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Round The
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New Delhi, 11 July 2020
UP ‘Encounter’
DAMN THE RULE OF LAW
By Insaf
Same old story of “an encounter”! Gangster Vikas Dubey,
history-sheeter, prime accused in killing of 8 cops in Kanpur and carrying a
reward of Rs 5 lakhs on his head, was shot dead on early Friday morning, after
he is said to have tried to “escape from police custody”. A familiar script:
Arrested in Ujjain, MP on Thursday last, Dubey was being brought back by UP’s
Special Task Force (STF) and Kanpur police when around 7.00 am the vehicle he
was travelling overturned, he took advantage, attempted to flee with a cop’s service
pistol, police asked him to surrender, he refused and fired at police party,
the police opened retaliatory firing, he got injured, was taken to a hospital,
where he died. Khalaas (finished), as
a Bollywood hero would say. But it’s not ‘The End’. Nagging suspense lingers.
Media cars following the police convoy were restricted just before the
‘encounter’; a day before a lawyer filed a petition in Supreme Court seeking
security for Dubey saying he may be killed in an ‘encounter’, like his four
other accomplices were! It is said, in the past two decades Dubey had backing
of various political parties. Questions beg answers: Is this Yogi Adiyanath’s easy
way of cracking down on gangsters or is it response to brutal killing of men in
khakhi or does it confirm a ‘cover up’ to shield ‘politicians’ with whom he had
collaborated or those who protected him or is it simply UP’s encounter raj? There’s
a clamour for a probe—but to what end. Extra judicial killings or custodial
deaths make only headlines.
* * * *
Kerala’s
Smuggling Network
The gold smuggling scandal in God’s own country has put
the LDF government on the wrong foot. The Opposition in Kerala is demanding
Chief Minister Vijayan resigns as his office ‘has links to the racket’-- 30 kg
of smuggled gold seized from a diplomatic cargo addressed to UAE
Consulate-General Office, Thiruvananthapuram. The removal of Vijayan’s Principal
Secretary Sivasankar, found in close network of key suspect Swapna Suresh in
the racket is not enough to ‘exonerate the CMO,’ is Congress’ clamour. The BJP warns
Centre has taken ‘serious note’ and ‘initiated steps to identify the culprits’.
But Vijayan has upstaged them. He promptly wrote to PM Modi demanding an ‘effective,
coordinated’ probe by all ‘Central agencies’ and should cover ‘all aspects from
source to end of utilisation. Every link of this crime should be unravelled so
that such incidents do not occur.” On Thursday last, the Union Home Ministry transferred
the case to National Investigation Agency (NIA), citing “serious implications
for national security”. Stretching it a bit too far, as smuggling of yellow
metal from the Middle East is no secret?
* * * *
Bihar’s
Forgotten Children
Bihar’s Nitish Kumar government should be embarrassed
pink. A report in a national daily on children of Musahari tola in Badbilla
village being starved and pushed to rag-picking following closing of the school,
serving these meals, reveals the administration’s insensitivity. It has been forced
to act and issued a state-wide order instructing ration and money through
Direct Benefit Transfer be provided to school children for 80 working days, May-July.
With over 115 lakh children availing the mid-day meal scheme, the task is gigantic.
The big question is can it deliver? More so as Patna High Court has directed no
child is “pushed into or indulges in any activity of rag picking or beggary,
more so on the account of lack of food”, and appointed amicus curiae in the
case. Stating it’s a “serious issue of human rights’ violation”, the NHRC has
issued notices to Union HRD Ministry and State Chief Secretary to respond
within 4 weeks. For starters, parents are to be called to the schools, handed
over 8 kg of rice and money sent directly to kids’ accounts. Government
realises its implementation is not going to be easy so instead it is considering
“opening anganwadi centres, or the
schools for limited purpose of providing food to the children”. How soon?
* * * *
Maharashtra’s
Ray of Hope?
Is Maharashtra, the country’s financial capital, raising hope
of steady recovery? Its revenue is said to have got a leg-up in June with Rs
19,200 crore as against Rs 10,000 crore in May and Rs 11,500 crore in April.
The easing of lockdown, say officials indicates “green shoots” have started to
emerge in the economy. With GST collection being Rs 10,400 crore or 54%,
businesses are picking up. Tax payments have helped too. And with re-opening of
the hospitality sector, i.e. hotels and guest houses with 33% occupancy since Wednesday
last, GST collections are expected to go up this month. At same time, it’s
putting SOPs in place for eateries/restaurants, bed and breakfast outlets and
tourism facilities, to resume operations soon. Additionally, the rise in excise
duty collections, are expected to cross Rs 1,000 crore this month, following
its systematic opening of wine and beer shops since May. However, in the
worst-hit State with COVID-19 cases going up to 2.24 lakh-odd, the glimmer of
hope gets blurred with its burden of debt – so far it has had to borrow Rs
26,000 crore as its expenditure is double i.e. Rs 52000 crore! Perhaps adding prudence
to the list would additionally help?
* * * *
Gujarat
Caught On Wrong Foot
Gujarat government’s action against migrant workers
boomerangs. Its shoddy handling of assisting them to return home invited a hard
rap from its High Court. On Tuesday last, the court granted bail to 15 migrant
workers, who were arrested on charges of attempt to murder and dacoity on May
17, as they had clashed with the Shapar-Veraval police following delay in their
returning to their native place. The administration contested the bail
application on grounds that ‘private vehicles were damaged, police personnel
were threatened and some had instigated others to kill personnel at the spot...’
But the court put the onus on the administration saying the chaotic situation
could have been avoided had there been proper management. Instead it said there
was “utter lack of coordination between police and Nodal Officers, who were
selected by the Government to provide support in movement facilitation...” The
judge also chose to draw the government’s attention to Supreme Court’s observation
asking States to consider withdrawal of prosecution or complaints under section
51 of the DMA and other related offences lodged against labourers and to be
‘humane’. Other States would do well to take a cue and avoid going the Gujarat
way.
* * * *
Haryana
For Locals
The local Vs outsiders bug has bitten Haryana too. On
Monday last, the Cabinet approved a proposal for drafting “Haryana State
Employment of Local Candidates Ordinance, 2020” to deal with joblessness on a
priority basis. An upbeat Dy. Chief Minister Chautala termed it as ‘historical’
as from now on it would be mandatory for industries or companies in private
sector, Societies, Trusts, etc to reserve 75% of new jobs with a salary of less
than Rs 50,000 per month for the locals. Industry representatives fear a down
side and appealed to Chief Minister Khattar to rethink for it will be: ‘detrimental’
to future growth of industry in the state: complicate getting requisite skilled
workforce, dissuade new investments, hold back expansion plans, large number of
MNCs and Indian corporate are based in Gurgaon and other NCR cities and may opt
for other destinations, the automotive industry, which contributes over 25% of State
GDP, would be drastically hit etc. Will pros and cons be weighed by the Council
of Ministers when it meets to put its final stamp? Wait and watch. ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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