Round The States

New Delhi, 21 November 2015

Delhi Lokpal

ANOTHER BATTLE GROUND?

By Insaf

The wait is finally over. Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal who rode the coattails of Anna Hazare movement by promising a Jan Lokpal Bill in 2013, has eventually now delivered. His Cabinet has approved the Bill, albeit by nipping some of its earlier provisions. Recall, that he had put in his papers in the last Assembly 2014, when the Congress, which was supporting his Government from the outside refused to play ball on endorsing the Lokpal Bill. This time around, taking a leaf from the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill, Delhi has put the Chief Minister’s office under its purview and made it mandatory that the investigation and trial be completed within six months. Additionally, the draft legislation envisages that a person found guilty would not only go to jail within two years but his ill-gotten property would be confiscated and the Lok Pal would have unfettered powers to probe corruption as also take suo moto cognisance of cases.

However, unlike the Uttarakhand Bill which keeps the identity of the complainant a secret, the Delhi Lokpal would not entertain anonymous complaints. Also, while the Hill State Bill grants punishment for a maximum of 10 years, a corrupt person would have to cool his heels to life imprisonment in Delhi. Interestingly, to end his running battle with Lt Governor Jung, Kejriwal’s bill merges the Anti-Corruption Bureau with the Lokpal, whose report would be audited by the CAG. He has also adroitly made the Delhi Police and the Delhi Development Authority, which falls under the Union Home Ministry, accountable to the Lokpal. Needless to say Kejriwal has opened another flank in his ongoing battle with the Centre. Undoubtedly, while the Bill would be passed by the Delhi Assembly as there is no opposition to the Kejriwal’s majority government, it remains to be seen whether bête noire Jung will yield this time.  

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TN Floods

Tamil Nadu and its Capital, Chennai are paying a heavy price for mindless construction. In the unprecedented heavy rainfall this week over 80 people have died and 3000 marooned. Life is topsy-turvy with numerous roads and rail tracks submerged, no water and electricity in hundreds of homes in both south and north Chennai and educational institutions shut down. Scores of families living along the Adyar river and other low lying areas were being evacuated to safer places and senior Ministers of the Jayalalitha Cabinet were said to be ‘camping in flood-hit areas overseeing relief work’. Be that as it may, the adage ‘a stitch in time saves nine’ has sadly been ignored by successive governments over the decades. There has been senseless construction on water bodies in the city and the wetlands sacrificed for mega buildings -- both residential and commercial complexes. The crass connivance of builders and the administration has led to the catastrophe, which experts say cannot be termed as a natural disaster. Will the leadership cry a halt to ill-planned construction or continue to get swathed by money power? 

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Maharashtra Education Policy

The Maharashtra Government has whipped up an educational storm with its new proposal to abolish special education facilities to the SC and ST children in the State. In its latest draft report for the national new education policy apart from the scheduled segment, the Fadnavis BJP-led Government has also recommended scrapping of schooling facilities to children with special needs. The reaction so far is mixed. On the one hand, many NGO activists have applauded this move as it tries to remove caste-based education, which has crippled meritorious students being denied admission due to quota raj. On the other, some want an explanation vis-a-vis the definition of “educationally weaker sections” as this move would widen the social gap between the haves and have nots. Even as the State Government cites its move as a direction towards modernising education those professing that reservation continue are now crying foul. Observers wonder whether Fadnavis is doing a Hardik Patel in Maharashtra?

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Moving Forward Kashmir

Kashmir is being spoilt rotten, to the envy of other States. In keeping with his promise of mind-boggling Rs 80,000 crore package to the troubled State, Prime Minister Modi has grandiosely approved Rs 2000 crore for the rehabilitation of Kashmiris, who migrated to other parts of the country, read Pandits. Therefore, those who fled their homes in the 90s with the onset of the separatists’ movement may consider a ghar wapsi following the bait of Government jobs and transit accommodation. The package also extends relief to migrants of Jammu’s Hilly areas totalling 13.45 crores annually. As per government records, there are over 62,000 registered Kashmiri migrant families, staying in Jammu, Delhi and elsewhere, known as “refugees in their own country.” The big question is whether the offer of 3000 sarkari jobs with homes packed in will find takers? As of now, the response to special security zones for the Pandits has got a lukewarm response. Also, all eyes would be whether the separatists raise the red flag against this endeavour.  

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Nagaland Media Protest

A fresh controversy is now dodging the North-East with the security forces, Assam Rifle, taking up cudgels against Nagaland newspapers. Primarily over Kohima-based media which has carried statements of banned terrorist outfit NSCN (K). The Rifles claim that the media was by “offering intentional or intentional support” to the unlawful association by reporting its press statements and were “complicit in the outfit’s illegal activity”! An angry media, namely Eastern Mirror, Nagaland Page and the Morning Express among two others retaliated by carrying blank editorials in its edition on National Press Day, Monday last, espousing that they were committed to ensuring impartial journalism by carrying diverse opinions. Their protest was the first of its kind. All eyes are now on the Assam Rifles next move. Not a few expect it to withdraw the notification. Will the Press Council and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry step in?  

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Toilet Gets Job

Getting a government job in Haryana would be via the toilet! To promote NaMo’s pet project the Swachch Bharat abhiyan, (Clean India campaign), the State government has advertised that those aspiring for the posts of block coordinators, preference would be given to candidates “not defecating in the open.” Ditto is the case for the post of cluster motivators. But one wonders how the Government plans to implement this provision and ensure honesty, as the selected candidates have only to give a written undertaking that they use the toilets instead of the khets (fields). Apparently, of the over 47,000 lakh households in the State, nearly 30 per cent people defecate in fields and only one per cent depends on public toilets! The latest employment bait by the Government comes on the heels of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar making toilet at home mandatory for those contesting the Panchayat polls. However, the Supreme Court put a spoke in the wheel when three women challenged the order. Will this latest endeavour help ‘clean up’ the Government and the State? --- INFA

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