Blackberry boys

When his mother,and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi,came to speak,he promptly raised his head to listen to her and put the Blackberry in his pocket.

Blackberry boys

Guess what Rahul Gandhi was doing when PM Manmohan Singh was delivering his speech after releasing the report card on the completion of the UPA-IIs three years in office. Sitting in the back row with other MPs,he was deeply immersed in his Blackberry phone. When his mother,and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi,came to speak,he promptly raised his head to listen to her and put the Blackberry in his pocket. Congressmen have been very critical of Jamp;K CM Omar Abdullah focusing too much attention to his Blackberry during official or public meetings. They will surely see virtue in the gadget now.

Supreme Support

In an attempt to stem brain drain from the legal profession,lawyers in the Supreme Court have joined hands to launch two annual welfare fellowships to help youngsters sustain themselves during the early difficult days of their career. The Supreme Court Lawyers Welfare Trust will give a monthly stipend of Rs 25,000 for over a period of three years and,as bonus,a one-time online subscription of a Supreme Court law digest to help with case research. The Trust said its intent was to recognise and promote young talent in the field of litigation at the Supreme Court.

Double Whammy

NAC member Aruna Roy was caught off-guard on Wednesday when she met Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh to garner support for universal old age pension and an increase in the current pension for elderly in the BPL category. Ramesh gave her a sermon on fiscal compulsions. He told her how most of her petitions to the government involved a burden on exchequer and why she should focus on campaigns that would actually enhance revenue. He advised her to take up the cause of dismantling of fuel subsidy on diesel,kerosene and LPG that can release resources for her pro-welfare suggestions. Taken a little aback,Roy said she was in favour of withdrawing of fuel subsidies from the affluent sections. The real surprise for her came later in the evening when a steep hike in petrol prices was announced.

Healthy Signs

THE Health Ministry is full of energy these days. It has received a signed letter from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton inviting Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to be the co-convener of a summit on child survival at Washington DC on June 14 and 15. The invitation letter has flattering references to Indias success in containing the spread of polio and the plan to double health spending,though the latter is yet to happen. Azad,it is learnt,has given his assent to be the co-convener and to attend the summit,notwithstanding the austerity buzz that is likely to see ministers cut down on their foreign travel.