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Round The States
New Delhi, 28 October 2022
Governor Vs CM
KERALA ROW INTENSIFIES
By Insaf
God’s own country is embroiled in a bitter battle. Governor
Arif Mohammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinyari Vijayan are slugging it out, to
put it mildly. In the midst of a political storm over Khan’s actions seeking
removal of 11 VCs of universities in his capacity as Chancellor, Raj Bhavan on
Wednesday last shot off a letter to Vijayan seeking ‘constitutionally
appropriate’ action against Finance Minister Balagopal. The grounds: “A
minister who deliberately violates the oath and undermines the unity and
integrity of India cannot continue to enjoy my pleasure.” He was referring to
Balgopal’s speech at a University campus on October 18. The Governor’s demand of taking ‘appropriate
action’ against FM was promptly shot down by Vijayan—a repeat of the VCs’
row by asking the Governor ‘not to cross
limits of his powers.’ The CPM in the ruling LDF government has hit out too
saying Khan was trying to implement the ‘BJP-RSS agenda’ and has been joined by
the opposition Congress, which said Khan’s demand should be dismissed with ‘due
contempt’ and Governor is not ‘God who cannot be questioned.’ How ugly will it
get, is anybody’s guess. Sadly, Raj Bhavan and Chief Minister’s slugfest is
becoming a rule rather than an exception!
* * * * *
Delhi’s Currency Idea
Pitching for a national role, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP
supremo Arvind Kejriwal plays the hand of God. At a press meet on Wednesday last,
he took many by surprise as he appealed to the Modi government to include
photos of Hindu deities Lakshmi and Ganesh on currency notes along with that of
Mahatma Gandhi. He spelt out reasoning as: “We can all see that our economy is
not recovering. We all want India to become a developed country and for that
lot of work needs to be done. But all efforts will be only successful when there
will be gods and goddesses’ grace on us.” Political commentators see it as a
master stroke trying to get a finger in BJP’s Hindutva pie. The idea, he said
came during the Diwali puja at home and his request to the Centre is don’t change
currency notes but that new notes should include the goddesses of wealth and
prosperity. He also cited the Indonesian currency, wherein, though it’s a Muslim
majority country (only 2-3% Hindus) it has Ganesh photo on it. ‘When Indonesia
can do why can’t we do it?’ he asked. Rather than having a response, the BJP
went on the offensive, such as: He’s trying to side line Mahatma Gandhi; is “anti-Hindu”
as he banned fire crackers, and the blessing of these goddesses “are already on
India and Modi.. India has risen to becoming the 5th largest economy
in the world from 11th in the last decade….”
* * * * *
Assamese Identity
Is Assamese identity under threat or is the BJP government
over reacting? The answer is not easy as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is
certainly peeved by a ‘Miya Museum’ being set up in a house allotted under PMAY
in Goalpara district. Two days after its inauguration by members of the Assam
Miya Parishad, a team of officials sealed it, under orders of the DC. The
museum had few agricultural and fishing equipment, hand towels and ‘lungis’ display.
Sarma, had a day earlier, said such activities posed a threat to ‘Assamese
identity’ as “how can they claim the plough is their identity? It has been used
by all farmers in the state for ages. It’s only the lungi they can claim
as their own.” BJP leaders demanded its immediate closure. The Parishad’s President,
General Secretary and a former AAP leader were picked up by police, claiming ‘in
connection with a case registered under UAPA for alleged link with the Al Qaeda.’
The word ‘Miya’ in Assam refers to Bengali-speaking migrants. The government
says those who set up museum will need to justify their action to an expert
committee. Will questions whether people
have a cultural right to set up a museum/library in their house, or arresting
them and that too under terror laws is correct be addressed?
* * * * *
Kashmiri Pandits Flee
Families of Kashmir Pandits (KP) belie J&K
administration, rather even Union Home Ministry’s claim that normalcy is
returning in the Valley. According to reports, 10 KP families comprising 35-40
members, have abandoned their village Choudharygund in Shopian district in
south Kashmir and reached Jammu following nagging fear after recent terrorist
attacks. The families claim they had lived through most difficult period of
terrorism in 1990s and chose not to leave their homes, but no longer. Instances
of one KP being gunned down outside his home on October 15, three days later
another KP was killed in a grenade attack by terrorists has had a chilling
effect and a villager claimed ‘the village was now empty.’ The authorities, it
was alleged had not provided security as claimed and though a police post was
set up, it was away from their village. The KPs said they have left everything behind
in their houses, even the recent harvest of apple. A grim reminder of the early
90’s. North Block needs to do more than
mere words, as it’s three years since Article 370 was abrogated!
* * * * *
TN Explosion
The Tamil Nadu government proposes to reach out to the
Centre to have the Coimbatore explosion case probed by the National
Investigating Agency. Plus, it has announced ‘raising a special police force to
foil sabotage and bolster its intelligence wing’. Clearly, the Stalin
administration is rattled after 75-kg explosives (used in making country bombs)
were seized on 23 October in Coimbatore from the residence Jameesha Mubeen, who
was killed after a gas cylinder exploded in the car. Five persons, belonging to
a community, have arrested under UAPA provisions and all aspects, including
terror angle is being probed. This after three of them were in a CCTV footage
seen carrying two LPG cylinders and two small drums, the content of which has
been sent for forensic examination. The incident, as usual has given the
opposition BJP to hit out at the DMK government. “How long will it take for the
chief minister to accept Intelligence failure… bring professionals back to the
force...Home department had them prior to 2021,” said its State President. No
time to play politics.
* * * * *
Of Sweet Lime & Platelets
The UP administration has ordered the bull dozers again,
but this time to demolish a hospital. As a video claiming that ‘sweet lime
juice was transfused to a patient instead of blood platelets’ at a private
hospital in Prayagraj went viral on social media, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh
Pathak cracked the whip and had the hospital sealed, to be followed by flattening.
The family members of the patient, who had dengue, claimed he died because juice
was administered. However, the administration said platelets were transfused,
but with laxity as these were stored in an improper way which may have led to
clotting. The hospital owner claimed the platelets were brought from a
different medical facility and the patient had a reaction after three units
were transfused. Interestingly, the notice issued to the hospital says it was “unauthorised”
and that it be vacated by Friday morning. The Deputy CM would do well to also
take action against the officials who allowed the hospital to function in the
first place. Obviously, the authorities looked the other way. Life is cheap in
our country!---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature
Alliance)
New Delhi
27 October 2022
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