Fair Honour
Chief Justice of India TS Thakur admitted last week that he cannot afford to say ‘no’ to women. Invited as the chief guest of an event organised by women lawyers of the Supreme Court last week, the CJI arrived straight from court to the event and said, "If it was an event organised by Supreme Court Bar Association, I would have said ‘no’. This time I prefer to be at home reading case files listed for the next day. But I can't afford to say no to ladies. So here I am at 4.30 pm attending this event." The event marked International Women's Day on the theme ‘Women of Vision to lead change’. It was organised by Citizens Rights Trust.
Star power
lok Sabha MP Jitendra Reddy (TRS) last week thanked his horoscope for getting an opportunity to raise a question in the House. "I saw my horoscope in the morning and it indicated aaj kuch achaha hoga. Then I learnt that my request for seeking a question was finally accepted after two years," he said during the Question Hour. Amidst laughter, the Speaker was heard saying "accha puchoge to achcha hoga".
Gandhi WhoIJ
While explaining the importance of water conservation in Rajya Sabha last week, Chairman of Real Estate Bill Select Committee Anil Madhav Dave cited the "Gandhi'" way for care of the environment. He said that all world conferences over the years on subject would remain futile except the Gandhi model. A Union Minister was heard telling Dave that he should better clarify he was referring to Mahatma Gandhi otherwise the Congress members would see this as a praised heaped on Rahul Gandhi. Dave said that it is upto the people to choose the Gandhi because there are a lot of Gandhis in the country.
Uma's support
last week, it was like a tight rope walk for the Minister of Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation Uma Bharati. The sparks flying in the fierce battle between National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Sri Sri Ravishanka's Art of living Foundation over the holding of World Cultural Festival on Yamuna banks hit her Ministry too. The situation became delicate for Bharati, when the Environment Ministry told the NGT that her department gave permission for the mega event. The Water Resources Ministry first denied this charge, however, soon after, fully aware of Modi Government's solid support for the programme, a Bharati was quick to say that though her Ministry is in no way involved in granting approval for the festival, she gives her whole-hearted moral and personal support for its success.
Women special
Rajya Sabha celebrated Women's Day last week in a unique style with Chairman Hamid Ansari giving preference to women MPs to first raise their issues during Zero Hour. When Health Minister JP Nadda was answering questions on immunisation, all three questioners were women including Renuka Chowdhury and Viplove Thakur(Congress) besides Jaya Bachchan (Samajwadi Party).
Absence of Maya
BSP supremo Mayawati was absent from the two-day first Women legislators' Conference inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee on March 5 at Vigyan Bhavan in Delhi. Mayawati was not the lone powerful women leader to skip the celebration. Sumitra Mahajan already clarified that Jayalalithaa and Mamata Banerjee conveyed to her about their preoccupation with the forthcoming assembly elections in their States. While the BSP chief did not give any such reason, but it well known that Mayawati did not attend any function where she is not offered chair on the dais.