National

Seven Days

The states of the nation: news, headlines, gossip, rumours, things we learnt

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Seven Days
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Jharkhand
At The Big Bungalow

New CM Raghubar Das is being hailed as a braveheart for daring to move into the official bungalow meant for CMs. That is because none of the previous occupants of the sprawling complex managed to complete a full term in office. The British-era bungalow, once meant for the divisional commissioner, had been refurbished along with an adjacent bungalow to make space for the CM’s residence. While each occupant ensured that everything from crockery to curtains were new, Das has reportedly asked for minimal changes.

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West Bengal
Kirti’s Slog

On a visit to Calcutta, BJP MP Kirti Azad raised eyebrows in the party by staying in the house of Trinamool Congress MP and spokesman Derek O’Brien. Azad also called on chief minister Mamata Banerjee and even told the media that he did not believe she was corrupt. In a pointed reference to BJP president Amit Shah, he volunteered that a CBI inquiry is never conclusive. The BJP higher-ups are not amused.

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Bihar
Thanks, And More Thanks

‘Nominated’ CM Jitan Ram Manjhi is having a rollicking time of it, at once praising the PM, then turning up at BJP MP Ram Kripal Yadav’s house for a meal and later thanking Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh for releasing funds to the state. There are eight Union ministers from Bihar and Manjhi hopes the other “saat bhaiyyas” will be just as obliging. His party, JD(U), is livid.

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Goa
Deep Impact

Union defence minister Manohar Parrikar created ripples by declaring that some ex-PMs had compromised India’s “deep assets”, intelspeak for spies on foreign soil. Parrikar was defending his failure to reveal details of the alleged terror boat incident, which was destroyed by the coast guard off the Gujarat coast. Details would compromise sources, he asserted, and added the aforementioned gem. Social media pundits were soon abuzz speculating who Parrikar was referring to (names ranged from V.P. Singh, I.K. Gujral to Deve Gowda). The Congress, believing Manmohan Singh was the target, dared him to disclose the name in public or apologise. Parikkar has of course refused to take the bait.

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Delhi
Flogged, Then Flagged

Vice-President Hamid Ansari was at the receiving end of a tasteless rant for apparently not saluting the national flag at the R-Day parade. With President Pranab Mukherjee and PM Narendra Modi seen saluting, the V-P seemed guilty of a serious breach of the Flag Code, which prescribes jail for insulting the tricolour. The picture with US President Obama also standing at attention went viral and Twitter buzzed with angry ‘patriots’ dissing Ansari (some of them calling him “jehadi” and worse). The ignorance about the Flag Code is clearly all-pervasive since it stipulates that unless people are “in uniform”, they shouldn’t salute but must stand at attention, which is what Ansari had done. So it was actually Pranab and Modi who were guilty of breaking the code. They were of course being patriotic, ruled the charitable twitterati once they learnt of the provision. No apologies for the Veep though.

Telangana
They Don’t Need No Education

Osmania University’s decision not to admit students above the age of 25 has come in for sharp criticism. No university in the world deprives admission to courses on the grounds of age, say critics, while the university registrar justified the move by saying that a large number of students continue to study because they are not clear about their goals. They should not waste their time on the campus but seek to do something productive, says the registrar. The university now plans to train such students for a life outside.

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Gujarat
Learning Lessons

After the diktat to Urdu medium schools to celebrate Saraswati puja, Ahmedabad municipal corporation wriggled out in the face of protests by saying it was not mandatory after all. Schools still did a Saraswati programme for students.

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