Round The States

New Delhi, 29 July 2017

Bihar Politics

Opportunism Vs Corruption

By Insaf

Incorrigible Bihar! The State best summed up by Nitish Kumar’s potboiler of resignation as Chief Minister and less than 24 hours placing himself back in the chair. While he claims his action was the “call of his conscience” and there could be no compromise on corruption, majority take this with a pinch of salt. Crass opportunism, is what not just the RJD or Congress would scream but so also Bihar politics watchers. This, as Nitish ties up support from none other than the BJP and Modi, with whom he split just four years ago to safeguard the ‘secular fabric’ of the nation. Sadly, he has done more damage as the mahagatbandhan gets thrown out of the window. On Thursday morning, he formed the government, with BJP’s Sushil Modi as his deputy, claiming 132 MLAs support, dumping his earlier clarion call of having a “Sangh mukt Bharat.” A peeved RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav is now left raking up an old murder case against Nitish, and threatening more! The Congress is left stunned, as the game seems to be over. The entire drama was obviously written well in advance and not on the spur of the moment. JD(U) supporting the NDA presidential candidate was a clear indication of it being a game changer. Has Nitish made his historical blunder? By reaching out to Modi, he has thrown away the opportunity of becoming the Opposition’s leader and perhaps greater glory in times to come. Opportunism goes awry?  

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Telangana’s Denial Mode

Telangana government is burning the midnight oil. With the Congress coming out with a slew of charges against BJP leader and NDA’s Vice Presidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu for getting orders to favour his and his children’s interest, the State administration is busy rummaging through files. On Monday last, officials stated there were “no irregularities” in the case of Naidu’s daughter getting exemption on civic charges of Rs 2 crore for her Swaran Bharat Trust in June 2017 and asserted 17 other NGOs were granted the same. In charges levelled against his son that the Telangana government favoured his company in buying 350 Toyota Innova vehicles worth Rs 271 crore for the State police, without floating a tender in March 2015, the authorities quoted correspondence and stated the vehicles were bought as per GoI rate contract. Venkaiah himself went into denial mode saying he had no role in allotment of land to a trust, which he was ex-officio chairman, in MP. The timing of accusations, days before the VP’s election, he shot back reflect ‘political motives and mischievous intent’. While the Congress is refrained from raising it in Parliament, the onslaught is unlikely to ebb.  

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Chhattisgarh Land Scam

It is Chhattisgarh’s turn to get embroiled in a land scandal, close on heels of Bihar.  Investigation by a national daily has forced Chief Minister Raman Singh to order an inquiry against charges levelled against his Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Religious Trusts and Endowments. Probe has revealed that his wife and son have allegedly ‘bought 4.12 hectares of government-owned forest land and are building a resort on it’.  The deal dates back to September 2009, when the Minister was holding charge of School Education, PWD, Parliamentary Affairs, Tourism and Culture. The resort Shyam Vatika in Sirpur has great tourism potential as it surrounds Buddhist excavations site and the land was purchased by companies in which both wife and son are directors. In March 2015, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangh lodged a complaint with the DC and another in December 2016 to the PMO. The Agriculture department washes its hands off saying it can’t do anything as the land has been sold to the Minister’s wife! Will this pass Raman Singh’s test of corruption-free governance?    

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Centre Heat On Hurriyat

No more molly-coddling is the Centre’s terse message to Kashmir’s Hurriyat Conference leaders. The NIA, investigating the separatists’ leaders since June for alleged funding of terror groups, is finally getting proactive. On Monday last, it arrested seven leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s son-in-law and Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s close aide, for receiving funds from neighbour Pakistan to sponsor now infamous stone-pelting protests in the Valley, among other terror activities. All have been brought to Delhi. Further, on Tuesday last, the ED arrested Shabir Shah in connection with over 10 years’ old money laundering case, for alleged terror financing. The actions clearly show there is a shift in policy and that mere IT notices are now passé. Importantly, this is the first time since militancy surfaced in the Valley in early 90s that a central agency is digging into insurgency-related charges. Will it go for the top rung leaders, and how soon, needs to be watched.   

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Kerala-Bengal Squabble

Kerala and West Bengal give out signals that all is not well within the CPM. This, after its highest body, the Central Committee decided against sending its General Secretary Sitaram Yechury for a third term to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal with support of the Congress. Kerala Chief Minister Vijayan ruled out the possibility saying that accepting Congress support wouldn’t be in accordance with party’s political stand and that Yechury wouldn’t be able to do justice to either role as an MP and party GS. However, his justification cannot camouflage the differences between the two factions, which unfortunately have been simmering for long -- since Yechury insisted on having an alliance with the Congress for the Bengal Assembly elections of 2016. Not only did it turn out to be a political fiasco but added to the party getting further marginalised in national politics. Recall, way back in 2004 it had 43 members in Lok Sabha, which came down to nine in 2014. Will the party be able to correct the course by going it alone, time will tell. 

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Study Tour Goes Awry

Delhi thugs have rattled UP’s Electricity Regulatory Commission. In a bizarre case, a company, which claimed to have been set up by the Delhi Government, has hoodwinked the Commission of 4.43 lakhs, after it offered to arrange an overseas study tour in Singapore and Thailand related to power and infrastructure for its senior official. The money was paid to the company, NCTSR, in December last year for the trip scheduled this March. Closer to the date, the company used excuse of ‘visas issues’ for the trip not materialising and would use some pretext or the other not to refund the amount. The police suspect that scam to have been perpetrated by an organised gang as it suspects that other government departments in UP and Delhi may too have been fleeced. While the AAP government has rightly put up its hand and said it has nothing to do with the company, it would do well to caution government agencies to watch out against such fraud. For officials and legislators taking foreign study tours is far too well-known. Obviously the company has made big bucks for this Indian penchant. Hope the adage ‘once bitten twice shy’ is adhered to and the tax payers’ money saved. ---INFA

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