UNDER ATTACK: Policemen in Ranthambore

Assembly elections are more than a year away, but they already seem to be influencing the decisions of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Under pressure from Congress MP Abrar Ahmed and his MLA wife Yasmin, Gehlot shunted out M.N. Dinesh, superintendent of police, Sawai Madhopur, who had made it clear that grazing inside Ranthambore National Park would not be allowed. Emboldened by the transfer, 250 cattle owners led 3,000 cattle to the park on the night of September 16, forcing forest rangers to flee their posts.

There's more to the grazing rights conflict. Fodder is available at four government depots in Sawai Madhopur, but it has no takers, says Beena Kak, minister of state for forests and wildlife. Instead, villagers prefer to pay a lower price to gangs with political backing that take their cattle to graze in the park. Two weeks ago, gang members injured a deputy superintendent of police.

In the aftermath of the forced entry, park director G.V. Reddy has asked for a transfer as he fears for his life. Another fallout: Gehlot has sent his ministers to the area to resolve the issue. They will, hopefully, differentiate between villagers with genuine needs and vandals who destroy natural wealth.

-Rohit Parihar

THE GOLDEN PUMPKIN

FALLING FLAT: Ambassador Mansingh

He can be said to have joined the Dead Poets Society. After introducing Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee to a 1,000-plus NRIs at the New York Palace Hotel, India's Ambassador to the United States Lalit Mansingh sought to conclude with lines from a poem by the prime minister. But Mansingh bent over backwards so low that he fell flat on his face: he forgot the lines of the poem Main naya geet gaata hoon and had to grope for his notes to end his 18-minute speech.

By the time the next speaker, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha, finished his long speech, the audience, and the prime minister, could almost feel their hair greying. Vajpayee took note in his classic style: "This saying may be there in the writings of Kautilya. If it is not there, it should be included. It is not good for the country if its ministers speak for so long. It suggests that the country is in difficulty."

If a red-faced Mansingh thinks things couldn't get worse, he's wrong. After his faux pas, the buzz in Washington's diplomatic community is that his posting could be prematurely ended. He may now need poetry lessons, not to mention a parachute, if half the rumours about the destination of his next posting are true.

TRAVEL

BANGALORE: Spend two nights and three days at Comfort Inn, Infantry Court, for Rs 5,999 a couple. Valid till September 30, 2002. Contact: 011-3318383.

SINGAPORE: Stay at the Novotel Apollo Hotel for $99 a night. Valid till September 30, 2002. Contact: 800-6161367.

GREAT FARES: Get a Delhi-Amsterdam return ticket for Rs 25,500 or get two tickets from Delhi to Chicago for the price of one (Rs74,000 for two tickets). e-mail: travelhut@spectranet.com

GOA: Spend three nights and four days in India's beach state. Heritage Village Club is offering a package for Rs 3,470 on a twin-sharing basis. Transfers, meals, unlimited alcoholic beverages, sightseeing and transfers are included. Contact: www.traveljini.com
-Neelam Mathews