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Round The States
New Delhi, 29 March 2007
PM, Sonia Calm
Mufti
CONGRESS-PDP
COALITION STAYS
By Insaf
Sharp and simmering differences between the ruling allies in
Jammu & Kashmir, the Congress
and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have been sorted out and the threat to
the coalition averted for the time being. After Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
applied balm to the alliance that had shown signs of collapsing, Congress President Sonia Gandhi in her two meetings with the
PDP supremo Mufti Mohammad Sayeed revived the initial political warmth and
tried to resolve the growing problems between the two parties to the satisfaction
of the Mufti. After his second meeting with Sonia Gandhi, the Mufti stated:
“she has taken a lot of interest in solving our problems. I am satisfied…” A much-needed
coordination Committee comprising equal number of MLAs from both the parties
would be constituted soon in consultation with Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad
for the smooth running of the coalition Government.
In regard to the PDP’s demands for reduction of troops and
repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. (AFSPA), the Prime Minister conciliated
by promising to set up a Committee of experts, (possibly
headed by the National Security Adviser, M.K. Narayanan) to study the security
situation in the State and report back within two months. The Army’s inputs
would obviously carry weight with the Committee in view of the continuing
infiltration. The Army considers deployment in the border districts of the
State necessary. However, deployment
or replacement by the para-military forces or the State Police in other areas could
be left to the civil authorities. The Mufti was told that the question of the
repeal or amendment of the AFSP Act was already under consideration of the
Centre in the context of Manipur’s demand.
* * * *
Caste-Based Poll In
U.P.
Uttar Pradesh’s already fragmented politics along the
forward, backward and dalit camps is further poised to get divided on caste basis
in the run up to the Assembly poll
from April 7 to May 8. Several smaller parties have cropped up on caste basis
and started talking big in terms for pre-poll or post-poll alliances for power.
These parties or groups have given identity to individual castes as represented
by Apna Dal, Bharat Vikas Party and Samajwadi Kranti Dal and even Muslim
parties. In fact, the floating of the Samajwadi Kranti Dal by Beni Prasad Verma
has given a big jolt to the ruling Samajwadi Party of Mulayam Singh. Himself an
MP of the Samajwadi Party, Verma has decided to field 14 candidates on behalf
of his new outfit comprising Kurmis who dominate in Bara Banki and Baharaich
districts.
Chief Minister Mulayam Singh is leaving no trick untried to
woo whichever community he can, now that the Kurmi leader Verma and Jat Ajit
Singh have parted company with him.. He has now turned his attention to the
Prajapati community, presently a lowly-placed OBC and sought for its
recognition as a Dalit community from the Union Ministry of Social Justice.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Mayawati and her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
have turned their attention to the upper caste and Muslim votes. Mayawati’s
decision to give more tickets to the upper castes and Muslims than to the
Dalits, whom the party essentially
represented until recently, has considerably improved her chances for grabbing power
in the State. In fact, the BSP’s improved position in the race for power has triggered
a rush for party tickets and prompted the leader to put her party’s nominations
on sale at high prices.
* * * *
Bizarre Situation
In Punjab
A bizarre situation has developed in Punjab,
following the recent formation of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Government, led
by Parkash Singh Badal. Charges of alleged corruption against the Chief
Minister and some of his family members have been framed by a Ropar court for
corruption during his earlier stint as the Chief Minister. Several Opposition
leaders called for Badal’s resignation, but the Chief Minister described the
charges as mere political vendetta. History repeated itself within days. Punjab’s Vigilance Bureau has now registered corruption
cases against former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, his Local Bodies Minister
Chaudhury Jagjit Singh, former PCC Chief H.S. Hanspal and 16 others in
connection with Ludhiana City Centre land scam case. Amarinder Singh has
described this a case of political vendetta. Badal has refused to comment.
* * * *
Controversial
Relief Package
The upcoming poll in UP has proved to be a blessing in disguise for the 1992 Gujarat
riot victims. The Centre has suddenly decided out of the blue to grant an
ex-gratia payment of Rs.3.5 lakh to the next-of-kin of those killed and Rs.1.25
lakh to those injured. Expectedly, New
Delhi’s decision has triggered a controversy. The BJP,
which is presently ruling the State, has trashed it as “politically motivated”
and brazenly designed to woo the Muslims in the forthcoming poll. The State’s
Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, has come forward with a counter demand. He wants
a bigger, countrywide package to cover the victims of all Hindu-Muslim riots in
the country after the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Union Home Ministry has
clarified that relief to all riot victims would be worked out after the Communal
Harmony Bill is passed by
Parliament, hopefully in the second half of the current budget session
* * * *
Rajasthan Bill On
Police Reforms
Rajasthan’s BJP Government, led by Vasundhara Raje, has
shown some welcome initiative. It has become the first State Government to
draft a comprehensive Bill on Police reforms, as directed by the Supreme
Court. Entitled, “A Police Act for 21st
Century”, the Bill is likely to be introduced in the current session of the Rajasthan Assembly.
Described as “model bill for like-minded States”, the Rajasthan Government has taken
pains to discuss its draft Bill in
depth with the representatives (Home Ministers or Chief Secretaries) of the
States presently ruled by the BJP or it allies of the NDA, that is Punjab,
Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Orissa
and Gujarat. The draft Bill is based on the apex Court’s direction to the State
Governments to amend the Police Act of the British times to suit public
aspirations in a democratic society.
* * * *
Plea For Higher MSP
For Wheat
Punjab and Haryana have struck a blow for
a better deal for their farmers. Both have asked the Centre for a higher
Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat this season. The Centre has fixed the MSP
at Rs.750 per quintal. But Punjab wants it
raised to Rs.900 per quintal and Haryana to Rs.850. Both the Chief Ministers,
Parkash Singh Badal and Bhupinder Singh Hooda have written to the Prime
Minister to direct his Minister of Agriculture, Sharad Pawar, to review the MSP
fixed recently. Both the CMs have also demanded that the bonus of Rs.100 which
the Centre has announced on procurement of every quintal of wheat this season
should be merged with the MSP. Badal has
also sought the Centre’s assistance
to bail out the State’s farming community which is burdened with enormous debt,
reportedly accumulated to about Rs.2,400 crore.
* * * *
Science Village In Assam
Distant and largely-neglected Assam will soon have India’s first Science Village,
a unique experiment for popularisation of Science in the strife-torn
countryside of the State. The village is being set up soon in Jamunagurihat
village, about 250 km from Guwahati over an area of 75 acres and at a cost of
about Rs.10 crore by an NGO Gramya Jana Bigyan Mancha (GJBM). The village will
have a planetarium, botanical garden, heritage park, a wetland project, bird
sanctuary, aquarium, science museum, library, auditorium, children’s park and a
laboratory. The land has already been bought and the village is scheduled to
open by the end of this year, when the first phase gets completed. ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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