NEWSNOTES TREMOR TOO SOON ( Minister takes on Digvijay

HE first tremors of the Rao-Arjun Tfeud at the Centre were expected in Madhya Pradesh. But none thought it would come so soon. Last fortnight, JamunaDevi, the 6 5-year-old social wel- fare minister in the Digvijay Singh Government accused the chief minister of encouraging groupism in the party and among the council of ministers. "People are fed up with him," she told newsmen. Bhullar (left);and a sketch of Rajinder Her outburst assumed significance Mirdha: key figures in the drama since Devi is widely considered a sup- porter of the Shulcla brothers in the state Congress(1)while Singh is identified with I RETURN TO TERROR the group led by Arjun Singh. Devi had also submitted to the Madhya Pradesh I Mirdha9skidnapping hints at revival of Punjab militancy Congress(1) Committee President Parasram Bhardwaj , a list of documents Y all accounts, Rajinder Mirdha, the mastermind behind the kidnapping seekmg to incriminate the chief minister 52, a resident of Jaipur's Azad of Romanian diplomat Liviu Radu four for abetting inner party strife. And BMarg, was an unlikely target for years ago. Bhardwaj, an acolyte of the Shulcla terrorists. A low-profile businessman As police raided suspected hideouts brothers, lost no time in forwarding her with interests in shipping, his only of the^^^, whichislmown to have anet- charges to the highcomrnand. claim to public attention was the fact work in the states neighbouring But the chief minister's camp that he was the son of respected parlia- Punjab, the Punjab Police claimed the claims that Devi is acting more out of mentarian Ram Niwas Mirdha, who abduction was masterminded by an- personal pique than anything else. headed the Joint Parliamentary other KLF activist, Navneet Singh Sources point out that she is annoyed Committee that probed the securities Qadian. The police also claimed to have that in her own home district of Dhar, scam. Yet, last fortnight, when Mirdha made a major breakthrough in the case her main rival, Panchayat Minister failed to return from his customary by identifying key KLF activists following Pratap Singh Baghel is accorded a sta- morning walk, and a telephone call to thereportedrecovery of avideo cassette tus that she herself is denied. Said Lalit his wife subsequently confirmed that he of Bhullar's wedding. Shrivastava, the former MPCC(I) general had been abducted, allegedly by ac- Notwithstanding the successes secretary: "Bhardwaj should show the tivists of the Ichalistan LiberationForce claimed, the investigators are yet to courage to expel her from the party for (KLF), it became obvious that there was piece together the larger picture behind gross indiscipline." more 'hostage value' to Mirdha than the abduction. The absence of an up- Incidentally, it is not the first time met the eye. date on terrorist movements and a com- Devi has sought to openly embarrass Innocuous as it might have seemed, placency in anti-militancy measures the Government. Last year, she had the kidnapping reinforced fears that at- have made the search even more diffi- threatened a dharna demanding the re- tempts are on to revive militancy in cult. "Normally, the kidnappers make moval of the collector and superinten- Punjab. Intelligence sources say the ab- someone in the establishment their tar- dent of police of Dhar. And the chief duction not only points to attempts by get, " says a senior state government of- minister's supporters say she is upset terrorists to recover lost ground, it ficial. "But in this case, Ram Niwas that Singh did not accede to her request proves that they are willing to go after Mirdha has almost become a persona for a good postins for her brother who is unsuspecting targets to this end. The non grata with the Central Government a senior police officer. militants' war against the Government, following the embarrassing JPC report, But what prompted her to go on the the police say, has changed from am- and there's a BJP Government in offensive was Arjun Singh's expulsion bushes and guerrilla attacks to subtler . The terrorists would be mis- from the party. Evidently,she thought the forms, lilce coercion of civilians. taken if they expected concessions or chief minister would feel threatened Accorhng to the police, for his kid- the release of Bhullar in exchange for enough to concede a better deal in the nappers, Mirdha has good 'abduction the release of Mirdha. " Government. But she underestimated potential', thanks to his family's exten- Meanwhile, family sources say the the chief minister's resolve. "Those who sive connections. His wife is the grand- abduction has "shocked and per- do not have confidence in their leader daughter of former Punjab Speaker turbed" the senior Mirdha, who refuses should reconsider their continuance in Joginder Singh Mann. The kidnappers to go on record. According to officials, the Government," said Singh. Aslced if have demanded the release of a key KLF the MP is being kept informed of the de- she would resign Devi however coun- activist, Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, velopments. The negotiation, they add, 1 tered: "I will not, because that is what alias Deepalc, who was arrested on now mainly involves the terrorists he wants me to do." As in , the win- January 19 following his extradition and the Centre. I ners andlosersdnot be decideduntil at from Germany. Bhullar reportedly was -Y. GHIMIRE and R. VINAYAK least mid-March. -N.K. SINGH

MARCH 15.1995 TODAY