BI-MONTHLY GLIMPSE

CONVERGE
January-February, 2024
 Table of Contents
JANUARY
Expansion Of BRICS 2

Uganda Assumes Chairmanship of NAM 3

Boeing 737 Max Fiasco 4

Manufacturing Protocols for Drug Makers 5

India-Maldives Ties 6

South Africa Israel Genocide Allegations 7

South Africa Israel Genocide Allegations 8

Important days in January 9

FEBRUARY
Ladakh’s Protest for Statehood 12

The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024 14

UPI launched in Sri Lanka and Mauritius 15

Bharat Ratna, 2024 18

Shakti Triumphs at the 66th Grammy Awards with “This Moment” 21

SC Strikes Down Electoral Bonds Scheme 23

The 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati 24

India to Develop Six Mega Ports by 2047 25

Important Days in February 26

CONVERGE
summary
Chipko Movement - Celebrating 50 Years of Embracing Change 27

IREDA gets ‘Navratna' status: What does it mean for the green 28
energy sector?

UK's "Rwanda Bill" and Its Implications 29

Impact of India's Data Law on Journalism 31

DISCLAIMER

CLAT/AILET examinations typically focus on current

affairs from the previous six months, rendering the
months of January to April less significant in terms
of hot topic coverage. The current affairs for January
and February provided here offer a brief overview of
the most important topics during those months,
intended to provide a foundational understanding
rather than an in-depth analysis.

For the months of May to November, Converge will be

publishing in-depth General Knowledge notes that will
cover a wide range of topics to help you prepare for
your D-Day.
 1

™
E
G
JANUARY, 2024
R
E
V
N
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Expansion of BRICS

BRICS Expands to Include Five New Members

May 22, 2024 – The BRICS group, initially comprising Brazil, Russia,
India, China, South Africa
now officially expanded

™
to include
- Saudi Arabia,

E
- Argentina,
- Egypt,

G
- Indonesia,
- Nigeria.
This significant move,
R
announced at the
BRICS summit in
E
Shanghai, aims to
enhance the group's
V

global influence and economic collaboration among emerging

markets.
N

With this expansion, BRICS now represents ten countries,

significantly increasing its population and GDP share. The inclusion
of new members is expected to strengthen collective bargaining
O

power, boost trade and investment, and promote a multipolar

world order .
C

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 3

Uganda Assumes Chairmanship of NAM

● Date: January 15th to 20th, 2024

● Theme: “Deepening Cooperation for Shared
Global Affluence”
● Participants: Leaders from 120 member

™
states and 18 observer countries
Dignitaries of 120 member nations attended
the 19th edition of Non-Aligned Movement

E
(NAM) Summit.
The Non-Aligned Movement The NAM is a

G
forum of 120
developing countries that are not formally
aligned with or against any major power bloc.
R
It aims to represent the political, economic and
cultural interests of the developing world. The
E
grouping has 53 members from Africa, 40 from
Asia, 26 from Latin America and the Caribbean,
and Belarus from Europe. There are also 18
V

observer countries and 10 observer organisations

N

About UGANDA About NAM

O

Capital Kampala Founded in [1961] Belgrade, Serbia

Currency Ugandan Shilling Headquarters Jakarta, Indonesia

C

President Yoweri Museveni Founding ● Jawaharlal Nehru

Members [India]

● Joseph Broz Tito

[Yugoslavia]

● Gamal Abdel
Nasser [Egypt]

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 4

Boeing 737 Max Fiasco

An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX-9 made

an emergency landing on January 5th after a
fuselage panel blew out mid flight causing
cabin depressurization and leaving a gaping

™
hole in the aircraft body.

E
Preliminary Investigation Details showed
that the plane was flying at around 16,000
feet altitude 30 minutes after taking off

G
from Portland when the structural failure occurred, critical bolts meant to
hold the door plug in place were missing from the flight. This missing
section caused the rapid decompression and subsequent emergency
R
landing in Portland.
E
Death of the Boeing Whistleblower John
Barnett
V

John Barnett, a former Boeing employee, worked at

the company for over 30 years. In 2017, he filed a
whistleblower complaint against Boeing.
N

He raised safety concerns about the production of

the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aeroplane. He claimed
that Boeing’s management routinely ignored these
O

concerns.

In the days leading up to his death, Barnett was

C

providing a deposition about Boeing’s safety lapses in Charleston, South

Carolina. He was found dead in his car from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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Manufacturing Protocols for Drug Makers

In the wake of recent overseas

incidents linked to substandard
India-made drugs, India’s Health
Ministry has issued enhanced

™
Good Manufacturing Practices
(GMP) guidelines to govern

E
quality control and production
protocols for domestic
pharmaceutical companies.

G
The move follows reports of
fatalities linked to contaminated syrups exported from India in Gambia and
R
Uzbekistan. These incidents prompted the Union Health Minister to direct
drug manufacturers to adopt protocols on par with World Health
E
Organization (WHO) benchmarked norms.
● Safety audits of Indian facilities revealed deficiencies in areas such as
quality checks, validation, and contamination risks, highlighting the
V

urgency of strengthening compliances.

○ With nearly 10,500 manufacturers nationwide, an estimated
N

2,000 large exporters are already WHO-GMP compliant.

However, smaller players will require a substantial overhaul of
infrastructure and systems, necessitating significant capital
O

investment.
● The revised protocols prioritise quality control, enforced through
improved documentation, product testing, and the reliability of
C

manufacturing procedures enabled via digital systems. The new

provisions also introduce mandatory recalls for companies if products
appear defective - a vital protocol previously lacking in the industry.
This step is seen as crucial in safeguarding consumer well-being and
enhancing trust in India’s pharmaceutical sector.

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India-Maldives Ties
A diplomatic furor erupted after three Maldivian junior ministers mocked
Indian PM Narendra Modi’s recent visit promoting local Lakshadweep
islands, prompting many Indians to cancel trips and jeopardising vital
bilateral ties. The Indian government issued a forceful response by

™
summoning the Maldivian ambassador to condemn the “derogatory
remarks” while the country suspended the offending officials. But lingering
tensions remain.

E
PM Modi’s Lakshadweep Tourism Push
The controversy began when PM Modi

G
toured India’s Lakshadweep archipelago in
January, highlighting its pristine beaches
R
and coral reefs. The attention garnered,
however, provoked the ire of some
Maldivian ministers who mocked the posts
E
as India trying to compete with their
country’s established upscale island resort
V

industry.

Eroding Bilateral Relations

N

Despite traditionally close cultural and economic

bonds, recently elected Maldivian President
Mohammed Muizzu campaigned on an anti-India
O

nationalist platform last year.

- He declined visiting New Delhi first
post-inauguration as is customary and instead
C

went to Turkey while also questioning the

presence of Indian military advisers.
- Muizzu also looks to strengthen ties with China.
Combined with the latest flap over
Lakshadweep tourism, there are concerns that
the India-Maldives relationship is fraying after
years of Indian economic support.

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 7

South Africa Israel Genocide Allegations

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) started a two-day hearing starting
January 11th, 2024 to decide on provisional measures in a case filed by
South Africa against Israel. South Africa alleges Israel has violated its
obligations under the Genocide Convention regarding acts against

™
Palestinians in Gaza.

South Africa’s Allegations Against Israel

E
- South Africa alleges Israel
has committed several of

G
these acts against
Palestinians in Gaza with
genocidal intent since
R
October 2023. This,
combined with the scale of
killings, injuries,
E
displacement and
destruction, evidences an
V

ongoing genocide, as per South Africa.

- It cites statements by Israeli leaders to argue Israel has specific

N

genocidal intent. South Africa also says Israel failed to prevent

genocide and prosecute direct/public incitement to genocide.
O

ICJ’s Decision and Significance

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a ruling on Israel’s actions in
C

Gaza, following a case filed by South Africa alleging genocide against

Palestinians.
- The court confirmed its jurisdiction and ordered Israel to take
measures to prevent genocide, while stopping short of mandating an
immediate ceasefire. The ruling was welcomed by South Africa and
Hamas but criticised by Israeli leaders.

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ICJ Jurisdiction Over Gaza Genocide Case

The ICJ ruled 15-2 that it has prima
facie jurisdiction to address South
Africa’s genocide application under
the Genocide Convention. The court
found that “at least some of the acts

™
and omissions committed by Israel
in Gaza appear to be capable of
falling within the provisions of the

E
genocide convention.” This means
the case can proceed for further

G
deliberation.
Order to Prevent Genocide
- The ICJ ordered Israel to prevent genocide incitement against
R
Palestinians, citing inflammatory statements by Israeli officials.
- The court also instructed Israel to take all necessary measures to
prevent genocidal acts outlined in the Genocide Convention, including
E
killing and causing serious bodily or mental harm and to Improve
Conditions in Gaza
V

- The ruling directed Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza to
address adverse living conditions. The court ordered protection
measures for Palestinians and steps to prevent actions intending to
N

harm Gazans.
However, it stopped short of demanding an immediate ceasefire
O
C

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Uttarakhand UCC Bill

The Uttarakhand government tabled the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill in the
assembly session from February 5-8. This key bill was part of the BJP’s
election promises in 2022.

™
The UCC drafting committee was formed in June 2022 and has held
extensive public consultations.
The final draft focuses on issues like gender equality, uniform property

E
rights and adoption rules.

G
Objective of UCC Bill
The bill aims to eliminate
discrimination and arbitrariness in
R
civil laws based on religion. It
proposes to implement uniform
regulations regarding marriage,
E
divorce, inheritance, adoption etc.
V

What is Uniform Civil Code?

The concept of a Uniform Civil Code aligns with the principle of one country,
N

one rule applied equally to all religious communities. The Indian

Constitution explicitly mentions the UCC in Article 44 under the Directive
Principles of State Policy. This article states that “the State shall endeavour
O

to secure a uniform civil code for the citizens throughout the territory of
India.” In essence, Article 44 directs the State to provide a uniform set of
civil laws regarding marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption etc. for all
C

citizens, irrespective of their religion.

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Important days in January

JAN, 4 World Braille Day
The UNGA adopted a resolution on November 6, 2018. The day
aims to raise awareness of the importance of Braille in

™
communication
JAN, 12 National Youth Day
celebrated to mark the birth of Swami Vivekananda, also

E
known as Swami Vivekananda Jayanti
JAN, 23 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti

G
marks the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a
prominent Indian freedom fighter who founded the Indian
National Army (INA).
R
E
V
N
O
C

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E
G
R
FEBRUARY, 2024
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V
N
O
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Ladakh’s Protest for Statehood

The Union Territory of Ladakh

witnessed a shutdown as residents

™
demanded statehood and
constitutional protection under
the Sixth Schedule.

E
Following the region's transition
from part of Jammu and Kashmir

G
to a Union Territory in 2019,
Concerns over preserving Ladakh's
R
cultural and demographic identity have intensified.

Key demands include

E
● Elevating Ladakh to statehood for increased autonomy
● enshrining protections under the Sixth Schedule
V

● Securing job reservations for local youth

● establishing separate parliamentary constituencies for Leh
N

and Kargil.
● Parliamentary Representation: Two Lok Sabha seats, one
each for Leh and Kargil.
O

The Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a committee to engage

with Ladakh's representatives regarding these demands.
C

Ladakh's Statehood and Current Developments (2024)

Background

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Abrogation of 370, 35(A)

● On August 5, 2019, Article 370 of the Indian Constitution was

abrogated.
○ It granted special autonomous status to the state of Jammu and

™
Kashmir.
● Article 35A, which provided exclusive rights to the state's residents,
was also annulled.

E
● The reorganisation divided the state into two Union Territories:
Jammu and Kashmir with a legislative assembly, and Ladakh without

G
one.
R
Sixth schedule of the indian constitution
E
● The Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution provides for the
administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and
V

Mizoram through autonomous district councils.

● These councils have legislative, judicial, and executive powers to

N

make laws on land, forests, water, agriculture, and village

administration.
O

● The schedule aims to protect tribal cultures and traditions by

allowing self-governance and autonomy.

● Councils can levy and collect taxes, manage public health and
C

sanitation, and oversee primary education.

Residents of Ladakh are demanding their inclusion under the Sixth

Schedule to safeguard its unique cultural and demographic identity and
ensuring political and economic rights.

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The Public Examinations (Prevention of

Unfair Means) Bill, 2024

™
Introduced in Lok Sabha,
the The Public
Examination (Prevention
of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024

E
aims to curb unfair
practices and enhance

G
transparency in public
examinations.
This bill will also serve as a
R
model for states to adopt.
● The need for such a
E
bill arises from
numerous instances
of question paper
V

leaks disrupting
recruitment exams
nationwide.
N

○ The bill defines public examinations, lists unfair means,

and outlines punishments for offenders, including fines
and imprisonment.
O

● Penalties - The Bill mandates a maximum jail term of 10

years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore for malpractices and
irregularities in competitive examinations
C

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 15

UPI launched in Sri Lanka and Mauritius

The Prime Minister of India along with Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe
(President of Sri Lanka) and the Mr. Pravind Jugnauth (Prime
Minister of Mauritius) inaugurated the launch of UPI services in Sri

™
Lanka and Mauritius, and also RuPay card services in Mauritius.
● This move aims to facilitate seamless digital payments among
citizens of the three countries, fostering stronger economic

E
ties.
● These projects have been developed and executed by NPCI
International Payments Ltd (NIPL), along with partner

G
banks/non-banks from Mauritius and Sri Lanka, under the
Rguidance and support of the Reserve Bank of India.
E
V
N
O
C

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Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

™
● It is an advanced version of Immediate Payment Service (IMPS)-
round–the-clock funds transfer service to make cashless payments

E
faster, easier and smoother.

● It powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application

G
merging several banking features, seamless fund routing &
merchant payments into one hood.

● UPI is currently the biggest among the National Payments

R
Corporation of India (NPCI) operated systems including
○ National Automated Clearing House (NACH),
○ Immediate Payment Service (IMPS),
E
○ Aadhaar enabled Payment System (AePS),
○ Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS),
V

○ RuPay

● As part of an agreement, India's UPI will be linked to Singapore's

PayNow. NPCI launched UPI with 21 member banks in 2016.
N

● Digital transactions through UPI recorded phenomenal growth

during the pandemic year 2020-21
O

● The value of transactions made using the UPI crossed USD 100
billion in a month for the first time in October, 2021 according to
data from the NPCI
C

● India’s digital payments industry is likely to grow from Rs. 2,153

trillion at 27% Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) to Rs. 7,092
trillion by 2025.

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National Payments Corporation of India

● NPCI, an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and
settlement systems in India, is an initiative of Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) under the provisions of the
Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
● It is a “Not for Profit” Company under the provisions of Section 25 of
Companies Act 1956 (now Section 8 of Companies Act 2013), with an

™
intention to provide infrastructure to the entire Banking system in
India for physical as well as electronic payment and settlement
systems.

E
G
R The Reserve Bank of India
● It was established on April 1, 1935 in accordance with the provisions
of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
● The Central Office of the Reserve Bank was initially established in
E
Calcutta but was permanently moved to Mumbai in 1937. The
Central Office is where the Governor sits and where policies are
formulated.
V

● Though originally privately owned, since nationalisation in 1949, the

Reserve Bank is fully owned by the Government of India.
N

First RBI Sir Osborne Smith

Governor
O
C

1st Indian RBI Sir C D Deshmukh

Governor

Shaktikanta Das
Current RBI Governor

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 18

Bharat Ratna, 2024

India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratan, bestowed upon
five distinguished personalities for their exceptional contributions
to the nation in politics, governance, and agriculture.
The 2024 awardees are

™
● Karpoori Thakur,
● Mankombu Sambasivan (MS) Swaminathan,
● P. V. Narasimha Rao,

E
● Lal Krishna Advani, and
● Chaudhary Charan Singh.

G
Karpoori Thakur
Celebrated as “Jan Nayak”
R
He served as Bihar’s Chief Minister and was a
trailblazer for social justice. His tenure saw the
implementation of the MungeriLal
E
Commission’s recommendations, introducing a
pioneering reservation model for OBCs, EBCs,
and women. His posthumous Bharat Ratan
V

honours his advocacy for marginalised

communities.
N

Mankombu Sambasivan (MS) Swaminathan

Known as the ‘Father of India’s Green
O

Revolution,’ Swaminathan’s work in

developing high-yielding crop varieties has
been pivotal in India’s agricultural
self-reliance. His leadership in the National
C

Commission of Farmers and contributions

to the Protection of Plant Varieties and
Farmers’ Right Act, 2001, have earned him
numerous accolades and now, the Bharat
Ratna.

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 19

P. V. Narasimha Rao
As India’s 9th Prime Minister, Rao’s
transformative policies set India on a path
of economic liberalisation. His foreign
policy reset and refusal to compromise on
India’s nuclear strategy marked a confident,

™
resurgent India. His posthumous award
commemorates his role in enacting the 73rd
and 74th Constitutional Amendments,

E
empowering women in local governance.

G
Lal Krishna Advani
R
Advani’s tenure as the 7th Deputy Prime
Minister and his long-standing leadership in the
E
Bharatiya Janata Party reflect his intellectual
prowess and commitment to India’s strength
and prosperity.
V
N
O

Chaudhary Charan Singh

A freedom fighter and former Prime Minister,
Singh’s advocacy for peasants’ rights and his
role in abolishing the zamindari system as Uttar
C

Pradesh’s Agriculture Minister are testaments

to his dedication to democratic values and
social justice.

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The Bharat Ratna

The first person to be Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

™
conferred with the Bharat served as the second President
Ratna of India. He was honoured with
the award in 1954 for his

E
distinguished contributions to
education and public service.

G
The first female recipient of Smt. Indira Gandhi
the Bharat Ratna The first and, to date, the only
female Prime Minister of India,
R received the award
posthumously in 1971, in
recognition of her leadership
E
during India's liberation of
Bangladesh in the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
V
N
O
C

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 21

Shakti Triumphs at the 66th Grammy Awards

with “This Moment”
The fusion group Shakti, featuring
Indian legends tabla maestro Zakir
Hussain and vocalist Shankar

™
Mahadevan, clinched the 66th
Grammy Award (2024) for Best
Global Music Album with their

E
work “This Moment”.

G
The Return of Shakti
After a hiatus of 46 years,
Shakti made a comeback with
R
“This Moment”, released on
June 23, 2023. The album
E
signifies the band’s enduring
legacy and evolution in the
fusion music scene.
V

India’s 2024 Grammy Zakir Hussain’s Triple Win

N

Milestone In a testament to his virtuosity,

Shakti, which includes Zakir Hussain secured two
● Zakir Hussain, additional Grammy victories at
O

● Shankar Mahadevan, the same ceremony. He was

● John McLaughlin, awarded for the best global
● Ganesh Rajagopalan and music performance with the
piece ‘Pashto’ and for the best
C

● Selvaganesh Vinayakram
has been honoured for their
album “This Moment”. The
group is acclaimed for its
“transcontinental
collaboration”, merging Eastern
and Western musical tradition
contemporary instrumental
album with ‘As We Speak’. The
latter album also features the
talented Indian flautist Rakesh
Chaurasia

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 22

The Grammy Awards

initiated in 1959 by the Recording Academy

India at The Grammys

Ricky Kej Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
an Indian composer and music won a Grammy Award in 1994

™
producer who won the Grammy for his collaboration with Ry
Award for Best New Age Album Cooder on the album "A
in 2015 for his album "Winds of Meeting by the River," which

E
Samsara," a collaboration with won the Grammy for Best
South African flautist Wouter World Music Album.
Kellerman.

G
A. R. Rahman
also known as the Mozart of
R
Madras, won two Grammy Awards
in 2010 for his work on the
soundtrack of the film "Slumdog
E
Millionaire," including Best
Compilation Soundtrack for Visual
V

Media and Best Song Written for

Motion Picture, Television, or
Other Visual Media for the song
N

"Jai Ho."
O

As of May 29, 2024, Beyoncé is the

artist with the most Grammy
Awards won in history, with 32
C

trophies. The American singer,

songwriter, record producer, and
dancer broke the record previously
held by Sir Georg Solti, a
Hungarian-British conductor who
won 31 award

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 23

SC Strikes Down Electoral Bonds Scheme

The Supreme Court(SC) struck down the electoral bonds scheme
that allowed anonymous donations to political parties, citing it as
unconstitutional.

™
● SC asserted that transparency regarding funding to political
parties is crucial for informed electoral decisions, affirming
that the scheme infringes upon the right to information as

E
enshrined in Article 19(1)(a).
● Electoral bonds are money instruments that act as
promissory notes or bearer bonds that can be purchased by

G
individuals or companies in India. They are issued specifically
for the contribution of funds to the political parties.
● SBI is the only authorised bank to issue and encash electoral
R
bonds
● The donations made under this scheme had 100% tax
E
exemption.
● SC also directed the State Bank of India to stop issuing
electoral bonds immediately and submit all the details to the
V

Election Commission by 6th March, 2024.

N

Electoral Bonds
● The electoral bonds system was introduced in 2017 by way of a
Finance bill and it was implemented in 2018.
O

○ It serves as a means for individuals and entities to make

donations to registered political parties while maintaining
anonymity.
Features
C

● State Bank of India (SBI) issues the bonds in denominations of Rs

1,000; Rs 10,000; Rs 1 lakh; Rs 10 lakh; and Rs 1 crore.
● Can be bought individually or jointly with other individuals.
● Valid for 15 calendar days from the date of issue.
● SBI is the authorised issuer. Electoral Bonds are issued through
designated SBI branches.

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 24

The 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi

Dayanand Saraswati
A significant figure in Indian history,
Dayanand Saraswati is celebrated on
February 12.

™
Born in 1824, in Tankara, Gujarat, he was a
Hindu philosopher, social leader, and
founder of the Arya Samaj, a reform

E
movement of Hinduism.

G
Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati, originally
named Mool Shankar Tiwari, was a scholar and a sanyasi (ascetic)
from boyhood.
R
● He believed in the infallible authority of the Vedas and
advocated the doctrines of karma and reincarnation
● He was the first to give the call for Swaraj as “India for
E
Indians” in 1876, a call later taken up by Lokmanya Tilak.
● He denounced idolatry and ritualistic worship and worked
V

towards reviving Vedic ideologies

Prime Minister Modi, inaugurated the year-long celebrations

N

commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi

Dayanand Saraswati, at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi.
O
C

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India to Develop Six Mega Ports by 2047

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has laid out
significant plans for the development of Mega Ports in India by
2047.

™
● Six port clusters have been identified for development as
Mega Ports by 2047

E
● Four port clusters with a capacity exceeding 300 Million
Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA)

G
○ Cochin –Vizhinjam Port cluster,
○ Galathea South Bay Port, Chennai – Kamarajar–
Cuddalore Port cluster,
R
○ Paradip and Other Non-Major Ports Cluster.
E
● Two port clusters with Capacity Exceeding 500 MTPA

○ Deendayal and Tuna Tekra

V

○ Jawaharlal Nehru – Vadhavan.

N

Major Ports are enhancing

capacity and infrastructure
as part of the Maritime
O

AmritKaal Vision, 2047.

Infrastructure projects are
underway via Public Private
Partnership (PPP) and
C

internal resources, focusing

on port development

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Important Days in February

February 1 Indian Coast Guard Day
February 2 Surajkund Crafts Mela

™
Celebrated every year from 2 Feb - 18 Feb, at Surajkund in
Faridabad, Haryana. It is a celebration of Indian folk
traditions and cultural heritage

E
Organised by Haryana Tourism Department

G
R
E
February 4 1. World Cancer Day
V

2. National Day of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka gained its independence from the British
Rule in 1948
N

February 12 Darwin Day

celebrated every year to commemorate the birth
O

anniversary of the father of evolutionary biology, Charles

Darwin
February 21 International Mother Language Day
C

February 28 National Science Day

Celebrated every year in India to mark the discovery of
Raman effect, by Indian physicist Sir C. V. Raman

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CONVERGE™
summary
Chipko Movement - Celebrating 50 Years of
Embracing Change
The Chipko Movement, initiated in Uttarakhand in early 1973,
commemorates its 50th anniversary.

• About Chipko Movement

The Chipko Movement originated in the Himalayan region of

Uttarakhand (then part of the state of Uttar Pradesh) in India.

It was triggered by the deforestation activities carried out by

contractors, which threatened the livelihoods of local
communities and led to environmental degradation.

It is said to be inspired by the Bishnoi community in

Rajasthan. The Bishnois are known for their
environmentalism. (non-violent resistance)

The movement derived its name from the act of villagers

hugging trees and physically preventing them from being
felled, thereby protecting the forests.

The movement was led by local activists, primarily women

from rural areas, who played a significant role in its success.
Prominent leaders included Sunderlal Bahuguna, Chandi
Prasad Bhatt (founded an organisation called Dasholi Gram
Swarajya Mandal ) and Gaura Devi, among others.

Villagers used traditional methods of protest, such as forming

circles around trees and tying sacred threads (rakhi) on them
to symbolise their unity and commitment to conservation.
 28

Recognition: Sunderlal Bahuguna, was awarded the Padma

Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award.

• Impact of Chipko Movement

It inspired similar movements in different parts of India, such

as the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Appiko Movement
(Karnataka) and the Silent Valley Movement.

It demonstrated the significance of Eco-Feminism and the

impact that a non-violent, peaceful and environment-loving
community can have.

IREDA gets ‘Navratna' status: What does it mean for

the green energy sector?

Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA)

received "Navratna" status from the government, empowering
it to make larger investments and operate more autonomously.

• What is Navratna Status?

A. Granted to premier public sector companies (PSUs) in
India.
B. Allows PSUs to invest up to ₹1,000 crore without central
government approval.
C. Provides greater freedom for joint ventures,
partnerships, and overseas subsidiaries.

• Criteria for Navratna Status

Must be a Miniratna Category-I company and included in
Schedule A of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).

• Benefits for IREDA

1. Increased investment capacity and operational flexibility.
 29
2. Potential for further growth in the renewable energy
sector.

• IREDA's Role
A. Established in 1987 to promote and finance renewable
energy projects.
B. Owned 75% by the government.
C. Offers financial assistance for renewable energy
generation.
D. Plans to establish a subsidiary for retail business in
renewable energy

UK's "Rwanda Bill" and Its Implications

The government of the United Kingdom has passed its

“Rwanda Bill” — it will now become law. Under the Bill,
asylum seekers deemed to have illegally entered its territories
after January 1, 2022, can be sent to Rwanda for “processing”.

• Concern regarding the ‘Rwanda Bill’

Irrespective of whether an asylum seeker is found to be
“genuine” or not, they cannot return to the UK and must opt
for settlement in either Rwanda or another country.
In 2023, the supreme court of UK declared the scheme
unlawful, pointing out that Rwanda was not a “safe” country
and the plan went against the European Convention on
Human Rights (ECHR).

• Benefits of the Bill to Britain and Rwanda

In return for acting as an offshore processing centre, the
African nation will receive substantial amounts of money.
These run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.
 30
The Bill will act as a deterrent to those who make landfall on
the UK coastline in small boats crossing the English Channel
from European ports.

• A similar arrangement for refugees has been made by other

Western nations
Australia’s offshore refugee programme involved the tiny South
Pacific nation of Nauru
It is estimated that in 2021-2022, around two-thirds of Nauru’s
revenues came from payments connected to the Australian
refugee scheme.

The processing centres are not currently operational, though

they are kept in a “readied” state, should Australia need them
again.

The European Union (EU) finances refugee-blocking and

processing arrangements across several countries in the third
world and both the Trump and Biden administrations have
been active in formulating such arrangements in their South
American backyard.

It is unsurprising, then, that a constant refrain to the UK’s

Rwanda Bill has been Rishi Sunak’s statement that
“international courts” will not be allowed to determine the
country’s domestic policy.
The idea is that British “sovereignty” is under threat from
extra-national forces, including refugees and international
courts.

• The emergence of ‘asylum economy’

The emerging “asylum economy” — in Nauru and other parts
of the world — has something troubling about it as a form of
neo-colonial relationship between rich and poor nations.
 31
It is as if the solution to the historical and geopolitical
conditions that produce refugees and asylum seekers is to
create massive holding camps in the third world.

Impact of India's Data Law on Journalism

In the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the removal

of ‘journalistic exemption’ highlights the need for more robust
public consultation.

1. In August 2023, India got its first comprehensive data

protection law, the Digital Personal Data Protection
(DPDP) Act, 2023.
2. The law is largely based on users giving consent for the
processing of their personal data.
3. It provides basic rights such as access to and erasure of
data, places some obligations on companies, and
establishes a complaints body for grievance redressal.
However, the law might have an invisible impact on
journalistic free speech.

● An impediment

Typically, data protection laws exempt journalistic activities

from privacy obligations such as notifying users and taking
their consent before using their personal data.

Three previous drafts of the DPDP Act had exemptions for

journalistic activities, but the final law withdrew such an
exemption.
 32
The Editors Guild of India also pointed to this risk and in a
letter to the government, requested that journalistic activities
be exempted from the DPDP Act.

It would impact a journalist as when all information about an

MP is their ‘personal data’, which is data protected under the
DPDP Act and consequently, any journalist who wishes to use
this data will have to get their consent before publishing the
story.

Even after publication, the MP can exercise their right to erase

and request journalists to delete such stories.

Further, the DPDP Act empowers the government to call for

information from any data processor in India.

Depending on how this provision is interpreted and applied,

this may impact the confidentiality that journalists must
maintain for their sources and research documents.

Taken together, this need for journalists to get consent before

publishing their story, the potential for the subject to rely on
the right to erasure to have the story deleted, and the power of
the government to call for information would likely impede a
journalist’s ability to discharge their role as the fourth estate —
of holding the state accountable.

@CONVERGE™
Summary