Address, the problem

Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh is back in the prestigious Congress party committee on future challenges, which is believed to have been set up at Rahul Gandhi’s initiative. The reason for Ramesh’s sudden removal as convener of the committee continues to be shrouded in mystery. It is suspected that his real crime was that he distributed Rahul Gandhi’s private e-mail address to the members. The e-mail address, incidentally, carries his mother’s maiden name, Maino.

Double standards

It was a curious argument for the DMK government to offer in its review petition to the Supreme Court challenging the Madras High Court’s ban on Jallikattu, the cruel Pongal rite involving the torture of bulls. The state government counsel pleaded that Jallikattu be permitted as it was an age-old religious practice and attracted many devotees whose religious beliefs would be hurt if the festival was stopped.

Justice Raveendran, who was part of the three member bench, wondered if Tamil Nadu was wise in proffering such an argument, because he could recall another case coming up in the Supreme Court where the same government had filed the exactly opposite point of view relating to the religious views of a huge number of people. He was referring, of course, to the Setu Samudram case, where the DMK has shown scant concern for the religious sentiments of those who believe in the existence of Ram Setu.

Hey Ram

Union Tourism & Culture Minister Ambika Soni, who was in the doghouse for the Ram Setu affidavit which denied the existence of Lord Rama, has recently placed a small statuette of Ram, Lakshman, Sita and Hanuman in the cupboard facing her office table. She wants the world to know that she too is a believer.