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Round The States
New Delhi, 28 August 2021
Caste-Based
Census
STATES
CLAMOUR GROWS
By Insaf
The ensuing Uttar
Pradesh Assembly elections have stirred a hornet’s nest. Regional parties are
digging in their heels to pushfor caste-based census, counting the Other
Backward Classes. Following in footsteps of Odisha, Bihar’s Chief Minister
Nitish Kumar has raised the ante. He sees it as an opportunity for his JD(U) to
put pressure on alliance partner BJP and Prime Minister Modi, to stop avoiding
the issue and take a call. Emerging from a meeting with Modi on Monday last,
Kumar who led a 10-party delegation from the State, including arch rival RJD
and Opposition leader Tejashvi Yadav, the Congress, CPI (ML), AIMIM, his allies
BJP, HAM-S, and VIP said the Centre looks ‘affirmative’. But it’s anybody’s
guess whether it will concede, as in a reply to a question in Lok Sabha, it has
stated that its decision ‘as a matter of policy is not to enumerate caste-wise
populations other than SCs/STs in census”.
Be that as it may, regional
parties are unwilling to heed. Leaders of
TMC, BJD, YSRCP, NCP, SP, BSP, PDP, DMK, AIADMK, NC, TRS, CPI and CPM are
vocal and are pursuing the demand. Clearly, the pressure is growing on BJP, and
within the party too, despite the fear that such a census could ignite Mandal-2
situation and impact its ideological as well as political thinking of a
monolithic Hindutva identity. The RSS is pretty firm, but BJP MPs and leaders
opine that the party has nothing to lose or gain if it yields. Can the
political leadership look beyond power and think of the nation’s interest?
Remember, since 1951 till 2011, every census
has published population of SCs/STs comprising Dalits and Adivasis, other
than data including languages, religions, socio-economic status, etc. Never
have OBCs, which constitute 52-odd% of
the population been counted. No more of caste-division please. All eyes will
now be on the Centre, whether it takes a call eyeing political options in UP,
as SP and BSP wait in the wings to gain mileage, or will it look at the larger
picture?
* * * * * *
Upheaval In 2 Cong
States
The Congress has a
lot on its plate than it can handle. The rebellion bug has now bitten two of
its ruled States--- Punjab and Chhattisgarh. The first has been an ongoing
saga. A few weeks after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh gave in to accepting bete
noire Navjot Singh Sidhu as PCC chief, controversial remarks were made by his
aides embarrassing the party. And if this wasn’t enough, 40-odd MLAs and even a
few ministers have raised the ante, seeking his removal. Some have met party’s
state-in-charge Harish Rawat, who sought to brush these as party issues which
would be resolved and if not, then the High Command would step in. The timing
couldn’t be worse for an already battered Congress as Punjab is due for
Assembly elections next year, posing the big question whether Singh would lead
the party or Sidhu and team would unseat him before? In Chhattisgarh, Chief
Minister Bhupesh Baghel is being challenged by rival and health minister T S
Singh Deo, whose camp claims a promise was made to him before government
formation in 2018 that he would replace Baghel midway--after two-and-a-half
years. Baghel trashed the ‘rotational’CM post saying attempts were being made
to bring ‘political instability’ and it wouldn’t be allowed. However, he is
under pressure and did have an audience with Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. So did Deo.
With two of its Chief Ministers under siege, will the Congress be able to
weather the storm or end up sitting in Opposition?
* * * * * *
Maharashtra’s Wrath
Maharashtra gets a fresh
taste of Shiv Sena’s wrath and ‘vendetta politics’. On Tuesday last, with the
police arresting Narayan Rane, Union Minister and old rival of Chief Minister
Uddhav Thackeray, over his remarks about ‘slapping’ the latter for his
ignorance of the year of Independence, street battles erupted across the State between
the Shiv Sainiks and BJP supporters. The SS showed its power by galvanising its
cadres and calling the shots in the MVA government. However, his arrest from
Ratnagiri and getting bail has raised concern whether Rane’s remarks warranted
such drastic action. Leader of Opposition and former CM Fadnavis though doesn’t
support Rane’s comments, he accused the government of using police force as a
tool for vendetta, demanded law and order and ‘not Taliban-like governance’. Sena’s
response was: Rane undermined pride and prestige of Maharashtraand action was
taken as per the law with police acting per the procedure. The blame game is
far from over. Rather the arrest and clashes predictably will be used by either
sides in polls to 10 municipal corporations, including Mumbai and Thane and 25
Zilla Parishads due February next, being termed by some as ‘mini-Assembly’
polls. Note, Rane has already got cracking by touringMumbai, satellite cities
and the Konkan region, Sena stronghold. Guess, his feud with Thackeray, which
began in 2005 when he left the party after three decades, gets further ignited.
* * * * * *
Haryana Family Identity Bill
Haryana adds another
unique identification number, the logic of which has been questioned by the
Opposition. On Tuesday last, its Assembly passed the Haryana Parivar Pehchan
Bill, 2021 for each familyto access various government services, despite strong
opposition from the Congress. Citing concerns such as there is already the Aadhaar
card; a draconian law brought in haste with insidious intent; will end citizens’
privacy; a hacker can breach data, people will be exposed to snooping, etc, it
demanded the Bill be withdrawn. An adamant Chief Minister Khattar saidthe
Pehchan Patra isn’t mandatory and will go ahead with the mammoth data
preparation exercise. He countered: right to privacy isn’t an issue for the
poor, only those who have something to hide have this concern; a Haryana
Pehchan Patra Authority will be set up, every family, being a resident shall be
entitled to obtain a PP number by submitting on designated portal, information
such as may be notified with prior government approval. The number, he insisted
will help in determining eligibility for provision of any scheme, service,
subsidy or benefit provided or implemented by or on behalf of State government
or any government agency or local authority.” No one, he claimed,built a system
for benefits reaching ‘the last person standing in queue.’The PPP scheme does
so! A feather in his cap?
* * * * * *
Online Marriages
Can a marriage be
solemnised online via video conference under Special Marriage Act? An issue to be decided by a larger bench of
Kerala High Court. This after a single bench heard petitions, wherein it was contended personal
physical presence of bride and groom isn’t necessary for solemnisation of
nuptials under the law. The government disagrees. It’s arguments: solemnisation
of marriage was mandatory prior to registering under SMA and both sides’
presence and witnesses is required before Marriage Officer; if online system
was allowed, it would ‘mandate maintaining an electronic register of marriages
and setting up online mode of payment, both not in place presently; at least
one of two parties must be resident of the area within territorial limits of
Marriage Officer for minimum 30 days prior to issuing the notice of intended
nuptials. If these conditions aren’t met two persons living abroad can’t have
marriage solemnised online. The petitioners insist: many judgments say
appearing via video conferencing is akin to being present in person with sole
difference that parties can’t be touched. A marriage can be solemnised by any
means, such as garland exchange, hand shaking, as long as both parties declare
they take each other as lawfully wedded husband and wife. While verdict of the
larger bench will be eagerly awaited, the single judge left a thought: “The law
mustn’t only change with changing social needs, it must also acknowledge and
recognise technological advancements!” ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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