10 January 2018
News
Playing National anthem in cinema halls made optional
Supreme court of India has reversed its earlier order and held that cinema halls can choose to play or not to play a national anthem. But, if it is played viewers shall respect the same.
India - UK to ink illegal migrants pact
UK was insisting on illegal immigrants pact and suggested for an easier visa norms in return for the pact. India and UK are expected to sing the same during Prime Minister Modi visit to UK.
No change in H1B rules
USCIS ( US citizenship and Immigration services ) has clarified that section of 1049C) of American competitiveness act for 21st century remains unchanged. Previously, it was speculated that section 104 c that provides for extension of H1B visa beyond 6 years is scrapped.
No viable alternative to hanging, centre tells court
Supreme Court of india has directed centre to find alternative procedure to hanging to execute death punishment. 103 countries across the world do not have capital punishment. SC has repeatedly held that a painless death with dignity shall exist even for a person condemned.
PIOs Make Mini world parliament - Prime Minister
Govt of India is mobilising Indian diaspora living abroad and actively involved in politics as a bid to increase its soft power.
Editorial
Iraninan crisis not yet over
A revolutionary narrative and mobilisation is happening against the theocratic state that has come in to existence in Iran in 1979. Major reason are
Demographic change - Increase in young population and aspirational middle class that are very hopeful on economic delivery and other promises of the Government. Most of these are disconnected from the 1979 revolution.
Increased access to internet : It made mobilisation easy and comparison with west has become a natural phenomenon.
Increasing inequalities - inequalities between ruing elite and common people are rising due to poor management of economy.
Strict theocratic laws on status of woman in society.
Irans costly involvement with wars in Yemen and Syria
Political fragmentation with in Iran
Development of civil society space in Iran
(My thinking process
What is a ripe ground for revolution in any country?
Is Arab spring is successful?
How class divisions emerge in a society? How Extreme class divisions can influence society? Can religion be an antidote to rising class divides in any country?
What were the circumstances of revolution in 1979? How they are different from now? )
Agriculture needs a reform package
Agriculture policy in india is biased towards consumer rather than producer. It is clearly visible in how Government manages import and export controls, buffer stock management and minimum support prices.
MSP prices are not guaranteed for all the crops and are low.
A sensible policy would be to buy from the farmers when prices are low and to release it when prices are high. In the first scenario, if Government is able to peg the MSP high during low prices, it will protect income of the farmers.
Procurement works only if trade controls and stock management is aligned with it. In India, this coordination is a major challenge.
The failure of Government to secure farm income is increasing divide between farm dependant and the rest of the population. If poverty has to be effectively handled rising farm incomes is the way forward as Chinese example shows.
How an agricultural policy has to be from the needs of a farmer?
How can we create a win win situation for producer and consumer ?
Avoiding road kill
Many of the wild animals are killed in road accidents. Added to this, highways passing through protected areas are responsible for movement restriction of wild animals. It will severely affect their habitat, food availability, genetic flow.
Changing road alignments, restricting private vehicular movement in Nights, developing green bridges for free movement of wild life can help reverse the situation.
Question of Equality
Supreme Court of India in suresh Koushal case held that LGBT community is a minuscule faction and penal provisions against order of nature under IPC sec377 can be continued. But, it is contrary to the full bench judgement given by court in declaring right to privacy as integral to Art 21 of the constitution. In this scenario, following need to be observed.
Right to privacy involves right to sexual orientation and choosing sexual partners.
Social morality changes from time to time - what is natural may not be natural to other.
Human dignity is an inalienable human right of every person.
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