Round The States

New Delhi, 30 December 2011

Federalism Spirit

STATES PUNCH CENTRE

By Insaf

Regional parties in States have given a hard knock to the Centre. Their forceful assertion of maintaining the federal structure of the Constitution, wherein the Centre shouldn’t and couldn’t encroach on its powers, was witnessed in the three-day special session of Parliament, which ended on Thursday last. Crucially, the debate in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), with one party after another saying a big no to the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, as passed by the Lok Sabha, and moving its amendments, ended with the Congress-led government at the Centre having egg on its face. It shamelessly shied away from voting on the Bill as the parties, even allies, refused to play ball. In particular, West Bengal’s Trinamool Congress and Uttar Pradesh’s BSP and SP did a U-turn and decided not to help the Congress as they had done in the Lok Sabha, 48 hours ago.  

Apparently, there is more to the parties’ so-called battle to safeguard federalism than meets the eye. The TMC chief Mamata Banerjee is known to extract her pound of flesh in coalition politics and her party’s fierceness on the issue could well be seen in this light. The TMC wants a bigger share in governance at the Centre, its demands should be met and that it simply cannot be ignored, with its big chunk of 19 members in the Lok Sabha, was its clear message. On the other hand, the ensuing elections in Uttar Pradesh, appears to have forced the BSP and the SP to change tack. Both Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav respectively have apparently realised that their outfits going soft on the Congress, as was seen in the Lok Sabha (by walking out and not voting against the Bill), would not go well with the electorate. Their bitter words of war in the ongoing campaigning in the State would be viewed as hollow political posturing, for keeping its option open for forming the government with the help of the Congress. While the ensuing elections will give its verdict for either parties, as of now    the fight against corruption, parliamentary supremacy and democracy has taken a severe beating.       

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EC Diktat To States

Aspiring candidates in the poll-bound five States—Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur-- need to watch out for big brother Election Commission, like never before. The anti-corruption movement has made the watchdog over zealous. This time around, it seeks to plug loopholes in the system to check money power, particularly black, by involving even the Income and Excise departments of the States. Its instructions to State Election Officers include a number of firsts: ask political parties to avoid cash transactions and cadres don’t carry huge amount of cash; candidates should open separate bank account for expenses and keep a daily account; police to set up election cell at DGP headquarters, have flying squads and static surveillance teams in every constituency. Importantly, these teams should work in tandem with the IT branch to keep a track on financial brokers, hawala agents, and illegal movement of cash at airports, other transit locations! Besides, Excise officials will now need to check stocks in foreign-made and country liquor shops to monitor bulk purchases. The bottom line being that cash, and liquor etc are bribes to voters, which is punishable under the IPC. Here there can be no staggering! 

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States’ Let Down Centre

The Centre’s ambitious plan to have a BPL survey before April 2012 has not only got a lukewarm response from States but has hit a roadblock. So far, 15 States/Union Territories, including Uttar Pradesh and Manipur, accounting for 60 per cent of the total enumeration blocks identified have not even begun the exercise, known as the Socio-Economic and Caste Census. Additionally, Punjab, Goa and Uttarakhand, which have started the survey, will find it difficult to meet the deadline, thanks to Assembly polls. Obviously as priorities will change with the State machinery having to focus now on elections! Indeed, the Ministry of Rural Development is in a quandary. It was depending on the survey help it roll out the Food Security law introduced in Parliament, by having a clear picture of priority and general groups of beneficiaries proposed under it. Wonder, how it meets the target.

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Andhra’s Grand Success

Naxal States can learn a lesson or two from Andhra Pradesh, which can boast of a grand success story. The number of deaths from Maoists violence in the State this 2011 has come down to a total of seven civilians and none from security! The statistics, provided by the Special Intelligence Bureau, give reason to cheer. The fight against the Maoists has been long drawn—over three decades, in which 2,640 people died (2065 civilians and 575 policemen). In particular, recall 1991, wherein the casualty was 227 persons and again 2008 in which the State witnessed the gruesome killing of 36 policemen and Greyhound commandoes. Today, it can boast of cleansing 21 of the 23-affected districts. How? One, by having a dialogue with the Maoists but not letting up pressure; two, training and providing modern arms to the security personnel; three, setting up a special anti-naxal Greyhounds force and four providing development. Indeed, tips which other States should not ignore..   

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Gujarat’s Role Model

Villages in Gujarat can be a model for the nation’s political leadership to emulate. Building a consensus on candidates in Panchayat elections is apparently not impossible, as recent results reveal. About 20 per cent of the State’s villages have opted for the Government’s scheme “samaras” (unity), which offers rewards for avoiding elections and choosing its Panchayat members with consent. The justification is simple and encouraging: contests create enmity amongst communities, evolve a consensus and get the consent of the electorate. Thus, of the 10,405 villages, 2147 (20 per cent) opted for samaras and more importantly 254 of these elected all-women panchayats. The reward for them would be Rs 3 lakh for all-women panchayats having a population of 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh for those above it. Happily, the trend is growing, wherein in 2007 polls there were only 20 such panchayats. Will others take a cue? ---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)