19 Mar 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 19 March 2023:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
INDIAN SOCIETY
1. Jews in India
B. GS 2 Related
C. GS 3 Related
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. India’s Deep Ocean Mission
SECURITY
1. Khalistan Movement
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Return of the Net neutrality debate
SOCIAL JUSTICE
1. India’s stand on same sex marriage
F. Prelims Facts
1. India - Bangladesh Friendship Oil Pipeline
G. Tidbits
1. Global Millets Conference
2. MQ-9A ‘Reaper’
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

Category: SECURITY

1. Khalistan Movement

Syllabus: Role of External State & Non-State Actors in Creating Challenges to Internal Security

Context: Major crackdown against pro-Khalistan supporters in Punjab.

Introduction:

  • The Punjab Police on March 18 in a major crackdown against pro-Khalistan propagator Amritpal Singh and his supporters arrested 78 persons in connection with multiple criminal cases.
    • Amritpal Singh is the chief of a pro-Khalistan organisation called ‘Waris Punjab De (WPD)’.
    • The accused WPD activists are involved in four cases of spreading disharmony among classes, attempted murder, attack on policemen and creating obstructions in the lawful discharge of duties of public servants.
  • Internet services were suspended across the State to prevent any incitement to violence.
  • The police seized numerous weapons and have appealed for calm, cautioning people against spreading fake news or hate speech.
  • The agencies are conducting investigations to determine Amritpal’s links with overseas pro-Khalistan backers.

Khalistan Movement:

  • The Khalistan movement is a separatist movement that emerged in the late 1970s in the Indian state of Punjab. 
  • The movement seeks to create a separate Sikh homeland called Khalistan, which would comprise Punjab and other parts of northern India.
  • The 1980s were a period of intense violence and political unrest in Punjab, as the Khalistan movement led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale gained momentum.
  • Bhindranwale and his followers occupied the Golden Temple in Amritsar, which is the holiest Sikh shrine, in 1984. The Indian government responded by launching Operation Blue Star, a military operation to flush out the militants from the temple. 
  • The Khalistan movement continued to gain strength in the late 1980s, with militant groups carrying out a series of bombings and assassinations. 
  • The Indian government responded with a heavy-handed crackdown, leading to a cycle of violence and counter-violence.

The Decline of the Khalistan Movement:

  • By the early 1990s, the Khalistan movement had lost much of its momentum. The Indian government had largely succeeded in suppressing the militant groups, and public support for the movement had waned.
  • The decline of the Khalistan movement can be attributed to several factors. One of the main factors was the lack of international support for the movement. Most countries did not recognize the Khalistan movement as a legitimate separatist movement, and the movement was largely isolated from the international community.
  • Another factor was the fracturing of the movement into several competing factions. The movement lacked a cohesive leadership structure and was plagued by infighting and factionalism.
  • In addition, the Indian government launched a series of economic and political reforms in the 1990s, which helped to address many of the grievances that had fueled the Khalistan movement. Punjab saw significant economic growth during this period, and the state became more integrated into the Indian economy.

Contemporary Relevance:

  • Despite these factors, the Khalistan movement continues to exist in some form today. There are still a small number of militant groups that espouse the Khalistan ideology, although they are much weaker and less active than they were in the 1980s.
  • The Khalistan movement continues to have relevance in contemporary India. The movement has inspired a new generation of Sikhs who feel marginalised and discriminated against in Indian society.
  • In recent years, there have been several incidents of Sikh activists advocating for Khalistan and engaging in protests and demonstrations. In 2020, a group of Sikh activists erected a Khalistan flag at the Red Fort in Delhi during a protest against the Indian government’s controversial farm laws.
  • Moving forward, it is important for the Indian government to address the underlying grievances that have fueled the Khalistan movement, such as discrimination against Sikhs and political and economic marginalisation. 
  • At the same time, it is important to reject violence and extremism and to promote dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts. 

Nut Graf:  The pro-Khalistan movement in India poses internal security challenges for the country due to its violent and extremist character. The movement has been linked to acts of terrorism and separatism which continues to be a concern for Indian authorities.

G. Tidbits

1. Global Millets Conference

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference in New Delhi on March 18,2023.
  • A Ministerial round table on millets was also held here with the participation of Ministers and officials from 10 countries, including India. 
  • The two-day conference will have sessions on promotion and awareness of millets among producers, consumers and other stakeholders.
  • Brainstorming sessions would be held on topics such as the farming of millets, millet economy, health benefits and farmers’ income among others with the active participation of stakeholders from India and other countries.
  • Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, in a video message, offered 200 acres of land in his country for exclusive production of millets in honour of the United Nations declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets.

2. MQ-9A ‘Reaper’

  • The MQ-9A Reaper is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) primarily used by the United States Air Force and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeted strikes. 
  • It is a larger and more advanced version of the earlier MQ-1 Predator drone. 
  • The Reaper is equipped with advanced sensors, cameras, and precision-guided missiles, and can remain airborne over 27 hours at speeds of 240 KTAS (knots true airspeed) and can operate up to an altitude of 50,000 feet. 
  • It is manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.
  • It has been used extensively in the US military campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, as well as in other countries in the Middle East and Africa. 
  • The use of Reaper drones has been controversial due to concerns over civilian casualties and violations of international law.
  • On March 14, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) ditched an MQ-9 Reaper in the Black Sea after a confrontation with two Russian Su-27 jets over international waters west of Crimea. 
  • The Indian Navy is currently operating two MQ-9As on lease. A bigger proposal for procuring 30 armed MQ-9As, popularly called Predator-B, has been delayed.
  • MQ-9As are also operated by the U.K., France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and on order by Belgium. Japan recently inducted the MQ-9B Sea Guardian, the maritime configuration.
  • At Aero India in February 2023, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and General Atomics announced that the turbo-propeller engines which power the MQ-9B will be supported by HAL’s engine division for the Indian market. 

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements with regards to Eklavya Model Residential 
School: (Level –Moderate)
  1. The EMR School follows the State board curriculum.
  2. As per existing EMRS Guidelines of 2010, at least one EMRS is to be set up in each Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) / Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) having 50% ST population in the area.
  3. As per the budget 2018-19, every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons will have an Eklavya Model Residential School by the year 2022.

Choose the correct code:

  1. Only one statement is wrong
  2. Two statements are wrong
  3. All statements are wrong
  4. None of the statements is wrong
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation:

  • Statement 01 is incorrect, The EMR School follows the CBSE curriculum.
  • Statement 02 is correct, As per existing EMRS Guidelines of 2010, at least one EMRS is to be set up in each Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) / Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) having 50% ST population in the area.
  • Statement 03 is correct, Ministry of Tribal Affairs has recognised 163 priority districts having 25% or more Scheduled Tribe (ST) population for implementation of tribal development programmes including establishment of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs).
    • As per the budget 2018-19, every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have an Eklavya Model Residential School by the year 2022.
Q2. Rwanda shares a boundary with which of the following nations?(Level – Difficult)
  1. Uganda
  2. Tanzania
  3. Burundi
  4. Dep. Republic of Congo

Choose the correct code:

  1. 1 & 3 only
  2. 2 & 3 only
  3. 1, 3 & 4 only
  4. All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

Untitled 7

Image Source: Britannica

Q3. Consider the following statements with regards to Magellan mission:(Level–Difficult)
  1. NASA’s Magellan mission to Venus was one of the most successful deep space missions
  2. It was the first spacecraft to image the entire surface of Venus and made several discoveries about the planet; it was launched on May 4, 1989.
  3. On October 13, 1994, communication with Magellan was lost when it was instructed to descend into the atmosphere of Venus.

Choose the correct code:

  1. Only one statement is wrong
  2. Two statements are wrong
  3. All statements are wrong
  4. None of the statements is wrong
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Statement 01 is correct, Magellan, named after the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521), was the first probe launched by a space shuttle. The Magellan mission to Venus was one of the most successful deep space missions.
  • Statement 02 is correct, It was the first spacecraft to image the entire surface of Venus and made several discoveries about the planet.
  • Statement 03 is correct, On October 13, 1994, the spacecraft was commanded to plunge into the atmosphere to gather aerodynamic data. The spacecraft burned up in the Venusian atmosphere about 10 hours later after one of the most successful deep space missions.
Q4. Consider the following statements with regards to PM Gati Shakti: (Level – Easy)
  1. PM Gati Shakti Master Plan (2021), is a Rs. 100 lakh-crore project for developing ‘holistic infrastructure’.
  2. Integrated Approach: It intends to bring together 16 infrastructure related Ministries.
  3. PM GatiShakti is based on six pillars: Comprehensiveness, Prioritization, Optimization, Synchronisation, Analytical, Dynamic.

Choose the correct code:

  1. 1 & 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 2 only
  4. 1, 2 & 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • Statement 01 is correct, PM Gati Shakti Master Plan is a 100 lakh crore rupees ambitious plan to provide multi-modal connectivity to more than 1,200 industrial clusters, including two defence corridors across the country.
  • Statement 02 is correct, Objective of the plan is to ensure integrated planning and implementation of infrastructure projects in the next four years, with focus on expediting works on the ground, saving costs and creating jobs. It intends to bring together 16 infrastructure related Ministries.
  • Statement 03 is correct,  PM Gati Shakti is based on six pillars: Comprehensiveness, Prioritization, Optimization, Synchronisation, Analytics and Dynamic. Instead of planning and designing the projects separately in silos, the projects will be designed and executed with a common vision.
Q5. In India, separation of judiciary from the executive is enjoined by(PYQ-CSE-2020)
(Level – Easy)
  1. The Preamble of the Constitution
  2. A Directive Principle of state policy
  3. The Seventh schedule
  4. The conventional practice
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation: Article 36 to Article 51 of our Constitution deals with Directive Principles of the State Policy.

Article 50 of the Indian Constitution provides that the State shall take steps to separate the judiciary from the executive in the public services of the state.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

  1. Examine the objectives of India’s Samudrayaan mission. (250 words; 15 marks) (GS-3; Science and Technology)
  2. Trace the history of Khalistan movement and analyze recent attempts to revive the extremist movement. (250 words; 15 marks) (GS-3; Internal Security)

Read the previous CNA here.

CNA 19 March 2023:- Download PDF Here

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