Centre, States should jointly fight Maoists, says Brinda

NATION

Centre, States should jointly fight Maoists, says Brinda

Vijay Deo Jha


Monday, April 12, 2010


CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat said here on Sunday that the fight against Maoists was a collective responsibility of the Centre and States.

But then she mildly pricked the wounds and PC’s proposed resignation over the massacre of 75 CRPF jawans by Maoist at Sukma in South Bastar. “Such things (uproar over the resignation of PC) are bound to happen since PC has been in the habit of alleging and passing the bucks on others,” she said.

Karat said this in the backdrop of PC’s comment on the West Bengal Chief Minister during his Lalgarh visit in the first week of April where the Home Minister had said that “the buck stops at the Chief Minister’s table when it comes to Naxal violence.”

PC was angrily criticised by Bhattacharjee and Basudeb Acharia for use of ‘slang’ like buck.

Stating that Naxalism is no more a State issue after it has spread its tentacles in other States, Karat advised PC to take the State Governments into confidence to weed out the red ultras. “States like Bihar and Jharkhand should be taken in confidence…we need to be unanimous,” she said.

Karat refused to believe in the theory of the so called sympathisers that Maoists were camping in forests to do welfare of the tribals. “No, they have made their base in the forests because it is geographically and strategically safe for them,” she said.

But she was quite concerned over Maoists drawing political support for their bloody battle. “Some political parties are supporting Maoists and getting their supports,” she said. Karat was probably echoing her West Bengal counterpart who had obliquely referred Union Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee and her party Trinamool Congress were hand in glove with the Maoists.

Hemant gets tips in politics from father

Vijay Deo Jha |

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Ranchi


Father Shibu Soren would surely like to see his MLA son Hemant Soren to rise in politics and become the Chief Minister. But then, he reportedly suggested Hemant to graduate in politics before bracing up for such a long jump.

Even as Soren exerted his authority as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief, insiders of the Soren family confided, he rejected the notion of the risk involved in his decision to contest a by-election within six months, which is mandatory to retain the Chief Minister's post.

Soren reportedly said this in the presence of his family members, his close aides and few party leaders on Monday afternoon, just an hour before his scheduled meeting with his daughter-in-law Sita Soren, whose resignation from Jama Assembly constituency Soren desperately requires to contest the by-election.

Sharp at 3. 30 am Sita entered the CM's House for negotiations. Well-placed sources said that Soren has now taken a firm stand to contest the election and declared that he was physically fit to discharge his duties as the Chief Minister.

The meeting continued till late in the evening. Sita refused to speak about the outcome of the talks but said: “I understand my responsibility as the daughter-in-law…the only thing that I can say right now.”

There are chances that Sita may be accommodated as the chairperson of Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation (JSMDC). A close aide of Sita told The Pioneer that she sought Soren's assurance for a quid-pro-quo to leave Jama.

“They (Sita and Soren) talked to each other…hopefully she will vacate Jama within a few days to pave way for Soren to contest the by-election,” said the source.

But if there was news coming out of the CM's House it was the report of Soren's mild rebuff to swirling rumour of succession theory that goes on to project Hemant as the CM in waiting.

If Soren did not specifically mention anybody's name in this regard he reminded the selected audience inside his residence about four decades of his toil in the State politics.

Sources cited few advices that Soren tendered during the meeting like there is no shortcut to success. And there can not be an air dropped CM or Minister. “The man aspiring to achieve these must contest as many elections as possible, even at the panchayat level, and must be connected with the masses,” Soren reportedly said.

The result of Monday's meeting will be known in the coming days. But for the time being Soren delivered political sermon to those who want quick success in politics.