Quiet celebration

The Dalai Lama was in Delhi for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Central Tibetan School Association on Monday but his visit was hardly noticed

Quiet celebration

The Dalai Lama was in Delhi for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Central Tibetan School Association on Monday but his visit was hardly noticed. The event was held at the Manekshaw Centre in Delhi Cantonment,and the Defence authorities decided at the last minute that it was best to keep the media at bay. So the invitation cards issued by the Ministry of Human Resource Development were cancelled with regret.

Pleasant Rivalry

POLITICAL rivalries must not affect pleasant personal relations. That is what BJP leader Yashwant Sinha told Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh after engaging him in some friendly banter over the release of PMGSY funds to BJP-ruled states. Sinha had alleged bias against these states by the Centre. That prompted Ramesh to write to Sinha claiming this was not so. Sinha then got back saying that most of the points raised by Ramesh in his letter amounted to governments intention. This,he stressed,did not transform into actual release of funds and action on the ground. However,he took care to add that this unpleasant exchange of letters must not cloud their pleasant personal relations. Ramesh has not taken the argument further.

Hot Seat

WITH current Director General Acquisition Vivek Rae tipped to be appointed as the new Secretary Defence Production,the Defence Ministry bureaucracy is keenly awaiting a decision on his replacement. A name doing the rounds for the hot seat is that of Rashmi Verma,currently Joint Secretary land systems. Verma last came into the limelight for her staunch defence of the quality of Tatra-BEML trucks after the then Army Chief Gen V K Singh had raised questions over the fleet.

Black Flag

THESE are not the times when one would like to be seen to be even distantly associated with someone with interest in coal mining. But the National Water Development Agency and the Central Board of Irrigation and Power do not seem to care much. These two agencies are organising a day-long seminar on Wednesday,the publicity material for which prominently says that the event was being sponsored by Lanco,which is one of the companies that was allocated a coal block and is currently under the scanner. What is more,the Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh L Rajagopal the founder chairman of Lanco Infratech which is now headed by his brother had pride of place on the dais at the pre-event press conference on Tuesday.

Fuel for Thought

APPARENTLY,one of the reasons responsible for a postponement of an expected hike in diesel and kerosene prices on Tuesday was the upcoming trip of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Kerala. The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs,scheduled for Tuesday,was expected to give its assent to the price hike,but the meeting never happened. Such hikes almost invariably prompt street agitation by CPM in Kerala. The Prime Minister is scheduled to be in Kerala on Wednesday and Thursday,and the Centre anticipated trouble. With Manmohan Singh already under attack from all sides,it was considered unwise to expose him to further distress.