BELOW THE LINE

Spaced out

In the debate on the Supplementary Demand for Grants in the Lok Sabha this past week, BJP Member of Parliament Kirit Somaiya went on a long speech about the Modi Government’s achievements, instead of focusing on items of additional expenditure.

Coming as it did few days after BJP’s win in Gujarat assembly elections, Somaiya got so carried away that he addressed the Members of the Lower House as “bhaiyon behnon” (brothers and sisters) just as political leaders address the masses in political rallies.

This prompted Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to quickly interject to say: ”It looks like you are still in Gujarat (elections) mode”! Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who spoke in the Lower House after Somaiya, said that the BJP MP’s address sounded more like a supplementary demand for votes!

Confusion over Consumer Bill

As a protocol during the Parliament sessions, Cabinet decisions on any Bill are not made public as the obligation is to inform the House first. However, in case of triple talaq, the Government had held a briefing after the Cabinet meet on December 15. This was done because of the sensitivity of the issue, officials had said then.

After the next Cabinet meeting that was held on December 20, the Press Information Bureau, announcing the decisions had tweeted Cabinet considering Consumer Protection Bill, 2017. However, within minutes the tweet was removed. For obvious reasons: it would have lead to breach of Parliamentary privilege. As per the rules of functioning, the government is supposed to inform the House about Cabinet decisions that propose a change of law.

Rites of passage

Much like the UPA regime, the Modi government too is developing ‘citadels’ (read cabinets) within itself. While proposing methanol as a future fuel, a Niti Aayog official was asked if the cabinet’s nod will be needed before the proposal can be considered an official position of the Government. The official said, “There are many pujaris (priests) that a proposal will have to take blessings from before approaching the final citadel of the Cabinets.” Mandir kahin toh bana!

Health or prudishness?

Interesting as it sounds, it was not industry that had sought a clarification from the Information & Broadcasting Ministry on its controversial advisory on restriction of telecast of condom ads during peak hours; it was the Health Ministry.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry sent a clarification to the Health Ministry that these restrictions are only meant for condom ads that have explicit content. It clarified that advertisements that inform consumers on devices, products or medical interventions to ensure safe sex are not subject to curbs.

Bol Bachchan

It’s not any Hindi film actress that attracts computer whizkid Tanmay Bakshi, but the Shahenshan of Bollywood Amitabh Bachchan. Bachchan is also his favourite host. Bakshi, in Delhi recently at an interactive session organised by the FICCI Ladies Organisation, when asked about his filmy interests responded with a straight face ‘Bachchan’.

She-box to fight harassment

The Harvey Weinstein scandal has inspired many other sexual harassment victims to speak up against their tormentors. But back in India too, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched a platform for women to make complaints against sexual harassment at workplace.

It has launched an online complaint management system to enable women employees to register complaints against sexual harassment at workplace called She-Box (Sexual Harassment electronic–Box). In fact the Ministry informed the Rajya Sabha that it has already started receiving complaints through the portal She-box. This is both for government as well as private employees.

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