Former Governor P Sathasivam (Express) Former Governor P Sathasivam had a special suggestion for the government when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week. During the conversation, when he pointed out that farmers, especially in the southern states, were not aware of the initiatives his government has taken for them, the Prime Minister got him the booklets that explain the government’s programmes. Sathasivam, also a former Chief Justice of India, looked at the booklets and told the Prime Minister how did he expect the farmers in south India to follow booklets in Hindi and English. He then suggested that the leaflets and booklets should be in regional languages as well, a suggestion the Prime Minister accepted, according to sources close to him. Sathasivam is learnt to have told the Prime Minister that he too is a farmer and has been growing paddy, coconuts and banana in Tamil Nadu.
Mask Reminder
DURING THEIR protest over the Lakhimpur Kheri case in the well of the House on Wednesday, some of the opposition MPs did not have their masks on. As their slogan shouting intensified, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi pointed out that the members should not stand around officials and Lok Sabha reporters who are seated at the centre adjoining the Speaker’s chair. “We are not yet Covid-19 free. You are standing so close to the officials, risking their health. Are you, being people’s representatives, doing the right thing by not wearing masks?” he asked. The opposition MPs then pointed out that both he and his cabinet colleague Ashwani Vaishaw were not wearing the mask. Vaishnaw was, however, replying to questions on railways.
Safety First
CONGRESS PRESIDENT Sonia Gandhi, who used to be particular about her attendance in Lok Sabha, missed most of the Monsoon Session which was held when Covid-19 cases were still high. She has been more frequent in the Winter Session, but sources in Congress said Rahul Gandhi – wary of the Omicron variant – does not want his mother to take risks. Sources said concerned about her health conditions, Rahul wanted Sonia to wear a mask while making a zero hour submission earlier this week on the content of a CBSE exam paper. But she did not. On Wednesday, when she reached the House, Rahul suggested to Sonia amid the uproar over the Lakhimpur Kheri case to take a central seat as the opposition MPs were in the well. Later, the Congress chief moved to the second row, but Rahul did not allow her to take her front row seat as the MPs were assembled there.
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