Round The States

New Delhi, 29 November 2006

New Terror Law Controversy

STATES DEBATE IB CHIEF’s PROPOSAL

By Insaf

Various State Governments and their security agencies are eagerly debating the controversy sparked off by Intelligence Bureau Chief ESL Narasimhan at the Conference of Directors General of Police in New Delhi last week.  Narasimhan had pitched for a special law to tackle the growing terrorism in the country on the ground that the existing legal framework was not adequate to deal with the new-age terrorists. The IB Chief had made the demand in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Conference. The PM did not react to the suggestion at that time but responded three days later at a seminar on “Law, Terrorism and Development.” There was no need for a new law, he said, and added that the authorities should take recourse to “stringent measures” under existing laws to tackle the scourge and, among other things, “cut off” the illegal flow of money to terrorists through money laundering and organized crime.

The State Police Chiefs and several retired DGPs and security experts Insaf has spoken to on the issue are fully with the IB Chief’s observation on the threat posed to the country by new-age and other forms of terrorism.  Narasimhan had observed that “having large financial and material resources at their disposal, terrorist groups are able to use modern communication system and state-of-the-art technology to pursue their agenda”… Most security agencies and the Police chiefs in the States have now begun to increasingly feel that they do not have adequate wherewithal to tackle the terrorists who have become more sophisticated, better networked and highly motivated in carrying out their diabolical designs. Of greater concern is the threat to internal security, their linkage with organized crime, drug trafficking, gun-running and money laundering, as reflected in the debates in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

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ULFA Steps Up Violence

The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) is spreading its tentacles by the day. Taking advantage of the ceasefire between August-September last, the organization regrouped its forces, recruited Bangladeshi migrants, got a large number of its cadres trained in Pak-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and managed to equip itself with modern weaponry. It struck four bomb blasts in Assam since the November 5 twin blasts that killed 14 persons. The latest on November 22 was in the high-security zone of Guwahati, killing three persons and injuring more than a dozen. Alarmingly, the group is focusing its attacks on the Hindi-speaking people from Bihar, UP and Rajasthan settled in Assam. They have now extended their activities to northern Bengal with the assistance of local insurgent groups. Their first target was a blast in the Haldibari passenger train, first of its kind in West Bengal.

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Impact Of SC Order Against Mayawati

The Supreme Court’s ruling that the prosecution of the BSP Chief and former UP Chief Minister, Mayawati in the Rs.175-crore Taj Heritage Corridor scam be reopened has affected the ongoing process of social and political realignments prior to the crucial Assembly elections in the State. The immediate impact is expected to be felt in the relationship which the Congress has been slowly building with Mayawati’s BSP.  Both parties are vehemently opposed to Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi Party (SP) and his governance. But the move is unlikely to succeed now.  The BJP too has rejected any post-poll tie-up with the BSP in the event of a hung Assembly. Mayawati’s efforts to woo upper caste votes may also not materialize since the CBI will be framing fresh charges against her. 

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AICC Directive To Punjab Leaders

With the Assembly elections in Punjab barely three months away, the Central leadership of the ruling Congress has directed the State PCC to ensure unity, so vital for retaining power. The AICC General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi has rapped former Lok Sabha member Jagmeet Singh Brar, a known critic of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, for openly speaking against the State leadership.  Brar has been specifically told to refrain from going public with his criticism and to work closely with other State leaders for the upcoming poll.  The Chief Minister has also been asked to stamp out factionalism in the State unit. Following a similar AICC advice to the Punjab leaders few months ago, there was a brief lull in the wrangling. But Brar is at it again publicly against his bete noire.

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Militancy Takes New Turn In J&K

Militancy in Jammu and Kashmir is hopefully taking a new turn. For the first time since it reared its ugly head more than a decade ago, as many as 20 militants from different outfits have surrendered and laid down arms in front of the GOC of an Army Division.  Most of them had crossed over to PoK for arms training between 1993 and 2002.  The Centre and the State Government are watching the encouraging trend with interest, against the backdrop of continuing violence in the State.  The militants are, however, continuing their attacks on security forces and Government buildings. On Tuesday, Dr. Shameena Badroo, wife of former Hizbul Chief and an Army major were critically injured in two gun battles in Chanpora and Bijbehara respectively.  Three days earlier, a gun fight took place in Neldora village in south Kashmir in which four Army personnel and one militant were killed.

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Bonanza For Godhra Victims

The UPA Government at the Centre has finalized a relief package for the 2002 Gujarat riot victims.  It will be a one-time compensation on the lines of the relief the Centre awarded to the 1984 Sikh riot victims.  What is more, the compensation will not only cover the casualties but also those who are staying in semi-permanent camps.  The package provides that the next of kin of a deceased would get Rs.7 lakh, minus the compensation paid so far. The move will come as a relief for several Muslim families which have received hardly any assistance from the Gujarat Government, despite suffering loss of their property and that of near and dear ones. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has identified 5,307 displaced families which have not been settled so far.

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AIDS Virus Spreads To 20 States

The dreaded HIV/AIDS virus has created an alarming situation. It has now spread to as many as 163 districts in 20 States. The highest number of districts is in Andhra Pradesh (21 of the 25 districts), Karnataka (24 of 27), Maharashtra (30 of 36). The new “entrants” in the list of AIDS-affected districts are New Delhi, eight districts in Bihar, five in UP, five in Madhya Pradesh, three in Punjab including Chandigarh, two in Rajasthan and one in Haryana.  Other States affected by the virus are Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, J&K, Jharkhand and Andaman Nicobar Island. In view of the speed with which the virus is spreading in the country, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) has programmed that each of the 611 districts affected by the disease will have a link worker for implementing the control programme at the district level.

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Pulling Out Hand Rickshaws From Kolkata

Kolkata will soon be missing what is loosely described as the city’s “heritage” road transport, the hand-pulled rickshaw. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee wants to see them off the roads as early as possible.  He has got the present winter session of the State Assembly extended by four days to get a Bill passed for withdrawal of these rickshaws from Kolkata.  The session, scheduled to adjourn on November 30, has been extended to December 4. The Government had actually introduced the Bill during the Monsoon session in July last.  But it could not be passed following resistance from the Opposition.  The Congress had initially opposed it.  But it will now support the move as the Chief Minister has assured a rehabilitation package for all the licensed rickshaw pullers.---INFA

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