Vis-a-Vis

SALMAN KHURSHEED UPCC president versus MULAYAM SINGH YADAV Uttar Pradesh chief minister

"The time is not far off when the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government will be dislodged from power owing to its misrule."

"This is an opposition that doesn't know the role of the opposition. They don't even know where they should strike and whether the public will believe them."

EPILOGUE: The Congress attack goes on in spite of its outside support to the SP Government.

VOICES

"I have no problem requesting people to forgive me for past mistakes and again support us. After all, the people are everything." "

Lalu Prasad Yadav, Union railways minister and RJD president

"We don't believe in shakti pradarshan (show of strength) but in shakti darshan (showing electricity)."

Narendra Modi, chief minister, Gujarat

"Who needs reservation? Are we accepting the fact that our mothers, our sisters, the Lakshmis, Kalis and Durgas of India need reservation? I do not think so."

Tathagata Satpathy, BJD MP, on the Women's Reservation Bill

"There is behind-the-scenes stopping of reforms in a spurious manner because reforms help some, hurt some"

Ratan Tata, chairman, Tata Group

"I think the most amazing part about me is the fact that I find myself mysterious."

Sushmita Sen, actor

THE BUZZ OF THE WEEK

South Block is buzzing with plans for the state visit by President George W. Bush. Delhi suggested late January but the White House says it can only be after his State of Union address. Bush is now expected in the latter part of February.

PICTURE SPEAK

NO LIGHT ISSUE: Dikshit

DELHI The power situation in the national capital has always given reason for a power struggle. This time, with the public up in arms over the 10 per cent power hike, it has become a hot political issue and put Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on the backfoot. So far, the main casualty has been BSES CEO Rakesh Aggarwal, who was sacked, but more heads are likely to roll. This is the third tariff hike in Delhi since power distribution was privatised in July 2002. Last week, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy report tabled in Parliament had criticised the Dikshit Government saying, "The results of privatisation of distribution are not impressive."

Interestingly, Dikshit was opposed by party members when she said the hike was part of the agreement. Lok Sabha member Ajay Maken, who was Delhi energy minister when the agreement was signed, even talked about resigning. Thanks to pressure within the party, from the BJP and resident welfare associations, Dikshit had to convene a CLP meeting to discuss the issue. But her troubles could be just beginning, with traditional opponents like Jagdish Tytler and Rambabu Sharma and new rival Maken uniting against her. For Dikshit, there's very little light at the end of the tunnel this time.

-By Shyamlal Yadav

CHANDIGARH Old habits die hard. But for once, the Punjab Police had bitten off more than it could chew when it arrested The Indian Express Principal Correspondent Gautam Dheer on August 28 for allegedly threatening a minor rape victim. Dheer apparently incurred the wrath of the police for his news report the same day on a complaint by two people to the Punjab State Human Rights Commission. They had alleged harassment by IGP Sumedh Singh Saini, who is heading a probe into the rape case. Faced with outrage from all quarters Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh quickly mounted a damage-control exercise, announcing an inquiry by Home Secretary A.K. Dubey.

-By Ramesh Vinayak

AWARDED: The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, to Olympic medal-winning shooter Lt-Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore. Fifteen sportspeople were honoured with Arjuna Awards and three coaches with Dronacharya Awards.

DIRECTED: The CVC, by the Supreme Court, to carry out an inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of hudco funds during the NDA regime.

AWARDED: The 2005 Stockholm Water Prize to the Centre for Science and Environment, in recognition of its "contribution to build a water-prudent world".

PASSED: By Parliament, the bill giving Hindu women equal rights in inheritance of property, with the Lok Sabha approving the legislation.

SIGNED: A tripartite agreement, between the Centre and the state governments of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, to connect the Ken and Betwa rivers.

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