Delhi Confidential: Conciliatory Visit

In a rare pause in the prevailing high-decibel politics, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday dropped by Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon to check on BJP MLA Anupama Jaiswal, who had suffered burn injuries while setting fire to his effigy during a protest in Bahraich. Posting pictures from the hospital on social media, Yadav struck a conciliatory note, wishing her a speedy recovery and said in a statement: “We don’t want flames to burn within society. We want a shower of harmony to prevail. Our healthy tradition of positive politics has taught us exactly this.”

Woman Power

During the special session to discuss the Nari Shakti Adhiniyam in the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday, all the top three chairs — Speaker, Leader of the House and Leader of Opposition — were occupied by women. Shikha Roy, the BJP’s Grea­ter Kailash MLA, was invited by Speaker Vijender Gupta to preside over House proceedings for the day as Chairperson-in-Chair. Leader of the House Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Leader of Opposition Atishi were also present. While AAP’s Rakhi Birla and Bandana Kumari have held the posts of Deputy Speaker in the past, the House has never been chaired by a woman member since its inception in 1993.