1. Bharat Bandh on Aug 21st: Why is a nationwide protest being held? Who called it, and other details
2. “So many areas that we need to explore further…”: Malaysian PM calls PM Modi his ‘brother’, lauds ties with India
3. India, Japan to prepare new framework of security cooperation
4. 12 trains diverted, 30 local trains partially canceled amid protest at Badlapur railway station
5. Centre asks UPSC to cancel latest advertisement for lateral entry in bureaucracy

What Else

1. Bike rim found on the railway track in Aligarh
2. BNP asks India to extradite PM Sheikh Hasina for trial in Bangladesh
3. ‘Minorities in Bangladesh being forced to resign, threatened to leave country’
4. Pakistan: Imran Khan faces possible military trial after Hameed’s arrest, warns Irfan Siddiqui
5. China, Vietnam pledge renewed diplomacy over South China Sea disputes
6. US clinical trials in China draw questions on IP theft, forced Uygur involvement
7. China’s courier industry warned over spy threat amid national security drive

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Bharat Bandh on Aug 21^st: Why is a nationwide protest being held? Who called it, and other details

• A nationwide strike, (Bharat Bandh) is set to take place on Aug 21^st, 2024, in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling on SC/ST reservations.
• The Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti [NO details available in the public domain] has called for this protest, supported by SC/ST groups mainly from Rajasthan. [just like the student quota protest in B’desh]
• Agencies are preparing to deal with the Bandh.
• Rajasthan’s Police chief has instructed district admin to maintain order and engage with local organizations.
• The apex court’s decision [Aug 12] to exclude the “creamy layer” from SC/ST quota has sparked controversy and led to this call for protest.
• The call comes after similar protests recently in India, including nationwide hospital strikes against violence on healthcare workers [in a state].
• The call is expected to get the backing of social and political [and some unknown hands can’t be ruled out] organizations (here)
• The JMM), Congress, RJD and Left parties on Tue announced that they would extend support to the Bharat Bandh call given by various organizations [?] on Wed.
• Dalit and Adivasi organizations have called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Wednesday over their demand for stronger representation and protection for marginalized communities.
• The National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations (NACDAOR) has taken an opposing view to a recent judgment by a 7-judge bench. (here)
• The NACDAOR is the national platform for more than 2200 Dalit Adivasi organizations spread across 23 states of India.
• Centre for Alternative Dalit Media acts as the secretariat of this national platform (here)
• [No other data about the organization is available in the public domain, except this brief bio on linkedin a page created in 2021. The website provided on the page is non-functional.]

“So many areas that we need to explore further…”: Malaysian PM calls PM Modi his ‘brother’, lauds ties with India

• Calling PM Modi his brother, Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim, who is on a State visit to India, that there are many areas Malaysia and India are required to explore further.
• Describing India as an important nation, the Malaysian PM said that both countries discuss as true brothers on all issues, sensitive or unlike wise, because this is the true meaning of friendship. “
• Earlier today, PM Modi announced that India and Malaysia have elevated the ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
• But I have said, as we have said in the meetings, we will extend this,” Malaysian PM Ibrahim said.
• “I personally believe, and I have said this to .. Modi, that there are so many areas that we need to explore further, and it’s unfortunate, in the last many years, there has not been that truly forthcoming,” he added. (here)
• India and Malaysia look to reset relations with trade boost: The two leaders sought to reset relations on Tue as they agreed to boost trade, movement of workers and the use of their own currencies to settle bilateral transactions.
• Malaysia is home to nearly 3 million people of Indian heritage, but relations soured around late 2019 following remarks by Malaysia’s then-PM Mahathir against New Delhi removing the autonomy of only Muslim-majority region Kashmir. [Incorrect]
• Modi noted that Malaysia had invested $5 billion in India in the past year and identified semiconductors, fin-tech, the defense industry, and AI as areas of possible cooperation.
• A foreign ministry official told a presser the country would make a one-off export of 200k MT of non-basmati rice to Malaysia, as an exception to a ban on such shipments.
• Official said India is also keen to sell defense equipment to Malaysia, as well as aircraft manufactured by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
• Both also agreed on a framework for the welfare of Indian workers going to Malaysia
• There are already some 140,000 Indian workers in Malaysia, the highest ever, and this total could rise as India seeks job opportunities for people at home and abroad. (here)
• Malaysia is keen to become a member of BRICS. India said it had no problem discussing that request: MEA

India, Japan to prepare new framework of security cooperation

• Noting that a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific is the top priority for India and Japan, EAM S Jaishankar on Tue said that the 2+2 meeting explored the possibility of coordinating their security and development assistance and that they had agreed.
• In his press statement after the 3^rd Meeting, Jaishankar said India and Japan are resolute in their opposition to terrorism, including cross-border terrorism.
•  He announced that India will open a new Consulate in the city of Fukuoka.
•  Jaishankar said the “regional and global environment around us” has evolved considerably since the last 2+2 meeting in Tokyo two years ago.
• Def Min of Japan Minoru Kihara and FM Yoko Kamikawa took part in the 2+2 Meeting while from the Indian side Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• EAM minister urged Japan’s FM to look at the regulatory bottlenecks and called for progress in approaches to technology sharing. (here)

12 trains diverted, 30 local trains partially canceled amid protest at Badlapur railway station

• Protests that erupted at Badlapur railway station in Thane district on Tue disrupted rail services on the route leading to the diversion of 12 mail express trains and partial cancellation of 30 local trains.
• However, “services from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Ambernath and towards Kasara are running normally.”
• To cope with the situation the Railways have requested state transport departments to provide 100 busses to cater to the passengers.
• Meanwhile, police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protestors gathered at the Badlapur railway station. (here)

Centre asks UPSC to cancel latest advertisement for lateral entry in bureaucracy

• Two days after the Union Public Service Commission issued advt for lateral recruitment into govt service for 45 posts of joint secretary, director, and deputy secretary levels, the govt moved to cancel these planned recruitments, citing social justice.
• This follows not just protests by the opposition against the move, but NDA ally Lok Janshakti Party declaring that entry into government service without quotas set aside for Scheduled Castes and Tribes was “unacceptable”.
• The letter acknowledges that provisions for the reservation aspect of appointments were not present in the advertisements for the recruitments and hence these needed to be reviewed and reformed, and the current advertisements be cancelled. (here)

Bike rim found on the railway track in Aligarh

• After derailing the Sabarmati Express in Kanpur, a similar conspiracy to cause an accident in Aligarh has failed.
• The accident was averted due to the alertness of Uttar Pradesh and Railways Administration. RPF and GRP are investigating the CCTV footage.
• FIR lodged by the police confirms that the Sabarmati Express derailment was caused by an act of sabotage.
• FIR based on a finding by railways official says a “piece of rail” found on the track was deliberately placed there.
• F.I.R lodged against unnamed persons.
• The derailment of Sabarmati Express near Kanpur, which saw 22 coaches go off-track, was attributed to sabotage according to the FIR.
• A 93cm-long rusty rail chunk was suspected to have been deliberately placed on the track. The incident affected around 1,700 passengers, with a forensic team investigating the rail chunk for further clues. (here)

[Neighborhood]

BNP asks India to extradite PM Sheikh Hasina for trial in Bangladesh

• Bangladesh’s main opposition party BNP on Tue urged India to extradite deposed PM Sheikh Hasina to face trial in murder and other cases registered against her.
• Let her face that trial,” BNP Secretary General Islam Alamgir said in Dhaka after paying tribute to the party’s founder president Ziaur Rahman.
• Alamgir said Hasina being allowed to take refuge in India isn’t aligned with the country’s commitment to upholding democratic principles.
• Both have an extradition treaty based on which they are required to hand over people against whom proceedings have been initiated in courts for any “extraditable crime”.
• India can turn down any request for Hasina’s extradition by citing Article 8 of the treaty, which allows the signatories to refuse requests that have “not been made in good faith and the interests of justice” (here) [PS: It is a political statement not, official words]

‘Minorities in Bangladesh being forced to resign, threatened to leave country’

• Although attacks on minorities have come down significantly, members of the minority community are reportedly facing new challenges like alleged forced resignations, threats to leave the country, and rampant extortion.
• There have been reports of major changes in govt offices, autonomous bodies, schools, and colleges amid reports that resignations of employees belonging to the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities were secured under coercion.
• Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad told TOI that over the last couple of days, he had gotten 10-12 complaints of minorities being forced to quit through threats and harassment.
• He said his outfit was ascertaining the veracity of the complaints.
• The lawyer said there are also growing cases of extortion with minorities being told that they will be forced to leave the country if money is not paid. (here)

Pakistan: Imran Khan faces possible military trial after Hameed’s arrest, warns Irfan Siddiqui

• Senator Irfan Siddiqui of the PML-N in the Senate and head of the Foreign Committee, has suggested that former PM Imran Khan’s fears of being court marshal might be justified following the arrest of ex-spymaster Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed.
• In a talk with a local TV on Tue, Siddiqui stated, “This is not just a concern; it’s a certainty because the entire story revolves around the events of May 9.”
• He added that while others might have doubts, Khan himself has none.
• Siddiqui further claimed that ex-CJP Saqib Nisar played a key role in destabilizing the country, removing Nawaz Sharif from office, and bringing another individual to power.
• Responding to a question, Siddiqui said, “We do not want the matter to expand so much that the person who is already in custody might escape accountability.” (here)
• Imran fears Faiz will be forced to turn against him: Imran Khan on Mon claimed that ex-spymaster Faiz Hameed, who was detained earlier this month in connection with a housing scheme scam, was being forced to turn approver against him to pave the way for his (Imran’s) trial in a military court in May 9 cases.
• Separately, the Islamabad HC reserved an accountability court in the capital from announcing the judgment in the £190 million corruption case against him and his spouse which revolves around the Al Qadir Trust.
• He claimed that Gen Faiz was being forced to become approver against him and hinted that the ex-spymaster might be asked to implicate him in the May 9 incidents. (here)
• Imran Khan urges UK PM to uphold ‘freedom and fairness’ in Pakistan’s political crisis
• Imran Khan, who has been incarcerated for more than a year on multiple charges, has expressed concerns about the state of democracy in Pakistan, urging the UK to take a stand for “freedom and fairness.”
• Speaking through his lawyers, who conveyed questions from London-based ITV News, Khan congratulated Starmer on his recent election victory but asked him to consider a scenario where senior Labour Party members were “abducted in the dead of night” during the UK election campaign to grasp the gravity of the situation in Pakistan. (here)

China, Vietnam pledge renewed diplomacy over South China Sea disputes

• China and Vietnam issued a joint declaration on Tue vowing to better manage and resolve their disputes over the South China Sea through friendly consultations.
• This came at the end of Vietnamese Communist Party chief To Lam’s official visit.
• In the document, both sides renewed a pledge made by Lam’s predecessor, Nguyen Phu Trong, and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Nov to build a “China-Vietnam community of shared destiny with strategic significance”.
• Lam succeeded Trong as the general secretary of the Communist Party after the long-serving leader died last month.
• Lam’s 3-day visit to China was his first foreign visit since becoming the general secretary, and he met Xi in Beijing on Mon.
• The declaration issued after Lam and Xi’s meeting reiterated the “high-level consensus” to jointly maintain peace and stability in the SCS and mostly repeated the lines of the agreement made last year. (here)

US clinical trials in China draw questions on IP theft, forced Uygur involvement

• A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Tues called on the Biden admin to ramp up scrutiny of US clinical trials conducted in China, citing the risk of intellectual property theft and the possibility of forced participation of Uygurs.
• Rep John Moolenaar, who chairs the House Select Committee on China, and senior Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi said US drug companies have collaborated with Chinese military-run hospitals to conduct hundreds of clinical trials over the last decade, including in Xinjiang, home to China’s Uygur minority group.
• The US Federal Drug Administration did not respond to a request for comment.
• The Chinese embassy in DC said “accusations of intellectual theft” were “groundless,” and described the allegations of genocide in Xinjiang as “sheer falsehood”. (here)

China’s courier industry warned over spy threat amid national security drive

• China’s top intelligence agency has aimed at the courier industry and called for the public to guard against sending and receiving goods that threaten national security.
• The MSS’s latest warning comes as Beijing steps up its national security drive amid China’s rivalry with the US and its allies.
• In a post on WeChat published on Tue, “The courier industry is closely connected not only to economic and social development and people’s daily lives but also to national security”.
• China executes scientist for spying in 2016, among 10 ‘shocking’ cases revealed in documentary
• According to the ministry’s post, foreign spy agencies have increasingly used delivery channels to steal secrets in recent years. (here)