Round The
States
New Delhi, 29 June 2019
Jharkhand Lynching
MOCKERY OF SABKA VISHWAS!
By Insaf
BJP-ruled Jharkhand
makes a mockery of Modi’s new addition of “sabka
vishwas” (trust of all). The video
of 22-year-old Tabrez Ansari being tied to an electric pole, thrashed by a mob
for suspected theft and forced to chant “Jai
Shri Ram...Jai Hanuman” going viral, blurs the vision of a “New India’ on
the horizon. The arrest of 11 men and two policemen being suspended for the
shocking incident and his death can be no solace for Ansari’s family, or for
that matter the community, for the State is known to have had at least 18 mob
lynching cases reported since March 2016. What is worse is that the men in
uniform, instead of arresting the culprits, took action against Ansari. He was
remanded to judicial custody for four days without any medical aid and when
rushed to the hospital declared dead on arrival. The police justification for
its action was that he had admitted the theft, but is it such a crime in India
that one has to pay for it with life? His uncle’s words that Ansari’s “mistake
was that he was a Muslim, otherwise he would have been alive,” hit the nail on
the head. Modi’s words on Wednesday last in Rajya Sabha of being “pained” and
action must be taken are not enough! Much water has flown since former CJI
Dipak Mishra’s ruled for creation of “a separate offence for lynching and
provide adequate punishment for the same”. Is it asking for too much? New Delhi
can no longer be a mere spectator to mobocracy. Act it must and sooner than
later.
* * * *
Optimism
in Kashmir?
Will winds of change
blow in Jammu & Kashmir? The question arises as the separatist outfit, the
Hurriyat has on the face of it softened its stand by saying its ready for talks
and Governor Satya Pal Malik says it’s because things have started to change in
the Valley. Presumably for the better, as the Centre has adopted a tough
posture to tackle both terrorism and separatism. On the one hand, internationally it has got
the global community to put pressure on neighbour Pakistan to stop supporting
terrorism across the border, and on the other back on the home front, it has
had the NIA and the ED tightening the screws on the separatists by investigating
their links to cases related to money laundering and terror funding. Obviously,
for Hurriyat chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq talks seem to be the only way forward
for sheer survival, in the additional background that Assembly polls may be
held before year-end and once a government is in place, their voice may not be
relevant. Plus, the formidable Amit Shah has sent a strong signal that troubled
Valley tops priority with his maiden visit to Kashmir as Home Minister. Not
just to oversee arrangements for Amarnath yatra but review development projects
too. North Block has a plan alright, but what precisely it is needs a closer
watch.
* * * *
AP’s
Clean Up Act
A combination of
investigation and demolition is the flavour of the month in Andhra Pradesh. The
target is no surprise -- the State’s former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
On Wednesday last, his successor Jagan Mohan Reddy ordered a probe into ‘corrupt’
deals that Naidu’s TDP government had signed with various companies. So far 30
agreements have been zeroed in on and the number is bound to go up once a
separate Cabinet sub-committee to review all deals comes into play. And as of
now Rs 2,636 crore is stated to be the loss to the State exchequer in just
solar and wind power schemes. The CID, Anti-Corruption Bureau and Vigilance and
ED departments are on the alert, while the demolition squad has already got
into top gear. Its first task -- demolish ‘Praja Vedika’ conference centre, on
the banks of Krishna river, which is adjacent to Naidu’s official residence and
was used to hold party meetings and official gatherings. Jagan has justified
his decision saying it’s a ‘shameful symbol’ of how Naidu bypassed laws, objections
and illegally built it. But TDP leaders term it as ‘political vendetta.’ The
YSR Congress must prove them wrong.
* * * *
Chhattisgarh
Advice
Maoist-hit
Chhattisgarh may either get North Block thinking or seething. For in his speech
at Niti Ayog, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel suggested a reassessment of the
Centre’s policy on surrender and rehabilitation i.e. legal cases must go on against
senior Maoists who submit. His reasoning is that there are many Naxals who are
of the rank of Central Committee, involved in violent activities for 25-35
years, ‘surrender because they are unwell or getting old and because of the
present policy, they escape any punishment’. While the current policy does not
dismiss any pending cases on surrender of senior cadre, it is rarely that harsh
legal scrutiny follows because Maoists who surrender often insist they stay out
of jail. So the big question to consider is whether Baghel’s suggestion would
be for the better or worse. Arguments against the latter weigh more as given
Baghel’s condition, Maoists would not be willing to surrender and the State
would face a bigger loss. While New Delhi has time to ponder, Baghel would do
better if he concentrates on development and act to gain the confidence of the
tribals.
* * * *
Haryana
& MP’s Cows
Two States add an
interesting dimension to India’s diversity. Their action relating to gau mata (cow) reveals priority, poles
apart when it comes to protecting life per se – of the cow or the human being.
Thus, while BJP-ruled Haryana strengthens the anti-cow slaughter law, the
Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh proposes stricter law against gau rakshaks (vigilantes). On Tuesday
last, the Khattar government amended its earlier law of 2015 by proposing ‘Haryana
Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan (Amendment) Bill, 2019’ which shall
authorise police to search the premises and seize vehicles involved in
transportation of animals. The State, which has 3-lakh cows in 400-odd gaushalas(cow sheds) and around 1.5 lakh
stray ones and 18 lakh at homes, has thus made a strong statement that it means
business and there can be no messing around when it comes to the safety of its
cows. More precious than human lives?
On the other hand, on
Wednesday last Chief Minister Kamal Nath had his Cabinet give the nod for changes
to a law ‘Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act’, which makes cow vigilantism a
punishable offence, wherein it now proposes a jail term ranging from 1-5 years
and a fine of Rs 50,000 for anyone taking part in such acts. Earlier, such offences
were dealt under IPC and CrPC. Additionally, the government enhances such
persons’ safety by providing a SDM’s permission, which they must carry all the
time. This is because normally these persons do not carry documents to show
whether the cow being transported is going for slaughter or for sale, and ‘often
end up being harassed or beaten up by gau
rakshaks’. The amended law, it is hoped should act as a deterrent and provide
a sense of safety to those who transport cow and cattle. Will it be so?---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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