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Unusual avenues
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Eco-friendly minister’s moves
joshed
Vilas Muttemwar, minister of state for non-conventional energy
sources, is a step ahead of his predecessors in the ministry which
harnesses wind, solar and tidal energies. Earlier, ministers would ask
for solar panels to be put up on the roofs of their official bungalows
for heating water and lighting. Muttemwar, too, had solar panels
installed; he also got a windmill erected outside his bungalow on
Motilal Nehru Marg. But the joke among MPs is that one of the windmill’s
fins points towards the Prime Minister’s office and another towards
Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s office so that the minister can
know which way the political wind is blowing.
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Sorry, no room
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Ratan Tata and
Kumaramangalam Birla are being offered government offices by the
Centre, but the tycoons do not seem keen to have permanent
nameplates put up in Udyog Bhavan.
Tata is chairman of the Investment Commission, a three-member
body which has to formulate strategies for wooing investment into
India.
Similarly, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath has reconstituted the
Board of Trade with Birla as its chairman.
But the chairmen would rather visit Udyog Bhavan only when
meetings are held; otherwise, they prefer to operate from their
corporate offices in Delhi. |
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Hear, hear
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Bharatiya Janata Party president Lal Krishna
Advani’s hour-long speech at the party’s recent national council meeting at
Delhi’s Ambedkar Stadium was heard in complete silence. But subsequent
speakers did not get the same response: some delegates remained standing while
others walked in and out of the venue, gossiping among themselves. Most
speakers ignored the disturbance, but Venkaiah Naidu could not stand it.
Stopping his speech, he suddenly roared: "Sit down! Those who are keen to
stand can meet us when elections are due. We will then decide whether you
should stand or not. For the time being, sit!" However, only a few obeyed.
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Framed in time
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 A glossy booklet that the Pakistan
Muslim League delegation to India brought along was in great demand
during a luncheon in their honour at Hyderabad House.
External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh, PML president Chaudhry
Shujaat Hussain and Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan were
seen flipping through the booklet and laughing. The pages which
generated such interest were the ones carrying old photographs of
Natwar Singh.
There was one black-and-white picture in which Natwar, sporting a
ceremonial turban, stood next to Shujaat Hussain’s father. But the
one Natwar seemed to like best was taken in 1982. It showed Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi sharing a joke with Pakistani journalists in
New Delhi.
Right in the middle is a young, suit-clad Natwar. "Even I
was young once," he remarked rather wistfully. Aziz Ahmed had a
reply to that: "You and I are like old wine. We just get better
with age." Natwar nodded happily in agreement.
For the good old days: Natwar Singh with Aziz Ahmed
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