Delhi Confidential: Lab Jacket

Union Science Minister Jitendra Singh was recently seen in a heavy red puffer jacket during his visit to the ice core laboratory at the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research in Goa. The lab maintains a temperature of minus-20 degrees Celsius to preserve the Antarctic Ice Cores that have been collected during scientific missions. The minister takes a deep interest in the research being conducted by all the laboratories under him and visits them often.

Behind The Chair

During the discussion on Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill 2026 in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Congress MP and party’s communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh went behind the Chairman’s chair and asked for a brief meeting with Leader of the House J P Nadda. Jairam’s message was relayed to Nadda and he made a dash behind the chair and the two had a two-minute-long discussion before returning to their seats. In the discussion on the Bill, Opposition MPs Tiruchi Siva and Renuka Chowdhury spoke strongly against the legislation.

Weekend Relief

BJP leaders who have been assigned organisational responsibilities related to the Assembly elections in Assam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on April 9 are much relieved knowing that there will be no weekend Parliament sittings as planned initially. An announcement to this effect was made by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, which came as a breath of fresh air for those who, over the last week, have spent the better part of the day on air travel to be able to make it for both election-related activities in different states and then attending Parliament proceedings.