Self Goal

The last name on the list was that of Tarun Vijay himself.

Self Goal

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay clearly did not ask for this one. In a parliamentary question,he had sought to know from the Ministry of Statistics of Programme Implementation the names of MPs whose MPLAD funds for the entire period of their membership had remained unutilised. The ministry,in its response,gave the MP a list of three Lok Sabha MPs and 22 Rajya Sabha MPs who had not utilised their MPLAD funds. The last name on the list was that of Tarun Vijay himself.

PROTOCOL PAINS

Census officials are feeling disappointed with the tight security protocol around Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Recently when they went to enroll the young MP for the National Population Register,they wanted to take their photographer along so that some publicity pictures to be used on the Census website could be taken. However,that was not allowed. Though a Congress party photographer did take photographs,it was not shared with the Census officials to be used on the website. Amidst the continuing competition between the NPR and the Unique Identity Authority,Census officials are feeling that they have been robbed of an opportunity to hardsell their project. Incidentally,Rahul Gandhi has been one of the prominent backers of the UID project.

YOUNG IDEAS

CONGRESS MP from Nizamabad Madhu Goud Yaskhis birthday party on Thursday attracted a number of young MPs from various parties. Amongst those present were Anurag Thakur and Dushyant Singh of the BJP,Sachin Pilot and Sandeep Dikshit of the Congress,Jayant Chaudhary of Rashtriya Lok Dal and Jay Panda of the BJD. The talk naturally veered around the anti-corruption agitation. The MPs indulged in friendly banter,accusing each others parties of giving legitimacy to Anna Hazares campaign,which is set to culminate in a Lokpal legislation. The underlying tone was very clear: the young MPs did not seem very enthused by the idea of having a new anti-corruption body which,they felt,could be as prone to corruption as any other institution.

OLD HABITS

NO matter how good political relations with Pakistan get periodically,mutual suspicion in military matters remains. The Navys biggest show of strength in five years the Presidential Fleet Review in Mumbai on Tuesday will see a host of foreign dignitaries but no representation from Islamabad as the neighbouring nation has not been invited. On the other hand,an invitation has been extended to and accepted by China.

ON TRACK

THE Aadhar identity cards,being issued by the Unique Identity Authority of India,might still be struggling to gain acceptability from many quarters but have got a big boost from the Indian Railways. Starting this week,the Railways has started recognising Aadhar ID cards as a proof of identity of passengers travelling on electronic tickets and also for booking in Tatkal scheme. Aadhar is the ninth document to be recognised as proof of identity by the Railways.