Delhi Confidential: In Solidarity

A DAY after protesters taking part in ‘Sansad Chalo’ rally faced lathicharge and tear gas shelling from Delhi Police, MPs from Opposition parties streamed in to express solidarity with them at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday. From Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut and Arvind Sawant to CPI(M)’s John Brittas, Opposition leaders met those associated with the Cockroach Janta Party as well as the injured protesters who returned to the protest site after medical treatment.

Car Sewa

AN SUV belonging to a Congress leader was parked in a spot that served as a vantage point for anyone looking to shoot videos of the party’s protest near PM Narendra Modi’s residence on Tuesday. While initially the Congress leader didn’t let anyone lean onto his car, once the police started detaining party MPs, he gave a free pass to people who wanted to shoot videos of the police action. Some Congress workers also stood on the roof of the car and shot videos of leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, being pushed into the police buses. The onlookers left multiple dents on the SUV, but the Congress leader was unfazed and said that it was a “sacrifice for the country and the youth”.

Viral by Error

CONGRESS’S RAJYA Sabha MP Syed Naseer Hussain erroneously went viral on social media a day after the students’ protest in the Capital. The reason: Hussain’s resemblance to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Video clips of the MP standing next to senior Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury as she attacked the BJP government for the police excesses on protesting students began doing the rounds, with many mistaking Hussain for Pradhan and attacking him.

No Absentees

THE CPWD has asked its officers to avoid taking leave for the duration of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. It is learnt that officers of the level of Superintending Engineer and above have been told their presence is essential for responding to Parliament questions and references from MPs in a time-bound manner.