Call to decide
Refusing to take a decision is not an option open to judges, particularly when those sitting in power are shy of acting. This is what a judge of the Supreme Court said on the inaction of the Central Bureau of Investigation in Coal scam. Worried over the hounding of its former Director Ranjit Sinha over certain decisions he took in the coal scam, when senior advocate Amarendra Saran said, “Nobody in the top ranks is willing to take any decision due to fear of being victimised later,” Justice AK Sikri remarked, “This is the first lesson we teach at Judicial Academy. When others shirk, you have to decide.”
MJ, please
last week, a new Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar was surrounded by several guests at the National Day function held at French ambassador’s residence. When someone asked him, how would he liked to be addressed by those who have been calling him ‘MJ’ all these years, Akbar promptly replied “No Mantriji, please call me MJ.”
Search for CRB
After long delay in nominating Chairman of the Railway Board, the Railway Ministry is understood to have formed a search committee to select the new CRB. In the past, senior most member in the Railway Board used to be nominated as the CRB. While several names have been doing the rounds from within and outside the national transporter, the Centre is looking for options to install a head from outside the railways.
Rawat’s Tuesday date
It may be a coincidence that Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, facing a CBI probe in a sting video case, is always called for questioning on Tuesdays. On two earlier occasions when he was questioned — May 24 and June 7 — both happened to be Tuesdays. He has again been called for questioning on a Tuesday ie July 19. It remains to be seen if the agency converts the Preliminary Enquiry into a Regular Case on the day of his questioning.
Promotion delay
Officers of the CBI and Enforcement Directorate are unhappy about the delays in their promotions due to deferment of the joint meeting of CVC, Home Secretary, CBI, and ED Chiefs. As per the Supreme Court Judgment in Vineet Narain case, the promotions from SP level onward has to be ratified by this high-power joint meeting headed by the CVC. For the past several months, this meeting of top brass has always been deferred due to engagement of the members.
Glamorising Swachchh Bharat
Swachchh Bharat Mission, the Modi Government’s flagship programme will soon be both glamorous and melodious. Prasar Bharati is working on a musical composition to pep up the programme for radio jingles, and Big B Amitabh Bachchan going to be the new face for the “people’s movement” for television viewers. The megastar will appeal to all citizens, nursery owners and horticulture agencies to use only compost in their gardens, farm houses and public gardens, as a part of the programme.
Failed vastu
Vastu did not help Choudhary Birender Singh in retaining the Ministry of Rural Development. Choudhary, who was shifted to the Steel Ministry in the recent cabinet reshuffle, had renovated his RD Ministry office at Krishi Bhawan as per vaastu shastra to ensure ‘good’ luck. In fact, while the construction was going on at the Krishi Bhawan office, he used to officiates from Paryawaran Bhawan at CGO Complex, which houses Water and Sanitation Ministry among other Ministries.
Trump’s jumla
Amar Singh’s ‘Amar kahani’ seems to continue. The controversial leader who recently retuned to the Samajwadi Party fold again was in news in the context of the US polls with Donald Trump accusing him of bribing the Clintons for the India-US nuclear deal. And what does Singh says “like Amit Shah, Trump is also known for jumlas.”