Union Home Ministry order invites citizenship

In News:

Union Home Ministry order inviting citizenship applications faces Supreme Court challenge. A recent petition filed in the Supreme Court said the government order “utterly discriminates and deprives a class of persons namely, the Muslims”.

Background:

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955.

The Citizenship Act,1955 provides various ways in which citizenship may be acquired.

It provides for citizenship by birth, descent, registration, naturalisation and by incorporation of the territory into India.

About CAA:

The objective of the CAA is to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities — Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian — from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Those from these communities who had come to India till December 31, 2014, facing religious persecution in their respective countries, will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.

The Act provides that the central government may cancel the registration of OCIs on certain grounds.

Exceptions:

The Act does not apply to tribal areas of Tripura, Mizoram, Assam and Meghalaya because of being included in the 6th Schedule of the Constitution.

Also areas that fall under the Inner Limit notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, will also be outside the Act’s purview.

Issues surrounding the law:

It violates the basic tenets of the Constitution. Illegal immigrants are distinguished on the basis of religion.

It is perceived to be a demographic threat to indigenous communities.

It makes illegal migrants eligible for citizenship on the basis of religion. This may violate Article 14 of the Constitution which guarantees the right to equality.

It attempts to naturalise the citizenship of illegal immigrants in the region.

It allows cancellation of OCI registration for violation of any law. This is a wide ground that may cover a range of violations, including minor offences.

G7 meet.

In News:

The leaders of seven nations — the U.S., Germany, the U.K., France, Canada, Japan and Italy — met in Cornwall in south-west England, marking the 47th edition of the “Group of seven” summit.

Details:

India is a “natural ally” to work with the world’s richest G7 countries to fight against threats of authoritarianism, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at a special outreach session for guest countries on “Open Societies and Open Economies” at the G7 summit that ended in Corbis Bay, U.K., on Sunday.

Background:

The United Kingdom had invited India, Australia and South Korea to attend the G7 summit that was scheduled to be held in June as “guest countries”.

About the G7 meet:

The leaders of seven nations — the U.S., Germany, the U.K., France, Canada, Japan and Italy — met in Cornwall in south-west England, marking the 47th edition of the “Group of seven” summit.

G-7 leaders agreed on Sunday to raise their contributions to meet an overdue spending pledge of $100 billion a year to help poorer countries cut carbon emissions and cope with global warming.

Addressing the First Outreach Session of G7 summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday conveyed India’s commitment to “collective” solution to global health challenges.

Prime Minister Modi called for “one earth, one health” approach which aims for unity and solidarity among the states of the world to deal with the pandemic.

The Finance Ministers of the G7 had met on June 4-5 in the run-up to the summit and had agreed to backing a minimum global tax rate of 15% for multinational corporations, thereby setting the stage for MNCs to pay a fairer share of taxes in jurisdictions where they make money and profits, rather than playing governments in a race where they will compete on who will tax them the least and allowing MNCs to take advantage of “tax havens”.

What is G7?

The G7, originally G8, was set up in 1975 as an informal forum bringing together the leaders of the world’s leading industrial nations.

The summit gathers leaders from the European Union (EU) and the following countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The major purpose of the G-7 is to discuss and deliberate on international economic issues. It sometimes acts in concert to help resolve other global problems, with a special focus on economic issues.

How did G7 become G8?

Russia was formally inducted as a member in the group in 1998, which led G7 to become G8.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s condemnable act of moving Russian troops into eastern Ukraine and conquering Crimea in 2014 drew heavy criticism from the other G8 nations.

The other nations of the group decided to suspend Russia from the G8 as a consequence of its actions and the group became G7 again in 2014.

A year after Galwan clash

In News:

One year anniversary since the Galwan clash between Chinese and Indian armed forces

Background:

India and China share a border that is more than 3,440km (2,100 miles) long and have overlapping territorial claims.

In 2020, Indian and Chinese armies were locked in a tense stand-off at three points along the Line of Actual Control — the Galwan River Valley, Hot Springs area and the Pangong Lake

Even as India and China were engaged in military-level talks and in controlled engagement, there was a violent face-off between the army troops of both sides at Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh region.

The strategic importance of Galwan River Valley (GRV):

The Galwan River is the highest ridgeline and it allows the Chinese to dominate the Shyok route passes,which is close to the river.

It lies along the western sector of the LAC and close to Aksai Chin,a disputed area claimed by India but controlled by China.

Why tensions suddenly rose in this area?

India is trying to construct a feeder road emanating from Darbuk-Shyok Village – Daulat Beg Odi road (DS-DBO road).

This road runs along the Shyok River and is the most critical line of communications close to LAC.

Hence, Chinese were keen on controlling this area as they fear that the Indian side could end up threatening their position on the Aksai Chin plateauby using the river valley.

What actions has China taken since this event?

PLA has built additional accommodation in the depth areas along the LAC on its side and is preparing for establishing a long haul presence in the area

Troops are being rotated in these areas by the Chinese

China is also intensifying construction work behind the main confrontation points in the Aksai Chin

Small arms exercise was conducted by the PLA in Tibet. In this exercise, PLA soldiers were trained in anti-tank rocket launchers, grenade launchers, anti-aircraft machine guns and other weapons

Reports have also indicated that China has deployed a long-range rocket artillery in the border region at an altitude of 5200 m

Disengagement process since last one year after the tense stand-off

India and China have so far held 11 rounds of military talks for disengagement and de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh since the stand-off began in May last year.

India’s aim in all these talks has been the restoration of status quoante of April 2020

Both the sides have agreed to and actually disengaged from the finger areas on the North Bank of Pangong Tso.

Both sides have also emptied the heights of the Kailash ranges on the South Bank where Indian Army was in an advantageous position.

There has been no progress in the talks for disengagement at Gogra and Hotsprings as well as in Demchok and the strategic Depsang Valley.