Morning Brief: China Flouts NSG Rules; ED Arrests IAS Officer; MEA To Evacuate 10k From Gulf

DOUBLE STANDARDS

Arms Control Association, one of leading authorities on nuclear weapons and disarmament, in its latest report has assessed that China, which blocked India’s entry into the NSG recently citing non-membership of the non-proliferation treaty (NPT), has violated the NPT consensus by transferring nuclear reactors to Pakistan. China is slated to supply as many as six reactors to Pakistan’s Chasma nuclear power complex.

When China applied for the MTCR membership in 2010, it had committed to not help any country in the development of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles. However, the latest report accuses China of violating this by supplying nuclear materials to countries like Pakistan.

ENFORCiNG THE LAW

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Gujarat-cadre IAS officer Pradip Sharma in a money laundering case. Sharma was booked in 2012 by the ED for allegedly violating the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The Gujarat government had suspended Sharma when he was first arrested in 2009.

According to the ED complaint, during his stint as Kutch collector in 2003-04, Sharma had sold a piece of government land at a cheaper rate to the Kutch-based Welspun Group which made Sharma’s US based wife a partner in one of its subsidiary units and transferred Rs 29 lakh to her which subsequently ended up in Sharma’s account.

SOFTENING STAND

The Gujarat government which had lodged 438 cases against the rioters who it suspected of participating in the Patidar quota agitation last year has withdrawn additional 182 cases against them taking the total number of withdrawn cases to 391.

However, the cases of serious nature like sedition against Hardik Patel and his top aides will stay. Only cases related to stone-pelting and vandalism have been withdrawn.

Gujarat goes to polls at the end of 2017 and Patidars are one of the most dominant communities in the state. After facing the ire of Dalits and farmers, the state government doesn’t seem to be in a mood to rile up Patidars.

TROUBLE AGAIN IN GULF

Falling oil prices have sent many gulf economies in a tailspin. Construction companies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are laying off contract workers. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) estimates that as many as 10,000 Indian workers are at the receiving end of this slowdown in these two countries.

Many are stranded without any food or enough money to pay for a ticket back home. The MEA is now looking to evacuate these workers. The minister of state for external affairs General (retired) V.K. Singh is expected to visit Saudi Arabia to lead evacuation efforts.

The Indian embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah are arranging food for them for the time being.

REFORMING CENSOR BOARD

Eight-member Shyam Benegal-led panel constituted to suggest ways to overhaul the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has recommended, in its second report, that the current system of carrying disclaimers during each smoking scene should be done away with.

It has instead suggested that there should be just one anti-smoking static warning at the start of the film. In its first report submitted in April, the committee had said that the CBFC should restrict itself to being a certification body that only categorises the suitability of the film based on the age group of the viewers.

MUST READ OP-EDS

Is Globalism Dead [Vivek Dahejia]: A signal failure of globally minded policymakers has been to make an intellectually honest case for globalisation.

The Arhar Challenge [Ashok Gulati]: The incentive structure, currently skewed in favour of rice and wheat, needs to become crop-neutral​.

How India Reformed It’s Petroleum Sector [Vikram S Mehta]: Political compulsions ensured that the process was done slowly, steadily and stealthily​.

SWARAJYA SPECIAL

Jambudwipa - The Seeds Of Political Unity In The Indian Subcontinent: The idea of India - the political unity and a strong central state were all forged first under the Mauryan empire.

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