His wife vs other’s wife
According to Election Commission officials, after Modi’s wife issue was raked up, the traffic on their dedicated website grew manifold. Grapevine has it that BJP managers are busy with checking the status of spouse column of each and every rival party leaders. First came the revelation that Manmohan Singh did not mention his wife’s name. Then came Subramanian Swamy expose that Kapil Sibal did not disclose his wife’s business. Saturday, the website had maximum traffic after Rahul Gandhi’s affidavit was uploaded. EC officials are trying to maintain their dedicated website working properly due to mad rush in traffic.
Who cares for animalsIJ
Even if leopard and tiger attacks in pockets of Uttar Pradesh have figured prominently as election issues, wildlife conservationists are disappointed that no party manifesto has promised to work for protection of wildlife or animals. The only exception is, of course, the cow. Commitment to check cow slaughter finds a prominent mention in the BJP manifesto. But that’s about all. Conservationists regret that no political party considered mentioning about passing the proposed Animal Welfare Act that can guarantee protection to all animals and ensure harsher punishments to offenders.
New Navy chief
Navy may get a new chief next week when Defence Minister AK Antony reports back for duty on Monday after a fortnight-long election campaign in his home State Kerala. While all major procurements are put on hold till the new political dispensation takes office in May-end, Antony is likely to clear the name of Navy chief. The Appointments Committee on Cabinet (ACC) chaired by the Prime Minister will take the final call on the new chief. The post is vacant for the last one-and-half months after Admiral DK Joshi resigned on February 26 owing responsibility for a series of mishaps aboard warships -- including two submarines.
Unke Viswas!
BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has way with words. On Congress stand on corruption, he said “Ye kagaz ki naav se cruise ke corruption ko bachane ki koshis hain”. Asked what he thought of AAP party’s Amethi candidate Kumar Vishwas’ recent praise for the BJP and the RSS vis-à-vis the Congress, Naqvi quipped “ Unke Viswas per ham kya bolein.”
Poll day Holiday
Courts were closed on voting day last week, but a bench of Justices KS Radhakrishnan and JS Khehar decided to hear the case of Sahara chief on that day. The lawyers of Sahara had pleaded to the court for an expedient hearing and protested on being deprived of Roy’s democratic right to vote. Flummoxed, the bench asked, “It takes hardly two minutes to vote.” In no mood to surrender their luxury of a leave, the lawyers replied, “But it takes an entire day to think whom to vote.”