Round The States

New Delhi, 8 September 2011

Delhi’s Deadly Terror

GOVERNMENT ON BLINK

By Insaf

Deadly terror ripped through the heart of Union Capital Delhi’s much-prided Lutyen’s zone on a sultry Wednesday morning killing 12 people and wounding over 76. When a powerful bomb packed in a small briefcase exploded at Delhi’s High Court’s entry gate No. 5 at 10.14am. Coming as it did exactly 111 days after a low intensity blast exploded at the Court’s gate No. 7, it yet again underscored both the Central and State Government’s marked intelligence failure, ill-preparedness and casual approach. For reasons best known to it, the Delhi Police seems to have ignored intelligence reports and warning pointing to attacks on the city. Worse, the authorities failed to securitise New Delhi and its surrounding areas despite knowing that the 25 May explosion was a ‘dry run’ for the next strike. More scandalous, after holding six meetings on exercising utmost caution and vigil the result was zilch. Even the mandatory CCTV cameras proposed nearly three years ago were not installed as the file shuttled between the police and PWD department. That the peoples’ patience is fast running out was visible as leaders who made a beeline to the hospitals were shouted down.

Predictably, knives are out for the Government. Given that it is the 19^th attack in India since 2000. Thereby, raising serious questions about the effectiveness of our intelligence apparatus and the level of coordination between various Central and State agencies. The much-acclaimed National Investigative Agency set-up post Mumbai’s 26/11 has still to get its act together. On the face of it the terrorists’ motive was not only to cripple the ordinary people, instill a sense of fear, but more important to send a message to the judiciary that they would leave no stone unturned to free militants charged for heinous crimes, whose petitions are pending therein. Clearly, showing that neither the Centre nor the State Governments have learnt any lesson after the dastardly 26/11 2008 attacks. Shockingly, the powers-that-be and police are busy playing their favourite pass-the-buck game accusing each other of failing to take timely action. Time for the Government to wake up, tighten its belt and secure India from terrorists. After all, people are not mere statistics!

*                 *                                               *                                           *

Mining Don Reddy Arrested

In the season of corruption, Karnataka’s all powerful mining baron and controversial former Cabinet Minister G Janardhan Reddy was jailed Monday last. When the CBI’s Andhra Pradesh unit sprang a surprise and swooped on the Bellary baron at the crack of dawn on charges of illegal mining of  iron ore in the Ananthpur district of Andhra and the Bellary Andhra Reserved forest. Clearly, legendary and lavish Reddy’s dramatic fall from power is as spectacular as his meteoric rise from being a constable’s son to becoming the mining lord of Bellary in 1999 and Minister in BJP’s first Southern Government in 2008. Only to meet his nemesis thanks to the Supreme Court asking the CBI to curtail illegal mining in Andhra and Karnataka. It remains to be seen if the once invincible richest Karnataka politician has been finally vanquished!

Significantly, Reddy’s arrest is a blessing in disguise for the BJP in the State to clean up its act. Given that he alongwith his elder brother and a close aide have embarrassed the party on a number of occasions. Recall, in 2009 the mining baron virtually brought the then Yeddiyurappa Government to the brink, when he ferried over 40 MLAs to Hyderabad in a bid to dethrone the Chief Minister and usurp the gaddi. The matter was amicably settled only after Yeddiyurappa agreed to all of Reddy’s wish list. The BJP on its part has all alone kept the Reddy brothers in good humour reportedly as they are known to be very ‘generous’. Already, Reddy’s legislators’ brood has decreased with only a handful being present in Bellary at the time of his arrest alongwith his main benefactor Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj distancing herself. What next?

*                         *                                               *                                           *

The Congress-led UPA Government might have introduced a comprehensive Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill to replace the archaic Land Acquisition Act 1894 but it has been pipped to the post by its State Government in Kerala. Whereby, its new Bill ensures land owners enjoy the benefits of a future jump in the real estate value of the property they part with for developmental projects. Importantly, the new policy entails that at the time of land acquisition, the Government would issue an infrastructure development bond equal to the value of the property agreed to by the owner, who can encash the same at any time in the future at rates prevailing in the real estate market. Another suggestion is to set apart a quantum of project shares for those whose land would be acquired for a particular project. Needless to say, a new tussle has risen with both the Centre and State quibbling over which Bill makes acquisition attractive for the land owners.

*                             *                                               *                                           *

Himachal’s ‘Historic’ Bill

Himachal Pradesh too has reason to boast. On the closing day of the Assembly session, the BJP-led Government of Prem Kumar Dhumal passed the Himachal Pradesh Special Courts (Attachments and Confiscation of Property) Bill. It provides for setting up special courts for speedy trials of cases of corruption against public servants who have amassed wealth through corrupt practices. It also allows the Government to move an application before this court for attachment of properties of the officials, if it is convinced that there is a prima facie case. The officials could get relief only once the case if finally disposed. How soon these special courts will be set up, is the moot point. 

*                        *                                               *                                           *

Mayawati ‘Revealed’

UP Dalit messiah Mayawati is angry, very angry. The cause célèbre of her angst are cables leaked by WikiLeaks which portray her as a virtual dictator, a first rate ego-maniac who is obsessed with becoming the Prime Minister. Shockingly, the Chief Minister has a security entourage to rival a head of State, has ‘a penchant for personal corruption’, is known to get Minister’s to do sit-ups for minor protocol errors and has food tasters to sample her meals. This is not all. More scandalous, she dispatches a private plane to fetch her favourite sandals from Mumbai. All at the tax-payers expense! Predictably, all hell has broken loose with the Dalit ki beti accusing WikiLeaks owner of being mad and fit for mental asylum. Clearly, hell hath no fury like Mayawati’s unplugged!---INFA

  (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)