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Round The States
New Delhi, 23
December 2023
Five Soldiers Killed
JAMMU, CAUSE FOR CONCERN
By Insaf
Alarm
bells ring in the Jammu region of J&K. Developments in its districts and
the city itself are turning out be of serious concern for North Block. On
Thursday last, five Army personnel were killed and two injured after terrorists
ambushed two Army vehicles in Poonch district. It is said the terrorists,
perhaps three or four, took their position on hill tops and chose a blind curve
to target the Army vehicles. Worse, they reportedly ‘mutilated the bodies of at
least two soldiers and took weapons of some of them’. While the security forces
have launched a massive cordon and search operation in the forest area, the
incident is the second in last two months. This ambush comes weeks after a major gunfight in Bajimaal forest area in
nearby Rajouri district that left five Army personnel, including two captains,
dead. Clearly, the rising number of terror attacks in Rajouri-Poonch
region suggests that terrorists are getting emboldened, there is need to strengthen
intelligence and security setup in the region and time the focus shifts from
Kashmir.
* * * * * * *
This
apart, a crackdown of a different kind is taking place in J&K. Not against
terrorists or those harbouring militants, but against Rohingyas, who have taken
shelter in Jammu following persecution in Myanmar. Tuesday last, Jammu police
led a day-long drive to arrest/detain people ‘harbouring Rohingya immigrants
and facilitating their stay with illegal papers’. Action’s been taken against
over 50 people and dozen-odd FIRs registered ‘posing potential threats to
national security and socio-economic fabric of the UT.’ Some elements, said
IGP, ‘have been involved in facilitating illegal settlement of Rohingyas, and
other than security concerns, these have potential to strain local resources.’
The locals in 30-odd settlements, he added ‘have provided their plots of land
to settle the outside immigrants. We are checking and identifying these
facilitators, also availing government benefits for them…They have taken it as
a business.’ So far number of documents like Aadhaar cards, ration cards, voter
ID cards, revenue records, rent deeds and passbooks besides mobile phones and
SIM cards have been recovered. Hope innocent people, as in the past, are not
wrongly targeted. And that Jammu’s security concerns are promptly addressed
holistically.
* * * * * * *
Delhi Boo To ED
Delhi
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said a big boo to the ED and stuck to his
schedule of meditation instead. Summoned (second time) for questioning on
Thursday last in the excise policy case, he said it was ‘not based upon any
objective or rational yardstick but purely as a propaganda’ and to ‘create
sensational news in the final few months of much-awaited parliamentary
elections.’ In his reply to ED, he wondered about the timing-- on eve of his
departure for a 10-day Vipassana session, (he’s attending annually for past 25
years), which was ‘widely published and largely circulated’ in media and
officially announced’. Worse, he asked who was being summoned: “a witness or a
suspect” or as “chief minister, Delhi or AAP national convener”? The summons
must be ‘revoked, withdrawn, and recalled,’ for these he alleged were at
‘behest of political rivals who wish to silence the opposition’s voice’ against
the Centre. Importantly, AAP has claimed these ‘were not in consonance with
law’ and it would take ‘legally correct’ steps. Nagging suspense alright?
* * * * * * *
Coordination
Amiss In TN
The infamous Governor-Chief Minister row sees no let-up even
amid unprecedented rains causing havoc in southern Tamil Nadu. Efforts from
defence, national/state disaster response forces are underway, but sadly there’s
lack of coordination between Governor Ravi and Chief Minister Stalin, with both
holding separate meetings for rescue and relief works. The region has come to a
standstill, 10 people died and families and trainload of people stranded for
days. While government listed relief works undertaken, it blamed the IMD for ‘wrong’
forecast and not ‘sufficiently forewarning of what was
coming’; asked Centre for maximum choppers and Stalin went to Delhi instead to
seek more aid. Governor Ravi on other hand held a meeting at Raj Bhavan, wherein
it was said that agencies ‘have no clear idea’ about the exact resource
requirements and priorities in deployment, due to lack of coordination and a ‘lack
of appreciation’ of overall situation. Ravi asked agencies to mobilise
additional resources and assured he would facilitate more resources from
Central agencies. Regrettably, government representatives skipped the meeting!
When will this storm settle down?
* * * * * * *
Maha Time Schedule
The New Year should see Maharashtra settle some
nagging issues. On Wednesday last, Speaker Narwekar said he sees no hurdle in
issuing an order by 10 January (set by Supreme Court), on petitions filed by
rival factions of Shiv Sena on disqualification of each other’s MLAs, as
hearings have finally concluded. Both SS sides led by Chief Minister Eknath
Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray’s SS-UBT have been heard, but only after a rap by
SC over the long delay. Likewise, Shinde informed the Assembly that a special
session shall be held in February, if necessary, to provide reservation to
Maratha community after reviewing a report of Backward Class Commission. The
government, he assured ‘will establish’ the community is socially and
educationally backward, deserves quota. But Maratha activist Manoj Jarange warned
they won’t wait till then and shall hold protests if quota is not granted
before December 24. A big question mark hangs though on the how the government
will settle controversial Dharavi’s redevelopment plan. The residents of one of
the world’s largest slums are protesting the project and no work has begun these
past six months! Guess, the phrase ‘time is of the essence,’ is not in
government’s dictionary as the three cases reveal.
*
* * * * * *
MP Portrait Row
Madhya Pradesh
Assembly does both ‘right and wrong’, triggering a controversy. India’s first
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s portrait has been replaced with father of the
Constitution BR Ambedkar’s. Predictably, Congress has charged ruling BJP of
disrespecting the ‘nation builder’. While it welcomed Ambedkar’s portrait in
the House, starting its 1st session, removing Nehru’s it was wrong.
At same time, it failed to notice the replacement, which happened in last
session, in July. Then Speaker had directed replacement of Nehru’s and Gandhi’s
portraits as these ‘were getting worn out and be restored.’ But as Ambedkar’s
125th birth anniversary was being observed, he directed to put it in Nehru’s
place and Nehru’s portrait be kept ‘in a respectful manner in the library’s
Gandhi-Nehru section.’ An X post of Congress read: “If BJP had honest
intentions, it could have placed Nehru’s photo along with Gandhi and Ambedkar.
But it’s BJP culture to disrespect freedom fighters and the nation-builder and
therefore, it has removed the photo of Nehru.” The big picture alright! ---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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