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Deep Throat

A regular column on the essential buzz

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Deep Throat
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Punjab
The Open Jail

Recently, former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala—sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in the primary school teachers recruitment scam from 2000—was shifted from Tihar Jail to Bhatinda district jail. But why is the wily politician not being shifted to some place in Haryana, his home state? Well, obviously a BJP government in Haryana will not give the octogenarian a cushy jail stint. On the contrary, Chaut­ala’s old pal Parkash Singh Badal, who is CM in Punjab, is likely to be more of a help in ensuring his jail term is peppered with periodic paroles. Never mind that the Supreme Court rejected Chautala’s appeal against the conviction earlier this year. That’s what friends are for, after all. But it isn’t just Chautala who’s getting perks in Punjab’s jails. A few weeks ago, the Pun­jab government shifted two ex-Sikh terrorists to Punjab jails, so that they can be given periodic parole to visit their families.

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Seemandhra
Home Sweet Home

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is rarely spotted in Hyderabad these days. While opponents say it is Telangana CM KCR’s taunts that have gotten to Naidu, TDP leaders say that Naidu is keen to see at least some part of his vision of a Singapore-style capital being fulfilled. For this, Naidu realises functioning from Andhra is key. Hence, most of the CM’s press meets and engagements these days are being held in Vijayawada. Naidu comes to Hyderabad on weekends and sometimes not even that. For long, people championing the cause of Seemandhra have been saying that government officials must move to Vijayawada to instil confidence in the new capital. Naidu seems to be taking that thought seriously.

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Delhi
What Choice!

The Smriti Irani-led HRD ministry is never out of the news. Its choice-based credit system (CBCS) is the latest to make headlines. College students and teachers are still groping with the system imp­lemented in Delhi University, but the HRD ministry is most relaxed about it. Now the Uni­ver­sity Grants Comm­ission is making a film on the subject to familiarise those finding it beyond their ken. A gleeful minister was heard saying affirmations of university V-Cs from across the country were videotaped. Hope the V-Cs were aware that this was an official sting!

Nagpur
National Service

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) may still be calling their three-day annual meet in Nai?nital a “regular organisational affair” but insiders confirm that more happened at the popular hill station this time than the swayamsevaks would like to reveal. With over 200 RSS leaders gathered in the picturesque environment for the ‘July baithak’, the Sangh leaders this time discussed threadbare the organisation’s role in the running of the Modi sarkar. Senior Sangh leaders divulged that given the state of affairs with the government in Delhi, a decision was taken in the top echelons that for the sake of the country it was essential that the RSS play a more “proactive role” in governance. Clearly, any pret­ence of a self-styled sanyas from governance is now over!

Heard: Investigating officers for the 2G cases are bitter that their leaves/deputations have to be approved by the SC, no less.

Overheard: “It’s fine to say the Modi sarkar is facing tough times today, but this opposition’s peaked too early. Now, if this were 2018….”

Contributed by Meetu Jain, Chander Suta Dogra, ?Madhavi Tata, Bula Devi and Prarthna Gahilote

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