Pre-monsoon showers save Maluka
At a time when everything was going against Punjab Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka, pre-monsoon showers have come to his rescue.
Facing one dharna after another outside his residence almost everyday, it’s the pre-monsoon showers that saved him from the protestors. The day when protestors from ludhiana were scheduled to protest, Rain God showered and that too in plenty, limiting the protestors from ludhiana to Sector-15 Congress Bhawan. So far, nothing less than 10 Congress leaders have led protests against Maluka outside his residence in Kansal. Initiated by Kharar MlA Jagmohan Singh Kang, even the National Students Union of India has also demonstrated outside his residence, besides protestors from Ropar, Patiala, and other parts of the state reaching Chandigarh for protests. Where the Congress is claiming it to be pressure tactics, Maluka is peeved. He was heard saying, ehna nu taan hor koi kaam ni (they don’t have any other work).
Awestruck by Modi
The charisma of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi seems to have left the local BJP leaders in awe. These local leaders apparently got a lifetime opportunity to meet their charismatic leader during party’s national executive meet at Goa last week. While party’s top brass was busy toiling for upcoming parliamentary elections, a senior local leader was busy clicking pictures with Modi and sharing it with the local media during the two days meet. left awestruck by Modi, the leader made sure to click as many pictures with BJP’s most popular face Narendra Modi and send it to local media for coverage. Even after his return from the meet, the leader boasted about his close meeting with party’s bigshot.
Staff not to drink water from new coolers
Several employees of Haryana Civil Secretariat are reluctant to take drinking water from the small water coolers which were recently purchased by the senior officials for them to provide drinking water in their official rooms. When asked, the employees said due to shortage of staff, these campers are not filled with fresh water regularly. These employees are afraid of getting a waterborne disease, hence most of the recently purchased campers are lying unused at the Press room of 8th floor in the civil secretariat and employees prefer to go to the coolers installed earlier which get a fresh supply of water.
Only CCTV to guard important documents
The 8th floor of Haryana Civil Secretariat is guarded only by only the CCTV cameras in the night as there is no watchman for the after office hours. However, most of the peons of different departments have to suffer, as they have to work till 10 pm everyday. Several Cabinet Ministers, CPS and other senior officials have their offices on this floor, considered the power hub of Haryana. They keep their important records here and the peons have to suffer long hours and then ensure that the floor is locked.
Small Netas rake in moolah in bypoll
Small time leaders in Mandi parliamentary constituency are making all effort to earn some fast bucks in the run up to the high stake poll. Such is the race that every small time leader is claiming of support base of one Panchayat or other and is found bargaining with the political parties. With ruling Congress putting all efforts to win the election for the wife of the chief minister Pratibha Singh, these small times Netas are having their place under the sun.
Showing loyalty to Raja Saheb!
Chief minister Virbhadra Singh is a suave politician and there is no doubt about it. He very well knows when to play his cards. Just before the announcement of the bypoll for Mandi, he announced that the sole vacant ministerial post in his Cabinet will be filled from Mandi. This announcement started a race between two brothers of a royal family. One brother is a Congress MlA and the elder is independent MlA but has supported the Chief Minister. Now getting the hint, the elder is making all efforts to show loyalty and grab the only ministerial post, pushing the younger brother away. Virbhadra Singh is having the last smile.
So much for English
Most people are obsessed with the English language even if they cannot converse in the Queen’s language. In a Press meet recently, a person tried hard to communicate in English with theatre guru Berry John. Undeterred by John’s continuous replies in Hindi, the person continued to ask questions in broken English. Finally, John got irritated by the incomprehensible Hinglish directed at him and asked the person in Hindi, “What exactly do you want to askIJ” The person got the message but left others wondering why is English considered so important that one continues speaking it even if one does not know it.
(Contributed by Monika Malik, Nishu Mahajan, Bhupinder Sharma and Manohar lal)