Delhi Confidential: Image Correction

A discussion in Rajya Sabha on Thursday on the working of the agriculture ministry left SP MP and actor Jaya Bachchan miffed about poor representation of the film industry. Talking about the plight of farmers, AAP MP Ashok Kumar Mittal said the government has forgotten the agriculturists the same way Hindi films have ignored them in their scripts. Earlier Bollywood used to showcase farmers as the protagonist, but now they would hardly be “extras” in the films, said the MP. Following the statement, Jaya Bachchan was heard correcting the MP that it was “not Bollywood”, but the “Indian film industry”.

Common Complaint

During a discussion in Rajya Sabha on the measures taken by the government to control the population of wild animals, a Congress MP made a mention of the “monkey menace” in the Capital. It turned out to be a common grouse of several MPs across parties, with CPI(M)’s John Brittas repeatedly standing up to speak on the issue. The topic also saw camaraderie between Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and SP MP Jaya Bachchan, with the latter walking up to Gandhi twice to have a chat over something. Wrapping up the discussion, Union Environment Minister Bhupendar Yadav put the blame on the Delhi government for not having given due importance to a serious issue.

Seniors’ Selection

Nearly 16 months after it invited applications for conferring senior advocate designations, the Supreme Court is learnt to have started the process. Over the last two days, several lawyers who had expressed their interest got a call for a meeting with the selection panel headed by the CJI. Around 138 lawyers are being considered this year for taking the silk robes. The panel usually sits twice a year but since it has not met in a while, there is a sense of anticipation. The prestigious tag sets apart an advocate and adds to her stature.