Round The States

New Delhi, 28 Jan 2009  

Pub Attack In Mangalore

BRAZEN GOONDAISM ON THE RISE

By Insaf

 Savage goondaism under the garb of moral policing is dangerously on the rise in the country, with BJP-ruled Karnataka now hitting the headlines this past week. Members of a right wing Hindu group, Sri Ram Sene, assaulted girls in a pub in the heart of Mangalore city on Sunday last for what they termed as “obscene behaviour”. The same night the mob also barged into a house where a private party was in progress. The incidents predictably evoked nationwide outrage with political parties trading charges with an eye on the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll. The leader and founder of SRS, Pramod Muthalik, meanwhile, justified the action as being “in the interest of the society” even though he admitted that his boys had gone “overboard.”  The self-styled Hindu leader Muthalik was associated with the Bajrang Dal till he quit in 2004 on the ground that it ‘wasn’t radical enough”. He then joined the Shiv Sena for two years and, finally floated the SRS in late 2007. Last year, he launched a new political party, Rashtriya Hindu Sena, which contested eight seats in the Assembly polls. All the candidates, including Muthalik not only lost the elections but also their deposits.

The goondagardi at the pub, however, is not the first of such incidents that the SRS has indulged in. In December last year, the SRS forcibly cancelled a fashion show and in September last allegedly committed arson against churches for carrying out “conversions”. In the latest incident a reluctant State police initially arrested 10 activists, including the SRS convenor Prasad Attavar, charging them with trespassing and outraging the modesty of women. The arrest of Attavar sparked off violence with supporters targeting vehicles in Mangalore. The police also arrested Muthalik but on a separate charge: of causing communal disharmony in Devanagere and for distribution of pamphlets calling to form “Hindu Suicide Squads.” In neighbouring Maharashtra too goondaism continues to grow. On Tuesday last, Raj Thackeray’s Vidhyarathi Sena ransacked the registrar’s office in Mumbai University. They wanted the University to drop social sciences and keep only Marathi and Hindi as options in first year BA course! Only last week, the owner of “Karachi Sweets” in Mumbai was forced to change the name of his 25 year-old shop to Sri Krishna Sweets!

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TV Channels Questioned

Two other aspects of the bizarre developments in Karnataka are of interest. First, the Goonda Act, according to top policemen, has its limitations. It gives the authorities special powers to deal with extremist elements that have a history of breaking the law and committing human rights violations. However, it only targets individuals and does not provide for action against organizations. This has forced the police to explore whether the recent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) could be invoked against the organizations. Second, the Karnataka Police has served notice to TV news channels and newspapers that were informed in advance about the attack by the Sri Ram Sene. A top Karnataka policeman commented: “It is the duty of every citizen to inform the police when they have advance information about a plot to commit a cognizable offence.” The outcome of the exercise will be awaited with interest, now that TV channels prefer to go wildly sensational, ignoring their basic responsibility to the community. 

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Nitish Blazes New Trail

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is blazing a new trail in good governance at the grassroots. He is the first CM to undertake a “Vikas Yatra”, the first-ever village feedback visit, wherein people get an open forum to criticise the Government right on its face. On the first leg of his five-day Vikas Yatra last week, the CM held “Janata Durbar” in villages in East and West Champaran, which had mostly OBC and EBC (extremely backward caste) population. In what can be termed as literally taking his government to the people’s doorstep, the CM and his officials live in tents during the yatra. Addressing about 5,000 villagers, Nitish said: “We want to hear you and learn. Only those who have a complaint or advice should take the mike.” The complaints ranged from cases of land grab, poor schooling facilities, policemen seeking bribes etc. Nitish’s focus however, appears to be on corruption as he announced a reward of Rs 1,000 to 5,000 for getting corrupt officers arrested. “We have come to empower you. It is time to wake up. Tell us the name of corrupt officials. Corruption will be decimated at all levels,” he declared.

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Chhattisgarh Revives Salwa Judum

Efforts are on in Chhattisgrah to actively revive the citizens group against the Maoists, Salwa Judum, which had come under a cloud during the past one year.  Bijapur, one of the worst Maoist-affected districts in tribal Bastar region, witnessed last Wednesday some 2000-odd people attending a public meeting in this regard. “Naxalites are killing innocent villagers. We have to unite…Salwa Judum has to be accelerated to drive out the Naxalites from the area,” advocated its leader Hanif Khan. Salwa Judum was started in June 2005 after a group of tribals launched a movement in south Bastar to create awareness amongst the masses against naxalism and to isolate the rebels. The timing assumes significance as the meeting is the first after the BJP Government, headed by Dr. Raman Singh, retained power in the State. The party had extended all support to Judum during the last three years despite reservations about the people’s resistance group by the UPA Government at the Centre.

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A new dimension has been added to the Gorkhaland agitation, notwithstanding recent talks between the West Bengal Government and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). Not only is it seeking to shift from the Darjeeling hills to the plains and foothills, but is assuming dangerous “ethnic” overtones. On Tuesday, last clashes erupted in Nagrakata and Malbazar areas, about 40-km from Siliguri town following the GJM activists’ bid to take out a rally seeking the inclusion of the Dooars in its demand of Gorkhaland. Nearly 50 agitators and 25 policemen sustained injuries and the paramilitary had to be summoned. While the tribals alongwith non-Gorkha residents are fiercely opposed to the GJM’s plans, the latter is aiming to increase the pressure on both the State and Central Government for a settlement. It believes that disruptions in the plains are bound to hit the north-eastern States. However, in a meeting with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the GJM has agreed to refrain from agitating in Dooars for the present. How long will this last, no one can tell.

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Varanasi Sets Grand Record

Varanasi has won its own grand Oscar! Weavers in Bhadohi district, the country’s carpet hub have made a giant carpet, which when spread can extend over eight tennis courts and easily park around 60 DTC buses. This “largest record carpet manufactured in India” is 18,400 sq ft (160 ft x 115ft), weighs eight tonnes and was woven over three months by 200 weavers.  The carpet is in 13 pieces that will be reassembled at its destination—a hotel in China. “We have made large carpets for our clients in Mumbai, Saudi Arabia and Dubai. This is our first order from China”, says a proud manufacturer, Jabir Ansari. While he claims they can make bigger carpets than the one being sent to China, there is reason for many to celebrate—perhaps a “Made In India” label will now be seen for a change in China.---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)