Round The States

New Delhi, 27 September 2012

Maharashtra Crisis

CRACKS IN CONG-NCP ALLIANCE?

By Insaf

The Centre is closely watching developments in Maharashtra. Notwithstanding the NCP supremo Sharad Pawar’s assurance that there was “no threat” to the UPA-II or State coalition government, following its Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar putting in his papers on Tuesday last, Congress is certainly on the edge. Not only is the ruling combine beleaguered with corruption scandals in the State, but that the offer of resignation of 19 NCP ministers, though not accepted, hints at cracks within the ranks of its partner as well as between the leadership of the two parties. On the one hand, NCP MLAs are perturbed that Congress Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan was not standing by his deputy, who had resigned in the backdrop of his alleged involvement in irrigation scam of Rs 20,000 crores during his decade-long tenure as Water Resources Minister, 1999-2009. And, on the other, Ajit is showing signs of wanting to come out of the shadows of uncle Sharad Pawar, who is being seen to be promoting his MP daughter Supriya Sule. While Ajit claims there is a “political conspiracy” behind the latest scandal, the moot question is not by whom, but how much will the Congress have to yield to the NCP to keep its 13-year relationship intact and its support at the Centre?     

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West Bengal’s Loss

West Bengal is starting to be the bigger loser in its battle with the Centre. On Wednesday last, New Delhi decided to shift the venue of a mega investment meet from Kolkata to touristic Agra. With Mamata Banerjee and her TMC team no longer a UPA partner, Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma has promptly announced on Wednesday last that he has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to host the “Partnership Summit” along with the CII-Indian Business Forum. While this will keep the Centre’s new-found partner, the Samajwadi Party in good humour, Bengal has itself to blame as the Summit, which would have given a big boost to languishing investments in the State, will have a focus on UP.  Mamata is seething with anger and has called this latest assault as “an act of revenge” by the UPA and proposes to take up the matter with the CII. However, Sharma’s reasoning that “I can not bring corporate leaders to such a place where they can face demonstrations on FDI” will find many takers indeed.

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Bihar’s Caste Crimes

Bihar’s record in caste-based crimes should be a cause of worry for its Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. His State has now the distinction of surpassing even notorious Uttar Pradesh. In fact, the Centre has taken cognisance of this, given that Nitish is boasting of Bihar having taken strides under his leadership. On Wednesday last, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Mukul Wasnik, in Patna stated that it was a matter of “grave concern” that about 3,800 such cases have taken place in Bihar in a year as per the National Crime Records Bureau. This accounted for 26.7 per cent of such crimes in the country, with UP and Andhra Pradesh following with lesser share. In addition, while noting that the State Government has identified 32 out of 38 districts as atrocity prone, Wasnik was unhappy over the bifurcation of Mahadalits from among the dalits. According to the Centre there should be no such division as the Central list doesn’t do so either. New Delhi has been supporting the State’s demand for providing assistance to compensate SC/ST for the atrocities, but given this bifurcation and its poor record, Bihar will need to keep its fingers crossed it continues.     

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Blogs

J&K Setback

Efforts in Jammu & Kashmir to revive grass-roots governance have taken a severe beating. The Centre too is gravely concerned over reports this past week of a 120-odd panchs and sarpanchs (Panchayat members and chiefs) tendering their resignation through advertisements in local dailies. The reason: a nagging fear for their life has set in following the terrorists carrying out their threats. Two sarpanchs have been killed within a fortnight. Recall that in May t2011, the people had defied the terrorists’ boycott call to the Panchayat elections, being held after a gap of 34 years, and the State had witnessed a resounding 80 per cent polling. A worried Chief Minister Omar Abdullah claimed on Wednesday last that he had received only 50 resignations, none were accepted so far and that the media was blowing the issue out of proportion. He, however, assured the panchs that the Government would provide them security. It is easier said than done and not convinced, some sarpanches met Rahul Gandhi on Thursday last. Apart from compensation, the Congress scion has urged his Kashmiri counterpart to give more powers to the panchayats. It is only then that threats of terrorists would be neutralised, is the advice. Is Omar listening?  

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North-East Flood Fury

Floods have wreaked havoc in the North-East. Statistics so far available, which may not give the entire picture, state that about 50 lives have been lost, four lakh people have been displaced in the region and that 16 lakh-odd people have been affected in 14 districts of Assam alone. Besides, the Kaziranga National Park, which is home to two-thirds of the world's great one-horned rhinos is too inundated. Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim have similar woes of flash floods and landslides, with communications down and highways damaged. The National and State Disaster Response Force, Army and the IAF are working overtime to provide relief and rescue. However, tragically the Centre’s National Disaster Management Authority thinks short-term and simply reacts.  With the N-E reeling under flood fury year after year, it is time the Authority becomes proactive—the least it could to is to be well prepared to deal with the dangers that natural disasters bring.

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Himachal’s Sr Citizens

Senior citizens in Himachal Pradesh have reason to smile. The BJP Government of Prem Kumar Dhumal has approved a “Policy on Elderly Persons” which should help the 60 plus age group to live with dignity. The Cabinet, on Monday last, decided to provide them with “shelter, protection against any abuse and exploitation”. Accordingly, an “Age Integrated Society”, is to be set up which would aim at strengthening inter-generational relationship--between children and youth and older persons in families. The Hill State shall soon set up an advisory committee comprising concerned departments and public agencies which interact with the senior citizens, and also rope in both domestic and foreign NGOs in the field and Panchayati Raj institutions, to ensure the society’s success. If it does, then Himachal can boast of a model that others can emulate.   

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)