09 Feb 2018 - The Hindu by La Excellence

News

SC to handle Ayodhya title dispute as a land issue

Supreme Court of India stated that ramjanmabhoomi and Babri Masjid issue will be treated as a land dispute without any religious connotations.

Khaleda Zia sentenced to five years in Jail fro graft

Khaleda Zia leader of Bangladesh Nationalist party is sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment on corruption charges.

India rejects Maldives offer

Maldives offered to send a special representative to explain the situation of emergency in the country. India rejected the offer on technical grounds. India is not happy with imposition of emergency and it has already objected to the same.

Editorial

Ceasefire

2017 and 2018 are the worst years for ceasefire violations across Loc and International boundary between India and Pakistan. Ceasefire agreement has come in to existence in 2003 and it was the high time for prime minister Vajpayee diplomacy. Today, statesmanship is required on both the side to stop ceasefire violations.

The Zuma Hurdle

President Jacob Zuma faces charges of graft, subversion of political office for personal gain, interfering Judicial process etc. state capture by vested business interests shows the heights of crony capitalism in the country.

African national congress has elected a new leader, Cyril ramaphosa, vice president as its leader. so, 2019 elections will be an acid test for credibility of ANC.

Big discoveries have small origins

All the developed countries provides significant amounts for competitive research grants. These grants are meant to encourage small, independant researchers. Across the world such a research led to creation of huge value. In India Raman spectrometer, sounding rockets re outcomes of such a research.

India shall increase funds for research and need to gradually move towards an investigator driven model for funding research.

Should states have their own flags?

Pro

  1. There are no legal provisions prohibiting it. Prevention of insults to national donors act, 1971 or Emblems and Names (prevention of improper use) act 1950 do not prohibit states having separate flags.
  2. States having a separate flags is a symbolic identity to their culture and distinctiveness.
  3. Democracy and Federalism of India has respect for diversity.

On the other side

  1. Regional identities come in conflict with National identities and it may lead to divided loyalties among people. It will damage India’s cohesion.
  2. USA and India are different types of federalism. They can not be compared.

Middle path

Celebrating all social loyalties an individual comes across in life is preparing him for selflessness. It indeed strengthens nationalism. Development of one territorial identity will not erode another identity.

A boost to rural entrepreneurship

The NABARD (amendment) bill, 2017 provides for empowering the central Government to increase the authorised capital of NABARD from rs 5000cr to 30,000cr in consultation with the RBI. Added to this, amendments seek transfer of RBI’s equity of 20,000cr to central Government.

Russian military relations with Pakistan are very minimal - Russian Envoy

Highlights of interview

  1. Russia is the only country that is producing nuclear energy in India.
  2. Russian defence exports or engagement is in alignment with Make in India.
  3. Russia and India both need a peaceful, democratic Afghanistan free from terrorism, crime and drug trafficking.
  4. Russia defence relationship with Pakistan is very minimal and it need to be seen as an attempt to change regional strategic balance.