One for the Family Album
At the Legally Speaking conclave organized by NewsX to celebrate 75 years of the Constitution, Congress MP and ace legal eagle, Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi was asked if he is a better politician or a better lawyer. To which he replied with a laugh saying, “That’s a difficult one, law has always been my first love. I actually and genuinely don’t like the word politics; I like to say that I am in public life. Politics was not a bad word at one time, but now it has become demeaned and diminished… But I enjoy multiple roles, the third role is that of the media. Multi-tasking is both the bane and joy of my life.” He also recalled how the word Lokpal was coined and the bill travelled a full circle in 38 years. He went on to narrate, how years ago when Jawaharlal Nehru asked a young MP in 1962 “what zoo does this animal belong to?” and the late L.M. Singhvi who was then a 30-year-old MP, replied, “Ombudsman” and went on to coin the words Lokpal and Lokayukt. However, it was only much later after five failed bills, at a time when Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi was the chairman of the standing committee on law during the UPA government, that he shepherded the bill to a final reality. Well, that’s one for the family album.
Priyanka’s Maiden Speech
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s maiden speech in Parliament made all the requisite headlines. Both for her debut and the content. It is telling that she made such a high profile debut leading a crucial debate on the constitution for this also lays to rest any speculation of a turf war between the siblings. Initially, Congress leaders had asked Rahul Gandhi to lead the debate since it was he who had made the Constitution the pillar of the Opposition’s campaign against the BJP in the last elections. Few know this but it was Rahul Gandhi’s decision to field his sister. The decision was taken late night and the Congress leaders were informed accordingly. And, clearly, Priyanka lived up to the expectations.
A Congress Reshuffle?
The Congress party is planning a reshuffle of its organization. In fact this has been pending for a while, but the motion gathers momentum post the recent Assembly results. There is a view that some of the general secretaries (incidentally, most belong to Team Rahul) have not been performing as per expectations. Also there could be a change at the media cell, for both the messaging and the organizational work need an overhaul. That, however, is not the news. The news peg really depends on who the new incumbents would be; would it be a shuffling of the deck chairs on the Titanic, or will the party take some radical decisions and bring in some new faces?