21 December 2024 : The Hindu Editorial Analysis

1. A chance to strike gold during the Kuwait visit

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 6)

Topic: GS2 – International Relations

Context

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kuwait, the first in 43 years, aims to strengthen India-Kuwait ties by addressing untapped potential in trade, energy, and strategic partnerships. Kuwait holds significant strategic and economic importance in the Gulf region. The visit seeks to enhance bilateral cooperation across sectors, including defence, energy, and infrastructure.

 Strategic Importance of Kuwait

• Geographical Importance: Located at the north-east end of the Persian Gulf, Kuwait borders Iraq and Saudi Arabia and hosts key American military bases.
• Political Stability: It is the only monarchy in the region that has experimented successfully with democracy and often acts as a mediator in regional disputes.
• Economic Strength: Kuwait is home to the sixth-largest oil reserves globally and is a founding member of OPEC.
• Sovereign Wealth Funds: The Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) manages one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, valued at $924 billion (March 2024).

Bilateral Ties and Untapped Potential

• Historical and Cultural Bonds: India was among the first to establish diplomatic relations with Kuwait post-independence in 1961.
• Trade Relations:
  • India is a top trading partner of Kuwait, with bilateral trade reaching $10.47 billion in FY 2023-24.
  • Kuwait is the sixth-largest supplier of crude oil to India, meeting 3% of India’s energy needs.
• KIA Investments in India: Indirect investments from KIA in India are estimated at over $10 billion.
• Humanitarian Assistance:
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, both countries extended critical support to each other.
  • Kuwait provided essential medical supplies to India, and India delivered two lakh vaccine doses to Kuwait.

People-to-People Ties

• Over 1 million Indians reside in Kuwait, forming the largest expatriate group and contributing significantly to the local economy.
• Initiatives like the ‘Festival of India’ in 2023 and the weekly Hindi radio program ‘Namaste Kuwait’ have strengthened cultural ties.
• Education links include 26 Indian schools in Kuwait with over 60,000 students following the Indian CBSE curriculum.

Areas for Enhanced Cooperation

• Strategic Agreements: Signing a comprehensive strategic partnership and a defence cooperation agreement can elevate ties.
• Collaborative Projects:
  • Kuwait can partner with India on the International Solar Alliance and disaster-resilient infrastructure projects.
  • Infrastructure development under Kuwait’s Vision 2035 and collaborations on higher education and healthcare facilities can deepen ties.
• Oil and Energy Cooperation: Kuwait could store strategic oil reserves in India, similar to the UAE.
• Space Programs: Joint space initiatives, including satellite launches for Kuwait, can enhance technological collaboration.
• This visit offers a critical opportunity to boost mutual trust, expand cooperation, and usher in a golden era in Kuwait-India relations.

Practice Question:  India’s engagement with the Gulf region has seen significant developments in recent years. Analyze the strategic and economic importance of Kuwait for India and suggest measures to deepen bilateral ties. (150 Words /10 marks)

2. It is for historians to dig for tell-tale remains, not bigots

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 6)

Topic: GS1 – Indian History

Context

The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, enacted to protect secularism – bars altering the religious character of sites as they existed on August 15, 1947. Recent judicial remarks and lower court actions ordering surveys in religious sites, such as the Gyanvapi mosque, raise concerns about communal tensions and constitutional challenges.

 Excavation at Religious Sites and Secularism

• Excavations at historic sites are typically led by archaeologists and historians to uncover ancient civilizations or mythological events.
• Conducting a survey or excavation under a religious place to confirm the presence of another religion’s worship site deviates from secular principles.
• Concerns arose when the former Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, opined that a survey might not necessarily violate the Places of Worship Act, 1991, particularly in the Gyanvapi mosque case.

The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991

●       Enacted against the backdrop of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, the Act aimed to prevent communal tensions. ●       Key Provisions: The Act bars the conversion of religious sites to a different religion’s place of worship as they existed on August 15, 1947. All pending suits and appeals related to such conversions were nullified post-enactment. The Act prohibits fresh suits or appeals related to the religious character of any place of worship. ●       The date, August 15, 1947, is historically significant, marking India’s independence. It avoids arbitrary or contentious alternatives.

 Challenges to the Constitutionality of the Act

• The Act’s constitutionality has been challenged in the Supreme Court on two grounds:
  1. The alleged arbitrariness of the 1947 cut-off date.
  2. Claims that the Act denies judicial review, a part of the Constitution’s basic structure.
• Counterarguments emphasize that declaring certain types of cases invalid does not eliminate judicial review and is within the legislative domain.

Misinterpretation by Lower Courts

• Following the former CJI’s oral observation, lower courts in Uttar Pradesh ordered surveys in mosques to determine religious character.
• This led to violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, highlighting the consequences of misinterpreting non-binding judicial remarks.
• The Act itself prohibits any conversion or surveys to determine religious character, as the status on August 15, 1947, is deemed final.

Protection of Secularism and Fundamental Rights

• The Supreme Court hailed the Act as essential for protecting secularism in its Ayodhya judgment and has temporarily halted related litigations.
• Article 26 of the Indian Constitution protects the fundamental right of religious denominations to manage their places of worship without external interference.

Historical Context and Social Implications

• Historical remains beneath mosques may include traces of temples or viharas, best explored by archaeologists, not to provoke religious tensions.
• Judicial missteps and misuse of historical claims risk fueling communal divides, undermining secularism, and promoting false narratives.

Practice Question:  Discuss the significance of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, in preserving secularism in India. Critically analyze the implications of judicial interventions and challenges to the constitutionality of the Act. (250 Words /15 marks)