Home arrow Archives arrow Round the States arrow Round The States-2015 arrow Vyapam Scam: MADHYA PRADESH’S SHAME, By Insaf, 9 July, 2015
 
Home
News and Features
INFA Digest
Parliament Spotlight
Dossiers
Publications
Journalism Awards
Archives
RSS
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vyapam Scam: MADHYA PRADESH’S SHAME, By Insaf, 9 July, 2015 Print E-mail

Round The States

New Delhi, 9 July 2015

Vyapam Scam

MADHYA PRADESH’S SHAME

By Insaf

 

The stars seem to be fast deserting the ruling party BJP. After Rajasthan, BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh has been in the eye of a storm, rather hurricane. The going is getting tough for Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan with the Vyapam scam, involving mind-boggling manipulation in the selection process for government jobs conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB), getting murkier day-by-day. Politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats are said to have a finger in the mega scandal involving crores of rupees. But what is worse is that it has sinister dimensions. So far 48 people have died in mysterious circumstances and the count is growing. Murder, screams the opposition, ‘coincidence’ says the government! Sadly, not much has surfaced since the MP High Court started monitoring the special task force (STF) investigations through a Special Investigation Team (SIT) from 2012 and despite 2000 people arrested.

 

However, the recent scandalous death of a TV journalist, followed by a constable and the Dean of a University have hit the national headlines, leading to a spate of petitions in the Supreme Court, which has now ordered the CBI to investigate the matter and get to the bottom of the truth. This apart, it has issued notices to Governor Ram Naresh Yadav on a petition challenging the High Court’s order to quash an FIR registered against him in the scam relating to recruitment of forest guards. The timing couldn’t have been worse for the Modi government, which tom-toms corruption-free governance. Encircled by the Lalitgate affair, the Vyapam scandal adds to its miseries. How it jostles out of it, is anybody’s guess. 

*                                   *                                   *                                   *

 

Rajasthan Courts Controversy

While Madhya Pradesh may have dimmed the spotlight on the Vasundhra Raje-Lalit Modi scandal, Rajasthan continues to make news, for the wrong reasons. Governor Kalyan Singh of Babri Masjid fame has put his foot in his mouth, much to embarrassment of the parry. At the convocation of the Rajasthan University, he has questioned some words in the national anthem. In his interpretation, the word adhinayak (person) praises the angreezi sashan (British rule) of pre-independence era and he wants it replaced with the word ‘mangal’, notwithstanding his respect for the anthem’s writer Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Moreover, he would also, like the replacement of ‘mahamahin’ ne ‘His Excellency’ as nobody is today mahan (great), he argues and this too is of the raj relic. Predictably mum is the word from the BJP headquarters in Delhi. And, if this is not enough, BJP MLAs have joined forces with the RSS to red flag the demolition of temples in Jaipur to make way for the metro. They are resorting to chakka jam (traffic blockade) in the State capital. Leading the charge is Raje known detractor Narpat Singh Rajvi, who has likened the demolition drive to Mughal king Auranzeb’s time and warned that these would cost the party dearly. Pertinently, the demolitions have been undertaken by the State government drive against unauthorised religious structures in line with the Supreme Court order in 2013. Over the last one year of the 73 shrines that have been razed, 65 were temples. Another hot potato on Raje’s plate?

 

*                                   *                                   *                                   *

States To Check Prices?

Hoarding and black marketing should be a no-go in all States. This is Centre’s advice to State food and consumer affairs ministers. With the weather god playing truant and fears of rain deficiency and spurt in vegetable prices, Union Food Ministry has prepared a six-month contingency plan. Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has asked States to crackdown on hoarders and black marketeers, ensure adequate supplies of pulses, rice, edible oil, onion, potato and tomatoes and remove inter-State trade barriers. Besides, the advisory is to identify ‘vulnerable areas’ of supply shortages and that ‘stock-out’ situation doesn’t arise. However, the Centre is guarded. It doesn’t want to impose ‘inspector raj.’ “You have the powers against the hoarders so please use these’, it urges. At the same time, the Centre is preparing itself to bring cheers to consumers. It proposes to amend the Consumer Protection Act, wherein the aggrieved will no longer have to wait for years for justice, every district would have a consumer court, a lawyer would no longer be mandatory and there would be an option for mediation. Will the common man be spared high costs and agony, is worth a watch. 

 

*                                   *                                   *                                   *

Punjab For Farmers Rights

Punjab is batting for its farmers. The NDA’s ally, the Shiromani Akali Dal is clearly not on the same boat as the Centre. It is learnt to have objected in writing to certain clauses in the controversial Land Acquisition Bill, referred to a Standing committee of Parliament. Making a clear note that land is precious to its farmers the SAD is firm that there must be 100 per cent consent of farmers. If the farmer doesn’t want to sell his land he should be allowed to become a partner in its development. Besides, it is vital that the social impact is studied and that the land must be acquired only for the public sector and not for private entities, as is being alleged. The SAD has also suggested that not only should the farmer be paid for the land, but be given an additional displacement allowance. And, if he becomes a partner, he should get back 50 per cent of the developed land as his share. The Centre, it has made known cannot have its way as the States’ land laws should be followed first given the fact that land is in the concurrent list. And while it is aware that the Centre is going slow on the Bill, and it may not figure in this Parliament session, it is best to keep the record straight. Playing tough, is it?

*                                   *                                   *                                   *

Women Have Rights

Unwed mothers and deserted wives across the country have reason to cheer. In keeping with its endeavours to give a leg up to gender equality, the Supreme Court in a path breaking order has ruled that unwed mothers could be a child’s guardian without the father’s consent and she doesn’t have to name the father. The order thus protects both the unmarried mother and child from social stigma, which sadly is very common in India. Undeniably, today’s women demand parity with men and yearn to change mindsets. Fortunately, the Kerala High Court too has come to the rescue of women. In an order, it has ruled that a woman deserted by her husband shall have the right to get her child’s passport without having to obtain the husband’s consent. Thus, the Passport offices across the country would need to take note. No longer can they insist that consent should be obtained from the father or an order from a competent court. Instead the passport must be issued in the minor child’s name if the mother files an affidavit. It remains to be seen if these judgements will remove the obscurantist attitude of the various authorities? ---INFA

 

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)

 

< Previous   Next >
 
   
     
 
 
  Mambo powered by Best-IT