Daily Current Affairs- 19th July 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 19th July 2026

Police action forces end to tribal protest against MP’s Ken-Betwa project after 15 days

In the News: Madhya Pradesh Police cleared a protest site near Kupi village in Chhatarpur district on July 19, 2026, ending a 15-day agitation against the Ken-Betwa Link Project and other irrigation projects. Protest leader Amit Bhatnagar, who had been fasting for 14 days, was taken to a hospital, while nearly 150 demonstrators were moved from the site. The protesters had raised concerns regarding land acquisition, compensation and rehabilitation.

Key Points:

• Location and Nature of Protest: The agitation began on July 3 on the banks of the Barana River near Kupi village in Chhatarpur district. It was led mainly by tribal women and included jal satyagraha, symbolic funeral pyres and a symbolic hanging protest.
• Police and Administrative Action: Police personnel detained Amit Bhatnagar and removed the protesters in an early-morning operation. The administration said the action was necessary because rising river levels and an under-construction bridge posed a safety risk to those present at the site.
• Demands of Protesters: Project-affected families alleged irregularities in land acquisition records, Gram Sabha proceedings and the distribution of compensation. They sought fresh surveys, correction of compensation records and adequate rehabilitation before displacement. The district administration rejected the allegations and said genuine complaints were being examined.
• About the Ken-Betwa Link Project: The project will transfer water from the Ken River to the Betwa basin through the Daudhan Dam, a connecting canal and associated structures. It is the first river-interlinking project under the National Perspective Plan to reach the implementation stage and covers parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
• Cost and Expected Benefits: The project has an estimated cost of ₹44,605 crore and is scheduled for completion by March 2030. It is expected to provide annual irrigation to 10.62 lakh hectares, drinking water to about 62 lakh people, 103 MW of hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.

Madhya Pradesh Cabinet approves UCC draft bill for presentation in State Assembly

In the News: The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet unanimously approved the draft Uniform Civil Code Bill on July 19, 2026. The Bill is scheduled to be introduced in the State Assembly during its Monsoon Session. It proposes common rules governing marriage, divorce, succession, inheritance, adoption and live-in relationships.

Key Points:

• Constitutional Provision: Article 44 of the Constitution, contained in the Directive Principles of State Policy, states that the State shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code for citizens throughout India. A UCC seeks common civil rules in personal matters without replacing criminal laws or general public laws.
• Drafting and Consultation: The proposed law was prepared by a seven-member high-level committee following consultations across all 51 districts of Madhya Pradesh. The committee also examined the UCC frameworks adopted by other States before submitting its recommendations.
• Marriage and Divorce Provisions: The draft mandates monogamy across religious communities and fixes the minimum marriage age at 21 years for men and 18 years for women. Registration of marriages and divorces would be compulsory, while oral divorce and decisions of informal community councils would have no legal validity.
• Live-in Relationships: Couples would be required to register a live-in relationship within one month of beginning to live together. Children born from such relationships would be treated as legitimate and would have inheritance rights, while an abandoned woman could seek maintenance through a competent court.
• Exemptions and Succession Rights: Scheduled Tribes and communities whose customary rights are protected under Part XXI of the Constitution have been excluded from the proposed law. The draft also provides equal inheritance rights to sons and daughters and equal treatment of widows and widowers in succession matters.

PIL interpreted wrongly; Sonam’s health is fine, there was no need for Govt intervention, says Gitanjali

In the News: Gitanjali J. Angmo, wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk, said that the authorities had wrongly interpreted an earlier public interest litigation concerning his health. She maintained that Wangchuk’s condition did not require his removal from the protest site and challenged his continued hospitalisation at Safdarjung Hospital. On July 19, 2026, the Delhi High Court declined to order his immediate discharge or transfer to a private hospital.

Key Points:

• Background of the Hunger Strike: Sonam Wangchuk began an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on June 28, 2026. He was supporting students protesting alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and was also raising issues concerning Ladakh’s environment, culture and public welfare.
• Earlier PIL and Court Direction: On July 16, a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court directed the government to arrange daily medical examinations and provide necessary assistance based on doctors’ advice. Neither Wangchuk nor Angmo was a party to the PIL in which this direction was issued.
• Objection Raised by Gitanjali Angmo: Angmo argued that the earlier order permitted health monitoring but did not authorise forcible removal, involuntary hospitalisation or restriction of access to lawyers and private doctors. Her petition sought Wangchuk’s discharge or transfer to a medical facility chosen by him and his family.
• Delhi High Court’s Decision: Justice Mini Pushkarna held that the government’s action could not, at that stage, be described as arbitrary because it had been taken to protect Wangchuk’s life during a prolonged fast. The court noted that he was not formally under detention and that the treatment administered to him had been given with his consent.
• Legal Issues Involved: The proceedings raised questions concerning personal liberty, bodily autonomy, informed medical consent and the State’s responsibility to protect life. The court issued notices to the Centre, Delhi Police and Safdarjung Hospital and directed them to submit their responses within three days.

NIA chargesheets top CPI (Maoist) leader for waging war against India

In the News: The National Investigation Agency filed a supplementary chargesheet against C.P. Moideen, also known as Girish, before the NIA Special Court in Hyderabad. He was accused of participating in a CPI (Maoist) conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India. The charges were filed under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and the Indian Penal Code.

Key Points:

• Position in the Organisation: According to the NIA, Moideen was a Special Zonal Committee member of the Western Ghats Special Zonal Committee of CPI (Maoist). He allegedly became its secretary after the arrest of Central Committee member Sanjoy Deepak Rao in September 2023.
• Alleged Operational Role: Moideen was accused of supervising People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army squads operating in the Kerala-Karnataka-Tamil Nadu tri-junction. The agency also alleged that he organised recruitment, promoted Maoist ideology and planned attacks against security personnel.
• Background of the Case: Telangana Police originally registered the case following the arrest of Sanjoy Deepak Rao in Hyderabad in September 2023. Arms, ammunition, fabricated identity documents and Maoist literature were reportedly recovered during the arrest, after which the NIA took over the investigation.
• Arrest of Moideen: Kerala Police took Moideen into custody in August 2024, and the NIA formally arrested him in January 2025 in case RC-01/2024/NIA/HYD. The supplementary chargesheet formed part of the agency’s investigation into attempts to rebuild the organisation’s armed and urban networks.
• NIA and CPI (Maoist): The NIA was constituted under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, to investigate and prosecute offences affecting India’s sovereignty, security and integrity. CPI (Maoist), together with its formations and front organisations, is listed as a terrorist organisation under the UAPA.

Madhya Pradesh Archaeology Department Collects Rare 1857 Mutiny Records

In the News: The Madhya Pradesh Archaeology Department has collected several rare historical documents, including a record connected with the Revolt of 1857 bearing the signature of Tatya Tope. The collection also contains an original portrait of Rani Lakshmibai and several old manuscripts, maps and paintings. The documents were collected under the Union Government’s Gyan Bharatam Mission for their preservation and digitisation.

Key Points:

• Rare Tatya Tope Document: The collection includes a document associated with the Revolt of 1857 and bearing Tatya Tope’s signature. The department stated that it was the first such signed document to be formally identified and documented. It had earlier been preserved by a heritage trust after being received from the former princely State of Shivpuri.
• Gyan Bharatam Mission: The documents were collected under the Gyan Bharatam Mission, which encourages citizens and institutions to register rare manuscripts for preservation and digitisation. The original records are returned to their owners after documentation. District-level committees were constituted to identify and verify historically valuable material.
• Submissions from Madhya Pradesh: Madhya Pradesh received approximately 34 lakh submissions, of which around 12 lakh had been verified. This was reported to be the highest number of submissions among Indian States. Specialists used palaeography, the study of historical handwriting, to determine the age and authenticity of the records.
• Portrait of Rani Lakshmibai: An original portrait of Rani Lakshmibai, believed to have been commissioned by the queen herself, was also identified. The painting dates to around 1853 and was prepared using natural colours, gold and intricate artistic techniques. It had remained preserved in a museum in Datia without receiving wider recognition.
• Other Historical Discoveries: The collection includes a 70-page manuscript of Rasikpriya, composed by Keshavdas in the Braj language, and an old circular map depicting Jambu Dweep. It also contains a compendium dated 1877 with portraits and information about 62 rulers, along with manuscripts relating to Jain cosmology and traditional cartography.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Final: Spain Defeats Argentina as Torres Scores Winner

In the News: Spain won the FIFA World Cup 2026 by defeating defending champion Argentina 1-0 in the final on July 19, 2026. The match was played at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Substitute Ferran Torres scored the only goal in the 106th minute of extra time, securing Spain’s second men’s World Cup title.

Key Points:

• Final Result: The match remained goalless during the regulation 90 minutes and proceeded to extra time. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute to give Spain a 1-0 victory. Argentina had been reduced to ten players before Spain secured the winning goal.
• Spain’s Second World Cup Title: This was Spain’s second FIFA World Cup triumph, following its first championship in 2010. In the 2010 final at Johannesburg, Spain defeated the Netherlands through Andrés Iniesta’s extra-time goal. The 2026 victory placed Spain among the nations that have won the men’s World Cup more than once.
• Historic Double for Spain: Spain became the first country to hold the FIFA Men’s World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup titles simultaneously. Its women’s team had won the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup by defeating England in the final.
• Ferran Torres’ Achievement: Ferran Torres became only the second substitute to score the winning goal in a FIFA World Cup final. The first was Germany’s Mario Götze, who scored against Argentina in the 2014 final. Torres had entered the 2026 final as a substitute before producing the decisive finish.
• About the 2026 Tournament: The 2026 FIFA World Cup was jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and was the first edition to feature 48 teams. Spain completed the tournament unbeaten and conceded only one goal across eight matches, setting a new defensive record for a World Cup champion.