Sushil Kumar Shinde

Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has formalised a strict procedure for his ministry officials in connection with the Parliamentary work. In an internal circular issued this month, the HM’s office has asked all divisional heads in the Ministry of Home Affairs that “precedents and bio-data of concerned MPs” asking starred questions should be sent to it before the replies are given.

It says that three copies of the bio data of the MPs who have raised the starred questions may be sent to the home minister’s office. The home minister has further directed that the concerned joint secretaries must be present in the official gallery of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha during the question hour, calling attention motion, short duration discussion, private members bill, half an hour discussion and other business if any. The HM has also sought strict compliance on the time limit for submission of replies of starred questions by the officials. The buzz in the ministry is that the new home minister, who is also the Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha, does not want to take any chances to allow the Opposition to target him on his new role, even as he is being seen to making efforts to maintain the discipline and briskness of work in the home ministry which had been ensured by his predecessor.

What makes Dr Ahluwalia upset?
Noted economist Isher Ahluwalia, who is the wife of deputy chairman planning commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, is a “proud doctorate” in economics. Recently a journalist, who intended to talk to the deputy chairman of plan panel, called up at his residence on the landline and asked if he could speak to Dr Ahluwalia. The response in a lady’s voice came from other side saying: “yes Dr Ahluwalia speaking”. When the scribe insisted that he wanted to speak to the deputy chairman, the lady (Isher Ahluwalia) shot back saying “there is only one doctor in this house and that is me”. Realising his mistake the reporter then gently asked, “If he could speak to Mr Ahluwalia”.

Trivedi takes a pot shot at Derek
Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi explained Newton’s law with respect to his party in which he has been sidelined. A Congress leader said that Trivedi stated Newton’s law as “an object being in motion as long as no external force is applied to stop it”. The dissident TMC leader further stated, said the Congress leader, that in his party one keeps speaking as long as no external force, which is Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien’ is applied. Much to the delight of the Congress leader, Trivedi explained that his party has got a new law in which the external force is “Derek force”, which is applied when some party man crosses the laid down limit.

Antony shows solidarity
Defence Minister A.K. Antony was his usual cheerful self at a rare weekend official defence function in the Capital recently. Interacting with reporters on the sidelines, the minister went out of the way to show his solidarity with the armed forces personnel. Making his concern clear on the recent suicide of a jawan at Samba and subsequent tension between officers and jawans at the unit there, the minister made it a point to tell reporters that he had spoken to the Army chief on the matter that day.

Who let the dogs in?

The stray dogs are generally known to wander about in and around government offices or other establishments in the mofussil towns. But at least 10 of their brethren seem to have found a cosy corner in the Electronics Niketan (Office of the Department of Telecommunications) in CGO complex in the city. Said an employee in the building, “There are around 10 such ‘privileged’ dogs. They come out of the office building only from 9.30 a.m. to 7 p.m. After that, they can get inside the building.” The employees there have also found a name for the canine team, “Mantralaya Sena”.