Round The States

3 October 2013, New Delhi

Notorious Bihar & UP

DOWNFALL OF THE POWERFUL

By Insaf

Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have rung warning bells across the nation. Three of their most powerful leaders are behind bars. Bihar’s two former Chief Ministers-- RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and former Congress leader and presently with JD(U) Jagannath Mishra have  been sentenced to five and fours’ years imprisonment respectively in the near two-decade old fodder scam, whereas Congress MP from UP and former Minister of State for Health in VP Singh Government Rasheed Masood has got a four-year jail term for fraudulently manipulating admissions in medical colleges in Tripura. Importantly, Lalu (Lok Sabha) and Masood (Rajya Sabha) have also earned the distinction of losing their membership of Parliament. Their hopes of retaining their seats were dashed on Wednesday last, with the Union Cabinet doing a U-turn on its Ordinance on convicted MPs and MLAs.

Fortunately, good sense prevailed on the Congress core group with the realisation that its attempt to protect convicted lawmakers would only boomerang on it in an election year. It’s a different story that the decision in New Delhi swayed by Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has led to unsavoury controversy putting another question mark on the Prime Minister’s authority. However, not to miss the woods for the trees, the convictions are a wake-up call for the political fraternity. ‘Law-breakers cannot be law makers’, is now no longer a slogan. It’s a reality--reason to rejoice for the people and a frightful thought for our politicians to ponder over. 

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States Flog Centre           

State Governments have literally given the Centre enough food for thought for it to handle. At a meeting of Food Ministers in Delhi on Tuesday last, the big question was how the Union Government proposes to share the cost of the Food Security Bill with the States. In fact, many sought to seek their pound of flesh by asking the Centre to dole out ‘advance funds’ for implementing the Act, which they criticised was passed in a tearing hurry for electoral gains.  Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh in particular castigated the UPA Government for bringing in an Act and asking them to expedite the programme without having a system in place. Importantly, the Centre and States need to agree on sharing costs of provisions such as enhanced commission to fair price shop owners, cost of handling transportation, intermediary godowns etc. However, the Food Ministers insisted the Centre would need to bear these costs, which could amount to Rs 10,000 crore annually. With too much criticism on his plate, Union Food Minister K V Thomas had the usual recipe to offer: a committee of secretaries would look into the States’ grievances and demands!              

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Gujarat Lokayukta Battle

Gujarat is in for another battle between the Governor and Narendra Modi’s Government. On Tuesday last, the State Assembly passed the Gujarat Lokayukta Aayog Bill, 2013 for the second time, notwithstanding Governor Kamla Beniwal’s strong reservations on it. She had returned the Bill (earlier passed in April) for reconsideration in September terming it as “a travesty of the institution of the ombudsman”. However, Modi continues to be adamant to have his way. The new Bill seeks to empower his Government in the appointment of the Lokayukta, by doing away with the role of the Chief Justice of the High Court. Recall, the two authorities have been at loggerheads since August 2011, after Beniwal appointed Justice RA Mehta, a retired judge of the HC as the Lokayukta ignoring Modi’s views. The Government challenged the appointment but lost all the way—from HC to the Supreme Court. With Mehta declining to take over in the backdrop of the murky controversy, Modi has again sought to have it his way. Will he, is the big question as the Bill needs the Governor’s assent. Will she oblige?   

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MP Govt Red-Faced

Madhya Pradesh government has been left red-faced. The daring jail break by seven dreaded SIMI terrorists from the Khandwa prison on Tuesday last, is the last thing that Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan, would want as he prepares for the Assembly polls. Other than suspending the jail in-charge and the warden, and managing to arrest one of the terrorists, the State administration has made little headway in the manhunt. This apart, the Centre is rightly breathing down its neck seeking an explanation. However, while it prepares its case, the Government must take an impassioned look at its security system. It’s nothing short of being disgustingly shocking. The prison is among things not only overcrowded (having 570 inmates instead of 170), terribly short of guards (26 instead of 87 required) and doesn’t even have perimeter fencing or search lights! Any attempt to wriggle out of owning responsibility on grounds that the situation is no different in other States would be foolish. Particularly, in this case, when the country’s counter-terrorism operation has taken a severe beating and that two wrongs don’t make a right.    

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Himachal Win Over Delhi

Himachal Pradesh is upbeat. It has won its case against Delhi Government’s ‘arbitrary order’ and provided much-needed relief to its apple growers. On Tuesday last, the Delhi High Court rejected the Delhi Government’s notification to charge 6 per cent commission from them to sell their produce in the city’s Azadpur Mandi. Himachal apples are world famous and constitute about 93 per cent of the State’s total fruit produce. However, the growers were at the receiving end, as the commission agents at the mandi were fleecing them, thanks to the notification. Successive State Governments had taken up the issue with its counterpart insisting that the commission be taken from the buyers and not the sellers. With the Delhi court finally coming to its rescue, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh should be pleased with the timing. Not only shall the credit go to his government, but that he can be hopeful that Delhi wouldn’t play spoilsport. Two Congress-ruled States shouldn’t be seen to be warring.

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Goa’s Paperless Assembly?

Goa shall soon have a paperless Legislative Assembly, if all goes well. Next week’s session shall go into a trial mode. In the meantime, members are being trained to send questions online and receive the replies in the e-format underway. However, it is not going to be easy, as like all other Assemblies a large number of questions/replies and Bills are tabled. But the first steps are being taken as witnessed early January when Governor B V Wanchoo chose to read his opening address on a High Definition screen. This apart, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has promised to give ipads to all MLAs so that they could upload the questions and answers during the discussions in the House. While the goal is welcome, the calibre of MLAs will be crucial in achieving it. If successful, Goa could be a trendsetter.---INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)