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Round The States
New Delhi, 4
September 2021
Outreach
In J&K
CENTRE
NEEDS TO DO MORE
By Insaf
Taliban’s takeover of
Afghanistan has the Centre worried, as its recent J&K outreach too
suggests. There’s a flutter of activity taking place both in the Valley and New
Delhi. On Tuesday last, senior Army and police officers interacted for the
first time with 80-odd families of militants active, in south Kashmir’s Shopian
urging them to “guide their wards back into society”, and offering ‘forces
would work with youth who shun arms and help them join the mainstream.’ That
day, Home Minister Amit Shah launched an interactive portal for investment in
J&K under new industrial policy announced for the UT, appealing to industry
representatives to move in direction of ‘making J&K the most developed
region’, given ‘it’s our responsibility too.’ While he claimed Rs 24,000 crore
investments had been committed, leaders of People’s Alliance for Gupkar
Declaration say nothing has moved since their meeting with Modi two months ago.
Confidence building measures draw a blank. They continue to demand statehood
before any elections and not as Lt Governor Sinha affirms at ‘an appropriate
time after polls’. If and when it will happen, is anybody’s guess. But clamping
of curfew and blocking internet after former chief of Hurriyat Conference Ali
Shah Geelani's death on Wednesday last, and the media being kept away is
revealing: situation at ground zero remains same! Time to act, as near normalcy
seems a far cry. Compulsions now go beyond borders.
* * * * * *
UP’s Cows Better Off
Holy cow! Pass a Bill
in Parliament to give ‘fundamental rights to cows’, is what the Allahabad High
Court suggested on Wednesday last. While denying bail to one Javed, charged
with under Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act in UP, the judge said if he is granted
bail it may disturb societal harmony! The cow, he observed is ‘part and parcel’
of India’s culture and should be declared the national animal. Cow protection,
he added is not of one religious sect… and work of saving the culture is of
every citizen…’ A question that emerges is what about saving the lives of
children? At least 32 children among over 40 people have died in Firozabad
district, due to a viral fever, suspected dengue during the week. Plus, 210
children were admitted at the Medical college. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
reviewed the situation and said “if any negligence is found, responsibility
will be fixed.” The Firozabad CMOwas transferred.But is it enough?
Prevention is better than cure, in this case doesn’t seem to apply as it does
for the cow. How about paying attention to dirty water supply, heaps of
garbage, water accumulation, shortage of beds in hospitals etc? Save human
lives.
* * * * * *
Haryana Draws Battlelines
Haryana
government-farmers standoff gets murkier. The Khattar government is losing its
patience and is determined to quell the protests, come what may. With panchayat
elections nearing, it can ill-afford to having its leaders being stopped from
holding any public functions or farmers successfully agitating at the venues.
Karnal reveals a change. The police force on Monday last was brutal, following
instructions by the SDM to lathicharge the protestors and ‘smash heads’. Many
farmers were injured and BJP ally JJP, with its mass base being farmers, sought
action against him, The SDM is transferred alright, but his rank is upgraded to
additional secretary! So the message is loud and clear to the farmers,
intolerance in the government is growing. Act tough on protesters in case of
any violence, are the instructions. “If I swing a blow in the air, that’s my
freedom. But if I end up hitting you, that can’t be called freedom,” is his
message to the farmers. Battlelines are getting redrawn. Farmers too are
determined and have to intensify the agitation, staring with a gherao outside the
district administration’s offices in Karnal. It’s nine months since the protest
started, with no signs of talks emanating to find a resolution, Haryana appears
to be becoming the epicentre in the stand-off. Where is it heading, is
anybody’s guess.
* * * * * *
Delhi To UP
The Aam Admi Party plans
to widen its canvass. Well entrenched in Delhi, AAP leadership has announced it
shall contest the ensuing UP Assembly electionson ‘all 403 seats’ and not enter
into an alliance with any party. Over confidence, should one say. Perhaps,
since it has embarked on a Tiranaga Yatra, to mark 75thyear of
Independence, and is holding rallies across the State. The bid to fight the
mighty BJP alone and not put up a joint front with other parties, comes rather
soon. Like it was when AAP thought it could form a government in Punjab and
failed miserably. At the same time, it must be prepared to face a shaky Yogi
Adityanath’s wrath. On day one, the UP police in Agra registered an FIR against
17 AAP leaders, including Deputy CM
Sisodia and MP Sanjay Singh, for violating Covid protocols during the yatra,
having 500 unidentified people instead of the limit of 50.But
the party is determined and proposes to carry out this yatra in Ayodhya on
September 14, as it attacks Yogi government over poor education, law-and-order,
healthcare and employment situations. All eyes will be on whether it make a stop
at the site of the proposed Ram temple? Every blessing shall help.
* * * * * *
Intolerant MP
Madhya Pradesh hits
the headlines for the wrong reasons. Two incidents in the BJP-ruled State
should make not just civil rights organisations but ordinary citizens cringe after
seeing videos which went viral. One, a bangle seller, Taslim Ali, was
brutally thrashed in Indore for using a ‘fake’ name, while selling bangles to
women in a locality and ‘touching a girl inappropriately.’ He was taken to the
police station, which led to a protest. Four of the protestors were accused of
conspiring to trigger communal riots and booked under section 153-A, among
others. Worse, the Shivraj Singh Chauhan
government justifies the action saying there is now evidence showing one of the arrested
persons,has ‘links with Pakistan through WhatsApp and Facebook’ and he had highly
inflammatory messages. In the 2nd incident, a 40-year-old tribal was
allegedly thrashed by 8 persons, who tied him to the rearend of a vehicle with
a rope that dragged him some distance in Neemuch district, after a milk spilt
when the milkman on a motorcycle knocked the tribal down while he was standing
on the road; the milkman called his
friends, who indulged in the inhuman act. The tribal died in hospital. So far 5
accused are arrested. Growing intolerance and lawlessness appears to be a near
normal in this State. Can anyone feel safe?
* * * * * *
Erasing History
The BJP’s takes
another shot at destroying and erasing history. The renovation of Jallianwala
Bagh Smarak complex in Punjab is the latest example, triggering a huge
controversy. The 2-year Rs 20 crore project was to mark 100 years of the
massacre, instead it has evoked outrage. Historians, opposition leaders, kin of
victims of the massacre and freedom fighters among others have reacted thus:
‘insult to martyrs’, ‘an indecent cruelty’, Disneyfication of old city of
Amritsar, the lane which General Dyer passed through to open fire looks like a
wedding function’s entrance, such pomp with gaudy lights and murals reduces the
gravity and horror of the Smarak to base entertainment’…. The Memorial Trust
was set up in 1951 and inaugurated by then President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, in
presence of then PM Jawahar Lal Nehru on April 13, 1961, and underwent many
repairs since. But its essence was never tampered with. Today, the entry and
exit have been changed, there’s a lotus pond, a 28-minute sound and light show,
guilded murals, which won’t leave those visiting with a lump in their throat.
While inaugurating the Smarak, Prime Minister Modi said it shall ‘remind the
new generation about the history of this holy place and will inspire to learn a
lot about its past.’ Sadly, he is off the mark! ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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