5 intriguing incidents of 2016 that effected international and national politics

Number of migrants who left Germany voluntarily rises sharply in 2016

Around 55,000 migrants who were not eligible for or were refused asylum left Germany voluntarily between January and November 2016, up by 20,000 from the total number who left voluntarily in 2015, a newspaper reported . Germany has toughened its stance on immigration in recent months, prompted by concerns about security and integration after admitting more than 1.1 million migrants from the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere since early 2015. Last week a failed asylum seeker who had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State militant group killed 12 people when he rammed a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin, fuelling growing criticism of Chancellor Angela Merkel's immigration policy.

Border shelling, civilian deaths, terror attacks mark end of 2016 in Jammu region

While curtains are coming down on 2016, the year witnessed border shelling, civilian deaths and terror attacks as Pakistan brokered November 2003 Indo-Pak Ceasefire Agreement in tatters and Jammu region that bore maximum brunt of the Pak guns. Pakistani army and Rangers this year pounded border villagers all along the Line of Control and International Border with 82mm and 120mm mortars and caused mass destruction. As per reports this year, Pakistan violated ceasefire 437 times and killed 37 people while 179 others suffered injuries. The dead included 12 civilians, eight Army soldiers and five BSF personnel. On international Border this year, three BSF jawans got martyred besides 8 civilians fell prey to Pakistani bullets.

2016 : West Bengal emerged as a terror hotspot

Phasing out year 2016 saw West Bengal's emergence as a terror hotspot. One of the many reasons that have steadily abetted the emergence of this trend is the porous and almost unguarded 2,200km border with Bangladesh that makes it a convenient passage into India for militants associated with several organisations. Spread across 232,752 km, this state has been the preferred transit point for militants to facilitate a logistic supply to the subversive activities from Bangladesh. The prevailing socio-economic inequities in certain minority-dominated belts in the state help terror elements successfully spread their networks, capitalising on factors such as illiteracy and large-scale unemployment among the youth.

ISRO a busy bee in 2016

The Indian Space sojourn is all set to pace ahead in a breakneck speed over the next few years, if the activities undertaken by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 2016 is of any indication. The crowded programme for the year saw successful realisation of its workhorse launcher PSLV-C series besides testing of futuristic technologies such as reusable launch vehicles and Scramjet engine and the launch of GSLV with indigenous cryogenic engine and stage.

BJP gained firm foothold in Assam in 2016

The year 2016 witnessed a major shift in political power in Assam as the BJP made its first notable foray into the entire North Eastern region by winning majority in Assam Legislative Assembly elections and heading a coalition government with regional partners. The matter of citizenship rights to persecuted religious minorities from neighbouring countries and updation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) also continued to hog political importance in the past year, with both issues spilling into the new year as yet unresolved or incomplete matters. The year saw the downfall of Congress’ successive three tenures at Dispur when it was reduced to a limping minority in the mandate in the state polls held in April. The BJP scripted history by winning majority for the first time in any North Eastern state by leading an alliance of regional parties to victory in the Assam Assembly elections, under the firebrand former student leader and then-Union MoS Sarbananda Sonowal.

2016 saw upsurge in national ambitions of regional parties

The year drawing to a close saw an upsurge in the ambitions of regional parties to play a greater role at the national level, with the grand old party Congress already left debilitated and the ruling BJP too going to face anti-incumbency sentiments in future electoral battles. These parties now feel time is ripe to play a role more than of just a game-changer in national politics, as one political observer would put it. While Trinamool Congress and AIADMK mantained their regional supremacy, parties like JD (U), CPI(M) and Samajwadi Party have had their respective share of limelight. In between parties Biju Janata Dal and Telangana Rashtra Samithi at times gave mixed signals vis-a-vis national politics by way of their responses to overtures from the ruling BJP. (UNI)