Date:29/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/29/stories/2005122906871200.htm

National

Centre stepmotherly, says Modi

Arunkumar Bhatt

It is "sitting on" Gujarat law to curb organised crime

MUMBAI: Gujarat and Jharkhand Chief Ministers Narendra Modi and Arjun Munda on Wednesday complained that the United Progressive Alliance Government was discriminating against the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled States.

The Centre was `sitting tight' on Gujarat's law, formulated on the lines of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, though the Assembly had passed it two years ago, Mr. Modi told the BJP silver jubilee convention here.

The State, very close to Mumbai and sharing a land border with Pakistan, badly needed the law to check organised crime and terrorism. Gangs committing crimes in other States were trying to hide themselves in Gujarat.

His was the first State, which had set up a 2,200-km gas grid, but he feared that hurdles would be put to its getting gas from Andhra Pradesh.

"Delaying queries"

Mr. Munda said the Union Government was raising unnecessary queries to delay Jharkhand's schemes and deny Central funding. He alleged that New Delhi had stalled even World Bank-aided projects.