More skeletons are tumbling out of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, following the arrest of Buta Singh’s son. A long-standing feud between Singh, the commission chairperson, and the only woman member of the commission, Satya Behn, is out in the open. The doughty, senior member of the Congress and a former MP from UP accuses Singh of being anti-women and surrounded by ‘yes’ men. Singh allegedly instigated a BSP worker, who had to appear before the commission, to file a case against Satya Behn and her family simply because she would not toe his line. The UP police dismissed the cases as false and frivolous. Singh then had Satya Behn’s private secretary removed.

The two commission members initially fell out over the chairperson’s mistreatment of the only woman officer, a joint director, whom he insisted be removed for no ostensible reason. The joint director was subsequently absorbed in the Commission for Scheduled Tribes. Satya Behn wrote a letter to President Pratibha Patil protesting against the chairperson’s dictatorial attitude and gender bias. Other commission members tried to get Satya Behn to withdraw her letter, but she stood firm. Jokes about Singh’s authoritarianism in the commission are legend. “No daleel, no appeal, no vakil,” is one of them.

Diplomatic touch

When Meira Kumar was appointed Speaker of the Lok Sabha, some were sceptical of the choice, since her little girl voice, convent school accent and slow delivery were seen as handicaps in exerting authority. But the general consensus is that Kumar, in her first full parliament session, has acquitted herself very well, in comparison to her predecessor Somnath Chatterjee. Kumar’s cool demeanour helps lower the temperature and decibel levels of the more excitable MPs.

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