Blame them,don’t name

Criticising rivals without taking their names has become a fad in politics. Functions organised recently to celebrate the birth anniversary of late socialist leader Jagdeo Prasad witnessed two rival camps criticising each other without taking names. t one function, dissident JD (U) leader Upendra Prasad Kushwaha said he was all for fight against corruption, “but the ministers must declare their source of income”. Barely half-a-kilometre away, industries minister Renu Kushwaha warned the public about a section of politicians allegedly trying to project themselves as the leaders of her caste. “They are actually trying to gain support for the welfare of their families,” she said, referring to two leaders of Kushwaha caste - Shakuni Choudhary and Nagmani. Criticising rivals without naming has become a tradition. “George Fernandes started it by using ‘the woman’ for Sonia Gandhi. Lalu Prasad frequently used ‘the so-called engineer’ for Nitish Kumar and the latter criticised the RJD chief by calling him ‘Barey Bhai’ (elder brother),” said a JD (U) leader.

Picture perfect

Anybody visiting the office of leader of the Opposition Abdul Bari Siddiqui will find a photograph of Nitish Kumar and Sushil Kumar Modi hanging on the wall. It is a group photo taken when former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam came to Patna to address a joint sitting of the legislative and gave his vision for the development of Bihar. There is, however, no photograph of RJD chief Lalu Prasad in the room. The photographs in the office of leader of Opposition keep changing with the person occupying the seat. Photographs of Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi are expected if the leader happens to be a Congressman and that of Deen Dayal Upadhayay in case a BJP leader occupies the post. Photographs of Karpoori Thakur and Ram Manohar Lohia are expected in case a socialist leader gets the seat. But some politicians defy the tradition. Don-turned-politician Md Shahabuddin never kept the photograph of Lalu Prasad or Rabri Devi at his home - an unwritten rule followed by all the RJD leaders. “Instead he (Shahabuddin) kept a large photograph of the late dictator of Iraq Saddam Hussain,” said an RJD leader.

Honour at stake

Over 300 state government employees are billionaires. When a senior IAS officer was apprised of it after the state employees’ assets declaration, he said his izzat (honour) was at stake. “Apart from my salary I have nothing else to show. The only money I have is in the provident fund (PF) account and there is no column for the PF in the assets eclaration form,” he said. One will be surprised to know how many IAS and IPS officers’ wives are running schools and NGOs in Patna. The better-half’s income is often used to acquire property.

Lalu’s dream Lord

There is always speculation about the whereabouts of Lalu Prasad, now that he has promised to remain silent for at least six months. Even his leaders appear to have lost track of him and have to seek clarifications from 10, Circular Road if he is in Delhi or Patna. ecently, electronic media spotted him in Varanasi offering prayers at the Vishwanath Temple. Lalu told reporters that he had prayed for the progress and peace of the country. D (U) leaders insisted that it was a prayer for restoration of power. “Laluji does everything in the name of god. He ecame a vegetarian because he said that god had appeared n his dream and asked him to quit meat. He became a non-vegetarian again claiming that god had given him the ermission to do so in dream,” said a senior D (U) leader.