Work first for Parrikar
New Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is so preoccupied with his assignment that he has not found time to buy winter clothes. He was dressed in a half sleeve bush shirt while inaugurating the Information Management and Analysis Centre for coastal security this weekend. When a couple of journos remarked about the onset of winter , Parrikar admitted he was feeling cold, but could not find time to shop for warm clothes.
Sinha’s sin, Grover’s win
Senior advocate Anand Grover, who is a special public prosecutor in the 2G case, is aware of the pitfalls involved in conducting such a sensitive trial, which has brought unprecedented ignominy to even CBI director Ranjit Sinha. Grapevine has it that Grover has lately instructed his office staff and CBI officials, coming to brief him, that any affidavit or application moved in any court hearing the 2G probe must pass through him. Although, this means more work for Grover, he is not ready to take any chance. last week, arguing the 2G matter before Chief Justice of India, Grover said, “It is a crown of thorns, but what options do I have.
Tight-lipped babus & top cops
With the Government in the process of selecting the panel for heads of CVC, CIC, CBI and Enforcement Directorate, senior IAS and IPS officers have become media shy to the extreme. In the corridors of North Block, they walk briskly ignoring the reporters. “I have nothing to share with you people except Namasakar,” said a top IPS officer in the probable list of CBI Director. Exception was one office, who stopped by to inquire about others in the race.”
leaked meeting
A meeting of German Ambassador Michael Steiner with a delegation of Sanskrit Sikshak Sangh over German versus Sanskrit row at latter’s Naraina office was supposed to be an in-camera affair. But as it turned out to bea large number of media persons were present to cover the meeting. Sources said the SSS members had urged the German envoy to refrain from informing media about the talks. But the moment he reached SSS office he found TV cameras waiting. Flummoxed ambassador later tweeted two pictures with the SSS delegation indicating his ‘reach out’ attempt. Interestingly, Dina Nath Batra of the Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti, having affiliations with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), told some correspondents that he was not present at the meeting, even though the picture posted by the envoy had him sitting right next to the ambassador. A picture says a thousand words!
long wait for aspirants
The BJP is in ‘no hurry’ to appoint new office-bearers, lying vacant on account of several of its leaders joining the Modi Cabinet. “The priority,” according to a senior party functionary, is “to win the upcoming Assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir and Jharkhand. After Maharashtra and Haryana, BJP president Amit Shah has turned arc light on these two States. The aspirants will have to wait a little longer.
Herculean task
Minister for Road Transports and Highways Nitin Gadkari’s ambitious target of building 30 kms of roads a day,has put officials in the Ministry in a spot. They are under tremendous pressure to both awarding projects and insure their execution. Current pace of construction stands at 3 kms a day, which has picked up a little bit from July when it was less than 1/km daily. little interest from investors and land acquisition issues are making matters worse. While on the face of it, officials seem to agree with Gadkari, but in whispers, they say that reaching the half way mark is also a Herculean task in the present situation.