Social and Political Developments - Newspaper Summary

 The sources highlight several critical Social and Political Developments in India during the period of October 20-21, 2025, primarily focusing on domestic political realignments, the efficacy of major social schemes, rising concerns over social violence, and geopolitical tension related to trade and defense.

I. Political Developments: Elections and Geopolitics

Bihar Assembly Polls and Alliance Friction

The sources detail the complexities and fractures within the INDIA bloc regarding seat allocation for the Bihar assembly elections.

• The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) announced its list of 143 candidates for the Bihar assembly polls.
• However, at least five of these RJD nominees are set to contest against candidates fielded by other constituents of the INDIA bloc. Specifically, the RJD will clash with the Congress party in constituencies like Vaishali, Lalganj, and Kahalgaon.
• The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) publicly stated it would not contest the Bihar elections, alleging a "political conspiracy" orchestrated by its allies, the RJD and Congress, which deprived the JMM of seats within the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance).
• Notable RJD candidates defending their sitting seats include Tejashwi Yadav (Raghopur), Alok Mehta (Ujiyarpur), Mukesh Raushan (Mahua), and Akhtarul Islam Shahin (Samastipur). The Congress party released seven more names, bringing its total number of announced candidates to 61.

Geopolitical Stance and Defense Symbolism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public activities reinforced themes of national defense and self-reliance (Aatmanirbhar Bharat).

• PM Modi celebrated Diwali onboard the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. He described the domestically built vessel, constructed at the Cochin Shipyard, as a "towering symbol of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'" and a testament to 21st-century India's "hard work, talent, impact and commitment".
• Modi remarked that INS Vikrant previously caused Pakistan "some sleepless nights" and claimed its very name "puts an end to the courage of the enemy".

II. Social Issues, Financial Inclusion, and Employment

Challenges in Financial Inclusion (PMJDY)

The government's flagship financial inclusion scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), is facing challenges related to account activity.

• The share of inoperative PMJDY accounts in public-sector banks (PSBs) increased to 26 per cent at the end of September 2025, up from 21 per cent a year ago. This suggests a slowdown in account activity.
• An account is considered inoperative or dormant if there are no transactions for over two years.
• Among large PSBs, Bank of India (33 per cent) and Union Bank of India (32 per cent) reported the highest shares of inactive PMJDY accounts. The inoperative ratio for the State Bank of India rose from 19 per cent in September 2024 to 25 per cent in September 2025.
• A previous World Bank study (Global Findex Report 2025, July release) noted that 35 per cent of Indian bank account holders were no longer using their accounts by 2021, citing Jan-Dhan accounts as a likely reason for the high share of dormant accounts. Reasons cited by respondents for inactivity included distance from financial institutions, lack of trust, and no perceived need for an account.
• The gap between PMJDY accounts and RuPay card issuance under PSBs stood at 31 per cent as of September 2025, meaning 170.2 million accounts still need to receive a RuPay card.

Rising Incidents of Violence Against Scheduled Castes (SCs)

A concerning social development highlighted is the rise in violence, particularly sexual violence, against Scheduled Caste (SC) women.

• The total number of rape cases against SC women has shown a "worrying upward trend" from 2,541 cases in 2016 to 4,214 cases in 2023.
• The share of rape incidents against SC women in total rape cases in India has more than doubled between 2016 and 2023.
• In 2023, the share of rape incidents against SC women in overall incidents of rape was over 14 per cent.
• Overall, 57,766 cases of atrocities against SCs were reported in 2023, marking the highest total in the last three decades.
• Cases of sexual violence—including rape, assault with intent to outrage modesty, and cases under the POCSO Act—accounted for over 95 per cent of the crimes committed against SC women in 2023.

Labor Dynamics and Employment

Data suggests a potential structural shift in industrial hiring trends, impacting employment opportunities.

• Sectors accounting for approximately 70 per cent of total factory employment showed a double-digit rise in additional fixed capital investment (median 12.6 per cent increase in FY24) but only single-digit hiring growth (median 7.8 per cent increase in persons engaged).
• Nine out of ten analyzed sectors showed higher growth in fixed capital than in persons engaged in factory work. This trend, observed for the second consecutive year, suggests firms may be choosing to invest more in machines than hiring people, possibly due to strict labor laws or the need to upgrade technology for global competitiveness.

III. Institutional Governance and Ethics

Debate over Private Sector Leadership in PSBs

The sources discuss the government's contemplation of enabling lateral entry from the private sector for senior leadership positions in Public Sector Banks (PSBs).

• This strategy is intended to inject management dynamism and competitiveness into a sector that handles over half of India's bank loans.
• However, the effectiveness of this move is questioned due to core differences in institutional values between private and public-sector banking.
• State-owned banks prioritize social objectives and public welfare (e.g., operating in loss-making financially underserved areas) alongside mandatory social obligations, unlike private sector banks driven largely by the instincts of risk-taking and profit maximization.
• These fundamental differences, coupled with the pressure of dealing with entrenched unions (who have opposed the move as an "attack on the national character" of PSBs), are unlikely to attract many top private-sector bankers.
• A proposed alternative is for PSBs to focus on grooming dynamic internal employees for leadership roles, ensuring familiarity with the institutional culture and operational constraints.

Corporate Governance and Harassment Allegations

A serious governance issue arose within a high-profile technology company.

• Bengaluru police registered a case (FIR) against Ola Electric founder Bhavish Aggarwal and other senior company officials following the death by suicide of a 38-year-old employee, K. Aravind.
• The deceased engineer reportedly left a note accusing members of the management of workplace harassment.
• The FIR reportedly invokes Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to abetment of suicide.
• Ola Electric stated they have challenged the registration of the FIR before the Karnataka High Court and protective orders have been passed in favor of the company and its officials. The company spokesperson also claimed that Aravind never raised any complaint or grievance regarding his employment or harassment during his three-and-a-half years of association with Ola Electric.