Garlands of embarrassment

During the recent heavy snowfall, the plight of people in Shimla was miserable but the municipal councillors, supposed to stand by them, were on a sojourn to Port Blair. RTI activist and social worker Ravi Kumar Dalit found a unique way to embarrass the and reached the office of the Mayor with garlands for councillors after their return to Shimla. He asked them to tell the people what they had learned from the visit and how the people of Shimla would benefit from it. He demanded that a special meeting of the House would be convened to inform the public about the benefits of their yatra. Every year, councillors go on a tour at the expense of the government. The former mayor had visited China during the acute water crisis but who really thinks about the people, said a councillor.

Khichri’s meanings

Khichri is a popular dish and eaten in abundance during Magh (January-Feburary) but it is frequently used as a proverb, mostly in a negative sense. We normally say “Kya khichri pak rahi hai” (What conspiracy is going on), “Apni khichri alag pakana” (walking in different directions) and “Birbal ki khichri” (taking too long to finish a work). But this year, it was a mega event in Himachal when 1,995-kg khichri was cooked in a single vessel under the auspices of the Tourism Department, creating the Guinness record. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, who was the chief guest, announced that the chef, who prepared the khichri, would be honoured. It is the duty of the government to remain vigilant and keep a watch “Kahan khichri pak rahi hai” (Where a plot is being hatched) but when the government itself is taking credit for cooking khichri, who will clear the mess, quipped a senior ruling party leader.

Endless wait

With Rajiv Bindal becoming the BJP state president, the hopes of Kangra district getting a Cabinet berth in expansion have gone higher. Wild guess is being made in the media regarding who will be inducted. The stories regarding the expected changes in the Cabinet have some ministers frowning and even threatening to drag media houses to court over vague stories. For some hopefuls, the wait is getting longer. They have been nurturing a hope but which way the wind blows, nobody knows.

Loyalty changes with time

Things which appear improbable at one point of time can become a reality. The similar situation was visible in Solan when Dr Rajiv Bindal became the BJP’s state president. The politicians, who had been opposing him tooth and nail, were, perhaps, the first to greet him and in order to show their proximity, they not only made themselves present in Shimla, but were also among the first ones to celebrate in Solan. The move was aimed at cashing in on Dr Bindal’s new stature but whether he will allow the opportunists to make the most of this situation remains to be seen as he is astute and politically smart enough to see through their designs.