Volte face
The compulsion of the negative RTPCR report not older than 72 hours for entering Kumbh area in Haridwar enforced by Uttarakhand High Court has come as a severe denunciation of the Uttarakhand government’s stand on the sensitive subject of Kumbh. Immediately after taking charge of the CM of the state, Tirath Singh Rawat had announced ‘ an open for all’ Kumbh and stressed that there would be no restrictions such as compulsion of Covid-19 test report on the pilgrims for attending the mega religious congregation held once in 12 years. This stand of his not only shocked the health experts as they warned that a restriction free Kumbh is a certain recipe for disaster but also created an atmosphere of confusion among the officials who were bracing to implement the SOPs of union government on Kumbh which were duly endorsed by Uttarakhand cabinet. Though some critics are criticising TSR II for the volte face on Kumbh others point out that the CM has played to the gallery by taking a position which found support among saints and hardcore supporters of the saffron party, a contrary stand on which probably proved costly for his predecessor.
Heli Largesse
The helicopter diplomacy of the government of the Himalayan state has caught the fancy of the leaders associated with the saffron party and has created heartburns in some quarters specially belonging to the Principal opposition party. The big heartedness of the government in providing the state helicopter to the state president of the BJP and state co in-charge of the party could have remained under wraps had the enthusiastic beneficiaries not posted their pictures of the joy ride on social media. One can understand the case of the state president of BJP as for four long years he enjoyed the perks and protocol of a cabinet minister and it takes time to get over the hangover. To give favour to a woman leader who also is the co- in-charge of the party, the Heli had to fly to the neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. With the assembly election drawing close, the benevolent government is advised to extend the ambit of its generosity to the leaders of the opposition so that things remain under carpet.
Liquor lovers
The building housing the directorate of a prominent department located in the provisional state capital is attaining notoriety for being a haven for the Bacchus lovers. The empty bottles of different brands of the liquor which the sanitation workers collect every morning bear testimony to the enjoyable work experience the department is providing to its workers. It is learnt that some Babus of the department remain in high spirits even during the day time and at times this spirit is reflected in their output. In one case the department had to cancel a tender due to the sloppiness of an inebriated Babu. The sceptics suggest that the Babus of the department which remained most active during the period of the pandemic should be given leeway to relax themselves in their offices considering the hard work they are putting in to save the lives of the people of the state.
Friday, 26 March 2021 | Gajendra Singh Negi | Dehradun
