Round The States
New Delhi, 1 August 2013
Telangana, At Last
CENTRE OPENS PANDORA’S
BOX
By Insaf
Telangana has opened a Pandora’s
box, notwithstanding the jubilation and tribulation in Andhra Pradesh. While
the decision to create the nation’s 29th State may well have been taken for
Congress’ political compulsions or as argued long-pending, the fact is that the
Centre has invited big trouble. Voices of a separate State have started
emerging from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam indeed.
Telangana has given them good sound reason. The countdown has already begun, at
least in the picturesque Darjeeling Hills. Sadly, these may once again go on
fire as the Gorkhaland Janmukti Morcha (GJM) begins its indefinite bandh call
from today upping the ante for a separate Gorkhaland. In Assam, the All-Bodo Student’ Union has announced
a 60-hopur State bandh from Monday for its demand
for Bodoland, saying it has been pending longer than Telangana. Congress’ ally
the NCP is going to play its cards to carve out Vidrabha from Maharashtra.
In UP, the BSP supremo Mayawati has promptly voiced her formula for dividing
the State into four—Bundelkhand, Avadh Pradesh, Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal.
This apart, UPA partner, RLD shall join the bandwagon in demanding Harit
Pradesh. By one single stroke, New
Delhi has sadly stoked the fire of disintegration.
Will it be able to handle the churnings in other States while dealing with
Telangana, is the big question.
* * * *
Rural Bengal
With TMC
Rural West Bengal has given
a thumbs’ up to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s TMC rule. The party won hands
down in the panchayat polls in 13 of the 17 districts. More importantly, the
TMC wrested 11 districts from the Left Front (since 2008) and relegated its
erstwhile ally, the Congress to the background, thus sending the signal that it
needed no crutches. An elated Mamata viewed the verdict as that of her party
having passed an agnipariksha (baptism by fire) and that the mandate of
Ma-Maati-Manush (Mother-Earth-People) was on their side. A dejected Left Front
will obviously need to introspect what went wrong and how to make a comeback.
More so, as the TMC wiped out the Left in its own bastions, such as Burdwan,
Birbhum, Midnapore, Hooghly districts etc. The
tally is worth a mention—of the 3215 gram panchayat seats, the TMC bagged
1,788, the Left only 708, the Congress a sorry 233 and the BJP a miserable 7
seats! While the losers will attribute poor performance to electoral
malpractices, coercion of voters, terror tactics adopted by TMC workers etc,
the fact is the rural folk have put their faith in Mamata, much to the chagrin
of Kolkatan’s who are peeved by Didi’s histrionics. But, should she care? Not
anymore.
* * * *
UP’s Babu-Politician War
An all-out war between the bureaucracy and the politician
has erupted in Uttar Pradesh. The suspension of young Sub-Divisional Magistrate
Durga Shakti Nagpal, by the Akhilesh Yadav government has not only hit the
headlines, but even reached the Centre’s doorsteps. On Thursday last, Minister
of State for Personnel assured a delegation of the All India IAS Officers’
Association seeking revocation of the order that “justice would be done”. The
case may well embarrass the SP government as facts don’t tally with the charges.
While the political class alleges that Durga ordered demolition of a mosque’s
wall without due process, which could lead to “communal tension and a law and
order problem”, her colleagues and the Opposition assert that she was removed
for cracking down on the powerful sand mafia in Gautam Budh Nagar, Noida, by
seizing 30 dumpers and filing two dozen-odd FIRs against illegal mining. While
the Government is busy rubbishing this accusation, it seems to have overlooked
the area District Magistrate’s report. It stated that the mosque’s wall was
demolished by the local villagers and not Durga! Will the SP government have
mud on its face?
* * * *
Financial Inclusion in MP
Madhya Pradesh and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan are
upbeat. The State’s Integrated Social Security Mission has come out with flying
colours, with bankers appreciating the Government’s financial inclusion
efforts. Statistics show that the 1,567 bank branches and “ultra small banks”
have opened in the State so far. Over the past eight months, Rs 600 worth
transactions have taken place and about 1 crore 30 lakh-odd accounts have
opened up in ultra small banks. Its eventual goal too doesn’t seem too far. The
State proposes to ensure that 100 per cent pensioners and MGNREGRA beneficiaries
start receiving payments through direct fund transfer in the 1st phase to be
followed by payments for scholarships, health-related benefits etc in the
second. Add to this, kudos by bankers that MP is the “only” State which has
perfect syncronization between the RBI, the State Government and other agencies
concerned.” Other than the State, the Centre and the Congress should be elated
too. Its direct benefit transfer scheme is showing results.
* * * *
Assam’s Shame
Assam Government should hang its head in shame. It has an abysmal record
in regard to the safety of its women. In its books, the State has a shocking
number of cases of women being raped –12,857--in the past eight years (2005-May
2013). This is no hearsay, but statics
given out by the State Home department. Worse, the numbers are bound to be more
as many cases go unreported as is well-known. This apart, the State registered
19,902 cases of women abduction, of which 14,488 were related to marriage. Add
to this, another 1,069 lives lost in dowry-related cases, and 66 women becoming
victims of witch hunting. While thousands have been arrested for the above
crimes committed, the Government has an arduous task ahead. The State has
witnessed a rise in population, lack of jobs, insufficient manpower in law
enforcement agencies, etc. Will these be addressed and how, is the question it
must address to make its women feel safe.
* * * *
TN’s Liquor Loss Case!
Cheers, literally to the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. It has a new
brand of an idea for compensating the State exchequer’s losses during an
agitation as well as knocking out its political opponents. The State government
has asked rival Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) to cough up Rs 20 crore as
compensation for the loss in revenue in liquor sales during its agitation held
between April 30 and May 15. It claimed that liquor sale in 12 districts
dropped drastically as the TN State Marketing Corporation shops couldn’t open
on time and had to down shutters at 6 p.m. during the agitation following
arrest of PMK leaders. While the demand seems absurd, the State insists on
having the legal backing. It has provisions in a law which allows recovery of
compensation from a political party or a group for any damage or loss caused to
property during an agitation. Even liquor? Yes, goes the argument as its sales
amount to one-fourth of the State’s revenue. How PMK chief S
Ramadoss is going to handle this liquor case is worth a watch.
More so, as he is all for complete prohibition in the State!---INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)
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