Timeless wonder
The Union minister of steel and heavy industries, HD Kumaraswamy, who is also a noted Kannada film producer, was mesmerised by the wonders of Kalinga art and architecture at the Sun temple in Konark. While visiting the temple, he inquired from Archaeological Survey of India officials about the differences between Kalinga and Dravidian styles of art and architecture. He even posted a photograph of himself along with his wife at the Sun temple. Stating that seeing the Sun temple was a profoundly moving experience, Kumaraswamy wrote on social media, “The grand chariot-form, with seven horses and twelve pairs of intricately carved wheels, reflects the height of Odisha’s architectural brilliance. Exquisite sculptures of kanyas, dancers, human and semi-divine figures, and geometric patterns showcase India’s timeless artistic heritage. A monument that fills every Indian with pride.” He was in Odisha earlier this week to attend a series of programmes and for a visit to the Rourkela Steel Plant. The Union minister made time to visit Konark despite his busy schedule.
Digital legacy
The Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, which is headed by the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party, Sonia Gandhi, has launched a digital archive of the published works of the former prime minister with a 100-volume set containing some 35,000 papers. The JNMF, which functions parallel to the Central government’s Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library, has launched the digitised archives, which are accessible on all devices, at a time when liberals have accused the Centre of diluting Nehru’s legacy and the Hindutva ecosystem of maligning the statesman with false rumours on digital media.
However, Nehruarchive.in does not contain the private correspondence of Nehru. The Centre has demanded that Gandhi return 51 boxes of private papers withdrawn from the PMML in 2008 which include the correspondence between India’s first PM with British India’s last vicereine, Edwina Mountbatten, and the physicist, Albert Einstein.
Common traits
Lalu Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal is often branded as Bihar’s most dynastic and allegedly corrupt party. But partners in the new Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance government appear to be treading a similar path as the RJD when it comes to nepotism. Deepak Prakash, an engineer-turned-politician and the son of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief, Upendra Kushwaha, took oath as a cabinet minister this week. His nomination, without being a member of either House of the Bihar legislature, surprised many. Kushwaha’s wife, Snehlata, made her electoral debut this time and is now a legislator, putting the family trio firmly in active politics.
A similar picture has emerged from the Hindustani
Awam Morcha camp. Santosh Kumar Suman, who is the son of
the Union minister, Jitan Ram Manjhi, has also been inducted
as a minister, while Manjhi’s daughter-in-law, Deepa Manjhi, is now
an MLA. The Bharatiya Janata Party, despite its claim of being a “party with a difference”, is no
exception. The deputy chief minister, Samrat Choudhary, projected
as the BJP’s face in Bihar, is himself a prominent dynast. His father, Shakuni Choudhary, was a well-known politician who frequently switched sides to secure ministerial berths. His son faces serious
allegations, including Prashant Kishor’s claim that Samrat Choudhary was accused of murdering six people in 1995 and evaded punishment by using a forged birth certificate claiming that he was a minor.
Low
morale
The ruling BJP in Assam is sure of retaining power with its allies in the assembly polls scheduled early next year. It has set a target of winning 103 of the 126 seats at its core committee meeting in Guwahati on Friday with the party’s national general-secretary (organisation), BL Santhosh, in attendance. The Assam CM, confident of a comprehensive win because of his development model, said, “It is Assam’s turn after our victories in Bihar, Maharashtra, Haryana, and Delhi.” The BJP-led massive win in Bihar has galvanised the party. In contrast, the Opposition camp is floundering. It is yet to formalise its pre-poll alliance and even those supporting the Opposition bloc seem frustrated.
Upset by discordant notes
emerging from the Opposition
ranks, the Assam Nagarik Samaj, a civil society group of prominent citizens backing the INDIA bloc, had to issue a statement asking the Opposition parties to read the writing on the wall. The BJP’s victory in the next election is guaranteed, the Samaj said, if the Opposition parties keep squabbling. The principal Opposition party too seems listless of late. Out of power in Assam since 2016, Congress leaders are in no hurry to change the scenario, party insiders said, urging the high command to take charge before it is too late. They pointed out how the BJP stations senior leaders months or even years before the polls.