Late awakening

Ostensibly shocked by the widespread protests in all parts of the country over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the BJP has galvanised its formidable machinery and directed all its leaders to explain the view point of the party to the general public about the provisions of the contentious act. Though this action of the saffron outfit appears justified, it definitely is very delayed. One believes that the party should have taken all the sections of society particularly Muslims into confidence before tabling the bill in the parliament. In the small Himalayan state too, many top guns of the party and government are lined up for the purpose. In Uttarakhand, a considerable population of Bengali Hindus hailing from East Pakistan are residing in Udham Singh Nagar district and their numerical strength makes them a formidable vote bank. The CAA has brought much needed relief and cheers to this section of society. However their demands like Schedule Tribe (ST) status and declaring Bengali as a state language of Uttarakhand are bound to rub the residents of the state the wrong way.

Love-hate relationship

Over indulgence in general functioning of a particular department by a junior minister is bringing sleepless nights to the officials and the employees of the department. In a recent diktat, the live-wire minister has directed that the College Principals would verify the bio-metric attendance details of the staff members, send it to the headquarters and only then their salary would be released. To make things further difficult for both the staff members and students, he has directed that the copies of the attendance registers should be sent to the directorate on a weekly basis. Though these measures appear sensible and innocuous but for those knowing a thing or two about the nifty gritty of the department’s functioning, such decisions are bound to create uneasiness everywhere. In mute tones, both the employees and students have even started cursing the minister for these decisions and are terming him as impractical and naive. Interestingly this very minister was praised effusively when he ensured that the department conducts record number of DPCs for promotions.

Champion Vs Crusader

With the personal intervention of TSR, the protected battle of one-upmanship between a self confessed Champion who brings with him a heady mix of brawny amusement into the politics of the state and a rabble rouser aspiring hard to become leader of downtrodden in the saffron party has come to an end. In a public relation exercise aimed into bringing the two warring leaders into a cuddle held in state capital was deliberately kept a short affair. It is learnt that both were advised to stick to the prepared text and don’t get carried away by the sharp questions of the scribes. Though the exercise concluded as per the plan and has paved the way for re-entry of the Champion into the saffron party, it would be interesting to observe how these two leaders who have publically spewed much venom on each other in recent times, follow the command of the party. Considering the power scenario and socio- political dynamics of the district from where they hail, it would not be a surprise if they shed the imposed silence and take daggers out once again.