Delhi Confidential: The Flip Side

Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary has crossed over to the ruling NDA, but not without ambiguity. His X handle shows the contrast — the pinned post at the top is “Dil Jeet Liya”, which he wrote after the Union government announced Bharat Ratna for his grandfather Chaudhary Charan Singh, while his latest post says he can “understand the anger” of Bengal-cadre IPS officer Jaspreet Singh, who, the Bengal police alleged, was called “Khalistani” by BJP protesters at Sandeshkhali. Though BJP leaders have denied the allegations levelled by the Bengal police, they have avoided making any comment on Jayant’s post.

Cactus Calling

Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who is known for his controversial remarks, is promoting two things these days — jhatka meat and cactus. The minister is so enthusiastic about cactus promotion that he recently asked his ministry officials to explore the possibility of cactus cultivation in India. On Wednesday, when Nishant Pitti, CEO & Co-founder of EaseMyTrip, came to meet Singh at his Krishi Bhawan office, the minister gifted him a jacket made of cactus. Singh said cactus would emerge as an energy crop and a vegan leather option for clothes in the future.

Dharna & Baithak

Amid the ‘Dilli Chalo’ march by farmers of Punjab, the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh — the farmers’ wing of the RSS — will host 1,500 farmer representatives from across the country beginning Friday at Kishangarh in Rajasthan. The BKS is holding its annual Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha that will see the participation of all its top leaders apart from the farmer representatives. The meeting will discuss issues related to farmers, including MSP, said sources. On Thursday, the BKS held its Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal Baithak at the same venue to discuss “the current situation in the country”.