Proposed oil refinery project in Mongolia
Context : ceremony for commissioning the infrastructure facilities constructed to support the proposed oil refinery project in Mongolia.
In news :
- India has announced an additional US $ 236 million Line of Credit from India to Mongolia beyond the committed US$ 1 billion.
- The EngineersIndia Ltd, Public Sector Undertaking of the Ministry of Petroleum and natural gas is providing project management consultancy services for this prestigious refinery project in Mongolia.
- On completion of the project, it will meet about three-fourth of Mongolian requirement of oil.
- India would be happy to partner with Mongolia to develop its infrastructure as per the priorities decided by the people & Govt. of Mongolia.
- India remains committed to working with the Govt. & people of Mongolia to further strengthen our Strategic Partnership for mutual prosperity.
Source : Pib
Sedition law
Context: Recently, a Bihar court directed the filing of an FIR against 49 eminent persons who signed an open letter to the Prime Minister expressing concerns over mob lynching.
- However, many experts opined that this move is shocking, disappointing, and completely disregards the true meaning of the law.
Charges of sedition- recent concerns:
- There have been many incidents in recent times where “misguided” people have been termed “anti-national”.
- Law enforcement agencies forget the fact that the sentiment could have been demonstrated through a slogan, a cheer, a statement, protest against a nuclear power project, or an innocuous post on social media. In all these cases, the state, across regimes, has filed charges of sedition.
- Authorities often forget the fact that sedition can’t be applied to instances of criticism of the government or a political functionary. More importantly, words alone are not enough for such a charge to be slapped. Incitement to violence is the most crucial ingredient of the offence of sedition.
- Going through the numbers that the National Crime Records Bureau puts out every year, it is clear that despite the rise in sedition cases, convictions happen in barely a few. Even if these people are not convicted, the slapping of these charges is a way the governments over the years have been sending a strong message to its own people—obey or be ready to face consequences.
What is Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code?
Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Government established by law shall be punished with imprisonment for life or any shorter term, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine.
Why should it be scrapped?
Draconian laws such as the Section 124-A only serve to give a legal veneer to the regime’s persecution of voices and movements against oppression by casting them as anti-national.
Short term measures to be put up in place:
- All speech-related offences should be made bailable offences; this would lessen the harmful impact of using arrest and custody as a way of harassing anyone exercising their rights under Article 19(1)(a).
- The offences should be made non-cognisable so that there is at least a judicial check on the police acting on the basis of politically motivated complaints.
- In the case of hate speech, it is important to raise the burden of proof on those who claim that their sentiments are hurt rather than accept them at face value. And finally, it is crucial that courts begin to take action against those who bring malicious complaints against speech acts.
Observations made by the Supreme Court:
- In 1962, the Supreme Court decided on the constitutionality of Section 124A in Kedar Nath Singh v State of Bihar. It upheld the constitutionality of sedition, but limited its application to “acts involving intention or tendency to create disorder, or disturbance of law and order, or incitement to violence”. It distinguished these from “very strong speech” or the use of “vigorous words” strongly critical of the government.
- In 1995, the Supreme Court, in Balwant Singh v State of Punjab, acquitted persons from charges of sedition for shouting slogans such as “Khalistan Zindabaad” and “Raj Karega Khalsa” outside a cinema after Indira Gandhi’s assassination. Instead of looking at the “tendency” of the words to cause public disorder, the Court held that mere sloganeering which evoked no public response did not amount to sedition, for which a more overt act was required; the accused did not intend to “incite people to create disorder” and no “law and order problem” actually occurred.
Sources: the Hindu.
VEER KUTUMB RALLY
Context : Rally organised by the Indian Army as part of its activities to observe 2019 as the ‘Year of the Next of Kin’, in jammu & Kashmir.
Aim :
To reach out to veterans, veer naris, widows and their families.
Whats in the rally :
- Large number of ex-servicemen and Veer Naris took part in the rally during which they were briefed about their rights.
- Taking many steps for the welfare of Ex-Servicemen and Veer Naris and the pension of veer naaris .
- A free medical and dental camp was also organized.
- Scooters, wheelchairs and some other household items were distributed to disabled soldiers and kins of the martyrs.