SWAMYS SPECTRUM

Always one to stay in the spotlight,Subramanian Swamy has just written a timely book titled 2G Spectrum Scam in which he takes credit for raising the red flag on the emerging scam.

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SWAMYS SPECTRUM

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Always one to stay in the spotlight,Subramanian Swamy has just written a timely book titled 2G Spectrum Scam in which he takes credit for raising the red flag on the emerging scam. Its a self-congratulatory effort since it highlights the letter he wrote to the Prime Minister in November 2008,warning him about telecom minister A Raja and the dubious spectrum allocation methodology. He had already written a similar book in 2010 with the catchy title: Corruption and Corporate Governance in India: Satyam,Spectrum and Sundaram,which was about the Satyam scandal and the spectrum issue,so the latest one is really an update but with considerably greater details of the telecom scandal and how it unravelled. His basic premise is the impact of corruption on the country but its also his way of reminding those currently taking up the corruption issue that he was the original crusader,and he did it without fasting.

ENVOY ISSUE

The US,it seems,may post an interim ambassador to India to fill the gap after Timothy Roemer leaves. The grapevine has it that the lead name doing the rounds for the job is Peter Burleigh,who had been the interim ambassador after David Mulfords departure. The only difference is that between then and now is a cable made public through WikiLeaks. It revealed that Burleigh,who was also Charge D Affaires here,had signed off a cable in May 2009 to Washington stating that BJPs then PM candidate L K Advani had sought to downplay the partys opposition to the nuclear deal. He had claimed that Advani spoke of government is in continuity and does not take international agreements lightly. This is a baggage that,many feel,could weigh on Burleigh if he returns. Meanwhile,all eyes are now on US Secretary of State Hillary Clintons visit to India next month.

FIVE-STAR WITNESS

The man who could land Textile Minister Dayanidhi Maran in serious trouble C Sivasankaran,who has been spilling the beans about the Aircel connection is being treated with kid gloves and a great deal of pampering. Unlike most of the others who were called to the CBI headquarters for recording their statements,Sivasankaran was taken to a five-star hotel in the Capital where he enjoyed the hospitality of the CBI. He was later taken to the CBI headquarters but no one had any clue where his statement was being recorded. It was only in the evening that Siva emerged from the CBI building when it was made clear that he had been inside the building.

SPOTLIGHT GRABBING

In the competitive game of attention-grabbing,BJP spokesmen Shahnawaz Hussain and Tarun Vijay ensured they shared the spotlight even though it was Uma Bhartis day as she returned to the party. While party chief Nitin Gadkari and Bharti sat on chairs on the podium,flanked by general secretaries,both the spokesmen parked themselves behind the top leaders. Hussain took a position behind Gadkari and Vijay behind Bharti,ensuring that they would make it into the picture frame. Hussain also managed to find himself a job. Instead of leaving it to a minder to hold the bouquet to be presented by Gadkari to Bharti,he held it till he was called upon to pass it on to the party chief.

LANGUAGE CAUTION

The bitterness between the leadership of the ruling BSP and its rival SP in Uttar Pradesh is no secret,but even they know where to draw the line. At least this is what became obvious during the national convention of the Samajwadi Party in Agra when one of the workers of the party used abusive language against BSP supremo Mayawati from the stage while the entire SP leadership was listening. The Dalit party worker,who was anticipating a pat on his back,was interrupted and cautioned at his choice of words. In fact,the compere was asked to announce that no worker should use unparliamentary language from the stage.