HC judge’s anti-Muslim remarks: Opp MPs sign on notice to impeach
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
What’s the ongoing story: The Opposition INDIA bloc parties in Rajya Sabha are preparing to give notice for moving a motion to impeach Allahabad High Court judge Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav following his controversial and derogatory remarks about Muslims at an event organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad last week.
Key Points to Ponder:
• What is the issue here?
• Why Opposition in Rajya Sabha are preparing to give notice for moving a motion to impeach Allahabad High Court judge Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav?
• What Allahabad High Court judge Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav has said?
• What are the constitutional provisions and procedures governing the impeachment of High court judges?
• The process of impeachment of a judge of the Supreme Court is laid down in Article 124(4) of the Constitution of India-True or false?
• What Article 218 of the Constitution of India says?
• How controversial remarks by public officials and judges can affect India’s secular fabric
Key Takeaways:
• Sources said as many as 36 Opposition MPs across parties have already signed the petition, initiated by Independent Rajya Sabha MP and lawyer Kapil Sibal, and the Opposition may move it Thursday after organising more signatures. The INDIA bloc has 85 MPs in Rajya Sabha.
• The notice seeks initiation of proceedings for impeachment of Justice Yadav under section 3 (1) (B) of The Judges (Inquiry) Act read with Article 124 (4) and Article 124 (5) of the Constitution.
• As per the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968, a complaint against a judge has to be made through a resolution signed at least by 100 members if moved in Lok Sabha and by 50 MPs if initiated in Rajya Sabha.
• The procedure to be followed for impeachment of a judge is laid down in the Judges Inquiry Act, 1968. Under Section 3 of the Act, for a motion of impeachment to be taken up, it has to be moved by not less than 100 members in the Lower House, and at least 50 members in the Upper House.
• This collection of signatures is the first step. In Justice Yadav’s case, in Lok Sabha, NCP MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has initiated the process; in Rajya Sabha, Independent member Kapil Sibal, who is also president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, has taken the initiative.
Do You Know:
• The process of impeachment of a judge of the Supreme Court is laid down in Article 124(4) of the Constitution of India. Article 218 says the same provisions shall apply in relation to a judge of the High Court as well.
• Under Article 124(4), a judge can be removed by Parliament through a laid-down procedure on only two grounds: “proved misbehaviour” and “incapacity”.
• In other words, for an impeachment motion against an SC or HC judge to go through, at least two-thirds of those “present and voting” in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha must vote in favour of removing the judge — and the number of votes in favour must be more than 50% of the “total membership” of each House.
• Once the MPs submit the motion, the presiding officer of the House can either accept or reject it. If accepted, a three-member committee, comprising two judges and a jurist, is constituted to probe the complaint and determine if it is a case fit for initiating the process of impeachment.
• The committee includes one judge from the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of a High Court if the complaint is against a High Court judge, or two Supreme Court judges if the complaint is against a sitting judge of the apex court.
• As Article 124 (4) of the Constitution says, the motion for impeachment “has to be supported by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-third of the members of the House present and voting” – in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
• So far there have been four attempts to impeach High Court judges and two to remove Supreme Court judges, with the last being in 2018 against then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. None of the motions cleared the entire process.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
1. Consider the following statements: (2020)
1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per the Judges (Inquiry) Act 1968.
2. The Constitution of India defines and gives details or what constitutes ‘incapacity and proved misbehaviour’ of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India.
3. The details of the process of impeachment of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India is given in 4 the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.
4. If the motion for the impeachment of a Judge is taken up for voting, the law requires the motion to be backed by each House of the Parliament and supported by a majority of total membership of that House and by not less than two-thirds of total members of that House present and voting.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 3 only
(c) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4
GOVT & POLITICS
SC: ‘Growing misuse’ of IPC Section 498A against husbands, their relatives
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies I: Salient features of Indian Society, Role of women
What’s the ongoing story: The Supreme Court has come down heavily on the “growing tendency to misuse provisions like Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code” intended to protect married women “as a tool for unleashing personal vendetta against the husband and his family by a wife”
Key Points to Ponder:
• What IPC Section 498A or Section 84 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS) says?
• IPC Section 498A is in news for many reasons-Know in brief
• What is the Domestic Violence Act 2005?
• What is the primary objective of IPC Section 498A in the Indian Penal Code?
• What are the concerns raised by the Supreme Court regarding IPC Section 498A?
• How IPC Section 498A is misused?
• How alleged misuse of IPC Section 498A affects families and society?
• How the judiciary can ensure the effective implementation of IPC Section 498A without infringing on the rights of innocent individuals.
• What reforms can be brought in to enhance IPC Section 498A efficacy and reduce misuse?
Key Takeaways:
• A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Kotiswar Singh said on Tuesday, “The inclusion of Section 498A of the IPC by way of an amendment was intended to curb cruelty inflicted on a woman by her husband and his family, ensuring swift intervention by the State. However, in recent years, as there have been a notable rise in matrimonial disputes across the country, accompanied by growing discord and tension within the institution of marriage, consequently, there has been a growing tendency to misuse provisions like Section 498A of the IPC as a tool for unleashing personal vendetta against the husband and his family by a wife.”
• Writing for the bench, Justice Nagarathna said that “making vague and generalised allegations during matrimonial conflicts, if not scrutinised, will lead to the misuse of legal processes and an encouragement for use of arm-twisting tactics by a wife and/or her family”.
• The bench was hearing a plea filed by a man, his parents and three sisters-in-law against a Telangana High Court order that rejected their prayer to quash the charges against them.
Do You Know:
• IPC Section 498A was introduced in the year 1983 to protect married women from being subjected to cruelty by the husband or his relatives. A punishment extending to 3 years and fine has been prescribed. The expression “cruelty” has been defined in wide terms so as to include inflicting physical or mental harm to the body or health of the woman and indulging in acts of harassment with a view to coerce her or her relations to meet any unlawful demand for any property or valuable security. Harassment for dowry falls within the sweep of latter limb of the section. Creating a situation driving the woman to commit suicide is also one of the ingredients of “cruelty”.
• In the case of Savitri Devi vs. Ramesh Chand, the Hon’ble Delhi High Court had categorically stated that the provision has been misused to “…such an extent that it is hitting at the foundation of marriage itself and has proved to be not so good for the health of the society at large”. In the same judgment, the court had recommended to the authorities to review Sec. 498-A, that court was of opinion that “thousands of marriages have been sacrificed at the altar of this provision”.
• In Sushil Kumar Sharma vs. Union of India the Hon’ble Supreme Court stated that “…it is necessary for the Legislature to find out ways how the makers of frivolous complaints or allegations can be appropriately dealt with”.
• In the case of Preeti Gupta vs. State of Jharkhand, the Hon’ble Supreme Court observed that “It is a matter of common knowledge that exaggerated versions of the incident are reflected in a large number of complaints. The tendency of over implication is also reflected in a very large number of cases”.
• In 1996, the Law Commission of India in its 154th Report recommended the inclusion of Sec. 498-A under the list of compoundable offences. [A compoundable offence is an offence in which the complainant (the person who filed the case) can enter into a compromise with the accused and withdraw the case.]
• The recommendation of the Law Commission in the 154th Report was reiterated in the 177th Report in 2001.
• In 2003, Dr. Justice V.S. Malimath Committee Report or the Committee on Reforms of Criminal Justice System noted that there is a “general complaint” that Sec 498-A IPC is subject to gross misuse.
• In 2012, the 237th Report of the Law Commission, headed by Justice PV Reddy, had once again recommended to the government that Sec. 498-A be made a compoundable offence.
• The 243rd Report of the Law Commission which specifically dealt with Sec. 498-A strongly recommended that the offence remain non-bailable, however reiterated that it should be made compoundable as recommended by the Commission in its previous reports including the 237th Report.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Alimony not to penalise husband, but to ensure decent living for wife: SC
UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
2. Which of the following is a key feature of IPC Section 498A?
(a) It pertains to cruelty and harassment related to dowry demands.
(b) It exclusively applies to physical violence against women.
(c) It is applicable to financial crimes within the family.
(d) It allows for the immediate divorce of the accused parties.
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍We are witnessing increasing instances of sexual violence against women in the country. Despite existing legal provisions against it, the number of such incidences is on the rise. Suggest some innovative measures to tackle this menace. (2014)
IN PARLIAMENT
Nehru on no-trust motion against first Speaker: ‘Frivolity… it’s vicious’
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
What’s the ongoing story: The Opposition INDIA bloc submitted a notice Tuesday for bringing a resolution for removal of Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankar, who is also the ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, accusing him of being “explicitly partisan” in conducting the proceedings of the House and acting as an “impassioned spokesperson” of the government’s policies at public fora.
Key Points to Ponder:
• ‘This is first such move against the Rajya Sabha Chairman in India’s parliamentary history’-what do you understand by the same?
• ‘The Lok Sabha has witnessed three no-confidence motions to remove the Speaker since Independence’-Know in brief
• What are the constitutional provisions and parliamentary procedures for the removal of the Speaker and the Vice-President?
• ‘The role of presiding officers in maintaining the decorum and neutrality of parliamentary proceedings’-Examine
• What Article 94 of the Indian Constitution says?
• What can be the implications of recent controversies involving presiding officers for parliamentary democracy in India?
Key Takeaways:
• While this is the first such move against the Rajya Sabha Chairman in India’s parliamentary history, the Lok Sabha has witnessed three no-confidence motions to remove the Speaker since Independence.
• The first motion was moved against India’s first Speaker G V Mavalankar on December 18, 1954 by Vigneshwar Missir, Socialist Party MP from Bihar, with Deputy Speaker A Ayyangar in the Chair. The motion was rejected by the House after an acrimonious two-hour debate.
• The second motion was moved on November 24, 1966, against the then Speaker Sardar Hukum Singh by socialist leader Madhu Limaye, with Deputy Speaker S V Krishnamoorthy Rao in the Chair. As fewer than 50 members rose to back it, the motion was not taken up.
• The third motion was moved on April 15, 1987, for the removal of Speaker Balram Jakhar by CPI (M) MP Somnath Chatterjee, with Deputy Speaker Thambi Durai in the Chair. This motion was also rejected by the House.
• The first move to impeach the presiding officer of a House of Parliament took place as early as 1954, when the Opposition members sought the removal of Lok Sabha Speaker Mavalankar.
• On December 18, 1954, the Lok Sabha took up the Opposition’s motion after the Deputy Speaker said that he was admitting it despite it not being properly worded because it pertained to an important matter.
• Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru requested that given the nature of the motion, the Opposition should be given more time to speak than the Treasury benches. “In this particular case, more time should be allowed to the Opposition than the government benches,” Nehru said.
Do You Know:
• As per Article 94 of the Constitution, the Lok Sabha Speaker can be removed by a resolution of the Lok Sabha passed by a majority of the then members of the House. At least 14 days’ notice has to be given of the intention to move such a resolution in writing to the Secretary General. The member who gave the notice moves the resolution on a date assigned after 14 days of the notice.
• The Chair — generally the Deputy Speaker, as the Speaker cannot preside over the House when a motion for his removal is taken up — places the motion before the House and asks whether leave be granted to take it up, adding that members who wish that the motion be taken up rise in their seats.
• If not less than 50 members rise accordingly, the Chair declares that leave is granted for the House to consider the resolution on a particular day. However, the removal of the Speaker takes place on that day only if a majority of the then members vote for his removal — an uphill task given that the government of the day enjoys a majority in the Lok Sabha.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
3. Which of the following statements is correct regarding no-confidence motions against Speakers in India’s parliamentary history?
(a) No motion for the removal of a Speaker has ever been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
(b) The first motion for the removal of a Speaker was introduced in 1987.
(c) The first no-confidence motion against a Speaker was introduced against G V Mavalankar.
(d) All motions for the removal of Speakers have been successful.
EXPRESS NETWORK
‘Right of deity to be worshipped’: SC notice to Kerala temple
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
Mains Examination: General Studies II: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary
What’s the ongoing story: The Supreme Court on Wednesday slammed the Devaswom administration of Sri Krishna temple in Kerala’s Guruvayur for deciding not to conduct the age-old ‘Udayasthamana Pooja’ on Guruvayur Ekadashi day (December 11) citing crowd management and wondered how it could have decided so.
Key Points to Ponder:
• Where is Guruvayur Temple?
• Who was Adi Shankaracharya
• Which philosophy was founded by Shankaracharya?
• Why Supreme Court slammed the Devaswom administration of Sri Krishna temple in Kerala’s Guruvayur?
• What are the constitutional and legal framework governing the management of religious institutions in India?
• What is the role of the judiciary in balancing the protection of religious traditions with administrative concerns?
• Why preserving age-old religious traditions in temples is significant?
• Do you think that judiciary should intervene in the administration of religious institutions?
• Discuss whether such involvement is necessary to safeguard public order and the rights of devotees.
Key Takeaways:
• A bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and Rajesh Bindal also questioned the ‘thantri’ (chief priest) for agreeing to change the ritual when he himself, in a news article published in 1996, had admitted that the rituals of the Guruvayur temple were streamlined by none other than Vedic philosopher Adi Shankaracharya himself and no deviation is permissible in that procedure.
• The court also issued notice to Guruvayur Devaswom administration in the matter
• The bench, however, expressed regret that it cannot do anything this time as the hearing was happening on the Ekadashi day itself and the pooja had to start.
• The court said that the temple website itself mentions the importance of the pooja and directed the management to follow it scrupulously.
• The appellants who belong to the family which have priestly rights in the temple had approached the SC after the Kerala High Court dismissed their petition.
Do You Know:
• The Udayasthamana Pooja encompasses a series of worship ceremonies performed in temples throughout the day, beginning at sunrise (udaya) and concluding at sunset (asthamana). Recently, the temple administration decided to skip this ritual on Ekadasi, citing challenges with managing crowds and a desire to allocate more time for devotees to have darshan.
• Earlier, the Kerala High Court dismissed a case on the matter, stating that the Tantri held the ultimate authority in such decisions. However, the Supreme Court has now issued notices to the temple management, the Kerala government, and the Tantri, and is set to hear the case in four weeks.
• The conflict arose when the temple administration, with the support of the Tantri, decided to forgo the ‘Udayasthamana Pooja’ on ‘Vrishchikam Ekadasi,’ citing challenges in managing crowds and a need to provide more time for devotees to have darshan. Members of the temple’s hereditary priestly family opposed this decision, arguing that it disrupted long-standing customs and traditions.
• The temple administration and the Tantri argued that the pooja is not an essential ritual but rather a form of offering (vazhipadu) that has been adjusted in the past to address practical needs. They emphasized that the decision was made in consultation with the Tantri, ensuring that it would not compromise the temple’s rituals or traditions.
• The High Court noted that determining whether the performance of the pooja on ‘Vrishchikam Ekadasi’ is an integral part of the temple traditions (acharams) or merely an offering (vazhipadu) is a matter of factual dispute.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Supreme Court refuses urgent hearing against HC decision over pooja at Guruvayur temple
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
4. What is the ‘Udayasthamana Pooja’ in the context of the Guruvayur temple?
(a) A ritual performed during sunrise and sunset to honor the deity.
(b) A practice to increase the divinity of the deity on Guruvayur Ekadashi.
(c) A festival celebrated by the devotees to mark the end of a pilgrimage.
(d) A yearly ritual conducted only during major temple festivals.
THE IDEAS PAGE
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
What’s the ongoing story: While the government appears to be concerned about stagnant growth rates, it would be wrong to assume that the central bank can lead the change by implementing a supply-side solution to a demand-side problem
Key Points to Ponder:
• What are the key issues between RBI and the Central government?
• Discuss the importance of maintaining the autonomy of the RBI in the context of recent government interventions.
• What were the previous conflicts between RBI Governors and the Government?
• Analyse the potential impacts of undermining RBI’s credibility on the Indian economy
• What are the reasons behind the slowing growth in India’s manufacturing sector despite high public investment.
• Suggest alternative measures to address the growth slowdown without compromising inflation control.
• Assess the effectiveness of reducing interest rates as a strategy to boost economic growth in India.
• What are the impact of high food inflation on private consumption and non-agricultural sectors.
• Explain the trade-offs involved in prioritizing inflation control over growth or vice versa.
• Analyze the role of public investment in driving growth over the past two years.
• Discuss measures to encourage private investment and consumption to sustain economic momentum.
• Critically assess the government’s expectation that the RBI should prioritize growth over inflation control.
• Explain why a central bank’s focus on inflation control is crucial for long-term economic stability.
Key Takeaways:
• Recent statements made independently by the commerce and finance ministers have amounted to advising the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on how to conduct its monetary policy.
• On whether the government should interfere in the functioning of the RBI, even to the extent of exhorting it to undertake certain actions, the answer would be a resounding “no”.
• India’s central bank is governed by its board, which the government has had a say in choosing, after which it should let them take things forward independently. This would be in the spirit of the separation of powers between the executive and India’s public institutions.
• In the context of the RBI’s conduct of monetary policy in particular, the current arrangement gives the RBI a certain autonomy. To be precise, since 2016, the RBI is mandated to mainly control inflation, and a target inflation rate of 4 per cent has been set by the government. Once this has been agreed to, the RBI should be allowed to vary the interest rate as it sees fit.
• The Commerce Minister has proposed that food-price inflation, which currently is very high, be taken out from the inflation target and the Finance Minister has expressed concern that credit may not be sufficiently made available. Both observations are aimed at persuading the RBI to lower the rate of interest.
• In the past two years, growth has been driven by a scorching increase in public investment by the central government. This has made up for tardy private investment.
• The comments by cabinet ministers responsible for the economy reveal a certain nervousness on the part of the government about growth. They amount to exhorting the RBI to prioritise growth over inflation control.
Do You Know:
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor is appointed in accordance with the RBI Act, 1934, which specifies that the Governor is selected by the Central government.
• The Financial Sector Regulatory Appointment Search Committee, comprising the Cabinet Secretary, the current RBI Governor, the Financial Services Secretary, and two independent members, prepares a list of eligible candidates for the position.
• The shortlisted candidates are interviewed, and their names are forwarded to the Cabinet Committee on Appointments, chaired by the Prime Minister. The committee finalizes the selection by confirming the appointment.
• The Governor’s tenure is limited to a maximum of five years, with the duration determined by the government at the time of appointment. The RBI Governor is also eligible for reappointment or an extension of their term.
• Turf wars between the two sides have played out for years as successive Governors sought to protect the autonomy and independence of the central bank. The four predecessors of Governor Das — YV Reddy, D Subbarao, Raghuram Rajan and Urjit Patel — had escalating conflicts with the governments in Delhi on issues, including the issue of cutting rates to spur growth.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Govt vs RBI Governor tussle: Repeat of the same script at the fag end of Shaktikanta Das’ tenure
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
5. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)? (2017)
1. It decides the RBI’s benchmark interest rates.
2. It is a 12-member body including the Governor of RBI and is reconstituted every year.
3. It functions under the chairmanship of the Union Finance Minister.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 2 and 3 only
6. Consider the following statements: (2021)
(1) The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is appointed by the Central Government.
(2) Certain provisions in the Constitution of India give the Central Government the right to issue directions to the RBI in public interest.
(3) The Governor of the RBI draws his power from the RBI Act.
Which of the above statements are correct?
a)1 and 2 only
b)2 and 3 only
c)1 and 3 only
d)1, 2 and 3
EXPLAINED
Why animals kill their young: many reasons, not just accident
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.
Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
What’s the ongoing story: A tigress killed her three newborn cubs in a zoo in West Bengal’s Siliguri last week while carrying them in her mouth. Her teeth damaged the windpipes of two cubs and the skull of the third. A zoo official described the deaths as “accidental”.
Key Points to Ponder:
• Discuss the evolutionary and ecological reasons for infanticide in big cats.
• Examine how environmental stressors, such as habitat destruction, contribute to this behavior
• Analyze the impact of captivity and relocation on the behavior of big cats, including infanticide.
• Explain how the dynamics of pride or territory influence infanticide in species like lions and tigers.
• Discuss the implications of such behaviors for wildlife conservation strategies.
• Assess the role of human activities in altering the natural behaviors of big cats, including infanticide.
• How anthropogenic pressures influence the parenting and reproductive behaviors of big cats.
Key Takeaways:
• Infanticide has been a recurrent theme in human history and mythology. The ancient Spartans abandoned weak and deformed newborns at the Apothetae (place of rejection) on the slope of Mount Taygetus in southern Greece, the philosopher Plutarch wrote.
• In Greek mythology, Cronus, the father of Zeus, devoured his newborns after it was prophesied that one of his children would dethrone him. (Zeus escaped because Rhea, Cronus’s consort, gave him a rock disguised as the infant Zeus, which Cronus swallowed.)
• The myths of Oedipus and Perseus pivot on the abandonment of infants due to the perceived threats they posed to their father or grandfather.
• It is not uncommon in animals either. The male of the species is responsible for most infanticides in the wild. Upon taking over a rival’s territory and females, male cats kill the predecessor’s cubs, especially the males, to nip future competition and promote his bloodline.
• Far less common are instances of filial infanticide in which the mother kills her cubs.
• Like the Spartans, animals do not invest hard-earned resources in weak offspring. This is why mothers, both in the wild and in captivity, often reject or kill their cubs selectively to give the surviving ones a better chance.
Do You Know:
• Conception and delivery trigger specific hormones to induce maternal behaviour. A hormonal imbalance, say experts, can lead to aggression in cats towards their cubs. First-time mothers and mothers who were orphaned in their infancy sometimes struggle to rear cubs.
• An inexperienced mother can be over-anxious while grooming or restraining her cubs. They often risk infection to their cubs by seemingly innocuous acts like licking the severed umbilical cords vigorously. But inexperience can lead to deadlier consequences as well.
• Not all mothers get wiser with experience. After delivering a cub in June 2022, tigress Lee in Maharashtra’s Gorewada Zoo groomed it by licking before lifting it by the tail to place it on dry grass. But while shifting it the second time, her canines dug into the cub’s neck. In February 2018, the same tigress had caused fatal neck and head injuries to her four cubs.
• Even cats that are well accustomed to captivity display an acute insecurity while with cubs, and are often overcome by a desperate protection instinct.
• In October 2018, Indianapolis Zoo staff watched as the lioness Zuri attacked and killed the lion Nyack, her companion of eight years and the father of her three cubs.
There are no explanations for Zuri’s violent aggression — which spotlights the limits to our understanding of animal behaviour in human terms. Their unsentimental resource management, say experts, are often misunderstood.
• In the wild, a cat either eats her dead cubs to regain some of the energy she expended during pregnancy and feeding, or carries them away so the carrion does not invite predators to her surviving cubs. The same instincts are visible in captivity as well.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍 Three newborn tiger cubs die in Bengal zoo after their mother lift them by neck with teeth
UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:
7. Which of the following environmental factors can trigger infanticide in big cats?
(a) Encroachment of their natural habitat.
(b) Stress caused by captivity or relocation.
(c) Unavailability of prey in their territory.
(d) All of the above.
| PRELIMS ANSWER KEY |
| 1. (C) 2. (a) 3. (c) 4. (b) 5. (a) 6.(C) 7.(d) |
For any queries and feedback, contact priya.shukla@indianexpress.com
Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
Why should you buy our Subscription?
You want to be the smartest in the room.
You want access to our award-winning journalism.
You don’t want to be misled and misinformed.
Choose your subscription package
