Leaving the AAP pandemonium behind, Dilli chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has sought refuge in the soothing environs of Bangalore to seek naturopathy treatment for his chronic cough and diabetes. He skipped the crucial national executive meeting of the party, which now suddenly seems rife with dissent and acrimony. Though Kejriwal sent in his resignation (rejected roundly of course) as the party convenor, the party is still riven between his loyalists and those who lean towards Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, now ousted from the political action committee.
For the public the unsavoury goings-on have revived visions of the party’s disastrous 49-day tryst with power early last year. Will it implode once again under the weight of the disparate ambitions of its founders? Or will it manage to ride out the current storm without floundering and hitting the rocks. Even non-resident Indians who supported the party are appealing for the leadership to stay united and resolve all differences. What is clear so far is that Kejriwal’s loyalists have decided to purge what they call the “Leftist” group whereas Yadav and co have been arguing for more “inner-party democracy”. It would be a big blow to AAP’s national ambitions if the current schism widens. There’s plenty to think and worry about. But for Kejriwal, for now, health comes first.
Neighbourhood watch
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that boosting India’s influence in the neighborhood is a high priority. So Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar’s ‘SAARC yatra’ is being watched with great interest. Though he visited Bhutan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan too, obviously the most important leg of the yatra was the day-trip to Pakistan, with which relations are particularly frosty after secretary level talks were called off last year, and despite Nawaz Sharif’s presence at Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, a move considered rather bold at the time.
While Dilli has downplayed the significance of the visit, claiming it is not a “Pak yatra” and it’s about the neighbourhood as a whole, it is clear that restarting dialogue with Pakistan is important to Modi. Though no one expects a “breakthrough” in Jaishankar’s talks with his Pak counterpart, it may well pave the way for more initiatives on both sides. If successful, the yatra will consolidate Jaishankar’s reputation, already pretty high after his US stint and role in the Indo-US nuclear deal, as the diplomat to depend on. And for Modi a boost for his foreign policy.
Stung media
Dilli’s media has been roiled by a spate of incidents involving some of its own in acts of alleged espionage, impropriety and questionable ethics. Being at the receiving is not a familiar feeling for journalists who are professionally disposed towards exposing wrongdoing of others. These episodes have, once again, shown up the nexus between lobbyists, journalists, industrialists and politicians.
Is it the tip of the iceberg? With some well known names taking a tumble, the gossip mills are wondering who else among the media fraternity would be “exposed” next. But once again Dilli is debating journalistic ethics and acts that seem to blur the line between what is considered proper journalism and what is seen as an immoral or even a criminal act. The story clearly is not over yet. The issues that it has raised require introspection and hopefully a more transparent system.
Swine flu blues
The development of a swine flu diagnostic kit by a Bangalore-based company is the first proper response to the epidemic that has already claimed more than a 1,000 lives across the country. In Dilli, the Union health ministry is overseeing efforts to control the disease, and is reportedly on top of the issue. Health minister J.P. Nadda is assuring us that he is monitoring the epidemic on a daily basis. But the situation on the ground is confusing.
Unfortunately, the number of those affected continues to rise alarmingly. In just one day, earlier this week, Dilli reported as many as 110 fresh cases of swine flu, taking the total number of those affected by the virus to 3,220 so far this year. The fluctuating weather conditions have not helped. Just when Dilliwalas had bid adieu to winter and stowed away their woollens, the weather turned nasty. Heavy rains accompanied by cold winds lashed Delhi and its adjoining areas. The unseasonal rain, medical experts fear, may lead to a spurt in cases of swine flu. The H1NI virus thrives in cold temperatures. But the AAP government is moving swiftly. It slashed flu test rates, and is taking stock to ensure availability of Tamiflu and other essential medicines at every hospital in the capital. But ultimately, it may be the warm weather ahead that may help check the epidemic more than anything else.
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