The Hindu Editorial Analysis | 17th Jan’20

Table of Contents

Talking of Kashmir

For the 2nd time China raised the issue (NAME) of Kashmir at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
India: Beijing should “refrain” from bringing a bilateral issue into the UNSC + accused China of working at Pakistan’s behest.
“Overwhelming majority” of SecurityCouncil members being opposed to the Chinese reference on conditions in (J&K)
1972 Shimla accord: India and Pakistan agreed to resolve the Kashmir issue bilaterally.
Impact the India-China bilateral relationship.
New Delhi has refrained from raising similar issues over Tibet, Xinjiang or Hong Kong.
President Xi Jinping didn’t officially raise such concerns while visiting India in October.
Rejecting all bilateral talks with Pakistan – is it a good idea?

Of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Chinese dreams

Landslide re-election victory for theDemocratic Progressive Party’s (DPP).
Victory has presented Beijing with a second pressing challenge in its backyard.
In late-November, pro-democratic political parties swept the local district council elections in Hong Kong.
widely seen as a referendum
Tsai Ing-wen Hong Kong was returned to China’s fold in 1997.
Taiwan has been entirely self-ruled since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek fled to the island to set up the ‘Republic of China’.
Also, unlike Hong Kong, Taiwan has a thriving democracy and has held direct elections to choose its leaders since 1996.
Beijing has pushed with even more vigour an international strategy aimed at isolating Taiwan.
By the end of 2019, Taiwan was left with only 14 UN member states that maintain diplomatic relations.
During a December visit to Macau to mark the 20th anniversary of its return to China, Mr. Xi said, “Macau’s successful experience speaks volumes about the viability and strength of one country, two systems, as long as we are committed to it and act on it”.
At a time when China’s leaders have spoken confidently of offering “the China model” as a solution for the world, what better evidence to offer than show its flexibility when faced with challenges closer to home?
The perils of RBI’s fixation on inflation
Inflation is back in the news
The establishment of some of the world’s oldest central banks was inspired by the goal of maintaining financial stability.
The central bank was conceived of as the lender of last resort, one that could pre-empt a run on banks and give them time to put their books back in order.
Central bank would stay hawk-eyed towards the activities of banks.
RBI had earlier pursued a ‘multiple indicators approach’ .
But, developments in economic theory discouraged such catholicity by arguing that having economic activity as an objective of monetary policy leads to higher inflation.
It should be noted that this argument privileged low inflation over low unemployment, favoring owners of financial wealth over workers.
Indian government also institute inflation targeting as the sole objective of monetary policy.
The late Arun Jaitley as finance minister projected the attainment of macroeconomic stability, represented by slow inflation, as a major achievement of his tenure.
But have all the objectives of the RBI’soriginal mandate as a central bank been met as a result?
2016-17 came into effect In 2018, within three years of the adoption of inflation targeting goal, a crisis engulfed IL&FS.
it operated over 100 subsidiaries and was sitting on debt of ₹94,000 crore
RBI’s responsibility to regulate the financial sector may have taken a back seat after adoption of inflation targeting as the main objective.
At over 7%, the inflation rate in December is the highest in five years.
Finally, we come to what the ordinary Indian considers the RBI’s principal mandate, the management of the currency so that trade is facilitated.
The central bank has a monopoly on the issue of notes. Why then is there is an absolute shortage of small denomination notes in the bazaars of India?
Small-denomination notes are mostly unavailable, or, if available at all, are of so shabby.

Preventing mob lynching

For reasons unknown: No data has been compiled by the NCRB
In 2018, the Supreme Court described lynching as a “horrendous act of mobocracy” .
laid down certain guidelines:fast-track trials, compensation to victims, and disciplinary action against lax law-enforcers.
Manipur government came up first with its Bill against lynching in 2018
There would be nodal officers in each district tocontrol such crimes.
Police officers who fail to prevent the crime oflynching in their jurisdiction are liable to be imprisoned for a term that may extend from one to three years with a fine limit of ₹50,000.
No concurrence of the State government is required to prosecute them for dereliction of duty.
It devolves upon the State to protect victims of mob violence and witnesses
The Rajasthan government passed a bill against lynching in August 2019.
According to Parliamentary AffairsMinister Shanti Dhariwal, “After 2014, 86% cases of mob lynching reported in the country happened in Rajasthan. ”
West Bengal came up with a more stringent Bill against lynching.
Punishment for lynching to death is punishable with the death penalty or life imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹5 lakh.
Centre would do well to incorporate sections in the law for penal action against doctors who stand accused of dereliction of duty.
Under the compensation scheme for the victims, the amount to be paid to the victims should be recovered from the perpetrators of the crime.
Until a zero-tolerance attitude is adopted in dealing with mob lynching, this crime will continue to show a rising trend.

News

India to invite Imran Khan for Shanghai Council meet
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will be invited to participate in the Heads of Government Council meeting of the Shangai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) that will be hosted in India this year, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.
“As per the established practice and procedure within SCO, all eight members of the SCO, four observer states, and other international dialogue partners will be invited to attend the meeting,”
Since becoming full-time member of the SCO in 2017, both India and Pakistan have participated in multiple meetings of SCO and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) despite hostilities and tension in Kashmir.
The Heads of Government Council meeting is attended by the Prime Minister-level leaders of the member states that deliberate on the regional body’s economic and other pressing issues.
The meeting also firms up SCO’s annual budget.
Though his predecessor Nawaz Sharif had visited India in May 2014 for the “mini-SAARC summit”

Children being radicalised in Kashmir: Gen. Rawat

Children as young as 10-12 years are being radicalised in Kashmir and there is need to isolate those completely radicalised and putthem in “deradicalisation camps”, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Bipin Rawat said on Thursday.
He also said that security forces cannot be blamed for injuries caused by pellet guns.
No SC relief, telcos have to pay ₹1.47 lakh cr.
34,000 Bru refugees to be settled in Tripura
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday presided over the signing of a quadripartite pact of the MHA with the State governments of Tripura, Mizoram and leaders of Bru community to permanently settle around 34,000 internally displaced Bru people in Tripura.
Reangs or Brus are the second largest ethnic group in Mizoram. Their exodus in 1997 was spurred by violent clashes in Mamithsubdivision, a Reang-dominated area, when they demanded creation of an autonomous council that was vehemently opposed by Mizo groups.
‘India-Pakistan situation has affected Afghanistan’
“We are the best of friends with India,” Mr. Karzai said adding, “but how do we convey to Pakistan that we can be the best of brothers at the same time.