Opinion The POSCO posse

The minister has promised to hasten the submission of the Meena Gupta fact-finding committee report by the end of September,but “one can understand that when such are the views of the minister,the Gupta committee,rather than being the fact-finding committee,more likely may be intended to provide justification to give a go-ahead to the presently stayed Posco project,” it says. It also alleges that powerful lobbying is on to give a clean chit to Posco.

Kashmir’s sensitivities

Advocating “maximum autonomy” for Jammu and Kashmir and autonomy for its three regions — Jammu,Kashmir and Ladakh — CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat has taken a view that the UPA government should spell out a framework for a political dialogue,which should involve all sections. This,he feels,will be possible only if there are no preconditions set for the dialogue by any side.

In an article in party mouthpiece People’s Democracy,Karat — who recently visited the state — claims that the way the Central government and the state government have handled the situation is truly appalling and that there was a sense of total alienation and deep anger against the Indian state.

He says that no distinction has been made between tackling mass protests by young people,most of them teenagers,and operations against the militants and terrorist violence. “In incident after incident,the central paramilitary forces have resorted to firing on stone pelting crowds… If such brutal methods had been adopted in any other part of the country,there would have been an uproar and outrage.”

He feels it is wrong to characterise these protests as the handiwork of the LeT and other extremist groups,as the outpouring of anger and the intensity of protests are marked by a self-propelling momentum. “To miss this and to see it as an engineered movement will only lead to further blunders in handling the situation,” he says.

Karat was of the view that the administration should immediately put a halt to the use of police firing as a means to curb protests. He also pitches for curbing of the “draconian powers” conferred by the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA),release of all juveniles held in jails and initiating a credible probe into all charges of police excesses.

Striking out

Both New Age and People’s Democracy carry reports about the forthcoming general strike called by central trade unions. The lead article in the CPI mouthpiece says that the strike presents a historic opportunity to act unitedly against the “pernicious” economic policies of the government,which are hurting the working class.

It mention the participation of Congress’s trade union arm INTUC in the strike,pointing out that this was the first time in the last 63 years that INTUC was joining a strike called by central trade unions.

Illegal mining

In the context of the illegal mining controversy,the lead editorial in People’s Democracy seeks nationalisation of all mineral resources and a simultaneous ban on export of mineral resources.

It says that those who wish to use our mineral resources are welcome to set up production facilities in our country,thus adding value on our soil and providing employment to our people. Our mineral wealth will thus expand our productive capacity. This wealth cannot be allowed to be exported to other countries in order to increase their productive capacities at our cost.”

Referring to cases of illegal mining and mentioning the Reddy brothers of Bellary,it says that illegal mining has implications that go beyond the domain of violation of the law and pecuniary gain. It talks about “collateral damage”, including the impact on the environment,soil fertility and agricultural productivity. “This is not all. The collateral damage extends to negatively influencing our polity and democracy. The ill-earned money through illegal mining is vastly influencing the politics and government formations in various states of the country with Karnataka being the most glaring example… Further,the mapping of the areas of growing Maoist violence clearly shows that these are areas that are rich in mineral deposits.”

Compiled by Manoj C.G.