|
Round
The States
New Delhi, 29 July 2023
Peace In Manipur
FAR CRY FOR PARLIAMENT
By Insaf
Will the Manipur Assembly put Parliament to shame? Or
will Imphal hit the same roadblock as New Delhi? Questions which sadly don’t
inspire as of now an affirmative response. On Thursday last, BJP’s N Biren
Singh government announced it will convene a special Assembly session in the
second or third week of August. Efforts are being made efforts towards this end,
as there have demands from several quarters for the same to discuss the current
situation in the State, said the IPR department. While claims are being made
that ‘very soon, families from relief camps will be able to move into reconstructed
homes…all possible measures are being taken to rehabilitate people both in the
hills and valley,” Wednesday last saw a mob set at least 30 houses and shopsafire
and was engaged in a shootout with security forces in Moreh district. Worse,
the animosity between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zomiis there to stay. On the one
hand, the Zomi Council Steering Committee, representing 9 Kuki-Zomi tribes
demanded imposition of President’s Rule and re-introduction of AFSPA provisions
in all valley districts, on the other Coordinating Committee on Manipur
Integrity urged Centre not to hold talks with Kuki militant groups alleging
their members were ‘responsible for the current turmoil’ and ‘are foreigners’.However,
the Centre held talks with representatives of both the Kuki and Meitei groups
on Wednesday last ‘to defuse the tension.’ A tall order indeed.
Be that as it may, the standoff between the Treasury
benches and the Opposition in Parliament to discuss the Manipur crisis
continues. The Opposition MPs in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha wore black
clothes as a mark of protest on Thursday last for not allowing a discussion on the
violence and Prime Minister Modi not making a statement and indulged in
shouting slogans. The Treasury benches chose to counter with their set of
slogans in the Rajya Sabha and didn’t allow Leader of Opposition Kharge to take
the floor, who later said it’s against the Convention of the House. Sadly, the
gulf is widening in the temple of democracy. Leave aside debate, not a single
question has been admitted on Manipur had been admitted or answered on the
subject, according to Congress P Chidambaram. Unfortunately, scoring brownie
points rather than collectively working towards restoring peace in Manipur appears
to be the agenda. Can and will the People’s representatives rise above party
lines? Can the people of Manipur be given the confidence that the lawmakers are
united and committed to the peace of Manipur? Asking for the moon, perhaps may
be easier!
* * * *
Rajasthan Hots Up
The election fever in Rajasthan is hotting up. The
ruling Congress and its Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot have more on their plate
than bargained for. Having managed to placate a disgruntled Sachin Pilot and
put up a ‘united’ show finally, a ‘red diary’ is now haunting Gehlot. The
Assembly witnessed ugly scenes after sacked minister Rajendra Gudha waved the
diary, claiming it has details of pay-offs made by Gehlot camp to quell Sachin
rebellion in 2020. He was sacked as ministerdays earlier after his remarks “…Instead
of Manipur, we should look within ourselves why atrocities on women have
increased in Rajasthan.”BJP’s star campaigner and Prime Minister Modi as always
took it up at rally in Sikar; The ‘red diary’, he said is a fresh product of Congress’
‘loot ki dukan’, as it contains its dark deeds, which will
defeat the party this election. Gehlot has replied: no such red diary existed,
the real loot is done by you (Modi) by selling the red cylinder for Rs 1,150,
red tomatoes are sold for Rs 150. People are left red-faced hit by inflation.” A
red herring in ensuing campaign season!
* * * *
‘DMK
Files’
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has fresh ammunition
against M K Stalin’s government. Wednesday last, BJP’s State unit knocked on
Raj Bhavan’s door and submitted a memorandum demanding action over what it
termed “benami” links to ruling DMK Ministers, MLAs & MPs, plus “three
scams” – in government-run medical corporation (Rs 600 crore), the state
transport department (Rs 2,000 crore) and in a firm (Rs 3,000 crore) having
alleged links to the ruling regimes—totalling Rs 5,600-odd crore. In a tweet
State BJP President K Annamalai, called the scams ‘Part 2 of DMK files’ with
‘benami documents.’ The first part ‘DMK Files’ in April claimed ‘Rs 200 crore
kickbacks’ to Stalin for 2011 election fund, channelled by a MNC through two
shell firms. This time too, he posted a video clip showing ‘documents’ to back
the claims. DMK had rubbished the charges and filed defamation cases against
Annamalai, who offers to share more during his padyatra starting Friday
to take on Stalin regime and prepare for 2024. It’s anybody’s guess what Ravi
will do now, after having to withdraw his order last month dismissing Minister
Senthil Balaji. Once bitten twice shy?
* * * *
Anxiety in Mizoram
Nagging fear engulfs the Meiteis in Manipur’s
neighbouring State Mizoram. Over 600 of them,say the police have left fearing
an attack and a sense of insecurity prevails following thousands of people
demonstrating across Mizoram on Tuesday last to express solidarity with the violence
hit Kuki-Zo tribals in Manipur. Organised by NGO Co-ordination Committee, a
conglomerate of five major civil society organisations,including Central Young
Mizo Association (CYMA), the protests were held across the State, and in
capital Aizawl in which Chief Minister Zoramthanga, ministers and legislators cutting
across party lines took part. Carrying placards and banners, the participants
slammed Prime Minister Modi for his ‘silence’ and criticised Manipur Chief
Minister Biren Singh for his complete failure to bring normalcy. As a fallout, inManipur’s
capital, Imphal, the Meiteis directed their anger a day later against Zoramthanga,
saying he was interfering in internal affairs of the state. There is need for
caution as Mizoram Manipuri Association (AMMA) claims over 3,000 Meiteis,
mostly students, teachers, and workers, live in Mizoram and there is growing anxiety.Early
warning signs, not to be ignored.
* * * *
Meghalaya’s Winter Capital
The demand for a winter capital in Meghalaya is
simmering. A protest on Monday last, outside Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s
secretariat in Tura town turned ugly with five policemen injured in a mob attack. “Intelligence
indicates the mob’s plan was to murder the CM by hitting him on the head with a
stone or bottles!”claimed the DGP. Of the 19 arrested so far, two are members
of BJP’swomen wingand a TMC leader. The trouble broke out while Sangma was
holding talks with representatives of Achik Conscious Holistically Integrated
Krima (ACHIK) and Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC). Shillong in East
Khasi Hills is presently the capital, inhabited by Khasis, one of three
matrilineal communities of the State, the other two being Garos in Garo Hills,
and Jaintias dominating Jaintia Hills. The agitating groups reason out that
having a winter capital in headquarters of West Garo Hills will“enable focused
attention on specific regional challenges and foster overall prosperity and
development.” Importantly, it’s not a new demand. Claimants say the winter
capital or 2ndcapital was an ‘agreed policy of the pioneers but
remains a distant dream even after 51 years of Meghalaya’s statehood.” The
government must keep in mind the proverb ‘a stitch in time saves nine.’ And
more so, after seeing the unprecedented crisis in sister State, Manipur.----INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
|
Archives 
