Hom Hindi bolta

But the main reason is so that the CPI(M) can project itself nationally through TV channels and Jyotibabu can become a prime ministerial candidate. Curiously, those most threatened by the West Bengal lobby’s newfound love for the rashtra bhasha are the MPs from Tamil Nadu. Both the AIADMK’s P.H. Pandian and MDMK’s Vaiko protested at Chatterjee’s Hindi-speaking efforts.

On guard at home

Home Secretary Kamal Pandey has shrewdly decided that the post of special secretary (home) handling internal security should not be allowed to become a parallel power centre. With the retirement of M.B. Kaushal as special secretary (home) his successor R.K. Sharma finds his duties pared down to merely looking after the departments of freedom fighters and rehabilitation.

The bulk of the special secretary’s duties has been transferred to the secretary in charge of Jammu and Kashmir.

Another post in the ministry which seems to have been virtually abolished is that of media adviser. Two years ago, a high ranking additional secretary P.D. Shenoy was deputed to liaise with the media. All other home ministry officials were instructed to keep journalists at arm’s length. But the special effort to spruce up the home ministry’s image seems to have fallen flat, and with Shenoy’s elevation to a full secretary three months back, there is no move to appoint his replacement.

The task of handling the ministry’s official publicity has reverted to a Press Information Bureau official who more often than not is himself in the dark about what is happening.

Hype-notised Lalji

The BJP’s agreement with the BSP over the UP government formation was worked out by the BJP central high command of Vajpayee, Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.

The UP leadership was merely asked to tie up the minor details. There was no demand for the position of deputy chief minister, since the central leadership was well aware that this would only create bad blood among the state level bosses.

After reports that Lalji Tandon would be appointed deputy CM’s post appeared in the media, many BJP national executive members in Goa congratulated Tandon who began to believe the hype!

The agreement between the two parties is that they will get the same share of ministerial portfolios as in 1996, and respective ministers will have the right to appoint bureaucrats in their ministries. Chief Minister Mayawati will, however, decide the postings of all district magistrates and SPs.

Turbulence ahead

Jet Airways has been operating a domestic air service since 1993, without any adverse comments from our intelligence agencies. The misgivings of our intelligence agencies over the airline’s foreign ownership and the source of its funding seem to have surfaced because of an ongoing political and corporate warfare rather than genuine concerns about security.

The foreign directors of the airlines whose antecedents are now being checked out are: Ali Ismail Ghandour, a Jordanian, Garrit D.V. Der Veer, a South African, Vic P. Dungca, an American, Harry Tirvengadum, a Mauritian and Peter Bouw, a Dutchman. Incidentally, BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha became a director on the Jet board in February 2001, but after the controversy he seems to have decided to step down.

On the other hand, Shabana Azmi’s husband lyric writer Javed Akhtar still continues to be on the board.

De-Commissioned

The tussle between the health and family welfare ministry and the National Commission on Population (NCP) as to who should be administer the National Population Stabilisation Fund (NPSF) in which the seed money has now accumulated to Rs 100 crore has been continuing for two years.

The PM has held three meetings on the ticklish issue and in bureaucratic circles it was believed that the odds were in favour of the NCP winning its case, even though it had neither the machinery nor bureaucratic precedent on its side.

The NCP’s advantage is that its high profile chairman K.C. Pant and powerful member secretary Krishna Singh were pleading its case and even formulating guidelines that allowed the commission to encroach on the ministry’s role.

Recently, however, Vajpayee directed that the NPSF be operated by the health ministry as this would ensure both accountability and transparency. Does this place a question mark over the future of the 140 member NCP and its 15 member strong secretariat?