Newsnotes


	July 03, 2000

	METRO TODAY \| DAILY NEWS \| ASTROLOGY \| ARCHIVES \| INDIA TODAY \| HOME
	Cover Story \| Columns \| Nation \| Newsnotes \| From the Editor in Chief \| Editorials \| Eyecatchers States \| Voices \| Books \| Viewpoint \| Health \|Sports \| Neighbours \| Business \| Religion \|Cinema \| Offtrack \| Issue Contents

India Today issue dated July 03, 2000 Auto Pilot
Delhi: There are red faces in the Congress party over posters that appeared in the capital shortly after the death of Rajesh Pilot. An investigation is now said to be on to determine the identity of a handful of overzealous supporters of the late CWC member alleged to be behind the caper. Diehard Pilot followers were merely giving vent to their sentiments when they put up the posters that carried a black-bordered picture of Pilot, underneath which was printed the slogan "We Salute Our Departed Leader". Nothing wrong there except that the posters carried the signatures of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and AICC Treasurer Ahmed Patel. Belated acknowledgement?

Lacking Power
Hyderabad: Guess what's on top of Chandrababu "Cyber" Naidu's mind these days? Power thefts, that's what. In the recent past, he has had umpteen meetings with consumers and even suggested that special tribunals be set up to deal with it. But at his weekly Q&A on Hyderabad Doordarshan, it was a consumer who had the last word. He accused the ruling party of "stealing" power during its convention in Vijayawada last month. Naidu promised action on all such incidents hereafter. Now what? An amnesty for the law-breakers?

Décor Dilemmas
Delhi: With half the members of the Union Council of Ministers out of the capital -- the prime minister is in Lisbon and Home Minister L.K. Advani is just back from a four-nation tour -- it is time for the establishment to redecorate ministerial chambers. Quite a few of their occupants are not happy with mere pictures of august personalities on the walls. At least one minister has asked for a M.F. Husain painting in his room. Another minister, who sought and got a Rabindranath Tagore bust, now wants special lighting for it.

On the House
Delhi: Congressmen failing to earn renomination to the Rajya Sabha no longer have to worry about mundane problems such as house hunting. Atal Bihari Vajpayee is very accommodating: last month, he allowed Sitaram Kesri to stay on in his bungalow. More recently, he obliged V.N. Gadgil with a roof over his head.

CONFESSIONAL

AICC General Secretary MOHSINA KIDWAI agrees something is rotten with the Rabri Devi regime but says Congress will not back out.

Q. As a coalition partner, isn't the Congress also responsible for the Mianpur massacre?

A. The Congress cannot escape responsibility. This is our first experience in a coalition government. We are trying to find ways to influence governance.

Q. If you cannot give a good government, why don't you quit the Rabri Devi cabinet?

A. Caste clashes were there even under President's rule. We joined hands with the RJD to keep out the NDA. We are committed to secularism.

Q. The prime minister says he cannot bring Bihar under Central rule because the NDA does not have the requisite numbers in the Rajya Sabha.

A. If he was concerned about it, he should have send more CRPF men demanded by the state.

Q. The Congress in Bihar is split over continuing support to the RJD.

A. Different views are being expressed because of compulsions. But everyone is keen on keeping communal forces out.

-Lakshmi Iyer

Top

Back | Next