Trinamool Congress MPs did not join in right away when Rahul Gandhi led the Opposition protest against the Lok Sabha Speaker for disallowing a discussion on reports of rising communal incidents. This was perplexing because it was the TMC that had raised the matter the previous day. However, the suspense did not last long because suddenly, all of them sprang to their feet and joined the protesting group. A source close to the party later disclosed that since the protest had been initiated by the Congress, TMC members had been waiting for a green signal from Didi (Mamata Banerjee); it came only after a senior MP called her in Kolkata and got her clearance.

Brand Modi

The success of Brand Modi in the recent general election has inspired many in the BJP. The textile ministry, which is aiming to increase exports several-fold over the next decade, wants the Prime Minister to be its brand ambassador. “Modiji has an excellent image the world over. We want to use it to influence other countries to formulate favourable policies for us,” an official said. It appears the PM has not yet given his consent to the proposed ‘global’ initiative.

Labour class?

In an interaction with one of the country’s top headhunters for the IT industry, the discussion was about why fresh engineering graduates were receiving the same salaries that were offered six years ago. The headhunter went on to say that “70 per cent of the IT workforce is actually labour force because they are low-cost labour employed by IT firms to deliver low-cost, commoditised services to global customers. Working out of fancy air-conditioned offices doesn’t take away from the reality that they are, in fact, just labour”.

The height of festivities

The increasing commercialisation of what used to be a quiet gathering and prayer at home or in the immediate neighbourhood, has acquired alarming dimensions. Suddenly, there are games and teams and prize money. Of course, the sponsors are not far behind. And naturally there are risks taken to win the prize.

The long-celebrated Dahi Handi festival celebrated in connection with Janmashtami has been a cause of great concern. It involves dangling a pot of curd/butter at a fair height and teams of ‘govindas’ forming a human pyramid to break the pot. Every year, the height of the handi keeps increasing and every year there are injuries and even the occasional fatality. Now the Bombay High Court has asked the State government to regulate the height. At least some ‘govindas’ will be saved.

Why this largesse?

While discussing India’s finances at a recent conference, RBI governor Raghuram Rajan asked if India should finance other countries when we are ourselves are in need of money. Was he making an oblique reference to the recent announcement of $1 billion as development aid to Nepal during for building highways?

More changes on the cards?

Raymond Bickson’s resignation as MD & CEO of Indian Hotels is being seen as a precursor to more heads rolling in Tata companies. Insiders say it is all about Cyrus Mistry changing top bosses like Ratan Tata did when he took over. The buzz is Bickson will lead the global operations of the Hyatt Group.

Out of gas

A foreign car manufacturer’s offer of two litres free fuel to any customer whose car runs out of gas has turned out to be a headache. Apparently, some customers call the company’s toll-free number whenever their tanks run dry. Even if those taking undue advantage can be identified, there’s little anybody can do.

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