Old wisdom for intelligence

IT WAS a gaffe that did not go unnoticed. While reacting to the beheading of Sikhs in Pakistan by the Taliban,External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told the media outside Parliament that India condemned killings of the three “Indian nationals”. Next day,as the Foreign Secretary-level talks got underway,Pakistani officials pulled the legs of their South Block mandarins in informal banter,leaving them red-faced. Of course,all was corrected when a formal statement was issued.

A man of big letters

When it comes to reading,Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad likes his fonts big and bold. So,when the minister’s office has to send any reading material to brief him before a meeting,the font has to be no less than size 24. The loud and bold formatting,according to officials close to him,is because Azad is not too fond of wearing reading glasses.

Sweet music for Pawar

AGRICULTURE Minister Sharad Pawar’s NCP said it first. And last week Trinamool Congress parliamentarian Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar came up with a completely different take on why rising sugar prices should not be a matter of concern. Participating in the discussion in the Lok Sabha,she said sugar was “a dangerous commodity”,referring to the rise in cases of diabetes in the country,and urged everyone to shun it. The Trinamool,which swears to speak for the common man above everything else,defended her,noting that Dastidar was a professional doctor.

B’day warmth in simmering RS

EVEN as the government and the Opposition locked horns over price rise in Parliament,amid repeated adjournments,the House of Elders retained its spirit of bonhomie. On day two of the session,the BJP’s Rajiv Pratap Rudy shouted above the din to wish Congress spokesperson Abhisek Manu Singhvi “a very happy birthday”. BJP leaders Balbir Singh Punj,Prakash Javdekar and others walked into the well to personally greet Singhvi,who had by then walked up to the Opposition benches himself. Venkaiah Naidu and Najma Heptullah also used the opportunity to wish the lawyer-turned-politician. Soon after that,the Chair returned to the House,as did the din over price rise.

House mobile

BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani has joined the list of MPs using cellphones inside the Lok Sabha. Seated in the front row of the Opposition benches during the presentation of the Rail Budget,Advani was seen constantly using his touch-screen phone. The instrument seemed a new acquisition as the BJP leader didn’t appear too comfortable with the touch-screen technology. However,the sight of MPs,even Union ministers,using mobile phones inside both Houses is becoming commonplace .

The Behenji broadcast

THE Bahujan Samaj Party is all set to join the ranks of other political parties in having its own party mouthpiece. While top leaders refused to confirm the move,the buzz is that the BSP plans to first launch a fortnightly in Punjab,which has a high concentration of Dalits,and later turn the fortnightly into a daily that would be sold at the stands. There are also indications that the Mayawati-led party,which has always complained of step-motherly treatment at the hands of the “Brahminical” media,plans to launch its own TV channel.

Two rivals and a Janpath house

UNION Minister for Heavy Industries Vilasrao Deshmukh had discovered some virtue in an old rival when Shivraj Patil had promised to vacate his 4,Janpath,residence for him soon. However,Patil,whose new station is Chandigarh as Punjab Governor,has changed his mind and sought a six-month extension. While Deshmukh is back to square one,waiting again for renovation of the 14,Akbar Road,residence originally allotted to him to finish before moving in,speculation is rife about what made Patil change his mind.

CPM,DMK keep options open

AS THE CPM in Tamil Nadu announced its support to the AIADMK for the Pennagaram Assembly bypoll to be held next month,party top boss Prakash Karat had a surprise visitor at his office the very same day. Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister and DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s son M K Stalin called on him. Stalin came to the AKG Bhavan to invite Karat for the inauguration of a new Assembly building in Chennai. However,it was the timing of the visit that set tongues wagging,particularly with the AIADMK chief dropping hints about a possible patch-up with the Congress in view of the Assembly polls next year. The CPM is undecided on its alliance partner though it is close to the AIADMK now. CPM leaders,meanwhile,have been praising Karunanidhi’s other son,M K Alagiri,at every possibility for the stand he had taken against the fertiliser price hike.

Die hard Amar

WHILE Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav made the most of the price rise debate to make his presence felt,Amar Singh,who finds himself away from the media arclights now,was at work trying to resurrect his political fortunes. He has been touring the Uttar Pradesh heartland as part of his mass contact programme,even as he has acquired an office on the 13th floor of Naurang House at Connaught Place for his new political outfit. Every now and then,supporters can be seen at the office.

Letter war at IGNCA

THOUGH away from the limelight,the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) continues to stay in the news. A campaign has been on against Member Secretary,IGNCA,Prof Jyotindra Jain,with the PMO getting daily letters packed with allegations against him from a ‘Group of Whistleblowers’. However,instead of hurting Jain,the allegations have had the contrary effect. Last week,the caretaker Member Secretary was appointed full time Member Secretary of the prestigious institution.

‘Photo finish’ for Congress drive

THE Congress party’s move to check bogus membership has resulted in a sharp decline in those enrolling in the latest drive that ended in December. From 40 million in 2005,the all-India membership figure this time dropped to a little over 30 million. Except Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh,most of the other states did not register a growth in membership. In Gujarat,the party recruited 13 lakh members,three lakh more than what it managed four years ago. In Uttar Pradesh,the party’s membership tally went up from 36 lakh in 2005 to 57 lakh. UP leaders were,however,disappointed as the party expected to cross the 100 lakh mark. Last heard,they were blaming the decision to get photographs of aspiring party members on application forms to check bogus membership for the reduced numbers.