Phool aur kante
Criticism often pinches. But when done with positivity, it can invoke a friendly response. One such occasion was on last Thursday, when during the discussion on the Finance Bill, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's used a couplet to convey that the NDA Government has a lot of challenges due to previous Government's policies:
"Kuch to phool khilaye humne, aur kuch phool khilane hai
Mushkil yeh hai bag me ab tak, kaante kai purane hai"
Responding to these line, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien also used a poetry to get even with Jaitley.
"Phool aur Kante tau hai mali ka kaam,
jo kaanton se darr jaye wo hoga nakam."
Jaitely gave a friendly smile and thumped the table in appreciation.
All for toilets
Urban Development Ministry is flooded with photos and letters from across the country giving instances of cases where banks, post offices, petrol pumps, hospitals and railway stations do not have clean toilets. In some cases, where the toilet exists, it is either kept locked or lacks cleanliness. Now, the Ministry, which is entrusted to oversee the Swachchh Bharat Mission in urban India has issued a letter to all the municipal commissioners and civic bodies asking them to ensure that toilets are kept in a working condition and are open for public use at the earliest.
Judge's Grudge
The NJAC hearing provided a perfect opportunity to Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph to hit back at his detractors. last month, Justice Kurian was in news for opposing holding of Judges Conference on Good Friday. His action was widely criticised because attendance of all judges was not mandatory. last Thursday, when senior advocate KK Venugopal quoted minutes of a previous Judges' conference, the Bench asked whether all apex court judges took part in it. Venugopal admitted seeing them all at the official dinner that night. But Justice Joseph was quick to react, "The Conference is of Judges of Supreme Court and High Court Chief Justices….I don't think judges of Supreme Court will be invited only for dining."
Heavy Duty AG
Ever since Supreme court has started hearing the controversial NJAC law, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi is heavily preoccupied.. He is burning midnight oil to build a good case for the Government. Grapevine has it that he is up at 6 am each day glossing through the files and straining his thoughts on the constitutional provisions under challenge. last week, he was overheard telling former Attorney General
K Parasaran, "I need some moral support from you…have been in office since six in the morning." The hard work seems to have paid as the AG did put up a brilliant show.
Noble gestures
The Modi dispensation seems to be breaking traditions. The Government, as per rules, need not reply during Zero Hour, but it did so in the lok Sabha when Home Minister Rajnath Singh responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's jibes. On another occasion, during Zero Hour, Singh again stood up to square up with Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia. The "polite side" of the Government was also visible when Parliamentary Affairs Minister
M Venkaiah Naidu allowed House doors to be opened for Congress president Sonia Gandhi when she reportedly arrived late for the voting on the land Boundary Bill. As a practice during voting, House doors once closed are not opened for any one, including even the Prime Minister.
Swanky revamp
The CRPF directorate here at the CGO Complex has got a swanky reception office with plush interiors, a large lED TV and new look seating arrangement for guests visiting the paramilitary. The old visitors' card with disproportionate size has also been replaced with a smart card-sized passes. The building has also been equipped with biometric attendance system for effective time management of the personnel. The initiative for refurbishing the reception office was undertaken by the present CRPF DG Prakash Mishra when he took over the reins of the force a few months back.
Security hassles
Security in Parliament makes no exception for anyone, even if the person happens to be former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev. Kapil Dev presented a `51 lakh cheque to Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week in Parliament complex for Nepal relief efforts. While he was going out of the premises, some security men and women requested for a photograph with him. Pat came the repartee "aap camera to andar lane nahin dete. Main kya karoon."