Hari ke Dwar
After getting the development of Gurgaon-Jaipur Expressway on track, Minister for roads, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari’s next big project is Delhi-Haridwar National Highway-58. In a recent interaction with the media, the Minister said the route to Haridwar was particularly dear to him, as all roads eventually lead to “Hari ke Dwar.” He also promised a road trip to the holy city for all journalists covering his Ministry.
Field day for spokespersons
In a rare situation, three Joint Secretaries (XPs), popularly known as spokespersons of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), came together at one stage last Friday. Past JS XP Navtej Sarna, who is currently Secretary (West), Syed Akbaruddin, at present Additional Secretary India-Africa Summit Secretariat, and the present spokesperson Vikas Swarup shared the stage during a Press conference on India-Africa Summit. With all three experts in handling tricky questions from the media, it was an interestingly event to watch.
Climate Express
In the run up to climate change conference in Paris in December, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar recently launched the Climate change Express Train, saying it is the best awareness programme for the world to understand the subject. “This special train is the world’s first mass education programme on wheels,” said the Minister while flagging off the train.
It is appeal time....
CBI top sleuths are tight-lipped on the movie and a book on Aarushi murder. Not wanting to trigger any fresh controversy, CBI officers are evading queries posed to them from media side. “It is appeal time... so these kinds of things will come,” say the officers, avoiding the loaded questions. To prevent the planned campaign by movie makers and book publishers, the agency recently uploaded all court verdicts on the murder case.
Farewell Gift
It seems the collegium system will be repaired by the Supreme Court before the incumbent Chief Justice of India Hl Dattu demits office on December 2. The hurry to settle the matter at the earliest was evident last week when the Bench requested all counsels to give suggestions before a convenient date. While Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar wanted the matter to be heard in December, Justice JS Khehar proposed November 3 for hearing suggestion to improve the existing system.
Strange Coincidence
October seems to be a month when all landmark rulings on judicial appointments were pronounced. The First Judges case that introduced the collegium system was introduced on October 6, 1993. After a gap of five years, on a reference received from the President, a nine-judge Bench promulgated the exact procedure to be followed under the collegium system. This decision, better known as Third Judges Case was decided on October 28, 1998. The Fourth Judges Case striking down NJAC and retaining collegium has also arrived in October.
Jairam’s Googly
Comments by senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh that Rahul Gandhi would bring a paradigm shift for Congress when he takes over as its president by March next year, has left tongues wagging within the party circles. Only last month party chief Sonia Gandhi was given a three-year extension. The old guards have reasons to be wary since the comment has come from a leader close to Rahul. Jairam went to the extent of saying that 60-plus party leaders may only play an advisory role under the new dispensation.
As usual
Questions on the strained relationship between the BJP and Shiv Sena could not elicit any newsy response from Union Minister Prakash Javadekar who also hails from Maharashtra. When asked how are the ties, “as usual,” the Minister said. He also maintained that BJP leaders visits to ‘Matoshree’ (Sena chief’s residence) are continuing ‘as usual’.