Round The States

New Delhi, 20 May 2010

Tackling Naxal Violence

CONFUSION NOW WORSE CONFOUNDED

By Insaf

Confusion continues to confound the Centre and States’ policies of dealing with Naxalism and Maoist violence. All manner of statements by Union Home Minister Chidambaram, various Chief Ministers and top UPA leaders have added to the confusion. Most States affected by Maoist violence are surprised by Chidambaram’s latest statement that he has only a “limited mandate.” He has also talked of “revisiting” the Centre’s anti-Naxal strategy and of seeking a larger mandate by “trying” to convince the Cabinet of the need for air support. The CMs of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Orissa have heard this before and are increasingly wary of the present strategy and have specifically asked for air support to deal with the Naxals. In fact, the Government of West Bengal has expressed “dire need” for such support. But then there are others like senior Congress leaders Digvijay Singh, who argue that the air force is not the answer. Even UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, favours a soft line towards the Maoists. 

The BJP, for its part wants the Prime Minister to clarify whether the Government will wage “half a battle” against the Maoists or an “all-out offensive”. It strongly believes that the Union Home Minister’s remark that the Centre had only a limited mandate “means the security apparatus is fighting the battle with one hand while the other is tied.” Remember, Chidambaram’s clarification. Our mandate, he said is to help the State Governments by providing para-military forces, intelligence and technical assistance. It is the State Governments primary responsibility to tackle the Naxals. The BJP, therefore, believes that “a half-battle against the Maoists cannot be successful”. That is not all. It also questions those who favour a development first approach to deal with the situation. Says the BJP: “Even for that the civil administration has to be restored and enabled to reach and take care of the common people in the area controlled by the Maoists.” Little thought has been given to this problem which has further added to the tragic confusion

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Guessing Game In Jharkhand

Politics in Jharkhand has turned curiouser and curiouser reminding one of Alice in Wonderland. Jharkhand Chief Minister and JMM chief Shibhu Soren says one thing one day and another the next day. On Tuesday last, Soren had finalized a deal with the BJP in which the two parties would be in power on a rotational system--each will share power for 28 months with the BJP taking the first go at it. He also agreed that he would quit the CM’s post on May 25. Shockingly, two days later he did a complete U-turn. On Friday last, he feigned ignorance about the arrangement made with the BJP and told newspersons “I am not in a hurry. I will not resign unless it was necessary”. He further asserted that it was never his decision to form a government under BJP’s-leadership. On its part, the BJP has claimed that it was not worried and that it respects the decision taken by its “allies” on Tuesday last.  Arjun Munda, who is the BJP’s choice of CM said: “What he (Soren) has said is his personal opinion.” What tomorrow will bring is anybody’s guess.

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No Early Poll In W Bengal

Will the Trinamool Congress have its electoral way in West Bengal? Will its chief and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee manage to get the Assembly elections advanced by eight months? Not a chance, is the ruling CPM’s response to these nagging questions doing the rounds in the run-up to the municipal polls on May 30. On Sunday last, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee trashed Didi’s claim that the crucial Assembly polls will be held “three months after these polls,” i.e this October, instead of June 2011. Releasing her party’s manifesto Mamata had said she had spoken to Union Home Minister Chidambaram and that “once the CPM is routed the municipal poll,” early Assembly elections would become “unavoidable.” Bhattacharjee was quick to make it an issue. Having seen “many such quarter-finals and semis” he asserted. “Apart from the State Government no one can recommend when elections are to be held.” Obviously, he was cautioning his arch rival and the UPA government to maintain Constitutional propriety given that some States have witnessed dismissal of Governments for political gains.

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DMK Scores Over Cong

The DMK in Tamil has scored over its ally the Congress with its prize catch of film actress Khushboo. On Friday last, DMK patriarch and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi enrolled her as a primary member at the party headquarters with almost the entire Cabinet in tow. Her decision to join the DMK could be best described as an anti-climax. Last month after the Supreme Court quashed all 22 cases filed against her for her controversial remarks on pre-marital sex, Khushboo told the media that she was a “huge fan” of Sonia Gandhi and that the Congress was her party of choice. However, the dialogue changed. She said joining the DMK was the “right decision.” On his part, Karunanidhi denied any arm-twisting and claimed that talks had been on with Khushboo for a month.  Khushboo, he added, was a person with “progressive ideals and having affinity for the principles espoused by the founder of the Dravida Kazhagam” Periyar E V Ramasamy Naicker. He looks inclined to cast her in a new role-- a member of the Legislative Council, which is to be revived soon.  

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Tripura For More Powers

Tripura has taken the lead in asking the Centre to give more powers to the tribal autonomous district councils in the North-East. With the State continuing to provide good news for the ruling Left-Front constituents, the CPM Central Committee has also sought infrastructural development in the existing 16 autonomous district councils (ADC) facilitating the socio-economic development of tribals. Early this month, the ruling CPM-CPI-Forward Block combine won all the 27 seats to the Tripura Tribal Autonomous District Council (TTADC). For the second consecutive time, the Congress and its ally, the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) drew a total blank. More powers are being asked, as tribals constitute 27 per cent of the region’s total population of around 40 million. Of the 16 ADCs, six are in Manipur, three each in Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram and one in Tripura. All eyes are on New Delhi.   

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Awareness Campaign On Women’s Bill

Women’s organizations in various States are now busy trying to do their bit for women’s reservation in Parliament. Taking the lead, the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), on Thursday last launched “Campaign Reservation Express”  which will travel to 56 cities and towns across the country to garner support for the Bill. The campaign, on three caravans, will end on June 7. With support from like-minded organizations, the AIDWA seeks to put the picture straight as since the Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha attempts have been made by some political parties to confuse the issue. The organizations are of the firm opinion that the demand for reservation for Muslim women is simply to “scuttle and delay” the passage of the Bill. It is a separate issue and needs to be fought at a different level, is the consensus. The campaign which traverses through North-South and East-West entails public meetings, conferences and cultural programme to be held by local bodies in the States to mobilize support. ---INFA.

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)