Delhi Police Commissioner K K Paul has held the post for three-and-a-half years but this longish tenure may soon come to an end. The exit of V K Duggal as Home Secretary has left Paul without a benefactor in the Union government. Duggal’s successor, Madhukar Gupta, is reportedly not favourably inclined towards Paul. It is little wonder that other top policemen are eyeing his chair.
So Paul is now looking to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to consider his interests. His wife, Omita Paul, is an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the minister’s office. And Paul is hoping that Pranabbabu becomes President of India so that his heart’s desire can be fulfilled – which is to be Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission so that he can be active for the next five years. The current Chairman, Gurcharan Jagat, retires on June 30.
While Paul keeps his fingers crossed, junior Indian Police Service officers in Delhi are doing the same – hoping that he will soon be gone.
‘Cardsharp’ HP officials turn on Virbhadra protege
When Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh made S S Parmar his Chief Secretary in October 2004, the appointment was made 11 days ahead of the retirement date of the outgoing official, Shamsher Singh. The latter was made chairperson of the state electricity board for one year and Parmar was brought in as his replacement. At least six IAS officers senior to him were bypassed. It was apparent to all that Parmar was especially favoured by the CM.
Two-and-a-half years later, facing retirement in June, Parmar is no more in the CM’s good books. Low-profile and mild mannered, he has now become persona non grata among the state bureaucracy, who are opposing his moves to secure an extension.
Sources say that Parmar’s wife has a passion for card playing. The bureaucratic fraternity would visit her to play cards and deliberately lose to please her. The power brokers followed suit, loudly admiring her skill at gambling. The willing losers more than offset their losses elsewhere, courtesy Mrs Parmar’s recommendations. This went on for over two years. But once the officer’s retirement became imminent and it was clear that the CM was unwilling to grant him an extension, the number of card game enthusiasts at his door dwindled.
Dasmunsi sorts out ugly DD spat
A nasty episode of highhandedness in the offices of Doordarshan has resulted in the public broadcaster losing one of its senior hands. Prasar Bharati CEO Baljeet Singh Lalli summoned the Director of News, Swagat Ghosh, and directed him to produce a programme on the achievements of the UPA-led government to mark completion of three years in office. The bureaucrat then began to instruct the mediaman on programme technicalities. The latter could not help pointing out that he was the one who knew more about TV programme production. A heated exchange followed.
The next day, Ghosh met I&B Minister PR Dasmunsi and sought a transfer. The Minister asked him to stay on. Ghosh then produced his resignation letter from his pocket and laid it before the Minister. Dasmunsi finally pacified him by switching him with Neelam Kapoor, Registrar of Newspapers for India. Ghosh is now the Registrar while Kapoor takes over as the new Director, News at DD.
Doordarshan staff has long suffered Prasar Bharati CEOs who are largely IAS officers with previous experience in fields such as commerce and finance, a world removed from journalism and broadcasting. In Lalli’s case, the situation is aggravated by his poor manner/s when dealing with his staff.
Parliament danda for media
India’s parliamentary press corps thankfully does not have the same reputation for misbehaviour as the White House press corps. The Washington journos and lensmen have been known to do things like rolling empty beer bottles down the aisle and hanging out in the cockpit during landing to watch the lights while being ferried on a plane accompanying Air Force One on a foreign trip.
But the flock of around 200 accredited journalists who cover Parliament has put Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Secretary-General PDT Achary and the rank and file of its bureaucracy in a quandary nonetheless. These journalists have been given facilities like computers and phones, and a plush room has been set apart for their pet puja. But, complain bureaucrats, not a line appears in the print media about the business of the House. Only instances of hulla-gulla make it to the front pages. The evening news bulletins in the electronic media include only sound bytes from an MP or two leaving the House.
Now, K V Prasad, Secretary of the Central Press Accreditation Committee, has written to the accredited journalists. The mediapersons have been asked to furnish copies of their reports on Parliament during its last two sessions, adding that this will be a factor for renewal of accreditation.
