“Cabinet to meet tomorrow evening in the Ordinance issue” ( ST Bill?)

Hillman the analyst, KalimNews, Kalimpong, 24 October 2013: While just having switched on the local cable TV, in Kalimpong, at 6.30 pm on 23 Oct20‘13 there was a recurring flash of the news, as per the title, “Cabinet to meet tomorrow evening in the Ordinance issue” seemed important enough, as it was flashed at the bottom of every change of the news item. 

The fact that the Cabinet was meeting on some aspect related to an Ordinance, struck a bell in the mind, suggesting probably it concerns the Ordinance on ST Bill 2013 which was bypassed by the Rajya Sabha on 14 March ’13 under pressure by the Opposition. This writer had already deliberated on this issue in an article pending uploading in site by the fact that the internet connection was down. However hope the article will be uploaded along with this present one just being dictated. If at all the news is related to the Ordinance on the ST Bill 2013, which is distinctly possible, then this write up far exceeds the importance of the exhaustive article already written but yet to be uploaded.

It is fairly certain to believe that the Ordinance for which the Cabinet has called a meeting ‘tomorrow’ (24 Oct ’13 evening, could very well be in reference to the Ordinance on the ST Bill 2013 which was waylaid by the opposition, despite the origination of the Bill was a direct Order from the Supreme Court. Considering this precedential recognition the Bill in question originated in the house of justice, the Supreme Court of India, to suggest the govt. introduce the Bill with an eye towards the 2014 general elections is a lame excuse for sending the Bill to the standing committee for further discussion and report.

After all since the items of the Bill seem to be related to well researched recommendations of various commission/s instituted by the respective state Govt./s and chaired by eminent ethnologist Prof. B.K.Roy Burman (CRESP) 2008 and A.C.Sinha Committee (2005) both reported in the concern in the State of Sikkim. Therefore considering this preliminary undertaking ascertaining the inclusion of various hill tribes in Sikkim in matter of social justice and empowerment, is a very important and relevant issue. Which certainly deserves the attention of the central govt. to consider it as an Ordinance for early implementation in order not to deprive the recommended tribes since the issue had been pending for decades (Censuses 1941 – 2011) i.e. for over seven decades is certainly a matter of immense concern. Whether the opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha are aware of this past neglect or not, but this discrimination can easily be ascertained by the fact Census 1931 was based on ethnology whereas the intervening years in decadal successive Censuses 1941 – 2001 was based on language or the mother tongue of the population, which misunderstanding, misplaced the tribes though unintentionally, in having been recorded as non tribes.

At least this seems to be the reason for the Cabinet to call a meeting concerning the issue of the Ordinance – perceived to be the ST Bill 2013.

The ST Bill 2013 presented by the Centre as an Ordinance has far reaching consequences particularly related to the Constitution in considering the two legal demands for the creation of Telangana (Andhra Pradesh) and Gorkhaland (West Bengal). Regarding these matters this writer has already referred them in numerous articles and deliberated discussions in the respective sites. At this moment of time what is intended to be delivered to the readers is to depart information that the referred meeting of the Cabinet tomorrow (24 Oct ’13) evening certainly could very well be the issue on the ST Bill 2013.

Surely this could not be in reference to the other Ordinance pending before the President of India on the issue of disqualifying members of Parliament who are indicted by the courts for acts of criminality and as such disenfranchised for contesting parliamentary elections.

Whether the people are hearing these things or not is another question, concerned as much as they can be, are not aware of the Constitution in regard to new state formations. They are urged to read more about this subject and familiarize themselves about the programs of the Fifth Schedule which contents still remain preserved even after the state of Gorkhaland is created. This it seems, happens to be the purported intention of the Cabinet in calling a meeting as above on the ST Bill 2013?

All these indications are factorally enlightening to consider the state of Gorkhaland is certainly on the anvil. Had the Rajya Sabha not shuttled the ST Bill to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on 14 March 2013, the Tripartite meeting scheduled in Delhi on 23 Oct ’13 would certainly have contained the good message to the hill peoples of Darjeeling & Dooars, would have been assured with the promise of creating the state of Gorkhaland.