Politics
meets cricket at fine leg
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
It was a
semi final World Cup match between the sub-continent’s two arch rivals India
and Pakistan, watched and commented on like a proxy war.
India
crumbled on Wednesday afternoon but what rued and raged people and politicians
back to the home town of Team India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he crumbled
like crunchy popcorn: 25 runs wasting 42 balls and precious 62 precious
minutes.
Politicians of the state were the avid watcher of this semi-final offering value judgment and commentary over what went wrong with India. Former BJP State President and MLA Raghuwar Das could not resist from inserting the element of nationalism in what he commented over India-Pakistan match.
“Watching cricket with sportsman spirit is a different thing. But when India plays against Pakistan, national sentiment overpowers all. I belong to the same category of cricket watchers,” Das said after India ended with 260 of scores.
Das had cancelled all his schedules to watch the semi final. Asked to comment over Indian batsmen poor performance against punch of Pakistan he said: “They have taken poor batting ethics, if not proper form. Except Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag to some extent, they delivered a dud against promised humdinger.”
Das was not so much of praise for Dhoni. “No improvement upon the past performance. In fact in all the World Cup matches of this series India have played, Dhoni has shown that he had exhausted his quota of common sense in cricket. See SK Raina, he is more impressive than Dhoni.
Raina exploded into his ferocious self, slashing and pummeling the ball all round the park which had gone, in moments, from hushed foreboding to riotous revelry.
Dhoni was clearly under pressure after India returned to portentous habit of piling wickets instead of piling runs. Dhoni lumbered back to the pavilion, with his bat that wielded no magic: much against the expectation of his fans and followers in Ranchi who turned from prayer to penance to wish him success.
It was amazing to note that all those politicians who watched this tense match had fine understanding of the cricket as though politics met cricket at the fine leg.
“Only Virendra Sahwag could match the style of Sachin and the rest disappointed us especially middle order batsmen. I do not know as to what goes wrong with India against Pakistan,” senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Kishore said.
Kishore commented over the batting medley of India team by saying that Indians have the tendency of the Mughals to begin with and then suddenly morph into the later Mughals — bunch of hopeless fellows, delinquent squanderers of accumulated riches.
Minister of the Disaster Management Department, Raja Peter, had returned to his home early to watch but had not anticipated a disaster of India team.
“Only three batsmen delivered according to their potential, Sachin, Sehwag and Raina. From Pakistani side Sahid Afridi at least kept his promise stop Sachin from hitting century. But Dhoni dampened my spirit,” he said.
But then Peter suddenly spoke in the fashion of an expert. “Why to blame batsmen alone for the ruin of the team. Last day it rained in Mohali. Moist pitch supports bowlers.” Peter has been ministering the department meant to control draught in Jharkhand; struggling quite desperately. If he blamed rain for ruin of India in Mohali, he in the past equally blamed no rain for the rue of the people of this state.
By the time this report was filed Pakistan were hitting away furiously till the last man standing and Indians were repairing their jangled nerve. Avid watchers had much to cheer about when India beat the Pakistani aggression with a convincing 29 run win even as Dhoni’s home crowd burst into loud cheers and wild celebrations.
Looking for some juicy bytes, electronic media thronged in large numbers outside the Indian skipper’s residence. Now over to Mumbai.
Politicians of the state were the avid watcher of this semi-final offering value judgment and commentary over what went wrong with India. Former BJP State President and MLA Raghuwar Das could not resist from inserting the element of nationalism in what he commented over India-Pakistan match.
“Watching cricket with sportsman spirit is a different thing. But when India plays against Pakistan, national sentiment overpowers all. I belong to the same category of cricket watchers,” Das said after India ended with 260 of scores.
Das had cancelled all his schedules to watch the semi final. Asked to comment over Indian batsmen poor performance against punch of Pakistan he said: “They have taken poor batting ethics, if not proper form. Except Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag to some extent, they delivered a dud against promised humdinger.”
Das was not so much of praise for Dhoni. “No improvement upon the past performance. In fact in all the World Cup matches of this series India have played, Dhoni has shown that he had exhausted his quota of common sense in cricket. See SK Raina, he is more impressive than Dhoni.
Raina exploded into his ferocious self, slashing and pummeling the ball all round the park which had gone, in moments, from hushed foreboding to riotous revelry.
Dhoni was clearly under pressure after India returned to portentous habit of piling wickets instead of piling runs. Dhoni lumbered back to the pavilion, with his bat that wielded no magic: much against the expectation of his fans and followers in Ranchi who turned from prayer to penance to wish him success.
It was amazing to note that all those politicians who watched this tense match had fine understanding of the cricket as though politics met cricket at the fine leg.
“Only Virendra Sahwag could match the style of Sachin and the rest disappointed us especially middle order batsmen. I do not know as to what goes wrong with India against Pakistan,” senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Kishore said.
Kishore commented over the batting medley of India team by saying that Indians have the tendency of the Mughals to begin with and then suddenly morph into the later Mughals — bunch of hopeless fellows, delinquent squanderers of accumulated riches.
Minister of the Disaster Management Department, Raja Peter, had returned to his home early to watch but had not anticipated a disaster of India team.
“Only three batsmen delivered according to their potential, Sachin, Sehwag and Raina. From Pakistani side Sahid Afridi at least kept his promise stop Sachin from hitting century. But Dhoni dampened my spirit,” he said.
But then Peter suddenly spoke in the fashion of an expert. “Why to blame batsmen alone for the ruin of the team. Last day it rained in Mohali. Moist pitch supports bowlers.” Peter has been ministering the department meant to control draught in Jharkhand; struggling quite desperately. If he blamed rain for ruin of India in Mohali, he in the past equally blamed no rain for the rue of the people of this state.
By the time this report was filed Pakistan were hitting away furiously till the last man standing and Indians were repairing their jangled nerve. Avid watchers had much to cheer about when India beat the Pakistani aggression with a convincing 29 run win even as Dhoni’s home crowd burst into loud cheers and wild celebrations.
Looking for some juicy bytes, electronic media thronged in large numbers outside the Indian skipper’s residence. Now over to Mumbai.
Gadkari to arrive Jharkhand
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
BJP national President Nitin Gadkari is not a lame-duck yet he decided to visit Jharkhand a little lamed by political reverses he suffered past year in Jharkhand and, on the evidence of the run-up, could well deliver a duck if you have prepared some pointed posers to pinch him.
BJP national President Nitin Gadkari is not a lame-duck yet he decided to visit Jharkhand a little lamed by political reverses he suffered past year in Jharkhand and, on the evidence of the run-up, could well deliver a duck if you have prepared some pointed posers to pinch him.
Gadkari had escaped attending oath taking
ceremony of the last two governments in Jharkhand — Shibu Soren and Arjun
Munda. Though, his prior engagements were sited as the reason — politically
reasons were different. Gadkari had lost too many things in Jharkhand. He will
try to regain some of these.
In the Soren led government his party was in
second fiddle role. In no time the trust deficit between the alliance partners,
the BJP and the JMM became so wide that the government collapsed within five
months. Though, the estranged political partners nudged into negotiation bid
soon after, but then, it had left bad taste in the mouth of Gadkari. Gadkari
had the first such encounter with Jharkhand where politics is always pregnant
with queer ploy and possibilities even beyond shrewd sense.
Probably he thought to collect burnished trophy
of credit to form government in Jharkhand with the JMM. The obvious aim was to
keep the Congress at way to run the government in Jharkhand through proxy.
Certainly his coterie must not have briefed him correctly about Jharkhand and
the JMM. The alliance crumbled in no time and the government collapsed with
five months.
The later episode of government formation with
the JMM cost Gadkari and his party dearly. The government was formed but at the
cost of the image of the party and his own. Within the party and outside his
leadership was questioned and the BJP as power hungry. But then, Jharkhand
taught him some critical lessons in politics and political judgment that he
could not have learnt in his past stint in politics.
So Gadkari will be on two-day visit in Jharkhand from Saturday. The state capital has turned into the town of arch and hording to welcome him. Gadkari will attend the meeting of party workers who will turn not less than 50000 in number to attend it. The BJP leaders have attached so much importance to his maiden visit to Jharkhand.
“Gadkari had taken the government formation exercise as challenge. It was his initiative,” a senior party leader said. “This government bears his impression. Road and electricity are his pet subjects which are with the BJP,” he said. But the leader conceded that the state government has yet to graduate beyond promises and plans to offer anything tactile over infrastructural development.
So Gadkari will be on two-day visit in Jharkhand from Saturday. The state capital has turned into the town of arch and hording to welcome him. Gadkari will attend the meeting of party workers who will turn not less than 50000 in number to attend it. The BJP leaders have attached so much importance to his maiden visit to Jharkhand.
“Gadkari had taken the government formation exercise as challenge. It was his initiative,” a senior party leader said. “This government bears his impression. Road and electricity are his pet subjects which are with the BJP,” he said. But the leader conceded that the state government has yet to graduate beyond promises and plans to offer anything tactile over infrastructural development.
So is the case with the party here in Jharkhand
that requires real organisational overhaul at the grass root level. The
organisational elections have been a slow pace affair from the last many
months. None in the party is ready to give any deadline by the time when the
elections will be completed. Factionalism in the BJP is still on boil one that
had started last year between Munda and the then state party president Raghuwar
Das.
Source in the BJP said that importance of the
visit of Gadkari actually lies in future. “The assembly elections of the five
states may change the scenario of the national politics. There could be mid
term election, hence, BJP is looking for alliance partners in different states.
JMM could be well on the card of the party,” source said.
Gadkari is sure to face questions over the
credibility of such alliance. When time will come to criticize the central
government over price hike Gadkari will have to face a tough poser. The state
government has increased the price of petroleum and diesel.
----------------------------
Politically divorced but diabetes keeps them
together!
Speaker CP Singh meets JVM Chief Babulal Marandi
at Morhabadi
Former BJP MLA Chandresh Oraon served show-cause
notice
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
JVM chief Babulal Marandi and BJP MLA and
Assembly Speaker CP Singh have two striking similarities—their being diabetic
and their known opposition to anti-encroachment drive in Jharkhand.
When diabetic Singh during morning walk on Monday,
suddenly stopped to meet Marandi—on indefinite strike against anti-encroachment
drive at Morhabadi ground, the confused BJP bosses did not know how to downplay
this meeting. At last they employed diabetes for the damage control exercise.
“I do not know what drove him (Singh) to our
camp,” JVM MLA Pradeep Yadav told the media, “but as I believe like us he is
pained over the displacement of the people due to anti-encroachment drive. We
have welcomed his support.”
That was enough to make state BJP nervous since
Singh’s avowed opposition to demolition drive is on the record.
“You know that CP Singh is the patience of
diabetes. During morning walk he made a courtesy visit to inquire about the
health of Marandi. It was not a political meeting and please do not interpret
it as extension of support,” state BJP in-charge Harendra Pratap told The
Pioneer over telephone.
But former party MLA Chandresh Oraon who is
reported to have developed mild sign of diabetes had no such luxury. Reason: he
is not a morning jogger like Singh and he had come to visit Marandi with
obvious intention. “Oraon has been served a show-cause notice for going against
the party discipline,” State BJP spokesperson Pradeep Sinha said. BJP sources
termed suspension of Oraon from party as definite.
Diabetes too could have saved Oraon provided he
would not have supported Marandi and his movement in sugarcoated term—a bitter
pill for the party. Oraon joined
indefinite strike of Marandi for an hour and praised him as the leader of the
mass who is fighting for the poor and displaced. On being contacted Oraon
refused to speak anything about his fancy for Marandi that fumed his party to
serve him show-cause. What he meant, there are apolitical friends and causes.
Singh
spent around half an hour with Marandi and both discussed their health and that
of the State which has worsened following demolition drive.
With each passing day party seniors like
Yashwant Sinha, Raghuwar Das, Saryu Roy and others have spoken against the
government and the party over demolition issue. Knowing well, these leaders are
not easy meat to be roasted with disciplinary actions and even a show-cause
notice; the BJP has used several alibis to let them go. “Though, their
agitation has no backing of the party, but they are public representatives they
are doing it in this capacity,” state BJP president Dineshananda Goswami.
Marandi on Monday morning might have refused the government doctor to test his
sugar level but diabetes is an interesting addition in the exhaustive catalogue
of BJP’s excuses.
---------------------------------------
Mine is fine what about yours: Munda to PM
VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi
Chief Minister Arjun Munda, who has gone to New
Delhi to explain Prime Minister Manmohan Singh position of the state government
over anti-encroachment drive in Jharkhand, pushed the ball in the Centre’s
court over encroachment at central government undertakings in Jharkhand.
However, the CM did it smartly.
Munda snubbed clamour of the Centre and the
Congress over anti-encroachment drive at a meeting with Singh where he
reportedly said that the Congress was running disinformation campaign to whip
public passion.
Munda informed the PM that the drive in
Jharkhand and Central government’s PSUs were undertaken following the order of
the High Court.
Apprising Singh of over the proposed
Rehabilitation Policy brought by the state government; Munda sought to know
whether the Centre had any such plan in context of six Central government’s
PSUs where similar anti-encroachment drive are being undertaken following the
High court’s directive.
Stating that removing encroachment from the PSU
land is not the responsibility of the state government. And even after the
state government has been providing logistic and police support to remove
encroachment, the state government has been portrayed as villain by the central
ministers like Subodh Kant Sahay.
Munda expansively quoted agencies report to
bring the fact to the Prime Minister’s notice that Sahay and likes were behind
whipping public passion at Islamnagar and Dhanbad where seven people were
killed during clashes with the police.
To support it Munda submitted clips of the
newspaper of the provocative statements of Sahay. Munda said that 20 per cent
of utility land of Jharkhand is under control of these PSUs which were given by
the state government in different phases. Over this Munda demanded the return
of unused PSUs land to the state for rehabilitation purpose and said the Centre
must issue statement over its intended plan of action as far as PSUs in
Jharkhand are concerned.
Munda strongly objected to unrelenting
misinformation campaign by his party and the PSUs. Quoting submission of the
HEC in Jharkhand High Court that the state government has not been providing
security Munda detailed PM about this.
“If you think that Centre’s intervention had
panicked CM then you are horribly wrong. He has explained the position of the
state government before the PM and also the misleading statements made by his
minister and the party. It is time for the Centre to make its stand clear over
encroachment at PSUs. The Centre is a party now,” a close Munda aide said.
Munda has pushed the ball in the court of the
Centre with three specific posers. First: Whether the Centre intends to halt
the drive at PSUs before to announce Rehabilitation Policy for those for
illegal occupants of PSUs land and houses. And second: Whether the Centre
agrees to handover unused land of the PSUs to the state government for
rehabilitation purposes.
Third: Whether the Centre is willing to initiate
high level inquiry of illegal allotments of the houses of the PSUs to
influential persons.
.
======================
Munda emerged stronger but not at the cost of
Soren
VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi
If problems creped in a scheduled way for the
BJP Chief Minister Arjun Munda on Friday, the unscheduled visit of party’s
national president; Nitin Gadkari in Ranchi on that evening quashed these clam.
Mutually stonewalled coalition partners in his
governments — the JMM had already jangled his nerves over the continuation of
demolition drive in Jharkhand; the known Munda bashers within the party
suddenly became active to unseat him.
Meeting leaders after leaders in New Delhi right
from Lal Krishna Advani to Gadkari in the past one week; they kept their move a
close secret, but some of the loose sheets of their script widely became
available for public consumption.
The unexpected visit of Gadkari gave a new lease
of life to Munda and in some way it was a snub and a message for Munda’s
detractors: Munda enjoys the support of central BJP bosses.
At a time when Munda was in a desperate
rapprochement bid with the JMM and the party chief Shibu Soren whose criticism
of the government and the state bureaucracy left Munda rasping; Gadkari’s pat
on his back came on the right time.
Gadkari’s fitness certificate to the Munda
government offered a new lease of life that came with an embedded message for
known Munda bashers like former party president Raghuwar Das that the party
intends no regime change.
Specter of the President’s rule had terrified
Munda after the UPA government sought details from the Governor MOH Farook over
law and order situation in Jharkhand in the wake of the demolition drive.
Gadkari took the cudgel to defend the government and asked Prime Minister Man
Mohan Singh to collect facts of the fiction and reality of the problem in
Jharkhand; that to him was exacerbated by the Opposition.
The BJP officially maintained that Gadkari en
route to West Bengal had to divert his flight due to cloud hovering in the sky
of Burdwan. But the sources in the party accepted that his forced landing at
Sonari airport in Jamshedpur had a political overture. “At a time when the
cloud of uncertainty was hovering over the fate of the Munda government his
visit was not a coincidence. His presence was badly required for obvious
reasons and he made a timely entry,” a senior party said.
Munda who till Friday afternoon had apparently
lost his trademark smile got it soon by late Friday evening after he along with
cabinet colleagues Hemant Soren of the JMM and Sudesh Kumar Mahato of the AJSU
emerged out of the meeting. The cloud of suspense was dispelled before it could
flash sliver line and before it could rain. A user guide of coalition dharma
and advice to keep the toast of trust tossing all the times was handed over to
the coalition partners.
Munda had repaired his jangled nerves and
emerged stronger but not at the cost of the JMM and chief Shibu Soren scored
much without having any podium moment. If anything emerged out this crisis it
was a lesson for Munda. Soren has sufficiently made his intention known that in
a coalition set-up like this Munda can not have the privy of running the
government on his personal and party agenda while treating the alliance
partners as a doormat. Even the BJP insiders accepted Soren’s masterstroke has
swooning impact on the BJP.
“From electoral point of view the demolition
drive has affected the BJP maximum. The party has faced flanks from all the
sides. But the way the JMM intervened in the matter; risking direct
confrontation has helped it to gain public support,” a senior BJP leader
said.
The leader raised some more vital points: “Very
smartly the JMM refused to share the burden of collateral damage of the
demolition drive even after the government was bound to act upon the High
court’s directive. Munda took a month time to reach at no conclusion; the JMM
took less then 48 hours to score points. Running government is a fine mixture
of administrative acumen and political decision. Politician Munda lost
somewhere in administrative Munda.
Having brought the BJP so lowly under the pile
of the debris of demolition, Munda may now have enough time and space to ponder
for lowly as it is, these demolished places are also a lonely place.
=================
Freeze on tongue, frustrating Friday for Munda
Gadkari advises PM to read the High Court order before being concerned JMM Chief criticizes government for inaction
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
The crisis managers in the BJP termed
unscheduled Ranchi visit of party’s national president, Nitin Gadkati on Friday
as a mere coincidence. For that matter they even termed it a mere coincidence
after Chief Minister Arjun Munda heading the BJP led coalition government was
forced to postpone his Santhal Pargana visit where he was scheduled to
inaugurate ambitious development projects of Rs 259.81 crore along with
coalition contingent.
The fissures became apparent among the coalition
partners in the government— the JMM and the AJSU—in the wake of the Dhanbad
police firing and also the Congress led UPA central government seeking report
form the Governor MOH Farook over the matter that forced Munda to stay at his
turf.
Munda huddled in four-and-half hours closed-door
meeting with core cabinet members; Deputy Chief Ministers -- Hemant Soren (JMM)
and Sudesh Kumar Mahato (AJSU) along with Minister Hemlal Murmu (JMM), to
discuss draft of the proposed ordinance over Rehabilitation Policy that the
government has promised to bring to settle the issue of unauthorised
constructions in Jharkhand.
In the evening Gadkari along with Munda, state
party president Dineshananda Goswami and Sudesh Mahato held a closed-door
meeting. Speaking over the intervention of the Centre and Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh in Jharkhand affair Gadkari advised the PM to take a look at the
High Court’s order following to which demolition drive has been
undertaken.
Munda has to face two sets of lumbering concerns
having lethal potential to quiver this shaky coalition arrangement after the
JMM chief and chairman of State Coordination Committee, Shibu Soren refused to
take part in inauguration ceremony along with his party ministers, Hemlal and
Hemant.
Emerging out of the meeting their faces were not
teeming with any sign that could indicate the end of the crisis. “We are ready
with ordinance. It is likely to be placed before the cabinet on Saturday.
Ordinance has certain other points and lacunae that were discussed. We will
hold another round of meeting on Saturday,” Mahato told the media after the
meeting.
As a source pointed, ordinance was not the only
issue for which the meeting was called. It was a desperate damage control
exercise to pacify Shibu Soren. Making his displeasure known; Soren publicly
criticised the State government and bureaucracy for turning callous and killer
in the wake of anti-encroachment drive following the High Court’s directive.
On late Friday evening Shibu Soren summoned his
party ministers and expressed displeasure against their ‘yes-man-ship’ of Munda
and bureaucracy during the cabinet meetings. “In the last coordination
committee meeting Soren had directed the government to move to the court and
bring ordinance quickly. He was very unhappy after the government ignored his
advice,” source said.
He was very critical about the bureaucracy
undermining the government. He wanted to know from the government as to in what
capacity the BJP minister in the government, Satyanand Jha Batul; attended the
Santhal Pargana programme after it was deferred. Even Hemant accepted the
displeasure of his party chief.
But he restrained his fume for present. He
pressed no refresh button on question of the continuation of the support of the
party to the government.
But the Congress leaders are working closely to
disturb the very template of the Munda government. The Governor in his report
is believed to have made an adverse remark over the law and order situation in
Jharkhand. Close to this development the central Congress on Friday dispatched
its spokesperson and state Congress in-charge Shakil Ahmed on prowl. Terming
Jharkhand a fit case to invoke President’s rule Shakil accused Munda for state
of anarchy.
Sources in the central Congress confided that a
meeting of the party chief; Sonia Gandhi with PM was scheduled in New Delhi
over unfolding scenario in Jharkhand. This specter of President’s rule loomed
large over the meeting. It was a frustrating Friday for Munda who can not guess
about the end of the story.
.
==============
Sahay says Dhoni hurt over demolition suspended
Ranchi visit
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Blame it on anti-encroachment drive if Team
India Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has not turned-up to his hometown, Ranchi
after winning the World Cup.
This is what Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant
Sahay told the media at a press conference with obvious lachrymal lapses while
telling so. “Dhoni is the part of ‘incredible India,’ we are proud on him. But
the man who has given us moment of cheer is in pain. He has not come to Ranchi
after the World Cup match because he is hurt over mass displacement of people
in Ranchi,” Sahay said.
Sahay claimed that he had met Dhoni after the
World Cup and requested him to come to Ranchi as people want to see him and
celebrate his victory. “Dhoni pointedly told me that he could not face the
people of Ranchi driven out of their home. So he is not coming,” Sahay claimed.
Sahay is true then he is the second such
politicians of Jharkhand after deputy chief Minister Sudesh Kumar Mahato, who
can claim privy of friendship with Team India captain.
Though, Dhoni often visits Ranchi after the end
of cricket match series or tournament which he missed this time. Several
reasons could be ascribed behind it: soon after the World Cup Dhoni was
scheduled to play in T20 cricket. But what Sahay told looked like giving a
dramatic twist to controversy over anti-encroachment drive. And to carry weight
behind his claim Sahay pulled his personal and political stature as Union
Tourism Minister whom Dhoni communicated his feeling.
Nevertheless, the close aides of Dhoni requested
not to drag the name of cricket icon in this controversy and even refused to
comment over what Sahay told the media.
Dhoni’s house at Harmu is safe as it is said to
have followed the bylaws of RRDA—nevertheless questions were raised after Dhoni
had proposed a swimming pool inside his house. Despite the fact Dhoni is not
accessible to all even for his close door neighbour after he shot to fame in
cricket world some years back. But then as a good neighbour and resident of
Ranchi; Dhoni might be feeling hurt. Please believe Sahay and his lachrymal
lapses.
.
-------------------------
Central BJP woke up quite late but it was not
too late!
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
The central BJP leadership intervened quite late
but emphatically told Chief Minister Arjun Munda not to go overboard over
ongoing anti-encroachment drive following the High Court while jeopardizing
electoral prospect of the party.
A section of the state BJP leadership opposed to
demolition drive; had first raised this matter with the BJP national president
Nitin Gadkari during his two-day Ranchi visit in March.
Assembly Speaker and party MLA from Ranchi CP
Singh had first brought this matter in the notice of the central leadership.
Accepting to this Singh said: “As people’s representative I was right in
raising this matter. I had communicated my feeling and wide public opinion that
demolition without proper rehabilitation is not a right move.”
In-between the state unit approached central
leadership twice cautioning demolition drive could be the cause of a permanent
anti-incumbency factor against the BJP.
But the central leadership probably missed to
gauge the enormity of the issue that snowballed into a major political
catastrophe and confrontation that lastly affected the state BJP when state
party seniors came in open defiance and derision of the party and the
government.
The issue that startled central leadership to
nudge in intervention had not gone missing when Leader of Opposition in Lok
Sabha Sushma Swaraj tried to persuade Hazaribagh MP Yashwant Sinha against his
planned demonstration against demolition of dwellings at HEC a government of
India undertaking; that could put the party and the government in lather.
“Central leadership indeed took a serious note
to this when leaders like Sinha and others came into open defiance of the
government. The leadership did not take lightly to Munda who handled the
situation sans political sophistication and maturity,” a senior party leader
observed.
Sources said that Munda got a reprimand from
central leadership that asked him to take corrective measures to fill dangerous
faultline in the party over demolition drive and control public anger against
the party and the government.
The Munda government announced two steps at a
cabinet meeting held on Monday last: To move a modification petition at the
High Court to seek three week halt of the drive and an ordinance to legalise unauthorised
dwellings in Jharkhand. However, the modification petition was turned down by
the court whereas ordinance is expected to be issued in a couple of days.
Munda despite having a good PR among central
leadership could not spare himself from attracting oblique censorship from the
top leadership for consuming so much of time in taking a political decision.
Munda may claim having collected burnish trophies of promised investments in
Jharkhand during his Germany visit, but, that did help him to earn any credit
in the party.
“He left for foreign trip without doing his
homework in Jharkhand. Leaving the state and administration at the mercy of his
inexperienced deputies while his presence was badly required was another point
of admonition,” the party senior said.
Even after Munda has paced-up exercise over
rehabilitation policy his bashers in the party privately admitted it was too
little a promise.
“Now the government has announced to
rehabilitate BPL families that have been got displaced but what about
others? What about those who are APL
(Above Poverty Line) only for namesake but deprived like any BPL. Why such
categorisation of displaced,” a senior party leader said.
But then the central leadership snubbed Yashwant
Sinha, Raghuwar Das and others in silence for tossing and tearing party
discipline in an open public show.
Those who attended joint press conference of
Sinha and Das might have not missed change in their tune. They offered a
romantic interpretation of the problem of encroachments of the PSU lands in
Jharkhand and rest of the country as a result of the policy of economic
liberalization by PM Manmohan Singh. They even wrote letter to him. Poor PM, he
is blamed for knowing nothing. It is time to blame PM if you can not blame CM.
.
-----------------------
Munda jumps to damage control exercise; gives
call for calm
VIJAY DEO JHA/ SHRUTI SAHAY
Ranchi
Chief Minister Arjun Munda consumed whole day in
repairing his jangled nerves out of jarring anti-government signature tune of
his party (BJP); on public domain as party leaders joined anti government
protest over anti-encroachment drive.
Asking
them to suspend the agitation Munda on Monday met party senior Saryu Roy and
Independent MP from Chatra Indarsingh Namdhari and assured them the government
was about to bring ordinance to regularize unauthorised dwellings and
constructions in Jharkhand that are facing threat of eviction following the
High Court directives.
Munda gave call for calm and deferred scheduled
demolition drive at HEC colony for two days. He assured them the government has
decided to file an affidavit at the High Court on Tuesday and will take a fresh
look at displacement of the people from humanitarian point of view.
In the
evening Munda cabinet sat to discuss proposals like rehabilitation,
compensation for the displaced, regularization of unauthorised dwellings etc.
Those in the BJP who chose path to protest at last paid heed to Munda’s plea
and ended their sit in demonstration at HEC this evening.
Jamshedpur MP and party senior, Yashwant
Sinha; who has spearheaded this campaign quickly collected support from known
anti Munda camp in the party including Jamshedpur (East) MLA Raghuwar Das,
Khunti MLA Nilkanth Singh Munda etc. The BJP faced a mass exodus of leaders and
supporters to that side. Former MLA Loknath Mahato, party spokesperson Sanjay
Seth, BJP’s national executive body member Sunil Singh, former MLA Saryu Roy
and hundreds of party workers joined the agitation.
Munda on
Sunday failed to impress upon party seniors and Hazaribagh MP Yashwant Sinha
not to hit the road over demolition issue contending the government. His
emissary and party president; Dineshananda Goswami carried this message to
Sinha who returned it with a terse reply: “People first party later”. Peeved at
Sinha in his own fashion, Munda even lamented party seniors for adding more
tangle in the controversy by taking route to agitation and demonstration,
despite, he conveying personal assurance to them to work out a just solution to
the problem.
By this
time Munda was in confusion about his fast losing grip over party and a very
difficult situation ahead for party to restrain leaders and workers to
discharge payload of fury against the government.
In the
evening Rai at a press conference shared details of his meeting with the CM.
Roy along
with then JD (U) MLA Radhakrishna Kishore had tabled a bill in the assembly on
December 22, 2006 re3gareding regularization of the unauthorised dwellings. “CM
accepted, that bill could be a solution to this problem. CM has agreed to bring
an ordinance very soon and an all party meeting therein,” Rai said.
This rare
show of BJP’s protest against the coalition government led by the BJP had no
sanction of the party but had enough backing of the seniors. They have
repeatedly said having nothing against the party and the government. “We are
against demolition drive without any proper rehabilitation policy…from a long
time we have been asking party to take a definite line over displacement of
people but nothing came,” they said. Party is in no position to take
disciplinary actions against them. Serious erosion of sensitivity in the party
towards such a critical issue probably drove them to the road.
----------------------
Pro-people voices in BJP turn against the
pro-government party
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
State BJP witnessed a vertical split as a
significant section of the party not only vented ire over party led government
but also on those within the party who have kept frustrating freeze over their
tongue over ongoing anti-encroachment drive in Ranchi and else where.
Assembly Speaker and Ranchi MLA CP Singh has
already registered his differences with the government over the rationale of
displacing large number of people through eviction drive under High Court’s
order without their proper rehabilitation.
Four more party stalwarts, Jamshedpur (East) MLA
Raghuwar Das, Hazaribagh MP Yashwant Sinha, national BJP executive body member
Sunil Singh and former MLA Saryu Rai have joined pro-people league within the
party.
On Sunday they piloted non-political outfit;
Jharkhand Jan Suraksha Samiti, to fight against eviction drive through
democratic means. Rai was elected as patron of this Samiti. Suffering from
classic conundrum state BJP has not been able which side to stand: People or
government. On the meantime state BJP president Dineshananda Goswami who has
not spoken beyond chosen adjective “humane solution” to eviction issue is
flapping his wings in a desperate PR exercise between the party and the government.
Goswami has received flack from flank and core of the BJP for remaining
tightlipped and holding no meeting to pronounce a definite line of the party.
It is at a time when the Opposition got a virtual control over people’s
movement flaring and fuming in different parts of the State.
“Ideally the party should have called a high
level meeting to discuss this matter. The party could have passed proposal
considering all the aspects of the decision of the court. I am not against the
party or the government or the court but as a public representative I can not
resist myself in such a situation,” Das told The Pioneer.
Das
proposed a formula much on the line of Forest Dwelling Act. He said: “On
similar lines Urban Area Dwelling Act could be devised to regularize those who
have been living on unauthorised land.”
“The approach of the BJP is very negative and
frustrating,” a senior party leader remarked. The leader pulled Goswami as
clueless party president who defers the issue for tomorrow.
“He has a very narrow understanding of the
thing. “He fears that any strong reaction over anti-encroachment drive could
destabilise the government. We need to remember him that the BJP is leading a
coalition government there are other alliance partners too who have equal share
in it. He has made a medley of party and government in a pot,” the leader said.
Party insiders offered several reasons. Having
not so rainbow feathers in his political cap Dineshananda Goswami is more
‘Yours Truly’ of Chief Minister Arjun Munda that stops him from stretching his
vertebra as party president.
What Yashwant Sinha observed about Munda led
government during a sit on demonstration against a noticed demolition drive at
Ranchi’s HEC colony was indication of trouble brewing ahead for the party.
“Though the governments have been acting on
encroachment but what I have been witnessing in Ranchi and elsewhere in
Jharkhand is shocking. Government is displacing and disowning its own people
without thinking about their future. You are creating another problem,” Sinha
told the media.
State BJP leaders intervening in
anti-encroachment drive has no sanction of the party. They have intervened
quite late; competing with Opposition for some space, a desperate bid to win
the lost faith of the poor on their side.
.
-----------------------
‘Do not go this way’ advice for BJP-JMM in
Jamshedpur
VIJAY DEO JHA / PARVINDER BHATIA
RANCHI /JAMSHEDPUR
Schedules of the by-election of Jamshedpur
parliamentary seat could be announced anytime in July; and the BJP and the JMM
fear an imminent backlash in the poll owing to the anti-encroachment drive in
Jamshedpur which has been suspended for obvious political reasons.
Jamshedpur happens to be the traditional seat
and stronghold of the BJP and the JMM—the alliance partner in the government.
Till this time both the parties have the intention to face each other in a
friendly contest in the poll. Each trying to tap voters’ mind gently, and they
return with jangled nerves. It is so much so that the party leaders now fear to
venture in their respective strongholds which are facing eviction threat.
“It is not a straight story. Do not go that way
and these busties if you trying to logic with them that the government had no
intention to remove them from their dwellings. It is doing following the
directive of the High Court. Do not use this logic with them. They will
straightforward advice you to resign from the government if you are so
helpless,” a senior BJP leader said.
The BJP shares similar predicament despite it
attempted a symptomatic relief by convincing the State government for a
temporary halt over anti-encroachment drive. At least prospective contenders of
tickets in the BJP and the JMM are now a rasping lot.
On Friday morning state BJP president,
Dineshananda Goswami met the party Chief Minister Arjun Munda and pleaded for
some solution. The core of the BJP too feel that a proper rehabilitation policy
for the displaced is urgent required. “Chief Minister has assured to take a
humane view of the matter. The State government will come out a succinct plan
to address the concern of the people,” Goswami said.
“Government shall have to work-out both short
and long term plans before displacing thousands of residents. You can not say
as to when the Opposition will deploy dirty trick department to use public
anger against you (government),” former JMM MP from Jamshedpur and one of the
contenders of the ticket said over telephone from West Bengal.
The Opposition had hit the road last time in
Ranchi and elsewhere—Bokaro and Jamshedpur; when the administration tried to
vacate encroached land. On Friday, the Opposition hit the government again.
State Congress president and strong contender
for the party ticket from Jamshedpur filed a PIL at the High Court to seek halt
over eviction drive.
The Congress now trying to win the support of
slum dwellers spread in different parts of Jamshedpur who have refused to
vacate unless the government comes out with ‘dignified rehabilitation package.
Interestingly, the area like Kadma, Sakchi and
Bistupur where encroachment is more glaring than anything happens to be the
stronghold of the BJP. Some of top the BJP leaders have their schooling and
success in the electoral politics in this area. The area cast enough votes to
them against their rival. Mango has been a known JMM stronghold. At Mango the
prevailing notion among people is bad omen for the JMM which is true elsewhere
in the JMM pocket. It is JMM’s Hemant Soren who has been holding the charge of
Urban Development Department and he is first to face flank. “Clueless
minister,” Javed Ahmed scorns at Hemant, “what he had been doing all these
days. Had not he any plan before removing such a large number of people.” Will
he cast vote for the JMM? “No. no way,” the Congress-JVM are better than these
pretenders in the government,” he muted.
On March 31, Ramjanamnagar in Kadma the local
spewed enough venom against the BJP led government and pelted enough stones at
the police party to rattle the government to suspend the drive.
Ironic, but true, after March 31 skirmish, the
district administration not only suspended the drive but also paying fine of Rs
one lakh on per day basis after the High Court imposed fine for not executing
order under prescribed time.
Be it the case of failed effort to remove
encroachment to facilitate the construction of 2.22km long Adityapur Toll
Bridge, the Opposition has forced the government to bent its vertebra. Former
minister and JMM Dulal Bhuiyan and former Deputy CM, Sudhir Mahato are alleged
to be the VIP encroacher having encroached prime plot in Sakchi, Kadma and
elsewhere.
.
---------------------------------
Ban extended on movement
of trains on SER division
.: Centre to raise
matter with Mamta after Bengal election
VIJAY DEO JHA /PARVINDER
BHATIA
RANCHI/ JAMSHEDPUR
Centre is likely to
raise the matter of the imposition of the ban of the movement of trains on
Kharagpur-Rourkela and Kharagpur-Adra rail sections with the Union Railway
Minister Mamta Banerjee after West Bengal assembly election.
After derailment of
Gyaneshwari Express on May 28 last year, alleged to be the handiwork of
suspected CPI (Maoist), ban on the movement of passenger and goods train (from
10 PM to 5 AM) on this route was extended for record 40th time. The South
Eastern Railway (SER) issuing a public notification extending ban till April 21
owing to security reason was confirmed by A K Agrawal, station manager,
Tatanagar.
Union Home Minister
(State) Gurudas Kamat in his two days visit of Jharkhand reportedly assured the
State government during a meeting with the officials and Chief Minister on late
evening of Wednesday.
Shouting intervention of
the Centre and Home over repeated ban around 300 km stretch of rail route state
government raised the matter with the minister. Informing the minister about
the State government’s repeated offer to provide security on this rail route
within the border of Jharkhand fell in deaf ears of the Railway Ministry.
“This issue was raised
during the meeting and he has assured us that the Centre would intervene in
this matter after the West Bengal assembly elections,” Jharkhand DGP GS Rath
told The Pioneer.
Not wanted to be named a
senior Home Ministry official manning anti-naxal . at North Block reflected the
mood of the ministry and the government. “Normally we do not interfere in
day-to-day affair of any ministry. But in a serious situation like this when
railway has stopped plying out of naxal fear without any effort or call for
support to neutralize Maoists; the Home Ministry cannot sit idle,” the official
said.
Any such proposal or
call for support from the Railway Ministry to chug long route trains back on
the route. The official was not able to recollect any such. For Home there are
at least two lumbering concerns to address: Mamta first Maoist second. Mamta
has notoriously earned famous call as minister in absentia due to her
preoccupation with Bengal politics. For instance the official went on to
refresh Mamta’s opposition of the Centre’s move in the past to deploy
paramilitary forces in some of the Maoist hit zones in West Bengal.
Law and order falls
under State List that tides the hands of the Centre and even it interfere
manning and dominating 300 km stretch of rail routes will not be an easy
undertaking that meanders through areas known for the strong presence of Maoist
elements.
As of now, five night
trains, including Kurla Deluxe Express, Mumbai Mail and Howrah-Pune Azad Hind
Express are running on a rescheduled time from Howrah. Few trains, including
the Howrah-Hatia Express and Puri-Hardwar Utkal Express, are also made to run
on a diverted route.
The five long distance
trains were running on a reschedule time after the train tragedy while the
Howrah-Hatia Express is continuing to run on a diverted route via Asansol,
Dhanbad, Bokaro and Muri . Two other trains including the Howrah-Koraput
Express and Puri-Nizamuddin Utkal Express were also running on a diverted
route. The trains that are detained at night include the Tatanagar-Katihar
Express and New Delhi-Puri Purushottam Express.
Concerned over the
inconvenience caused to passengers due to rescheduling and diversion of trains,
the Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry recently shot a letter to the
Union Railway Minister, highlighting the plight of passengers.
.
----------------
Easy to praise Anna
difficult to follow him
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Those in the State
Government who have lauded the crusade of Anna Hazare for making the central
government accountable towards public appear to be lame duck to declare their
property.
It was nothing but a
domino effect that had forced Chief Minister Arjun Munda to announce that his
ministers much on the line of Bihar will declare their property. The Munda
government has completed eight months in the power and he is still to find time
to direct his ministers to declare their property.
During 10 minutes Chief
Minister’s Question Hour during the Budget Session Munda had said that his
ministers will declare their properties very soon. Opposition’s Yogendra Saw
had raised this question. The treasury played smartly over the issue and
proposed that in the light of public accountability all the MLAs should declare
their property. The House had passed a proposal to this, directing MLAs to
furnish their property details by the end of 31st March. Opposition’s KN
Tipathy (Congress Party) and Vinod Singh (CPI-ML) took less than 48 hours to
declaration their property after the proposal was passed. The status of the
rest is unknown since none of the officials of the State Assembly could be
contacted to know the exact status.
Even BJP MLA and former
deputy Chief Minister Raghuwar Das did not wait till the set deadline of
property declaration. Out of a total of 82 MLAs of Jharkhand State Assembly
Das, Tripathy and Singh are few to be counted on the finger tips rest have
crossed kept their finger crossed.
It is over to the
original issue and a quick revisal of who said and what over declaration of
properties by the ministers.
December 30th last year:
state Health Minister Hemlal Murmu at a press conference at the official
residence of JMM chief Shibu Soren had announced that he along with his cabinet
colleagues will declare their assets within a month time.
Murmu had obviously put
some rider to this announcement. “The matter will be discussed during the
cabinet meeting to prepare a draft proposal of declaration of assets by the
ministers,” he had said.
“When will the cabinet
pass this proposal,” Murmu had answered the poser with poise of confidence on
his face, “Very soon…probably in the next meeting.”
From then to now
ministers have assembled around two dozen times to attend the cabinet meeting,
but none whispered and even made a passing reference of their promise and
pledge over public accountability.
A minister of the Munda
cabinet offered around five such reasons that have delayed the execution of the
promise made to the public: panchayat election, 34th National Games, Kharsawan
by-election, drought and water scarcity in Jharkhand. Munda’s Germany visit
this month too found a place in the exhaustive catalogue of excuses.
“See, we are very keen
to declare our assets but we have been pre-occupied with so many engagements
that we can not ignore. Now Munda ji has gone to foreign trip. Hope after his return
something will happen,” he clarified.
Asked whether the
coalition partners of the government—the JMM, the AJSU and the JD (U) have
differences whether to land the details of their property for public
consumption he denied having so.
But a senior bureaucrat
said that never such proposal was discussed leave talking about its drafting
even on a waste paper sheet. “Why to insist them to open boxes of worms that
can sting them. Even if they declare, they won’t reveal more than what they had
sworn through affidavit during election. I am confident a good number will
declare themselves poorer after becoming minister,” the bureaucrat said.
But a rookie minister of
Munda government claimed that he is ready with details of his property to
declare. “But then, Munda ji is the Chief Minister and I need his sanction
otherwise I will be labeled as populist,” he said. Passtt: It was not a joke.
================
Youth killed in clash over anti-encroachment
drive
Congress, JVM call 48 hour bandh
VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi
The Islampur basti
looked like a morgue, boiling with rage over its dead and demolition of
dwellings constructed over 28 acres of encroached land, wrapped in an enforced
postponement of portents.
But then it was not an
easy undertaking. As soon as the administration and the police reached at the
site to clear encroachment on Monday morning, the agitated mob engaged them in
an hour-long pitched battle with bombs, gun fire and brickbat.
Aarju Tamanna (26) died
after receiving bullet in his neck while another 13 including policemen
suffered injuries, from minor to fatal, and rushed to different hospitals of
Ranchi, RIMS, Apollo and St. Barnawas Hospital. One Homeopathy doctor, Dr
Khurshid too received bullet.
By the evening
administration was able to clear the encroachment despite heavy weight Congress
MP from Ranchi and Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay staging protest
with locals at the demolition site along with another party senior Radhakrishna
Kishore and others.
The Congress found a ground
to start agitation out of the rubbles and announced 48 hour bandh of Jharkhand
from Thursday. On late Monday evening Kishore announced intention to this at a
press conference.
Meanwhile, the JVM, whose member and Deputy
Mayor Ajay Nath Shahdeo was also injured in the lathi charge, also announced a
two-day bandh on April 7 and 8.
One might have seen
images rolling off television screen all day of Islamnagar locality, Karbala
Chowk and adjoining area: its streets full of commotion with inflamed demonstration,
exchange of fire burning vehicles and tyres to stop administration from
executing the High Court order to clear encroachments.
Groups of youths were
raising slogans, cat-calling jawans from the safety of distance into
confrontation, eyeball to livid eyeball, women were screaming against their
eviction.
“As though these boys were schooled in
defiance last night, this is sport for them,” a police cop commented after
chasing a dozen of boys.
Bricks were in more
restless hands. It was thrown, and it was returned. The police cannoned the
agitators intermittently, till the bulldozers and the JCB machines finaly gave
deadly push to the last dwelling raised some 30 years back. “We have lost all
of a sudden. Now my sister has become homeless. It takes years to build a home.
Today it took not more than five minutes to demolish it,” Subhan Ansari had no
control over his tears.
But when the mob turned
violent and used fire arms, the Karbala Chowk turned into a battleground.
Arrangements to meet the ominous were rapidly summoned and put into place. The
police retaliated by preventive firing. The police uncorked so much shells of
tear-gas that it had to refill the stock twice.
While the area was
burning and brewing uneasy mood, rest of Ranchi remained in confinement under
curfew that nobody had called. Closed shops, vehicles out of road, wary parents
running out of breath to bring their children home safely: such has been the
menu of a ‘tense’ day.
But those among
displaced who did take part in violence took some another course for the
redressal of their grievances against eviction without their proper
rehabilitation by the government. Md. Sakil, resident Islampur has moved a
Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court to get relief. SLP is slated
to be heard on Wednesday.
“And don’t forget,” a
top state police official said, “two festivals Ramnavmi on April 12 and Sarhul
on Wednesday will be held. That is an abnormal day in the Ranchi even at normal
times. I am not trying to be alarmist but be prepared for the worst.”
Extra police forces and
Rapid Action Forces were deployed in the area around. Ranchi SSP Praveen Singh
could be heard requesting different organizers of the Ramnavmi Puja and the
Sarhul to keep their procession a low key affair and that too within their
locality.
By the evening political parties and religious
groups opened another confrontation. The organisation like Bajrang Dal and VHP
staged demonstration against Sahai for playing politics over demolition.
Hinting at a conspiracy
to drag the Ranchi back into strife, a senior police official said in a grave
tone: “You must think how and why normality has suddenly been sabotaged and who
is responsible.”
------------------------
Secular encroachment:
Congress’ new signature tune
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
Former Congress MLA MLA Furkan Ansari uttered
few word that sounded something like ‘secular encroachment’ when he blamed the
BJP for targeting those settlements under anti-encroachment drive known to be
the stronghold of non-BJP votes.
“We are not opposed to anti-encroachment
operation carried following the High Court’s directive. What we have observed
is that the government has specifically targeted those settlements that
traditionally support non-BJP parties. Ansari said this at a press conference
on Monday. On Congress’ part it was not the first such press conference nor is
going to be the last. In vice-versa Ansari meant that the government is turning
eyes from those illegal settlements in Ranchi that have supported the BJP.
“You can take the example of Naga Baba
Khatal,” a dominant Yadav settlement having a flourishing dairy industry, “now
it is the turn of Muslim dominated Islampur locality. Aren’t the two examples
sufficiently buttress the charges,” Ansari questioned, not sure whether his
words will rattle some feather.
Ansari claimed that the High Court while
ordering for anti-encroachment drive had directed the government to
rehabilitate displaced people: the directive not followed. Ansari charged that
the government in the past for patronized encroachment of public land by
investing in basic civic amenities. “They were provided with water and
electricity connection. They had been living from the past many years…now they
have been asked to pack-off,” he said.
Ansari suggested affected people to approach
the court while he and other party leaders will score press room points by
regular press conferences. Ansari, probably, directly drove to Ranchi from his
home constituency Godda to address a press conference. And none in his party probably
briefed him precisely about the action plan his party has chalked out.
Ansari had some anxious
moments when media pointed him about too much of press conferences Congress
party leaders over anti-encroachment wasting words to criticize the government
not doing anything substantial for the affected people like approaching court.
“Then we will approach the High Court. Our
party will seriously consider this proposal,” Ansari said. Ansari was not aware
of the past two-day’s development on the party front over this issue. Union
Tourism Minister Subodhkant Sahai and state Congress spokesperson Radhakrishna
Kishore have already announced to move to the Supreme Court to seek relief.
Though senior Congress
leader Pradeep Tulsyan who was along with Ansari saved him from some major
embarrassment by adding some corrections and explanations from his side. But
together they ducked to answer whether their party demands the government to
target rich and resourceful of Ranchi who have encroached public land. “Why should
we suggest this? Why should we say so? It is up to the government,” they said.
Those encroachments of
rich and resourceful may have secular credential or a very Rightist leaning.
But that feeds something else to the parties during election time without going
into the details of secular or communal.
====================
JMM raises chorus over Jamshedpur
VIJAY DEO JHA ‘
RANCHI
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha on Sunday sent a firm
signal to the BJP about its uncompromising mood to leave its claim over the
Jamshedpur parliamentary seat which has gone vacate after the resignation of
the BJP chief Minister Arjun Munda.
It was decided at the core committee meeting
of the party held at the residence of the party chief Shibu Soren. The meeting
focused upon two agenda: assembly elections in five states and Jamshedpur. The
JMM has decided to field its candidate for the assembly elections in Assam,
West Bengal and Tamilnadu.
Reasserting the claim of the party over
Jamshedpur Suman Mahato, who had represented Jamshedpur seat in the past said
that the party will field its candidate irrespective of what BJP feels.
“Jamshedpur is a traditional seat of the JMM.
Party high command has clearly instructed us to start preparing for election.
There is no point for the party to leave this seat for the BJP,” she said.
It is not for the first time when the JMM has
staked claim over Jamshedpur that was quickly rebutted by BJP, the senior
partner of the JMM in the government. Interestingly leaders of both the parties
claim Jamshedpur as their traditional seat.
However, sources in the JMM said that the
party has certainly not closed door upon negotiation with the BJP over this
issue. “Being the alliance partner in the government we do not want any
discord. We will certainly press our point…but then, if the BJP insists we will
be left with no option but to contest,” the leader said.
Both the parties are hesitant to allow tussle
over Jamshedpur to run to such an extant which could affect the shaky
coalition. But at the moment the JMM seems to be taking the BJP under pressure:
concede us enough political space if you want the coalition to go long.
The BJP tried to play down JMM’s push for
Jamshedpur as a matter between two coalition partners that will be settled
amicably. “We will talk to the JMM at the right time. We will try to convince
the JMM, and, hope to get its support,” state BJP president Dineshananda
Goswami told The Pioneer.
Sources in the BJP accepted that that the JMM
has its own political compulsion and requirements in claiming Jamshedpur which
will be tough for the BJP to ignore. The JMM has represented Jamshedpur in the
past. The JMM leaders more answerable to their party workers rather than the
BJP,” a senior party leader said.
The affirmation of the JMM’s stand came from
none other than Shibu Soren who reportedly refused to attach any notion that
the party will hand over Jamshedpur seat as a coalition gift to the BJP.
BJP knows how tough it is to handle and
negotiate with Soren and have already burnt its finger. Top sources in the BJP
indicated the party in such condition will certainly negotiate through Soren’s
political heir and Deputy Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
------------------------
Politics meets cricket
at fine leg
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
It was a semi final
World Cup match between the two arch rivals of continent India and Pakistan,
watched and commented like a proxy war.
India crumbled on
Wednesday afternoon but what rued and raged people and politicians back to the
home town of Team India captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he crumbled like crunchy
popcorn: 25 runs wasting 42 balls and precious 62 precious minutes.
Politicians of the state
were the avid watcher of this semi-final offering value judgment and commentary
over what went wrong with India. Former BJP State President and MLA Raghuwar
Das could not resist from inserting the element of nationalism in what he
commented over India-Pakistan match.
“Watching cricket with
sportsman spirit is a different thing. But when India plays against Pakistan,
national sentiment overpowers all. I belong to the same category of cricket
watchers,” Das said after India ended with 260 of scores.
Das had cancelled all
his schedules to watch the semi final. Asked to comment over Indian batsmen
poor performance against punch of Pakistan he said: “They have taken poor
batting ethics, if not proper form. Except Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag
to some extent, they delivered a dud against promised humdinger.”
Das was not so much of
praise for Dhoni. “No improvement upon the past performance. In fact in all the
World Cup matches of this series India have played, Dhoni has shown that he had
exhausted his quota of common sense in cricket. See SK Raina, he is more
impressive than Dhoni.
Raina exploded into his
ferocious self, slashing and pummeling the ball all round the park which had
gone, in moments, from hushed foreboding to riotous revelry.
Dhoni was clearly under
pressure after India returned to portentous habit of piling wickets instead of
piling runs. Dhoni lumbered back to the pavilion, with his bat that wielded no
magic: much against the expectation of
his fans and followers in Ranchi who turned from prayer to penance to wish him
success.
It was amazing to note
that all those politicians who watched this tense match had fine understanding
of the cricket as though politics met cricket at the fine leg.
“Only Virendra Sahwag
could match the style of Sachin and the rest disappointed us especially middle
order batsmen. I do not know as to what goes wrong with India against
Pakistan,” senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Kishore said.
Kishore commented over
the batting medley of India team by saying that Indians have the tendency of
the Mughals to begin with and then suddenly morph into the later Mughals —
bunch of hopeless fellows, delinquent squanderers of accumulated riches.
Minister of the Disaster
Management Department had returned to his home early to watch but had not
anticipated a disaster of India team.
“Only three batsmen
delivered according to their potential, Sachin, Sehwag and Raina. From
Pakistani side Sahid Afridi at least kept his promise to Sachin from hitting
century. But Dhoni dampened my spirit,” he said.
But then Peter suddenly
spoke in the fashion of an expert. “Why to blame batsmen alone for the ruin of
the team. Last day it rained in Mohali. Moist pitch supports bowlers.” Peter
has been ministering the department meant to control draught in Jharkhand;
struggling quite desperately. If he blamed rain for ruin of India in Mohali, he
in the past equally blamed no rain for the rue of the people of this state.
By the time this report
was filed Pakistan were hitting a classy ton at the loss of three wickets. Avid
watchers were repairing their jangled nerves after Pakistan lost two wickets.
Of course, looking for
bite electronic media thronged in a large number outside of the premise of
Dhoni’s residence. They will get bite and good frame to feed their channels in
any case here: rousing reception if India wins or some stone pelting and
protest if India loses. Keep watching.
.
---------------------------------
. Ranchi .
Gadkari sets agenda for
state BJP
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
A day after BJP
president left Ranchi, state party headquarter looked like a 10 to 6 office
bustling with activities: not because the party is in the power. State BJP
office is no place to laze and loll. Move to districts and constituencies if
you have no job here, get down to the work. Gadkari has already redefined the
role and responsibility of each party office bearer and worker reminding the
work they have been assigned will be audited.
The State BJP is feeling
rejuvenated after two days visit of Gadkari who has asked the state units to
overhaul the party and prepare for the challenges ahead. “We are feeling
emboldened after his visit. The party workers too feel rejuvenated after
Gadkari communicated with them in an open meeting. We have set our eyes on 2014
parliamentary elections…a lot of things are to be done,” party general
secretary Anant Ojha said.
Gadkari in his direct
address to the party workers, on Saturday, had praised the role of workers in
the making of the BJP but also publicly warned those leaders who promote
factionalism and like their fawning by the workers.
Though, Ojha certainly
put an inflated figure of the turn out but a moderate estimate suggests the
throng not less than 20000. A total of 42190 workers had enrolled themselves to
attend the meeting. But even, that moderate estimate was much beyond the
expectation of the party leaders. The sprawling Morhabadi ground where the
party has conducted numerous rallies and programmes in the past, has always
twisted the nerves of the party leaders by its 3/4th empty space.
“This time too,” sources
in the party said, “we were quite nervous about the turn out. Thankfully the
day saved us from any embarrassment.” It was not the day but the workers who
saved the face of the party, though. “Phenomenal surge confirms that that
party’s grass root workers have complete faith the in the central leadership,”
observed BJP national executive body member Sunil Singh. Gadkari wants to meet
them (workers) worked as wonder or probably the only driving force that carted
party workers from even remote areas even after Naxals had called for bandh.
The politics of
Jharkhand might have perplexed Gadkari during the government formation exercise
but he was not confused about the problem that besieged his party whose
electoral base in fast declining. Too much centralization of power among
selected few at higher level at the cost of ignoring grass root workers
probably affected the prospect of the BJP. Gadkari was quick to catch the
symptom. He has administered right medicines: decentralization and
responsibility for every worker. Organisational elections, though completed
half way, Gadkari has asked the state leaders to complete the process without
delay. Out of 26 districts in Jharkhand (from organisational point of view) the
elections at 15 districts have been completed whereas the elections at Mandal
level 234 out of 327 have been completed.
Party insiders accepted
that workers had become disinterested towards the party. Tickets during the
last assembly election in Jharkhand were distributed among various groups and
faction without taking opinion of grass root workers. The fine sheet of the
poll result was an indicator of the major loss the party suffered—its tally
abjectly reduced from 30 to 18.
Gadkari in his address
has dropped a slight hint to this in his address. Gadkari effort is seen as a
calibrated mix of professionalism and RSS style to address the issue. He
stressed training for workers in politics and BJP’s ideology. Gadkari said that
all party workers and leaders should opt for social services in their area to
reconnect people with the party. Gadkari had made a valid point only if
followed.
.
===================
Difference in the BJP is
a media hype
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
BJP national president
rubbished the notion of any difference in the party as a hype created by the
media but ducked pointed posers over differences between Arun Jaitley and
Sushma Swaraj and that of his with Sushma over CVC issue.
He took light of the
popular buzz about the BJP — ‘JS ping- pong, (J stands for Jaitley and S for
Sushma) to describe differences between these two Opposition leaders of the
party over critical issue. “I do not anything about ping-pong theory except to
say that the party is united house,” Gadkari said at a press conference on
Sunday at party headquarter.
Asked to reply whether party organisational
body and legislative body haven taken two diametrically opposite view over CVC
issue he termed it as the creation of the media. He was asked in the specific
context of his latest snub to Sushma who had twittered ‘forget and move ahead
line’ after the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accepted his mistake in the
appointment of tainted PJ Thomas as Chief Vigilance Commissioner.
The PTI carried the
statement of Swaraj who said that she was overruled in this matter but not
snubbed by the party president. Gadkari while rejecting the stand taken by
Sushma said that mere statement of the Prime Minister to accept responsibility
can not bring the debate on integrity deficit in the governance to a closure.
Gadkari repeated his stand again. “PM is
trying to play down the issue by feigning ignorance. Over the Wikileaks
exposure surrounding his own party this time after Jaitely was quoted as
terming Hindutwa as the opportunistic plank of the party, Gadkari termed it as
the case of misinterpretation.
"It is a case of
wrong interpretation. Jaitley is a committed leader and he has already
explained having never said used such adjective opportunistic.
Media popped question
whether it was not a double speak of BJP for thrashing Congress over Wikileaks
exposure and denying when similar exposure haunts the party as happened in the
case of Jaitley. “Cables on Congress had revealed the names of MPs who had been
bribed in connection with the 2008 confidence vote while Jaitley's was a case
of wrong interpretation.
Gadkari was sought to
explain the stand of his party on Wikileaks accusing certain JMM MPs too
involved in cash-for-vote row, a party with which BJP shares power in
Jharkhand. Gadkari said "Whosoever has taken money is guilty. But the
Congress is guiltier on this front since it has been using money, CBI and
others to get support. The Congress has no right to stay in power," he
added.
-----------------
Opposition’s ride
troubles BJP’s ‘feel good’ night
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
In the Sixties, BJP
veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee headed for Parliament in a bullock cart to rub in
his rage at rising oil prices. Vajpayee had ended his symbolic protest midway.
But then his concern for the common men had already reached the House.
In Jharkhand, on Friday
morning, Opposition members from the JVM followed Vajpayee’s way, they spared
the beasts the burden and drove to assembly in a common men’s cart: a bicycle.
Pradeep Yadav, Nirbhay Sahawadi and Mannan Mallik of the JVM and Umakant Rajak
of the AJSU, the government, carted their protest on bicycles against BJP led
state government’s decision to increase oil price by Rs two under State Road
Development Fund Bill.
They baffled the
security first and rattled the government later on inside and outside of the
assembly. A baffled security person asked his senior whether the MLAs should be
allowed to enter the assembly premise. Their bicycles had no valid entry pass
and assembly stickers pasted on it, after all. They had nearly cranked up for a
confrontation. “We are assembly members. We have only bicycles to reach the
assembly. We can not afford to pay for petrol. Will you stop us even after,”
they said. The security personals in full grimace begged-off.
Then they lumbered up to
assembly premise in a triple ride. Yadav, Sahavadi and Mallik were on one bicycle,
Rajak had brought his own. Its progress closely followed by journalists and
curious bystanders. Sahavadi, who talks fresh and imagines fresh, had come with
a fresh idea: park the bicycle on the main entrance of the assembly. But then
idea was dropped summarily.
The Opposition was ready
with placards to blow the House over oil price issue. Congress Legislative
Party leader Rajendra Prasad Singh ploughed the debate. “The manner in which
the bill was passed in the absence of the Opposition and that too without any
debate is ridiculous and anti-people.” Speaker CP Singh quickly reminded them
that on Thursday five such bills were passed by the House by voice vote. “You
should have stayed in the house to voice your opposition,” Speaker remarked.
Hydra of hands was
raised with placards to protest it. The House was adjourned for 30 minutes. BJP
members were poker-faced. As the budget session was laid to the rest on Friday
the BJP found itself in pool of problem. Party MLA Raghuwar Das has already
aired his disapproval. “Why to burden common man. The price hike has already
ruined the middle class and you are adding more into it. State government
should have imposed cess on the mines and minerals to mobilise resources,” he
said.
The BJP is already
opened front against the central government against price hike. But the
decision of the Jharkhand BJP government has questioned the credibility and
commitment of the party over this issue.
=========================
Munda in perfect silence
over Tata lease issue
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
The Opposition made best
use of vocal cords and ‘Bose Acoustics’ to grill Chief Minister Arjun Munda
over ‘the Tata land lease issue,’ during the budget session, but then, Munda
had turned into a safe mode – all ears but silent.’ He did not utter even a
hum.
As the session started on Thursday, the
Opposition led by JVM’s Pradeep Yadav and Congress’ KN Tripathi rushed to the
well of the House. Demanding Munda’s statement over this issue the Opposition
alleged that Munda in his previous regime as CM, in 2005, had unduly favoured
the Tata to renew land lease. The CBI probe was quickly demanded and then
entire Opposition rushed to the well with time tested sloganeering.
“Lok tantra ka hatyara
hai, hai, (Down to the murderer of democracy).” The precious time allotted to
the Question Hour and Zero Hour became the victim of din and uproar. Speaker CP
Singh made repeated calls for calm to allow the normal functioning of House.
None in the Opposition appeared interested to grill the government through
‘Question and Zero Hour’ when they had already got Tata stick to thrash Munda.
The treasury had no
effective lieutenant today to give matching reply to the Opposition: Munda was
not present in the House that time. A couple of shuddering marshals were meekly
bracing-up to stop the House to turn in to a pitched battle ground, though. The
House was adjourned twice, from 11 am to 12 AM and then 12 AM to 2 PM.
Opposition members used
the occasion differently: political, academic and otherwise. Besides pillorying
Munda, Yadav exhibited his command over grey and grave records of the so called
dealing between the Tata and Munda over renewal of land lease. The Opposition
charged Munda had exempted dues of an amount of Rs 5937 crore that the Tata owed
to the government. Munda in turn secured contract from the Tata for the
transport company allegedly owned by her wife Mira Munda.
Thick charges and earthy
adjectives were flowing from the Opposition’s side in earthy vernacular.
English was suddenly pressed into service in the whole turmoil. “Ab English
mekaun bol raha hai ji. Sab log anrezi thode na samjhega (Now who has started
speaking in English, not all will understand English),” a legislator said.
Tripathi careened his
head back towards quibblers with arch brow. In short: shut up you fool if do
not know English, just listen me. He did not say this. He gestured it
obviously. Tripathi read aloud a paragraph of the book ‘India in Turmoil’
authored by former Jharkhand Governor Ved Marwah who in his book had raised
certain points related to Munda’s relation with the Tata. It was for the second
time when Tripathi had quoted Marwah to trouble Munda — he had done it during
Munda government’s Trust Vote on September 14 last year. A fulsome praise and
more sloganeering, thereafter, Tripathi lumbered the trophy for his serious
devotion towards book.
The first half of the
show ended with the entire Opposition walking out of the House after successful
disruption of the session. The second half of the session was the continuation
of the first and started where it had left. Yadav was replaced by Samresh Singh
of the JVM. And the Chief Minister had too come back to the House after
backroom musing. A recharged Opposition again rushed to the well.
Same chaos, same din and
adjournment, finally. Munda with his silence, as irritated Opposition members
into more clamours until their robust lungs gasped for breath. The Opposition
boycotted the House with a firm resolution to disrupt the session over this
issue on the final day of the session on Friday. Assembly’s Bose Sound system
was in perfect sync with Opposition’s acoustics, only Munda chose not to hear
this.
.
============================
. Ranchi . (Page 3 lead)
Good show Goswami at
least you are committed to democracy!
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Election of Dineshnanda
Goswami as the state BJP president on Friday is not so important news rather
than the fact that the party tried to maintain the fascia of democracy and
nobody—media and party’s rank and file took it seriously.
Goswami was the lone candidate to file his
nomination papers. Hence, no such situation of polling arose. And, despite this
it was called election and great victory of democracy. The party bosses have
yet to supply convincing answers to at least two questions that dominate the
whole discourse. What fancied the party to play sham of democracy, once again,
after a gap of eight years? The predecessors of Goswami like Yadunathnath
Pandey, PN Singh and Raghuwar Das were all nominated and no elections were held
for the post of party president. Goswami too entered in the office through the
backdoor called nomination. But then a few months after he became the president
he decided his re-anointment through election.
And if the party really decided to hold
election it kept the basic provison off the scene. The intention to hold
election was announced late; it was kept secret only few in the party knew
about this. Even Goswami who was talking to the media a few days back over
organizational elections in the party dropped no intention to this. The party
has no answer to this?
It was an election sans competition and
candidate. Even a rookie in politics will hesitate to believe that the likes of
Machiavelli left the field open for consensus brigade. It is hard to believe
that the BJP is left with no aspirants for the post of party president.
Top BJP bosses like Karuna Shukla, state BJP
incharge Harendra Pratap, Prashanna Mishra and others were dispatched to Ranchi
to coordinate and direct the great show of democracy. “They could have done it
through remote control. Why did they take trouble to Ranchi,” quipped a party
worker.
The party was plagued by
consistent query of inquisitive media and baffled party workers who wanted some
convincing reply over the election. After declared as the new party president
Goswami wriggled out of such recalcitrant queries to affirm his full faith in
party democracy. He will probably answer and address these on some other
occasions. Politically Friday was a box office hit show for Goswami: do not
stop him to go gaga.
===================================
WikiLeaks reveals
Congress used money to purchase JMM’s vote in 2008
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
The WikiLeaks has made a
stunning revelation that the UPA government
had stashed around Rs 50
to 60 crore to purchase votes of the MPS of
other parties including
five JMM MPs, during trust motion on July 22,
2008. No trust motion
was brought by the NDA and the Left parties over
Atomic Deal with
America.
WikiLeaks India cables,
was reportedly accessed by one of the national
English daily where this
sensational information has been piled-up. It
claims that barely five
days before when the UPA government was
scheduled to face no
confidence motion over Nuclear Deal in the
parliament Satish
Sharma's aide Nachiketa Kapur had revealed a US
employee two bags full
of currency to purchase the support of MPs
namely from the JMM and
Janta Dal (Secular).
The WikiLeaks has
revealed that Congress’ fund managers had arranged
around Rs 50 to 60 crore
for salvaging the government.
“Behind the scenes, the
Congress Party machine is working overtime.
Sonia Gandhi (Congress
president) reportedly plans to meet Jharkhand
Mukti Morcha (JMM)
leader Shibu Soren and Janata Dal Secular (JD-S)
leader HD Deve Gowda.
Retaining the support of JMM's five seats and
the JD-S's three seats
is reportedly vital to the UPA government's
strategy,” the report
reads. Though wild speculation indicated the JMM
having one such deal
with the Congress but that could not graduate
beyond that.
After the UPA government
survived no trust motion Soren surprisingly
announced his return to
the state politics and dislodged Chief
Minister Madhu Koda. The
Congress had supported his government.
The JMM led by the party
chief Shibu Soren had supported the UPA
government. Though, it
is not for the first time when the JMM has been
accused for taking money
to save the Congress government. In July
1993, four JMM MPs and
seven members of a breakaway faction of the
Janata Dal (A) were
allegedly paid at least Rs. 8.7 crores to ensure
the survival of the P.V.
Narasimha Rao Government. The JMM MPs had to
face the prosecution
also. The WikiLeaks revelation has started a
fresh debate.
=======================
Vajpayee vanished from
the BJP mind, slowly
Munda government
abandoned programme named after Vajpayee
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
Ii a slow yet gradual
process, it seems, the state BJP is trying to forget its patriarch Atal Bihar
Vajpayee. In ‘Shining Jharkhand’ scheme of Chief Minister Arjun Munda, as he
holds critical Energy Department too, even a rural electrification plan with
modest budgetary provision named after Vajpayee was dropped in the financial
budget 2011-12 tabled by Finance Minister Hemant Soren a week back.
State BJP president
Dineshananda Goswami appeared clueless at a press conference on Monday and
ended in more confusion. He had nothing substantial to explain except to say:
“Oh God Vajpayeeji is the tallest leader of the party and the nation how we can
forget him.”
BJP’s Raghuwar Das as
the Finance Minister in the previous Shibu Soren led JMM-BJP coalition
government had ushered-in this plan. Under the plan, Das had proposed intention
of the government the free electricity to the weaker section of the society to
light a bulb. Started with initial budget of Rs 331 crore Das had proposed to
lay three phase transmission line to cover around 4000 villages of Jharkhand in
the coming years, along with the Tilka Manjhi Krishi Pump Yojna.
Goswami’s answer at
least helped one to understand that he was least aware of the previous
government’s decision as a mark of honour Vajpayee. A very pointed poser and a
very baffling reply, Goswami misunderstood Vajpayee as Rajiv Gandhi. Sample
this. “Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Mission is a confusing labyrinth.
There are so many aspects that needed to be discussed,” confused but he
answered quite confidently.
Oh God Vajpayeeji is the
tallest leader of party…” he corrected it after bemused media explained him the
question. It was clear ‘Oh God’ did not refer to Vajpayee he referred to his
own ignorance. Vajpayee just came to rescue him.
Goswami ducked to answer
when he was asked to explain the stand of his party. “Baad me is par charcha
karenge, (we will discuss it later on.)” Goswami, probably, felt unable to
criticise his own government. But the party insiders are not happy with the way
a plan named after Vajpayee was dropped so unceremoniously.
Das was first to speak.
“Vajpayeeji is the founder of the BJP. What the BJP is today is just due to
him. The BJP will celebrate its foundation day on April 6 and we are going to
reward him this way.” But Das was quick to add: “man like Vajpayee does not
need any plan or programme to stay in the public mind.”
The sharpest reply
probably came from a young face of the party. “Dare to touch or change any
programme or plan named after the Nehru family and the entire Congress Party
will pounce upon you. It is BJP a very easy going party. Vajpayee we need you
no more.
.
--------------------
. Ranchi .
Dilemma in humour out;
Speaker caught in catch 22
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
First brawl and din and
then chaos and then restless souls rolling their sleeves ready to rush to the
well and then disruption and adjournment, finally, have occupies more space of
reporters’ note books than any meaningful debate if it fortunately allotted
time to get off the ground.
This ongoing budget
session will be remembered more for disruption than debate when a final report
will be read and written the day the session will be laid to the rest --
February 25.
The JVM heavyweight
Samresh Singh, on Friday, displayed cat like agility and jumped upon the
reporters’ table. The table turned podium for a pure political propaganda of
Singh over Bipasa (Bijli, Pani, Sadak). As though it is election time and he is
addressing his core constituents, Singh rattled his rivals sitting on other
side of the tense battleline.
Not many heaped plaudits
upon Singh’s theatrics, even of those who form the Opposition. “He was an
artist with the Jatra Party (a traditional drama troupe), the impact is so deep
sheeted even today,” a Congress MLA quipped.
Singh is among
politicians of Jharkhand who does not mind even snubbing the Chair and
rubbishing the rule of the House if he reasonably feels he has points to
profess the way he likes.
Hurriedly alighted from
the table; Singh was not allowed to stay for long. Either the table could not
have sustained the weight of his rampage or he could not have been able to
sustain his own weight. “I am raising a vital point you cannot ignore this.” In
short: shut-up you fool just listen to me.
On Thursday, another JVM
MLA, Nizamuddin Ansari was in a near nudity show for his love for Bipasa. When
he emerged outside of the House he was perfect photo opportunity for lensemen —
he had torn his kurta out of grief and grudge against the state government for
neglecting vital issues like electricity and water.
A couple of days back
Congress-JVM Opposition ran a parallel show inside the House for nearly half an
hour over corruption charges against state’s Chief Secretary Ashok Kumar Singh.
The Speaker CP Singh expelled five MLAs including Chandrasekhar Dubey, Pradeep
Yadav, KN Tripathi, Sawna Lakra and Yogendra Saw for unruly show. Their
expulsion was later revoked.
But by then, Speaker had
come under some serious attacks from the Opposition for taking side of the
government. “Speaker sarkar ke jeb me. Speaker rajniti karte hai,” are the
daily chorus of Opposition.
If the reporters of the
State Assembly would have properly maintained the proceeding records of the
session, they would probably tell you as to how many times Speaker rammed into
confrontation with Opposition which is unofficially the job of treasury.
Sample this: “Sadan me
aapko rajniti nahi chamkane denge, (I will not allow you to polish your
politics in the House).” Kisi ki dadagiri nahi chalne denge yahan, (Will not
allow anybody to bully the House).” Do chaar logno ne sadan ko Akhada bana diya
hai nahi chalne denge (Some people have turned the house a wrestling ground).”
He said this even when
the Opposition was genuinely right over certain issues. Intermittently, Speaker
also makes call for calm invoking epithets from parliamentary lexicon to order
the unruly House.
But the Opposition has
blamed him for running the House for the convenience of the government. “He is
unable to forget that he is a BJP MLA. He has shown nothing to us to believe
him impartial. He snubs Opposition her does not take us in confidence,” JVM
legislative party leader Pradeep Yadav complains.
Humour is essential mien
of Singh and it can fairly be said that he offered many lighter moments to the
House when it badly required. But humour alone does not make a good Speaker.
.
====================================
. Ranchi .
Peeved MLAs storm
session for ignoring Palamau
MLAs demand government’s final word over MLA
Area Development Fund
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
Assembly Speaker CP
Singh must have been caught in classic conundrum case, who was initially
confused either to snub or to sympathize with the MLAs of his home division;
Palamau for disturbing the house on government’s apathy towards draught
affected Palamau in the budget.
He snubbed them bit late
but firmly after the Congress MLAs KN Tripathi (Daltonganj) and Chandrasekhar
Dubey (Bishrampur) and others rushed to the well of the House and threatened to
disrupt the proceedings.
As the session started
on Tuesday, these MLAs supported by other Congress MLAs like Ananth Pratap Dev
and Sawna Lakra alleged the government for not making any budgetary provision
to tackle draught in Palamau; one of the worst affected division in Jharkhand.
Speaker’s repeated call for calm went unheard
forcing Singh to adjourn the House. An exasperated Singh denounced the
behaviour of Tripathi and Dubey and cautioned them not to undermine his
authority, least they planned to take the House to ransom.
Speaker’s repeated
assurance to take-up the case of Palamau had no taker. “You can not appropriate
the right of rest of the MLAs by disturbing the House. Such bully tactics will
not work, mind you.”
Speaker expressed his
pain during an interaction with the media on the sideline of the session. “A
few people disturbed the House and broke decorum. They enter into the House
casually point finger at the office of the Speaker and threaten to disrupt the
proceeding which is not good. May Good sense prevail upon them.”
Initially, he even
refused to accept adjournment motion brought by Tripathi and CPI (ML) MLA Vinod
Singh for a special debate over Palamau issue.
The second session too
remained story affair sans disruption. Both Treasury and Opposition demanded
the government to take a final decision over the MLA Area Development Fund
which is dormant from the past one year.
As the House resumed the session RJD MLA Sanjay Singh, Yogendra Saw and
Dubey (Congress) and Bandhu Tirkey rushed to the well of the House and demanded
the government to take a final decision over this issue.
From the last one year
no amount has been released from the said fund making the MLAs to secure any
fund for the development of their respective constituency.
Intervening ion the
matter the JVM MLA Pradeep Yadav said that the government should not keep the MLAs
waiting. “Either you continue with it or take a decision to abolish it but do
not make a delay. MLAs are facing the barb of the people everyday,” he said.
Yadav was supported by
BJP MLA Raghuwar Das and JD (U) MLA Sudha Chaudhary. Explaining the postion of
the government Deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahato said that the matter will be
taken during the cabinet meeting scheduled on Tuesday evening.
----------------------
Friday brings rue for
Rao, removed from Jharkhand too
VIJAY DEO JHA
K Keshav Rao — a story
of two success and many failures in Jharkhand, was removed from the good book
of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Rao received double whack by Gandhi on
Friday. He was not only removed from the post of AICC in-charge of Jharkhand,
West Bangal and Andaman and Nicobar but also from the central Congress working
committee.
The Congress has brought
its Bihar leader and former union minister and party’s national spokesperson
Sakil Ahmed to look after the affairs of these three states. The assembly
election of West Bengal is scheduled.
Congress sources close
to The Pioneer attributed three different reasons behind the removal of Rao.
First: his poor performance in handling faction ridden Jharkhand Congress and
poor performance of the party in the parliamentary and assembly elections.
Second: his open advocacy for a separate Telangana State that often landed the
Congress on a sticky wicket.
But as far as the third
reason is concerned — his removal from West Bengal — is open criticism of
Trinmool Congress chief Mamta Banerjee.
“She was not comfortable
with the stand taken by Rao over creation of small states. She had lodged her
concern with the party high command that Rao could be easly maneuvered to
support the cause of a separate Gorkhaland in the West Bengal,” a senior
Congress leader said.
But the vital reason
behind his removal remained the displeasure of Sonia Gandhi.
Rao was sent to
Jharkhand to replace Ajay Maken who was not willing to continue Jharkhand
Congress in-charge. Rao at least has two achievements in Jharkhand to count as
credit. First: he maneuvered the support of the JMM for Congress’ nominee in
Rajya Sabha election 2009. Jharkhand was brought under the President’s rule and
the JMM was desperate for Congress’ support to form government. Smart politiker
Rao was quick to encash JMM’s desperation and made JMM to believe that
government formation exercise could be started once after the JMM supported
Congress to win RS seat. Naïve JMM happily accepted the deal that ended into
dud when Rao refused to back any such initiative.
He became JMM’s enemy
number one, officially, and unofficially he earned some foes in his party too
who were desperate like any other JMM leader to form coalition government in
Jharkhand.
Stitching alliance with
the Jharkhand Vikash Morcha in view of Jharkhand assembly election was one of
his successful efforts. The alliance produced two binary gains for the party,
though small in measure. The Congress effectively used the support base of the
JVM to grow its tally from 9 to 14. Clever enough not to give a long rope to
the alliance partner in that election, he summed-up JVM’s claim for seats much
below the expectation of JVM chief Babulal Marandi.
But then, he could not
resist himself from becoming the pillar of factionalism in the party during and
after the election. He was often blamed for maintaining status-quo for state
Congress chief Pradeep Balmuchu who has over stayed the fixed tenure.
If he lured some to join
the Congress he lost some faithful counts too like KK Agrawal, Alok Pathak,
Bhukla Bhagat who openly blamed him and left the party.
Ahmed’s appointment has
been welcomed by the party. “He is an experienced leader and he is sure to
inject fresh blood in the party,” Congress leader Alok Dubey said.
After Rao’s removal from
the state scene, the camp lobbying for a fresh appointment of state Congress
chief is feeling embolden. Congress’ fresh script this Friday was enough to rue
Rao.
.
-----------------------------
Cough twice but nothing
to clear over corruption case against CS
*Tainted CVC removed,
but tainted CS continues
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Chief Minister Arjun
Munda coughed twice to get ‘pitch perfect’ to answer Opposition’s charges, but
then, he offered nothing tactile over corruption case against Chief Secretary
Ashok Kumar Singh, whose removal the Opposition sought vehemently.
As united Opposition
continued to demand the removal of Singh it demanded Munda to clear the stand
of the government, even on Thursday, the first half of ongoing budget session
was clearly Opposition’s show.
Rushing to the Well and
designating Congress MLA Sawna Lakra as the Speaker Opposition ran a parallel
session inside the House as the session started. Speaker CP Singh took strong
exception to this and suspended four Congress MLAs; Chandrashekhar Dubey, KN
Tripathi, Sawna Lakra and Yogendra Saw and one JVM MLA Pradeep Yadav for rest
of the days of the budget session. Amid din and chaos nothing was audible
except Speaker hurriedly announcing “the House has been adjourned.”
Exasperated Yadav
alleged the Speaker for blatant partisan. “Speaker seems to have fallen in the
pocket of the government. He was expected to safeguard Opposition’s democratic
right,” he said. As the Opposition continued to rant and raze treasury’s robust
lungs, Satyanand Jha Batul, Umashankar Yadav Akela, and Raja Peter, too proved
feeble voices whose service the treasury bench badly required.
Sensing probably, the
suspension could cement Opposition’s unity against the government the BJP MLA
Raghuwar Das requested Singh to revoke their suspension.
The Opposition returned
to the House in the second half of the session to take part in the debate over
the speech of the Governor MOH Farook. But CS’ removal continued to be the
signature tune of the Opposition. Thick charges often flew from the Opposition
against Munda for protecting CS despite the fact that Bihar Government had
sought permission from its Jharkhand counterpart to grant permission to
prosecute him in one of the vigilance cases against him during the time of
undivided Bihar.
“If a corrupt official
like Singh continues to hold such an important position in the government,
fingers have been raised on the intention of the CM too. We want to know it
from him,” a joint chorus of the Opposition was loud and clear.
Yadav was leading a
precision attack on the government. “Munda had not granted permission to
prosecute him in 2005 against Singh when he (Munda) was Chief Minister. Even
today he is doing the same,” he said.
The Opposition had come
prepared with voluminous documents to substantiate charges against CS as well
as the list of his properties. In 2005 when Munda was the Chief Minister he had
denied prosecution against Singh.
And when Munda rose to
reply he was interrupted by frequent interruptions. “Our stand against
corruption is well known. Opposition has raised certain issue,” Munda said.
He did not list his own
burden for not granting permission: political, personal or otherwise. He simply
placed onus on certain legal issues. “The place of occurrence of the case is
undivided Bihar. We need to look into these aspects also. We will take legal
opinion,” he said.
He poked fun at the
Opposition for running a histrionic show. “Sometimes anxiety level goes high. I
understand.” It rang true for Munda too, he had counted too much upon his sore
vertebra against Opposition’s formidable spine.
Box: A senior Congress
leader says Supreme Court axed tainted CVC PJ Thomas and it seems the Jharkhand
opposition will have to seek justice from the apex court for removal of the
corrupt Chief Secretary of the State since the state mandarins seemed
indifferent to the serious charges leveled against Ashok Kumar Singh. It is not
the man, but the post that is important. The post of CS is an institution in
itself and such post should not be made debatable and controversial by
appointing tainted persons to it, he said.
==================
Das not willing for
Jamshedpur, his detractors wish show
VIJAY DEO JHA / PARVINDAR
BHATIA
RANCHI / JAMSHEDPUR
This is an unusual buzz
in the BJP house largely reflecting Raghuwar Das, an unwilling candidate for
Jamshedpur parliamentary seat; whose detractors are wishing and planning for
his success.
Following the resignation
of the Chief Minister, Arjun Munda, the Jamshedpur seat has gone vacate, after
Munda won Kharsawan assembly by-election. Known for their all time worse
relation—Munda and Das have made their efforts no secret to cut political size
of each other.
The Jamshedpur episode
seems to be closing to a full circle once again. In 2009 general election Das
as the state BJP head had successfully pushed Munda out of the state politics
by persuading central BJP to field him from Jamshedpur. Das did it in the view
of the assembly election fearing the very presence of Munda will prevent him
from extending his sway.
Das’ master stroke hit
Munda perfectly but short lived to make any impact. Munda maneuvered his
comeback in the state politics and formed the coalition government with the old
combine that had led to fall of the then Shibu Soren government.
But mind fielding Das is
subject to several factors of the coalition politics and the number of
desperate and unemployed faces in the BJP that are too nudging in the
candidature bid.
After supporting the BJP
and Munda in Kharsawan against mounting Opposition’s assault, the JMM now has
demanded BJP to support it in Jamshedpur. Even in the BJP it will not be an
easy undertaking to sort out competing clamour out of exhaustive catalogue. The
Election Commission of India has yet to announce the schedule for Jamshedpur.
State BJP president
Dineshananda Goswami, former MLA Dinesh Srangi, Saryu Rai and many others are
believed to have been in the race. Das may best wish more confusion and chaos
on the party and coalition front over Jamshedpur before his adversaries could
come out with an innocent look devious script against him.
But a group, sources in
the BJP told, is silently working behind for projecting Das for Jamshedpur,
deploying same old argument which Das’ camp had once used for Munda for
Jamshedpur. “Das could undoubtedly prove the strongest candidate of the BJP for
Jamshedpur seat. But then, it is premature right now to make any comment,” a
close Munda man said it in a close guarded manner.
It is not that Das has
no inkling and fear of this design. He will feign ignorance and he must. It is
not a right moment even for partial acceptance of the design. “This may be the
talk of the town. People might have been talking about me…I do not know what is
going on the party fore,” Das told The Pioneer.
But ‘your truly’ of Das
have advised him not to succumb to any pressure that primarily aims clear field
for Munda. It is by shunting him out of the state politics to the national
where Das will have no role to play, even of an errand. Munda may get premium
benefit in the long run but, his trusted lieutenant like Amarpreet Singh Kale,
BJP spokesperson, have set eyes upon Das’ constituency Jamshedpur (East).
Failing to prevent Munda
from becoming CM of the coalition government, last year, Das subdued in silence
after receiving condemnation from party’s central leadership. Das may have some
irritating nonsense values but then he has prevented a total polarization of
the state BJP in favour of Munda that often prostrates before a bend.
=====================
Alibi absence without
naming Kalmadi
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
What Union Sports
Minister Ajay Maken took 20 breezy minutes of Saturday morning to spell Chief
Minister Arjun Munda reason behind not attending closing ceremony of the 34th
National Games, he could have said with a single word: Suresh Kalmadi.
Maken wasn’t being
Sports Minister; he was ministering the political fortunes of his party and
government which are under constant threat from Kalmadis and his likes for
their involvement in the Commonwealth Games scam.
Sources in the CMO
revealed that Munda personally spoke to Maken over telephone and persuaded him
to attend the closing ceremony. But Maken is reported to have explained Munda
that he was preoccupied with the parliamentary session
But well-placed sources
in the Congress said that the presence of any Union Congress minister in the
closing ceremony — except Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant sahai since he
represents Ranchi; was quite unlikely due to the presence of IOA president
Suresh Kalmadi who is facing probe for his alleged involvement in the
Commonwealth Games scam.
From the opening day of
the Games in Jharkhand Kalmadi has been stationing in Jharkhand to supervise
the games that concluded on late Saturday evening after a colourful show.
Though it is customary
for the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the President of the country to
attend the opening and closing ceremony of the National Games, and none turned
for Jharkhand.
Maken clarified the
electronic media that he was unable to attend the closing ceremony due to on
going parliamentary session denying the report that he did not want to share
dais with Kalamdi.
As the investigative
agencies are crawling close to Kalmadi and, the chances of his arrest in this
case is expected; the Congress is keeping a safe distance from him.
The growing view in the
Congress circle is that Kalmadi is becoming a liability for the party before
and after the Commonwealth Games and has not taken any pleasant view of his
recent attack on the Congress led government in New Delhi for mess in the
Commonwealth Games.
“People like Kalmadi
have made dent on the fair image of the government and the Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh. Now he has openly waged war against the party. Nobody wants to
be associated with him even to share platform with him, especially Maken,” a
senior party official said.
=========================
Sporty politicians on
turf to defeat each other
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
The story has refused to
get dumped in the hurly burly of the National Games whose spicy details are now
available for a grand public feast.
Jharkhand Olympic Association
Chairman, RK Anand and Union Tourism Minister and Co-chairman, IOA Steering
Committee, Subodh Kant Sahai, are holed-up in an intense battle to lug trophies
of credit and success of this game, to their home.
During the concluding
day of the games on the Saturday evening, Anand— unwillingly, though —
mentioned the name of Sahai among the dignitaries present there; Sahai was
quite loath to make even a passing reference to the role of Anand in organising
the games.
They chose politically
opposite place to watch each other—Anand with Shibu Soren, the chief of his
former party JMM and, Sahai with jinxed IOA president Suresh Kalmadi, the man
who badly need a friend at the hour of crisis.
The State Congress
maintained a safe distance over the verbal spat of two of its leaders, though,
but the minions and minors of Sahai have taken cudgel on his behalf in the past
one fortnight by roundly snubbing and hooting Anand.
Some days back
exasperated local Congress workers in Ranchi holed him up in the lift of a
hotel around 15 minutes to pay him back for the disrespect he heaped on Sahai
and the local party workers in the organisation of the national games. The
protesters let him go after a few thrash and his costly spectacle that they
tore.
Soon after the incident
Anand dropped missive to the state government expressing apprehension over his
life from some people. “Congress is an established national party…I don’t know
who gave entry to such rogue elements in the party who assaulted me,” Anand
told it at a hurriedly press conference.
Officially, the Congress
maintained distance from this unruly show: Unofficially, they were Sahai’s men.
Sources in the Congress attributed that their differences might have become
public during the National Games but, the casus belli dates back when Sahai
reportedly stalled Anand from getting Congress’ ticket for Rajya Sabha from
Jharkhand, twice.
“Anand is known for
clinging to the power. He joined JMM to get Rajya Sabha seat and he won. He
jumped to the Congress with this intension. But Sahaiji stalled his nomination.
Now he is trying to settle scores against him…this is basically a very personal
sort of battle between the two,” a state Congress leader said.
This game had yet to come with some
interesting turning points to cheer Anand and a chance to show Sahai his size.
Three days back, Sahai was delegated the honour to distribute gold medal to the
winner of a sport event in his capacity as Co-chairman of IOA Steering
Committee. The last moment script was changed and Sahai was asked to distribute
silver medal.
“Fearing the
consequences of the corruption cases in the national games Anand is fawning BJP
to save his skin. He is desperate to his loyalty by insulting Congress,” a
close Sahay man said.
On the evening of the
grand opening of the national games on February 12 their differences too had a
shady opening. Sahay was expecting to get boom-mike moment to claim credit for
the national games which he was denied. Thankfully, Sahai got the chance to
display his lung power this evening
Despite horror show of
mismanagement during the game Anand will cart some of the trophies to his home.
By the time the game will be over the catalogue of their differences will
thicken.
---------------------------------
Teaching a lesson to the
pseudo Gandhians
Vijay Deo Jha
Gumla
The story had not
occurred until it complained for not noticing it. It was like any normal day
and time when we accidentally met 70 years old Rati Tana Bhagat at village
Karaundi in Gumla district. He was arguing with the census official that he
must be documented as the follower of a religion that many might not have
heard, surely.
“Satt Ahimsa Gandhi Baba
(Truth, non-violence, Gandhi Baba) this is my religion. Put it in your census
record against the column of religion in your register, do it fast” he said.
Sweating profusely, Rati
was gasping for breath probably due to chronic asthma but, emphatic enough to
make census officer Jitiya Oraon jittery to accommodate his religion on the
census chart. Oraon told us that he is a primary school teacher and also
president of Gumla Primary Teachers’ Association. Oraon was aware of the
passion of Tanas for Mahatma Gandhi but he had no courage to convince them that
there exists no column in the census form about the religion they insists to
mention.
“I respect your
sentiment and attachment for Mahatma Gandhi but there is no such column of
religion in the census form,” Oraon makes last effort to find a way out. It was
too late. Oraon had received overdose of mild rebuff hoping he will come to
understand that how Tanas had embraced Gandhi’s movement for freedom struggle
and Gandhian philosophy sans sophistry.
The old man is in no
mood to compromise with his religion. Suddenly around 50 inquisitive Tana
Bhagats clad in Khadi emerged after daily prayer of Gandhi to join the old man.
They insisted and
remained firm till the poor school teacher had duly mentioned them as the
follower of Satt Ahimsa Gandhi Baba religion. There may not be too many
followers of the religion of this kind, before it insists to qualify
officially, as a distinct religion in the gazette of the government: a mixture
of the fine elements of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and many others. But
before Oraon could pack-up and proceed they had put their thumb impression so
that none could temper with their belief.
True to his name,
Budhiman Tana Bhagat talked intelligently about the fast shrinking number of
Tana Bhagat in Jharkhand and their problems. What Budhiman told reflected that
he had some schooling as he appeared well equipped with the problem of Tanas.
“We are tribal…but we follow Gandhiji as religion. There are few pockets in
Lohardaga and Gumla where Tanas are now live,” he rued. Bisunpur, Ghaghra,
Chnadrkop, Bamandih, Gazani, Kuru and few other he listed. There is no official
record available to ascertain their number.
The British government
had confiscated 3000 acres of their land as punishment for their unquestioned
support for Mahatma. “Our land has not been returned…we are still to be granted
cultivation right. Please tell the government about our problem. A year back
government had assured us but nothing happened,” Budhiman said. The previous government of Madhu Koda had even
announced to return such lands to the Tanas that did not graduate beyond the
promise. They had a long list of
complaint but that does not douse their undying passion for Mahatma and his
philosophy.
It is census time:
Different religious bodies have regrouped to swell their number. For Tanas it
was prayer time of Mahatma with clang and cymbal. Let the children of one God
demand right of way and privilege over children of another God and let them ram
into communal retribution. Tanas are not that.
====================
Munda mocks at Marandi
after Kharsawan triumph
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
BJP Chief Minister Arjun
Munda wriggled out of dozen of public celebration following his victory in
Kharsawan on his way from Jamshedpur and, made fresh attack on JVM chief
Babulal Marandi, here in Ranchi, on Friday.
Munda did not name
Marandi in his thirty minutes of discourse with the media and his party workers
but, he amply made it clear that the person he loathed to name was Marandi.
Munda on Thursday defeated Opposition supported JVM candidate Dashrath Gagrai
aka Krishna Gagrai with a modest margin of around 17,000 votes.
“We have won the
election by the support of the people despite rumours and confusions were
spread by some people to divide the people. They have got an apt reply,” he
said.
Munda arranged pun in
his speech to pummel Marandi over spreading confusion over CNT Act, PESA and
other issues that had actually put in lather. “The government has scraped CNT
Act to allow the loot of the land of the tribal and others…how cheap,” he
quipped.
Cautioning his rivals
that politicians and political parties should refrain from breaching the trust
he alleged Marandi and Opposition for ignoring this.
“Political parties have
the right to seek support of the people over any issues. But then, they tried
to fool the voters of Kharsawan…but they were rejected and rebuffed.”
Over the PESA Act under
which three tier panchayat election in Jharkhand were held, Munda accepted that
certain section of the society might not have got adequate representation.
“This aspect certainly needed to be looked into,” Munda said, “but in Kharsawan
I was surprise to see restive lungs raising bogey over PESA Act who as the MPs
during 1996 had helped the enactment of PESA as law in the parliament.”
It was a direct hit at
former MP Sailendra Mahato who campaigned against Munda on the behalf of
Marandi.
“Such people spoke
thousands contradictory things over PESA and CNT to different people, even
forgetting that what they spoke an hour before contradicted what they spoke an
hour later,”
Terming the Panchayat
elections in Jharkhand as a decisive push of women empowerment he reckoned that
around 60 of the total women population have got a direct say in the
governance.
“But we never indulged
in dirty politics over Panchayat election. We never laid sole claim for
conducting panchayat election. It is really sorry to see them,” he fumed.
Promising to give a corruption free and development oriented government in
Jharkhand he promised social harmony.
Munda was at his best to
poke fun at Marandi who had announcing the fall of the Munda government a day
after the Kharsawan result, and the formation of the next government son after.
“It was funny to hear
them. Had they requisite headcount of 40 to form the government so that they
had gone to Kharsawan to add in to their tally? But then, under the name of
election many such people visited Kharsawan and stayed there for a long. They
returned empty handed,” he quipped.
At a time when Munda was
cheering his faithful in lampooning lash; the JVM was holding a press
conference to denounce his victory as the gross misuse of government machinery
and money.
But the problem with the
scribes likes this; they could not afford to skip either of the conferences.
===============
Wounded but not defeated Munda remains Arjun
in Kharsawan battle
VIJAY DEO JHA /
PARVINDAR BHATIA
Kharsawan
If Kharsawan largely
decided to stay with BJP’s candidate and chief minister Arjun Munda, it did not
reject JVM chief Babulal Marandi either.
Munda on Thursday; won
the Kharsawan by-election against his only rival, Dashrath Gagrai aka Krisha
Gagrai of the JVM, by a modest margin of 17,366 votes. Munda netted a total of
61,701 votes against a total poll cast of around 70 against Gagrai who ended
much impressively with 44,335 votes.
The tally is much below
the expectation of his own party that expected him to repeat his impressive
victory for fourth consecutive times. Munda entered into the electoral politics
for the first time in 1995 as the JMM candidate when defeated his Congress
rival and stalwart, Vijay Singh Soi.
The election result had
come superscript with bold message; Kharsawan belongs to Munda — not his party,
mind you. Assembly election 2000, Munda contested from Kharsawan as the BJP
candidate against Congress’ Vijay Singh Soi. Voters whacked Soi so badly in the
poll fray that the man whined in silence, and, withdrew from active politics
thereafter. A critical edge of around 15.60 percent over Soi had hustled him to
win. He left his opponents to gnash and grin in 2005 when he defeated Congress’
Kunti Soi with unbridgeable margin of 55,334 votes.
Even in 2009, when he
fielded Mangal Singh Soi — more a doorkeeper than his aide — it was Munda who
was pulled the string. 2005, Munda had set a benchmark of victory for himself
that he was wished and widely reported to maintain. But how come, the man
himself did not know.
But then, politics to
him appears much like the game of golf that he passionately played at the Golf
Club in Jamshedpur even when the counting was going on. It was even when he was
trailing by a margin of 21 and 807 votes in the second and fourth round of the
counting. He was perfect in pushing the ball to the hole when he registered
remarkable lead over the JVM candidate in the sixth round that he maintained
till last.
Munda will not like to
answer pointed posers whether reduced winning margin is a doctoral pulse of
ground slowly turning against him.
“Margin does not matter
in the winning. The election was fought by the people of Kharsawan and they
have won. People have responded faith in me and my government. My opponents had
spun endless rumours during the campaign they have been answered by the
people,” he said to the media.
After the result, images
started rolling on the television screen; Marandi and Munda engaged in a verbal
brickbat claiming people on their side.
“Then why his ministers
were camping for him if claims people having fought on his side. We had no base
in Kharsawan even after we netted so much of votes against him even after our
candidate is a rookie,” Marandi reeked no air of defeat.
Privately, Marandi’s
observation will disturb Munda when he will quietly sit to understand the poll
puzzle. But right now he can draw solace in the fact that his winning has given
a new lease of life to his government.
Munda in fact made no
mistake in surveying the strategy of Marandi who tried to engage him on key and
contentious issues: PESA Act, CNT Act, displacement of tribals in Tetnteposis
on the name of establishing industry. But then, Munda dismayed Marandi, the
chief architect of Opposition’s unity at the end of the day. Munda was actively
supported and canvassed during campaigning by his alliance partners in the
government: JMM, AJSU and JD (U).
The election result has
come with prized premium for Marandi, he can encash it in the coming days. At
least, the result has firmly pronounced the future role of the JVM as the
credible Opposition of the BJP.
The election of
Kharsawan is not the first and the last of its kind. On Thursday Munda’s deputy
and JMM leader Hemant Soren congratulated Munda on behalf of his party and
president, Shibu Soren.
“The combine effort of
the alliance partners worked in the election. We expect him to work for
development. We expect him to honour the coalition dharma in the coming days,”
Hemant said.
You can give expectation another name:
Jamshedpur parliamentary constituency. After supporting Munda for Kharsawan,
the JMM has now demanded Jamshedpur which will be vacated soon after Munda
resigns from here.
=================
Night of prayer and
silence, who will afford last laugh
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
This eve of the counting
of the Kharsawan by-poll was marked by weird silence and prayer in the warring
camps: none nudged to make tall claim of their victory even in whisper.
Chief Minister and BJP
candidate, Arjun Munda, is caught in a face-to-face battle with the opposition
supported JVM’s candidate Dashrath Gagrai aka Krishan Gagrai. The poll of
Kharsawan is bound to be the most livid affair of the state following Tamar
assembly where the then Chief Minister Shibu Soren had faced the most
humiliating defeat of his political career: wound which pains him even today.
Munda’s bete noire,
Babulal Marandi of the JVM, had honestly done all to surround his rival. After
all, Marandi had tried his best to smoother Munda by raising contentious issues
like CNT Act, PESA Act, displacement of tribals in his (Munda) own territory.
Munda countered and convinced his about a probable plot of the opposition to
put a break on the development of the state which he is chauffeuring. Whether
Marandi’ poll mechanism will work or not will be known by Friday afternoon when
the counting will be over.
Not only the fate of
Munda but the also the fate of the politics of the State will be decided by
this election. The fine sheet of the election result will be nothing but a kind
of document to ascertain whether Kharsawan belongs to Munda — partially or
totally. He burdened to maintain his impressive record of winning the election
in Kharsawan by a phenomenal margin.
Even the report or the speculation
of marginal fall in his winning tally has come to disturb the BJP.
Nevertheless, his close aides are hopeful about his impressive record this time
too.
If Munda wins he can
claim having got the mandate for development. For Marandi, even the defeat,
will be a trophy as the only robust opposition having lethal potential to tame
and maim Munda and his party in the coming days.
To cry or to laugh, is a
classic Congress conundrum, the JVM has already pushed its ally to the wall by
wresting Kharsawan seat. Congress as the credible Opposition will be at stake
in the coming days too. Who will have last laugh, guess.
-----------------------
One who steal the show
and those who laggs behind
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Faces were teeming on
the ceremony day of the National Games; dispatching wave of pride among many
citizens and that ultimately won applause from the national as “pitched-perfect”
colour show.
The boiling tide in the
run-up seems to have turned and if the streak can be maintained till the
closing ceremony is over, those at the receiving end a few days ago could end
up lugging trophies home and consolidate their once-shaky positions.
Our correspondent Vijay
Deo Jha attempts to know about the looser and gainer of this evening along with
a slideshow of events.
The Munda Sudesh tandom
They must have arrived a
bit nervous, as the route to the opening ceremony was still littered with horror
stories of mismanagement and delays. But as they sat down to watch — and the
country looked on —they would have
sensed confidence, and then pride, squeeze away their apprehensions. The
evening spared them any embarrassments. Munda collected more applause and
clapping of the audiences for this great show than what he could have got
during his election rally in Kharasawan. He roared in full bass Jai Jharkhand
and Bharat Mata Ki Jai: the audience roared too. The BJP led coalition government
too, could reap dividends if the Games wins the perception race. They could now
think to claim that their team produced quite a humdinger even if critics and
doubters were predicting them to deliver a dud. If the high stays intact till
the event is over, then Munda will also be able to return to the “development
of Jharkhand” theme that he crooned and cackled in Kharsawan assembly election.
Munda, please do not
ignore your deputy chief minister Sudesh Kumar Mahato.
Deepika, the archer
As soon as this little
Jharkhandi girl started running with games’ torch she was given standing
ovation with endless flash of cameras. Everybody wanted to run with her.
Jharkhand Olympic
Association chairman RK Anand
Anand mustered courage
and logic that politicians were too responsible for delay in conducting the
game on time if it were postponed six times in the past. Political instability
in Jharkhand he referred as one of the reason that hampered the game.
Loosers
Tainted president of
India Olympic Association Suresh Kalmadi was asked to conclude his speech in do
sabad (few words). He rose to speak but greeted with jeer for his involvment in
the Commonwealth Game scam. He put a brave face and forged on to finish his
unendurably listless text he had brought along. But Kalmadi had proved himself
a man of durable hide, unbothered by scam or scandal or stench. He was speaking
much in the fashion of a monarch who is numbering his days but unwilling to
accept it.
Governor MOH Farook
ended with a contrived, and rather unedifying, flourish of his hand as he
exhorted the Games to begin. It was a gesture that belonged more to a stand-up
magician’s repertoire, less to a head of state.
Doordarshan
Doordarshan approached
the event much in the fashion of classic PSU.
Having exclusive right
of telecast; it afforded to mess with it. It was really a delayed-live
telecast, behind by nearly five minutes. No concept of syncing stadium lights
with cameras.
Slideshow
The story of great
Indian melting pot — came with sheer excess of lights, sounds, colour and
variety. Anaemic and insipid it looked in the day. But when it burst and cracked
it warmed the evening turning the open sky into a flamboyant fiesta of game and
gaiety with starlit and stardom rocking the stage.
.
================
No jubilation, anxious
wait for result
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Kharsawan returned with
70 percent of total poll will be the banner headline of the newspapers but, do
miss the news that neither camp— the BJP and JVM Congress opposition — did not
throw any celebration party after the polling was over.
The Opposition, though,
under a well planned strategy staged ‘sit-on-demonstration,’ on polling day
(Thursday) alleging and apprehending the misuse of state machinery by the chief
minister and BJP candidate Arjun Munda. But, it returned satisfied this evening
and termed the election free and fair.
“Barring few incidences
it was largely a free and fair election. We have offered a close contest to the
BJP. The poll pattern offers no such clue to announce the winner and the loser.
It is a fifty-fifty game,” Congress spokesperson Radhakrishna Kishore told The
Pioneer.
The BJP camp conceded
the same, though privately, that the day obliged no political ramp for solo
cakewalk of Munda. “We are sure about his victory but not about the margin,” a
senior BJP leader claimed sans air of confidence.
Kharsawan, after all, is
the home constituency of Munda where he completed his internship in politics
and rose to become chief minister of Jharkhand. Every election he contested
from Kharsawan he vanquished his opponents with phenomenal margin. And this
time too Munda camp expected him to spell and chaff his opponent with this
miracle.
Even neutral observers
like Indranil Sinha who closely watched fast changing poll scenario of
Kharsawan told us that the margin could be around 6000 to 15000 votes. “A swing
of around two to three percent of vote holds the key of the success of a
candidate. Munda is likely to win but not with a huge margin,” Sinha said soon
after the polling was over.
Kharsawan spread in five
blocks—Kharsawan, Kuchai, Khutpani, Gamharia and Saraikela, witnessed a close
contest between Arjun Munda of the BJP and Opposition backed candidate Dashrath
aka Krishna Gagrai.
The JVM sources claimed
having complete sway over the BJP in Kutpani block which has 51 booths. “Here
we have been able to garner around 70 percent of the total votes,” JVM’s
election in charge Ramesh Rahi told The Pioneer. The JVM did not lay similar
claim over Kharsawan where Munda and BJP remained the only signature tune of
the day.
About rest three blocks
— Kuchai, Khutpani, Gamharia and Saraikela; both BJP and JVM leaders made their
own claim. But known is sure that who is going to be the casualty of voters’
backlash. On record, both the camps have come to interpret the high turn out
voters as an indicator of their victory and the turn out fears them too,
privately. JVM chief Babulal Marandi had planned fine strategy to reduce his
arch rival Munda from Arjun to Abhimanyu. But the news trickling from the
battlefield is that Munda remarkably succeeded in frustrating Marandi with his
well knit team of poll managers on the polling day.
This night Kharsawan
lulled in silence, worried faces were busy to assess ‘loss and found in the
poll battle. Anxious wait will end on next Thursday.
======================
Marandi blinks, Munda
beams with confidence, none sure who going to win
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
JVM chief Babulal
Marandi blinked confidence behind his bifocal low which his opponent chief
minister Arjun Munda did with broad smile on his visage as the sun set upon the
campaign for the Kharsawan by-election on Tuesday.
It is an assembly
by-election with so much of ideological
issues heaped around it and, each claiming to drive the battle in its own
direction: Development: CNT Act, PESA Act, agitation of people against land
acquisition in Tentoposi.
Munda returned satisfied
with ‘not so bad’ turn out at his election rally in Kuchai where he addressed
along with JMM chief Shibu Soren. “We are committed to development of Jharkhand
but our opponents are committed to controversy and conspiracy,” BJP’s Munda who
is contesting from Kharsawan as coalition candidate said.
It was a direct hit in
an indirect narration at the JVM chief Babulal Marandi who has tried to
surround over PESA, CNT and other issues.
Munda has done intense campaigning to spread
his commitment for development of Jharkhand after he addressed around 45
rallies and meeting after the campaign was over. Marandi is confident that he
has brainwashed more minds and visited more hearths to turn heat upon Munda.
“He is fighting a lost
battle so why his entire cabinet is camping here. His policies have been
despised by the people. The Opposition backed JVM candidate is going to win,”
Marandi said. He predicted the fall of the Munda government and formation of a
fresh government a day after the poll result comes out.
But then, defeating
Munda does not appear to be so easy, the ease with which Marandi announced his
fall. But the warring camps have conceded that they have been facing stiff
challenges from their opponents. “Munda will win but with reduced margin.
The good news for Munda
is that majority of Mahato are now sliding to support him. The bad news is that
a sizeable section of dominant Ho tribals are yet to be won specially those
whom Marandi have indoctrinated into anti-industrial movements on his campaign
trail. The residents of Tentoposi mainly Ho have protested land acquisition for
the setting of a 10 million ton project of the Tata Steel. Munda’s adversaries
have termed it as an emerging doctoral pulse indicating the imminent defeat of
Munda.
The news probably gone
unnoticed that Munda had to face few hackles and jeer during an election rally
at one such village situated in the vicinity of Tentoposi.
“He is pro industry and
he is pro to anything that could pump him money. This election is not so
important for chief minister Arjun Munda. It is important for corporate Munda.
After all he has set target to implement 55 MoUs in Jharkhand that will deliver
him bags full of currency,” Salkahn Murmu leader of Jharkhand Disom Party said.
Of the nearly 1.52 lakh
voters in Kharsawan reserve constituency the stake of the Ho community is about
30 to 40 percent. And, perhaps for the first time, since Jharkhand came into
existence, this community is coming together to make its voice get heard louder
in this by-election.
An unfazed Munda
dismissed all. “People are determined for the development to flow in Jharkhand.
This very popular psyche has been pestering them from the very first day,”
Munda told The Pioneer. “Haven’t you seen spontaneous surge of people waving
their hands to support us?”
Kharsawan this evening
looked denser than any other day with overdose of competing clamour. Keep watching.
=====================
Marandi blinks, Munda
beams with confidence, none sure who going to win
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
JVM chief Babulal
Marandi blinked confidence behind his bifocal low which his opponent chief
minister Arjun Munda did with broad smile on his visage as the sun set upon the
campaign for the Kharsawan by-election on Tuesday.
It is an assembly
by-election with so much of ideological
issues heaped around it and, each claiming to drive the battle in its own
direction: Development: CNT Act, PESA Act, agitation of people against land
acquisition in Tentoposi.
Munda returned satisfied with ‘not so bad’
turn out at his election rally in Kuchai where he addressed along with JMM
chief Shibu Soren. “We are committed to development of Jharkhand but our
opponents are committed to controversy and conspiracy,” BJP’s Munda who is
contesting from Kharsawan as coalition candidate said.
It was a direct hit in
an indirect narration at the JVM chief Babulal Marandi who has tried to
surround over PESA, CNT and other issues.
Munda has done intense
campaigning to spread his commitment for development of Jharkhand after he
addressed around 45 rallies and meeting after the campaign was over. Marandi is
confident that he has brainwashed more minds and visited more hearths to turn
heat upon Munda.
“He is fighting a lost
battle so why his entire cabinet is camping here. His policies have been
despised by the people. The Opposition backed JVM candidate is going to win,”
Marandi said. He predicted the fall of the Munda government and formation of a
fresh government a day after the poll result comes out.
But then, defeating
Munda does not appear to be so easy, the ease with which Marandi announced his
fall. But the warring camps have conceded that they have been facing stiff
challenges from their opponents. “Munda will win but with reduced margin.
The good news for Munda
is that majority of Mahato are now sliding to support him. The bad news is that
a sizeable section of dominant Ho tribals are yet to be won specially those
whom Marandi have indoctrinated into anti-industrial movements on his campaign
trail. The residents of Tentoposi mainly Ho have protested land acquisition for
the setting of a 10 million ton project of the Tata Steel. Munda’s adversaries
have termed it as an emerging doctoral pulse indicating the imminent defeat of
Munda.
The news probably gone
unnoticed that Munda had to face few hackles and jeer during an election rally
at one such village situated in the vicinity of Tentoposi.
“He is pro industry and
he is pro to anything that could pump him money. This election is not so
important for chief minister Arjun Munda. It is important for corporate Munda.
After all he has set target to implement 55 MoUs in Jharkhand that will deliver
him bags full of currency,” Salkahn Murmu leader of Jharkhand Disom Party said.
Of the nearly 1.52 lakh
voters in Kharsawan reserve constituency the stake of the Ho community is about
30 to 40 percent. And, perhaps for the first time, since Jharkhand came into
existence, this community is coming together to make its voice get heard louder
in this by-election.
An unfazed Munda
dismissed all. “People are determined for the development to flow in Jharkhand.
This very popular psyche has been pestering them from the very first day,”
Munda told The Pioneer. “Haven’t you seen spontaneous surge of people waving
their hands to support us?”
Kharsawan this evening
looked denser than any other day with overdose of competing clamour. Keep watching.
=====================
Police yet to take advantage
over naxal with changed strategy
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
His ranks are fast
depleting under ‘surrender or elimination’ policy of the State Police and even
losing his girl friend Cecelia aka Rupa at the hands of the police last year,
the dreaded naxal operative Kundan Pahan is still out of bound.
The fierce encounter of
police with the naxals led by Pahan on Saturday morning at Arki (see the
report) at least confirms one thing that Pahan has been trying to reclaim his
original operation area Khunti-Tamar which he was forced to leave under massive
anti-naxal operation in the last two years.
“During successful
operations in the last two years he was forced to shift his base to Kuchai area
near the Khunti- Seraikela border. He is trying return. But we are alert,” a
senior police cop said.
After a massive
deployment of security forces rebels operating in and around the banks of
Kanchi River shifted towards Tajna River. In area domination exercise the
police made its heavy presence in the area around Dasam falls, Barigara, Sindri
and others where Pahan and his men freely roamed.
Sources in the police
stressed the need of a continuous massive operation against Pahan and likes
warning a lull in operation could blunt the edge that the forces got against
him. “We have got a major success in decimating his ranks and file by ensuring
surrender of his men. He must be wary to regroup himself after suffering a
major loss. Here we need a unified strategy to snap supply of men and material
to him. But then there is fault in police strategy that helps him,” he said.
A quick look of the
success and failure story of the police against him.
Last year, under Nayi
Dishayein the police managed the surrender of Ringa Munda, the chief of
CPI(Maoist)’s Chalkad Area Action Committee and a close Pahan’s man. He was
involved in the killing of Bundu deputy superintendent of police Pramod Kumar
in a landmine attack.
Last year in the month
of August Marshal Tuti, Suresh Munda, Sudama Mahto and Sanjay Pramanik surrendered
before the police that was taken as a major blow to him. Somra Hansda an active
member of the Kundan Pahan squad wanted in 20 cases under different police
stations in Chowka and Bagmundi in Purulia district of Bengal was nabbed by the
police. Blow aftewr blow the police got success against him as Ghashi Rai Munda
alias Ghesra Munda walked in police’s net. This came along with the surrender
of another three key Pahan’s men; Bhola Pal, Sitaram Munda and Etwa Munda.
The biggest blow the
police could ever inflict upon him was the arresting of 22-year-old Cecelia
Guriya, said to be the love of dreaded Maoist operative. Cecelia was arrested
with 30 rounds of ammunition and a letter from CPI (Maoist) politburo member
Amitabh Bagchi.
December last, the police
arrested Guru Pahan, Mahesh Munda and Shivani Devi with around 600 gelatine sticks. November
last, the police arrested Sushila Kumari a first-year science student allegedly
involved in recruiting college students for Pahan. In another major in the month
of April last, the police arrested Suppliers Ismael Kendulna and Ishu Surin who
were allegedly supplying detonator along with Mohammed Moin Khan and Mohammed
Rabbani acting as courier boy.
The Saturday encounter
was not the first encounter and surely not going to be the last one. In a
similar encounter with the police under the same area, Pahan managed to escapes
unhurt with his men and materials.
The State Police
headquarter often resounds with the proposal to draft a dedicated team to
eliminate him much on the line sandalwood smuggler Virappan which still to
come. But then, Pahan and likes have advantage of the topological contours of
the area that still needed to be mapped and manned strategically.
=================
Congress MP
congratulates Munda for victory before election
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Her qualities
essentially lie in her mouth and, when she speaks it is tom. After all she is
Congress’ high profile Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand, Mabel Rebello, whom most
of leaders of state party unit scorn as a burden rather than an asset.
As the Congress’ backed
JVM opposition is locked in a critical electoral battle against the BJP’s
candidate Arjun Munda in Kharsawan assembly; she jangled the nerve of party
leaders by announcing Munda’s victory as fait accompli.
“Munda is surely going
to win the election. There is no question over it. He has brought development
in Kharsawan in his previous stints as the MLA of this constituency.” A day
back she reportedly told this to a regional news channel in Gumla at Jaari
block. State Congress privately offered a miffed reaction in a muffled voice
terming her statement as a hammer blow on Opposition’s unity index.
Rebello has done a good
job for Munda. Back in the State Congress none readied to dare a demand of
show-cause against her. What stops the state unit to desist itself from
denouncing her statement; is a well placed fact of her direct link with the
central Congress high command.
A senior leader and
office bearer of the party even requested that he should not be quoted even off
the record.
But a senior Congress
leader at least dared to question her political integrity.
“She seems to be holding
duel responsibility as Congress MP and BJP spokesperson…she seems to be more
close with BJP than the secular front fighting against Munda. She has made an
irresponsible statement,” a senior party officer bearer said.
So upset by her chronic
mouth diarrhea and her disdain for Congress workers and leaders in Gumla district;
that the district unit passed a resolution against her quoting serious charges.
“She is an anti-Congress who has dammed and dumped the district party
organisation. She misbehaves with party workers and leaders. She is more close
to the leaders of other parties,” a leader of Gumla charged her. The most
serious charges against her; that she runs a cartel of contractors in
Gumla.
==========================================
Funny class of funny English:
Cops struggle to learn English for games
VIJAY DEO JHA ‘
RANCHI
Go, gone, gont. Come,
came, cont: Don’t laugh it is not a joke. It is how some 1500 cops and another
600 junior rank officials of the state police have been struggling to learn few
words and sentences in English ahead of 34th National Games in Jharkhand.
Though, they must have
been attempting to learn English through this crash course — willingly or
unwillingly — but the classes plunge into laughter than learning as each cop has
his unique way of pronunciation.
These classes were started a fortnight back in
the indoor stadium of the Khelgaon; for the cops who are to interact and
instruct with the visitors and players in Jharkhand.
The teachers are mainly
the senior police cops whom you can see helplessly prodding the boys to repeat
sentences in English. “Since a large number of players and visitors of
non-Hindi speaking states will arrive in Jharkhand, we are training them to
speak some of the sentences so that they could communicate with them. Though
it’s difficult to teach them a ‘foreign’ language but we have left no stone
unturned to teach them,” coming out of the class and taking sight of relief, a
senior police official said.
Once bitten twice shy: a
poor constable was quite hesitant to face another spell of intonation agony
after pronouncing ‘thank you’ as tanku.
“After all, they are trying to learn. But it is hard to stop anybody to
laugh whenever they pronounce the word with a vernacular touch. But then, these
classes offer amusement free of cost. It is the bright aspect,” Ranchi SSP
Praveen Kumar Singh said.
“How do you do sir,”
senior brass in the class explained them the meaning and then instructed to
repeat it. “Haau dodo sir”: a full bass chorus of 50 had jangled his
nerve.
The classes has been
designed mainly to help them in learning words and sentences like ‘yes sir, no
sir, your welcome, go right, can I help you, do not stop here’ and such others. None have problem in
uttering the first two, because they are used to it. But when it comes to utter
a full sentence it is time to tune ears and time to laugh too.
If Amitabh Bacchan in
the film ‘Namak Halaal’ (1982) had displayed his skill “to walk in English and
talk in English because English is as a very funny language,” the poor cops
here are actually forced to walk and talk in English.
“Line me jaao, line me
jaao (follow the line.)” An assistant sub-inspector under Ranchi had a tight
rope walk when his senior instructed him translate it in English. He was asked
because he knew broken English. “Line me go. Line me go.” “Sir ab jaayde mat
padhaiye sir ke upar se paas ho raha hai,” and moment after the class turned
into laughter.
Asked, whether the class
helped him to learn anything constable named as Vinay Kumar had a lot of things
to speak. “Eeezy (easy) nahi hai sikhna…kahan se sikh payenge jab kabhi Angrezi
(English) padhbe nahi kiye. Dusrey log sikhne me beezee (busy) hai.”
So upset with the class
room performance that some of them have started taking lesson in English from
their convent school going children. For research purpose the class is a must
visit place for linguists: a hybrid English is in making, really very funny.
================
Departure before arrival!
JMM activists clash with
TMC men to prevent Singh from coming to Ranchi
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
JMM’s brash
hate-mongering against turncoat Rajya Sabha MP Kanwar Deep Singh at the
domestic airport came written in by those who had scripted his entry in the JMM
for Rajya Sabha ticket.
Around hundred JMM
workers armed with black flags and canes resorted to a pitched battle against
the Trinmool Congress supporters on Monday afternoon. They had come to welcome
Singh on his maiden visit to Ranchi after he joined the Trinmool Congress of
Mamata Banerjee after a short stint in the JMM.
Around six Trinmool
Congress’ workers suffered injuries and a dozen vehicles were smashed by the
angry JMM workers headed by two JMM seniors; Suprio Bhattacharya and Vinod
Pandey. One critically injured Deepak Kumar Singh was rushed to the hospital.
In the last ten days it is the second consecutive occasions when Singh had to
abort his Ranchi visit following the protest of the JMM.
“I deferred my visit
owing to law and order situation as the JMM held the law and order at ransom. I
am dedicated for the development of Jharkhand and I will visit the state in the
coming days. And if they have so much of problems over my joining to the
Trinmool; I want to let them know that I dislike their policy,” Singh told this
correspondent over telephone.
Singh had planned Ranchi
visit to inaugurate his office at Harmu and was scheduled to address the media
where he could have answered all the charges of the JMM. Though, in Jharkhand;
the Trinmool is not a political force to reckon with, nor have enough workers
or support base to give semblances of political assemble. But then, his
managers and close aides like Mukesh Roy had carted enough men and women from
rural flank to offer him a rousing welcome at the airport.
The day offered stunning
slideshow of political clash as the supporters of both the parties thronged at
the airport ready to release payload of furry with vandal tongue and violence.
The rousing procession
of villainy and heroism took side by side and, soon the black flag of protest
rammed into Trinmool’s yellow flags.
“We will not allow that
*** (expletive deleted) in Jharkhand. You supporters of Gaddar Go back,” one
JMM leader roared. Thick charged were soon hurled from other side. “What moral
ground you have to abuse him. You did not give him ticket out of charity. Apne
dil ko tatolo tab bolo (check your own and than speak),” a Trinmool activist
said. Supporters of both the parties clashed. Airport premise plunged into din
and chaos of utter lawlessness. They had ensured the relay reporting of their
respective bosses from their cell phones with details of each passing moments.
Calling the incident
against the spirit of the democracy; the Trinmool Congress has alleged the JMM for
resorting to violence.
The JMM refused the
charges and blamed its opponent for provoking violence to gain popularity. “We
had have planned our protest in a democratic way “They had brought outsiders
who started abusing our workers,” Bhattacharya said. He added that his party
will continue to protest Singh’s any visit to Jharkhand. After the incident
Singh’s close aides huddled into a close meeting to rework their strategy. “I
think we need Mamata didi here, please laugh it is a joke,” a Trinmool activist
offered a light moment after a daylong drudgery.
===============
Election at no sight,
BJP asks cadres to work for full majority in assembly
Munda asked to tame bureaucracy if he wants
development
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
The BJP showered petals
upon Chief Minister Arjun Munda for his shining achievements; dedicating two
full paragraphs of the political resolution: yet cautioning him to command
control over the bureaucracy to carry forward the agenda for development.
“The government needs to
have an effective control over the bureaucracy to carry on the development of
the State.” The political resolution that was brought on the concluding day of
two-day long state BJP executive committee on Sunday reads.
Sources in the party confided
that the original draft prepared by state party general secretary Ananant Ojha
could have been blunter as a section insisted for stronger term like belagaam
(unbridled) to criticise the bureaucracy.
But after a due
deliberation it omitted such harsh adjective; but allowed to retain the
original spirit to make bureaucracy responsive towards the welfare agenda of
the government. “The record of the past 22 months especially during the
President’ rule suggests that the state bureaucracy has messed the thing. The
bureaucracy is the biggest stumbling block in development of the State…and
there is nothing wrong if the party wants CM to tame and transform bureaucracy
an instrument of change and development,” a party senior told.
Even the party insiders
accepted that Munda despite his best effort and managerial skill in the past
five months have little success in stirring the bureaucracy in the actual
execution of the plan.
Notwithstanding, the BJP
was in full praise for the work done by Munda who is leading a coalition
government with an unpredictable political partner; the JMM and others.
But the news that
strayed out of close door meeting was the late realization of the party about
its fast shrinking electoral base in Jharkhand. Another remarkable observation
where all the leaders agreed was that; the party should be now serious to
stretch its poll percentage from 22 percent to 35 percent to garner full
majority in the next assembly election.
Even state BJP president
Dineshananda Goswami partially admitted this at a media conference. “We want to
increase our poll percentage for a majority government in the state.” It was
bit surprising as to what pressed the party to go in election mode so urgently
even after Munda has four precious years to complete his term in the office.
However, Goswami was quick to spell the notion about uncertain future of this
coalition government branding BJP–JMM relation at this immediate point as
‘cordial and conducive.’ But he offered nothing to ascertain whether the relation
will travel beyond the immediate future. “Right now there is no major trust
deficit between the BJP and the JMM. But then, political instability are built
in the frame work of the coalition politics…we have faced such situation and we
must get rid off it,” a senior party leader said.
The party decided to
launch to a series of party programmes to rejuvenate the party fold besides
criticising the Congress led UPA Central government for patronizing corruption,
price hike and compromising with the national security of the country.
The political resolution
praised Munda for breaking a fresh ground for the development besides
strengthening the grass root democracy by holding panchayat elections in
Jharkhand. It lambasted the Congress for engineering political instability in
Jharkhand and denying its due share. The party was quick to point out that the
Congress has joined hands with fissiparous forces like the Jharkhand Vikash
Morcha of Babulal Marandi against Munda in the Kharsawan assembly to destabilize
the government where Munda is contesting as coalition candidate.
The political resolution
that came stuffed with fulsome praise for Munda could be the prologue of BJP’s
next political script. It could be election. It could be anything.
=========================
“Baba then, Didi now”,
KD Singh to tell the story
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Last summer, industrialist and RS MP, Kanwar
Deep Singh, had convincingly told us that he picked ‘mean business of politics’
and contest RS election as JMM nominee because of inspiration he drew from his
role model Shibu Soren. “Baba (Soren) has deeply inspired me to join politics,”
Singh had told.
This winter, Singh will
redo what he had said last summer (replacing Soren with Didi, Mamata Banerjee
of Trinmool Congress) at a press conference scheduled on Monday, on the
sideline of the opening of his office in Ranchi.
Less than six months
after he won RS election; Soren no more remained an indelible imprint as Singh
switched allegiance from JMM to Trinmool Congress. It left those JMM proprietors stunned who had
managed ticket for him despite he had no ideological connection with JMM and
any association with Jharkhand except a flying club in Jamshedpur where nothing
flies, all on the ground.
Sources close to him
told The Pioneer that Singh was looking for an opportunity to explain the state
media the rationale behind deserting JMM. “Media and JMM have attached so many
bad labels to him: an outsider and opportunist who used JMM to get entry into the
RS. He is ready to reply all these charges,” the source told. Source claimed
that a couple of months after Singh won election; he found the JMM quite
disorganized and suffocating a party where he could not think a long planning
of his political life.
“JMM has a very limited
reach whereas Trimool Congress has been expanding. It is playing a critical
role in the national politics. It will serve the very purpose of Singh to serve
public interest in a more active way,” the aide politically explained.
Logic appears
politically sound since with each passing days ahead of West Bengal assembly
elections, the Trinmool Congress is seems to be pushing ruling CPI on the
margin.
It could be one of the
operative parts. But then, sources attributed another story. Singh who has been running Alchemist Group
has a plan of huge investment in the field of floriculture in West Bengal.
Besides, he has made massive investment in West Bengal. And, if Banerjee
unseats CPI in West Bengal after 34 years his allegiance can help him to
promote his business interest.
But the sources pledges:
“It does not mean that Singh has snapped his tie with the JMM and its leaders.
We have sought time from deputy chief minister, Hemant Soren. If asked Singh
will explain him too about his change of mind and party.”
Exasperated over Singh’s
switch over, the JMM initially explored legal option for the termination his RS
membership under ‘Anti Defection Law’ but moaned to learn that the law can not
be effective on the this lone member of a party in RS.
Nevertheless, Singh was
caught in controversy for the post of profit he held in the National Meat and
Poultry Processing Board (NMPPB) at the time of filing his nomination papers.
While he was served notice by the State Assembly on this issue, the defeated
BJP nominee Ajay Maroo filed a case against his election.
It is over to Singh for
first hand narration of ‘Baba then, Didi now’ story.
===============
Cong MP Rebello joins
Bhokta’s league
Complaint lodged against
Rajya Sabha member in Gumla
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP
Ms Mabel Rebello and former BJP MLA Satyanand Bhokta are in a keen contest to
be rated as the super dabang deploying all their dirty departments at their
disposal to detain and abduct elected panchayat representatives during ongoing
Zila Parishad elections.
Rebello has been accused
for illegally detaining Gumla Zila Parishad member Jorge Kerketta; ahead of
Zila Parishad Dy Chairperson’s election on Thursday. The motive was to stop
Kerketta from voting in favour of Cahaitu Oraon who was contesting for the post
of Dy Chairperson of Gumla zila Parishad.
A complaint has been
lodged against her at Gumla police station in this regard. In the last two days
Rebello is the second politician who has hit the headline for allegedly
detaining representatives elected through the Panchayat elections in Jharkhand.
Narrating the case to
the media Kerketta said that the he was pushed in a white safari vehicle by the
gunmen reportedly associated with the MP. He was brought to Chatra Circuit
House where Rebello detained him for around three hours and released him only
after the elections were over.
Kerketta pointedly accused that the local
Congress leader Joy Fredrick Bakhla was also part of this conspiracy. Kerketta
said that besides some of her close associates there was a lady who accompanied
Rebello. “As soon as I realised their motives I tried to contact my people over
this they snatched my mobile phone and locked me from the outside,” Kerketta
said. Kerketta claimed that he could be released only after some of his
well-wishers came to know about it and the spot.
Oraon who accompanied
Kerketta during the press conference said that Rebello did all to ensure the
victory of Usha Devi, wife of an influential local contractor Kishore Sahu. “MP
is running the syndicate of contractors in Gumla. It is a blatant attempt to
disturb the election for which actions must be taken against her,” Oraon said.
In the last two days it
is second such case where a politician has been accused for abducting or
illegally detaining elected representatives of the Panchayat body. A day back a
FIR was lodged against former BJP MLA Satyanand Bhokta for abducting Baleswar
Kushwaha (member Chatra Zila Parishad), his son Rajesh kushwaha and
brother-in-law Yogeswar Dangi to ensure the victory of his wife Parwa Devi who
was contesting for the post of vice-chairman of Chatra Zila Parishad. Agitated
people had blocked the Chatra-Chauparan road for couple of hours demanding
legal action against Bhokta.
As the elections for the
Zila Parishad are going on the cases of detention and abduction of the
representatives of the parishads have also increased. In Garhwa some of the
political parties have complained about the missing of around 10 members of
Zila Parishad. Taking the matter seriously the State Election Department has
asked the Garhwa DC Dr Praveen Shankar to investigate the matter.
Nevertheless, neither
Rebello nor Gumla DC Rahul Sharma could be contacted for their comments.
.
==============
BATTLE FOR KHARSAWAN
Cong likely to support
JVM in Kharsawan, courtesy Balmuchu
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
In next twenty four
hours or bit more one may hear state Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu
painfully announcing that how his party sacrificed Kharsawan assembly seat to
the alliance partner JVM just to cement the coalition.
But then, the JVM must
be thankful to Balmuchu for arguing its claim with hope –in-anticipation that
the JVM in the coming day should show same large heartedness in his personal
bid for Jamshedpur parliamentary seat.
A meeting of the Central
and the State Congress leaders was held in New Delhi on Thursday evening to
discuss the claim of the Congress over Kharsawan assembly apart from the JVM,
whose official candidate Dashrath Gagrai aka Krishna Gagrai is likely to file
his nomination papers on Saturday.
“We elaborately
discussed the matter. But the decision will be taken on tomorrow (Friday),”
state Congress in-charge K Keshav Rao said to The Pioneer over telephone.
Sources in the Congress
said that the party is likely to withdraw its claim over the seat and may
announce its support to the JVM against chief minister and BJP candidate Arjun
Munda for the election. Though, a section of the party still insists to field a
candidate from Kharsawan.
Sources told that
Balmuchu convinced top leaders about no harm in gifting this seat to the JVM.
It is very difficult to give tough poser to Munda who in the last one-and-half
decade has converted Kharsawan as his strong hold. It will help the party to
bargain with its alliance partner for important seats like Jamshedpur.
“Balmuchu,” source
confided, “is looking for Jamshedpur seat for himself. He (Balmuchu) believes
that in case parliamentary by-election of Jamshedpur is held he will persuade
the JVM to support the Congress.” After losing last assembly election Balmuchu
is struggling to stay on the main page of the state and party politics since
his continuation as state party chief is doubtful. The election for Jamshedpur
which is represented by Munda could be held only after Munda wins from
Kharsawan and resigns from Jamshedpur thereafter.
Nevertheless, the
Congress wanted the JVM chief Babulal Marandi to send his party general
secretary Praveen Singh to New Delhi for negotiation. But the JVM is seems to
have adopted policy not to shuttle between New Delhi and Ranchi for negotiation
over the seat. “We are a regional party. We can not afford to visit New Delhi
to negotiate with their bosses over such issue. They have told us that the
decision of the party will be conveyed to us.” Singh said.
The JVM is sure to net
Yadav votes in Kharsawan approximately around 15000 to 20000 due to presence of
Pradeep Yadav an influential Yadav leader in the party.
But it is quite unlikely
that Balmuchu could be able to coax JVM with such plea over Jamshedpur. If his
hope turns into dismay there will be yet long-face Balmuchu. That time it could
be real, no doubt.
==================
Munda and his Mahato
show ahead Kharsawan by-election
VIJAY DEO JHA
KHARSAWAN
Chief Minister Arjun
Munda has planned his election strategy for Kharsawan assembly quite
intelligently; a portion to which he slide-showed through a rally before filing
nomination papers on Wednesday.
If prominent Mahato
faces dominated the dais; it was a measured attempt to boo the claim of the JVM
Chief Babulal Marandi and his new political friend Sailendra Mahato as the sole
custodian of Mahato vote scale Mahato vote in Kharsawan. Mahato class having a
sizable presence in Kharsawan — nearly thirty to forty thousands — is a crucial
vote bank that both Munda and JVM are eying for.
Those Mahato leaders who
accompanied Munda during the rally were deputy chief minister Sudesh Kumar
Mahato, JMM MLA Vidyut Varan Mahato, Rajkishore Mahato and Ramtahal Chaudhary
both from BJP, Sudhir Mahato. Even small time Mahato leaders from adjoining
areas and district were welcomed despite the dais creaked occasionally under
burden of overweight.
But then the purpose was
solved in a public show that Mahatos are not annoyed with BJP after a row over
Chotanagpur Tenancy Act as claimed by the JVM. “There is person who now a days
is seen roaming in Kharsawan. He claims to be the leader of a large chunk of
society. He is here to campaign against Mundaji only because he has some
personal grudges to settle. How cheap.” A local Mahato leader blared during
rally as though Sailendra Mahato did not deserve even the first name calling.
The BJP does not wish to
give so much of importance to Sailendra Mahato and free publicity at party’s
expense during battle for the ballot. No top party leaders or alliance will
mention him directly or indirectly. And if requires local party leaders of
Kharsawan Raja Ram Mahato, Ramnath Mahato, Vijay Mahato and few others are
there for this job. “Mahato vote is absolutely with the BJP. It is a rumour
spread by Babulal Marandi and Co. Sailendra Mahato is with him because he needs
a job and attention too. Poor man,” Kharsawan BJP president Sailendra Singh
said.
A whole battery of
Mahato leaders like Sadhu Charan Mahato and others have been dispatched for the
frontline job to counter the bid of the JVM against the party.
But that was not so easy
a task and even not so easy today. Belonging to backward class Mahatos are the
dominant land holding class also that had gone against Munda and BJP after the
government withdrew circular of the strict implementation of sale of backward
class land under provision 46 (1) (B) of the CNT Act. Cutting across the party
line; Mahato leaders had planned to launch stir against the government from
Kharsawan. For that they decided to hold a conclave in Saraikela-Kharsawan on
December 30 of the last year. Sensing that it may prove politically dear in the
election Munda swung into action and successfully convinced front Mahato leader
not to hold any such conclave.
Though, a meeting of
Mahato community has once again been called on coming Sunday in Kharsawan. But
it will be BJP sponsored meeting. Entry of rivals will be strictly forbidden.
===============
Soren supports Munda as
coalition candidate; JVM-Congress yet to settle difference
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Even if JMM chief Shibu
Soren stuttered few incoherent sentences at a joint press conference on
Tuesday, it was clear that there is now no dispute over BJP Chief Minister
Arjun Munda as the coalition’s candidate for the Kharsawan assembly
by-election.
But that was not the
case with the Congress-JVM alliance; this morning, where two articulate leaders
— state Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu and JVM central secretary Praveen
Singh — with robust and superlative arguments failed to impress each other to
leave their claim over Kharsawan
Two days after, the JVM
announced Dashrath Gagrai aka Krishna Gagrai as party candidate for Kharsawan,
the Congress nudged into a negotiation bid with the JVM that ended without any
decision. Top JVM and Congress sources who accessed this meeting confided that
the JVM refused to withdraw its decision.
Balmuchu who is
scheduled visit New Delhi on Tuesday is expected to apprise-off the party
bosses about JVM’s stand. While Balmuchu lodged his protest with the JVM for
not taking the Congress into confidence before announcing candidate; Singh
reminded Balmuchu that even Congress had not taken JVM into confidence during
Rajya Sabha election. But the sources in the Congress told The Pioneer that the
party could ultimately support JVM candidate against Munda.
During the meeting
Balmuchu continued to doubt the political stature of Gagrai fearing the
Kharsawan election may become farcical for the Opposition— a fight between
Tarjan (Munda) and Twig (Gagrai). It is over to the sources who quoted Singh
replying to Congress’ concern. “Even Munda was twig when he had won against
Congress’ political heavyweight Vijay Singh Soi in Kharsawan in 1995.”
The logic was on the
side of the JVM as it argued that Gagrai as Ho tribal will critically help the
Opposition alliance against Munda besides the addition of Sailendra Mahato the senior leader of dominant Mahato class
who has announced to support the JVM candidate. “Contrary to this you have no
Ho face. The candidate you want to propose is a Santhal tribal which has not so
much of presence in Kharsawan,” Singh reportedly told Balmuchu.
The day offered two
slideshow. BJP-JMM finally aired note of consent, forging slogan of ‘consensus
and all-round development for election.
Congress-JVM meeting ended in imperfect future tense ‘see you
tomorrow,’
.
=============
. Ranchi .
From Facebook to
political friendship, Ajay joins Marandi
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
If JVM Chief Babulal
Marandi navigated beyond Facebook friendship with young scion of influential
Shahdeo clan, Ajay Nath Sahdeo; into a tactile political one; the template was
already under discussion: Ajay could be the face of the party against Congress
in Hatia.
Ajay who is the Deputy
Mayor of Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) formally announced at a rally to
subscribe to the political ideology of his hitherto Facebook friend Marandi.
Amid speculation it is
JVM’s mediated attempt to wrest Hatia from the Congress Party by inducting
influential scion of the clan that once ruled Chotanagpur region Ajay was first
to rule it out.
Ajay during his address
said that people inquired him about his decision to join the JVM when one of
his cousin late Gopal Shahdeo Nath Sahdeo in the Congress had represented Hatia
assembly constituency.
“They asked me whether
any probable denial of ticket to me by the Congress forced me to join the JVM
so that I could test my luck in Hatia or Ranchi.”
Ajay attempted to
suspend the speculation for the time being while offering a tailor-made
statement that suits to such occasion. “I am deeply motivated by the political
ideology of Marandiji and his vision for the development of Jharkhand at a time
when parties and politicians — except JVM and Marandiji— have lost credibility
among the people.”
Yet juries were out to
declare that the party has netted a young influential leader against Congress
in Hatia. The popularity of the palace and nostalgia of the people towards old
realm helped late Shahdeo thrice to win the seat apart from his personal
followings. After the death of this sitting Hatia MLA last year; the Ratu
Palace has been left with no heir who could carry the political legacy. Quite
naturally Ajay might have tried to fill the gap. But, aspiration within the
influential Congress leaders including party heavyweight and Union Minister
Subodhkant Sahai who is reportedly eager to keep Hatia within his family fold;
left Ajay with no option then to seek other platform.
Though, the by-election
in Hatia is subject to the decision of the High court after the defeated BJP
candidate Ramjilal Sarda has already filed a case in this regard.
Meantime, Ajay got a
platform and a credible friend in the form of JVM and Marandi. On the other
hand Marandi got a trump card against the Congress in Hatia.
Had the palace and the
Maharaja Lal Chintamani Sharan Nath Sahdeo were taken into confidence before
the scion to change his political allegiance?
“I have taken the
decision after due consent and blessing of the Maharaja. He is happy with my
decision if I could be able to serve the people as the part of tradition of our
family,” Ajay said during the rally.
If the crowd that
attended this rally at Harmu ground to witness his joining could be an
indicator then the young Sahadeo has shown his talent to make his support base.
At least five ward councilors of the RMC joined the JVM under his leadership
apart from president of Youth Congress of Hatia unit and others. The show could
be very real or stage-managed: the ground has yet not emanated any doctoral
pulses to make or shake the ground where Ajay chose to stands today.
-------------------
Marandi no to Delhi to
settle Kharsawan deal with Congress
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHICongress high
command could invite him to come down to New Delhi on last moment to settle the
issue of candidature for the Kharsawan by-poll, but the JVM chief Babulal
Marandi may not pay them even a courtesy visit this time.
Top Congress sources
confided that in a couple of days; Marandi could be invited by the central
Congress leaders to amicably settle the issue after the leaders Congress-JVM
made separate claims to field their candidate in Kharsawan where the BJP
candidate and Chief Minister Arjun Munda is scheduled to fight.
“No last moment deal. No
Delhi this time. We have already learnt lesson from the past,” a close aide of
Marandi refuted any such thing in the offing. Fighting the last election as the
alliance partner—the JVM and the Congress — the later had tactically chose last
moment to enter into seat sharing negotiation by calling Marandi to Delhi.
Marandi who had gone to Delhi to claim pound had returned with penny: 20 seats
against the demand of 37.
Meantime, Kharsawan may
appear as the breakaway point of the Congress-JVM alliance their contention and
claim lies beyond future. There are two other constituencies — Hatia (assembly)
and Jamshedpur (parliamentary) which the alliance partners are claiming before
hand despite several factors legal and political rule their election.
Hatia will go for
election only after the High Court completes hearing of the case of poll
irregularities filed by defeated BJP candidate Ramjilal Sarda against the
winning Congress candidate; late Gopal Sharan Nath Shahdeo. In the same way the
by-poll of Jamshedpur parliamentary seat could be predicated much after Munda
wins Kharsawan and opts to vacate this seat.
A rally of the JVM
scheduled in Ranchi on Sunday where the deputy mayor Ajaynath Sahadeo will join
the JVM fold; is a premeditated strategy of the party for Hatia. Both the
parties are keen to contest Hatia. But Kharswan is not an isolated case. It is
interlinked with Jamshedpur too. The point is that the JVM will not claim
Kharsawan provided the Congress publicly announces to support the JVM in
Jamshedpur in future.
“A month back our leader
(Marandi) even tried to strike a deal with the Congress on this line. But
Congress leaders are silent. They still believe that they can hoax and coax us
at the last moment,” a senior JVM leader said.
While a change of guard
in the state Congress is on anvil party seniors including present incumbent
Pradeep Balmuchu are camping in New Delhi for lobbying. What utmost they can do
is to flow statements from New Delhi believing it to act as coolant against
JVM’s temper running high. “We will sit together and discuss the matter. It
will be shorted out very soon,” Congress president Balmuchu told.
The JVM shot back the
statement with many interrogative tags: when, how and where. “Only they can say
as when, how and where they will talk over this matter…or a day before the
election? We have decided to field our candidate,” party central general
secretary Praveen Singh said.
In ‘blink-you-first’
game the Congress has been patiently waiting the JVM to run out of its breath.
Even after, Marandi will not visit Delhi durbar for a fresh whiff.
=================
Tongue lashing Soren
keeps Munda on tenterhook
*Says JMM may field a
candidate against Munda
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
The most volatile and
tactile statement of the day probably came from the JMM chief Shibu Soren that
baffled Chief Minister Arjun Munda first and stung him later.
A day after the Election
Commission of India announced the schedules of the Kharsawan by-poll where
Munda is slated to contest; Soren, on Thursday; did not rule out that he may
field JMM candidate against Munda — unmindful that his party is the part of the
coalition government.
“Everybody is contesting
election…we can also fight election,” Soren said while answering to a query of
the media that asked him to make the stand of his party clear. Apparently
miffed the BJP reacted cautiously over his statement. “We will talk to the JMM
and Soren in this regard. When we are part of the coalition government then
Mundaji must be treated as the candidate of the coalition. The matter will be
sorted out,” state BJP chief Dineshananda Goswami reacted.
Nevertheless, on
previous occasion the JMM minister Hemlal Murmu had quietly hinted that his
party may not press for fielding a candidate against Munda despite Jamshedpur
parliamentary seat has been the bone of contention between the JMM and the BJP.
Requesting anonymity a central secretary of the JMM said that Soren’s statement
is a part of pressure tactics to persuade BJP to leave Jamshedpur for the JMM
in exchange of support in Kharsawan.
At least a senior JMM
MLA pleaded not to read so much between the lines of the statement of Soren.
“Media sometimes draws excessive political inference in his statement when he
is not clear and precise in what he wants to convey. If he decides to field JMM
candidate against Munda he will tell you very clearly.” Accepting the lobby
opposed to any alliance with the BJP has been actively convincing Soren to
field candidate against Munda the MLA said that a chance to this is not so
bright.
But there is no
confusion as far as another alliance partner Congress and the JVM over
Kharsawan is concerned. The JVM central general secretary Praveen Singh
unilaterally announced that the party leaders will hold a meeting on Sunday to
announce party candidate for Kharsawan.
Asked to react about the
Congress’ claim over Kharsawan Singh said: “We are not guided by what Congress
says. There will be a JVM candidate in the election.” There are at least three
probable names in the JVM fold for the Kharsawan round the corner—Krishna
Gagrai, Rameswar Taisum and Balram Sardar.
In the Congress there
are two serious contenders Choteyrai Kisku and Basko Beshra whose names are being discussed in the party
against Munda.
============
Kharsawan by polling on Feb 10; EC
announces
.—Kharsawan first,
Jamshedpur later BJP to JMM
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
The Election Commission
of India on Wednesday announced the schedule of the by-poll of the Kharsawan
assembly constituency. According to the ECI; election will be held on February
10 while the counting will be held on February 17.
A notification of the
poll will be issued on January 17 whereas candidates can file their nomination
paper by January 24. With this the Model Code of Conduct has come into force in
Kharsawan.
According to Tapas
Kumar, Principal Secretary, ECI, the date has been fixed in view of the request
made by the Jharkhand government. “The Government of Jharkhand has brought to
the notice of the Commission that the present Chief Minister of Jharkhand
(Arjun Munda) took over as CM on September 11 and, in view of the
constitutional requirement, he is required to become a member of the State
Legislative Assembly on or before March 10.”
“Also, the State
Government has indicated that the National Games are going to be organized at
Ranchi from 12th February to 26th February. After taking into consideration
various factors, like, festivities, revision of electoral rolls, etc., the
Commission has decided to hold bye-elections.
Meanwhile, the JMM the
alliance partner in the government sent filler to the BJP that the party may
not press for fielding its candidate against Munda who is going to contest
by-poll as BJP candidate.
“We are running a
coalition government headed by Munda… in a couple of days the party will make
its stand clear. But I think Munda will be the only candidate from the
coalition parties.” Murmu was replying to a pointed poser whether the JMM has
changed its mind to field any JMM candidate against Munda.
Though, it was becoming
apparent from the last one month that both the BJP and the JMM are not on the
same page over Kharsawan. The seat was vacated by BJP’s Mangal Singh Soi on
November last; to provide a safe seat to his mentor Arjun Munda who has already
represented this seat.
The stubborn poser of a
section of the JMM had rattled the BJP after some of its leader demanded
Jamshedpur parliamentary seat in exchange of support in Kharsawan. As Munda is
representing Jamshedpur in the parliament a couple of JMM seniors pitched for a
strong bargaining with the BJP to leave the seat for the party after Munda wins
assembly by-election that will necessitate his resignation as MP.
While claim and
counterclaim over Jamshedpur between the BJP and the JMM has witnessed a
temporary lull after raucous display of lungs power; the BJP has switched over
to safe mode of politics. It is
Kharsawan first Jamshedpur later. Another coalition partner in the government;
the AJSU party has already made it stand clear that the party will support
Munda.
As Munda started
internship in politics from Kharsawan and, now having firm grip over this
constituency BJP is quite confident about his winning.
Two major opposition
parties and alliance partners — the Congress and the JVM having so much of
complain of trust deficit against each other are left with few time to patch-up
their differences over Kharsawan. The Congress which contested from Kharsawan
as per seat sharing agreement with the JVM is not ready to leave the ground for
its alliance partner. “In the last election the Congress candidate came
second…so we have the right over Kharsawan. JVM should understand this fact.
The Congress is mulling field Chhoterai Kisku this time.
Before Munda could give
an inkling of his intention to return to his safe constituency to fight
election; the JVM had dispatched his key leaders and workers to assess the
ground of the party. Guess game could be a risky enterprise to report the
future but sources in both the parties cautioned with current level of
bitterness, “Kharsawan could be the departure point.”
In coming days; apart
from election news Kharsawan will generate more stories. Keep reading.
=============
First family of
Jharkhand politics; first to clamour for CNT Act and first to break it
VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi
JMM chief Shibu Soren is
a palpably split persona who on the public platform clinches his fist against
the loot of tribal land and, privately let his family members to ‘grab as much’
tribal land they can.
In an ongoing
controversy over Chotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT) 1908; the Soren and his deputy
Chief Minister son Hemant Soren were first to demand strict implementation of
the Act. Stating that Act is being misused by powerful to grab tribals’ land
they probably forgot to count their own.
When her wife Rupi Soren
on March 3, 2008 claimed to purchase an eight kattha of land with pucca
construction under khata no 72, RS plot No 1227 at Nagra Toli from one Soma
Oraon in the mid of Ranchi town, she actually was not entitled under section
and sub section 46 of the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT) 1908.
Rupi being a tribal;
fulfills only one criteria of the said section of the Act which states that
only a tribal can purchase the land of a tribal. But the section says that the
purchaser — even in case of a tribal — must be the resident of the police
station where the holding is situated.
The Pioneer is in the
possession of related documents that goes on to suggest Rupi suppressed some
critical information. She is the resident of Sector 1B, Quarter no 14, BS City
Bokaro, affidavit that she submitted while contesting parliamentary election
from Dumka as the JMM candidate in 1999 suggests so. In land registry document
her address is mentioned as the daughter of Sudu Manjhi, resident Morhabadi,
Bariyatu. She concealed her identity as the wife of Shibu Soren probably to
keep it away from public eyes and media scrutiny.
At least two legal
experts; senior High Court lawyer Rajiv Kumar and Ganesh Agrawal disputed the
sale. “In the section 46 (1) (A),” Kumar said, “resident under given police
station refers that the person or his ancestors must be the permanent resident
under the limit of the said police station.”
This thing, he said: “is
mainly verified through available Land Revenue Record of 1932 to ascertain
whether the tribal who wishes to purchase the land is the permanent residence
or not.”
The reason behind
placing such strict provisions is to stop the transfer of tribal land even to a
tribal who is not the permanent resident under the police station but settled
here somehow.
Shibu Soren originally
belongs to village Nemra under Ramgarh district. “Rupi has been mentioned as
Santhal tribe in the land registry paper, but the very tribe as permanent
resident under land record of the Ranchi district is not found,” Kumar claimed.
There could be a couple of cases of some Santhal being as the permanent
resident under the said provision; Shibu Soren can not be among them. In the
case of Rupi it is a matter of investigation as to how official concerned gave
permission to her to purchase aforesaid land going against section 46 of the
Act.
In a similar case of the
violation of the section 46; the then DCLR of Ranchi Kartik Prabhat was
suspended. Prabhat had allegedly helped Menon Ekka; wife of former Jharkhand
minister Ainosh Ekka in purchasing land property falling under four different
police stations of Ranchi whereas they are the native of Kolebira.
At the time Rupi
purchased the land by paying Rs 12, 92, 500 to Soma Oraon, a title suit 263/ 05
was already being heard by the subordinate court. The owner of the land had
already entered into an agreement with one Sushila Tirkey wife of Maninath
Tirkey after getting necessary permission from the administration under section
46. Tirkey in her suit—Rupi added as defendant non 12 later — has maintained
she Soma failed to execute the agreement despite paying him Rs. 9, 25,000 on
four different occasions. Then what forced Rupi to purchase legally a disputed
land: probably it is situated at a prime location in the city capital.
Critical about the
conduct of the political class JVM chief Babulal Marandi said the JMM and Soren
family as a predator who pretend to be the custodian of tribal’s right. “I have
always said that some powerful persons in the government are the biggest
violator of this Act…it includes the JMM and Soren family,” Marandi said.
============
In search of political
stability in Theatre of Absurd; Jharkhand pins hope on limited options
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Taking rein of JMM led
BJP-AJSU-JD (U) coalition government on December 30, 2009 Shibu Soren in his
New Year message had pledged to strengthen the ground for political stability
and development in the year 2010.
Cynics hardly believed
that his pledge will graduate beyond his greeting message. The assembly poll
results, after all, had forced two ideologically stonewalled parties to shake
hands what they called for Jan-hit.
The call for coalition
soon turned into cause of collision four months; after with raging complaints
of major trust deficit from both sides—BJP and JMM. Soren who became Chief
Minister as Dumka parliamentarian voted against the Cut Motion brought by the
BJP Opposition against the UPA government in the parliament in the month of
April. An exasperated central BJP leadership announced to end honeymoon with
the JMM.
Within the State and the
Centre as well, panicked peaceniks swung to damage control exercise. Regretting
the mistake the JMM sent a missive to the BJP seniors to reconsider the
withdrawal of support even offering Chief Ministerial post to the BJP. Soren
never admitted it a mistake. Probably the tussle for political one-upmanship
between Soren and his son Hemant Soren piqued senior Soren to take this
decision.
Chief Minister post
appeared so tantalizing a low lying fruit for the BJP that it kept hopping and
dancing on JMM’s tune. Thrice the BJP bosses sought time from the Governor MOH
Farook to withdraw support and thrice they kept him waiting in wilderness.
Dozen time BJP parliamentary board decisively sat to take a final decision over
Jharkhand and ended into more indecisiveness. Central BJP dispatched leaders
after leaders to facilitate transfer of power to the BJP. At last on May 18,
after a crucial meeting with the JMM; the BJP leaders announced the transfer of
power was agreed to be completed by May 25. Soren had actually offered nothing
to the BJP emissaries on this count except his vague nod and some photo op that
they carried as a proof of their best effort.
27 days, after a
critical loss of political credibility, the BJP realised that Soren has no
intention to give CM post to the BJP when it finally withdrew support from
Soren on May 24. The state was brought under the President’s rule.
But during the entire
episode the bickering and differences among BJP leaders from Jharkhand to New
Delhi got exposed. Party seniors like LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Murli Manohar
Joshi were opposed to any further alliance with the JMM.
In a bid to outmatch
each other in the race for Chief Minister’s post two seniors of the state BJP—
Raghuwar Das (the then state BJP chief and deputy CM in Soren’s government and
party’s national general secretary and Jamshedpur MP Arjun Munda—left the partyline
divided and fractured.
Munda who had made a
late intervention in the fray had not lost hope, and, continued with backroom
talk with the JMM and central BJP leaders. On September 7, Munda tossed trust
toast and staked claim to form government with old combination taking oath as
CM on September 11. Munda has replaced old and outdated adjectives from his
political lexicon and looks more mature with fresh formula words: development,
sustained economic development, zero tolerance to corruption, transparent
administration etc.
But the elements of
instability built into the framework of the coalition set-up that often raises
its hood sometimes in the ongoing controversy over Chotanagpur Tenancy Act. The
political stability is not so tactile even today. Munda will contest
by-election from Kharsawan assembly constituency to enter the assembly. The JMM
has kept the BJP guessing over its intention to field a candidate from
Kharsawan. Meeting after meeting, from one press conference to another; BJP
seniors are trying to convince JMM to honour coalition dharma in Kharsawan
battle. No doubt, in ‘Theatre of Absurd’ the dialogue of political stability
evokes pity.
===============
Never said word of
support for Naxal violence: Soren
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
He tries to be
articulate; inarticulate he ends into: the JMM chief Shibu Soren pressed an
articulate voice of the party; Hemlal Murmu, to contradict some of the media
reports from the West Bengal quoting him as pro-Naxal.
Soren at a press
conference in Kolkata on Wednesday, as some of the media reports quoting his
support for Naxalism as people’s movement.
In a hurriedly called
press conference on Thursday in Ranchi Soren claimed that he was misquoted by
the media. “I never said so. There is no point to support violence in any form.
What I say; media reports quite opposite the next day…and this time too.”
Soren then left it to
Murmu to explain the things to the media. Murmu said that Soren had made his
stand very clear over the problem of Naxalism adding that he also went on to
add that any violent movement that kills innocent, poor and tribals can not be
justified. Murmu at least made one thing precisely clear that Soren supports
people’s movement. “But when such movements —political or ideological — comes
with killing spree; it can not be supported,” Murmu said.
Confusion about his
statement and distortion later on, Murmu placed the onus on English and Bengali
media for messing the statement of Soren. “There were a lot of English and
Bengali media at the press conference which messed his statements.”
It is not for the first
time when Soren created controversy due to his statements over Naxalism which
were prone to be interpreted as pro-naxal due to its wordings. Exactly two
years back in the month of December, Soren on a campaign trail in Tamar where
he was contesting election, had made similar statement. “Naxalites are not cats
and dogs,” Soren had said.
At the press conference
Soren refused to answer anything that he said media could make a point to raise
controversy. Question: whether he appeals Naxalites to leave their arm
struggle? Answer: “who am I to tell them so? Why do not ask this to them?”
Question: does he support anti-naxal operation christened as Green Hunt or
wants the withdrawal of security forces from Jharkhand? Answer: “No comment. Am
I government? You tell your opinion.”
His answers often led
senior scribes to scratch their head. But he ultimately spoke that deserves to
be called his most articulate expression. In a fight between the West Bengal
Government and Naxalites tribals and poor are receiving bullets from both
sides.
.
=================
BJP jitters over Sinha’s
stand over CNT
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Accidentally or deliberately
the BJP senior Yashwant Sinha on Thursday afternoon pressed the refresh button
to fix error on the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act forcing his party to change its
evasive stand over this issue.
“CNT Act should be
scraped. It has a regressive effect on the development of Jharkhand,” Sinha
told the media.
The statement of Sinha
landed in the BJP headquarter without any prior intimation where an important
meeting of the party functionaries and seniors including Chief Minister Arjun
Munda, state in-charge Harendra Pratap, party president Dineshnanda Goswami,
spokesperson Pradeep Sinha; was going on.
Officially the meeting
was called to discuss the agenda like holding a day-long agitation against
Central government on price hike on December 27 by Ranchi BJP, completing
organisational elections by January, and rally of party’s youth wing on January
13 in Dhanbad, celebrating birthday of party patriarch Atal Bihari Vajpayee on
Friday.
The meeting was quite
spirited and excited over a good number of party workers winning Panchayat
elections and praising the performance of 100 days of the coalition government
headed by Munda.
The selected few in the
meeting could hardly doze to dreaming about the government and the party when
Sinha nudged them to the reality. “The government must act…to forge consensus
over CNT Act within and outside of the assembly,” Sinha told his party.
Whether Sinha spoke the
party line or spoke his mind; is yet to be known. But unlike his party peers
including Munda who played safe with safe adjectives Sinha employed harsh
adjective — scrap — to jitter rest in the party.
Sensing its political
impact the BJP toned down his statement. Asked to react over Sinha’s blunt
‘scrap it’ overture Goswami replaced ‘scrap’ with ‘review’ with politically
mature undertone.
“The BJP believe that
any law is open to review. Law can be reviewed taking into the interest of the
class and society,” Goswami said. The BJP in the past treaded cautiously over
CNT Act issue that regulates the sell, purchase and transfer of tribal, OBC and
SC land in Jharkhand. The political spectrum is starkly divided CNT Act after
Munda’s own coalition partners—the JMM and AJSU are reported to divided over
the nature of its implementation.
The controversy has come
as a critical test of the political acumen of Munda to solve CNT controversy
under widespread apprehension that the matter may destabilise his government.
Sinha left open channels
of further debate and drag within the party and outside over the timeliness of
his statement he had bugged many in the party.
==============
Good show Munda at least
you eloquent over 100 days of your performance
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
Chief Minister Arjun
Munda had nicely prepared text to showcase ‘actions and achievements’ of last
hundred days of his government; but caught unprepared over key and contentious
issues like corruption, CNT Act and the reason behind not calling winter
session of the assembly.
On Tuesday evening Munda
said that his government is bound to take democracy and government down to the
grass root level through Panchayat poll and development.
Besides, he listed the
establishment of the State Human Right Commission and appointment of Lokayukta
to underline the sincerity of his government towards sensitive and responsible
governance.
The ongoing ‘free and
fair Panchayat elections after a gap of 32 years,’ he listed as one of the
major achievement of the government to usher in local governance. He talked at
length about long term infrastructure plans like laying Govindpur- Sahebgunj
roads. He declared, ‘Jharkhand going to be the power hub in the coming days in
convincing tone. After nine time postponement of 34th National Games in the
past Munda assured it will be held on the scheduled dated, the next year. He
was genuine in claiming the crown of achievements on these fronts.
On the issue of fighting
against corruption he said: “Government is committed to weed out corruption.
Pending cases of corruptions have been opened. Order for prosecution in several
cases has been granted.”
The three pages ‘Action
and Achievement’ text came in 54 points and five sub-texts lucidly
superscribed; his was more a feisty action-taken report on the coalition
government’s “aam aadmi” commitment; sharply 103 days back.
His eloquence scored him
no press room point when asked whether his government would ask his ministers
and officials to declare their property much on the line of Bihar. “We are
discussing about ‘Responsibility Act,’ we will certainly take steps in this
direction,” Munda offered nothing concrete.
Munda found much
difficult to answer as to how his government was planning to address the
concern over the implementation of the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act 1908 (CNT Act).
“It is a legal issue. We are committed for the total implementation of this
Act,” he said. Not only the alliance partners in the government — the JMM and
the AJSU have sharpen knives over this issue but also the JVM opposition have
laid siege around him. The dominant Kurmi class that backs AJSU has now planned
to hold conclave to pressurize the government much to the discomfort for Munda
in Saraikela district, where he is set to contest assembly by poll.
Soon after Munda met,
JVM chief Babulal Marandi drove to Chief Minister House on a pre schedule visit
to demand the implementation of the CNT Act. He demanded an all party meeting
over CNT row. Marandi said: “My intention is not to do politics over CNT Act
otherwise we know about the people who are purchasing land by violating the
Act. My party wants consensus must be formed over this.”
Munda was quite
equivocal in defending for calling no winter session of the assembly. Over to
Munda: “Due to Panchayat elections, which will complete only by the end of this
year it will be difficult to hold winter session. Look there are around 50000
candidates, who are contesting Panchayat elections under Ranchi district. Even
one candidate brings at least two of his supporters during and after counting
can you imagine about the situation.”
Asked that a delegation
of the JVM leaders is scheduled to meet the Governor MOH Farook over winter
session issue Munda said that the opposition has no understanding of the
matter. “Least impressive and tenable a logic,” Marandi rejected Munda.
-----------------
Battle over CNT Act
reaches Munda’s constituency; Saraikela Kharsawan
AJSU, JMM ministers
differ over provisions of act
VIJAY DEO JHA
A tense battle line is
ready to be drawn over Chotanagpur Tenancy Act in Saraikela Kharsawan on
December 30; the constituency chief minister Arjun Munda nourishes to fire his
chief ministerial ambition.
The dominant Kurmi class
is reported to have planned a mega conclave here in Saraikela on that day to
pressurise Munda led coalition government to implement section 46(1) (b) of the
Act to extend similar protection to the land belonging to backward and SC
people.
Unofficially Munda’s own
cabinet colleague Chandra Prakash Chaudhary of the AJSU has been behind the
proposed conclave. At no cost AJSU can take risk alienating its core
constituent: Kurmi having major stake in land.
But there is yet another
story emerging from the power corridor. Two senior cabinet colleagues of
Munda—Chaudhary and Hemlal Murmu of the JMM — have locked their horns at least
over one section of the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act.
The specific section of
the Act 46(1) (b) prohibits the transfer or sell of land owned by SC and
backward class to the people who do not belong to the same class and same
revenue district of the land on record.
Seeking amendment in the
provision, source said, Chaudhary wants the implementation of the law with an
amendment to drop the restriction of revenue district in case of SC and
backward land. It will enable the people of same class to buy land in any part
of Jharkhand.
The JMM has taken a
blunt line; it wants the Act in its original form. Sources said that Murmu has
registered his strong protest against any such amendment. He countered the move
on the ground that more stringent restrictions are in place in case of tribal
land where the buyer who must be a tribal must be the original habitant of the
police station and block where land is situated.
Murmu may have a benign
motive behind speaking for the cause of backward and SC classes other than his
traditional vote bank; the AJSU minister has reserved the right to suspect the
motive of his senior cabinet colleague.
The difference, source
confided, has led to a heated exchange of arguments between the two ministers.
Concerned over the conflict that has the potential to snowball into a major
crisis; Munda even suggested a meeting of the core members of the coalition
partners, a week back. Munda wanted his coalition partners to iron out their
differences before to take any decision. But his effort failed as none of them
came for the meeting.
In
‘grab-as-much-as-ground battle’ between the AJSU and the JMM — the BJP fears
the loss of its own ground.
Chaudhary denied having
any difference. “We want the implementation of the CNT Act to give protection
to the land belonging to caste and class listed in the section. Here in
Jharkhand government has been faulting the law.”
Chaudhary was either
vague in reply or ducked the very pointed questions. Even after; he hinted
where he differed. “If people feel that a change in the law is required it must
be brought into.” AJSU; is under pressure from its key constituents — Kurmi and
Koiri —to implement the law with needed change.
A rough estimate of the
land ownership suggests that 29 percent of total land is owned by backward
classes dominated by Kurmi and Koiri. The rest are tribals owning 24 percent of
land, schedule caste six percent, government 39 general. The BJP leaders fear
that among winner and loser of the battle; the BJP might be the only casualty.
.
==============
President in town; girls
in town
President asks students
to serve society
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
By the time President Pratibha Devisingh Patil
left the venue of 25th Convocation ceremony of the Ranchi University on Friday
morning she had already set the cat among pigeons.
“I am quite happy with
girls but not happy with the boys.” In the mid of her speech Patil made a
deliberate interpolation. But then she appeared to be more happy than unhappy
on finding that out of 36 students who received gold medal for academic
excellence, the number of girls was 25.
Her remark was returned
with two sets of reaction: joyous uproar from the girls while boys were
searching for the ground as though ground is shrinking under their feet.
Including 36 students who had podium moment with Patil; around 34228 others
were enrolled to receive their degrees during the ceremony. The students of
P.hd and D. Lit programmes were conferred degree including BJP senior Yadunath
Pandey.
The sprawling venue of
convocation ceremony red and black with yellow strip were the colours of the
moment. It was because hundred of students donning convocation gown had come
from the different parts of the state and country to get their degree. The
president in the purple and other dignitaries on the stage in red gown with cap
over the head offered a colourful view. It was for the first time in the
history of Ranchi University when the President of India has attended any of
its convocation.
None had believed that
they will receive gold medal from President. “Adbhut,” Sandhya Kumari, topper
in Hindi had no word to express her feeling. “I never dreamt about this thing.
Receiving gold medal from the President is a prized moment. I was standing so
close to her.”
Ask Shweta Singh the
topper in English how she felt after shaking hands with Patil after receiving
gold medal. “I never believe my eyes that I received medal from the President.
She congratulated me over my success. It was a rare moment.”
For Arunima Sengupta
last night was a sleepless night. “I was excited and nervous and started
sweating as soon as my name was announced. At this moment I am happy and feel
proud for receiving gold medal. She has encouraged us to do something in life.”
On an average the
occasion offered a student thirty second of slideshows of glory and proud as
the President was to stay in the programme for 70 minutes only. Ready with
cameras and sophisticated mobiles in standby mode their friends and relatives
were not ready the chance to miss capture a Kodak moment. Patil has already set
an agenda for them.
------------------------------
Look Jairam, politician Pandey has attended
convocation without gown
VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi
A seasoned politician
was sitting quietly among students without letting anybody know that he has
come to attend the convocation ceremony to receive his D. Lit degree.
The person was former
state BJP chief and former Hazaribagh MP Yadunath Pandey. He could be seen
occupying his allotted seat no 37, seventh row during 25th Convocation of the
Ranchi University on Friday. Pandey had avoided donning the ceremonial red
colour convocational gown and cap and he received the degree from the Vice
Chancellor. Surrounded by students —mostly youths — donning flamboyant red
gown; Pandey in his trade mark kurta pajama and blue sweater was a bit of a
colour contrast.
Asked as to why he was
sitting among students when the VIPs like him have been allotted front seat?
“Nothing special, I am just watching the programme,” Pandey would not tell you
the fact. On being prodded further he accepted that he has come here to receive
his D. Lit degree. But where was gown? Why did not don it, it is set practice
after all. Pandey bearing smile on his face was not willing to reveal. The
reason could be any. He might fear an odd gait in ceremonial gown among young
students: He might be sharing notion about gown as the relic of imperialism
much like Union Minister for Environment Jairam Ramesh.
Pandey who is the
professor of Anthropology at Ranchi University has done his D. Lit research on
the topic ‘Role of Self-help Group in Socio-economic Culture of Tribal of
Santhal Pargana with Special Reference to Dumka and Godda.’
“I have been in teaching
profession from the past three decades. But I always prefer to be a student. I
take time for study out of my busy schedule,” Pandey said. It is known to very
few people that Pandey is an avid reader, and, around 17 of his scholarly
articles have been got published in the national and international magazines
and research books. Talking about the findings of his D. Lit research Pandey
said that self-help group concept can be the instrument of socio-economic
development of Jharkhand.
But then doing research
is quite difficult a pursuit, and, quite different than what politicians
deliver to the people about development. “On both the front I have not
compromised,” Pandey quickly pointed adding, “Like my guide Karma Oraon I was
very particular about my research.” Interestingly Pandey had enrolled for P.hd
research programme on ‘Tribal Movement: Reforms and Conflict in Chotanagpur and
Santhal Pargana an Anthropological Appraisal,’ at the time when he was a member
Parliament. One of his books ‘Sacred Complex of Joshimath to Badrinath’ is in
the press.
But core of the question
remained unanswered even on the stage. RU Vice Chancellor Professor AA Khan
inquired him about his gown. Known for his gentleness and all time broad smile;
Pandey bowed to receive the degree and ducked to answer. “For you we will relax
the rule. It is a privilege,” Khan said.
.
=======================
Koda’s in-laws in poll
fray
VIJAY DEO JHA
CHAIBASA
They are VIP in-laws in
the fray of Panchayat election; displaying their big bull reputation on their
sleeves: in-law of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda.
In-law number one:
Kalpana Biruli (57) contesting for the post of mukhiya of Kelenda panchayat
under Jhinkpani block of West Singhbhum district. In-law (maternal) number two:
Pradeep Biruwa contesting for the post of mukhiya of Jaipur panchayat under Hat
Gamharia block.
“So, is there any bar on
the relatives of the politician to contest election? I am fighting the election
on my own with the support of the people. It is quite ordinary an election.”
Kalpana is no mood to engage in lengthy discussion. It is campaign time, no
time of gossip. “Please remember my symbol is chair.”
So locals have
pre-announced the election is going to be quite interesting and tough. Koda is
in jail and his key men and finance managers have suddenly gone underground
after whooping scam. But others are there to support her in campaigning to
stitch the number behind. Gita has regularly been camping here to support her
mother in politics. But then the election has remained a lavish show of money
and booze — a trend set by Koda in Chaibasa during last parliamentary election.
“Honey (Madhu) nahi hai
to kya money to hai,” points social activist Ashoka Sarangi. “She has no obvious
means of income, only few acre of land but she has two Scorpio vehicles. From
where comes the fund for election and all these, it must be coming from those
dubious funds amassed by Koda and Co.”
No road, no electricity;
thatched dwellings and poor unfed tribals the village Bistupur does not flaunt
to be the sasural of a former Chief Minister. No sign of development, no hope.
If anything has changed in the past four years it is the thatched dwelling of
Kalpana replaced by a pucca house. Mentioning a few there is an exhaustive list
of candidates Robert Samaiya, Ajwar Somaiya, Tiriya Somaiya, Manjhi Somaiya,
Suvash Somaiya, Kalpana is confident to win.
Her brother Pradeep is
an inspiring story of success in less time. Running a small line-hotel (Pradeep
Hotel) on the busy Hat Gamharia Road forking to Jagannathpur, election is quite
a bustling affair for him. One time close of Koda; Vidyadhar Sahu is said to be
his business partner and chief poll manager. Local attests that Sahu has an
interest in iron ore business. So, money can be the problem. In the area around
illegal mining of iron ore has remained an unabated and profitable enterprise.
Can being the mama sasur (maternal in-law) give him an edge? It is an endless
debate. But the talk of the town is that whether they win or lose.
============
Rush in the JMM to
replace Munda in Jamshedpur
VIJAY DEO JHA
RANCHI
The king has not relegated his kingdom yet;
but the lesser on the flank are fighting for succession. This is all about
Chief Minister Arjun Munda of the BJP. This is all about his Jamshedpur
parliamentary constituency.
Sensing that her rivals in the JMM might push
her claim for Jamshedpur parliamentary seat on the margin, former Jamshedpur MP
Suman Mahato has come with a quick denial of the claims of others. She did not
name any name as her rival; but it is believed this is JMM senior Sudhir Mahato
whom she thinks as rival number one.
“I don’t know about
others but I have a natural claim over Jamshedpur in case the JMM decides to
field its candidate,” Suman who lost at the hand of Munda in the last
parliamentary election said to The Pioneer over telephone.
The JMM wants the BJP;
its coalition partner in the government to leave its claim over Jamshedpur
calling it a traditional seat of the JMM. Mind, the question to vacate
Jamshedpur seat comes only after BJP Chief Minister Munda contests and wins
from Kharsawan assembly. The BJP has snubbed the JMM’s contention in the same
fashion. “Jamshedpur belongs to the BJP, politically and traditionally,” state
BJP president Dineshnanda Goswami told the media last day.
Making his claim over
Jamshedpur Sudhir Mahato has wished to move to the bigger arena (national
politics) by contesting from Jamshedpur. The wish has come as a kind of
challenge for Suman who does not want the constituency to slip into the fold of
her opposition; once represented by her slain husband Sunil Kumar Mahato.
“Though, I will abide by
the decision of the party high command but one should note that my husband had
represented Jamshedpur…and I have rightful claim over the constituency,” Suman
said. Privately, the supporters of Suman have often complained about
backstabbing that the lady got from about Sudhir in the parliamentary election.
One more name has got entry in to the catalogue of contenders for Jamshedpur.
It is former JMM MLA Dulal Bhuyan. Many in the BJP and the JMM have laughed at
their claim as farcical. It will take a long time for the issue of Jamshedpur
to come. “But their desperation has a point,” said a senior JMM functionary,
“they have lost the election and they want to revive their fortune. They hope
on Jamshedpur.”
It is yet to be
ascertained whether the demand has the backing of the JMM central leadership
but the BJP leadership has expressed its displeasure on record at least on
JMM’s exchange kind of politics.
The JMM in bargain mode
offered BJP its support to help Munda to win the Khasawan by-election in
exchange of Jamshedpur.
“Mundaji will contest as
the candidate of the alliance. It is everybody’s duty to support him. From
where comes issue of conditional support?” state BJP spokesperson Sanjay Seth
said. Munda has not spoken his mind, though.
================
Combative but alone in
the battlefield without better-half (Keep the headline)
Vijay Deo Jha
Jagannathpur
The Jagannathpur
assembly constituency which Geeta Koda has been struggling to retain once
belonged to her husband Madhu Koda.
Koda is now under
judicial custody. Lady Koda—political rookie and the housewife—is alone in the
battlefield surrounded by the BJP and the Congress army. Swarms of others are also
in the fray trying to make their presence, many of them voters do not know.
“Manika akeli hoo lekin
kamzor nahi,” Geeta Koda said over telephone on being contacted. She has been
asking votes from the people, travelling remote parts and villages where roads
barely exist.
Contesting election as
the candidate of Jai Bharat Samanta Party Geeta is fighting a lonely battle.
The campaign which her husband had launched for her with a roaring rallying
note (Hunkar Rally) just ended with whimpering note in the sadar bazaar of
Jagannathpur urban locality on Wednesday.
Geeta asked her voters
not to forget her during voting and political injustice against her husband.
And the thin crowd remained lukewarm, nevertheless, sun supplying enough heat
that afternoon.
“Yes their supporters
have gone in deep hibernation after their master (Madhu Koda) was arrested in
infamous money laundering case. There is a clear polarization of the voters in
the favour of the BJP. There is undercurrent against Madhu Koda and his
corruption,” says Dineshnand Goswami, state BJP vice president.
Geeta is now a familiar
face among Koda supporters who dutifully mark their presence at her temporary residence
cum election office in Jagannathpur. Thanks to her election touring during last
parliamentary election in Chaibasa from where Madhu Koda contested and won.
“Nothing has changed for
me. People have not changed. They recognize the developmental works done by him
including colleges, good roads and many others,” she says.
On the paper
Jagannathpur has not been won or lost but things have changed for her. The UGDP
candidate Dinesh Purti and BSP candidate Kashinath Diggi have joined hands with
the BJP to defeat Geeta.
The BJP has fielded
Sonaram Birua, JMM Mangal Singh Surin and the Congress-JVM alliance Mangal
Singh Bobonga.
Geeta claims despite
“mudslinging and media trial” the popularity of “my husband has declined. For
example she says: “In the assembly election of 2000 he had got 25,818 votes as the
BJP candidate. He contested as an independent in 2005 and he got 26, 818. You
see his poll success in parliamentary,” she had a ready poll record.
Madhu Koda defeating
Congress veteran Bagun Sumbrai in Chaibasa parliamentary election was a
different story of lavish splurge of money and wine as Koda’s detractors say.
Similar charges were
leveled against her this time. And Geeta was alone in the battlefield to chuck
this impression in the bin. Papu Boipai another Koda supported candidate from
Chaibasa comes to her support. “People know the fact. All those who have
conspired against Kodaji will come to know on the day of counting,” Boipai
said.
Thousands of life size
posters of Koda have sprung up in Jagannathpur claiming innocence. The BJP
exhausted all unspent furry on Koda by a star campaign.
Right from cine star and
MP Shatrughan Sinha to Saas Bahu fame Smriti Irani all used their best lungs
power to bemoan this lady. The BJP has made foray on traditional Ho vote bank
of Madhu Koda that helped him to retain Jagannathpur.
Even considerable
desertions in the rank and file of Koda duo have not dampened her spirit. “I am
the front runner and I will be number one. Others are in the fray for the
number two, it is as simple,” Geeta says.
Single hit, 81, 900
entries on the Google web page in 1.58 seconds, Geeta could be right. If not
defeat, then, loneliness she admits.
=====================
Left parties committed
two historical blunders on nuclear issue, Yaswant
I am not aspirant for
the post of the CM of Jharkhand
Vijay Deo Jha
Ranchi
The BJP national vice
president Yashwant Sinha who was in Ranchi in connection to a party programme
accused the left parties for deliberately committing two historical mistakes.
The left did not accept the proposal of the BJP to table a resolution in the
parliament on the nuclear deal and thus jointly press for the formation of a
special committee to discuss this deal threadbare. Allowing the UPA government
to negotiate with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was other mistake
of the left, Sinha counted.
On the issue of
leadership in the Jharkhand for next coming elections and the probability of
his being the chief minister of the state if the party comes to power, Sinha
clarified it by saying that he had not staked his claim over it.
Sinha squarely blamed
the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for betraying the faith of the common mass
and tarnishing his own carefully cultivated image as an honest and learned
prime minister. Singh is the party to this fraud against the nation and
democracy.
The murky episode to purchase MPs by the UPA
to save the government during the confidence motion refuses to die down as the
BJP treaded gun on the Congress and the left parties.
On a query about the stand of the party on the
role of the Lok Sabha Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee and his subsequent suspension
from the party Sinha said that the former failed to perform his task properly.
Sinha criticized Chatterjee for writing
letter to Prakash Karat, General Secretary, Communist Party Marxist,
expressing his inability to vote along with BJP against the government, Sinha
said that the 14th Lok Sabha would be remembered not only for the death of
democracy but also for the fact that even Speaker was not under the control of
his party.
Terming it disgraceful the way party MPs
switched their loyalty during the voting Sinha revealed that the UPA was ready
to foray some 50 NDA MPs. It misused the intelligence services to tap those MPs
who were at odd with the party or whose constituencies could be changed after
delimitation. He demanded a fair inquiry. However Singh denied the media report
that the NDA was mulling over mass resignation to exert pressure on the UPA.
Lalkrishna Advani has
already made his stand clear to renegotiate the N-deal with US government if
the party backs to power. Deal in its present form is not acceptable to the
BJP. Reaffirming this stand Sinha cautioned the UPA for projecting its
unethical victory during confidence motion as a mandate to party to go nuke.
'The deal in its present
form is a part of an international conspiracy to control and lock stock barrel
the atomic project of India started during the regime of AB Vajpayee', said
Sinha. This deal can not be answer to India's
need of energy.
While echoing the
similar sentiments and vehemence close to party line on the two major terror
attack just with in a week of the confidence motion has rocked the nation Sinha
directly blamed the PM for turning India a soft state with soft target.
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