BENEVOLENT: Digvijay

Who wants to bid goodbye to a job that gives you a bungalow, a car and assistants? Certainly not the bureaucrats of Madhya Pradesh. Senior civil servants on the verge of retirement remain just that. They continue in the government by getting appointed to new posts. And there are plenty of these-chairman of the Backward Caste Commission, vice-chancellor of RD University, Jabalpur, adviser to the lokayukta and chief of the grievance cell for those displaced by hydro-electricity projects. One former babu has the remarkably specific job description of "adviser to the chief minister on forests". Others have become members of the State Human Rights Commission and the State Election Commission.

There's one man to whom they owe their continued sunshine: Chief Minister Digvijay Singh. "His faith in the bureaucracy is touching," smirks Leader of the Opposition Gaurishankar Shejwar (BJP). "He does not let go of them even after retirement." Champing at the bit are politicians who want these jobs. And serving bureaucrats are realising that it might be their lot to serve under the same captain all their lives.

-Neeraj Mishra

In the Soup, Yet Again

STILL SMILING: Nadar

For the second time, A. Neelalohitadasan Nadar, Kerala Janata Dal (S) secretary general, has been charged with sexual harassment. A state police special investigation team recently filed a chargesheet against the three-time minister in a case brought against him by Indian Forest Service officer Prakruthi Srivastava. Srivastava, 35, said Nadar, as transport and forest minister, had attempted to molest her in a government guest house on February 27, 1999.

The police has found corroborating evidence and filed a case against him for outraging the modesty of a woman. Two years ago, IAS officer Nalini Netto had filed a similar case against Nadar, which had led to his resignation from the Cabinet.

Nadar's appeal against the chargesheet is pending in the Kerala High Court. "Everyone is out to finish me," is all he says. If found guilty, he can be sent to prison for up to two years in each case.

-M.G. Radhakrishnan

OUTLAWED: Kyunki Saas is under fire

Sometimes saying sorry is just not enough. Infuriated by the portrayal of foetal sex determination in a recent episode of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, social activists are planning to file a petition in the Delhi High Court against Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms and Star Plus. Even Balaji's decision to apologise has not mollified them. Meanwhile, Pune ngo Masum has lodged a complaint under the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act, 1994, with the authorities in Maharashtra.

The Supreme Court is currently monitoring Central and state implementation of the Act which bans sex determination. Delhi lawyer Geetanjli Goel argues that Kyunki Saas ... erred in conveying the impression that these tests "are not illegal", thus acting as an ad-outlawed under Section 22 of the Act-for sex determination. Here's a twist in the tale that Balaji and Star had not bargained for.

-Anna M.M.Vetticad