Round The States

New Delhi, 21 April 2011

Jaitapur Nuclear Reactor

PARTIES PLAYING POLITICS

By Insaf

Fresh controversy continues to dodge the Jaitapur 9900 MW nuclear power plant in Maharashtra. After the Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh asked for “deeper thinking” on nuclear energy following Japan’s Fukushima disaster, it is now the turn of locals in Ratnagiri district to up the ante against the nuclear unit. Already, one person has been killed in police firing after a mob turned violent Monday last. Farmers in Ratnagiri are protesting against land acquisition and have raised environmental issues especially as the coastal area is rich in marine bio-diversity. Fishermen are worried that they will be rendered jobless once the plant comes up. Predictably, the Opposition parties led by the Shiv Sena and BJP have jumped into the fray and now want a debate in the Assembly in the light of the fact that the environmental clearance is full of holes. Needless to say, the State Government and Centre are busy working on a solution to end the nuclear impasse.

This is not all. The Jaitapur nuclear reactor has become a classic case of shadow boxing between the ruling Congress-NCP combine and Opposition Shiv Sena-BJP. Plainly, a tussle involving Bal Thackeray and his erstwhile protégée State Industry Minister Narayan Rane who has under cut the Shiv Sena in its once powerful base in the Konkan region. Indeed, Rane’s switch over to the Congress hit the Sena badly in the 2009 Assembly polls whereby its tally in the Konkan area fell to four seats from the nine it had won in 2004. Resulting in the Sena coming out on the streets to denounce the very project which they had once championed aggressively during the NDA Government at the Centre. With daggers being drawn it remains to be seen whether the Jaitapur nuclear plant will ever see the light of day. 

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Court Stamps Out Khaps

Honour killings are all set to become things of the past in various States. If the Supreme Court has its say and way following its verdict that these need to be “ruthlessly stamped out”. Alleging that the Khap Panchayats in Northern States and Katta in Tamil Nadu had no locai standing to murder their kith and kin over inter-caste marriages, the Apex Court held that inter-caste marriages were, indeed, in national interest as they were a unifying factor in the country. “In a democracy there is no place for elders to decide who one can marry after reaching the majority age,” the judgment stated. That it meant business was evident when the Court directed the State Governments’ to suspend any District Magistrate, Collector or SSP and other officials by charge-sheeting them if they failed to act against casteist violence. That the judgment would be a tough call for our law enforcers to follow can be gauged from the fact that Chief Ministers in the northern States of Haryana and Rajasthan have buckled under pressure from Khaps and refused to take action against those who indulged in honour killings. Only time will tell how this judgment would play out on national politics.

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Bihar Panchayat Ads In Nepal

As all eyes are riveted on the West Bengal Assembly elections, candidates contesting the Panchayat polls in Bihar have put the Election Commission in a fix. Over 100 contenders in seven districts bordering Nepal are using innovative methods of campaigning, by advertising on five popular Nepal Radio Stations. Not only are these advertisements effective but also hoodwinks poll authorities keeping an eagle eye on candidates’ expenses. Notwithstanding some advertisements being dropped after the Returning Officers received complaints about violation of the Model Code of Conduct, campaigning on these 24-hour Nepali radio stations continues. Specially as the Election Commission lacks the where-with-all to monitor these. This new poll ‘frequency’ could well set the trend for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in border districts.

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Chandigarh  Gets UAV

Kudos to the Chandigarh police for becoming the first security force in the country to procure an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Golden Hawk for policing. Happily from now on it would enable the police to keep a ‘birds eye’ on criminal activities taking place in this Union Territory and help maintain law and order. Further, the Golden Hawk would aid security personnel excel in traffic management, securing areas during VVIP visits, disaster supervision, research and development along-with defence and security. Importantly, the UAV manufactured by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists runs on a battery, is equipped with powerful small cameras which record activities on ‘ground zero’ in a radius of two kilometers and can take video from a altitude of 80-100 meters. The flying machine has already created waves in this Garden City.

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Christian Profiling In MP

Religious profiling in Madhya Pradesh continues despite the State Government revoking the controversial circular seeking details on Christians and churches in the State issued last month. Whereby, the police ‘discretely’ persist in seeking information based on the circular. In fact, Madhya Pradesh follows BJP-ruled Gujarat where similar profiling of Christians had been done in the late nineties which had led to religious violence in some districts in 1999-2000. Needless to say, the circular had raised alarm and anger in the community which views the order as a prelude to unleashing organized violence against the Christians. Predictably, the Congress has upped the ante against the Saffron Sangh showing its communal fangs!

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Haryana Welcomes Girls     

Winds of change are blowing in Haryana’s Faridabad district. Wherein, a girl child is considered a gift of God. Creating history of sorts Budena village herein has more female children than male and has been awarded a reward of Rs.1 lakh by the State Government. In one area, there are 60 girls compared to 35 boys between the ages of 7 and 18. Not only that. Abortion is non-existent and the women are more enlightened, notwithstanding they are either uneducated, only eightieth class pass yet are active in aanganwadi centres and take classes for the village kids. Not a few eke a living out of stitching and embroidery. Importantly, the men are very proud of their daughters and push them to work hard, study and make a name for themselves. It remains to be seen if other States will follow the course by averring: Girls are welcome here. ---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)