🔍 @Evening: Iran's 'Morality Police', Sri Aurobindo And More

1. 📰 Catch up

• Supreme Court observed that forced religious conversion is against the Constitution, matter to be heard on 12 December.

• India and Germany signed mobility partnership pact to make it easier for people to study, do research and work in the other country.

• G7 countries enforced a cap on Russian seaborne oil prices today, Russia said it will not abide by the measure.

• Exit polls predicted that BJP is set to retain Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, while AAP is expected to win Delhi Municipal elections.

• Maharashtra government approved Rs 3,500 crore for land acquisition in 170-km-long Pune ring road project.

2. 🔍 Has Iran really disbanded ‘morality police’?

Iran was reported to have "disbanded" its controversial Morality Police, according to a statement from its public prosecutor.

• However, there is no confirmation from the government itself so far.

• Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad claimed that the news was "pure propaganda by the regime" to calm the ongoing uprisings.

The history of 'morality police': The Gasht-e-Ershad or Guidance Patrol is a part of the police force.

• It was established under President Mohammad Ahmadinejad in 2006, to "spread the culture of modesty and hijab".

• The hijab has been mandatory in Iran since 1983, a law imposed in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution of 1979.

3. 📘 The former CM of Gujarat

Dare, Dream, Do: The extraordinary Life of Anandiben Patel is a memoir where Anandiben shares her personal and political journey.

• As the Gujarat elections conclude today, this can be an interesting read about the state's only female chief minister.

• With a foreword by PM Modi, it also narrates the story of a mother, a leader and a warrior.

Anurag Garg is the author of three bestselling novels: A Half-Baked Love Story, Love… Not for Sale and Love Will Find a Way. 

• Dare, Dream, Do is his first non-fiction book but it is not just a political biography, but an inspiring account.

4. 👳‍♀ G20 sherpas at Udaipur

Rajasthani pagdi: Amitabh Kant shared image of G20 delegates donning pagdis (turbans) in front of the City Palace in Udaipur.

• The world's longest turban binder Pawan Vyas can also be seen in the image with G20 sherpas.

• Vyas made a record of tieing 478.5 metres of cloth in 30 minutes without using a single hairpin or glue in 2020.

G20 so far: First Sherpa meeting under the India's presidency at G20 began in Udaipur yesterday.

• Day 2 had sessions on Technological Transformation, Green Development and Lifestyle for Environment among other sessions.

• PM Narendra Modi chaired an all-party meeting at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to solicit suggestions for the G20 summit next year today.

5. 🙏 Remembering Sri Aurobindo

Contribution to freedom movement: Today is Sri Aurobindo's death anniversary but he is remembered more as a philosopher rather than a revolutionary.

• However, in the early 20th century, Sri Aurobindo was contacting revolutionary groups in Maharashtra and Bengal, and trying to coordinate their action.

• Around that time, he wrote Bhawani Mandir, a pamphlet ‘for the revolutionary preparation of the country. You can read a few excerpts here.

The changing moment: In 1908, Sri Aurobindo was arrested and imprisoned as a suspect in the Alipore Bomb Case, the first major state trial in India.

• During this year of confinement, he had a vision of Krishna and understood the future nature of his work.

• He was convinced that freedom was certain and that India must find inspiration in her spiritual past to achieve greatness and hence began working for spiritual rennaissance.

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