Daily Current Affairs

To The Point Notes

Polity

1.Constitutional Morality in India

Concept:

• Adherence to constitutional norms within a democracy.
• Goes beyond literal interpretation, encompassing values like social justice & equality.
• Coined by George Grote (History of Greece).
• Balance between freedom and restraint: citizens submit to authority while having the freedom to criticize it.

Indian Constitution:

• Not explicitly mentioned, but embedded in various sections:
  • Preamble: outlines democratic principles (justice, liberty, equality, fraternity).
  • Fundamental Rights: safeguards individual rights against arbitrary state power (enforceable under Article 32).
  • Directive Principles: guidelines for the state to pursue goals set by framers.
  • Fundamental Duties: responsibilities of citizens to the nation.
  • Checks and Balances: judicial review, legislative oversight, etc.

Supreme Court’s Viewpoint:

• Emphasized its importance for good governance (Krishnamoorthy case, 2015).
• Highlighted officials’ duty to uphold it (Union of India vs. Govt. of NCT of Delhi, 2015).
• Likened it to a “second basic structure doctrine” to curb arbitrary authority (Govt. of NCT of Delhi case, 2018).
• Protected LGBTQI+ rights by striking down Section 377 (Navtej Singh Johar case, 2018).
• Upheld Aadhaar with restrictions, underlining courts’ role in checking abuse of power (Justice K S Puttaswamy case, 2018).

Challenges:

• Debates on interpretation, especially regarding conflicts between:
  • Individual rights vs. collective interests.
  • Different constitutional provisions.
• Issues like affirmative action, free speech, and privacy rights raise discussions.

 

 

History

2.Santhal Hul (1855): A Tribal Uprising in Jharkhand

Context:

• Hul Diwas (June 30) marks the anniversary of the Santhal rebellion against the British.

Leaders:

• Sidho, Kanho, Chand, Bhairav Murmu (brothers)
• Phulo & Jhano Murmu (sisters)

Cause of Revolt:

• Exploitation by upper castes, zamindars, moneylenders (dikus).
• Land alienation by British East India Company:
  • Santhal Pargana (Damin-i-Koh) created in 1832 for Santhals.
  • Land grabbing and forced labor

Course of Rebellion:

• 1855: Santhals (around 60,000) led by Murmu brothers revolted against British.
• Guerilla warfare against the East India Company.
• British capture and execution of Sidho Murmu (1855) and Kanhu Murmu (1856).

Aftermath:

• Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act (SPT Act) of 1876:
  • Restricted land transfer from tribals to non-tribals.
  • Protected Santhal land rights and self-governance.
• Chotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT Act) of 1908 (due to Birsa Movement):
  • Allowed land transfers within same caste/geographic areas with approval.

 

 

Art and Culture

3.Kozhikode Declared UNESCO City of Literature

• Kerala’s Kozhikode became India’s first UNESCO ‘City of Literature’ in October 2023.

About UNESCO Creative Cities Network:

• Launched in 2004, it has over 350 member cities in 100+ countries.
• Recognizes cities for cultural contributions in various fields like literature, music, film, etc.
• Offers a platform for knowledge sharing and building sustainable cities.
• 2023 conference theme: “Bringing youth to the table for the next decade.”

 

 

Economy

4.RBI Joins Project Nexus for Faster Cross-Border Payments

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has joined Project Nexus.

What is Project Nexus?

• Developed by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Innovation Hub.
• First live BIS project in the payments area.
• Aims to connect instant payment systems (IPS) globally for faster cross-border transactions.
• Involves central banks and IPS operators from India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand (with Indonesia as observer).
• Expected to be operational by 2026.

 

 

Geography

5.Hurricane Beryl: A Powerful Storm

Recent Impact (July 2024):

• Made landfall, causing floods in Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada.

Formation:

• Warm ocean water (evaporates) and moist air provide energy.
• Rising warm air creates low pressure, leading to winds spiraling inwards.
• Wind speed over 74 mph (119 kmph) strengthens the storm.

Terminology:

• Hurricane: Atlantic & North Pacific (over 74 mph)
• Typhoon: East Asia (Northwestern Pacific)
• Cyclone: Indian & South Pacific Oceans

 

 

Security

6.Indian Naval Ship INS Ranvir Visits Bangladesh

Mission:

• Part of Operational Deployment in the Eastern Fleet.
• Strengthens cooperation and maritime links between India & Bangladesh.
• Aligns with SAGAR initiative for regional security and growth.

Activities:

• Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE)
• Cross-deck visits
• Community outreach
• Friendly sports fixtures

About INS Ranvir:

• Rajput-class Guided Missile Destroyer (upgraded)
• Commissioned: 1986
• Displacement: 4,974 tons
• Length: 146 meters
• Speed: 30 knots

Armaments:

• Missiles: Kh-35 Uran, BrahMos (surface-to-surface), SA-N-1 Goa (surface-to-air)
• Guns: 100 mm AK-100 gun, CIWS (defense against missiles/aircraft)
• Torpedoes & Anti-Submarine Warfare: RBU-6000 launchers, 533 mm torpedo tubes

 

 

Security

7.Snowblind: Banking Malware for Android

Target: Steals banking credentials on Android devices.

Origin: Discovered by Promon, a cybersecurity firm.

Method:

• Exploits built-in Android security feature (Seccomp) to bypass app tampering detection.
• Repackages apps to hide use of accessibility features for stealing information.
• Injects malicious code before security checks, enabling remote control and bypassing additional security measures like fingerprint or two-factor authentication.

Spreads through: Downloading apps from untrusted sources.

Protection:

• Install apps only from reputable sources (e.g., Google Play Store).
• Keep software and security features updated.