The Government believes that everyone loves Prime Minster Narendra Modi, and wants you to believe that the painful consequences of the decision to demonetise high-denomination notes have not affected his popularity. As one senior official reasoned: “Yes, he and his colleagues are aware of the pains and sufferings, but someone had to take this step… Besides, the common man is willing to take the suffering as he/she believes that hoarders, black money holders and rich corporates are being punished.” But, the thinking man that the Prime Minister is, “he immediately realised that this was the right time to promote cashless transactions and push digitisation. And people are adopting it,” the official added.
Catnap?
Critics were quick with their verbal attacks on Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar after pictures of him with eyes closed and head drooping during the Republic Day parade in the Capital hit the social media.
This is what happens when you take on too many responsibilities, lamented a critic, hinting the minister had been overloaded with work.
Disquiet on the GST front
An association of customs, central excise and service tax officers is once again unhappy with the agreement over administrative control under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) that has been brokered between the Union finance ministry and States, on the grounds that it will undermine their role.
The association has called to wear black badges on January 30 and boycott Customs Day celebrations. It also claimed that a function on January 27 to mark International Customs Day that was presided over by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had to be deferred from the morning to the evening due to “uncertainty” over the protest by the officers.
Vadra who? Says who?
Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu is known for his repartee. However, at a recent interaction with women journalists, Naidu found he had to eat his words. Asked if the BJP would ask Vinay Katiyar to apologise for his sexist comment against Priyanka Gandhi, as has been demanded by her husband Robert Vadra, the minister responded with: Who is he? But, quick to realise the implications of his response, Naidu then became politically correct and said: “Neither the government nor the party subscribes to these comments. I regret that he (Katiyar) made such comments. Nobody is expected to make personal comments particularly on women.”
However, he did not the matter end there. Not one to let go an opportunity, he took a dig at the Congress by saying that people who make personal attacks on individuals should not be commenting. Touché?
Statistical spin
The ministries of coal, power and metal and mines have claimed improved performance (revenue and output) as an “impact of demonetisation”, even as it seems hard to figure out how such a link can be made.
According to power ministry officials, collections by electricity distribution utilities (discoms) increased by more than ₹3,000 crore between November 10 and December 15, 2016, compared to the previous year, when the old notes were still in ciruclation. Both, power and coal output were up more on a year-on-year basis in November and December than in October.
The same holds true for aluminum and lead output.