Current Affairs

The 1984 Lok Sabha election stands out as a momentous event, etched in history as the only time a single party secured an overwhelming majority of over 400 seats. This remarkable feat was achieved by the Indian National Congress party, led by the charismatic Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, in the wake of a profound national tragedy – the assassination of his mother and former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi.
The year 1984 was a tumultuous one for India. The country was grappling with the aftermath of Operation Blue Star, a military operation ordered by Indira Gandhi to flush out Khalistani militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Tensions were high, and the nation was still reeling from the shock of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her own Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.
On December 24, 1984, the results of the 8th Lok Sabha election were announced, and the Indian National Congress emerged as the undisputed victor. The party secured an astounding 415 out of 542 seats, a feat unprecedented in Indian electoral history. This landslide victory was a testament to the public’s trust in Rajiv Gandhi’s leadership and the Congress party’s ability to navigate the country through challenging times.

HISTORIC ELECTION IN MEXICO: CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM BECOMES FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT –

In a historic moment for Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected as the country’s first woman president, according to the provisional results announced by the Mexican election commission.
Sheinbaum, from the ruling Morena party, has taken an unassailable lead over her nearest rivals in the presidential contest held on June 2, 2024. Outgoing Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who mentored Sheinbaum, has congratulated her on her victory. The elections also saw the renewal of more than 20,000 political positions, including all seats in the lower house, the senate, and regional and municipal offices.
The presidential race was a groundbreaking one, with two female candidates emerging as the front-runners. Sheinbaum faced tough competition from Xochitl Galvez, the opposition party candidate backed by the PRI, which has ruled Mexico for 71 years. The third candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, secured a smaller percentage of votes.
According to the National Electoral Institute of Mexico, Sheinbaum secured between 58.3% and 60.7% of the vote, while Xóchitl Gálvez received between 26.6% and 28.6%, and Jorge Álvarez Máynez had between 9.9% to 10.8%. Sheinbaum’s Morena party is also expected to win a majority of seats in both chambers of the Mexican Congress.

Senior diplomat Ruchira Kamboj, who made history after becoming the first woman to become the Indian Ambassador to the United Nations, retired on 1 June, after an illustrious career spanning nearly four decades, she announced on Saturday.
Ruchira Kamboj was born on May 3, 1964, and is a retired Indian Foreign Service officer from the 1987 batch. She most recently held the position of Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, where she worked from August 2022 to May 2024 before retiring. She has held the positions of Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO, Paris; High Commissioner of India to South Africa. She was the First Female Indian Ambassador to Bhutan. She was the top- ranked woman in both the 1987 Foreign Service and Civil Services batches in India.
In 1987, she excelled in the Civil Services Examination and began her diplomatic journey in Paris, France. She worked as Third Secretary in the Indian Embassy to France and Second Secretary before returning to Delhi. She worked as Under Secretary in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, handling India’s relationship with the Commonwealth of Nations. From 1996-1999, she served as First Secretary and Head of Chancery at the Indian High Commission in Mauritius. She later served as Deputy Secretary and Director in charge of Foreign Service Personnel and Cadre in Delhi.

24 & 25 May 2024 Current Affairs