Raipur, October 26, 2010
Terrorism and naxalism are major threats to the democracy and we need a joint effort to eradicate these problems. The words were expressed by Chief Minister Raman Singh during the first plenary session of 4th India and Asia Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) at Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday.
“Democracy has resulted in a world economy which is free, arguably fair and widely accepted. The prevalent free economy has raised hopes but has left some areas unaddressed. For the past half a century the world has become acquainted with and slowly subjected to a new phenomenon of terrorism that has posed major challenge to the Asian countries including India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Middle-east and down south in the Korean peninsula,” Singh said.
“India, due to its convenient geographical location, is easily subjected to intrusion of terrorists from all sides, even from sea! Continuous vigil of thousands and thousands of kilometers of coast-line and land borders on all sides with Pakistan, China, Bangladesh and Nepal is a supremely difficult task. Despite our best efforts, terrorists are able to enter from neighbouring countries and create havoc in our country on and off,” he said.
“Terrorism has exacted a heavy price. The valuable resources are being harnessed to curb terrorism and consequently these resources are not available for positive developmental works. Fight against poverty, illiteracy, mal-nutrition has also not found the acceleration it actually requires,” Singh added.
“We in Chhattisgarh have our troubles with what is another form of terrorism, i.e. naxalism. On November 4, 2004, our Prime Minister had expressed his views in a seminar of Police personnel that the tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh in south, to Uttar Pradesh in North, and West Bengal in East are prone to Left inspired terrorism. The PM too considers naxalism as the single biggest problem that is posing threat to our internal security,” Singh said.
“Naxalism was born out of an armed rebellion of farmers in naxalbari in 1967 in Northern part of West Bengal. Subsequently, many of the armed rebels from Telangana region of our bordering state Andhra Pradesh, took shelter in Bastar after unsuccessful revolt there. The vast forest range spread over an area of forty thousand sq kms where innocent tribal reside proved to be a safe haven. From here, the links of Left fundamentalists with the people of South Bastar were established,” he said.
“We in Chhattisgarh, have observed closely the adverse propaganda aired by naxals and tried to bring forth their reality before the people. Their refrain of an ongoing class struggle, exploitation and atrocities has been punctured. The truth is, where they have concentrated all their strength in South Bastar there are neither landlord nor landless farmers. Rich and poor tribals live together alike. Their livelihood is based on forest and their own committees purchase the minor forest produce. They share the profit thus earned. Major part of the area being covered with forests, no-one can ever imagine big farmers living there. You can well imagine that where there is no industrialization the bitterness between employers-labourers can hardly arise?” he asked.
“False rumours of atrocities by police force are spread whereas the availability of police stations as well as the force is very low as compared with national average. By bringing the reference of SEZ, they want to capture the land of poor tribal farmers. We have consciously made no SEZs in Bastar. Thus there is no question of land acquisition because it is not possible to do either farming or run an industry simultaneously in this verdant area covered by Forest laws which prohibit tree felling,” he said.
“As a goodwill gesture we have withdrawn thousands of pending cases filed against the tribals for violation of Forest Rights, related to water, forest and land. The residents of forest regions have been handed over 2 lakh 14 thousand authority letters. Free salt, rice on low price and kerosene oil have been provided in the weekly bazaars. The public distribution system has been revamped and modernised and put forth as a model before the country. The state and central governments have started several schemes and programmes for the welfare of scheduled tribes. Still the adverse propaganda of exploitation does not seem to abate,” he said.
“It reached a point where tribals themselves have strongly countered the adverse propaganda in their own way. Despite getting threats of boycott from naxals during panchayat elections, there was polling to the extent of 80% in some areas. This is our true strength and shows the commitment of forest people of Chhattisgarh towards democracy! In spite of the fact that the naxals are averse to Panchayati Raj institutions and their representatives and do not even hesitate to kill them – the tribal belief in democracy has not been damaged. An ordinary tribal believes in resolving matters through mutual discussions because it is his custom as well as his faith. The naxals are afraid of this positive trend. During the last few occasions, whenever they have come together for restoring communal harmony, the naxal activities have increased. Naxalites consider democracy as anathema as they would like to transform the citizens into unquestioning followers,” Singh said.
“The naxalites aim to establish the supremacy of Left ideals. It is evident from their so called public gatherings that they don't have any respect for law and order. Also it is clear that they want to destroy the creative arts and right to freedom of speech from the grass-root level. For a people who consider religion to be opium of the masses and social institutions as organizations of hatred - what good can be expected? The naxalites who don't miss even a single opportunity to destroy school buildings or kick out school teachers - how can they talk of scientific progress, research or development? It is their attempt to turn the clock back to dark ages and that we are committed to oppose,” he said.
“Intellectuals and NGOs can play an effective role in tackling naxalism. People who prefer to remain away from active politics can also make that area as their workplace through religious or social engagement. The youth should be encouraged to come forward in village panchayats and councils. They should be prompted to associate with social issues in particular. The youth need to be engaged positively or they would fall prey to active naxalites propaganda,” he said.
“Tackling naxalism may not be entirely possible without active cooperation between our countries. While exchange of Intelligence and extradition treaties has their own importance, efforts should be made to strengthen the faith of people in democracy and its institutions. The democratic principles established for safeguarding human values and good governance for all, have to be preserved. All should get timely justice without any discrimination, no one should remain hungry, distressed or exploited and everyone should be encouraged to ensure their participation in democratic activities. The borders of countries should be completely sealed for criminals, masterminds and anti-democratic people while remaining open free movement of commerce and ideas,” Singh said.
DCC quashes advice to suspend corporators
Gives them seven more days to reply
For declining party instructions to refrain from voting during zone prez polls
Raipur, October 26, 2010
A day after Congress disciplinary committee recommended for suspension of party’s four corporators for casting their vote during RMC’s recently held zone president elections by declining instructions to refrain from participating in the polling, the DCC on Tuesday subjugated the panel’s advice and decided to give them seven more days to reply.
The party workers who had complained against these corporators are completely shocked by DCC president Inderchand Dhariwal’s U-turn as he had earlier hinted that none of the discipline violators would be spared.
According to information, Dhariwal had made a mindset to suspend the corporators after recommendations of disciplinary committee, but before he could announce about it publicly, the senior party leaders including the PCC president reportedly asked him to extend their notice period by a week.
The senior party leaders came into the picture when Mayor Kiranmayi Nayak reportedly met them and sought their intervention after she explained why the corporators voted for zone 6 president in spite of two independents were in the fray.
She informed the senior leaders that all the four corporators Amit Das, Samir Akhtar, Jagdish Ahuja and Lekhram Verma were dedicated party workers and would never go against the party lines.
It is further learnt that Nayak’s staunch supporters have complained to the senior leaders that Dhariwal had attempted to rig the zone 6 president poll by joining hands with the BJP corporators led by former mayor Sunil Soni.
Kashmir is India’s intact part: Upasne
BJYM stages day-long dharna under its Bharat Pratham drive
Raipur, October 26, 2010
Kashmir has always been the intact part of India and the citizens would strongly thwart the attempts of separatists to divide the nation. The words were expressed by BJP vice president Sachchidanand Upasne during the day-long dharna staged by the Bharatiya Janata Yuwa Morcha (BJYM) under its ‘save Kashmir campaign’ on Tuesday. Later, the BJYM state president Anurag Singhdeo and other members including Upasne submitted a memorandum to the Collector in this regard.
The organisation’s district units too staged dharna on Tuesday and submitted memorandums to Collectors of their receptive districts. The second phase of ‘save Kashmir campaign’ would be commenced from October 29, 2010 when more than 10,000 members of the organisation would agitate under Singhdeo’s leadership.
Upasne further said that first Bharatiya Jansangh and then BJP had always raised their voice to save Kashmir and if the adverse conditions would prevail, the party workers would again sacrifice their lives for the intactness of the country.
Singhdeo asked when the BJYM was trying to unite the nation, why the Congress had posed indifference. “The BJYM has launched this drive in the entire country. Kashmir cannot be separated from India in spite of ulterior motives of specific group of people. Therefore, we demand from the Centre to lift section 370 of Constitution from Kashmir and keep the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in its original form without amendment,” he said.
“We further demand that the displaced Kashmiri pandits should be properly rehabilitated in the region and assurance of peaceful and secure life for locals,” he added.
Taking a dig at Arundhati Roy’s remarks on Kashmir, the BJP corporators Prafulla Vishwakarma said why the Congress-led UPA was not taking action against her when she was openly giving provocative anti-national statements and trying disturb the peace and harmony of the country.
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