Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Creation of Telangana

UPA Co-ordination Committee and Congress Working Committee have decided to create Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh. They have recommended Government of India to create the state of Telengana out of Andhra Pradesh in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. The demand for a separate state of Telangana is 6o years old. The political exigency of the ruling Congress party has propelled it to create Telangana comprising 10 districts with Hyderabad as its capital.Telangana will be the 29th state of India. Depleting political fortune of the Congress Party in the politically important state of Andhra Pradesh, which sends 42 MPs to Lok Sabha, has persuaded it to make Telangana a political weapon to attack the opposition and retrieve its position. With the bifurcation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, there will be 19 MPs with it. Telangana Rashtra Samiti, which spearheaded the movement for the separate Telangana, and its Chief K Chandra Shekhar Rao is inclined to merge its outfit with the Congress Party. In the emotionally charged atmosphere of the region, a message will definitely go out among the general masses that it is the Congress party at the Centre, which has acceded our long cherished demand of the separate state. Therefore, automatically a wave is going to be created in favour of Congress party at least for 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Politically, this move of the Congress Party is bound to be beneficial. Seeing no way out to revive its fortune amidst all round disillusionment of the people with the functioning of UPA government, it is the masterstroke of the Congress Party to get more LS seats from Telangana region. Hyderabad will be the capital of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh is left with coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalseema. Small is beautiful. It is correct to say that it is easier to govern small states from all angles. But at the same time division of a joint family has never been welcomed in our society. The creation of Telangangana will certainly fuel the demand of some other separate states in different parts of the nation. The demand for Gorkhaland has already been launched in Darjeeling in the state of West Bengal. The demand for separate state of Vidarbha, Bodoland, Harit Pradesh, Poorvanchal, Bundel Khand and Mithilanchal out of Maharashtra, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and MP and Bihar respectively is already there. With acceding the demand of Teleganga, tempo for these separate states would be automatically raised and that would give birth to unrest in several parts of the nation. Much-awaited Sri Krishrna Committee is against the bifurcation of Telengana and it has recommended for greater autonomy and financial grant for development. Though both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP favour the creation of the separate state of Telangana, it will certainly encourage a trend of separatism.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Punishment for honesty

The suspension of the young woman IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal ostensibly for ordering the demolition of wall of a mosque by the Akhilesh Yadav government is wrong, but the actual reason behind her suspension is that she acted against the sand mafias in Noida. She has been punished only because she is honest and dutyful. She has been suspended because she acted and sand mafias who have high connections in political circles. Our political executives must not demorlize the upright and honest officer for no fault of his or hers. Durga is an upright and honest officer. She was posted as SDM in Noida. She had become very popular among the people of Noida for cracking down on sand mafia and other wrong doers. As far as Durga’s ordering for the demolition of the wall of the mosque is concerned, she had followed all legal and official processes and its demolition had not created any type of communal tension on the ground if the police report is any thing to go by. Police report has nailed the lie of Akhilesh Yadav government that Durga Shakti Nagpal’s action had created communal tension. On the ground, there is total peace. Supreme Court of India has already ordered that there could neither be any religious structure or the statue of any leader on public places that cause encroachment. So, Durga had not done any thing wrong. She was suspended because of the sand mafias' influence on Akhilesh Yadav govt. against her. Durga’s suspension clearly reflects that there is a deep-nexus between mining mafias of different natural resources and the political leaders in power. Her crackdown on sand mafia in Noida went against her and she had to pay price for her honesty. Though Durga Shakti Nagpal is not only the first upright and honest officer who had been unjustly victimized by the political executives under the influence of mafias, contractors, dealers and traders, there are several others who have met the same fate for being upright and honest. The suspension of Durga Shakti Nagpal is a slur on the Akhilesh Yadav government in UP. It is not the UP government only where mafia and traders wield their influences and obstruct the honest officers to carry out their duties smoothly but also similar act is re-enacted in almost all the states. With the huge backing of general people, opposition parties and her IAS Association, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has indicated to give a re-think on Durga’s suspension. Her suspension could not be possible without CM’s consent. This type of incident brings down the morale of the upright and honest officers. It is good that IAS officers in UP has shown solidarity with Durga and they have rallied behind her, who was suspended after she cracked down on the sand mafia. IAS officers have demanded revocation of the order following which the CM promised to look into the issue.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Ridiculous definition of poverty

The definition given by Planning Commission is not only ridiculous but also non-sensical and politically motivated. The definition of poverty is based on Tendulkar Committee report, which was given in 2011. It had also created outrages among the public for making mockery of their poverty all over the nation at that time. The government had to shelve that report and form another committee under Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's economic advisor C Rangrajan to submit a report about the position of poverty in the country among all sections and grades of people. Rangrajan Committee is yet submit its report. The Planning Commission appears to have deliberately issued the misleading definition of poverty to create favourable atmosphere in the country for the ruling Congress-led UPA . This definition of poverty is nothing but non-sensical. It is fiercely criticized even by the Congress leaders and its minister. Amid mounting criticism of poverty reduction estimates by the Planning Commission, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has also joined Union minister Kapil Sibal in questioning the criteria for fixing poverty line. When the Congress leaders and Minister fail to understand the ridiculous definition of poverty by the planning commission, what to talk of the reaction of opposition leaders and common poor people of the nation over it. Planning Commission criteria for fixing poverty line is baffling. It is too abstract and can’t be same for all areas. Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal has rightly challenged the method used by the Planning Commission to calculate poverty. He is rightly of view that a family of five cannot live on Rs 5,000 a month. The plan panel released the latest poverty estimates earlier this week for the country showing that the percentage of people below poverty line declined sharply to 21.9 in the financial year 2011-12 from 37.2 in 2004-05. It had said that for a family of five, the BPL cap in terms of expenditure would amount to Rs 4,080 per month in rural areas and Rs 5,000 per month in urban areas. Singh’s attack on Planning Commission has come a day after the Congress distanced itself from the remarks by two of its leaders that one could have meals at Rs 5 and Rs 12 which have been ridiculed by several parties. The meal remarks made by Congress spokesperson Raj Babbar and another party leader Rasheed Masood have rightly been dubbed absurd, foolish and illogical by opposition parties and poor people of the nation. The remarks of these two senior Congress leaders have created huge embarrassment for the party, though it has dissociated itself from these two party leaders.’ remarks It has put the Congress on the defensive. NCP leader and Heavy Industries Minister Praful Patel had also said that the plan panel estimates are based on totally wrong benchmark of per capita daily expenditure. Congress Media Cell head Ajay Maken had, however, has claimed that under the Congress-led UPA, poverty has declined from 37.2 per cent in 2004-5 to 21.9 per cent - a decline from 40.71 crore to 26.93 crore people below the poverty line. He had also attacked BJP for criticizing the Rs 33.30 Poverty Line cap of the Planning Commission, saying the opposition party, “should explain why it was Rs 16.73 in 59th NSSO survey of 2003 and accepted by BJP/NDA Govt?. Congress may be better than BJP so far as its government performance is concerned; this non-sensical definition of poverty has no taker in the country. It has also sent out the message among the general people that this Congress-led UPA-II is adopting any falsehood to cover its all round failures.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Pointless controversy

The unnecessary controversy is being created over the issue of denial of American visa to Gujarat Chief Minister and possible prime ministerial candidate of BJP Narendra Modi in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The controversy has been initiated by BJP president Rajnath Singh itself, who is on a five-day visit to the US. It is not his business to implore upon the US law makers for granting Visa to Narendra Modi. The US has been denying visa to Narendra Modi since 2005. America has denied visa to Modi because of the charge of human rights violation against in one of the worst communal riots in 2002 in Gujarat in which more than one thousand Muslims and 300 hundred Hindus were killed. With the raising of the issue of visa to Modi before the US by Rajnath Singh, the opponents of Narendra Modi sent the six month old letter signed by 65 MPs as claimed by them to the US President Barack Obama to continue to deny Visa to him. Some of the MPs whose names figure in the letter say that their signatures are forged and they have not signed this type of letter at any point of time, though the independent Rajya Sabha MP, who is the main initiator of the campaign stands by this letter and says that all signatures are genuine. Narendra Modi is a democratically electeted Chief Minister of an Indian state of Gujarat. He holds high constitutional post. He deserves Visa. But as the US is a sovereign country and it has its own rules and regulations, it totally depends on it whom to give visa or not to be given. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has already given statement on this issue in the Parliament on similar lines. The issue here is why the BJP is so much anxious for getting US Visa for its top leader leader Narendra Modi that its President has implored on US law makers to grant visa to him. Does the party also need certificate form America to legitimize its prime ministerial candidate? His legitimacy and acceptability will be given by the people of India in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Narendra Modi has already got overwhelming acceptability for the last 12 years from the people in the state of Gujarat. He has won three assembly elections for the part y and come to power thrice in a row. So, first the BJP should have confidence in itself, and not depend on America for its leader’s acceptability in India. Both the BJP president and the MP, who has sent a letter signed by 65 members of Parliament over the issue of American Visa, are doing nothing but denigrating the image of India. India is the largest democracy of the world and members of its highest democratic institution have a pride of place. So, this unnecessary controversy must be buried immediately. Meanwhile, the US h as said that if Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi applies for a visa, his application will be considered in accordance with the American immigration law and policy.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Rahul’s class

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has organized a training camp of about 200 Congress Spokesman from all over the country. The aim of his training camp is to train them to counteract the opposition charges of corruption, price rise, economic mismanage and total failure on all fronts against UPA government at the Centre forcefully. Opposition charges have created disillusionment among the people with the government in the face of Lok Sabha elections next year. It is to be counteract at all costs. Rahul says that the talented leaders should be brought to the front to present the party in right perspective among the people. But who will do it? Rahul Gandhi is the vice-president and his mother Sonia Gandhi is the president of the party. They are all powerful. They can only do it. First of all, in view of the all round negative performance of the UPA government, which the opposition parties are highlighting among the people, needs to be counteracted by the Congress spokespersons. But they have become demoralized because of the lacklustre performance of UPA-II. The Congress spokespersons need to be given clear cut direction and vision of the party to take them into masses. Besides, appropriate training to Congress spokespersons, the party urgently needs to revive the organizations from block to state capital level. The states in which Congress party is out of power for more than twenty years, the party organization there is gasping for breadth. They have become dead there. Party workers have become demoralized and the leaders who have mass appeal have gone in oblivion. The leader of the political party should be known by their action, and not by giving only long speech. By giving training to Congress spokesman how to counteract opposition attacks is not sufficient and will be of no use if its government at the Centre continues to act callously, carelessly and negligently. First of all, Congress-led government at the Centre needs to improve its performance on all fronts. It will have to check price rise and stop corruption forthwith and whoever is found guilty in corruption cases must be awarded deterrent punishment. The time is running out and disillusionment with the UPA government is increasing day by day with the approaching of the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress spokespersons can only counteract the opposition onslaught forcefully when their government at the Centre is seen to deliver to the people.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Modi’s supremacy established

After being appointed the Chairperson of Election Campaign Committee in party’s National Executive Meeting in Goa despite the indirect opposition of party’s mentor and tallest leader in active politics Lal Krishna Advani, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s elevation in the party for top job is final with the announcement of 20 sub-committees by the party under him. This finally has established that he is now the supreme leader of BJP and there is every possibility that he will be its prime ministerial candidate in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP is also day dreaming that it will defeat the Congress and come to power this time. BJP-led NDA is getting weaker and weaker since it was clear that Modi would be its face in the Lok Sabha elections. And because of his elevation, BJP’s largest and 17 year old alliance partner in NDA JD(U) broke away with it. BJP has now been left with only Akali Dal and Shiv Sena as its allies in NDA. Even Shiv Sena has not cleared its stand on the issue of its support to Narendra Modi in NDA if the BJP made him its prime ministerial candidate. There is no BJP in Southern states and almost its position is the same in North-Eastern states. It is in power only in Goa, Gujarat, Chattishgarh, and Madhya Pradesh. Its position has weakened after the ruling JD(U) parted company with it in Bihar. After losing power in UP in 90s, it has now only nominal presence there. Bihar and UP are the two most important states of the nation politically. These two states account for more than 120 MPs. How many seats do the BJP hope to win in these two states where ruling SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP Mayawati hold their sways in UP? Congress and BJP are on third and fourth position in regard to Lok Sabha seats in UP. In Bihar the position of BJP is little better but after breaking of its alliance with ruling JD(U), it is difficult to predict about its performance in Lok Sabha elections in which it will go alone. Lalu of RJD and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of JD(U) are the main political personalities in Bihar and fight in the elections would only confine to them. So, it matters little politically how many sub - campaign committees for Lok Sabha elections next year the BJP announces under Modi when it has no significant presence in more than half of the nation. Narendra Modi’s stamp was written all over as BJP announced its Election Campaign Committee for 2014 polls including top leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley who will work under him.

Friday, July 19, 2013

BJP in poll mode

The main opposition Bhartiya Janata Party is in poll mode and all indications coming from the speeches of its leaders, especially its possible prime ministerial candidate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, are that they would again go in for elections with aggressive Hindutva plank. This aggressive Hindutva plank may not win power for the party but it is also a well-established fact that this has brought it to this position of main opposition status from oblivion with two MPs strength in early 80s. The development, good governance, price rise, economic mismanagement and corruption issues that go against the ruling Congress-led UPA may boomerang on the BJP if it went to poll with these issues because its own record on these counts is not unblemished. So, its face Narendra Modi who leads the poll campaign strongly advocates for Hindutva cause. Modi tries to polarise the majority Hindu community in favour of his party by indirectly comparing the killing of Muslim minority in Gujarat riots in 2002 with the crushing of Puppy under the wheels of his car that also hurts him and he says about the Congress Party that it goes under the Burqua of secularism and hide in bunker whenever it is beset with problems and crisis. By comparing the life of Puppy with the lives of Muslim minority, he trivializes the lives of Muslim minority. All his barbs against Congress only polarizes the majority Hindu community and a wave of communal flavour is deliberately created in the country to reap political harvest. The Congress-led UPA is facing one crisis after another and its popularity graph is at the lowest ebb. If the Main opposition BJP attacks it only on its mismanagement of economy, price rise, corruption and misgovernance, the people will definitely support it to get rid of this corrupt and defamed UPA. BJP Parliamentary Board, which met here, has finalized its plan for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and decided to create about 15 committees to manage different aspects of the election campaign under Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. The BJP Parliamentary Board has also discussed the strategy for the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning on August 5. The BJP is likely to target the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre over the Food Security Ordinance and the condition of the Indian economy during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Death of innocent children

The tragic death of 21 children after taking mid-day meal at a government primary school in Saran district of Bihar due to food poisoning is not the first incident of its kind in the country. Mid-day meal is a centrally sponsored programme to ensure the attendance of poor students in primary government schools all over the nation. It is carried out by state government. Administrative responsibility to ensure that the programme is smoothly and successfully run rests with the state governments. It is not only in the Bihar primary government school that this tragic incident of the death of innocent students has taken place due to food poisoning after taking mid-day meal for the first time. Before this tragic incident, several other government schools in different states have experienced the same incident of this tragic nature. Frogs, lizards and several other poisonous insects and pesticides have been found in the mid-day meals meant for primary school children. The use of sub-standard food grains and callous and criminal negligence of the officials and teachers involved with the distribution of mid-day meals in schools are also responsible for this type of tragic incident. The tragic Saran incident of Bihar must serve as an eye-opener for the government to ensure the distribution of pure, eatable and tasteful mid-day meals are served to the students in schools. And there must not be recurrence of tragic incident of this nature due to the criminal negligence of the officials and teachers entrusted to run this programme.The school teachers must be made responsible to ensure the healthy, vitaminus and free of all impurities mid-day meals are served to the students in schools. Teachers are the first guardians of the students during school hours. So, they must be held responsible for this tragic incident. Did they taste the food before being served to the students under mid-day meal programme in their school? If they had done so, the 21 bright futures of the nation would not have perished. Though the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has made announcement about compensation of Rs. two lakh rupees to the families of the deceased, there must be thorough and speedy probe to find out whose criminal negligence has caused the death of 21 school children and deterrent punishment must be awarded to them. It is the tradition among every political party all over the nation that every incident is seen through political angles and tries its best to score political points over the rivals, caring little for the loss of lives even in the tragic incidents. Blame game starts by the opposition against the ruling parties the moment any incident takes place. There is no doubt that there have been lapses by the Nitish Kumar government due to which 21 primary government school students died after taking mid-day meal. But this is not the time to blame but do all possible help to minimize the loss of lives and pain inflicted on the family of the deceased.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Abode of peace bombed

The terrorist attack on world famous Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya of Bihar is an attempt to throttle message of peace that emanates from there for the world. The low intensity nine blasts within the span of two minutes early in the morning created an atmosphere of fear and awe. As intensity of the blasts was low and timing was early morning, they injured only two people. Terrorist act had been unheard of so far in Bihar, the IB had already alerted the Bihar Police about the impending terror attack on Bodh Gaya. Prior alert signal was given to Bihar police on the basis of the interrogation of Pune Bakery attack accused. Though no terror organization has taken responsibility of the Mahabodhi Temple attack, the atrocities on Rohangia Muslims in Myanmar are linked to this terror attack without any sound basis. The responsibility of safety and security of Mahabodhi Temple in Gaya is of both the state and the Central government. So, one can not escape the guilt at the cost of the other. Central government can not be free after the IB alerted the Bihar Police about the terror attack beforehand. There is no doubt that it is the total failure of the Bihar police in acting on the IB tip-off. Central intelligence agencies should also have assured of full proof security against any terror attack in Bodh Gaya. Bodh Gaya is known all over the world for spreading peace, amity and international brotherhood. People from all over the world visit Bodh Gaya for meditation, learning and spirituality. It is the holiest place for Budhists world over. Terror attack at the root of peace must be thwarted at all costs. Whether it is the lapses of Bihar or Central government matters little, both have failed to thwart terror attack despite prior knowledge. Terror has neither any religion nor colour. It is the biggest enemy of humanity. Until and unless its root is weeded out from our neighbouring country, it would continue to execute its evil design of death and destruction. In what is suspected to be the first-ever terror attack in Bihar, nine low-intensity blasts struck Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya early Sunday, leaving a Tibetan student and a Burmese resident who were meditating there injured. The temple structure was not damaged in the attack. Three live bombs were later recovered from near the temple premises.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Parliamentary debate indispensable

The govt has decided to promulgate an ordinance to give nation’s two-third population the right to 5 kgs of food grain every month at highly subsidised rates of Rs 1-3 per kg.The Ordinance is to come into effect after President Pranab Mukherjee signs it.The Cabinet, which had on last month deferred a decision on the issue, has approved promulgating an ordinance to implement the Food Security Bill. Even after the Ordinance, the Bill will have to be approved by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.The government’s decision to bring an ordinance to implement the Food Security Bill has drawn flak from major Opposition parties. Govt. deserves to be severely criticized for bypassing the Parliament for sometime and hoodwinking the people that no political party except it can protect their interest first. No political party is against the Food Security Bill, but each and every is against the ordinance route to promulgate it. It is to be done more with the intention to win poor’s favour in the Lok Sabha elections next year than fulfilling their primary subsistence needs the food grain at highly subsidized price. The haste shown in promulgating the Food Security Bill through ordinance smacks of ulterior motive of UPA-II. If the Bill got President’s assent, 67 percent poor people will be benefited. Food Security Bill is the brainchild of Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Four years of UPA II has elapsed, the bill was never brought in Parliament for a threadbare discussion so that the people could know its pros and cons. It was brought only in the last Parliament session amid disruption and chaos, and the government adjourned it sine a die. The ruling Congress-led UPA finding itself embarrassed and humiliated due to unchecked corruption and rising prices, it has chosen to take the ordinance route to halt its sagging image and win the 2014 Lok Sabha elections with this flagship programme as it did with MNREGA IN 2009 Lok Sabha elections. UPA-II has completely failed to keep up the performance of its previous avatar UPA-I. All good and public-centric work has been undone by UPA-II. So, UPA-II has chosen ordinance route to win the favour of 67 percent poor people in haste. But the way it has bypassed the parliamentary debate and discussion must not be done in vibrant democracy like India. The Bill like this makes legal provision to feed two-third of our population. It must occupy top position on the agenda for Parliamentary debate and discussion. UPA-II should have called Special Session of Parliament to pass the bill after thorough debate and discussion. It apparently looks awkward and haste in taking the decision to promulgate Food Security Bill to feed the 67 percent without throwing any light on it through Parliament.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Spurt in Maoist violence

The naxal violence is on the rise without any check and policy to deal with the burning issue of the nation. Just after a month of horrible naxal attack on the cavalcades of top Congress leaders in Chattishgarh, the killing of Pakur Superintendent of police Amarjit Balihar alongwith his driver and three security guards in Jharkhand is a cause of great concern. Pakur SP Amarjit Balihar, a 2003 batch IPS officer, his driver and the guards were ambushed by the Naxals when they were returning to Pakur, after attending a meeting in Dumka, a senior official said. The incident took place near the forests of Amrapa, nearly 400 km from capital Ranchi.The extremists exploded bombs and opened fire on the police vehicles. This is not the first time that district head of police has been killed by Naxals in Bihar. On October 4, 2000, the ultras of the People's War, now merged with CPI (Maoist), had killed Lohardaga SP Ajay Kumar Singh in undivided Bihar. Lohardaga later became part of Jharkhand. In absence of any concrete policy and programme, ill-equipped police force and vote bank policy of various political parties, the morale of Maoists are on rise, which poses a great threat to the internal security of the nation. It is true that Maoists are Indians and they are our own people but the moment they establish contact with terrorist and separatist elements of the nation and our hostile neighbour to usurp power through gun and by creating internal disturbance, they cease to become Indians. The killing of police, administrative personnel and political leaders and workers by the Maoist is a direct attack on the state power and parliamentary political system. It is also true that naxalism has born out of poverty. Every third district of the country is affected by Maoist violence. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said several times that naxalism is the biggest internal threat to the nation. But the irony is that no forward movement has been decided yet how to deal with this greatest internal danger. Naxalism is more dangerous than terrorism for the nation as it has spread every third district of the nation. No concrete policy and programme has been initiated ever to deal with this vicious and violent problem by successive government at the Centre. If the problem of naxalism is continued to be ignored, the day is not far off when the issue will envelop the entire nation and pariliamentary democracy will be imperiled. This is most dangerous problem. It will remain as it is as long the government of the day continues to make policy and programme from air-conditioned room in PMO completely oblivious of ground reality.