What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is Nehru-Liaquat Pact?
• Why was the pact signed?
• What are the Key provisions of the Nehru-Liaquat Pact?
• Criticisms of Nehru-Liaquat pact
• What was SP Mukherjee’s issue with the Pact?

 

Why in news?

• Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh (the predecessor of the BJP), had died, purportedly of a heart attack, on June 23, 1953.
• Despite his antagonism with Nehru and the Congress, Mookerjee was actually a part of the first Union Cabinet under the premiership of Nehru himself.
  • He was inducted into the interim government on August 15, 1947, as the Minister for Industry and Supply.
• However, he resigned in April 1950 over the controversial Nehru-Liaquat Pact.

 

What is Nehru-Liaquat Pact?

• The Nehru-Liaquat Pact is also known as the Delhi Pact or the Agreement of Non-Aggression.
• It was a bilateral agreement signed between India and Pakistan in order to provide a framework for the treatment of minorities in the two countries.
• It was signed between Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, and Liaquat Ali Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, on April 8, 1950.

 

Why was the pact signed?

• Communal tensions and violence had erupted between Hindus and Muslims following the partition of British India into India and Pakistan in 1947.
• The need for such a pact was felt by minorities in both countries following Partition, which was accompanied by massive communal rioting. 
• Even in 1950, three years after the Partition was announced, some estimates say that over a million Hindus and Muslims migrated to and from East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh), amidst unspoken violence and communal tensions.

 

What are the Key provisions of the Nehru-Liaquat Pact?

• The pact recognized the rights of religious and ethnic minorities in both countries and outlined various principles to ensure their protection and welfare.
• Some key provisions of the Nehru-Liaquat Pact included:
  • Security: Both India and Pakistan agreed to take measures to protect the life, property, and honor of their respective minorities.
  • Equality: The pact emphasized that all citizens, regardless of their religion or ethnicity, should have equal rights and opportunities in their respective countries.
  • Non-Discrimination: Both countries pledged to eliminate discrimination based on religion, race, caste, or creed, and to promote a sense of security among minority communities.
  • Repatriation of Minorities: The pact provided for the return of any minority individuals who had migrated from one country to the other after the partition and wished to return to their former homes.
  • Cultural and Educational Rights: The agreement recognized the importance of preserving the cultural and educational rights of minorities, including the protection of their language, script, and religious institutions.

 

Criticisms of Nehru-Liaquat pact

• Ineffectiveness
  • Despite the agreement, incidents of communal violence and discrimination continued to occur in both India and Pakistan.
• Lack of proper implementation
  • Critics argue that the provisions of the pact were not adequately implemented by both governments.
• Limited Scope 
  • The Nehru-Liaquat Pact was primarily focused on the rights and protection of religious minorities. 
  • Some analysts argue that it did not sufficiently address other important issues, such as the rights of linguistic and ethnic minorities, which also faced discrimination and marginalization in both countries.
• Lack of Consultation: 
  • Another criticism is that the pact was negotiated and signed by the leaders without extensive consultation with the affected minority communities.
• Insufficient Safeguards
  • Without robust monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, the pact remained a mere symbolic gesture.
• Political Motives
  • Many political analysts argue that both Nehru and Liaquat used the agreement as a way to improve their international image and project an image of tolerance and harmony.
  • The ground realities for minorities remained largely unchanged.

 

News Summary

What was SP Mukherjee’s issue with the Pact?

• Mookerjee had initially been an advocate for a united India.
• However, as Partition became increasingly inevitable, he shifted his focus towards advocating for a divided Bengal, with West Bengal specifically meant for Hindu Bengalis.
• When the Delhi Pact was signed, which promised minority rights and the establishment of minority commissions in both India and Pakistan, Mookerjee was extremely angry.
  • Looking at the huge influx of Hindu refugees from East Pakistan, he felt that the Pact was a betrayal of the logical outcome of the Partition – a Hindu India and a Muslim Pakistan.
• He felt that the Pact would essentially leave Hindus in East Bengal at the mercy of the Pakistani state. 
• Instead, he argued for a systematic exchange of population and property at the governmental level between East Bengal and the states of Tripura, Assam, West Bengal and Bihar.
• He also favoured a plan granting the Hindu minority in East Bengal an opportunity to settle in India while pushing the Muslim minorities in India to East Bengal.

 

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Q1) What was East Pakistan?

 East Pakistan was the eastern provincial region of Pakistan from 1947 to 1971. It is important to note that East Pakistan is no longer in existence, as it underwent a significant transformation and became an independent nation known as Bangladesh in 1971. Following the partition of India in 1947, the region that is now Bangladesh was initially included as part of Pakistan, which was formed as a separate nation for Muslims. West Pakistan, comprising the western provinces of present-day Pakistan, and East Pakistan, comprising the eastern region of what is now Bangladesh, were geographically separated by India.

 

Q2) Who was Syama Prasad Mookerjee?

Syama Prasad Mookerjee, often referred to as Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, was an Indian politician, academician, and activist who played a significant role in the pre-independence and post-independence periods of India. He was born on July 6, 1901, in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and passed away on June 23, 1953. Mookerjee was a prominent leader and a staunch advocate for the rights and interests of Hindu communities in British India. He completed his education in the United Kingdom, where he earned a master's degree in English Literature and a Ph.D. in Law from the University of Calcutta.

 

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Source: What was the Liaquat-Nehru pact, due to which Syama Prasad Mookerjee resigned from the Union cabinet? | MEA | Indian Express

 

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• Background (Context)
• How Did the Scam Take Place?
• Action Taken by SEBI
• SEBI’s Advice to Investors
• About Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
• Why was SEBI Formed?
• Powers of SEBI

 

Why in News?

• The SEBI has restrained 135 entities from accessing the securities market as they were found indulging in circulating ‘buy recommendations’ in the scrips of certain companies through bulk text messages, SMSs, and websites to investors.

 

Background (Context)

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) had initiated an investigation into the trading of scrips of five small-cap companies.
  • This was done after it witnessed an abnormally sharp rise in their share prices and trading volume.
• In the investigation, SEBI observed certain strong commonalities in the trading pattern followed by various entities in these five scrips.
• One common feature was that ‘buy recommendations’ for all five scrips were widely circulated through bulk SMSs.
• Certain websites were also used for recommending buying in all five scrips, the regulator noticed.
• The period of SMS circulation coincided with an exponential rise in the prices and volumes of the shares of these companies.
• SEBI, in its investigation, found that certain identified suspected entities were allegedly involved in fraudulent acts that led to the abnormal rise in the volumes and prices of the shares of the five companies.

 

How Did the Scam Take Place?

• SEBI said the entire stock manipulation happened in a pre-planned scheme by these entities, which was mainly centered around the circulation of bulk SMSs.
• SEBI said the scheme involved three major sets of entities – PV (Price Volume) Influencers, SMS Sender and Off Loaders.
• PV Influencers were found to have increased the price and volume of the five scrips through manipulative trades.
• This was followed by the circulation of buy recommendations via bulk SMSs in the five scrips by the SMS Sender- Hanif Shekh, the kingpin who was the mastermind behind the implementation of the entire fraudulent operation.
• In the last leg of the scheme, the Off Loaders sold the shares of these five scrips (previously acquired by them) at elevated prices thereby making substantial profits.
• These profits were transferred through multiple layers and conduits to the ultimate beneficiaries of the scheme who were identified as promoters of some of the companies and Shekh.

 

Action Taken by SEBI

• The SEBI has identified a total of 135 entities who were involved in circulating ‘by recommendations’ through bulk text messages, SMSs, and websites to investors.
• The SEBI has restrained these entities from accessing the securities market and barred them from buying, selling or dealing in securities.
• The SEBI has also imposed a fine of Rs 126 crore on these entities.
• SEBI has been cracking down on entities and financial influencers who are involved in manipulating the share prices of companies by providing recommendations on various social media channels to investors.

 

SEBI’s Advice to Investors

• There have been many instances wherein investors are being misled by influencers or certain entities for buying or selling specific shares.
• These entities use social media channels like Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to provide wrong investment tips.
• SEBI has time and again cautioned investors to be aware of fraudulent activities which are being carried out through SMSs, various websites and social media.
• It has also advised investors to deal only with registered intermediaries.

 

About Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

• The SEBI is a statutory regulatory body established by the Government of India in 1992. It was given statutory powers through the SEBI Act, 1992.
• Objective: To regulate the securities market in India and protect the interests of investors in securities.

 

Why was SEBI Formed?

• SEBI was established to keep a check on unfair and malpractices and protect the investors from such malpractices.
• The organization was created to meet the requirements of the following three groups:
  • Issuers: SEBI works toward providing a marketplace to the investors where they can efficiently and fairly raise their funds.
  • Intermediaries: SEBI works towards providing a professional and competitive market to the intermediaries
  • Investors: SEBI protects and supplies accurate information to investors.

 

Powers of SEBI

• Quasi-judicial powers – 
  • In case of frauds and unethical practices pertaining to the securities market, SEBI has the power to pass judgments.
  • The said power facilitates to maintain transparency, accountability and fairness in the securities market.
• Quasi-executive powers –
  • SEBI has the power to examine the Book of Accounts and other vital documents to identify or gather evidence against violations.
  • If it finds one violating the regulations, the regulatory body has the power to impose rules, pass judgements and take legal actions against violators.
• Quasi-legislative powers –
  • To protect the interest of investors, the authoritative body has been entrusted with the power to formulate suitable rules and regulations.
  • Such rules tend to encompass the listing obligations, insider trading regulations and essential disclosure requirements.
  • The body formulates such rules and regulation to get rid of malpractices that are prevalent in the securities market.

 

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Q1) What is Insider Trading in simple terms?

Illegal insider trading refers generally to buying or selling a security, in breach of a fiduciary duty or other relationship of trust and confidence, on the basis of material, non-public information about the security.

 

Q2) What is capital market in economics?

Capital markets are financial markets that bring buyers and sellers together to trade stocks, bonds, currencies, and other financial assets.

 

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Source: What is the bulk SMSs scam and why did SEBI bar 135 entities from markets? 

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• The NFHS
• Number of Surveys Conducted
• News Summary Regarding Disability Data

 

Why in News?

• In response to criticism over the exclusion of disability-related questions in the 6th round of NFHS-6, the Union Health Ministry said that there is no need to collect these data every 3 years, as it will not change very fast.
• The primary focus of NFHS is maternal and child health and the Survey won’t be able to collect accurate data on disability in its current form.

 

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS):

• About: It is a large-scale, multi-round survey conducted in a representative sample of households throughout India.
• Objective: To collect reliable and up-to-date information on fertility, family planning, mortality and maternal & child health.
• Conducted by:
  • All surveys have been conducted under the stewardship of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India.
  • MoHFW designated the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai, as the nodal agency for the surveys.
• Funding: NFHS was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with supplementary support from United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

 

Number of Surveys Conducted:

• The First Survey (NFHS-1): Conducted in 1992-93, the survey collected extensive information on population, health and nutrition, with an emphasis on women and young children.
• The Second Survey (NFHS-2): Conducted in 1998-99 in all the states of India with added features on the quality of health and family planning services, domestic violence, reproductive health, anaemia, the nutrition of women and the status of women.
• The Third Survey (NFHS-3): Carried out in 2005-2006, with the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) and the National AIDS Research Institute (NARI) providing technical assistance for the HIV component.
• The Fourth Survey (NFHS-4): Carried out in 2014-2015, NFHS-4 is the first of the NFHS series that collects data in each of India’s States and UTs.
• The 2019-2021 Fifth Survey (NFHS-5): NFHS-5 findings were eventually revealed in December 2020 (Phase-1), based on which MoHFW established a technical expert panel to develop indicators for malnutrition, stunting, anaemia and C-section.
• The 2023-24 NFHS-6: The sixth in the NFHS series, provides information on population, health, and nutrition for India and each state and UT. Like NFHS-4 and NFHS-5, NFHS-6 also provides district-level estimates for many important indicators.

 

News Summary Regarding Disability Data:

• The questions on disability were included for the first time in the NFHS-5. Based on the NFHS-5 report, it was observed that disability prevalence was only 1% for rural areas and 0.9% for urban areas.
  • However, National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) estimates for the year 2018 showed 2.3% for rural areas and 2% for urban areas.
• Questionnaires in the NFHS-6 are based on recommendations by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and other higher-level committees constituted for smooth functioning of the Survey.
  • However, TAC recommended that proposed questions related to disability estimates need not be included in NFHS-6, as NSSO data is still relevant in this domain.
• Also, types of disability had several medical terminologies, which may result in inappropriate responses as the respondents might not be aware of the specific disabilities.
• Disability rights activists said that people with disabilities in India experience an average loss of 10-17 years in life expectancy and closing this gap for the world’s largest minority group requires access to comprehensive health data.
  • With the NFHS- 6 survey scheduled to commence in just a month’s time, it is imperative to act swiftly and prioritise the inclusion of the disability question.
  • The government’s response stating that data does not change over three years demonstrates a lack of sensitivity.

 

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Q1) What is UNICEF?

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is an UN agency (established in 1946 in New York) responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide.

 

Q2) What is the Accessible India Campaign?

Also known as Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan, it was launched in 2015 to serve the differently-able community of the country. The program comes with an index to measure the design of disabled-friendly buildings and human resource policies.

 

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Source: Centre defends National Family Health Survey-6 questionnaire, says disability data won’t change fast