Round The States
New Delhi, 5 October 2011
NC Worker’s Death
OMAR HAS J&K IN
TURMOIL
By Insaf
The death of a National Conference worker in police custody
has not only raised a political storm in J&K but has put the State
Government in jeopardy. Till yesterday, Syed Mohammad Yusuf was an unknown
person but his demise reportedly due to a heart attack, has opened a Pandora’s
box of allegations. The PDP President Mehbooba Mufti has accused Chief Minister
Omar Abdullah of being involved in Yusuf’s murder along with his confidant
Minister of State for Home Nasir Aslam Wahi and demanded his resignation. This
is not all. The Party created pandemonium in the Assembly after the Speaker
denied it permission for tabling an adjournment motion on Yusuf’s “mysterious death”
resulting in senior PDP leaders hurling abuses and a pedestal fan at the
Speaker. Worse, an angry Speaker retaliated by accusing the Opposition leader
of being a traitor and hurling invectives. Omar Abdullah hurriedly set up a
judicial probe by a sitting High Court Judge and announced that he was ready to
face a probe into his party worker’s death, but it failed to douse the
controversy surrounding Yusuf’s demise.
Adding fuel, Yusuf’s family alleges foul play in his murder
as he never suffered from heart ailment. Stories also abound of Yusuf being
exceedingly close and a confidant of the NC’s first family the Abdullahs’.
Narrating the sequence of events the Chief Minister stated that after hearing
complaints by two party workers who alleged they had paid over Rs. 1.2 crores
to their colleague for Ministerial berths. During questioning of all three
party workers by the police, Yusuf complained of chest pain, was rushed to the
Hospital where he died. True, the Chief Minister has tried to take the ‘Yusuf
war’ to the PDP camp by threatening to sue Mufti for defamation. He can also heave
a sigh of relief temporarily as the Assembly has adjourned sine die but his
troubles are far from over. Perhaps, Omar Abdullah might wriggle out of the
murder charge, yet he may not be able to escape the serious allegations of dirt
and corruption surrounding his family and party.
* * * *
Maoists Offer Truce
In a surprise move the Maoists in West
Bengal have offered cease fire for a month. With the rider that
the State Government rein in the joint CRPF and State Police officers. This
follows Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s stern warning that the Maoists should
not take her four months of soft line approach as a weakness. “Killings and
dialogues cannot go together”, she said. However, the security establishment
refuses to buy this ploy and alleges that it is the Maoists trick to regroup,
plant more landmines and get new weapons. Arguably, how could the CPM propose
truce in one State and fight security forces in another. Recall, after coming to power the Chief
Minister had suspended all anti-Maoists operations but a series of killings of
Trinamool workers led to a change of strategy. It is a moot point if peace
makes inroads in the Maoists ‘adda’
infamous Junglemahal.
* * * *
Gujarat Vs Centre Over
Bhatt
In Gujarat too, Chief
Minister Narendra Modi is in the eye of squall over the arrest of former IPS
officer-turned-squealer Sanjiv Bhat. He has opened the can of worms surrounding
Modi’s role in the post-Godhra carnage of 2002. Recall, the suspended police officer
was arrested and sent to judicial custody following an FIR against him by a
constable, alleging that he had been made to sign false affidavits regarding a
meeting called by Modi in February 2002 claiming that Bhatt was present
therein. Worried about his safety Bhatt’s wife wrote to Union Home Minister
Chidambaram urging him to protect the officer from a vindictive administration.
In a surprising move, Chidambaram asked the State Government to ensure adequate
security to Bhatt and his family. Countered an angry administration: mind your
manners and business. Undoubtedly, the officer’s arrest has resulted in a Gujarat vs Centre flashpoint.
* * * *
Riots In
Uttarakhand
Peace in the industrial town of Rudrapur, Uttarakhand took a severe beating
on Gandhi Jayanthi Day following communal violence. Four people were killed and
scores injured in the riots, which broke out on Sunday last after a copy of the
Quran was found desecrated in a temple. The Muslims took to the streets
following the police taking no action. In a counter attack, a mob of Hindus
looted shops of Muslims and burnt their vehicles. The police had to resort to
firing, which has claimed four lives. Curfew was imposed in the town, which houses
manufacturing units of big industrial houses such as Tata Motors, Nestle, Bajaj
Auto etc, and the Rapid Action Force called in. With Assembly elections due
next year, the new Chief Minister BC Khanduri is closely monitoring the
situation as he wants his State to be glitch free.
* * * *
Policy On Engg.
Colleges
The Centre has come up with a new policy on setting up of
engineering colleges to appease disgruntled States. It has asked the All India
Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to consult the States before giving
permission to set up any new colleges. This follows complaints by States that
such colleges are being concentrated in the west and that the eastern and North
Eastern region is underserved. Apparently, 70 per cent of the capacity in
degree-level engineering education is concentrated in four States—Andhra
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The AICTE will now need to ask the State governments with a surplus of vacant
seats whether more engineering colleges should be given recognition. The move,
says a confident Union Ministry of Human Resources shall eventually address the
wide inter-State and inter-region disparity, particularly the location of
engineering colleges. Time will tell.
* * * *
HIV Lower In 4 States
Regional disparity continues to be prevalent on another
front. The four States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra
and Tamil Nadu have every reason to pat themselves in the back. According to
the annual HIV Sentinel Surveillance Survey the cases of HIV and STD among the
high-risk population groups have declined in these high-prevalence States.
Interestingly, all it took to bring down prevalence rate was the use of condoms
during commercial sex acts across all districts. From 39 per cent in 2005-06
condom use went up to 70 per cent. Similarly prevalence of STD like Syphilis,
Gonorrhoea declined from 7.6 per cent to 3.1 per cent in a majority of the
districts. Significantly, the use of
condoms increased amongst gays and trans-genders from 73 per cent to 98 per
cent. Sadly, the North-East, particularly Manipur and Nagaland continue to have
high incidence of HIV and demand special attention. Clearly this is one area
where awareness and sex education can lead to healthier sex relations. ---INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)
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