Insensitive to women's needs
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Shivraj Patil's home ministry is not gender sensitive. Senior women officials in North Bloc are forced to share toilets with their male counterparts. The Brit sahibs who used Raisina Hill North and South Blocs perhaps never visualized the situation of women being on the seat of power. Successive rulers in independent India too neglected the pressing issue. In the absence of 'women only rest rooms,' a senior
woman IAS officer is forced to share common toilet with a male colleague in the ministry responsible for internal security. Both have been given a key each to prevent any 'untoward incident.' But last heard, both sides have petitioned before Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta seeking 'exclusive toilets' in keeping with their seniority.
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Women power in I&B
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In Shastri Bhawan, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priyaranjan Dasmunshi is facing stiff opposition from a group of women officers. For some strange reason, on most administrative matters, the minister and women brigade do not get along too well. All efforts to shuffle these vocal officials have proved futile. With Munshi doubling up as Bengal Congress chief and prospects of early LokSabha polls looming large, the minister's grip over I & B is said to be declining. Some officials loyal to the minister were even heard terming these women officials (who incidentally hail from a particular region of the country) as "BBS" (Balle balle brigade).
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Amusing Blame game in Maharashtra
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The free for all at the Congress meet in Mumbai is set to take a heavy toll. Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is busy blaming his arch rival and state revenue minister Narayan Rane as the 'master mind' behind the violence that took place in Sonia's presence. MPCC chief Prabha Rau is upset with Deshmukh accusing him of 'intelligence failure.' Sonia was amused to hear Rau telling her that the chief minister
should have received intelligence inputs about a likely ruckus at the party meet. The AICC chief was perhaps tempted to ask Rau if state intelligence department's charter of duty included keeping a tab on
Deshmukh rivals.
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Flowery woes for Mayawati
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Mayawati is in search of suitable flower to name it as her state's flower. The chief minister is upset over absence of state flower 'brahmakamal.' Since brahmakamal is essentially a Himalayan flower, it ceased to exist since 2000 when a separate Uttarkhand state was carved out of Uttar Pradesh. Acting in hurry, the officials suggested 'palash' (Butea frondosa or Flame of the Forest and much to their delight, memsahib liked it instantly. But alas when an executive order was being typed, some bright officer discovered that it had the official flower tag in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. A search is continuing. Any suggestions?
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Minority-sensitive Nitish
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Justice (retd.) M.S.A. Siddiqui, chairperson of National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions is smiling from ear to ear. He has reasons to be happy. Siddiqui recently visited Patna but failed to meet chief minister Nitish Kumar and senior bureaucrats from Bihargovernment. The chairman stayed in a private hotel and paid for his stay-food etc. As word got out of the short shrift given to head of minority educational institutions, image conscious Nitish swung in action. A series of pro-minority measure and schemes were announced. Siddiqui who returned to Delhi says he has no complaints as long as the "cause" he is championing is fulfilled.
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A chastened Moily
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Veerappa Moily can not figure out how he lost Rajya Sabha berth to S.M. Krishna. Moily has been flavour of the season enjoying proximity with two power centres that matter most in the Congress. The head of
AICC's media department considered himself as a credible voice of the Congress president but now his confidence is shaken. A closer scrutiny showed that Moily's loud voice did him in. Krishna's candidature was backed by almost everyone who was upset with Moily's ascent. Moily's off- the-record chats too said to have contributed for the downfall.
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Another Daughter-rise
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A daughter has risen on the political horizon. Arjun Singh's daughter Beena was visible in Rewa when Sonia Gandhi held a pre-assembly polls public meeting in Madhya Pradesh. Beena's presence was more telling as Arjun's son Ajay and other important party leaders namely Digvijay Singh, Kamal Nath, Suresh Pachauri and Jyotiraditya Scindia were missing from Sonia's public meeting. These leaders had boarded a
chartered plane but it strayed near Khajuraho failing to locate Rewa. Bad weather further delayed and forced them to abandon Rewa. If Arjun has his way, Beena would be contesting from Sidhi Lok Sabha which has recently been de-reserved.
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What's Gandhian about this man?
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Following death of Gandhian Nirmala Deshpande, former Madhya Pradesh Congress unit Chief Radhakrishan Malviya has become president of Harijan Sewak Sangh. The Sangh, founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1932 is engaged in eradicating untouchability and spreading awareness against it. he appointment of Malviya has raised many eyebrows. Going by his reputation in home state Madhya Pradesh, Congressmen are busy finding any trace of Gandhian values in him. Malviya however owes his
appointment to AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh.
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Sethu Samudram woes reach London
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The fight to protect Adam's Bridge or Ram Sethu has now reached London and its not Subramanian Swamy or the BJP-RSS sympathizers leading the campaign. A coalition of International organizations
namely the Living Planet Foundation, International Maritime Centre and the Marine Conservation Society have urged Dr Manmohan Singh to put the Sethu Samudram Shipping Canal Project (SSCP) on hold until an effective and comprehensive assessment of the potential social, economic and environmental impacts is taken. These organizations termed Ram Sethu as a crucial thread linking Sri Lanka with India and opined that cutting the 'sacred' thread will bring great misfortune.
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Wanted--- Media Managers
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President Pratibha Patil is said to be on the lookout for new media manager. The first citizen of the country is exercised over series of adverse press reports that she has been getting since her last visit abroad. But so far the search has proved futile. Well placed sources said credible and professional hands have not shown much interest while the president's office is not keen to have self-seekers, retired or serving bureaucrats. In Shastri Bhawan that houses union information and broadcasting ministry, a wag was heard lamenting how both president and prime minister (whose competent and dependable advisor is said to be moving to another assignment) can not find media advisors in an era where media is virtually everywhere.
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