Delay in monsoon pushes rainfall deficiency to 45% in first 9 days of June

The rainfall deficiency in June could be higher due to the sluggish pace of the monsoon and a weak El Niño, a phenomenon associated with heating of Pacific waters.

A delay in the arrival of monsoon has pushed the country’s rainfall deficiency in the first nine days of June to 45 per cent, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Monsoon made an onset over Kerala on June 8, a week after its normal arrival date. This has also delayed its arrival in different parts of the country. The country received only 17.7 millimetres of rainfall as against the normal precipitation of 32.4 millimetres, which comes to around 45 per cent, it said.

The rainfall deficiency in June could be higher due to the sluggish pace of the monsoon and a weak El Niño, a phenomenon associated with heating of Pacific waters.

An on-going cyclonic circulation in the Arabian Sea could slow down the progress of monsoon over the next few days, it said. “A low pressure area has formed over southeast Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area and east central Arabian Sea.

It is very likely to concentrate into a depression during the next 48 hours over southeast and adjoining east central Arabian Sea. It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm subsequently,” the IMD data said.

Of the four meteorological divisions of the country, the deficiency was 66 per cent — the highest in the country — in central India that covers the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Gujarat and Kutch and Saurashtra sub-divisions of central India have clocked a deficiency of 100 per cent, it said.

Business Standard

Inhuman treatment given to Pragya Thakur over suspicion not fair: Ramdev

Describing himself as someone who doesn't belong to any particular political party, the yoga guru Monday said the country was facing all sorts of challenges at present.

Yoga guru Ramdev has come out in support of the BJP's Bhopal candidate and Malegaon blast case accused Pragya Singh Thakur, saying it was unfair to subject her to cruelty in jail for nine years on the basis of a suspicion.

"Sadhvi Pragya was made to suffer rigorous imprisonment for nine years. There is nothing wrong in restraining her if she makes an inappropriate statement but the inhuman treatment given to her in the jail purely on the basis of suspicion was not fair," Ramdev told reporters in Haridwar on Monday.

He was replying to a question about Thakur's remarks against the then Mumbai Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) Chief Hemant Karkare, who died fighting terrorists during the 26/11 Mumbai attack. Karkare was investigating the 2008 Malegaon blast case.

Addressing BJP workers in Bhopal, Thakur had claimed that Karkare died during the attacks as she "cursed" him for torturing her.

Describing himself as someone who doesn't belong to any particular political party, the yoga guru Monday said the country was facing all sorts of political, economic and religious challenges at present.

"After overcoming these challenges, the country will become a world leader by 2040," he claimed.

Ramdev further said it was wrong to assume that poverty and unemployment were the only issues. "Ram and nationalism are equally important," he added.

Business Standard

After BJP's defeat in 3 states, only 51% Indians now live under its rule

With yesterday's election performance, the Congress now has a government or is part of the government in five states--Punjab, Karnataka, MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) losing power in three Hindi-heartland states--Madhya Pradesh (MP), Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh--the population under BJP rule has dropped by 254 million, from nearly 888 million (71% of India’s population) in 2017 to nearly 634 million (51% of the population) in December 2018.

The BJP now has a government--or is part of the government--in 16 states, up from seven states in May 24, 2014, when the party came to power at the Centre: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

At its peak, the BJP had governments (or was part of the government) in 21 states.

With yesterday’s election performance, the Congress now has a government or is part of the government in five states--Punjab, Karnataka, MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh--with 21% of the population, up from.two states with 7% population in 2017.

The Congress lost elections in Mizoram, where the Mizo National Front won 26 seats in a 40-member assembly. In Telangana, the incumbent Telangana Rashtra Samithi was voted back to power with 88 seats in the 119-member assembly.

Other parties are in power in seven states--Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, Mizoram, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Jammu & Kashmir is under Governor’s rule.

Of 678 seats in MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram--which account for a sixth or 15.2% of India’s population--the Congress won 305 seats, and the BJP won 199 seats, Election Commission data show.

The BJP lost 180 seats that it won in 2013, and the Congress gained 162 across three state assemblies--Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh--as results were declared on December 11, 2018, according to an IndiaSpend analysis of electoral data, as we reported on December 12, 2018.

In 2013, the BJP won 377 seats and the Congress 118 in the three Hindi-heartland states. The BJP had no seats in Mizoram in 2013, and this was the first election for Telangana, which was created in 2014.

This means the BJP lost 48% seats it won in 2013, and the Congress gained 137%, we reported.

In MP, the vote shares of the BJP and the Congress were 41% and 40.9%, respectively. In 2013, the comparable vote shares were 45% and 36%, we reported on December 12, 2018.

Business Standard

88% of marginalised children beaten at school; 91% parents okay with it

71% of children believed it's okay to be beaten up 'for a reason', having been taught its for 'their own good' and 'necessary'.

A toxic combination of poverty, poorly-paid teachers with anti-migrant prejudice and a lack of training on nonviolent discipline in government schools means marginalised children are significantly more likely to experience corporal punishment, said a new study.

Corporal punishment is a form of violence against children and is illegal in India.

Yet 80% of marginalised children report being punished by teachers, while an average of 43% said they were regularly beaten, up to three times a week, according to a new report by Agrasar, an NGO. In some schools the number of regularly beaten students rose to 88%.

The abuse does not end along with the school day. The majority of these children also experienced beatings at home (74%), while a similar proportion of parents admitting to doling out beatings at home (71%).

These are the findings of a survey from a randomised sample of 521 children and 100 parents in Gurugram, an area which experienced a 29% increase in migrant arrivals between 2000 and 2011, largely from poorer states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh.

However, “given that the same mechanisms of economic deprivation and social exclusion are at work, the findings apply to disadvantaged children elsewhere in India”, the report said.

No positive outcomes of corporal punishment have been found, while it is established that physical and mental forms of abuse can have a detrimental effect on child health and wellbeing, including mental-health problems, behavioural issues and cognitive ability, according to the report.(Business Standard)

The fear and stress associated with corporal punishment can create “school-phobia”, leading to increased dropouts, low-retention rates and poor academic scores, significantly impacting on education outcomes, the report said. Children who have experienced such abuse are also more likely to display criminal behaviour, commit violent crimes as adults and suffer from substance abuse.

In 1992, India became one of 128 countries to agree to the United Nations (UN) Convention of Rights of the Child 1989, which outlawed school corporal punishment and required the government under article 28(2) to ensure that “school discipline is administered in a manner consistent with the child's human dignity”... Read More

Bharat Bandh against SC/ST Amendment Act, Sec 144 imposed in MP: Updates

The members, belonging to upper caste groups are protesting against Parliament passing an amendment to the SC/ST Act.

High alert has been issued in 35 districts across Madhya Pradesh in view of the ongoing Bharat Bandh against the Parliament passing an amendment to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act that overruled Supreme Court's earlier order of diluting it. Apart from that, 34 companies of security forces and 5,000 security personnel have been deployed. Section 144 has also imposed in several districts across Madhya Pradesh, according to ANI reports.

Police told ANI, ”Forces have been divided judiciously across the districts. It has been peaceful till now. Nobody can force anyone to be a part of the bandh.”

Earlier, the members, belonging to upper caste groups, had forced the government to impose Section 144 in Satna, Bhind, Shivpuri, Gwalior, and other districts.

ALSO READ: Can't exclude creamy layer of SC/ST from quota in promotions: Govt to SC

The March 20 judgment

In a bid to check the misuse of the SC/ST Act, the Supreme Court had on March 20 ruled that preliminary enquiry in a case under the Atrocities Act would be done by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to ensure the allegations are not frivolous, and to avoid the false implication of an innocent person.

The court also held that a government official could not be prosecuted on the mere allegation of committing an offence under the Act without the sanction of the appointing authority.

Here are the top developments of the ongoing protest:

1. Schools and petrol pumps will remain shut today in Gwalior and across districts.

2. Markets are now closed, protesters stop a train in Arrah in Bihar

3. Members taking part in the protest also stop a train in Darbhanga and Munger's Masudan, Bihar.

4. Protests spread to Varanasi as several members take part in the nationwide Bharat Bandh.

5. Protests spread across nation: Shops in Ajmer, Rajasthan shut down. Navghar, Maharashtra too hit.

Article Source BS