Unchallenged Power Generates Internal Sparks

NEWS : Rift In Congress, NCP
The exchange of brickbats between Congress and ally NCP provided an added element of entertainment to the public. Added because the public is already burdened with the IPL tamasha and price rise in the market-is that anything lesser than a horror movie?

The inauguration of the additional carriageway of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link on Wednesday only brought to fore what was the  known to wide strata of public for long.  This was not the first time that Deputy Chief Minister Chaggan Bhujbal took potshots at the Chief Minister Ashok Chavan. The language he used at the ceremony was a veiled one. He had used much sharp and toned language during the cabinet meeting.

Bhujbal said that ministers ought to clear files and not sit on them. This was because Chavan had thwarted at least two attempts by Bhujbal to award contracts for big works to his prefered men.  Not a man to take it easily, Chavan retaliated by taking a dig at NCP ministers who headed Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and said that there seemed to be preferential treatment for road-building in areas like Nagpur, Aurangabad and Beed where they hailed from.

The second leg of Bandra-Worli sea link was inaugurated yesterday. Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan  Superstar Amitabh Bachchan graced the occasion. Keeping in view the relation between Congress leaders and Bacchan family, Chavan took a dig saying, "I feel like coming to a fIlm awards function." The  ontroversy over Bacchan being invited for the inauguration function is still raging.

With opposition parties in Maharashtra more or less in slumber, the members of ruling combination have got a free hand. Not surprisingly, they have started fighting each other. After all, not long ago these two parties were avowing each other's credentials when they were pitted against Shiv Sena, BJP and MNS in the assembly elections. Whatever these senior leaders talked last night at Sea Link, had it any link to the common man?

Read More

What Should One Do With Such News

First the news: Legendary naxal leader Kanu Sanyal dead - Yahoo! India News

What should one do with such news stories? Are they to be celebrated that the end of an old naxal leader will bring much needed peace in my country? Or should we seat to think whether the fight for the justice and equality has suffered one decisive blow to say that any new transformation is ages away.

Ironically, Sanyal’s suicide comes after heavy activities by the naxal activists in many parts of the country. The man who created a path of violence for youngster spanning three generations finally chose a much trodden path. Why he chose to do what he did will be discussed in the days to come.

For the time being,  the question hangs either way.

Read More

Cases Count Too Little Against Raj Thackerey

Raj Thackerey, it seems has become the new obsession of media and police and administration.

PTI has reported that Raj Thackeray. chief of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is facing as many as 73 criminal cases in various courts all over Maharashtra for allegedly inciting riots which broke out after his arrest in connection with anti-North Indian tirade launched by his party in 2008, police said.

Of the 73 cases, Raj has appeared in six cases and secured bail. In the rest of the cases he has yet to appear in person and get bail, the report quotes.

As the cases are still in the court of law, one can not authoritatively comment on them. But there seems no reason to believe that these cases will cause any damage to his political career. Foremost of all, he is not going to contest a election so he is unlikely to lose something. His erstwhile mentor and inspiration Balasaheb Thackerey, the Shive Sena chief forfeited his right to vote for six years but commands the same authority over his party. Raj can do the same.

The cases, in truly Maharashtra police fashion, are built on some distant relations. Raj can claim he had not directly incited the crowd and whatever happened was a legitimate reaction from his angry followers. If only, the count of cases only provides a relief to the rival parties, which unfortunately includes mediamen.

Read More