Round The States

New Delhi, 10 February 2011

Chief Secretaries Meet

STATES PUT ON NOTICE

By Insaf

States have been put on notice on the issue of atrocities and problems faced by the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, women and other vulnerable groups. Addressing the Annual Chief Secretaries Conference, last week the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the bureaucrats that it was a “shame” that crimes against the weaker sections “still continue” and asked them to lead the Administration in ensuring punishment for the perpetrators. He also insisted that babudom adopt a sensitive and responsible attitude towards violence against women. Notwithstanding, the economic growth and rising national incomes had failed to remove the humiliation of shame. It remains to be seen if States heed Manmohan Singh’s call for equity, social and religious harmony as essential for inclusive growth.

This is not all. The Prime Minister also told the country’s top bureaucrats of Kashmir and Naxal-affected States to tighten their belts. Emphasising that the responsibility of maintaining public order and peace rests with the States, he asked them to provide better policing measures to ensure safety of their people. Further, he advised that there should be a process of continuous and meaningful interaction between the Centre and the States to tackle effectively the problems of Naxalites, cross-border terrorism and religious fundamentalism. Towards that end, there could be devolution of power and responsibility to the States encompassing effective decentralisation to improve governance. Lobbing the ball in the State’s court, Manmohan Singh made plain that it was the States’ responsibility for maintaining public order and peace even as the Centre would provide resources, guidance, aid and information. The States reaction is awaited.

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Andhra Respite For Congress

The Congress can now breathe easy in Andhra. Following Telugu cine star Chiranjeevi’s decision to merge his Praja Rajyam Party with the Grand Dame. Clearly, this will not only provide some cushion but also give a semblance of stability to the Kiran Reddy Government, seemingly tottering with nearly 24 Congress MLAs supporting erstwhile Congress ‘problem child’Jagan Mohan Reddy. The PRP’s 16 MLAs will now take the Congress total to 171 in a House of 294. The Congress-PRP fusion came about after Sonia dangled the carrot of making Chiranjeevi a Minister in the Union Cabinet. Notwithstanding, that presently there is no Rajya Sabha seat vacant from the State. And promised two berths in the State Cabinet berths in the next reshuffle. Importantly, Chiranjeevi’s entry is likely to jolt intra-Party equations, with OBC and Dalit leaders welcoming the mega actor as a respite from Reddy dominance. In the Congress scheme, by enveloping the PRP which is opposed to the creation of Telangana, it hopes to send out a clear signal about the Centre’s intentions on the Statehood issue. Will that suffice to douse the Statehood flames?

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ULFA-Centre Talks

After a 31-year long struggle, for the first time Assam's banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) held face-to-face unconditional talks with the Centre in an attempt to usher in peace in the insurgency-hit State Thursday last. The eight-member ULFA delegation led by its 'Chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa met Union Home Secretary G K Pillai. Putting to rest any hopes of a breakthrough, Home Ministry sources called it a "preliminary meeting, more as a familiarisation exercise. In fact, ULFA's change of heart from violence-to-peace turn-around happened last week with the insurgents announcing they were ready for unconditional talks with the Centre "respecting the wishes of the people of Assam". This was reinforced by the ULFA leaders during their meeting with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi when they sought his cooperation to take forward the peace process with the Centre. It remains to be seen if the group's 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua faction who is opposed to the talks will spoil the ULFA-Centre-new found peace handshake!

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Mayawati Stoops To Conquer

Trust, Uttar Pradesh’s BSP Dalit Messiah Mayawati to raise ‘feudal mud’ when her personal security officer bent down to wipe her dirty shoes with his handkerchief during her visit to Auraia district. That too a policeman much-feted with the President’s Ati Vishisht Seva Medal. Shockingly, the shoe-wiping went on even as a nonchalant Mayawati continued talking to district officials, seemingly oblivious to shocked reactions of bystanders. Worse, was the Chief Minister’s attitude: accepting it as a done thing. Predictably, her arch rivals have seized the ‘incident’ and accused Mayawati of stooping to conquer. As for the humble footwear it is basking in its new-found fame. First ‘hitting’ headlines across the globe when it became the insignia of angst against the Americans in Iraq, later a mark of annoyance with the Congress over the 1984 Sikh riots and now it has been relegated to being a symbol of feudalism. Dalit Messiah or Maharani Maya, have your pick

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Darjeeling Tense Again

Darjeeling, West Bengal’s once serene hill station is tense once again after the police killed two supporters of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). Resulting in an indefinite shutdown in the entire Gorkhaland area, Darjeeling, Terai and the Dooars. Worse, the Army had to be rushed to douse the popular flames. Significantly, this is the first case of police firing since the Gorkhaland movement resumed more than two years ago in October 2008 under the leadership of the GJM, which had wrested control from the Gorkha National Liberation Front. Undoubtedly, the popular uprising could not have come at a more inopportunate time for the State Government as it readies for elections in a few months.

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Delhi, India’s Rape Capital

The Nation’s pride Union Capital Delhi has notched up a black mark. Whereby the Capital is clearly unsafe for women. In the last one month alone, there have been 25 cases of rape and 42 molestations. Ironically, all this is happening in a city that boasts of a 75,000 strong police force. Needless to say fear is what rules a Capital. Dread not of terrorism and criminals but of known faces or random people on the road who don the mask of sexual perpetrators. Women cannot walk on the streets without scare of being abducted, raped or slashed by a maniac. Children cannot play without the apprehension of falling prey to paedophiles. The Delhi police tall claims that rape is a crime of opportunity and in more than 90% of the cases, the victims were know to the accused have failed to cut any ice. More shocking, was Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit assertion that women who went out alone at night were asking for trouble. Clearly, the Administration and police need to pull up its socks! ---- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)