No excuses

Soon after the CPI(M)’s firebrand MP Brinda Karat told the Rajya Sabha a fortnight ago that Muslims were being specifically targeted by the police for interrogation following the 7/11 blasts, a delegation of Muslims took the cue and met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to complain about Muslim-specific profiling in Mumbai. Evidently upset, she asked them who had ordered such an assignment. They pointed to Home Minister Shivraj Patil but he quickly washed his hands of the entire episode and reportedly passed the buck to National Security Advisor M K Narayanan. The matter reached the prime minister, who summoned his NSA and asked for an explanation. But there was none forthcoming as Narayanan searched for a credible reply. Congress sources now say the PM is getting increasingly unhappy with Narayanan about the way he handles security issues. Also, any talk of Muslim profiling can be politically disastrous especially with elections in Uttar Pradesh scheduled for early next year.

Fast intervention

After defiantly fasting for two days on the Telangana issue despite a frail constitution, TRS leader K Chandrasekhar Rao ended his protest past midnight on Thursday or when NCP leader Sharad Pawar showed up with a glass of fruit juice. But Pawar, who shares great political rapport with the TRS leader, was drafted in only after efforts to get Rao to call off his fast failed. Apparently Rao’s condition began to deteriorate fast and an alarmed party colleague,

A. Narendra, started working the back channels to talk Rao out of his fast. He spoke to Pawar, who in turn spoke to the prime minister and reported details of the TRS leader's declining physical condition. The PM acted fast and sent the NCP leader to the TRS leader.

... contd.