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AN IMAGINARY INTERVIEW WITH SONIA GANDHI
The plains are sizzling so I drove up to Shimla and checked into Wildflower which is a Oberoi property and is no doubt the best Hotel in this region. After leaving my baggage in my room I wandered into the Coffee Shop and you can imagine my surprise when I found Sonia Gandhi seated at one of the tables. I walked up to her table to greet her and maybe get another imaginary interview.
Me: (gleefully) Madam this is the third time we've met in this Hotel.
Sonia: (wryly) Yes!
Me: Hope you recall I've interviewed you twice in this place!
Sonia: (wryly) Yes!
Me: Madam can I get another interview???
Sonia: (wryly) Yes!
Me: Madam what's with the grumpiness???
Sonia: Why have you been running a campaign against my Rahul Baba?
Me: Madam I'm a genuine well wisher who wishes well and not a sycophantic well wisher!!! My kind will call a spade a spade and not behave like jokers for the Queen!!
Sonia: Well wisher……. the kind who wishes we all land up in the well!!!
Me: Madam that eventuality would be your or Rahul Baba's own doing…. I'm in fact trying to warn and save you and Rahul Baba from this eventuality!!! It's your sycophantic well wishers who will be partly responsible in case you and or Rahul Baba land up in the well.
Sonia: Okay okay…… what will you have?
Me: Cappuccino.
Sonia: (calling out to the Waiter) Two Cappuccinos please.
Sonia's Lady Friday comes and Sonia starts giving her instructions. After a good ten minutes she goes. They plan about what she'll be wearing in the evening.
Me: Madam such meticulous planning for evening wear… Madam inflation is now a worry and its hurting the Aam Aadmi.
Sonia: (literally parroting) Inflation is because of the wrong policies of the previous NDA Government and but for UPA Government's war on inflation today the rate would have been touching 15% . I thank the PM and FM for taking measures to keep inflation down. I also thank Rahul Baba who gave valuable inputs to bring down inflation. I also thank my Cook and Lady Friday who gave me the Aam Admi's perspective.
Me: Madam its not the Oscar's …. Madam during NDA's rule inflation was kept in check!
Sonia: But their policies had long term effects and those effects came out during UPA's rule.
Me: You mean to say inflation is a hangover of the NDA rule?
Sonia: Exactly.
Me: Madam I feel inflation is because of the wrong policies of UPA.
Sonia: (aggressively and again literally parroting) This is propaganda by Congress's enemies. Congress will not take such allegations lightly and we shall fight such allegations tooth and nail.
Me: Whoa Madam ….. easy it…….. if only you and your Party showed such aggressiveness to fight inflation things would have been different!!!
Sonia: (angrily) Stop this interview right now…… you leave or I'm going!
Me: Madam Ji itna gussa……..you just reminded me of a Karan Thapar and Pranab Da interview. Karan Thapar still has sleepless nights about this interview!!! He still cannot get himself to say 'sheet of paper'.... you know how Pranab Da pronounces 'sheet'!!!
Sonia: (calming down and giggling) See you got my BP up.
Me: Madam how many Cappuccinos have you had?
Sonia: This is my eighth cup.
Me: Now I understand why you flew off the handle…… Madam it's the caffeine……okay I'll not question you on inflation…….what do you have to say about PMO writing recommendation and follow up letters to get Baalu's son's work done?
Sonia: NDA is to blame for this.
Me: How ???
Sonia: Work is in progress and I will revert back on this question later!!!
Me: Work means that you are trying to dig up a precedence of Vajpayee doing some similar kind of recommendation! Chalo your caffeine level is still very high so I'll not pursue this question but I can say hell will freeze over before you can find a precedence from Vajpayee's term. Have you forgiven Amar Singh?
Sonia: When was I angry with him??? He made a hue and cry at our surprise of him coming uninvited to Congress's Party. Tell me if someone came uninvited to your Party what would your reaction be ???
Me: But he's been accusing you of harassing him and Big B!
Sonia: This is all created by the Media. Why should I harass them??? How can I be blamed for the consequences of their actions??? If he flaunts his wealth and the Income Tax questions him about his wealth where do I come in the picture????
Me: Why do I get the feeling that for political compulsions you are willing to ally with SP but you have not forgiven Big B or Amar?????
Sonia: Who am I to punish or forgive….. Big B is an Icon and I'm just Sonia Gandhi !!!
Me: You sound very much like him when he was questioned about his relationship with the Gandhi family!!!! Chalo it's a touchy matter so lets change the topic…… how do you feel Congress will fare in the upcoming State elections???
Sonia: I feel Congress will come out tops!!!
Me: Inflation is sure going to trip Congress.
Sonia: We will convince the people that it's an NDA created problem.
Me: Madam yeh jo public hai yeh sabh jaanthi hai…… and this time Congress has hit its vote bank right in its tummy!!!
Sonia: Haven't you viewed IBN's pre poll survey that Congress is coming back to power in Karnataka????
Me: Madam if the IBN pre poll survey is giving you confidence then its misplaced.
Sonia: These surveys are very scientifically done….. this is a science!!!!
Me: And when it does not suit your Party then you and your Party damn these pre poll surveys saying its like finding a needle in a haystack!!!
Priyanka comes and she makes a dirty face at me and does some 'ishaara' to her Mom. She then whispers in her Mom's ear and walks off.
Sonia: Please hurry I have to go.
Me: I predict that the next Government will not be a Congress Government.
Sonia: I predict the next Government will not be a NDA Government and directly or indirectly Congress will be in power!!!
Me: So you feel it could be UPA or Congress supported UNPA Government??? Will you extend Commie kind of support to UNPA????
Sonia: ( once again parroting) To keep the fascist forces at bay we will do everything possible.. Our support to UNPA will be conditional and as long as they are able to deliver on their promises we will support the UNPA!!!!
Me: Till power pangs make you part????? By the way Madam you've been passing on the blame to NDA and BJP but you seem to have missed out that if Congress is dumped it will be because of NDA and BJP!!!
Sonia: Stop this interview…. I'm going!!!!
Me: Madam Ji one last question …… will I get an invite for Rahul's wedding????
Sonia: (tauntingly in her Hintalian accent) Begaani shadhi mein why is Abdullah so diwaana!!!
Me: Madam if you know Farroukh he becomes diwaana in every marriage he attends!!!
Sonia : ( has a good laugh) What's BJP paying you?????
Me: ( in a very business like tone) An India where there's no High Command and Yuvraj, mock fires are not created and mock firefighting is not done , all Indians are treated equally, croc tears are not shed on Aam Aadmi's miseries and a Party that's not just for itself and it's Allies!!!!
Bharat Kumar
India's population to be 1.19 bn ?
If Census authorities are to be believed India's population will grow to 1.19bn in 2011 from 1.13bn in 2008. The world's biggest-ever censuses survey has started.
Left is likely to review its support strategy to UPA Government
There are indications that after the outcome of Karnataka assembly polls the Left Front (LF) will review its strategy of continuing its support the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government being headed by Indian Prime Minister Dr.Man Mohan Singh. As the grapevine has it the Karnataka assembly polls will cast die for an early general elections.
Ruchi Ghanshayam is next Ambassador to Burkina Faso
Ms Ruchi Ghanashyam presently High Commissioner of India to Ghana, has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to Burkina Faso, with residence in Accra(Ghana).
Will Maharashtra cadre IAS become new chief of BPT?
In corridors of power a question is doing rounds regarding new Chairman of the Bombay Port Trust (BPT). It is :Will a Maharashtra cadre IAS officer once again succeed Mrs. Rani Jadhav (also a Maharashtra cadre IAS officer), after she superannuates? Usually, it is Maharashtra cadre officer who has headed the BPT.
BJP ahead in Karnataka-IB report
Congress leaders are a worried lot as an Intelligence Bureau (IB) report has reportedly stated that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is way ahead of the Congress party. The Congress is so far ranked on number two slots in Karnataka.
Das is Member of NSAB
CII's chief mentor Tarun Das has been appointed Member of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB).
Nobody wants to go to Patna
Station Director of the DD Kendra Patna Shashank has been moved to Lucknow. Now it is heard that no one is willing to go to the Patna DD Kendra.
SP Prisons in Tamil Nadu promoted
SP of Prisons R. Duraisamy Puzhal, has been promoted to the rank of DIG of Prisons, Chennai range.
Maharashtra bureaucracy keeping its fingers crossed
Bureaucrats in Maharashtra are keeping their fingers crossed as far as large-scale bureaucratic reshuffle is concerned. It is expected to take place shortly.
All eyes are on Karnataka asslemby polls
All eyes on this month's three phased assembly polls to be held in Karnataka.Be it political parties or be it bureaucrats all are watching the polls very keenly results which will be out on May 25, 2008.
Is Om Thanvi joining Navbharat Times.?
Rumour is that senior hindi journalist Om Thanvi is joining the Navbharat Times.
Kapur joins NCDEX
Rakesh Kapur has replaced the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO) nominee, Dr U. S. Awasthi in the NCDEX. He is former 1978 batch IRS officer.
Rajesh Badal joins India News
Senior TV Journalist has joined the new News Channel to be launched by the India News.
IPS officer gets award
J K Tripathy, Inspector General of Police in Tamil Nadu, has been awarded for instituting "Community Policing" which brought down crime rates considerably. He is 1985 batch IPS officer.
83 vacancies of High Court Judges in Country
There are 83 vacancies of Judges in various High Courts in the country. Maximum number of vacancies for Judges existed in the Allahabad Court where 27 posts had to be filled. Allahabad High Court is followed by Gujarat High Court with 11 vacancies, Kolkata High Court (10), Andhra Pradesh High Court (8), Rajasthan and Patna High Courts (4 vacancies each) and Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand and Kerala High Courts (3 vacancies each).
IPS changes in Uttar Pradesh
There is IPS shake-up in Uttar Pradesh.New postings are :-Mssrs Surya Nath Singh SP Anti-Corruption Bureau,Anil Kumar Mishra SP SIT,S S Maheshwari PAC Etah,D D Mishra SP Food Cell,S P Mishra PTS Meerut and S N Kaul Commanadant 42nd battalion .
Faulty ticket allocation by Congress may cost dearly
Faulty distribution of tickets by the Congress may cost dearly for the party in Karnataka assembly polls that will conclude later this month.
Pati is PMG in Delhi
V Pati has been appointed Post Master General (PMG) BD Delhi.
Kapur gets pro-forma promotion
1978 batch UP cadre IPS officer Rajiv Kapur who is currently on deputation to the center has been given pro-forma promotion to the rank of ADG.
Rajasthan is now in Central Zone
CBDT has made amendment by adding Rajasthan in Central Zone for transfer purposes .
Yogesh Chandra appointed by CVC ?
Yogesh Chandra is reported to have been appointed as high value contract evaluator by CVC and transparency Intl. to Coal India Ltd. He is a 1969 batch IES officer.
Pandey is OSD to Minister of State Railways
Dy GM/Law northern Railway P P Pandey has beem moved to the Rail Bhawan as DPC-I cum OSD to Minister of State Railways.He is an IRPS officer.
Ram and Khan move to Railway Board
IRAS ,HAG S Ram Mohan and HAG M S Khan have moved to the Railway Board.While Ram will be Advisor (Finance) Khan Advisor (Budget).R Ashok has gone on deputation.
Chaudhry shifted to Coach Factory Kapurthala
IRAS officer M R Chaudhary has been shifted to the Rail Coach Factory ,Kapurthala.
Brig Mathson takes charge
Brigadier Cherish Mathson, SM has taken over as Brigade Commander of the Pangode Military station.He has succeeded Brig. P.M. Hariz who has been transferred to Jalandhar.
Expert Group of RD Ministry
The Rural Development Ministry has constituted an expert group, to be headed by Moolchand Sharma, vice-chairman, University Grants Commission.The other members of the group include Principal Secretary, Rural Development (Rajasthan), Ram Lubhaya; Secretary, Rural Development (Kerala), S.M. Vijayanand; and Principal Secretary, Rural Development (Andhra Pradesh), K. Raju .
Vij is GM CORE
G R Vij has taken over as General Manager of the CORE. He is 1973 batch IRTS officer.
Usha Bhaseen joins as DDG Prasar Bharti (UPDATED)
Usha Bhaseen has taken over as Deputy Director General of the Prasar Bharti.
Secretary level changes in Pakistan Bureaucracy (UPDATED)
Secretary Petroleum and Natural Resources Farrukh Qayyum will now be Secretary Finance .Secretary of the Textile Industry Division Zafar Mehmood has been posted as Secretary Petroleum.Secretary Housing and Works Abdul Rauf Chaudhry has been appointed as Secretary of the Textile Industry Division.
Mohammad Saleem Khan has been made Secretary Ports and Shipping.
Secretary Population Welfare Division Mohammad Sharif has been made Secretary States and Frontier Regions.Additional Secretary Prime Minister Secretariat Ali Arif has been appointed Special Secretary to the Prime Minister while Additional Secretary Minorities Wing Ashraf M. Hayat has been promoted to the post of Secretary in the same ministry.

Real issue has got into backburner
Reading views & opinions from Abhinav Kumar, M N Tiwari, Shahshank, N N Ojha and lot many others about the recommendations of 6th CPC. This debate started from injustice and less pay to bureaucrats and now has reached a level where the real issue has got into the backburner and all sorts of worthless arguments and accusations are being put forward by individuals justifying the superiority of their own service and denigrating/degrading the other service. This pains me a lot. Let me remind everyone of the old story where a dying father called all his five sons and gave them individual sticks to break and it easily broken by all. Later he gave them a bunch of sticks together to break it and no one was able to break it. The moral of the story is united we stand divided we fall. The existence of bureaucracy is in danger due to opening up of economy. All rich business houses have been crying since beginning that role of Bureaucracy in India should be either limited or buried once for all. I am not in support of keeping a bureaucracy that fights within itself and has no concern for the common citizen but I am in favour of a an Indian bureaucracy that is concerned about the common man. The coming up of SEZs the rising class of business men and rich people is the biggest threat to the common citizen. It is only the Indian bureaucracy & Judiciary that can prove to be the most effective tool in guarding the fundamental rights of Indian Citizens and therefore be united not for themselves but for the people of this great nation. Our Honourable Judges and Officers have proved their mettle in the past despite all odds and I appeal once again that please be united, honest ad dedicated to save the people of this nation otherwise days are not far when we will be actually ruled by Ambanis, Mittals, Warren Buffets, MNCs .
Deepak
Controversy of President's son
There are two diametrically opposite versions about Rajendra Singh Shekhawat's short visit from Mexico to Miami. Archna Dutta the Presidential CPRO has said that there was a long pending invitation to Shekhawat for academic purposes from Florida University and since he was in Mexico he took the opportunity to visit Miami as well. However if the Press reports circulating widely are to be believed, the Shram Sadhna Trust of Bombay of which Shekhawat happens to be one of the managing trustees is running a number of educational institutions. The trust is expanding its activities and in keeping with the prevailing trend of tying up with some foreign universities for better salability is perhaps planning negotiations with Florida University for a tie-up. This according to the press reports was the purpose behind Shekhawat's air dash from Mexico to Miami. If these reports are relied upon then the objective of the visit becomes improvement of the commercial prospects of the private educational institutions being run by the Trust and not academic. Unfortunately the popular perception seem to be coinciding with the press reports and to make maters worse the Florida university hasn't corroborated the CPRO's version so far.
The office of the President of India is an august office. The President apart from being the Head of the State is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Each and every bureaucrat whether in civil or military sector of employment holds office solely during the President's pleasure. Even a slightest dent in the credibility of the august office has serious and wide ranging ramifications. It is therefore in larger national interest that the PR managers of Rashtrapati Bhavan clear the air of suspicion at the earliest and in the most efficacious manner.
NN OJHA
Will Nair look into the affairs of MoEF ?
It was nice to read the about courage shown by CPCB staff to expose what is happening in the CPCB and the MoEF. I hope Nair, Principle Secretary to PM, takes note as the PM is the Cabinet Minister. Nothing happens in this MOEF which can be said to be fair. Such people are being packed up and a coterie rules the roost. Some fair man should be put at the helm of affair to bring in fresh blood.
K P Singh
How long ?
My humble question is when will the discrimination between the IAS and the other civil services going to end? For just missing a few marks at the CS exam, for how long does an officer have to pay, cruelly?
Nabarun Dhar
Libraham Commission
Isn't this Commission setting a record of sorts for the maximum number of extensions and the longevity of its tenure? Was the Commission set up for giving its findings or just for dole? The Government should either lay down a time limit for the Commission to conclude the inquiry or wind it up so that there is no more wastage of the tax payers money and political witch hunting. Procrastination only pollutes the political climate and prolongs the process of communal healing. But perhaps such considerations are alien to the Congress culture which thrives on the politics of schism.
S P Singal
TAIL-PIECE
Another definition of 'wife' is ' waiting in futility everyday'
Contributed by S P Singal

CORPORATE
TK Lahari to be CMD,BCCL
TK Lahari is poised to become the next Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD) of the Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL). At present he is Director (Technical), BCCL, Dhanbad. BK Saxena Director (Technical) with Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) Nagpur is number two in the panel.
AK Singh to be Director (Technical) MCL
AK Singh is poised to become Director (Technical) Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL).
AK Tiwari to be Director (Technical), MCL
AK Tiwai is poised to become Director (Technical) Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL). At present he is Chief General Manager (CGM) Technical-Hasdeo region with South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL).
OP Mishra to be Director (Technical) NCL
OP Mishra is poised to be Director Technical with the Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL). At present he is Chief General Manager (CGM) excavation Singrauli region with Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL).
PK Roy Chaudhary to be Director (Technical) SECL
PK Roy Chaudhary is poised to be Director Technical with the Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL). At present he is Chief General Manager (CGM) Raigarh region with South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL).
Ms. Malvinder Kaur is CH with B4U Network-India
B4U Network has roped in Ms. Malvinder Kaur as Creative Head (CH) for India operations.
Cops perplexed in Hasan Ali case, as he flees India
Authorities of the Mumbai Police, Intelligence Bureau (IB) & Central Bureau of Investigation are reportedly perplexed over the exit of Pune based Hasan Ali from India. Though, concerning authorities had sent clear cut message to the Passport issuing authorities, Hasan Ali was able to flee. Interestingly, concerning authorities kept sitting over the file for six months.
SAIL bags ICWAI National Award
Prem Chand Gupta Indian Minister for Company Affairs (right) handing over the National Award for Excellence in Cost Management 2007 won by SAIL to Soiles Bhattacharya, Director (Finance), SAIL (left).
Maj Gen Ram (Retd) appointed Director of NALCO
Major General Samay Ram (Retired) has been appointed Director of the NALCO for a period of three years.
Kuppuswamy is CEO of Karur Vysya Bank
P.T. Kuppuswamy has been appointed as CEO and Managing Director of the Karur Vysya Bank's with effect from June 1.
Two new EDs of J & K Bank
A K Mehta and Abdul Majeed Mir have been elevated to the post of Executive Directors of the