Raju’s dharm-sankat
HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju on Friday found himself in an “awkward” situation in the Rajya Sabha when the TDP members protesting against proposed creation of Telangana asked him to join them in Well of the House. Raju was about to table a HRD-related amendment Bill on NIT when CM Ramesh and S Chowdhary jumped into the Well carrying placards: “Save Andhra Pradesh” and “We want united Andhra Pradesh”. But the HRD Minister rejected their request with a simple smile. A TDP MP said they approached Raju many times to join the democratic protest, but every time has shied away from being seen with us.
Sibal’s practice
The heat generated by the AAP has unnerved many career politicians in Delhi, including law Minister Kapil Sibal. Not for nothing, a senior BJP leader, also a noted Supreme Court lawyer recently quipped that Sibal, who has not been practicing for long, will soon get opportunity to devote his “full time” to his practice in the apex court
Democratic Upper House
The ruckus over Telangana statehood and plight of Tamil fishermen disrupted proceedings in the Rajya Sabha for three consecutive days last week leading to several adjournments. The anti-Telengana MPs kept raising placards right in front of the Chair blocking faces of Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari and Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien. At one point of time, Ansari said disruptions in the House will now on be reflected in the record of proceedings. But when business was being transacted on Friday, TDP, AIADMK and DMK members questioned as how the Chair can conduct the proceedings when members were raising slogans. Kurien, who was in the Chair, quipped “As if I have to do something against democracyIJ”
Few of law
The new anti-rape law has created a fear psychosis among law enforcers, including IPS officers. In their bid to guard themselves against possible frivolous allegation, some of the police and security officials, especially those with public dealings, have begun installing CCTV cameras inside their office rooms. CCTV cameras are usually installed at vantage points of office buildings to keep surveillance on those entering the premises. Women organisations are happy with the move as such cameras will not only help the police officials from bogus complaints, but will also ensure safety of women in police stations and other such buildings. Cases of harassment of women inside police stations have also been reported from time to time.
No more, says Antony
Defence Minister AK Antony is little interested in heading the coveted Ministry. While addressing a news conference after inaugurating the international Defence exhibition Def Expo last week, when he was asked if he would like to continue as Defence Minister as he has already created a record of heading this Ministry for the last eight years, Antony was quick to respond “no, it is enough”.
Troubling questions
After ASI’s abortive search for the fabled 1,000 tonnes of gold buried in a fort in a UP’s Daundiya Kheda village turned futile, the Union Culture Ministry has been asked to do lot of explanation in the ensuing Parliament Session. Several questions are lined up to know ‘why’ and ‘whose’ order the digging was carried out and how much money was misused in the drama which drew global attention.
Moily’s moves
Environment Minister Veerappa Moily seems to keep the green lobby perpetually guessing about his next move. Just when the environmentalists were hammering him for indiscriminate clearances granted to industries, he surprised them by decision to create an Eco sensitive zone around Tadoba Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He surprised them once again by staying away from two hi-profile international environmental summits in the Capital organised by FICCI and TERI. “He is turning out to be so unpredictable with his sudden decisions. It is hard to know what he will do and when,” remarked a baffled environmentalist.
NHAI’s woes
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is at war with a private developer for holding construction work for more than two years on Panipat-Jalandhar Highway, a crucial stretch of NH-1 that leads to the Pakistan border. The NHAI had hoped to take control of the project after an order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to do so and levy `67 crore fine on the developer, but the latter preempted the takeover by approaching the Supreme Court. Now, the NHAI has written to the Ministry to intervene as developer Soma-Isolux has done little to implement the project, which it bagged in 2008 itself.