Why Always Violence Trigger Massive Economic Packages From Govt

By Shantanu Nandan Sharma & Masood Hussain

Former Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga was upset when insurgency-hit Northeast states were getting all the attention and money from New Delhi, leaving the peaceful pockets of the region imploring for the Centre’s largesse.

The man, who himself fought an armed struggle before joining politics and eventually becoming the chief minister, lobbied hard to convince the Central government that Mizoram should be granted a special bonus for maintaining peace.

The rationale behind the peace bonus is straight and simple: New Delhi has not spent a single penny in counter-insurgency operations in the state since 1986 when Mizo National Front guerrillas including Zoramthanga laid down arms. No wonder, both Mizoram and Sikkim eventually received some grants, which came to be known as peace bonus.

As the Centre is now planning yet another economic package for J&K after the recent spell of turbulence, and the Planning Commission is giving the finishing touch to a development package for Naxal-hit areas, Zoramthanga’s straight talk a decade ago is relevant even now.

Why should violence always trigger the announcement of massive economic packages by the Centre?

If unemployment is an issue in many a backward state including J&K, why did Centre wait for a home-grown violence to erupt before announcing the appointment of a high-powered panel to come out with a formula to address the state’s rising unemployment problem?

The panel headed by Dr C Rangarajan, chairman of Economic Advisory Council to PM includes India Inc veterans such as founder of Infosys Technologies NR Narayana Murthy and Tarun Das.

Ashwani Kumar, the Congress leader and former minister of state for industries, defends the Centre’s policy of announcing economic packages for conflict-ridden states arguing that such moves help in emotional integration of the people of those areas with the rest of the country.

“Discontentment of people in some states sometime leads to violent expression of despair.

Under these circumstances, any responsive government is duty bound to hold out hope for such less developed regions,” he says.

The doling out of big-ticket economic packages mainly in conflict-ridden areas of the country has become a standard formula for New Delhi’s carrot and stick policy. But the announcement of such packages is not always followed by their proper implementation.

In J&K, for example, Rs 10,000 crore package announced during Rajiv Gandhi’s time remained mostly in paper. HD Deve Gowda’s Rs 6,100 cr Northeast package announced in 1996 was later enhanced by his successor IK Gujral.

In 1998, Atal Bihari Vajpayee came out with a fresh Northeast package of Rs 10,217 cr, leaving many critics to argue that these packages were nothing more than the amalgamation of the ongoing projects in the region.

The doling out of packages for insurgency-infested areas has continued during the current decade too. Vajpayee’s two J&K packages in 2002 and 2003, followed by Manmohan Singh’s whopping Rs 24,000 cr package for Kashmir have reiterated the fact that such an initiative is nothing but a standard ploy to arrest discontentment and alienation of people living in backward and conflict-ridden areas.

“I am not surprised that the Centre is working out a development package for Naxal-hit areas.

The development activities must take place simultaneously with security interventions,” says Vishwa Ranjan, a senior police officer in the state of Chhattisgarh.

Yet, there has always been a concern of lack of implementation of big-ticket packages. Also, many of the task force reports like that of Shukla commission recommendations for Northeast, have gathered dust. C Rangarajan-headed task force on development of J&K, for instance, recommended projects worth Rs 8,302 cr in 2006. Later, he suggested a series of projects worth Rs 7,949 crore in April 2007.

Many in the valley have now questioned whether Rangarajan’s new job creation panel would deliver anything when many of his earlier suggestions have not been implemented as yet.

J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah has said in various forums that Kashmir is not an economic issue but a pure political one.

“The issue of Kashmir needs to be addressed politically,” he says. Here comes the question—what more could be conceded when a certain degree of political autonomy is already given.

But does that mean more resources be given to those areas which are trouble-torn?

Or will not it ultimately encourage peace loving people to resort to violence just to claim their dues.

The Centre needs to muster the art of tightrope walking while favoring the violent pockets of the country vis-à-vis those who have begun to claim peace bonus.

Assam Still Battling Over Politics in Identity

Barpeta, Aug 15 : Twenty-five years after the Assam Accord was singed, people of the region still caught in the politics of identity. They are struggling to be recognised as Indian citizens.

The Assam Movement was launched and subsequently the Accord was signed 25 years ago.

On July 21: a memorandum submitted against the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the Barpeta district of Assam turned violent. The All Assam Minority Students Union (AASU) was opposing the NRC survey. But the protest like this is only part of a long history in Assam.



Locals in Assam fear that illegal migrants will be marked as genuine citizens, while the genuine citizens will be harassed and hounded out from their very own motherland. It's this fear that political groups are taking advantage of and has turned into a political blame game. The fear of identity probably has been used by some people, to instigate violence and create confusion among the people of Assam.

25 years back, after a long agitation the Assam Accord was signed. The Accord promised to mark people from Bangladesh, who cross over to India after March 25, 1971 without permission, as illegal migrants. So far, only 43,000 foreigners been identified and 2,000 people have been deported.

Inside Barpeta, a local resident, Brindaban Rajbonshi is living in fear. He showed his bonafide refugee card, which belongs to 1950, when he had crossed over. Like many, he is clueless why he has now been marked as a doubtful voter.

"Why will I be called doubtful voter? I am an Indian citizen", said an old resident, Brindaban Rajbonshi.

"Old residents have been marked doubtful. Things have gone topsy-turvy in the list", said another local resident.

The demography of Assam has changed as the porous border with Bangladesh let in a stream of people. Against the continuous influx of illegal migrants there is anger among many groups in Assam.

"The Government of India and the government of Assam have shown their disrespect towards the non-violent movement and towards the national commitment. So we have only one way left to fight against illegal migration that is 'Satyagarha' to protect the identity of indigenous residents of Assam and to protect Indian citizens residing in Assam, " said Advisor of AASU Samujjwal Bhattacharjee.

"This influx needs to be stopped. Or else in 10 years someone from Bangladesh will be the chief minister of Assam" said activist Bhattacharjee.

Without any definition of an Assamese even after 25 years of the Assam Accord or no consensus on the method of updating list of citizens, it is an issue that will again dominate the election campaign in 2011.

People Defy I-Day Boycott Call in Northeast

Guwahati, Aug 15 : Thousands of people across the restive northeast Sunday defied a shutdown called by separatists and attended India's Independence Day celebrations while the chief ministers urged the rebels groups to come for talks.

'We are happy indeed to see people rejecting calls by some militant groups to boycott the celebrations and coming out in large numbers to attend the national day function,' acting Assam Chief Minister Bhumidhar Barman said soon after unfurling the national flag at a celebration here.

Barman is officiating as chief minister in the absence of Tarun Gogoi, who is recuperating in Mumbai after three heart surgeries earlier this month.

'Despite attempts by militants to stage violent attacks, our security forces managed to foil their designs with the active support and cooperation of the people,' Barman said.

Five guerrilla groups in India's northeast called a 17-hour general strike Sunday to boycott the Independence Day celebrations.

The militant groups include the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), the Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), fighting for a separate homeland comprising parts of Assam and West Bengal, the Manipur People's Liberation Front (MPLF)-- an umbrella group of several Manipuri rebel groups, and the Tripura People's Democratic Front (TPDF).

These groups are active in Assam, Manipur and Tripura. As part of their boycott call Aug 15, the militant groups called for a general strike from 1.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Sunday.

'There is an open defiance to the boycott call in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur. People participated in large numbers in the celebrations,' an official said.

Militant groups in the northeast have for years boycotted national events to protest New Delhi's rule over the region.

'Violence is not an answer to any of the problems. We once again appeal to groups like ULFA and the NDFB to come for peace talks,' Barman said in his Independence Day speech in Guwahati.

The chief ministers of Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura also appealed to rebel groups to come for peace talks with the government.

'Our doors for talks with militant groups are open. Problems can be resolved through negotiations and not through the barrel of the gun,' Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said.

There are some 30 rebel groups operating in the region, with demands ranging from secession to greater autonomy and the right to self-determination.

From Guns to Guitars This Independence Day

Shillong, Aug 14 : Once they use to speak the language of guns. Now they have chosen the strings of guitar to send across their message.

While six militant groups have called for a boycott of the Independence Day celebrations in the Northeast, one outfit, currently under ceasefire, is organizing a rock concert for peace to mark the day.

The Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC), under ceasefire since 2004, has organized the rock concert at Tura, the district headquarter town of West Garo Hills in Meghalaya tomorrow.

Ironically, another rebel group of Meghalaya, Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has called for a 36-hour bandh the same day.

In previous years, the bandh called by HNLC has been affecting the Khasi-Jaintia districts.ANVC spokesman Torik K Marak said the concert will start at 3 pm at the district auditorium.

"Five prominent bands of Tura will perform, including some members of the outfit," he said."ANVC is not into violence. Our objective is to focus on peace in Garo hills. We are very serious about the peace talks with the government," Marak said from Tura.

The district administration is supporting the initiative."They (ANVC) have ceased all operations against the state. They came up with this idea. We have all reasons to support them," district commissioner Sanjay Goyal told PTI adding that the initiative would send a positive signal to the people and create an atmosphere of faith.

"It is a welcome gesture by the ANVC but sadly enough it does not percolate down to the HNLC''s head," observed S B Kakati, the State Director General of Police (DGP).

The rebel group, the ban on which had expired in November, 2008, has around 175 cadres.

Formed in December 1995, the ANVC had entered into a tripartite ceasefire agreement on July 23, 2004, which has been extended every three months.

There have been two rounds of talks with the interlocutor so far. Earlier in March, ANVC had a meeting with Centre's interlocutor P C Haldar in Shillong over their demand for a separate Garoland Territorial Council, an autonomous body for all the three districts of Garo Hills East, West and South on the lines of Bodoland Territorial Council in Assam.

They have been insisting on this council after dropping their demands for a separate Garoland state.

Miss Universe Body Paint Photos Slammed By Fox News

Fox411 has slammed Miss Universe, saying the competition has "sunk to a new low" after some contestants posed topless for a promotional photo shoot. As Courtney Friel exclaims, they "even used body paint like the Playboy Bunnies!" Check out Fox's report below and see what Miss USA Rima Fakih had to say about the pics. Here's some of the photos: Miss Trinidad & Tobago:

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Miss USA:

Mizoram Sees Rapid Land Degradation Due to Jhum Cultivation

Aizawl, Aug 14 : Mizoram has experienced land degradation at an alarming rate owing to the destructive slash-and-burn system of cultivation.

Mizoram Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC) has identified a total of 20.64 per cent of Mizoram as degraded land, which scientists said is alarming.

The findings stated that 28.18 per cent of Mizoram's geographical area was identified as temporary wasteland, project director of the Mizoram Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC) RK Lallianthanga said here today.

The reports in 2003 had identified 21.21 per cent of the state as wasteland and the rate of increase was alarming, according to MRSAC, he said.

Dr Lallianthanga said four reports being completed by the MRSAC prepared through remote sensing pictures had been handed over to development departments under the state government.

The reports prepared in collaboration with the Shillong-based North East Space Application Centre, the National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad, and Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad, were Wasteland Mapping, Land Degradation Mapping, Land-use Cover Mapping and Wasteland Inventory Assessment, he said.

The bamboo cover in Mizoram was 45.57 per cent, while actual dense forest cover was only 7.29 per cent and area covered under jhumming activities was around 47.4 per cent annually. The wetland area, rivers, lakes and ponds, were a mere 0.66 per cent, extremely small compared to the plain areas.

Mizoram to Follow Nagaland Footsteps

Aizawl, Aug 14 : A Mizoram study team on communitisation of the public institution/service in Nagaland today submitted its report to Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.

The report which ran into 67 pages, gave details of the study team's findings during its weeklong tour of Nagaland to study the actual operating mechanism of communitisation of public service and district level planning in Nagaland.

The study team comprised leader Joseph Lalhimpuia, MLA and vice chairman of High Powered Committee 'Lunglei' (HPC 'L') L Colney, former Nagaland chief secretary Lalchhuanawma Hrahsel chief planning officer, HPC 'L' and Dr Lalrinchhana, senior research officer, planning department.

The study team was impressed by the successful implementation of the Nagaland' communitisation scheme which evolved out of a quest to improve public delivery system.
The team found that the communitisation programme under which village council was highly empowered, witnessed tremendous impact in health, water and sanitation, power and education sectors where the scheme was implemented.

''The participation of community in the planning led to judicious utilisation of fund for infrastructure development,'' the report stated.

In education sector, there has been a marked improvement in the percentage of school dropouts, teachers attendance, the quantity and quality of food for mid-day meal scheme after the entire responsibility of elementary education management was handed over to Village Education Committees (VEC) and ward education committees (WEC), the report said.

Over 3 Lakh Indian Patients Get Free HIV Treatment

New Delhi, Aug 14 : India is providing over three lakh patients free HIV treatment at 281 centres spread across the country, parliament was informed Friday.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi said that the government is already providing free first line treatment to HIV patients since April 2004.

"At present, a total of 335,232 patients are receiving free ART (antiretroviral therapy) at 281 centres as on June 2010," he said.

While 312,451 adults are getting this therapy, about 20,302 children are on ART, he added.
About 78,592 people - 73,394 adults and 5,198 children - are receiving the free drug in Maharashtra - the highest number in the country.

It is followed by Andhra Pradesh where 71, 769 people - 67,976 adults and 3,793 children - are getting the treatment.

The others are Karnataka (44,017), Tamil Nadu (44,493), Uttar Pradesh (12,163), Delhi (7,875), Rajasthan (7,464), Manipur (5,754) and Orissa (2,503).