Bawarchi at Madrassa
The overbearing presence of SPG far outnumbering the Congress entourage set the ambience of Rahul Gandhi’s UP ‘Kisan Yatra’. If the PK-team was responsible for the tone and tenor, the safari-clad black cats took a call on all else—from sansitisation of the route to tasting of food. At the SPG’s behest Congress MLA from Jaunpur, Nadeem Javed, flew in a bawarchi from Lucknow to rustle up the meal Rahul had at Gauraini Madrassa. The Awadhi lunch he cooked up was only for the ‘VIPs’ though, not shared with the members of the seminary.
Building Not Legal
Comedian Kapil Sharma created a frenzy on Twitter, alleging he was asked for a `5 lakh bribe by the Mumbai civic body officialdom. MoS Anupriya Patel created a kerfuffle in Delhi locking up CPWD officials, including a junior engineer, in her Pandara Park house in Lutyens’ Delhi. In both cases, building of a floor or rooms outside the legal parameters was the real reason of conflict. Not what was alleged.
Jairam on Indira
Much has been written on Indira Gandhi and her controversial politics. Biographies and hagiographies alike. Unlike Nehru, on Indira not all that has been written is glorifying, particularly those written after Narendra Modi’s resurgence. Now Jairam Ramesh is on his next book and it’s on Indira. The focus is on lesser known aspects, like her love for nature, wild life and concern for the environment. This could be aimed at softening her image, dented all over again by the renewed focus on the dark days of Emergency.
In the Middle of a Change
Madhya Pradesh is soon to get a new Governor. BJP veteran from UP, Lalji Tandon’s name is in circulation. The party insiders claim, they won’t be surprised if Lalji’s sent to Bhopal. The surprise is about the buzz around the Chief Minister. The RSS top-brass cross-questioned Shivraj Singh Chauhan on a number of issues during a four/five-hour-long closed door meeting. Some believe a search for a successor is on.