Round The States

New Delhi, 16 July 2016

Congress In Saddle

BJP CUTS SORRY FACE IN ARUNACHAL

By Insaf

The BJP faces much embarrassment in North-eastern Arunachal Pradesh with the five judge Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court reinstating the Congress Chief Minister Nabam Tuki’s Government thereby showing the door to the BJP-propped Government of Kalikho Pul. This is not all. It came down heavily on the Governor Rajkhova’s action of pre-poning the Assembly session from 14 January 2016 to 16 December 2015 which triggered a political crisis in the sensitive border State and culminated in the declaration of President’s rule on 26 January. This was followed by Pul being anointed Chief Minister in February after winning a trust vote in the Assembly.

The Apex Court also underscored the discretionary powers of the Governor, stating it is not within his realm to embroil himself in any political thicket. He must remain aloof from discord, disharmony, discontent or dissention within individuals and parties. A shell shocked BJP which had earlier suffered defeat in its caper in Uttarakhand wherein it had tried to dethrone Congress Chief Minister Harish Rawat is today burning the midnight oil to see how to retrieve face in the North-east. The Congress is leaving no stone unturned to make show its 14 rebels including Pul return to the party fold by using a carrot and stick policy. It is willing to condone the rebellion else the Legislators will face disqualification. Will Tuki continue to remain in the saddle after his trust vote later today or will Pul file a review petition in the Supreme Court or will the Governor call for fresh election.  It remains to be seen how the imbroglio will play out in the State

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Kashmir On The Boil

If an epitaph of the happenings in Kashmir in the fortnight were to be written it would recount the gory tale of bullets and bloodshed. All over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani by security forces in Pulwama district. Leading to angry public protests and stone pelting mobs setting fire to police vehicles and public buses as also generally creating mayhem while clashing with security forces across the Valley. The violence left over 30 people dead and injured many more. The State Government hurriedly put the Valley under a blanket of curfew and blocked mobiles phones and internet services. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in a televised addressed accused vested interest for the unrest even as she appealed to the youths parents to ensure their children stayed indoors. It’s another matter that these incidents are reminiscent of the stone pelting and rioting in June 2010 over the killing of three teenagers in a fake police encounter.

Add to this the Centre alongside the State Government have pulled out all stops to restore calm and peace in the strife-torn State. While Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh cancelled his US visit, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security to find a solution to the conflict in the State. He reportedly also briefed Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi and ex NC Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. While the State Administration and security forces admit to underestimating the response to Wani’s death, militancy’s latest poster boy has earned a martyr’s halo. Adding fuel to fire the separatists led by Hurriyat called for a strike in the State yesterday. Adding to the Government’s woes Pakistan is leaving no stone unturned to fan anti-India and pro-militancy sentiments in the Valley. Clearly the time has come for the State and Central Government to get their act together, rein in security forces from perpetrating unjustifiable killing and unveil a new Kashmir policy. What gives?

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Tamil Nadu’s TV War

Tamil Nadu politicians love visibility and what better than a television network. From Chief Minister Jayalalitha’s Jaya TV, DMK supremo Karunanidhi’s nephew Kalanidhi Maran’s Sun TV to PMK’s Dr. Ramdoss’s Makkal TV down Congress run Vasanth TV and Mega TV and the BJP’s Lotus TV. The latest politician to join the bandwagon of owning a TV channel is MDMK leader Vaiko who launched his Ma Thi Mu Ka channel on Monday which he avowed would be a combination of entertainment and news. It’s another matter that most of these channels broadcast Party propaganda whereby instead of dishing out something for viewers they seem to be talking to their arch political rivals. There is no gainsaying that telecasting waves are over crowded by these Parties. Things have come to such a pass that bets are being laid on which political leader or Party will next  inaugurate its channel.

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MIM De-registered in Maharashtra

Maharashtra’s State Election Commission has opened a new chapter in electoral politics by deregistering 191 unrecognised Parties. This includes  Lok Sabha MP Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Musalmeen (MIM) from contesting Mumbai’s civic polls next year. Primarily, as these Parties, despite reminders, have failed to submit their audited accounts and income tax returns to the Commission, which are mandatory under the Registration of Political Parties and Maharashtra Elections Symbols (Reservation in Allotment) orders of 2004 and 2009. Predictably, a disappointed Owaisi confessed to the lapses and requested the SEC to condone these as he was hoping to make in roads in the BMC, Ulhas Nagar and Thane Corporations having won two seats in the State Assembly polls in 2014. True, the SEC order does not stop him from campaigning for these corporations by putting up MIM candidates as Independents. All eyes on the SEC’s next move.  ----INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)