Round The States

New Delhi, 8 October 2016

Land Acquisition Row

JHARKHAND POLITICS simmers

By Insaf

It’s now the turn of Jharkhand to get embroiled in the sinister politics of land acquisition. Four people were killed in police firing at protesters opposing the take-over of lands for coal mining by NTPC in Barkagaon, in Hazaribagh district. While the BJP-led government has announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the victims, the State Congress has termed it as an insult and demanded a judicial probe into the killings. The administration claims it has evidence that the violence was orchestrated by a Congress MLA, after her arrest against the coal mining project, despite prohibitory orders. It alleged that the crowds abducted and assaulted the SP (Operations) and torched vehicles. Interestingly, people have been protesting NTPC’s take-over bid of 17,000 acres of their land for over 12 years. But situation is hotting up. This, despite Chief Minister Das promising Rs 20 lakh per acre. The Opposition has seized the moment and jumped in the protests. Left and Congress leaders reached Ranchi and accused the BJP government of “conducting surgical strikes against farmers protesting land grabbing.” They propose to observe a State-wide bandh on October 24, other than petitioning the Governor. Within the BJP there is pressure too as the sitting MP of Hazaribagh, Jayant Sinha is a Minister in Modi Government. Sadly, in the political pow-wow, the farmers cause as usual gets relegated to the background and land acquisition row becomes a hot potato!

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Marathwada Package

Hit by acute drought and then heavy rains, Marathwada is now on the high priority radar of the Maharashtra government. On Tuesday last, Chief Minister Fadnavis announced a mega development project of Rs 49,248 crore for the region. However, a big question mark hangs over the announcement made by the Cabinet, which interestingly met in Aurangabad. The package, which includes projects such as irrigation (largest chunk of Rs 9,291cr; water conservation worth Rs 1885 cr) and infrastructure (railway network of Rs 5,326 crore, Rs 3,000 for roads ets), will be completed only in four years. Both farmers and the Opposition are sceptical as funds are to be raised through bonds. What if the government is unsuccessful or is it so cash-strapped that it couldn’t include immediate relief as loan waiver in its list? Politicians and governments are notorious for their tall promises, and fingers would be crossed that this one doesn’t end up being hollow too.

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Telangana’s District Divide

Smaller districts can be win-win situation for both people and politicians. That’s the message from Telangana, as Chief Minister Chandrasekhara Rao finalises his list of creating new districts. 31 out of the existing 10! Each will have a minimum population of just 3 lakh families in the State having a population of 3.60 crore. “Such small numbers can be managed effectively, resources spread evenly and beneficiaries of government schemes can be easily identified,” is the justification of the high-powered committee for creation of new districts. However, it is not the sole reason. Political pressure has seen the numbers growing from the initial figure of 17 to 21 (with addition of four more) amidst fresh demands from party MLAs, ministers and local leaders. The clamour for his/her area being declared a district makes good electoral sense. Efficient functioning would help the TRS popularity chart rise further. Of course, KCR would need the requisite additional manpower of District Collectors and SPs as well as overcome the tricky part of naming the new districts. Will more be merrier at the end is worth a close watch.

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Delhi Disappoints SC

Forget the public even the Supreme Court is suspect of Delhi Government’s working. Having asked Chief Minister Kejriwal and Lt Governor Jung to hold a meeting to plan a strategy to tackle the dengue and chikungunya epidemic in the country’s capital, the apex court expressed its ‘disappointment’ at its outcome. The authorities, it noted didn’t seem to be “interested” at all in taking swift measures and that people have been “left to suffer”. Meet again and make “consultative, collaborative and cooperative” efforts, it directed. Importantly, it warned against indulging in blame game! Detailed instructions such as discuss effective ways to have the ‘garbage cleared’ so that standards of sanitation and hygiene are maintained in and around Delhi, speak volumes of the miserable state of affairs in the administration. Will Jung and Kejriwal think about future rather than the past, as suggested by the court?  With the next hearing slated for October 17, hope better sense finally prevails.

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UP’s Dadri Ghost

The shocking Dadri beef incident ghost seems to have reappeared in UP after a year. Tension was brewing in its Bishahra village with thousands of residents sitting on a dharna on Thursday last. This after one of the 18 residents arrested for Akhlaq’s lynching died in a Delhi hospital. The residents claim he was tortured and killed in prison. They would not allow the body, kept in a coffin draped with the national flag, to be cremated unless their demands were met. These include, the 17 arrested be released from prison, a CBI inquiry be instituted in his case and hefty compensation of Rs 1 crore be paid to his family. What is of serious concern is that the crowds have been egged on by Hindutva groups and VHP leaders, who reached the village to dared the people to avenge the death of a ‘martyr’. As a result, villagers of the minority community are leaving the village, despite the administration having provided security to Muslims and village elders. With the State gearing up for Assembly elections early next year, it goes without saying that politics around Dadri will hot up.    

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Rajasthan Unusual Prays

BJP-ruled Rajasthan has invoked the Gods to protect the country’s jawans. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje not only instructed Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy to organise a Rashtra Raksha Yagna at Tanot Mata temple near the longest India-Pak border in Jaisalmer district, but also took part in it on Thursday last. In addition, the Academy has started hymn chanting at 26 Ved Vidyalayas for troops and world peace. The mahayagna conducted by 21 Brahmins was meant to “boost morale of troops stationed along the border and protect the people living along the border.” The belief being that ancient texts contain a treasure of hymns/rituals that have a bearing on cosmic energy and these would provide energy to our soldiers, boost their power and protect them from the enemy. However, the Opposition and some minority outfits are irked over the yagna organised at State expense, Government encouraging superstition and violating secularism as enshrined in the Constitution. Whether the deities would oblige Raje is uncertain but the yagna did at least gave her national headlines!---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)