Rahul in US, Captain in UK
With Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi holding NRI conclaves in the US, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh has flown to the UK to mobilise NRIs, who play a significant role in the state elections. Before this year’s Assembly polls, Singh had sought support from the community, which helps with funds as well as votes through their relatives back home.
Tough Talk
NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar seems to have been briefed well by his predecessor Arvind Panagriya on state of affairs in the think-tank. From day one, Kumar has been assertive and has made it clear that it’ll be Team NITI henceforth and no individual flamboyance. The buzz is that he has clipped the wings of CEO Amitabh Kant.
350 kmph will be the top speed of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train, which will be operational by August 15, 2022. Its average speed will be 320 kmph.
Grounded for the US
MoS for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha got a rude shock recently when his name was dropped from the list of persons going to the US for a global seminar on civil aviation. The delegation, which originally comprised eight members, was cut to three to accommodate only the secretary of civil aviation, Director General of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Chairman of the Airports Authority of India.
Comfort First
During the bullet train project launch in Ahmedabad, PM Narendra Modi was rather concerned about Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s comfort. Noticing that Abe was finding it difficult to manage the traditional green Gujarati stole gifted to him, Modi removed it from the former’s shoulder and handed it an official.
Tooth & Nail
“We cannot rule out the possibility of security threat…. Centre has adopted a humane approach towards migrants and displaced people, but the government is strongly against illegal immigration.”
Rajnath Singh, Union Minister for Home Affairs on Rohingya immigrants
“In the interest of the nation, all political parties should come together to take a decision on this…. Is it humane that you want to send back those who have lost everything? This is wrong.”
Ajay Maken, Congress spokesperson