With a new government in Delhi, a revamped administrative framework is supposedly in place to ensure better coordination among various departments to maintain law and order in the city. A group of senior bureaucrats will now meet every Tuesday to monitor issues that could potentially disrupt city administration.
The move follows a high-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah to enhance cooperation between the government and Delhi Police. During the meeting, Shah directed cops to take strict action against those aiding Bangladeshi and Rohingya ‘intruders’ and facilitating their documentation.
A Coordination Committee led by the chief secretary has been formed in this regard. Convened by a senior official of Delhi government’s home department, the panel will also feature top officials such as the Commissioner of Police, vice-chairman of the Delhi Development Authority, the Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and secretaries overseeing education, public works, transport, and law & justice.
Wedding bells for Nitish’s son?
Rumours are swirling that Nishant Kumar, the 48-year-old son of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is set to enter wedlock this year. Although there has been no official confirmation, sources suggest that the engagement ceremony will take place by end of April. The buzz is, Nishant’s bride-to-be works in a government department in the national capital. A JD(U) insider said the wedding has reportedly been arranged by Nitish’s elder brother, Satish Kumar.
The engagement is expected to take place in Delhi after April 15, once the ‘Kharmas’ period (considered inauspicious in Hindu calendar) ends on April 14, making way for the ceremony. Nishant, born on July 20, 1975, is the only son of Nitish Kumar and his late wife Manju Sinha. A private and religious individual, Nishant has long avoided active politics. However, he recently made a few public appearances, where he expressed support for his father, calling Nitish Kumar Bihar’s most capable CM. JD(U) sources believe that Nishant may join politics after the wedding.
MHA fires ‘enemy property’ officers
Amid allegations of irregularities to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore in management and disposal of enemy properties in the country, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has removed two senior officials – Joint Secretary in the Freedom Fighters & Rehabilitation (FFR) division Anant Kishore Saran and Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) Rahul Ramesh Nangare – and placed their services at the disposal of the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) for further posting. Kishore is a promoted Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officer and Nangare is a 1999-batch Indian Revenue Service officer.
Both were appointed to their respective posts in July and March 2023, respectively, for a period of five years. According to the grapevine in the corridors of North Block, an internal enquiry revealed irregularities in the disposal of enemy properties with few of them found to be registered in the name of relatives of one of the officers. Besides, in a number of dispute cases against the government, disputants hired lawyers who happen to be relatives of the officers.
Tharoor in European company!
At the Raisina Dialogue, Shashi Tharoor admitted to feeling embarrassed for criticising the Indian government’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war when it began in February 2022. He had then opposed India’s neutrality, citing violations of the UN charter and Ukraine’s sovereignty. However, Tharoor acknowledged that India’s policy now puts the country in a unique position with Prime Minister Modi able to engage with both Ukraine and Russia.
The policy has meant “India actually has a Prime Minister who can hug both President of Ukraine and President in Moscow two weeks apart and be accepted in both places.” While Europe grudgingly agreed to India’s position earlier, last week, many of them were seen praising Delhi’s stance. Poland Deputy Foreign Minister said Modi is one of the few people who can talk to Putin, and ask him to withdraw forces. However, whether US President Trump played a part in Europe’s U-turn, we’ll never know.