below the line . Missed opportunity

The All India Kisan Sangarsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), an umbrella organisation of over 210 farmer groups across the country, said opposition parties failed to raise the issues of farmers in big way in the just concluded general elections. “We worked very hard and made the problems faced by Indian farmers as a central issue over the last two-and-a-half years. We organised protests till November end last year. After that, we left it to the opposition political parties to take up the issue. But they failed miserably in doing so,” said Yogendra Yadav, a top leader of AIKSCC and social activist. Instead of making it the central issue in their political campaign, these political leaders opted to go for ‘ Chowkidar chor hai ’ kind of slogans which did them in.

A big point of discussion in England and around the world this summer is how the International Cricket Council (ICC) may have been stumped by the weather gods. With four World Cup matches already abandoned and the India-Pakistan fixture ending up as a curtailed fixture, the sponsors are anxious. So when a group of Indian hacks recently got an opportunity at Nottingham to quiz ICC General Manager Campbell Jamieson, a media advisor had this sage advice at the start of the conversation: “No questions on weather, please! You can ask him anything on cricket and ICC!”

The new BJP working President JL Nadda has been in the news since he took charge. But the buzz about him being knighted as the party top man has been doing rounds for a few weeks in media and party circles. After initial rumours, some large banners and posters congratulating him were almost immediately put up outside Nadda’s Delhi residence. Sensing that this might displease party top honchos, these posters were swiftly removed. But now that Nadda’s position has been officially cemented, the entire periphery of his Delhi residence is now covered in a canopy of congratulatory banners and posters.

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has been on a review spree since taking charge again. During a recent meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev, there was buzz that some new Indo-Russian partnership project may figure in the talks too. But to much dismay, an official present during the meeting quipped, “Existing projects find it difficult to attract investment, from where will a new project come about!” Signals of oncoming distress?

Soon after Minster of Health Harsh Vardhan took charge in the new government, a hustle broke out in the ministry. Bureaucrats were noticed asking each other if they had downloaded a new mobile app. Apparently, the minister has an app which goes by his name in Google Playstore and it is managed by a dedicated team of professionals. Rumour also has it that Harsh Vardhan’s personal social media team operates from his house in Lutyen’s Delhi and oversees all his social-media activities. Not only these, most branding-related activities of the ministry will now have to also be once vetted by his private publicity team, the bureaucrats were heard saying.

A Cabinet minister who has taken charge for the first time and also served as the Chief Minister of one of the States in the past has told his staff that he does not like the ‘Yes sir’ culture. If the officers are unable to find a solution for the work assigned to them, then they should clearly say ‘No’. “I don’t like people who are indifferent, as they are biggest enemies of the country. The same message I have also conveyed to my team. Because if someone clearly says ‘no’ to the work assigned to them, then some other solution can then be worked out. But to say ‘Yes sir’ and then not deliver on it is something which is unacceptable”.

Our Delhi Bureau

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