HONOUR KILLINGS EVOKE FEEBLE PROTESTS
Will an ordinance help arrest social wildcat behaviour? Taunted by the sudden spurt in honour killings in the Capital, the denizens of New Delhi are waking up to the fact that it is a phenomenon that extends beyond the wilder parts of rural North India. The deaths in more than eight cases in the last few months in Delhi have created a media-feeding frenzy. Whether the numbers are rising on account of copycat murders or not are not clear, but local authorities are jumpy.
As usual it is the dominant pressure of deaths in and around the Capital that is churning the news and seems to be determining the enthusiasm of government reactions. What is worse is that there is a sense that under the guise of social norms, political stalwarts are often unable to take a stand against the big issue. Even so-called urbane young MPs like Naveen Jindal, caught in this brutal crossfire have had to side with the khaps on account of political considerations. Given the initial police reports in the Capital, these castes and sectarian impulses are still very strong among the middle class city dwellers. This could also impact other young MPs, even those with non-rural constituencies. Perhaps that is why their sounds of protests on the human tragedy and this throwback to medieval practices are rather muted. The murders are escalating even as the feeble protests are getting drowned in multiple voices.
The Cabinet may have to step in because of weak-willed politicians. Given that North India and now NRIs too are affected by a wave of honour killings and caste murders; neither any ordinance nor mere policing will work against the sweeping moral sanctions that the khaps have newly acquired.
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'RAHUL, TIE THE KNOT'
While Rahul Gandhi was celebrating his 40th birthday in Europe with a few close friends and even though Mayawati was busy renaming the “family constituency” Amethi, Mahila Congress leaders in Uttar Pradesh were getting impatient to make him end his bachelorhood.
In this Mahila brigade had a new slogan - “Rahul, tie the knot”. This was seen in the Capital, merely as an attempt to be one-up in celebrating the leader’s birthday. Cakes from 40 kilos to 40 pounds in different shapes and sizes were cut to celebrate.
A deputation of Mahila Congress leaders is even seeking an appointment with Mrs Gandhi to persuade her son to tie the knot at the earliest. They promise to hold gala celebrations to make the event memorable. The major reason for all this now is that Varun Gandhi, his younger cousin, is getting married. Varun’s wedding date has been fixed on December 11, 2010.
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NAC RECRUITMENT DRIVE
Now that the National Advisory Council (NAC) is getting set for their next meeting in early July, staff recruitment is at an overdrive. The former rural development secretary Rita Sharma has been appointed as NAC secretary.
The joint secretary is going to be an Andhra Pradesh’s IAS officer with 35 more people forming the new NAC secretariat. The budget for initial expenses is Rs 35 lakh.
CVs with performance reports of the past five years now are pouring into the NAC. To be on deputation with the prestigious NAC, a large number of officials seem willing to move quickly.
The last meeting headed by Sonia Gandhi has already convinced the Manmohan Singh’s government to review the ongoing flagship programmes. The NAC’s comments are also seriously considered inputs into the ongoing work on food security bill. But clearly there is more to come.
The secretariat of the NAC had to have it all ready to tackle the early July second meeting of Sonia’s think tank.
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