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Round
The States
New
Delhi, 26 December 2014
J&K
Govt
COMPLEX JIGSAW
PUZZLE
By Insaf
Government formation in Jammu &
Kashmir is indeed turning out to be a complex jigsaw puzzle. The big question
is whether the BJP will be successful in knocking out the Congress yet again.
The two are in talks with both the State’s mainstream parties-- People’s
Democratic Party and the National Conference to work out the elusive power
sharing formula. While the numbers game may well go in favour for the BJP,
which has 25 MLAs, the Congress, with 12 MLAs has had the advantage of going
piggy back with both the NC and the PDP in the past. However, while
PDP-Congress or NC-Congress combine falls short of majority, the BJP tying up
with either two puts the government in a happier position. But will the PDP or
the NC go along with the BJP, risking losing their credibility? But in today’s
politics, there are no outcastes. As NC’s Omar Abdullah said if JD(U) and RJD
could get together why not PDP and NC? But chances of such coming together are
being ruled out. In fact, the BJP is confident that it will be part of the
Government. Other than having a rotational Chief Minister formula, it has the
advantage of giving ministerial berth at the Centre to either the NC or PDP,
whichever is game. In all this backroom talks and race for being in the seat of
power, one thing is certain—none of the parties want imposition of President’s
rule. The people voted in large numbers and would rightly want that the
suspense doesn’t hang too long.
* * * *
Assam’s Bloodbath
The bloodbath in Assam’s
Kokrajhar and Sonitpur districts has put the spotlight once again on both the
State and Centre’s strategy to fight insurgency. The dastardly massacre of
70-odd adivasis by the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (S), should not
get bogged down to a blame game between the security forces and the police.
Rather, efforts should be made to intensify the operations against the banned
NDFB. More so, as this is the third big attack by the militants in past two
years. In June, 40 Bengali speaking Muslims were massacred and in 2012 the
bloody conflict between Bodos and Bangladeshi immigrants had left 100 dead and
over 4 lakh people displaced in Kokrajhar. While the Centre has rushed the Army
to the area, the State Government must take steps to prevent the outbreak of
inter-ethnic strife. At the same time, the Home Ministry has decided that it
would no longer be soft with the NDFB. It has ruled out talks with it and
warned of tough action. Hope, not mere words again.
* * * *
Rajasthan
Panchayat Polls
Rajasthan has changed the rules of
the game. For Panchayat elections, it now wants the candidates to have some
basic education. This would be a step forward to curb embezzlement of funds meant
for development as well as encourage education in rural areas, is the Vasundhra
Raje Government’s reasoning. An ordinance amending the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj
Act, 1994 has thus been promulgated which stipulates the educational
qualifications necessary for contesting these polls—Class 10 for zilla parishad
and panchayat samiti, Class 8 for sarpanch and Class 5 for Scheduled Castes
seats. However, civil society groups and the Opposition beg to differ and have
termed the Ordinance as “discriminatory,” on grounds that the poor cannot
afford to go to schools and the literacy rate among women in the State is 45.5
per cent. They automatically get barred, is the outcry. The polls are next
month and only time will tell which of the two arguments hold good.
* * * *
Maratha Quota
Bill
The
BJP-Shiv Sena Government in Maharashtra may
have bitten more than it can chew. While it has ensured passage of the
Reservation Bill for Marathas, it has put on hold the same for Muslims!
Remember, the then Congress-NCP government had in June passed an Ordinance
giving 16 per cent reservation for backward Marathas and five per cent for
Muslims in educational institutions and government jobs. While the High Court
had passed an interim order staying these, it had allowed five per cent
reservation for Muslims in educational institutions. But the Government has
allowed the Ordinance to lapse, by not bringing a Reservation Bill for Muslims,
triggering protests from Opposition such as “implementing RSS communal agenda
and discriminating against the minority community”. However, Chief Minister
Fadnavis has argued the Bill would be brought ‘once satisfied it can stand
legal scrutiny.’ How is he sure the Bill for Marathas is perfect? The community
is not considered ‘backward’ and the total reservation in the State would go
beyond the Supreme Court’s maximum permissible limit of 50%. Another ‘populist
move’?
* * * *
‘Achhe Din’ In Jharkhand?
The
BJP-All Jharkhand Students Union alliance winning a comfortable majority of 42
seats in the 81-member Assembly in Jharkhand gives hope for a stable government
finally. Since its creation 14 years ago, the State has seen nine governments
and three spells of President’s rule! Other than instability, guess the people
were simply fed up with corruption and yearned for a change. BJP’s development
mantra did the trick to a large extent, other than of course its opponents not
being able to put up a united fight. The Congress’ decision to snap ties with
the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha was definitely a mistake and its grand alliance with
JD (U) and RJD was a no-go. However, the poll results have shown a polarisation
of votes between the tribals and non-tribals. While the BJP consolidated its
traditional Hindu vote bank it couldn’t reach out to the tribals, as did the
ruling JMM, which shall now play the role of the Opposition. Having won on its
stability plank, the BJP will now to ensure ‘achhe din” (good days) for Jharkhand.
* * * *
Conversions
In States
Reports of religious conversions
continue to pour in from different States. While ‘ghar wapsi’ (home coming)
programmes have since Agra been undertaken in
Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, Bihar has
added a new angle to the ongoing row. Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, has
asked the District Magistrate to conduct an inquiry into alleged conversion of
over 60 people, belonging to the scheduled caste to Christianity. The ceremony
is said to have taken place during Christmas festivity at village Atia, Gaya district. While he
said it could have been “due to lack of awareness, somewhere it seems that
money or education was used to lure the people.” The probe will provide a clear
picture and action will be taken against the guilty, he has assured. Likewise,
the Congress Government in Kerala has ordered a magisterial inquiry into 70
persons from Christian families being ‘converted’ to Hinduism in Kottayam.
Sadly, various administrations are getting bogged down in the conversion
conundrum instead of working for the welfare and progress of their States. ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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