Congress members were taken by surprise that Mukherjee did not mention the late Rajiv Gandhi even as referred to several political leaders in his speech.
Include, Omit, Surprise
President Pranab Mukherjee’s farewell speech to MPs in the Central Hall of Parliament on Sunday took members from the BJP as well as Congress by surprise. The ruling party members were surprised by Mukherjee’s impromptu reference to Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her “passionate support on social legislation”. The written speech distributed to Parliamentarians did not refer to Sonia. Congress members were taken by surprise that Mukherjee did not mention the late Rajiv Gandhi even as referred to several political leaders in his speech.
On His Leader’s Chair
BSP leader Satish Mishra took over as the party’s leader in Rajya Sabha on Monday, occupying the seat vacated by party chief Mayawati, who resigned last week after she was asked to cut short a speech on alleged atrocities over Dalits in UP. As one MP described it, it was an “emotional” day for Mishra.
Big-name Hunting?
Speculation on Rajanikanth’s entry into politics and suggestions of a political pact with former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and leader of AIADMK faction O Panneerselvam has kept the political circles busy over the last few months. Adding grist to rumour mills, Panneerselvam met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday. He also called on President-elect Ram Nath Kovind and NDA’s Vice-President candidate M Venkaiah Naidu, besides meeting G K Vasan, the former Union minister who has formed his own party after parting ways with the Congress. Those close to Panneerselvam said politics was of course on the table during his meetings.
Tackling Harassment
It was initially meant to serve as a portal for receiving complaints on sexual harassment from women employees in all central government offices. However, on Monday, when Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi inaugurated the SHe-Box (Sexual Harassment e-box), she decided that women employees of private companies should not be left out. Maneka made an impromptu announcement that the site should be thrown open to the public too, and told her ministry to reconfigure the website so complaints can be lodged by women employees in the private sector as well. The complaints received on SHe-Box will be directly sent to the internal complaint committees of the workplaces concerned.
