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NEWSNOTES
DESPATCH
CBI Pulls the Chain on Gravy Train
Jodhpur: It was supposed to be a pr exercise.
But if the journalists on a free trip on the Rajasthan Tourism Development
Corporation's (RTDC) Palace on Wheels are not too effusive in their praise,
we know why. As the train neared Jodhpur, CBI officials boarded it and
asked each passenger for his ticket. Later, they announced that 67 passengers,
nearly a third of whom were journalists, did not have tickets. They had
reportedly been sent on a two-three day trip, but some stayed on for the
complete eight-day journey.
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HOLIDAY HALTED: CBI officials at work on the train
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While the CBI figures out whether RTDC and the
Railways were within their right to organise such a big free tour, Chief
Minister Ashok Gehlot has turned the spotlight on the CBI, dismissing
the raid as "a fallout of local politics." That's a reference
to a tussle between RTDC Chairman Rajeev Arora and Beena Kak, minister
of state for tourism, who had opposed Arora's appointment. Arora, who
in the past has refused to obey Kak's orders, says tours such as this
are usual. He has accused her of making the RTDC pay for the catering
at her niece's wedding, an allegation Kak denies. Gehlot, meanwhile is
concerned about the train's image. "The CBI director should investigate
if his officers acted fairly in doing this to an internationally renowned
project," he said. The CBI spokesman, however, says it acted on a
specific complaint. Whether the CBI decides to file a criminal case or
not, there's egg on everyone's face. Those who had bought tickets complained
about the CBI disturbing their siesta, and as for the journalists-they
got a juicy story as a bonus.
—Rohit Parihar
HONOUR ROLL
The Googly Wizard
 Former
India leg-spinner Subhash Gupte found himself in the news again, not once
but twice. First, the bcci honoured him with its prestigious C. K. Nayudu
Award for 2000. Timed almost in sync, West Indian legend Gary Sobers then
declared that the greatest leg-spinner ever was not Aussie Shane Warne
but the Indian who, now 72, lives in Trinidad. Gupte played for India
from 1951 to 1962 and bamboozled the world's best batsmen. Sobers revealed
that unlike most leggies, he could bowl two googlies. Gupte was a man
with an independent spirit and a fierce temper, who kowtowed to no one
and so played fewer Tests than he should have. They say when the cricket
ball left his hand, you could hear it whizzing through the air.
—Sharda Ugra
SIGNPOSTS
Dismissed
 By
the Supreme Court, two petitions challenging the election of Congress
President Sonia Gandhi from Amethi in 1999 on grounds that her citizenship
was acquired in doubtful circumstances. The bench ruled that Sonia
"is a citizen of India" under the Citizenship Act.
AWARDED
To Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the Government
of India's Decadal Achievement Award for raising female literacy in the
undivided state by over 20 per cent from 1991 to 2001. This is the highest
increase in female literacy in the country. Overall female literacy in
the region now stands at 50.28 per cent.
 REJECTED
By P. A. SANGMA, former Lok Sabha Speaker, Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's nomination to act as mediator between
the Government and the insurgent groups of north-east India. His action
followed opposition to his role as mediator by the chief ministers of
three Congress-ruled states.
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