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Newsnotes Delhi:
Mis-timed Biographies
When a leading Hindi publishing house chose former prime minister V.P. Singh to release
seven political biographies, it didn't expect the scheduled function to be reduced to a
non-event. First came the political storm at the Centre which eventually blew away the
United Front Government. Worse, unfortunately for both Singh and the publishers, the
Mandal messiah and rajguru of the federal front had to be hospitalised owing to illness.
Nevertheless, the function did take place at Singh's Teen Murti Marg residence -- the
books released were the biographies of Jyoti Basu, Laloo Prasad Yadav, Mulayam Singh
Yadav, Kalyan Singh, Kanshi Ram, Bal Thackeray and Medha Patkar. And though Samajwadi
Party (SP) chief Mulayam Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Kanshi Ram were also
scheduled to attend, Mulayam backed out at the last minute. But Kanshi Ram not only showed
up, he even made a speech in his typical style, asking the author how he could have
written his biography without speaking to him. For his part, V.P. Singh sent a recorded
message from the hospital bed, saying he would have released all the books except the
biography of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. Had Singh not fallen ill, Mulayam would have
turned up -- and it would have been an interesting meeting between the SP chief and the
BSP boss.
Delhi: Short-pitched Players
What they had planned was a game of cricket, but the Parliamentarians' team ended up
playing a different ballgame. The sporting MPs had decided to launch their cricket season
with fanfare, as part of their preparations for a proposed tour of the West Indies. Led by
captain K.P. Singh Deo -- former I&B minister -- the team bought itself a new kit.
Pot-bellied MPs even started working out at the National Stadium nets, to get into shape.
They also roped in Tej Kaul, the man who trained the Indian team for the Toronto tour, to
put them through their paces. But the crisis precipitated by the Jain Commission report
put paid to their plans, and cricket was perhaps the last thing they had on their minds.
As vice-captain MP Surinder Singh of Haryana put it: "At the moment we are like
short-pitched deliveries being hit all over the place."
Delhi: Men at Work
Barely four months after the Supreme Court issued guidelines on sexual harassment at
work, controversy shrouds Delhi's Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC). Forty-four students
have been denied character certificates allegedly for their role in the agitation against
Dr B.S.N. Reddy, head of the Department of Dermatology, who was accused of misbehaving
with his women subordinates in March 1996. While Reddy denied the charges, other students
demonstrated in support of the five complainants -- 44 of them were charged with rioting
and assault. Now these students have reportedly been denied their character certificates
unless they tender a written apology. "Since the case is still on, we'll apply for
contempt proceedings against the Delhi health minister and health secretary," says
their counsel V.K. Ohri. Some students, anxious about admission to postgraduate courses,
have reportedly given in to the pressure. As the mamc dean, Dr B.K. Dhaon, says:
"Nobody's forcing them. It's for their own good that they should apologise."
Talk about doctored logic.
Delhi: Power over the Powerful
As the capital's first Lokayukt, Rajendra Nath Aggarwal, 72, has a daunting agenda
before him. Sworn in on December 1, Aggarwal's responsibility will be to look closely at
all allegations of malfeasance and corruption against the Government, including the chief
minister and ministers. "I want to follow all complaints vigorously and do some solid
work over the next five years," says Aggarwal, a former chief justice of the Delhi
High Court. As per the Delhi Lokayukt and Upalokayukt Act, 1995, he, however, will not be
able to inquire into charges against judicial officers and bureaucrats. Aggarwal has the
power to summon people, requisition public records from any court or office, and submit
findings to a "competent authority". In case of the chief minister and the
ministers, the authority will be the President; in other cases it will be the lt-governor
of Delhi. All complaints must come in the form of sworn affidavits, supportive evidence
and a deposit of Rs 500 which is aimed at deterring frivolous complainants. As per the
Act, those who make false complaints, "wilfully or maliciously", run the risk of
inviting a three-year term of rigorous imprisonment. Aggarwal is sure that there are
plenty of conscientious citizens to point out cases of corruption in high offices. He can
though do with more infrastructure than is provided for at the moment -- there is no
Upalokayukt or any senior officer to assist him. The first Lokayukt's tenure expires only
in 2002. Enough time, one hopes, to set the house in order.
Lucknow: Bungalow Fetish
One of the perks of being chief minister of Uttar Pradesh is that you get to keep the
official bungalow even after being dismissed. Former chief ministers Mulayam Yadav and
Mayawati, in fact, allotted themselves lavishly furnished houses just before they quit.
Now, it's the turn of Kalyan Singh. Though there's no imminent threat to his ministry,
Singh's 2 Mall Avenue residence is being given a face-lift. The road in front is being
widened -- by destroying about a dozen trees and the boundary walls of two cabinet
colleagues. The servants' quarters are being turned into a canteen for guests and
policemen on duty. All this after his jumbo ministry of 92 has already milked the state
coffers dry.
Chandigarh: The Hand that Feeds
Call it the milk of human kindness, but when it comes from Union Welfare Minister
Balwant Singh Ramoowalia it can only be plain sycophancy. As the United Front's postman to
Sitaram Kesri, Ramoowalia never misses an opportunity to keep the Congress chief in good
humour. But Ramoowalia's trans-Atlantic gesture to keep Kesri in good health takes the
cake. For some time now, Ramoowalia has been supplying a "special diet" for
Kesri -- powdered milk, which is essentially low-fat baby food, brought all the way from
Canada. Ramoowalia learnt about Kesri's prescription during Chacha's heart surgery in
Houston. Ever since, he has ensured a regular supply of the consignment from his NRI
relatives.
Chandigarh: A Mismanaged Comeback Bid
Former Punjab chief minister Harcharan Singh Brar's bid to return to the Congress fold
with help from 10 Janpath and Madhavrao Scindia continues to be jinxed. Barely had the
dust settled on the "missing" Rs 51 lakh thailli (bag), allegedly handed over to
Brar two years ago by the state's Congress workers, than he found himself in another
controversy. On November 27, he was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act by the
Chandigarh police. The fir followed liquor baron Yoginder Sharma's complaint that Brar, as
chief minister, had taken a Rs 25 lakh bribe in a Rs 50 lakh liquor vend deal.
Brar's denial hasn't cut much ice with Congress chief Sitaram Kesri. The controversy
has given arch-foe and PCC chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal -- faced with dissidents' tirade --
a reason to smile. She was quick to report to Kesri that Brar's re-entry would tar the
party's image in the event of general elections being held soon. For Brar it might be a
long wait at the Congress gates.
Bangalore: Veerappan Junior
As if one Veerappan wasn't enough, now there's a Thangam too. The most wanted criminal
after Veerappan in Karnataka operates from the Kolar Gold Fields, 65 km from Bangalore.
True to his name, Thangam, 25, specialises in stealing gold. Driving around in a Tata
Sumo, the criminal strikes only during the day. With 42 offences in the past four years
and a Rs 1.5 lakh loot from a jewellery store on December 2, he is proving to be an
embarrassment for the state police. But with the locals backing him -- Thangam has also
adopted Veerappan's Robin Hood image -- the police's job has become more difficult. Says
Kolar district Superintendent of Police S.K. Mohammad: "We are pressing into service
all civil and reserve police forces to nab him." Shoot at sight orders have been
issued, but Thangam remains elusive.
Mumbai: Obstacle Course
Few good things come out of a government's populist proposals. So, the people of
Maharashtra are keeping their fingers crossed. After all, it took seven years before the
proposed expressway between Mumbai and Pune got the green light last week, with Shiv Sena
chief Bal Thackeray laying the foundation stone. Mooted during Sharad Pawar's tenure, the
80 km expressway is expected to reduce travel time from five to three hours and save fuel
worth Rs 100 crore a year.
Chief Minister Manohar Joshi got the clearance before I.K. Gujral resigned. Cleverly, the
Shiv Sena-BJP partners used the occasion to kick off an election campaign, in case a
general election was announced. "This is the ideal time," said Thackeray,
"we need not have a separate function." Before the Government's powers are
curbed by election rules, Thackeray also announced the bridge between the Nhava Sheva port
in Navi Mumbai and Sewri in Mumbai.
But promises are easy to make. It is the execution that is difficult. Besides
environmental hurdles, the cash-strapped Government has to find ways to finance the Rs
1,500 crore project. Finally, farmers whose lands will be acquired are raising a hue and
cry for "fair compensation". If it is serious about using the promised
expressway as a pre-election sop, the Government will have to steer skilfully. |
