Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 17 May 2025

Content :

1. Closing argument
2. Drinking to death
3. The new normal after Pahalgam, India’s response
4. The ingredient to turn around nutrition outcomes

Closing argument

• Background Context:
  • On April 8, 2025, the Supreme Court declared the withholding of 10 State Bills by Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi as “illegal” and “erroneous.”
  • The judgment provided clarity on the constitutional position of the Governor and President regarding assent to State legislation.

Relevance : GS 2(Polity ,Constitution ,Judiciary )

Practice Question :The Supreme Court’s ruling on the Governor’s delay in granting assent to State Bills reaffirms federal principles. Critically examine the implications of the Centre’s decision to seek a Presidential Reference under Article 143 in this context.(250 Words)

• Judicial Stand:
  • The Supreme Court asserted that Governors/President cannot arbitrarily or indefinitely delay assent to Bills passed by elected State Assemblies.
  • The judgment relied on previous rulings, committee reports, and Constituent Assembly debates, strengthening the federal structure.

• Centre’s Response:
  • Instead of accepting the clarity offered, the Union Government initiated a Presidential Reference under Article 143.
  • This move reopens settled issues and indicates a reluctance to curb the discretionary powers of Governors.

What is Article 143 Doing Here?

• Under Article 143(1), the President can seek the Supreme Court’s advice on a matter of public importance.
• This is known as a Presidential Reference.
• But the Supreme Court’s April 8 verdict was a full judgment, not an advisory opinion. So asking for advice again is unnecessary.

Why is This a Problem?

• The Centre might using Article 143 to delay or dilute a binding judgment.
• It gives an impression that the Centre wants to preserve the discretionary powers of Governors, even when those powers were declared illegal.
• This weakens the authority of the judiciary and violates the principle of cooperative federalism.

• Democratic Concerns:
  • Governors are unelected appointees of the Centre and should not undermine elected State Assemblies.
  • The practice of withholding Bills without reason or time limit challenges democratic norms and erodes federalism.

• Procedural Critique:
  • The Centre could have filed a review petition if clarity was genuinely needed.
  • A Presidential Reference is an unusual and unnecessary step, possibly aimed at retaining control through Governors.

• Constitutional Implications:
  • The move appears to dilute the authority of a clear and binding Supreme Court judgment.
  • It raises concerns about the executive’s intentions to centralize power, contradicting the spirit of cooperative federalism.

Conclusion :

The Centre’s decision to invoke a Presidential Reference despite a landmark Supreme Court ruling signals an unsettling trend of executive overreach. By reopening a legally settled matter, it undermines the authority of the judiciary and risks weakening India’s federal framework.

Drinking to death

Context : Recurring Tragedy:

• Illicit liquor deaths, such as the recent Amritsar tragedy (23+ deaths), are part of a long-standing, repeated crisis across India.
  • The pattern involves poverty-stricken victims, cheap toxic liquor, and regulatory collapse.

Relevance : GS 2(Health , Social Issues , Governance)

Practice Question : Illicit liquor deaths are not isolated mishaps but a reflection of deep-rooted socio-economic and governance failures in India. Examine the causes behind recurring hooch tragedies and suggest a multi-pronged strategy to prevent them.(250 Words)

• Socio-Economic Vulnerability:
  • Victims are usually poor daily wage earners, driven by economic desperation to seek cheap alcohol.
  • These consumers are easy targets for bootleggers offering spurious liquor at low prices.

• Toxic Composition & Source:
  • Illicit liquor often contains methanol, a toxic industrial chemical, misused as a cheap substitute for ethanol.
  • Methanol is not illegal per se but is misappropriated from authorised industrial supply chains.
  • Bootleggers use hazardous shortcuts (e.g., dead scorpions, poor dilution) to maximize profit.

• Systemic Nexus & Corruption:
  • A deep-rooted nexus exists between bootleggers, corrupt local politicians, and complicit police forces.
  • Bootleggers are merely the last mile, while larger players involved in industrial methanol theft remain protected.

• Legal & Regulatory Gaps:
  • Despite stringent charges (murder, Poison Act, prohibition laws), convictions are rare (e.g., 2015 Malvani case acquittals).
  • Enforcement under the Poison Act is weak; methanol handling lacks strict central oversight.
  • There is an urgent need for a central regulatory framework for methanol transport to prevent inter-State pilferage.

• Governance & Enforcement Failure:
  • State-level enforcement remains lax, often reactive (e.g., suspensions after deaths).
  • A non-corrupt lawmaker–law enforcer framework is essential to dismantle the illicit methanol network.

• Structural Root Causes:
  • At the heart of the crisis is persistent poverty, social inequality, and lack of education.
  • These structural issues sustain the demand for cheap, toxic alcohol and enable unscrupulous profiteering.

Conclusion :

Illicit liquor tragedies are not isolated mishaps but systemic failures fueled by poverty, corruption, and regulatory indifference.Ensuring accountability, central coordination, and genuine socio-economic upliftment is the only sustainable antidote to this lethal problem.

The new normal after Pahalgam, India’s response

Context: The Pahalgam Attack and Operation Sindoor

• The Pahalgam attack (April 22, 2025) triggered a determined Indian response.
• Operation Sindoor, a kinetic military strike, was launched on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure.
• It took 88 hours post-operation to reach a ceasefire, highlighting intense escalation and de-escalation diplomacy.

Relevance : GS 3(Internal Security) , GS 2(International Relations)

Practice Question : “India’s evolving ‘quid pro quo plus’ doctrine represents a calibrated shift in its counter-terrorism strategy against cross-border threats.”Critically examine this approach in light of Operation Sindoor and its implications for deterrence, diplomacy, and regional stability.(250 Words)

The Nature of India’s Response

• India took non-military steps initially: reducing diplomatic ties, suspending trade, cancelling visas, freezing the Indus Waters Treaty.
• Final response included precision strikes on 9 terrorist targets across Pakistan, involving Scalp, BrahMos, Hammer, Crystal Maze missiles.
• India clearly distinguished between targeting terrorists vs. the Pakistani military or public.
• Pakistan’s retaliatory drone and missile intrusions were met with a “quid pro quo plus” policy by India, escalating the conflict.
• quid pro quo plus : India’s strategic retaliation policy where any hostile act by Pakistan is met with a proportionate response — plus something extra to raise the cost of aggression

Diplomacy and De-escalation

• India undertook intense diplomatic outreach to key global capitals to frame the narrative and justify its right to self-defence.
• The U.S. initially took a hands-off stance, but shifted gears when signs of nuclear escalation emerged.
• U.S. intervention helped de-escalate the conflict, repeating a pattern seen in Kargil (1999), Parliament attack (2001), Mumbai (2008), Balakot (2019).
• The May 10 ceasefire followed backchannel diplomacy and DGMO-level dialogue.

Expanding the ‘New Normal’

• Previous benchmarks:
  • 2016: Surgical strikes post-Uri – cross-LoC action normalized.
  • 2019: Balakot airstrikes post-Pulwama – air power introduced.
• 2025 Operation Sindoor: broadened the doctrine to include strikes anywhere in Pakistan.

Strategic Shift in Doctrine

• Government outlined a hardened doctrinal shift:
  • India will no longer be deterred by nuclear threats.
  • The response will not spare the masterminds and state sponsors of terrorism.
  • Signals possible future strikes on Pakistan military assets if necessary.

Implications for Deterrence

• The new approach aims to nullify Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence bluff.
• Introduces “full-spectrum retaliation” within the conventional-nuclear grey zone.
• This calls for enhancing India’s conventional capabilities:
  • Integrated network-centric warfare.
  • Unmanned systems, AI-assisted surveillance, satellite-backed targeting.
  • Better counter-air defence strategies.

Operational and Strategic Gaps

• Intelligence and security lapses that led to the Pahalgam attack must be addressed.
• Need for proactive counter-terrorism intelligence and better border security.
• Without internal reforms, the expanded doctrine risks being rhetorical, not credible.

Way Ahead

• India must:
  • Maintain military superiority to ensure credible deterrence.
  • Keep independent communication channels open with Pakistan to avoid international mediation.
  • Invest in rapid response infrastructure for kinetic and cyber domains.
  • Sustain diplomatic narratives to manage global perception post-strike.

The ingredient to turn around nutrition outcomes

Core Argument

• Malnutrition in India remains widespread despite welfare programmes.
• Women and girls are the most overlooked victims of nutritional inequality.
• POSHAN Abhiyaan has not yielded proportionate results, especially for women, due to deeper structural and socio-economic issues.

Relevance : GS 2(Health ,Nutrition ,Social Issues)

Practice Question : “Nutrition is not merely a biomedical issue, but a question of gender justice and economic empowerment.”Critically analyze this statement in the context of India’s efforts to combat malnutrition among women. (250 Words)

Persistent Structural Failures

• NFHS-5 data:
  • 57% of women (15–49 years) are anaemic vs 26% of men.
  • Nearly 1 in 5 women are underweight.
• Indicates that nutrition schemes like POSHAN have not adequately addressed gender disparities.
• Despite₹24,000 crore allocation (2022–23), only 69% fund utilisation by Dec 2022.
• Anaemia prevalence increased from 53% to 57% between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5.

Social Norms and Injustice

• Cultural norms lead to women eating last and least in households.
• Nutrition is not only a biomedical issue; it is deeply tied to social justice.
• 49% of women lack decision-making power over how their income is spent — affecting dietary choices and health outcomes.

Economic Empowerment is Key

• Empowered women with independent income more likely to spend on food and child well-being.
• Research (e.g., by Esther Duflo) confirms direct link between women’s earnings and improved household nutrition.
• Study findings: Women with modest financial control showed lower undernutrition.

Women in the Workforce: Quantity vs Quality

• Female labour force participation rose from 23% (2017–18) to 33% (2021–22).
• But:
  • Only 5% hold regular salaried jobs.
  • 20% are self-employed, mostly in low-paying informal roles.
  • Self-employed women earn 53% less than men for similar work.
• Hence, employment hasn’t translated into empowerment or better nutrition.

Missing Piece: Integrated Approach

• Nutrition efforts like POSHAN 2.0 will have limited impact without economic and social empowerment of women.
• Creating awareness is insufficient if basic food security is lacking.

Need for Convergence

• Recommendations for POSHAN 2.0:
  • Set measurable targets for women’s economic and decision-making empowerment.
  • Ensure inter-departmental coordination — nutrition, health, livelihoods.
  • Leverage Anganwadi centres as multi-purpose hubs:
    • Food distribution
    • Antenatal care
    • Skill training
    • Financial literacy
    • Credit/job linkages