Unique equation

While that one issue still rankles,the duo agree on most matters regarding military affairs.

Unique equation

Defence Minister A K Antony and Army Chief General V K Singh share a unique equation despite all the perceived tension between the Defence Ministry and Army HQ over the date of birth issue. While Antony has on several occasions described Singh as an able General and a good soldier even after he took a stand on the date of birth issue Singh has been known to praise the minister for his sustained support of the armed forces. While that one issue still rankles,the duo agree on most matters regarding military affairs.

Lokpal opinion

There are some interesting new suggestions to tackle issues such as black money and Lokpal Bill in the Letters to the Editor column of the ruling partys mouthpiece,Congress Sandesh. One of the letters suggested that an ordinance should be brought in to give amnesty to those who deposit 30 to 50 per cent of the illegal assets in government account. Those who do not declare their wealth should be given life imprisonment,stated the letter. Another letter stated that if the Prime Minister is brought within the Lokpals ambit,he will be responsible to both the Lok Sabha and the Lokpal,which would mean that the position of the Lokpal will be equivalent to the President of India which is against the spirit of the Constitution. It seems that the Lokpal supporters are trying to destroy the Constitution of India,the letter added.

House for NIA

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The National Investigating Agencys struggle for office space at a central location in Delhi is likely to be over soon. The NIA is learnt to be preparing to shift to the two floors of the NDMC building on Parliament Street,which have so far been occupied by the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games. The Home Ministry has written to the NDMC to allot the two floors to the agency after the Urban Development Ministry gave no response to its earlier plea for space vacated in the CGO Complex by the CBI,which has moved to a swanky building. The Home Ministry is occupying five floors in the NDMC building.

Party over govt

Shortly after the BJP started going to town over the Supreme Court ruling on Gujarat and claim that Chief Minister Narendra Modi stood vindicated,the government decided to hold a presser to counter it. Word was officially sent out to the media that Law Minister Salman Khurshid,who did a quick reading of the SC ruling,would hold a briefing at 4:15 pm. The announcement,however,prompted an instant protest from Congress leaders,as the party holds its press briefings around the same time. Fearing that the impact of political attack on Modi and the BJP would get diluted,the government immediately cancelled Khurshids briefing,instead letting Congress spokesperson Abshishek Manu Singhvi do the talking against Modi.

Yatra roadblock

The BJPs plans for L K Advanis proposed rath-yatra against corruption seem to have started on a wrong foot. Murmurs have already started about the decision to let former Union minister Ananth Kumar act as the coordinator for the yatra. Some in the BJP are said to be apprehensive of the signals that are likely to go out by the role assigned to Ananth Kumar considering the fact that he himself is embroiled in a corruption case. The Supreme Court is hearing a case involving alleged illegal sanctioning of loans by HUDCO when Ananth Kumar was the Minister for Urban Development during the NDA government.