Round The States
New
Delhi, 23 May 2020
Bengal Cyclone Amphan
WILL CENTRE BE SYMPATHETIC?
By Insaf
It’s a double whammy for West Bengal.
Struggling to meet the challenge of coronovirus and under the Centre’s radar, the
State is now battling with Cyclone Amphan. Till Thursday last the cyclone has
claimed 72 lives, leaving thousands homeless, a trail of destruction in several
parts and swamping low-lying areas. The State in worse hit than Odisha given
that while 5 lakh-odd people were evacuated in Bengal and told to remain in
shelters, over 2 lakh were evacuated in Odisha and that the situation is ‘under
control and weather has moderated in the latter. However, what is of critical concern
is what relief the Centre and Prime Minister will eventually provide to Bengal.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s has requested he visit the State and ‘see the
situation,’ as she has seen nothing like it before. In a tweet, Modi assured
all possible assistance to the two States and that top officials are working in
close co-ordination with the West Bengal government. In this challenging hour,
he said, the entire nation “stands in solidarity with West Bengal. Praying for
the well-being of the people...Efforts are on to ensure normalcy.” Expected
reaction, but it shouldn’t be mere words. Will there be a halt to nitpicking
and politics put behind? New Delhi must remember the proof of the pudding is in
the eating.
* * * * * * *
Maharashtra
For Locals
Maharashtra makes a clarion call to its “sons
of soil”. With lakhs of migrant workers going back to their States, an anxious Chief
Minister Uddhav Thackeray has decided to set up an industrial employment bureau
to meet the grave labour shortfall. Grab employment opportunities now, is the
message to his people, with the commitment that the bureau will give priority to
local labourers. It proposes to involve collaboration of three
departments—industries, labour and skill development and will enrol workers in
skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled segments, as per industry needs. The
administration is obviously making the best of the opportunity in hand of
taking forward its agenda of the ‘Marathi manoos’. Remember Shiv Sena from day
one has been vociferously against the ‘outsiders’ who have taken away jobs from
the locals. The big question is whether the call will have takers, as the surge
of migrants in the State was because the locals, who were better educated,
shunned working-class jobs. The slowdown cannot be wished away and time will
tell whether sans the migrants the Marathi manoos
will meet rebuild a new Maharashtra.
* * * * * * *
Anger
In J&K
Political parties in Jammu & Kashmir are
up in arms. The Union Cabinet has stirred up a hornets’ nest by giving post-facto
approval to the new law modifying the ‘applicability of Domicile conditions to
all level of jobs under the J&K Civil Services (Decentralisation and
Recruitment) Act’ on Wednesday last. The rules, reacted the National Conference,
are ‘unconstitutional’ aimed at “disempowering the people of J&K and
effecting demographic change” at a time when the issue is under challenge before
the Supreme Court. Regretting that even a pandemic “is no deterrent for the
GoI”, the PDP warned it will be resisted. The Centre has opened the “flood
gates for outsiders”, which is a “betrayal against the people, especially youth,
who were promised complete protection of rights to jobs and land, even post
abrogation of Article 370”, was the Congress’ response. At a time when the
people are concerned with spread of coronavirus, the BJP government said the
CPM “is busy in redesigning the ‘UT’! All are on the same page and trust
deficit takes a further nosedive. New Delhi will need to prepare for more than
just a simmering summer season in the Valley.
* * * * * * *
UP’s
Revolting Politics
Stranded migrants get caught in the rot of one-upmanship
politics in Uttar Pradesh. The heartrending scenes of migrant workers having to
trudge miles to get back home in the sweltering heat, got Congress General
Secretary Priyanka Gandhi to engage 1000-odd buses to save them of their
misery. However, she ended up withdrawing these on Wednesday last, as BJP-government
under Yogi Adityanath nit-picked and wouldn’t allow hundreds of buses from
Jaipur, stranded for over 24 hours, to cross the border. Its reasoning: “buses
have fake numbers, or carried registration numbers of other vehicles, and some
were in poor condition”. Plus, it argued that Priyanka sent Rajasthan Roadways
buses “which she cannot do in her personal capacity”. Does it really matter?
What should is engaging in ‘joint relief measures’ and not put unwanted hurdles.
An exasperated Priyanka in a video message said it’s “no time to play
politics”, and even urged Yogi “…If you want, you can paste your posters or
banners on them, but kindly allow them to ply so that the migrants can be
ferried in them.” It fell on deaf ears. No winners here, only losers and sadly
in this case millions of the stranded poor.
* * * * * * *
NRC
Scam
The NRC exercise in Assam has hit a fresh
controversy. On Monday last, Assam Public Works (APW), a Guwahati-based NGO,
has filed an FIR with CBI, alleging financial misconduct in the updating
process. It accused Wipro, one of prime software companies, for allegedly
submitting a bill as well as being paid Rs 1.27 crore for procurement of two
software systems. But as per National Institute of Smart Governance report to Accountant
General (Audit) office, “no such system was installed and used for the updation.”
Besides, it is alleged that Accountant General (Audit) report reveals
irregularities in purchase of 3,700 generators for 2,500 NRC help centres set
up across the State, for which Wipro submitted bills worth Rs 34.76 crore at
rate of Rs 93,964 each. An inquiry by the AG office, however, reveals the
generators were hired (not purchased) and the market price of each was Rs
35,000! The accusations cannot be taken lightly, as recall that APW was the original
petitioner on whose PIL the Supreme Court in 2015 had ordered for updating of
the NRC. More skeletons to tumble out of cupboard?
* * * * * * *
Mischievous
FIR
An FIR in Karnataka hits headlines. Will it
turn out to be nuisance value or trigger a vicious Congress-BJP spat? On
Thursday last, an FIR was registered against Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi at
Sagar Town Police Station, Shivamoga after a ‘preliminary enquiry’, following a
complaint by an advocate and a BJP activist over some tweets made from Twitter handle @INCIndia against PM-CARES.
The saffronite was perturbed over the allegations made i.e. PM CARES was not
used for welfare of citizens, but for his personal interests including foreign
trips! The FIR is filed under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with
intent to cause riot) and 505(1)(b) (intent to cause, or which is likely to
cause, fear or alarm to the public) and probe is underway. The issue has reached
Chief Minister Yediyrappa’s doorstep. PCC Chief Shivakumar demands withdrawal
of the FIR, arguing that Sonia’s intent was merely to ‘force Modi to use the
Fund for people’s welfare’ and was being misinterpreted by BJP leadership,
which ‘instigated’ filing of complaint. Worse, the FIR was ‘a blatant misuse of
the process of law with an intention to snub the right to healthy criticism’.
What’s new? --- INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
New Delhi
21 May 2020
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