Round The States

New Delhi, 24 November 2018

J&K Shenanigans

COUP NEW DELHI?

                                                                           By Insaf        

Wonders never seize in Jammu & Kashmir. It was an eventful Wednesday last. The three rival parties, the PDP, the NC and Congress did the unthinkable – joined hands to give the people a government in the State, which has been under Governor’s rule since June 19 and the Assembly under animated suspension. Armed with “56 MLAs” following the new alliance, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti staked claim to form the government to “safeguard J&K’s special status as there are moves to remove Article 35A, polarise the population ... and to save democracy.” Ditto for both the NC and Congress. However, Governor Satya Pal Malik stole the mandate, predictably on New Delhi’s advice and dissolved the Assembly late at night claiming the parties were indulging in “horse-trading and money was changing hands” and worse it would have “been impossible for parties with opposing political ideologies” to form a stable government!

What he failed to elaborate was who was indulging in horse-trading? Note that Mehbooba has accused erstwhile partner, the BJP, of using “every possible means to coerce and intimidate her MLAs so that they leave the party...or spending money to buy loyalties.” Why also, did the Governor not ask for a floor test for the alliance to prove its majority, as is done in the normal course? After all there was another contender -- the People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone, who too staked claim to form the government with the help of the 25-member BJP. Many an observer would take his statement of “acting in the State’s interest and according to its Constitution,” with a pinch of salt. This new experiment offered by the threesome may have worked. But perhaps it didn’t fall into place with New Delhi’s strategy and its ruling party, BJP. Central rule will take over after December 18 when the Governor’s rule comes to an end. Simply put, an unusual Coup d'état.

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Punjab Attack

Not Punjab’s headache alone! The grenade attack on a Nirankari sect congregation at Adliwala village, outskirts of Amritsar on Sunday afternoon killing three persons and injuring 21 others should have the Union Home Ministry worried too. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is firm the attack involved the hand of ISI-backed Khalistani/Kashmiri terror groups and that the accused was associated with the banned outfit Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF). Recall, the KLF is a terrorist organisation active in the 80s and was revived in 2009 in Malaysia under pressure from ISI, in the belief that it can revive the waning Khalistan movement by targeting members of specific communities to polarise Punjab’s society on communal lines. The NIA, which obviously is involved in the probe, is too conscious the group targets all those whose ideology is opposed to Bhindranwale’s ideology and keeps ‘a close watch on postings on social media and choose targets which hold anti-Sikh views.’ With both the State and Centre on the same page, it is hoped the investigating agencies would work in tandem. That Punjab is a Congress-ruled State must not have North Block trying to score brownie points.

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Maharashtra’s Quota Snag?

It is a tight rope walk for Maharashtra’s BJP-Shiv Sena government. While the Cabinet has cleared reservation for Marathas under an independent category of ‘Socially and Educationally Backward Class’ (SEBC), it has triggered an unease amongst the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). However, Chief Minister Fadnavis is confident the approval will not face legal hurdles as the percentage of Marathas below poverty line is 37.28%, higher than the 25% base and there is adequate provision in the ‘Constitution to extend reservation to a community provided its social, educational and financial backwardness is established.’ His confidence emanates from the State Backward Class Commission’s recent report saying the Maratha community falls in this very category and will not be in conflict with the OBCs. But OBC leaders don’t buy the argument and fear their entitled quota ‘may be reduced, as reservation in the State is already 52 % -- over Supreme Court’s mandated 50%’. Thus, the OBCs, divided into 300 castes, propose to come together to oppose the decision. The big question is whether Fadnavis will be able to ensure the Cabinet decision and give the Marathas their share of quota in government education or jobs a demand pending for past two decades.

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Bengal-AP Goal Post

Will West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh be able to achieve the saviours of “the country and democracy”? While Chief Ministers Mamata Banerjee and Chandrababu Naidu respectively seem to take on the mantle, all is not well as planned. The proposal to call a meeting of all anti-BJP parties on Thursday last has had to be shelved. The reason cited is that almost all parties are terribly busy with ongoing elections in five States and so the meeting is put off till December but before forthcoming Parliament winter session! However, the grape wine has it that the duo have realised it’s not wise to act in a hurry as efforts to get the BSP and the SP on board have so far not been fruitful. Daggers are drawn between Mayawati and Congress is no secret. Further, her tying up with Congress rebel Ajit Jogi in Chhattisgarh has made matters worse, at least for now. Results of how successful the alliance pans out would give a hint whether there would be a change of heart. Likewise, Akhilesh Yadav is peeved with the Congress’ dilly-dallying over a tie-up for the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan polls. He finally had to go it alone with Godwana Gantantra Party. Plus, there is of course the additional question mark of how the TMC and TDP would help each other in their respective States, as neither has a presence in the others. All eyes would be on the winner in the five Assembly elections, but for Naidu and Mamata the results may lead to re-thinking their role for the elusive mahagathbandhan.      

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Andaman & Nicobar Tragedy

Adventure tourism in Andaman and Nicobar Islands can turn tragic. More so if the tourist chooses to say boo to restrictive and protected zones and worse when the Union Territory authorities’ turn lackadaisical. Apparently, the Islands topped the ‘must-do adventure list’, of an American national as “there’s so much to see and do there!” He hired fishermen to take him clandestinely to the North Sentinel Island, inhabited by the Sentinelese tribe, notwithstanding the Island and its buffer zones are strictly restricted under Protection of Aboriginal Tribe (Regulation), 1956 and Regulations under Indian Forest Act, 1927. He never returned. His body was found on the shore by the fishermen who were to pick him up later. The authorities say he was reportedly killed by the tribe, all seven persons, who helped him to the shore, were arrested for violating the Regulations and a case of murder registered against ‘anonymous persons’. However, Survival International, a global movement for tribal peoples’ rights blames Indian authorities for the tragedy as the North Sentinel Island and 28 others in the UT are excluded from the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) regime. This is crucial for safety of tribes and outsiders. Will it act now? Remember ‘a stitch in time saves nine.’ ---INFA

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