New Delhi, 19 February 2009

Big Boo To Criminalisation

MAYAWATI ROPES IN MAFIA DONS

By Insaf

UP’s Chief Minister, Mayawati is going all out in her publicly announced ambition to capture the Prime Ministership of India. No holds are barred in her determined bid to win as many of the State’s 80 Lok Sabha seats in the next general election as she can to stake her claim to the country’s top job. In December last, she said a big boo to the Election Commission’s efforts to check criminalization of politics. She then not only inducted a Lucknow mafia Don, Arun Kumar Sharma, alias Anna into her party but also made him the BSP’s candidate for the Unnao constituency, notwithstanding over a dozen criminal cases against him since 1980. That is not all. Earlier this week, Mayawati said a bigger boo to the Election Commission’s efforts to curb criminalization of politics. On Sunday last, the BSP named mafia don-turned MLA, Mukhtar Ansari, as its candidate for the Lok Sabha from Varanasi.

Mukhtar is facing over two dozen criminal cases, including those of murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, extortion, loot and land grabbing. What is more, he is presently lodged in Ghazipur jail in connection with the murder of former BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai. His candidature was announced on Sunday by the BSP General Secretary and Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui at a party rally in Varanasi. Notably present at the rally was Mukhtar’s brother and fellow Don, Afzal Ansari, MP from Ghazipur. Time alone will tell whether Mayawati will succeed in her ambition with the help of the Dons, including Atiq Ahmed, BSP’s candidate from Phulpur. But one thing is clear. More and more people are reacting to her volte face. Remember, she stormed to power in UP on the promise of ridding the State of mafia-raj. Now she herself is banking on muscle power to help her achieve her ambition of becoming the Prime Minister ---- or, at least, the King maker.

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Srinagar Gets International Airport

Winds of change are blowing in Jammu & Kashmir. The State has for the first time been put on the international air map. On Saturday last, Srinagar opened its brand new airport terminal to international traffic. An Air India flight from Dubai touched down at the airport, with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel waiting to receive the two dozen-odd passengers. The flight, which will operate once a week initially, returned with 30 passengers on board adding Kashmir as the latest entry into the global village. In addition to the international airport, the Valley got an extension of its train service from Mazhom to Baramulla connecting another four district towns. Both the services are bound to catalyse economic growth in the State and give a further impetus to people’s expectations of better days ahead. It’s time for the separatists to take note of the popular, joyous mood, triggered by the latest change! 

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Haryana’s farmers have got a unique gift this year. Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has assured them that their land would no longer be auctioned in case they are unable to repay their loans. In addition, tractors and modern agricultural tools would be within the reach of even small farmers who own no more than an acre of land. These announcements were made during the ongoing Budget session of the Assembly. Accordingly, the State government will soon enact appropriate legislation. Under the new law, 50 per cent of the income of borrowing farmers would be given to the bank and the other half for their livelihood, in addition to returning the loan. Not just this. The Government earlier abolished the law wherein hard-pressed farmers were jailed for recovery of cooperative loans and even the cost of their diet was included to their loan amount! Hooda is truly keeping his word: this is “the Year of the Farmer-Labourer.”

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Impropriety in Jharkhand   

Constitutional propriety and decencies are being thrown to the winds in Jharkhand. Governor Syed Sibte Razi, a sworn Congress loyalist, appears all set to put the UPA government at the Centre to shame and unprecedented embarrassment. Less than a month after President’s rule was promulgated, Razi has taken out full-page advertisements in local newspapers trumpeting his government’s achievements. The advertisement, in at least three dailies, is an adoption of an official report “On path to development…” prepared by the PR Department with Razi’s photograph. The achievements, mundane and listed by date, include “ending   doctors’ strike.”, “probe ordered into appointment of ayurveda doctors.”, “meeting with police officers to maintain law and order.” Shockingly, the Governor has surpassed even the politicians’ traditions of announcing personal achievements and self promotion. His behaviour brings back memories of the dangerous, anti-democratic use of Governor’s office by the Centre since the ‘80s and especially during Emergency. Will the President rein in her representative?

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Fresh Charges Against Andhra CM  

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YSR Reddy is brutally in the line of fire in the run-up to the next Assembly and Lok Sabha poll. The TDP-alliance leaders in the State have brought their campaign against Reddy to New Delhi. Armed with a huge volume of documents entitles “Raja of Corruption”, the TDP, TRS, CPM and CPI leaders propose to submit a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil about Reddy’s “dubious” transactions. The alliance has charged the Congress CM with violating the Prevention of Corruption Act, FEMA, Money Laundering Act, Companies Act, RBI Act and Income Tax Act. Worse, they have alleged that the Reddy family has become richer by “Rs 10,000 crore.” They allege: “In 2003-04, Reddy family’s income was around Rs 41 lakh. Today it is     Rs 10,000 crore!”  With the Satyam Scam already threatening to prove costly at the elections for the Congress in the State, Reddy needs to put up a good defence for the latest onslaught.         

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Mizoram’s Taj Mahal

A small village in enchanting Mizoram can boast of its own “Taj Mahal.” A marble and granite “monument of love”, has been built by 54-year-old K Chhawnthuama in the memory of his wife, in Durtlang village. Measuring 128 sq mtr, the monument is not as grand as the Agra landmark, but could give the village, Aizawl’s biggest supplier of milk and vegetables a new identity. In addition, the Rs 1.10 crore monument may well provide Mizo women some hope as by and large they are treated like second class citizens-- their marriage warranting a bride price, equivalent to the tag a pig for feasting carries. The tomb was built by Chhawnthuama with part of the money (Rs 31 lakh) he had saved to take his wife on a world trip. But as she died in a car crash, he decided to put it into something he could “remember her by”. Truly, in the footsteps of Shahjeahan. ---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)