Round The States

New Delhi, 22 October 2016

Hey Ram!

UP CHANTS AYODHYA AGAIN

By Insaf

Hey Ram, Ayodhya is in the eye of a political storm again! Well-timed-- just before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections next year. Vying for regaining power, the BJP has its Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma hunting for sites for a proposed Ramayan museum in the temple town. He’s shortlisted two sites—13 acres and 28 acres, and the budgeted project of Rs 85 crores would start as one of these is finalised--“The beginning has been made...we have got directives from Ram Lala.” The museum is envisaged to showcase life of Ram and the epic Ramayana through laser shows and videos. Not to be left behind, the ruling SP government of Akhilesh Yadav too has joined the Ram band wagon. It has decided to develop a theme park under the International Ramleela centre project. Sharma doesn’t mind this and says good sense has finally prevailed and Akhilesh is taking Ram’s name with only few months left for the polls. The BSP supremo Mayawati, frontrunner this election, is amused at the “theatrics” of both the opponents. She cautions this is just the beginning. Closer to the dates, the issue of Ram temple will reverberate. Who will Lord Ram oblige? 

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Odisha Tragedy

That human life is cheap in India, was reaffirmed this time, by Odisha. Add to this, the sickening politicisation of a tragedy to score brownie points by powers-that-be in the hospital fire in Bhubaneshwar, which claimed 21 lives. There’s nothing unusual about the BJD Naveen Patnaik government coming under attack and Opposition demanding his health minister’s resignation, a judicial probe and Central ministers making a beeline to the hospital to meet victims. Haven’t we seen it all before? What is critical is that no one is concerned that rules exist in violation. Who should be answerable to the shocking fact that since 2013 the hospital had no fire safety norms in place – the owner, medical superintendent or should it be the administrative machinery, which didn’t take away its licence? Did it have anything to do with the hospital owner allegedly having close links with the health minister? Worse, is it a fact that only 3 of the 500 hospitals and nursing homes in the State have complied with safety measures?  Sadly, there are no answers. Recall, five years ago, 90 lives were lost in a hospital fire in Kolkata. Odisha only replays tragedies--before and after. The idiom a stitch in time saves nine is sadly forgotten.

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Fresh Water Wars In South?

Will water wars erupt again in the South? The question arises in the wake of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh suffering a setback with the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II ruling there was no need to re-allocate the river water among all four riparian States, sparing Maharashtra and Karnataka. It has asked the peeved States to submit objections and arguments within four weeks as these were demanding fresh allocation among all four, as per Section 89 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. Recall in 2013, the tribunal had allocated water among Maharashtra, Karnataka and undivided AP. However, now it was confined only to the Telugu States. However, AP had challenged the award on grounds of injustice and Telengana joined in after its formation. Of 811,000 Million Cubic feet (TMC ft) allocation of surplus water, AP’s share is 512 TMC ft and Telangana’s 299 TMC ft. The latter is having projects on the river and seeking another 300 TMC ft and AP too pressing for more. Will the two knock on Supreme Court’s door for a review?

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Sluggish Chhattisgarh

Naya Raipur, the imminent new capital of Chhattisgarh is unfortunately advancing at a snail’s pace. Modelled after Kuala Lumpur’s capital, BJP’s Raman Singh Government in its third term, since 2003 has done precious little other than acquiring land, 8013 Ha, airport, a mantralaya, few housing complexes for staff, and a cricket stadium, among others! This, after the conception took roots way back after the State was formed in 2000. While Insaf was undoubtedly impressed by the new airport and the wide roads, lakes and green planning, it couldn’t fathom priority to a cricket stadium, which sadly already looked shabby. Further, while the secretariat is functional, its poor connectivity to existing Raipur city, 17 kms away, suggests keeping public away. Undoubtedly, the vision of having an ultramodern ‘Green and Smart City’, is commendable, Raman Singh would do well to fasten the pace, in the backdrop of there being plenty of funds. Whether these are being used judiciously is the point. Rampant corruption is a complaint oft heard. Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who is all set to build his new capital, is said to have paid a visit. More than how the first new city of 21st Century in India is developing, he may learn better from its shortcomings.

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MP Dam Scam

Land of scams and not opportunity is how Madhya Pradesh could be described. The Opposition Congress has taken on the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government following its ‘indictment’ by a judicial commission into the resettlement and rehabilitation of the oustees of the Sardar Sarovar project on the Narmada. The report of Justice Jha, though not made public yet, but tabled in Assembly, has focussed on “rampant forgery of documents” that allowed compensation to be paid to impostors rather than thousands of families displaced.  Worse, it is alleged that the administration did not cooperate with the inquiry and made every attempt to gag its findings. The BJP government, charges the Congress, is in the thick of a “scam of monumental proportions”, and demands that culprits be brought to book. Recall the hue and cry over the Vyapam scam, wherein there were massive irregularities and corruption in the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board. It involved politicians, senior officials and businessmen and saw whistleblowers disappearing. Will this investigation be damned as well?     

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Mushkil Maharashtra

Suspense over BJP-Shiv Sena government’s administrative skills and capability lingers in Maharashtra—filmy style. The release of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil Tuesday next, is a challenge for the Mumbai police, following Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) latest diktat to multiplexes against its screening. This, when Karan Johar has explained the film has only one Pakistani actor and for just a ‘four-minute scene’! Plus, he has vowed to avoid working with Pakistani actors till atmosphere in the nation improves. The film industry and many organisations have both slammed the MNS over its pseudo nationalism as well as appealed not to politicise creativity. However, Raj Thackeray’s Sena refuses to budge. It has threatened it will “break glasses of their theatres, beat them... we will burst crackers in MNS style...” Weary, the Film & TV Producers Guild of India has also added Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the running script. He is said to have assured them a “great Diwali” with a safe and secure release of the film. Will the Mumbai police be able to rein in the bad guys at the end as in the cinemas and ensure anti-climax to MNS script? ---INFA