Round The States

New Delhi, 3 September 2016 

Bengal Land Case

ALARM BELLS FOR STATES?

By Insaf

West Bengal’s infamous Singur land acquisition case should send warning signals to other State Governments. They must read the message: acquiring agricultural land from farmers for private industry (in this case a car plant) wouldn’t come under the ambit of “public purpose”. The Supreme Court on Wednesday last, set aside the HC verdict upholding acquisition of 997 acres of agricultural land by then CPM government for Tata’s Nano factory in 2006. Noting it was ‘bad in law’, it directed the land be remitted back to farmers within 12 weeks and they don’t have to return the compensation. Importantly, while the court found it completely understandable for the Government to acquire land for industry, “the brunt of development shouldn’t be borne by the weakest sections, more so, poor agricultural workers who have no means of raising a voice against the mighty State Government”. Obviously, Mamata Banerjee and her TMC is jubilant. Recall their siege in Singur against the acquisition, helped prop her to power. However, the judgement must also make her cautious and not repeat the Left’s mistake. Else, there could be a downside. Industry she is trying to woo may become weary. And if she follows the principle as set by the judgement, others should take a cue.

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Haryana Ammunition

Haryana may well provide heavy ammunition to the BJP against bête noire Congress in the forthcoming UP poll? The timing of the Justice SN Dhingra report on alleged irregularities in land deals in Gurgaon during then Chief Minister Hooda’s tenure will indeed come in handy, as one of the deals involves a firm owned by Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra. After handing the 182-page report to the Khattar government, (Inquiry Commission was set up in May last year), Dhingra told media: “I have mentioned the irregularities found, the manner in which they were committed and the persons responsible...” In a reaction, the Congress has accused Dhingra of being part of a ‘vilification campaign by the BJP’ and the inquiry ‘political vendetta.” Recall, Vadra’s firm Skylight’s deal with DLF had been struck down in 2012 on grounds of irregularities in granting of Change of Land Use (CLU) licence and was a hot potato for the BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Clearly, the long political slugfest will spill over to UP. What with Vadra’s wife Priyanka Gandhi expected to lead the Congress campaign.

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Delhi AAP Scandal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal needs to set his house in order rather than the Governor House. He has had to do away with his third minister and this time around he cannot pass on the blame to Lt Governor Jung! On Wednesday last, Minister of Child Welfare and Social Justice Sandeep Kumar was shown the door after an “objectionable” CD, showing him in a compromising position with ‘women’ was given to the AAP leadership. The party, tweeted Kejriwal stands for ‘propriety in public life’, and it ‘can’t be compromised’. Shouldn’t this be taken with a pinch of salt? Recall, AAP leadership had to sack Environment and Food Minister for demanding a bribe from a builder. Earlier its Law Minister was forced to resign after he was arrested on charge of possessing fake degrees. So what is this aam admi government talking about? Half his Cabinet is ‘morally corrupt” and his war with Jung is to give them more powers! Surely he must remember the idiom people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.  

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Rebellion In Goa RSS

The RSS in Goa has big trouble in hand. After it relieved its chief Subhash Velingkar of the post, rebellion is brewing in the Sangh unit. Angry leaders and members held a meeting on Wednesday last, announcing that they were suspending all Sangh work in the State as they ‘cannot work without Velingkar’. The action against their chief was taken after he had two days ago announced he would launch a political party which would contest against the BJP in the 2017 Assembly polls! Importantly, Velingkar, who has been associated with the Sangh since the it set up its first shakha in the State after the liberation of 1961, is a also a member of the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch, which has been campaigning for education in the mother tongue and not English. The Manch has accused the ruling BJP of reneging on its poll promise of making regional languages the medium of instruction in schools. While 400 volunteers have threatened to resign if their chief is not re-instated, the situation may get worse for the BJP. Velingkar has reached out to the regional party ally, the MGP to break ties and join him by 30 September. The RSS, however, has not removed him from membership. Will there be a rapprochement? Time will tell. 

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Jharkhand Petty Politics

Stone-pelting is increasingly become fashionable. After Kashmir, it is the turn of Jharkhand “satyagraha model” against the setting up of a power plant in Ramgarh. The protestors’ grouse is two-fold. One, the State Government had promised to rehabilitate those displaced from their lands and provide them jobs. Two, being paid adequate compensation for their properties. The BJP-led Government has allegedly reneged on its assurance, which has led to the protests by the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha, leading to two persons being killed in police firing. Sadly, their woes have got mired in a political twist. They allege that the Government is not enforcing the agreement as the Water Resource Minister is upset with them and seeks to avenge the defeat of his wife in last year’s Zilla Parishad elections! While an inquiry has been set up to probe the clashes, the Government will do well to look into the villagers grievances before the protest reach boiling point.      

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Bihar’s Drunk On Power!

Rules are meant to be broken, specially when it comes to Biharis. A classic case is Nitish Kumar’s prohibition policy. Forget the aam admi, it’s the netas, families and minions, who still want to enjoy their peg or two. Following the arrest of BJP MLA’s drunk brother, a JD(U) leader was nabbed for having not one but 168 liquor bottles at home! Predictably, an embarrassed Government called it a conspiracy by foisting the blame on his driver. However, leaders across the political spectrum have criticised the JD (U)-RJD Government for going ahead with the prohibition law, knowing fully well it is prohibitively difficult to enforce, notwithstanding the women vote bank which continues to hoot for liquor ban. It is a moot point whether prohibition has led to a decrease in drinking, given that sales of illicit liquor continues to show a steep rise. The only silver lining has been provided by the Army, which has directed its personnel not to carry liquor bottles when they visit or pass the State. The politicians could take a cue. However, it seems being drunk on power doesn’t give as much of a high as being intoxicated on daaru. ----INFA

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