Hindi Hurdle
Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave finds himself struggling while writing in Hindi. After living in
Gujarat for years, Dave never got any formal education in Hindi and finds matra (vowels) difficult as there are none in Gujarati. “Whenever I go for a book release and someone asks me to write a comment in Hindi, I ask them to write on my behalf and then I sign,” said the minister.
Credit Card
Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi was the first to take credit when a Bill, which increases maternity leave in the private sector to six months, was passed though a legislation piloted by the Labour Ministry. However, her bid to claim credit for the Surrogacy Bill also was thwarted when she had to cancel a press conference as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was fielded to answer media queries, apparently at the behest of the PMO.
First Factor
Probably the biggest surprise in the unveiling of the draft Surrogacy Bill was External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj addressing the Cabinet briefing. Before any reporter could question her, she explained that she was there in her capacity as the head of the GoM that finalised the Bill. Frank Noronha, head of the Press Information Bureau, was quick to add that it was the first time that the External Affairs Minister had come to the National Media Centre.
Shutter Shy
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had a few jittery moments when he was photographed dining in a star hotel. He was dressed casually in a pair of blue jeans and a T-shirt, and was accompanied by friends. As he whizzed into the dining area, one his SPG protectees was seen pleading with the photographer to delete the pictures. But he stood his ground. Last seen, he was scouting for a location to capture the Congress scion coming out, albeit without being caught.