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.   

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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.

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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?

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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. 

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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.

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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)