Round
The States
New Delhi, 11 June 2022
Rajya Sabha Polls
SUSPENSE IN 4 STATES
By Insaf
Four States provided a nail-biting finish to the elections
for Rajya Sabha’s 16 seats. While polling was underway at the time of writing,
the States –Maharashtra, Haryana, Rajasthan and Karnataka triggered over a week
of suspense of who would be the winner. The States had more candidates than the
seats, unlike the 41 candidates, who were elected unopposed last week out of 57
seats in the biennial elections. Predictably, the election has been preceded by
political parties indulging in resort politics, keeping their MLAs away at
different destinations to prevent poaching and the role of money power can’t be
ruled out. Maharashtrais seeing a close contest between MVA government of Shiv
Sena, NCP and Congress and Opposition BJP for the sixth seat, as seven
candidates were in the fray. The SS has lost two votes with special court
rejecting pleas of Minister Nawab Malik and former minister Anil Deshmukh
seeking a day’s bail to vote. It’s a close call. In Haryana, media baron
Kartikeya Sharma backed by the BJP, has queered the pitch for Congress Ajay
Maken for the second seat. The Congress has 31 members, just enough to help
Ajay win the seat, but cross-voting could lead to an upset.
The ruling-Congress in Rajasthan, has fielded three
candidates, and BJP one. In the 200-member House, Congress has 108 MLAs, BJP
71, with 20 votes of Independents and other smaller parties. With a candidate
needing 41 votes to win, the Congress and BJP are set to comfortably win two
and one seats, respectively. However, the BJP has decided to support another
media baron,Subhash Chandra,wherein he may well queer the pitch for the
Congress to win three seats. In Karnataka, the outcome of the fourth seat was
in suspense, for which BJP, Congress and JD(S) are contenders, despite none
having adequate number of votes to win it. A candidate needs the 45 votes to
win and based on their strength in the Assembly, the BJP can win two seats and
the Congress one. The question whether JD(S) candidate will get the Congress
support of would it be vice versa was open. Cross-voting was very much on the
cards. Sadly, it turns out to be a game of quantity and not quality for the
Upper House.
* * * * * * *
J&K Package For KPs
Unable to prevent targeted killing of Kashmiri Pandits, the
Jammu and Kashmir administration continues with its hit and trial methods. The
Administrative Council chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on Wednesday
last approved re-designation of posts for employees working under the Prime
Minister’s Development package from districts to divisional level. This is in
line with its plan to move Kashmiri Pandit government staff to “safer
locations” within the Valley. Currently, 5,928 employees are working under the
PM package and with posts being re-designated, ‘employees can be transferred
anywhere within the 10 districts of Kashmir divisions.’ Apparently, the move
comes amidst protests by Kashmiri Pandits against targeted killings by
terrorists. These include, KP migrant employees holding a candle light protest
in Vessu camp, South Kashmir demanding relocation outside the Valley; Dogra
employees assembling under ‘All Jammu-based Reserved Categories Employees
Association’ demanding transfer from Valley to home districts in Jammu region.
Though the Development Package rolled out in 2008-09 was to aid return and
rehabilitation of KPs to the Valley, through incentives such as housing,
employment and transit accommodations, despair and anxiety runs large. A big
question mark hangs whether this scheme will give the community the confidence
to stay as the move doesn’t quell security concerns. Promotions, when life is
at risk means little.
* * * * * * *
Chhattisgarh Heeds
The people’s voice has been heard. The Chhattisgarh
government has stopped all mining work in HasdeoAranya forests indefinitely,
after Panchayat and Health Minister and local MLA T S Singh Deo visited the
area and joined the protesters against the projects. The tribals have been
protesting against the mining inside the area for past 97 days.The order passed
on Thursday last, will affect work in three mines in the region, Parsa East
KenteBasan (PEKB), Parsa, and Kente extension.Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel
justified the decision saying “If Deo doesn’t want trees to be cut, not even a
branch would be harmed.”This apart, on Wednesday last, the gram sabha of
Ghatbarra unanimously decided not to sell their land for mining. HasdeoAranya,
is a biodiversity-rich forest and also a rich source of coal. The order comes
in the midst of mining in the first phase of PEKB having been completed, forest
clearance been granted for its second phase and procedures for clearances for
Parsa and Kente extension going on.The issue as usual had both the Congress and
Opposition BJP trading charges. The latter hit out at the Baghel government
saying it didn’t care about the people and though clearance for mining had been
already given by Central government, it should have put its foot down then.
Bhagel responded saying “If they feel so strongly about the issue, why don’t
they protest in front of the central government? After all, they are the ones
who allot mines.” What more, needs a close watch.
* * * * * * *
Tripura Blockade?
Surrendered militants in Tripura feel terribly let down.
Discussions over their rehabilitation were held in October last and the
government has done precious little since! The Deprived Returnees Movement
Committee (DRMC), comprising 48 surrendered militant bodies, is rightly losing
patience. Fortunately for the government, it has postponed its proposed
indefinite blockade of National Highway 8, lifeline of the State connecting it
with Assam, since June 5 to June 21,at Champaknagar, West district. This after
new Chief Minister ManikSahais to hold a dialogue with them on June 14.
Speaking to the media DRMC General Secretary Amrit Reangsaid that while they
met Tribal Welfare Director on May 31over pending assurances of rehabilitation
given at the time of surrender, the talks were inconclusive. As per the
Centre’s declared rehabilitation package, the surrendered militants were
supposed to get livelihood, housing etc after coming back to normal life. The
DRMC had discussed their 9-point demands over several meetings with
authorities, but in vain. Letters were also shot off to the President, Prime
Minister and other Central government officials seeking a solution. Clearly,
the ball is now in Saha’s court and he must deliver for ‘a stitch in time saves
nine’.
* * * * * * *
Food Safety Awards
Tamil Nadu and Goa add a feather in their caps. The two won
the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)’s 4th State Food
Safety Index (SFSI) in the larger and smaller States category respectively.
Gujarat and Maharashtra followed and Manipur and Sikkim accordingly, with Jammu
and Kashmir beating Delhi and Chandigarh in the Union Territories category. The
awards were announced by Union Health Minister Mandaviya on the occasion
of World Food Safety Day on Tuesday last. The awards were started in 2018-19
with the aim of creating a ‘competitive and positive change’ in India’s food
safety ecosystem, offering safe and nutritious food to citizens.The ratings are
based on five parameters: Human Resources and Institutional data, Compliance,
Food testing infrastructure and surveillance, Training and capacity building
and Consumer empowerment.This apart, the Ministry has Eat Right India
initiatives to motivate
smart cities to develop and execute a plan that supports a
healthy, safe, and sustainable food environment. Ironically, in the midst of
such initiatives and awards, India ranks at 101 position out of a total 116
countries in the Global Hunger Index! It is also among 31 countries where
hunger has been identified as “serious”. Misplaced priorities? ---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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