Take it easy
Marred by sharp exchanges between the Opposition and Treasury benches over the UPSC examination row, the Rajya Sabha last week had its moments of banter. As tempers ran high on both sides, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Congress) stood up to say that his shoulder hurt as he had raised his hand for ten minutes to catch Deputy Chairman P J Kurien’s attention. The Chair said raising hands is a good exercise and Roy needs it. The entire House burst out in laughter.
“Jailbird” lawyer
Appearing for Sahara chief Subrata Roy last week, senior lawyer KTS Tulsi tried to woo the court with his knowledge of American jails and claimed “he knew the in and out of it”. Tulsi said he visited the Federal Prisons in the US as a guest during its centenary celebrations and came back impressed on its upkeep, the welfare of prisoners and their custodial rights. When he claimed he had the rare honour of visiting most jails, the judges said, “So you are the most jailed senior lawyer”. Senior lawyer Harish Salve on a lighter vein suggested to give the title of “jailbird” to honour his senior colleague.
Political lessons
In Opposition, the Congress is determined to repeat the obstructionist policies played by the BJP for better part of the UPA II Tenure in the Parliament. The Congress’ game plan is all too visible in Rajya Sabha where the Opposition enjoys a clear majority. last Friday, after the Congress forced two back-to-back adjournments in the Question House over the bugging issue, when Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asked Congress’ Satyavrat Chaturvedi “what next”, he quipped. “ There are a few things we have learnt from you (BJP)”.
Joint TweetIJ
Given the fact that the NDA Government prefers to connect with media and masses through the new medium of social media —Twitter — a joke was doing the rounds during the joint press conference of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and US Secretary of State John Kerry— that the two will issue a Joint Tweet instead of a Joint Statement.
Gadkari's OSD
The name of an IAS officer of the 1985 batch, Praveen Pardeshi, has been cleared for the post of the OSD of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who in addition to the Transport Ministry looks after Ministries of Union Rural Development and Water and Sanitation after the untimely death of Gopinath Munde. Incidentally, Pardeshi is also Maharashtra cadre.
Bureaucratic history
Indian bureaucracy on August 1 made history of sorts when Chief Secretaries of four States including two poll-bound States took over on the same day. While 1980 batch IAS Swadheen S Kshatriya took charge as new Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, 1978 IAS Shakuntla Jakhu was appointed CS of Haryana. Jakhu’s batch mate Gokul Chandra Pati took over as Chief Secretary of Odisha, and . 1983 batch IAS officer of Manipur-Tripura cadre G Kameswara Rao assumed the charge as Chief Secretary of Tripura.
New routes
The BJP and the Opposition parties have exchanged their entry and exit points in Parliament. With the BJP coming to power at the Centre, its MPs and leaders prefer to make their entry and exits from Gate number 4, which falls closer to treasury benches. At the same time, MPs belonging to Congress and UPA constituents now take to gate number one or other entry points which are closer to opposition benches. The change has come to notice of media, which positions itself accordingly.
Controlled Kaur
As a member of parliament, Harsimrat Kaur Badal was a firebrand leader, who never missed an opportunity to raise the issue of Punjab. But as a Union minister, she is forced to control her impulses and emotions. Grapevine has it that she has been advised by senior BJP leaders not to lose her cool in Parliament. So, nowadays the Minister controls herself in the House, and reserves her “bytes” for the media. This was evident the way she reacted to the development related to SPPC issue, not speaking inside the House, but to the media waiting outside.