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Journalism of Courage
After raising a storm in a kulhar, Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav now appears to have set his heart on the dosa. His latest culinary yearning has sent senior officials in a tizzy, who are shooting off requests for experts in South Indian cuisine. The aim is to set-up a South Indian canteen at Rail Bhawan.
The proposal 8212; mooted by Railway Board Chairman R.K. Singh 8212; was approved by Northern Railway yesterday 8212; with sanction of six persons for the canteen. The CRB first circulated a note in Railway Board for setting-up of the new canteen.
The Catering Directorate then sent a note to Northern Railway NR last month, asking for men to prepare South Indian food. It is the NR which is in charge of food and catering at Parliament House and at Rail Bhawan.
Senior Commercial Manager S.K. Sharma, in charge of catering at Parliament, received the request for additional staff to be deputed at Rail Bhawan. Stating that he could not spare anybody 8212; and that Parliament House canteen itself was facing shortage of staff 8212; he asked Chief Commercial Manager, NR, Pankaj Malviya to sanction the required staff.
Sharma had asked for six men 8212; two cooks, two masalchi and two helpers. He requested for separate space at Rail Bhawan since South Indian cuisine need special vessels for grinding.
The CRB was not available for comment. NR spokesperson D.P.S. Sandhu confirmed that a request had been received to set up a South Indian canteen. Malviya, who held a meeting on the issue yesterday, approved the proposal and details are being worked out. There seemed no indication, on record, that the request for South Indian food had originated from Laloo. 8216;8216;The minister had expressed his desire to eat a dosa after taking charge. Probably the eager-to-please officials took it upon themselves to go out of their way to grant the minister his wish,8217;8217; sources disclosed.
