31 Oct 2022: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

B. GS 2 Related

Category: GOVERNANCE

1. Anti-Superstition Laws in India

Syllabus: Government Policies & Interventions

Mains: Need for a comprehensive Anti-Superstition law in India.

Context: Recently two women were murdered as part of “ritualistic human sacrifices” in Kerala.

Introduction: 

• The brutal murders of two women as part of “ritualistic human sacrifices” have sparked a debate about the prevalence of superstitious beliefs, black magic and sorcery in Kerala.
• As per the 2021 report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), six deaths were linked to human sacrifices, while witchcraft was the motive for 68 killings.
  • Kerala saw two cases of human sacrifice. 
  • The maximum number of witchcraft cases were reported from Chhattisgarh (20), followed by Madhya Pradesh (18) and Telangana (11). 

Image Source: The Hindu

What are the laws in India? 

• While presently there exists no nationwide legislation to deal with superstitious practices, black magic, or human sacrifice in particular, certain sections of the Indian Penal Code enlist penalties applicable for such incidents.
• Section 302 (punishment for murder) takes cognisance of human sacrifice, but only after the murder is committed. 
• Section 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) works to discourage such practices. 
• Article 51A (h) of the Indian Constitution makes it a fundamental duty for Indian citizens to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform. 
• Other provisions under the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act of 1954 also aim to tackle the impact of various superstitious activities present in the country

State Specific Laws:

• In the absence of a nationwide legislation, a few States have enacted laws to counter witchcraft and protect women from deadly ‘witch-hunting’. 
• Bihar was the first State to enact a law to prevent witchcraft, identification of a woman as a witch in October 1999. 
• A similar law was passed in Jharkhand in 2001 — the Prevention of Witch (Daain) Practices Act. 
• Chhattisgarh enacted the Chhattisgarh Tonahi (witch) Pratadna Nivaran Act in 2005. 
• Following the directions of the Odisha High Court to frame a law to deal with rising cases of witch-hunting in the State, the Odisha Prevention of Witch-Hunting Bill was passed by the Assembly in 2013. 
• The Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013 was passed after the murder of anti-superstition activist Dr. Narendra Dabholkar. 
• The Assam Witch Hunting (Prohibition, Prevention and Protection) Act, 2015, which received the President’s assent in 2018, prohibits witch hunting completely. 
• Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Act, 2017 came into effect in January 2020.
  • The law bans several practices related to black magic and superstition such as, forcing a person to walk on fire at religious festivals and the practice of piercing rods from one side of the jaw to the other.  

Need for a country-wide Anti-superstition and Black Magic Act:

• Allowing such practices violates an individual’s fundamental right to equality and right to life under Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution.
• Such practices tend to target the vulnerable sections of society in a lopsided manner, including women, children, and the poor. 
• In the absence of steps to combat superstition, illogical and unscientific practises like faith healing, quackery, and disinformation about medical treatments may also rise, which may have serious negative impacts on citizens’ health and public order.

Nut Graf: Recent incidents of “Human Sacrifices” in Kerala have increased the demand for a strict anti-superstition law as India lacks a comprehensive law to address such acts. Comprehensive legislation along with increased awareness among the masses must be the focus to deal with this social issue. 

E. Editorials

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. A check over of the U.S.’s much anticipated NSS

Syllabus: Effect of policies of developed countries on India’s interest.

Mains: National Security Strategy of the U.S.

Prelims: National Security Strategy(NSS).

Context: U.S. released its National Security Strategy. 

Details:

• The United States of America released its National Security Strategy (NSS).  According to the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986, it is compulsory on the part of every U.S. president to formulate their NSS and communicate the vision of the Executive regarding national security to the Legislative body.
• The NSS reflects the views of the government regarding the National Security agenda.
• Moreover, it also gives Congress an opportunity to assess the investment areas and overall expenditure that the country will have to bear to achieve national security goals.

New National Security Strategy:

• The newly proposed NSS majorly focuses on the current decade as a ‘decisive’ one where the U.S. is looking forward to sustaining its global leadership, improving its economy, and building a huge and good network of partnerships and alliances. 
• It also wishes to counter China and Russia as its strategic competitor and disruptor respectively. It aims to defend its democracy and boost its competitiveness. 
• Furthermore, it portrays the ambitious agenda of the present administration, comprehensively covering transnational challenges, and tying domestic issues with international ones. These would incorporate issues like food insecurity, inflation, climate change, pandemics,  energy security, and terrorism. Apart from these issues, a substantial focus is also given to outer space security and governance.
• The three main fulcrums of the new NSS are: 
  • Invest: The strategy seeks to invest in the “tools of influence and power” by bolstering the domestic economy, upgrading critical infrastructure, and investing in technologies like microchips and semiconductors.
  • Build: It aims to build ‘the strongest possible coalition of countries,’ recognizing both the ambitions and limitations of the United States in unilaterally controlling global geopolitics. 
  • Modernize:  Modernization seeks to cater to internal and external security demands simultaneously. 
• The three broad purposes served with the release of NSS are: 
  • It fulfills the strategic vision of the Interim National Security Strategic Guidance (made public in March 2021).
  • It provides better clarity and regulation on other policy measures of the present administration.
  • It further puts an end to all speculations on the critical presidential doctrines in the U.S. 
• It comes at the time of mid-term elections (November 2022) and can sway the elections owing to policy clarity.
• One of the most critical aspects of the NSS is to inform the U.S. Department of Defence’s strategy, particularly in two major areas-  nuclear use and missile defence. Though the release of the NSS was delayed because of the Russia-Ukraine war, it has provided useful lessons about the potent use of nuclear weapons, which was last used in the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962). 
• U.S. administration also released the Nuclear Posture Review, the National Defense Strategy,  and the Missile Defense Review recently, thereby reinforcing the basic idea of the NSS.

China-Russia challenge:

• The NSS takes both immediate as well as long-term views on the emerging challenges and threats from China. Though it has outlined a joint strategy to deal with external challenges by out-performing China and restricting Russia, its focus is more tilted towards China. 
• The present government places China at the pivot of its decadal outlook. The prominence of China is increasing globally and is particularly pronounced in the Indo-Pacific region across dimensions like development, economy, security, technology, global governance, and diplomacy. 
• The document names China as the ‘only competitor’ with the ability and intent to change the international order in a fundamental way.
• The NSS has also clearly opposed the unilateral change in Taiwan’s status by China. Therefore, creating a collective capacity through international alliances and partnerships. 
• The new strategy also makes a serious case for downgrading the Russian economy, global influence, military, and soft power. It also identifies countries like India and Japan to fill the emerging gaps.
• It also hints at India’s integration into important global forums like G7. However, it should be noted that these reflect the interests of the U.S., rather than the ambitions of its Indo-Pacific partners.

India’s dimension in NSS:

• NSS identifies India as an important bilateral and multilateral partner in the Indo-Pacific region apart from its significance as a major defense partner and the largest democracy.
• It gives importance to the U.S.-India partnership through the Quad (Australia, India, Japan the U.S.) and the I2U2 ( Israel, India, the United Arab Emirates, and the U.S).

Related Links: Strategic Importance of Indo Pacific: RSTV – Big Picture

Nut Graf: The National Security Strategy of the United States was released. It is one of the most important presidential doctrines of the country. The recent strategy has clarified various policy decisions of the present government and aims to sustain the leadership of the United States in the world by adopting appropriate actions.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

1. What is the National Security Strategy of the U.S.? Where does India figure in it? (150 words; 10 marks) (GS-2; International Relations)
2. In the context of the recent events, does India need a central Anti-Superstition Law? (150 words; 10 marks)(GS-2; Polity and Governance)

Read the previous CNA here.