Dimple Yadav Makes A Point

THE SAMAJWADI PARTY’S (SP) main speaker in the discussion on the Budget in Lok Sabha was Dimple Yadav rather than any other seasoned party hand, including husband and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. The choice was interesting as Dimple switched between Hindi and English as she criticised the government for not doing enough for agriculture and particularly for lack of development work in Uttar Pradesh (UP). All of this is, of course, par for the course. But she ended her speech on a relatively accommodative note, saying that while mistakes of the past years of NDA rule at the Centre cannot be undone, it would be possible to achieve “reformatory and evolutionary” outcomes if the government “behaved responsibly” and worked in a dedicated manner. “Reformative and evolutionary changes can come in the country even after 11 years. But dedication and concentration are required from the government. Nothing can alter the past but responsible behaviour by the government. I am not playing a blame-game here. I am saying responsible behaviour is the behaviour in which [sic] we are responding to the present situation. And if the government plays [sic] a responsible behaviour, then formative changes can come in the country,” she said in English. The emphasis was deliberate as Dimple read the conclusion of her speech from a paper on her desk. Akhilesh’s presence along with other SP MPs and the choice of the messenger made Dimple’s speech—possibly one of her longest—worth noting. It clearly differed from the aggressive, angry and confrontationist tone of Congress leaders led by Rahul Gandhi and while it made all the points that SP would want to underscore, including a mention of the problem of stray cattle in UP, it was mildly delivered. It would be quite inaccurate to conclude that SP is not going to be combative towards BJP. But the soft signal and contrast it offered with Congress and other Opposition parties like TMC or DMK could not be missed.

Upgraded Rail Kavach

THERE IS WELCOME news regarding railway safety, an issue that has gained salience in the light of train accidents in the last six months, including one this week that claimed a couple of lives. In a briefing held to inform the media about the details of allocations in the railway budget for various states, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the latest and most comprehensive version of Kavach 4.0 has received final approval from railway authorities responsible for safety measures. The updated Kavach system is compatible with all of India’s geographical regions with variations in hill, coastal, plains, forested and desert terrains. Vaishnaw explained that the indigenisation of the system was taken up after Modi 1.0 assumed office and the task was challenging as India has a much bigger railway system as compared to most countries. The installation of Kavach is not only time-consuming but also complex. Fibre optic cables have to be set out along the tracks as also RFID nodes every 5-6km and specialised capabilities in stations as well as a device that is installed in engines. The Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), responsible for assessing safety features, has given its green signal for the new and improved Kavach, which would have features that compare favourably with similar equipment used in Western countries. The process of implementation will, however, still take some time, but will hopefully cover the entire railway system and substantially reduce risks due to system failure and human error.

Delhi’s Power Games

THE APPORTIONING OF blame for the tragic deaths of three students at a coaching centre in Delhi due to flooding of a basement has again obscured the question as to who is responsible for various services in the capital. While the AAP government has blamed the lieutenant governor on various counts, he returned the compliment, stating that the accident only underlined the state government’s governance failings. An examination of the issue shows that the building was given an NOC by the fire service, but this was with regard to fire hazards and did not account for likely flooding. The coaching centre violated conditions by using the basement as a library instead of storage. The fact is that lack of drainage due to poor conditions of drains and rampant encroachment are causing flooding in the city. The first aspect lies with the municipal corporation of Delhi under AAP’s control and the second is due to the permissive attitude towards shanties that dot the city. The increasing number of encroachments is a major impediment to the flow of water and the situation is aggravated by the rising instances of high-intensity rainfall.

Woes of Karnataka Congress

A MEETING OF CONGRESS leaders from Karnataka with the party’s central functionaries assumed importance in the wake of two corruption allegations that have held public attention in the state. The Maharishi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation (Valmiki Corporation) scam has led to shocking seizures of gold and cash from the accused. Former minister B Nagendra has been arrested in the case which allegedly involves misappropriation of ₹185 crore. The state government’s problems are compounded by the fact that the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) controversy, involving the allotment of residential sites to the wife of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in lieu of acquiring other land that belonged to her, has also hit the headlines. The chief minister has said there is no illegality and MUDA allotted the sites as it had made a mistake in acquiring land from his wife. He also said the sites do not attract provisions that restrict transfers of lands belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. But the cases have become part of the discussion on Congress failing to do well in Karnataka during the Lok Sabha election despite having convincingly ousted the BJP government in the state just a few months earlier. Simmering under the surface are the claims of the DK Shivakumar camp that the deputy chief minister was assured of an exchange of baton halfway through the government’s term. Though the BJP-NDA tally fell by six seats, the alliance still won 19, the same as BJP had in 2019. Worryingly for Congress, the BJP-JD(S) combine worked well, with a consolidation of Vokkaliga votes for NDA. The ugly controversy over JD(S) leader
Prajwal Revanna does not seem to have hurt NDA much. The JD(S) decision to ally with BJP matched the preference of a significant section of Gowdas for Modi and foiled Congress. Now, once again, various factions are at work within Congress, with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who hails from Karnataka, being a key factor.

Arvind KejriwalAshwini VaishnawBudget 2024Dimple YadavIndian parilamentIndian politicsSamajwadi PartySiddaramaiah