When Rahul waited
Rahul Gandhi has been generally stickler for schedule when it comes to addressing his occasional special media briefings. But last week when he decided to talk to media along with his party’s Chief Ministers, he was late by 45 minutes inviting protests from the journalists. When Rahul entered the conference room, the correspondents/cameramen complained about his late coming to which he duly apologised. Being No. 2 in the party, little did Rahul realise that his own CMs would make him wait and that too by almost by an hour. “What can I do, even I was waiting for them (the CMs) to arrive here. They made me wait. My apologies again,” Rahul said.
SC’s Year of Exodus
The year 2014 is expected to witness a spate of appointments in the Supreme Court with 10 out of existing 29 judges superannuating. The next year will also witness the rare phenomenon of three CJI pressing over the apex court. The incumbent CJI
P Sathasivam will retire in April next year. His successor, Justice RM lodha will be the next CJI and pass the baton to Justice Hl Dattu in September 2014. Grapevine has it that the present CJI favours bringing more women judges to the highest court since the tenure of the two serving lady judges — Justices Gyan Sudha Mishra and Ranjana Desai — will come to an end next year.
Media phobia
With the CBI headquarters equipped with close circuit television cameras and visitors register at the reception recording entry of people, officials are reluctant to meet journos and divulge information relating to sensitive cases. CBI Director Ranjit Sinha is said to be particular about leakage of information and a number of officials have been served memos for selective ‘leaks’. CCTV footage and reception registers are scanned after appearance of any adverse reports. At CBI functions, officials even avoid being seen with reporters as long as Sinha was present.
Silence of the left
Quick to come out with detail comments on major political developments, the left parties are keeping complete silence on the formation of AAP Government in Delhi with the support of Congress. The party’s ever thinking leaders are believed to be trapped ideologically after this development. Approaching the AAP to join the left’s chimerical Third Front is still
pending as a proposition before the leaders of CPI(M) and CPI.
Unwanted chamchas
At a meeting of the BJP’s campaign committee, party’s PM candidate Narendra Modi set a deadline for leaders to collect iron pieces from farmers across the country to be molded into the Statue of Unity being erected at Gujarat. A BJP leader said, “Good idea sir, we should also collect spoon and bowl from urban areas.” Modi immediately responded, “Hume chamacho ki jaroorat nahi hai.”
Back breaking
After a hiatus of nearly two-and-half-years, the Environment Ministry is suddenly teeming with activities. For the new Minister Veerappa Moily, who is also the Petroleum Minister, the mantra is “there is space for everything... be it petroleum, environment, wildlife, forest... etc.” And for the babus, who are shaken from their prolonged stupor, the change means burning midnight oil to meet the new Minister’s priorities. One of them remarked, “for the Minister, there may be space for everything, but his breakneck speed to keep pace with the coming general elections, has become back breaking for us.”