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Modi In Stalking Net: CONGRESS DEMANDS ANSWERS, By Insaf, 21 Nov, 2013 Print E-mail

Round The States

New Delhi, 21 November 2013

Modi In Stalking Net

CONGRESS DEMANDS ANSWERS

By Insaf

 

The snooping and stalking case of a young woman in August 2009 involving BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate “Saheb” Narendra Modi exposed by social network investigative sites Cobranet and Gulail gets curiouser and curiouser. Resulting in a war of words between the Congress and BJP. Sensing an opportunity to nail Modi and his close aide ex State Home Minister Amit Shah, the Congress is correct in questioning why three branches of the police, Crime branch, Anti-Terrorist squad and the Intelligence Bureau were used for “illegal surveillance” in the name of “monitoring” nee providing security to a young woman on the verbal request of the girl’s father to Chief Minister Modi and demanded an inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge. The BJP avers that it did so as it was duty bound to protect a young woman and  trashed allegations as the handiwork of the Congress’s "dirty tricks wing".  However, it leaves many questions unanswered.  The Telegraph Act does not allow ‘monitoring’ of a common citizen on a parent’s verbal hearsay. Two, the State needs to answer if the lady is vital to the State’s security interest, a terrorist or a security threat. With accusations flying thick and fast between arch rivals Congress and BJP, the truth is still a long way off.

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Karnataka ATMs To Shut Down?

In this busy season of crime against women, Karnataka earns the ignominious distinction of being the latest State wherein a 44-year-old woman was brutally attacked inside an ATM on Tuesday night. Ironically, the savage attack came a day after the Prime Minister launched the Bharatiya Mahila Bank predominantly for women. Most scandalously, the dastardly attack brought to the fore the brutal reality that over 600 of the city’s 2580 ATMs are sans security guards. Moreover, it emphasis the banks inability to completely security their premises. vulnerability  A shocked State Administration has demanded the banks to get their act together and provide suitable security else pull down the shutters of its ATMs’. Predictably, private banks cry foul as it is not mandatory for them to post security guards at every ATM location. Also they wonder why a large part of the State Police is deployed for VIP security instead of providing security for cash transfer operations and patrols. In fact, some banks have removed ATMs in the hinterland after threats of loot and robbery. Clearly, this incident highlights once again the plight of the women in the increasing  deteriorating law and order state in the nation whereby it is inherent for the Government to secure the aam aadmi and his money.

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Congress-CPI-PPP Pact

Wonders never cease. After an ugly break-up with the Left Parties in 2008 over the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Congress used the non-Congress secular unity conclave in Delhi last month to bring about a thaw in ties. Resulting in the Party busy stitching up an alliance with one ‘red’ faction, CPI and Chief Minister Badal’s estranged nephew-ex Finance Minister Manpreet Badal’s Punjab Peoples Party for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.  Its calculus is simple: One, in a four-cornered contest between the ruling Akali-BJP combine, Congress, CPI and PPP with votes being divided, the Congress could lose. Given that  the CPI has a comfortable base in Punjab and the fledgling PPP netted 9% votes in its debut during last year’s Assembly poll, despite Badal losing. Together the trio could beat the SAD-BJP combine. Thus, the Congress has agreed to back the CPI in the Faridkot Lok Sabha constituency presently held by the Akali Dal and both Parties are hooting for the PPP in Bathinda, a seat represented by Manpreet’s cousin and Dy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal’s wife. It is hoping the CPI-PP would reciprocate by leaving the remaining 11 Lok Sabha seats for the Congress. It remains to be seen if the Grand Dame will emerge successful in increasing its Parliamentary tally from the present 6 out of 13 seats. Pertinent also is whether the CPM which hardly has a presence in Punjab would agree to its younger sibling playing footsie with the Congress.

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Kerala’s New Airport A Pipedream

A spanking new international airport in Kerala continues to be mired in controversies, thanks to local leaders. Shockingly, after the Rs2000 crore Aranmula project was cleared by the Union Environment Ministry, the State politicians bandied together opposing it on the fallacious plea that it would lead to environmental damage of the Western Ghats, the site where the airport is to be built. Both the CPM and Congress have shot down the proposal on the grounds that it would destroy agricultural land. The BJP too which hardly has a presence in the State, too dittoes its rivals stand. Further, even as the Centre wants implementation of the Kasturirangan report which after studying the ecological impact has permitted mining and quarrying in 63 per cent of the Western Ghats, various Parties local units cry foul. Clearly, Keralites will have to wait beyond 2015 before a new airport comes up.

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Crime & Money In Poll Season

Actions speak louder than words seems to be our politicians dictum. Even as Parties tom-tom denying tickets to criminals in the five Assembly polls, a cursory glance at Madhya Pradesh turns this proposition on its head. Most scandalously, out of 686 candidates in the poll fray over 206 are law-breakers facing charges of murder, kidnapping and crime against women. Notably, the Congress tops the list with 91 (40%) of its 228 candidates followed by BJP’s 61. Even the BSP which has a marginal presence in the State accounts for 24 per cent of its candidates listed as criminals.  Alongside, it’s raining money during elections. Underscored by the seizure of over Rs.16 crores by the Election Commission in the five poll-bound States, Rajasthan (7.13 crores), Madhya Pradesh Rs. 5.69 crore, Chhattisgarh, Rs.3.86 crore and the rest from Delhi and Mizoram. The EC also netted Rs.1.30 crores from a Tamil Nadu Assembly constituency Yercaud bye-poll. Indeed, not much has changed. Welcome to the C+M club: Crime and money makes the poll mare run!

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Bangalore, Chennai Most Corrupt

Believe it or not. India’s IT capital Bangalore and professional Chennai are the country’s two most corrupt cities according to an anti-corruption website Janaagraha. Whereby both have been accused of paying bribes totaling Rs.23 crores. Chennaiites lead the way by voluntary disclosing that they paid a cumulative over Rs.7 crore in the last three years to bribe government officials to get water, sewerage and electricity connection alongwith land documents. Bangalorites paid the balance Rs.16 crores. Till date 22,378 people "confessed" to greasing palms totaling Rs. 58 crores. India’s business capital Mumbai tailed at number three (Rs.7 crores) followed by Delhi (4.4 crore) and Hyderabad (Rs.2.89 crore). Significantly, 20 bribe experiences are reported daily across the country. What next?---INFA

 

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

 

 

 

 

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