Defying Dutchmen

Just days before the Dutch Embassy8217;s much acclaimed exhibition of old Dutch masters was to be shifted from Delhi to Bangalore, an offic...

Just days before the Dutch Embassy8217;s much acclaimed exhibition of old Dutch masters was to be shifted from Delhi to Bangalore, an official from Gujarat8217;s department for sports, culture and youth affairs sent a terse letter to Delhi8217;s National Museum, demanding back the canvases borrowed from the Baroda Museum. He warned of dire consequences if the museum permitted the Dutch to move the paintings to Bangalore.

The pretext for recalling the paintings was that they were required in Gujarat immediately for the start of the tourist season, scarcely a plausible excuse considering that foreign embassies have put out advisories for their nationals not to visit Gujarat during the election campaign!

Some even wondered whether the reason for Gujarat8217;s animosity towards the show was because Chief Minister Narendra Modi had somehow mixed up the Dutch with the Italians! But for once Gujarat8217;s politicians, busy in the election campaign, were not the real culprits. It was the bureaucracy which felt slighted because they were not invited to Delhi for the inauguration.

The Dutch Embassy in Delhi defiantly refused to return the paintings, pointing out that the Baroda Museum had signed an agreement loaning the works for a specified period and they could not backtrack now. An Embassy official threatened to take the paintings forcibly if necessary and warned that no country would sign cultural exchanges with India in future if they reneged on their commitments. It was left to Jagmohan8217;s Culture Ministry to sort out the diplomatic imbroglio by firmly ordering the Gujarat government to fall in line.

His Master8217;s Eyes and Ears

Joint secretary in the PMO Sudheendra Kulkarni, who has been given the additional post of advisor to the I038;B ministry, was assigned the job because the PM believes that the government run media projects L K Advani far more than himself. Vajpayee even remarked to a friend that it seemed that Doordarshan considered him a nobody. Recently when the PM and DPM spoke on terrorism on the same day, Vajpayee8217;s speech from Shimla was referred to only fleetingly in DD8217;s evening bulletin whereas soundbites of Advani8217;s views on terrorism at the BSF Raising Day were carried prominently throughout the day by DD. On Diwali eve, a bhajan programme at Advani8217;s house was attended by the entire top brass of the I038;B ministry. Significantly, when Vajpayee wanted to criticise the VHP, he did so on a private channel and not DD.

Although junior in rank to the PIO, Kulkarni can certainly call the shots if he chooses. At the moment, he simply coordinates with the acting Principal Information Officer but has yet to get an office in Shastri Bhavan or visit the PIB daily.

United Commission

In the past, election commissioners have been convenient tools of the government to counter the chief election commissioner, as in the case of G V G Krishnamurthy and the autocratic T N Seshan. But during the Vajpayee government8217;s confrontation with CEC J M Lyngdoh, the two other ECs, T S Krishnamurthy and B B Tandon, stood united with their chief. In fact, when the CEC contemplated resigning after a spat with a BJP leader whom he felt was trying to browbeat him, the other two ECs offered to resign in sympathy, if need be. Thanks to the conciliatory approach of the two ECs, elections in Gujarat are being held this month. Lyngdoh was in favour of postponing them until next year.

Solely Temporary

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ATTORNEY General Soli Sorabjee was persuaded to continue in office temporarily after his term ended in October largely because Defence Minister George Fernandes wanted the AG to represent the government before the Venkataswami Commission. Now that Venkataswami has resigned and no other retired SC judge seems keen to step into his shoes8212;Justice K T Thomas declined the offer last week8212;the commission could well go into cold storage and the government may soon be looking for a new AG.

In his letter agreeing to continue as AG, Sorabjee made it clear that he should not be given a three-year term as he would not stay beyond January 30. After he relinquishes office, the AG hopes to write a series of essays on the Constitution, compile an anthology of poems and take a sabbatical to teach law at an Ivy League college abroad.

Three Down

After a year in office Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is onto her third chief secretary. P Shankar, who8217;s now the CVC and was specially brought to Chennai from Delhi, fell out of favour very soon. Shankar mistakenly thought he could take a stand against Jayalaithaa8217;s wishes. The CM chided him 8216;8216;don8217;t raise your voice8217;8217; and dropped him abruptly. His replacement Sukhavaneshar was removed after he protested against the move to completely privatise the state transport system. His successor Lakshmi Pranesh is the state8217;s first woman CS, but the bureaucratic grapevine is sceptical about how long she8217;ll last.

N Narayanan, a 1970 batch officer who as finance secretary deposed against Jayalalithaa in a case filed against her by the DMK government, is today completely on her side and considered the current favourite.