|
Round
The States
New Delhi, 24 June 2023
Opposition Patna Meet
UNITED-- TO BE OR NOT
TO BE?
By Insaf
Today’s a big day for Patna. The capital of
Bihar is decked up to play host to top leaders of 20 Opposition parties, who
have as their agenda to prepare a ‘common minimum programme’ to take on the BJP
might in 2024 general elections. Posters and banners flutter in the city and
host JD(U) supremo and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s message seeks to set the
tone, “Mann ki nahi, kaam ki (not musings, but work),” or “Aagaaz
hua, badlau hoga (we have made the beginning, change would follow)”. Will
the much-awaited first joint meeting of the Opposition at CM House usher in
that change with differences being put on the back burner? Preparations have been selective as ‘only
those who wish to join the Opposition unity’ have been invited, says the JD(U).
Thus, the BSP, BJD, YSR Congress are off the list. While the top brass of
Congress, TMC, AAP, Sena (UBT), SP, NCP, DMK, PDP, NC are on board, tough
postures and State politics are expected to play spoilsport as is acknowledged.
The RLD for one has opted out. Its chief Jayant Chaudhary has written saying he
won’t be there due to “pre-decided family programme”. However, the growing
differences with its ally, the SP, appear to be more of a reason. Likewise,
Congress West Bengal PCC President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, doesn’t
stop his tirade against TMC and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He sits on
dharnas and accuses Mamata of unleashing a ‘reign of terror’ and says she’s ‘not
at all sincere in stitching or forging any alliance. She is a great underminer
of alliance politics.’ But the leaders must remember the proverbs, ‘The enemy
of my enemy is my friend’ and ‘Well begun is half done!’
* * * *
Manipur’s Anguish
Prime Minister Modi’s silence on Manipur is
deafening! Not a word spoken in the past 50 days since the State went into the
throes of a bloody conflict. Citizens in Imphal, it’s reported, came out on the
roads and crushed their radio sets, frustrated that even his Mann Ki Baat
didn’t have a single reference to the ongoing violence. In contrast, CPP
chairperson Sonia Gandhi has done one better. In a video message Wednesday last,
she issued an appeal for peace amidst the ‘great human tragedy’ and expressed
“condolences to families who lost their loved ones, was sad that people were
forced to flee the only place they called home and leave behind all that they
had built over their lifetime…the unprecedented violence has left a deep wound
on the nation’s conscience.” Indeed, it has. But sadly, the Centre doesn’t see
it. Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s 3-day visit late May, after nearly a month
of the flare-up, made no impact on the ground and violence continues. He has
now convened an all-party meeting on Saturday in Delhi to discuss the
situation, in which over 100 people are reported to have died, over 3,000
injured and 60,000 displaced. The timing or rather intent is questionable, as
Opposition leaders will be in Patna a day before for their first joint meeting
to plan strategy to take on BJP in 2024. Will politics play out or will the
national leadership go all out to heal the wounds and find the elusive
resolution for normalcy to return?
* * * *
Revenge Politics
Vindictive politics plays out again in
Maharashtra. The ED has been let loose on Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena on
Wednesday last in a money laundering case related to Lifeline Hospital
Management Services firm during COVID. It raided 15 locations in Mumbai
including that of a businessman said to be a close aide of MP Sanjay Raut, a
core committee member of Yuva Sena (Thackeray faction) and residences of some
officials of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The Mumbai police had
registered a forgery case in August last, following allegations the hospital
firm partners had in June 2020 submitted fake partnership deed to BMC and
obtained contracts for jumbo COVID-19 centres without having any experience in
medical field. However, Sena (UBT) has rubbished it, calling it a “BJP
conspiracy not only to malign Thackeray family ahead of BMC polls, as the
ruling alliance is not confident to win these, but wants to use these raids to
threaten local leaders, former corporators to switch sides!” Sounds familiar.
The timing is noteworthy for while there’s no official word when these polls
will be held (all civic bodies are run by administrators because of delay), the
raids indicate pretty soon. The run-up promises to be high drama, as Thackeray
threatens to question BMC ‘scams’ in the past one year, since the municipal
commissioner reports to urban development dept headed by Shinde. Two wrongs
don’t make a right!
* * * *
Bengal
Violent Polls
Holding ‘free and fair polls’ in West Bengal
is a tall order unmistakeably. And Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee better accept
this given the Supreme Court on Tuesday last dismissed her government and State
Election Commission’s petitions challenging Calcutta High Court order directing
the latter to deploy Central forces for July 8 panchayat polls. It said:
“Holding election cannot be a licence for violence. If persons are unable to go
and file their nominations or those who have filed theirs are ultimately
finished off, or there are group clashes, where is free and fair election?”
Apparently, the HC was petitioned by Congress and BJP saying major violence was
witnessed during polls to urban local bodies in 2022 and Kolkata Municipal
Corporation in 2021. Plus, many people are said to have been killed in clashes
in run up to these polls, to be held in over 61,000 booths. Though SEC argued
it’s not within its jurisdiction to demand central forces, the SC reminded that
it had itself urged the government for deployment of forces and ‘where these
come from isn’t your concern.’ Plus, not only had the State itself
requisitioned police force from half a dozen states, but the SEC chose to
ignore the June 15th HC order to requisition/deploy central forces
within 48 hours. Being too clever by half doesn’t pay off!
* * * *
Punjab’s Governor War
The infamous war between Governors and Chief
Ministers now reaches Punjab. The state joins West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil
Nadu to replace the Governor as Chancellor of state universities with a Bill,
among two others passed by the state Assembly on Tuesday last. Clearly setting
in motion a round of confrontation between Governor Banwari Lal Purohit and
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The big question is whether Raj Bhavan will give
assent to the Punjab University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, making Mann the Chancellor
of 12 state-run universities by replacing Purohit. Moving the Bill, Mann had said:
“To carry forward Punjab’s rich culture, traditions and heritage, men of high
integrity, prudence and repute need to be appointed in state universities as
VCs. However, the governor, who is not from the state and is not aware of its
history and culture, is empowered to appoint the VCs, who also creates
unnecessary hurdles, which are unfair.” 24 hours later Purohit hit back: “I
will get those Bills examined. If these are not as per the Constitution, I will
reject them.” Despite having a majority, 92 of 117 Assembly seats, AAP has a battle
ahead over the University Bill, and those seeking power to the state to choose its police chief
and free the telecast of Gurbani from a private channel owned by the Badals. The
pow-vow is definitely worth a close watch. ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
|
Archives 
