Round The States
New Delhi, 18 April 2013
Meet On Public Order
CMs SKIP, SNUB CENTRE
By Insaf
States are getting wary
of the Centre overstepping its jurisdiction. This was a message loud and clear
sent out on by many governments at the Conference of CMs on the 5th Report on
‘Public Order’ of the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC), held in Delhi on Tuesday last.
The meeting which discussed various recommendations of the Commission on issues
such as police reforms, management of public order, reforms in criminal justice
system, federal crimes and special laws, etc sadly had a very poor
attendance—only seven Chief Ministers, less than the number of Union Ministers
present! Construed as a snub, most CMs gave it a miss, perhaps saying a big No
to the Centre’s interference in State matters.
While many, through their representatives expressed their commitment to
strive for better policing, they were firm that the States could not go along
with number of suggestions, including the one wherein the Centre could
intervene during a law and order situation without requisition from the concerned
government.
This, according to the
CMs “seriously infringes” upon the States' powers or to say the least commits
“excessive interference” in States’ affairs. Some others voiced concern over
recommendations being “outdated and impractical.” However, Bihar
seemed to have hit the nail on the head. CM Nitish Kumar’s speech read out is
worth a quote: “….if some people or institutions thought that powers of an
elected government needed to be curtailed vis-a-vis police reforms, they should
rather press for a constitutional amendment to remove police and public order
from the administrative control and legislative purview of States and give
powers and responsibilities to the Union government…” While it’s certain the
Centre would have made a note, the big question is will it tread carefully or
continue to run amuck of the federal structure?
* * * *
Terror Strikes Bangalore
Fierce campaigning in
poll-bound Karnataka may take a hit, despite the Centre’s confidence that there
would be no delay in the May 5 election. On Wednesday last, powerful IEDs
strapped to two-wheelers exploded near the BJP’s office for ticket distribution
in the capital city, Bangalore,
injuring 17 people. The Union Home Ministry is certain the terror attack was a
handiwork of the Indian Mujahideen (IM), given that it targets crowded areas.
The BJP office had been drawing crowds this past week but fortunately it
started thinning as the ticket distribution ended in the morning. However, the
blast comes close on the heels of the one in Hyderabad, in February in which 18 people had
died, putting a big question mark on the country’s intelligence apparatus.
While no specific alert was handed out, the Centre claims that it had warned
governments that there could be attacks in metropolitan cities! Surely, it is
time there is better coordination than just giving out alerts. This apart, the
political leadership at the Centre would do well if it refrained from politicising
the issue. A senior Congress leader’s tweet that the blast “will certainly
help” the BJP’s prospects in the election is in bad taste. With elections less
than a month away, both the State and the Centre should work together to ensure
the confidence of the candidates and voter is not shaken.
* * * *
SAD ‘Doublespeak’ On Bhullar
The Shiromani Akali Dal
in Punjab finds itself on a sticky wicket over seeking clemency for Delhi blast case convict
Devinder Singh Bhullar, on the death row. While Chief Minister Parkash Singh
Badal and son, Deputy CM, Sukhbir have been trying to push New Delhi to heed to
their request in the “national interest and in the interest of peace and
communal harmony in Punjab in particular’, the past record puts a question mark
on the intent. It comes to light that in 2009, it was the same Government which
filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, seeking quashing of the Punjab &
Haryana High Court order of instituting a CBI inquiry on Bhullar’s petition that
the present Punjab DGP had “eliminated” his father and maternal uncle in 1991.
In its affidavit, the Government had described Bhullar as “terrorist” and a
“hardcore and experienced criminal…having well-organised international support
base”, who would misuse the order to victimise dedicated police officers… The
apex court had then put aside the HC order, much to the SAD government’s
relief. However, with the same Supreme Court rejecting Bhullar’s petition for
the commutation of death sentence, the duo should think twice before filing a
review petition. Instead, focus should clearly now be on how to “control
emotional damage” as feared and ensure law and order in the State.
* * * *
Haryana Dalits’ Tragedy
Haryana may very well
boast of being one of the most developed States, but when it comes to
safeguarding its Dalit community it score card could well be a miserable zero.
On Tuesday last, the State administration got a hard knock from the National
Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for recurring attacks on
Dalits. The latest being on Saturday last, when some 100-odd Dalit families had
to flee their Village Pabnawa in Kaithal district following a brutal attack by
a mob of 400 people belonging to the upper caste community, Rod, after a Dalit
boy “dared” to marry one of their girl’s. Some 80 houses were ransacked, women
humiliated and many injured in the horrific attack, which ironically took place
on the eve of the 122nd birth anniversary of Dalits’ messiah
Babasaheb Ambedkar. While 13 persons have been arrested, the injured given
compensation and heavy security deployed, the Dalit families refuse to go back
to the village. The big question being is this reassuring enough? Clearly not,
till the State government gets its act together. For starters, it must adhere
to the Commission’s guidelines, which asks all States “to convene vigilance and
monitoring meeting to stop atrocities against lower castes every three months
and access the prevailing situation.” If not, then it would end up hanging its
head in shame for many more Pabnawa’s!
* * * *
Of Girls & Trees in Rajasthan
A tiny village in
Rajasthan deserves a salute. If its model of saving the girl is adopted by all
States, a dreadful practice in the Indian society may soon ebb. The panchayat
in Piplantri village in Rajsamand district, believe it or not, plants 111 trees
every time a girl is born! The evidence is in the “quarter million trees”
planted in the last six years, as per a report. In the village every year
around 60 girls are born on an average. However, according to the sarpanch half
the number of parents is reluctant to accept the baby girl. These parents are
identified by a village committee, who then collects Rs 21,000 from the village
community and another Rs 10,000 from the girl’s father. The princely amount of
Rs 31,000 is then put into a Fixed Deposit for a period of 20 years in the name
of the girl. However, there is a rider: parents have to sign an affidavit that
they would get her married as per legal age, send her to school and take care
of the plants. Thus, not only is the girl child assured her rightful place but
the green cover around the village has increased, as well as villagers earn
money from the products made and marketed from the Aloevera plants. Indeed,
every reason to emulate. ---INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)
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