CURRENT AFFAIRS
23 January 2021
NATIONAL NEWS:
A) Farmers’ protests: No date set for next meeting as talks end yet again in deadlock.
The government’s negotiations with protesting farm unions hit a roadblock today as the farmer leaders stuck to their demands for a complete repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP, while the Centre insisted that they consider its proposal for putting the Acts on hold for 12-18 months. Unlike the previous 10 rounds of talks, the 11th round could not even reach a decision on the next date for the meeting as the government also hardened its position, saying it is ready to meet again once the unions agree to discuss the suspension proposal. This followed a climb down made by the Centre during the last round, when they offered to suspend the laws and form a joint committee to find solutions. According to one of the union leaders, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar ended the meeting by saying that there was no deficiency in the law, but the Centre had still made a proposal respecting the farmers. Yet the farmers had been unable to take a decision. At the end of the meeting, the Agriculture Minister told us that this is the government’s best proposal, and they had nothing further to offer, said Mahila Kisan Adhikaar Manch leader Kavitha Kuruganti after a meeting that lasted more than four hours, but only had Ministers and union leaders in the same room for about 20 minutes. Tomar said the farmer unions have been asked to revert by Saturday if they agree to the government’s proposal for putting the laws on hold and forming a joint committee to reach a solution, after which the talks can continue. All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) leader P. Krishnaprasad said that one of the reasons that they decided to reject the government’s proposal was that they received legal advice that the Centre had no power to stay or suspend a law passed by Parliament. Lawyers told the AIKS that the government could ask the Supreme Court to stay the implementation of laws, or take them back to Parliament and get a repeal law enacted. Only Parliament could either amend or repeal a law. The legal advice received was that the government proposal to suspend the law for 18 months had no legal validity, he said.
B) Bihar Police make ‘offensive’ social media posts against govt a cyber crime.
Bihar is set to witness action under cyber crime law against individuals and organisations for offensive comments against the government, its officials, ministers, MPs, MLAs and officials. Nayyar Hasnain Khan, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Economic Offences Wing, which also handles cyber crimes, said in a letter written on January 21 to all Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of departments, It has regularly been coming to light that certain persons and organisations have been making offensive comments through social media and Internet against government, honourable ministers, MPs, MLAs and government officials as well, which is against prescribed law and comes under cyber crime laws. For this act, it seems appropriate to take action against such organisations and individuals. He further stated that you all are requested to inform the Economic Offences Wing with details about any such act so that suitable legal action could be taken against those organisations/individuals after investigation. Reacting to the move, Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav dared Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to send him to jail under the new cyber law for exposing the wrongdoings of the government on social media. On social media, Yadav said, as many as 60 scams happened during Nitish Kumar’s regime. Nitish Kumar is Bhishm Pitamah of corruption, patron of hardened criminals, and weak head of an illegal and immoral government. He also tweeted to say that the police in Bihar sell liquor and save criminals while implicating innocent people. RJD leader and party spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said that this government has become intolerant towards criticism by the media and other people. It’s an arbitrary move and a sign of nervousness, and we’ll oppose such a move by the government. Subsequently, the State police said that constructive criticism is welcome and only those posts on social media which spread rumours and use offensive and defamatory languages would be targeted under relevant cyber laws.
C) Congress to get new party president in June; CWC demands JPC into Arnab WhatsApp chats.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Friday deferred a decision to elect a new party president until June, even as it adopted three resolutions, including one demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe into Republic TV promoter Arnab Goswami’s WhatsApp chats. Explaining the reason for the delay, party general secretaries K.C. Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala said though the central election authority had suggested May, it was deferred in the wake of Assembly elections to Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Another issue that needed clarity was whether the election of CWC members (12 out of 25 are meant to be elected) should be held along with the party president or later, once the new President took charge, Venugopal said. The other two resolutions were about backing farmers’ organisations in the ‘decisive’ fight against the farm laws, and expressing gratitude to scientists for developing Covid-19 vaccine in record time. In her opening remarks to the CWC, party president Sonia Gandhi touched upon all the issues that were adopted as resolutions and accused the government of a deafening silence over the WhatsApp chats. Referring to the ongoing talks between the Centre and farmers, she said that the agitation of farmers continues and the government has shown shocking insensitivity and arrogance going through the charade of consultations.
D) Bengal Forest Minister Rajib Banerjee resigns.
West Bengal Forest Minister Rajib Banerjee on Friday resigned from the Cabinet. He regret to inform us that he hereby tender his resignation from his office as Cabinet Minister being in charge of Forest Department on today, i.e on 22 January 2021, read his resignation letter sent to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Banerjee is the third to resign from the Council of Ministers in the past two months. Former Trinamool heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, who held several portfolios, including Transport, resigned from the Cabinet in December 2020 and joined the BJP. Former Indian cricketer and Sports Minister Laxmi Ratan Shukla resigned a few weeks ago but has not cleared speculations about his political future. Banerjee has been going public with his differences with the party over the past few months. Not only was he absent from several Cabinet meetings but also spoke out against favouritism in the party. On January 16, he took to social media, saying he was going through a test of patience. He had told sources close to him that he would remain active in politics. Speculations are rife that he will join the BJP. BJP State president Dilip Ghosh said Banerjee was still a Trinamool MLA and he should quit the party before joining the BJP. Over the past few months, about 10 MLAs have left the Trinamool Congress and joined the BJP.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A) Trump impeachment article to be sent to Senate on Monday.
Donald Trump will go on trial in the U.S. Senate soon after a fresh impeachment case against the former President is transmitted on Monday by the House of Representatives, top lawmakers announced. The House impeached the Republican leader for a historic second time on January 13, just one week before he left office. After days of declining to say when she would send the article of impeachment to the Senate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, made her announcement on Friday. The article of impeachment for incitement of insurrection by Donald Trump will be delivered to the Senate on Monday, January 25, she said in a statement. Ms. Pelosi has appointed nine House members as impeachment managers, who she said are ready to begin to make their case to 100 Senate jurors through the trial process. The managers are to formally transmit the article, a step which according to Senate rules swiftly transforms the chamber into a court of impeachment. Chuck Schumer, the new Democratic Senate Majority Leader, said on Friday in a floor speech that he had spoken with Ms. Pelosi who informed him of Monday’s proceedings. A trial will be held in the United States Senate and there will be a vote whether to convict the President, Mr. Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor. Mr. Trump was impeached on a single charge of incitement of insurrection for his role in whipping up his supporters during a speech in Washington on January 6, the day a proTrump mob stormed Congress and threatened the lives of lawmakers and then Vice-President Mike Pence. Five people died in the violence, including a police officer. Most modern-day Senate trials have begun within a day or two of receipt of the articles of impeachment. Transmitting the articles to the Senate the start of the trial, unless a consent agreement on timing between Mr. Schumer and the Senates top Republican, Mitch McConnell is reached.
B) Russia begins crackdown on Navalny allies ahead of protests.
The Russian authorities on Friday cracked down on allies of jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny and jailed his spokeswoman for nine days as the police vowed to suppress protests this weekend. Allies of President Vladimir Putin’s top critics are planning to hold demonstrations on Saturday in dozens of cities in support of the opposition politician, who was arrested and held behind bars on his return to Russia following a near-fatal poisoning with a nerve agent. The last time major protests took place in Moscow was in the summer of 2019, and the Saturday rallies are expected to be a major test of the opposition’s ability to mobilise support despite the increasing Kremlin pressure and the coronavirus pandemic. Police said unsanctioned public events will be immediately suppressed, as key opposition activists were detained on the eve of the rallies. Mr. Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh, 31, who spent the night in detention, was sentenced to nine days in jail for violating legislation on public gatherings after a hearing that lasted less than five minutes, her lawyer Veronika Polyakova said. Another activist, Georgy Alburov, said he expected to be jailed for 10 days. Key Navalny ally Lyubov Sobol is accused of repeatedly violating legislation on public gatherings, which carries a maximum fine of up to rubles ($4,000), her lawyer Vladimir Voronin said. A number of Mr. Navalny’s associates were detained in the province.
C) Islamic State claims twin blasts in Baghdad.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for a rare suicide attack that rocked central Baghdad, killing 32 people and wounding dozens. The bombing targeted apostate Shias, the group said in a statement on an ISaffiliated website late on Thursday. U.S. troops withdrawal At least 32 people were killed and over 100 people wounded in the blasts on Thursday. Some were in a serious condition. According to officials, the first suicide bomber cried out loudly that he was ill in the middle of the bustling market, prompting a crowd to gather around him and that’s when he detonated his explosive belt. The second detonated shortly after. The U.S.-led coalition recently ceased combat activities and is gradually drawing down its troop presence in Iraq, sparking fears of an IS resurgence. The group has rarely been able to penetrate the capital since being dislodged by Iraqi forces and the U.S.-led coalition in 2017. The attack was the first in nearly three years to hit the capital. Elsewhere, in northern Iraq and the western desert, attacks continue and almost exclusively target Iraqi security forces. An increase in attacks was seen last summer as militants took advantage of the government’s focus on tackling the pandemic.
D) China hits out at EU over ‘gross interference’
China on Friday hit back at an EU resolution condemning its crackdown on Hong Kong democracy activists, accusing European lawmakers of gross interference in its governance of the city. Members of the European Parliament on Thursday passed the resolution calling for targeted sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong officials held responsible for recent arrests of activists. The lawmakers also said they regret the handling of a landmark investment deal with China pending ratification by MEPs, saying that talks over the deal should have been seized as a leverage tool aimed at preserving Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, as well as its basic rights and freedoms. But Beijing struck back on Friday and urged EU lawmakers to face up to the reality that Hong Kong has returned to China. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the resolution showed that some MEPs had confused right and wrong and engaged in gross interference in the affairs of China’s Hong Kong. The European Parliament should stop any form of meddling, Ms. Hua said at a regular press briefing. Following pro-democracy protests in 2019, Beijing imposed a draconian national security law that effectively criminalized much dissent in a city.
