Round The States

New Delhi, 7 August 2015

Naga Agreement

‘PEACE’, IT SHALL BE?

By Insaf

The Naga peace accord, scripted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NSCN (IM) has more questions than answers. While the Government has termed it as ‘historic’ and assured that it will not only ‘heal wounds’ and resolve problems but also be a partner to ‘restore pride and prestige,’ there is ambiguity on the parameters how it shall be achieved. While the NSCN(IM) had started itself by demanding the creation of “Greater Nagaland” or “Nagalim,” after six long decades it’s a no-go. Greater autonomy is being talked of instead. But How? The big question is have the other north-eastern States affected – Assam, Maniour and Arunachal Pradesh been consulted? No, the entire process was kept in wraps, with even the Union Home Ministry shockingly not engaged. The Congress has hit out at the Modi government calling it “arrogant” for ignoring the Chief Ministers of these States. Then there is the question of what about the response of other insurgent groups, particularly NSCN (K). Will these acquiesce? And will the different tribes, including the Maos and the Hohos, be brought on board given the background that there are different customary laws? The questions are many and the accord as of now a puzzle. PM Modi seems to have been in a tearing hurry and till the nuts and the bolts spelt out, the road to peace shall seem unending. 

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Suspension Fury

The “shocking” suspension of 25 Congress MPs in Lok Sabha has added fuel to fire in the all out war between the Congress and BJP. The Grand Old party has shown unusual alacrity that its protests are not confined to Parliament House alone. These reverberate across States. Congress workers took to the streets, in small and big numbers: In Mumbai a morcha to BJP Chief’s residence; in Jaipur at Variety Square; in Karanataka in Kalaburagi city and Raichur; in UP outside BJP state office; in Assam at headquarters Rajiv Bhawan; in Bhopal in front of the city's collector and sub-divisional magistrate’s office; in Bihar a march from Kargil Chowk to Governor’s House in Patna; in Shimla a peaceful sit-in in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Ridge, et al. The crème de la crème was an unprecedented protest outside Speaker Sumitra Mahajan’s house in New Delhi! While the other protests lashed out at Prime Minister Modi “Mauni baba”, this one was directed at Mahajan with posters screaming “murderer of democracy” “Modi’s puppet”... An infuriated BJP has demand privilege motion against the Indian Youth Congress leaders saying the protest was an attack on the ‘office of the Speaker’. The fight gets murkier.   

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Udhampur Attack

Is there a silver lining to the terrorist attack in Udhampur, notwithstanding the usual sorry state of affairs of “intelligence failure’ and our poorly armed para-military forces? It may sound absurd but the courage of ordinary village folk is too a story. It needs to be highlighted, in the midst of New Delhi and Pakistan’s wrangling over the nationality of the captured terrorist. While one of the two terrorists was shot dead after they fired at a BSF convoy bus on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the other fled towards Narsu village. He went into a house and took two men hostage and threatened to shoot them unless they showed him a way out. While walking some distance, the two men grappled with the terrorist and overpowered him and handed him to a police team. They deserve a bravery award, and the village defence committees a boost to show exemplary courage. Sadly, the Centre took over 48 hours to give them due credit. Sooner the better.  

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Round The States ...2

Of Floods & Politics

Is it a tale of playing politics even in the time of floods? Well, that’s what West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is being accused of. So far, 97 people have died, 89 lakh people affected, 1,26,594 houses and crop over 9,45,433 hectares damaged in the floods in her State. While Home Minister Rajnath Singh has assured Didi of all help, the latter’s comment that her government ‘won’t beg anyone for money’, has given the BJP, eyeing next year’s Assembly polls, ready ammunition to hit back. “Even during a natural calamity, Mamata cannot give up her arrogance,” read a press note from a National Secretary, adding “before making these insensitive statements, Didi should have acknowledged that the Central Government via State Disaster Relief Fund for 2015-16 has allocated Rs 516 crs ...of which Rs 193.50 crs as 1st instalment has been released and the 2nd is being released soon...” While all eyes are on Mamata whether she will seek and what, she may well keep hers on how the Centre responds to Gujarat’s plea for assistance. In the floods there 72 persons have died, over 81,000 cattle perished, government property worth Rs 2,000 crore damaged/washed away. Odisha and Rajasthan too are in the reckoning.

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Setback To Haryana INLD

Haryana’s diehard INLD supporters undoubtedly would be distressed. Any hopes of their leader, former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala getting reprieve from the highest court of the land were dashed on Monday last. The Supreme Court dismissed his plea, along with his son Ajay Singh Chautala and three others, challenging their conviction and the 10-year jail term by the High Court in the scandalous teachers' recruitment case. Recall that 50 others accused were given two-year jail term by the High Court, which had then noted that “the overwhelming evidence showed the shocking and spine-chilling state of affairs in the country.” The Chautalas were first convicted in January 2013 by a trial court for illegally recruiting 3,206 junior basic trained (JBT) teachers in the State way back in 2000, wherein each teacher is said to have paid a bribe of Rs three to four lakh for the appointment letter. While the INLD is the main opposition party in the State, how the verdict pans out is anybody’s guess. But there’s no denying the patriarch has ensured the family continues to be a player in State politics. 

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Beef Off Menu In Kerala

Beef may soon be completely off the menu in Kerala! Not because eating habits are changing, rather animal rights’ activists and Sangh-affiliated outfits against cow slaughter in neighbouring Tamil Nadu are playing spoilsport. With repeated attacks on cattle laden trucks, the Kerala Cattle Merchants Association has gone on the offensive. In its agitation for “protection for safe transport of cattle” it has decided to shut all beef shops from Thursday onwards. As it is, for over past two weeks slaughter houses have been facing a shortage of animals and the traders have hiked the price of beef due to the ongoing scarcity. With this new protest, Kerala’s requirement of 2500 MT of animals’ everyday for its beef demand gets further badly hit. According to the merchants, the abducted cattle have been taken to various private farms near Coimbatore by the so-called activists and repeated pleas to get these released despite a court order have fallen on deaf ears. While the Kerala government has taken up the issue with the animal Husbandry and Home departments in Tamil Nadu, the latter too is said to have put up its hands. With no beef on their platter, will the people put the pressure, is a meaty question? ----INFA

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