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Political Notes

	July 02, 2007

ARC recommends scrapping of Armed Forces Act



The Second Administrative Reforms Commission headed by Veerappa Moily has proposed giving sweeping powers to the Centre for the deployment of forces in case of breakdown of public order in states, but called for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958. The recommendation is contained in its fifth report submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on June 25.



There have been demands for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from several quarters in the past. The Centre has already agreed to review its implementation in Jammu and Kashmir following a persistent demand from the PDP. The Army, has however, opposed the demand saying modification could be considered in certain aspects.



There is also a demand for revocation of the Act from several groups in the North East.



Defence Minister A.K. Antony has ruled out total repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, but said that the Army and his Ministry were not against amendments to the law to make it more humane.



The ARC has called for a new law empowering the CBI to investigate federal crimes like terrorism and organised mafia.





CPI(M) to distance itself from the Congress



There are reports that the CPI(M) will discuss with other Left parties on how to distance themselves from the Congress-led UPA government keeping in mind the next general elections, once the presidential and vice presidential polls are over. CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, talking to newspersons in New Delhi on June 26, said, “the CPI(M) will discuss policy issues with other Left parties and finalise the direction our relations with UPA would take in the coming days.” Karat was speaking after the central committee meeting of the party. The committee endorsed the politburo decision to suspend Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achhuthanandan and party state secretary P. Vijayan from the politburo. They were suspended for indulging in a war of words against each other in the public and through the media.





Fake stamp paper mastermind jailed for 13 years



A special court constituted under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, has sentence the mastermind of the multi-crore rupee stamp paper scam, Abdul Karim Telgi to 13 years rigorous imprisonment and an aggregate fine of over Rs. 252 crores, perhaps the highest fine imposed in the country’s judicial history. The special court judge Chitra Bhedi pronounced the sentence on Thursday, June 28, after, in a sudden change of stance, Telgi pleaded guilty.



Bhedi said that it was the minimum punishment that was being imposed on Telgi despite the loss he caused to the national exchequer worth hundreds of crores of rupees. The judge said, “the minimum punishment is being given in the wake of your repentance, ill-health and voluntarily pleading guilty. This is the only relief you can get in view of the offences committed by you.”



Judge Bhedi sentenced 42 other accused to one to six years of imprisonment and also imposed fines of Rs. 5 lakh each. The accused had voluntarily pleaded guilty before the judge on June 27.



Naxals kill eight in Bihar



A group of Naxalites attacked a police station and an outpost in Bihar’s Rohtas district on June 30, killing five policemen and three others. The rebels also looted a huge cache of arms and ammunition.



Nearly 250 CPI(Maoist) rebels swooped down on Rajpur police station and Baghaila outpost and killed five policemen, a chowkidar and two civilians, and looted four self-loading rifles, eight 303 rifles, two INSAS rifles and three carbines, besides hundreds of rounds of ammunition.



Eight others, including four policemen were injured in the attack.



Before retreating, the naxalites blew up the building of the police station and outpost using dynamites the police said, adding, it charred the bodies of two victims beyond recognition.



The attack comes close on the heels of the two-day economic blockade by the banned outfit from June 26 against the “neo-liberal” policies of the Centre, including creation of Special Economic Zones and alleged torture of their comrades in police custody.