Round The
States
New Delhi, 27 February 2021
President Rule In Puducherry
BJP’S MACHIAVELLIAN INTRIGUES
By Insaf
The BJP
does it again, another Congress-led government bites the dust. This time in tiny
Puducherry, due for Assembly elections in just about three months! The UT was
brought under President’s rule on Thursday last, following Chief Minister V
Narayanasamy and his Council of Ministers submitting their resignations on
Monday to new L-G Tamilisai Soundararajan, after a Motion of Confidence was
defeated in the Assembly. The BJP’s strategy to topple his government was
described by ousted CM as “nothing but political prostitution.” The
Congress-DMK coalition got reduced to a minority with five of the seven MLAs
joining the BJP over the last month. Similar tactics used in Arunachal Pradesh,
Goa, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka! Besides, the 5-year tenure saw a
constant face-off between the CM and L-G Kiran Bedi, who was accused of running
a parallel government. Bedi was recalled a week before the government fell as
the BJP realised that she had antagonised not just the ruling establishment but
almost the entire political class, which would impact its future plans. The
timing of the political drama, however, has raised eyebrows. Narayanasamy
accuses the BJP wanting to rule ‘by proxy’ and have better luck with a caretaker
government during the polls. BJP counters saying it has no role in the
government falling, rather it was ‘highly corrupt and collapsed on its own due
to mismanagement and poor governance.’ Will BJP’s Machiavellian intrigue here
pay dividends too?
* * * *
Kerala Poll Compulsions
The
CPM-led government in Kerala has had to do a U-turn. Predictably, under
compulsion of wooing its voters. On Wednesday last, it decided to withdraw all
cases of ‘not serious criminal nature’ registered in connection with protests
against entry of young women at Sabarimala shrine and the Citizenship
(Amendment) Act. Obviously, with Assembly elections round the corner, the CPM
can ill-afford to ignore the Sabarimala issue, as it did severely impact its
performance in General elections 2019. Following the Sabarimala protests in
2018, the police had registered 17,000-odd cases, arraigning some 68,000 people
from various Hindu outfits and 530-odd cases in connection with anti-CAA
protests, involving people from various
political and Muslims outfits. Not only has the opposition Congress and BJP
placed the Sabarimala issue on their poll plank, but upper caste Hindu outfit
Nair Service Society had last week criticised the government’s reluctance to
withdraw the cases, which affected the future of several job seekers. However,
it doesn’t seem to end here, as many organisations see the withdrawal as just
‘an eyewash’. Genuine concern will be known only when the Vijayan government
implements the decision and is prepared to withdraw its affidavit in the
Supreme Court favouring entry of young women at the temple.
* * * *
Delhi AAP Upbeat
Delhi’s
AAP government is upbeat. It sees hopeful signs of spreading its wings across
other States, with its victory in Surat Municipal Corporation polls. AAP won 27
of 120 seats but more importantly ‘breached Modi’s citadel.’ This has given the
party a high to prepare the roadmap with greater vigour to contest polls in
Goa, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat in the next two years.
In fact, its leaders see AAP emerging as an opposition party, given that in
Surat it dislodged the Congress, which failed to get even a single seat. Chief
Minister Kejriwal proposes to flog Delhi formula of free water, electricity and
success stories in health and education sector to do the trick. After all it
has helped AAP retain its hold in the capital, against the BJP juggernaut.
However, it may be wishful thinking, for a corporation election doesn’t make it
a ‘key alternative’ to both national/regional satraps in the States. But AAP is
optimistic. It has tasted victory, even if small, a seat each in the panchayat
election in Goa and District Development Council polls—unexpected quarters. It
claims it has learnt through mistakes and gained experience. Time will tell.
* * * *
Health, Education Priority
Rajasthan
appears to get its priorities right, at least that is what the Budget outlook
suggests. On Wednesday last, presenting the State budget for 2021-22, Chief
Minister Ashok Gehlot spelt out the Congress government’s vision for enhanced
health and education services for the common man. He announced Universal Health
Coverage with Rs 3,500 crore allocated as part of measures to reinforce health
infrastructure and that it was more accessible. Terming it as ‘Rajasthan Model
of Public Health’ (RMPH), Gehlot promised ‘Right to Health Bill’, which would
take into account Preventive, Primary and Curative Care, as envisioned by WHO.
Every family can look forward to Rs 5 lakh health cover, contract workers/small
and marginal farmers made eligible for free/cashless treatment, and no one is
forced to pay any kind of fee or charge which may prevent him/her from seeking
complete medical care. New Public Health Colleges, 30 new PHCs, 50 PHCs to be
upgraded to CHCs, 10 new trauma centres are among various initiatives listed.
On the education front, Gehlot announced upgradation of 100 State schools,
setting up 50 new government schools, 1,200 Mahatma Gandhi schools and as many
as 200 English medium schools, among others. Though people have reason to be
upbeat, the big question is whether these would materialise with government
ensuring funds earmarked to reach the target. Talk is cheap?
* * * *
Rising Anger
Protests
continue to grow. Other than the ongoing farmers’ agitation, trade unions
across the country protested on Friday last with a ‘Bharat Bandh’ demanding a
review of the GST regime. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which
gave the call, has said that traders find the provisions “regressive”,
“complicated”, and “draconian” and that 40,000-odd associations have extended
support to the call. Importantly, the All India Transporters Welfare
Association (AITWA), an apex body representing road transporters, decided to
join the protest and announced a Chakka
Jaam between 6 a.m.-8 p.m. demanding roll back of diesel prices, removal of
undue penalties by transport departments and replacement of E-Way bill with
e-invoice. It claimed that 80 per cent vehicles were either off the road or
parked on the road in solidarity. With the All India Consumer Products
Distributors Federation joining in commercial establishments put their shutters
down in some State, though largely Opposition-ruled. While Bihar saw a lukewarm
response, the call got a fairly good response in Odisha, Haryana, Punjab,
Maharashtra and West Bengal. Will the simmering anger make a difference? The
answer, unfortunately may well be in the negative.
* * * *
J&K Screen Outreach
Governance
through ‘Grievance portal’! This is Jammu & Kashmir administration’s style
of functioning -- public outreach through ‘LG Mulaquat’. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the UT’s top
bureaucracy are reaching out to citizens on screen through video conferencing,
as the Centre is so far in no mood to have elections to ensure a popular
government. Of the thousands of complaints received daily, the administration
seeks to redress grievances, at least one from each district, depending on the
complaint’s nature for direct interaction with Sinha in the last week of the
month. The complaints range from compensation for damaged houses to commercial
vehicles passing through villages to avoid toll on national highway or low
voltage in a locality or unpaid salaries, with the highest numbers being dealt
by Revenue, General Administration, Home, Public Works and School Education
departments. The L-G and Chief Secretary are said to directly review the
performance with all administrative secretaries, DCs, SPs and senior officials
from various departments. Since the redressal system started in August, the
number of complaints disposed off are claimed to have gone up gradually: from
52% in the first edition to 86% in the last. However, New Delhi must realise
that the digital ‘Mulaquat’ is no
answer to an elected government and people’s representatives reaching out with
a human touch. ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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