Current Affairs – 24 Feb 2024
Injunction
The Supreme Court recently held that the suit for injunction may not be maintainable against the defendants if the plaintiff fails to prove the title of the property while praying for the injunction.
About Injunction:
- In India, an injunction is a legal remedy available to parties who wish to prevent the other party from carrying out a certain action or behaviour.
- Injunctions can be granted in a variety of situations, such as in cases of intellectual property infringement, breach of contract, or defamation.
- An injunction is a powerful legal tool that acts as a court order requiring a party to do or cease doing specific actions.
- It plays a crucial role in many legal battles, serving as a preventive measure to stop legal wrongs or as a remedy to enforce rights.
- Injunctions are a discretionary remedy, and the court will consider various factors before deciding whether to grant an injunction. These factors may include the urgency of the matter, the balance of convenience, and the likelihood of success in the underlying lawsuit.
- Types of Injunctions in India:
- Temporary Injunctions: They are granted to preserve the status quo until a final decision can be reached. These are usually granted at the start of a case and can last for the duration of the legal proceedings.
- Permanent Injunctions: They are granted after the court has made a final determination in the case. They prohibit the defendant from continuing a particular action or behaviour.
- Mandatory Injunctions: They require the defendant to carry out a particular action. They are often granted in cases of breach of contract, where the plaintiff requires the defendant to fulfil their contractual obligations.
- Prohibitory Injunctions: They prohibit the defendant from carrying out a particular action or behaviour. They are often granted in cases of intellectual property infringement or defamation.
- Provision of Injunction in Indian Law:
- Under Indian law, injunctions are governed by the Specific Relief Act, 1963. The act provides for two types of injunctions – temporary injunctions and perpetual injunctions.
- In addition to the Specific Relief Act, injunctions are also governed by the Civil Procedure Code, 1908.
- What happens if the party violates the injunction? If a party violates the injunction, they may be held in contempt of court and could face penalties such as fines or imprisonment.
Nihang Sikhs
Amid the recent standoff between the protesting farmers and the government, Nihang Sikh warriors have joined the protest, extending support to farmers facing off with security forces.
About Nihang Sikhs:
- Nihangs, originally known as Akalis or Akali Nihangs, are a distinct warrior order within the Sikh community, known for their martial traditions, unique attire, and adherence to a specific code of conduct.
- They have a rich history dating back to the times of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru.
- They are easily recognizable by their distinctive blue attire, which includes blue robes, and high turbans adorned with steel quoits (chakrams), and they often carry traditional weapons like swords, spears, and daggers.
- They are highly skilled in Gatka martial arts and have historically served as a dedicated and elite force to protect Sikh shrines and communities.
- Nihangs had a major role in defending the Sikh Panth after the fall of the first Sikh rule (1710-15) when Mughal governors were killing Sikhs and during the onslaught of Afghan invader Ahmed Shah Durrani (1748-65).
- Current Status:
- Nihangs are today divided into several groups, each with its own “chhaoni” (cantonment), but are loosely organised into two “dals” (forces)—Buddha Dal and Taruna Dal, names initially given to the two sections into which the ‘Khalsa’ army was divided in 1733.
- The Buddha Dal has its headquarters at Talvandi Sabo, in Bathinda district, while the principal cantonment of the Taruna Dal Nihangs is at Baba Bakala in Amritsar district.
- Anandpur Sahib, the birthplace of the Khalsa, remains the main centre of Nihang gatherings.
- They assemble there in the thousands in March every year to celebrate Hola Mahalla, a Sikh festival introduced by Guru Gobind Singh.
- On that occasion, they hold tournaments of military skills, including mock battles.
Nordic-Baltic cooperation
The eight Nordic-Baltic countries are participating in the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi together as representatives of the Nordic-Baltic cooperation.
About Nordic-Baltic cooperation:
- It is a regional cooperation format that brings together five Nordic countries and three Baltic countries in order to discuss important regional and international issues in an informal atmosphere.
- In 2000, it was decided that the Nordic-Baltic cooperation format would be called the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8).
- Member countries: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
- Nordic countries are members of the European Union (except Iceland and Norway which are members of EFTA).
- Nordic countries collectively represent an economy of more than USD 2.012 trillion with a population of just above 27 million allowing a very high standard of living.
- India and NB8:
- The Nordic-Baltic cooperation with India spans fields as diverse as innovation, green transition, maritime, health, intellectual property rights, new technologies, space cooperation and artificial intelligence, student exchanges, culture and tourism.
- Trade and investment figures between the Nordic region and India are steadily increasing
Virtual Private Network
Recently, a 21-year-old from Gujarat allegedly sent five threatening emails to an industrialist after masking his IP address using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and was arrested by the Mumbai police.
About Virtual Private Network:
- VPN stands for virtual private network, which establishes a digital connection between your computer and a remote server owned by a VPN provider.
- It creates a point-to-point tunnel that encrypts personal data, masks your IP address, and lets you sidestep website blocks and firewalls on the internet.
- This ensures online experiences are private, protected, and more secure.
- It is
- Virtual because no physical cables are involved in the connection process.
- Private because through this connection, no one else can see your data or browsing activity.
- Networked because multiple devices—your computer and the VPN server—work together to maintain an established link.
- Advantages of VPN
- Secure your data: A VPN connection scrambles your data into code and renders it unreadable to anyone without an encryption key. It hides your browsing activity so that no one else can see it.
- Bypass censorship and surveillance: Some regions may not have access to certain sites or services due to government restrictions, censorship, or surveillance. Location spoofing gives these users the ability to circumvent firewalls, view blocked websites, and move freely online.
- Prevent ISP and third-party tracking: Internet service providers (ISPs) log and track your browsing history through your device’s unique IP address. By routing to a remote VPN server instead of your ISP’s servers, a VPN masks your IP address, prevents ISP tracking, and keeps your personal data private.
Guru Ravidas
To mark the 647th birth anniversary celebrations of Sant Guru Ravidas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a statue of Sant Ravidas at Varanasi.
About Guru Ravidas:
- Guru Ravidas (1377-1528E.) was a renowned saint known for his contributions to the Bhakti movement.
- His devotional songs and verses made a lasting impact upon the Bhakti Movement.
- Guru Ravidas is also known as Raidas, Rohidas, and Ruhidas.
- He was born in a small village called Seer Govardhanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
- His birthplace is now known as Shri Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan, and it is a major place of pilgrimage for the followers of Guru Ravidas.
- Even though he was born into a poor family, Ravidas became well-known for his teachings about human rights and equality.
- He was the disciple of the revered Brahmin bhakti poet Ramananda.
- He abandoned the saguna (with attributes, image) forms of supreme beings and focussed on the nirguna(without attributes, abstract) form of supreme beings.
- Guru Ravidas was a social reformer, and his teachings were based on gender equality, the abolition of the caste system, social justice, and equality.
- He also became a symbol of opposition to untouchability in society by the higher caste people for the lower caste people.
- He emphasised the philosophy of spiritual freedom.
- He was a well-known poet. 41 of his devotional songs and poems are included in the Sikh Scriptures, Guru Granth Sahib.
- Meera Bai, a revered figure in Hindu spiritualism, is said to have considered Guru Ravidas as her spiritual Guru.
- The Guru’s teachings now form the basis of the Ravidassia sect. Ravidassis believe that Guru Ravidas should be treated as a saint just like the other gurus, as he lived before the first Sikh Guru and his teachings were studied by the Sikh Gurus.
- Guru Ravidas Jayanti is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas.
Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara
Recently, the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs visited the Sammakka- Saralamma Maha Jatara, in Medaram, Mulugu district of Telangana.
About Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara:
- It is also known as Medaram Jatara.
- It is a tribal festival honouring the goddesses celebrated in the state of Telangana.
- The festival is a demonstration of tribal devotion, and people from all walks of life join together to commemorate the revolt led by Sammakka and Saralamma, a mother-daughter duo, against imposing taxes on the tribal populace during a period of drought by the Kakatiya rulers in the 12th century.
- Location: Medaram is a remote place in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of Dandakaranya, the largest surviving forest belt in Mulugu.
- It is held every two years (biannually). It is celebrated during the time the goddesses of the tribals are believed to visit them.
- Ritual: People offer bangaram/gold (jaggery) of a quantity equal to their weight to the goddesses and take a holy bath in Jampanna Vagu, a tributary to River Godavari.
- Significance: It serves as a platform for understanding and fostering harmony between the people and tribal communities, promoting the preservation of their unique traditions, culture, and heritage on a global scale.
Buffalo fights & Bulbul fights
People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have mounted a legal challenge against the practices of buffalo and bulbul fighting in the Gauhati High Court.
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- These fights are part of the folk culture associated with the Assamese winter harvest festival of Magh Bihu.
- Moh Juj – It is a traditional buffalo fight organized in Assam.
- Bulbuli – It is a traditional bird fight organized in Assam.
This traditional folk culture was recently organized in January 2024 after a 9 years ban.
Magh Bihu
- Magh Bihu, also known as Bhogali Bihu or Maghor Bihu, is a harvesting festival celebrated in Assam.
- The festival has its roots in the agricultural traditions of Assam and falls in the month of Magh, which falls in January.
- It marks the end of the harvesting season, and it is celebrated in other parts of the country such as Makar Sankranti, Pongal and Lohri.
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Quick Facts |
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
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Sepahijala Wildlife sanctuary |
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Gemma |
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J0529-4351 |
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Dosti-16 |
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Cerrado savannah |
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U Tirot Sing |
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Skill India Centre in Odisha |
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Special Tiger Protection Force |
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