For arts sake

Congress MP Mani Shankar Aiyar,who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha for his contribution to literature and arts,seems to be doing his bit to promote arts and culture in the country

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For arts sake

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Congress MP Mani Shankar Aiyar,who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha for his contribution to literature and arts,seems to be doing his bit to promote arts and culture in the country. He recently befriended a Kolkata-based painter in London where the two had a chance encounter. The painter is now holding an exhibition in Delhi and asked Aiyar to inaugurate. Aiyar not only obliged her but also sent out mails to many requesting them to make a visit to the exhibition.

Lunch diplomacy

The Bar Council of India hosted a lunch for a visiting delegation of Pakistani lawyers from the Punjab Bar Council on Monday to foster ties and build good relations between the legal fraternity of the two countries. However,the reality was clearly not lost on either side. Lawyers from the Indian side were heard discussing how such exchanges were not about brotherly love but a necessity. Since lawyers were a powerful lobby in Pakistan,it would be fruitful to engage with them so that they dont allow hardliners take centrestage,one lawyer was heard saying.

Celebrating victory

In the past few years the governments celebration of Vijay Diwas the commemoration of the 1971 war victory has been low key,with only a token function or two to mark the event. Not this time,though. This years celebrations have been fairly high profile with a special wreath laying session at India Gate and commemorative sessions across the country. While the scaled up celebration was partly due to the fact that this year marks 40 years of the war,it is also true that the Congress ex-servicemens cell has been especially active on the issue this year,prompting the Defence Ministry and informally encouraging formations across the country to mark the occasion in a big way.

Faceless conspirators

The National Investigation Agency NIA which recently filed its chargesheet against David Coleman Headley and eight others in the Mumbai 26/11 attacks case does not have the photographs of two ISI officials. Despite several efforts including sending a Letter Rogatory to Pakistan the agency has been unable to procure the photographs of Major Sameer Ali and Major Iqbal who have been described in the chargesheet as key conspirators behind the Mumbai attacks. The photos of seven others,including LeT chief Hafiz Saeed and former ISI officer Abdur Rehman Hashim,are learnt to be available with the agency.

No party line

Samajwadi Party appears to be split down the middle over the Lokpal Bill with party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav publicly voicing his opposition but two general secretaries Mohan Singh and Ram Gopal Yadav willing to consider it on merits. Mulayam has support from another influential leader,Azam Khan,who is attacking Anna Hazare on the social activists alleged links with RSS. With Parliament ready to debate the Bill on Tuesday,the party on Monday met to chart out a middle path. The party is learnt to have decided to make a distinction between Anna Hazare and his agitation,and the Bill. The party is also believed to have persuaded Mulayam not to speak himself during the debate and field a junior leader to put forward the partys stand.