After Assam, Manipur on the Edge now

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Lokmat Exclusive story

After Assam, Manipur on the Edge now

Permits for non-Manipuris who came after 1951

Modi in a Bind, Najma worried

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Aug. 24

After Assam, its Manipur on the edge, thanks to the Manipur People's Bill passed by the BJP-ruled government proposing to shut the doors who came after 1951. If the cut-off date in the case of Assam was 1971, Manipur went a step further by fixing 1951 for being declared as natives. Rest of them will have to go back or seek special entry permits.

The Bill has put the Modi government in a bind and a worried Governor Najma Heptulla rushed to Delhi last week to apprise the Centre of the gravity of the situation. The Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, who cobbled a majority to form the government, insisted that the bill be cleared without delay.

Najma Heptulla called on the Prime Minister and held detailed discussion on the worrisome situation in Manipur. What transpired between the two is not immediately known. But the Centre cautioned her to take her own time in deciding the issue. Najma Heptulla returned to Imphal and has decided to “sit-over” the bill.

The Manipur People's Bill pending with the Governor proposed that all those who came to Manipur after 1951 will not be considered as native and will lose the right to vote and own property and settle. This has affected not only the illegal immigrants from Bangla Desh, but also thousands of businessmen and workers who went there during the 60s and 70s to set up businesses from Mumbai, West Bengal, Rajasthan and played a key role in the development of the state.

A senior official in the Union Home Ministry said that “The Manipur People's Bill is like an old wine in new bottle”. The State had passed a similar bill under the nomenclature of Protection of Manipur People’s Bill which was withdrawn and emerged in a new form to regulate the entry of “outsiders” on lines of the British-era regulatory regime.

The BJP-ruled state government was unwilling to consider the plea that Manipur was given statehood in January 1972 and therefore, the cut off date should be 1971 and not 1951. But it buckled under the pressure of dominant Meities community. Interestingly, there there is no National Register of Citizens of 1951 in Manipur. When asked “How will they prove the natives” of 1951, the Chief Minister had no answer.

As per the new provision, all non-Manipuris will have to register themselves within one month of the notification of the law. They will be issued a pass extendable up to six months to stay within the state territory. While those who have trade licences can get a pass extendable up to five years, which will have to be renewed every year. Any outsider visiting Manipur would need a pass for entry. The Chief Minister has conveyed to the party high command that the law will help the BJP to grab both Lok Sabha seats to the party and majority in the Assembly due to the support of the dominant community.

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“Old is Gold” in BJP, once again

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

“Old is Gold” in BJP, once again

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Nov. 2

After dumping party veterans to fend for themselves or dispatching some of them as governors, there is a sudden re-think in the BJP towards the 75 years old leaders. In a complete U-turn, the BJP announced Prem Kumar Dhumal as its Chief Ministerial face in Himachal Pradesh virtually at the fag end of the campaigning when he is set to turn 74 years shortly. As if this was not enough, the BJP president, Amit Shah, discarded the age-bar principle in Karnataka as well when he flagged off the “Nav Karnataka Parivarthana Yatra” today with B S Yedurappa. Interestingly, Yedurappa will turn 75 years January next and the Assembly polls will be held in May 2018. Yadurappa has been entrusted with the task of taking the state-wide padyatra. The 3-month long padyatra will be concluded by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But Yedi's elevation as party's face is a clear indication that the old leader is back in favour and lead the party from the front. 

The elevation of these two veteran leaders as chief ministerial face in their respective states is a complete reversal of declared policy of Prime Minister Modi and BJP leadership. Only recently, the leadership sent packing Gujrat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel once she turned 75 years old. Though she was virtually having a running battle with Amit Shah. But she survived as Modi was lending his support to her. However, the day she turned 75, the age-bar clause set in and she quit. Rather, she chose to write an open letter to Shah saying that she is quitting as she has turned 75 years.

But the age-bar rule is passe now with the announcement of Dhumal as BJP's CM face and B S Yedurappa in toe in Karnataka. The development has raised hopes of a large number of party veterans who are sitting members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as they have been forced to cool their heels. Veterans like L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, have been inducted into the Margdarshak Mandal of the party which has not even met once in past 42 months of NDA-II rule. Dr Joshi told Lokmat that not a single meeting of the Mandal has been held. There are at least 12 sitting Mps who are above 75 years of age in the party and they all had played a key role in building the party from the scratch. They have not been given any work in the party either if it was decided that they won't be inducted as ministers. So much so that some of the sitting ministers of the union government were made to resign which included Najma Heptulla and Kalraj Mishra. But the rule has been broken as there is a re-think on this score in the party. It is found that the rule cannot work in a democratic set up unless workers and leaders are geared up to accept it. Yashwant Sinha's tirade against the leadership that “we all have been declared brain dead” had played some role in the re-think.

A senior Rajya Sabha member of the BJP who is over 75 years, said, “The party must find out some alternative mechanism how to utilize the services 75 years old leaders as they have done only party work throughout their life. They do not know anything.”

It seems that all 75 years leaders won't be treated with the same yardstick in the party henceforth. The “Old is gold” now.

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All eyes on Gujrat’s three RS seats

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Special report

All eyes on Gujrat’s three RS seats

Anandiben Patel Vice President contender ?

  

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, March 31

  

The Capital is agog with intense speculation that BJP president Amit Shah and Anandiben Patel, former Gujrat Chief Minister may quit as MLA after the Presidential polls due to be held in July this year.

Since MLAs in states along with MPs constitute electorate college for the Presidential polls, both have chosen to stay put. But the moment presidential poll is over, they will quit. Interestingly, both will have their own reasons to quit their respective seats in the Gujrat Assembly.

Highly placed sources close to the BJP president say that Amit Shah will prefer to come to the Rajya Sabha in August when biennial polls for three RS seats will be held in Gujrat. BJP’s Smriti Irani, Union Textiles Minister, and Dilipbhai Pandya ill be completing their six year terms as MPs from Gujrat. Ahmad Patel of the Congress will also complete his term in the Rajya Sabha. Given the composition of the State Assembly, the BJP will be able to retain its two seats while the Congress will get one seat easily.

While Amit Shah coming to the Rajya Sabha is considered a foregone conclusion, it’s the second seat that has led to intense political speculation within the party. While a section of the BJP says that Anandiben Patel may be brought in Rajya Sabha for the second seat and get a Cabinet berth and Smriti Irani may move to UP to occupy the seat to be vacated by Manohar Parrikar who is now Chief Minister Goa. Parrikar is Rajya Sabha MP from UP at present.

But what has caused enormous interest in political circles is the talk that Anandiben Patel may even be brought in as Vice President of India. The BJP and NDA have a clear majority to get its own candidate elected as Vice President. Though various names are being mentioned for the post including that of M Venkiah Naidu, Minister for Urban Development, Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Speaker of the Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan, Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gahlot, P Sadasivam, former Chief Justice of India and Governor of Kerala and others. But Anandben Patel’s claim to the post is stronger compared to others, these sources say.

She was removed as Chief Minister and has been cooling her heels quietly for long. She herself is a Patidar and was considered to PM Modi who anointed her as his successor in Gujrat. Since Gujrat Assembly polls will be round the corner, her elevation will help the BJP during the elections as well.

PMO plays tough, another min gets jolt

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Exclusive Report

A Cabinet minister is normally entitled to appoint 15 officers including PS, OSD and those on other ranks. Since Chaudhary Birender Singh holds the charge of three more departments, he can appoint a personal staff of 28 persons.

 Birender Singh loses two OSDs

￭ New transfer policy for private secretaries too

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Nov 22: 

The Prime Minister's Office continues to play tough when it comes to hiring the private secretaries (PS) or Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) or personal staff of the ministers in the government. Even after 18 months into the office, the ministers in the NDA government are still struggling to find personal staff "acceptable" to the PMO. 

The latest shocker came to Union rural development minister Chaudhary Birender Singh who was told by the PMO that the appointments of two OSDs cannot be approved. Incidentally, one of the two OSDs was functioning in with the minister for the past 10 months. His file was sent for approval to the PMO immediately after being appointed 10 months ago. But the PMO rejected it now. Since he is a retired IRS officer, he was drawing his pension and doesn't suffer financially. But the other OSD is an advocate and politically close to the minister.

A Cabinet minister is normally entitled to appoint 15 officers including PS, OSD and those on other ranks. Since Chaudhary Birender Singh holds the charge of three more departments, he can appoint a personal staff of 28 persons. Birender Singh was reportedly upset with the decision and reported to have taken up the issue with the PMO as well. But to no avail. It may be mentioned that even Union home minister Rajnath Singh, HRD minister Smriti Irani, minority affairs minister Najma Heptualla, consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan and a couple of others were not allowed to retain the officers of their choice. Rajnath Singh's officer was repatriated prematurely while Smriti Irani's OSD was given marching orders after he worked for 10 months.

A highly placed source in the PMO explained that the appointment of private persons in the ministerial staff is closely scrutinized at various levels in the revenue, home, IB, RAW & other departments. The ministers may appoint some of their favourites in their personal staff. But certain persons are not found fit after the inquiry and proposals are rejected. 

The PMO had conveyed to the ministers last year that no sanction will be granted to the person for appointment if he had worked during the UPA regime or for that matter in the United Front governments. Earlier, even lower rank staff members were not allowed to join. But this rule was relaxed.

Even on Friday last (November 20), the Department of Personnel under the PMO issued fresh guidelines with regard to Rotational Transfer Policy (RTP) for private secretaries belonging to the Central Secretariat Services. The PMO wants that duration of PS' working in various ministries and departments be for a fixed tenure and they must be rotated. The continuance of an officer for a longer duration in the same ministry and the same department is not considered appropriate by the present dispensation. All departments have been directed to submit details by the end of this month about such private secretaries working with them.