Violence scars tmc sweep

The dominance of ruling TMC over West Bengal politics is once again vindicated in the results of the Panchayat elections. The party swept the polls winning a majority in all three tiers with arch rival BJP a distant second: 2,552 out of 3,317 gram panchayats (BJP 212), 232 panchayat samitis (BJP 7), and 12 of 20 zilla parishads. Expectedly, the polls were scarred with 45 killed in violence during the democratic exercise, having the Calcutta High Court putting a question mark on the final results. Dealing with petitions alleging largescale violence, electoral malpracticesand demand for repoll in 50,000 booths, the Court on Wednesday last said: the elections and declaration of results will be subject to final orders and directed the SEC, State and Central governments to file affidavits dealing with all allegations. The violence has caught the concern of thinking people across the country about the standards of our democracy. Panchayats are supposed to be embodying the participation of citizens at grassroots in democratic decision making.

It is true that Bengal has a tradition of violence from the halcyon days of the Communist rule that lasted over three decades. The general impression is that the TMC supremoand Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also ‘risen with the sword’ as she had to pay the Communists in their own coin. And now the guns are trained against the BJP.The aftermath has seen the usual pow-wow between the two parties, with the BJP accusing the TMC of throttling democracy and its hooliganism crossing all limits. The latter hits back saying BJP was spewing baseless accusations while conveniently ignoring the cesspool in its own backyard. Expectedly Raj Bhavan took the first opportunity to take a swipe at the TMC with Governor Ananda Bose saying “political parties should realise elections are not grounds to examine physical strength…Now is the time for introspection. Democratic elections are friendly contests that shouldn’t generate hatred or violence”. Isn’t he asking for too much or rather talking of an era long gone? Wake up to the new harsh reality!

Devastating Rains

The rain God has played havoc with North India. Heavy rains and floods have wreaked destruction in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjaband Uttarakhand, with death toll crossing 50.The disaster management teams have had to work round the clock and at places the IAF has had to step in.Himachal remains the worst-affected with majority of people dying and hundreds, including tourists stranded, several bridges and houses washed away and roads caving in. In Punjab and Haryana, the farmers have been the worst hit with wheat and paddy crops damaged.The IMDhas said the situation is likely to improve. In Delhi, the Yamuna breached the 45-year high with thousands of people evacuated to safer locations.While authorities focuson providing relief, more needs to be done as rain patterns over past decade have shown a distinct change. Government, both at Centre and States must heed to the warning signals and ensure a proactive policy against climate vagaries. Other than town planning, the fragile geology of Himalayan States must be respected, and the mindless excavation of hills halted, or at least expert opinion be taken. Remember, a stitch in time saves nine.

J&K Finally on Radar

Beginning next month, all eyes particularly in Jammu and Kashmir will be focussed on the Supreme Court, which after a long haul of four years will finally start daily hearing of petitions challenging the Centre’s decision to do away with the State’s special status and dividing it into two UTs on 5 August 2019. Importantly, the SC is not going to rely upon North Block’s 20-page fresh affidavit of Tuesday last claiming J&K is “witnessing unprecedented era of peace, progress and prosperity”. The court said “it has no bearing on the constitutional challenge” to abrogation of Article 370. Moreso, as petitions have challenged the Centre’s ‘unilateral’ move to impose curfew and undo the federal structure by dividing J&K‘without taking consent from people’and ‘overnight abrogating their democratic rights and freedoms guaranteed.’The Centre has countered August 5 order has become ‘fait accompli’! What is significant is the claims made in the Centre’s affidavit that: ‘life has returned to normalcy in the region after over three decades of turmoil’, the ‘street violence’ engineered by terrorists/secessionist networks havingbecomea “thing of the past”, organised stone-pelting incidents, having come down, bandhs and hartals becoming a distant memory etc. If that is the case, then why the wait in holding elections? Note it has been five long years since J&K has been without people’s representatives, with Raj Bhavan yielding all the powers. Now that the Centre has given itself a pat in the back of ‘restoring normalcy’ no further delay in holding the democratic exercise should be condoned.

Monitoring Manipur

The situation in strife torn Manipur has come under the Supreme Court’s gaze, asking both Centre and Biren Singh government on Tuesday last to “make sufficient arrangements to ensure protection of lives and property of all citizens and residents.” It is over two months now since violence broke out in the NE State causing deaths, destruction and displacement. With restricted access and internet shutdown, it’s hard to draw definitive conclusions on either the breadth of violence or its origin. It’s neither communal, although there’s certainly a religious dimension, nor was it spontaneous, nor ethnic. It seems to be all of these. The causes of violence could be traced to an untangled web of disputes on land, resources, ethnic animosity and presence of religious fanatics and militants. Meities, the majority community was averse to the growing mobility and exposure of Kukis on account of the affirmative policies of the government. Consequently, there are clear indications that ethnic and economic disputes were weaponised against the constitutionally avowed principle of pluralism and the right of individuals to free worship. At the same, the religious angle is manifested in destruction of churches belonging both to communities. At any rate, there’s a wider perception of inaction and inability of State government, and ‘indifference’ of Centre to restoring peace and normalcy. With the top court ‘monitoring the situation’, there’s hope. Urgently, however, is the need to upgrade relief camps and fast forward compensation to victims. A small but critical step. —— INFA