to brighten and fade.

What is the Significance of the Study?

• This research highlights the intricate nature of time and its interplay with the expansion of the universe.
• By continuing to explore distant objects and phenomena, scientists hope to gain further understanding of the concept of time and its potential implications, including the possibility of time travel and advanced propulsion systems like warp drives.

What are Quasars?

About:

• Quasars, which are incredibly bright objects, served as a "clock" in the study. They are supermassive black holes, millions to billions of times more massive than the sun, located at the centers of galaxies.
• These black holes draw matter towards them through strong gravitational forces, emitting powerful radiation and high-energy particle jets, while surrounded by a glowing disk of matter.

Significance of Quasars in Examining Time Dilation:

• Quasars provide an advantage over individual stellar explosions because their brightness remains observable from the early stages of the universe. The fluctuations in quasar brightness reveal statistical properties and time scales that can be used to measure the passage of time.

What is Time Dilation?

• Time dilation is a phenomenon in physics that occurs due to differences in relative motion or gravitational fields. It is a consequence of Einstein's theory of relativity, both the special theory of relativity and the general theory of relativity.
• In the special theory of relativity, time dilation occurs when two observers are in relative motion to each other.
• According to this theory, time is not absolute but is relative to the observer's frame of reference.
• When objects move relative to each other at speeds close to the speed of light, time appears to pass more slowly for the moving object compared to the stationary one.
• This means that time is dilated or stretched out for the moving object from the perspective of the stationary observer.