Swamy and RSS
The voluminous files Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy carry to courts to argue his various cases, are marked — RSS— on the top right side in bold letters. When some advocates asked if the files were shown to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Swamy took pleasure in explaining that RSS stood for his wife — Roxna Subramanian Swamy.
Radia let off
When controversial lobbyist Nira Radia landed in 2G special court for cross-examination by defence last week, everyone expected lot of firework. The investigators and prosecutors were apprehensive that Radia’s examination may last at least a week. But the entire exercise was over in less than 90 minutes. Key accused A Raja and Kanimozhi told the court they didn’t want to cross-examine her. Radia was subjected to some “easy” questions and allowed to go. An advocate quipped, “No one wanted Radia to open her mouth.”
Milking Railgate
A photocopy shop at the Patiala House courts is raking in the moolah by selling the chargesheet and transcripts of the tapped conversations of former Railway Minister Pawan Bansal’s nephew embroiled in the railway bribery scandal. The shop owner is charging Rs 7,000 for the chargesheet and the transcripts to the television news channel journos.
Jinxed office
The post of secretary in the Medical Council of India (MCI) continues to be mired in the controversy. RP Meena, an IPS officer, whose appointment to the post in April had sparked a row, has resigned to rejoin the Union Health Ministry. Prior to him, Sanjay Srivastava had quit the hot seat abruptly. His predecessor, Sangeeta Sharma too had quit in March 2012 from the statutory body that monitors medical colleges, affiliates new medical institutions and registers doctors.
Favour seekers warned
Faced with the long list of recommendations from the VIPs, MlAs and MPs in service matters relating to its employees, the CPWD has decided to crack a whip on the staff using such tactics to get out-of-turn favours from the agency. It has threatened to bring note of such acts under the ‘Confidential Report’ dossier of the erring officials.
First mistake
BJP top brass kept the entire media guessing for nearly 24 hours about the composition of sub-committees under Narendra Modi-headed campaign panel. The party did not address the media after its July 18 Parliamentary Board meeting amid source-based reports of dispute over formation of the bodies. Finally a Press conference was scheduled for 6.30 pm on July 19. When Ananth Kumar reached for the briefing around 7.20 pm, journalists welcomed him with a thunderous clapping. “I am never late for briefing. This is my first mistake. You have a big heart. Forgive me this time,” Kumar quipped.
Banar Sena
The report about “infighting” in the BJP over formation of sub-campaign committees has troubled the leadership for the last one month. A BJP spokesman explained: “There had been instances of fighting in the Banar Sena. We have seen Bali and Sugriv fighting. But, in the last, it was Ravana who got defeated.”
Jayanthi’s plight
There seems to be no respite for the green Minister, Jayanthi Natarajan. Just when she had managed to settle the issue with Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan over Mumbai-Goa highway passing through a bird sanctuary in Raigad, she faces trouble from Union Tribal Affairs Minister Kishore Chandra Deo. In a recent Press conference, Deo said that the forest clearance given to Mahan coalfields in Madhya Pradesh was a case of exploitation of the tribal people and called it a criminal offense. His supporters went to the extent of claiming it was a case of Niyamgiri (Odisha) in the making!
Birthday gift
Army chief General Bikram Singh got the best birthday gift last week when Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) cleared the long pending proposal to raise a mountain strike corps to counter China. The nod for the critical project came two days before Singh’s birthday on Friday.
Dinner diplomacy
Dinner diplomacy by China was at its best during Defence Minister AK Antony’s visit to Beijing earlier this month. Hosting a banquet in his honour, the Chinese had a lavish spread of dishes — including pulao and paranthas — to suit the Indian delegation’s palate. The hosts also announced they had tried to cook pulao and paranthas the Indian way and should be excused for any shortcomings. Though a frugal eater, Antony opted to try out the Chinese dishes rather than the Indian cuisine and his entourage also followed suit.
Retiring with Pain
Post-retirement, former CJI Altamas Kabir wants to return to Kolkata to spend time with his grandchildren. last week, on his day of retirement, his wife Minna, who was seated in a corner inside the courtroom talked about their plans to leave Delhi, a city which in her view had no heart. “Here people do not say what they mean,” she said. little did she know that few minutes later, her husband would be visited with similar allegation over his controversial judgement quashing the common medical/dental test.
Renuka’s ire
With the Congress giving indication of creating Telangana soon, party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury appears deeply unhappy. Renuka has been a vocal opponent of Telangana despite the fact that her constituency Khammam falls in the region. The source of her ire was speculation Khammam may be divided under the formula being considered for bifurcation of the State. While she refused to divulge who was behind such rumour, it is understood that pro-Telangana leaders of the Congress wanted Khammam divided to punish Renuka for opposing the cause of separate State.
Raju’s woes
HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju who just returned from cool climes of Australia and New Zealand is facing the heat from his home State, Andhra Pradesh. Although he has received frantic emails from all parts of country over the controversial percentile system in IIT Entrance, the maximum emails have been generated from students and guardians from AP. With the bureaucracy at HRD Ministry — Raju’s PS, OSDs and Under Secretary dealing with IIT too hailing from the Telugu belt — Raju has reason to hope that the matter will be resolved soon.