Round The States

New Delhi, 1 April 2017

Delhi’s Ad Rip-off

AAP-LG TO BATTLE AGAIN?

By Insaf

Delhi should embrace itself for a fresh tu tu mein mein in the Government, other than a hot summer. Lt Governor Anil Baijal has directed Chief Secretary to recover Rs 97 crore from Aam Admi Party, which was allegedly splurged by Arvind Kejriwal government on advertisements for ‘self promotion’, allegedly in violation of the Supreme Court guidelines. Worse, the recovery has to be made within 30 days! Recall, Union I&B Ministry had set up a three-member committee on the court’s directions to address issues related to ‘Content Regulation in Government Advertising’. It found that Kejriwal’s government had ads which targeted the Opposition, publicised views of its own functionaries and carried the name of the party etc, which were a big no. Clearly, the report indicts the AAP government for ‘misusing’ exchequer money. Of the Rs 97 crore spent, the government has already paid Rs 42 crore to advt agencies. The LG insists it must be reimbursed from AAP and the rest Rs 55 crore, which is to be paid to ad agencies, must be shelled out by the Party and not government. Worse, the CAG too found the Government spending Rs 29 crore in ads outside Delhi, beyond its responsibility. Expectedly, Kejriwal has rejected the CAG report. How he battles the LG, is worth a watch. A rewind of his war with Najeeb Jung?

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5 States’ Clampdown

Yogi’s Uttar Pradesh is having a rippling effect. Five BJP-ruled States, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand have too clamped down on illegal slaughterhouses. The civic authorities are thus going to play merry hell with meat shops and slaughterhouses, as being witnessed in UP. There are reports so far that some meat shops were sealed in Haridwar, 11 were shut in Raipur and one in Indore, whereas a whopping 4,000-odd illegal shops face closure in Jaipur alone from this month. The meat sellers are in a tizzy, as 950 of these shops were authorised, but the corporation is refusing to renew their licenses, as a proposal to raise the licence fee from Rs 10 to Rs 1,000 is yet to be notified. In Uttarakhand, action is being taken “in view of Navratra.” There is however, a welcome move. Through an initiative of its Livestock Development Corp Ltd, the West Bengal Government is going to get non-vegetarian delicacies to Kolkata’s doorsteps through ‘Meat on Wheelz’. Its ‘Haringhata Meat’ brand, which also deals in non-conventional meat like that of quail, duck, turkey, will sell frozen packaged items too. Food for thought for others?

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Bloody Summer In Kashmir?

The face-off between security forces and locals in Kashmir hints at another bloody summer in the Valley. The killing of three youths and scores of others injured, including security personnel, in Budgam district on Tuesday last, should sound off alarm bells in New Delhi. Obviously, the locals have failed to take the Army Chief Rawat’s warning seriously that those disrupting their operations will be treated as “overground workers” of the militants and will be “dealt with harshly.” The residents of Durbugh Chadoora in Budgam said boo to the warning and obstructed the security operation in a bid to help the militant flee from a house. While the militant was killed in the gun battle, the encounter has evoked huge public anger. The Hurriyat is encashing on it. Its general strike call led to a complete lockdown in the Valley. On its part, the Army is not taking any chances. It has deployed nearly 200 companies of paramilitary forces -- 30,000 troops, across the Valley. What is the road ahead? Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has suggested dialogue instead of violence. Will peace be given a chance this year?

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Uttarakhand’s Illegal Mining

Illegal mining comes under sharp focus in Uttarakhand. Complying with the High Court’s ban on it will be Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat’s first big challenge. On Tuesday last, a two-member bench imposed a four-month ban on mining in the State during which no fresh lease or prospective licence for mining can be issued. The court also ordered the setting up of a high-powered committee to study various aspects of mining activities and to provide an answer, one whether mining activity should be permitted at all and two, chart out suggestions for next five decades. It must submit its interim report within four months and the final in nine. To ensure no laxity, the court has also ordered Rs 50 lakh be released to meet the expenses of the committee. Additionally, the court has sought ways to make up for the loss to environment, compensate the affected and recover expenses from defaulters. Tall order, indeed. But then as the court said: “The Himalayan range glaciers, rivers, streams, rivulets, lakes, jungles, forests and air are polluted. Their survival is at stake,” there is no option for the Government but to deliver. Will it pass the test?

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UP’s Hate Crime

Hate crime in UP has embarrassed New Delhi. Racial attacks against Africans have resurfaced, this time in Greater Noida. Four Africans were brutally beaten up by residents after a candlelight protest for a 17-year-old allegedly from drug overdose, targeting them. The locals alleged that the boy died after the Nigerians forced him to inhale drugs. While the Ministry of External Affairs has ordered a probe, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has assured a fair and impartial investigation into the matter. But, the issue is being seen as Yogi’s first big law and order test. However, it is not going to be easy. This is so, as the country has being witnessing a rise in violent attacks on African students studying in universities. Recall, last year the MEA had to deal with protests from African diplomatic missions, following attacks on Africans in Khirki village in Delhi. While the UP police has filed cases against nearly 600 people for rioting and booked 44 others for attempt to murder, the students continue to feel vulnerable. Their Association has issued an advisory that students should avoid India. The big question is will Yogi’s administration be able to give Sushma Swaraj a helping hand to damage control?

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Kerala’s Sex Scandal

Kerala is plagued by another sex scandal. This time, the Left Democratic Front is left embarrassed with its Transport Minister AK Saseendran hitting the headlines for allegedly having ‘phone sex’ with a woman. A TV channel which aired the audio clip claimed the voice was that of Saseendran, and he had called the woman and asked her for sexual favours, after she approached him for help. While the Minister put in his papers, he insisted he had done nothing wrong and had resigned to safeguard the “integrity of the party and Government.” He will stay out till the judicial probe ordered by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan submits its report into the so-called sexual misconduct. Recall, that the previous Congress-led UDF had got embroiled in what came to be called the “solar scam”, wherein  then Chief Minister Chandy and others allegedly sought sexual favours from a con-woman d Saritha Nair to facilitate her fictitious solar projects. Sadly, “God’s own country” has had to deal with other cases too, raising the big question why this tiny State beats the others in sex scams.---INFA

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