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UP, Maharashtra In Scams Web:CONGRESS-BJP TRADE CHARGES, by Insaf, 18 Oct, 2012 Print E-mail

Round The States

New Delhi, 18 October 2012

UP, Maharashtra In Scams Web

CONGRESS-BJP TRADE CHARGES

By Insaf

 

Congress and BJP are amidst a raging political storm in UP and Maharashtra. Two tempests they could well do without, thanks to their top leadership. The former vis-à-vis  senior Union Cabinet Ministers Salman Khurshid and Beni Prasad Verma and the latter Party President Nitin Gadkhari. Undeniably, the ruling Party faced acute embarrassment when India Against Corruption (IAC) founder Arvind Kejriwal accused Law Minister and his wife of “forging” documents worth Rs 71 lakhs on welfare works for the disabled carried out by their Dr. Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust in 2009-10.  Whereby, it had falsified signatures of officials on  “test check reports” in 10 out of 17 State districts. The reports, it alleged carried signatures of bureaucrats who had already relinquished charge prior to the date of these reports or did not exist.

 

A livid Khurshid took the IIC head-on by first denying any wrong doing and then threatening Kejriwal and Co in “mafia” language. Asserted he, “I have been asked to work with the pen. I will work but also with blood… let them came to Farukhabad (his constituency). But let him also return from Farukhabad.” Thereby, sending shock waves in the political establishment. Compounding matter, his colleague Union Cabinet Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma nonchalantly laughed away Kejriwal allegations by stating that Rs.71 lakh was “too little” an amount for the stature of Khurshid and a Union Cabinet Minister, “if it was Rs.71 crores, I could understand.” Plainly, it is not corruption per se or that a Minister has been charged for malfeasance for Verma but that the amount is too small, not worthy of a Union Minister’s stature! 

 

Before the Opposition BJP Party could make political capital against the Congress, the IAC raised  another corruption squall against it Party Chief Gadkari alleging that he had profited hundreds of crores in various deals, thanks to a nexus with Pawar’s NCP. Kejriwal’s main charge was that the businessman-turned politician had been given over 100 acres meant for an irrigation project at the cost of farmers who were cultivating it by former NCP Dy Chief Minister and Irrigation Minister Ajit Pawar. Resulting in diversion of dam water for Gadhkari’s innumerable factories, sugar mills and power plants. Scandalously, Pawar not only over-ruled objections raised by bureaucrats but cleared all files in four days flat. Predictably, even as the BJP top leadership rubbished charges, the Congress has ignored Kejriwal’s allegations. Underscoring India’s political secret: Its all about quid-pro-quos and you-scratch-my- back-I scratch yours.  

 

Delhi-Mumbai Not World Class

As India aspires to join the global high Power table, two top metros Mumbai and Delhi lack what it takes to be world class cities. A United Nations Habbitat Report on world’s cities, ranks India’s financial Capital 52 among 95 cities and its political Capital at 58th. The cities bane were five factors: Poor infrastructure, quality of life, productivity, environmental sustainability and equity. This is not all. It issued a warning that political and technical intervention were the need of the hour if the country wanted to improve living conditions. In tell-all statistics, while the urban population stood at 36.4 crore people in 2007 it was likely to cross over 59 crores by 2030 which would lead to chaos unless the Government acted fast. Needless to say the time has come for the Government to take a holistic view of the problem and not just formulate schemes!

 

Kerala Dalist Embraced Buddhism

Move over Mayawati, it is the turn of Dalits in Kerala to don the mantle of becoming the messiahs of their brethren. The Dalits Human Rights Movement (DHRM) is busy exhorting Dalits to shun Hindu religion and embrace Buddhism. Not only this. It has started a parallel English school for children to inculcate a “Dalit perspective.” Significantly, the Movement, which started in 2007 as a grouping of Dalit workers belonging to various Parties to campaign against the caste system, has now forbidden its followers from going to temples and instead to worship Dalit messiah Ambedkar in their homes. Undoubtedly, the DHRM wants to carve out a distinct Dalit identity without the tag of being a part of Hindu society, a dangerous step to say the least. Its, another matter that the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry are hooting for foreign direct invest in retail by raising the slogan of “fight caste with capital.”

 

JD(U)-BJP Saath-Saath

The Bihar Chief Minister has finally put a lid on its on-and-off ties with the BJP. By making it amply clear that the JD(U) and the Saffron Sangh would fight the next Lok Sabha polls together. Indeed, this is viewed as Nitish’s most positive statement on the future of the JD(U)’s alliance with the BJP since he red-flagged Narendra Modi as the NDA’s Prime Ministerial candidate in the next Parliamentary polls. Remember, the two NDA allies witnessed a sharp war of words over the continuation of their 16-year old pact, raising fears that the alliance could be in jeopardy. Adding to the rumour windmills the Chief Minister hinted he was open to joining hands with new allies post the elections. Even as this is music to the Saffronites ears, its Muslim leaders from Bihar have refused to campaign for the ruling party in Modi’s poll-bound Gujarat. What next?

 

Shot In Arm For Tigers

States which boasts of India’s famed Tiger reserves are beaming with happiness. This follows the Supreme Court’s bonanza lifting the ban on tourism to protect tigers whose population had dropped below 1500 in various national parks.. The Apex court has also asked States to frame tiger conservation plans in wildlife sanctuaries within six months and send their report to the National Tiger Conservation Authority. Further, the NTCA has mooted six more tiger reserves: two in Maharashtra, one each in Goa, UP, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu. By this measure, the Tiger Authority feels it would help increase the tiger population as also promote eco-tourism in the country.  Meanwhile, in Assam’s Rhinoceros Kaziranga National Park forest guards have been given Self-loading rifles to keep away rhino poachers to protect the animals as the sanctuary is recognized as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. Whether this will stop poachers remains to be seen.

---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

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