Duty ‘struck’
JUST when they were through with election duty and had chalked out travel plans with their booking agents to enjoy a break, came this bolt from the blue. All officials belonging to Class II and above, have been asked not to go on leave and not to leave the headquarters until August 31. That pours cold water — literally and otherwise — on their vacation plans because by then the rainy season will be in full bloom. Giving the reason, an IAS officer says that this was necessary to complete the pending works that were put on hold thanks to the Model Code of Conduct and the election work. Now, that’s a double whammy!

Scribe turns speech controller
A VETERAN Gujarati journalist has made his way to a position in the Congress party, where he can control a pair of its spokespersons, who themselves are not on talking terms due to the unhealthy race for speaking first on behalf of the party. “My job is to see that no half-baked stuff reaches the media and that the two behave in a decent manner and do not rush with just about anything as the official party statement,” the person said. Of course, this will also rein in the two spokespersons whose internal difference cross the boundaries of Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan in Kocharab. One should hope that this should bring in some amount of sobriety and decorum.

Divide and rule policy
TALKING of the Congress party, it is now a known fact that its office houses two press-rooms. One is on the first floor and the other — the special one for top journalists — is on the second floor. Those, or whose publications do not matter much, need not climb the additional stairs; neither do they enjoy the snacks nor have the privilege of watching some television news. Those of the intellectual kind may go upstairs and hold prolonged discussions, which may become raw material for their columns. As for the press notes or news, the party anyways sends them via fax. So, if one has to gauge the category of a journo, one simply has to visit the Congress office any fine evening!

... contd.