Bombay Confidential: Pradhan’s swipe triggers buzz

At IIT Bombay’s Bharat Innovates Pre-Summit, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan drew attention to IIT Delhi Director Rangan Banerjee’s absence. “Banerjee must be really busy. Bharat is preparing to go to France, but he did not have time to come to Mumbai,” Pradhan said. Glancing at Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, Pradhan said Banerjee must have communicated to him the reason for his absence. Resuming his addresss then, the minister said, “Friends, this will not work.”

Politics in a cuppa

In Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray walked into the Assembly with a mug of coffee, taking a swipe at the ruling side. The prop was a pointed rejoinder to BJP minister Nitesh Rane, who had mocked him by claiming Mumbai’s waterways would soon be so efficient that Thackeray could travel from Bandra to South Mumbai with his “favourite cold coffee”. Thackeray ensured the jibe did not go unanswered quite literally.

Quiet transfer

The recent transfer of a government official allegedly linked to self-styled godman Ashok Kharat back to his parent department has raised eyebrows in official circles. The officer, said to enjoy strong political connections, is also linked to a prominent builder close to a former chief minister, and is learnt to have floated a construction firm in his wife’s name. The question now is whether these links will face scrutiny or whether the transfer will effectively push the officer out of the spotlight for now.