Ahead of 2014 elections A & N Islands witness sweeping changes in all political equations
Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, July 08: Nearly two years ahead of 2014 elections the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are witnessing a political tsunami. The arrests of high profile quarry owners have triggered unrest in many segments of local society. With four more arrest yesterday in explosive seizure case, the total number of arrest have gone up to 23, many of these arrested person are high profile businessmen and prominent citizen of these Islands.
Now the question is whether this political tsunami will devastate the entire Congress Party or clear the path for many within the Congress Party? Will BJP play to the gallery or will go for another hit-wicket?
The Bharatiya Janta Party, which should have enchased maximum support from this situation by saying that most of the arrested persons are supporters of Congress party, is actually planning to stand behind the quarry owners, for reasons unknown.
“We are not going to take political advantage of this situation. Our point is that most of the arrested persons are actually very reputed and well respected individual of Andaman society and it is unfair to treat them like terrorists,” Mr. R Mohan the President of A & N State BJP unit told Andaman Sheekha today.
Mohan is planning to call a meeting of BJP senior members on Tuesday or Wednesday to chalk out further course of action.
“We are planning to conduct an all party meeting and launch a joint agitation demanding Administration to solve the quarry material crisis,” Mr. Mohan added.
Here Andaman Chamber of Commerce has already conducted an Executive Committee meeting on Saturday morning, in which it has been decided that on Tuesday a meeting of all Associations (Including all business Associations, Tamil Sangam, Kanada Sangam etc) of A & N Islands will be held to chalk out ACCI’s future course of action in this issue. The ACCI may also call an all party meeting.
“People will be the ultimate sufferers. If situation goes like this, tomorrow general public will have to pay more than Rs. 24,000 or above for each truck load of stone chips. We can’t buy construction material, we can’t but timber from Chatham, where would common man go?” questions Mr. G Bhasker the President of Andaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Like always Congress Party is again silent in this regard but the under current in the party is clearly visible, which could cause irreparable damage to the party. There are many within the party, who are waiting for the right time to play ‘Tamil Card’ and cause damage to the party.
2014 elections are nearly two years away but all contenders of the Islands’ Lok Sabha Seat have already started warm up exercise. No doubt the quarry issue has the power to change all political equations of these Islands as the quarry owners are said to be financing the local business since last several decades.
