|
Round The States
6
November 2014, New Delhi
Chit
Fund Scam
ODISHA
GOVT IN DOCK?
By Insaf
The Naveen Patnaik government in
Odisha is not only embarrassed pink, but has its image tarnished. An MP and two
of its former MLAs were arrested by the CBI in connection with the chit fund
fraud worth over Rs 500 crore. The fraud is an offshoot of the mega Saradha
scam in West Bengal, and has been under the
CBI’s scanner since the Supreme Court ordered the probe into 44 companies, in
May. The trio are alleged to have duped lakhs of investors in the State through
a company, Naba Diganta Capital Services, of which they were founder-directors.
However, they are pleading innocence and claim they resigned from the firm in
2012, but their resignation was accepted in 2013! Chief Minister Patnaik too
doesn’t take their word. The MP has been suspended from the party. However, it
is too little and too late. The Amicus Curiae in this case has accused the BJD
government of stifling the CBI probe to protect influential politicians. The
court had directed the CBI to probe the scam involving 44 firms, but till now
only four had been investigated! The reason being stated is that there has been
total non-cooperation from the State government in providing adequate manpower
and infrastructure facilities to the agency. The Opposition too has stepped up
its tirade, alleging that party heavyweights are involved in the scam as it has
patronage from the government and that more skeletons will come out of the
cupboard. Will Patnaik be able to weather the storm and be able to retain his
clean and transparent government image? Time will tell.
* * * * *
TN
Politics
Preparations it seems are already
afoot for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections way ahead in 2016. The rumblings in
the Congress State unit are clear signals. With
its former Union shipping minister G K Vasan quitting the party on Monday last
and deciding to float a new one, whispers of new alliances being forged have
started. While Vasan, who had merged the Tamil Maanila Congress, formed by his
late father G K Moopanar, with the Congress in 2002, has chosen to cite reasons
of the High Command being insensitive to issues related to Tamil Nadu, the move
is instead being seen as looking for greener pastures. The Congress, after the
Lok Sabha elections especially is viewed more of a baggage in the State,
dominated by the AIADMK and the DMK for over four decades. However, things are
not hunky dory for the two Dravidian parties with their leaders mired in
corruption cases. The BJP, which is brimming with confidence after its recent
victories in Haryana and Maharashtra, is
seeing a glimmer of hope. While it is already in an alliance with the DMDK, the
MDMK and the PMK it has made no mark whatsoever. Nevertheless, it loses nothing
in dreaming big. Its President Amit Shah is soon to chalk out a strategy to
bring about a “paradigm shift in TN politics.” Will TN have a “strong
alternative?”
* * * * *
UP’s
Money Politics
Money power in politics is no
secret. And thanks to recent claims and counter claims in Uttar Pradesh,
there’s confirmation of the deals getting bigger and murkier. Former Chief
Minister and BSP supremo Mayawati on Wednesday last alleged that former Union
minister and party national general secretary Akhilesh Das offered her Rs 100
crore for re-nominating him to the Rajya Sabha! Addressing the media, she
further said that she would not have offered a ticket to Das, whose term ends
on November 25, “even if he offered R s 200 crore!” On the other hand, Das who
quit the party a day earlier posed a counter and alleged that he did not offer
any money to Mayawati rather it was behenji who extorted money from candidates
contesting Assembly and parliamentary elections. So was he unable to cough up
the amount asked or was Mayawati unhappy with Das, who hails from the Vaishya community,
for not helping the party’s interest? While it’s anybody’s guess who is telling
the truth, it is time the bigger malady of buying and selling of seats is
seriously addressed. The Upper House must lead the debate this winter session.
* * * * *
J&K
Killings
New Delhi is worried stiff over the
killing of two teenagers in Budgam district, in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday
last by the Army. The timing couldn’t have been worse, with the Assembly
elections announced and political parties soon to kick off their campaign. The
Valley is tense and the Army is in damage control mode. While it initially
claimed that the car didn’t stop when asked and the ‘militants’ inside had
fired first, the Army changed its stance saying there were different versions
and it is conducting a thorough inquiry. At the same time, the Army decided to
shift the entire company of the Rashtriya Rifles from the area. Surprisingly,
even Defence Minister Jaitley has expressed regret and ensured a “fair inquiry
and action taken against those found guilty.” In addition, the Home Ministry
has asked for a report. The Union government’s response has caught the
attention of the locals, as in the past such promptness hasn’t never been seen.
The answer obviously lies in the battle of the ballot. The BJP would need to be
prepared countering the accusations that will come flying its way by its main
rivals-- the National Conference and the PDP which will flog the incident for
political gains. Its strategy is worth a watch.
* * * * *
Human
Rights Violations
The national capital Delhi and five
north-eastern States are in the red when it comes to human rights’ violations.
Even after over two decades of a Central law-- Protection of Human Rights Act
being passed in 1993, these six are yet to set up State Human Rights
Commissions (SHRCs). Worse, Delhi holds the reputation of having the second
highest number of human rights violation cases between October 2010 and
September 2012 as reported by none other than the National Human Rights Commission.
Ironically, the five north-eastern States of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh,
Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, have not moved a finger despite all being
disturbed States saddled with problems of tribal warfare, ethnic violence,
custodial deaths, insurgency, foreign immigration etc. It goes without saying
that the concerned Governments must set up the SHRCs without any further delay
to keep a check on and redress human rights violations. The Supreme Court is
seized of the matter and all eyes are on it to see how soon it yields the
stick. ---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature
Alliance)
|
Archives 
