When Winter Comes Calling!
Au Revoir Lt Gen A K Singh, Welcome Prof. Jagdish
Mukhi
By Zubair Ahmed
Setting aside all differences and prejudices, like a
seasoned politician, who accepts defeat with dignity and victory with humility,
its time for a balanced and impartial look at the emerging situation in the Islands after the recent change in guard.
Unlike Delhi with frequent skirmishes
between the elected government and nominated Lt Governor, Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a different ball game altogether. With
the Lt Governor as the Administrator and head of the territory with all powers
vested upon him, the Member of Parliament is an ornamental post! And to be
precise, the elected MP is like the frustrated caged fox squirrel scuttling
around appearing quite busy, but flicking its tail furiously when it can't get
at the nuts.
After Vakkom Purushotham, the Islands
have not seen any seasoned politician as its Administrator. For a long span of time, the Islands
were governed by retired army generals as Administrators. Some of them were
good at administration, but failed miserably in governance. Many of them whiled
away their time. But things did change with Lt Gen A K Singh. He did prove to
be a good administrator with an ear to the ground. In a short span of time,
many projects which had been lying dormant were revived. Many projects
fructified especially in the field of education, health and aviation. These
were not without opposition or its share of criticism. And some of the achievements
as well as criticism were indeed blown out of proportion too. The criticism was not always out of place. A
major share of it he inherited from Mr Anand Prakash, the Chief Secretary, who followed
the ancient 'divide and rule' policy.
Despite all these, Lt Gen A K Singh doggedly pursued the
projects at all levels and could materialize it. The Commissariat Nallah Dam,
Multipurpose Indoor Stadium, Medical
College
Meanwhile, he also drew flak for taking sides, showing
favours and ignoring genuine voices. Shifting the project ANCOL from rural
South Andaman to Port Blair despite objections and displeasure of many
stakeholders was just one of them. While his focus on improving air
connectivity is widely appreciated, neglect of the shipping sector with majority
of vessels remaining non-operational during the last three years effecting
services to Southern group and Middle and North Andaman cannot be ignored.
Despite various long term and short term plans drawn after an extensive audit
of transmission and distribution of power, the situation has worsened with
frequent power cuts and interruptions.
On the social front, awareness about many social issues
like alcoholism and suicide did get attention through seminars and setting up
of committees, but nothing percolated to the grass-root level bringing any changes
on the ground with sale of alcohol and suicide increasing manifold. He did try
to bring some positive changes, but the system could not cope up with his pace.
Reconciliation had been always his forte. The bickering of
Bishnu Pada Ray at various platforms including Lok Sabha could not get on the
nerves of A K Singh, who maintained a dignified image in the public. Bishnu
held Adalats where he sought the support of people to raise voice against the
Lieutenant Governor to get him out mid-way. Sense prevailed and the Home
Ministry took cognizance only after his stipulated term was over. AK Singh too
invoked all gods in every heaven for furthering his stay is not a secret. The subtle
turnaround by AK Singh from UPA to NDA only made things difficult for the MP. On
the contrary, Vishal Jolly played the role of a ruling party.
In the last eight years, Islands
witnessed two scenarios with Bishnu Pada Ray as the constant and three LGs as
variables. First, it was UPA at the
centre with UPA appointed LGs with BJP MP, Second, NDA at Centre with UPA
appointed LG and BJP MP in the Islands . In
both cases, Bishnu, the constant had been at loggerheads, either with Centre or
with the LG. And, he broadly blamed the scenarios for his helplessness.
And now Bishnu cannot ask for more, and blame anybody.
Everything seems to be falling into place with the third scenario - NDA at the
Centre and both MP and LG from BJP! Its a rare combination and will be
interesting to watch how this arrangement functions, rather how Bishnu Pada Ray
gets to perform as a Member of Parliament without pointing fingers. Till now, despite
increased visibility in the House and raising vital issues, the output has been
negligible. With upsetting the whole administrative setup, he could not achieve
anything even in the village he adopted under the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram
Yojana. He had the LG to blame for all the failures. Was LG the impediment? Or
the system itself where the role of MP is limited? With change in guard and the
crescendo of the accompanied euphoria reaching higher and higher, it might look
promising only if our MP could get his election manifesto translated into
action. Many lost promises need to be
reminded. Retention of tsunami affected land by the farmers is just one among
them.
With a seasoned politician with ample experience as MLA
and minister especially from Delhi , Prof Jagdish Mukhi, the appointed LG, realizes
the constraints of an UT, and its right time for BJP as a party to push for a
democratic setup for the Islands . With ample
exposure of the way of bureaucrats especially DANICs and AGMUT cadre, he knows
the dynamics of the system very well. But, the priorities of an Island territory needs to be spelled out very well. An Island territory cannot forget its lifeline - the
shipping sector.
Alcoholism is one social scourge which needs immediate
attention. A territory with less than half a million population consumed more
than 5 million litres of liquor last year. There is a need to push for complete
ban on liquor and arrest the downward trend in the socio-economic condition of
the Islanders. The ecology and tribes give the Islands
its distinctive identity, which cannot be overlooked in all developmental initiatives.
The good things that happened under the leadership of A K
Singh needs to continue. The institutions and initiatives have to be sustained.
While setting new goals, old projects like undersea OFC cable shouldn't be put
to backburner. Moreover, maturity needs to prevail with people and institutions
not targeted for their allegiances and affiliations.
When the King changes, the King's Guard and the King's
Hand at King's Landing shouldn't turn whisperers.
While appreciating the good work, recourses and
reorientations wherever required needs to be done.
As an Islander, we must realize our fate that we are going
to confront such situations every three years. Strangeness breeds alienation
and skepticism. Hope is the only
constant that can take us through forward. Au revoir Lt Gen A K Singh! Lets
welcome our new Administrator Prof Jagdish Mukhi.
