July 1, 2025

Current Affairs

Legal dispute over Tomb of Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus

Context: Madhya Pradesh High Court has rejected a plea seeking to conduct religious and cultural practices at the tomb of Sufi Saint Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus in Gwalior.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About Tomb of Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus.

The High Court ruled that allowing religious practices at a Centrally Protected Monument was not permissible. Allowing such rituals could lead to a “national loss”, destroying the monument’s “originality, sanctity and vitality”.

Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus

Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus was the 16th century musician and Sufi Saint of Shattari Order.
He was the contemporary of 3 Mughal emperors: Babur, Humayun, and Akbar.
He played an instrumental part in Babur’s conquest of Gwalior fort in 1526. The saint suggested tactics to Mughal Army chiefs to establish their presence in the city and provided privileged information to them which eventually enabled them to plan a secret night attack to capture the fort.
He was also Humayun’s teacher.

About Tomb of Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus:

The tomb of Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus was built in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh soon after his death in 1563.
It is one of the earliest and most iconic examples of Mughal funerary architecture and is considered one of the most notable structures of Akbar’s reign (1556-1605 CE).
The tomb has influence of Indian architecture, specifically from Gujarat and Rajasthan, which eventually evolved into Indo-Muslim architecture.
It is listed as a Centrally Protected Monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It has been maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) since 1962.
The grave of Tansen, legendary musician of Akbar’s Court, is located on the premises of the monument. Tansen was a disciple of Sheikh Muhammad Ghaus.

Congo and Rwanda sign a US-mediated Peace Deal

Context: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed a peace deal facilitated by the U.S. to help end the decades-long deadly conflict in eastern Congo. The agreement helps the U.S. government and American companies gain access to critical minerals in the region.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About Rwanda-DRC Conflict and Peace Deal.

Background of the Conflict

Rwanda has two major ethnic groups: Hutu (majority) and Tutsi (minority, traditionally elite class).
Under Belgian colonial rule, the Tutsis were favored, creating deep resentment among Hutus. This set the stage for ethnic strife, culminating in the 1994 genocide.

1994 Genocide

In 1994, after the assassination of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana (a Hutu), radical Hutu militias launched a mass slaughter. Over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in 100 days.

Spillover into the DRC

Following the genocide, Hutu perpetrators and civilians fled to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Among them were members of the Interahamwe, a brutal paramilitary force responsible for much of the genocide.
These elements later reorganised into an armed group known as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). Based in eastern DRC, the FDLR has continued to carry out cross-border attacks against Rwanda, seeking to destabilise the Tutsi-led government in Rwanda.
Rwanda considers the FDLR a serious national security threat. It has conducted multiple cross-border military operations inside Congolese territory, often justifying them as pre-emptive self-defence.
Rwanda is frequently accused of violating Congolese sovereignty and of arming proxy rebel groups like M23 to counter the FDLR and maintain influence over eastern DRC, especially due to its mineral wealth.

Key Provisions of the Rwanda-DRC Peace Agreement:

Signed in Washington D.C. under the mediation of the United States.
The peace deal aims to restore stability in eastern DRC and prevent further cross-border conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Both Rwanda and the DRC agreed to immediately cease all hostilities and armed operations against each other.
Both sides pledged to withdraw any direct or indirect support to armed militias operating in eastern DRC, including M23 and FDLR.
The deal emphasises the use of diplomatic dialogue and regional cooperation to resolve future disputes. The agreement reaffirmed respect for national borders, stressing the importance of non-intervention in internal affairs.

Why did the US mediate the Rwanda-DRC Peace Deal?

Eastern DRC is rich in minerals like cobalt, coltan, lithium, and rare earth elements essential for Electric vehicles (EVs), Semiconductors, and Renewable energy technologies.
Peace in eastern DRC opens the door for the US companies to invest in mining and infrastructure.
By stabilising the region, the US creates an opportunity to reduce dependence on China, which currently dominates global supply chains for these minerals.

The mediation reflects the US’s intent to project soft power and reclaim its image as a global peace broker.

Why is the ECI de-listing Political Parties?

Context: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated the process to de-list Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs).

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Constitutional provisions (Art. 19(1)(c)), RP Act, 1951- Sections 29A and 29C, Benefits enjoyed by RUPPs, Powers of ECI.

Mains: Issues with functioning of political parties, ECI’s role in electoral reforms.

De-listing Political Parties

ECI has initiated steps to de-list 345 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) that have not contested elections in the last six years and whose offices could not be physically located.
These parties, often termed as ‘letter pad parties’, exist only on paper and are typically inactive in electoral participation.
In addition, political parties that have not updated their list of office bearers since 2014 have been declared ‘inactive’.
The ECI has directed the Chief Electoral Officer of various States and Union Territories to issue show-cause notices to these RUPPs before deciding on de-listing them.
These parties are denied the benefit of:
- Putting up candidates with a common symbol in an election.
- Tax exemptions under Income Tax Act and RP Act.

What are registered parties?

Political parties are an association or body of individuals that can be formed by citizens. The right to form an association is a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 19(1)(c) of the Constitution to all citizens.
Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RP Act) lays down the requirements for registration of a political party with the ECI.
Any political party that seeks registration should submit a copy of its memorandum/constitution within 30 days of its formation stating:
- Faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India.
- Allegiance to the principles of socialism, secularism and democracy, and uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.
The ECI examines a political party’s constitution to ensure it includes provisions for internal democracy, such as regular elections for office bearers.
Once registered, if it is not recognised as a state or national party, it is termed a Registered Unrecognised Political Party (RUPP).

Benefits Enjoyed by RUPPs:

The RUPPs enjoy the following benefits:

Tax exemption for donations received under Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
A common symbol for contesting general elections to the Lok Sabha/State Assemblies.
20 ‘star campaigners’ during election campaigns.

However there exists few conditions:

RUPPs are required to maintain the details of individual donors who have donated above ₹20,000 in a financial year and submit these details to the ECI every year.
As per Section 29C of the RP Act, failure to furnish these details will result in losing income tax exemption.
The RUPPs under the Income Tax Act, 1961, are further required to accept donations in excess of ₹2000 only through cheque or bank transfers.

What is the issue ?

The RP Act does not confer explicit powers on the ECI to de-register any political party if it fails to contest elections, conduct inner-party elections or lodge requisite returns.
The Supreme Court in Indian National Congress versus Institute of Social Welfare & Ors (2002) had held that the ECI does not have the power to de-register any political party under the RP Act. It may de-register only under exceptional circumstances such as:
- the registration being obtained by fraud or
- the political party ceasing to have allegiance to the Indian Constitution or
- if it is declared unlawful by the Government.

What can be done ?

The Law Commission in its 255th report (2015) had recommended amendments for de-registration of a political party if it fails to contest elections for 10 consecutive years.
The ECI in its memorandum for electoral reforms (2016) had also suggested an amendment to the RP Act that would empower it to de-register a party.
Another serious issue plaguing almost all political parties is the lack of inner-party democracy. As suggested by the Law Commission in its 170th and 255th report, the RP Act can be suitably amended to contain specific provisions for ensuring internal democracy in political parties.

Apart from the exercise of delisting RUPPs, these recommendations can also be implemented.

India Needs a Thali Index

Context: Thali Index shows real hunger, urging a shift from calorie-based to practical, food-based poverty measures in India.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Poverty estimates in India. Mains: Issues with current poverty estimates.

Poverty Estimates in India

Officially approved poverty measurement in India has involved estimating the level of consumption expenditure sufficient to enable the minimum calorie intake necessary for living and working. If a person could afford food that gave them a certain number of calories (2400 cal in rural areas, 2100 cal in urban areas), they are not considered poor.
Committees like Tendulkar and Rangarajan suggested updates, but India has not revised its official poverty line since 2011-12.
This calorie-focused approach does not match how people actually live today. It ignores how expensive health, transport, and education have become.

Thali Index - A new approach:

A “thali” is a traditional Indian meal with rice or roti, dal, and vegetables. Indians recognise the thali as a fairly complete and nutritionally balanced unit of food consumption.
CRISIL estimated that in 2023-24, the cost of one such home-cooked thali was around ₹30. The researchers found that: 40% of rural Indians and 10% of urban Indians could not afford two thalis a day.
This paints a very different picture than the reports from SBI or the World Bank.
- SBI reported a remarkable decline in rural poverty, estimated at 4.86% in FY24 and urban poverty estimated at 4.09%.
- The World Bank’s report pegged “extreme poverty” at 2.8% for rural India and 1.1% for urban India in 2022-23.

Why does this gap exist?

Most poverty estimates look at total consumption spending. But in real life, people must first pay for essential expenditures like housing, transport, health, education, etc. Expenditure on food ends up as the residual expenditure.
That is why measuring actual food spending, like how many thalis one can buy, gives a clearer picture of people’s living conditions.

Benefits of Thali Index:

Thali Index can help make welfare schemes like PDS or food subsidies more targeted.
It pushes policymakers to consider real-life costs people face, not just abstract numbers.
It throws light on hidden hunger and malnutrition.

Limitations of Thali index:

Thali prices vary between cities and villages, and across seasons.
The Index focuses on food and may miss out on other aspects like schooling, sanitation, or shelter.

What can be done?

Use the Thali Index along with other tools like the Multidimensional Poverty Index.
Regularly update poverty measures to reflect current spending habits.
Eliminating the food subsidy at the upper reaches of the distribution while enhancing it at the lower levels.

India has made significant gains in income-based poverty reduction, but food deprivation persists at large. It is time to move beyond calorie counts to more practical indicators like the Thali Index, which focuses on real hunger and basic human needs.

Can a GI tag prevent cultural misappropriation?

Context: Recently, at its Spring/Summer 2026 menswear show in Milan, Italian luxury brand Prada unveiled footwear inspired by India’s Geographical Indication (GI) tagged Kolhapuri chappals, sparking accusations of ‘cultural misappropriation’.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about the Geographical Indications (GI) tag.

What is a GI tag?

Geographical Indications of goods refer to the place of origin of a product.
GI tags are a form of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) that identifies goods as originating from a specific country, region or locality, where their distinctive qualities, characteristics, or reputation are essentially linked to that ‘place of origin’.
Awarded by: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
In India, there are currently 658 registered GI-tagged goods, including Chanderi sarees (Madhya Pradesh), Madhubani painting (Bihar), Pashmina shawls (J&K), Kancheepuram silk (Tamil Nadu), and Darjeeling tea (West Bengal).

Key features of GI registration:

Unlike trademarks, which are owned by enterprises, GIs are public property belonging to the producers of the concerned goods and cannot be assigned, transmitted or licensed.
GI registration is given to an area, not a trader. Once a product gets the registration, traders dealing in the product can apply to sell it with the GI logo.
Any trader’s body, association, or organisation can apply for a GI tag. The applicants need to prove the uniqueness of the item with historical records and a complete breakdown of how the product is made. Authorised traders are each assigned a unique GI number.
Raw materials for such products do not have to come from that region (unless it is an agricultural tag). E.g.,
- Leaf in Banarasi paan is not grown in Varanasi; it comes from Bihar, West Bengal, or Odisha.
- Mulberry silk used in Kancheepuram sarees comes from Karnataka and the gold zari from Surat.

Significance of GI tag:

GIs serve as a powerful marketing tool, driving rural development, boosting exports, enhancing consumer confidence, and preserving ‘cultural knowledge’ of local communities, farmers and indigenous groups.

Can an unauthorised trader sell the GI product?

Legal protection of GIs stem from international instruments like:
- Under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (1883) GIs are covered as an element of IPRs.
- Clearer definition under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, 1995.
India, as a TRIPS signatory, enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into force in 2003. The Act provides for GI registration, enforcement of rights, prohibition of unauthorised use and penalties for infringement.
If any unauthorised trader tries selling the product under that name, they can be prosecuted under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. However, GI rights are primarily ‘territorial’ and consequently limited to the country (or region) where protection is granted. At present, no automatic ‘world’ or ‘international’ GI right exists.

Indian traditional products have time and again suffered exploitation by global corporations. To prevent such cases in the future, one could start by expanding the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library to include wider traditional grassroots expressions.

Making a ‘searchable database’ would allow brands to conduct due diligence and searches to identify right holder communities for collaboration.

What makes the Indian Constitution Secular?

Context: Recently, the Vice President of India called the Emergency-era addition of expressions “socialist” and “secular” to the Constitution’s Preamble a “sacrilege to the spirit of Sanatan”.

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Key facts about Secularism; 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976.

Mains: Secularism in Indian Constitution: Concept, Challenges, Comparison.

Secularism in Indian Constitution

The term ‘secular’ was added to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976. The Constitution of India does not uphold any particular religion as the official religion of the Indian State.

The following provisions of the Constitution reveal the secular character of the Indian State:

Preamble secures to all citizens of India liberty of belief, faith and worship.
Article 14: The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or equal protection of the laws.
Article 15: The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on the ground of religion
Article 16: Equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters of public employment.
Article 25: All persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice and propagate any religion.
Article 26: Every religious denomination or any of its sections shall have the right to manage its religious affairs.
Article 27: No person shall be compelled to pay any taxes for the promotion of a particular religion.
Article 28: No religious instruction shall be provided in any educational institution maintained by the State.
Article 29: Any section of the citizens shall have the right to conserve its distinct language, script or culture.
Article 30: All minorities shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
Article 44: The State shall endeavour to secure for all the citizens a Uniform Civil Code.

Western Concept vs Indian Concept of Secularism:

Western concept of secularism connotes a complete separation between the religion (the church) and the state (the politics). This negative concept of secularism is inapplicable in the Indian situation where the society is multireligious.
Indian Constitution embodies the positive concept of secularism, i.e., giving equal respect to all religions or protecting all religions equally. The Constitution has also abolished the old system of communal representation, i.e., reservation of seats in the legislatures on the basis of religion. However, it provides for the temporary reservation of seats for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes to ensure adequate representation to them.

Court Cases related to Secularism:

Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, 1973: Supreme Court declared secularism as part of the Constitution's basic structure, making it immune to parliamentary amendments.
S.R Bommai v. Union of India, 1994: Supreme Court clarified that secularism does not imply atheism but rather ensures equal status for all religions.
Ahmedabad St. Xavier’s College v. State of Gujarat: Supreme Court emphasised that secularism neither promotes nor opposes religion but prevents discrimination based on religion.
Indian Young Lawyers Association v. State of Kerala: Supreme Court highlighted that established religious practices can be challenged based on constitutional principles of equality.
2024: A two-judge Bench led by then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna dismissed writ petitions challenging the addition of “secularism” and “socialism” in the Constitution.

Challenges before Indian Secularism:

Communalism divides the people of society on religious grounds and they turn into antagonists toward other religious communities. Communal riots are the worst form of manifestation of communalism.
Casteism: The policies in India, especially at the state level, cannot be understood without the study of the caste in that particular state. There are some political parties that are organised to represent castes. Caste consciousness has become the very core of Indian politics and it has become the greatest roadblock to the furtherance of secularism.
Politicisation of religion: Some political parties in India are organised on communal lines. These parties represent the interests of a particular region or a particular group. They play communal politics for achieving and safeguarding their political interests. It has been remarked that the known secular parties are not very secular in terms of composition and working.
Majoritarianism: It is the idea that the numerical majority of a population (in terms of religion, race, caste, language, culture etc.) should have the final say in determining the outcome of a decision. E.g., demand for making Hindi a national language even against the will of south Indians, selective implementation of laws.
Obscurantism: Indian people in general whether Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs etc. are traditional in their outlook, and see many of the things in their traditions and customs. Thus, obscurantism is a great hurdle in the way of secularism in Indian society.

42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976:

The most comprehensive amendment made so far to the Constitution; it is known as 'Mini Constitution.’ It gave effect to the recommendations of the Swaran Singh Committee.

Added three new words- Socialist, Secular and Integrity in the Preamble.
Added Fundamental Duties by the citizens (new Part IV-A, Article 51A).
Added three new Directive Principles viz., Equal justice and free-legal aid (39A), Participation of workers in the management of industries (43A); and Protection of environment , forests and wildlife (48A).
Provided for creation of tribunals like CAT (Central Administrative Tribunal) under Article 323A.
Shifted five subjects from the state list to the concurrent list, viz, education, forests, protection of wild animals and birds, weights and measures and administration of justice, constitution and organisation of all courts except the Supreme Court and the High Courts.

Secularism is a normative doctrine that seeks to realise a secular society, i.e., one devoid of either religious or intra-religious domination. It promotes freedom and equality between, as well as within, religions. Thus, Secularism as a theme permeates throughout the Indian Constitution, apart from the Preamble.

Also Read: Indian Secularism and France Secularism

Toxins of Bhopal Gas Tragedy 1984

Context: Toxic waste weighing 337 tonnes from the defunct Union Carbide factory has been completely incinerated at a private waste treatment facility in Pithampur industrial area, Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh. The waste was moved to the treatment facility in early 2025, more than 40 years after the Bhopal gas tragedy.

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Heavy Metals, Persistent Organic Pollutants.

What was the Bhopal Gas Tragedy?

The Bhopal disaster or Bhopal gas tragedy was a chemical accident on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
The world's worst industrial disaster occurred due to the release of nearly 40 metric tons of methyl isocyanate (MIC) from the plant. Over 5000 people lost their lives and thousands suffered physical disabilities due to the leak of toxic methyl isocyanate gas.

Toxins associated with Bhopal Gas Tragedy:

Along with MIC, past reports have indicated the release of worrisome concentrations of toxins, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals.
- Toxins included: Hexachlorobutadiene, Chloroform, Carbon tetrachloride, Trichlorobenzene
- Heavy metals: Mercury, chromium, copper, nickel, and lead.

What are Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)?

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds that do not break down easily and remain intact in the environment for long periods.
They become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of living organisms and are toxic to humans and wildlife.
Their effects include- Cancer, allergies and hypersensitivity, damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems, reproductive disorders, and disruption of the immune system.
The Stockholm Convention on POPs is an international environmental treaty to protect human health and the environment from POPs.
- The Convention was adopted in 2001 and came into effect in 2004.
- India is a party to the Convention.

What are Heavy Metals?

Heavy metals are a group of metals and metalloids that have relatively high densities, atomic weights, or atomic numbers. They are classified as heavy metals because their density is at least 5x that of water.
They are often characterised by their toxicity, persistence in the environment, and potential to bioaccumulate in living organisms and have adverse effects on human health and the environment.

Common Examples:
- Mercury: Can damage multiple organs even at low concentrations by accumulating in soft tissue and preventing normal cellular function.
- Lead:
  - Can damage chlorophyll and disrupt photosynthesis in plants.
  - Developmental issues, brain impairment & cancer.
- Arsenic: Carcinogenic.
- Chromium: Carcinogenic, impair immune system.
- Nickel: Carcinogenic.

India’s First Household Income Survey in 2026: MoSPI

Context: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has announced that it will conduct India’s first-ever dedicated Household Income Survey in 2026.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims : About India’s first-ever dedicated Household Income Survey in 2026.

India has never conducted a national-level household income survey. Past attempts like the Consumer Expenditure Surveys (1950s) and the Integrated Household Survey (1960s) failed to produce reliable income data, as income estimates were found to be lower than combined consumption and savings.

Objectives of Household Income Survey

To measure household incomes to understand the income distribution.
To understand the structural economic changes that occurred in the Indian economy over the past 75 years.
To assess the impact of adoption of technology on wages.

Members:

To guide the survey’s methodology, MoSPI has set up a Technical Expert Group (TEG) led by Dr. Surjit Bhalla, former IMF Executive Director and part time member of PM Economic Advisory Council.
The Expert Group will guide key aspects such as definitions, survey methodology, sampling design, estimation techniques, and also ensure global best practices are followed.

Household Income Survey is an important initiative to generate vital information for deriving income distribution and welfare thereof. However, the challenges exist such as underreportion of incomes by the households, difficulty in accurately estimating incomes of households with seasonal employment etc.

Other Key Surveys & Indexes by MoSPI:

Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)
Household Consumer Expenditure Surveys (HCES)
Social Consumption Surveys (NSS Rounds)
Survey on Unincorporated Enterprises
Private Sector Capex Survey
Domestic Tourism & Travel Survey