Today in History (June 13^th, 1997)

Delhi’s Uphaar Cinema fire of June 13, 1997, killed 59 people and became a symbol of poor safety norms in India’s public places.

Let’s revise

A) Who is going to be the next Chief of the Army Staff from June 2024?

1. Upendra Dwivedi
2. Manoj Pande
3. Rakesh Kumar
4. Vijay Kamra

Ans. (1)

B) What is the purpose of recently passed resolution of UNSC regarding Israel-Gaza conflict?

1. To attack Israel by UN forces
2. To attack Hamas by UN forces
3. To stop war between Israel and Hamas
4. To make a new nation along with Israel and Palestine

Ans. (3)

C) How many members supported the UNSC resolution for peace in Gaza?

1. 51
2. 12
3. 14
4. 24

Ans. (3)

D) Which member of UNSC was absent from the UNSC resolution for Gaza and Israel region?

1. USA
2. Russia
3. France
4. UK

Ans. (2)

E) Which article of the Indian constitution has provisions to prescribe the duties of the arresting authority to inform the ground of arrest?

1. 14
2. 15
3. 22
4. 26

Ans. (3)

F) In which case the Supreme Court of India held that the ground of arrest must be given in writing to the accused as a matter of course and without exception?

1. Pinaki Bansal Vs Union of India & others 2023
2. Keshawanand Bharti case 1973
3. Golaknath case 1967
4. None of the above

Ans. (1)

Summary of Today’s News

Deaths of Indian people in Kuwait fire accident.

• The devastating fire in an apartment complex in Al-Mangaf, Kuwait, resulted in the deaths of at least 49 individuals, including 40 Indian citizens, mostly from Kerala. The fire, originating from a kitchen in the building rented by construction firm NBTC for its employees, primarily caused deaths through smoke inhalation. Over a dozen others were injured, with most expected to recover soon.
• In response, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi dispatched Minister of State for External Affairs Kirtivardhan Singh to Kuwait to assist the injured and facilitate the repatriation of the deceased’s remains. An ex gratia of ₹2 lakh was announced for the families of the deceased Indian nationals. A helpline has been established by the Indian embassy for support.
• Indian officials, including Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, expressed shock and condolences, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raised concerns about the living conditions of Indians in the Gulf. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sought intervention from the Centre. The Kuwaiti government has not made an official statement, but the Interior Minister has ordered the arrest of the building owner.

Increased food inflation in urban India.

• Overall Inflation: India’s consumer price inflation eased to a one-year low of 4.75% in May, down from 4.83% in April.
• Food Price Inflation: Remained unchanged at 8.7%, with urban households experiencing a sharper increase of 8.83%.
• Comparison to Previous Year: Retail inflation in May 2023 was 4.31%, with food prices rising less than 3%.
• Food Inflation Trend: May marked the fourth consecutive month with food inflation over 8.5%, slightly cooling for rural consumers from 8.75% in April to 8.62%.
• Monthly Increase: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.5% in May, with the food price index rising by 0.73% from April.
• Rural food price increase: 0.7%
• Urban food price increase: 0.9%
• Urban vs. Rural Inflation: Urban consumer inflation was 4.15%, slightly higher than previous months (4.14% in March and 4.11% in April). Rural household prices rose by 5.3%.
• Retail Inflation History: Retail inflation has been below 6% since September 2023 but remains above the central bank’s 4% target.
• RBI Projections: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) expects retail inflation to average 4.5% for the year and 4.9% for the April to June quarter. With April and May inflation slightly below this, a resurgence to over 5% is possible in June.
• Specific Food Item Inflation:
• Vegetables: Prices rose by 27.3% in May.
• Cereals: Inflation rate at 8.7%.
• Eggs: Inflation rate at 7.6%.
• Fruits: Inflation rate at 6.7%.
• Pulses: Prices increased by 17.14%, marking a year of over 10% inflation.
• Meat and Fish: Prices rose by 7.3%, down from 8.2% in April.
• Edible Oil: Prices decreased by 6.7%, compared to a 9.4% dip in April.
• Spices: Inflation rate cooled to 4.3%, the lowest in at least two years.

New Lok Sabha will start on 24 June.

• Session Dates: The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha is scheduled from June 24 to July 3, with the Rajya Sabha session starting on June 27.
• Presidential Address: President Droupadi Murmu will address a joint session of both Houses on June 27, outlining the new government’s plan for the next five years.
• Call for Constructive Debate: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju urged political parties to engage in constructive debate.
• Oath and Speaker Election: MPs-elect will take their oaths and elect the Speaker during the first three days of the Lok Sabha session.
• BJP Speaker: The BJP is likely to keep the Speaker’s post but has not announced a candidate yet. Opposition parties suggested NDA allies consider the post.
• First-time MPs: 280 MPs are first-timers, with only eight re-elected MPs changing constituencies.
• Women MPs: The number of women MPs decreased from 78 in the 17th Lok Sabha to 74 in the 18th.
• Party Switches: Nine re-elected MPs represented different parties in the 17th Lok Sabha, and eight represented parties that split from their earlier affiliations.