Source unknown

Shinde was told that the information had most probably come from officials traveling with the Prime Minister on his Iran trip.

Source unknown

For most of Wednesday morning,Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde kept trying to trace the source of media reports that suggested his Ministry had jumped the gun in blaming Pakistans internet community for creating panic against people of the Northeast. He first questioned officials of his own ministry but when they were unable to throw more light,he summoned Principal Director General of the Press Information Bureau to know whether the reports were accurate. Shinde was told that the information had most probably come from officials traveling with the Prime Minister on his Iran trip. That put paid to his plans to contradict the reports,though he did insist later that New Delhi will take up the matter with Pakistan and share all evidence.

MAKING A POINT

THE normally reticent Defence Minister A K Antony spoke at length at the farewell tea he hosted for outgoing Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma at South Block on Thursday. Incidentally,the last time a service chief retired,this traditional function could not take place because Gen V K Singh did not respond to the ministrys invitation. Antony used Thursdays opportunity to stress that procurement for forces needed to be speeded up. Stressing that he is unhappy with the pace of defence spending in the current financial year,Antonys message was that the real challenge was striking a balance between transparency and ensuring quick procurement of equipment.

MARKED ABSENT

RAILWAY Minister Mukul Roys continued absence from Delhi left a number of MPs quite annoyed on Thursday. It being the designated day for the Railway Minister to meet MPs in Parliament and answer questions related to his ministry,about 10-12 MPs from BSP,BJD,BJP,SP and even Congress had queued up at Roys room in Parliament. But with Roy absent as usual away in Kolkata the MPs had no choice but take their issues to Railway officials. But after that,these MPs went to their colleagues from the Trinamool Congress and complained that the Railway Minister should remain in Delhi at least on his designated days in Parliament. The Trinamool MPs assured them that they would convey the sentiments to the minister.

DUBIOUS HONOUR

CHINESE Defence Minister Gen Liang Guanglie is coming to India on Sunday on an official trip and the talk is whether he would visit the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate. As per tradition,all visiting defence ministers pay their homage to the martyrs memorial before the formal bilateral meetings start. In this case,the question has become relevant because of the fact that this happens to be the 50th anniversary of the 1962 war between India and China. As of now,the visit to India Gate is not in his itinerary but that could change.