Khaira on AAP's ‘honesty model'
Sukhpal Singh Khaira has a humble plea for former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia: kindly keep your "world-class" education models and Sikhya Kranti out of Punjab. Taking a dig at Sisodia and Satyander Jain after they were booked recently in an alleged Rs 2,000-crore classroom scam, Khaira quipped that the so-called ‘Kattar Imandaar' (staunchly honest) brigade seemed to have redefined honesty by building each classroom for Rs 24.86 lakh at Rs 8,800 per square feet.
For Majithia, AI is Amritpal intelligence
For the revelations he makes, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) functionary Bikram Singh Majithia has his own set of sources, not one but multiple. During a press conference recently, while speaking about purported audio and video clips related to Waris Punjab De (WPD) chief and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, Majithia described his intel network: "I have never said anything against anyone without proof... I have multiple sources, one after the other. Do you think my sources are good for nothing? My sources keep a tab on each other. My one source keeps a tab on second. The second source keeps a tab on the third and so on. After getting information from all four sources, I present something before you." On Amritpal camp dubbing the clips released by him as AI generated, Majithia had a counter question: "When they say AI, are they talking about artificial intelligence or Amritpal intelligence?"
Unusual composition of water protest
It was an unusual sight when typical urbanites, with fewer turbans among them, were seen protesting over the issue of river waters across Punjab on Friday. The issue has not only been considered a "farmers only" issue, but also a Sikh issue as the Akali Dal was left to champion the cause. Urbanites, barring some exceptions, largely remain indifferent to it. Though the Punjab unit of BJP has been maintaining the political correctness of arguing for Punjab's rights on river waters, it has never been seen aggressively taking up the issue. However, after Sunil Jakhar, who comes from a farming family, became Punjab BJP chief, he started packing more strength in BJP's punch on the issue. So, after AAP accused BJP (incumbent in Centre, Haryana and Rajasthan) of looting Punjab of its waters, the saffron party pushed its urban creed to hold protests. This led to the unusual composition of a protest on the issue.
Satellites' bias for paddy residue
Recently, when fires were breaking out in ready-to-harvest fields and causing losses to the wheat crop, farmers cribbed authorities act differently about farm fires when it is paddy season. They said when paddy residue is set on fire, authorities reach their fields immediately and bring along fire tenders. However, now, they just don't reach on time. One of them reasoned that perhaps it is because satellites are discriminatory. "I guess they don't send the visuals during wheat season to authorities on time," said a farmer.
A drug scandal for docs & journos
In a shocking exposé, worthy of a crime thriller, the Narcotics Control Bureau has unearthed a rather enterprising nexus in Amritsar — of doctors and even journalists moonlighting as part-time drug peddlers. The revelation has caught the city off guard. While the named media persons have gone into hiding, a few medical professionals have landed in a soup after raids, with sources suggesting that this is just the opening act. More white coats and press cards may tumble out of the closet soon, said a cop.
Agnihotri's post on conspiracy
At a time when the Congress is looking to finalise its executive in Himachal Pradesh, a cryptic social media post by deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri has raised eyebrows. Amid marathon meetings of the faction-ridden Himachal Congress leaders with the party high command in Delhi, Agnihotri wrote: "Sazishon ka daur... jhoot ke paun nahi hote (The era of conspiracies... lies don't have legs)." The Congress high command has not been able to clear the names for the Himachal Congress executive which was dissolved in Nov last year. Factions in the state unit are lobbying for their aides to various posts in the executive body, and state boards and corporations. There is also talk of the Congress getting a new state president and a vacant cabinet berth being filled.
(Contributed by Vinod Kumar, Navjeevan Gopal, IP Singh, Neel Kamal, Yudhvir Rana, Sanjeev Verma)