Right response

Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs appeal to citizens to contribute to PMs National Relief Fund

Right responseE

Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs appeal to citizens to contribute to PMs National Relief Fund for helping those affected in Uttarakhand disaster has drawn overwhelming response,if PMO insiders are to be believed. Such was the traffic of donors that,they claimed,the link to the website publicised by Prime Ministers Twitter page crashed at least twice on Saturday and was rectified after outsider techies tweeted about it.

REHAB COMMITTEE

Congress Working Committee,the apex decision-making body of the ruling party,is becoming a relief and rehabilitation centre for the unwanted and the uncared for. Hours before the swearing-in ceremony last week,the name of Choudhury Birendra Singh,who was to be inducted with Cabinet rank,was expunged from the list of ministers who were to take oath. He was rehabilitated as a CWC member within hours. Former Punjab PCC chief Amarinder Singh had met Sonia Gandhi and returned with the impression that he would be appointed AICC general secretary. As it turned out,it was a wrong impression. He was rehabilitated as Permanent Invitee to the CWC. Similarly,Vilas Muttemwar had been appointed AICC general secretary last year to make up for the denial of ministerial berth; he lost both the posts this time. Muttemwar has been accommodated as CWC Permanent Invitee.

The CJI MOVE

With outgoing Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir finally sending his recommendation of the name of Justice P Sathasivam as his successor,the ball has been set rolling on the coveted appointment. The senior-most Supreme Court Judge is the automatic choice for the CJIs post,but the process begins only after the outgoing CJI makes the recommendation. Generally this happens about a month before the CJI is to retire. However,in the case of Justice Sathasivam,the Law Ministry was kept waiting anxiously for the recommendation from Justice Kabir to come. Justice Sathasivam will take oath as CJI July 19.

QUEUING UP FOR CREDIT

EVER since Uttarakhand floods started occupying the national media space,there has been a competition among various agencies involved in evacuation process to hog the limelight. Different agencies Army,ITBP,NDRF have been sending out multiple press releases as well as holding separate press conferences on the same subject. Mailers are being sent from the Home Ministry and the state government while the Information and Broadcasting Minister has been holding daily briefings with updates. However,like the action on the ground,there has been little coordination in disseminating information as well. The casualty estimates,as well as the estimates of people stranded,have fluctuated wildly from agency to agency.