Round The States

New Delhi, 19 April 2012

CMs Conclave

NAT’L SECURITY INCIDENTAL!

By Insaf

National security took a beating early this week. A number of States simply appear unwilling to play ball with the Centre on the crucial issue. The meeting of Chief Ministers called in New Delhi on Monday last to discuss internal security got overshadowed by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) controversy, yet again. CMs of non-Congress States continued to flog their favourite grievance, of ‘federalism spirit’ being violated, even though a meeting on NCTC has been specially convened on May 5. While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did try to set the agenda urging the States to fight “left-wing extremism, religious fundamentalism, ethnic violence and terrorism” as these were “major internal security challenges,” the opposition team of CMs chose not to oblige. Sadly, the meeting turned out to be a missed opportunity.

In fact, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha was successful in ensuring the spotlight remained on Centre-State divide. The constant attempt “to reduce States to a glorified municipal corporation is a travesty,” she had lamented. Counterparts from Odisha, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Chhattisgarh joined in. While some CMs like Jammu and Kashmir’s Omar Abdullah sought to share positive developments in his State such as “border infiltration was on the decline,” there were not many takers for positive conversation. The mood clearly was of political posturing and the Centre’s efforts to build a consensus sadly shall continue to be elusive. 

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‘Fascist’ West Bengal?

No longer Marxist, but is West Bengal turning ‘fascist’? The question is doing the rounds in and outside the State, thanks to its incorrigible Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. This past week has seen the State government arresting Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra for forwarding a cartoon featuring her, and a molecular biologist Partho Sarothi Ray for protesting against eviction of slum dwellers. Prior to these, the Trinamool Congress supremo had ordered State and State-aided libraries to subscribe to only some newspapers. Undoubtedly, there is an outrage in Kolkata. The urban intelligentsia which had voted her in is today speaking out as it views the actions as an infringement on the right to freedom of speech. Leave aside politicians, perhaps she would do well to heed to the Press Council Chairman Justice Katju’s advice: “Grow up.” Notwithstanding, that Mamata has been named among the 100 most influential people in the world by the prestigious Time magazine in its 2012 list, which also includes US President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and billionaire investor Warren Buffet. 

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Delhi Stuns Cong

Delhi’s urban population has left the Congress stunned. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s efforts of “development and good governance” in the nation’s capital failed to woo the voters in the trifurcated municipal corporation poll. Its arch rival, the BJP hit a hat trick, retaining its hold in the MCD for the third consecutive term. Interestingly, the saffron party’s campaign focusing on “inflation and corruption” (C’wealth Games, 2G scam etc) at the Centre did the trick, rather wonders. It overcame the anti-incumbency risk and made a clean sweep in north and East Delhi, the latter a stronghold of Dikshit and son Sandeep, an MP from there! However, it can ill-afford to be either boisterous or complacent. Its vote share has come down since 2007 and a number of Independents have got elected, revealing voter disillusionment with national parties. The latter importantly is crucial for both the Congress and BJP as their performance at the State-level and local level respectively will unquestionably impact the big battle—2013 Assembly polls.  

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Himachal Vs Army

Himachal Pradesh is having a royal battle with the Army. The bone of contention is the historic Annanandale ground, from where annual football tournament Durand Cup started in 1888 and was leased out to the Army during World War II as a training ground. The lease, however, expired about 30 years ago. The BJP government under Prem Kumar Dhumal has now demanded that the ground under “unlawful occupation” of the Army, be handed back for building a cricket stadium. However, the Army refuses to oblige. Not only has it said the ground, just 4.5 km from the Ridge of Shimla, is ‘non-negotiable’ but has accused the State Government of being “hell-bent on destroying the meager forest cover at the behest of the land mafia…the ground is of strategic significance for the Army from national security perspective, which can never be ignored…” Clearly, the fight is getting murky, which the nation can ill-afford. Dhumal has approached Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister A K Antony has asked the Army general to look into the matter. Time they stepped in, lest the issue blows up further.      

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MP Under Scanner

Madhya Pradesh is to come under the Centre’s scanner. Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has decided to tour 12 backward districts in the State to review GOI’s flagship schemes such as the MGNREGS. This follows distress over rising corruption in centrally-sponsored schemes particularly at the Panchayat level. In Bhopal on Sunday last, Jairam rubbished Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s accusation of discrimination against the State and asserted it was on the Ministry’s priority list among other backward States. Madhya Pradesh is accordingly going to receive Rs 7,500 crore out of Rs 99,000-crore outlay the Ministry has for various schemes, other than a special allowance of Rs 30 crore for the eight naxal-affected districts. However, Chouhan needs to be cautious and ensure schemes don’t go the Uttar Pradesh way—mired in corruption. The next four months, when Jairam tours, are crucial.   

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Morality In Manipur

Morality is Manipur’s latest buzz word with mothers taking up cudgels to instill morals in their teenaged kids. Fed up with the romantic rendezvous of Gen Next, parents have asked “seedy” restaurants to mend their ways and throw out high back chairs and readjust lights in dimly lit areas. Armed with sticks, imas and cameras, the mothers march into bars to shame the young ones in to compliance, inform their respective parents, call in the police only giving up once an agreement reached that all romances will end in wedding bells. Already, surprise raids have been carried out in over 50 restaurants in Capital Imphal alone. In the next few months the entire State would be covered. Instant morality, anyone? ---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)