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Round The States
New Delhi, 8 January
2022
PM
Security Row
PUNJAB
LAPSE OR DRAMA ?
By Insaf
A serious security
lapse with Prime Minister Modi’s life “threatened” or was it a “political
drama” and “cheap theatricals” played out in Punjab is the big question. Both
the Centre and Punjab government are on a collision course. The Union Home
Ministry and the Congress’ Channi government have set up their own probe to ascertain
facts. The former says there was a big security breach in PM’s convoy, wherein he
was stranded on a flyover in Punjab for 15-20 minutes after farm protesters
blocked the route of his cavalcade; ‘such dereliction of security procedure in
the PM’s visit is totally unacceptable and accountability will be fixed.”Modi
is said to have told officials at the airport “Thank your CM, tell him that I
managed to get back alive to Bathinda airport.” As a result, some BJP leaders held
a yagya in Delhi, Ujjain, Bhopal and Tripura for Modi’s long life! The Congress
has hit back saying ‘there was no security breach’, rather a “political drama” with
Modi returning to Bhatinda due to thin attendance at a rally he was to address.The
BJP slamming the accusing Congress government for “conspiring to stop the PM on
the road, deliberately hurting PM’s dignity, insulting the most important post
of the nation. This is an insult to the country!” Whose version to accept? Will
Supreme Court’s directions be of any help after it directed Registrar General
of Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure and preserve all records related to Modi’s
travel and asked Punjab Police, SPG and other concerned authorities to assist
in any way necessary. Perhaps not as in the blame game, fixing responsibility
will get lost.
* * * * * * *
Big Rallies & EC
Nirvachan Sadan must
act sooner than later. While it prepares dates for the ensuing Assembly polls
in five States—Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, the 3rdwave
has thrown up a big challenge – the polls shouldn’t turn into ‘super spreaders’
as seen in the past. Sadly, the massive rallies and party leaders, including
Prime Minister Modi, not wearing masks, violating Covid protocol, are being
ignored by the ECI, prompting at least the Uttarakhand High Court to step in.
It has requested it to consider ‘appropriate directions prohibiting large
rallies in the State’ and insist on ‘campaigning in virtual mode.’ But while it
mulls over it, Congress, AAP and SP have called off their big rallies in UP
till further notice, but the big player, BJP is too silent. Besides, will the pay
heed to Congress plea: “PM is inaugurating several projects by holding big
rallies; both government money/machinery is being used; these have become more
of a stage for BJP’s poll campaign rather than a start of any project;
such practices must be stopped.” But isn’t it that all governments do so in
power, it could ask. Two wrongs don’t make a right?
* * * * * * *
Odisha Largesse
Odisha gives the
Missionaries of Charities a ray of hope. Following Union Home Ministry’scontroversial
decision not to renew the NGO’s FCRA registration, Chief Minister Naveen
Patnaik has stepped in. Rs 78.76 lakh were promptly sanctioned from CM Relief
Funds. The State has 13 institutions run MoC in 8 districts.All District
Collectors were on Tuesday last, directed no inmate of these institutions
should suffer from any distress, and they must keep regular touch. “Wherever
needed, funds from the CM Relief Fund can be utilised for this purpose,” he
wrote. The DCs carried out assessments, sent requirements which were approved.It
was way back in 1974when MoC set up operations here and since then has 18
homes-- 9for the sick, the abandoned and elderly; 6 for children; and 3 for
treatment of leprosy-afflicted and those suffering from mental illness. So far,
over 900 inmates shall benefit from the funds released and ‘more aid’shall be distributed‘as
and when required’, is Patnaik’s commitment. Rightly so, as Christians are the
largest minority group, about 11.6 lakh as per last Census and constitute 2.7%
of the State’s population. It must also show its former ally, the BJP in poorer
light. Importantly, some States could too tread a similar path.
* * * * * * *
Chinese Games At
Border
Need Ladakh and Arunachal
Pradesh be worried? No, says the Centre, as the country’s interests are ‘fully protected”.
But it does so, after a stoic silence over reports of China’s People’s
Liberation Army constructing a bridge on Pangong Lake in Ladakh, and that of
Beijing renaming 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh. On Thursday, the MEA finally
came forth to take on China and stated, Government has been ‘monitoring this
activity closely. This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been
under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now….India has never
accepted such illegal occupation”. Importantly, it sought to reassure the
locals that in the “last seven years”, the Government has “increased
significantly the budget for the development of border infrastructure and
completed more roads and bridges than ever before… These have provided
much-needed connectivity to local population and logistical support to armed
forces…” Is it so, may be a pertinent question, in the absence of hard facts.
Besides, MEA choosing to term the renaming of 15 places in AP by Beijing, as a “ridiculous
exercise to support untenable territorial” and adding that AP “has always been
and will always remain an inalienable part of India,” doesn’t seem to assuage
fears. Predictably, the Opposition and security experts would take MEA’s
statement with a pinch of salt and cautioning that it may be too little too
late.
* * * * * * *
Andhra’s Wish List
Andhra Pradesh will
be watched closely by Bihar, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, among others as it
revives its case for giving it special status category as was promised. Chief
Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy came on a two-day visit to Delhi with his wish list
and other than briefing Prime Minister Modi on financial woes, he knocked on
Central Ministers doors, including Finance and National Highways & Road
Transport to push his case. On the demand for SSC, he elaborated how finances
had been badly affected by the State’s bifurcation and assurances made must be
fulfilled. These also included Rs 18,830.87 crore long pending with the Centre
for the Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project; National Food Security Act
must cover all those eligible as his government was over-burdened giving
rations to 56 lakh people left out; A survey be undertaken on those below the
poverty line; net borrowing ceiling be raised to Rs 42,472 crore; renewal of
site clearance approval for construction of Bhogapuram international airport in
Vizianagaram district; six lane highway in Vishakhapatnam, etc. Well-documented
and argued case alright, but how many of the demands would be met is anybody’s
guess. The taste of the pudding, as they say lies, in its eating.
* * * * * * *
Amma Mini Clinics
To the question,
what’s in a name, ‘everything’ will say the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. It trashes
the ruling DMK government’s decision to shut down ‘Amma mini clinics’ launched
by it across the State in December 2020, to provide essential healthcare services
to the poor.“Just because this scheme has Amma’s name (J Jayalalithaa), the DMK
government, has decided to close these. It’s political vendetta’, argues former
Chief Minister and Opposition leader Palaniswami.However, DMK Health Minister Subramanian
says these clinics were a one-year temporary scheme and were ‘not functioning
properly, ‘no one actually received effective treatment, as there is no data’,
while 1,820 doctors were appointed, ‘there were no nurses, the clinics were set
up at buildings that were functioning for different purposes…’The Minister,
however, said on humanitarian grounds, doctors appointed would be given other service
opportunities till March 2022 as their services were utilised during the 2ndwave
of pandemic and will be continue to do so. Be that as it may, in this
‘political vendetta’, parties would do well to at least ensure its not the poor
and deserving who end up being victims! ----INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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