Modi Not First

It seems Modi,who has a penchant for verbally abusing Mian Musharraf,had not been briefed about this coincidence.

Modi Not First

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi sought to compensate the Wharton snub by addressing a gathering of Indian-Americans through a video call organised by the Overseas Friends of BJP arm of the party. Though his India First remark was lapped up by media as a novel idea,it emerges that a similar phrase was used by former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf when he quit from his position in 2008. Musharraf had then said he always put Pakistan first. In fact,Musharrafs Twitter handle is PakistanFirst. It seems Modi,who has a penchant for verbally abusing Mian Musharraf,had not been briefed about this coincidence.

Internal Affairs

AS the BJP parliamentary party was discussing how to corner the Congress on alleged irregularities in land deals by companies linked to Robert Vadra,it was made aware of allegations against one of its own MPs. Party MP Nishikant Dubey is learnt to have drawn the attention of the gathering to anonymous pamphlets that were being circulated making unverified claims against himself. Dubey complained that the pamphlets could be a result of internal dissent within the party. Senior leader L K Advani advised him to confide in the top leadership about the people he suspected to be behind the campaign. But Dubey said he had already complained to the police and sought investigations.

Replacement Riddle

WITH Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai scheduled to retire in the next few months,the government has started looking for a suitable replacement. However,CPI Lok Sabha MP Gurudas Dasgupta wants the process for selection of the CAG to be changed. He has moved a calling attention motion in the Lok Sabha,seeking a collegium system of appointment of CAG so that only an impartial and upright candidate is appointed CAG. Speaker Meira Kumar is still to decide on the MPs motion.

Plan Postponed

PRIME Minister Manmohan Singhs upcoming visit to UAE and South Africa has been shortened because a last-minute cancellation of the UAE-leg of the trip. Since an Indian Prime Minister was going to UAE after more than three decades,the UAE government is learnt to have asked for a stand-alone visit and not a hurried one that was planned. Moreover,with negotiations on the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement not having concluded,the Prime Ministers visit was unlikely to result in any substantial outcome. New Delhi,therefore,went along with the UAE suggestion and agreed to plan the visit sometime later.

Sending a message

FOREIGN Secretary Ranjan Mathai was stern but firm on Tuesday evening,when he met Italian ambassador Daniele Mancini. As he conveyed the Indian governments strong position and demanded the return of the two Italian marines,no hospitality was extended no tea or coffee was served to the envoy. A similar situation had happened when Pakistan High Commissioner Salman Bashir was summoned to the Foreign Secretarys South Block office. Sources say this is part of Delhis non-verbal communication.