INDIA: Disturbed or Discriminated <http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-ART-129-2013> ? By Anjuman Ara Begum
The extension of 'disturbed area' status for north eastern states since 1955, and thereby the activation and extension of emergency laws, has been but a routine administrative exercise for the union government. The legacy was upheld this year. The union has again extended the 'disturbed area' status of Assam for another six month period, with effect from 4 November 2013. Despite such back door declarations of emergency laws, India continues to claim internationally that there is no situation of armed conflict in the country. The reverse brain drain: why NRIs are returning to India <http://tinyurl.com/lzhd9uo> The rediscovery of India <http://tinyurl.com/m94bbsf> Is diversity an excuse for disunity? CNN's Fareed Zakaria says Indians must embrace their common ambitions if the nation is to fulfill its tremendous potential Mizoram <http://www.indianexpress.com/news/mizorams-ministers-and-speaker-collective ly-got-3-times-richer-in-5-years/1194634/> 's ministers and speaker collectively got 3 times richer in 5 years "Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, with Rs 8.7 crore to his name, is the richest among all the ministers in the outgoing government. The four-time CM got almost four times richer since 2008." It is an open secret that ministers in India are generally corrupt. But I never realised that they would be that corrupt. Would the situation in Assam be any different? On the other hand most politicians in India believe in "Make the hey so long as the Sun shines". In fact scope for corruption is much more in states than at the Centre because most money is spent in the states. It is here that most contracts are given, most appointments are made and where roads and government buildings are built, money received for calamities is spent. When everyone knows that chances of being caught are minimum and even if one is caught the judiciary takes decades to decide and the rest of the society takes it as normal. I can understand all ministers having scope for indulging in corruption but it beats me to understand how a Speaker of the Assembly can also en mass crores of rupees! It is a frustrating idea - We are all trying to serve our motherland spending our own time and money, thereby indirectly helping the politicians to loot the treasury instead of rebuilding the country. Wahid Saleh The Netherlands _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
