ROUND THE STATES

New Delhi, 6 February 2008

Regionalism To Fore

MAHARASHTRA FIRST TO BE HIT

By Insaf

All States are on alert following the banner of regionalism unleashed in Maharashtra by the little-known Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), launched by Raj Thackeray, Shiv Sena ideologue Bal Thackeray’s nephew after he fell out with the parent Party in 2006. His out-of-the-blue bellicose war cry of “Maharashtra for Maharashtrians” and “throw out the North Indians” let loose violence not only on the streets of India’s commercial Capital, Mumbai but also in other parts of the State last week. Non-Maharashtrians were singled out and beaten in trains, their taxis and cars smashed. Even Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan was not spared and his house attacked. Significantly, the MNS outburst seems to have struck a chord with the locals, who feel marginalised by the influx of people from Bihar and UP in the State. Wherein, the police too are chary of taking action against the MNS, notwithstanding the arrest of 93 MNS and Congress clashing workers.

Shockingly, the Centre turned a virtual blind eye to the MNS attacks and the Congress-NCP State Government made half-hearted attempts to contain the violence. Asserted Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, “Violence against any community will not be tolerated….Cooperate with the Government and let the law take its own course.” The Shiv Sena, the original protagonists of the sons-of-soil theory, felt betrayed by Thackeray Jr’s attempt to appropriate the Marathi constituency. Now with other parties like Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi and Laloo’s RJD taking up cudgels for people from their respective States, the issue of regional biases promises to snowball into a major controversy. Clearly, the last word on regionalism has still to be said.

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Karnataka New Terror Hub

Little did the Karnataka police know that the arrest of three Islamic militants would lead them to the chilling evidence of a massive terrorist operation in the dense forest area bordering Dharwad district in the State. The forest was being used as training camps to train militants in the use of firearms and latest techniques under fluttering Pakistani flags. True, the State has always been considered a safe haven for terrorists for the past 10 years, but it is the first time that a terrorist camp has been unearthed.  In fact, sleeper terror cells are giving the State police sleepless nights. Recall, the terror trail started with the Deendar Anjuman sect unleashing a series of blasts across North Karnataka in 2001. Since then many more terror outfits have mushroomed and set base in the State resulting in terror attacks on the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad and elsewhere. Thus, exposing a serious chink in the country’s security and intelligence armour, no matter loud and empty rhetoric of snuffing out terrorism with an iron hand!

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UP Governor Brazenly Partisan

Governors are turning brazenly partisan, if one goes by the conduct of T V Rajeshwar in Uttar Pradesh. In fact, the Governor who is answerable only to the Constitution is being seen more as a Congress Party spokesman answerable to the Party High Command. When he came out in defence of two IAS officers, placed under suspension by the Chief Minister Mayawati recently for ‘glorifying’ members of the Gandhi family. Not only did Governor Rajeshwar disapprove the action, but made it public! Mayawati is correct and rightly objected by asserting that the Governor should have spoken to her instead. Remember it’s not the first time the former Intelligence Bureau Chief has played Party politics. It is high time a model code of conduct is put in place for Governors!         

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Arunachal Cannot Trust Centre?

All is not well in Arunachal Pradesh. On the heels of the Prime Minister’s visit to the State, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) has insisted that it be included in the negotiations, if any, with China, over the border issue. Besides, it has warned that it would not tolerate any compromise of its territory. In its memorandum to the PM, the AAPSU has also opposed the NSCN’s claim over two districts of Tirap and Changang. Moreover, it has made plain its opposition to these districts being traded during a possible settlement. Also, it has called for the setting up of another Central Boundary Commission to resolve the boundary dispute with Assam, as it does not recognize the Bordoloi Committee report. The demands, if carefully viewed suggest that the people of Arunachal don’t trust the Centre.  

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West Bengal In North-East!

A map showing West Bengal as a part of the North-East has rung warning bells in various quarters of the region. Drawn by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the map was displayed at the North East Investment Summit in Guwahati, hosted by Assam and sponsored by the Department of North-East Region (DONER) last month. Be it the North-East Students’ Organisation, the North Eastern Tea Association and the North-East Chamber of Commerce — all saw it as a “diabolic attempt to deprive the North-Eastern States of their due” and “a conspiracy by the CII, West Bengal and Central Government to extend DONER initiatives and funds to North Bengal!” According to the CII State Council much was being read into a simple “mistake.” Well, investments will reveal whether it was deliberate or a faux pas.

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Madhya Pradesh Leads In Child Marriages

If regional bias is the flavour in Maharashtra, caste rules the roost in Madhya Pradesh. Scandalously, more than 77% of various castes and communities continue the horrific practice of  marrying of children with all the pomp, customs and traditions in the State  compared to 41% in Rajasthan and a mere 10% in Uttar Pradesh. These shocking revelations came to the fore in a survey by the Delhi-based Centre for Social Research. But more disturbing was the fact that over 71% of the respondents were aware of the illegality of child marriages and were conversant with the Child Marriage Prohibition Act. Besides, most child marriages took place among the upwardly mobile social groups and were not registered. It is another matter that the Supreme Court has asked all States to frame rules for mandatory marriage registration. But this was more an exception than a rule.

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Women To The Fore In Meghalaya

Women power has come to the fore in Meghalaya. Women voters outnumber men, according to the latest electoral rolls published by the State Election Commission. In an electorate of 12,30,152, over 6,25,545 women voters compared to 6,04,607 men are expected to exercise their vote in the forthcoming Assembly elections slated for early March. Given Meghalaya’s matrilineal society women are reportedly more conscious about their political rights and take an active interest in the in the electoral process. In fact, unlike other States notorious for female infanticide, the mortality rate among infants here has decreased and women are given preference over men. Also, among the Khasi tribe there is no sex discrimination as in other parts of the country. Will other States please take note. ---- INFA

(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)