Today in History (April 16^th,1919)

On April 16, 1919, Mohandas Gandhi led a day of “prayer and fasting” to protest the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. This event saw British colonial forces killing Indian demonstrators three days prior.

Summary of Today’s News

Retail inflation eases to 3.34%, lowest since 2019

Overall Retail Inflation:

• Dropped to 34% in March, the lowest since 2019.
• Down from 61% in February, as per data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

Primary Reason for Decline:

• Cooling in food prices was the main driver.
• Vegetables, eggs, and pulses became significantly cheaper.
• Edible oils and fruits continued to see high inflation.

Rural vs Urban Inflation:

• Rural inflation fell to 25% in March (from 3.79% in February).
• Urban inflation saw a marginal rise to 43% (from 3.32% in February).

Fuel and Light Inflation:

• Increased moderately to 1.48%.
• This marks the first rise in prices since September 2023.

Consumer Food Price Inflation:

• Dropped sharply to 7% in March, the lowest in three years.
• Down from 75% in February (data from Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy).

Monetary Policy Context:

• Drop in inflation follows two repo rate cuts by the RBI, each of 25 basis points (bps).
• Suggests RBI is more focused on growth than inflation control.

Analyst Expectations:

• Inflation likely to stay below 4% in coming months.
• Could lead to a further 50 bps rate cut by the RBI.
• Upasna Bharadwaj, Chief Economist at Kotak Mahindra Bank, suggests terminal repo rate could settle at 5–5.25%.

State-wise Inflation:

• Highest: Kerala (6%), followed by Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Assam, and Haryana (all above 3.3%).
• Lowest: Delhi (5%) and Telangana (1.1%).

National Herald Case: ED Files Chargesheet Against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) in a money laundering case linked to Associated Journals Limited, the company that owns the National Herald newspaper. Senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are among the accused.

Key Highlights

• Date of Chargesheet Filing:
  • Filed by the ED on April 9.
  • The case has been posted for court consideration on April 25 by a special Delhi court.
• Key Accused Named in Chargesheet:
  • Sonia Gandhi
  • Rahul Gandhi
  • Sam Pitroda (Congress Overseas Chief)
• Legal Provisions Invoked:
  • Complaint filed under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
• Background of the Case:
  • ED’s investigation began in 2021.
  • Triggered by a June 2014 order from a Patiala House Court.
  • Order followed a private complaint by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy.
• Response from the Accused:
  • All the accused have denied the charges on multiple occasions.

SC Criticizes Allahabad High Court for Insensitive Remarks in Sexual Assault Cases

In a strong and clear response, the Supreme Court of India on Tuesday expressed serious concern over certain judicial observations made by judges of the Allahabad High Court, particularly in cases involving sexual offences against women and minors. The top court was hearing a suo motu case stemming from controversial orders passed in two separate instances, which appeared to trivialize or dismiss the severity of the alleged crimes.

Key Points of the Supreme Court’s Observations

• The Supreme Court Bench, headed by Justice B.R. Gavai and also comprising Justice A.G. Masih, expressed deep concern and confusion about repeated judicial comments from the Allahabad High Court that seemed insensitive and dismissive of women’s trauma in sexual offence cases.
• Justice Gavai questioned the reasoning behind such observations, asking, “What is happening in this High Court?… Why make all these observations?”, while also stressing that judges must handle such sensitive matters with utmost care and responsibility.

Controversial Orders Under Scrutiny

• The suo motu case was triggered by a March 17 order by Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra. In this order, the judge ruled that groping and breaking the pyjama string of a minor did not qualify as attempted rape, and instead, could only be considered as outraging the modesty of the victim.
• In another instance, Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh of the same High Court granted bail to a rape accused, making a disturbing remark that the survivor had “invited trouble and was responsible” for the incident—comments that raised serious alarms about judicial sensitivity and impartiality.

Arguments Presented and Legal Position

• Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, who is assisting the Supreme Court in the case, emphasized that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done, especially in such sensitive matters where public confidence in the legal system is crucial.
• The Bench has adjourned the case temporarily, citing that the pleadings had not yet been served to all parties. However, it made clear that the observations from the High Court had already caused significant concern.

Prosecution and Petitioners’ Stand

• The prosecution alleges that the accused gave the minor victim a ride on a motorcycle, during which they groped her, broke her pyjama string, and attempted to drag her beneath a culvert, fleeing only when passersby intervened.
• A petition filed by the victim’s mother along with an NGO (Just Rights for Children Alliance), represented by senior advocate H.S. Phoolka, argued that the acts were carried out with clear sexual intent and were direct steps toward committing rape, not just a lesser offence.
• The petition further stated that the accused did not stop out of remorse or voluntarily, but were forced to run when others saw them.

Supreme Court’s Prior Action

• In late March, the Supreme Court had already stayed the High Court’s March 17 order, calling it “totally insensitive, inhuman,” and “completely contrary to established legal principles”.

🌧️ IMD Forecasts ‘Above Normal’ Monsoon for 2025

In a significant update for India’s agricultural and water resource planning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast ‘above normal’ monsoon rainfall for the June–September 2025 season. This projection brings cautious optimism for the upcoming kharif crop cycle, reservoir levels, and broader economic stability, especially following a similarly wet season last year.

📌 Key Highlights from the IMD’s Monsoon Forecast

• The IMD announced that India is likely to receive 5% more rainfall than the long-period average of 87 cm, categorizing the upcoming monsoon as “above normal”. If this projection materializes, it would mark the second consecutive year of surplus rainfall, with last year recording an 8% excess.
• While the forecast has a 4% margin of error, it still suggests favorable conditions for the kharif crop, which depends heavily on timely and adequate monsoon rain. Additionally, improved rainfall could contribute to better storage in reservoirs, which is crucial for irrigation, drinking water, and hydropower.
• The positive forecast is largely due to the absence of El Niño conditions, a weather phenomenon characterized by the warming of the Central Equatorial Pacific that usually suppresses the Indian monsoon. Without El Niño, rainfall patterns are expected to be stronger and more stable.
• Another key factor in the IMD’s prediction is the Eurasian snow cover, which was reported to be below normal during the January–March period. This is significant because there is an inverse relationship between snow cover and monsoon rainfall — less snow generally leads to more rain over the Indian subcontinent.

🧪 Scientific Modelling and Forecast Methodology

• IMD uses a dynamical coupled model for monsoon forecasting. This involves running complex simulations of oceanic and atmospheric systems, powered by high-performance computers. These models incorporate several climatic indicators to generate seasonal predictions.
• According to Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, five parameters are considered in the April monsoon forecast, including Eurasian snow cover. While historical data shows a 33% correlation between reduced snow and increased rainfall, he emphasized that weather systems are inherently complex, and precise causes of monsoon variability aren’t always identifiable.

⚠️ Potential Risks Despite a Positive Outlook

• Although above-normal rainfall may benefit agriculture and water management, it also raises the risk of extreme weather events, such as localized intense rain and flash floods. Past experiences have shown that excess rainfall, especially when unevenly distributed, can be as disruptive as drought.

🌍 Sudan’s Ongoing Crisis Needs Global Attention

Since April 2023, Sudan has been trapped in a brutal conflict between two rival generals. What began as a power struggle has spiraled into one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history. The violence has not only devastated lives and cities but also pushed the country toward complete collapse. As the world’s attention remains focused elsewhere, Sudan continues to suffer — and urgently needs global support and intervention.

⚔️ How the Conflict Started and Escalated

• In April 2023, a violent power struggle broke out between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of the powerful paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This came after years of political instability, including a revolution and a military coup.
• The conflict has had a catastrophic impact: around 13 million people have been displaced, over 150,000 lives have been lost, and Sudan’s major cities, including Khartoum, have turned into active war zones.
• In a recent shift, Burhan’s forces recaptured parts of Khartoum, dealing a blow to the RSF. The military now controls northern and eastern Sudan, including the important Red Sea port city of Port Sudan, which is currently functioning as the wartime capital.
• However, the RSF still holds control over much of the Darfur region in western Sudan and is currently laying siege to El Fasher, an army-controlled city. It has also declared a parallel government in the territories it controls, suggesting that the conflict is far from over.

🧨 A Country Torn Apart by Its Own Leaders

• While the RSF has been accused of horrific crimes, including attacks on civilians and even the rape of children, the army is not blameless either. Both factions are responsible for plunging Sudan into chaos, with civilians caught in the middle.
• The tragedy is especially painful given Sudan’s recent hopes for democracy. After dictator Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in 2019, a transitional government was formed with both military and civilian leaders, offering a glimpse of a democratic future.
• But in 2021, Gen. Burhan refused to hand over power to the civilian side, teaming up with Dagalo to stage a coup. Their alliance eventually broke down, leading to the devastating civil war that has been ongoing for two years now.

🌐 Regional Interference and Global Indifference

• Over the past two years, the international community has mostly looked the other way, even as the violence has intensified and the humanitarian toll has grown worse.
• Regional powers have taken sides instead of pushing for peace. The RSF is reportedly backed by the UAE, while the Sudanese army has received support from Russia, Türkiye, Iran, and Qatar. This foreign interference has only prolonged the conflict.

🆘 The Humanitarian Toll is Unimaginable

• People in war-torn regions of Sudan are suffering through relentless air strikes by the army, indiscriminate attacks and looting by the RSF, and a collapse of essential services like health care, education, and access to food and water.
• The country is now facing the world’s first officially declared famine in four years, underscoring the scale of the crisis.

🤝 What the World Must Do Now

• There is no military solution to this war, and every day of continued fighting only worsens the suffering of ordinary Sudanese people.
• The world must pay attention, not just out of compassion but also to help prevent further regional instability. What’s urgently needed is a ceasefire, followed by swift humanitarian aid and serious negotiations between the warring sides.

Trump Administration Freezes $2.2 Billion in Grants to Harvard Over Campus Activism

📌 Key Highlights of the Conflict

• The Trump administration has frozen over $2.2 billion in federal grants and $60 million in contracts awarded to Harvard University, as a response to the university’s refusal to comply with government demands to curb activism related to the war in Gaza on campus.
• This action is part of a broader campaign by the administration to pressure elite universities into aligning with its political agenda. Harvard is the seventh institution to face such funding freezes, six of which are Ivy League schools.
• The administration’s demands include:
  • Major reforms in university governance and leadership.
  • Changes to admissions policies.
  • An audit of diversity initiatives on campus.
  • Withdrawal of official recognition from certain student clubs.

⚠️ Wider Implications and Escalation

• The government warned that if Harvard does not comply, up to $9 billion in future federal grants and contracts could be at risk.
• This standoff sets the stage for a significant legal and political confrontation between the federal government and America’s oldest and wealthiest private university.

🗣️ Harvard’s Response and Stand for Autonomy

• Harvard President Alan Garber firmly rejected the administration’s demands, stating the university would not “surrender its independence” or “relinquish its constitutional rights.”
• In a message to the university community, Garber emphasized that no government should dictate:
  • What private universities can teach,
  • Whom they admit or hire,
  • Or which subjects they choose to study or research.
• Within hours of Garber’s statement, the government proceeded to officially freeze the billions in funding.

🏫 Other Universities Also Targeted

• The first university targeted by the Trump administration was Columbia University, which eventually complied with the government’s demands under the threat of severe funding cuts.
• Other universities that have seen their funding paused include the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Princeton, Cornell, and Northwestern.

Maldives Bans Israeli Passport Holders in Support of Palestine

📌 Government Decision and Political Context

• On Tuesday, the Maldives officially banned entry to all Israeli passport holders, citing the country’s firm stance in “resolute solidarity” with the Palestinian cause.
• The decision came after President Mohamed Muizzu ratified the Third Amendment to the Maldives Immigration Act, which had been passed by the parliament (People’s Majlis) on April 15.
• In a formal statement, the President’s office said the move was a response to the “continuing atrocities and acts of genocide” committed by Israel against Palestinians.

🗣️ Maldives’ Position on the Israel-Palestine Conflict

• The government reiterated its strong commitment to protecting the rights of the Palestinian people and emphasized the importance of accountability for violations of international law.
• The Maldives also pledged to remain active in international forums, condemning Israel’s actions and advocating for Palestinian rights.

🏝️ Tourism Impact and Economic Context

• Israel is not among the top 10 source countries for tourists visiting the Maldives, a nation that relies heavily on its tourism sector.
• So far in 2025, the Maldives has received 729,932 tourists (as of April 14), with 70% staying in resort islands.
• China leads tourist arrivals with 11%, followed by other countries, with India in sixth place, contributing 5%.

🌍 Regional Alignment and Recent Developments

• With this decision, the Maldives joins countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan, which also ban Israeli passport holders.
• Bangladesh recently reinstated an “except Israel” clause on its passports, amid growing public anger over Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which have reportedly claimed over 50,000 lives in the past 18 months.