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Journalism of Courage
Can anyone tell babus to get in line? Apparently, not even the PM. If the the Model Police Act had invited strong resistance from several state governments, the Public Services Bill, an initiative of the PM, has not even got a response. Though all states were asked for comments, the only encouraging response came from Sikkim, which has no objections to the Bill. After waiting for nearly a year, finally, a reminder was sent to all states last week. Our resolute civil servants continue to be on a roll, getting more cheer this New Year. Decks have been cleared to reduce the cooling off period from two years to one year before they can take up a job in the private sector after quitting the service.
Compliance pays
Just friends
The Comrades have finally found a way to keep a reasonable distance from the Samajwadi Party in the Uttar Pradesh polls without severing ties with a reliable friend. It will work something like this: the two parties will not have any formal electoral alliance or even joint campaigns but will not step into each other8217;s turf either. The CPIM has conveyed its decision to the SP, but has decided not to make it public as both sides understand the impact of such an announcement 8212; the end of 8216;Third Front8217; dreams. Which explains why CPIM chief Prakash Karat insists that no decision has been taken on an alliance with any party.
St Antony at it again
Defence Minister AK Antony, aka St Antony, is making some sweeping changes in his ministry, one that arms firms are going to find a little unsettling. First, he refuses to partake of tea and biscuits with the swish execs from weapons companies. Instead, he has delegated the task to the Directorate of Acquisition or to the overloaded Defence Secretary. Oral instructions have already been sent down the line. Not surprisingly, last November, visiting arms giant Lockheed Martin8217;s CEO Robert J Stevens had no problem getting an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, but he apparently couldn8217;t swing one with Antony. Lockheed says it cannot confirm the 8220;turn-down8221;, but the MoD has couched the snub saying the minister was 8220;still under brief8221; at the time and therefore 8220;wasn8217;t meeting anyone8221;. Probity, or curtains?
Sonia8217;s quiet ways
It was a thoughtful Sonia Gandhi who chose to visit Nithari at 8 am on a freezing morning, keeping in mind the restrictions on the citizenry whenever she visits a place. The Congress president insisted the visit to be before office hours so as to avoid the consequent traffic snarl on the busy Delhi-NOIDA road. This is not the first time she has chosen such unlikely hours 8212; on March 7, 2006 Sonia Gandhi reached the Sankat Mochan Temple in Varanasi at almost midnight, for similar reasons. Even her decision to go to Nithari was kept under wrap. Sources say she had made up her mind the moment she returned from her week-long seaside vacation last Friday. Such was the secrecy that even local cops were not given advance information.
Asking for the moon
How will the new management guru, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, deal with this? The Federation of Railway Officers8217; Associations FROA, in its recently submitted memorandum to the Sixth Central Pay Commission, has literally asked for the moon. Citing 8220;erosion in the value of rupee, need for parity of railway services with IAS, the effect of economic liberalisation policies and continuing need for attracting and retaining professionals of high talent8221;, the FROA wants senior administrative grade officials8217; pay scale hiked from the current Rs 18,400-22,400 to Rs 80,000-95,000, apart from bringing at par the Railway Board Chairman, whose present scale is Rs 26,000, to that of the Cabinet Secretary. In addition, they want a slew of allowances, ranging from a city compensatory allowance for cities with a higher cost of living, a furniture and furnishing allowance, domestic help allowance, and much more.
The caste trap
Faced with the gruesome Nithari case ahead of a tough electoral battle, UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has only his own kinsmen in the police force to blame for his woes. Two key officers who have been suspended for their negligence are fellow-Yadavs 8212; Noida8217;s City SP Soumitra Yadav and former circle officer of Noida, Sewak Ram Yadav. Reporters covering the ghastly case were startled to discover that the bulk of police personnel in the area had a common surname 8212; Yadav. Senior police officers have complained of rank indiscipline at the lower level because of caste affiliations. Just goes to show that the caste trap is fraught with danger too.
Tailpiece
The gas find by ONGC in Krishna-Godavari has landed the oil explorer in a soup. Instead of being congratulated, ONGC officials are being hauled up by the Petroleum Ministry for the information leak to this newspaper before it was informed. Minister Murli Deora is peeved he could not earn the kudos while his deputy, Petroleum Secretary MS Srinivasan, is angry he has to fend off SEBI for this market-moving news. A harassed ONGC Chairman, who is yet to be confirmed in the position, is spending most of his time now assuaging the ministry8217;s hurt ego. Instructions have been issued that the gas size, when confirmed, should be first intimated to the ministry so that Deora announces the discovery.
