ROUND THE STATES

New Delhi, 11 July 2013

Supreme Court Plays Spoiler

DAYS OF CRIMINAL MLAs’ OVER?

By Insaf

People’s Representatives across all States are a worried lot today. After the Supreme Court’s path-breaking diktat that convicted law makers could not stand for elections and would be removed forthwith. Importantly, the Apex Court scrapped a provision in the Representation of the People’s Act which offered convicted politicians a three-month window to appeal while retaining their legislature seats. Further, it heaped another whacker by ordering that those in jails or police custody could no longer fight polls. The list of criminal-politicos' was an eye-opener. The list of criminal-politicos' was an eye-opener. Shockingly, the Jharkhand Assembly has the highest percentage of MLAs with declared criminal cases (55 out of 74 MLAs—74%), Bihar 58% and UP with 47%. Indeed, the Parties too do not present a pretty picture. While the JMM accounts for 82 %, RJD 64% SP 48%, BJP 31% and Congress 21% of criminal MLAs’. So much for Parties espousing the cause of cleaning up the political cesspool! Perhaps, the aam aadmi can look forward to blemish-free politicians.

This is not all. The Supreme Court pulled up as many as 10 State Governments for refusing to respond to its repeated reminders to furnish information on persons with criminal records who enjoy State security at the exchequer’s expense. Recall, the Court had sought this information over two months ago on May 1.  Terming it an impending crisis of governance, the two-member Bench spelt out that it would not tolerate any disobedience by the State Administration. It warned, “It appears our federation (of States) is falling apart which would lead to anarchy and collapse of administration. It remains to be seen whether recalcitrant Andhra, UP, Odisha, Gujarat, J&K, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Chandigarh legislatures take heed?

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HC Bans Caste Rallies In UP  

Politics in Uttar Pradesh has been dealt a body blow. In a State where caste is the dominating factor in deciding who will sit in Lucknow’s Raj gaddi, the Allahabad High court has played party-pooper. Two days ago, on Thursday, it banned caste-based political rallies in the State immediately. Thereby, dealing a body bow to the two principal regional Parties, Mayawati’s BSP and Mulayam’s SP along-with tail-enders Congress and BJP. Coming on the heels of Mayawati throwing her hat into the Prime Ministerial ring, on the presumption that her social engineering of garnering the Dalit and Brahmin votes would foist her in New Delhi, she organized a Brahmin rally to counter bête noire Mulayam’s Muslim sammelan  recently. With both satraps cocking a snook at the Election Commission’s order prohibiting caste and community based rallies and events during the election process, wonder whether the duo will follow the Court ruling?

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NCP-Congress Spat In Maharashtra

Fresh trouble is brewing between Congress-NCP in Maharashtra. This follows Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s vitriolic attack on Congress Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Industries Minister Narayan Rane and the State Congress chief Manikrao Thakre. At a pubic rally, post the NCP’s poor showing in the Sangli civic polls, Pawar junior asserted: “People who can’t get directly elected to the Assembly are given back door entry and have been put in charge of the State”, an obvious reference to Chavan. On Rane’s dubious background he said, “There used to be a gang of criminals operating in Chembur… the police tell me they used to beat him in lock-up but now have to salute him as he is Cabinet Minister.” Shot back Rane: Is this anyway to talk if they want to run a coalition Government”?  Predictably a livid Congress has taken up the matter with the High Command in Delhi. Who will play peacemaker, Sonia or NCP supremo Sharad Pawar to rein in his nephew?

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‘Hunger Free Karnataka’

“Hunger Free Karnataka”, is the new mantra for the newly-elected Congress Government in the State. While it hopes to be only fulfilling its Assembly poll manifesto, the move is seen more as a bid to woo the ‘poor’ voters for election 2014. For how else would Chief Minister Siddaramaiah explain the urgency in launching the ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme on Wednesday last in Bangalore, which promises supplying 30 kg of rice at Re 1 to 98 lakh poor families, at a whopping cost of over Rs 4,000 crore to the State exchequer every year! Where will the money come from? This apart, the logistic of getting 2.80 lakh tonnes rice every month too hasn’t been worked out. The State claims that the Centre has agreed to give additional 20,000 tonnes of rice per month and it shall buy another 25,000 tonnes from Chhattisgarh. Whether it suffices or not, may not be Karnataka’s concern alone. The Congress at the Centre has bigger stakes involved in meeting the target thanks to poll mania, lest the electorate feels cheated.     

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Khaps Halt Female Feticide

The times are changing in Haryana. In an unprecedented move, the State’s infamous Khap panchayats have stumped all by banning female feticide and sex selection. It has also imposed an Rs 11,000 fine for violators along-with social boycott of repeat offenders. More significant, the Khap has also decided to tackle gender bias like dowry. The reason is not far to seek. The Jind district, a cluster of 20 villages, is worried about the skewed sex ratio, whereby villagers are forced to look for brides in States like West Bengal and Jharkhand. In fact, due to the depleting number of girls, Sirsa district’s Dera Sachacha Sauda Chief reiterated the Khap’s decision by underscoring that 1500 followers were ready to marry the Uttarakhand widows who had lost their husbands in last month’s flash flood. But the moot point is: Will it cry a halt to the notorious honour killings?

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Manipur’s Sordid Saga

Girls from the North-East are much sought after in thriving malls in New Delhi and Mumbai as they are very polite and fluent in English. But, behind the euphoria lies a tale of sadness. Whereby girls are weaned away on promises of greener pastures and then sexually exploited. Shockingly, the tale of 15 Manipuri girls rescued from an illegal children’s home in Rajasthan’s capital Jaipur bore testimony to their sexually abuse. Heartbreakingly the youngest was only 7 years-old and a majority not only suffered from vaginal diseases but were severely Vitamin D deficient. It took over three months for the State administration to act against the fake children’s home. Another reason for Manipuris angst against the plains.--- INFA 

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)