Revisiting history
As it gears to take on the BJP, Congress has launched its latest effort to acquaint party workers of its rich legacy and in the freedom struggle and building a new India post-Independence. While earlier efforts were in the form of books and pamphlets, in the digital age, Congress has launched a web series on its history. ‘Dharohar’ will look back at the 135 year legacy of this robust history--of India and the ideas that went into making it because the idea of Congress is the idea of India. The web series will be available on the party’s social media platforms.
Sagar Kulkarni, New Delhi
Letter writing
Covid-19 has restricted meetings and travel, and also politicians from putting across their viewpoints on various contentious issues. This has proved good news for letter writing. A deluge of letters, most of which land in the public domain, are being written by MPs on policy issues, which otherwise were circulated via statements or TV bytes. Some of the most prolific writers are Congress’ Jairam Ramesh and CPI’s Binoy Vishwam. Ramesh wrote a series of letters to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on allowing digital meetings of Parliamentary Standing Committee. He also wrote to Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar against the Environment Impact Assessment draft, prompting the latter to respond more than once. Vishwam on
his part has written on a variety of issues--from the Prime Minister to various ministers explaining his position and opposition to certain moves.
Shemin Joy, New Delhi
Unique donations
It’s not just cash. Many in Manipur are donating whatever they can to take care of the Covid-19 positive persons. Farmers of Khousabung area in Churachandpur district recently donated nearly 2,000 pineapples to Chief Minister’s Covid-19 Relief Fund. The farmers affiliated with the State Level Manipur Pineapple Festival Committee, handed over the fruits to Chief Minister N Biren Singh. The fruits will be distributed among the Covid-19 positive persons, who are being taken care of in hospitals and in Covid care centres. A few weeks ago, some other farmers donated vegetables to the Chief Minister’s Covid Relief
Fund. This comes when Manipur witnessed an increase in Covid-19 positive cases.
Sumir Karmakar, Guwahati
Goodbye, Rocky!
Rocky, one of the finest police dogs--who helped unearth nearly 356 crimes--passed away in Beed district of Maharashtra. The Beed police gave a befitting farewell to the canine with top officials present. “A heartfelt tribute! Rocky
had prevented terrorist attacks, detected bombs, sniffed out narcotics, helped solving crime and helped in beefing security arrangements...Rocky will always be remembered,” state home minister Anil Deshmukh said paying tributes to one of the finest police dogs of the Maharashtra police.
Mrityunjay Bose, Mumbai
Online spread of Covid-19?
The routine press conferences of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to give updates on Covid-19 has, of late, emerged as a space to react to political allegations regarding the CM’s office’s nexus with gold smuggling case accused. The Chief Minister also lost his cool on many occasions and accused the media of fixating on the gold smuggling row. He has not stopped the routine press conference, as it might trigger allegations that he was trying to evade queries. But as soon as Malappuram district collector K Gopalakrishnan was tested Covid-19 positive, the CM decided to self-quarantine, owing to his close contact with the collector while visiting the AIE flight crash spot. The CM’s decision to call off the press conference raised many eyebrows as the press conference was held online and as he displayed no symptoms of Covid-19, even six days after contact with collector.
Arjun Raghunath, Thiruvananthapuram