Round The States
New Delhi, 5 June
2021
Centre-Bengal
Row
VENDETTA Vs
PROTOCOL
By Insaf
‘Political vendetta’
or ‘breach of protocol’, is the latest tug-of-war between Prime Minister Modi
and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. This time it has gone beyond
petty politics between BJP-ruled and non-BJP States. It has engulfed the
country’s bureaucracy leading to a debate wherein a section bats for former
Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay and the other against him. True to her
style, Mamata has hit out at New Delhi’s recalling of Bandyopadhyay and sending
him a showcause noticeunder the DMA seeking his explanation for skipping a
cyclone review meeting, after he had resigned and become her advisor. The
Centre, she said cannot ‘force an officer to join it without the permission of
the State government…it’s not the battle of Bandyopadhyay. This is a battle for
all bureaucracy. I can’t accept this.” In his reply, former CS has said he was scheduled
to visit cyclone-affected areas and was following his CM’s orders. So was he
right or wrong? Where does one draw the line? A section of civil servants argue
the Centre over-reachedas it is smarting under its recent poll defeat, while
others say by not being present to brief the PM,he transgressed professional
lines. The rule book is being interpreted differently. What is static is the
bitter Modi-Mamata feud. And Didi never misses an opportunity to use it to the
hilt and more ferocious. The incident, she says, is a great blunder of the
Centre. “They want to bulldoze State government totally. They want to play
political vendetta… What do you want, Mr Busy Prime Minister? Mr Mann Ki
Baat Prime Minister? You want to finish me? Can you do it? Never and ever…”
Guess, protocol and stature demand Modi should ignore the vendetta.
* * * *
States’ SOS To Centre
Odisha and Kerala
have upped the ante against the Centre’s unfair and discriminatory vaccination
policy. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote earlier this week to all CMs urging
centralised procurement of vaccines by Union government, rather than by
individual States, arguing that while many of us have floated global tenders,
vaccine manufacturers are unwilling to get into supply contracts with State
governments. Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan too wrote, but only to CMs of 11 non-BJP States urging them to
push for the same. In fact, its Assembly went a step further on Wednesday
unanimously passing a resolution the Centre ‘make vaccines available free of
cost to all States in a time-bound manner.’ Asking States to procure vaccines
from open market was “highly objectionable”. Mizoram CM Zoramthanga too joined
the chorus citing north eastern States “stressed economic resources”, and
asking Centre to procure and distribute vaccines free. West Bengal’s Mamata
Banerjee, slammed ICMR’s claim the entire country would be vaccinated by
December as a “hoax”. The BJP, ‘does this type of political propaganda. Before
Bihar election, they said people will be vaccinated free, but did nothing after
it.’ Will Modi oblige or throw it back in their face -- Centre was willing,
States demanded change in policy! In this political opera, where do citizens’
figure?
* * * *
UP’s Introspection
Startling
preparations are underway in Uttar Pradesh for ensuing electoral battle in
February next. Nervousness within the BJP, both at headquarters and State is
palpable. The focus appears to be whether Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath can
retain the party’s supremacy, as his handling of the pandemic has put a big
question mark. However, party national General Secretary (Organisation) B L
Santhosh choose to give a picture that all is well. The two-day meeting held
with ministers and other leaders in Lucknow was said to “review social work
done by our party leaders” and to plan for the possibility of a third wave. In
fact, he wrapped it up giving Yogi full marks saying Covid management in the
State was “unparalleled”. Not many are willing to accept this, for since Yogi
took over the kursiin2017, this is the first such meeting held by a
senior BJP leader with his team. Plus, it takes place in backdrop of some party
ministers and MLAs openly voicing concern over mishandling of Covid situation.
Recall, the BJP’s poor performance in recent panchayat polls, with rival SP
claiming to have given a tough fight. Viewed as semi-final, before the big
fight, BJP now gets down to what it’s best at doing. Propaganda: we shall do
better in 2022 and go beyond 300-mark! Let’s just say time will tell.
* * * *
Himachal Gift To
Media!
Himachal Pradesh
government has unwittingly helped the fourth estate, journalists across the
countryThe issue relates to sedition being used increasingly against
journalists and wherein a . On Thursday last, the Supreme Court quashed the
sedition case registered against well-known journalist Vinod Duaby the Himachal
police following a complaint by a local BJP leader
in Shimla last July. Every journalist, said the apex court, “is entitled to
protection under the Kedar Nath Singh judgment.” In the verdict of 1962 on scope
and ambit of sedition in the IPC, while the court upheld section 124A’s
validity,it said sedition charges couldn’t be invoked against a citizen for
criticism of government actions as it would be in conformity with freedom of speech
and expression. Obviously, conveniently forgotten by authorities to browbeat
journalists. Dua was charged under sections 124A, 268, 501 and 505 for his 15-minute YouTube show on March 30,
after the complainant said Duaaccused Prime Minister Modi of using “deaths and
terror attacks” to get votes!Dua knocked on the apex court’s door and got
protection to the extent that police was stopped from taking coercive action
till further orders. Insafhails the verdict as it gives hope that intolerant
governments’ repeated attempts to stifle press freedom through sedition law
shall be halted, finally? Learn from Himachal’s experience.
* * * *
Punjab Cong Blues
Will the Congress
high command at least put its house in order in Punjab? The question begs an
answer after its party leader Navjot Sidhu, who has consistently been gunning
for Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, had a hearing before a three-member AICC
committee on Tuesday last. True to his style, after the meeting Sidhu told
reporters he came on ‘invitation’ of high command and conveyed ‘the voice of
people at the grassroots level in the State… my stand is people’s democratic
power that goes to government in form of taxes should go back to the people, in
whatever form. I have completely uncovered the truth…” The bitter truth is he
has been hitting sixes against Amarinder on Twitter: promises unfulfilled and a
quid-pro-quo with Akalis, terming it a 75-25% partnership. Apparently, he’s
smarting as Amarinder has thrown his suggestions into the dustbin. These
include cash-crunched and debt-ridden Punjab could fill empty coffers if its
pilferage to private pockets is checked and the State having three rivers can
make millions from sand as well as liquor sales! Enough is enough, must sigh
Amarinder. Can he be optimistic? Sidhu’s diatribe must be put an end to. Or
will it meet same fate as the infamous Letter of 23, seeking changes in party? February
polls are not too far away.
* * * *
Bihar’s Novel Plans
Killing two birds
with one stone. That’s what Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar proposes with his
plans to reserve 33% seats to girls in medical and engineering colleges.
Clearly, not only will give a further boost to his women vote bank
constituency, but the provision in two Bills will put Bihar as the first State
to do so. With his government proposing to bring the Bills -- Bihar Engineering Universities Bill and Bihar
Medical Education Bill in next Assembly session, Nitish on Wednesday last at a
review meeting to give fine tune these, recommended one-third seats for girls in medical and
engineering colleges be reserved, to raise their numbers in technical
education. Remember, he has nurtured women voters all these years: reservation
of 50% seats for girls in primary and 35% in secondary schools at panchayat
level; 35% jobs for women in police and 33% in other government jobs; Rs 50,000
cash incentive to encourage girl graduates to pursue higher education and of
course his popular schemes such as bicycles and school uniforms for girls.
Guess, this gives further impetus to open engineering colleges in every
district and medical colleges in some districts, so that students don’t have to
go out of the state for such education. What an idea, Sirji!---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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