Round
The States
New Delhi, 20 May 2023
‘Sharing & Caring’
WILL IT WORK IN KARNATAKA?
By Insaf
The kissa kursi ka (tale of the throne) is
finally done with in Karnataka! After four long days and nights, the Congress
has succeeded in getting state party President DK Shivakumar to accept being
number two in the government, to be sworn-in today at Kanteerava Stadium in
Bengaluru. He takes over as Dy Chief Minister with former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
getting the top post, after the CLP on Thursday last formally elected him as
its leader. A sigh of relief for the grand old party alright, but will it be a
cakewalk after a stunning victory? For starters, the new Cabinet and portfolios
are to be agreed upon, as Siddaramaiah would want more of a say given his vast
experience in running the government and mass appeal among the OBCs, SCs and
Muslims across the State. The duo flying into Delhi on Friday to discuss this
with the party high command, sends signals that striking a balance may not be
easy. The sanctioned strength of the Cabinet is 34 and aspirants from both
sides are more.
Plus, Congress has promised to implement its ‘guarantees’including
200 units of free power to all households, Rs 2,000 pm aid to woman head of
every family, 10 kg free rice to every BPL household member, on first day of
assuming power. A tall order, which raises the next question whether and how will
it be able to deliver? While the government will need to get its coffers
mathematics right, the victory in Karnataka will be flogged by the grand old
party to wean opposition parties on its side to form the elusive non-BJP front
for battle 2024. It has for starters invited ‘all national leaders’ to the
swearing-in ceremony. However, the list is not shared, and it’s reported that few
Chief Ministers, such as of Kerala and Telangana are not on it. Interestingly,
West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee has been invited but she has designated a party
leader to represent her, raising a few eyebrows for soon after the results she
had said her party would ‘support Congress where it’s strong’ in general
elections. Guess, didi is going to watch the turnout at the stadium,
like many others. Will this southern State victory help Congress’ caravan
grow?
* * * * * * *
Insensitive Manipur Govt
The accusation that the BJP government ‘is playing with
fire’ in strife torn Manipur is not off the mark. The Supreme Court not only has
found the High Court judge’s order ‘obnoxious’ and ‘incorrect’ despite being
given an opportunity to correct the judgement granting quota to majority
Meiteis, but asked Solicitor General to “advise the constitutional authority (Chief
Minister Biren Singh) to make statements with a sense of responsibility,” after
his allegedprovocative statements. Worse, 10 Kuki MLAs, including seven from
BJP, and various CSOs at a meeting in neighbouring Aizawl, decided not to have any
dialogue with the government. The legislators earlier had urged the Centreto
create a separate administration, like a UT, for the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi-Hmar
community, but Biren rejected the demand saying, ‘territorial integrity will be
protected at all costs.’ Expectedly, but an adamant posture won’t help matters.
He would do well to heed to the court’s advice – take steps to ‘foster
confidence and ensure peace and tranquillity’, not turn “a blind eye” to the
situation. With Karnataka polls over, the Centre must step in. Relief camps for
over 6663 displaced people and setting aside Rs 3 crore as relief fund is just
scratching the surface. It must get to the bottom of what has gone wrong.
* * * * *
Chhattisgarh Vs ED
Chhattisgarh has set the cat amongst the pigeons. The
ED had the Supreme Court telling it ‘Don’t create an atmosphere of fear,” this
after Baghel government accusing the agency of “running amok” and trying to
implicate the Chief Minister in a money laundering case linked to Rs 2,000
crore liquor scam. “Even a bona fide cause becomes suspect when you (the ED)
behave like this,” the bench said, while hearing a plea of two
Chhattisgarh-based persons, one arrested by ED in the case, challenging the
proceedings initiated under PMLA, whose constitutionality the State government
has questioned. It sought impleadment in the case, claiming 52 Excise
department officers have complained in writing of “mental and physical torture”
by ED officers during the probe. The officers, said the plea, ‘are being
threatened by the ED officers of their arrest or of family members and being
implicated in cases if they don’t make and sign the statement as desired by
them to implicate the CM and other senior officers.” These actions of the ED,
it added, are a part of ‘well-orchestrated and targeted attempt by political
masters of de-establishing the government.’ The ED has been asked to file its
reply, which should be under close watch, as the situation may well be similar
in other non-BJP States.
* * * * * * *
Rajasthan
Shenanigans
Rajasthan dissident Congress leader Sachin Pilot has
bitten more than he can chew! His latest threat to launch an agitation across
the State if Chief Minister Gehlot doesn’t act on his demands by month-end, has
party functionaries up in arms. Hoardings, with his and BJP MP from Jodhpur and
Union Minister Shekhawat photos have sprouted around the city, asking: ‘Why are
you silent on Sanjivani scam Pilot ji? People want an answer’. The
Cooperative Society scam, under the scanner since august 2019 allegedly had
thousands of investors losing Rs 900 crore. Plus, Gehlot has accused Shekhawat
of involvement, with the latter filing a defamation complaint. While Pilot’s
says his demands seeking action against corruption are to ‘serve the people
till his last breath’ and nothing scares him, the hoardings should. Put up by
party DCC functionaries, these hint what is being heard in the corridors of
power i.e. Pilot has been reaching out to the BJP like Scindia, but the saffron
party isn’t biting. With the party High Command backing Gehlot, the young
leader may find himself out in the cold in the ensuing Assembly polls. He
already has lost his Dy CM and President PCC posts, what next?
* * * * * * *
No Film
Ban
Notwithstanding the controversy, The Kerala Story
has unwittingly put the spotlight on governments using the law to “put a
premium on public intolerance.” It can’t be so, the Supreme Court told the West
Bengal government for “otherwise, all films will find themselves in this spot.”
It stayed the States’ ban saying it “suffers from infirmities and isn’t
justified” based on materials placed. It also dealt with another plea that
theatre owners in Tamil Nadu had decided not to show the movie. In response,
the government said despite necessary security given
to theatres/multiplexes, their owners decided to stop exhibiting the film
because of ‘lack of enthusiastic response from general public.’ Opposing
counsel refuted it: “theatres were full up to 95% or 100% capacity.” The court
directed “no steps, whether tacit or express, formal or informal” shall be
taken by the State or any of its officers, including police to prevent the film
screening. It, however, asked the film producer to put a disclaimer: There’s no
authentic data to back up suggestion that the figure of conversion is 32000 or
any other figure; The film represents a fictionalised version.” Will this put
the lid on the controversy. ---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
|