he state agricultural minister, Narendra Singh, became a laughing stock of sorts after a video-conference with the joint secretary of Union ministry of agriculture and cooperation, Rajiv Gupta, the other day. he minister was overwhelmed to see Gupta’s picture on the screen, as it was his first experience of talking to someone away in New Delhi through video-conferencing. After the conversation was over, he asked an aide: “Did Gupta too see my photo?” The aide replied: “Yes sir! The video-conferencing enables participants to see each another.” The minister said: “Achha… Vigyan kitna aage barh gaya hai (Good… Science has made such a big advancement). Some officials laughed at the minister when he left the venue. “Mantri ko maloom bhi nahin hai ke video-conferencing kya hota hai (The minister does not know even what the video-conferencing is all about),” an official said.alu Prasad proved himself a great entertainer on Tuesday when the RJD launched its membership drive. One was supposed to pay at least Rs 5 to become an RJD member. Aspirants were in the queue to become party members in the RJD boss’s presence. “Rs 5 is a minimum requirement. You can pay more if you wish,” Lalu said, asking the party’s secretary general and MP Ramkripal Yadav to collect the membership fee. After a while, Lalu quipped at Ramkripal: “Rupaya le kar Goriatoli (Ramkripal’s home) mat chale jaana, party ka paisa hai (Don’t go to Goriatoli with the money. It is the party’s money). Ramkripal laughed his heart out, saying: “How can I do it sir?” Other senior leaders also laughed their heart out at Lalu’s remark. “Indian politics has not yet produced as big an entertainer as Lalu is,” said senior party leader and former MP Vijay Krishna.everal trains stopped at Danapur railway station on May 31 as the NDA supporters squatted on tracks to enforce the bandh against the petrol price hike. Several passengers had come out of their coaches to see what was happening outside. Some protesters had burnt garbage on the tracks and flames were leaping out. A passenger said: “You have started a bonfire under the blazing sun. Had it been winter, we would have enjoyed it more.” A protester sympathising with the passengers battling excessive heat came out with an idea. “Let the travellers and the protesters join hands and push the coaches near the river Punpun, which is not far away. There we can have bath in the cold water of the river,” he said.
Brakes on free bag distribution
eputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi recently launched the eco-friendly bags to be used at Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, popularly known as Patna zoo, at a function at his 1 Polo Road residence in the presence of zoo director Abhay Kumar. After the function was over, the zoo director started distributing the bags among the audience. Modi shouted: “Don’t distribute them free.” The deputy chief minister asked the people who had got the bags to return them. “The bags are for fetching revenue, not for free distribution,” Modi said. The ones who had got bags — quite attractive and durable — returned them with a heavy heart. The bags cost Rs 2 each and are available only inside the zoo on payment.
