NEWS:President urges restraint as crisis persists in Nepal
GS-2 international relation
- There are massive youth-led protests in Nepal (often called the “Gen Z” protests), originally sparked by a ban on major social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube. The ban was seen as a suppression of free speech.
- The protests have broadened into larger demands: anti-corruption, governmental accountability, transparency, and political reform.
- The situation got violent. Security forces fired on protesters; there has been damage to government buildings, including the parliament and presidential residence. The death toll is rising, with many injured.
- The Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, has resigned amid the chaos.
What the President is Saying / Doing
- President Ramchandra Paudel has appealed to all sides — protesters, political parties, security forces — to exercise restraint. That is, avoid further violence, destruction, or escalation.
- He is calling for dialogue — that the grievances of citizens be addressed through discussion and negotiation rather than through continued confrontation.
- He’s asking people to cooperate to maintain peace and order, even as the country is going through a very difficult and unstable situation.
- He also mentions working within the constitutional framework to find a solution.
General Meaning of Gen Z
- Generation Z refers to people born roughly between 1997 and 2012 (after Millennials, before Gen Alpha).
- They’re the first digital-native generation — grew up with the internet, smartphones, and social media.
- Known for:
- Tech-savvy & connected through online platforms.
- Socially and politically outspoken.
- Prioritizing issues like climate change, equality, transparency, freedom of expression.
🇳🇵 Gen Z in Nepal’s Current Crisis
- The ongoing protests in Nepal are being called “Gen Z protests” because the main participants and leaders are young people in their teens, 20s, and early 30s.
- What began as anger over the social media ban quickly grew into broader anti-corruption, pro-democracy, and accountability demands.
- For many, this is their first major political mobilization.
- Their style of protest is distinct:
- Heavily coordinated online (before the ban).
- Creative placards, slogans, memes, and music.
- Non-traditional leadership — not tied to the established political parties.
- They’ve been pushing for an interim government, even nominating former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as a neutral figure to lead reforms.
NEWS:Top Maoist among 10 killed in Chhattisgarh encounter
GS-3 internal security
Manoj, alias Modem Balakrishna, carried ₹1-crore bounty; operation carried out by State Police and CRPF’s elite CoBRA unit; 6 central committee members gunned down since start of the year
Manoj carried a bounty of ₹1 crore, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in a post on X, while terming the latest operation a major success.
Maoists in India
Background
- Maoism is based on the ideology of Mao Zedong (China) → emphasis on armed struggle, peasant revolution, and protracted people’s war.
- In India, Maoist movements evolved from the Naxalbari uprising (1967, West Bengal) where peasants revolted against landlords under Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal.
- The movement fragmented into many groups, but the most prominent was the People’s War Group (PWG) and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC).
- In 2004, these merged to form the Communist Party of India (Maoist).
Ideology & Goals
- Aim: to overthrow the Indian state through armed revolution.
- Seeks to establish a “people’s government” following Marxism–Leninism–Maoism.
- Anti-globalisation, anti-liberalisation, and opposed to state-led capitalist development models.
Areas of Influence
- Operates mainly in the “Red Corridor” (central and eastern India).
- Strong presence historically in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and parts of West Bengal.
- Uses guerrilla warfare tactics in dense forest and tribal areas.
CRPF’s CoBRA Unit
CoBRA → Commando Battalion for Resolute Action
- Raised in 2008, under the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
- Created specifically to combat the Left Wing Extremism (LWE / Maoist insurgency) through guerrilla warfare in dense forested terrain.
- HQ: New Delhi, but battalions deployed across Maoist-affected states.
NEWS:India and Sri Lanka revisit Katchatheevu and Palk Strait disputes emphasizing cooperation conservation and humane approaches to resolve the fisheries crisis
GS-2 international relation
- During PM Modi’s visit to Colombo in April 2025, the fisheries crisis in the Palk Straits and the sovereignty of Katchatheevu island were revisited.
- Bottom trawling, banned by Sri Lanka in 2017, continues by Indian vessels, damaging marine ecosystems.
- The 1974 India-Sri Lanka Maritime Boundary Treaty placed Katchatheevu in Sri Lankan waters, a legally binding agreement.
- UNCLOS encourages cooperation in semi-enclosed seas like the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar, mandating joint resource management.
Bottom Trawling
- A fishing practice where a large, weighted net (trawl net) is dragged along the seafloor to catch bottom-dwelling species (like cod, shrimp, flounder).
- Used both in shallow coastal waters and deep seas.
- Considered one of the most destructive fishing methods.
Ecological Impacts
- Habitat Destruction – Damages seabed ecosystems (corals, sponges, seagrass beds).
- Overfishing – Leads to rapid depletion of fish stocks.
- Bycatch Problem – Non-target species (juvenile fish, turtles, marine mammals) get caught and killed.
- Carbon Release – Recent studies show bottom trawling disturbs seabed sediments, releasing stored blue carbon into the water, contributing to climate change.
Regulation in India
- The Marine Fishing Regulation Acts (MFRAs) of coastal states regulate trawling (mesh size, fishing zones, seasonal bans).
- Monsoon fishing bans imposed to protect breeding fish.
- Growing calls to restrict or phase out bottom trawling, especially in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala.
- Issue in India–Sri Lanka Palk Bay dispute → Tamil Nadu trawlers often cross into Sri Lankan waters, causing diplomatic and livelihood tensions.
NEWS:First tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition flagged off
GS-3 internal security
Commemorating women power and the vision of a developed India, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday virtually flagged off a historic tri-service all women circumnavigation sailing expedition — Samudra Pradakshina — from the Gateway of India in Mumbai.
Samudra Pradakshina
- It is a tri-services all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition from India.
- Flagged off on 7 April 2025 from Mumbai (INWTC, Colaba) by Lt Gen A. K. Ramesh.
- The crew consists of 12 women officers drawn from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
- They are sailing on the vessel IASV Triveni.
- The initial itinerary is Mumbai → Seychelles → Mumbai, covering about 4,000 nautical miles over ~55 days.
Recent Update: Expanded Mission
- A later flag-off (virtually) by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh describes an extended journey for Samudra Pradakshina, over the next nine months, involving 10 women officers aboard IASV Triveni.
- This longer route will cover roughly 26,000 nautical miles, crossing the Equator twice, rounding the three Capes (Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn, and Cape Good Hope), covering all major oceans, including challenging waters like the Southern Ocean and the Drake Passage.
- As part of this, there will be four international port call
Mains mock Question
“The recent Gen Z protests in Nepal reflect a generational shift in political engagement and highlight the role of youth in demanding accountability, transparency, and democratic reforms. Discuss the significance of such youth-led movements in South Asia, and analyze their implications for India’s democratic polity.”
