Today’s Main topics include UAPA, Tambo Art, Tulu and Kodava languages etc.

Prelims Specific Questions

1. So Which of these pain killer is responsible for the near extinction of vultures in India?

(a) Ibuprofen (b) Acetaminophen (c) Asprin (d) Diclofenac

2. Methane is emitted from which of the following?

(a) Paddy fields only (b) Termitary only (c) Both from (a) and (b) (d) None of the above —- UPPCS 2019

3. Graphene is a

(a) An alloy of carbon (b) Nanostructure of carbon (c) Isotope of carbon (d) None of the above

Mains Specific Question

Q. Ensuring sustainable development requires more than good intentions and verbal commitments. Comment on this in light of the recent decision of the Tamil Nadu government to have a Tamil Nadu governing council on climate change.

Prelims Specific News Items

UAPA :-

So In the middle of the 1960s, the Union government was considering enacting strict legislation prohibiting demands for secession. A peasant rebellion in Naxalbari in March 1967 created a sense of urgency. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Ordinance was enacted by the President on June 17, 1966, “to allow for the more effective prevention of unlawful activities by individuals and associations.”

According to the Act, any association or group of people engaged in activities that supported any claim to “the cession of a part of the territory of India” or its “secession,” or that called into question or denied the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deemed “unlawful.”

So The UAPA has been the subject of various amendments in 2003, 2013 and 2019.

Unlawful Organizations were initially subject to a two-year prohibition, but as of 2013, that period has increased to 5 years.

The Act was changed in 2019 to allow the government to label an individual as terrorist.

Why is UAPA so stringent?

Just like other special laws dealing with narcotic drugs and the now-defunct laws on terrorism, the UAPA also modifies the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to give it more teeth.

• A remand order can be for 30 days instead of the usual 15.
• the maximum period of judicial custody before the filing of a chargesheet is extendable from the usual 90 days to 180 days. This extension, however, depends on the Public Prosecutor filing a report on the progress in the investigation and giving reasons for seeking another 90 days to complete it.
• The law also makes it more difficult to obtain bail. Under Section 43D(5) of the Act, bail cannot be granted to a suspect if the court is of the opinion that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the charges are prima facie true.

2. Plea to protect Tulu, Kodava languages in Kannada Bill.

The draft of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Bill, 2022, which intends to secure the “extensive use and promotion” of Kannada in the State, has been met with opposition from sections of Tulu and Kodava speakers in Karnataka.

About Tulu Language:-

• Tulu, a Dravidian language prevalent mainly in two coastal districts Dakshina Kannada and Udupi of Karnataka and Kasaragod district of Kerala.
• As per the 2011 Census report, there are 18,46,427 Tulu-speaking people in India. Some scholars suggest Tulu is among the earliest Dravidian languages with a history of 2000 years.
• The Tulu speakers, mainly in Karnataka and Kerala, have been requesting the official language status. To include it in the eighth schedule of the Constitution.

About Kodava Language:-

• So Kodava language belongs to the South Dravidian group of languages, which branched off from Proto-Dravidian.
• Kodava takke, classified as a definitely endangered language by Unesco and spoken by just 166,187 people according to the 2001 census.
• Kodava takke, which doesn’t have a script, has over the years found its way into a written form through Kannada.
• Several factors have contributed to the language becoming endangered. “With the coming of the Haleri dynasty, Kannada became the language of communication, the language of the court and state.
• The language took a further back seat when the British introduced Kannada as the medium of education.

Read all about the Endangered Languages Criteria From here

3. Tambo Art – Wayanad farmer creates Ashoka Chakra using paddy art.

This is Tambo Art or Paddy Art.

The name of the Tambo Art artist is : Johnson Oliapuram

Tambo art, also known as rice paddy art, has its roots in Japan, where people grow rice of different types and colours to produce the desired pictures.

This Ashoka Chakra is made by using four varieties of paddy seeds such as Nazar bath, Kala bath, Kaki sala and Ramlee that will ripen in shades that range from brown to golden, light brown to black, green to black and green to white and black.

Read in detail from The Hindu

4. Hatti Community

The recent move by the Centre to include the Hatti people in the Scheduled Tribes list in the Sirmaur district is stirring up animosity among some sections of Himachal Pradesh.

Gujjars, the only ST community in the district, as well as Scheduled Caste organisations, have expressed opposition to this idea.

5. Section 125 of RPA

Promoting enmity between classes in connection with the election.—Any person who in connection with an election under this Act promotes or attempts to promote on grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language, feelings of enmity or hatred, between different classes of the citizens of India shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

6. ‘One nation, one police uniform’

“One Nation, One Uniform” is in line with his broader attempt to introduce a uniform set of policies across the country. The idea is just a proposal and not some forceful obligation, the PM said.

Most police forces adorn shades of khaki, a few such as the police in Kolkata, Tamil Nadu and Goa don white uniforms.

How will it benefit: The availability of high-quality products will benefit the police force. Belts, hats, and uniforms will all be produced in large quantities.

Both ‘public order’ and the ‘police’ are placed in List II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with the division of powers between the Union and States.