Round The States

New Delhi, 25 February 2010

Maoists, Jharkhand & Bihar

CENTRE AT LOOSE END IN WAR 

By Insaf

The Centre has done much-needed rethinking on an agreed national policy to fight Naxalism, as strongly pleaded by Insaf last week. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has called a meeting in Delhi of the Chief Ministers of W. Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand since the latter two had failed to attend the Kolkatta meeting on February 9. However, indications so far are that Chief Ministers, Nitish Kumar of Bihar and Shibu Soren of Jharkhand are unwilling to play ball. Likewise, the Centre has made little headway in getting the Maoists to stop operations for “72-hours’ and accept its offer for unconditional talks. On Monday last, days after the Silda camp attack, the Maoist leader, Kishenji proposed a “72-day” ceasefire, which Chidambaram rejected saying there could be no “ifs and buts” for talks. Kishenji has offered that there would be no left-wing violence if the security forces stopped their operations in Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa and intellectuals and human rights’ outfits facilitated the talks. The deadline for the ceasefire said the leader would begin on February 25 (observed as Martyrs day by the Maoists) and end on May 7. 

However, Chidambaram has said if the Maoists are willing to abjure violence without conditions they could fax their truce offer to him on 011-23093155. But Kishenji has said: If he wants to talk on our proposal let him speak to me on my number 09734695789. Who blinks first only time will tell. Meanwhile, Chidambaram has also written to Nitish and Soren saying that the Centre has reached some “tentative conclusions” on tackling the Maoists menace. But before these conclusions are translated into decisions and implemented it is necessary to be assured that the State Governments fully endorse the plan. While there is no official response so far, Nitish has maintained that “If the Naxals offer talks, the Government may consider.” This apart, he has shown reluctance towards launching any major anti-naxal offensive in Bihar, as it is “not as seriously affected by the Naxal challenge as some other States are.” Soren too has advocated that “instead of launching the offensive, accelerating the process of development in the rural areas would be a better proposition”.  What next?  

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Outrage Against Humanity

Led by Punjab and its Sikh community, the whole country has reacted sharply to the beheading of two Sikh youths by the Taliban militia in the North Western Province of Pakistan. Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal has denounced the incident as an “outrage against humanity” and appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take up the issue directly with Pakistan and ensure the release of the Sikh community held hostage by the Taliban. President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and incharge of the Home portfolio, said denounced the attack on the Sikhs as an attack on all Indians and urged New Delhi to build up international pressure on Pakistan to force it to take stern action against the culprits. He also expressed concern over increasing attacks on the Punjabis in general and the Sikhs in particular in various countries, including the UK, Australia and, now, Pakistan. Importantly, he accused the Ministry of External Affairs of soft-pedalling these serious attacks. This had sent an unfortunate message that India was hardly bothered about the life and security of its citizens working abroad. Time for New Delhi to sit up!

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Gujarat’s “Communal” Woes

A simple random draw of lots for homes in Ahmedabad has sadly reiterated that Gujarat is a deeply polarized State. Last week, while relocating some 8,000-odd families and evacuees of the Sabarmati River Front project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission this stark reality hit the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). It found that the computer-generated allotment of homes was not acceptable to both Hindus and Muslims, who have written to authorities, including Chief Minister Narendra Modi, asking for re-allotment. They have said that they don’t wish to live in an area dominated by the other as it would be “communally unsafe”. Apparently, the new locations are among the areas which witnessed large-scale violence during the 2002 riots. The Muslim evacuees insist they want to move to Muslim-dominated Vatva area, while the Hindus want to be re-allotted to the Hindu-held Vadaj. But the AMC does not want to get involved. It has advised both the communities to exchange the allotment homes among themselves if they feel insecure. Unhappy with the response, the evacuees have threatened to seek “court intervention if this goes on.”  

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J&K Tough on Stone-Pelters

The Jammu & Kashmir government is leaving no stone unturned to control the thousands of protestors the security forces have to face every other day. Last week, the Omar Abdullah government decided to slap the Public Safety Act (PSA) against stone-pelters and arrest them for “waging war against the State,” a crime punishable with death or life in jail. Over the past week, it has slapped the PSA against eight stone-pelters, all between 15 and 18 years of age, while 16 youth are being tried under Section 121 of CrPC (waging war against the State). Statistics reveal that over the past year-and-a-half nearly 1,500 CRPF jawans have been injured in stone pelting incidents and around 373 vehicles damaged. The police say the stone-pelting sessions are organized by ring leaders and funded by Separatists, which explains how such protests start simultaneously at several places across the Valley. Though both the Separatists and the Opposition were quick in denouncing the Government’s decision, the death of an 11-day old baby in a stone pelting incident in Baramulla has silenced them so far.

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EC To Verify BSP Statues

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP supremo Mayawati’s ‘elephantine’ problem is far from over.  On Monday last, the Supreme Court asked the Election Commission to decide whether the controversial statues of elephants at memorial and parks, built at the cost of cores of rupees from the State exchequer, amounted to putting up the party’s “election symbol.” And, whether this amounted to a violation of the model code of conduct? The apex court has granted the Commission three months to give its verdict. However, in its response to the Public Interest Litigation filed, the UP government has maintained that it had already told the EC that the statues “are not election symbol of the Party as alleged but a welcome symbol”. It also asserted that the intent behind the statues was similar to that of “North Block and South Block here (on Raisina Hill in New Delhi). You have elephant statues too.” In addition, the UP counsel argued that statues of elephants are also found in temples and that “the distinction is quite clear.” While the apex court said it was still bothered and it was necessary to find a “solution”, will this argument hold good with the EC is the big question.

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Highway To Sikkim

Sikkim was recently baled out by the Supreme Court, which barred the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha or other agitators from blocking in any way the sole highway 31A that links the State with the rest of the country. Mercifully for Gangtok, the Centre has followed up the Apex Court’s direction with much-needed action. It has decided to deploy Central police forces in north Bengal to monitor and ensure that the national highway to Sikkim, a stretch of which passes through the Darjeeling hills, remains clear of blockades in times of strife in the hills. One company of the Central Reserve Police Force is on its way and another two companies will follow. Meanwhile, the GJM continues to play hot and cold. At times, it indicates willingness to conciliate. Yet last week, GJM supporters went on the rampage in Kurseong, attacking the police thana and setting ablaze police vehicles as well as the residence of the local MLA, Shanta Chhetri, who belongs to Subhash Ghising’s Gorkha National Liberation Front. This could vitiate the climate for the proposed tripartite talks in New Delhi. ---INFA

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