CURRENT AFFAIRS
06 October 2020
NATIONAL NEWS:
A) Hathras case: UP police claims “international plot” to defame Adityanath govt.
Alleging that there was a conspiracy to trigger communal and caste riots in Uttar Pradesh, the state police has lodged several FIRs in Hathras for posting misleading content and illegally gathering in protest. The police action came after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made a similar allegation targeted at the Opposition. They said that their opponents are conspiring against them by trying to lay a foundation for caste and communal riots through international funding. For the last 1 week, Opposition parties were keen to see riots. The Uttar Pradesh police, which has been facing criticism for allegedly trying to covering up a crime by upper caste Thakur men, has mentioned sedition, an “international conspiracy”, and incitement of religious hatred among 19 charges related to the Hathras case. The charges listed in the FIRs include sedition, conspiracy, inciting caste divides, religious discrimination, doctoring electronic evidence, a conspiracy against the state, and defamation. With Opposition politicians visiting the woman’s family, the UP police has also filed cases over violation of social distancing and Covid-19 safety rules.
B) Congress demands judicial probe.
On 5 October, the Congress has demanded a judicial inquiry into the Hathras gangrape incident and the immediate removal of the District Magistrate (DM) Praveen Kumar Laxkar, whom the victim’s family has accused of misbehaviour. All India Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev said that first of all the government of Yogi Adityanath must immediately dismiss the DM, who is on record, on a video, threatening the family. He should not be given any other posting till it is thoroughly investigated at whose behest the DM went to the family and threatened them in the manner that he did. The party also released a 9-minute video Hathras: Fight for Justice on the visit by Congress leaders to the victim’s family. Meanwhile, a 3 Judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde will on 13 October hear a writ petition seeking a CBI or Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the brutal gangrape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. The petition which was filed by the Delhi-based activist Satyama Dubey, said the investigation should be monitored by a former Supreme Court or High Court judge.
C) Centre releases guidelines for reopening of schools.
On 5 October, the Education Ministry has released the guidelines for reopening schools and asked states and union territories to frame their own Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for health and safety precautions based on their local requirements. In a set of guidelines, the Ministry said that the schools must arrange and implement for thorough cleaning and disinfecting of all areas, furniture, equipment, stationery, storage places, water tanks, kitchens, canteen, washroom, laboratories, libraries, on school campus and ensure air flow in indoor space for gradual reopening of schools from October 15. They further added that the schools may be encouraged to make their own SOPs based on the guidelines issued by states and UTs, keeping in view the norms of safety and physical or social distancing , and ensuring that the notices, posters, messages, communication to parents in this regard are prominently displayed and disseminated. The Ministry also recommended that the schools adopt flexible attendance and sick leave policies.
D) CBI raids Congressman D.K. Shivakumar’s premises.
The CBI has conducted simultaneous raids at the house of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chairman D.K. Shivakumar and other premises linked to him on the morning of 5 October. Raids were also on at the residence of Congress Bengaluru Rural MP and Shivakumar’s brother D.K. Suresh. In a statement released later on 5 October, the central agency said that CBI has registered a case against then Minister of Karnataka Government and others on the allegations of acquisition of Disproportionate Assets. The raids come even as Shivakumar is leading the campaign for bypolls for 2 assembly seats RR Nagar and Sira scheduled for November 3. Leader of opposition Siddaramaiah has tweeted that BJP has always tried to indulge in vindictive politics And mislead public attention.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A) 2020 Nobel: 3 scientists share Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
On 5 October, Americans Harvey J Alter and Charles M Rice, and British scientist Michael Houghton were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology for the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Announcing the prize in Stockholm on 5 October, the Nobel Committee noted that the trio’s work helped explain a major source of blood-borne hepatitis that couldn’t be explained by the hepatitis A and B viruses. The committee said that their work made possible blood tests and new medicines that have saved millions of lives. The committee further added that thanks to their discovery, highly sensitive blood tests for the virus are now available and these have essentially eliminated post-transfusion hepatitis in many parts of the world, greatly improving global health. Their discovery also allowed the rapid development of antiviral drugs which was directed at hepatitis C. This disease is a chronic disease and is a major cause of liver inflammation and cancer. This medicine prize has carried a particular significance this year because of the pandemic of novel coronavirus, which has highlighted the importance of medical research.
B) Ready to take on China, says IAF Chief.
On 5 October, the Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal (ACM) RKS Bhadauria has said that they are ready and very well positioned to take on China and there is no scenario where others can get the better of them. Next 3 months will depend on how talks progress. Current progress is slow, what they see is effort to dig in for the winter. They are taking action accordingly. Their further action will depend on the ground realities. He, however, noted that they were not underestimating the adversary. Their strength lies in the surface-to-air systems they have put up in the area. They have long-range missile systems. They cater to those in our matrix. They can take on that threat. On deployment in Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), he said that Ladakh is a small part of the Air Force’s deployment. They have deployed to all relevant areas. They are firmly and strongly deployed to take on any scenarios.
C) Extradition: Come clean about ‘confidential’ proceedings in U.K., SC tells Mallya.
On 5 October, the Supreme Court has ordered the lawyers for businessman Vijay Mallya to come clean about the nature of confidential proceedings going on after the rejection of his appeal against extradition in the U.K. Supreme Court. At the start of the hearing, the government informed a Special Bench of Justices U.U. Lalit and Ashok Bhushan that Mallya’s extradition case in the U.K. is over, but some secret proceedings are on. They have not been made aware of these proceedings. They are not a party. Mallya’s side have not served them with anything, advocate Rajat Nair, appearing for the government submitted. Justice Lalit turned to the counsel of Mallya and asked him to explain the nature of the confidential proceedings. Justice Lalit said to the lawyer that he would have to first take instructions on this issue. They want to know what is going on, what is pending there now.
D) Covid-positive Trump flouts public health protocol again.
On 4 October, US President Donald Trump has sparked an angry backlash from the medical community with a protocol-breaking visit to his supporters outside the hospital where he is being treated for novel coronavirus. He was masked as he waved from inside his bulletproof vehicle during a short trip outside the military hospital near Washington. Analysts said that the move may have been aimed at taking back the narrative on his improving health after a weekend of muddled messaging from his doctors. Medical experts, however, complained that the outing broke his own government’s public health guidelines, which require patients to isolate while they are in treatment and still shedding virus. By his action, Trump had endangered his Secret Service personnel, they pointed out. Trump, who has been repeatedly rebuked for flouting public health guidelines and spreading misinformation on the pandemic, said in a video that dropped on Twitter just before his public appearance that he had learned a lot about Covid19 by really going to school as he battled the virus. But health experts said that his stunt has demonstrated that he had learned nothing at all.
