Journalism of Courage
SEEKING ENTRY
Better late than never. BJP leaders,including party president Rajnath Singh,have been repeatedly denied permission to visit riot-hit Muzaffarnagar by the state government. But their patience is running thin given that their MLAs are in jail over allegations of fomenting the riots. Rajnath has decided to make another attempt on Monday to visit Muzaffarnagar ahead of Narendra Modis first rally in UP coming Saturday. But state units focus remain on Modi rally. State unit chief Lakshmikant Bajpai will not be accompanying Rajnath and will be in Kanpur to prepare for the other rally.
NIA CALLING
The Home Ministry is learnt to have cleared the appointment of 1991-batch IPS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre,G P Singh,for deputation in the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Singh is likely to be given the charge of IG Loknath Behera,who was given marching orders by the MHA last month. There are currently four IGs in NIA with two of them handling investigations. Before being transferred to his parent cadre in Kerala,Behera was handling the key work of intelligence and policy.
INTERNAL CHECK
While the Congress has been dismissive about pre-poll surveys making not-so-optimistic predictions about its performance in the Assembly elections,the partys internal surveys have predicted mixed fortune in the forthcoming elections. In Madhya Pradesh,as per the internal survey,the Congress is behind the ruling BJP by 15 seats,which the party hopes to bridge with a united leadership in the next two months. The three internal surveys in Delhi give a clear lead to the Congress as against the principal opposition BJP by 5,8 and 1 seats respectively. Given that the internal survey in Rajasthan has also predicted a close contest with the BJP,Congress leaders are keeping their fingers crossed realising how the results could change the momentum ahead of the general elections next year.
PROMOTION ISSUE
At a meeting called by Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal to review the functioning of his ministry,a senior but controversial officer of the Department of Legal Affairs complained about the system of promoting officers though an interview system. The officers assertion found support from Law Secretary B A Aggarwal. The minister was told that former Law Secretary T K Vishwanathan had played a key role in bringing in the interview system. However,once the meeting ended,senior officers were heard saying that the interview system has ensured that at least some merit is considered while making selections. Incidentally,both the Attorney General and Cabinet Secretary are part of the interview board.
