Prelims Focus 7th May 2025

Santhara

In News: A 3-year-old girl scuffling with a brain tumour died after her parents initiated her into the Jain ritual of Santhara.

• Santhara—also called Sallekhana or Samadhi Maran—is a solemn vow in Jainism, in which one steadily gives up food and water to embrace death with religious detachment, believed to cleanse the soul of karma.
• Jain scriptures emphasize that this vow should only be undertaken whilst death is near, or in cases of intense old age, incurable disease, or unavoidable complication (like famine).
• For instance, if a person’s worsening eyesight leads them to unknowingly harm living beings – violating the precept of ahimsa – they’ll pick Santhara.
• However, the recent death of a little one has raised severe moral and legal issues. Child rights activists and scientific professionals argue that a baby can not give knowledgeable consent for such a life-ending ritual, which is meant for spiritually conscious adults.

Mangar Bani

In News: Archaeological research in Mangar has exposed prehistoric tools and rock artwork dating back to the Lower Palaeolithic age (200,000–500,000 years ago).

• Mangar Bani is a Paleolithic archaeological site and a sacred grove hill forest placed in the Aravalli levels alongside the Delhi-Haryana border.
• It lies in the only primary forest of the Delhi NCR region. Despite its forest-like features, Mangar Bani is not formally notified as a forest under the Forest (Conservation) Act.
• A number one forest is an ecologically mature ecosystem, evidently regenerated and minimally disturbed by human activity, comprising native tree species.

Moran community 

In News: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal recently praised the Moran community during the 57th Foundation Day celebrations of the All Moran Students’ Union at Doomdooma. He highlighted their courage, discipline, and rich cultural heritage, noting that the community’s contributions are significant not just for Assam but are respected across India.

Key Highlights:

• The Moran community is known for its bravery, commitment, and fearlessness, which have played a vital role in strengthening Assam’s social fabric.
• Their strong spiritual values and cultural traditions are deeply interwoven with Assam’s identity.
• The All Moran Students’ Union, active for nearly six decades, has been instrumental in addressing community issues and promoting Assamese culture.
• Sonowal emphasized the importance of empowering Moran youth with modern skills and knowledge to help them succeed in today’s world.
• The government has reiterated its commitment to preserving the Moran community’s heritage and supporting their holistic development.

Civil Defence Drills 

In News: In response to rising tensions with Pakistan following the deadly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed all States and Union Territories to conduct civil defence mock drills across 244 districts on May 7, 2025.

Objectives and Activities

The drills, codenamed Operation Abhyas, aim to enhance emergency preparedness and public safety by simulating war-like scenarios including air raids and blackouts. Key activities include:

• Activation of air-raid warning sirens to test public alert systems.
• Cleaning and restoring bunkers and trenches.
• Training civilians on protective measures during hostile attacks.
• Implementing crash-blackout protocols to simulate power outages and reduce visibility to potential aerial threats.
• Camouflaging vital installations to protect them from surveillance.
• Updating and rehearsing evacuation plans.
• Testing communication lines with the Indian Air Force via hotline and radio systems.
• Checking operational readiness of control rooms and shadow control rooms.

Implementation and Impact: The drills involve simulating attack scenarios, rapid evacuation, and medical response exercises. Local administrations are tasked with ensuring participation from schools, hospitals, and community organizations. The goal is to identify gaps in preparedness and strengthen coordination among agencies.

Political and Security Context: The urgency of these drills is underscored by the immediate deployment of security forces to Pahalgam after the attack, high-level visits by Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the initiation of a nationwide security review. The drills are part of a broader strategy to reassure the public and deter further attacks amid rising cross-border tensions.

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