Round The States

New Delhi, 10 January 2007

Panic Exodus Of Biharis

ULFA POGROM AGAINST NON-ASSAMESE

By Insaf

The ULFA pogrom in Assam last week-end against the non-Assamese workforce is causing grave concern to both the Centre and the State Government. The latest round of killings in the three days of violence left more than 75 dead and scores of persons injured in northern Assam. The militants fired repeatedly for three days on houses belonging to the Hindi-speaking people. This was preceded by an encounter between motorcycle-borne militants and the police in Dibrugarh. The attacks should not have come as a surprise because the militants had more than once stated their plans to strike at the hapless migrant labourers to press for their demand: “Asom for Assamese” and “freedom”.  The latest carnage has led the State Government and the Centre to take stern and effective steps against the militants. The Army has been re-deployed and 20 additional Companies of the Central security forces have been moved to the affected areas.

The eruption of the violence by ULFA against the non-Assamese workers from Bihar and eastern U.P., as also the exodus of a large number of Hindi-speaking people from the State, has exposed once again the pitfalls in the blow-hot-blow-cold policies of the Governments at the Centre and in the State. In fact, major political parties have justifiably attacked the internal security management of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre. The BJP has lashed out at the Union Government for its handling of the internal security, an important national issue, which surprisingly, does not find any mention in the UPA’s 57-page Common Minimum Programme. The Samajwadi Party has accused the Centre for being insensitive to the problems created by ULFA. Astonishingly, the Indira Goswami Committee has not been able to meet the underground and jailed rebel leaders.  The Committee, remember, was constituted to facilitate peace talks between the Centre and the ULFA.

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Red Alert In Bihar

The Bihar Government has appropriately issued a red alert across the State in the wake of the killings of the Bihari labourers in Assam, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held an emergency meeting of his Cabinet to discuss the exodus of Biharis from Assam, most of whom have been living there for long. A five-member team has been sent to Assam to study the situation. The CM has also directed the State’s Police Chief to monitor the situation and keep the force in readiness to meet any retaliatory attacks in the State.  He has been directed to coordinate with the railway authorities to ensure security in the northeast-bound trains. Over a dozen long-distance Assam-bound trains either originate from Bihar or pass through the State. The CM has also written to his counterpart in Guwahati to provide protection to the Biharis in Assam, which Tarun Gogoi has assured.

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Violent Land Tussle In W. Bengal

The political backlash over farmland acquisition in West Bengal is set to flare up again, even as Singur’s aftershocks echo in distant Nandigram in Midnapore District. The land tussle in Nandiram, the site for the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) being developed by the Indonesian group, Salim, turned violent over the week-end.  Six people were killed and many more injured when the farmers, whose land is being acquired, and the CPM cadres were engaged in a pitched battle. The two sides lobbed crude bombs at each other and exchanged gunfire for nearly four hours. This constrained Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to come out in sack cloth and ashes. He admitted having acted hastily and also that notices had been sent to farmers whose land was to be acquired and stated on Tuesday: “We will talk to all the political parties and elected Panchayats before acquiring land at Nandigram.”

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UP Towards Central Rule?

Five weeks ago, this column predicted: “Uttar Pradesh appears to be drifting towards Central rule before the State goes to the poll next year… the UPA Government’s mind seems made and according to some, it is only a matter of time…” Today, the Centre’s mind appears more firmly made on promulgation of the President’s rule in the State. But the question remains: when and how? A final decision will be taken before the upcoming Assembly polls in March-April, if not earlier. The three major parties in the fray, the BJP, BSP and the Congress have demanded Central rule on the ground of deteriorating law and order situation in the State, especially after the horrible and disgusting serial killings of children in Noida. But can this honestly justify the use of Article 356 to dismiss the Mulayam Singh Government?  It could set an unfortunate precedent, raising a basic issue: does a deterioration in the law and order situation amount to a  breakdown of the constitutional machinery?

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EC Guidelines For Punjab Poll

Even as north-India freezes in cold, activity in Punjab and Uttarakhand is hotting up in the run-up to the Assembly elections on 13 February.  In a bid to ensure free and fair poll, the Election Commission has issued detailed guidelines for the transfer of officials of the rank of Sub-Inspector and above and for the use of the official machinery by the Ministers and officials. The Chief Minister has been allowed four cars for security cover and the Leader of the Opposition two. With the imposition of the model code of conduct, the State Government, on its part, has issued separate instructions to stop cheques already issued for grants and financial assistances from being encashed and limited use of official cars. An immediate stop has been put on recently-transferred teachers from joining at their new places of posting. A reshuffle in the Punjab Police is also on the cards in line with the Election Commission guidelines.

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Uttaranchal Or Uttarakhand?

An interesting and ticklish issue has come up in Uttaranchal prior to the Assembly poll on February 21.  At the time when the poll schedule was announced, the new hill State was called Uttaranchal. But on January 1, an extraordinary gazette notification of the Central Government changed the named of the State to Uttarakhand, as per the Uttaranchal (Alternation of Name) Act, passed by Parliament and assented to by the President of India. The BJP, which is hoping to wrest power from the Congress in the State has now written to the Election Commission to stop the name change, since this has been notified by the Centre after the model code of conduct came into force. It has charged the Congress, presently ruling the State, of indulging in avoidable politics by changing the name just before the Assembly poll.

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Happy Progress In Naga Peace Talks

Speculation is rife about the future of the ongoing talks for peace in Nagaland between the Centre and the NSCN(IM).  Following a surprise meeting between Sonia Gandhi and the NSCN(IM) General Secretary T. Muivah in New Delhi last week, many Nagaland watchers are wondering if the decks have been cleared for a settlement of the long-drawn Naga issue. At the end of the 30-minute meeting with Sonia Gandhi, Muivah requested Union Minister Oscar Fernandes, the Centre’s pointsman for the Naga talks, for a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This has yet to materialize. But the positive development between the Naga leaders’ meeting with Fernandes-led group of Union Ministers last year at Bangkok and last week’s meeting with Sonia Gandhi could have an impact on the Manipur Assembly poll next month. Naga tribes dominate four hill districts of the State and the NSCN(IM) continues to demand greater Nagaland, which includes large parts of Manipur.

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M.P. Follows Pak Model

The BJP Government in Madhya Pradesh, led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken inspiration from Islamabad to devise a family planning programme for the Muslims of the State. It is based on the “Pakistan model” which advocates use of religious texts and clerics for awareness campaigns and of mosques to distribute contraceptives. The State Government is of the view, like the Pakistan administration, that “what comes in the way of family planning is ignorance and not religion and that the Muslim community should come out of darkness…”  The State’s Ministry of Health has thus decided to distribute as many as 10,000 copies of the book, “Census, Islam and Family Planning” free of cost, so that the message of family planning reaches the people.  The book has been written by the BJP’s National Executive member, Muzaffar Hussain.---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)