???? Is terror making a comeback in J&K? | ????? Why are Bangladeshi students protesting?

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Market Watch

• Indian benchmark indices ended the day flat with the Sensex up 51.69 points at 80,716.55, and the Nifty up 26.30 points at 24,613.
• Sectorally, Nifty Realty was the biggest gainer, while Nifty Media shed the most.

Jammu becomes 'new battleground' for terrorism as over 50 foreign terrorists infiltrate with Pak Army aid

Four Indian Army soldiers, including an officer, were killed in action during an intense encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Monday night, marking the latest in a series of such disturbing incidents in the state.

• This is the second major encounter in the Jammu region following a similar attack in Kathua last week.

Who are behind the attacks? Many names have cropped up like “Kashmir Tigers” - an offshoot of Jaish-e-Mohammed, or “The Resistance Front” - an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

• Authorities have said there is a pattern behind these new names - to hide their Pakistan links, and create the illusion of local terror groups. Another reason is to show that there may be more terrorists than there actually are.

The big picture: Jammu has become the latest focal point for terrorism with over 50 foreign terrorists infiltrating the region with assistance from the Pakistan Army. The terrorists have attacked multiple locations, killing at least 20 and injuring more than 50.

• It has become more difficult for terrorists to operate in Kashmir due to crackdowns on terror ecosystems and funding.?In contrast, the Pakistan Army exploits Jammu's low-security deployment and challenging terrain.
• The forests of the Pir Panjal range in Jammu also provide natural hiding spaces for infiltrators.
• The revival of old infiltration routes like the Samba Kathua is enabling terrorists to infiltrate unnoticed in small batches, causing a spike in attacks.
• The thinning deployment of security forces, due to the shifting of troops to the LAC with China, has left key areas in Jammu vulnerable. Authorities are not ruling out a possible China connection, stating that the terrorists want New Delhi to remove troops from the China borders so that India is engaged more in Kashmir and Jammu with more challenges in Ladakh.

What is the govt doing? The Jammu and Kashmir Police have deployed a new force of 960 trained policemen in border areas to combat infiltration and terrorism. The government has also authorized the confiscation of the properties of terrorist supporters.

The intrigue: Militants use psychological warfare through social media to radicalize youth and intimidate the public.

• These terrorists are also using advanced Chinese communication devices originally meant for the Pakistani army.
• Cases have emerged where locals have been either overtly supporting these infiltrators, or have been coerced into providing them food and help.
• ORF?adds that “Hybrid Militancy,” is a recent development with newer outfits like The Resistance Front (TRF), made up of a network of overground workers (OGWs), who carry out decentralized attacks on “soft targets.”
• They now use “individuals who aren’t listed in police records, and therefore are off the radar, making them harder to track,” and “unlike other terror groups, who glorify their memberships through social media, TRF maintains confidentiality,” to provide an “indigenous identity to outsourced terror,”?ORF?adds.

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100 Injured As Bangladesh Students Clash In Job Quota Protests

More than 100 students were injured across Bangladesh in violent clashes over a controversial job quota system.

• The protests mark the first significant demonstrations against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since her fourth term began in January.

The context: The protests stem from a recent court order to reinstate a quota system that reserves?a significant portion of government jobs for specific groups including 30% for descendants of freedom fighters from the 1971 War of Independence, 10% for women, 10% for residents of specific districts, 5% for ethnic minorities, and 1% for people with disabilities.

• This leaves just 44% of government jobs available based on merit. The government abolished the quotas after protests in 2018, but in June 2024, the High Court reinstated the system.
• On July 10, the Supreme Court temporarily suspended the High Court's order for one month to provide a cooling-off period and to address the legal and social complexities surrounding the quota system.
• However, protests have intensified since then, with students demanding the complete abolition of the quota system, except for small quotas (~6%) for disabled people and ethnic minorities.

The details: Clashes involved anti-quota protesters and ruling party loyalists using rocks, sticks, and iron rods; some even used machetes and petrol bombs.

• Thousands of students from various universities called for continued marches and rallies nationwide to press their demands.
• Prime Minister Hasina accused those opposing the quotas of being the 'Razakar', collaborators during the 1971 War of Independence, which further inflamed the protests.

Students' demands: A complete abolition of the quota system, except for small quotas for disabled people and ethnic minorities (about 6% of jobs).

• A merit-based recruitment system for government jobs.
• The government to enact a law in parliament reforming the quota system.

ICYMI

• ?? The construction of a new Kedarnath temple in Burari, Delhi, has sparked significant controversy.
• ?? Samsung has hilariously responded to Apple opening its first store in Kuala Lumpur.
• ?? The case of trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar has become murkier as new details emerged alleging age fraud and using different names.
• ?? States like New Delhi, Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Kerala are exploring pilot projects for home delivery of liquor through platforms such as Swiggy and Zomato.
• ?? Six children have died in Gujarat from suspected Chandipura virus infection over the past 5 days.
• ?? Amid allegations made by the parents of late Captain Anshuman Singh, the Army clarified that all disbursals have been made according to policy and as per his will.