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Gujarat Verdict?: BLOW TO MODI’S AMBITION, By Insaf, 30 August, 2012 Print E-mail

Round The States

New Delhi, 30 August 2012

Gujarat Verdict?

BLOW TO MODI’S AMBITION

By Insaf

 

Three cheers for the Special Court investigating the 2002 Gujarat riots. On Wednesday last, its verdict in the Naroda Patiya massacre of 97 people in Ahmedabad, convicting a former minister in the Narendra Modi government among 31 others was hailed by the victims’ families and activists. For them, not only was justice finally delivered but that the verdict can play spoilsport to Modi’s outright denial of his Government having a hand in the riots. Worse, the verdict could not only destroy Modi’s chances of winning the December Assembly polls for a third consecutive term but may even impact his aspiration of being a prime ministerial candidate in the 2014 General elections. On the other hand, while it’s obvious that the Congress both in the State and the Centre shall go all out to use the verdict as ammunition against the BJP, it should tread carefully. For its hands too were not clean in Delhi’s infamous 1984 riots post Indira Gandhi’s assassination. Justice here is clearly delayed but hopefully like Gujarat may not be denied. 

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Delhi Keeps Promise?

Kudos to the Delhi Government. It has finally woken up to its poll promise made way back in 2008. On Tuesday last, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit announced regularising 917 of the 1,639 unauthorised colonies in the Capital, which would provide some relief to about 40 lakh people.  However, the rest would have to wait their turn with only provisional regularisation certificates in hand so far. But Dikshit has assured them that not a single colony would be demolished! The opposition BJP views the announcement as preparation for the Assembly polls due in 2013 as well as the Congress learning from its bitter poll debacle in the Municipal elections early this April.  The defeat, in fact had pushed the Congress to expedite the regularisation process, but it still has an uphill task of providing basic amenities such as roads, schools, drainage, streetlights in the 917 colonies. Where are the funds, is a question doing the rounds? Moreover, how soon will good news follow for those left out? Surely, Dikshit cannot afford to make the regularisation process a “poll gimmick”, as described by the BJP. After all the residents of these colonies form a major chunk of the Congress vote bank and others too  are keenly watching.  

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West Bengal Land Ceiling

Rural West Bengal heaves a sigh of relief. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has assured the rural folk that her Government would not do away with the land ceiling. This means that households would continue to be entitled to retain 12 acres of irrigated land and 17 acres of non-irrigated land, and less than an acre in the cities, notwithstanding the pressure to do away with it. While many States have gone along with the Centre’s wishes of repealing the urban land ceiling, to make available urban land in the market, Mamata has decided to oppose it like her predecessor, the Left Government. The real intent, however, is in question: whether didi is doing it for the love of the rural poor or to keep her vote bank intact for the ensuing panchayat elections. 

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Odisha Model

States can take a cue from Odisha for the safety of both public and private sector enterprises against vandalism. On Tuesday last, the Naveen Patnaik government passed the Odisha Industrial Security Forces Bill on three counts. One, the State was making rapid progress viz  industrialisation and vital installations, two it did not want a repeat of the 2009 Maoist attack on its aluminium PSU, NALCO and three that the existing police force was overburdened to meet the industrial establishments requirements. The Bill entails that the Force shall have over 1,000 armed personnel headed by a police officer of the rank of an IG; that officials can arrest without a warrant anyone who threatens to use force against company employees and that PSUs or private firms that seek its services will need to bear the costs. While it will be a while before the Force’ feasibility is known, other Naxal-affected States could at least for starters study the Bill.                

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Cong Eyes HP Polls

The Congress is putting its house in order in Himachal Pradesh. Former Union Minister and five-time Chief Minister of the State, Virbhadra Singh, who threatened to resign from the party, finally had his way and got anointed the PCC President, on Tuesday last. Obviously the High Command in New Delhi had the ensuing Assembly elections on mind and chose not to commit the same mistake—of keeping the stalwart out of the reckoning last time. While Singh’s task would be to bring the party back to power by defeating the BJP government at the hustings, he has a bigger and tougher job ahead. The factionalism in the Congress has been at its worst, stronger than ever before, which Singh admits. The big question doing the rounds is whether he would be able to deliver and put up a united front for the polls. For starters, there is hope as his home coming on Wednesday last saw party workers giving him a rousing welcome in capital town of Shimla.  

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Kerala’s Drinking Problem

Can Kerala control the heavy drinking habit of its people? Perhaps, if only the State Government gives it opinion in the affirmative to the Kerala High Court’s suggestion that the sale of liquor in bars be allowed after office hours. Shockingly, bars in the State have since 1953 remained open from 6 a.m. to midnight! Though the Congress government had changed cut down the hotels’ bar opening timing by three hours to 9 a.m., a hotel licensee played spoilsport and got a stay from a single bench of the HC. Following an appeal, a division bench has asked the Congress to consider changing bar timings from 5 p.m. to midnight.  This accordingly would help bring down liquor sales, which saw a 9.9 per cent increase in revenue and ensure people don’t drink during work. Well, September 10 is by when the Government is to give its opinion, which would reveal its intention of curbing the drinking menace or not. ---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

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