Kolkata Confidential

Pressed into talking
When Jyotiraditya Scindia walked into the auditorium last week to interact with the press,little did he know about his popularity? Curious to know the views of the young MoS for Commerce and Industry,the press surrounded him asking his views on almost everything under the sun,from port to the tea industry to petrapol. After charming the crowds with his witty remarks,the young politician was soon beleaguered by mediapersons and asked to comment on all the issues. Fumbling through his answers,he took quite a beating from the press and was on the verge of stumbling on the dias before being rescued.

No way out?
Nothing is as confusing in the state as the PTTI crisis in the primary education of the state. Even senior politicians and leaders who are not in regular touch of the development issues find it difficult to understand the developments and often their statements do more harm than good. Last week,when the Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal spoke about a bridge course for PTTI trainees along with upgrading the qualification of PTTI trainees,many politicians thought that a solution to the long drawn crisis has emerged. While TMC leader and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Partha Chaterjee was quick in declaring that it was because of Mamata Banerjee that the crisis has been solved,senior CPM leaders thanked Sibal for extending an olive branch to the state only later to realise that it was no breather to the state government. While the Trinamool has been silent on the issue since then,the state education minister had a tough time explaining why his own party members welcomed the proposal and he was rejecting it the very next day.

Bad Kolkata crowd
Dada Saheb Phalke awardee singer Manna Day was felicitated last week in a private function in the state and once again the stage was set out for him to perform. During his performance,a little girl approached to the singer to request for a song and he refused saying that he did not want to entertain any requests as he would sing all his major songs. After enthusiastically belting out his hits for over two hours and receiving a standing ovation at the end,the maestro walked off the stage and told the waiting press that he was too tired to give any comments as he did not like the crowd. “I am tired after performing in front of such a bad and reckless audience. As I did not like the crowd I will not talk to the press,” said Dey.