GRAPEVINE

Upar Wala Sab Dekhta Hai

In last week’s major bureaucratic transfers, an interesting gossip has emerged from the corridors of Seva Teerth. In one case, a Secretary was moved to a different department as his reporting boss (Minister) was annoyed due to large-scale complaints of his idiosyncratic behaviour. In another case, the top IAS who made it to a plum posting by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) had expressed his willingness to move out as he was annoyed by the hegemony of his Minister. “Upar wala sab dekhta,” quipped a top officer in the Seva Teerth. The ACC had approved 25 civil servant appointments and transfers across crucial ministries and departments of the Central Government.

Why Church is so agitated over FCRA Bill

Church is very agitated with the new amendment bill to FCRA. The Catholic Bishop Council of India (CBCI) head wrote a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah to withdraw the bill and even warned of global outrage, including from America. Within hours after the letter and the Archbishop’s media interaction, the Central Government just paused the presentation of the bill. The talk of the town is why the Church is so agitated, while other regions are keeping quiet. It is a known fact that Indian churches are getting a lot of money from Christian sects of the USA, like the Seventh Day Adventist and this money is used for religious conversion in tribal areas and the North East. The question is, will the Central Government, led by the BJP, succumb to the Church’s pressure.

Bangladesh Diplomacy Reset

Bangladesh’s Independence Day celebrations this year carried more than ceremonial significance, subtly reflecting the continuing engagement between India and Bangladesh. The presence of Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, along with other senior officials at the Joint Secretary level and the MEA spokesperson, was seen as a noteworthy gesture. Such high-level participation at a national day reception is relatively uncommon and drew quiet attention in diplomatic circles. Unseen heroes from the intelligence wings also attended. The event was hosted by Bangladesh’s Ambassador Riaz Hamidullah on March 25. Observers noted the presence of officials from various government wings underlines broader institutional interest in the relationship.