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| Divided front? |
Does the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government resemble one big (un)happy family these days? There are whispers that the Central government showed some signs of strain when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was away attending the BRICS summit. Party insiders allege that internal machinations and the jockeying for power among dissidents resulted in cracks appearing momentarily. Worse, they fear that the divisions have resulted in sullying the performance of the Modi government. Sushma Swaraj, the external affairs minister, was miffed that a critical issue like a parliamentary debate on the crisis in Gaza had been listed without her prior consent. Apparently, babus in charge of parliamentary affairs ‘forgot’ to consult Swaraj before going ahead and listing the topic. What must have angered Swaraj further was the fact that she had come under fire from veteran parliamentarians who decided to question her wisdom of disallowing a discussion on an international issue. The prime minister, who returned from his engagement, is probably busy dousing the domestic fires. But will the flames singe the government again once Modi is away on his next trip?
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Sushma Swaraj isn’t the only leader who is miffed these days. The Congress president isn’t exactly in high spirits either. Her party’s decimation in the elections must have rankled. A sleepy Rahul Gandhi has made matters worse for his mother. The Congress vice-president was caught sitting with his eyes closed during a debate on price rise, attracting the wrong kind of publicity. Sonia complained to the BJP leader, Venkaiah Naidu, that Rahul was being targeted unfairly. She said that he was in the habit of closing his eyes while concentrating hard.
But that didn’t stop the nation from cracking a few jokes at Rahul’s expense. Moreover, there were very few takers for the excuse that was offered to explain Rahul’s behaviour. People were left wondering what made Sonia instruct Rahul to sit next to her on the front row during the debate on the rail budget?
It is now a well-known fact that many Indian villages lack access to proper toilets. But the problem isn’t limited to India’s hinterlands. It appears that the Prime Minister’s Office in the South Block suffers from an acute shortage of washrooms. Successive governments had desisted from making changes to the architecture because of the building’s heritage status. A narrow passage leading to the washrooms also acts as a disincentive. During Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s reign, a proposal had been floated to construct new washrooms. Unsurprisingly, it did not pass muster with the authorities concerned. What saved the day was the fact that Vajpayee, as well as PV Narasimha Rao, preferred to work from 7 Race Course Road. Manmohan Singh had not been spotted walking down the narrow passageway during his long stint in power either.
But Narendra Modi’s anointment has queered the pitch. He is in the habit of spending long hours at the South Block. Worried officials are now hoping to revive the old proposal of building rest rooms for the top boss.
Acche Din may have arrived for the nation but members of the bureaucracy and the media are yet to break into smiles. Why are the babus glum? There are signs that a massive bureaucratic overhaul will be taking place after the conclusion of the budget session in Parliament. Consequently, senior bureaucrats, having sensed the way the prime minister likes to function, have begun to mend their ways. Secretary-level heads of various ministries have started avoiding occasions such as inauguration functions that resulted in them having to cut ribbons. When they are presented with invitations to attend such functions, babus have been heard advising the organizers to approach ministers. The days of being in the spotlight are clearly over.
Scribes, too, are sporting a frown. The change in culture in Delhi’s power circuit has led to an alteration in official cuisine. While attending an event hosted by a government official, the journos were shocked to discover that mocktails, sherbets and soda mixed with nimboo have replaced their beloved drinks. A VVIP aircraft has started dishing out a vegetarian spread. Thus, these aren’t better days yet for babus and scribes.
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Footnote
Second innings
A Kapoor may return to the idiot box. After her small-screen debut way back in 2003 — Karishma: The Miracles of Destiny was the name of the show — Karisma Kapoor is now toying with a proposal that may see her return to television to star in an epic.
Life has not been exactly a bed of roses for Kareena’s elder sister. For one, her marriage was a disaster. Karisma had agreed to be a judge in television reality shows like Nach Baliye. But the offer, if she were to accept it, would see her return to TV as an actor. Incidentally, Big B has also stepped into television as an actor after his phenomenal success with a quiz show. Given the invasion of Kapoors and Bachchans, will we now forget our Tulsi?
