| Published on 22-10-2007 In National | | Viewed 2241 times | Written by N.D.Sharma | | Fratricidal wars in Madhya Pradesh, not just among politicians |
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Madhya Pradesh is presenting a strange spectacle these days, with almost everyone arraigned against everyone else. The ruling BJP and the opposition Congress are understandably hostile against each other. But that is the case even within both the BJP and the Congress, with leaders in both parties fighting fratricidal wars. The Lokayukta and the Chief Information Commissioner of the State are at loggerheads with each other while the Lokayukta and the Assembly Speaker are having their own separate bout.
Chief Information Commissioner P.P.Tiwari slammed Lokayukta Ripusudan Dayal for trying to influence his decision in a Right to Information case and said that Dayal's action amounted to a contempt of court for which he (Tiwari) might proceed against the former Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court.
Dayal's first reaction was to do a bit of loud thinking, in the presence of a selected group of media persons, about the Chief Information Commissioner. His take was that the CIC was playing into the hands of the Shivraj Singh Chauhan government, which was feeling threatened by the investigations undertaken by the Lokayukta organisation. Later, the Lokayukta served on Tiwari a notice for contempt of court, accusing the latter of forging his (Dayal's) signature on an order sheet which, the notice says, amounts to scandalising the institution of the Lokayukta.
Meanwhile, the Lokayukta has moved a petition in the Madhya Pradesh High Court against a government notification, issued at the instance of the State Information Commission, bringing the Lokayukta organisation under the purview of the Right to Information Act. Some applicants had sought, invoking the RTI, information about the antecedents of an investigation officer of the Lokayukta organisation as well as the TA/DA received by Dayal. Appeals against the refusal of the Information Officers (under the RTI Act) to part with the information sought were pending with the State Information Commission which seemed to be the bone of contention between the two constitutional authorities.
Assembly Speaker Ishwardas Rohani has issued notice of a breach of privilege of the Assembly to Lokayukta Dayal and five officials of the Lokayukta organisation. The Lokayukta had earlier taken up for investigation a two-year-old complaint alleging bungling in some construction works on the premises of the Assembly building and had issued notices to some functionaries of the Assembly secretariat.
Four MLAs, three of the BJP and one of the JD (U), submitted to the Speaker notices of a breach of privilege against Ripusudan Dayal and others on the plea that the Lokayukta had infringed upon the privilege of the House by starting an investigation into the construction works on the Assembly premises and issuing notices to the Assembly secretariat officials without taking prior permission from the Speaker. "It is an unforgivable crime that an agency, created by the Assembly, should start investigation of the works on the Assembly premises itself", says Lavkesh Singh, one of the three BJP MLAs in his notice.
Most of the Congress leaders had for long been associated with the cooperative sector which is now considered "corruption sector". Minister of Cooperatives Gopal Bhargava ordered inquiries against those (Congress leaders) who had allegedly misused cooperative societies for increasing their personal assets. Some of the inquiries have been completed. Bhargava is not, however, unduly interested in prosecuting the culprits and sending them to jail. He seems to be having in mind, another, more down-to-earth, use of these inquiry reports.
Bhargava was, for instance, involved in an unsavoury controversy for presiding over a function where "raee" dance was held.
Congress leader Manak Agrawal demanded Bhargava's resignation for patronising a vulgar and obscene dance and demeaning the womanhood. Another Congress leader Brajmohan Shrivastava promptly issued a statement claiming that "raee" was a traditional dance of Bundelkhand and represented the cultural heritage of the region and that there was nothing vulgar or obscene in the dance. Shrivastava was for several years the chairman of the cooperative Super Bazaar in New Market of Bhopal and had been accused of misappropriating around Rs 12 crore. After Manak Agrawal's attack on him, Bhargava was said to have called Shrivastava, shown him the inquiry report and given him the statement for signing.
Jamuna Devi's complaint to Lokayukta about the alleged corrupt practices of chief minister Chauhan and his wife Sadhna Singh has gladdened the hearts of some of Chauhan's cabinet colleagues. They were seen making hush-hush queries from their friends in the media about the seriousness of Jamuna Devi's complaint. They have never been able to reconcile to Chauhan having been made the chief minister in spite of his complete lack of experience of working in a government. In their private circles, they deride what they call Chauhan's gimmicks in the name of governance. Each one of them aspires to replace Chauhan when (and if) he goes.
Chauhan, however, fears only one member of his cabinet: Minister of Commercial Taxes Babulal Gaur. Like Chauhan's other detractors, Gaur has not been able to understand why he was removed and Chauhan made chief minister in November 2005.
When he was divested of Industry and Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster portfolios, Gaur complained to the top party leaders in Delhi and was reportedly assured by them that his coveted departments would be restored to him. Chauhan, apparently prodded by the top BJP leaders, rushed to Gaur's house to assure him of early restoration of the portfolios to him. When months elapsed and nothing happened, Gaur went public and accused Chauhan of not honouring his promise.
Even as Gaur was gloating over Jamuna Devi's complaint against Chauhan and his wife, the Bhopal media splashed a story (attributed to unidentified sources) that Gaur's daughter-in-law Krishna Gaur was also guilty of the same offence as Sadhna Singh. Krishna Gaur had, so goes the story, purchased three trucks and got them registered at the Rewa RTO on October 5,2005 (Babulal Gaur was then chief minister). Krishna Gaur had given her wrong residential address (JP Nagar) as Sadhna Singh had done. Krishna's trucks, too, had been leased out to JP Associates.
Jamuna Devi had, in her capacity as Leader of Opposition, called a meeting of senior Congress leaders to discuss the draft of no-confidence motion against the Chauhan government she proposes to move in the next session of the Assembly. To his utter chagrin, Subhash Yadav was not invited though he is president of the State Congress and also an MLA.
After the day's agenda was over, former chief minister Digvijay Singh suggested taking out "Jana Jagaran" (public awakening) rallies from all parts of the State to counter the BJP's "Vikas Yatras" now going on and expose the BJP's claims of Vikas or development. The suggestion was approved by those present. However, Subhash Yadav declared that he, as the PCC chief, was not permitting the rallies, as he did not consider the time was ripe for such rallies. Yadav has an aversion for both Jamuna Devi and Digvijay Singh. The sentiment is fully reciprocated by the two. |
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