With the UPA government grappling with a spree of fasts for reasons like stopping corruption, introducing Lokpal bill and bringing back black money, its managers are in an overdrive to bring things under control.

These agitations are being led by veteran social activists like Anna Hazare and yoga guru Baba Ramdev and to persuade these leaders the government has tried to utilise all its power with senior Cabinet Minister Pranab Mukherjee leading the way.
However, the ongoing process of reaching out to these agitating leaders has had a different sort of repercussion for ministers like Kapil Sibal. It is understood that the minister who holds the twin portfolios of HRD and Telecom and is known for his fondness of foreign trips had to cancel a visit to Europe as he was one of the ministers involved in the ongoing talks with the agitated camps.

Jaya gives Bhavan staff the jitters
A change of government in Tamil Nadu is as pronounced in New Delhi’s Tamil Nadu Bhavan as in Chennai. Normally, it would just be a change of photographs and everything else would continue very much the same way. But this time, Jayalalithaa is determined to overhaul the administration completely in Tamil Nadu Bhavan. This despite the fact that most of the personnel were recruited by the MGR regime in the 80s. Grapevine has it that Jayalalithaa was informed of the nexus between the staff and some members of the DMK after she ordered her intelligence chief Mr Ramanujem to submit a report on the background and activities of all the staff employed in the Bhavan. Now everybody is jittery at the prospect of being shunted out. So much so that many are trying to get in touch with their benefactors in the AIADMK to ensure that their name doesn’t figure in the ‘hit list’.

Antony wary of a public controversy
Defence Minister A.K. Antony is perturbed at the controversy over the difference in official records on the date of birth of Army chief Gen. V.K. Singh and recently decided to issue some advice to the media on this. The issue is important since it will decide the Army’s line of succession so far as the position of Army Chief is concerned. But that seems to be the favourite question of journalists whenever they meet the minister. However, recently Mr. Antony was at pains to point out to reporters that the media should not create a public controversy over the issue. “I am not for a public controversy on this. Please, my request is, try to avoid public controversy concerning the services. Whenever the government takes a decision, we will convey it to you,” the minister said. But the persistent journalists did not relent and asked a question on the issue again. This prompted the minister to again state, “I told you, it is a request (that on) issues regarding services, please don’t sensationalise it. Please avoid public controversies.”

RTI to probe Sushma’s jab
The BJP has put up an RTI box in its headquarters to assist those who are finding it difficult to seek information on any subject from any of the government agency or department. But one of the office-bearers suggested that the party should in fact file an application before its own senior leader Sushma Swaraj — whose recent statements on the controversial Reddy brothers left the party embarassed — as to why she made those remarks on such a controversial issue. Reddy brothers are widely perceived as her proteges but Ms Swaraj said that she had opposed party colleagues Arun Jaitley, M. Venkaiah Naidu, Ananth Kumar and Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s decision to give cabinet berth to more than one family member.