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Off the record: December 14, 2020

Last Updated 13 December 2020, 20:09 IST

Potential embarrasment

A one-time close aide of Rahul Gandhi is set to release a ‘fictional’ film called ‘Love You Pappu’, which at least through the teasers available online, could leave the Congress squirming. Pankaj Shankar, a former consulting editor of Doordarshan, maintains that the film has nothing to do with the Gandhi scion, but the teasers have glaring similarities between the functioning of the Congress and the protagonist of the film. One video clip shows Mahatma Gandhi at Tughlaq Lane to meet Yuvraj, the protagonist, after getting an appointment, only to be told off by his aide. The second video clip takes a swipe at Rahul over the recent letter written by 23 leaders to Congress President.

Sagar Kulkarni, New Delhi

Politics of vengeance!

Barely a month before the election for Mehsana Dudhsagar dairy, the Gujarat police arrested former home minister and former chairman of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Market Federation (GCMMF), Vipul Chaudary. GCMMF is the body that markets its products under the ‘Amul’ brand. Chaudhary faces dozens of cases including several scams while he headed the federation. However, even his critics say that his arrest before the important poll is an act of vengeance as the BJP is afraid of losing the polls. It is believed that BJP is suspecting that panels supported by Chaudhary would win and therefore, the arrest was made in an old case in an act of desperation.

Satish Jha, Ahmedabad

Spilling the beans

Former President Pranab Mukherjee’s fourth and final volume of autobiography ‘The Presidential Years: 2012-2017’ is to hit stands next month. With the publisher Rupa Publications releasing excerpts that talks about Mukherjee’s views of the Congress’ defeat in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, a lot of interest has been generated on what else he has said about the High Command. Much before Mukherjee’s book is hitting stands, another one by Sanjay Jha, a former Congress spokesperson who fell foul with the leadership after raising questions about the way the party is heading, is hitting stands later this month. ‘The Great Unravelling: India After 2014’ takes a “long, hard look at the state of the nation today, especially Congress’ acute lack of oppositional ability”, says the publisher Westland. The book seeks to ask and answer the question--can the party look beyond the easy fallback of the Gandhi family charisma and embrace transformational change. Now readers are waiting for Jha spilling the beans.

Shemin Joy, New Delhi

Pawar’s word

One of India’s seniormost politicians Sharad Pawar is known to be workaholic but he never ignores his family. This was his message to his followers and Gen-Next politician – as he turned 80 last week. “The need of the hour is to remain alert and aware while doing social work. When you take care of the needs of the last person in the society, you learn a lot on having clarity and direction of the road ahead…but at the same time it is necessary that you take care of your family also,” said Pawar. “My parents (Shardabai Pawar and Govindrao Pawar) taught me not to neglect family responsibilities while doing social and political work,” said the politician, who has never lost an election in any law-making body in over five decades.

Pain in the neck

A second member of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s personal staff is now under ED scanner in connection with the probe against Kerala gold smuggling case accused. C M Raveendran, additional private secretary to the CM, has skipped ED quizzing for the third time last week. While he skipped the first two rounds of ED quizzing by citing Covid, this time he seems to have cited ailments in the neck. It could be a coincidence that CM’s former principal secretary M Sivasankar had earlier tried to delay his arrest citing disc prolapse. This coincidence occurred amidst the opposition raising suspicions over Raveendran’s illness.

Arjun Raghunath, Thiruvananthapuram

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(Published 13 December 2020, 19:27 IST)

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