Shabana Azmi, a staunch supporter of the Women’s Reservation Bill, accused Laloo Prasad Yadav of being anti-women for preventing the Bill from being passed. Laloo countered that there were only two people in the country who had done something truly spectacular for womankind. One was Shah Jehan who had built the Taj Mahal in memory of his Mumtaz Mahal and the other was himself. His was the greater sacrifice since he had given up ‘‘rajpath’’ in his own lifetime to install Rabri Devi as Chief Minister. Taken aback by his histrionics, Azmi remarked tartly that he had a natural flair for writing filmi dialogue. Considering that Azmi’s husband Javed Akhtar is a leading lyricist, Laloo should take that as a compliment.Interestingly, Laloo totally disowns one of the most quotable quotes attributed to him. During a poll campaign, he is reported to have vowed that he would transform Bihar’s pot-holed roads and make them as smooth as Hema Malini’s cheek. Laloo says that it was Vajpayee in Lucknow who falsely attributed the remark to him. ‘‘It is not my culture to make remarks about a woman, especially one I have never met. You please tell her,’’ he requested Azmi. Given that Malini is being tipped as the BJP’s likely choice to replace Azmi as a nominated Rajya Sabha MP later this year, Laloo may get an opportunity to get a close look at the film star’s cheeks and mull over the state of Bihar’s roads.Caned into SubmissionAT the special committee set-up by the PM, representatives of the sugar industry made out a case that the support price for cane was unremunerative and could not be implemented because of the overwhelming problems of the industry. Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh and Consumer Affairs Minister Sharad Yadav politely heard out the industrialists. UP Chief Minister Mayawati was less tolerant. She launched into a harangue which had the captains of industry trembling. Mayawati pointed out that in the last five years when business was fine none of them had thought to share their profits with the farmers and now they had the nerve to expect the farmers to help underwrite their losses. Mayawati warned that if sugar manufacturers went to court to obtain a stay against paying farmers dues it would create a law and order problem. Her government would have no recourse but to take ‘‘various types of actions’’ to maintain peace. She left no one in the audience in any doubt that the UP state machinery would be locking up in jail those from the industry who did not fall in line.Belated AfterthoughtThere is a whisper campaign crediting the appointment of disgraced High Court judge Shameet Mukherjee to Law Minister Arun Jaitley, when in fact it was the three-judge collegiums of the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court which cleared his name. Even the IB gave him a clean chit. Mukherjee, an additional judge, was all set to become a permanent judge as the apex court in March cleared his confirmation assessing his performance as ‘‘satisfactory.’’ Since the CBI had already tipped off Jaitley in February that it was keeping a watch on the judge, the Law Ministry fortunately did not process his file.Incidentally, there was not a single memorandum to the Law Ministry questioning Mukherjee’s appointment. True a lady lawyer once accosted the Law Minister at a dinner party and remarked that Mukherjee was a bounder, but this hardly counts as a serious representation as she would now like to make out.Chipping CeilingMany have often wondered why the painted ceiling of Ashoka Hall in Rashtrapati Bhavan has a picture of a Persian King spearing a lion. The hunter’s eyes look straight at visitors no matter which part of the room they are in. It seems the painting was presented by the Qajar ruler Fateh Ali Shah to King George IV and Edwin Lutyens felt it would be a suitable ornamentation for what was then conceived as the ballroom. The huge 12-foot by 18-foot painting was taken from the India Office Library and stuck onto the Rashtrapati Bhavan ceiling.But after almost a century, the picture has begun to flake badly and has to be taken down for urgent restoration. It is doubtful whether it will be ready in time for the impending Cabinet reshuffle in the next few days.Error of JudgementThe pent up fury of MPs against the judiciary found full play at a discussion in the Rajya Sabha last week since there was no fear of a contempt of court charges being slapped against them. Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was remarkably tolerant and did not excise the strong remarks except for not permitting mention of a particular judge’s name.Incidentally, another scandal brewing in the judiciary is of a High Court judge who was appointed in 2001 despite a very damaging IB report against him. The IB report claimed that as a district and sessions judge he had accepted favours in cash and kind. He had even mobilised men and logistic support for his son-in-law’s campaign for an Assembly election. Two clerks in his court who were in the habit of giving assurances on bail petitions were removed shortly after the sessions judge’s transfer.
