Decks, not desk, cleared

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was dazzled by all things Chinese; from the country’s SEZs to its power plants, metros, and skyscrapers, during his visit this month to the World Economic Forum at Dalian. Modi was particularly impressed when the Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai, a former mayor of Dalian, pushed a remote control switch. The curtain in front of the guests opened and a musical fountain started playing. Don’t be surprised if you see a musical fountain operated by remote control being constructed soon in Ahmedabad.

Joint publicity

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and actor Dev Anand share their birthday. Last year, the Centre for Media Studies pointed out that on television channels, a total of three minutes was devoted to the prime minister’s birthday compared to 35 minutes for Dev Anand. This year, the prime minister’s media advisers saw a smart way to ensure that he was not overshadowed by the evergreen star, now 85. Singh, 75, basked in the publicity generated by his release of Anand’s autobiography.

When Janardhan Dwivedi headed the media cell, correspondents on the Congress beat had a tough time, with Dwivedi habitually evading their queries. Under Veerappa Moily’s amiable dispensation, glasnost is anticipated. Already, Moily has promised that journalists are free to phone spokespersons at any time of day or night. Some from the media cell looked distinctly unhappy when Moily made this announcement.