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Round
The States
New
Delhi, 21 January 2017
Bengal’s
Land Protest
LITMUS
TEST FOR MAMATA
By Insaf
West Bengal’s ruling TMC is
embarrassed pink. People’s protest against land acquisition for a power project
in South 24 Parganas’ Bhangar area has come as a rude shock. Though work on the
project had been suspended for two weeks, violent protests suddenly erupted on
Tuesday last. Police vehicles were torched and two persons were killed in
firing, leaving the ‘pro-poor government’ embarrassed and looking for answers.
Who is behind this agitation? Infighting between rival TMC factions or ultra
Left outfits in the area? Apparently, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and team
seem to ignore the tension simmering since October last. Farmers have been opposing
the construction of a Power Grid substation to transmit power between the State
and Bihar, for which 13 acres of land was
acquired in 2013. They claim they haven’t been paid the market value of the
land and are demanding their land be returned. Will Mamata oblige? The
agitation should remind her of the infamous Singur battle with the Tatas, which
she did win. This time round, she’s on the other side of the fence. How she
deals with the people’s protests, is definitely worth a watch.
* * * *
TN Jallikattu
Uproar
Tamil Nadu wants New Delhi to be sporting. Following a mass
movement across the State against the ban on Jallikattu, Chief Minister O
Panneerselvam met Prime Minister Modi on Thursday last. He sought an ordinance be
promulgated to allow the traditional bull-taming sport. While Modi is reported
to have put up his hands saying the matter was sub-judice, he ‘assured’ support
if State government took any steps. The AIADMK, at best proposes to pass a
resolution in the ensuing Assembly demanding lifting of the ban and barring of
PETA, which petitioned the Supreme Court against the sport. Wonder whether it
will cut any ice with about four lakh people protesting in 100-odd locations
across Coimbatore, Trichy, Salem
and Madurai and
heart of Chennai, Marina Beach. Sadly, the traditional sport has got entangled
in politics, with AIADMK and DMK trading charges about doing little to have the
ban, since 2011, lifted. Worse, the Centre too has vacillated. The Environment
Ministry under UPA banned the sport in 2011 but in 2016 under the NDA it said the
sport could continue despite the existing ban! However, the SC stayed its
notification. What next, is the big question? Whether Tamil Nadu will have its
game, is anybody’s guess.
* * * *
UP,
Uttarakhand Upset
In its bid to checkmate its
opponents, the BJP may be biting more than it can chew this election season.
Reports emanating from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand reveal a growing dissent
within the party. In the clamour for tickets, party workers are being outdone
by the ‘outsiders’ in the first list of candidates released. While the BJP
headquarters is showcasing getting Congress, SP and BSP turncoats into its
fold, rebels within its own fold are increasing. For example in UP, a BJP MP
from Fatehpur Sikri has threatened to oppose the candidature of an SP leader’s
wife, who joined the party; BJP workers in Firozabad have protested against
allotment of ticket to BSP rebels from Shikohabad and Patiyali constituency; in
Baghpat, party workers are miffed over tickets given to RLD rebels etc.
Likewise, in Uttarakhand there are about 14 ‘turncoats or their kin’ so far who
have been given tickets instead of party loyalists. Many threaten they will
fights as independents, as they have walked out of the party in constituencies in
Kumaon and Garhwal regions. Some districts are seeing the disgruntled lot
burning effigies of Party chief Amit Shah. Will the BJP see it just as smoke or
will it douse the fire before it becomes all-engulfing?
* * * *
Kashmiri
Pandits’ Return?
Does the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly provide a flicker
of hope to Kashmiri Pandits of ‘ghar
wapsi’(homecoming)? On Thursday last, the 27th anniversary of
the horrific exodus which took place in Kashmir, former Chief Minister and
National Conference Working President Omar Abdullah urged members to ‘rise
above party politics’ and pass a unanimous resolution for creating conducive
atmosphere for their comeback. Recall, it was on 19 January 1990 that the
Kashmiri Pandits with some Sikhs and Muslims had witnessed a ‘hysteric, macabre
night in the form of blaring threats and slogans from mosques, asking them to
flee their homeland, convert or die’. Since then, about 3-lakh odd have lived
their lives as refugees in their own country! Successive Governments, including
Abdullah’s did precious little to bring them back. The BJP’s much-touted secure
zones for their return are not even in place and perhaps forgotten. Will the
PDP-BJP government honour the unanimous resolution passed and do more than just
paying lip service?
* * * *
Punjab Poll
Security
Punjab police has come under
the radar of the Election Commission. While news about Navjot Sidhu joining the
Congress and AAP accusing the BJP of having cases against its Deputy CM Sisodia
because its coming to power in the State are hitting headlines, security is
being seen as a major concern this election. As many as 900 gunmen have been
withdrawn and sent back to policing duties, after EC carried out a review. What
emerges is that a total of 1200 number of gunmen have been withdrawn from
politicians after the model code of conduct came into effect. Shocking, as it
may sound but statistics show that as many as 400 people had been provided with
unauthorised gunmen and security personnel above and beyond the sanctioned limits.
“There were a total of 1,300 security personnel which were allotted to these
personalities who are primarily Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Boards and
corporations and after the cut imposed on them the number now stands reduced to
400,” noted the EC. Further, nine SHOs, additional SHOs and chowki-incharges
from the Punjab Armed Police and Intelligence Wing of the State police have
been removed from their posts and sent back to their original cadres. Will such
action be replicated in other States and the police be spared VIP duties?
* * * *
Thumbs
Up For Karnataka
Karnataka adds a feather to its cap.
Capital Bengaluru has beaten Silicon Valley as
the most ‘dynamic city’ in the world. A report, City Momentum Index-2017
released by Jones Lang LaSalle, a real estate services firm, has put the
Congress-ruled State at the top spot, followed by Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City
and Silicon Valley in the US. Clearly, Bengaluru has moved up the ladder
swiftly. It debuted at number 12 in 2015, before climbing to the fourth
position in 2016. Further, the achievement gets global notice as the report is
being discussed at the prestigious World Economic Forum at Davos. Apparently ‘dynamic
cities’ share the ability to embrace technological change, absorb rapid
population growth and strengthen global connectivity. In the list, top 30 is
dominated by Indian cities, followed by those in China,
Vietnam and the US. Hyderabad has hit the fifth spot, whereas Pune is at
Number 13, Chennai, 18, Delhi
23 and Mumbai 25. Well, India
keep it up.---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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