Opinion Vijayan charge sheet
The editorial of the latest issue of Organiser,titled Corruption taints CPM beyond repair reads: It is not the first time the CPI(M) is facing corruption charges....
The editorial of the latest issue of Organiser,titled Corruption taints CPM beyond repair reads: It is not the first time the CPI(M) is facing corruption charges. Every CPI(M) government in Kerala and West Bengal has been charged with corruption and favouritism but they were all brushed under the carpet by an obliging media and often-friendly governments at the centre. And in most cases it was the party not individual leaders who were at the centre of corruption charges. However,this time its most prominent face in Kerala,Pinarayi Vijayan is facing a charge sheet of the CBI for criminal conspiracy in a Rs. 374 crore corruption case in the now famous SNC Lavalin contract. The CBI charge against Vijayan has not surprised anybody in Kerala,though the CPI(M) is protesting in holy horror as if the whole controversy has come as a surprise.
The editorial adds: The irregularities in the Lavalin contract first came to light when a report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General in 2006 had made some incriminating observations. The CBI inquiry was first ordered when Oomen Chandy,the UDF chief minister,was in power….There are many in the Kerala CPM who are delighted by the fact that nemesis is catching up with the discredited CPM politburo member. Vijayan as state secretary is running a parallel government in the state though the chief minister is also from his own party. With his money and muscle power,Vijayan had unleashed a reign of terror annihilating both physically and politically his opponents within the party. And because of his capacity to raise funds,and his control over the party machinery,the central leadership so far looked the other way despite serious allegations against him. Even the party chief minister is a helpless victim of his shenanigans. One thing is clear. The CPM image in the country is tarnished beyond repair as a consequence of the corruption charges against Vijayan and the central leaderships inability to act against him.
National identity cards
In an opinion piece titled People want Progress with Security and Peace, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Maj Gen (retd) B. C. Khanduri writes: Internal security is one of the most important issues agitating our minds in the current times. After the terrorist attacks on Mumbai recently it needs greater attention of the state as well as the Union government. Policies of the central government in this area need greater clarity of thought and action. Good internal security can only result from good coordination and cooperation between the Central and the state governments. The threat to internal peace flows from a misplaced interpretation of national,territorial and class interests,as seen by the disruptive elements. As is increasingly evident,any strategy to wean away the people from such activities must definitely have to be multi pronged one. Local area development,grievance redressal,employment opportunities and justice have to be ensured in order to counter disruptive forces and take confidence-building measures in the local population.
The Uttarakhand chief minister adds in the article: The National Identity Cards system must be introduced all over the country to establish the identity of the citizens,at least in a phased manner. To begin with,this should be ensured in all the border districts of different states¿ The construction of border roads of strategic importance is often hampered because of delay in environmental clearance. It is time that we have fast track mode for clearance of such roads,which are of strategic importance. At the same time,the funds required for such roads need to be suitably augmented,specially keeping in view the porous border of our state with Nepal. We would also like to reiterate that proposed Tanakpur-Jauljivi road,which is very important both from strategic point of view as well as from development perspective in remote areas which serve as a ground for illegal activities needs to be given approval at the earliest by the central government.
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