What happened?

On July 31, violence erupted in Nuh, Haryana, when a mob attempted to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession over rumours that an alleged cow vigilante was participating in the event. The ensuing violence claimed the lives of at least 4 people and injured many.

The following day, a mob attacked a mosque in Gurugram and killed its deputy imam. The Haryana government suspended the internet in many areas and has strengthened security.

Who is to be blamed?

The Nuh district is a Muslim-majority area and is notorious for criminal activities. Over the years, numerous instances of cruel treatment of Hindus, especially the Dalits, have been reported from the district. A retired Judge from Haryana deemed the district a ‘graveyard for Dalits’ in his report in 2020.

Monu Manesar, a head of the region’s cow vigilante group and an accused in a double murder case, is said to have shared provocative videos a day before the procession. However, Manesar wasn’t in attendance, the rumours led to the mob attacking the procession.

Many, like the Haryana home minister Anil Vij, have voiced how the attack on the religious procession in Nuh was well-planned and well-executed.

On the other hand, people have been pointing fingers at the deepening polarisation between religious communities as the root cause of violence. Observers have even labelled the media as a culprit for its role in spreading religious hatred.

Why does it matter?

The reaction to the violence during the religious procession event came in the form of a mob attacking and setting fire to a mosque. Such ‘mob justice’ incidents could erode the public’s trust in law and order.

The atmosphere of hatred and the growing distrust between religious communities pose a threat to the country’s internal security. The Home Ministry reported that in 2020 India saw a 95% rise in the cases registered regarding communal clashes. Frequent riots and incidents of communal violence also hamper the economy of the afflicted regions. The burning of shops causes a loss of livelihood. The taxpayers bear the brunt when public property is damaged during the clashes.

What’s next?

The Haryana government has requested the Centre to send 20 companies of the Rapid Action Force for a week to maintain law and order in the state. Moreover, schools will remain closed in Gurugram and other violence-afflicted areas on July 2.

What’s the Data Protection Bill?

Should it be implemented?

What happened?

In July, the Union Cabinet approved the draft of the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023 (DPDP), which will likely be introduced in parliament in the coming days.

What is the bill about?

In 2017, the Supreme Court recognised privacy as a fundamental right and highlighted the need to protect an individual’s online data. Therefore, the government began preparing a data protection bill and introduced it in parliament in August 2022. However, the bill was withdrawn after it faced pushback from various stakeholders, including tech companies and privacy activists.

Thus, the government revised the draft and approved it for introduction in the parliament this monsoon session.

Once it becomes a law, it’ll apply to the processing of digital personal data within and outside India. The businesses and other entities that collect personal data will need to maintain the accuracy of data, keep data secure, and delete data once their purpose has been met.

What are the arguments from both sides?

Side 1: The bill should be implemented

• Enforce privacy: As recognised by the Supreme Court, privacy is the fundamental right of an Indian citizen. The bill aims to ensure that an individual’s data is protected from exploitation by businesses. Moreover, it offers various rights to the individual, such as the right to withdraw consent, the right to the erasure of data, etc. These rights will improve an individual’s control over data.

• Accountability: When the bill is turned into a law, the businesses that violate the regulations will be subjected to penalties. For example, if a business or entity fails to prevent a data breach, it’ll be fined Rs. 250 crore.

Side 2: The bill should NOT be implemented

• Bypassing procedure: The opposition has accused the government of bypassing parliamentary procedures. First, the government hasn’t yet shared the bill and has been using a rough draft to seek suggestions from the Standing Committee in Parliament (the Committee consists of MPs elected by the speaker). Moreover, the bill can only be sent to the Committee once it has been introduced in either house of the parliament.

• Immunity for the government: The bill offers wide-ranging exemptions to the central government and its agencies. Many fear that it’ll pose a threat to the RTI Act by limiting its scope, as personal data of government agencies is likely to be protected under it. Thus, the government could deny sharing the data with an RTI applicant.

What’s next?

The date for the introduction of the bill in the parliament, which is currently facing a deadlock, hasn’t been announced yet.

Dose of Positivity

Tribal labourer earns a PhD

In inspiring news from Andhra Pradesh, Sake Bharathi, a mother and a farm labourer, earned a PhD in chemistry. Her remarkable journey is marked by strong determination and hard work.

Bharathi comes from a modest background. She was the eldest of three siblings and was married off as soon as she finished Class 12 due to financial constraints. Soon, she became a mother. But that didn’t stop her from continuing her education. Her family could not afford her education, so she started working as a farm labourer to support her education and family. Every day, she juggled her responsibilities as a mother and a student. She would wake up early before sunrise, finish her household work, and travel miles by foot to catch a bus to her college.

She received support and encouragement from her husband, a landless farm labourer, and her professors. Eventually, after completing her post-graduation, she earned a PhD for her research in Binary Liquid Mixtures. These mixtures find applications in day-to-day life, pharmaceuticals, food technology, etc.

Bharathi now aims to be a faculty member at the university from where she achieved her doctorate. Her story not only shows the importance of perseverance and hard work but also the power of education in helping a person rise above their circumstances.

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