Off the record
The battle continues
After a much publicised face off on the urban poverty line issue, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, perhaps, for the first time shared a dais at a report-release function at the India International Center. The India Human Development Report, 2011, deals with poverty.
After all, no development debate in our country could be complete without referring it.
Montek was at pains to distance himself from the report despite the fact that Indian Applied Manpower Research, which prepared the report, is run by the Planning Commission. It would have been embarrassing for him to endorse a report that shook the very foundation of the belief that growth driven economy reduces poverty.
Ramesh looked like a warrior who knew that the battle had nearly been won. However, he could not resist the temptation of attacking a tired opponent. He asked why rich states were showing high rates of hunger and malnutrition.
Montek tried to escape by churning out boring statistics and research methodology which failed to impress any one. Ramesh received all the applause.
Anil Sinha, New Delhi
The ‘party’ is over
Till 2009, he was nursing the dream of becoming India’s first dalit prime minister. Two years down the line, Ram Vilas Paswan is ploughing a lonely furrow. His party - the LJP - has not a single MP in the Lok Sabha. And out of two members in the Upper House, one deserted him recently. Paswan, a Rajya Sabha member, is now the only MP from the LJP in both the Houses.
“Actually, the LJP has become a private limited company, where Paswan and his two brothers – Pashupati Kumar Paras and Ram Chandra Paswan – matters. This is precisely why the party has sunk to a new low, and there is little for the dedicated workers to do to revive its political stock,” said Sabir Ali, the Rajya Sabha member, before quitting the LJP.
Ali, who is all set to cross over the fence for greener pastures, has already met the JD (U) strongman in Bihar. For Paswan, this is the third shock this year. First was in June when all the three LJP MLCs joined the JD(U) en bloc. This was followed by three out of four party MLAs joining Nitish’s ruling party. (The grapevine is that the fourth legislator too may follow suit.)
But Paswan remains undaunted. Last heard he was gearing up to field LJP nominees in all the Assembly seats in UP next year.
Abhay Kumar, Patna
Courting darkness
The season has been difficult for power-consumers across the country. Not even the national capital has been spared.
The Damodar Valley Corporation, which supplies electricity to power distribution companies, complained to the Supreme Court that it would not be able to fulfill its responsibility if the distribution companies did not pay the dues. The revelation was disturbing enough to create a panic of sorts among Delhites, especially with Diwali being round the corner.
The apex court took a tough stand that the distribution companies, which don’t think twice before snapping power connection of common consumer would have to pay the outstanding amount. The distribution companies on the other hand pleaded they were suffering loss. The court said that they should shut down if they were syffering losses.
“Please come to the issue. Tell us what amount you want to pay and when,” the bench asked. But no sooner did the bench issue the warning than the courtroom plunged into darkness, leading to peels of laughter.
But a moment later power supply was restored with the bench observing: “Don’t consider that you are indispensable. We have alternative arrangements in place”.
A senior counsel representing the companies tried to intervene by claiming that BSES Yamuna Power Ltd and BRPL Rajdhani were not supplying power to the New Delhi area where the Supreme Court falls.
But the Court did not spare any of the companies before making them agree to a part of the dues, saving the capital from darkness.
Ashish Tripathi, New Delhi
