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ROUND THE STATES
New Delhi, 19 July 2006
Terror Spreads Far
& Wide
STATES REVIEW
SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS
By Insaf
Mumbai’s killer blasts have triggered overdue introspection
and soul-searching by the State Governments on the sensitive issues of security
and intelligence. Outwardly, everything looks honky dory. Yet the situation is
far from reassuring. In fact, an authoritative assessment
shows that the internal security scenario across
the country is alarming, requiring urgent handling of three main sources of
threat: militant outfits operating from Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Nepal; banned
terrorist outfits at home like the ULFA and CPI (Maoists); and local frustrated
people, described by intelligence agencies as the “sleepers”. All the three sources, especially in the
States bordering Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh have now joined hands
under the command and control of outside agencies like the ISI of Pakistan.
The Mumbai blasts trail is veering to the India-Bangladesh
border through the north-eastern States, leading to a terror chain. The
grilling of two Maharashtra-based youths detained in Agartala, Tripura,
revealed that they were part of a group of eleven Islamic preachers. They were
rounded up by the police from a remote mosque.
The Naxalites, now called the CPI (Maoists), too are not only continuing
their violent activities in as many as 13 States, but have stepped up their
activities in the tribal-dominated States of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. Despite the Centre’s repeated efforts to
strengthen security forces in the Naxal-hit States, the dreaded outfit
continues to strike. On Monday last, the Naxals massacred
31 men, women and children in Chhattisgarh. They even engaged a CRPF unit at
their camp for two hours.
* * * *
Crucial Naga Talks
July 28-29
Peace talks between the Centre and the Naga rebel group,
NSCN (I-M) have now entered a crucial stage.
For the first time in five years, they are being held on a monthly
basis, leading to significant progress
in May and June. Much is now expected in
the next round at Bangkok
on July 28-29. With the Prime Minister
firmly holding by his stand that the borders of the States cannot be redrawn
without the consent of the concerned States, the NSCN(I-M) leadership appears
inclined to give up its demand for Nagalim (greater Nagaland) and instead opt
for a separate Constitution, on the lines of the Jammu & Kashmir
Constitution. The Group of Ministers,
headed by Oscar Fernandes, alongwith the Centre’s interlocutor K.
Padmanabhaiah, seem to be in favour of enlarging the scope of Article 371-A
which gives special status to Nagaland. Bangkok could well mark a
possible breakthrough next weak.
* * * *
Madhya Pradesh
Towards Progress
Madhya Pradesh has pulled out of the sick State syndrome. Incredibly enough, it is now among the ten
leading States in industrialization and infrastructure development. Industrial
investments proposed in the State last year totaled Rs.73,608 crore and,
importantly, the implementation of the proposed projects was as high as 72 per
cent, according to a recent survey by the Tata Services. Several new roads have
been constructed benefiting 4103 villages.
Many schemes have also been drawn up to attract investment in the
industrial sector. These include provision of cheap land and labour resources, peaceful
industrial environment and availability of unrestricted power. All this has made Madhya Pradesh a model
State for industrial investment.
* * * *
Punjab Congress Prepares
For Poll
The ruling Congress
in Punjab and its Chief Minister Amarinder Singh have started hectic
preparations for the Assembly polls
about six months away. The CM, who will
lead the poll campaign, has taken a policy decision that the party would field
a large number of new faces. For the
sitting legislators, the criteria for the party tickets would be their
performance during the last five years.
Importantly, all those who had been critical of the Government policies
in the past participated in the Punjab PCC meeting last week and promised to
work unitedly for the success of the
Congress candidates. Amarinder Singh
has also taken steps to look into the plight of the farmers, which would be the
main poll issue. He has sought a 25 per cent hike in the
minimum support price (MSP) for wheat and paddy this year.
* * * *
Raje’s “Historic”
Visit To America
Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje’s recent visit to
the United States,
described by her as “historic”, has proved to be successful beyond expectations. Besides the super deal which Raje signed with
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, as reported in this column last week, for a massive Information Technology (IT) promotion plan,
the Chief Minister has roped in the Rajasthan Association
of North America (RANA) to invest in the State in a big way. At an
international conclave in New York,
RANA’s delegation evinced keen interest in the development of the State and
assured Raje of their full and active cooperation. Raje has also signed an
agreement with the “North Shore”, reportedly the biggest hospital in the US, for the
establishment of a similar hospital in Rajasthan. A delegation of the Hospital
would soon visit the State.
* * * *
Mayawati Off Poll
Block
In U.P., which goes to the Assembly
poll along with Uttaranchal and Punjab early
next year, the BSP supremo Mayawati is the first to take off the poll
block. Even as her main rival, the
ruling Samajwadi Party and Chief Minister Mulayam Singh are busy consolidating
their vote banks, Mayawati has gone one step further by finalizing the first
list of 300 of the BSP candidates. This list has two significant features. One,
it includes five Samajwadi Party and 13 BJP MLAs who cross-voted
in favour of the BSP in the recent Rajya Sabha election. These MLAs have
shifted their loyalty on the ground that the Mulayam Singh Government had
failed on the law and order problem and that the BSP was the only option for
the people. Two, the list includes
considerable number of Brahmin and Muslim candidates.
* * * *
Kerala Seeks
Central Aid
Kerala’s new Left Democratic Front Government has demanded
from the Centre a Vidarbha-like relief package which Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh has offered for the farmers in the western region. Chief Minister Achuthanandan rushed to New Delhi the other day
and sought Rs.2,000 crore for the farmers in four hardest-hit districts of the
State. In his first meeting with the PM
after assuming charge as the CM,
Achuthanandan made out a case for the relief package. The CM also urged the Centre to include Idukki among the 31 districts identified
in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala for grant of a
rehabilitation package to ease the plight of farmers. In his detailed
wish-list, Achuthanandan also sought an additional Rs.991-crore Central assistance over the next five years for
rehabilitation and reconstruction of the ravage-prone coastal areas of the
State.
* * * *
Delhi’s Power Woes
Delhi’s Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s much trumpeted and
highly appreciated “Bhagidari Scheme” (Citizen-Government partnership in
governance) is slowly losing its popularity.
The reason? Unscheduled and
prolonged power cuts by the private power distribution companies. The
privatization move, which was criticized even by the Comptroller and Auditor
General (CAG), has actually brought much trouble for the ruling Congress Government.
Besides, prolonged power cuts, inflated bills and fast-running meters
have added fuel to the fire. In fact, an NGO, People’s Action has written to
the Congress President, Sonia
Gandhi, demanding a CBI probe into the power privatization deal, described as a
“sell out” of the erstwhile Vidyut Board to private power distribution
companies. ---INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature
Alliance)
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