Round The States

New Delhi, 24 July 2014

Unsavoury Roti Episode

SHIV SENA MUST EAT ITS WORDS

By Insaf

Muscle-flexing in the worst possible fashion, appears to be the Shiv Sena’s mantra. In Maharashtra it continues to defend the indefensible. Despite wide outrage over a fasting Muslim contractor being forced by its MP to eat a ‘roti’ during Ramzan at the Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi, the party has simply no regret. In an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamna, it states that it respects all religions “but will not tolerate if anyone tries to flaunt his religious affiliation for intimidation.” Its advice: “One should keep his religion in his heart and in his house. But if someone wears it on sleeve and tries to malign Shiv Sena by playing politics over it, we will not tolerate it”! But should others tolerate this unbecoming behaviour of its MPs? Surely, if its members are upset over mismanagement and poor service at the Sadan there are civilised ways of voicing their protest. The party’s excuse that it was just ‘a coincidence’ that the contractor was a Muslim, is too untenable as he was wearing a name tag as well as being addressed by name by others. It’s accusation that the State government was trying to give ‘a communal colour’ to the incident may also not find many takers. It is so because the party over the past few decades is behaving as law unto oneself! Its alliance partner, the BJP and the Government should make it eat its words. For starters, an apology is the least that it should get the MPs to make. Surely, with the ensuing Assembly election it will not be asking for too much.  

*                     *                                         *                        *                    *                              *

Parting Ways In J&K

That there are no permanent friends in politics has only been reconfirmed by developments in Jammu & Kashmir. The alliance between the Congress and National Conference has gone kaput.  While which of the two parties took the call first is uncertain with both staking claim, the fact is that the two partners since 2002 and 2008 will not contest ensuing Assembly elections together. Guess both are smarting under the recent Lok Sabha poll’s verdict, wherein neither won a single seat of the six. The blame game is but obvious – maladministration on both the State and Central front being voiced as the reason of the pathetic performance. But what the two don’t realise is that their common opponent, the People’s Democratic Front (PDP) which won three Lok Sabha seats is looking rather upbeat. Its chances of coming to power have become brighter. This is so, that while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will pay a price for utter bad governance, the Congress will no longer be any help in the numbers’ game. As it is, it has no votebank in the Valley and worse, its base in Jammu has taken a harsh beating with the BJP having won the other three LS seats. Parting of ways has surely given the PDP a leg up. Will it be able to make the best of it?

*                     *                                         *                        *                    *                              *

TN Unsavoury Case

A decade-old decision taken in Delhi has raised a political storm in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere. Shockingly, interference of the Prime Minister’s Office in judicial appointments has come into sharp focus. The case of clearing an extension for a judge of the Madras High Court under PMO pressure, despite the Collegium’s initial reservations in 2005, has put a big question mark on the judiciary’s independence. The AIADMK particularly, has taken up the case to score brownie points against rival DMK, then an ally of UPA-I and wanting that the minister who pressurised the PMO be named. While the party was successful in stalling proceedings in both Houses of Parliament, it sadly missed the woods for the trees. The moot point being that what transpired was unacceptable—political interference in judicial appointment in addition to overlooking corruption in the higher judiciary. While both the previous Government and the judiciary are bound to be embarrassed pink, the debate should now focus on the need to expedite the constitution of the Judicial Appointments Commission. Accordingly, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has stated that the Government is considering reworking the process of appointment of judges. But hasn’t that been the case since the 90s? 

*                     *                                         *                        *                    *                              *

Growing North-East Woes

Why does Delhi have an anathema for the North-East? This is a question which may well be doing the rounds in the region, following the news of a man from Manipur being beaten to death in South Delhi hitting the headlines. Though investigations continue, the moot point is there was neither any enmity nor any provocation. The group of men simply beat him brutally. Is it just a case of road rage as being made out? Those hailing from the region may not agree. Many may have reason enough to view the dastardly act as yet another case of “racism”. How else does one explain the fact that the nation’s capital has since 2014 beginning witnessed four cases of attacks—a young boy from Arunachal Pradesh died after being beaten up at Lajpat Nagar market in January, in February a minor girl from Manipur was sexually assaulted at Munirka and two young men from the same State were assaulted by a group of men at Ambedkar Nagar and in May a girl from Nagaland, studying to be a law student in Delhi University was molested by another lawyer at a metro station. Undeniably, there is urgent need to pay extra attention to the safety of those from the North-East. Will the Centre make a note or allow this growing sense of discrimination take sinister tone? 

*                     *                                         *                        *                    *                              *

Delhi’s VIP House Crunch

Lutyen’s Delhi has a major housing problem in hand. Forget the common man, this time it’s the 300-odd new members of Parliament. The city is facing a resource crunch. And, oddly enough it isn’t because New Delhi doesn’t have the flats or the bungalows, but that those residing in these are unwilling to give up the luxury. The CPWD is finding it very tough to give a roof to the new MPs, many of which are being forced to stay in their respective State Bhavans during Parliament session. While the Urban Development Ministry claims that many MPs have moved out, a large number of former ministers are playing truant since May. Despite being given repeated notices, they have so far refused to budge, forcing the Ministry to issue eviction notices. While it may have good reason to use force on the strength of the Supreme Court’s observation stating those overstaying in government accommodations should be evicted, it is keeping its fingers crossed that it doesn’t have to resort to unsavoury action. How long will its patience last and how soon will the new MPs and ministers get their rightful place, is worth a watch. ---INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)