Vigil Begins at Home
Delhi: Central Vigilance
Commissioner N. Vittal may be determined to wipe out corruption from India
but he is learning the hard way. At a conference in Mumbai last week, he
was waxing eloquent on how the Vigilance Commission had made it mandatory
for PSUs and government departments to make available to the public the
contact numbers of chief vigilance officers. The idea: to encourage people
to report bribe seekers. When he finished, he was in for a surprise. He
was told that boards displaying numbers had already been put up in Mumbai
offices. And that the firm that won the contract for the boards had to
bribe a well-placed officer.
Jumbo Havoc
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief
Minister E.K. Nayanar finds himself in an elephantine mess following his
insistence on attending a jumbo mela even after a pachyderm gored to death
a bystander. The show got off to an inauspicious start when a stampede by
some baby elephants left five persons injured. The havoc resulted in the
Opposition demanding the resignation of Education Minister P.J. Joseph who
organised the show. The elephants have got away scot-free.
Musical Chairs
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister
Ram Prakash Gupta is known for his absentmindedness. He displayed it again
last week at a party meeting. While Gupta was addressing the gathering,
BJP President Kushabhau Thakre left the hall for a brief while. Partymen
were happy Gupta had made no gaffes but the relief was shortlived. His
speech over, Gupta plonked himself on the chair reserved for Thakre who on
his return had to hunt for a seat.
Clean Dollar Drive
Hyderabad: Jetsetting Andhra
Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu makes no bones about the fact
that he wants to develop Hyderabad along the lines of Singapore. So last
week when Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong came calling, Naidu
worked overtime to have the city cleaned and spruced up. Was Goh
impressed? The answer lies in the quantum of Singapore dollars coming into
the state.
CONFESSIONAL
Union Minister of State for Tourism Uma
Bharati resigned after BJP corporators were beaten up during the
Bhopal Municipal Corporation speaker's election.
Why did you resign?
To fight the dictatorial regime of Digvijay Singh. I am an MP from
Bhopal and I could not remain a mute spectator. Being in the government
imposed restrictions on me. Now I am free to face the Madhya Pradesh
Government's bullets and batons.
The CM says the BJP was bent on violence
as it didn't enjoy a majority in the corporation?
It is not a question of majority but that of a fair election. The
returning officer acted as a Congress agent. Our people were beaten up at
Digvijay's behest.
What about the complaint of the doctors
against the BJP?
The injured were beaten up not by the doctors but by some anti-social
elements who had accompanied Digvijay when he visited the hospital.
Your resignation has been described as a
gimmick. Will you withdraw it?
Fighting for the cause of the people is more important to me than a
ministership. I have been called by the prime minister and I will explain
to him the reasons behind my resignation.
-N.K.Singh
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