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Political Notes

	December 11, 2006

1993 Mumbai blasts : Last verdict comes in



The designated TADA court in Mumbai has concluded the delivery of its verdicts in the 1993 serial blasts case. Judge Pramod Kode delivered the last verdict on Dec. 4, setting the stage for the final exercise - sentencing the 100 people convicted. Staggered over three months, it has been the country’s longest running judgement. The 100 convictions are the highest in a single case in the country.



Arguments on the quantum of punishment have been scheduled from today, Dec. 11, and sentencing is expected to be over by the end of January 2007.



The most serious charges were against nine “planters.” They were responsible for placing RDX at various places in the city, leading to the serial blasts in which 257 people were killed and over 800 injured. The nine face the death penalty.



Though Tiger Memon, the main accused, is absconding, his brothers Yakub, Yusuf and Essa and sister-in-law Rubeena were charged with being part of the conspiracy and with storing arms. Three others of his family were acquitted.



Of the 100 convicted, three are women, Rubeena Zaibunissa, Kadri and Mubina Baya Bhiwandiwala, who was charged with arranging conspiracy meetings at her residence.



NDA-Speaker row may end



The National Democratic Alliance is meeting in New Delhi today, Dec. 11, to review the decision of staying away from meetings called by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. The meeting earlier scheduled for Dec. 8, was postponed as leaders of some parties were not in New Delhi. Reports say that the BJP is keen to push a review of its decision to the end of the current Parliament session as far as possible, though its leadership had indicated on Thursday, Dec. 7, a positive outcome of the talks with the Speaker. V.K. Malhotra said further discussions were needed with the Speaker to clarify certain matters.



It is learnt that at the meeting on Dec. 7, the Speaker categorically rejected all charges of bias and political prejudice in the discharge of his responsibility as the presiding officer. He reportedly told the NDA leaders that before making the charges they should see the Parliament record which tells a different story.



When the BJP wanted an assurance that the chair would not conduct the Government business through din and noise, Chatterjee countered by asking under which rule was din and noise permitted. He said important official business cannot be held up.



The BJP has been boycotting business advisory committee meetings and all party meetings called by the Speaker.





Politics of statues



Tamil Nadu politics came to the national capital, Delhi, on the occasion of unveiling of the statues of southern stalwarts including late Murasoli Maran of the DMK and All India Anna DMK founder M.G. Ramachandran.



The Prime Minister and Congress president Sonia Gandhi were present at the function on December 8 at Parliament House where Murasoli Maran’s statue was unveiled. Also present was DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.



However, at the function held on Dec. 7, where MG Ramachandran’s statue was unveiled in Parliament House, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi were conspicuous by their absence. This was a move apparently linked to their considerations of Tamil Nadu politics as the DMK is a key ally of the Congress, both at the Centre and in the State. Perhaps they did not want to be seen in the company of All India Anna DMK chief Jayalalithaa for fear of raising Karunanidhi’s hackles. MGR’s statue was donated by the All India Anna DMK.



On her part, Jayalalithaa held an hour-long closed door meeting on December 6 with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav at the residence of SP general secretary Amar Singh. Pressed by the media about her recent remarks about a political realignment, Jayalalithaa said, “a re-alignment is on the cards both at the national level as also in Tamil Nadu.”



There are reports that Jayalalithaa may join efforts among non-Congress and non-BJP parties for a third front ahead of the Lok Sabha polls due in 2009.





OBC creamy layer to get quota benefit



The Union Cabinet has rejected Parliament’s Standing Committee recommendation that the non-creamy layer within the other backward classes be accommodated first while extending reservation to them in central educational institutions. Briefing mediapersons after the cabinet meeting on Thursday, Dec. 7, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi said the cabinet view was that all OBCs, irrespective of their economic status and religion, should be treated at par, and given 27 per cent reservation in central educational institutions. The Bill had been introduced in the Lok Sabha on the last day of the Monsoon Session and referred to the Committee.



Reports say that other contentious bills are not expected to figure in the ongoing Parliament session as it has not been possible to evolve a consensus on any of them. These reportedly include the long-delayed and controversial Women’s Reservation Bill which has been virtually in cold storage. The Banking Regulation and Pensions Bills as well as the Factories Act had been vetoed by the Left parties despite hard bargaining by the UPA Government. Similarly, Parliament is unlikely to debate the Sachar Panel report on the status of Muslims, although it has generated considerable heat.



On December 8, annoyed over the dilly-dallying approach of the government on the Women’s Reservation Bill, women MPs, cutting across party lines, attacked the government for the inordinate delay in tabling the Bill and forced the adjournment of the Rajya Sabha.



Immediately after question hour, BJP MP Sushma Swaraj rose to ask the fate of the Women’s Reservation Bill. She said, “Now the Cabinet meeting is over, so let the minister inform the House about the Cabinet’s decision on the Bill”.



She was immediately joined by BJP MP and former deputy chairperson Najma Heptullah, CPI(M)’s Brinda Karat and several other women members belonging to the Congress and other parties and vociferously demanded a categoric reply from the government.



With agitated MPs unrelenting, the deputy chairperson adjourned the House for 15 minutes. When the House reassembled, it was adjourned again till lunch following pandemonium.





Efforts on to break the Singur impasse



The West Bengal Government’s plan to hand over about 1000 acres of land to Tata motors for setting up the plant for manufacturing sub-Rs. one lakh car at Singur figured both in Parliament and at various fora in West Bengal. One significant development was the BJP coming out in full support of Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on the issue. BJP president Rajnath Singh was arrested in West Bengal while trying to proceed to Singur. This figured in Parliament with BJP members saying that it is as if a visa is required to move about in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee is continuing her hunger strike on the issue. West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s written appeal to her to call off her hunger strike did not yield any result. State Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi’s personal meeting with Mamata Banerjee in a bid to persuader her to end the strike also had no impact.



There are reports that the West Bengal government and Trinamul Congress are trying for a new formula to break the Singur impasse. The idea appears to be to redraw the site map of Tata motors project by leaving out multi-crop lands in three villages. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee discussed the formula with three Trinamul Congress MLAs when he called them up from Delhi on Dec. 8. The Trinamul Congress said no final decision was arrived at.



Observers say that the three villages are the most fertile in Singur and leaving them out could be a face-saving formula for both the Government and the 20-party alliance led by the Trinamul Congress. If the formula is accepted, the Tata motors project will come up in Singur, which will be a victory for the Chief Minister, but at the same time leave out multi-crop land, which is Mamata Banerjee’s key demand. The resistance to the Government’s land acquisition drive on Dec. 2 had come primarily from these three villages.



On Saturday, Mamata Banerjee took pains to deny reports that she had flatly turned down the Chief Minister’s offer of talks.





PM calls for innovative plan for development of weaker sections



Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for devising innovative plans for the minorities, particularly Muslims, so that the economic growth process becomes more equitable. Addressing the National Development Council (NDC) meeting in New Delhi on Saturday, Dec. 9, he said the minorities should be empowered to share equitably the fruits of development. They should have the first claim on resources.



The Prime Minister’s statement provoked angry reactions from the Sangh Parivar. BJP chief Rajnath Singh said it was very unfortunate and appalling. RSS leader Ram Madhav said it was precisely the language used by Pakistan founder Mohd. Ali Jinnah before the partition. Prime Minister’s media adviser Sanjaya Baru later clarified that Dr. Manmohan Singh had referred to the development of all minorities, and scheduled castes and tribes.