Rail Bhawan's Vastu
In the wake of a series of Railway mishaps in recent times, strange rumours have been floating around the headquarters of Ministry of Railways about a major Vastu Dosh at Rail Bhawan where the Railway Minister has his office. Officials point out that except Babu Jagjivan Ram and lalu Prasad none of the Rail Minister has been able to complete full tenure. Away from such omens, the new Rail Minister Piyush Goyal has been spending most of his time at Northern Railway's headquarters at Baroda House. Ever since he took over from Suresh Prabhu, he too had to make an unceremonious exit. Goyal has been conducting official meetings at Baroda House. Grapevine also has it that Goyal is keen to keep a watch on top officials who sit at Baroda House and go back home to for lunch and siesta.
VIP Boys Vs CBI
October 4 is a VIP boys' day for CBI. On that day, Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti and RJD supremo lalu Prasad Yadav's son Tejashwi have been summoned by the CBI in two separate corruption cases. Aware of massive media interest in the two personalities, the CBI has put in place necessary arrangements to avoid any kind of chaos.
‘Old’ AG
At 85, KK Venugopal is the oldest Attorney General of India, and age-related challenges are beginning to show in his work. In a recent case related to electoral reforms, while presenting the arguments for the Centre, Venugopal prepared a written note and supplemented it with some points that he scribbled with his pen. When the time for argument came, Venugopal was at a loss to read his own handwriting. Confessing his inability to the judges, the top law officer smilingly remarked, "I made a point which I can't read. My handwriting is so bad. "The point was well taken by the judges before reserving the verdict.
love for saree
Usually the foreign ambassadors posted in New Delhi love Indian cotton clothes and food. But the current Chargé d'Affaires of the American embassy in India, Mary Kay loss Carlson, swears by Indian sarees. In all public events, the CDA is always seen wearing a saree, and in several private functions she either wears Salwar Kurta or saree. On the Independence Day functions she was seen Khadi sarees. She also loves to be part of festivities. She recently posted videos of her first Durga Puja experience at Delhi's Chittaranjan Park. Here too she was seen in a traditional red bordered Bengali saree.
For family’s sake
After Congress leader Digvijay Singh, rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav has also taken a brief break from political activity to spend time with daughter's newborn son. Yadav has also put out the news on his Twitter handle. last week, he asked journalists to leave him alone as he was busy with a family affair.
Pleas by Babus
MP cadre IAS officers are up in arms against the 360 degree evaluation process. The State IAS association has written DoPT to change the new evaluation process. "No IAS officer from Madhya Pradesh figured in the Centre's list of Secretaries and Additional Secretaries last year. This has impacted the moral of the state bureaucracy as some of outstanding officers with high integrity and intellects were omitted from the list", the letter read.
Revive Yamuna
Two UK-based Gujaratis, Rakesh Rajpara and Sadhnaben, are making desperate attempts to save river Yamuna. They have petitioned online to British Parliament to seek technical support to rejuvenate the s considered as Dead in most states. The petition is called "Help, Assist in rejuvenating the sacred holy river Yamuna." If British Parliament takes up for discussion they will send a technical team to assist in rejuvenating river Yamuna.
Nice gesture
Buyers have to often do a lot of bargaining with the hawkers at places like Sarojini Nagar and Janpath markets. But it was the other way round for Union Minister of State for Tourism KJ Alphons during his two-minutes shopping experience in the midst of his cleanliness drive 'Swacchata hi seva' last week at Janpath market. The Minister gave away Rs 200 for an embroidered purse, double the price the woman vendor had quoted for the item.