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Political Notes |
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Punjab Chief Minister under cloud over Khalistan issue
A controversy has arisen over the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at a Canadian Gurudwara (Sikh temple), known for being a hub of separatists. What is more Capt. Amarinder Singh made his speech right in front of the banner of Khalistan Zindabad in the backdrop.
The Chief Minister later clarified that he made only a 15-minute unscheduled visit to the Gurudwara on a last minute request from local Sikhs. He claimed that he had no notion that there was a Khalistan banner on the wall behind him as he stood addressing the devotees. Photographs of the function published in newspapers, however, show that the banner was quite prominently displayed and could not have been missed normally.
In a related development, the Chief Minister has asserted that there is no revival of terrorism in Punjab. Addressing the media in Chandigarh, Capt. Amarinder Singh said that the recent arrest of certain Babbar Khalsa activists should not be interpreted a reemergence of terrorism.
Punjab Police in the meantime claim to have achieved a major success in neutralising terrorist elements who had recently become active in the border state. They claim to have unearthed several new terrorist cells leading to the arrest of 24 persons belonging to the outlawed Babbar Khalsa.
Punjab Police have set up a special task force in all 17 districts of the state to get to the root of the Babbar Khalsa network.
Sonia Gandhi calls Rajasthan firing as barbaric
Congress president Sonia Gandhi has termed the police firing on farmers at Tonk, in Rajasthan, earlier this month as a barbarous act. Five farmers were killed in the incident and several injured. Sonia Gandhi visited Tonk on June 23 to console the families of the five victims of the June 13 incident. The farmers were demonstrating against water shortage when they were fired upon by the police. Sonia Gandhi gave Rs. 2,00,000/- each to the families of those killed and Rs. 10,000 each to the eleven injured.
Maharashtra Governor returns Ordinance
The Congress-led Government in Maharashtra received a jolt last week when Governor S.M. Krishna returned the controversial ordinance banning dance bars in the state. He said the matter did not merit immediate attention and the better course would be for the State Government to get the Bill passed by the legislature. Clearance for the dance bar ordinance had become a prestige issue for the state Government, especially Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil who announced the ban on moral grounds during the March session of the legislature. Patil claimed that dance bars were corrupting youth. Despite reservations in certain sections of the Government, the Ordinance was cleared by the State cabinet and sent to the Governor for his approval on June 2.
Patna High Court rejects Lalu Yadav’s plea
The Patna High Court has dismissed the petitions of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi seeking the quashing of charges framed against them in the disproportionate assets case. The CBI has framed charges against the duo under the Prevention of Corruption Act for amassing assets worth over Rs. 46 lakhs by corrupt, dubious and questionable means. Reports say that Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi may challenge the decision in the Supreme Court.
Making judges accountable
The newly-drafted Judges (Inquiry) Bill, 2005 is a welcome step in making the higher judiciary more accountable. At present, investigation against a judge can begin only after a motion addressed to the President of India is signed by at least 100 members of the Lok Sabha or 50 members of the Rajya Sabha. The new Bill seeks to set up an institutional mechanism to probe complaints against judges before Parliament takes up impeachment proceedings. The Bill proposes setting up of a National Judicial Council to investigate complaints of corruption against the higher judiciary.
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