Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Not many in the Government seem to have heard of downsizing, including Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, although he controls the purse strings. He8217;s adding to his ministry8217;s bureaucratic paraphernalia with a full-fledged media department that will be several steps ahead of the high-profile External Publicity Division of his previous beat, the Foreign Office. The blueprint that8217;s being prepared envisages a Director-General8217;s designation for the department head, who will be assisted by four directors and eight under secretaries. Of course, each officer will have the usual add-ons in terms of secretaries, personal assistants and peons. It8217;s enough to turn the XP Division, always groaning about being under-staffed,green with envy. No one is talking figures yet, however. The XPD8217;s budget for one joint secretary, one director and four under secretaries runs into crores. Last year, it was somewhere near Rs 22 crore. Ministry circles are wondering how Singh will fund the giant leap from a three-member information team from PIB, which used to take care of their publicity needs, to a 13-officer division.
At the feet of his majesty
Tapping the political market
Liquor baron Vijay Mallya is tackling his political mergers and takeovers like business propositions. Before plunging into Subramaniam Swamy8217;s virtually defunct Janata Party, he commissioned the Indian Market Research Bureau IMRB to do a survey on the political and electoral worth of the party and its symbol of farmer and plough. According to the grapevine, he also got the IMRB to do a study on his profile among Karnataka masses as he wanted to know whether he was politically acceptable with his liquor business, stud farms and immense personal wealth. Now that he8217;s joined Swamy against the advice of many of his friends, the IMRB results are being put to test. So is the theory that shrewd business tactics can make for good politics.
Tiwari8217;s new overtures
Congress circles are not quite sure what Uttaranchal Chief Minister N D Tiwari is up to. In the last four months, he8217;s called on Sonia Gandhi only once. And he coincided the meeting with the mandatory trip a CM makes to the Capital for the annual Planning Commission discussions. The official excuse for his infrequent visits to headquarters is his frail health. Apparently, he was in hospital for some time recently. Yet, he checked out of his sick bed for a day to go to Hardwar to attend a function organised by a prominent sadhu with VHP affiliations. Apart from Tiwari, the sadhu8217;s other VIP guests were Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and VHP leaders Ashok Singhal and Pravin Togadia. Interestingly, when the CM went back to hospital the next day, Singhal and Togadia paid him a courtesy call to inquire about his health.
